Samsara Space: They're all begging me to heal them one more time.

Tao Tao sighed, stuffed the last potato chip into her mouth, and asked indistinctly:

"Alright, now that we've made money and gained their faith, what are we fighting against now?"

"Since we're so rich, why don't we just hire a bunch of people to wipe them out? Didn't Brother Qiang already destroy one of their mechs in the Badlands? Why hasn't the Blue Team surrendered yet?"

"Because this is war, not a street brawl."

Zhang Yuan walked to the holographic tactical map and lit up the red and blue areas of influence:

"Our (Red Team's) current advantages are: abundant resources (economic monopoly), prestige (Arasaka's endorsement + Holy Water salvation), and strong individual combat (Aqiang, Qingyue, and my skills counter each other)."

"However, the Blue Team has something we don't—an army."

Zhang Yuan pointed to the densely packed blue dots on the map:

"Military technology is the world's largest arms dealer. The Blue Team controls their command system, which means they have tens of thousands of soldiers, tanks, drones, and... enough heavy firepower to raze the entire Night City to the ground."

"Although Ah Qiang can destroy one mech, can he destroy a thousand? My divine authority is also limited; I can't keep my domain active all the time to block missiles."

"So, the current situation is..."

Zhang Yuan drew a line on the map:

"City Battle: We are invincible inside Night City. The Blue Team can't get in because this is Arasaka's territory, and it's also our 'Holy Water's' home ground."

"Field battle: The Blue team retreated to Badlands and used heavy firepower and mobility to blockade the city's outskirts."

"The Blue Team's plan is very shrewd," Zhang Yuan analyzed. "They know they can't outmaneuver us in the city, so they want to cut off our supply lines and trap us in the city."

"Furthermore, they are testing that super-heavy mech (the Demon Lizard) in the Badlands. Once the testing is complete, they will launch a full-scale attack."

"What should we do then?" Tao Tao asked nervously.

"It's very simple."

Zhang Yuan grabbed a handful of sesame seeds from the table and scattered them on the badlands area of ​​the map:

"We'll throw money at it!"

"The Blue team has an army, we have mercenaries."

"V, Panan, Roger, the Yellow Fang squad we recruited, and those homeless people who went crazy for medicine... these people are all our pawns."

"I will use these euros to launch a 'people's war' in this barren land."

A crazed glint flashed in Zhang Yuan's eyes:

"The Blue Team wants to blockade us, right? Then I'll offer a bounty on their heads. One bottle of holy water for killing a military tech soldier; 500,000 euros for blowing up a mech."

"I will turn every single grain of sand in this barren land into an enemy of the Blue Team. Until their ammunition runs out, until their soldiers are exhausted..."

Zhang Yuan clenched his fist, as if he held the lifeline of the entire world in his grasp:

"That's when we'll reap the rewards of our victory."

……

After being bombarded with this "cyber economics" explanation, Tao Tao was completely stunned.

Looking at the smiling older brother in front of her, she suddenly felt the potato chips in her hand become heavy.

Although she didn't quite understand what "people's war" meant, she was deeply shocked.

"So..." Tao Tao asked timidly, "Brother V and Sister Panan, were they also 'bait' you laid in the Badlands?"

"No, they are 'partners'."

Zhang Yuan corrected him, picked up his wine glass again, and took an elegant sip:

"Although they themselves may not realize it yet."

"Alright, get out of class dismissed." Zhang Yuan glanced at the time.

Just then, there was a knock on the office door.

"Come in."

The door opened, and A-Qiang and Li Mo walked in, both with excited expressions on their faces.

"Boss, the layout on the Badlands side is complete," Ah Qiang reported.

"V has already made contact with Panan, and because of my previous 'heroic rescue,' their goodwill towards the Heavenly Kingdom Armed Forces has skyrocketed. Now V is leading Panan to steal the floating vehicle from Kanto."

"very good."

Zhang Yuan put down his wine glass and straightened his tie:

"Li Mo, how's the procurement of supplies going?"

"Everyone's storage space is crammed full!" Li Mo patted his pockets. "Enough for us to go back and start an arms company."

"Then let's get ready."

Zhang Yuan put on the golden fox mask, concealing all the expressions on his face:

"Notify Huang Fang's bald captain and Roger. Tell them... I have a big business deal involving 'hunting military technology' that I'd like to discuss with them."

"The location is in Badlands. We're going to add some 'spice' to the Blue Team's 'sandstorm'."

……

Badlands, Sunset Motel.

This place is a transit point for vagrants and smugglers. The dilapidated neon signs crackle in the wind and sand. At this moment, the area has been cleared out by the fully armed "Wild Wolf Gang" (Yellow Fang Reincarnator Squad).

Inside the bar, which reeks of engine oil, a "board meeting" that will decide the fate of Badlands is being held.

"Mr. Zhang, your appetite is far too great."

Roger sat at the bar, twirling a glass of whiskey on the rocks in his hand.

Although this "King of Middlemen" of Night City is over fifty, his sharp aura still commands respect.

"You want to wage a full-scale war in this wasteland? Your opponent has advanced military technology!"

"Although their forces in the Badlands are just a 'training force,' they're still a regular army. Do you want my mercenaries and wanderers to their deaths?"

Opposite her, Captain Huang Fang, with his bald head, was shrinking back, not daring to speak.

Although he was a reincarnator, he always felt like cannon fodder who could be sacrificed at any time in front of big shots like Rogge and Zhang Yuan.

"To die? No, Ms. Roger, you misunderstand."

Zhang Yuan sat on the only genuine leather sofa (which A-Qiang had specially brought from the city), toying with a tube of [Holy Spirit Type I] in his hand:

"I'm not recruiting a suicide squad, I'm inviting you to participate in the IPO (Initial Public Offering) of 'Badlands Defense Company'."

"What do you mean?" Roger frowned.

Zhang Yuan snapped his fingers.

Li Mo stepped forward and placed a holographic projector on the table.

The screen unfolds to reveal a real-time tactical map of Badlands.

The map was densely marked with military technology outposts, supply lines, and the "war fortress" that was being tested.

"The Blue Team's current strategy is 'sandstorm blockade,' they want to cut off all lifelines in the bad soil."

Zhang Yuan pointed to the map, his voice full of seductive power:

"For you middlemen, this means the end of business; for the homeless, it means no water or food. Military technology is ruining everyone's business."

"And me..."

Zhang Yuan took out a heavy box of chips from his storage space.

"I will invest 1 million euros as seed money."

"I will establish the 'Badlands Joint Defense Fund'. Any mercenary or wanderer who kills Blue Team soldiers or destroys Blue Team facilities can exchange their spoils here for cash, or... holy water."

"Furthermore, if someone can blow up that mech, I'll give them a 5% stake in my foundation. This means that as long as 'Heavenly Armed Forces' exists, they can sit back and collect dividends!"