Chapter 1986: Ambitions from All Sides

Seeing Longyan display its military strength so unscrupulously, even these hostile nations.

Had to admit the power of Longyan on the seas.

Countries such as France, upon seeing the strength of the Longyan Navy, immediately abandoned the idea of forcibly seizing the Panama Canal.

After all, they truly could not win.

As for the British, their hearts were filled with hesitation and unease; they did not know if their newly developed Dreadnought-class Battleship could manage to retreat unscathed when facing such a Longyan Fleet.

Or what the outcome would be when facing a Longyan Unit strike group.

They did not know, nor had they thought this matter through clearly.

But the current scale of the British Unit absolutely had no way to be like the Longyan Unit, bringing out a genuine supply ship to use as a prop for a show of force.

Since the Dreadnought-class Battleship entered production, not even a second one had been built to this day.

Under such circumstances, Britain at least dared not harbor ulterior motives regarding the Panama Canal for the time being.

They had to weigh their own standing: could they defeat the Longyan Unit? Did the Dreadnought-class Battleship they possessed count as a threat to Longyan at all?

They could not figure it out and could only hide their thoughts about the Panama Canal; of course, regarding everything that happened on the Panama Canal today.

They would report it all truthfully.

……

France soon received news from Yun City.

Upon receiving the news, Richard summoned Fang Dalong and Wan Shang at lightning speed.

Richard had ideas about the Panama Canal; when he saw Fang Dalong and Wan Shang, he asked quite definitively: "Do you two have any method to let us get a share of the pie at the Panama Canal?"

Wan Shang: "……"

Fang Dalong: "……"

"Sir, do you think that with the abilities of the two of us, we can do anything about the Panama Canal?"

After the intelligence was made public, the two of them naturally also knew about the Panama Canal matter.

Both of them sighed in their hearts simultaneously, not knowing what Richard was thinking.

To actually think that the two of them had a way to let them get a share of the pie at the Panama Canal.

Richard sighed: "Isn't it just letting our merchant ships pass through a waterway? This matter shouldn't be difficult."

The two were very helpless; why did it feel so infuriating when Richard said this?

Thinking it was so taken for granted.

Wan Shang and Fang Dalong knew deeply what kind of price Longyan City had paid to build the Panama Canal.

Now, how could you, France, feel that such a difficult matter was just a matter of a single sentence?

"Sir, abandon this thought. If you really want to discuss canal cooperation with Longyan, then go talk to them yourself."

"The two of us cannot do it regarding this matter."

"We are only here to collect intelligence."

Richard was helpless and could only let Wan Shang and Fang Dalong return.

……

On the other side, Kelinxi held a supreme meeting in the British Colonial District.

This meeting had only one issue, which was regarding the Panama Canal.

Kelinxi still insisted on his inherent attitude.

He still believed that the current Britain already possessed more ships and more powerful battleships.

It was not a difficult matter to make Longyan hand over a portion of the rights to the Panama Canal.

But after the people from the Military Department received the letter from the spy, it contained desperate dissuasion to abandon any unrealistic ideas.

The military personnel saw the information recorded above: the Longyan Unit had dispatched only one strike group and instantly destroyed a supply ship. In the face of such military force, if our unit chose to take action.

We would have to consider the possibility of victory in confronting Longyan.

Currently, they had only manufactured one Dreadnought-class Battleship, while Longyan brought out four at once, and even destroyed one without the slightest bit of regret.

This explained their attitude.

They even used their own ships as the imaginary enemy, completely disregarding the British Dreadnought-class Battleship.

"We believe that now is not the best time to be tough with Longyan. If Longyan were to attack us, given our current maritime strength, it is very likely we would lose everything!"

But Kelinxi insisted on his own view to the end; he believed this was a negotiation.

Not a military threat.

The Military Department said: "Negotiation is fine, but at most we can let Longyan allow our ships to pass through here. As for other ideas, they are not practical for us."

"General, you also know that we still have to fight the French unit."

Kelinxi let out a breath, interrupted the Military Department without sparing any face, and said coldly: "What I am talking about is the right to pass, but it is a shipping route. Qiaozhi has already set off, right? Let him go talk. If it cannot be settled, then we will talk about other things."

Hearing these words, everyone fell silent.

This meeting also ended unhappily; the Military Department was almost unable to endure Kelinxi's stubbornness.

But now they could not fall out with Kelinxi either.

And at the other end, in Longyan City.

Qingyang received the news of the opening of the Panama Canal; for him, this was also news worth celebrating.

"It's good that it's open, it's good..." Qingyang exclaimed.

The opening of the Panama Canal marked the further strengthening of Longyan's control in America; Longyan's powerful naval force finally had a place to be deployed.

But while receiving this news, Qingyang also received other information.

Seeing these countries acting so jumpy when facing the Panama Canal, Qingyang gave a cold laugh.

In his view, these countries were nothing but worthless curs.

To actually think of coming to get a share of the spoils is simply laughable!

However, Qingyang Shuo still allowed cooperation from some countries; after the Panama Canal was opened, the countries on the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean were the most affected.

These people were also the biggest cooperation partners of Longyan City.

After all, digging the Panama Canal exhausted endless resources of Longyan City; if only the single nation of Longyan occupied this canal, the significance of its impact would not be considered great.

Therefore, the participation of other countries was a good thing for Longyan.

The reason the Suez Canal is so important is precisely because it is the throat of the Mediterranean Sea countries, controlling the lifeblood of many countries in the Mediterranean Sea.

The reason the Panama Canal can stand shoulder to shoulder with the Suez Canal is naturally for the same reason.

Although the Panama Canal does not hold the lifeblood of any country, it has greatly shortened the distance between two great oceans and two worlds.

For the economy and development of every country, it possesses immeasurable value.

In Qingyang Shuo's vision, he intended to treat the Panama Canal as an open canal, where ships from all countries could pass through.

They, Longyan, only needed to collect a small fee to earn a fortune.

Qingyang Shuo believed that no country could refuse the convenience exchanged for such a fee; if they did not take the Panama Canal, they would have to detour at least three thousand kilometers, delaying their time by one to two months.

It was also because of these conditions that Britain wanted to come to the Panama Canal to get a share of the spoils.

At this time, Qiaozhi arrived in Longyan City.