A major change in the forest world

Chapter 5: The First Forest World War - A Reflection Meeting

Shortly after the successful conclusion of the international science and technology conference held in Phoenix Country, the elephant, still full of enthusiasm, called the giant tortoise:

Big Turtle Bro, your words at the last meeting were more valuable than ten years of study, I didn't get enough!

Look, the First World War in the Forest was exactly one hundred years ago. Why don't you suggest that Brother Turtle hold an anti-war conference at the Arc de Triomphe in Eagle Country?

Big Turtle said, "Okay, Berlin Bear will take charge then, and that's settled."

In the heart of the late autumn forest, the west wind howled, whipping up withered yellow leaves, like the weeping of countless souls who had perished on the battlefield.

Today, in front of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, all the major tribes that could be named in the entire forest have gathered:

Giant tortoises, phoenixes, white geese, eagles, eagles, Berlin bears, giraffes, elephants, and other members of the bird alliance.

Today, the various ethnic groups are not competing in pomp and circumstance or eloquence; they stand ramrod straight, their faces solemn and dignified.

They're not here to seize territory, nor to discuss business, nor to show off their dominance.

They are here today to attend an anti-war rally and reflect on the First World War in the Forest a hundred years ago, which nearly turned the entire forest into ruins.

One hundred years ago today, the war was temporarily halted; but one hundred years later, the lessons remain, the pain remains, and the cries of the departed souls still echo—no one dares to forget.

This reflection meeting will not be chaired by the dominant tortoise, nor will it involve the white goose giving a rigid report;

Instead, they specifically arranged for Berlin Bear to stand in front of the stage as the main character and preside over the meeting.

In that great battle, their tribe was the main protagonist; they were the most fanatical at the beginning, and also the most tragic in the end.

Therefore, no one is more qualified than him to speak the truth and reflect on the matter at the anti-war conference.

The assembly began, and after a five-minute silence, Berlin Bear stood at the front of the stage, gesturing for everyone to sit down, and then said:

"I won't say any nice things today. That great battle a hundred years ago was an accident, a misunderstanding..."

Everyone watched as Berlin Bear seemed hesitant to speak, but before Big Turtle Brother opened his mouth, no one interrupted; they all listened quietly.

Big Turtle looked at the elephant's eagerly anticipating gaze and slowly began to speak:

"Brother Xiong, a hundred years have passed, so stop hiding it. Tell everyone what really happened in that battle a hundred years ago. Was it really caused by a trivial matter?"

Berlin Bear was honest and didn't shy away from it at all. He nodded and said: "Yes, Brother Turtle, on the surface, it was just a small thing that started the fire."

But that's not actually the case. The main reason was that the powerful groups at the time were all greedy, resentful, and wanted to be the boss and seize more colonies.

Finally, a fierce fight broke out, destroying a large portion of the forest.

"What was the whole forest like during those years?" the giant tortoise asked, knowing the answer already.

Berlin Bear took a sip of water and replied: "Several large clans, you won't submit to me, and I won't submit to you."

They all frantically expanded their armies, formed factions everywhere, and were all eager to fight.

The eagles stubbornly cling to their old dominant position, refusing to relinquish it.

Back then, I, Berlin Bear, was ambitious and, once I gained strength, I wanted to redraw the territory with him.

The eagle was not to be outdone, and it tried to win over its underlings everywhere, hoping to seize a place.

The white goose also has a lot of conflicts with its neighbors;

The entire forest was like a giant vat of gunpowder, just missing a spark.

The giant tortoise then asked, "What exactly was that spark? What were we all fighting for? We fought for four whole years, and so many people died. Was it worth it?"

Berlin Bear sighed deeply: "Brother Turtle, of course it's not worth it. In fact, it started as a small conflict between a marginalized group, a trivial matter."

But back then, none of us major powers were willing to back down, for the sake of face and to gain a voice.

They all had an inflated sense of self-importance, believing themselves to be the king of the jungle and certain of victory in a fight.

Everyone was thinking the same thing, and now the opportunity had arrived—let's start the war.

The giant tortoise then asked a particularly practical question: "Before the war started, did you all think that you could win the battle immediately?"

The Berlin Bearman was tall and honest: Yes, Big Turtle, that's what we thought back then.

But it turned out that they were just wishful thinking. Before the war, everyone shouted slogans and boasted that they were the best in the world.

Only when a real war breaks out do you realize that the word "war" truly means disaster.

"Why do I call it a disaster?" Berlin Bear continued, "Because once war breaks out, there are many things that no one can control."

In a broader sense, ethnic groups are fighting for the right to speak, and all they see are interests.

The primal evil within an individual will also be fully revealed.

Those who profit from national disasters during wartime, those who unleash their original sins on the battlefield, and those who break their promises for the sake of war.

These things are beyond our control, which is why war turns forests into graveyards of evil.

After listening, the giant tortoise slowly nodded in approval, then uttered a truth passed down from back then, which a marshal had expressed particularly clearly:

"This is not peace, it's just a twenty-year truce."

"Therefore, all of us here must be vigilant and not start a war lightly."

The giant tortoise paused briefly, and the entire audience burst into applause.

Everyone understands the meaning: the fighting has stopped, but the hatred hasn't subsided, the resentment hasn't been resolved, and the problems haven't been solved. It's just a temporary respite before the fighting resumes.

Seeing that Big Turtle Brother was silent, Berlin Bear chimed in, "Big Turtle Brother is right. Once the war starts, you won't be able to stop it even if you want to."

Once you get involved, your entire family and your entire power will be dragged into hell.

Seeing that Berlin Bear had finished reflecting, the elephant took the microphone from him, handed it to Big Turtle, and then gestured for everyone to be quiet.

The giant tortoise began its concluding remarks: Ladies and gentlemen, you must always remember that the greater the power, the less likely it is to start a war.

It's not that we can't win, it's that the cost is too high. If we win, we'll create enemies for generations, with endless future troubles; if we lose, the country will collapse directly, and it will be difficult to recover.

There are no win-win situations in war, only lose-lose ones. There are no strong players, only survivors.

No matter how powerful, domineering, or wealthy you are, if you start a war, you will eventually lose your own country and its people.

Therefore, true hegemons are those who know how to concede profits and are willing to listen to different opinions.

Finally, if the giraffe had understood this principle four hundred years ago, there would have been no war between him and the eagle, and he wouldn't have fallen from his dominant position so quickly.

Berlin Bear clapped his hands loudly first, followed by a burst of applause.

Not only does it love learning and research, but it also possesses such profound and unique insights. No wonder the giant tortoise has become the current ruler of the forest.

As a dominant force, the ability to make concessions, listen to different opinions, and humble oneself to allow more people to speak is perhaps one of the reasons why the forest world has become the dominant force.

After everyone returned home, Elephant received a call from the giant tortoise's assistant informing him that goods entering the giant tortoise kingdom would receive a 5% tariff reduction. But that's another story.

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