Chapter 1

The only woman present who stands up is Major General Yan Liang, the first female director of the Military Intelligence Bureau, a renowned female leader in the military, and the highest-ranking female military officer. At forty years old, she appears to be at least five years older, with an ordinary appearance; however, her personal capabilities are exceptionally strong. Even Zhou Guohui cannot help but admire her, often setting aside his rank as a general and his masculine demeanor to seek advice from this female general. At forty years old, she appears to be at least five years older, with an ordinary appearance; however, her personal capabilities are exceptionally strong. Even Zhou Guohui cannot help but admire her, often setting aside his rank as a general and his masculine demeanor to seek advice from this female general.

The current international situation appears calm on the surface, yet the undercurrents are strong enough to raise towering waves! Yan Liang's opening remarks immediately captured everyone's attention. Her intelligence is beyond doubt, and she is not one to exaggerate. The fact that she could make such a statement speaks for itself. As Yan Liang noticed that all eyes were on her, she continued, "Although the United States has begun to withdraw troops from Iraq, with George W. Bush's re-election, the U.S. will not cease its current hardline approach. The momentum for external expansion will not diminish, and looking at the U.S. defense budget for the next fiscal year, it may even become more aggressive..."

Upon hearing about the "Dragon Rising" plan, Zhou Guohui's body trembled slightly. This is the highest secret within the People's Liberation Army. Apart from the national leaders and those responsible for formulating the plan, as well as relevant personnel in the General Staff, only the highest commanders of the military districts are aware of the existence of such a plan. Zhou Guohui only gained a detailed understanding of this ultimate plan, which can only be described as "terrifying," when he took over the Strategic Planning Bureau six months ago.

"Speak less, something significant is bound to happen, and you will naturally know soon enough!" Zhou Guohui was not angry; the person behind him was his deputy, also serving as his secretary and aide, Dong Zhenhua. Regardless of whether it was a personal or official matter, Dong Zhenhua was responsible for assisting with anything related to Zhou Guohui. Zhou Guohui had already learned from Wang Yilin about what was going to happen, so seeing the Chairman personally attend this meeting did not surprise him at all. If the Chairman had not come to this meeting, that would have surprised him.

Zhao Baoqiang, aged sixty-six, although he has reached the retirement age for generals, continues to serve due to special circumstances. He is currently the head of the General Staff Department of the People's Liberation Army, which makes him the direct superior of Zhou Guohui. A veteran general who has personally experienced the Vietnam War on the front lines, participated in the flood control efforts on the Yangtze River in 1991 and 1998, and has led Chinese military delegations to various countries in Europe and America multiple times, he has played an indispensable role in the modernization of the Chinese military. As Zhou Guohui once remarked with admiration, while these newly promoted generals were still in diapers, Old Zhao was already fighting bravely on the front lines.

After General Zhou Guohui and the two other senior generals, who are also generals, took their seats, they then sat down in the first three positions on the left side of the conference table. The conference table is not large, with only five seats available on each side, and the head of the table is reserved for the chairperson. The other attendees were arranged to sit on temporary chairs set up on the side.

Old Zhao stood up, still maintaining the demeanor of a soldier. Habitually, he saluted the Chairman before saying: "Everyone should be aware of the 'Dragon Rising' plan that we formulated decades ago..."

The "Dragon Rising" plan is not a strategic plan that can be readily implemented

Those who are adept at decision-making must prepare for unforeseen circumstances. At this time, the General Staff Headquarters of the People's Liberation Army officially began formulating the "Dragon Rising" plan. With a model in place, this vast plan, which encompasses nearly all aspects from economy to military, from psychology to warfare, from material to spiritual, from technology to culture, and from reality to history, was completed within three years

Today, I have convened everyone for this meeting because there is a matter of great importance, one that can be said to relate to our national economy and the livelihood of our people, and even to the survival of the Chinese nation. It requires our collective participation to achieve the final and most challenging step on the path to the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation... Although He Yongxing, the President, Chairman of the Military Commission, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, and head of state, has already surpassed the age of fifty-five, he appears younger than the Premier... He glanced at the generals sitting upright and smiled with satisfaction, then said to the general on his right, "Old Zhao, why don't you introduce everyone?"

Everyone has finished watching, right? Zhao Baoqiang glanced at the time and, after tapping the table, stood up again and continued, "As for the content regarding the international situation, let's have Major General Yan explain it to us in detail."

The focus of the United States has now shifted to the Western Pacific, specifically the East Asian region, and their next target for action is North Korea. North Korea's nuclear weapons program has reached a critical juncture, and anyone who follows the news should be aware of the current tension in U.S.-North Korea relations. Our intelligence indicates that North Korea will conduct its first atomic bomb test within two years at the latest, along with testing intercontinental missiles. If all of this were to occur, then war would not be far off

Recently, Japan's military activities have become increasingly frequent. Our naval vessels have confronted Japanese ships twice in the East China Sea within three months, and our submarine forces have engaged with the Japanese five times this year. Although no conflicts have erupted, if this continues, accidental clashes are inevitable, and at that point, the situation may no longer be controllable by a single individual. Yan Liang said this while glancing at a naval general sitting diagonally opposite Zhou Guohui. The general swallowed hard and pressed his lips together; upon noticing that the chairman was staring at him, he dared not speak and sat quietly in his chair, not daring to move. Seeing that the other party did not respond, Yan Liang continued, "Japan's military budget for the next fiscal year exceeds 60 billion. This is the first increase in military spending since Japan's economic recovery. According to the secret agreement between Japan and the United States, the U.S. will complete its withdrawal from Japan's main islands after 2010, with a total withdrawal by 2015." Therefore, Japan's military budget for the coming year will primarily be allocated to weapon development and procurement. Some may doubt that Japan's Self-Defense Forces, numbering 270,000, cannot utilize such a large amount of military equipment, but one must not forget the structure and nature of Japan's Self-Defense Forces...

At the end of the 1970s, China welcomed the spring breeze of reform and opening up. Across the country, from the south to the north and within the Great Wall, significant innovations began to take place. New ideas, new values, and new lifestyles transformed the essence of the Chinese people almost overnight. A nation with a history of five thousand years began to soar from this moment and underwent a metamorphosis. Meanwhile, the international environment surrounding China did not change significantly. Although the United States had officially established diplomatic relations with China and the former Soviet Union had begun to sink into the quagmire of the Afghan war, Japan, a nation with a five-thousand-year history, had completed its national revitalization. While China was just beginning to vigorously develop its economy, Japan had already leaped to become the world's second-largest economic power. With this economic momentum, military leaders in China believed that given time, Japan would inevitably pose a significant threat to China. The Sino-Vietnamese War of Self-Defense also awakened the Chinese leaders, who were immersed in the tide of reform, to the reality that even if a world war could not be fought, China's security had still not improved.

As the guard stationed by the door called out, the previously noisy conference room fell silent in an instant, and these high-ranking generals, who seldom had the opportunity to salute others, stood up simultaneously

A middle-aged man, around fifty-five years old, entered. He had a friendly demeanor, yet his eyes sparkled with an undeniable brilliance. Every gesture he made was filled with the aura of a king. He glanced at everyone and waved his hand, saying: "Everyone, please take a seat"

We are now formulating a plan called 'Qingtian' based on 'Longteng'. What is now in your hands is a copy of the 'Qingtian' plan

"How would I know? Just listen carefully!" After Zhou Guohui finished speaking, he gave him a slap, feeling quite amused inside. Huang Longfei said the same thing, it seems that the impression left by that corrupt government in North Korea is not good at all!

Zhou Guohui's mind was quickly pulled back from his memories, while Zhao Baoqiang was giving a brief introduction to the "Longteng" plan for those who were not very familiar with it. Upon hearing that they were about to enter a critical part, Zhou Guohui also focused his attention and began to listen intently.

Zhou Guohui took the plan handed to him by a colonel orderly, briefly flipped through it, and then closed it again, as he had already reviewed it. The other generals, however, began to examine it seriously. Zhao Baoqiang, who was standing, also ceased his remarks and sat down, engaging in a quiet discussion with the chairman beside him. Soon, the people in the conference room began to discuss in small groups. Dong Zhenhua also pulled his chair behind Zhou Guohui and began to speak softly in his ear. As Zhou Guohui's mind was not on this matter but rather on the actions mentioned in the "Qingtian" plan, he did not hear a single word Dong Zhenhua said. Upon noticing that the general was lost in thought, Dong Zhenhua, finding it uninteresting, moved his chair back and focused on reading.

The formulation of the "Dragon Rising" plan took place in the mid-1960s, a time marked by both external challenges and internal turmoil for the new China. After the successful testing of its first atomic bomb and the successful air-drop test of a hydrogen bomb two years later, China faced peak external threats, coinciding with the onset of a decade of turmoil. In this context, several generals responsible for national strategic planning secretly devised a plan, the main content of which was to determine how to protect the nation in the event of foreign invasion. This plan served as the precursor to the "Dragon Rising" plan. As it was merely a secret plan developed by private individuals, the specific name of this plan is no longer verifiable.

Dong Zhenhua noticed that the people around him were whispering, so he quickly moved his chair closer and leaned over to Zhou Guohui's shoulder, quietly asking: "Director Zhou, doesn't North Korea request food aid from us every year? How do they still have the resources to engage in these activities?"

Zhou Guohui felt quite uncomfortable thinking about the defense budget passed by the U.S. Congress, which amounts to as much as 500 billion U.S. dollars. In contrast, China's announced defense budget is only a little over 10 billion a year; even if we include the classified portions, it would not exceed 20 billion. Moreover, the Chinese military has 2.5 million personnel, while the U.S. has only 1.2 million. The People's Liberation Army still needs to undergo a military revolution, and this amount of money is merely a drop in the bucket, hardly enough to fill the gaps. It is no wonder that Americans dare to speak of zero-casualty wars, fully commit to military revolutions, and develop unmanned weapon systems; they have the financial resources to back them up. As for the level of the PLA? It has not even achieved digitization yet, still at the starting line, lagging a generation behind the U.S. This gap is indeed widening. If it were not for our possession of nuclear weapons and such a vast potential for warfare, the Americans might have already turned their counter-terrorism efforts towards China! Zhou Guohui adjusted his mindset and continued to listen.

After everyone had taken their seats, a colonel behind Zhou Guohui curiously whispered in his ear, "Mr. Zhou, what is the occasion today that even the chairman has come!"

He Yongxing finished speaking and then sat down. He was not from a military background; in his youth, he graduated from the School of International Relations at Peking University with a bachelor's degree. After serving as a diplomat for three years, he returned to Peking University, first obtaining a master's degree in economics, and subsequently earning dual doctor's degrees in law and economics. When he graduated, he was not yet thirty years old, making him the youngest individual in Chinese history to hold dual doctor's degrees. After serving as a diplomat for three years, he returned to Peking University, first obtaining a master's degree in economics, and subsequently earning dual doctor's degrees in law and economics. When he graduated, he was not yet thirty years old, making him the youngest individual in Chinese history to hold dual doctor's degrees. He then entered government service, successively holding positions as the Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission in Datong, Shanxi, Deputy Mayor of Linfen, Mayor of Tianjin, Minister of Commerce, Chief Justice of the Supreme People's Court, Vice Premier of the State Council, President of the Party School of the Central Committee, Vice President of the State, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, and Chairman of the National People's Congress. When he became the President of the country, reaching the pinnacle of his life, he was only fifty years old, and by the age of fifty-three, he had already consolidated control over national power, becoming the youngest national leader and head of state in the history of New China.

Stand up

Old Zhao is the youngest among the three founding elders of the People's Liberation Army, while the other two have retired due to health reasons. Therefore, he holds absolute authority within the military. If it were not for his advanced age and the many health issues stemming from past wars, he would certainly have been included in the Central Standing Committee of seven. Currently, even though he is responsible for managing the General Staff, it is merely a nominal position; routine matters are generally entrusted to the capable younger generation, such as Zhou Guohui, and he only personally reviews significant issues. Now, the Chairman has specifically asked Old Zhao to introduce everyone, indicating that the matters to follow will be of great importance.

The General Staff Headquarters of the People's Liberation Army, the highest command institution of the Chinese military, is, more precisely, the supreme command authority in military affairs. Any matters related to warfare are under the overall command of the General Staff Headquarters, which is responsible for formulating war plans. On this day, in the conference room located fifty meters underground, there was a bustling crowd; these individuals were not ordinary, with the lowest rank being two bars and four stars, while the highest were all stars without bars.

The entire "Longteng" plan is likely known in its entirety only by the leader responsible for its formulation; it is doubtful that anyone else is aware of all its contents. If this plan were to be written down on paper, it would fill an entire room. Zhou Guohui is only aware of certain aspects related to international strategy. The core of the "Longteng" plan is how to enable China to navigate through difficulties when faced with foreign invasion, and if confronted with an overwhelming attack, how to inflict maximum damage on the enemy. Although the focus of the plan is on warfare, it includes detailed preparations for pre-war arrangements, strategic directions during the war, and post-war plans. Due to considerations of technological advancements and changes in international relations, the "Longteng" plan is essentially a vague outline. The entire plan is discussed from a strategic perspective regarding national security issues, and therefore, it does not provide specific action plans. It can be said that the "Longteng" plan serves merely as a blueprint, with specific plans to be developed based on this blueprint according to the circumstances at the time. However, within "Longteng," there exists an ultimate plan, which outlines how China should utilize its nuclear weapons in the event of a world war. If the time comes to implement this ultimate plan, then everything else becomes meaningless.

Because he is not from a military background, his position in the army relies on the support of several senior generals. Among them is the old Zhao, Zhao Baoqiang, whom he invited to speak. Although he is also a general, Zhou Guohui is well aware that his general rank carries much less weight.