18 Floors Above the Apocalypse novel Chapter 622

The leader of the Chinese delegation clutched his chest, his face contorted in pain, gasping out a desperate, "F-FUCK!"

Those Griffith bastards, just showing off. Their jets weren't even armed—no missiles or anything!

Damn rabbits, always playing by their own rules, deliberately so.

"Admiral, what now? They've got us surrounded; there's no chance to retreat."

What to do? What else but negotiate!

"But they're not answering our calls."

It's got to be intentional.

"Keep calling until they pick up."

Bomb them? With missiles?

The Admiral was fuming, "Call them, and keep calling until they answer!"

Is he crazy, thinking of going to war with Griffith over such a distance?

This show of force had brought over half of the naval ships and submarines to the port.

They had scouted the area over a year ago, not detecting any operational radars and thought the disaster had left everything in shambles.

Surprise, surprise—not only were the radars intact, but they were specialized—anti-submarine, anti-air, anti-ship—just not used until now.

They had probably not used them before due to resource constraints, unable to power the radars. But now, to fire them up...

Clever little grease thieves they are.

But China had no choice. With radar assistance, Griffith's aim was deadly accurate. If their remote forces were destroyed, it would sever the lifeline from their main base. And if they were ambushed by the lurking Willowbrook...

Despite their usual genteel appearance, it was nothing but a facade; they'd been duped and suffered losses before.

So, China had to back down in rage.

But who could just let it go, as if pride meant nothing?

Answer the damn phone, you fools, why can't we get through?!

Griffith's military brass, upon learning the truth, all wore stern expressions, as if holding something back. Finally, Nicholas couldn't help but snicker...

He snorted, "If we hit them, we hit them. It's been over a decade since the disaster; who's still coddling them? If they dare come, we'll take them down."

If Griffith had flown three jets across China's airspace, flying low and intimidating...

Would China not shoot them down?

Now they say the jets weren't armed—what were they thinking before?

If they hadn't taken out the jets, wouldn't China's carriers brazenly break through?

If Griffith's citizens were defenseless, they could all be massacred.

The old saying goes, might makes right, within the range of a cannon.

The current issue was whether to accept China's offer to negotiate.

Nicholas personally would love to blast them to smithereens.

But an all-out war, disregarding the cost, could lead to China's successful retaliation, and the people of Griffith could be harmed.

After more than a decade of disaster, humanity was an endangered species. An absolute conflict would only lead to extinction.

The military leaders debated fervently, some advocating for war, others for talks.

Daniel remained calm, quietly listening to all sides without offering his opinion.

Nicholas suddenly asked, "What's your take, Major Stella?"

Stella, when called upon, pondered briefly, "China and Russia share a continent. If China doesn't retreat, Russia might just take the opportunity to swallow them whole."

History has proved time and again that a triangle is the most stable relationship.

China had proven whether engaging in constant combat strengthens a nation, or if silently amassing wealth through infrastructure is the key to power.

Daniel suggested, "Let's hear what they want to talk about first. No rush to decide."

They needed to understand the purpose of their visit.

Like an eagle spreading its wings, facing the surging sea.

After touring the destroyer, the two retired to their quarters to rest.

Stella, not a professional diplomat, didn't overthink it. She'd play it by ear when the time came.

The worst outcome was war.

And if it couldn't be avoided, lamenting wouldn't help.

They departed in the evening, and by dawn, they were drawing close to their destination.

Nicholas had handpicked the negotiators, including Stella and Jasper—possibly because the sudden China attack was related to the special salvage team's operations in the New World, and as the children of the chief, they were bound to be looked after.

Kitty, with a not insignificant rank, was also part of the negotiating team.

Twelve members attended, with three being outsiders who underwent crash training.

Military negotiations differ from diplomatic talks. They're held behind closed doors, not allowing any bystanders, let alone media.

In the realm of public communication, every statement had to jump through hoops of approval.

Even so, finesse in speech was paramount, especially when you're a mouthpiece for Griffith's interests. It wasn't wise to blurt out the first thing that came to mind, nor to fall into the traps laid by the other side.

In essence, those on the lower rungs had a simple directive: if you don't have to speak, don't; and if you do speak, don't speak out of turn.

Stella had quipped that she was just there to add to the numbers and soak up the atmosphere, saying you might as well stitch her lips shut.

Griffith's aircraft carrier and its nuclear submarines had arrived ahead of schedule, already patrolling the waters designated for the peace talks.

The discussions were set for high noon, while the destroyers had glided into position around 10 a.m.

An internal meeting was convened first thing, to prepare for the worst-case scenario – the peace talks collapsing and the subsequent need for a show of force.

At around 11 a.m., China’s carrier made a fashionably late entrance.

The formalities hadn't even kicked off, and yet the air was already thick with tension.

The Chinese delegation was unyielding, their demeanor full of haughty disdain. "Well, look at that. You folks turned up early. What's the matter, couldn't sleep last night?"