Chapter 368: A Year of Abundant Harvest (8)
After her daily inspection, Ling Feng returned to the farm, feeling uneasy.
Three full days passed, during which time spies were arrested daily for Xiao Qiuyinghua's crimes, and the workload on the farm was further increased to lure the enemy out, yet the enemy remained silent. It was truly absurd that someone so capable of such a commotion could remain so peaceful.
Fifid floated over and plopped down on the specially designed, oversized sofa. "The barracks' operations have been hampered... I heard the terrorists from the Jinghua Festival have reappeared. They must be behind this. How despicable!"
"Is that so?" Ling Feng said calmly, "Those terrorists played a significant role in the passage of the bill."
Upon hearing this, Fifeide flew into a rage. "The passage of this bill is the result of the joint efforts of the city-state's people of integrity! Captain Lingfeng, as a member of the Divine Guard, how can you speak for those criminals?"
"I just don't think it would be such a coincidence. Do you really think a few legendary Element Fives would go to such great lengths to infiltrate the city-state just to kill our third captain?"
Fifid remained silent, clearly sensing something. But he persisted, "This isn't the first time that the heretics have used such tactics to sow discord. The more critical the situation, the more we must trust our companions. I believe in Speaker Parriman's love for the city-state."
"I believe it too. I believe that man absolutely loves the city-state, but..."
He doesn't seem to like the sacred tree.
Ling Feng hesitated to speak and sighed secretly in his heart.
So what if there were speculations? So what if the Speaker had selfish motives? We were all high-ranking officials in the city-state, and we naturally knew that there was no such thing as absolutely pure water. Now that we had chosen sides, there was nothing more to say. When this was all over, we would naturally know who was right and who was wrong...
At this moment, the alarm suddenly sounded, and an armed farmer knocked on the door and reported: "Xiao Qiuyinghua has detected a large number of anti-bill elements! They are throwing a large number of unknown plants onto the surface!"
"Finally, they showed up." Fifid perked up. "What's the total number?"
The informant swallowed his saliva: "No... I don't know..."
Fifid frowned: "What do you mean I don't know?"
"There are too many of them! They're everywhere, covering the whole sky and earth. Even Xiao Qiuyinghua can't count them all!"
·
"Let me explain this battle plan. The enemy relies on Xiaoqiu Yinghua's intelligence, but every system has its limits. The attack during the Jinghua Festival proved that if a large number of warning signals appear in a short period of time, even an efficient team like the Third Team will be unable to handle them in time." Wilbert pointed at the map. "We will mobilize all our manpower at the beginning of the operation. Each team will advance to the surface in batches through all channels, aiming to catch the enemy off guard."
Ji Huaisu questioned, "What about the sanctions from the fake sacred tree? Even if they were to adjust their output to the minimum, the little animals here would be powerless to fight back."
"We've prepared a countermeasure for this." Velvet clapped her hands. "Please ask Gardener Gulbo to present the results."
Gulibo hopped onto the conference table, dragging a large hemp sack, and proudly displayed the finished product. The bag was a sea of white, with white lotuses piled high like a mountain.
"After obtaining Ji Huaisu's previous test data, we improved the white lotus variety and successfully achieved mass production. Now the white lotus can be effective within a certain area and supports the pre-infusion of kindness energy. Moreover, its petals have become as delicious as potato chips!"
Shi Zhong, who was standing by, breathed weakly, "The price I paid was that I was almost drained dry..."
Ji Huaisu selectively ignored Shi Zhong's complaints and took a bite of the flower. "Holy crap, seriously! It's delicious."
"I want one too." "It tastes really good..." "Do you have any other flavors?"
Gulibo was so anxious that he jumped up and down: "Wait until the battle is over before eating! These are important weapons!"
A middle-aged Gubo tribe member whispered to Grandpa Zuzu, "Grandpa Zuzu, I still don't understand how we succeeded."
"Don't think... feel it, Bo!" Grandpa Zuzu was obviously more mature and steady. "Anyway, the method Guli Bo came up with is useful, so just follow it, Bo."
Velvet promptly stopped the attendees from snacking. "We will release a large amount of white lotus flowers onto the surface and beneath the farms to neutralize the mind controller's influence with a barrier of kindness. After that, I will use my telekinesis to broadcast another fact that the farmers are still unaware of."
"What is it?"
"This is based on the trade records of Fifede Farm." Velvet smiled. "I believe this will be very helpful in winning votes."
After she gave a brief explanation and announced the conclusion, all the locals in the meeting felt their scalps tingling.
"I'm participating in the operation with the same awareness as if I were going to the battlefield."
"If we let these idiots keep doing this... Jingsha will be doomed..." Grandpa Zuzu nearly had a heart attack. "Everyone, come on! Show these idiots the truth!"
·
"The enemy is throwing flowers! They're everywhere!"
"Enemy scattering flowers has appeared in the underground factory!"
"Report! This flower is quite delicious..."
Fifid was almost furious: "No eating flowers! Is that even right?! The United Divine Guards must restrict their actions and control the situation as soon as possible!"
The farmers said weakly, "Your Excellency, we... can't control that thing..."
"How can they be so fully armed—" Fifid gasped, "For the Lord's sake!"
Its massive form was shrouded in an even more terrifying shadow, like a mountain rising from the horizon, its shadow enveloping everyone like night. The mountain's true form was a giant warrior constructed from dead wood, its head shaped like a warrior in a helmet, its eyes gleaming with a cherry blossom-colored light.
Level 5 War Plant, Hardwood Pioneer!
The Hardwood Pioneer rained down white blossoms, sending small animals shrieking and fleeing. Inside the cockpit on his chest, Gulibo exclaimed excitedly, "I did it! I've wanted to grow this since I was a kid!"
"It feels so good to run on the ground, hahaha!" Shi Zhong laughed heartily.
This cockpit is made of a network of stone seed vines, because the core of this oversized war plant is actually a stone seed that has grown into a small tree...
Faced with the challenges of scarce underground resources and limited space, Velvet proposed a groundbreaking solution: planting her own sacred tree within the plant shells, instantly resolving the energy supply issue. With the combined efforts of the Gubo tribe's Anxunsi cultivation method and stone seeds, this traditional transplant method actually succeeded. A force of 5 particles rose from the ground, a sight that would have irritated even devout followers of the sacred tree to the point of a stroke.
But Lord Shenshu himself seems quite happy, so it shouldn't matter.
"If you have the ability, you should go to the front lines!" Shizhong said confidently, "Let's train him into a level 6 Kuchiki Warrior in one go!"
"That consumes too much energy, you can't handle it. You should at least upgrade it to a particle 4 Fumigation Essence before you consider it."
“Being a plant is really inconvenient…”
By this time, the armed peasants were nearly terrified. Some of the Divine Guards were still holding on, but their attacks had no effect on the Hardwood Vanguard. White lotus flowers fluttered and fell across the entire Fourth Vein Order. Many citizens were startled when they came into contact with the flowers, scratching their heads in confusion.
"It's a bit strange..."
"Are you trying too hard?"
"I don't even work this hard when I'm working for my own family..."
The time was ripe. Gulbo moved the console aside, and Velvet inserted her cane and activated the Hardwood Vanguard as the primary antenna. The mental signal was transmitted to the citizens' minds, and Shizhong adjusted his tone, speaking in the gentle voice of an elder.
"I am an old acquaintance of the Thorn Tree, another sacred tree that protects the so-called 'anti-bill elements.' Citizens of the Fourth Vein, please listen to me."
A sacred tree. It was the Senluo sacred tree. Similar divine power. A kindred spirit of the gods. A familiar ripple echoed through the chaotic mental signals. Stoneseed's words carried a natural credibility, for the farmers, so close to nature, would never mistake the aura of a sacred tree.
"We oppose the city-state's independence, and naturally we have our reasons. After independence, tens of billions of lives on the surrounding Dust Islands will be starved and slaughtered by the outsiders. This should be more or less clear to everyone..."
Ten billion?! Is that so much?
Alarmist, right? So many lives lost.
We're not that important! Ultimately, that's the business of other Dust Islands—
"After independence, the Jingsha Sacred Tree will suffer severe damage, and the Fourth Vein will also face an unprecedented depression. I wonder if you are all aware of this?"
!!!!!!!!!!!!
Shi Zhong spoke calmly, "All prosperity comes from roots. The millennia-long fertility of Jingsha relies on the irrigation power of the sacred tree... But have you ever thought about where Jingsha's divine power comes from?
The answer is unity. The Jingsha sacred tree is the god of unity. Mutual assistance, unity, mutual support between individuals and groups—positive behaviors like these are the key to Jingsha's prosperity!
This unity, on the battlefield, means we defend the front lines for all living beings. In the fields and other rear areas, it means we exchange resources for mutual benefit with all living beings. The Jingsha City-State has always been the granary and economic hub of the Allied World. We provide resources to tens of thousands of Dust Islands, and the Divine Tree gains strength from this trade. This is also a cycle that is extremely beneficial to the Divine Tree.
After independence, the air routes were cut off. Where will you sell your food?"
Velvet unfolded the chart at the right moment, and Shizhong directly poured the information and calculation process into the farmers' heads: "The answer is 'none'! In the early days before the route was rebuilt, all the grain could not be sold. And after the route was rebuilt, trade became meaningless because our old customers died after independence!
If the massively produced grain cannot be sold, Jingsha will not be able to generate any profit. The direct result is that Jingsha's body will be severely weakened due to a lack of divine power... Jingsha's economic system will collapse after a series of chain reactions, and the entire Fourth Meridian will fall into a depression that will last for more than 10 years!
The farmers listened to the sacred tree's words in a daze, the shocking figures flashing before their eyes. The calculator coldly calculated the changes in each family's income, presenting the poverty every month for the next ten years in the coldest figures. A few intelligent ones were the first to understand the situation, almost fainting on the spot, while the sacred tree continued to speak in a gentle voice:
"After that, there will be no free trade. To maintain the survival of the city-state, the fields and other populated areas will be subject to a wartime planned distribution system for a long time. You will all endure the next 10 years in cold and weakness...
If the Speaker's plan goes smoothly, the independent Shenshu might thrive again. However, Shenshu would no longer be united, and I can't imagine what life would be like for its citizens.
"As a friend, I offer you another option. If we gather your citizens' wishes, the independence bill will be put to a new vote. Please consider your own choices carefully."
The broadcast ended, and the Stone Seed extinguished the spiritual connection. The entire Harvest Field was silent for a full half minute due to the overwhelming impact.
Then, a voice of fear rang out.
"I've never heard of such a thing..."
"Will tens of billions of people die?!"
"What is a 10-year depression?!"
"The previous battle rotations weren't this bad!"
“Will my family’s farm go bankrupt?”
Amidst the clamor, a nervous farmer yelled, "Who's going to buy my fruit from now on? Who's going to buy my fruit?!"
Panic, astonishment, confusion, anger. A multitude of emotions erupted in the crowd. Under the combined influence of the White Lotus and the Divine Tree broadcast, the previously united citizens were instantly thrown into chaos. Separatists accused the wavering factions of betrayal, while the wavering factions accused the separatists of a cover-up. Conflict threatened to erupt.
As the leader of the separatists, Fifede was the most criticized, and the angry farmers almost devoured him. He shouted, "Everyone calm down! The sacred tree itself said that the depression is temporary! We just need to be patient for a few more years. After the depression ends, the sacred tree will prosper again!"
An armed farmer smashed his rake on the ground: "If I become independent, I'll starve for ten years. If I don't become independent, I'll starve for ten years too! Then my independence wouldn't have been in vain!!"
"Independence is good for the sacred tree!"
"Bullshit! The sacred tree itself said it would become weak! You are acting like tree traitors for your own safety!"
"You quit after hearing your family is losing money. You're the real traitor!"
The situation deteriorated rapidly, the team collapsed from within, and the independents were at a loss for command. The sanctions from the Divine Tree were certainly effective, but how could they be issued to hundreds of millions of people? And the speaker was another Divine Tree, which frightened even the most steadfast independents.
Lord Shenshu himself said so, what else is there to question?
Fifid was so anxious that he almost flew up: "Captain Lingfeng, where are you? Come and maintain order!"
"——If you can't spare my help, you have to figure it out yourself!"
"What?!"
·
In the fourth meridian, in the north, Ling Feng angrily cut off the communication. She floated in the azure sky, the vast expanse of space, everywhere open to her.
But she couldn't go anywhere, because the woman in knight armor was floating in front of her.
"Let the people handle their own disputes..."
Ji Huaisu put on his dragon-head arm armor and sneered, "The grudges between the police should be settled by the police themselves!"
(End of this chapter)
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