[Social Development]

With the beginning of the Second Industrial Era.

Every field of technology flourished like a hundred flowers in bloom.

The Star Ancient Empire developed at an astonishing speed.

In every field, top talents emerged, and many wealthy merchants also rose during this era.

The Star Ancient Empire also pursued comprehensive development in weaponry.

After the original wooden warships were followed by the steam engine and the first Steam Train, the Imperial Academy of Engineering proposed a question: Could steel warships also sail across the oceans?

After relentless effort.

The Imperial Academy of Engineering finally accomplished the feat of building steel warships that could cut through the wind and waves.

On land, after the internal combustion engine appeared, the Imperial Academy of Engineering also began developing a special weapon.

It was a weapon in which a person sat inside a vehicle, operated a car-like machine, and launched wide-ranging attacks.

Thus, after several years of research and development, the first-generation tank also appeared in this world.

As for airplanes, there was no need to elaborate.

Two geniuses invented the airplane. After further evolution, airplanes gradually split into two types.

Civilian passenger planes and military fighter jets.

Time flashed by.

Year 600 of the Era.

Over these long years, the Star Ancient Empire had unlocked numerous "Earth Online" achievements.

The original Matchlock Gun gave rise to various weapons, such as automatic rifles, shotguns, sniper rifles, and more.

The original warships gave rise to destroyers, cruisers, battleships, and Aircraft Carriers.

The original airplanes gave rise to fighter jets, transport planes, reconnaissance aircraft, bombers, and more.

The original tanks likewise gave rise to various types, such as heavy tanks, light tanks, armored vehicles, tank destroyers, and artillery.

Star Plucking Tower.

It remained the tallest building in the Star Ancient Empire and was likewise the empire's tallest structure.

After the unremitting efforts of the people.

It reached a staggering height of over nine hundred meters, making it perfectly apt to describe it as piercing the clouds.

Emperor Yang Yu stood on the top floor, looking down at the prosperous city shrouded in misty clouds. A faint smile rested in his eyes.

This was the empire he had built.

"Your Majesty." Guardian Dragon strode over and respectfully stood behind Yang Yu.

"Speak."

Yang Yu withdrew his gaze and turned toward Guardian Dragon.

"According to intelligence from the Nightfall Organization, the surrounding nations—the Jin Country, Yu Country, Machi Country, Anxi Country, and others—have already reached the level of strength the empire possessed during the First Industrial Era, with secret support from certain imperial tycoons."

Guardian Dragon spoke in a low voice.

"Oh? Is that so?"

At those words, surprise flickered in Yang Yu's eyes, along with a trace of icy coldness.

One had to know that the empire's blockade of the outside world was extremely strict.

More than a dozen satellites watched the border, preventing outsiders from entering the empire's territory while also preventing the empire's own citizens from entering foreign lands.

Any modern-level technology was forbidden from circulating beyond the empire's territory.

Anyone who circulated it would bear the consequences.

They had painstakingly spent several hundred years reaching the First Industrial Era.

Yet a bunch of traitors had helped people from other nations complete, one or two centuries ahead of time, the path the empire itself should have taken.

They truly deserved to die.

"Let Nightfall handle it. Don't disturb this society."

"Deal with them quietly."

"Then..."

Yang Yu made a throat-cutting gesture before clasping his hands behind his back and looking down over the land below.

"Yes."

Having received the command from His Majesty the Emperor.

Guardian Dragon naturally understood.

He knew exactly what His Majesty meant.

He immediately transmitted the news to the Nightfall Organization.

Year 600 of the Star Ancient Era.

Every family in the Star Ancient Empire that had participated in the leakage of resources was wiped out by the Nightfall Organization overnight.

At the same time.

The Nightfall Organization also moved in secret.

Until Year 601 of the Era.

The entire world welcomed its first global-scale war.

The Jin Country, Yu Country, Machi Country, Anxi Country, and the other nations already had existing conflicts. Combined with the Nightfall Organization's covert instigation, these several countries erupted into an unprecedented war.

The Star Ancient Empire merely watched the world develop and paid no attention whatsoever.

The nations that had gone to war naturally avoided the Star Ancient Empire as well, not daring to test the edge of its military might.

The Jin Country and Yu Country were the nations closest to the Star Ancient Empire.

They had known of the Star Ancient Empire's existence long ago.

Even then, the empire already possessed a vast population and formidable military strength.

How could they dare provoke a nation with tens of millions upon tens of millions of people?

The troops it could gather alone would be enough to crush them.

This was a war that lasted ten years.

It had originally been a conflict between several of the larger nations across the globe, but in the end, it drew every nation on the planet except the Star Ancient Empire into the war.

Over that brief decade.

People witnessed the danger and cruelty of war.

There was no trace of humanity left.

After the war ended.

This also caused the major nations to increase their military investment.

That triggered an arms race among the major nations.

At the same time, the Star Ancient Empire grew immensely wealthy during this period.

All kinds of daily necessities and medical supplies were sold by the Star Ancient Empire to the Jin Country and Yu Country at high prices.

Meanwhile, without anyone noticing, it supplied the Machi Republic and Anxi Country—two western nations—with weapons from the First Industrial Era, allowing them to exhaust each other.

The Jin Country and Yu Country were close to the Star Ancient Empire, and their military strength was greater than that of the Machi Republic. Therefore, the empire could only provide them with daily necessities and medical supplies.

The Star Ancient Empire.

Yang Yu sat inside the Imperial Study, looking at the world map on the wall.

The world map of the present day was not divided into seven continents and Eight Oceans.

The continents of the entire world were almost connected into one.

Endless seas surrounded this enormous continent.

"The empire occupies the eastern part of the continent, yet that accounts for less than one-tenth of the planet's total area."

Yang Yu stroked his chin, looking at the map as he murmured softly.

He called out softly, "Someone."

"Your Majesty."

Secretary-General Liu Ruyan entered from outside, a tablet computer tucked under her left arm. She respectfully bowed to the emperor.

"How many people does the empire have now?"

Yang Yu asked softly.

He had not yet checked this year's population figures.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, the empire currently has 1.45 billion people. Compared with last year, the population has increased by 0.58%, while the population loss has increased by 2.36%."

Secretary-General Liu Ruyan picked up the tablet computer, which clearly displayed this year's population growth rate.

Yang Yu turned his head toward Liu Ruyan and said, "The empire's population increased instead of declining?"

"Yes!"

Secretary-General Liu Ruyan nodded and said, "Because society has developed too rapidly, all kinds of industries have emerged in the empire, making it impossible for the people to adapt to society's rapid development and giving rise to many dark things."

"Moreover, many young people are unwilling to marry. Some say that eighty or ninety years ago, when you married a bride, she really was a bride. Now, after spending hundreds of thousands to marry someone, she may not be a bride at all, but rather a broken version of her..."

"So many people have become resistant to marriage and are refusing to have children..."