Chapter 220: Economic Issues

Chapter 220: Economic Dilemmas

"The quantum computers were moved before the fortification was breached."

Chen Jian scrutinized the faint traces left within the sealed server room, his voice analytical as he continued:

"To be precise, it wasn't just moved before the breach; rather, someone extracted the computers and then meticulously resealed the chamber."

"This must have transpired after the Great Cataclysm. According to Fuxi, Fortification 008 severed all communications exactly 152 years ago."

"152 years... another century and a half."

"It seems an immense number of events unfolded during that particular epoch..."

"Where on earth could those quantum computers have been taken? And what use could the thieves possibly have for them?"

"They clearly possessed an intimate understanding of how quantum computing operates, which implies, with a high degree of probability, that they are capable of utilizing them."

"Could it be the Ring Chamber of Commerce?"

Lei Jie suddenly interjected. Chen Jian furrowed his brow, offering a sharp counterpoint:

"Highly improbable."

"If it were the Ring Chamber of Commerce, they would never have stopped at merely plundering the quantum computers."

"They are merchants, after all."

"But regardless, we can pry into the matter through them."

"Furthermore... Fuxi!"

"I am here."

The artificial intelligence's voice resonated directly in his ear. Chen Jian paused in brief deliberation before inquiring:

"Can you retrieve the maintenance logs for Fortification 008? If the disaster backup system managed to stay functional, then theoretically, there should be a secondary intelligent system acting as a contingency alongside the quantum computers, correct?"

"There was indeed, but the computing power of the backup system was insufficient to sustain the entire fortification's operations, and it was evidently destroyed when the facility was forced open."

"Extracting the data from the moment of the breach is no longer possible. I apologize, Commander, I am powerless in this matter."

"Understood."

Chen Jian exhaled a quiet sigh, a flicker of regret casting a shadow across his gaze.

"So, as it stands, every single lead we have gathered has gone cold."

Lei Jie said, his brow knitting tightly.

Chen Jian shook his head, correcting his companion:

"They haven't gone cold. Rather, every single thread now converges upon the Imperial Capital."

"The mimetic heresies, the dread terrors, the Blessed of the Sacred Blood, the historical records of the Great Cataclysm, the vanished quantum computers..."

"The Spark Project, the homunculi, and the so-called 'Declining Creator'."

"I have a distinct premonition that this Spark Project might be an endeavor whose scale rivals that of Fuxi itself."

"Yet, logically speaking, it is highly unlikely that this initiative was executed prior to the Great Cataclysm."

"Synthesizing this with the clues we unearthed back at Site 7025, the northern regions suffered relatively less devastation during the apocalypse, lingering longer between the cataclysm and total annihilation."

"Am I then permitted to assume that the north retained a more robust reservoir of technological heritage, to the point where they once engineered a comprehensive 'Salvation Initiative'?"

"At the very least, judging by the designation 'Spark', it certainly adheres to the stylistic conventions we are intimately familiar with."

"Be that as it may, these enigmas must await our arrival at the Imperial Capital before we can unearth any answers."

As he spoke, Chen Jian rose to his feet.

Without missing a beat, he commanded:

"Let us move. We shall go observe how the requisitioning of Huadu is proceeding."

"Once matters here are concluded, we can resume our march toward the Imperial Capital."

"Understood."

The entourage rose in unison, trailing closely behind Chen Jian. As they emerged from the cavernous depths of Fortification 008, the Bishop of the Cult of the Machine—tasked with overseeing the acquisition—stood waiting just beyond the main corridor.

"My Lord, everything has been settled."

The Bishop offered a respectful salutation. Chen Jian gave a curt nod and asked:

"The inhabitants here—how do you intend to resettle them?"

"We shall station a detachment of the Ecclesiarchy's guard to govern them. Concurrently, the Grand Hall of the Sacred Blood will dispatch corresponding personnel to assist us."

"Precisely like the townships we have administered in the past, the illumination of the Most Holy Trinity shall touch the hearts of the sinners, guiding them along the path of atonement."

"Furthermore, the periphery of Quancheng abounds with immense reserves of structural steel left over from before the Great Cataclysm. We intend to establish a steelmaking foundry here."

"Though, its primary objective remains the absorption of the local labor force."

"Subsequently, the finished steel produced here will be transported southward to various settlements. Naturally, should the Huaxia Army have need of it, we shall prioritize your supply."

"That is quite excellent."

Chen Jian nodded in contemplative assent, then remarked:

"We might forge a broader avenue of cooperation."

"You require armaments, and we require raw materials."

"Deliver the raw materials directly to us, and we shall barter with weapons in exchange. What say you?"

"Ah?"

The Bishop froze, utterly stupefied.

He had clearly never anticipated such a proposition from Chen Jian.

In his worldview, did not the supreme might of the Huaxia Army derive precisely from their peerless weaponry?

And now, the supreme commander of the Huaxia Army was voluntarily offering to trade weapons for mere raw materials...

Was this not tantamount to dismantling one's own ramparts?

Or had this commander become so short-sighted and arrogant that he completely disregarded the inherent risks?

He cast a deeply suspicious gaze upon Chen Jian, who merely continued with unruffled composure:

"I believe I have made myself sufficiently clear."

"You require weapons, and we can provide them."

"Cease confronting those monstrosities with those ludicrous smoothbore cannons and single-shot rifles."

"Of the artillery pieces recovered here, we can allocate a portion to exchange for equity in this steelmaking foundry you are about to construct."

"Do you comprehend the meaning of equity?"

"Naturally, My Lord, of course I do."

The Bishop nodded frantically, before inquiring in a tone laced with profound disbelief:

"Are you implying that you intend to utilize those... exquisite armaments, merely to barter for these crude, unrefined raw materials?"

“My meaning is that this may not be a particularly profitable deal for you.”

“You’re rather honest, I must say.”

Chen Jian laughed:

“Of course I will make the transaction more reasonable; regarding the price, we must engage in a thorough discussion.”

“But that matter shall be handled by the Ring Trade Guild in your communication with us.”

“All you need to do is convey the message back to your… Saint, and that will suffice.”

“Understood, understood.”

The bishop, brimming with excitement, reiterated:

“So you mean we can trade directly with you for weapons identical to those of your own troops?”

“No.”

Chen Jian shook his head decisively.

“Not exactly identical.”

“But I will provide you with ‘suitable’ arms.”

“Certainly, certainly!”

The bishop beamed with joy.

“All know of your benevolent name; I trust this will be a deal that satisfies both parties!”

“Then I shall report back to the Saint as you request.”

“I will see to everything here, and the seized supplies will be swiftly sent to the Jinling Ruins for your receipt.”

“Very well. Do not attempt to deceive us.”

Chen Jian said gravely:

“Whether in Jinling or in Huadu, I think you have already witnessed our strength.”

“What I wish to tell you is that the people of Huadu could not defeat us with those weapons, and you certainly cannot either.”

The bishop’s expression hardened, and he answered loudly:

“I understand completely!”

The reception work in Quancheng continued, yet Chen Jian and his companions no longer needed to keep a constant watch.

This battle shattered not only Huadu City but also the morale of the Mechanical Cult’s missionary troops stationed in the “remote regions.”

One morning, in less than five hours, Huadu City was razed as if by a relentless storm; by sunrise the city had already changed its banner.

What terrifying power is this? At least for the bishop in charge of reception, having seen it with his own eyes, a truth settled in his heart:

No one can stand against this Huaxia army; even though they number only a dozen or so, they are nearly invincible.

It is not a matter of fighting them; in fact, most of the time you will never encounter them on the battlefield.

When they appear before you, the battle has, in all likelihood, already ended.

Thus the bishop harbored no hint of “defiance” toward the Huaxia forces.

After all, even the Saint has compromised; what need have I to display my ridiculous “loyalty”?

All for the sake of the Holy Trinity’s cause—wherever I die, it is the same, is it not?

Moreover, this mission brought an unexpected boon.

I even facilitated a trade with the Huaxia army; from any angle, that is a great achievement.

So, when Chen Jian’s convoy left Huadu and pressed northward, his farewell was imbued with sincere respect.

He even handed over precious provisions from his own ranks for Chen Jian’s use.

The Huaxia soldiers from Huangshi City were puzzled, but the others paid it no mind.

“.So, commander, what you truly intend is not merely trade, but division?”

In the warrior’s carriage, Ji Xing asked curiously.

“Of course.”

“If it were merely trade, I would have no reason to grant them such lenient terms.”

“The core of this deal is to fragment the Mechanical Cult’s centralized hierarchy.”

“——Although their centralization was never that strong to begin with.”

“But consider—who is our trading partner? The Mechanical Cult?”

“.No, it is the Huadu City missionary troops.”

Ji Xing answered thoughtfully:

“Or more precisely, the steel mill within Huadu City.”

“Exactly, that very steel mill.”

Chen Jian nodded approvingly; Ji Xing’s cleverness had astonished him on several occasions.

Perhaps, were she not a Saint‑blooded one, she would be born for commerce.

After a brief pause, Chen Jian continued:

“Based on what we observed in Tongling and Anqing, the management of these steel mills and workshops is, in fact, somewhat detached from the Mechanical Cult’s theocratic system.”

“The ones directly overseeing the workshops are not bishops but priests a rank lower.”

“They do not belong to the Cult’s power core, and it is precisely such individuals who are more pliable to the lure of profit.”

“When the day comes that these people realize they possess bargaining chips strong enough to negotiate with the Sanctum, guess what will happen?”

“They will erect a new Sanctum?”

Ji Xing answered instinctively, then shook her head:

“They may not build a new Sanctum; they will likely seek legitimacy within the divine authority.”

“They should reinterpret the doctrine, that is the proper course.”

“More likely, they will found a new sect outright!”

“Exactly, that is what we desire.”

Chen Jian exhaled deeply and explained:

“The vast majority of the wasteland’s populace has been completely subsumed by religious dogma.”

“They lack the capacity to embrace an alternative system, and it is hard to erode their ingrained cognition through any ‘overarching’ education.”

“Thus you see why, in our ranks, there are men from Huangshi and Saint‑blooded ones, yet to this day none are adherents of the Mechanical Cult.”

“The reason is simple: reshaping them is too arduous.”

“We must adopt a different approach. Do you know what it is?”

“Let the transformation arise from within.”

From the back seat, Xie Liu interjected with an answer.

“Exactly.”

Chen Jian nodded again, adding his explanation:

“To spark transformation, we must first cultivate the soil in which it can take root.”

“I was still pondering how to forge such soil, but now this ‘steel‑forging workshop’ has given us inspiration.”

“The only troublesome part is that, for a considerable stretch of time, most of the workshop’s laborers will have to be those from Huadu.”

“They—”

“—won’t happen.”

Ji Xing suddenly cut Chen Jian off, then said:

“Those Huadu folk won’t survive long.”

“Their bodies are already collapsing; in a few months they’ll be replaced by newcomers.”

When the words fell, the few passengers in the carriage fell silent.

In truth, Chen Jian had long foreseen this ending.

One person’s mistake inevitably burdens hundreds, even thousands.

He, of course, yearned to alter it all, yet the present might of the Huaxia forces fell woefully short of that task.

Ideals always glimmer in distant realms; they can light the road, but they cannot smooth its bumps.

At that thought, Chen Jian exhaled a long sigh.

After a brief moment of contemplation, he spoke:

“Then let’s allocate a few more resources.”

“Most of the people here should not die so pointlessly; we can grant them a chance.”

“How do we give it?”

A voice crackled over the radio—Leijie.

“Unless you personally take charge of this city, those entrenched rules cannot be altered.”

“That isn’t so hard, then.”

Chen Jian smiled faintly, replying:

“Rules serve interests; tweak the distribution of benefit a little, and the rules shift.”

“That can be part of the plan as well.”

“Our task is simple: to keep these people alive, we must make the Mechanical Cult realize they are worth more alive than dead.”

“And how do we do that?”

Leijie pressed further.

“Isn’t that straightforward?”

“Expand the demand.”

“Understood.”

Ji Xing grasped it even before Leijie.

“Perhaps we originally needed only ten tonnes of steel; the Mechanical Cult would then squeeze the existing labor to the brink, extracting greater value from that output.”

“But if we require a hundred tonnes, they’ll discover their workforce is insufficient.”

“When hands are scarce, they cannot afford any deaths.”

“Exactly.”

Chen Jian turned his neck, continuing:

“In any case, our appetite for steel will only grow; stockpiling in advance does no harm.”

“Nevertheless, we must ponder what we’ll trade with them.”

“The 011 armaments factory must be erected without delay.”

“After all, in this age, weapons are tantamount to currency.”

“Damn.”

Leijie finally caught on.

He exclaimed in surprise:

“So you’re planning a massive flood of resources?!”

(End of chapter)