Watching the寨主 (zhài zhǔ - stronghold lord) leave with a smile, the little demon felt her worldview shattering.
Could being tricked make someone this happy?
Chen Yu, however, pursed his lips and smiled, not taking it to heart.
Whether in the underground caves or outside, very few truly opened their eyes to the world. Those who could see the world clearly were, without exception, at the very pinnacle of the pyramid.
The people at the bottom were all deceived by fairy tales woven from countless lies.
This wasn't about lies and excuses; it was a bloody fact.
Most information circulated only in the highest echelons. The lower strata were information-poor, with limited means of acquiring news and intelligence. They saw only what those above wanted them to see. In such an environment, the common people were the ones being manipulated.
The encampments outside Fengqi City were indeed attacked and plundered for resources by Chen Yu's men.
Who knew?
Did the lords of those encampments know?
In their eyes, those bandits were villains who appeared from nowhere, stealing their food and money, and taking their homes.
They hated these villains but couldn't hate Fengqi City, which was now extending a hand of aid to them.
Even if someone suspected Hei Lü's connection to Fengqi City, those in distress would grasp at Fengqi City's outstretched hand as a lifesaver.
Even if they harbored reservations, they could only swallow them.
Would they dare to attack the city?
If they had possessed such strength, they wouldn't have had their encampments breached and then been forced to endure it silently.
If the little demon didn't know the truth, and thinking from their perspective, could she still say what she said? At least Chen Yu felt that if he were in their shoes, he would make the same decision as the stronghold lords.
The encampments still needed to survive!
Regarding the financial trade and institutions outside the underground caves, they wanted to harvest funds from retail investors by releasing various negative news and collaborating with numerous media outlets, securities firms, and other influential social organizations to put on a show. Among them, those who knew the purpose of doing this was to harvest.
What did the information-deprived retail investors know?
They knew nothing!
All they could do was judge based on the information released by various institutions, deduce with their seemingly clever minds, and ultimately become targets of the harvest under pressure.
It was too easy for those with information to target those without it.
The government released school district plans, allowing relatives to secure positions in advance.
Three years before land expropriation plans, areas slated for demolition were secretly leaked as no longer being included in demolition zones. Six months after the signal, people who saw no demolition activity would become restless.
From suspicion, to belief, to helplessness.
Suddenly, an outsider would appear, using excuses like wanting to work locally to find a place to stay, willing to purchase houses at a price slightly lower than high-rise apartments but higher than the average price of urban villages.
Many were fooled!
Years later, when development truly reached these areas, the sellers, even if they regretted it to the point of myocardial infarction, would have no recourse.
The world was never bright; it was far darker than anyone could imagine.
However, the people at the bottom were also happy.
Precisely because of their lack of information, they mistakenly believed they were living in the light. Under the slogans of striving to change their fate and the belief that hard work determined the future, they willingly became laborers who would never break through the walls, content with their simple lives.
They felt this was happiness.
In fact, this kind of life was indeed happy, provided the darkness did not touch their light.
The moment the light was swallowed, they would despair more than anyone.
Chen Yu was not trying to make excuses for himself. What he did might be morally wrong, but from a developmental perspective, it was absolutely correct.
Compared to those darker deeds, what he did was at most an introductory level.
Furthermore, he had a clear conscience. He could at least guarantee that these encampments, once within his city, would work for him with peace of mind, allowing the city to develop. They would undoubtedly gain far more than they lost. He had complete confidence in his abilities.
Food and equipment, the two most scarce resources in the underground caves, were grasped by him.
Possessing the mythical-level item "Point of Summoning."
He was also willing to provide the citizens with salaries impossibly high for cave dwellers, and could offer absolutely humane taxation.
He wouldn't claim to be a saint, but he dared to say he was by no means a villain.
"Don't worry about them," Chen Yu said, stretching lazily and twisting his waist, his back cracking like popping beans. "Sitting for too long really makes my back ache. I told you to let Clay handle this, but he insisted he couldn't, and wanted me to meet with those stronghold lords and sign off on things before handing them over to him."
"You really know how to cause trouble wherever you go."
The little demon crossed her arms, pouting with a smile. Her gaze towards Chen Yu was filled with her usual disdain, appearing to have forgotten the events of a few days ago.
"Ever since you entered the city, you've been a hands-off manager."
"City construction is managed by Clay, city security is managed by Clay, business negotiations are managed by Clay, and major and minor matters are handled by Clay. Do you think he has a clone?"
"I was shopping in the city a few days ago, and he looked like he had aged over ten years."
"Oh, can you blame me? The city is indeed short of talent," Chen Yu spread his hands with a helpless expression. "Fengqi City is filled with refugees and rough people. Let alone lacking culture, they have no culture at all. How can such people manage a city? If you select from them, you might find a few who can read. Fengqi City's reputation has been bad for years, and no talent has flowed in."
"That's your job to figure out," the little demon grumbled.
"I am figuring it out."
Stretching, Chen Yu gently twisted his neck, then pressed his shoulders and twisted them.
"With Hei Lü arriving in Fengqi City, a stone in my heart has finally settled. Many things can now be put on the agenda. For example, the mining of high-purity ore, or... recruiting talented individuals! It's just that I'm not clear about the specific situation in the Royal City right now. If I make too much of a fuss, will it make the royal family anxious and come after me again?"
"I doubt they'll have the time to bother with you."
"How so?"
"You know that Mi Ye took down Hai Luos' main city, right?" The little demon raised her eyebrows. "When the news reached our Fengqi City, I went out for a stroll out of boredom. I happened to see Mi Ye and Luoka's people setting up defenses. Judging by their appearance, Mi Ye was preparing to directly attack Luoka, and Luoka sensed it as well. Furthermore, other surrounding cities were all in a state of panic, and movement between cities was extremely frequent."
"So, now is indeed a good opportunity?"
Chen Yu's suspicious gaze fell upon her, and the little demon nodded noncommittally.
"At least I think so!"