The news that some Red Cross organization from Longcheng had entered France to treat civilians was reported up the chain of command, giving the German high command something of a headache.
The division commander's report placed particular emphasis on words like human rights, love, and peace.
He stressed that the Longcheng people had given him their personal assurance: they would not assist or render aid to French soldiers, would not provide them a single grain of food nor a single bullet.
They would only help ordinary people ground underfoot by the iron heel of war, offering them hope and love.
What kind of idiot was this division commander? How had he ever made it to that rank? Did he just swallow every piece of nonsense people fed him?
In times like these, there was no such thing as love and peace. Where was the room for human rights?
Human rights? What were those?
And what was all this about a Red Cross, about peacekeeping forces — did Germany lack troops of its own? Did it need outsiders to keep the peace?
Fine. They were here already. Keep an eye on them, and as long as they truly refrained from helping the French, let it go.
Victory was within sight. This was no time to make an enemy of a power that looked, by all appearances, formidably strong.
If evidence emerged that they were secretly aiding the French, then expel them!
If war with Longcheng could be avoided, then avoid it by all means. There were already enough fires to put out.
And so Longcheng's relief teams and peacekeeping forces began construction on an open stretch of land outside Paris.
A brand new town was rising from the earth.
Paris itself was by now heavily occupied by German forces, who were maintaining order within the city.
The Longcheng people made no immediate move to stir up trouble, and set about their building with quiet diligence.
From the great steel vessel, large trucks rolled in ceaselessly, hauling prefabricated materials. The pieces were assembled on the spot — an entire three-story building could be put together in less than a day.
This manner of construction, like snapping together building blocks, without the pouring of concrete or the like, naturally offered a less comfortable living experience than a conventional structure. But its advantages lay in speed and convenience, and when the time came to leave, it could be dismantled just as easily — extremely practical all around.
The German soldiers who had been watching the site stood slack-jawed as the Longcheng people conjured an entire town within days. Every last one of them was dumbstruck.
Was this the speed Longcheng operated at? How on earth did they do it?
Last night it had been bare ground. This morning they woke up to find a whole building had gone up overnight.
It was terrifying.
The news traveled up through the ranks, and when the upper echelons received it, they fell silent.
However much they had stretched their imagination in picturing Longcheng's strength, they had still not reached its limits.
What would it mean for Germany, they wondered, if such a place were ever to become an enemy?
The order came down from above: so long as things didn't go too far, leave them alone. If they did go too far, report it up — no one was to start a fight on their own authority.
The order also made a point of emphasizing: we are not afraid of them. It is simply that we already have enemies enough. We cannot afford to provoke more before victory is secured.
A few days later, several large trucks rolled out of the new town and drove to various locations where German soldiers were gathered.
The soldiers rose to their feet, gripping their rifles, uncertain whether or not to raise them.
The trucks pulled to a stop. First came the smell.
The canopies of the trucks were thrown back, and the aroma grew richer and deeper.
"Longcheng's treating everyone to a meal! Don't be shy, come on up and get it!"
The German soldiers, renowned for their discipline, did not move a muscle.
You won't move? Fine, then I will.
The man in the lead jumped down from the truck, lifted one heavy container after another from the bed, and set them on the ground. The soldiers who stood rigid as statues began twitching their noses furiously.
What was this? The smell was extraordinary.
The leader grabbed a steamed pork bun and pressed it into the hands of the nearest German soldier.
In German he said, "Try it, go on, try it — a specialty from the East unlike anything you've known. Don't hold back!"
All those years Longcheng had spent cultivating diplomatic talent were finally paying off.
First engagement of the university foreign language department: corrupt the enemy's enlisted men!
German military discipline was the last barrier standing between the soldiers and temptation. Every one of them desperately wanted to shoot this inconvenient tiger to pieces, but none dared.
"My young friend, am I French? Am I your enemy? No — I come from Longcheng, a place warm in hospitality, civilized and kindhearted! We are willing to be friends with anyone."
"Could you really bear to refuse a friend's good intentions? That would break a friend's heart!"
"Well then — thank you, friend."
If you could set down the blade in your hand, I think we could be even better friends.
The young German soldier accepted the friendship extended from his Eastern friend.
One month later, German Army Headquarters issued a new order.
Soldiers were prohibited from fraternizing with people from Longcheng or from the East while on guard duty.
To anyone who didn't know the backstory, the rule seemed baffling — what on earth had prompted it?
But behind every seemingly absurd regulation, something even more absurd had invariably taken place.
"This is a specialty from the East — dumplings. Try some, they're delicious. And this is a stir-fry — you've never had it before, have you? I heard you people eat everything raw."
"No rush, no rush — there's plenty for everyone, as much as you can eat. If it runs out we'll make more and bring it back."
A German battalion commander sensed something was wrong outside and came out to investigate. He found every one of his soldiers who was supposed to be standing guard clustered around a Longcheng truck, gorging themselves without restraint. His big nose nearly bent sideways with fury.
He stormed over and delivered a fierce kick to the nearest backside presented to him.
He was just about to speak when a plump hand grabbed hold of him, and before he could react, something was shoved into his mouth.
What in the — ...God, that's delicious.