If Yavente City is the heart of the Southern Legion's core territory of 910,000 square kilometers, then the Lavanka Industrial Zone is certainly the heart of its 2.7 million square kilometers of colonial land.
Although the manufacturing industry here is not as dense as in the former, it benefits from abundant raw materials and labor. Except for high-end production capacity, its low-end production capabilities are just as much in the running.
Especially with two crisscrossing rail lines connecting most of the mines and factories within the 2.7 million square kilometers.
Once this feng shui treasure is secured, the Alliance troops can take a tour along the railway lines and gather production as well as strategic facilities along the way.
This is undoubtedly a fatal blow to the Southern Legion!
As of now, Teil clearly doesn't plan to sit and wait for doom.
Multiple numbered tens of thousands troops are advancing in the direction of the Lavanka Industrial Zone, carrying clones by the thousands.
The corporation's 100th Division and the recently arrived 101st Division have gone to intercept, while the Goblin Corps deployed to the Lavanka Industrial Zone and the Ideal City Air Force will ensure airspace security and provide aerial fire support for ground forces.
Conversely, tasks of assembling the "scrap metal" of the army and accommodating survivors affected by the war have been handed to the Skeleton Corps and multiple Alliance forces.
Though the arrogant council despises the army's "junk", the Alliance is quite interested in those things.
The steel produced by these things may not be used in the skyscrapers of Ideal City, nor do the products stimulate its economic growth, but an industrial base that can integrate resources across 2.7 million square kilometers is crucial for the reconstruction work on the Wasteland.
Recognizing the value behind this industrial area, Chu Guang specially issued tasks through the official task system to several lead players on the frontline, instructing them to ensure the rescue of local survivors and minimize losses to production facilities.
Besides, through collective control enterprises such as the Bull Horse Group, he conducted bids with one of Ideal City's five major groups, Ideal Group and its subsidiaries, to study the "production capacity transition" plan for the Lavanka Industrial Zone.
Although the war is not over yet, for the Alliance and its allies, the suspense about victory is no longer significant.
They can already spare resources to do something more meaningful than the war itself.
For example, upgrading some outdated production capacities and converting most of the military production capacities to civilian and infrastructure fields.
After all, the Alliance doesn't need Conqueror "No. 10", so it's better to dismantle the armored steel on its tracks and convert it into tractors and excavators.
Lavanka Industrial Zone cargo airport.
Fang Chang and Old White, wearing power armor, walked down from the newly landed transport plane, just in time to run into Edge who had arrived not long ago.
"Yo, Edge old friend, long time no see!"
"Fang Chang? Old White? Haha, you guys came too!"
Seeing Fang Chang and Old White, Edge Shoveling brightened up, greeted them with a smile, and then cursed playfully.
"Damn, before coming here, I heard there was big activity, rushed over urgently, but once arrived, everything's already over!"
Old White laughed and said.
"Hahaha! Unlike you, I never expected that guy to leave us any tail."
Edge Shoveling glanced toward the airport's exterior.
"Speaking of, where's Mole? Why hasn't he come to greet us?"
Fang Chang smiled lightly and said.
"I just saw his post on the forum, said something's up over at the industrial zone."
Upon hearing there's a situation, Edge Shoveling immediately showed an eager expression on his face.
"What situation?"
Seeing him eager to get into action, Fang Chang said with a smile.
"If you expect to do something big, you might wanna hold off; it's not the kind of situation you're thinking of."
After a pause, he continued.
"Something went askew over at the factory, alien workers heard that the Weilante people suffered a defeat and have trapped the factory's owner, engineers, managers, and their whole families inside. Fortunately, Mole arrived in time, deployed over ten armored vehicles to hold the scene under control, now both sides are still at a standoff."
Some people may certainly be full of resentment, but we cannot rule out there's some taking advantage of the situation.
Even if it's Weilante people who asked for trouble, they can't just leave it be.
After all, there are Weilante people in the Alliance army.
Moreover, if they handle conflicts emotionally rather than legally, it'll eventually lead to one group massacring another.
Mole doesn't have experience in this line of work; chatting on forums is fine, but face-to-face he's baffled.
But he knows his limits.
After taking control of the situation, he made no further moves but waited for someone experienced to arrive.
As for the experienced person, it's undoubtedly himself.
It's not that Fang Chang is being self-centered; there's truly no one better at handling such matters in the server than him.
After all, the example at Jin Galun Harbor stands clearly right there.
From landing at the port to dismantling the original interest network, then nurturing emerging classes, separating judicial, legislative, and executive powers, establishing a more equal distribution system, selecting industry representatives to form a representative council, appointing technical officials to build a municipal government system, etc.—these series of measures are practically textbook-level reforms.
Others don't even need him to brag, Jin Galun harbor residents recognized him as their godfather.
Even the Workers' Association struggles with advancing work in the region, largely because his Baiyue Corporation did too outstanding a job, with such dazzling brilliance that Jin Galun harbor people busy making money have no interest in studying the Giant Stone City model.
Otherwise, Eugene and other workers wouldn't have been squeezed into expanding members in West Sail Harbor and even Snake State.
Although Fang Chang admits that the success of Jinjarun Harbor has an element of luck, and luck is something that can't be replicated, the approach to solving problems can be referred to.
For example, first wield the big stick of violent machinery to deter speculators looking to take advantage, then offer the carrot of economic growth, and establish a more equitable distribution mechanism to allow both the aliens and the Weilante people to get a taste of this carrot.
Especially the latter is the most crucial.
The vast majority of failed cases, whether the trigger is religion, tradition, hatred, or the most primitive male-female relationships, are ultimately caused by unequal distribution, creating a strong need for society to "reshuffle" where people would rather a lose-lose outcome than have all the chips eaten up by a small group.
As for the carrot itself, its size doesn't matter, as long as it exists, the only difference is the speed.
And turning a carrot out is not a difficult task for the Alliance.
The ten settlements on the Death Coast, the space elevator project in the southern sea area, and the ports along the Baiyue Strait coast... all these are visible demands.
Just the visions drawn by their respectful Manager are enough to keep the orders for the heavy industry factories here lined up till next year, let alone the future.
As long as there are enough orders, the Lavanka Industrial Zone can continually exchange money with Desert's minerals and stored capacity.
And the light industrial production line, already matured at Jinjarun Harbor and among the Alliance's buddies, can let locals spend their earnings, thereby raising each other's living standards and compelling local factories to actively complete production capacity transformation in the allure of benefits, proactively adapting to the shape of the Alliance's supply chain.
The prosperity of the economy can cover part of the social contradictions and provide a time window for moderate improvements and the resolution of historical grievances.
The legacy left by the Southern Legion is sufficient for locals to rebuild their homes according to their own wishes.
And the Weilante people living in the area will also have enough time to build new trust relationships with the locals.
Having a resolution idea in mind,
"Alright, let's not waste time here, let's go help the Mole out first."
Seeing Fang Chang's confident demeanor, Old White teased with a smile.
"Looks like you've already thought of what to do."
"Absolutely," Fang Chang smiled lightly, confidently saying, "You don't even see who I am."
Edge Shoveling couldn't help but sneer.
"Damn, this guy's swaggering so much he's forgetting who he is."
...
After exchanging pleasantries, the group did not linger in the square and headed towards the Industrial Zone.
A large crowd was indeed gathered there, the passionate people holding shovels and spades, looking like they were itching to tear down the factory.
If it weren't for the Alliance armored vehicles parked here, they likely would have already acted.
Their hatred is understandable, after all, these iron clumps have not brought any benefits to their lives but rather infinite harm.
Before the Legion set foot on this land, their lives were poor but at least leisurely.
However, after the Southern Legion came here, they first controlled their water sources, then forcibly seized their pastures and farmland, forcing them to work only in the factories, then use the meager wages to buy nutrient paste filled with a stainless steel taste from the Legion.
Real nutritious things never need to emphasize their nutrition, and nutrient paste is something even worse than junk food, anyone who has eaten it in the Wasteland knows.
Of course, they dared not complain when General Rubis was still around, but now that guy has been taken down by the Alliance, they wished every big-nosed guy could be Xed then killed.
But understanding is one thing, it's impossible to let them continue with this disorderly behavior.
Wearing power armor, Fang Chang walked to the front of the crowd, throwing a "leave it to me" look at Mole who could finally breathe, then opened the loudspeaker and shouted to the dark crowd.
"Everyone! Please calm down—"
Fang Chang was contemplating what to say as an opening when suddenly a dark-skinned old man stepped forward.
The old man was small in stature, wrinkles etched across his face, seemingly having endured many hardships.
His eyes were bloodshot, making the whites incredibly white, resembling the beasts he's seen on the battlefield.
"Why are you protecting the Weilante people! Are you in league with them!"
Looking at him, Fang Chang retorted without backing down.
"We are not favoring anyone; instead, we aim to liberate all the suffering survivors on the Wasteland... I would like to counter-question you: before we came here, what were you doing? When you needed to resist the most, why didn't you resist?"
The old man was stunned, and so were the few young people around him, apparently not realizing that this guy in front of them had actually turned his sharpness on themselves.
Without showing any politeness to them, Fang Chang continued.
"The Weilante people have machine guns, artillery, airplanes... but that's no excuse, we've faced things you've seen, we've seen more fear than you endured. Yet, when we united, what did you do? Rushing into the Southern Legion's factories to snatch work? Even if you didn't dare fight with them, could you not organize to refuse its cooperation or slack off?"
"I'm not speaking lightly, nor standing and talking without bending; the fact is you did nothing, then turned around and questioned us why we don't indulge your revenge, this is what you've shown us."
The scene was chaotic, a noisy uproar topped the sky.
Though he tried to express the Alliance's dissatisfaction as gently and even kindly as possible, many still couldn't bear the rebuke and grew angrier.
Honestly, Fang Chang was a little surprised.
He initially thought Poluo Province was the floor of the wasteland, but didn't expect there to be a basement beneath the floor.
These people didn't understand what he was saying at all, just howling like beasts.
Fang Chang's heart sank slightly.
This is somewhat different from what he expected.
Looks like he needs to change his strategy...
Just as Fang Chang was lowering his expectations, the soldiers standing next to the armored vehicle were all tense, with their index fingers already on the safety.
As for the Weilante civilians hiding in the factory, despair was already etched on their faces.
At this moment, a strong young man stood out from the crowd, glaring angrily at Fang Chang.
"We didn't do anything? How could we not have done anything! The Weilante people killed our folks, we just want them to pay with their lives, why are you stopping us!"
Fang Chang stared at the wheat-colored face.
"What's your name?"
The young man raised his head proudly and said.
"Bokasa!"
"Who killed your children, what's his name." Fang Chang continued to ask.
Bokasa's expression paused slightly, waving his arms and saying evasively.
"Everyone, more or less!"
Sitting in the tank turret, Mole was somewhat impatient and asked.
Old White grinned.
"Although it's a bit unkind to say, but it's actually pretty entertaining to watch him get humbled once in a while."
Maybe they've had too smooth a run in Poluo Province before, and they've been given a challenge by the dog plan.
But he thinks maybe taking a hit once in a while isn't bad, his good buddy indeed has gotten a bit too inflated.
At this moment, Fang Chang is still arguing like a chicken talking to a duck with the young man named Bokasa, and the discussion has already shifted from "the nature of struggle" to the matter of unity itself.
However, caught up in his own stubbornness, he didn't realize that the moment he was dragged into the mud and began to roll around, he had already lost.
"Unity? You're saying we're not united enough?" Bosaka glared at him, then turned to look at the people supporting him from behind, yelling at the top of his lungs, "Tell them, are we united or not?"
"United!!" A group of people raised their hands and shouted, chanting a slogan that was not neat but was unanimous.
Fang Chang sneered.
"Unity? Don't think that just gathering together means unity. Do you have a unified program? Do you know what you're doing and what you want to do? And what kind of life you hope for in the future, and how the people around you think... If you really knew, you wouldn't be noisily standing here babbling for candy, but instead, you'd select someone from among you to represent you and talk to us."
Bosaka glared with his large, bell-like eyes and spoke rudely.
"Candy? Who the hell wants candy! We want the Vellante people! Their money! Their houses! Their women! That's what every one of us thinks, if you don't believe me, ask them, I am their representative!"
As soon as his words fell, the supporters' shouts rose again.
"That's right!"
"He's right!"
"He is us!"
Fang Chang's brow furrowed deeply, pressing his forefinger against his brow, and adjusted his expectations for these people downwards again.
Not right—
He suddenly realized.
This guy might be right, the one who got the situation wrong might actually be him. He tried to open the cage's door but forgot to see whether it held animals or people inside.
Just as he was about to say something, the crowd across from him suddenly parted to form a path.
A burly man, stomping heavily, came out from among the crowd.
His body was made up of two parts, half of rippling muscles, and half of chilling steel. And right now, the jagged edges of the steel were horrifyingly dripping with bits of flesh and blood.
His fierce appearance was like a demon descending from the heavens!
The blood smeared on him was clearly from the enemies.
And from the several heads he carried in his hand, it was evidently the blood of the mutant strongmen!
He strode briskly to where Mole sat by the tank, Midnight Chicken Killing tossed the distorted heads with protruding canines onto the ground, and laughing heartily, he said.
"It's done!"
The open space in front of the factory fell silent, the air felt like it was frozen.
The originally enthusiastic people went silent unanimously, the noisy scene quietened in an instant.
Fang Chang never imagined, his voice hoarse from shouting would solve nothing, yet Brother Chicken resolved everything with just three words.
And more exasperatingly, what this guy said wasn't even United Human language!
It was standard Mandarin that the NPCs wouldn't understand!
After all, he was reporting the battle status, there really was no need to make the NPCs understand, Midnight Chicken Killing casually flicked off the blood splattered on the chainsaw, continuing nonchalantly, he said.
"...That Sad Wind Tribe actually had quite a number of people, more than two thousand big guys! But these guys were no good, couldn't compare to the green-skins on Ten Peaks Mountain, shooting guns wasn't accurate and faced with brute force they would chicken out, haven't even lost half their men before thinking of surrendering, I disagreed and they ran... Tsk, chasing after these guys took quite a bit of effort."
Saying this, he chuckled honestly.
"Oh yes, the living people in the nest were all rescued, must be five or six hundred of them, none looked mentally stable, so I didn't have them report the numbers. According to what those mutants said themselves, some were sold by the Southern Legion to them, some were sold by nearby tribes and slave traders... In summary, better to settle them properly first, best to arrange for a few doctors as well."
Speaking with a good conscience, he felt his smile was still rather sunny.
However, others clearly did not think so.
Looking at this blood-soaked, grimly smiling demon, the survivors around him were stunned with fear, especially since this demon was speaking a language they couldn't understand at all.
Including that young fellow called Bosaka.
A second ago he was still furiously shouting, but now he was suddenly like a deflated balloon, his wheat-colored face turning as pale as if rubbed with powder, stammering and unable to utter a single word.
Seeing the chainsaw coated with blood and the scattered heads of strongmen on the ground, he involuntarily stepped back.
The wavering pupils filled with fear, yet beneath that fear there was a hint of worship... or envy.
That was reverence for strength!
At the same time, it was also the earliest and most primitive worship in the animal kingdom!
Not just him, but the surrounding survivors causing commotion were the same.
At this moment, they had already chosen the new king from the tribes!
Sitting on the gun tower, Mole held his head in pain, unsure whether to be happy or resigned.
Midnight Chicken Killing scratched his head, turning to look at Fang Chang with a complicated expression, somewhat awkwardly he said.
"Did I come at the wrong time?"
Fang Chang shook his head.
"No, you came at the right time... from now on, leave the talking to you when things arise."
Midnight Chicken Killing: "…?"