Chapter Seventy-One: Victoria: LOL, I'm Falling Apart.jpg / Chapter Seventy-Two: A Film Trying to Prevent Victoria's Civil War?

Now he even had to see whether the other party was willing to cooperate with him... Thinking of this, Kal'tsit felt incomparably exhausted as well. Just how great a turmoil had she witnessed...?

Victoria: Laughing Myself Apart.jpg

After a day of travel, Chen Qi and his group followed Rhodes Island's landship and temporarily settled down at Rhodes Island to rest. After all, Chen Qi had yet to decide on his next move, and this was a good opportunity to make connections with Rhodes Island.

However, from the day Kal'tsit and the others brought Chen Qi and the Self-Rescue Army back to Rhodes Island, the operators there sensed that something was distinctly off about the atmosphere.

According to the plan, not only had everyone returned unharmed, but they had also brought back a large number of new members. The mission should have been a complete success—so why did Doctor Kal'tsit and everyone else look so grave?

And why did everyone who had taken part in this operation seem so afraid of the famed Director Chen Qi?

Especially Ascalon, Logs, Scout, and Outcast. Ordinary Rhodes Island operators rarely even had the chance to interact with these elite operators, yet after Director Chen Qi arrived at Rhodes Island, their attitudes toward him... seemed rather subtle.

The three Sarkaz in particular were already eccentric people who usually kept little contact with everyone else, yet toward Director Chen Qi alone, they always maintained an attitude that was friendly, yet somehow unable to be friendly.

Oh, Lady Outcast was an exception. Every few days, she would go chat with Director Chen Qi. Recently, she seemed very interested in some future film he had mentioned, a so-called "Western."

However, aside from Outcast and Amiya, Rhodes Island's leader, who often went to Chen Qi to discuss cooperation, no one else treated Chen Qi especially well. This was especially true of the Londinium Self-Rescue Army. Some among them could be said to hate Chen Qi and his crew to the bone.

It seemed that Yes, Prime Minister, that television drama satirizing Victoria, had caused their Self-Rescue Army no end of suffering back in Londinium. And now that Chen Qi was associating with the Sarkaz represented by Theresis, those who had suffered terribly under the Sarkaz during this period held resentment toward Chen Qi.

After all, before Chen Qi arrived, the Londinium Residents' Self-Rescue Army had been founded to resist the Sarkaz. To them, Chen Qi's Yes, Prime Minister was naturally an act of aiding the Sarkaz in their wrongdoing.

Yet the one who calmed the anger of the Self-Rescue Army was not someone else, but Crown Princess Vina, who had spent the entire journey talking with Alda.

"Everyone, Director Chen Qi has now become a friend of the Sarkaz. You could say that the reason you are all alive today is because of Director Chen Qi."

"Besides, Yes, Prime Minister was filmed because Director Chen Qi, who had not yet become our friend at the time, had no choice but to comply with Theresis's demands. And throughout that process, without Director Chen Qi, even more people in Londinium might have died. Director Chen Qi single-handedly changed the tense atmosphere in Londinium."

"Besides... even without Director Chen Qi, we could never have taken Londinium back from the Sarkaz. We have all seen just how terrifying some of the Sarkaz are."

As the crown princess, Vina should have been the person who hated Chen Qi most. Yet after the revelations in Yes, Prime Minister, combined with her current circumstances, she had instead come to terms with many things.

...Forget it. Even without Chen Qi, her chances of returning to the throne were extremely slim. And even if she could return, she did not understand statecraft at all.

She might even end up like her father... In that case, it would be better not to go back for now.

After being tempered by Yes, Prime Minister, Vina understood more and more that governing a country was not something that could be discussed on paper. What she needed was the recognition of the Civil Service System and the recognition of the people. Otherwise, even if she sat high above them like an incompetent monarch, Victoria's citizens would overthrow her sooner or later.

Chen Qi had spent only a few weeks in Londinium and was already able to analyze so many political problems, then present them to everyone in the form of entertaining comedy. Clearly, Vina was not that talented, so she naturally needed to tread even more carefully.

After Vina joined in, Alda, the former leader of the Self-Rescue Army, also calmed down and soothed everyone in the army. Now that they had been completely driven out of Londinium, the Self-Rescue Army could only accept reality.

After spending several days at Rhodes Island, Chen Qi, Kal'tsit, and Amiya finally met in the conference hall once again to discuss cooperation.

"...Director Chen Qi, although I truly find it unbelievable, are you really willing to hand this medicine that can cure Oripathy over to us for research?"

"Of course, I have my own conditions—I hope that Rhodes Island can provide everyone in our troupe with a stable supply of Oripathy inhibitors in the future." Chen Qi stated his conditions at once, without rushing to hand over the only system-rewarded Oripathy inhibitor he possessed to Kal'tsit.

"And if Rhodes Island develops the same Oripathy cure in the future, or one with slightly weaker effects, please provide the same supply to everyone in my troupe. That is my condition."

"—Of course, if that cannot be done, then a stable supply of Oripathy inhibitors will be enough."

"...That's all?"

Kal'tsit looked somewhat suspicious and somewhat incredulous. Though several days had passed, she still could not conceal her shock whenever this subject came up.

For so many years, so many doctors at Rhodes Island had dedicated themselves to researching medicine to cure Oripathy. Yet regrettably, they had achieved little. To be honest, it was difficult even to maintain a supply of Oripathy inhibitors for every infected person aboard Rhodes Island.

Rhodes Island had always been devoted to saving the infected. The Oripathy inhibitors they produced were among the few that cost less than market price while still guaranteeing their effectiveness.

But the cost of doing so was that Rhodes Island made very little profit from Oripathy inhibitors. This forced Rhodes Island to seek profit in other fields. Even so, neither Kal'tsit nor Amiya nor any of Rhodes Island's many members had ever questioned Rhodes Island's principles.

Rhodes Island was a pharmaceutical company sailing to save the infected.

Thus, Kal'tsit and Amiya had taken in many infected people who could not afford Oripathy inhibitors. In return, these infected remained at Rhodes Island and contributed their own skills to its other profitable ventures. Rhodes Island provided them with monthly Oripathy inhibitors and relatively meager wages.

At the very least, it allowed them to stay alive.

It could be said that Oripathy inhibitors were a business Rhodes Island persisted with even at a loss. Yet now, Chen Qi had placed the hope of curing Oripathy directly into their hands, and the return he wanted was merely adherence to the principles Rhodes Island was already following?

This... could something like a pie falling from the sky really happen? For a moment, Amiya and Kal'tsit looked at each other. Neither could have imagined Chen Qi's demands would be so low—especially when they had already confirmed that the medicine could absolutely cure Oripathy.

Yet Chen Qi felt that he had made a huge profit. After all, this single Oripathy cure could not change anything, nor could it directly cure anyone in the Integrated Cultural Troupe.

Rather than keep it in his hands, he might as well let people who understood this field research it. Even if they failed, he would still gain a free and stable supplier of Oripathy inhibitors, which could likewise prolong the lives of everyone in the troupe.

In fact, Chen Qi had initially planned to purchase inhibitors at Rhodes Island's original price. When he said free, he had only intended to bargain with Kal'tsit a little. Saving something was better than saving nothing.

"—Director Chen Qi, perhaps I misjudged you. You truly possess a breadth of mind worthy of respect from people of any race."

Yet as though afraid Chen Qi might change his mind, Kal'tsit nodded almost immediately after confirming his expression. She rose to her feet and replied:

"It is truly difficult to imagine that on this land, there is still someone as... kind-hearted and benevolent as you. On behalf of Rhodes Island and countless infected people, I thank you for your trust and support."

"I will not ask where this medicine came from. Perhaps you are a treasure bestowed upon us by this suffering land."

Kal'tsit knew Chen Qi did not wish to explain the medicine's origins, and she also knew his background was mysterious. He possessed a purity that this suffering land could not nurture—basically, people with such a temperament here generally did not live to his age.

Thus, Kal'tsit had classified Chen Qi as someone from the "mysterious side." With even Terra still not fully explored, the emergence of a few mysterious beings was not something incomprehensible.

"We will make good use of this Oripathy cure. Once we make progress, we will definitely let everyone in the Art Troupe use it first."

"Th-thank you so much for your great kindness, Director Chen Qi!"

Amiya excitedly gave Chen Qi several deep ninety-degree bows. An irrepressibly excited smile filled her face as she immediately grabbed Kal'tsit's hand and laughed happily.

"Doctor Kal'tsit! This is wonderful! Everyone can truly be saved! Every one of us can be saved!"

"Yes... every one of us can be saved. There is finally hope."

Kal'tsit also revealed a rare gentle expression and rubbed Amiya's head. Then, when she turned back toward Chen Qi, the smile on her face had not faded as she continued.

"Director Chen Qi... we do not know how to repay your kindness. In the future, if you need Rhodes Island's help with anything, please give us the chance to contribute what little we can."

"Of course I won't refuse, Doctor Kal'tsit." Hearing Kal'tsit's sincere gratitude, Chen Qi felt rather emotional. He was now favorably disposed toward Rhodes Island because of its people. He had originally wondered whether asking them to provide supplies for free was too ruthless, but he had not expected things to go so smoothly.

As for building a good relationship with Rhodes Island... there was surely no downside. After all, they were the most trustworthy supplier of inhibitors Chen Qi could find right now. Better still, he did not even have to spend money, and one of his greatest problems had been resolved.

In the future, everyone in the Art Troupe could finally earn more money from filming instead of being forced to convert their pay into inhibitors... The troupe was poor. They had always been struggling just to survive. Box office revenue either went toward inhibitors or fed and clothed over a hundred people.

Thinking that he could finally turn a profit, Chen Qi let out a sigh of relief. But just then, hurried knocking sounded from the conference room door.

"Doctor Kal'tsit! Are you in there?! I have something to say! Something terrible has happened!"

The person who burst into the conference room was Indra, Vina's attendant. After arriving, panting heavily, everyone noticed that her eyes were somewhat vacant and that she looked clearly panicked, as though she had suffered an unprecedented shock.

"Operator Indra, what happened to you?" Kal'tsit asked as she carefully put away the Oripathy inhibitor on the table.

"Vi, Vic... Victoria..."

Yet Indra stammered, unable to form a complete sentence in her urgency. Her mind was blank, utterly incapable of organizing coherent words. Only after a long while did she finally say:

"Cr-cracked."

"What?"

"—Victoria has split apart."

Indra said those words almost instinctively. Then, amid a strange silence, Kal'tsit, Amiya, and Chen Qi immediately understood what she meant.

Victoria had split apart?! Chen Qi felt his mind buzzing. He seemed to have realized just how many unforeseen consequences his Yes, Prime Minister had brought about.

A Work Attempting to Stop Victoria's Civil War?

Since the days of Babel, Kal'tsit had already begun establishing intelligence networks in various countries. Under the pretext of aiding the infected and seeking assistance, Rhodes Island's dispatched operators had dealt with various powers to establish offices throughout Terra, weaving a fragile but effective intelligence network.

Naturally, Rhodes Island received such major intelligence from Victoria with extreme speed.

"The Eight Dukes have been frequently suppressing riots and demonstrations within their respective territories. On several occasions, they even deployed troops to put them down, causing casualties on a certain scale."

"However, the riots in Victoria's mobile cities did not end afterward. Little Hill County in the former Taran region in particular saw large-scale unrest, and even control over its mobile cities was overturned."

After Rhodes Island's dispatched operators stationed in Victoria returned, one of them looked utterly overwhelmed. As though she had witnessed scenes straight out of hell, she spoke in a voice still shaken by fright.

"Little Hill County? The former Taran region?"

These keywords caught not only Amiya and Kal'tsit's attention. After watching Yes, Prime Minister, Vina had already learned how the Aslan had stripped the Drac of power and abolished the former Taran region. She swiftly caught the information and asked with a slight frown:

"...Is that organization called Deep Pool?"

"Huh? Miss Vina, you know them?" The dispatched operator was somewhat surprised. But considering that Vina was, after all, Victoria's crown princess, it was normal for her to know such things.

However, everyone who had gone to Londinium some time ago knew that Deep Pool's leader had met them during that earlier confrontation—and the other party had clearly come for Chen Qi!

Vina and the others had also noticed Ablana's race at the time. She was undoubtedly a Drac. Combined with the current unrest in Little Hill County and the former Taran region, it was easy to connect the dots.

"What happened after that?" Amiya asked anxiously, handing the dispatched operator a cup of water and signaling for her to continue.

"In the former Taran region, Duke of Wellington answered Deep Pool's call. They now claim they want to restore the rule of the Drac era, reclaim the homeland of the Tarans, and, like Columbia, become independent from Victoria!"

"Moreover, Deep Pool's leader delivered a speech. Taking the corruption of Victoria's Civil Service System as a warning, she announced that after restoring Taran rule, they would introduce a reformed civil service structure to ensure promotion by merit, allowing people of any race, origin, or bloodline to enter the new cabinet."

"That speech caused Little Hill County and the other former Taran territories to declare independence. It was like firing the first shot. Within days, the other dukes declared independence one after another. Victoria has now been torn into pieces!"

The dispatched operator pursed her lips and subconsciously glanced at Vina, whose expression remained calm. Only after seeing that the crown princess had not flown into a rage or fallen into grief did she continue.

"Now, all of Victoria has only the capital, Londinium, left without declaring independence, but..."

"—But Londinium is currently occupied by the Sarkaz. Clearly, it is no longer possible for it to join the independence movement."

Kal'tsit exposed the current situation in a single sentence. Though she had been mentally prepared for Victoria splitting into nine pieces, she still could not help feeling emotional when it truly happened.

"Clearly, the other dukes can no longer suppress the internal conflicts that erupted because of the ban on Yes, Prime Minister. They also know that if this internal strife continues, Victoria's internal contradictions will only worsen."

"And Duke of Wellington... if I recall correctly, he already has Taran blood. Now that Deep Pool's leader has drawn him in..."

"Clearly, she has received Theresis's support and encouragement behind the scenes. They must have negotiated some kind of agreement."

Kal'tsit still knew a great deal of intelligence. Although the changes of the past few days had pushed many things beyond her comprehension, she could still infer the general situation in Victoria from the information now available.

"Miss Vina." Amiya was more concerned about the crown princess's state of mind. Yet this time, Vina took it in stride and shook her head faintly.

"I'm fine, Amiya... Perhaps Victoria has reached this point at last."

"Whether it is the capital being occupied by the Sarkaz or the revelation of Victoria's thoroughly corrupt Civil Service System, all of this had planted the seeds of disaster long ago..."

As she spoke, Vina inadvertently looked toward Chen Qi, who was still rather shocked by the news. Watching him look as though he had no idea he had caused such an enormous disturbance, Vina strangely found herself unable to feel hatred toward him.

It was strange. This man's script had accelerated Victoria's current fragmentation, yet he looked so surprised... Could he really have had no idea how great an impact this script would have on Victoria?

Or was this man really not some political genius, and when he wrote Yes, Prime Minister, he truly had no ulterior motives?

If Chen Qi could hear Vina's thoughts right now, he would definitely burst into tears and say with immense relief, "That's right, sis! I really didn't mean for this to happen!"

"How was I supposed to know that a classic TV show I watched just for laughs before I transmigrated could actually tear Terra's Victoria apart?!"

Based on Chen Qi's personal experience, such a thing should have been absolutely impossible. A country copying the model of Victoria from Yes, Prime Minister, applying it to Victoria with a "just deal with it first, whether it works or not" attitude, was fundamentally meant only to give everyone a laugh.

And now they were telling him that his television drama had directly accelerated Victoria's breakup? Did that not mean he had personally caused a country to split apart?

What kind of joke was that? How could a country be something so fragile? Oh... thinking carefully, there did seem to be such precedents in ancient times. Shu Han's Treatise on Hating the State seemed to have directly influenced Shu Han's regime.

...Did that mean that, in the eyes of Victorians, he was now the person who had published something like Treatise on Hating the State while the country was in crisis?

Wouldn't Victorians hate him to death?!

"This is why we wanted to rescue you from the very beginning, Director Chen Qi." Seeing Chen Qi's current expression, as though he had realized he had done something extraordinary, Kal'tsit spoke with a measure of helplessness. "We anticipated this outcome long ago."

"I do not deny the excellence of Yes, Prime Minister, Director Chen Qi. If this had been a television drama released in peaceful times, it would absolutely not have caused any unrest or impact. But the timing was the problem."

"I do not wish to say that Yes, Prime Minister directly caused Victoria's fragmentation. But... without question, it added fuel to the fire. The Eight Dukes had no choice but to act on their ambitions ahead of schedule in order to redirect their current internal conflicts."

"Doesn't that mean I became the person who stepped on the gas while the country was already falling apart?"

Only then did Chen Qi understand why his Yes, Prime Minister had caused such enormous upheaval. It had even made all the upper echelons across Terra aware of the drama. He had initially thought Theresis's promotion had simply been effective—turns out he had offended everyone instead.

"...Your surprise is something I do not understand. I had thought you knew the consequences."

Yet Kal'tsit was puzzled by the shock Chen Qi displayed now, and she could not help asking calmly:

"Your understanding of Victoria's Civil Service System and the sharpness of your writing are astonishing. And you had only been in Londinium for one week after Theresis hired you. I thought you knew what writing such things would lead to."

"...I'm sorry. In my understanding, I have truly never witnessed any country split apart directly because of a single show. My experience limited my imagination."

Chen Qi felt a headache coming on after hearing that, along with an inexplicable sense of guilt. A drama he wrote had directly caused a country to fall into war. As someone born in an era of peace, Chen Qi naturally did not wish to see lives destroyed.

Especially Deep Pool's leader—she was truly a heavyweight. Even before she dragged Duke of Wellington into rebellion, what she had done could barely be called human. Now that Victoria had split apart, who knew what outrageous things she might do.

"What should I do now...?" Chen Qi could not help pondering. He had never wanted Victoria to split apart. Although it had already happened, he could not bear to simply pretend he knew nothing.

If Terra News broadcast a report in a while saying, "Victoria's Eight Dukes Battle Each Other, Countless Lives Devastated," accompanied by photographs, Chen Qi would feel awful. He could not watch that happen.

"—If you would like some advice, why not make use of your current fame and try filming some movies or television dramas that could make Victoria stop the war?"