A few odds and ends

When Xi Yan handed the scientists at the Academy of Sciences the complete documentation and blueprints for all six technologies, Mardun's eyes nearly popped out of his head.

"Wh-where did you get all these technologies, Marshal?"

Looking at the mountain of technical documents and blueprints on the holographic screen, everyone present was too stunned to speak.

"I converted to spiritualism, worshipped the gods, awakened my psionics, and asked the gods in the Shroud for them," Xi Yan said smugly.

"Give me a little more time, and I can get you the [Dark Matter Dimensional Reactor] and [Psionics Jump Drive], too."

"So that's how it happened. Impressive, Marshal."

The scientists gave Xi Yan sidelong looks as he boasted. Naturally, none of them believed him.

He probably got them from some advanced civilization. Maybe even the United Nations of Earth!

After all, these technologies were nothing particularly impressive.

Theoretical science was highly advanced by now. What they lacked was the ability to put theory into practice.

Everyone knew dark matter could power a reactor, but across the entire galaxy, only those old bastards in the Fallen Empires had mastered the technology.

They still had a long, hard road ahead.

"Anyway, get these technologies I brought you implemented as soon as possible. The entire Empire will cooperate with your work."

Xi Yan stressed, "Our first priority is to boost resource production! And the engineering team-don't rush into researching Torpedo Ships. Develop Destroyers first!"

"Why?" asked the head of engineering, puzzled.

"It's hard to explain. In any case, Torpedo Ships aren't much use to us at this stage. Develop Destroyers first!" Xi Yan said sternly. "When the time comes, I can ask the United Nations of Earth directly for the supporting technologies for Torpedo Ships!"

"Oh!" The scientists caught on.

They could simply ask the United Nations of Earth for these basic technologies. Their own research should focus on more advanced ones!

"Physics department, research the Red Laser technology line. The upgraded version should be Blue Lasers, so work in that direction. Also, sociology department, since we've already received news of a new colony, stop fiddling with agriculture for now and research Xeno-Linguistics."

Xi Yan rattled off his instructions. "We're going to encounter more and more aliens. We need to master a technology that can rapidly decipher their languages as soon as possible."

"That's all I have to say. Now get to work, all of you!"

Xi Yan swept in, assigned a pile of tasks, then swept right back out.

The Marshal really was a man who came and went like the wind.

Xi Yan talked about efficiency every day, spurring everyone in the Empire's institutions to pursue it. He was delighted to see it.

Doing more in less time-that was efficiency!

Over the next few days, Xi Yan stayed in his office, quietly attending to government affairs.

His duties actually amounted to making decisions. The powerful Secretariat, which reported directly to him, had already handled most of the troublesome work. The job of the Empire's entire administrative apparatus was to implement the Marshal's decisions.

As for Beta, his job was to spare no effort in helping them research new technologies, while also attending to Xi Yan.

So Xi Yan's work wasn't particularly taxing. It was just like playing Stellaris in his previous life: read a popup, pick an option. Now he simply read the reports his subordinates submitted carefully, then issued instructions.

It was great fun-practically a real-life version of Paradox Games.

And one defining feature of Paradox Games was how much time they consumed. People could get so engrossed that they lost track of time and played a single session for seven or eight hours straight.

With his lofty position and no one to keep him in check, Xi Yan soon immersed himself in this work. He happily pored over all sorts of documents, then spent hours thinking and writing out decision after decision.

Of course, Beta also set aside some processing power to help him, ensuring Xi Yan didn't do anything stupid.

This newborn Empire was like modeling clay. He could knead and shape it however he pleased, freely molding it into whatever he envisioned.

And as long as most citizens of the Empire had enough to eat, could support their families, and had some entertainment, they naturally wouldn't concern themselves with what Xi Yan was doing.

The Marshal drove out the capitalists, let us earn our own living, and even provided resources and social services for free. What bad intentions could he possibly have?

Amid this fulfilling routine, Xi Yan worked for over ten days straight, neglecting food and sleep. The intensity of his work shocked everyone in the government building.

When the officials arrived each morning, they saw Xi Yan's four a.m. clock-in record, then records showing that the Marshal had worked late into the night. They couldn't help being astounded.

What incredible grinding stamina!

With His Majesty working so diligently, how could we, his subjects, not work hard?

Unwittingly inspired by Xi Yan, everyone within the Empire's institutions began working harder.

Naturally, word of this reached Xi Yan.

The Marshal furrowed his brow and came up with a good idea.

The next day, news of the Marshal working twenty grueling hours a day flooded the entire colony. Most ordinary citizens of the Empire were likewise stunned by Xi Yan's dedication, then deeply moved.

The Marshal only rests four hours a day for our sake. Having such a wonderful Marshal is a blessing earned over eight lifetimes!

Along the way, Xi Yan had another sudden idea and deliberately started a livestream, letting everyone in the country see how he worked.

And so the Ring World's residents witnessed the following scene:

Every day, Xi Yan arrived at his office at precisely four, then sat at his computer all day, surrounded by holographic screens displaying various documents. The Marshal remained at his desk, typing with a solemn expression all day long. He only left his seat to use the bathroom, and even his meals consisted of nothing but a simple Green Apple. He finished eating in a minute, then worked until one in the morning, slept for three hours, and returned to work.

He worked so hard!

The citizens were profoundly moved. And as they felt their lives genuinely improving, Xi Yan's prestige reached an unprecedented peak.

Although Xi Yan's initial bloody methods had drawn considerable resentment, people's memories were limited. After a dozen or so days of peace and quiet, everyone had more or less forgotten about it.

We weren't the ones who died, anyway. And life now is far more comfortable than when we were being exploited. Why cling to the past?

Most residents of the Ring World felt this way. After all, Xi Yan's purge hadn't affected most ordinary people.

That was because everyone involved was now "working" in the Generator Districts.

Xi Yan, for his part, was very satisfied with his busy life. In his somewhat hazy memories, his university days had been much the same.

On his days off, he would launch Stellaris on his computer and sit there all day, utterly oblivious to the passage of time.

His life now was still like that. He still sat in one place, playing Paradox Games all day without feeling the slightest bit tired.

With stable lives and bright futures ahead of them, people spontaneously began working hard, and humanity's natural industriousness emerged.

Watching resource production shoot up every day, Xi Yan beamed.

The fewer resources they had, the harder they had to work; the harder they worked, the more they produced; the more they produced, the richer the Empire became; the richer the Empire became, the more it built; the more it built, the larger its population grew; the larger its population grew, the more work there was. The more work there was, the more resources they had.

So the fewer resources they had, the more resources they had.

After a period of intensive development, the various workplaces affected by the purge took in fresh graduates and resumed operations, once again providing social services to the public, with the costs covered entirely by the Empire's treasury.

All resources people produced through their hard work belonged to the Empire. Once they met their quotas, the Empire paid them a currency called labor points for any additional work. They could use this currency to purchase better living conditions, creating a virtuous cycle.

The entire Empire began to flourish.

But one day at the end of February, Beta told him it was time to attend the Former Marshal's funeral.