Chapter 480
In addition to the Mid-level District and Outer District, he also cleared a vacant lot in the middle of the trade route leading to Shangshu. Guili City is smaller in size than Liyue City.
The food brought by more than 30,000 people is only enough to last about a week. Currently, Liyue mainly relies on imported food from foreign trade, supplemented by its own crop cultivation.
The fruits grown on the high mountains can be sold not only to Shangshu, but also to Kazimierz. Shi Lei estimates he'll have to make several trips this week to prepare at least a month's worth of food for these 30,000 people.
Countless rocks rose from the ground, beginning to take shape under the moonlight, filling the city's buildings.
The construction was quite noisy, immediately attracting the attention of the Qianyan Army in Liyue City. However, upon discovering it was the City Lord, they all happily returned to their duties.
At around 6 a. m. on the 29th, the sun was shining brightly.
Shi Lei controlled the Rock House to hover above Liyue City, allowing everyone to see the beautiful Liyue City below. After half an hour, he changed course and stopped at Guili Plains, releasing all 31,000-plus people.
He then summoned more than thirty Sarkaz Representative, Victoria representatives, and Vigna from the Glass Gang.
Communicate your intentions precisely to them, and then have them relay them to their subordinates, ensuring that everyone understands they have the right to choose their own future.
Should they go to the Outer District of Liyue City and work with the other Native, or stay in Guili City and take a chance, becoming one of the first settlers to establish a presence there?
Different choices lead to different paths, and the future may be very different for each person.
But at this moment, the wheels of fate are in their own hands. From this day forward, they will no longer be slaves to fate; they are the masters of their own destiny!
Whether it's diligence or simply giving up.
You can live for yourself without being forced by external factors.
Later, upon returning to Liyue City, Shi Lei will gather all the Native and give them a chance to choose again.
Should they stay and continue living here, or venture to a new city and forge a new path?
As for how to differentiate between the two cities, Shi Lei couldn't cover everything. An internal meeting could be held later to brainstorm and discuss relevant strategies.
The more than 30,000 people present had varying emotions upon learning the news, but all praised the decision.
"City Lord, you are truly wise! I was mentally prepared to do hard labor after arriving. Life might be tough, but at least I wouldn't have to fight. Who knew he would let us choose for ourselves, sob sob sob..."
"* Sarkaz swearing*, what are you crying about, a young man in his twenties? A man doesn't easily shed tears."
"Aren't you crying too? Why are you criticizing me?"
"I'm so touched, you understand? To be honest, I was just like you, I didn't have any expectations. If the conditions were tough, I would have just endured it, after all, that's how I've gotten through all these years. But the City Lord actually gave me a choice. This is the first time I've felt like I can control my own destiny..."
"I was originally planning to just give up, but it seems I can't do that anymore. This is the first time in my life I've felt respected. I heard there are quite a few Sarkaz in Liyue City. Where are you going next?"
"I haven't decided yet. There should be plenty of job opportunities in Guili City, but Liyue City isn't bad either. Ugh, I'm so conflicted, I don't know where to go."
"That depends on you. My advice may not apply to everyone. If I'm not mistaken, there will be more Sarkaz staying in Guili City Liyue City. If you don't want to interact with other races, then choose Guili City directly. If you have some ambition and don't mind other races, try your best in Liyue City; you might be able to move into Mid-level District. Being closer to the City Lord's residence might allow you to enjoy more benefits."
Hearing this analysis, the Sarkaz around him nodded in agreement. Everyone could choose a different city based on their own circumstances.
Considering the importance of this choice for the future, Shi Lei gave them six hours to think about it.
Those who wish to settle in Guili City can simply bring their luggage and choose their accommodation. The earlier they arrive, the better the location they can select.
Shi Lei then flew straight back to Liyue City to inform all the Native to participate in this selection process.
At noon, he will come to Guili Plains to pick up everyone who is staying there. They will then be assigned to the Outer District, and will need to perform exceptionally well and pass a series of assessments to be promoted to the Mid-level District. If they hold positions such as minister or deputy minister, they will be able to enter the Central City District.
Around noon, Shi Lei Guili Plains to pick up the people. More than 10,000 Sarkaz stayed behind, while more than 1,000 Victorians and Vigna and a few others decided to go to Liyue City.
That afternoon, Shi Lei convened an internal meeting.
We need to develop two sets of detailed policies and procedures for differentiated management in the two cities. If there are any omissions, we can add them later.
That evening, he hosted welcome parties simultaneously in Liyue City and Guili City, bringing out food and wine from the warehouses to share with everyone.
Tonight, countless people are unable to sleep.
However, the tens of thousands of people were too excited to sleep, while the Duke Wellington's Messenger was too agitated to sleep.
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Chapter 555 Late Festival Not Protected (Bonus Chapter)
July 6, 1098, 11:00 AM
A full week has passed since the world-shaking destruction of the Star Pod.
Without the fig leaf of 'war,' the various Duke finally revealed their Fangs. After the Sarkaz withdrew completely, they swiftly moved into Londinium.
The Duke Kester occupied the Sardien District, the Duke Wellington the Norbert District, the Duke Godot Haibury District, and the Duke Normandy the Thames District.
The grand Dukes generally occupied the Mid-level District, while the weaker Duke occupied the Outer District of Londinium.
Of all these Dukes, the only one who did not lead his army into the city was the Duke Windermere, a representative of the conservative faction.
She was deeply disappointed by the way the various Duke were dividing up Londinium like wolves. Knowing that she couldn't persuade these greedy men, she piloted her high-speed warship with her subordinates and left, returning to her base on the border.
In the Central City District of Londinium, not a single Duke has settled. It's not that they don't want to, but rather that it's not worth it.
The buildings in the Central City District were almost completely reduced to ruins due to the massive Storm Cataclysm generated by the Shard Building.
It's better to stay in the Mid-level District than to move here; at least there's room for both offense and defense. No matter how the situation develops in the future, it will be very flexible tactically.
Therefore, the various Dukes tacitly avoided entering this desolate Central City District.
Now that the external enemies have been 'driven away,' the remaining Sarkaz City Defense Army have been taken away by Zhongli. The atmosphere in Londinium City is no more relaxed than before.
The battleground for the Grand Dukes' power struggle has shifted from Londinium City to the Mid-level District. Every day, large numbers of soldiers come to the city, ostensibly to eliminate the remnants of the Sarkaz, but in reality, they are using this opportunity to assess the value they can extract from the people.
Mysterious brawls occasionally break out in the alleyways, but the number of participants is always kept to a certain level.
Once the open war ends, the importance of public opinion gradually becomes apparent. The Duke who accepts the most refugees will have more say in the future.
The throne of power in Victoria remains vacant. Whichever Duke ascends to it will face united resistance from the other Duke.
If the Duke Wellington supports Ablana's ascension to the throne, he will be criticized for not being a legitimate heir and for his actions being illegitimate.
The Duke Kester chose to remain patient and did not reveal her desire to become emperor. But it was clear to everyone that she had coveted the position for a long time.
The Duke Windermere left some men behind in hopes of finding the royal bloodline of Dolak or Aslan.
What she didn't know was that Talulah, the heir of Dolak, had already been sent back to Lungmen Prison, while Vigna, the heir of Aslan, had led her people to Liyue City.
Today, the sky is clear and the breeze is gentle.
The Duke Wellington, as usual, was inspecting the Temporary Barracks, cracking down on the lazy and complacent atmosphere. Halfway through his inspection, he suddenly received a report from one of his officers:
"Your Lord Duke, Messenger has returned!"
The Duke Wellington, with his hands behind his back, nodded in response:
"Tell him to wait in the Council Hall. I'll be there as soon as I'm done with my inspection here."
"Yes, Your Lord Duke!"
In fact, after Zhongli demonstrated his ability to transport more than 30,000 people away by air, the Duke Wellington began to reconsider forming Allied Forces to fight against them.
However, the intelligence he could gather was very limited.
It is said that Zhongli first rose to prominence in Lungmen, Yan, and joined Penguin Logistics as Messenger. Later, he assisted the Lungmen Guard Department in dismantling illegal gangs and gradually made a name for himself.
Liyue City was first revealed early last year, shortly after the Chernobyl incident. Information describes it as a city built at an altitude of over 1000 meters, located near the border between Ursus and Lungmen.
This information is scattered and makes no mention of Zhongli's life or place of origin. The useful information that can be extracted from his deeds alone is extremely limited.
Regarding Zhongli's personal abilities, the intelligence mentions that he can quickly summon malleable stones and drop boulders from the sky. In addition, he is said to possess an extremely powerful protective shield.
To be honest, the Duke Wellington was considering canceling the Multinational Allied Forces's operation. However, due to the lack of a shared Signal Network between the different countries, the Messenger sent out could not be recalled and could only be waited for to return on their own.
We can only wait and see the feedback they bring back from various countries before making a judgment based on the current situation.
After all, forming Multinational Allied Forces is not something that can be accomplished overnight. Only by knowing how many countries are willing to oppose Zhongli can one estimate the odds of victory.
The first messenger to return was not the Messenger sent to Sargon, but the Messenger sent to Syracuse. He knelt on one knee upon entering the Council Hall and reported loudly:
"Your Lord Duke, I have contacted Madam Sicily, the leader of Syracuse. She said that the new Mobile Cities has just been built and she simply cannot spare the manpower. She very politely declined to participate in this Allied Forces."
Madam Sicily, with her keen political sense, gave a very clever answer. She neither explicitly stated that she dared not oppose Zhongli, thus passing the hot potato back to him, nor did she offer a seemingly reasonable excuse, thus offending neither side.
The Duke Wellington, unaware of the true situation, simply dismissed them as cowardly, timid gangsters, and scoffed:
"Okay, I understand. You can go now."
Shortly after noon, just after lunch, an officer came to report that Sargon's Messenger had returned.
The journey from Londinium to Sargon was originally shorter than the journey to Syracuse. However, the Messenger returned later than the Messenger from Syracuse.
The Duke Wellington summoned the man to the Council Hall and waited quietly for him to continue. Syracuse might not want to be cannon fodder, but Sargon's fighting strength was indispensable.
"Tell me, what was your reply?"
The Messenger looked embarrassed and gave an awkward smile, as if the invitation hadn't gone as smoothly as expected.
"Your Grace, the Lord Duke, Sargon had originally considered joining, but now she is no longer planning to participate in the Allied Forces."
Upon hearing this, the Duke Wellington immediately frowned:
"What do you mean by 'originally considering it, but now not participating'? What exactly happened? Tell us the truth!"
The Messenger lowered his head, glanced at him slightly, and then cautiously explained:
"Your Lord Duke, when I first contacted the Twin Empresses, they said they needed to investigate first and would give me a reply after they understood Zhongli's background."
But later, after hearing that they had received a distinguished guest from Kazimierz, they directly replied that Sargon would not participate in this Allied Forces campaign."
The Duke Wellington was displeased and eager to know which fellow had changed the Twin Empresses' minds:
"A distinguished guest in Kazimierz? Who is it?"
"That Kuranta man had blond hair. I had someone from the intelligence agency identify him, and they confirmed that his name was Maena Saria. He was the second son of Cyril Saria, a war hero of Kazimierz."
I tried to negotiate with the Twin Empresses again, but was refused. I waited outside the tower for a day, but nothing changed, so I came back to report to you."
Without the Twin Empresses and the Golden Law Iron Guard, the overall combat strength of this Allied Forces will be greatly reduced.
The Duke Wellington was puzzled as to why Kazimierz had intervened. Was there some unknown connection between them and Zhongli?
"Okay, I understand. You can go now."
At this point, the Duke Wellington was in a bad mood. He wanted to organize a Multinational Allied Forces to resist Zhongli, but one of the main forces was unwilling to come.
This matter needs to be put on hold for a while.
If other countries respond, the Duke Wellington can personally travel to Sargon and, based on past connections, negotiate with the Twin Empresses again.
At sunset, Kazimierz's Messenger returned.
The Duke Wellington barely ate dinner that evening, summoning the other party to his Large Tent. However, after hearing the report, he didn't need to eat anymore, as he was too angry to eat anything. The Messenger sent to Kazimierz brought bad news:
"Your Lord Duke, I contacted Iolete Russell, the leader of the Supervision Committee, and invited them to join the Multinational Allied Forces to eliminate the threat of Zhongli. However, they firmly refused, saying..."
The Duke Wellington, his face dark, pressed on:
"What else is there to say?"
The Messenger lowered his head guiltily, not daring to meet the glaring eyes of the Duke Wellington.
"They say that Kamishir and Mister Zhongli are very good partners. They can never be enemies, now or in the future. Russell also said that he hopes His Lord Duke will give up this idea. If you remain obstinate, you will become Kazimierz's enemy in the future."
"You bastard!!!"
The Duke Wellington slammed his hand on the table, shattering it into pieces instantly, displaying extraordinary rage.
When did Kazimierz get involved with Zhongli? How come there's absolutely no information about it?
Duke Wellington didn't know was that after the 24th Kazimierz Knight Competition, the Commercial Union was dissolved by the Lucky Knight and taken over by the Supervision Committee.
Russell used this opportunity to eliminate a number of capitalists in the days that followed, which enabled the Supervision Committee to gain a large number of votes in the National Assembly and reach the pinnacle of its power.
Furthermore, Rhodes Island Operator 'Bright Knight' Margaret Saria is currently in Kazimierz, advocating for more legitimate rights for the Infected Knight in the area.
Others might not know the Lucky Knight's identity, but she couldn't possibly be unaware. During the Grand Knight Commander's investigation, she revealed Shi Lei's true identity and disclosed the major events he had been involved in elsewhere, warning the Supervision Committee avoid provoking him.
When Iolete Russell received the invitation from the Multinational Allied Forces, she had her own judgment. It was the Duke Wellington who was stirring up trouble and forcing them to choose between the two options.
If this offends the Duke Wellington, Kazimierz still has the Silver Pegasus Knight Order to protect his country.
However, if Mister Zhongli is offended, this matter may not be resolved peacefully. Kazimierz will also be implicated and may even face annihilation.
The more they learned about Shi Lei from the Rhodes Island operator, the less they wanted to be his enemy.
The ability to instantly kill numerous top-tier Competitive Knight without even lifting a finger is something even the Silver Spear Pegasus cannot achieve.
Furthermore, there are uncertain reports that Zhongli was the one who punctured the celestial Star Pod. Russell will not, like the Duke Wellington, put Kazimierz in danger.