MTLNOVEL Chapter 237 Empire Diplomacy
Of course, breaking free from the shackles of old ideas was not as easy as one might imagine.
Some of the older generation, upon seeing the former capital of the Empire, looked on with eyes wide open, as if childhood memories were stirring within them.
Their greatest dream had once been to leave this poor, remote village and live in the Empire.
And now, that opportunity was laid before them...
Many people are like that, unable to undo the imprint of their childhood thoughts even as they grow older.
During the Earth era in Great Dong Country, there were many such people, still stuck in sweet illusions despite the times.
Indeed, it is impossible to unify the thoughts of all humans.
Lu Yuan sighed, realizing that this matter had taken up too much energy, and there was no need to persuade any further, "As I've said before, if you want to leave, I won't force you."
"I will also give gifts as a farewell, since we've met."
"Whether it's gold or silver, I will give it all to you. Elder Sha, how many people are there that can't be persuaded?"
Lu Yuan was quite considerate when it came to the human touch—gold and silver were plentiful in the warehouse and not valuable.
"How could that be? We are our own, and the Empire is the Empire, obviously two different things," Sha Sanli was indeed a clever fellow; with Sky City ascending, which had the brighter future was clear to him.
"But there are still a thousand people I simply cannot persuade... These people's minds have rusted over."
Sha Sanli added, "Captain Lu, I have some connections with officials in the Empire, and they owe me a few favors... As for those who want to leave, let them go; isn't the Empire large enough to accommodate a thousand people?"
This showed his loyalty; Sha Sanli was definitely not going to leave.
Lu Yuan gently tapped on the table and pondered for a moment; he actually wanted to personally visit the "Mandala Empire."
But upon further reflection, it didn't seem quite appropriate.
He was no longer alone, but the Great Commander of the 18 civilizations of humanity!
The initial exchange between civilizations couldn't possibly involve the highest authority stepping forward directly.
Send a diplomat to establish contact first, to see the attitude of the other side, whether it be peace or war.
This was the correct approach.
"Since you wish to be an emissary of civilization, you may," he said.
With no talented individuals in the makeshift team, he only had the option to send someone a bit more clever.
Lu Yuan continued, "Just ensure that this group of people is well settled, nothing more is required."
"Lu Da, you go with them," he said.
"Yes!" the Worm King bowed slightly.
...
And so, as the destination neared, the altitude of Sky City gradually decreased.
After some simple scouting, they found a suitable landing spot: a large lake, about 300 square kilometers in area.
About 80 kilometers from the Capital of the Empire, the distance was quite reasonable.
With an average depth of about 5 meters, the lake had abundant water sources and numerous aquatic resources, which could help supplement their meager food supply.
With a slight "rumble," Sky City settled onto the surface of the great lake, causing giant waves to ripple out.
The scattering droplets sprayed down from the sky, forming beautiful rainbows.
In the desert, where water was the most precious treasure and the source of life, it seemed almost endless in this vast lake.
Many people couldn't help but fill their eyes with tears in an instant.
"We've arrived!"
...
"Attention to all the villagers of Green Grass Town, please do not rashly leave the city!"
"Extra, extra, the Fifth Engineering Team is hiring, primarily responsible for the construction of water conservancy projects. Requirements: literacy and basic knowledge of electricity."
"Please do not swim in the lake; life safety is of the utmost importance!"
With the citizens bursting with enthusiasm, the patrol team was incredibly busy; not many grew up swimming in the desert, and without strict control, there could be frequent drownings.
On the other side, Lu Yuan was also busily blissful.
This voyage lasted only two months and covered 1,500 kilometers, yet it revealed quite a number of issues.
Lu Yuan looked at the dense reports, totaling more than three hundred pages, and he couldn't help but heave sighs of consternation.
Many engravings required his personal repairs—Guo Weiqiang was a fellow with poor skills, not really fit for the job.
Only Miss Conch's level of engraving was barely enough.
But with Conch holding multiple roles, she couldn't possibly work on construction.
The thought of completing a city's worth of engineering all alone was enough to make one dizzy.
"We also need to build more generators."
And most importantly, the weaponry was severely lacking, which was essential for modern combat readiness.
Without foresight, one is bound to have immediate concerns—Lu Yuan wouldn't be at peace unless he prepared for a large-scale conflict.
"When will the next generation of talented individuals emerge!" he wondered aloud.
"At least 20 years, Mr. Lu, you must wait patiently," said a girl in the same office, with long eyelashes and crescent-moon-like eyes, who enjoyed seeing Lu Yuan troubled.
"Twenty years is too long."
"Not long at all, sir, we Green Grass People don't come of age until we're a hundred years old. And, Mr. Lu, the Opium Poppy tree has become paralyzed; you need to supply it with some Life Energy."
"Why does it always need more? Just give my shoulders a massage, and that will suffice."
The girl puffed out her cheeks in protest; why should she have to make a concession for giving the Opium Poppy tree energy?
The next second, Lu Yuan shamelessly pleaded, "Please don't make me beg you, the great leader is tired."
She could only jog over and begin to massage the shoulders of the great leader.
Lu Yuan enjoyed the girl's massage, his mind pondering various issues. The majority of the energy required for the ascent of Sky City was borne by the opium poppy trees, indeed it was a significant burden.
Now, having flown 1500 kilometers, the leaves of the opium poppy trees showed hints of yellow amidst the green.
To recover, they could either be nurtured over a long period, basking in the sun for several decades,
or they needed a substantial infusion of Ideal Energy.
Thankfully, he now had a "Magic Cube Level Energy Converter," otherwise, he really would have been at his wit's end.
"If we want sustainable development, we still need to get a generator... I wonder when we can figure out nuclear fission."
"Mr. Lu, there is another matter,"
"With those one thousand people leaving, our civilization will weaken, and the energy output of the converter might lessen... You should prepare yourself mentally."
Lu Yuan stood up abruptly, with a fierce look, "Been too long since anyone dared to bully me, huh! Calling out 'Mr. Lu, Mr. Lu' all over the place!"
"Mr. Lu, Mr. Lu!"
Miss Conch, while "whimpering" for mercy and dodging everywhere, continued her taunt, "Oh, how about that? Did I make you laugh? You get angry so easily, it seems you aren't cut out for leadership!"
Finally cornering her, Lu Yuan grabbed her soft, pointy ears and sneered, "You don't think I'm a tiger, but a sick cat."
Miss Conch was laughing when suddenly her face turned pale as she looked towards the window, "Mommy... what are you doing here? I..."
Because her acting was too convincing, Lu Yuan immediately stiffened, his heart skipping a beat, and he awkwardly let go of her.
Turning his head to see, he found nothing!
The girl bit her lip, eyed him sideways, and suddenly yanked at Lu Yuan's thick skin, then took off running!
...
In the end, Lu Yuan came to realize a terrible fact!
She had altered her age in the Green Grass Paradise to be 18 years old...
Not even one hundred years old, a minor!
For this reason, she became increasingly brazen!
What was this, seeking protection from a higher dimension's power?
...
The joy in the office went unnoticed by all.
After a day of urgent vetting, the final list of those who wished to leave finally emerged.
912 people, not too many, but also not few.
Mostly the elderly, families with children had been persuaded to stay.
It is true that people cannot fully understand each other. In the eyes of Sha Mo's intellectuals like Guo Weiqiang, this kind of action was utterly incomprehensible!
Isn't Sky City good?
Going to a backward empire?
In the eyes of simple-skilled workers like Guo Cuicui and Guo Poppin (supermarket workers), their choice seemed understandable...
With no skills other than farming, they couldn't enjoy the benefits of civilization and were only subjected to discrimination.
Yes, it was this kind of latent discrimination, a struggle to keep up with the times that was most distressing.
Of course, Guo Cuicui and Guo Poppin would still not choose to leave. They thought their present life was quite good and filled with hope.
"Everyone, have you all made up your minds?"
"Pack your things, I will arrange for you all to settle down somewhere suitable, and then you can choose to integrate into the empire."
Old Cat looked at them with mixed feelings.
Unlike Lu Yuan, who kept out of such affairs, Old Cat had spent even more time interacting with the villagers.
Over the years, it had grown fond of them.
All kinds of trivial matters were vivid in its memory.
People have their own aspirations, so parting ways might indeed be for the best.
"As per Commander Lu's orders, we will provide each person with four hundred pounds of food, a handcart, 50 grams of gold, 500 grams of silver, and some metal tools... We hope that each of you can establish yourself in this new place," said Old Cat as it disclosed these generous figures, surprising the onlookers.
"If you are willing to learn, you can get some books here for free."
Beside Old Cat were books on physics, chemistry, and biology—all were available.
Very few came to collect this most valuable knowledge.
Which wasn't surprising, otherwise these people wouldn't have chosen to leave.
Having freed themselves from their plight, they actually looked jubilant.
Old Cat heaved a sigh.
"Sha Sanli, the rest is up to you, make sure these people are settled properly."
"Don't worry, isn't this huge empire big enough to accommodate these people?"
Old Cat continued, "Tell the Mandala Empire that we're only stopping here at the fringe to resupply, and we'll leave once we're restocked."
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"If they want trade relations, we welcome it. If not, that's fine too, but let's stay on good terms."
"Take these gifts with you."
Old Cat put some precious supplies inside a small box, including a pomegranate fruit, a Soul Baby Fruit, and a small knife with engraving, personally crafted by Lu Yuan, which could be considered an Ordinary Level Extraordinary Item.
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(PS: It's a new month, and new plot. I'm asking for Monthly Tickets!)