Post-Apocalyptic Survival Modpack

Chapter 43: Territory Management

You're saying this is someone who never went to school?

In the meeting room, four people sat down around a table.

Ryder looked at Morin sitting opposite him with surprise.

He said, "Then what am I?"

"After all these years of schooling, I still haven't developed the aptitude for using extraordinary arts, so in the end I can only specialize in alchemy."

"He never went to school, yet he became a master of extraordinary arts through self-discovery?"

Ryder scratched his head.

Morin looked at Ryder with a sense of helplessness.

He whispered to Wang Ji, "Is this really someone who went to university?"

"I feel like he's making a fuss over nothing, like he's never seen much of the world."

"The refined-looking gentleman next to him seems more like someone who has been to school."

Ian looked up.

Who, me?

Ryder paused, looked at Morin, and said quietly, "This room is only so big, don't think I didn't hear you."

He walked up to Morin, staring intently at the young man who was less than half his age, especially his eyes, and asked:

"Are you genuinely ignorant, or are you pretending?"

"what?"

Morin's eyes were very clear.

"Understand, understand what?"

Ryder sighed, looked at Morin, and then at Wang Ji.

"You two who have never been to school are really outrageous."

"Imperial University isn't as prestigious as you think, full of geniuses. Most students are just talented and lucky, like me."

"In fact, most people can't become magic users until they graduate; they can only learn things with lower barriers to entry."

"Like alchemy, as long as you have a good memory and are diligent enough, you can achieve something."

"However, once we leave behind the various machines, workbenches, and the props they create, we are not much stronger than ordinary people."

"This is the norm at universities in the capital."

"Even within the entire school, sorcerers are rare. Low-level sorcerers are few, and high-level sorcerers are even fewer. Even my former teacher was only a low-level sorcerer."

“Morin, if you study alchemy for a few years now, you can become an instructor at the alchemy academy.”

"what?"

Morin pointed at himself, his face filled with disbelief.

Wang Ji looked at the two of them and said to Ryder, "Why don't you teach him?"

“Teaching is possible, I’m willing anytime, but… even the most skilled alchemist can’t conjure up all sorts of sophisticated instruments with their bare hands, unless they are a mid-level or higher master of magical arts.”

"...except for you."

"There should still be a way to solve this."

Wang Ji thought for a moment and said, "The items at the Rift Valley Mine haven't been inventoried yet. Someone of Adelaide's status must have some collections, right?"

"Makes sense."

"correct."

The mention of Adelaide reminded Wang Ji of something else.

—His health bar was terrifyingly long.

"Actually, I'd like to ask if the Empire has anything similar to a knight training system?"

Ryder immediately nodded and said, "Yes."

"Oh?"

Wang Ji became interested and asked, "Is it some kind of family-inherited breathing cultivation method, the kind where you can become stronger by constantly practicing?"

"Uh... Wang Ji, it's better to read fewer storybooks, most of the things in them are fictional."

Ryder gave a very serious warning.

"No one?"

Wang Ji was discouraged, but he didn't give up. He continued to ask, "Then how exactly did you cultivate? From what I've observed, Adelaide's vitality is more than a hundred times stronger than that of an ordinary person. He's practically not even human."

"You're right, he might really not be considered human anymore."

Ryder's answer was unexpected.

"I do have some authority to speak on this matter. The origins of knights are somewhat related to alchemy in ancient times, before it was further subdivided."

"Their primary means of acquiring power is alchemical transformation, supplemented by training."

"It is said that such reformation is often accompanied by extreme pain, worse than death and the cruelest tortures in the world."

"Those knights had to endure pain comparable to having all their organs crushed and reassembled, and they also had to be physically strong enough and lucky enough to withstand all kinds of potent drugs without being poisoned to death."

"The successful experimenters showed no trace of alchemy on their bodies, yet they were completely alchemical products."

"They look like humans, but they have developed reproductive barriers and cannot reproduce."

"That sounds really wild," Wang Ji shook his head repeatedly.

These guys shouldn't be called knights anymore; calling them Dark Knights would be more fitting.

Ryder continued:

"Things are different now than before."

"As alchemy developed, the threshold for this technique became much lower. It no longer required the courage to face death and strong perseverance, and the requirements for physical fitness also became very low."

“During the modification, the body can be anesthetized, and the process that was originally completed in one go is divided into many sessions, each time only a part is performed, making it more gentle.”

"After the new technology came out, the previous modification methods were listed as forbidden alchemical techniques and sealed away, prohibited from being viewed or used."

"But at this point, knights were no longer very important. Their status was replaced long ago by high-ranking sorcerers, and they became 'servants' who ran errands and handled odd jobs."

"In fact, even the advancements in related technologies were researched by people in order to curry favor with high-ranking nobles."

"Can you do that?" Wang Ji asked. "..."

"I won't."

Seeing Wang Ji's expression that said, "How come you can't do anything right?", Ryder was truly on the verge of a breakdown.

Why don't you take a look at the kind of questions you're asking?
If any one of these techniques were used, it would be punishable by beheading!
That's a forbidden technique, a forbidden technique!

"Forget it, it's okay."

Shaking his head, Wang Ji temporarily put the topic aside.

However, he also became increasingly curious; this person, Adelaide, did seem to be quite interesting.

Unfortunately, he was too obsessed and insisted on courting death.

it's fine.

Your territory, I will nurture.

The mines have suffered under Eddred for too long.

"Let's talk about something serious."

Seeing that the two had temporarily ended their conversation, Ian finally had a chance to speak.

He first looked at Wang Ji, then glanced at Mo Lin.

Morin wasn't completely clueless; he wisely stood up and decided to go outside and wait.

"What are you going for?"

Wang Ji stopped him and said, "We haven't finished discussing yet, why don't we leave together later?"

Molin stopped in his tracks, a strange feeling rising within him.

He turned around and sat back in his seat.

Seeing this, Ian stopped hiding his intentions and said directly:
"I spent some time with Ryder exploring the territory."

"Although it seems peaceful now, and everyone has been liberated, gained freedom, and is living comfortably, in my opinion, there is still a major problem."

"Order needs to be established wherever people gather."

"After people were no longer forced to do various forms of slave labor, they became confused and disorganized. This is not a good thing in the long run."

Ian looked at Wang Ji, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "People need some guidance."

"Should we continue the Imperial or Adelaide's system of governance, or make some changes?"

Is it a systemic problem?
Wang Ji scratched his head.

Once you have territory, you can't avoid having rules and regulations.

He had actually thought about this issue quite a bit, and he already had a general idea when he dug the Hell Passage to the capital.

But after seeing the situation in the capital and his hometown, he changed his mind.

The world can't stay like this forever.

"What about you? What do you think?"

Wang Ji raised his head and looked at Ryder and Ian on the other side of the table.

The two of them each expressed their thoughts.

Ryder recommends implementing conventional controls, using Imperial Law as a blueprint, making some modifications, removing all privileges and unfair aspects, and making it more humane and fair.

That's very much his style.

As for Ian... he had no objection to Ryder's approach, but offered some additional suggestions.

It's about grassroots management.

He suggested establishing a belief system to manage from the inside out, and it is said that this approach has been very effective in the church in the past, especially among those who are less knowledgeable.

Many of the people here have spent most of their lives working in the mines and have little education. Doing this can easily enhance people's cohesion and regulate their behavior.

After listening to their opinions, Wang Ji remained silent for a moment, then looked at Mo Lin.

Morin never expected that he would have a say in this situation, and quickly shook his head.

He really couldn't say anything.

Now it's Wang Ji's turn.

He had an idea based on the premise of abundant material resources: to eliminate all exploitation and grant freedom to all people.

However, given the current situation, this approach certainly cannot be directly applied.

Everything must follow a process; it cannot be done suddenly. Forcing a solution is not advisable, just like directly transplanting ancient people into modern society—it will only cause chaos.

People living in ancient times could never have imagined or believed that everything we have today would exist.

Because it was beyond their comprehension, something they could never have imagined even in their dying day, they naturally believed it was impossible for it to exist.

The influence of education and social environment on a person's growth process is enormous. As long as it continues to develop, conditions and atmosphere are improved, and generation after generation updates their understanding of the world and shapes their personalities, a society that can truly realize that idea will eventually emerge.

I think about a lot.

However, Wang Ji didn't say much, only suggesting that everyone should be able to learn and popularize cultural knowledge.

Then they proposed some measures that could make residents' lives better and freer.

Ryder and Ian listened and nodded in agreement.

This is not difficult; with Wang Ji's abilities, the territory has no shortage of living resources.

If there's no shortage, why not let the people use it?
Both of them secretly reminded themselves not to become like the nobles of the capital, selfish and foolish.

At this moment, whether it was Wang Ji, the two elders, or Mo Lin who was listening silently, everyone believed that everything could continue to develop in a sustainable way.

Everything can progress gradually until it changes the whole world.

Whenever I have time…

Is there… ?

-

In the center of the capital, within the Four Towers of Miracles, the eyelids of an aged body twitched.

No one noticed.

(End of this chapter)