The three engines that drove economic growth were investment, consumption, and imports and exports. A nation's overall strength was reflected in its economy, technology, and productive capacity. Political economy taught us that the relations of production were determined by the forces of production. America's economic boom would not have been possible without its westward expansion, and any discussion of that expansion had to include the gold rush and the railways built by Chinese laborers. History's lessons were always astonishingly similar. The rise of Great China, the rise of Soviet Russia, and the rise of the British Empire all taught us, without exception, that development required expansion and labor. The things you produced needed somewhere to go. If you wanted a powerful army, you had to wage war constantly and control more colonies. That was the best way to promote the dumping of your products. So, for the Night Elves now, the plan was to seize resources first, capture more slaves, produce more goods, and then sell them to the Zandalari, Centaurs, and Quillboar. They needed big projects to create a market for their products and boost GDP through domestic production and consumption.
Waging war alone would drag down an entire nation, while relying solely on political solutions lacked any deterrent and could lead to endless bickering. But when war and politics were coordinated and complemented each other, the results could be marvelous. You fought them while doing business with them. But once they realized they could live quite well by selling things, would they still fight? And so, collaborators were born. Those so-called visionaries gradually lost their followers, then slowly became slaves alongside them. That was the Quillboar's fate. What if you had nothing to sell? No problem. There would always be clever people who realized that human resources were resources too. That was when the human traffickers appeared. They treated their own people even more cruelly than they treated foreigners—for example, the Centaurs.
As a transmigrator, if Azar merely knew how history would unfold and chose to befriend certain people or oppose others, then his own outlook was limited to that of a gamer. This was a real world. He should face everything that came his way like a hero. He was the Night Elves' Prince and the father of their future queen; he also had to shoulder greater responsibilities. Now, he was working toward that goal.
"My dear mages, you are the wisest among the Night Elves. You have broad horizons and lively minds, and you represent the most advanced thinking among our people. Our army is now fighting in Silithus. They need better equipment, steel, and new, advanced exploration devices. Our army is battling in Desolace, bringing the kingdom abundant resources and labor. It is time to show what you are capable of. The use of Arcane Energy, advanced alchemical techniques, and the practical applications of magical energy in daily life—these are all areas for you to research!"
High-strength alloys had been developed, Arcane Energy conversion technology had been brought to fruition, and a new round of transportation construction had begun. Eldre'Thalas was changing. It was racing into the age of steel and Arcane Energy. It was different from Her Majesty's Suramar, which was an entirely magical city. At its core, if you weren't a mage, you couldn't enjoy the conveniences magic offered there. The progress here, by contrast, was meant for everyone. The city leaned toward technology and practicality. You could use your magical control to turn on a light; I used a remote control. In other words, even if you knew nothing about magic, that wouldn't stop you from experiencing new things. Here, magic was being developed as a source of energy, not an ability. As far as Azar was concerned, there was no contradiction. As long as you had an affinity for magic, you could learn magical knowledge. The more capable you were, the more advanced the subjects you could study, such as the mysteries of the universe. If your abilities were more modest, you could take up something simpler, like enchanting. Of course, the specifics couldn't be explained in just a few words. This would mean establishing an entire system of science. Their goal was to transform the world and explore it.
"Gandalf, you came by so early. Do you have good news for me?" Early morning was the best time to attune oneself to the Power of Order. Azar had just finished his morning exercises when he spotted the Archmage waiting nearby.
"I have some good news. Which would you like to hear first?" Perhaps because he was so happy, Gandalf even joked with his leader.
"Heh, sounds like there's quite a bit of good news today." Azar was in high spirits too.
"The alchemy workshop sent word. They've finished developing a new high-strength alloy."
"Hadn't you already given them the formula?" Azar asked, puzzled.
"No, no. This new model is stronger, more resilient, and lighter. It's perfect for military use."
"That's one. What else?"
"The Arcane Forge! No more hammering away one strike at a time!"
"You mean there's been progress in improving the conversion efficiency of magical energy? How heavy a hammer can it power?" The news excited Azar. It meant they could mass-produce armor and other goods—mass production, lower costs, and more efficient use of labor!
"Go on. I'm getting more and more excited to hear what's next." He stood and paced in front of Gandalf. That was how he showed he was delighted.
"This is the last piece of good news. We've discovered an even better energy-storage material!"
"What is it? Is there a lot of it?" Azar excitedly grabbed Gandalf's hand.
"Arcane Crystals, an associated ore found alongside Thorium. You know that iron and copper deposits also contain Thorium. One ton of ore yields one kilogram of Thorium, and one kilogram of Thorium can be refined into five grams of Arcane Crystals!"
"One hundred grams of Arcane Crystals can store enough energy to keep a one-ton object moving for an entire day! And that's with our current technology!"
"Yes, yes! But you'll need to think of a solution to another problem, too." Half heaven, half hell... That was the look on Gandalf's face.
"I can guess. Is there not enough energy? We're running short on the Arcane Energy we extract from nature, right?"
"Yes. We're nearing the limit. If we don't rein it in, the Ley Line could rupture, and the Arcane Energy would spiral out of control. No one knows what would happen then."
He didn't know, but Azar did. If this continued, the Arcane Energy across all of Azeroth would fluctuate. It could attract the Blue Dragons, draw Sargeras, or even trigger Loken's planetary reboot! This was a real dilemma, bigger than the environmental problems on Earth. Development on one side, the environment on the other... What a headache.
"I'll find a solution. Keep refining your research."
They needed to find an energy source! Where could they find one? The Well of Eternity was definitely the best choice, but it would explode one day! They could imitate the Sunwell; that was an option, but was there a better way? The Well of Eternity was Azeroth's blood. It would replenish itself after being used, but they couldn't extract it faster than it could be replenished, or they would seriously affect the development of the World-Soul. They armed and strengthened themselves to protect Azeroth. If they had already harmed her in the process, what would be the point of development? They would have to take things one step at a time. They still had thousands of years. Surely they would find a way.
Azar returned to his desk and began writing a letter to Azshara. In it, he formally affirmed the success of their latest cooperation. He once again emphasized that the Night Elves were a great people under Azshara's leadership. So that everyone could bask in the queen's radiance, he wanted to build an energy facility near the Well of Eternity to meet Eldre'Thalas's demand for Arcane Energy. To achieve this, he promised that Eldre'Thalas would begin paying tribute to Azshara. Ever since Azar had returned to Feralas, he hadn't sent Azshara a single thing. For him, this was a major concession.
"I hope that woman agrees. Otherwise, I'll march on her!"
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