Chapter 314: The Limitations of Deterrence_1

In the courtyard, there was a lush bamboo grove, and a thin layer of white mist condensed within the bamboo, gently undulating at about waist height.

Just in front of the living room was a small wooden bridge, beneath which a babbling brook flowed by.

Even Jiang Yu found the environment so elegant that his aggressive mood seemed to fade somewhat.

Sophon had a small white flower tucked into her chignon, which trembled slightly in front of her with every movement she made.

Her femininity was overwhelming, like a drop of concentrated pigment—if she were to dissolve in a vast lake, the entire body of water would take on the color of women.

Many people, upon meeting Sophon, would forget that she was an alien invader, forget about the powerful alien world that controlled her four light-years away, seeing only a beautiful and docile woman before them.

When Jiang Yu made his intention known, everyone in the living room was stunned; even Number Three had no idea why Jiang Yu had come to see Sophon.

Ever since Jiang Yu had met Sophon, the reporters accompanying him had started to live broadcast their meeting throughout the Solar System State.

Since both the PDC and Fleet International rigorously controlled the information coming from the Solar System State, whether they would broadcast it remained uncertain.

Sophon looked at Jiang Yu with eyes as gentle as water for a moment, "Please wait a moment. I'll brew some tea, and then we can talk."

The more vulnerable Sophon appeared, the more Jiang Yu reminded himself to be vigilant and not be influenced by the Trisolarans' psychological suggestions.

He took off his shoes and sat down cross-legged with an air of casual indifference, "No tea!"

Sophon paused, "But I still have to make it, as it is the way to treat a guest."

"You make your tea, I'll speak my piece," Jiang Yu said with a smile. "Have you ever heard the story of 'lying on brambles and tasting gall'?"

Sophon sat down elegantly, neatly laying out an exquisite set of tea-making utensils before her:

"I have heard of it; it's an ancient Chinese tale of how a king bided his time until he could exact vengeance."

Jiang Yu, unconcerned with those around him, lit a cigarette. It was then that Number Three recovered from the initial shock, taking an ashtray out of a backpack and placing it beside Jiang Yu.

Jiang Yu took a drag of his cigarette, "Sometimes, the Japanese can be quite patient too. Since you're pretending to be Japanese, you must have heard of the story of the Forty-Seven Ronin, right?

"For their master's sake, those ronin gave up their everyday lives, abandoned their wives and children, and were even prepared to offer their own sisters to their enemy!

"In the end, they achieved their objective and heroically met their fate."

Sophon took out a spotless white handkerchief and began to gently wipe the already immaculate tea set.

"Your previous lack of strategic imagination was your best cover," Jiang Yu continued with a smile. "But I know that you've learned to use strategy now.

"You've chosen the wrong image, appearing as Japanese. Because we all know, when they're patient, they can be extremely so, but when they explode, they can be extraordinarily insane.

"This image of yours, to me, is the ultimate warning!"

Sophon continued to wipe a small porcelain bowl, "But there are only three Wallfacers left in the human world."

"Indeed," Jiang Yu replied. "Most people don't understand what Wallfacers do, but that's enough.

"Let me guess when you started implementing your plan. Was it when you delightedly gave humanity the technology it needed? Or perhaps when you began to influence Earthlings with a form of cultural co-opting?

"It's also possible that your plan was already underway when you first established your deterrent!"

Sophon scooped some clear spring water from a clay pot into a small porcelain kettle, "I'm sorry to disappoint you.

"We have always been frank, for it is our innate flaw, just as our communication now reveals, we can't lie because we lack the capacity to do so."

Jiang Yu suddenly sat up straight and said with the air of a victor, "What a thing to say, that you 'can't lie'!"

He laughed and said, "Let's talk about the 'Dark Forest Law,' shall we? That is your greatest oversight!"

Sophon, with a soft and beautiful smile on her face, placed a white porcelain pot on a copper stove, then lit the fire and said gracefully,

"There have been more than one instances proving that the 'Dark Forest Law' indeed is a universal norm of the universe! This point is beyond dispute."

Jiang Yu shook his head, "Not that!

"Almost everyone believes that you Trisolarans bowed to humanity because of the 'Dark Forest Law.' Yet few realize that the deterrent is mutual!"

Sophon's movements suddenly became stiff, devoid of spirit, as if a certain fixed program had been activated!

Jiang Yu chuckled, "Exactly, Earthlings can deter you using this law, and you can use it to deter Earthlings as well!

"Logically, giving humans the technology for gravitational wave antennas should have been the limit of this deterrence!

"You're not very skilled in strategy, are you? Trembling before the 'Dark Forest Law,' you pretend to be ready to satisfy any of humanity's demands, but you've overacted!

"If I were you, I wouldn't have made it so obvious."

The people around all gasped, had humanity unknowingly been outwitted by the Trisolarans?

The living room fell silent for a second or two before Sophon's movements regained their spirit. She stopped making tea and knelt opposite Jiang Yu,

"We gave humanity these technologies out of our admiration for human civilization!

"Your civilization is so fascinating, always something we have yearned for; giving you these technologies is something we willingly do."

Jiang Yu scoffed, "Of course, having realized you were too blatant, you had to take some remedial actions.

"One of which is your 'admiration' for human civilization, though it's more like covetousness, isn't it? Coveting the environment that can produce such a civilization!

"Additionally, there must be something wrong with your technology, but not the current one, since it's being corroborated by the Solar System State's cutting-edge technology; you wouldn't dare yet.

"When would you tamper with it? Of course, when Earthlings become too lazy to validate the theories and technologies you provide!

"That day is not far away, because your cultural offensive is also unfolding and achieving very good results!

"This is the part I admire most about you, that you know where humanity's strengths lie and where its weaknesses are?

"After the Uranus campaign, it left humanity feeling somewhat inferior about their civilization.

"With a civilization so backward, even somewhat ignorant, all it takes is earnest flattery to disorient humans!"

Sophon looked at Jiang Yu, "What you have said is baseless!"

"You're wrong! There is!" Jiang Yu spoke earnestly, "When I was young, I would be very happy whenever a foreigner praised China.

"So happy that I could even overlook the substantial benefits that some people were taking from my country!

"Furthermore, I've studied the history of the era of nuclear deterrence.

"After nuclear deterrence was established, did the two superpowers of the time transfer technology to my motherland? Or did they worship Chinese culture?

"Since the deterrence of the 'Dark Forest Law' is limited and wholly insufficient for you to bow down to us, then your actions today are completely ulterior."