Alien world

Chapter 1824, Section 457: Demanding Benefits

Ordinary people passively receive information and only feel that everything around them is made in Free City, and that Annan is really rich.

Nobles and wealthy people have more access to resources than ordinary people, but this access is often distorted and lacks seriousness. People just think that Annam is really playing around, waking up every day in his tiny bed filled with women.

The deputy judge and other politicians at the ministerial level knew very well that Annan was truly short of money, spending as much as he earned, and couldn't even support the Church of Wealth.

With the floating city as its foundation and orogen as its framework, it's like building a temple on the continent of Allen all by yourself; no amount of money could possibly fill that space.

The deputy judge pondered for a moment: "I can decide to take 10,000 from the confiscated goods in the courtroom to aid Free City."

"How many?"

Annan wondered if he had missed two zeros? Ten thousand gold nars? That's less than what he'd made tonight!

Confirming he hadn't misheard, he immediately said with disdain, "How come it's only this little?"

Even the deputy warden was a little embarrassed, explaining, "The National Education Army doesn't handle money; they always act first, and then the Ministry of Finance calculates the expenses."

Wealth and power can corrupt people's hearts, and as a state religious army loyal to the empire, we must naturally be free from these two things.

Annan certainly wouldn't care about 10,000 gold, but he also knew that the Inquisition had nothing but loyalty. His dark eyes then fixed on the minister wearing black boots from the Ministry of Military Affairs: "Then I want technology. Dreadnought blueprints, arcane core blueprints, mage tower runes, the breathing techniques of the eight legions, anything is fine."

The minister who had just been watching the courtroom drama unfold was now on fire. With each word Annan spoke, the Minister of Military Affairs' face grew increasingly grim.

"Imperial technology is never shared with outsiders, and what you're talking about is even more top secret."

"Are there any that aren't top secret?"

"I can make the blueprints for making military boots for you."

“Your Majesty, they’re playing a trick on you…” Peterson, an aide who couldn’t stand it any longer, whispered as he approached.

Annam realized what was happening and glared angrily at the imperial officials:

"You made me speak, and when I did, this wasn't allowed, that wasn't allowed, and you even humiliated me with ten thousand gold coins and military boots. I think you're deliberately playing me for a fool! I'm going to complain to the Huanshan Palace Garden, and even to the Emperor!"

The vice-judge remained expressionless. If filing a complaint were effective, the nobles wouldn't be so terrified of the Imperial State Church.

But informing the military was really effective—as long as Annam whispered something in the old man's ear, they would be in deep trouble.

The military minister said, “Your Excellency Annan, we are not joking. You have done so much, you deserve compensation.”

"Do I look like I'm joking?" Annan retorted, though he was clearly serious: "You give me the technology, I'll develop Free City, and help the Empire defend against the northern Chaos forces, isn't that a good thing?"

Which power would share its valuable knowledge and technology with others?

But thinking it is one thing, saying it is another. The Minister of the Military simply deflected the question: "What you want belongs to the royal family. Whether to exchange it or give it to you requires many departments to spend a lot of time contacting relevant personnel, and a decision cannot be made in a short time."

Annan was not a lord who knew nothing about politics; the military minister's refusal was already quite straightforward.

"How about this, I won't put you in a difficult position." Annan, hoping to try it out without spending any money, changed his tune: "You can't offer anything good, and you can't give much money, so how about prisoners?"

What do you need the prisoner for?

"Take it and use it as fertilizer."

"what?"

Even the Minister of War couldn't help but find such shocking remarks somewhat extreme.

Compared to him, even the Empire, which favors building mounds of corpses, is considered a moderate. Rumor has it that there's a World Tree sapling in Free City that needs the flesh and souls of living beings to nourish it… but that's just a lie to fool the lower classes. If you knew anything more, you'd know: what World Tree uses humans as fertilizer?

Well-informed sources link the collaboration between Annan's high-ranking criminal and the Skeleton King—or at least, devils, demons, and ratmen are lining up behind him.

The military minister knew that Annan was doing it on purpose, but he had made a promise he couldn't keep, so he was embarrassed to refuse a third time.

The deputy presiding judge spoke first: "Ordinary criminals are under the care of the military department and the city guards, and we have no authority to interfere. However, death row inmates in the trial court can be sent to you after their cases are processed."

"How much is that?"

"Roughly four or five hundred people each year."

The Minister of Military Affairs also spoke up: "The Ministry of Military Affairs needs more, a little over a thousand people, but we can't give you all of them, probably... two-thirds."

That's not a small number. Two departments with 1000 death row inmates, based on the conversion rate of the Otherworld Tree, that's about ten meters... Although it will definitely slow down as time goes on, it won't be less than five meters.

Annan and his team verbally agreed that all death row inmates in the Montreal Hills for the next ten years would be sent to Liberty City, with no fewer than 1000 per year.

Annan was fairly satisfied. Although he didn't get any substantial benefits, it was good that he had solved his fertilizer problem.

"You want Blackwatch soldiers, don't you?" the deputy judge suddenly asked.

Annan's face lit up with surprise: "You can give it to me?"

"As long as you convince them."

“If you agree, I can persuade them,” Annan said confidently.

The deputy judge quickly reached a consensus with Annan on this point: as long as Annan could persuade the Blackwatch soldiers, they would belong to Annan—except for Albek.

"In addition, the court can provide you with some conveniences in other places as well."

"So easy to talk to?"

It's rumored that the Imperial State Religion is the most difficult to deal with, so why is it all about flattery and bribes... Damn it, could it be that some noble lady from the Empire took a liking to me when I went to the Huan Shan Palace Garden earlier?

Or perhaps... the emperor is a woman?!

This explains why she hid and secretly met him—she was afraid of falling hopelessly in love with him!

Fortunately, the deputy warden was unaware of Annan's blasphemous thoughts. Seeing that he was eager to leave, he had a priest wait outside the banquet to lead the way.

"Aren't you staying for the banquet?" Oulin, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke.

"No."

There was nothing left at the banquet that could attract Annan's attention, so he asked O'Lin to take him to find the ancestor, planning to return directly with the Black Watch soldiers afterward.

So what if the Minister of War refuses to give me the breathing technique? As long as I wash... and persuade the Blackwatch soldiers, I can still master the breathing technique myself.

The empire sent people to ask where you got the breathing technique? Wouldn't it be acceptable to get it from the nearby villagers?

Following Oulin to the second floor of the banquet hall, it was quieter and the guests were of higher status. Even Oulin dared not use the same scrutinizing gaze she had when she was downstairs to look at each person.

An elderly woman, dressed in fine clothes and adorned with extraordinary jewelry, whose beauty still shone through, was pushing the ancestor's wheelchair as she approached a family with the iconic blond hair of the Montreal Golden Family.

(End of this chapter)