Miss Wang Weina, even your cousin won't do!

"But perhaps Mr. Arthur and everyone else are unaware that what His Highness Wayne drafted was not the Refugee Act but the Victoria Immigration Act."

A single word can make a huge difference, a tiny difference can lead to a world of error.

Vina lowered her head thoughtfully. It wasn't refugee law, but immigration law; one addressed the issue, not the person, while the other targeted the person, not the issue.

Admittedly, with this law being promulgated today, it's hard not to naturally assume that it was specifically designed to exploit Colombians and then take them all with him. But in reality, Wien's vision extends far beyond that.

Victoria cannot remain closed off indefinitely; history has proven that the old approach of isolationism is unsustainable. Hegemony may be tempting, but the longer it is maintained, the more likely it is to attract encirclement. For Victoria to have a future, it must pursue planned opening up. This should begin with New Wales as a pilot and window, gradually opening border cities. A single entity cannot create a spring; only cooperation and mutual benefit can create a future.

The Immigration Act will play a very important role in this.

Arthur opposed the law because the bribes offered to the "cutting-edge technology talents" that Wayne described seemed rather high. But Wayne retorted, "High? Not really." What, then, were these "cutting-edge technology talents" in Wayne's eyes?

Researchers like Saria and Himer are merely the baseline; the truly cutting-edge researchers are those like Kal'tsit and Loken Williams (in terms of academic ability alone, a scientist capable of manipulating the Consciousness Empire scientifically is indeed a genius). The approval process for these personnel will be handled personally by the royal family to ensure that no one tries to take advantage of connections.

Even if they joined Victoria under this law, Wayne ensured they wouldn't receive preferential treatment, which would be unfair to their own people. They would have to earn the resources they needed through their research. Wayne would also keep their resources confidential.

As for the rest, those who are immigrants who are only applying for residency permits and not citizenship, Wayne will not accept large numbers of these people from the lower classes. It's not that Wayne doesn't want to help; Wayne isn't Louis XVI, and he won't sell himself to America. Knowing that an influx of surplus labor would disrupt the market, he simply won't do that.

"His Highness Bruce's plan targets students."

Theresa said:

"I believe you all understand that young people are the future of our country. History has proven that the reason why Colombia was able to surpass Victoria in science and technology was because of its young, energetic, and creative scientists. Where did these scientists come from?"

"The six Royal Colleges of Victoria".

"That's what Theresa concluded. Arthur and the Minister of Education exchanged a glance, and the Minister of Education lowered his head with some guilt.

That Sarkaz woman wasn't wrong about that.

The six Royal Academies of Victoria are the six most prestigious institutions of learning in all of Terra, producing countless figures whose names resonate throughout history. These include the founders of the Victorian Empire, the developers of the steam-powered armor series, and those involved in the realm of the Consciousness Empire. Even long ago, before Aslan's bloodline had dwindled to its current state with only the brother and sister remaining, and still flourishing, the royal family would liberate their children from the constraints of private royal education, sending them to places like the Royal Military Academy.

However, the Royal College has always had a problem: due to the Victorians' xenophobia and deep-rooted pride, foreign students and exchange students at the Royal College often have no choice but to leave Victoria after graduation. It's not that they don't want to stay, but that Victoria is unwilling to accept them.

“For a long time, it has been a fact that Victoria’s schools have been training a large number of talents for foreign development. His Highness Bruce mentioned this to me when he founded the Royal Military Academy Kazdel branch. He wanted to reverse this situation, and the first thing he wanted to do was to reduce the brain drain.”

"The immigration law appears to be aimed at the Colombian crisis, but it is actually a law introduced to take advantage of the situation and target Victoria itself. The purpose is to smoothly introduce a plan that seems to undermine Colombia's foundation while the attention of the entire world is drawn to Colombia. His Highness Bruce's true purpose has never been just Colombia's present, but also its future, and the future of all countries on Earth."

"If this plan succeeds, Victoria will be able to reverse the situation of the Royal Sixth Academy without anyone knowing, with everyone on Terra tacitly agreeing and believing that they are just watching the show. She may even go further and turn Victoria's university from training talents for the countries of Terra into a situation where talents from the countries of the land are desperately studying for a green card from Victoria."

His Highness Wayne's move is an open and blatant scheme. Once the law is enacted, if other countries don't pass similar legislation, they will inevitably lose out to Victoria, leading to a massive brain drain. And even if they do pass similar legislation, without lowering their immigration standards, how can they possibly compete with Victoria, which possesses economic, military, and future technological dominance, in this "talent war"?

The brilliance of Wayne's move lies in the fact that he launched this open conspiracy at the specific moment of Colombia's collapse, so much so that everyone, including Victoria's own people, thought it was a plan to undermine Colombia's foundation. Few leaders of the other nations probably imagined that this law was not only aimed at Colombia, but also at them. These people were laughing and watching the drama unfold, only to find themselves getting burned in the process.

When they finally realize this and try to enact similar laws, they will have to lower their standards because they cannot compete with Victoria, who has the upper hand and a huge advantage. At that point, someone will naturally be responsible for dealing with the Colombian refugees.

“Victoria’s talent selection means that countries that react first will only get leftovers, while those that don’t react or react slowly will only be able to watch helplessly as their own talents leave for other countries, and they can’t stop them.”

Arthur muttered to himself, his intuition telling him that the plan would work.

After all, just now, none of the many sharp-minded figures in their entire cabinet saw through the true meaning hidden in Prince Wayne's plan—people only guard against smiles that hide daggers and veiled threats, how could they imagine that one knife is hidden under another? He openly stabbed Columbia, but in reality, he betrayed the entire Terra.

"I have finished speaking. Thank you all very much for listening attentively."

Theresa nodded slightly in thanks. A moment of silence fell over the cabinet meeting hall, then the cabinet chief, Mayor Arthur, led the applause, which lingered for a long time.

..........

Afterwards, on their way back to the office, Vina asked curiously:

"When did your brother ever talk to you about these things? Why have I never known?"

Theresa pursed her lips and shook her head, saying:

"Mr. Bruce didn't actually discuss this with me in detail."

Vina was startled and her eyes widened:

"So, what you just said in front of them, were you just making it up on the spot?"

“No, that’s not it…” Theresa shook her head again.

These things couldn't be considered as what Wayne told her; rather, they were what she "saw" in Wayne's mental simulation.

It might sound unbelievable to cabinet members, including Vina, but Wayne had indeed begun preparing for all of this since the Northern Rebellion.

Wayne Bruce hides many secrets. Even though Theresa has entered Wayne's consciousness once, she can only get a glimpse of it.

An iceberg is a hundred feet high, with only three-tenths floating on the surface, while the remaining seven-tenths remain hidden beneath the unseen depths. Theresa dislikes intrigue and trickery, but she doesn't mind using them for the sake of peace. Moreover, the entire plan Wayne presented to him—"building a fourth hegemony besides economic, military, and technological dominance: educational hegemony"—wasn't really a conspiracy at all; it was merely a perfectly legitimate, open scheme disguised as one.

One event, one law, and one person—all of this was done without anyone noticing, deceiving the enemy, deceiving their own people, and fooling the entire world. Mr. Bruce is truly an incredible man.

Theresa thought with a smile.

Exploring the unknown glacier beneath Wayne is one of the most captivating aspects of the game for her.

Chapter Seventy-Five: Failed Products Consumed by Huge Costs

Columbia, wilderness, [wasteland].

Fiona looked up, gazing at the towering steel dragon before her. "Towering" might be an understatement, but the steel dragon truly lived up to its name, reaching a hundred meters in height. If not for the thick darkness of the night, the mere presence of such a behemoth in the frontier region of Columbia would be enough to attract the attention of the entire land.

Fiona couldn't make out the steel dragon's features; it was simply too enormous. Even with her head tilted back with all her might, she couldn't see its top, hidden in darkness. But she knew every detail of the steel dragon clearly—it was her Originium Arts, an extension of her life as an Infected. Its existence proved the boundless potential of the little girl named Fiona.

Like the steel constructs abandoned in the slag heap, she was discarded by the nation of Colombia. Yet, together, they created an ultimate weapon far surpassing any Colombian soldier. Loken Williams designated her Failure Project 001, but who could, after witnessing this steel dragon firsthand, still utter the words "you are unqualified"?

Loken Williams did not give her any evaluation; she overturned it with her actions, her will, and her Originium Arts!

You are valuable, Fiona.

The brothers exclaimed in admiration. Surprise, yes, surprise—their emotions were almost palpable. This was the first time since they had been gripped by such prolonged anxiety that they had displayed any emotion other than hatred.

Fiona's limits even exceeded their imagination. When they unleashed their full power, fueling the steel dragon with their souls, Fiona's Originium Arts reached unprecedented heights. They had not chosen the wrong person; Fiona, possessing the seemingly ordinary Originium Arts of steel manipulation, indeed harbored potential beyond anyone's imagination.

Even the brilliance of the Kazimierz's Pegasus Knights cannot compare to its splendor, even the ancient, immortal army of Sargon cannot match its magnificence, even the mysterious sorcery of the Sarkaz cannot surpass its awe-inspiring power. This is a masterpiece, our masterpiece, Fiona!

The brothers from various countries, regions, and races sincerely exclaimed in admiration. They exhausted their thoughts, dug out the few remaining myths and legends in their minds, selected the most impressive passages, compared them with the steel dragon before them, and finally praised Fiona for the great feat they had accomplished together!

They are willing to call it the "Dragon of the End," the one that ends the mystery of myths and legends, the one that ends the legends of heroes, the one that ends everything that seems exaggerated, illusory, and unbelievable, the one that brings miracles to the world, the one that ends Loken Williams' life!

Fiona gave a shy smile.

She had never received such exaggerated praise since birth. Loken Williams was never like a father. Although he raised Fiona, he never treated her as a child, but as a tool. Humans only criticize tools, and no one has ever praised a tool with a "You are very useful, very good, keep up the good work" statement.

While Ms. Hamer was like a mother, she was reserved and introverted, possessing the rational thinking inherent in scientists. Although she showed her emotional side to Fiona, perhaps it wasn't Fiona who was shy about praising her like an older brother would be? Reflecting on the year she lived with Ms. Hamer, Fiona even felt a little regretful. She experienced ordinary life with Ms. Hamer, feeling the warmth of family and the everyday joys of family life, but she never heard Ms. Hamer say, "Fiona, I love you."

Perhaps Fiona, as the one being helped, shouldn't have asked so much of the kind-hearted Mrs. Himer, but she really, really wanted to experience that feeling.

After all, some things, even if you can feel them all the time, can never be truly conveyed if you don't say them out loud.

Having received what she had longed for from her brothers, Fiona felt a warm glow in her heart and even temporarily forgot the growing emptiness in her mind. She reached out and gently stroked the smooth, flat tail of the steel dragon, whispering, "..."

What do we need to do now?

"Find Loken Williams and show him our Steel Dragon! Let him taste the power of the Steel Dragon! Make him pay for what he's done!"

The brothers paused for a moment before urging him on in a very fast voice.

"Hurry, hurry, go now! We can't let Loken Williams notice anything amiss and escape. We only have this one chance. Fiona, it's all up to you! Hurry!"

"Ah... um, I'll go right away."

Fiona nodded, a hint of doubt in her mind.

The brothers seem even more anxious than before. Is that just his imagination?

If they're in such a hurry, why don't they just temporarily take control of the body, like before, and let them fulfill their desire for revenge themselves?

But Fiona's doubts only flashed through her mind. Although their souls were connected, just as Fiona couldn't understand what her brothers were thinking all the time, her brothers couldn't fully know Fiona's thoughts either. They coexisted, but were not one, which was why her brothers were able to deceive Fiona with lies.

Meanwhile, in Fiona's mind, her brothers were experiencing unprecedented anxiety.

Why is the consumption so high? How many were just released?

Three of us sacrificed ourselves to maintain the dragon; 47 remain alive.

So many... what about the remnants? How long can they last? We still need to keep them active, to support their attacks!

[The fluctuations in Originium Arts are too great; it's unpredictable. We didn't actually need to sacrifice so many people. It's because of Fiona; due to her loose link device, much of the energy we released dissipated into the air and was completely wasted. Only a small portion was able to function properly through the link device for Originium Arts!]

Is this why she's called an incomplete and failed product?

The brothers fell silent.

It turned out to be the case.

Fiona, whose destructive power, lethality, and defensive capabilities are all at an extraordinary level, perfectly embodies Loken Williams' design philosophy of a war machine that rivals the Ursus inner guard. Why then is she considered a failure?

It's because of this unacceptable energy consumption!

The energy consumed by moving it even slightly is enough to power a large city defense cannon. Such Originium Arts are powerful, but how can anyone afford to use them?

Even if Colombia is wealthy and powerful, willing to go bankrupt to buy pants, how can Fiona alone compare to the well-organized and regenerable army of the Emperor's Blade? And if Fiona were to be mass-produced, then there would be no need to fight; within a few days, Colombia would have to officially declare itself incapable of fighting due to insufficient energy.

This is a bottomless pit, a bottomless pit of resources. Until the energy waste problem is solved, Fiona will forever remain a failure. She simply cannot be deployed to the battlefield! Unless you want a dud that shuts down due to a power outage in less than ten minutes!

But this is our last chance.

We have neither the means nor the time to abandon Fiona and choose another host. We cannot do it.

So, no matter what, even if it means fighting to the last man, let's go!

Witness our final struggle, Loken Williams!

Chapter Seventy-Six: Carjacking and the Dragon

Colombia, wilderness.

The prison van bound for Mansfield Prison City is traversing the "wasteland" of the Columbia Frontier. The uneven terrain and severe bumps make for an extremely demanding ride, a true test of both mental and physical endurance. The drivers are relatively comfortable, with a leather-covered driver's seat, but the prisoners are far less fortunate. There are no soft cushions in their cells, and the violent jolting often leaves them tossing and turning, unable to sleep a wink.

Loken Williams was no exception. Although the drivers "kindly" told him that the journey was still long and suggested that he take a nap, unfortunately, after entering the slag heap, he soon woke up after experiencing ten consecutive head-banging incidents.

"What happened?" Loken Williams asked, rubbing his bumped head, still groggy.

"Didn't I already tell you? It's a garbage dump!" The driver was clearly annoyed by the bumpy terrain, and his tone wasn't very good. "I remember this road wasn't this bumpy before! Has it been neglected for a long time and is now piled with garbage again?"

"Just notify someone to come and clean it up another day. This is an official road, someone should be in charge of it."

"That's what the passenger in the front seat said," which drew a chuckle from the driver, a laugh filled with disdain.

"The official road? The government is gone, who can you expect to maintain it? The officials have been exposed, they've run away with the money, leaving us ordinary workers to suffer here. I'm not doing this anymore after this job. I'm going to live in another country."

"Where are you going to go if we change countries?" the passenger in the front seat asked curiously.