Resurrection Empire

Chapter 627 - 236: The Disagreements Among Systemic Final Consumers: The Suppressed Contradictions

When Ren Zhong was fervently relocating the wastelanders, a small dispute erupted during the highest-level meeting of the Source Star Business Association.

The disputing parties consisted of an alliance between Purple Crystal Mining and Tanggu Group.

The other side was represented by Mengdu Group, slightly drawing in Source Star Military Industry, Tianlong High-tech, and Bas Group.

For the past 682 years, regardless of the topic discussed at this high-level meeting, it was always harmonious, with disputes being quite rare.

After all, this was a hierarchically distinct society, and as the top structure of Source Star society, the people here had almost no natural enemies and no worries.

In the era of absolute monopoly, the Nine Major Groups did not need to face competition, and everything could be arranged through negotiation.

The "Net" could always provide the optimal resource allocation schemes and timely management adjustments.

All behaviors of Source Star’s top echelon were to maintain governance stability.

With unity in the general direction, they could resolve most planetary issues without disputes.

However, when the star system’s planetary resources were about to be exhausted, and under the highest instructions of each highest steward of the Nine Major Groups, they had to forcibly unite, setting out on the path of interstellar migration, preparing to cross several light years to join a higher civilization—"the Empire"—that they had built good relationships with through years of interstellar trade, some irreconcilable fundamental contradictions appeared.

Ren Zhong, a historical-level genius born from the wastelanders, whom no one had ever cared about, played the role of a fuse.

Although no one officially certified it, everyone at the venue knew that Ren Zhong’s intelligence, learning ability, scientific research talent, and combat potential all set historical records.

The representative of Mengdu Group pointed out that although Ren Zhong passed the psychological assessment, he still posed a great potential danger and should immediately have his citizen rights revoked, be taken into custody, and become an experimental sample.

If the secret of Ren Zhong can be unraveled, discovering the truth behind his rapid advancement, it might be possible to mass-produce geniuses, benefiting every higher citizen.

At this moment, the representative of Purple Crystal Mining stood up, fiercely criticizing Mengdu Group’s narrow selfishness, clearly pointing out that in recent years, Mengdu Group had researched and killed countless ordinary geniuses among the wastelanders for similar reasons, achieving nothing and wasting vast social resources, indirectly causing the planetary technological level to improve slowly.

Tanggu Group also stated that if they could seize this genius, Ren Zhong, and use it as an opportunity to exploit the potential of the wastelanders with a new management mode in the last twenty years, it would certainly allow the accumulation of more foundational knowledge before the great migration, enhancing civilization’s value and raising the status of Source Star civilization in the Empire.

The Mengdu Group representative refuted, stating that besides biomedical technology related to the human body and Ruined Beast, there was no need for technological knowledge in other aspects.

All other technologies could rely on products provided by the Empire civilization.

No matter how much effort Source Star humanity put in for thousands of years, it would never match the basics science field of the Empire; it’s better just to specialize in biomedical alone.

Again, the representative of Purple Crystal Mining expressed that although the Empire showed a very friendly attitude in communication, Source Star humanity is, after all, a civilization, and we should not completely rely on others but appropriately adhere to our scientific route, maintaining our civilization values.

Subsequently, the debate issue broadened into discussing whether Source Star civilization had a standalone value if humanity would ultimately integrate into the high-order cosmic order created by the friendly Empire.

Further, it advanced to question whether Source Star, as a newly unified political body that immediately contacted high-level alien civilizations and began trading with them, with traded goods and technologies being widely used at every level of societal systems, truly counts as an independent civilization.

Finally, this series of disputes abruptly ended with a cold order from a highest elder temporarily awakened from freezing.

The association’s highest elder, who once headed the Alson group, declared that the association would not make any specific arrangements for Ren Zhong, and the existing social operation system would remain unchanged. In the last twenty years, the task of the Nine Major Enterprises continues to adhere to the four major guidelines.

First, accumulate as many Contribution Points as possible.

Second, take as many human brains as possible.

Third, take as many resources as possible, like metals and Ruined Beast materials.

Fourth, manufacture and capture as many Level Nine Ruined Beasts as possible.

Lastly, the great migration plan is the highest command jointly formulated by the nine highest elders and must not be shaken, altered, questioned, nor inquire about the Empire’s intelligence.

Subsequently, the elder awakened by the dispute returned to freezing slumber.

Although under the strong suppression of the highest elder, this minor disturbance ended without incident, the meeting still ended in discord.

A crack quietly spread.

To the left of the crack is the autonomous faction recognizing Source Star civilization value.

On the right is the comprador faction that does not recognize Source Star civilization and holds absolute expectations of the Empire.

Currently, the ideology of these two factions is only in its infancy, perhaps not even fully realized by themselves.

But the instigator of these matters, Ren Zhong, like a butterfly flapping its wings both openly and in the shadows, knew full well.

Even if unseen, he knew what changes his actions would provoke.

Two days passed, and he hadn’t encountered an assassination attempt from the special legislation nor received any warning from Mengdu Group, so he had his answer.

At this time, he had gathered 99% of the wastelander tribes within the Liao Yuan County, with only one tribe suffering overnight.

That tribe had more than twelve hundred people, living at the junction of Liao Yuan County and Chongyi County.

Shi Xuan and Zheng Tian went with goodwill, but the other side not only did not appreciate it, they even tried to rob them on the spot with overwhelming numbers.

If it weren’t for Bai Feng suddenly stepping out from among the crowd, demonstrating the strength of a Fourth Level Armored Soldier, along with Shi Xuan, this small mission team boasting two Fourth Level professionals, the other side would not have hesitated to make a move, the situation would not have been resolved peacefully.

Therefore, regarding the encounter of these people, Ren Zhong could only say one word, "Deserve."

...

On the evening of the 93rd day, after two consecutive days of laborious work, Ma Dafu returned home utterly exhausted.

He had just taken a sip of tea when Ren Zhong arrived.

Ma Dafu, overwhelmed, said: "Although I did not oppose you, I still think Starfire Town cannot support so many people. You indeed know how to make money, but this is ultimately not a long-term solution. The Pu Cha assessment won’t evaluate you based on your personal wealth."

Ren Zhong first took out a project plan, "Take a look at this first."

1. Upgrade the shuttle system.

2. Crystal Hunting Team.

3. Abandoned mine development.

...

Over ten such plans.

After Ma Dafu put down the document, Ren Zhong asked, "So, Old Ma, how many people do you think Starfire Town can support now?"

"If all your blueprint plans can become reality, Starfire Town can become an economically prosperous Starfire County, able to support as many people as needed. But..."

Ren Zhong shook his head, "No buts. I can’t wait any longer. You saw the video of what happened to the wastelander tribe at Miyun Lake last night, that I had Ma Xiaoling pass to you, right? If I do nothing, all wastelanders within Liao Yuan County will either die or be captured. Old Ma, have you heard the saying that sympathy ends at sympathy?"

After a long while, Ma Dafu trembled as he picked up his tea, drinking one sip after another.

After a very long time, Ma Dafu said again: "Next... I intend to arrange for Ma Xiaoling to study at the Advanced Warriors Academy, and I will hire another to be Starfire Town’s Guard Captain."

Ren Zhong spread his hands, "Jiang Kai is indeed a good choice, but don’t waste your energy. Don’t you know your daughter? She won’t leave."

Ma Dafu: "..."

Ren Zhong leaned forward, smiling, "Old Ma, once you’ve boarded my pirate ship, you want to disembark, there’s only one way. That is to sell me out. But you can’t do it. So, join me in causing a celestial uproar! We can put a hole in the sky! The potential of these wastelanders in Starfire Town is much greater than you imagine! Additionally, let me tell you one more thing, we’re actually not alone. I once deceived you using ’us,’ but now I can be sure, there really is an ’us,’ we just need to find them."

Ma Dafu: "Us?"

"Yes! Us!"

At this time, a prompt sounded from Ren Zhong’s communicator, it was Wang Zhaofu’s voice.

"Mr. Ren, Xiao Xingyue, chief reporter of Source Star TV, wants to interview you, she’s already at the company’s reception room."

"Alright, I’ll be right there."

Ren Zhong ended the communication and bade farewell to Old Ma.

Old Ma wondered, "Who’s looking for you?"

Ren Zhong grinned, "The possible ’us’.

"Reveal the cards?"

"No. Not everything needs to be revealed. Because ’the Net’ is watching us."

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