Chapter 278: 【Stunned by Drones】(4k)

It's just that the data on the Republic here is much scarcer compared to the American Federation and the Soviet Federation.

The chat in the livestream was somewhat confused.

Yu Feng, on his end, spoke up to provide the answer: "At this stage, the Republic is still developing steadily."

"The progress can be called rapid."

"Why do you say that?"

"You'll all know after I finish speaking in a moment."

"First, let's continue from last time: in 1980, didn't the Republic send out thousands of students to learn new technologies?"

"Then there's 1981."

"In this year."

"The Republic's own technology also saw a major breakthrough."

"The DF-5 intercontinental missile (with a range of 12,000km) officially entered service, with a strike range covering the American Federation's mainland."

"Its international status improved significantly."

"At the same time."

"The Republic also faced major socio-economic problems domestically."

"It also initiated reforms."

"Come to think of it, that makes sense."

"With the American Federation in an economic crisis and the Soviet Federation in an economic crisis, the Republic was bound to be affected; this is a problem of the broader environment."

"When the leaders are in an economic crisis, how could the countries and federations below them not be affected?"

"Fortunately, the Republic during this period was able to adjust itself to the impact, unlike those countries in Eastern or Western Europe that were completely dependent on the two superpowers, which was much more troublesome."

"Their trouble was that if the Soviet Federation and the American Federation didn't intervene, they had no ability to solve it themselves."

"But the Republic, having detached itself from the influence of the two superpowers, was able to adjust slowly on its own."

"It was also because the Republic only developed itself and did not get involved in the quagmire of war."

"Otherwise, with external factors involved, it wouldn't have been that easy."

"Just like the Soviet Federation; although they tried their best to save themselves, they couldn't withstand the American Federation supporting various countries in Eastern Europe, providing funds, and secretly transporting funds to stir up trouble in the Afghanistan Federation."

Yu Feng looked at the data and continued: "Then there's 1982."

"In this year."

"The Republic's total grain output broke records again."

"Compared to the total grain output in 1978, it increased by nearly 40%."

"This counts as a huge breakthrough."

"Then there is the foreign policy proposed by the Republic, which still prioritized independence and self-reliance."

"Not relying on any major power."

"Avoiding the formation of dependency."

"What the Republic has always firmly believed in is that one must be strong to forge iron."

"Otherwise, once there is excessive reliance."

"If a superpower imposes sanctions one day, wouldn't there be no power to fight back?"

In reality.

This strategy is also seen as extremely brilliant by the Blue Star netizens.

Why?

Because once you rely on a superpower and form a habit, if the superpower targets you one day, you won't even have time to react.

Just like the Soviet Federation relying on grain imports.

And when the American Federation imposed sanctions, the Soviet Federation was instantly dumbfounded; no one would sell them grain, and even if a few did, they required gold."

The Soviet Federation's ruble became waste paper.

Either exchange gold for grain, or exchange technology or materials for grain.

This caused the Soviet Federation, which had become accustomed to relying on grain imports, to suffer a major loss.

But there was no other way.

They could only exchange gold for grain first.

This led to the Soviet Federation's gold reserves being almost completely emptied.

And even then, the grain crisis wasn't solved.

Therefore, while focusing on developing itself, the Republic also paid attention to grain production, which hit new highs year after year.

After all, if the American Federation can use grain to sanction the Soviet Federation today."

Then will there be a day in the future when they use grain to sanction the Republic?"

Things cannot wait until they are right in front of you to find a solution.

Get rid of everything that relies on superpowers and develop yourself as much as possible."

Otherwise, it would be like the Soviet Federation, or the European countries under its command."

One hair pulled affects the whole body."

The Soviet Federation, which the Eastern European countries relied on, fell into an economic crisis and a grain crisis, and the satellite states below were even more affected because they were inseparable from the Soviet Federation."

The interior of the Soviet Federation hadn't even fallen into chaos yet."

The Eastern European countries had already started to fall into chaos first."

Things that major powers can withstand, small countries may not be able to."

Therefore, after seeing this point clearly.

The Republic desperately wanted to become independent."

Yu Feng continued: "Then there's 1983."

"In this year."

"The Republic's technology broke through again."

"The Galaxy-1 supercomputer was successfully developed in Changsha."

"It also became the third country after the American Federation and Japan capable of independently designing and manufacturing supercomputers."

"In the same year."

"The Republic and the American Federation reached a military cooperation agreement."

"Obtaining technical data for some military equipment such as anti-tank missiles and armed helicopters."

Yu Feng spoke up: "Then there's 1984."

"In this year."

"The Republic and the British Commonwealth signed a 'Joint Declaration'."

"Confirming the return of Hong Kong."

"This news made many foreign enterprises turn their eyes toward the Republic."

"At the same time."

"This year, the Republic started urban reform, and at the same time, 14 coastal cities opened up to foreign investment, attracting many foreign enterprises to enter the Republic to set up factories."

"The Republic's market became even more prosperous."

Yu Feng flipped through the data.

The Republic's development over these few years was indeed too dull compared to the infighting between the American Federation and the Soviet Federation.

It really was a case of turning a deaf ear to the world outside.

Yu Feng looked at the last bit of data and said: "Then there's 1985."

"In this year."

"The Republic began to reform its military."

"It cut 1 million troops and shifted the direction of building a strong military to a technology-driven one."

"Thus."

"The development of these five years also came to an end."

"Let's look back."

"In these five years, the Soviet Federation's policies were rigid and stagnant, constantly going downhill, but a new leader took office this year; we will talk about what specific changes this might bring in the next episode."

"As for the American Federation, in these few years, it revitalized hegemonism, adopted tough measures to strike on multiple fronts, and shifted internal problems onto allies and opponents, thereby achieving its own economic recovery."

"To be honest, this method... is quite unscrupulous."

"Because it not only pitted against enemies but also pitted against allies, but they had no other choice."

"The only Soviet Federation that could compete with the American Federation was now unable to protect itself, and other federations or countries in the American Federation camp were simply no match for the American Federation, so even if the American Federation shifted problems onto them."

"They had to grit their teeth and accept it, because they couldn't refuse."

"After all, they couldn't beat the American Federation."

"As for the Republic, it was strategic transformation, internal reform, and opening up the market."

"Not only did it attract a lot of external investment, but it also turned to independence and self-reliance in diplomacy, not forming alliances with any major power, which won a lot of strategic space for its own development."

"This move was quite brilliant."

Standing from a global perspective."

"The Republic at this time had no way to deal with the Soviet Federation, nor did it have a way to deal with the American Federation."

"Because the scale of these two superpowers was larger than that of the Republic."

"But because of previous events, after the Republic split from the Soviet Federation, it became a separate force."

"The current Republic is in a state where the Soviet Federation wants to win it over, but because of the connection between the American Federation and the Republic, it has a very conflicted attitude; it wants to win it over, but is also afraid of the Republic and the American Federation joining forces."

"It can only maintain a stance of ignoring it."

"And the American Federation is the same; the previous combination of the Soviet Federation + the Republic made the American Federation suffer a lot during the Peninsula War and the Vietnam War."

"So after the Republic and the Soviet Federation split, the American Federation took the initiative to contact the Republic and win it over."

"But at the same time."

"Because the Republic's original connection with the Soviet Federation was too tight, the American Federation didn't dare to let its guard down even when communicating with the Republic, but the Republic never stated its position."

"The American Federation was happy with that and simply left it as it was."

"Especially after the Republic shouted the slogan of independence and self-reliance, not forming alliances with any major power."

"The American Federation felt even more at ease."

"As long as the Republic doesn't form an alliance with the Soviet Federation, then everything is fine."

"So the two of them fought infighting, and no one bothered the Republic, because compared to the Republic, the other side was the mortal enemy."

"This also brought development space to the Republic."

The Blue Star netizens in the livestream were also quite emotional when they saw this."

It really wasn't easy."

From the founding of the Republic until now."

Caught in the middle."

Not only was it messed with by the Soviet Federation, but it was also isolated by the American Federation leading the entire camp; now it has finally walked out."

The discussion in the livestream was heated."

Even more so in the forum."

Especially now that the Republic has finally walked out on the path of independence and self-reliance, many Blue Star netizens sighed that it was not easy."

They had followed the plot, growing up step by step with the Republic."

From the beginning of the founding, when everything was waiting to be done, but it was forced to start the Peninsula War, and paid a huge national sacrifice to win, which was not without the help of the Soviet Federation."

But the cause of the Peninsula War was also the hegemony between the American Federation and the Soviet Federation."

And after the American Federation lost the Peninsula War, it began to blockade the Republic comprehensively, leading the entire American Federation camp to isolate the Republic."

The Republic could only "lean to one side" to gain development time."

Until the 60s."

The international situation changed suddenly, and because of some problems, the alliance with the Soviet Federation existed in name only, plus the Soviet Federation tore up the contract and withdrew a large number of aid experts."

The Republic personally felt that it is better to rely on oneself than on others."

At the same time."

The relationship with the American Federation during this period was still tense, falling into a difficult situation where both sides were fists."

But the Republic faced the nuclear threats from both sides."

And gritted its teeth to hold on."

Until the 70s, when the American Federation was trapped in the Vietnam Federation quagmire, and after constantly having bad luck, it found that it was unable to deal with the Soviet Federation alone, so it sought diplomacy with the Republic."

Only then did the two sides ease up."

Now it's the 80s."

The Soviet Federation, whose strategic expansion reached its peak, also fell into a quagmire of war, just like the American Federation in the 70s."

And watching the Soviet Federation being choked."

Also made the Republic instantly alert that one should never rely on outsiders."

Whatever it is, it's best to have it at home."

Even if it's a little worse."

It's better than being choked by an opponent."

The Republic woke up in time and turned to the path of independence and self-reliance."

It was to avoid being choked by the American Federation one day in the future."

At the same time, after surviving in the cracks for these years, the Republic finally walked out on a path of its own."

And for the situation on Earth until 1991."

Blue Star players were even more curious."

Because this is the final countdown for the Soviet Federation."

Recalling when they first entered the game, choosing the Soviet Federation camp to fight against the Empire."

No one expected today's plot."

At that time, no one could have imagined that the Empire would be destroyed, nor did anyone think that the Soviet Federation would become such a behemoth, and even less did they expect that the American Federation that appeared later would be so outrageous."

The discussion in the game continued."

On the other side."

Daxia Federation, 7th Special Operations Brigade."

Inside the conference room."

Chief of Staff Qu Guang, with the others, looked at Mobile Corps Commander Shen Yan, who was training at this time, and his soldiers with furrowed brows."

At this time."

In the plot."

Shen Yan led the team on a plain, with only sporadic woods, mostly fields, the view here was open, and Shen Yan was speeding on a motorcycle."

This feeling of engine roaring, no man could refuse."

Especially with Blue Star being so rich in energy."

The vehicles developed have long since lost the sound of engine roaring, so many Blue Star players have varying degrees of fascination with the cars, motorcycles, armored tanks, etc., in "Earth"."

Shen Yan is the same."

But now... Shen Yan is not in the mood to immerse himself in the sound of the engine roaring."

Shen Yan, driving the motorcycle, was speeding on the muddy road in the fields."

Behind him was a basic and sharp whistling sound."

The magazine of the rifle on his back was already empty, the pistol in his hand was also empty, the sound in his ears was getting closer and closer, Shen Yan couldn't help but look back and cursed: "Damn!!!"

He threw the pistol with the empty magazine in his hand backward."

But it didn't hit the drone chasing from the sky."

The whistling sound was getting closer."

Just a second before the rapid dive, feeling it was about to hit, Shen Yan jumped off the motorcycle, and the drone in the sky also dived and smashed into the motorcycle."

Boom—!!!"

A violent explosion rose, and Shen Yan, who rolled out, could only protect his head."

Feeling the heat wave coming."

Until he fell into a mud pit on the side of the road and stopped."

Shen Yan shook his head and stood up with difficulty, somewhat swaying."

Looking at the wreckage of the motorcycle burning into a ball of fire in the distance, he was also suspicious."

Damn."

War makes people progress."

But this progress is too fast."

When fighting before, it was normal, even in the war of attrition in 【Bakhmut】, it was still acceptable."

But I don't know when it started."

I started not to see the enemy troops on the opposite side."

Instead, drones always flew in from the sky, bombing them so miserably."

Damn it."

Why don't they have drones here?"

Did Zhao Ming forget to arrange it?"

In fact, not only were they bombed, but the soldiers of the other six major federations were also bombed miserably by drones."

> ===== CHAPTER 279 =====