Lend It to You? In Your Dreams!

*Wasteland Online* Official Forum. [Announcement: The Xilan Empire has extended a loan of ten billion Xilan coins to the Southern Sea Alliance. Any enterprise registered in settlements across the Southern Sea or conducting relevant business locally may apply. These funds can be used to import raw materials from the Xilan Empire. Players are encouraged to explore the associated gameplay mechanisms on their own!] Jieyan: "Holy shit!" Tyrannosaurus Warrior: "The trash dev is handing out freebies again!! I'm so pissed, why won't they issue more helmets? I've been waiting on my reservation for a whole damn year!" Thunder King Professor Yang: "Damn it, I'm crying from jealousy. T.T" Canyon Escaped Mole: "Why are you jealous if you don't even have a helmet? (Funny)" Thunder King Professor Yang: "I'm crying precisely because I don't have one! By the time you guys have had all your fun, what the hell am I even going to play once I get in?! T.T" Ye Shi: "(Funny)" Brother Edge: "Ten billion Xilan coins... Seriously, has Wutuo gone insane? His own people are poor enough to go swimming in the Everflowing River. (Sweat)" Canyon Escaped Mole: "Then your perspective is too narrow. Wealth and poverty can only be defined when property rights exist, and livestock has no concept of that. (Squinting Smirk)" Fang Chang: "True, but I still haven't figured out their point in doing this. Even if unsellable goods piled up so high they had nowhere to store them, dumping them somewhere would yield more immediate results than taking such a roundabout route... Besides, they aren't rich enough for that anyway." WC Really Has Mosquitoes: "You'd better stop trying to understand wasteland third-brother logic and just analyze the impact instead. (Squinting Smirk)" Fang Chang: "Mm... there isn't actually much to analyze. As long as the Southern Sea Alliance isn't stupid, they'll immediately find ways to cash out this free haul of Xilan coins into more value-preserving assets—for example, dumping Xilan coins to buy silver coins. That's a boon for banks offering foreign exchange services, right? After all, they can grab a slice of the pie." WC Really Has Mosquitoes: "Got it! Goblin Bank opens right now!" Tail: "(Copying homework.jpg)" Brother Edge: "Holy crap! So fast!" Fang Chang: "...Beyond banking, it might drive up commodity prices in the coastal areas of Bolo Province in the short term, especially goods priced in Xilan coins. Things like soybeans, cotton, sugarcane, flax, and so on. That could be a downside for primary manufacturing in Golden Gallon Port, such as oil pressing, textiles, sugar refining, and the like. After all, they'll have to pay more Xilan coins for raw materials, and the debuff will ultimately hit manufacturing profits. In the long run, however, it might actually be a good thing." Tail: "Oh! Raw materials get expensive, profits drop—that part makes sense... Uh, but why is it good in the long run?" Fang Chang: "Because most NPCs in this game are as smart as real people, not like the brainless wooden dummies in ordinary RPGs. On the surface, Wutuo granted a massive credit line to the Southern Sea, but in reality, the survivors of the Thirteen States are the ones footing the bill. In places like Ox State and Horse State, it hardly matters; the nobles' interests align with the emperor's, so even if they're unhappy, they'll just have to suck it up. But for warlord-controlled feudatories like Tiger State and Leopard State, that's not necessarily true. Their backing isn't imperial authority anymore—it's the barrel of a gun." Sisi: "Over time, local powers will issue their own currency, or seek other stable equivalents with better value retention... like gallons or silver coins. Right?" Fang Chang: "Smart! (Thumbs up)" Jieyan: "Holy shit, I didn't get any of that! (Dazed)" Tail: "Oh oh oh! As expected of Si... Giao! Tail didn't understand either!" Sisi: "Give up, Ah Wei. If you really can't grasp it, just think of it as... our venerable trash dev raining money down again. I'll pick up your share along with mine." Meat Mountain Steamed Bun: "Damn it... feeling outclassed. T.T" Ao'ao Sesame Paste: "Ah haha... haha." Canyon Escaped Mole: "Actually, there's another effect. Rising raw material prices will spur the nobles in the empire's provinces to accelerate the annexation of freemen's land to expand production... Man, this makes zero sense. Who takes a knife to stab themselves?" Fang Chang: "Actually, it's not so illogical. Maybe the time has simply come. (Dog head)" Baiyue Company, of course, bore a share of the responsibility. After all, this should have been a gentle and slow process. Free of outside interference, it would have required a dozen or even dozens of generations to unfold. But the arrival of the players had strapped a rocket to it all. From the first gunshot at Golden Gallon Port shattering the myth of the Imperial Army's invincibility, to the first seed planted at Port French Fries growing sturdy roots and blossoms. Everything was hurtling down a runaway path, unstoppable... ... "Lend to you? Hahahaha! Don't even dream of it! No, as you people put it—not a chance in hell! Hahaha!" Inside the Anti-Slime Mold Community Building. Having bumped into Duke Garawa in the corridor right after a meeting concluded, Cheng Yan had approached him with a smile, exchanged pleasantries, and then laid out the proposal Chu Guang had instructed him to deliver. Although he had little desire to deal with this duke, out of respect for Chu Guang himself, he had tackled the task with utmost diligence. Yet to his surprise, Duke Garawa not only misread his enthusiasm, but reacted with overjoyed schadenfreude, sporting an expression that practically screamed, *So your day has finally come,* before delivering an arrogant rejection. Savoring the "deflated" look on Cheng Yan's face, Duke Garawa wore a smug grin, feeling thoroughly thrilled. *Well, well, isn't this the Alliance's foolish foreign minister? What, coming to the empire to beg for scraps? This submissive posture doesn't look like you at all, does it?* Of course, if the man knelt down and begged him in all sincerity, he might show some mercy and consider it. After all, printing however many Xilan coins took nothing more than His Majesty flapping his lips. Watching the petty tyrant revel in his fleeting triumph, Cheng Yan's brow twitched sharply, but he reined in his temper. This was a public space, after all; if a dog bit you, you couldn't drop to all fours and bite it back. The esteemed manager had told him to do his best, not to discard the Alliance's dignity. Since the empire took this attitude, there was no need to force the matter. "Very well." Tossing out the phrase breezily, he bypassed the smug Garawa and walked toward the far end of the corridor. Watching Cheng Yan casually walk around him and leave, Garawa was completely thrown off, his arrogant smirk freezing on his face. *What the hell?* *Not going to try a little harder?* It wasn't as if he was refusing outright. Besides, becoming the Alliance's creditor would have been a fine achievement for the empire. "Wait—" He reached out a hand to call after him, only to see the figure already vanishing down the hallway. He pulled his hand back in vexation. "Ungrateful fool!" Garawa cursed under his breath, shook his sleeves, and strode away from the troublesome spot. Watching Duke Garawa turn and leave, the envoys who had just emerged from the conference room exchanged glances and couldn't help trading quips. "Did that guy come to handle diplomacy, or to sever diplomatic ties?" "Who knows? He's from Xilan." "I still haven't figured out how that thing got in here." "You'll have to ask the Wilante for that; they're the ones who brought him in." Hearing the chatter, Bannote kept his dark scowl to himself, wanting only to wait until Duke Garawa walked farther off before stepping out of the conference room. It was true that he had brought the man in, but he hadn't anticipated the fellow could drop the ball this spectacularly. Noticing the grim gloom on Bannote's face, the Enterprise representative poked fun right where it hurt. "Your ally?" "Get lost." Bannote glared back at the Enterprise representative, who took no offense, chuckled loudly, and walked off, leaving Bannote alone to grind his teeth. For the various parties in the Anti-Slime Mold Community, the friction in the corridor was merely a minor interlude that did not disrupt the proceedings of the meetings that followed. After all, this was far from the first joke Duke Garawa had provided; everyone was already accustomed to his consistent performance. If he ever acted normal one day, or if the Xilan Empire suddenly came to its senses and replaced him with a reasonable person, *that* would be worth pondering. After the day's work concluded, Cheng Yan reported the news to Chu Guang. Upon hearing it, Chu Guang said little, only letting out a mildly regretful sigh. "Pity. They were clever for once." The Alliance was no longer the fledgling Alliance of old; using the former methods to fleece wool was indeed growing difficult. It made sense. If the Alliance's current scale were placed back a year ago, even a foolish aristocrat like Old Master Xide would have had to weigh whether he could ever collect on a loan to them. Better to let the Southern Sea Alliance, their alt account, do the fleecing instead. Seeing Chu Guang's reflective expression, Cheng Yan gave a subtle, light cough. "You might have misunderstood... Perhaps Garawa didn't think that far ahead at all. He just stumbled his way past the pit you dug for him. I can guarantee that not a single word he uttered back then had passed through his brain." Amused by this remark, Chu Guang laughed. "Don't say that... And never underestimate your opponent. They may have taken a few detours now, but you never know what the future holds. Perhaps they'll pull off something earth-shaking yet. At least in my eyes, all survivors on the wasteland possess that potential." Though Cheng Yan had no doubt about the manager's words, having dealt with the people of the Xilan Empire for so long, he had failed to build even an ounce of goodwill toward them. He could only sigh softly. "Perhaps." ... At the same time Cheng Yan was reporting his work to Chu Guang, another duke of the empire, Nihak, was drinking himself into a stupor at the North Island Hotel, the most luxurious establishment on North Island. Like North Island Heavy Industries, the North Island Hotel was a legacy left behind by Zhalas. Even before the civil war had ended, that man had already been fantasizing about laying down a post-war order; this hotel had been built to host visiting dignitaries from major survivor factions. A month ago, the Asset Liquidation Committee had auctioned it off. It was subsequently purchased by a tourism company registered on Ring Island and had only just reopened for business. Inside North Island's most luxurious hotel, accompanied personally by General Li Minghui, the war hero of the Southern Sea Alliance, Duke Nihak naturally drank to his heart's content. When a man got carried away, his tongue grew loose as well. "...With General Li's valor, it truly is a pity not to serve as president for a few more years." The remark startled Li Minghui, who hurried to interject. "Let's just drink our drink. Leave that sort of talk aside." Seeing Li Minghui's tense look, Duke Nihak laughed heartily. "I know, it's all because of the Alliance, isn't it? Fine, we won't speak of it. Come, a toast to you!" Watching those sly, scheming little eyes, Li Minghui sighed inwardly. *How does he pull that off?* *He understands nothing, yet puts on an act of seeing through everything, all while believing no one sees through his petty tricks.* Still, he didn't expose the duke. Instead, he let out a sigh of "suppressed grievances" and played along. "...Our situation is different from yours. The people here are petty and don't know the first thing about gratitude. When they need me, they call me General; the moment Zhalas showed up, they hid behind my back; once they don't need me anymore, they start slandering me, wishing they could bury me in the dirt right alongside Zhalas." Duke Nihak stared intently at Li Minghui and suddenly spoke up. "For a wise and mighty general like you to be shackled at every turn instead of unleashing your might on the battlefield is truly lamentable! How about this: come to Xilan and serve as our commander! I can assure you that so long as you come to the empire, His Majesty will never treat you poorly! However many men you command here, you can command five times as many with us!" Looking at the five fingers Duke Nihak held up, Li Minghui nearly choked on his own spit. He coughed dryly and said hastily, "That won't be necessary... But if you're interested, I can introduce you to a few young lads from the navy. Having them serve as your advisors shouldn't be an issue." He had merely been venting a little; this fellow actually took it to mean he was being pushed around in the Southern Sea Alliance. What a joke! He was a war hero, wasn't he? Barring any accidents, he would sit in the seat of navy commander right up until retirement. He had zero interest in resigning to go play captain in some zoo. Even so, he didn't mind picking a couple of young lads from the naval system to send their way for career development; after all, there were no more wars left to fight in the Southern Sea. The empire, on the other hand, likely had plenty of battles ahead. Once their navy was trained, they couldn't keep fighting in beat-up fishing boats bought from Silver Moon Bay, could they? When the time came, he could sell them a few destroyers along the way. After stripping out the radar, sonar, fire control, and all the fancy systems, those ships were nothing more than oversized toys. He had no worries about them causing trouble. In the process, he could help solve the unemployment problem for out-of-work Southern Sea Alliance engineers, which would make the Representative Council happy too. Duke Nihak was indeed overjoyed upon hearing this. "Are you serious?!" "Of course I am... Er, though the Representative Council isn't easy to placate. I'll have to cater to them properly before they'll loosen their stance." Li Minghui had casually tossed the idea out just to test the waters, never expecting the offhand remark to strike Duke Nihak right where it mattered most. Unable to conceal the delight on his face, Duke Nihak slapped his thigh and said, "That's easily handled! I can offer you another loan of ten billion Xilan coins!" Military advisors today. Wouldn't that mean buying warships tomorrow? Nihak was so thrilled his eyes were nearly red. The opportunity to wash away past humiliation seemed right before him! Li Minghui naturally had no idea what was running through the man's head, but he hadn't expected the empire to be so lavish—slapping down another ten billion just like that. After a moment of stunned disbelief, he straightened in solemn respect and raised his glass. "On behalf of the residents of the Southern Sea Alliance, I thank you for your generosity!" "Haha! General, you're too polite, it's just a small token!" Nihak waved his hand with a laugh. "The empire doesn't lack this bit of money. Consider it making a friend!" Watching the smug grin curving across the man's face, Li Minghui smiled faintly, clinked glasses with the duke, and generously downed his drink in a single gulp. *Doesn't lack this bit of money, huh...* *So I'm the beggar here?* *Tsk.* *Still, truth be told, begging for scraps like this isn't bad at all.* Though these bastards spoke horribly, they didn't hesitate for a second when handing over cash, throwing around whole strings of zeros. For the sake of those several hundred million silver coins—no, those ten billion Xilan coins—he suddenly felt the duke wasn't so insufferable after all. After eating and drinking their fill, Li Minghui had his secretary drive Duke Nihak to the harbor district. The duke seemed allergic to the Alliance, insisting on staying aboard the imperial ship and stubbornly refusing to lodge in an onshore hotel. As for Li Minghui, he didn't even shift from his seat. He simply called the waiter over to clear the table, then started the next round. It saved effort, and it saved money. The person he was about to meet was none other than the representative of Mammoth State's new administration, a man named Weilu. The young man wasn't very old, only in his early twenties, yet his face carried a composure rare for his age, and his upright posture made it obvious he was a trained soldier. Frankly, although the benefits Mammoth State's administration brought to the Southern Sea Alliance fell far short of the twenty billion given by Xilan, Li Minghui found himself liking this handsome young man far more than Duke Nihak with his nouveau-riche swagger. Watching Weilu pour him wine without prompting, Li Minghui gave a faint smile and asked with interest, "Aren't you curious who I just met?" Weilu clinked his glass respectfully against Li Minghui's, drained it, set it on the table, and said casually, "No need to ask. It was certainly Mr. Nihak." Li Minghui chuckled. "You're of the Moon Clan. Don't you hate him?" Weilu's expression didn't change in the slightest as he continued in an ordinary tone, "There's nothing to hate. We'll settle our grievances on the battlefield; that has nothing to do with our friendship here." Staring at the young man's face for a moment, Li Minghui suddenly burst into hearty laughter. "Haha! Young man, you've got backbone! To tell you the truth, your leader Laxi suits my temper much better. I'm sick to death of those people buzzing in my ear all day long, as if Zhalas died from their constant lecturing..." At that point, he held his glass and spaced out for a long while, then sighed again and shook his head gently. "Though sometimes I think we really can't do without those folks either..." "You're right. In his heart, our leader understands that those people aren't cut out for fighting, yet certain tasks can't be done without them, which is why he has always kept them in the military... Your glass is empty, let me offer you another toast." Weilu spoke respectfully, picking up the bottle to refill Li Minghui's glass, but Li Minghui pushed his hand away. "Courtesy demands reciprocity." Looking at Weilu's surprised expression, Li Minghui smiled at him, poured a glass for both of them, casually downed it, and continued, "You're much more likable than that Nihak, so I'll give you a little heads-up. The empire isn't just planning to sell us cement and steel; they're also planning to bring in naval advisors from us... including naval equipment, which I suspect they're quite interested in as well." Weilu's face turned slightly solemn. He wasn't afraid of the imperial navy; those ships couldn't sail into the Tasang River, and could at most patrol off Mammoth City's coast. They had already leased a coastal section to believers from Silver Moon Bay, and many there had shared interests with the Alliance. Even if the empire wished to shell the harbor, they would have to weigh the consequences. When the time came, the outcome would still be decided on land. What truly worried him was something else— "Are they already that wealthy?" Li Minghui laughed out loud. "Hardly. They're just puffing themselves up to look rich. Those Xilan coins they handed out aren't in high demand; offloading them takes effort on our part. You're a soldier, and so am I, so I won't beat around the bush. The banks back in the Alliance quoted us an exchange rate of one hundred Xilan coins to one silver coin. The upside is they can absorb it all at once; the downside is the price is ridiculously cheap! We also contacted the banks in Golden Gallon Port—they're actually run by Alliance people and the forces they back. Their quote was slightly better than the Alliance's domestic banks, but they only offered eighty to one, and would only take five billion... After all, they just finished helping Baiyue Company digest a batch of Xilan coins, so they're temporarily saturated." In truth, it wasn't just digesting coins for Baiyue Company, but also helping local old nobility convert Xilan coins into gallons. He had learned all this through his secretary. Port French Fries had plenty of merchants traveling between Golden Gallon Port and the Baiyue Strait. Sitting down at a harbor bar counter or asking the waitstaff there was enough to find out. Weilu's eyes flickered slightly, astutely catching the opportunity the soldier-turned-president was dangling before him. "How much do you have left?" Li Minghui looked at the perceptive young man with a smile and continued, "We've already offloaded four billion to private banks in the Alliance, and four billion at Golden Gallon Port. Deducting what we spent on building materials, we had one billion left. But just now, Nihak handed us another ten billion. Right now, we're holding eleven billion Xilan coins." Weilu showed a conflicted expression. "That's too much... One billion would be manageable, but ten billion is difficult for us as well. We need silver coins for reconstruction too." Mammoth State's administration held a reserve of silver coins, and the labor dispatch company settled in silver coins as well, yielding a monthly profit of around ten million silver coins. Weilu understood President Li Minghui's intention clearly: he wanted to settle part of the wages in Xilan coins, which would effectively offload a portion of them. In exchange, Mammoth State could get a favorable exchange rate; anything better than the 1:100 offered by the Alliance's private banks was open for negotiation. Although neighboring states had imposed an embargo on Mammoth State, the port of Golden Gallon Port could still offload Xilan coins. As long as the empire endured, Xilan coins had value—far sturdier, at least, than the Southern Sea Alliance's "Federal coins." If one couldn't understand it, thinking of Xilan coins as "soybean coupons," "cotton coupons," "sugar coupons," or "mining scrip" worked just as well. Mammoth State's administration didn't need to worry about being stuck with a pile of useless paper; they could even pocket a spread from the exchange rate. Yet the sole issue was that the primary resources purchasable with Xilan coins were not what Mammoth State needed. Lacking a strong military backing, they had no time to develop light industry starting from sewing shirts, nor did they have the leisure to resell bulk commodities. Just then, however, Weilu suddenly thought of something and asked urgently, "Can you obtain discounted prices on cement and steel from the Xilan Empire?" Li Minghui nodded approvingly. "Yes... and it's cement and steel produced for them by the Legion. The quality is impeccable, while the price is absurdly cheap. Frankly, though, having too much of it takes up space. We can't digest their stockpiles in the short term unless we decide to build a fourteenth artificial island." "We need steel and cement!" Weilu stared at him intently. "We can pay you silver coins, while you pay Xilan coins to the imperial factories. Then you can reload the excess cement and steel onto ships at Golden Gallon Port and transport them to us." What could be transferred was not just currency, but also the preferential terms bundled into the loan agreement. The Southern Sea Alliance wouldn't need to put up anything; they merely had to pass along the half-price discount coupons the empire had given them to Mammoth State's administration, who also needed reconstruction. Even if they made zero margin, it wouldn't matter. Government agencies weren't profit-making entities and didn't need to worry about turning a profit. As long as they could swiftly convert "Xilan coins useless in the Southern Sea" into "silver coins capable of paying Southern Sea Alliance employees' wages," it would already count as a remarkable political achievement. Looking at the adaptable young man, Li Minghui's gaze turned increasingly approving. This kid was sharp. It seemed the zoo province could produce a couple of talents after all. "Then it's settled. Our bank will provide you infrastructure building materials directly at fifty percent of market price. That's the exact discount the empire gave us anyway. You've suffered a disaster, so I'd feel ashamed trying to take a cut from you... Of course, the premise of this agreement is that the empire doesn't cancel our discount. The Representative Council won't agree to let me use the property of Southern Sea survivors to subsidize a place they can't even find on a map. Please understand that on your end as well." "Thank you so much!" A look of pleasant surprise appeared on Weilu's face. He quickly stood up, holding his glass with both hands, and said respectfully, "Thank you for your generosity toward the survivors of Mammoth State... Please allow me to toast you!" Watching Weilu drain his cup, Li Minghui waved his hand with a smile and said, "No need to be polite," before raising his own glass and finishing it. For him, this meal was far more enjoyable than the previous one. At the same time, Nihak, who had just stepped out of the car in the harbor district, drunkenly bade farewell to the secretary who had escorted him the whole way. Supported by his attendants, he made his way back aboard the ship. As he crossed the deck, a cool breeze brushed against the back of his neck, causing him to shiver involuntarily. He glanced around with instinctive wariness. Around him lay tranquil waves. No one was watching him, and there was no Alliance Guards Corps lying in wait for an ambush. Realizing he was being paranoid, Nihak's weathered face flushed red, but he still muttered a curse under his breath. "Damn Alliance..." Meanwhile, the secretary who had seen Nihak off returned to the North Island Hotel, catching the president just as he was seeing off the envoy from Mammoth State's administration downstairs. Seeing his secretary return, Li Minghui got straight into the car, instructed him to drive to the presidential palace, and briefly explained the agreement reached with Mammoth State's administration. "...Draft the contract as soon as possible. Work through the details with my aides and see if anything needs adding." The secretary nodded earnestly, though a hint of hesitation lingered on his face. "Signing a contract like this with Mammoth State's administration... is it somewhat unfair to the empire?" "Fair?" As if hearing something hilarious, Li Minghui let out a cold, humorless chuckle. "That bastard Si Wen spouts plenty of nonsense, but one thing he said was dead right. The Alliance is good in every way, except it's too merciful. It's fine to practice civilized manners toward humans, but practicing civilized manners toward animals... is too wasteful." "Even in Ideal City, money can't buy everything. Yet a slave master has only tasted good days for a brief spell, and he already thinks money lets him do whatever he pleases... Heh." Watching the night scenery fly past the car window, he said leisurely, "Didn't they say they don't lack money? Then let them buy themselves a lesson." Honestly, Nihak should thank his lucky stars that the man he was negotiating with was him, not Zhalas, who had already been burned to ashes by the Southern Sea's inhabitants. If that man had won the civil war, he likely would have poured the wine right over Nihak's head to humiliate him thoroughly, bombarded the empire's ports to rubble with naval guns, and set a fire all the way to his home in the Heavenly Palace to ask face-to-face just what he meant by 'not lacking money.' Just as Li Minghui curled his lip and cast imperial affairs aside, in Mammoth State, which had only recently suffered a devastating flood, raging flames began to burn once more...