Two Realms Shuttle Gate: Don't Call Me a Demon!-Chapter 581 - 362: Puppet

Siam, located in Kalasin Province, Bossi Prison.

This prison, situated in the southwest of Siam, appeared unremarkable from the outside, but inside it detained the political criminals of the country.

To guard these criminals, the defenses here were exceptionally strict, amounting to a watchpost every ten steps and a sentry every five.

However, that evening, such stringent security proved utterly futile.

The night was deep, and the prison was eerily quiet, yet a thick scent of blood permeated the air.

Bodies of prison guards lay strewn haphazardly on the ground, and more than a dozen Steel Camp soldiers, clad in cumbersome biological armor, had overrun the place.

In one of the cells, Miao Lun pushed open the door and entered.

A man, cowering with fear in the corner, looked at Miao Lun entering and tried to hide himself.

Miao Lun walked straight towards him, frightening the man terribly.

"Don't come any closer, who are you people, I am a Siamese Prince, if you make a move on me..."

The man's voice trembled, having heard the intense gunfire outside, unsure of what was happening.

"Siam Ninth Prince, Baiya Langnak?"

Miao Lun, holding a photograph, spoke indifferently.

The man seemed to realize something, and suddenly became agitated, "Is it my brother Pupeng who sent you, he wants to stage a prison breach by villains, feigning my accidental death so he can secure his throne, such a ruthless scheme."

The man was, indeed, the Ninth Prince of Siam, Baiya Langnak. After the old king was assassinated, the numerous princes had engaged in both open and covert struggles for the throne, ending with Pupeng ascending, backed by the support of the Beautiful Country.

And princes like Bai Ya who failed in the competition were imprisoned, reduced to prisoners.

"Getting the right person is all that matters."

Miao Lun didn't answer his question but hoisted Bai Ya with one hand and took him out.

Stepping outside the prison, in the moonlight, Bai Ya finally saw the situation clearly, the genetic warriors standing three meters tall made his eyes bulge, "You are... Steel Camp soldiers?"

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Miao Lun smiled and said to Shao Meng, the director of the Jieke Group Intelligence Department, "I've brought the person out, he's all yours now."

"Thanks to all the brothers!"

Shao Meng had a helicopter landing behind him; he looked at Bai Ya with a smile on his face, a sight that made Bai Ya's skin crawl.

....

Mande City, Jieke Group Intelligence Department, a convoy arrived.

This was a highly secretive location, nestled deep underground and shrouded in mystery, rarely frequented by outsiders.

"Commander Su."

Shao Meng, alongside a group of Intelligence Department genetic warriors, was waiting outside and took the initiative to open the car door.

"Have you found everyone?"

Su Jie, accompanied by Liu Yingying, stepped out of the car and inquired.

"Yes, Commander Su, we have retrieved 9 out of the 12 princes, the whereabouts of the other three remain unknown; these three had the most support from internal forces in Siam, so presumably, Pupeng feared they threatened his position and arranged for their secret extermination," Shao Meng reported as he followed Su Jie closely.

"Nine princes, how many of them are willing to cooperate with us?"

Su Jie nodded and walked into a reception room.

"All nine princes are willing to cooperate."

"Oh, such a large number? It wasn't through torture, was it?"

Liu Yingying, curious at the side, was surprised at the high count.

Shao Meng shook his head, "There's no need for that. Just a slight probe, and they all scrambled over to us, each one more spineless than the last. The most eager to please among them was a Ninth Prince named Bai Ya, whom I consider a very suitable collaborator."

"Then let him come up."

Su Jie nodded indifferently.

Soon, Shao Meng ordered the man to be brought in.

As a man was ushered into the reception room, a multitude of eyes turned towards him; the man was the rescued Bai Ya from the prison.

Bai Ya also laid eyes on the true controller of the Jieke Group, Su Jie, and Liu Yingying, the second in command.

Bai Ya was no longer as naive and ignorant as he had been when first rescued.

After thorough instruction by the Intelligence Department, Bai Ya understood what had occurred in Siam during his imprisonment.

At the Intelligence Department, he had also met his royal brothers, who seemed to be in good condition.

However, life with the Jieke Group Intelligence Department was not as straightforward as he had imagined; together with his brothers, they all underwent discussions and persuasion sessions.

Bai Ya gradually came to understand what the Jieke Group intended to do.

Seeing his arrival, Liu Yingying, who was brewing tea, smiled and beckoned, "Bai Ya, isn't it? Come, have a drink."

Prince Baiya bowed his head with hands clasped, bending forward in a bow, "Thank you, thank you, Mr. Su, Miss Liu for rescuing me."

"Do you want to be king?"

The first sentence Su Jie said upon meeting made Baiya's heart jolt wildly.

Although he had anticipated it, he didn't expect Su Jie to be so straightforward, so striking to the heart.

Of course, he desired to be king, he dreamed of it, if he hadn't wanted to compete with Pupeng, he wouldn't have ended up imprisoned.

"I... What are your conditions?"

Baiya's breathing was heavy, knowing well that a free lunch didn't just fall from the sky. Surely, Su Jie would have his demands.

"We support you to take the throne, overthrow Pupeng's rule, all you need to do is sign this agreement," Su Jie stated outright, and beside him, Liu Yingying took out a document and handed it to Baiya.

Baiya glanced at it, and his pupils constricted.

The agreement was too glaring, once signed, a vast expanse of Siam's territory would be annexed by the Jieke Group, and he would also have to agree to various humiliating and sovereignty-surrendering terms such as ceding land, reparations, stationing troops, tariffs, trade, and so on. It was tantamount to becoming a puppet government under the control of the Jieke Group.

Liu Yingying poked Baiya, saying, "There's an old saying in Hua Country, 'A wise man submits to the times.' You're still contemplating, but with so many royal brothers, someone will want to agree eventually. It's better to recognize reality sooner—you don't have the privilege to negotiate terms.

"You needn't worry either, look on the bright side, Pupeng colluded with the CIA to kill your father, this is you avenging your father. Without our help, you couldn't achieve this on your own, could you?"

Liu Yingying smiled merrily, the terms of the agreement were those she brought up in the United Nations Security Council, now with even more clauses added, ensuring from all aspects, turning Siam into an economic colony of the Jieke Group.

Su Jie gently sipped his tea, appearing unconcerned as he watched Baiya clutching the agreement, his hands trembling, "To be honest, annexing the whole of Siam outright is not impossible for me, but I am simply too kind-hearted, for which you should be grateful."

Su Jie smiled amiably at Baiya, his gaze chilling.

Baiya felt as if a bucket of cold water was poured over him, instantly calming down and becoming lucidly aware.

If he didn't agree, the opposition could replace him at any time, and the temptation of the throne was too great for him to resist.

He had struggled to get this far, acutely aware of how rare the opportunity was.

He was just selling out his country's interests, but in return, he would gain the king's throne and his own wealth and glory.

"Mr. Su, I think the demands in this agreement are too modest. We need to add some more clauses so our two countries can have everlasting peace and friendship, becoming strategic allies," Baiya said, with a sycophantic smile on his face, now actively requesting additional terms.

If he was going to sell out his country, he might as well do it thoroughly in exchange for his own prosperity.

"Heh, no wonder Shao Meng recommended you to me; you're quite good, quite talented indeed!" Su Jie laughed, quite pleased with Baiya's transformation, as it suited him well for future control over Siam.

As for dealing with Siam, Su Jie didn't choose to annex all of Siam's territory not because he couldn't do it, but because the cost would be quite high.

In modern society, unlike the 18th and 19th centuries when national identification was low, forcefully annexing an entire country, especially one with seventy million people like Siam, would be difficult and thankless for the Jieke Group, like a snake swallowing an elephant.

If he did so, it would only cause the Thais, the main ethnic group of Siam, to rebel. Insurgent groups would surely spring up in large numbers. Even if the army could suppress them, they couldn't be everywhere, and more importantly, the whole of Siam would be plunged into ongoing turmoil and disorder, which wouldn't be conducive to Su Jie using it to develop his industries. The cost of maintaining order would be high.

Therefore, in the 21st century, countries expanding their influence rarely use land as the basis, opting instead to support political proxies, making them lean towards themselves on various levels.

The Jieke Group was now managing Chan Country and already had enough territories to digest. To further annex more would likely incur dissent, not just from the Beautiful Country but from everyone.

Su Jie waged war to expand influence and have more people serve him.

As long as Siam became his vassal, helping him breed insects and pigs, set up cinemas and ghost houses, and carry out all his initiatives, whether he annexed it or not wasn't important. Turning Siam into a puppet government, infiltrated and controlled by the Jieke Group from all sides, served Su Jie's purpose just the same.

Direct annexation and indirect control, regarding the former, the brute force method of annexing a country has been abandoned by everyone. The latter tactic is now the game everyone plays.

"This is what I think: Siam has lost too many lives. The sooner I agree, the sooner I can end the war and save some innocent Siamese people," Baiya said, his face showing a compassionate expression, while inside, he couldn't wait to taste what it felt like to be king.

He was well aware that agreeing to the Jieke Group's terms would strip Siam of its sovereignty, making it a vassal of the Jieke Group.

"I have no choice; all this is for the good of Siam. If I don't agree, Siam will only face a dire fate," Baiya comforted himself, feeling that he was merely compelled, with the Jieke Group now the master of Siam. He had no other options.

With this, Baiya's spirits lifted, and imagining himself in control of Siam, he could hardly contain his excitement, his eyes and brows revealing his joy.

"Yingying, take him down to record some videos, and release them tomorrow."

"Alright, leave it to me," Liu Yingying nodded her head, leading Baiya out of the villa.

"Prince Baiya, we are your Imperial Palace Guard, tasked with ensuring your safety henceforth," the squad of Steel Camp Soldiers outside the villa, who had been waiting for some time, said. They would become Baiya's trusted aides, safeguarding his immediate security.

Baiya understood that this "protection" was actually surveillance.

Nevertheless, Baiya had already convinced himself there was no issue.

If he could ascend to his long-coveted throne as king, it was all worth it.