Chapter 574: I'm an Invader, Not a Beast
Chapter 574: I'm an Invader, Not a Beast
The damage to the Flower Capital was severe, and even the highest point, the Heavenly Castle, had turned into ruins. Ghost Island was shattered, and the ground was littered with rubble, ranging from fist-sized stones to massive boulders.
However, this was not in vain. Strongbarl merged with the entire Flower Capital's ground, integrating the rubble and filling the deep pits that had been blasted open, gradually turning them into flat land.
The ruins of the Heavenly Castle also revealed an underground arsenal and a deeply hidden basement.
In the arsenal, Sage surveyed the neatly arranged weapons and couldn't help but smile, "Well, there's quite a number of them."
These weapons were mostly swords and blades, along with other cold weapons, a large amount of gunpowder and cannonballs, and on one side, there were several boxes.
Renetia reached out and touched a weapon, picking up a sword and tapping it thoughtfully, nodding, "So that's how it is."
"Do you know?" asked Sage.
"No."
"..."
Sage rolled his eyes, "I don't know what you're thinking about here?"
Renetia giggled, "But I know someone who knows! It's your turn to shine, Ah Qiang!"
From the crowd that had followed them, a man with a moon-shaped hairstyle stepped forward.
He bowed respectfully, "Princess Renetia, my name is Taro."
"Good, Ah Qiang, come and take a look." Renetia waved her hand.
Taro, who sought revenge against the Land of Harmony and wanted to completely crush Kin'emon's spirit, had also accompanied Sage to this place.
He stepped forward, took the katana, and tapped the blade with his finger, producing a crisp sound. After examining it carefully, he gripped the hilt and swung it backhanded towards his arm.
Blood flowed from the wound on his forearm, and he closed his eyes in contemplation for a moment before turning back to Sage and bowing, "Governor, this is Sakagura Iron Ore. When struck, it has a numbing effect."
Putting down the sword, he looked at the bullets inside one of the boxes, picked up a bullet, and licked it with his tongue, shaking his head, "Ordinary lead bullets, not made of Sakagura Iron Ore."
This was inevitable.
On the vast sea, lead bullets were the most commonly used due to their convenience and compatibility with various firearms, aside from their effectiveness against users of Aura.
For those truly proficient in Aura, lead bullets were sufficient.
Only a small number of special bullets made from other metals were used, primarily by those lacking in Aura or with low Aura levels, to increase their firepower.
For example, Letty, who had already mastered Armament Aura, but her capacity was pitifully small for her age, which was normal. Enhancing her combat power would rely more on her skills than Aura.
She wasn't a gunman or a sniper but favored abilities and technological bombardments.
Using Sakagura Iron Ore for bullets would be too wasteful, and they couldn't be recycled, unlike cold weapons, which were more practical since the effects of Sakagura Iron Ore were always present.
"This is a good business opportunity."
Sage stroked his chin and smiled, "Prioritize supplying our side, and for exports, we'll only sell 30%. I'll cover the remaining domestic demand and fund a major equipment upgrade."
In the vast sea, it was challenging to kill someone with ordinary swords and blades, no matter how good their quality was.
The people here, even civilians, had higher-than-average blood volume. Under equal conditions, it was more effective to incapacitate rather than kill. Weapons infused with Sakagura Iron Ore were in high demand.
"Sea Tower Stone!"
Renetia exclaimed, withdrawing her hand from a box, and said excitedly, "Sage, these are weapons made of Sea Tower Stone!"
"Oh, this is the real treasure."
Sage walked over and examined the boxes.
There weren't many boxes, but their contents were impressive. Sage picked up a bullet from a box and spun it between his fingers, smiling, "Sea Tower Stone bullets."
His posture seemed unaffected by the Sea Tower Stone.
He tossed the bullet back into the box and turned to the other containers.
There were bullets, nails, and finely ground Sea Tower Stone, possibly for making Sea Tower Stone nets.
Sage picked up an iron rod and ran his hand along its length to the tip, tapping the end, "This is Sea Tower Stone. Only the artisans of the Land of Harmony have the skill to refine Sea Tower Stone to this degree."
The vast sea was full of wonders.
The World Government, the most powerful force on the four seas, relied not only on the production of Sea Tower Stone in the Land of Harmony but also on their craftsmanship when dealing with ability users.
But now, this place belonged to Sage.
"Weapons aren't sold like this. This weapon factory is not up to scale. That idiot Kaido can't even distinguish between priorities. There are only so many here, which is probably all they have. The quantity is still pitifully small, indicating that even the artisans of the Land of Harmony cannot mass-produce them."
"The population issue."
Sage spoke, "Relocate a group of people to live in Wano Country, learn the artisan skills, and focus on mastering these crafting techniques. Once it's industrialized, that's all we need. Before that, the main focus should be on the iron ore and weapons factories, which are everywhere and ready to use. Quine."
"Boss."
Quine stepped forward.
"What's the model of your weapon factories? Are they artisan-based or assembly line-based? When I arrived, I saw black smoke rising from the high rock pillars here, so I assume they are assembly lines, right?" Sage asked with anticipation.
"Er..."
Quine scratched his head, "Boss, what's an assembly line?"
"It's a system where each person has a specific role, working with machines to maximize weapon production. Everything is standardized, with uniform procedures and specifications."
"We don't have that. All the weapons are crafted by artisans." Quine shook his head.
His primary guard post was at Rabbit Dumpling, where the mines and weapon factories were located, while other places lacked such facilities.
The high rock pillars with weapon factories were scattered throughout Wano Country, constantly emitting black smoke and serving as pollution sources.
Sage tugged at the corner of his mouth, "I really overestimated you. Renetia, this task is yours. Figure out the production process and set up a few assembly lines across Wano Country. Since the pollution is already here, let's go all the way. Use this place as a heavy industry base, and produce whatever pollution you need. The geographical location is also quite suitable."
"OK!" Renetia gave an 'OK' gesture.
This place was easy to defend and hard to attack, situated at a high altitude. While not entirely centralized, some heavily polluting industries could gradually be relocated here, creating a large-scale industrial hub.
Sage's industries were not entirely pollution-free.
Shipbuilding was clean, but he also sold cannons and gunpowder, providing a one-stop service for those buying his warships. Everything was available for the right price.
The weapon factories, in particular, were significant sources of pollution.
Previously, the factories were located in the southwestern mountains of the Ohara main island. Being mountainous, the area was left unused, and they directly set up factories there. However, over time, the pollution had become quite severe.
This issue had been reported by Lily long ago, but as a core industry, finding a suitable location was challenging. Placing it on a resource-deficient island was an option, but it would require a large garrison and even the deployment of a significant combat force.
Even then, there was no guarantee of security. If the Navy discovered it and launched an attack, or if an enemy went berserk at sea, they might not defeat his forces, but they could still ravage the island.
After much deliberation, he decided to keep the factories on the main island.
But now, the situation was different. Wano Country was an ideal location, difficult for others to access, and it would allow him to disperse his weapon factories, not putting all his eggs in one basket.
"Governor."
The accompanying Blaze frowned upon hearing this and asked, "May I inquire about the impact of these assembly lines and centralized polluting industries on this place?"
Although he couldn't imagine what might happen, his instincts told him something was amiss.
"What impact?"
Sage chuckled and turned to Quine, "How polluted is Wano Country currently?"
"The farmland is ruined, most animals are inedible, and the water is undrinkable, all containing toxins. Only a small portion remains usable. We've reached our limits; our factories are running at full capacity, and further pollution is impossible."
Quine added, "Regarding food, we used to handle it. We had an agreement with Black Coal Snake to provide them with healthy food, but only for them."
"No need to mention that. Lily is setting up the Den Den Mushi network, and she'll investigate along the way."
Sage waved his hand dismissively, "You've been here for twenty years, and this is the tyranny you've been practicing?"
Quine and Blaze exchanged puzzled glances.
"Food scarcity and reduced habitable land will undoubtedly lead to a decline in Wano Country's population. They are people! You bastards!" Sage cursed.
The two looked at each other, their confusion deepening.
"Quine was taken aback, "But if we do that, the people of Wano will starve to death."
Blaze nodded in agreement, "If we move all the polluting factories here, it would completely destroy any hope of survival in Wano. Even with our food supply, such a huge gap cannot be fully covered."
Just as they were discussing wealth, the other side was planning to starve everyone?
Even the radicals felt that Sage was being a bit too radical.
They followed Kaido's oppressive rule, but they never intended to let people starve.
After all, they still needed people to create weapons.
And their pirate crew, as far as they knew, was just a regular pirate crew.
Feeding tens of thousands was manageable when Kaido's territory was vast, but even then, it only sustained the survival of two hundred thousand pirates. The population of Wano, even at its lowest, exceeded this number, and Wano was a large country with a significant population.
"You can't supply enough, do you think Sage is just an ordinary pirate?"
Renetia proudly replied, "We are completely different from all the pirates on the high seas!"
Sage revealed a smile, "As a pirate, I'm not much different from Kaido in strength, and the gap isn't that significant. But when it comes to business and ruling, not ten Kaidos, no, not even a hundred Kaidos, can compare to me. The difference is like that between heaven and earth."
"Why resort to oppression? It's such a waste to leave a capable workforce idle."
Sage spread his hands, "Utilize all the people, pay them wages, and let them work. Don't just leave them idle. With money, they will be motivated to work hard for a better life."
"I have an abundant supply of food, not only clean but also delicious! With money, anything can be bought! If there are no fields, we can create clean living spaces. As long as the factories are far from residential areas, there won't be any issues."
"Mobilize all of Wano's people, boost domestic demand, and my canning factory will expand, creating more jobs and generating more tax revenue. It's a perfect cycle!"
Sage burst into laughter.
Regarding the issue of ruling Wano, there was no need for overthinking; the old methods would suffice.
Moreover, Kaido and Orochi's oppressive rule would make it easier for him to implement his plans.
First, crush the resistance with force, and then pacify the rest with rewards.
These people lived on the brink of starvation, constantly struggling for survival. Suddenly, they would have jobs, delicious food, clean water, and wages that could support not only themselves but also their families, with some left over.
Wasn't this better than farming? With the fields gone, Sage wouldn't need to figure out how to get them out of the fields; he would have a ready supply of capable workers.
Self-sufficient farmers turning into factory workers—that was productivity!
With this approach, the people of Wano wouldn't care about pollution. The land might be polluted, but not the people; they would live well!
"All problems are matters of demand, and I—"
Sage bared his teeth, "can solve most of the problems!"
He was actually offering money!
"This—"
Blaze's pupils constricted. It wasn't that he couldn't accept it, but he was completely at a loss for words, yet deeply impressed.
Was this even possible?
Was this how the world worked?
"It's impossible!"
Quine, on the other hand, understood, "How can this be done? The people of Wano hold a grudge against us; we are invaders. They won't follow our ideas, will they? Moreover, this is a challenging task, requiring too much effort. Even kings don't do this."
He understood but still believed it was unattainable.
No one on the high seas did such a thing.
"We are invaders, but we are not beasts."
Sage laughed, "Don't treat a minority as the majority."
What was an invader?
Invading a country, seizing territory, slaughtering natives, enslaving the locals, burning, killing, and looting—this would undoubtedly breed hatred.
But what if an invader only targeted those who threatened their rule, offered jobs and fair treatment to the rest, and even better conditions than they had before?
What if they turned starvation into full bellies, and then homes, families, and a future to look forward to?
He was still an invader.
But he could be an invader guided by the people.
"Kings can't do this—"
Sage's voice trembled with emotion, "But a nation can! I am—"
He spread his arms wide, and in the faces of Blaze and Quine, filled with shock and a hint of bewilderment, he roared with laughter, "A nation! Haahahaha!"
The wonder of this vast sea was that a single person's will could influence so many.
Within his territory, Sage's will was like the will of a nation.
Everyone he had brought together would rally behind his will, for he promised them more, a better life!
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
