People in Terra, governing a bizarre little country

In this situation, what if we rashly send the Flame Demon to the Manju Academy and he suddenly goes mad and something bad happens?

If Balrog dies, how will he explain it to Columbia?

Ernst was certainly not worried about Enya, Ya'er, or the innocent people of Manjusaka. That was the main hall of Yeragand, and causing trouble there was tantamount to challenging the hall. Ernst couldn't imagine that the Balrog could survive for more than a second from the onset of the disease to death.

"Colombia has really sent us a troublesome guy."

Ernst sighed, thought for a moment, and then called over Holhaya, who was working on a new project, and told her to quickly go to the construction site to invite the old ancestor Nasti.

To deal with the Sarkaz, the Sarkaz themselves need to have a solution. According to Logos, a powerful figure in the Banshee Royal Court whom Nasti had met once, Nasti is one of the more powerful Banshees. With her experience in Colombia, she probably knows the Sarkaz better than anyone else in the entire Sherag.

What? You mean Kal'tsit?

Ernst's impression of this lynx, who always had a stern face and couldn't say anything, was still that of the Riddler from the early days of the game. Although they had met a few times and his opinion had changed somewhat, if Ernst were to ask her a question like "How do you subdue a Balrog?", he would still ask, "You're a Felin, how can you know more about Sarkaz than Sarkaz?"

Kal'tsit did mention to her something like, "If you have any questions about the Sarkaz, please ask me," but even if Ernst wanted to ask, she couldn't now.

After sending Ernst and the others back to Seraphim, Rhodes Island set sail again. They still had a cargo mission from Seraphim, so they couldn't stop carrying cargo!

While Horhyah was away, Ernst opened the cabinet and took out his diary.

Of course, respectable people don't keep diaries, and Ernst didn't have the habit of recording his life every day. This diary was used to write "The Annals of Erzley".

It's been almost half a year since the last time "The Chronicles of Erz" came to a close, and even its official publication has been over four months ago. To Ernst's surprise, "The Chronicles of Erz," a story told from the narrator's perspective about another world, did become popular, but not among the general public; rather, it resonated more with the upper classes.

Wei Yanwu of Longmen, the Rat King, Adams of the Swire Group, the Duke of Victoria, and Miloki, whose race exists outside the realm of the earth, are all quite interested in "Ers". Many of them have read it more than once, or noticed some unusual aspects and tried to restrict it, or even went so far as to ask the author in person to urge him to update it.

Is this a good thing? Of course it is. The attention from higher-ups at least proves the book's potential and opens up official channels for the subsequent publication of *Ers*. But this is not the effect Ernst wanted to achieve.

He hopes that more people will see Ers.

So he summarized the lessons learned.

“Not everyone is interested in mythology. According to Vina’s report and the Duke of Kester, the primary reason they were drawn to Ers was because they noticed the adaptations of the myths in Ers to the history of Terra’s gods and early peoples. And those secrets are not something that all Terrans can understand. This creates a high reading threshold for Ers.”

Leaving aside Ernst's critique of myths like "Kua Fu Chasing the Sun" and "Hou Yi Shooting Down the Sun," which Wei Yanwu and others described as humorous portrayals of fathers acting like sons, Ernst was surprised to find that the very "mythology" he had deliberately chosen to lower the reading barrier had the opposite effect.

Are the Terrans really that enlightened? You don't like reading epic, dramatic, and even slightly sexually suggestive myths in the foreign chapters? What do you think about in your daily lives? Do you ponder philosophical questions like "Who am I? Where did I come from? Where am I going?"

No way? Isn't Arknights a 2D anime game? Isn't Terra full of kemonomimi (animal-eared girls)? Although I haven't played it much, I've played Nekopara. Shouldn't my cat-eared female colleague's brain be full of lewd thoughts, thinking about how to seduce me? What are you trying to do by thinking about those things? Have your own life?

Ernst struggled with the question for a long time before finally concluding that "this is the real world now, so people's thinking is more normal."

In that case, Ernst skipped the mythological chapters, which were already difficult to write.

He picked up his pen, tapped the table, and then made up his mind to write the first large character of the new chapter of "The Chronicles of Erzley" on the paper of his diary.

[The Chronicles of Erzley – Britain]

The Legend of King Arthur

There are mythical legends—people with destinies similar to the red and white dragons, the sons of Liu Bang, Wang Mang, the Red Emperor, and the White Emperor! Vivian, the fairy of the lake, and Merlin, the great magician!

There are heroic epics—the Knights of the Round Table and the King of Knights, Camelot and Britain, and the sword that will choose the king!

Grand scenes await—the Knights of the Round Table rebel! The Anglo-Saxon invasion! The expedition to France!

There are also tragic and magnificent tales of heroes meeting their end when time waits for no one—the Battle of Camlann, where King Arthur and his bastard son Mordred fought a bloody battle and ultimately perished together!

Epic scale, gore, massive battles, interspersed with some simple yet captivating court politics and gossip: Morgana seduces King Arthur, a one-night stand results in Mordred's birth. And finally, an incredibly tragic ending!

How could this not be a hit? How could the general public in Terran not be happy to watch this?

Impossible, absolutely impossible!

Based on Ernst's past life experience, if this were made into a TV series or movie, it would rake in at least several hundred million, right? If some of the characters were gender-bent and the story was drastically altered, it might earn even more!

This is called the reasonable transfer of successful experiences, the accurate grasp of market pain points, and the innovative optimization of path selection!

Furthermore, Ernst went the extra mile, deliberately omitting any mention of the Lion Dynasty to avoid misunderstandings among the people of Victoria. He only mentioned the existence of the red and white dragons. While Victoria did indeed have a period ruled by "dragons" (Drac), how long ago was that?

According to Victoria's official statement, the Draco are now extinct. So naturally, nobody cares about these things anymore, right?

Is it possible for a dead Draco to suddenly come back to life and give you his opinion?

With his mind at ease, Ernst began to write furiously. Little did he know that not far behind him, Holhaia's workplace rival, Abrahina's spy sister, Miss Raphsini, the human furnace of Sherag, had already approached and was curiously looking at Ernst's manuscript.

Before long, her eyes were filled with shock and interest.

Chapter 208 Central Heating and Astronauts

Shelag, Shivaish Residence.

When Nastie, led by Horhysya, walked into Ernst's temporary office with a puzzled look on her face, she had no idea what she was about to face.

"The Balrog?"

A moment of shock flashed across Miss Banshee's face, and she looked Ernst up and down as if to confirm whether he was playing some old joke on her.

The Balrog was wiped out? When was that? Why don't you just say you captured a purebred Tikkaz?

Ernst had anticipated Nastya's suspicions.

After all, even the famous Terran commentator, Ms. Kal'tsit, commented on the Balrog with "I can't comment," so it's no wonder that others would doubt her words.

“I’m not joking. This matter is actually related to your Rhine Labs. If you don’t believe me, go ask Christen. She should know about the [Flame Demon Project].

As a major order placed with Rhine Lab by the military, the Flame Demon Project should have been known to Christensen, even if he didn't have time to participate directly.

Ernst gave a brief description of what happened in Colombia, omitting his sending Vina to find Vice President Wilson and the identity of Horhyah, and emphasizing the scene of Saria defeating the Flame Demon with three punches.

Seeing that Ernst had explained things in such detail, Nastie temporarily put aside her doubts.

Christen was easy to verify; a few questions would clarify the matter. Given the military and political connections involved, Ernst had no reason to lie about such things.

However, she still found it incredible.

Rhine Labs actually got involved in the Balrog incident? That doesn't make sense. Balrogs have been extinct for so long. Even the Sarkaz, the Balrog legacies that have survived have been lost or damaged due to war. Where did Rhine Labs get a living Balrog from?

Is it really possible to resurrect a soul from thousands of years ago?

Because their research areas didn't overlap much, Nastya and Levi had almost no contact, and she was unaware that Levi's research had reached such a high level.

Most importantly, as the only Sarkaz director at Rhine Lab, she knew absolutely nothing about the [Flame Demon Project]. Was Christen intentionally keeping it from me?

Feeling slightly annoyed, Nasti had already made up her mind to go up the Matterhorn in a while and confront Christen face to face.

As for now, facing Ernst's question, she pondered for a moment and replied:

“Mr. Ernst, the power of the Balrog is very strong. Although the Balrog under your command is not at its peak right now, judging from your description, his control over fire and other things is still quite good.”

"Time is limited, so I can only offer you two options for now."

She paused, organized her thoughts, took out a notebook from her bosom, flipped through it, and showed Ernst the ideas she had already written down.

"The climate in Kelago is cold. I have always intended to build a central heating system in Tukarim City to provide heating support for various infrastructures and public places in Tukarim. However, according to my calculations, the amount of Originium consumed each year would be quite high if this goal were to be achieved. If the Balrog could replace Originium as a heating energy source, the cost would be greatly reduced."

Nastie’s words were easy to understand, and Ernst immediately grasped them.

Isn't this the winter heating system implemented in northern China before the time travel?

In the previous life, major heating companies used electricity, but in Terra, there is Originium, a highly efficient energy source that can be described as a bug. Therefore, the entire industrial system was developed and built around Originium, and heating naturally became burning Originium.

Kjerag itself does not produce Originium; there are no Originium mines at all. Moreover, due to the influence of the god Yeragand, there are no individual Originium mines formed by natural disasters. A large amount of Originium energy needed for industry relies on imports from outside, which is why Kjerag's industry has always developed slowly—it is hampered by its energy bottleneck, so even if it wanted to develop quickly, it couldn't.

Why did Ernst show no interest when the Duke of Wellington offered to sell high-speed battleships to Sergei if Sergei acted as his lapdog? It was because they couldn't afford to operate them. Sergei's economy simply couldn't withstand the enormous financial drain caused by the cannon fire. Even if they bought the high-speed battleships, they would only serve as fixed gun emplacements. If they wanted to escape, they would be like the small navy during World War II, cut off from energy supplies by the Allies, unable to get very far before becoming stranded.

The act of purchasing warships is itself seen as a provocation. If troublemakers, such as the Duke of Kest, want to cause trouble, this would be enough to serve as a pretext for war—Sherlock's purchase of high-speed warships is seen as an attempt to invade Victoria.

It's laughable if word gets out, but what can you do? Victoria's blatant lack of knowledge about De Ernst is nothing new; it's a miracle he didn't spout nonsense with a bag of laundry detergent.

Even if it is necessary to develop such strategic weapons in the future, Ernst would prefer weapons such as "missiles" or "super-high yield Originium bombs". High-speed warships can be built secretly, but Ernst would never agree to buy them on a large scale.

Getting back to the main point, Nasti had never mentioned centralized heating to Ernst, Lola, or Anmer (Qingzhi) before. She probably considered that, given Kjerag's situation, such a large-scale project, while beneficial for future development, would be too costly. It would be more economical to place a large Originium furnace in each area at intervals.

The arrival of the Balrog solved this problem. This master of fire among the Sarkaz undoubtedly possesses extraordinary temperature control abilities. As long as he is willing to provide assistance, Nasti no longer needs to worry about the Originium fuel issue—the Balrog doesn't eat Originium; he eats food.

What? This Balrog is now a mecha, so it doesn't even eat?

What a great deal! This is a 100% reduction, even saving on food expenses. All that's needed is some "spiritual nourishment." Shelag lacks everything—supplies, technology, personnel—from top to bottom, except for this!

How about some "Hymns of Jeragund"? What? A bit too abstract? No problem, let me give you something more modern: "The Rise of the Kalan Trade: The Counterattack of the Cheese Snow Leopard"? What, still think it's outdated? Don't worry, Ernst can also give you something trendy: "The Chronicles of Erzley," a science fiction novel, an alternate world, super cool, are you satisfied now?

Ernst always held the utmost respect for such great laborers who selflessly dedicated themselves to social development, even to the point of not eating. He could even ask the great god Jeragund to grant him a divine stone to protect (monitor) his life.

The more Ernst thought about it, the more feasible Nastie's first proposal seemed. Intrigued, he then asked:

"What about the second one?"

"Secondly, I think Christen would be very interested in the Balrog's abilities."

Nasti said,

"Mr. Ernst may not know this, but the nature of the isolation layer, which is the core of the research at the Dome Research Station, is still a mystery to us Terrans."

"It is not as it appears on the surface, rejecting everything. In fact, according to experiments, drones, plants, Originium artifacts, etc., can all cross the isolation layer without interference. But only humans, or vehicles carrying humans, malfunction whenever they approach the isolation layer and are unable to go any further."

"There has long been a theory in academia that the isolation layer is a restriction on life on Terra set up by the legendary creator, and only by stepping out of the isolation layer can we touch the truth of the earth."

"Isn't this a bit like mythology?" Ernst couldn't help but complain.

But he quickly realized that the sky above was the universe, and the countless stars were actually planets, stars, planets, and satellites. These concepts were common knowledge to Ernst, but they were mysteries to the Terrans.

In a way, those scientists who promote "myths" have actually come into contact with the true truth of the earth in a slightly abstract way.

The land beneath our feet is actually part of a giant sphere.

Nastie did not comment on Ernst's criticism; for her, it was nothing worth mentioning.

After all, even she herself couldn't fully understand the meaning of what Christen was pursuing.

She simply suggested:

"The current Balrog is unlike any other form of life I know. According to you, he is now what Levi calls an Originium life form that carries consciousness through Originium and uses it to manipulate his external body."

"His current life form... Although I don't have a deep understanding of life sciences, I personally feel that it's a bit like a bug?"

“If this hypothesis is correct, he might have a chance to become the first Terran life form to cross the isolation layer. You can mention this to Christen; she will be interested in it.”

Ernst nodded thoughtfully.

Both options sound quite feasible.

Moreover, there doesn't seem to be any fundamental conflict?

Does that mean he can choose to have it all?

P.S.: Fatal Inc. is really good! It's been a long time since I've played such a fun team-building game. With mods, you can even have a 30-person company team working together. The last time I felt this way was with Goose and Duck Killer. Brothers, let's get started!

Chapter 209 Ers's Distribution Channels

Kjerag, Matterhorn Dome Research Station, construction site.

This was Ernst's first time here. He knew nothing about aerospace, and he couldn't understand what Kristen was building. But since neither Enciodis nor Lola had any objections to the Matterhorn construction site, it meant that Kristen wasn't building anything dangerous.

Ernst consistently supported the space program. No matter how fiercely the Terrans fought each other on Earth, they were ultimately just a group of trapped beasts; humanity's journey should be to the vast universe. In Ernst's previous life, the renowned Soviet scientist and father of Soviet spaceflight, Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, famously said something that is still widely known today:

"The Earth is the cradle of mankind, but mankind will not live in the cradle forever."

The same principle applies to the Terrans. It's just a pity that the two directions on this planet most likely to ignite a spirit of exploration and fighting spirit—the sea and the sky—are both tightly sealed off by unknown obstacles. Iberia, the first to come into contact with the sea, is now a gruesome corpse, its remaining traces reduced to withered bones, too weak to even walk with a cane. As for the sky, the existence of the barrier has ended people's dreams of spaceflight; many look up at the sky, but most have lost the desire to fly.

Ernst knew all too well that in today's turbulent times, finding the next scientist like Kristen, who possessed the perfect combination of ability, ideals, and luck, was extremely difficult. That was precisely why he felt compelled to do everything in his power to support this dream.

"That's all Ms. Nastya has to say. If you need the Balrog to undergo specific testing, I can have him cooperate with you."

Sending people flying over the barrier layer is a bold and risky idea; it's no exaggeration to say that in this process, life might even be a disposable commodity.

Ernst wasn't worried that Kristen would give up because of this; the scientist was somewhat obsessive about the space program. But Ernst couldn't just let the Balrog go up there and die. The necessary early experiments couldn't be skipped.

Christensen interlaced her fingers, her furrowed brow revealing her deep contemplation. After a moment, she nodded.

"I will be bringing Muirsey and Levi over soon. They are more knowledgeable about biological matters."

Even outside of Tremont, Kristen still wielded unquestionable control over Rhine Lab. Ernst even felt that Kristen received information about recent events at Rhine Lab faster than he did upon returning to Kjerag.

"Trying to bypass the screening mechanism of the barrier layer using Originium life forms? Not a bad idea. Muirse has recently collected quite a few Originium plants, which can be used to conduct experiments."

Seeing that Christen was about to get back into research mode, Ernst quickly interrupted:

"Madam, there is actually another important matter I have come to see you about today."

"Important matter?" Christensen's eyebrows furrowed slightly as her train of thought was interrupted, but she quickly regained her composure. "Go ahead."