Chapter 112: Resurrecting a Demon General on a Budget
Karl and Leo watched as Schalezusk and Simon departed on a wagon full of supplies, Simon waving until they were out of sight.
"My lord," Leo began, "do you think they’re really going to be able to unite the orc tribes?"
Karl’s gaze was fixed on the horizon, a slow, calculated smile spreading across his face. "I hope so. Orcs, in my opinion, are specialized for industrialization. Although they’re a bit eccentric and savage, they’re strong and passionate about the things they do. They’re also easily swayed and simple in their motivations. They’re the best assets—ehem, I mean allies." He corrected himself with a slight chuckle. "I can use them to advertise democracy and the transition phase from a feudal monarchy to a full-blown independent republic. It’s quite a bit chaotic, and we need that chaos to supply the war. Democracy can be a good thing for the people, but it has its downsides. You are free to speak out your beliefs, and beliefs sometimes clash with each other. And what happens when two or more nations have different ideologies that clash with each other?"
"War?" Leo asked.
"No, not at first," Karl replied, his voice taking on a professorial tone. "Tensions will rise, an arms race will begin, economic sanctions and propaganda will be used, and civil unrest will follow. The old hierarchies and power structures will be shattered, creating a vacuum that new factions will desperately try to fill. All of this friction, all of this ideological conflict, will require solutions. And that’s where we come in. We offer services, weapons, military equipment, and ammunition to everyone."
Leo looked puzzled. "But my lord, how will they trust us if they’re purchasing weapons from the same supplier? Won’t they basically know each other’s weaknesses?"
Karl’s grin widened, a cold glint in his eyes. "Good question, Leo. That’s where our future agency is going to come in. Agents will be deployed across factions, acting as seemingly independent arms merchants and brilliant strategists aligned with that faction. They will be showcasing advanced weapons research, after all, everybody wants a private contract with someone in their own kingdom, supplying advanced weaponry. Basically, we will create shell companies under our control, each appearing to be a local entity dedicated to one side of the conflict. Not only will we have a network of information on every single kingdom’s military secrets, economic vulnerabilities, and political rivalries, but we will essentially control the outcome of any war by deciding who gets what, and when."
He turned to face Leo directly. "So, how do the orcs connect to all of this? It’s quite simple, really. Since orcs are despised, they catch attention easily. What happens if a bunch of orcs have a deadly weapon, a weapon no one else has? Everyone’s head is going to turn towards them. They’ll be saying, ’Orcs are going to kill... oh, I also want that weapon they have.’ And that’s where we come in. We have that weapon, and we can give you a discount on bulk purchases. Since everyone is obsessed with the orcs, we’re going to dress the orcs in suits and ties, we’re going to make their huts into tall buildings, and we’re going to make their wagons into trucks. We’re going to build them infrastructure and give them electricity. We’re going to help build their government and give them consumer goods that no one else has. So, what will the others see? ’Oh, I want what they have,’ and that’s where we come in. A business model created through pure, unadulterated envy. We don’t just sell weapons; we sell a lifestyle, a promise of a better future that everyone else will want."
Karl paused, letting the weight of his words settle like a shroud over the conversation. "Now, how do you swallow a country and make it yours? Debt. How do you create debt? A banking system. We’re going to create an economy under our foundation. We will offer massive loans to these fledgling governments to fund their military, infrastructure, and social programs. With it, we can divide the social hierarchy, from poor commoners to a privileged few. In a short sense, we’re creating a modern world under our control. That’s how you conquer the entire world: through economic manipulation, connections, bribery, and debt. It’s a conquest that no one will notice until it’s too late."
Leo thought, his mind reeling as he listened to Karl. His plans were simply mind-boggling. Supply and demand and manipulations. Reducing the production for certain supplies creates a high demand, which means high prices and eventually inflation. Rising prices for natural resources like oil and gas, and power plants that rely on it, also raise their prices, and companies and manufacturers also raise their prices. All of this leads to a spiraling debt and economic recession. Lord Karl is going to offer a huge amount of money to the government, and they will, in turn, receive government bonds that are essentially an IOU. With the rise of inflation, the government can’t pay their money, taxes rise, a national uprising begins, and governments are forced to give their assets to us, eventually making the entire country under our control. It’s not direct, but it is effective.
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Meanwhile, the dimly lit torches of the underground tomb illuminated the damp, moss-covered stone walls. A chill permeated the air, a mixture of cold earth and ancient, lingering malice. Crimson-robed figures knelt and chanted in a rhythmic, guttural unison, their voices echoing through the cavern as they surrounded a central tombstone carved with archaic demonic script. At the far end, a robed figure sat on a throne hewn from jagged stone, its surface slick with perpetual moisture. Two more silent, robed figures stood like sentinels behind her.
One of the kneeling figures rose with a rustle of heavy cloth and approached the throne. "Lady Velari, the arcanists have successfully analyzed the bone the orcs brought. They have completed their initial assessment."
"So?" the figure on the throne said, her voice a low, alluring melody that was starkly at odds with the tomb’s grim atmosphere. "What are their findings?"
"It has nearly one-fourth dark mana purity," the subordinate reported, his voice tinged with a note of disappointment.
Lady Velari contemplated this, a faint sigh escaping her. "Hmm... the purity might be enough to sustain a lesser vessel, but it is not enough to truly resurrect the 12th demon general, Lord Farquas. This essence is tainted by death and decay; it is a cheap mockery of true demonic mana. It would make his return... unstable. We need a purer source."
The robed figure shifted his weight, his discomfort palpable. "I have more disturbing news, Lady. The orcs have cut ties with us. They no longer respond to our messages."
A sharp, audible intake of breath followed. Lady Velari’s serene composure shattered. "What?! How dare they? That arrogant Minur! I gave him everything he asked for to secure our alliance. Tell me what happened?"
"One of Minur’s captains seems to have lost half of his raiding team in the undead tombs. A new and particularly aggressive strain of skeletal warriors, they say," the figure reported calmly, though his eyes darted nervously.
Lady Velari’s fury subsided, replaced by a cold, calculating resolve. "Hmm... so the undead have risen again. My suspicions were right. We must accelerate the rituals. It will only be a matter of time before the undead legion walks through the land of the living again, and they will not distinguish between friend and foe."
The robed figure expressed his grave concern. "But, Lady Velari, our arcanists lack more undead essence to resurrect if not all of the demon generals, but at least five demon lords. Our reserves are dangerously low. Furthermore, I don’t think the demon army is going to like that they were resurrected using a lesser, corrupted form of dark mana from the undead. It is an affront to their very being."
Lady Velari scoffed, a sneer twisting her lips beneath the shadow of her hood. "Hmph... they should be thankful to me instead. Beggars cannot be choosers. Offer the orcs one hundred demonic pearls per captured undead. A formal contract with a substantial down payment. We will call it a new partnership, a more valuable one."
"B-but, Lady," the robed figure stuttered, his surprise evident. "One hundred? Don’t you think it’s too much? The pearls are our most potent currency, our most valuable resource. The council will question such a reckless expenditure."
Lady Velari turned her head to stare at him, her gaze intense and unwavering. "The goal is to resurrect the demon army. The undead legion is already waking up, and we have yet to resurrect even one of the demon generals. Do you want to be here when they finally emerge from the depths, unprepared? We’re not going to be piling up 10,000 demonic pearls. The Spinebridge region must be contained and isolated. We cannot risk the Rakoum Empire finding out about this project. Their fanatics would see our work as an abomination, and as soon as they discover our existence, they will slaughter us first, then the Assembly’s reputation will be buried in the ground, forever disgraced. Give them the pearls. We need the Bloodtusk Fortress for as long as possible until we’ve resurrected Lord Farquas. Hopefully, he will give us insight into Demon King Mizzlajo’s sacred spells; that way, we don’t have to depend on these volatile dark mana sources."
Another robed figure, taller and leaner than the first, stepped behind her, causing a slight unease and pressure to radiate through the air. "Lady Velari, don’t you think 100 is too much?" the figure said in a deep voice, devoid of emotion.
Velari cursed under her breath, a fine sheen of sweat breaking out on her brow. If it weren’t for the council’s spies, I would’ve finished the project a long time ago. These bastards just get on my nerves. She then composed herself, turning to face the new figure with a cool facade. "Hmm... you’re right, 100 is too much. Give them 30 per undead instead. That way we don’t sound desperate." The robed figure nodded once, the matter settled.