109: Chapter 109 The Dragon Kingdom's Choice: Since they're our own people, we'll spoil them rotten!

Dragon Country, the top-secret conference room for Project "Kunlun."

This was a place where only a tiny fraction of the core leadership could set foot. The air was thick with the aroma of premium black tea and a breath-taking solemnity.

The massive electronic screen on the wall was divided into several frames. The jumping data and images in each frame were enough to drive external military observers insane.

The left screen showed the Kokang National Army's black flag with a gold star fluttering over the city of Tachileik, alongside mountains of American-made munitions—enough to arm an entire division.

The right screen displayed high-definition aerial footage: an iron torrent of hundreds of wheeled armored vehicles was surging forward with unstoppable momentum along the highways of East Shan State. Wherever they passed, the local armed forces that were usually arrogant and overbearing melted away like snow under the sun.

"Incredible! Simply incredible!"

A silver-haired old general with stars on his shoulders slammed the table, making the teacup lid clatter. His old eyes, accustomed to the changing tides of the world, were now filled with undisguised excitement and admiration. "In just over ten days! Sweeping through East Shan State! Capturing seven counties in a row! Wiping out thirty-seven telecom fraud dens, large and small, and rescuing over fifty thousand compatriots! This isn't just fighting a war; he's giving us a textbook demonstration of what 'Blitzkrieg' means!"

"It's not just that he's hitting fast; more importantly, he's hitting accurately, hitting hard, and hitting with a clear strategy." Another big shot in a Mao suit, responsible for strategic security, took over the conversation, his fingers lightly tapping the table. "That kind of air-ground integration, that coordination between special forces infiltration and armored assault—to be honest, even some of our second-line units might not be able to execute it so seamlessly. The card Zhang Cheng is holding is no longer as simple as a 'local armed force.'"

Zhao Gang stood to the side, his posture ramrod straight. Although he maintained professional composure, the smile at the corners of his eyes couldn't be hidden. As Zhang Cheng's sole point of contact, the stronger Zhang Cheng became, the more influence Zhao Gang wielded.

"The USA is about to go crazy." Zhao Gang timely added a bombshell. "The CIA's intelligence station in Thailand reportedly had its lights on all night. The person in charge, a man named William, even trashed his office. The Shan State Army they backed couldn't even hold out for half a month before collapsing. Their 'encirclement' plan is not only a joke now, but it has also turned into a transport brigade delivering equipment to Zhang Cheng."

A round of light laughter broke out in the conference room. The pleasure of gaining the upper hand in a great power game made the big shots present feel immensely gratified.

"Laugh as we may, we must look at the deeper implications." The Mao-suited official's smile faded, his gaze becoming profound. "The USA took a silent loss and will definitely not let it go. Intelligence shows they are stepping up the delivery of heavier weapons to the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the Naypyidaw military government, including anti-aircraft missiles and larger-caliber artillery. They want to muddy the waters even more and turn Northern Myanmar into a second quagmire."

"We cannot let Zhang Cheng face this pressure alone!" The old general stood up abruptly, his tone resonant and powerful. "Previous technical cooperation was mostly done in the shadows—'doing but not saying.' But now, Zhang Cheng has proven with his strength that he can not only hold his ground but win! He is our most perfect 'shield' in the southwest, and also our sharpest 'blade'!"

"I propose a change in strategy!" The old general waved his hand as if swinging a command sword on a battlefield. "Since his heart is with Dragon Country and he has handled things so beautifully, there's no need for us to hide it anymore! Give him status! Give him support! Back him up! Let the whole world see what happens when they bully a friend of Dragon Country!"

The conference room fell into a brief silence, followed by a unified nodding of heads.

"Agreed." The Mao-suited official made the final decision, his voice carrying the decisiveness and charisma of a great power. "Pass down the order: activate the 'Comprehensive Strategic Partnership' contingency plan!"

...

That afternoon, a statement from Dragon Country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs was like a bolt from the blue, shaking all of Southeast Asia and even the global diplomatic community.

At a routine press conference, faced with a tricky question from foreign media about the situation in Northern Myanmar, the spokesperson spoke with a serious expression and clear articulation:

"The Dragon side is highly concerned about the situation in Northern Myanmar and expresses high appreciation for the tremendous efforts and significant results achieved by the 'North Myanmar Joint Autonomous Region' in combating transnational telecom fraud and drug crimes, as well as maintaining regional security and stability!"

Note the phrase: "high appreciation"! Furthermore, they directly used the title "North Myanmar Joint Autonomous Region," which Zhang Cheng had established himself, rather than calling them an "illegal armed group" or "local separatist force"!

The spokesperson continued: "The Dragon side has always advocated for resolving regional disputes through dialogue and consultation, and firmly opposes any external forces interfering in the internal affairs of other countries or instigating regional conflicts. We are willing to deepen cooperation in various fields with the North Myanmar Joint Autonomous Region on the basis of mutual respect, equality, and mutual benefit, to jointly maintain peace, stability, and prosperity in the Dragon-Myanmar border region!"

These words, though not explicitly mentioning the establishment of diplomatic ties, were equivalent to de facto recognition and endorsement in diplomatic parlance! This was not just legitimizing Zhang Cheng; it was a direct warning to the USA: Don't reach out your hands; I'm protecting this territory!

Immediately following that, a series of substantive actions from Dragon Country were unleashed like a flurry of punches:

Economically: Dragon Country announced a total of five billion RMB in grants and low-interest loans to the North Myanmar Joint Autonomous Region, specifically for post-war reconstruction, road repairs, and improving people's livelihoods.

In trade: Several major ports on the Dragon-Myanmar border announced 24/7 operations and opened "green channels" to simplify trade procedures. Vast amounts of Dragon Country goods, building materials, and mechanical equipment began to pour into Northern Myanmar, while Northern Myanmar's minerals and agricultural products began to enter the Dragon Country market without hindrance.

In security: Under the guise of "counter-terrorism cooperation" and "police exchanges," a massive "advisory group" consisting of hundreds of retired special forces soldiers, senior criminal investigation experts, and public security management experts entered Pangkham in civilian clothes. Their mission was clear: help Zhang Cheng train his troops, help him manage public security, and help him regularize his forces!

Technologically: The mysterious Project "Kunlun" was officially upgraded to the "Frontier Technology and Strategic Cooperation Center." Dragon Country would invest national-level scientific research power to share some non-core but extremely practical dual-use technologies with Zhang Cheng.

After this series of moves, not only was General Min Aung Hlaing in Naypyidaw stunned, but even the White House politicians in Washington were dumbfounded. What was Dragon Country doing? Were they trying to turn Northern Myanmar into their own backyard?!

At the Bangkok Camp, Zhang Cheng looked at the heavy "gift package" in his hand, a predictable smile curling on his lips.

"Old K."

"Present."

"Reply to Dragon Country, expressing gratitude for the motherland's trust and support. Tell them that I, Zhang Cheng, may not have many skills, but I will definitely keep this southwest gate as solid as an iron barrel! As long as I am here, drugs won't get in, fraud won't get out, and the USA's hands won't even think about reaching in!"

Zhang Cheng walked to the map. His gaze moved away from Mong La in the east and landed on the western and southern sides of the map.

"Furthermore, order the Eastward Expeditionary Corps to leave behind necessary garrison troops and civil affairs officers. The main force is to be redeployed west immediately! Strengthen defenses on the southern line against the military government and the northwestern line against the KIA."

His eyes turned cold, his tone chilling:

"Spit out what you've eaten of mine, and return what you've taken. The flies in the east have been swatted; next, it's time to have some fun with those few fleas in the south."