Save the simulator and make Sarkaz great again!

"Oh my god?! When I went over to check, the energy supply value had increased. So burning these things also provides energy?"

Therese followed Shen Lin's gaze and glanced at the energy gauge; indeed, the energy storage had progressed by a negligible amount.

"Tracy?"

"Ah...ah! I'm here, Your Highness. What are your orders?"

The sudden call made the Sarkaz general jump.

"This was very well done, but there is still room for improvement."

"Next time, we'll build a larger platform. Going down the chain like this is too inefficient."

"I will... I will obey your orders."

Chapter 49 Good News and Bad News

Rembiko, a vast land in the southeast of Terra, was once considered a primitive wilderness, a forbidden zone for life.

More devastating natural disasters than those in Kazdel often ravage this area, leaving behind vast swathes of Originium crystals.

Besides the curse of demons, this land also receives the gifts of angels.

This area is home to one of the three major Originium mines currently known—the Talgan Main Mine. This mine runs through the entire land of Rembiko, providing a solid foundation for the development of the Originium industry here.

This is a peace-loving country. The Castors, who live here, live a peaceful life, simply tending to their small plot of land.

In one of Rembko's mines, a technical instructor who had just returned from Kazdel vividly described what he had seen and heard in Kazdel through gestures.

"Guess what I saw then? A giant of fire!"

"It's bigger and taller than our factory!"

"He destroyed that Leitanian high-speed warship with just one punch!"

"Just one punch, just one punch!!"

As he spoke, he even made a fist-throwing gesture!

"Pfft-"

"You old drunkard, you haven't been drinking at all, so why are you talking in your sleep in broad daylight?"

"What kind of story is this? Look at it, it's scaring the kids."

"While we don't dislike Sarkaz, you can't just brag like that!"

Everyone burst into laughter, and a cheerful atmosphere filled the air.

Because of the complex social and family relationships they have to remember, the Castors living here often refer to each other by nicknames for convenience.

At this moment, Caster, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up out of the blue.

"What the old drunkard said is true."

“The situation was even more exaggerated than he described. I’m not quite sure yet, and I still think I’m dreaming.”

His words immediately drew everyone's attention to him.

"A lump of iron? Why are you joining in too?"

"Speaking of which, weren't you in charge of the handover mission in Lungmen back then?"

"Yes, I happened to be passing by that place that day."

After receiving the older Castor's affirmation, everyone fell into a brief silence, swallowing hard.

"So... does that mean the intelligence... is true?"

Tie Geda is their factory manager, and also like a patriarch to them. He is usually very respected and has a lot of prestige.

Even so, the plot of shattering a high-speed warship with a single punch sounds surreal!

Castor looked at each other in bewilderment. Could it be that the old drunkard was telling the truth?

Hiss

All the Castors present gasped in shock.

"I said, let's cooperate with them?"

"But... they are Sarkaz, and they don't have a very good reputation internationally!"

"What's the big deal? We've been neighbors with them for so long, and nothing's happened."

"On the contrary, it's the Victorians and Leitanians who come all the way here to harass us every day!"

"Those bastards are after our mine. If we give in to them, we'll be completely wiped out!"

They were clearly undecided about whether or not to cooperate with Kazdel.

"If what the old drunkard and Iron Lump said is true, then if the other side attacks, can we stop them?"

As one of the casters spoke weakly, everyone around him involuntarily swallowed.

The same question popped into their minds: if the other side punched them, how many of their "rabbit holes" could be destroyed?

"Actually... it doesn't matter if we have a bad reputation. Our Rembe is a tolerant country."

“I agree to cooperate with Kazdel.”

"I also agree with cooperating with Kazdel!"

……

Now there is both good news and bad news.

The good news is that the land of Kazdel is finally unified in a meaningful sense, which means that players can now freely control any unit in Kazdel when they open the game.

Unlike before, when we had to face internal troubles, guard against external threats at any time, and be wary of unexpected natural disasters.

Now, all that's needed is to prepare for natural disasters, and Kazdel's war machine can get going.

However, the bad news is...

Shen Lin flipped through the factory output and expenditure reports that Kazdel Ersula had compiled for him, and the more she knew him, the deeper her brows furrowed.

The produce of Kazdel is absolutely terrible... beyond words.

When Shen Lin opened the military maintenance fee document, just one glance made his head spin.

According to the original plan, they only needed to farm and develop slowly for thirty years, and then transform into a sharp blade to catch those imperial people off guard.

However, the addition of a warship group has brought significant progress and breakthroughs to Kazdel's military development.

But... judging from the reports from the shapeshifters, these big guys are really too expensive to maintain.

The total cost of these behemoths for a whole year is more than all the Sarkaz people in Kazdel combined.

Recently, due to the destruction of Kazdel, a large number of refugees have moved directly into the previously planned development area.

Factories, roads, housing, and so on—all of these need to be arranged in a short period of time.

What can we do? Keep printing money!

This further exacerbates the already precarious fiscal situation, which is characterized by a persistently high debt ratio.

They need to get moving quickly, otherwise these warship clusters might as well be dismantled and used as large mobile platforms, and then they can find some fertile soil to farm.

Who says the Sarkaz are cruel, heartless, and lazy! They're willing to sacrifice everything for Kazdel just to fill their stomachs. Can any other country do that?

If such treatment were given to countries like Letania and Victoria, those Celestial Dragons would have already started a rebellion.

After all, it is easy to go from frugality to luxury, but it is difficult to go from luxury to frugality.

Currently, the most alarming expenditure in both military and living expenses is energy, especially now that eleven more large ships have been added.

Shen Lin spread out a map of Terra on the table, and at that moment he felt very strange.

He was like the interface of a coloring game, ready to draw and paint on this map.

The surrounding red-named units include Syracuse, Letania, Victoria, Ursus, Lateran...

Looking at it this way, Kazdel is completely surrounded.

No problem, just pick a softer persimmon and squeeze it until it bursts.

"Oh! Come to think of it, this place is inhabited by wolves."

Shen Lin's gaze fell on Syracuse, which was adjacent to Kazdel, and he drew a circle on it with a red pen.

For some reason, Shen Lin remembered that the furnace could increase energy by burning people. What would happen if a group of immortal beings were stuffed into it?

"We'll grab them all and throw them in to test it out."

Chapter Fifty: They must feel our pain.

Letania

Since Franz's defeat, the entire Vaser Territory has been shrouded in gloom. No one could have imagined that a backward Kazdel could cause sixteen high-speed warships to vanish into thin air.

At this time, all sorts of conspiracy theories began to emerge among the people. The nobles living in the Vaser Territory believed that this was a conspiracy by the electors of other territories against them.

Faced with ridicule from other regions, they began to criticize Franz's incompetence. Even many minor nobles who were not directly involved in the matter had their keen political senses detect the impending storm.

When Franz was summoned by the Witch King, they had already transferred all their assets and chosen to pledge allegiance to the Electors of other regions.

The remaining marquises were in a state of extreme anxiety and frustration.

In order to secure this spot, they not only offered Franz numerous benefits, but also sent their own offspring to prepare for the opportunity, so that they could rightfully gain a foothold in the upper echelons of Letania's society upon their return.

After all, in their eyes, beating a demon was as easy as kicking a stray dog ​​on the roadside; what danger could there be?

These marquises and earls secretly held a gathering where they discussed a plan.

They planned to send a representative to Kazdel to personally redeem their offspring from the Sarkaz.

In this country that values ​​lineage, a qualified heir is a family's safety net.

In their view, the Sarkaz people, who had never seen money before, would certainly be powerless against such glittering gold.

Anyway, those people are of no value to them, so they can just redeem them.

As for where the money came from?

Franz is now nowhere to be found, and they have regained sovereignty over their own territory in the Vasseur Territory.

We must address both tax increases and fundraising efforts effectively!

……

Sarkaz Democratic Union

At this moment, Shen Lin's pen flew across the reports.

Need targets? Aren't there still plenty of prisoners of war? Military spending can't be cut! Approved!

Need witchcraft materials? Aren't there plenty of prisoners of war? There's nothing more artistic than mastering it! Approved!

The need for practical exercises, the need for medical research, the need to alleviate public anger...

Approved! Approved! All approved!

That concludes today's tasks!

Putting down his pen, Shen Lin slowly exhaled. He looked at the little girl beside him, whose eyes sparkled with curiosity, and waved to her.

Upon hearing the man's greeting, her pointed ears, as lively as an elf's, twitched slightly.

"Come on, Ascalon, how do you pronounce these words?"

"Imperial Pig..."

The man's face was like the surface of a lake gently touched by a spring breeze, with a faint smile blooming at the corner of his lips.

“Excellent! Ascalon, once you can read, I will teach you how to handle these government affairs.”

Looking into the little girl's blinking eyes, Shen Lin didn't hold back his praise and ruffled her hair.

"Are the Imperials... really that despicable?"

"Yes, they destroyed our happiness. Even after we retreated to this barren land, they still wouldn't let it go."

"So much so that from then on, we have been searching for victory in defeat and seeking hope in despair."