Su Chen smiled. Earning someone else's trust really was a happy feeling.
He patted the other man's arm and continued.
"Brother, stand farther back, away from the gate. Don't let anyone notice anything unusual. I still need to contact a few more people."
With that, Su Chen began looking for Chosen Ones from other countries on good terms with Dragon Country.
As far as he was concerned, now that he knew the key to clearing the scenario,
he might as well save as many people from friendly countries as he could.
As for the other countries, they would have to fend for themselves.
After all, Su Chen was no bleeding heart. They should be grateful he wasn't kicking them while they were down.
Before long, a dozen or so contestants from Sevi Country, Old Country, Simple Country, and several other nations had gathered around Su Chen.
He led them far behind the rest of the crowd.
It was worth mentioning that quite a few people from other countries thought Su Chen was trying to fool them.
They didn't believe him at all and charged into the Zoo without hesitation.
Faced with people like that, Su Chen could only sigh.
Good advice couldn't save someone determined to get themselves killed.
People watching Su Chen's actions in the real world were utterly stunned.
The countries whose contestants he had helped were especially moved. Their leaders immediately contacted Dragon Country's senior officials, practically weeping as they expressed their gratitude.
They also issued remarkably blunt international statements, without a single diplomatic platitude.
Every word brimmed with emotion and fierce promises.
"We thank our big brother, Dragon Country, for its help. From now on, just say the word, and we'll brave any danger without hesitation!"
One country was the first to declare its position.
"Thank you, Dragon Country! Thank you, Su Chen! From this day forward, wherever Dragon Country points its spear, we will charge ahead without fear!"
A certain country fond of suicide attacks issued that statement.
"We warn Ugly Country, Sakura Country, Pickle Country, Britain, Kangaroo Country, and all the rest: watch your tone when you speak to Dragon Country from now on, or we'll make you regret it."
A certain hotheaded country issued that statement.
These countries could hardly be blamed for making such extreme statements. The difference between clearing a horror scenario and failing one was simply too great.
Take the outcome, for example. Failure brought natural disasters, inflicting enormous losses on the entire country.
Success, on the other hand, brought tremendous benefits. Last time, Sakura Country and several others had received a buff that increased agricultural output.
Dragon Country's reward had been even more outrageous: its people's lifespans had increased by ten percent. Who wouldn't want to live a few extra years?
Why else had so many emperors in ancient times sought immortals and concocted elixirs?
They just wanted to stay alive.
Even setting those rewards aside, national fortune was important too.
That mysterious stuff had an enormous impact.
For example, if a country with high national fortune went to war with one whose national fortune was low,
the country with low national fortune might get so unlucky that its missiles blew up its own forces.
Meanwhile, a soldier from the country with high national fortune might get lost, stumble into the enemy's rear, and wipe out their entire command headquarters.
That was just how absurd national fortune could be!
Looking back at what Su Chen had done, he had practically handed these countries a guide to clearing the scenario.
Once their contestants cleared it, their national fortune would rise, and they would receive their rewards.
Other countries would suffer declining national fortune and incoming disasters.
That widening gap would send their international standing soaring as though they were riding a rocket.
And that wasn't even considering the future. As long as they clung to Dragon Country, with Su Chen's intelligence,
they would have future scenarios in the bag too!
With such a windfall falling into their laps, failing to make their loyalties clear would have been downright ungrateful!
Meanwhile, the other Western powers, led by Ugly Country, completely lost it when they saw those statements.
Was that the sort of shit anyone should be saying on the international stage?
Who issued official statements that sounded like children throwing tantrums?
Were they really so shameless about sucking up to Dragon Country?
Most importantly, some of those countries really were reckless.
If anything happened to Dragon Country now, those countries with nothing to lose might genuinely charge into the fray.
Especially at a moment like this, when they were at their most excited and least rational.
The countries that did have something to lose suddenly didn't dare utter a peep.
They canceled all their already-written statements condemning Dragon Country for disregarding international friendship and refusing to save people in danger. No one dared publish them.
Those two camps weren't the only ones on the international stage.
At this point, some of the smarter countries noticed that something was off.
Especially one notorious fence-sitter: Italy.
Knowing which way the wind was blowing was what it did best.
Italy's leader immediately called Dragon Country's senior officials.
"We are willing to return every cultural artifact looted from Dragon Country during the war and provide compensation calculated at five times the international interest rate. We will also serve as a transit hub for Dragon Country's trade going forward. All we ask is that Dragon Country help us in the next horror scenario."
Italy showed its sincerity outright and became the first to switch sides.
Gang up on Dragon Country? Sanction Dragon Country?
To hell with that. As the fence-sitter with the keenest nose for a changing tide, Italy
had long since noticed something fishy. Su Chen was practically the Horror Story World's favorite son.
Whenever he faced danger, he turned disaster into good fortune. When he confronted supernatural horrors, a white lion protected him.
He had even returned to an earlier point in time with his memories intact.
If that didn't make him the Horror Story World's own fucking son, what did?
Oh, right. Maybe he was the Horror Story World's little lord and master instead.
Whatever he was, it meant Dragon Country had an incredibly bright future.
If they didn't latch on now, they would have nowhere to cry later!
Dragon Country was quite surprised to receive this message.
After a little thought, however, its officials understood Italy's intentions.
At the same time, Dragon Country's senior officials couldn't stop praising Su Chen inwardly.
They had never imagined that the problem they had spent years agonizing over-breaking through the Western blockade and sanctions-would crumble so easily in Su Chen's hands.
Although Italy was the only country to yield so far, this was still a milestone victory.
Dragon Country could use Italy as a springboard to break through the Western blockade.
"We are glad that Italy is willing to face and reflect on history. Dragon Country upholds the principles of unity, friendship, and leaving others alone so long as they leave us alone. We are very willing to join hands with Italy to face the challenges ahead."
Dragon Country added few conditions and accepted the proposal readily and graciously.
For Dragon Country, making a generous gesture to attract others was quite useful at this point.
Now the Western alliance was certain to unravel gradually.
The next day, Italy displayed a level of efficiency it had never possessed before.
All of Dragon Country's cultural artifacts were loaded onto planes and flown toward that mysterious land in the East.
After spending so many years scattered overseas, the artifacts were finally coming home.
And this was only the beginning.
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