Hiss!
With Ning An's explanation, Aluf instantly realized he had messed up.
According to his own plan.
First, use the might of the Daoist Association to suppress them, then pretend to burn incense and make wishes.
No matter whether the wish was fulfilled or not, he would insist it wasn't.
Everything was planned perfectly.
But who could have thought?
This Daoist would turn the tables, using the instructor's mass-line tactics masterfully.
"The Blue Sky is dead, the Yellow Sky will rise! In the year of the Jiazi, peace reigns under Heaven! I, Zhang Jiao, respectfully invite the Han to face their doom!"
"Has this little bastard forgotten what kind of maniacs Taoism has always been full of? Throughout history, officials have first appeased Taoism; when it comes to rebellion genes, these Daoist Masters charge forward with a roar, their excitement rivals that of Da Mao's commissars."
"In fact, Aluf's plan was pretty good. He even brought in the directly affiliated leadership unit of the Daoist Association. Generally, it shouldn't have gone wrong, but who in a normal Daoist Temple cares about that stuff?"
Just as Aluf was about to lose his temper from being cornered.
In a concealed building on the outskirts of Kyoto.
A few gray-haired elders were engaged in a fierce debate, their faces full of anger.
Because just yesterday.
Yingjiang had directly united with other Western countries to impose sanctions on parts of Dragon Country's technology.
Among them was T30-level carbon fiber. Any enterprise in Western countries selling this material to Dragon Country would be treated as treasonous.
Under such heavy pressure, many foreign manufacturers would rather pay hefty compensation fees than break contracts.
But this is quite normal. After all, Yingjiang is a superpower. Any capitalist with a functioning brain wouldn't defy such a superpower.
"Can't play fair; they flip the table, it's really shameless."
"Purely disgusting people, aren't they?"
The faces of those present were so dark, they seemed to drip water.
This issue even alerted higher-up leaders, directly instructing the Foreign Ministry to severely condemn such unjust actions, pressuring Western countries to lift the blockade.
After all, T30-grade carbon fiber is extremely important. Without this material, Dragon Country's entire aerospace sector would come to a standstill.
"Our space industry is in a crucial development phase; we absolutely cannot give up!"
"Easy for you to say, that dog Yingjiang demands that as many tons of T30 carbon fiber we buy, we have to trade in as many tons of rare earth in exchange. This insidious intention must be promptly curbed!"
"Being choked, it's really damn frustrating! Secretary Wang, what does Elder An say?"
The several elders present wore no uniforms.
But the pressure emanating from them in their gestures made the entire conference room feel slightly cooler.
Plus, the layers upon layers of armed soldiers proved that this place was very important.
The middle-aged man called Secretary Wang sat among the experts, his work attire in disarray.
He stood up, his face devoid of color, as if he hadn't closed his eyes for ten days and nights.
He propped himself against the table, tears streaming down.
"Why are you crying! Like a woman!"
"Can it be done or not? The country is still waiting to use it!"
An elderly man with a bad temper, leaning on a cane, was so angry his nose flared and eyes glared.
He thought of his own battles back in the day, losing a leg on the field without shedding a tear.
Slam!
The elder at the main seat frowned, slapping the table heavily.
"None of you are young anymore, so why are your tempers still so fiery."
"With such abundant energy, why don't you all go conduct the research? Whoever achieves it, I'll vacate my seat for them!"
The noisy conference room gradually quieted down.
At this point, the elder in the main seat looked at the standing Secretary Wang and spoke calmly:
"Secretary Wang, give it to us straight. The country has invested so much; surely we have a right to be informed."
"Besides, with Elder An presiding, even if there are challenges, you shouldn't lose your composure like this."
In unison, everyone's eyes turned to Secretary Wang.
"Initially, progress was rapid, but..."
Secretary Wang wiped his tears, giving a bitter smile:
"Elder An... doesn't have much time left."
"Without a leader, only relying on us, it might take two or three more years."
"Two or three years? In two or three years, our country's blood will have been drained dry; what development would be left?"
The hot-tempered elder again snapped, pounding his cane.
"Ma Baoguo, sit down!"
The elder at the main seat's expression turned stern, and Ma Baoguo chuckled dryly, obediently sitting back down.
Everyone could understand his feelings.
Because all those present shared his thoughts.
"It's not that I, Ma Baoguo, am too hasty, but that Yingjiang's ambitions are too grand."
"You know how harshly they sanctioned the Maozies back then; now they want to use carbon fiber to lock down our aerospace again. Grandpa can bear it, but Grandma can't."
"We can't possibly let the tragedy of the Maozies' predecessor repeat itself!"
Ma Baoguo's complaints weren't loud, but ensured everyone could hear.
After all, past lessons serve as a guide. The disintegration of a great nation back then had no shortage of Yingjiang sabotaging from behind.
Everyone's expressions grew serious once more.
At this moment, someone spoke softly:
"Elder An, what do the doctors say?"
Secretary Wang held onto the table tightly, his voice hoarse:
"It's beyond cure; the teacher probably... doesn't have much time…"
Instantly, the entire venue went silent.
After all, in the field of materials, Elder An was a world-renowned authority.
Without such a leader, achieving T30 carbon fiber would be a distant dream.
After a while, the elder in the main seat spoke in a deep voice:
"Although we've developed carbon fiber that can partially replace T30's functions, both in terms of weight and strength, it's far from enough."
"In the realm of technology, falling behind not only brings beatings but may also result in permanently losing the right to speak."
"Secretary Wang, you carry a heavy burden."
The elder spoke earnestly to Secretary Wang.
"Chief, this…"
Secretary Wang's words were interrupted by a rapid knock on the door.
"Reporting!"
"Come in."
A sharp-looking soldier strode in, gave a respectful salute, then spoke:
"Reporting to all chiefs, just now during a room check, Academician Elder An was found missing..."
Before he could finish, many stood up, exuding a murderous aura.
"Those bastards, it's one thing to block technology, but now they're directly targeting our scientific personnel, damn it!"
"Are these buggers playing dirty?"
"Why are you standing still! Quickly investigate! Find him! Ensure Elder An's safety!"
Ma Baoguo was particularly impatient, grabbing his cane to make a call:
"Go, mobilize my guard regiment and I'll immediately authorize them to carry arms!"
Many elders exuded a chilling intent, all having crawled from heaps of corpses; who's afraid of whom!
They didn't fear being dismissed but were afraid of the country being endlessly humiliated by others. That hurt more than death!
Such a scene immediately terrified the young soldier.
After all, the lowest rank among the chiefs present was Major General.
Such a powerful aura couldn't be withstood by a mere soldier like him.
"Don't panic; let me ask, has Elder An been found?"
Although Secretary Wang was anxious, he was perceptive enough to ask the critical question.
After all, he didn't believe a spy could infiltrate a national base.
The young soldier was on the verge of tears:
"All... all chiefs, Academician An isn't lost… he just went to burn incense…"