Super God: Rise of Civilization.

"Huh? Ouyang, what are you up to? The Empire's combined fleet already has 12,000 warships, not including the mothership, and you want to expand the Empire's military power again?"

The Chancellor of the Exchequer immediately stopped smiling.

Expanding the combined fleet would mean another major financial drain on the treasury.

"Ouyang Aiqing, why?"

Upon hearing this, Yang Yu narrowed his eyes. Was he going to expand the empire's military power once again?

What is this old bastard up to now?

The old guy who once proclaimed that weapon range equals justice and warship speed equals territory was the one who advocated for it.

Is he going to show off again?

"Your Majesty, the Empire's weapons have sufficient range, and the warships have sufficient speed, but their firepower is insufficient."

"Since we don't have enough firepower, what else can we do? We'll make up for it with warships."

"Anyway, my empire is not short of money or resources. Building more warships will be enough for our empire to better control the Origin River System."

"An empire with a territory spanning 200,000 light-years in diameter only has around 100,000 warships. It's a disgrace to my empire, isn't it?"

"What is interstellar warfare all about? It's all about firepower. Alright, since my firepower is insufficient, then I suggest we make up for it with warships. Let's just overwhelm the enemy with warships."

Education Minister Ouyang Xiu said with great enthusiasm.

What is my Star Empire fighting against?

It's all about firepower.

"Crazy!"

At this moment, all the cabinet ministers, planetary governors, and even the commanders of the Empire's ten combined fleets had only one thought in their minds.

This Minister of Education is completely insane.

If firepower is insufficient, warships will make up for it.

You can't believe you came up with this, but the more I think about it, the more satisfying it feels!

"Then, Ouyang Aiqing, what do you think the Imperial Allied Fleet should be expanded to, to the point where your firepower is insufficient and you need warships to make up for it?"

Yang Yu narrowed his eyes, his scrutinizing gaze falling on Ouyang Xiu.

"Fifty thousand, no, one hundred thousand. A combined fleet should ideally have one hundred thousand warships, and a fleet should have ten thousand ships."

Ouyang Xiu immediately blurted out, speaking with righteous indignation: "With a fleet of this size, how could we be afraid of insufficient firepower?"

"Nonsense, utter nonsense, Ouyang Xiu, do you know how many people are in an Imperial Combined Fleet?"

"Currently, the size of one of the Empire's combined fleets is about one billion soldiers, and that is a combined fleet composed entirely of third-generation warships and motherships."

"Do you know how many soldiers and technicians are needed to support 12,000 fourth-generation warships? A preliminary calculation shows that it costs more than five billion."

"If we expand to a combined fleet of 100,000 ships, that would mean that the entire number of soldiers in one of the Empire's combined fleets would be nearly 50 billion. Ten fleets of this size would be the entire population of the Empire."

"You want soldiers, not your people, is that it? You want the entire empire to be a war machine, a nation of soldiers?"

Prime Minister Long Zhi's face darkened.

That's outrageous, absolutely outrageous!

Yang Yu's face twitched almost imperceptibly. You truly live up to the "Xiu" in your name.

Chapter 134 [Solving the Population Problem]

"Your Majesty, logically speaking, the upgrading of warships should only reduce the number of combat personnel. Why do we need so many combat personnel?"

"Could we use AIP to replace combat personnel?"

Prime Minister Long Zhi frowned and said, "Wouldn't using AIP to replace combat personnel significantly reduce financial investment and make them less concerned about losses?"

"inappropriate!"

The Minister of Justice immediately shook his head, rejecting the Prime Minister's proposal. "According to the Imperial Intelligence Bureau's investigation, the universe is currently in a state of void antiphysics. No matter how many AIPs you have, if someone uses anti-energy, your AIPs will lose their power."

"Anti-physics technology couldn't possibly be on such a large scale, and do they really think the Empire's warships are pushovers?"

Prime Minister Yong Chi said.

"If someone were to crack our empire's AIP, it would inevitably cause losses to the empire. How do you explain that?"

"How can AIP compare to a flexible and agile human being?"

Education Minister Ouyang Xiu said.

"Ahem, Lord Ouyang, the Imperial Commercial Company's AIP is now fully capable of doing just as well as we humans, flexible and adaptable. You can rest assured about that."

The Minister of Public Security quickly stepped forward to explain on Ouyang Xiu's behalf.

Intelligent humans are already as flexible and adaptable as humans.

"That won't do! How can they possibly compare to the warriors of the Empire in terms of combat strength?"

The Justice Minister and the Education Minister both shook their heads.

The combat capabilities of the androids are simply no match for those of the Empire's warriors.

How would you replace a soldier?

"How large a force is needed for an amphibious landing operation?"

"Can someone explain to me that amphibious operations require a powerful military force?"

"Is this massive combined fleet just for show?"

Prime Minister Long Zhi looked around and asked in a deep voice, "Are the Empire's Starfighters and Nanomachines just for show?"

"What is the role of AIP? Its role is to control the area and defend the area it controls."

"War is a matter for warships!"

"I also believe that the technical capabilities of the Imperial Academy of Engineering will prevent the enemy from easily breaching the firewall and thus controlling AIP!"

"If a civilization can fight an interstellar war entirely by relying on humanity alone, without the help of the entire civilization, it would be a tragedy for the entire civilization!"

"Your Majesty, I propose that we incorporate intelligent humans into the Imperial Army to serve the Empire!"

The Prime Minister stepped forward and shared his thoughts and proposals.

If war relies solely on human warriors and not on the power of technology, it would be a tragedy for civilization.

We can create them, and we can destroy them.

So what exactly are we afraid of?

"Minister Bai, what do you think?"

Yang Yu's gaze fell on Bai Qi; he was eager to hear Bai Qi's thoughts.

after all.

When it comes to fighting and killing, he's the real expert.

"Your Majesty, this humble general has no objection to the Prime Minister's proposal!"

"If we really calculate it based on the headcount ratio, even if the ten combined fleets are not expanded, it will still be an extremely huge burden on the empire's finances and population."

"Moreover, warships that have been decommissioned from the main fleet but are still in service with the Empire also need soldiers."

"As a result, the empire will be even less able to bear that kind of pressure, and it's only a matter of time before it collapses."

"There is another point that has affected the development of the empire."

"The population problem!"

"If the population problem cannot be solved, it will always be the empire's biggest trouble and difficulty."

"It will also affect the development of the empire."

Bai Qi shared his views and insights.

The empire's population was the real constraint on its development.

The larger the population, the more scientists there will be.

This has already been confirmed.

"I have already considered the issue of population! The populations of the major civilizations such as the Holy Tiles, the Holy Pars, the Holy Pamir, and the Holy Ace Empire."

"From this day forward, all newborns will be automatically registered in the Empire and become third-class citizens. Schools will be opened for them to receive the Empire's educational philosophy. After graduating from the Imperial University, they will serve the Empire for ten years and be promoted to second-class citizens."

"The parents of their children automatically become quasi-third-class citizens of the Empire."

"As long as these civilized citizens who surrender to the empire serve the empire for twenty years, they will have the status of third-class citizens of the empire."

"If any newborn is an outstanding scientist who makes contributions to the development of the Empire, he/she will be promoted to first-class citizen and enjoy the same treatment as other citizens of the Empire."

Yang Yu shared his thoughts, which he had been weighing for years, and asked, "My esteemed ministers, what do you think of this matter?"

"Your Majesty, won't this cause internal conflicts within the empire?"

Upon hearing the emperor's words, Prime Minister Long Zhi said with concern.

If we make exceptions like this.

This could exacerbate tensions between the empire's subjects and outsiders.

"Conflict? The defeated are already honored to be granted imperial status, and they still want to create conflict? Do they really think the imperial laws are just for show?"

The Minister of Justice said bluntly.

"The rights are basically the same, but they will not be given preferential treatment in terms of policies, which can also motivate them."

"Without competition, how can an empire develop?"

"As for discrimination? That's a matter for the Imperial Security Department to handle. No matter who it is, if they discriminate within the Empire, even if they are prejudiced against people, they will all be dealt with by the Imperial Security Department."

"Isn't the Imperial Security supposed to have no achievements? Well, I'll give you achievements, so the citizens of the Empire won't complain..."

Yang Yu said, "Remember, everyone should be treated equally, whether they are first-class citizens or third-class citizens."

"Similarly, I do not wish for certain commercial companies to sell inferior products at the same price to third-class citizens."

"Once the Divine Machine Guard and the Imperial Brain find out, you will bear the consequences."