The Chinese populist Tuanpai faction is dissatisfied with the rapid pace of change by the elitist princeling coalition to transform the country into a full market economy. The Tuanpai embark on an audacious plan to trigger a global disaster that will bring down the princelings and humble America. In the aftermath, America identifies China as the culprit, but doesn't know if this was a rogue operation or a government sponsored plot. The Chinese president knows the perpetrators, but has no proof. Fearful of American retaliation, he invites U.S. investigators to help him find the proof while outraged countries apply economic sanctions. Under a cloud of mutual suspicion, the investigation stumbles and America readies itself for a military confrontation. This is a mind-bending expose of international politics and distrust between two vastly different cultures.