Food War (13)

"Interesting. This was a genuine biological war."

Reading the report, Ian nodded with great interest. "But the plants of this world are far tougher than those on Earth in my previous life. Ordinary viruses, bacteria, and fungi won't accomplish much."

"Especially Ascended plants. Aside from biomass, they also possess Origin Matter Structures capable of self-correction. The odds of succeeding in one go are extremely low."

Back on Earth, Gros Michel bananas had once been wiped out by a banana-specialized strain of Fusarium oxysporum. This facultative parasitic fungus could infect many kinds of plants and remain in the soil for years. Land that had been contaminated could no longer grow its original crops.

Still, that was only because bananas were self-propagating crops. Ordinary plants might suffer outbreaks, but recovering was not difficult.

But on Terra, this Rootrot Fungus developed by the Blazing Flame Lands was indeed a biological weapon even more terrifying than Fusarium oxysporum. With Ian's skill in biological alchemy, he could tell at a glance just how dreadful this thing was.

—It corroded root systems, obstructed nutrient transport, affected leaf development, could be spread by all sorts of insects, birds, and beasts... It could even secrete highly toxic substances and contaminate the soil.

If it had appeared on Earth, it would absolutely have been a regional ecological catastrophe.

But its opponent was also Terra's far more resilient vegetation!

Ian did not dare underestimate the plants of this world. Putting aside everything else, who knew whether there might be something like Karin's Flower?

Just considering the plants of the Southern Ridge, they could even use psionic power to transmit vaccines against various diseases. As long as one plant became immune, every individual in the area would become immune!

As for contaminating the soil, that was even more ridiculous. It was as though the Southern Ridge lacked creatures that fed on poison or could cleanse toxins. Even nuclear radiation was nothing—just look at how prosperous the ecosystem of the South Sea Grand Labyrinth was.

Thus, the Blazing Flame Lands report also noted that they could not contaminate a region's land for long. They could only conduct lengthy research and cultivation to affect specific crops, causing reduced yields in crucial regions at crucial times.

That made the requirements much lower, and the results might not be any worse.

As long as they could cause a wave of food shortages in the Southern Ridge during wartime, then follow it with a blockade by Grand Duke Solin, the Southern Ridge Legion would have to surrender without a fight.

"Oh, so this was the Blazing Flame Lands' war strategy. They weren't stupid enough to actually send troops here to wage guerrilla and security warfare in the Southern Ridge, so they went straight for a food war."

Stowing the report in his waist pouch, Ian knew he had made a major gain this time.

Not only could he reasonably warn of Grand Duke Solin's betrayal in advance, he could also get the Imperial Capital to begin guarding against the Blazing Flame Lands' biological warfare sooner.

But why had he not seen any of this in Hive-Nest Dream?

Ian thought it over carefully, then smiled. The Brood-transformed me had steamrolled all the way through the Grand Duchy of Solin. Even the Empire and the Blazing Flame Lands working together couldn't stop me. Of course I wouldn't remember some trivial matter like biological warfare.

"Still, if the Blazing Flame Lands could establish such a small biological data-gathering outpost within the Empire, that proves they should have a large laboratory somewhere in the Empire's west. Otherwise, they couldn't have so quickly cultivated local Southern Ridge strains into biological weapons like Bloodbind Worms and Rootrot Fungus."

"Grand Duke Solin has most likely completely thrown in his lot with the Blazing Flame Lands."

Ian searched through the other documents. Most of them were local trade data.

Now it seemed they were confirming the Southern Ridge's food production and export figures, ensuring that the long-prepared crop failures could force the Southern Ridge's soldiers and civilians to surrender when the time came.

This should not have been any major matter. No matter how idle Imperial bureaucrats were, they should still have been able to notice something like this.

But Ian believed that since the Blazing Flame Lands could corrupt a Duke of Solin, they certainly would not mind corrupting some Southern Ridge officials as well. It was precisely their indifference and indulgence that had allowed the special forces to become so rampant.

They might even have planned to hoard goods and drive up prices.

Once the two nations went to war and that year's harvest was nearly ruined by the Blazing Flame Lands' biological warfare, they could sell off the food they had stockpiled over the past few years for a huge profit, ruthlessly harvesting wealth.

"The heads of people like that count as merit too. If I become a Patrol Knight, I can look into who has been buying up food on the market recently. Then I can investigate them one by one. Killing them all would definitely catch innocents, but killing every other one would definitely let some slip through."

Back then, Harrison Port had nearly run out of food because of its war with the natives. If Viscount Grant had not used his own methods to secure a batch of aid, a great many people might have starved to death.

But during the future war between the two nations, leaving aside one of the Viscount's methods, Patrick was already dead. Even if he still had a way, he likely would not be able to obtain much. It definitely would not be enough for Harrison Port's vastly increased population.

Ian recorded the matter in the Silver Chip's "notebook" and set an important reminder.

And most importantly—

"Isn't Rosy Radiance Grass the specialty of Layan Territory, my destination this time?"

The youth left the document storage area and looked over the things stored in the other chambers.

They were indeed biological samples. Most had already been infected with various fungal and insect infestations, including crops of all kinds with different traits.

Wheat with yellowing, withered leaves; potato vines so vivid they looked poisonous; fruit tree branches covered in insect holes and gray-white veins...

Among them was a sample of Rosy Radiance Grass marked, "Important Sample, Handle with Care."

This supposedly beautiful psionic plant had been wrapped in gray-white mycelium until its original shape was no longer visible. Like the skeleton of a beauty bound layer upon layer in ropes, only decay remained. Its originally blue mist had already faded into a dull gray.

Rosy Radiance Grass (Spoiled)

The Silver Chip displayed this information as well.

Because the specialty of Layan Territory was Psionic Nourishment Extract distilled from Rosy Radiance Grass, an excellent restorative for psionics users, the Blazing Flame Lands regarded it as a strategic target. It would be the first experimental target of the Rootrot Fungus.

Such attacks certainly could not last long. The Empire's biological alchemists were no pushovers either.

But the problem was that the primary ingredient for Ian's Second Energy Level Magic Potion was already prepared. The secondary ingredients would be delivered as soon as he reached the destination. Only this base material remained. If he missed this chance, his advancement would be delayed again.

He did not have the time.

"I need to pick up the pace."

Ian thought this somewhat absentmindedly. I might as well kill all the Blazing Flame Lands special forces on the way. Joining the Inspecting Knights Order will probably require some merit anyway.

He turned back, preparing to deal with the corpses of the Blazing Flame Lands Ascended outside. Since he needed to borrow their heads, he had avoided striking their vital areas from the very beginning.

By the time Ian had collected the heads of the three Ascended and hung them from his waist before returning to the caravan, the people there had only just begun lighting fires to cook.

The caravan manager had intended to step forward and ingratiate himself, asking whether Ian had returned because he had forgotten something. Then he saw the three heads hanging from Ian's waist.

"Wait, my lord, could it be..."

He spoke with a slight tremble—not from fear, but excitement.

As one of the White Folk, he was eagerly anticipating what Ian's outing and its harvest represented.

"Yes."

Ian nodded. He removed the three heads, then took the documents from his waist pouch and handed them to the man. "Tomorrow morning, send a few trustworthy hands to take that mole, these heads, and these documents back to Harrison Port."

"Don't worry. I've killed them all. There's no danger left—this is a great merit. Send your confidants."

"Yes, my lord. I will see it done!"

At that, the manager swallowed, but his eyes shone as he nodded and readily agreed.