Chapter 166: Chaos Resurges

The anticipated conflict with Shawute Stan had not yet arrived, but the Independent Government had friction with Helmakistan on the other side instead.

The reason was this: during the nine years of struggle, many Ankra people did not want to be involved in the dispute, so many people went to neighboring countries for refuge one after another, including Helmakistan as a neighboring country.

Although these people, as refugees, inevitably had friction with local residents in life.

But the countries that accepted refugees all provided some help, allowing the refugees to live on.

As for whether this goodwill was out of covetousness for the Ankra region, that was a matter of opinion.

Recently, after the establishment of the Ankra Independent Government, for some reason, the friction between Helmakistan citizens and Ankra refugees suddenly intensified, and the Helmakistan government also adopted a laissez-faire attitude, which led many persecuted Ankra people to return to their homeland one after another.

The people who fled back needed to be resettled by the Independent Government, and Wang Liumei had a headache for a long time because of this.

Then these refugees told about some unfair treatment they suffered in Helmakistan in their daily lives, which inevitably sowed the seeds of hatred for Helmakistan among the people.

Wang Liumei tried to issue a diplomatic note, hoping that the Helmakistan government could stop the persecution of Ankra refugees.

But the response received was that the Helmakistan government did not consider the Ankra Independent Government a legitimate government, did not have the right to conduct equal diplomatic activities with the Helmakistan government, and had no right to interfere in the internal affairs of the Helmakistan government.

If they really wanted to discuss the disposal of Ankra refugees, they must negotiate with the Shawute Stan government.

Receiving the response from the Helmakistan government, Wang Liumei was furious, but had no way.

The reason why the Helmakistan government suddenly changed its attitude toward the Independent Government was simple to guess: it was the Maozi behind them making trouble, just to teach this disobedient former little brother a lesson.

And Shawute Stan might tear up the armistice agreement at any time. The Ankra Independent Government could not go to provoke Helmakistan at such a time.

Offending countries supported by both the Eagle and the Maozi at the same time and putting oneself in a dilemma could be said to be a very stupid decision in all aspects.

But there was no way. At the beginning, Wang Liumei did not want the Ankra Resistance to be manipulated by others and become a tool of war, so she chose this path.

Then no matter how difficult it was now, she could only continue to walk along this path.

Fortunately, this was just a corner of the Middle East chaos, not enough to attract the Eagle or the Maozi to do it themselves.

About two weeks after Helmakistan's formal response, movements of the Shawute army began to appear on the border between Shawute Stan and the Ankra region.

When Li Boyong received the news from the border patrol, he happened to be discussing the issue of army re-expansion with Shihe and Wang Liumei in the capital.

"To be honest, I now have some sympathy for the Shawute Stan government. Pushed by the great power behind them, even if they don't want to, they are forced to actively provoke us," Li Boyong sighed, then analyzed the combat power ratio between the enemy and us. He was full of confidence in the victory of the Independent Army.

"After all, they have received a lot of arms assistance, and we have returned all the prisoners, but I don't think that with the current low morale of the Shawute army, they can last long in our guerrilla warfare."

"Indeed, but the situation in Shawute Stan is not good now. War defeat, loss of territory, economy on the verge of collapse, and serious internal conflicts in the country. They are also making a final struggle to divert the attention of the people," Wang Liumei gave her judgment based on intelligence, "And now the output of our oil fields here is quite eye-catching. The other side probably also has some ideas."

Li Boyong sneered, "It's simply a way of gambling on the fate of the country. I really want to just annex the other side."

"Don't be careless." Seeing Li Boyong starting to float a bit, Shihe hurriedly reminded: "Even if we really win, with our strength, we can't annex the whole of Shawute Stan, and we can't deal with various problems after the occupation. Moreover, the purpose of our fighting is not to invade others."

It was just that Shihe's reminder tone was too strong. After finishing, she seemed to react herself and stopped talking.

"Sorry, I was a bit carried away. I didn't mean to accuse anything."

Finally, Shihe explained.

"Of course, I know."

Li Boyong smiled, only the smile was a bit reluctant.

After the discussion ended, Shihe left in a hurry, and Wang Liumei found an excuse to keep Li Boyong.

"What happened?" Wang Liumei asked with concern: "Recently, your relationship with Sister Shihe is so strange, a bit awkward, and the atmosphere is very bad, not at all like the previous affection."

"I don't know what happened suddenly," Li Boyong sighed, a bit low, "Probably tired. You also know our situation. After being with me, all that awaits her is endless fighting, and the tragedies witnessed in the fighting."

"I... I have some regrets."

"Are you looking down on Sister Shihe's feelings for you?"

Hearing Li Boyong's somewhat rash answer, Wang Liumei was suddenly very angry and cursed vulgarly: "You idiot who only thinks with your lower body, don't tell me you want to shift the responsibility to Sister Shihe just because your base desires couldn't be satisfied?"

Seeing this black-bellied loli drop her reserve and curse for the first time, Li Boyong was stunned.

Thinking with the lower body?

Base desires?

Shifting responsibility?

Are we talking about the same thing?

"Sister Shihe has always been by your side, never leaving or abandoning you, no matter what difficulties she encountered,"

Wang Liumei continued: "That is a feeling that spans several worlds and two races. I won't allow you to hurt Sister Shihe's feelings because of some messy inferiority."

What is this messy persuasion of yours?

One moment saying I'm base, the next saying I'm inferior.

And what the hell are the two races?

Naturals and Coordinators are both humans!

Do you just want to say something cool?

However, for some reason.

Looking at her furious appearance of cursing, Li Boyong indeed realized that his evasive attitude toward Shihe during this period was problematic.

"I'll go find her," Li Boyong said and ran out.

"Sister Shihe is probably at the orphanage now," Wang Liumei shouted from behind.

"Thanks, I know," Li Boyong left a sentence and a departing back.

"Idiot, coward, pervert..." Wang Liumei cursed at his back in a low voice until she was a bit tired, "However, he is still a man who dares to admit his mistakes."

——

Li Boyong left the Independent Government office, stopped the subordinates who wanted to follow, and hurried all the way to the orphanage.

There, he saw Shihe who was playing with the children.

"A-Yong?" Shihe felt a bit awkward seeing Li Boyong, but seeing his anxious appearance, she still asked: "Coming here in such a hurry, has something changed in the situation?"

Saying that, she waved her hand to let the children play by themselves, then walked quickly to Li Boyong's side.

"I didn't even know, do you come here often?" Li Boyong asked a question unrelated to the situation, his face a bit ashamed.

"I come often recently," Shihe replied, probably guessing Li Boyong's intention.

"Sorry... I've been busy recently... I..." Li Boyong tried to explain something, but he really couldn't figure out what this awkwardness during this period was about, and finally could only say bluntly: "Let's stop being awkward, okay?"

Shihe looked at his difficult appearance, chuckled, and then said gently, "Actually, I should be the one saying sorry. After that incident, I always couldn't help but think, if I could do more, if I could be more capable, maybe some tragedies wouldn't have happened, so I've been coming to the orphanage to help these days..."

"Strange, I don't know what I'm saying either..."

As she spoke, tears suddenly flowed down uncontrollably, "Sorry, I didn't mean to blame A-Yong, and it's not A-Yong's fault."

"I know," Li Boyong went up and hugged her, "You are just too kind and too hard on yourself. I know your thoughts, so I was angry with myself, angry that I kept letting you encounter such things."

"It's not A-Yong's... ugh!"

Shihe wanted to say something, but suddenly felt the sensation on her lips. The words she wanted to say were blocked, and she widened her eyes in surprise.

A moment later, she gently hugged Li Boyong's shoulders back and slowly closed her eyes.

It seemed... there was no need to communicate with language anymore.

Because, the souls had already connected together. ===== CHAPTER 167 =====