Chapter 354 - 351: A Forced Choice

The Kingdom of Judah.

The coastal Mediterranean city—Haifa Port.

Inside a brightly lit underground nuclear bunker.

"Mr. Wood, let's just get straight to the point. This place is extremely secure; confidentiality is absolutely not an issue."

The speaker was a middle-aged white man with glasses and slicked-back hair.

Across from him sat another middle-aged man with reddish-brown hair and an aquiline nose, possessing typical Celtic features. He spoke gravely:

"Jacob, take a look at this."

A document was handed to the man with glasses, Jacob.

Jacob took it and began to flip through it.

The first page was an enlarged satellite image. Jacob, who knew the surrounding area like the back of his hand, recognized it at a glance.

It was a satellite image of the Southern Suez Region, with a route specially marked out by a red dashed line.

"Is this the Southern Canal that the Homo Sapiens Company is investing in in the Suez Region?"

Wood nodded. "It is indeed part of the Southern Suez Canal. You should be aware that the canal from Hongku Port to Kom Ombo is already complete!"

Relying on Samoed's intelligence network in the surrounding region, they naturally had a firm grasp on information about the Southern Canal, especially since the Homo Sapiens Company hadn't tried to hide it.

Wood stared intently at Jacob. "Don't you find this technology terrifying? They spent only 32 days digging a 315-kilometer-long canal with a double-lane channel."

Hearing this, Jacob fell silent, but he had not lost his senses. "Mr. Wood, while this technology is incredibly impressive, we have no desire to provoke the Homo Sapiens Company."

This was also the Kingdom of Judah's current position.

They certainly didn't want to see the Homo Sapiens Company establish a fully-empowered branch in the Suez Region. But the current situation was that the Homo Sapiens Company's Suez Branch was already established.

Just 12 days ago, the security forces under the Homo Sapiens Company had been stationed on the Sinai Peninsula and had also taken over the entire military command of the peninsula (nominally, it was a joint command).

In addition, there was the Homo Sapiens Company's Security Aviation Division stationed in Sharm El-Sheikh (the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula), as well as the Red Sea Escort Fleet at Hongku Port.

In the past, the Kingdom of Judah dared to make trouble for Suez because their opponent's fists weren't hard enough.

Now it was the Homo Sapiens Company. Just try making a move.

Jacob did not want to provoke the Homo Sapiens Company.

But Wood shook his head. "I understand your concerns, but this time, it's a proposal from the Council."

Hearing "the Council," Jacob's expression immediately became uncertain. He knew that the Morgan Clan, the Rockefeller Clan, and his own people had close ties, so he was naturally aware of the City of the Summit Council's existence.

Without America's support, they wouldn't be able to maintain their footing in West Asia at all.

Now, America was clearly forcing them to pick a side.

Jacob felt a sense of helplessness. 'We have no choice at all. Looking around, we don't have a single reliable friend. The powers we share land borders with are all hostile. If we don't rely on America now, are we supposed to go running to the Homo Sapiens Company?'

"Mr. Wood, what is the Council's proposal?"

"The Homo Sapiens Company will soon begin construction on the Second Suez Canal. That's something we cannot stop."

Hearing this, Jacob breathed a small sigh of relief. Fortunately, America still had some self-awareness and wasn't arrogant enough to think it could stop the Homo Sapiens Company from building the Second Suez Canal.

This meant they wouldn't have to be cannon fodder.

"The Council has decided to support your construction of a Mediterranean-Dead Sea-Red Sea canal."

"What?" Jacob's brow furrowed.

It wasn't that he thought the canal couldn't be built; it was that the canal was too sensitive.

As early as 1960, America had a plan to open a canal within the borders of the Kingdom of Judah. At the time, they were even prepared to use 150 nuclear bombs to blast it out.

Around 1970, the Kingdom of Judah itself had prepared another, longer canal route with lower engineering difficulty. However, the plan was later vetoed by the United Nations and ultimately shelved.

In recent years, citing the impending drying up of the Dead Sea, the Kingdom of Judah once again proposed the project to build a Red Sea-Dead Sea canal and put it out for bidding.

But they still avoided the more sensitive Dead Sea-Mediterranean Sea canal.

Wood reminded him, "We must suppress the Suez Canal and open an alternative route. This is for security reasons."

"But..."

"Leave the surrounding powers to us. America has not declined to the point where it can no longer fight a war." A ruthless and cold glint flashed in Wood's eyes.

Jacob thought for a moment. If America really did agree to help "persuade" the neighboring powers, they would be more than happy to see it happen.

Moreover, the European Union would probably also support the new canal project at this point. After all, they didn't want the Homo Sapiens Company to have them by the throat either.

Likewise, Saudia Arabia and the other Gulf Countries wouldn't object.

After all, having another canal for competition would make it easier for powers like them, who require shipping services, to get more favorable prices and avoid being taken advantage of by a monopoly.

Wood continued, "Now for the second matter. Weren't you previously discussing the construction of a new oil pipeline with the Al-Sani Kingdom? We've approved it, but we require a 33% stake."

Upon hearing this, Jacob was overjoyed. "33%? No problem."

This oil pipeline was also intended to bypass the Suez Canal. It was just that negotiations had been stalled because it needed to pass through several countries.

The biggest obstacle, in fact, was that America didn't want oil and natural gas from West Asia to be easily transported to Europe, as it would affect America's shale oil business.

America's agreement now wasn't because those pirates had a change of heart. Rather, they believed Europe had been squeezed dry enough and it was time to give them a little something sweet, lest the European Union collapse entirely.

Besides, an oil pipeline was easier to manipulate.

The day America saw the European Union had fattened up again, it could arrange for the pipeline to have an "accident," require a few months of repairs, and continue its harvest.

And could Jacob really not see through America's intentions?

They certainly knew.

But what did it matter if they knew?

'Before we have enough strength, it's best to understand our place. Otherwise, we'll only bring trouble upon ourselves, or even get ourselves burned.'

If America really decided to stir up trouble then, they would even have to actively cooperate.

Suddenly, Jacob thought of something. "Mr. Wood, building the Dead Sea Canal isn't particularly difficult. However, the two islands at the mouth of the Aqaba Bay belong to Saudia Arabia, and they are too close to the Sinai Peninsula."

"Don't worry. We won't allow Saudia Arabia to cooperate with the Homo Sapiens Company, and routine navigation won't be a problem."

'Heh. Routine navigation, he says.'

'What about non-routine navigation?'

The mere thought of how the Homo Sapiens Company had once blocked the Malacca Strait gave Jacob a major headache.

Wood thought for a moment. "How about this? I'll go and persuade Saudia Arabia to let us build a base on their Tiran Island."

Jacob looked at the map. He saw that a military base was indeed needed near those two islands belonging to Saudia Arabia in the Aqaba Bay.

"I suppose that's the only way."

In reality, this was nothing more than a psychological comfort.

They both knew that if a real fight broke out, the Homo Sapiens Company wouldn't give a damn about Saudia Arabia.

The two of them discussed the various details of the Dead Sea Canal and the Persian Gulf-Mediterranean Sea oil pipeline.

Jacob paid close attention to these details, trying his best to secure benefits for the Kingdom of Judah while also leaving some small, exploitable loopholes.

Although Wood saw through this, he didn't call it out. Theirs was merely a partnership where both sides had their own ulterior motives.

Meanwhile, in the ventilation duct above the secret room, a few cockroaches were quietly listening in on their conversation.

Absolutely no leaks?

In the face of the Homo Sapiens Company's cockroaches, there was no place that couldn't be infiltrated. Wherever humans could survive, they could penetrate.