In the council chamber, Woolley personally hung a large map on the wall.

"Everyone, this is the topographic map of the continent. In fact, we don't need to look at it, we can all know that the territory controlled by the Tianjuan Empire is four times that of Assyria, and the population is five times. Although the Kimo area is relatively barren, the abundance of resources in Hulit and Tianjuan is even more than Assyria..." Wu Lai pointed to the map and said, "Although Tianjuan has suffered repeated defeats and heavy losses in the battles with Assyria, according to reliable information, Tianjuan has mastered the manufacturing technology of artillery and muskets. I am sure that if our policy towards Tianjuan is still passive defense, in time, the Tianjuan people will make a comeback and attack Assyria in one fell swoop. By then, it will inevitably be another catastrophe!"

All the congressmen could not help but feel uneasy. None of them would doubt Wu Lai's inference because in the minds of the Assyrians, Wu Lai was the god of war, a god of war who was invincible in battle and could make plans and win battles thousands of miles away. His military achievements had far surpassed all the famous generals and commanders in Assyria throughout history.

"Does anyone have any questions?" Wu Lai asked after returning to the podium.

Nearly 30% of the congressmen raised their hands. After Wu Lai glanced around, he stretched out his arm and nodded: "Wei Huo." Wei Huo was the head of the defense department. He had just returned from inspecting the German defense in Kayik yesterday and missed the drama a few days ago. What Wu Lai just said was closely related to defense, so it was natural for Wei Huo to ask the first question.

Wei Huo stood up and said, "Your Excellency the Speaker, my question is, has the Speaker decided on a response?" As soon as he finished speaking, most of the members who had raised their hands put their hands down.

Wu Lai smiled, waved his hand to let Wei Huo sit down, and replied: "My way of dealing with it is to attack."

Several more congressmen raised their hands. Wu Lai looked at them and called out the name of Noah, the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"I firmly support the decision of Your Excellency the Speaker. I just feel that since we are going to use force against Tianjuan, then there is no need for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to exist. If Your Excellency the Speaker allows, I am willing to go to the Ministry of Defense to assist Congressman Wei Huo." Noah's words caused a burst of chuckles. Yes, if even the possibility of diplomacy is gone, what is the use of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?

Wu Lai also smiled: "Congressman Noah, I can tell you responsibly that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is not only necessary to continue to exist, but will also shine in future wars. In war, in addition to conquering cities and seizing territories, we must also win over people's hearts. Conquering cities is inferior, and conquering hearts is superior."

"Then I have no problem. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for your answer." Noah nodded and sat down without saying anything more.

Woolley selected another member from those who raised their hands: "Wallace."

Wallace immediately stood up and saluted: "Dear Speaker, the territory's strategic material reserves are seriously insufficient. If we march in full force, I'm afraid it will seriously increase the burden on the people..."

After Wallace finished speaking, Wu Lai gently waved his hand and said, "Everyone, I promise that what Congressman Wallace is worried about will not happen, because the number of troops I plan to mobilize this time is not large..."

…

At nightfall, Wu Lai's carriage slowly drove into the South Camp. This was not only the camp of the Assyrian garrison, but also a small prison with the highest level of security in Assyria - Hatra, war criminals, generals, Proni and others were all imprisoned here.

Woolley came here because someone asked to see him. Shortly after getting off the car at the South Camp Gate, Woolley, accompanied by the new garrison division commander Dulux, walked into a visiting room in the small prison.

After a while, two soldiers came in escorting Saiman.

"Lord, I've been wronged!" Saiman said anxiously when he saw Wu Lai, "Lord, you have to take me away."

"Shut up!" Dulux frowned and shouted.

Woolley smiled and patted Dulux's shoulder gently: "Let me be alone with him for a while."

"As you command, my Lord." Dulux bowed and waved his hand at the two soldiers, "Lock the prisoner to the wall."

Locked to the wall? Wu Lai was startled, and then he saw two soldiers dragging and pressing him to the wall, then pulling up his handcuffs and buckling them on a ring on the wall. With a "click", the handcuffs chain and the ring were connected together by a big lock.

"Your Lord, we'll be waiting outside the door. If you need anything, just give us a shout." Dulux bowed and led two soldiers out of the door. He then closed the door gently with his backhand.

"Lord, I was wronged." There was a hint of crying in the voice.

Wu Lai glanced at him and sat back in his chair: "Saman, you wanted to see me just to tell me this?"

"Lord, I was really wronged." Saiman said.

"You know I won't believe it." Wu Lai took out a small wine flask from his waist, unscrewed the lid and took a sip.

"There is nothing I can do if the lord doesn't believe me. My loyalty to Ashu and to you, lord, is evident to all." A trace of hatred flashed across Saiman's eyes.

"The sun and the moon can testify? You dare not swear in the name of gods, so you use the sun and the moon?" Wu Lai smiled faintly and asked, "Saman, why do you want to privately manufacture guns? The output of shotguns in your arms workshop is twice as high as that of the arsenal. How do you explain it?"

They actually found it?! Saiman was shocked.

"From your expression, it seems like you didn't know why we arrested you before, right? Well, I've already instructed you to interrogate you slowly. First, tell me why we made so many guns?" Wu Lai asked.

"Lord, I don't understand what you are saying. Why would I make guns privately? You know, I work hard every day and have never left Assyria. It has nothing to do with me." Saiman defended.

"It has nothing to do with you. Then tell me, how do you know that the gun-making workshop is not located in Assyria? Don't tell me that you heard it accidentally from someone." A sneer appeared on Wu Lai's lips.

"My Lord, I was just saying that. I didn't care what I said. My Lord, those things really have nothing to do with me. I am loyal to both Ashu and you!"

"Shut up!" Wu Lai frowned. "Saman, I knew about your gun-making all along. Although your gun-making location is very hidden, it doesn't prevent my people from finding you. Yes, you have never left Assyria, but every ten days, the person in charge of the gun-making workshop you arranged has to come to Assyria to meet with you. If you want to see it, I have at least twenty pieces of evidence on hand. Do you want to see it?"

Filled with silence.

Wu Lai went on to say, "I set up two secret sentries on the cliff opposite the cave where you made guns, monitoring your every move day and night. I let you make guns privately because I know that those guns will belong to me in the future. Also, if you were not so anxious to test your own strength, I would have waited for a while."

"I don't understand what you're talking about." Saiman couldn't help but say.

"Don't you understand what 'testing' means? Saiman, you have worked hard to collude with Proni, Hollie and others in the parliament. This time, you even took advantage of Helen Petra's incident to stir up trouble in an attempt to gain attention and establish your prestige. Are you eyeing the election of the head of state in three years, right?"

A hint of surprise flashed across Simon's eyes, because Wu Lai was right. This time, Proni took the lead, firstly to suppress Wu Lai's momentum, and secondly to build momentum for Proni. According to the rules set by Wu Lai, Assyria will have its first head of state election in June three years, and Wu Lai also declared that he would never run for election. In other words, as long as Proni can grow stronger within these three years, he will have a very high probability of standing out.

Questioning Woolley's authority and forcing him to compromise was undoubtedly a good way to demonstrate his leadership and win over the hearts of the parliamentarians. Although Woolley was powerful, the promotion and implementation of many of his policies had invisibly harmed the interests of some parliamentarians. Moreover, as Assyria became more stable, some parliamentarians increasingly missed the good old days - good wine, parties, beautiful female slaves that could be enjoyed at will...

Such members of parliament are naturally easy to win over.

"Well, it seems you have nothing substantial to talk to me about." Wu Lai slowly stood up, "Saman, your interrogation will begin after your brother Mudi is brought to justice."

Muti?! Saiman's heart skipped a beat: "Lord, I don't understand which Muti you are talking about?"

"Your younger brother Muti, the current mayor of Armenia, is a pity. Muti is very smart. If he had not been led astray by you, I think he would have made great achievements. Well, there is nothing more to say. Goodbye, Saiman." Wu Lai waved his hand.

"No, please wait a moment." Saiman said hurriedly.

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"Do you have anything to say?" Wu Lai asked back.

"Lord, I beg you to give Muti and me a chance. Although we wanted to do something bad to you, we couldn't really hurt you in the end. As you said, Muti and I can be of great use. We surrender, even if it means being your slaves. Lord, not only can I make guns, but I also found a good place to mine kerosene in my early years. As long as you forgive us, I will tell you the place and even bring people to mine for you." Saiman said hurriedly.

Wu Lai looked at Saiman calmly and smiled coldly: "I'm sorry, I don't need it..."

…

When Wu Lai saw Helen's figure with her back to him, he was actually a little dazed. Although the simple white robe wrapped around her graceful curves, the unworldly air that she had possessed for many years was now dispersed against the backdrop of the flowers.

Helen was looking up at the butterflies. After she was imprisoned in this small side hall of the temple, Mikoyan brought her many flowers for decoration according to Wu Lai's instructions, and even asked several craftsmen to make a small irrigation system so that Helen could see the flowers blooming without the trouble of watering them.

With more flowers, butterflies naturally came. Helen liked to watch the butterflies fluttering. She felt that they were like a group of beautiful fairies. When she watched them flying back and forth among the flowers and branches, she could forget her worries.

Seeing that Wu Lai was hesitant to move, Loli pouted quietly and asked in a low voice: "Master, do you want to have something with the empress?"

Wu Lai was stunned, then smiled bitterly and shook his head.

"Then do you think my coming along today is a bit of a hindrance?" Loli's voice rose two degrees.

"No way." Wu Lai spread his hands, and heard Helen's surprised voice, "Why are you here?"

...After listening to this, Helen's brows showed a trace of melancholy: "So, you chose to go to war after all..."

"I have no choice. You said that Tianjuan has the technology to manufacture artillery and guns. Once mass production is completed, what will happen to Assyria and the innocent people of the entire continent is self-evident. Helen, are you willing to see such a scene?"

Helen shook her head.

"I don't want to see that kind of scene either." Wu Lai smiled and said, "You don't have to think too much. I won't capture slaves, so civilians won't be affected too much."

"Woolley, do you want to conquer the entire continent in one fell swoop?" Helen asked.

"No, I haven't thought about conquering. What I want to do is to cure the chronic diseases of this continent and eliminate those hidden dangers. Of course, I will tell people my ideas and prove to them that it is the best choice." Wu Lai replied.

"That's what you said, democracy, right?" Helen asked again.

"Yes, in the future, all the territories on the Romon Continent will disappear, and what will replace them will be unity, friendship, and peace." Wu Lai said, "This is the state that the Romon Continent should be in."

"Well, I have to say that I increasingly feel that what you are doing is right." Helen sighed softly and continued, "What the people need is not a common leader, but stability."

"Yes." Wu Lai hesitated for a moment, and suddenly asked, "Hatra is imprisoned in Assyria, and his body has almost recovered. Do you want to see him? If you want... I can arrange it."

Helen shook her head. "No, I don't want to see anyone. Every day I look at the flowers, grass, and butterflies. My heart is very peaceful and I feel relaxed. I don't have to worry about anything. By the way, you and your family are not included in the 'who' I just mentioned."

Wu Lai nodded. For some reason, he suddenly felt relieved, as if a stone that had been pressing on his heart for a long time had finally fallen to the ground.

"When will we set out?" Helen asked with a smile.

"The day after tomorrow." A loli who had been feeling depressed for a while couldn't help but interrupt and said...