Above The Sky
Chapter 1026 - 1026 114 High-Tech Development Zone 12

1026: Chapter 114: High-Tech Development Zone (1/2) 1026: Chapter 114: High-Tech Development Zone (1/2) Mojian raised his head, a cold smile playing on his lips as he looked at Elder Pude, ready to enjoy the sight of the elder’s face twisting in shock…

But what he saw was a rather peculiar expression.

Yes, Elder Pude’s countenance had indeed changed, but it wasn’t one of panic or astonishment.

Instead, it carried an air of… near pity, with a hint of a faintly amused sigh: “Ah, so there’s a Dragon Worship Cult raid on Xiawei Territory…

Hmm, crucial intelligence.”

The elder nodded and said, “Then wait for the news.

In a short while, you’ll be transferred to Xiawei Territory—at that time, you might just meet some familiar faces, or perhaps some ‘familiar’ ones.”

With that, Elder Pude turned and left, leaving behind Mojian, who was utterly bewildered.

“…What?”

In the prison cell, the black-haired swordsman of the Dragon Worship Cult was utterly baffled, unable to understand why Elder Pude had reacted in such a manner.

After all, wasn’t he a close elder of the Lord of Xiawei Territory?

How could he remain so indifferent to the news of his kinsman’s territory being attacked?

What’s more, Elder Pude didn’t even seem to have any intention of immediately informing Ian of this matter…

Did he really need to remind a Prophet?

Ian had foreseen the Dragon Worship Cult’s ambush on the convoy—how could he possibly miss the attack on his own territory?

He’s busy.

Best not to bother him.

—Which then brought up the question.

Did Ian foresee the Dragon Worship Cult’s forces attacking his territory?

The answer was, of course not.

But that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

To Ian, if he failed to foresee a ‘calamity’ he ostensibly should have been able to predict…

it actually implied just one thing.

That so-called ‘calamity’ simply caused no substantial losses at all.

In other words, it didn’t even qualify as a calamity.

Xiawei Territory.

A squad of elite operatives clad in dark green nightwear was silently advancing through the shadows of buildings, stealthily heading toward the city center.

After six months of development and Ian’s generous investments in construction, the city of Xiahui had now begun to take shape.

The current Xiahui City could roughly be divided into three sections.

The first was the central area, anchored by the cliff-top Lord’s Mansion, surrounded by various municipal and public buildings, such as a library under construction and a large energy furnace.

Situated centrally, these were easily accessible from all directions.

Locals had taken to calling this area the ‘Inner City District,’ a common structure among all major cities on Terra.

The second was a peripheral zone radiating outward from the Inner City District, comprising residential neighborhoods, trade zones, large baths, theaters, and other entertainment facilities.

These areas were collectively labeled the Outer City District, with wide, straight avenues dividing them, each serving a distinct function and protected by Magstorm Towers in each district.

While these defensive installations were slightly inadequate against squads skilled in covert infiltration, they were more than capable of repelling Magical Beasts or enemy military forces.

In an urban warfare scenario in Xiahui City, these Magstorm Towers could be a significant thorn in enemy operations.

And the third… was precisely the true target of this infiltrating elite squad.

The ‘High-Tech Development Zone’ located in the Western Sector of Xiahui City.

Of course, that was the territorial administration’s term for it.

Even locals still habitually referred to it as the ‘Alchemy Workshop District.’

This sector housed several large-scale research facilities dedicated to alchemical agriculture, military weapon development, and soul alchemy.

It was also home to departments managing and developing the production of all kinds of alchemical potions, making it the literal heart of Xiahui Territory.

Every visiting emissary from external trade guilds who had toured the High-Tech Development Zone had nothing but praise for Xiahui’s urban planning.

Beyond the advanced technical structures in the district, its very blueprint was seen as cutting-edge city design.

To support the development and demand from the High-Tech Development Zone, several major markets and residential zones were being built around it.

In most cities, development would gradually slow at this stage because of labor shortages—a common issue in alchemical industrialization.

But Xiahui Territory was an exception.

Mountain People from the depths of the Bison Mountain Range, along with residents from surrounding villages, were steadily migrating to this burgeoning city.

Under the aegis of the Emissary of the Dragon God, the elite population of the Mountain People was being siphoned off.

Although it had the semblance of exploitation, this was an inevitable phase in urban development.

Moreover, as the New Agriculture Building gained popularity, the agricultural workforce within the Bison Mountain Range itself would be liberated, creating another reservoir of human resources.

In short, under Ian’s planning, Xiahui City was booming.

But while Ian’s progress was cause for celebration for some, it was a source of great anxiety for others…

The forces from Fiery Flame Land, a name familiar to all Southern Ridge People, were particularly troubled by Xiahui’s rapid rise.

As part of their plots, inciting Mountain People rebellions to destabilize development in the Southern Ridge region was a pivotal yet seemingly failproof tactic.

If they could ignite a Mountain People’s rebellion, mistrust would seep between the Empire and the Mountain People, no matter how the respective sides chose to react.

Internally among the Mountain People, those supporting the Empire would clash with those siding with Fiery Flame Land, shattering their unity.

On top of that, destroyed agricultural fields would plunge much of the population into famine, causing waves of starving refugees to overwhelm other cities and villages in the Southern Ridge, triggering chaos and destruction.

In such a scenario, the Nanling Province would no longer be able to support the Western Province, the main battleground.

But no one had anticipated that Marquis Barton and the Imperial Nobility would counter their every move so perfectly.

First, Marquis Barton leveraged his Imperial Capital connections and military authority to suppress the Mountain People rebellion, erasing any mention of it from official Imperial records… With no lingering worries, the Mountain People could be magnanimously forgiven by the Empire, rewarded even, fostering a closeness unseen in two hundred years.

As a result, Fiery Flame Land was left the jester in this drama, inadvertently becoming the lubricant for the Mountain People’s integration into the Empire.

The emergence of Ian, self-proclaimed Emissary of the Dragon God, further dismantled Fiery Flame Land’s elaborate schemes.

Whether supportive of the Empire or aligned with Fiery Flame Land, the Mountain People rallied behind their shared faith, their mutual allegiance overshadowing any inner discord.

At the very least, internal conflicts remained subdued, no longer an explosive force undermining trust and order among the Mountain People.

Not to mention, Ian’s introductions of new technologies, his connections in the Imperial Capital Plains, and his collaboration with Canaan Moore comprehensively solved the Mountain People’s food crises.

The Southern Ridge was now tranquil and prosperous.

With substantial Imperial support, numerous munitions factories were being constructed around Nauman City, while Xiahui Territory received subsidies to establish an entire High-Tech Development Zone.

These developments offered the Mountain People from the Bison Mountain Range endless access to new technologies, while low-priced industrial products were sold to the Mountain People, accelerating their modernization.

Disrupting the order of a primitive tribal region wasn’t difficult, but upending the peace of a thriving, modernizing community… that was a monumental challenge.

After all, when people have food, clothes, entertainment, and leisure, who would favor chaos?

—The crux of the Western War Zone’s problem wasn’t the front lines; it lay in the Southern Ridge!

—The root of the Southern Ridge region’s problems wasn’t Nauman City; it was the Mountain People!

—The issue with the Mountain People wasn’t rooted in the Bison Mountain Range; it lay within Nauman City!

—And at the heart of Nauman City was the High-Tech Development Zone!

This was a sound and logical deduction: the elite forces of Fiery Flame Land believed that even if they couldn’t reallocate combat forces to the Southern Ridge anytime soon, they had to sabotage Xiahui’s High-Tech Development Zone to slow the Mountain People’s progress.

Otherwise, within a year or two at most, under Ian’s leadership, the Mountain People from the Bison Mountain Range would merge into an unbreakable force.

With this rising star of a brilliant Lord at the helm, the Southern Ridge would become unassailable.

At that point, not even deploying an Iron Wing Dragon flock would cause meaningful disruption.

The Empire, led by the Mountain People, might even breach secret mountain paths in the Bison Mountain Range to launch a counterassault against Fiery Flame Land itself!

However, infiltrating Xiahui City for sabotage was no simple task.

Fiery Flame Land understood that a True Dragon at the Third Energy Level resided near Xiahui Territory.

Though still young, a Third Energy Level being would easily detect any attempts to infiltrate its domain.

Sending multiple Third Energy Level operatives would attract Imperial intelligence and provoke increased vigilance.

Moreover, a Second Energy Level team might lack the firepower to inflict substantial damage.

As luck would have it, while Fiery Flame Land’s task force was mulling over how to deploy an adequately destructive team, the actions of the Dragon Worship Cult from Canaan Moore targeting Ian gave them the diversion they needed: as long as these operatives launched their attack, all attention would shift to Harrison Port!

The movements of these foreign Dragon Worship Cult members provided the perfect smokescreen to obscure their true objectives!

“At this point, True Dragon Xio remains unaware of our presence, and the two Second Energy Level defenders in Xiahui Territory have left for Harrison Port.

As long as we breach the High-Tech Development Zone, we only need three minutes to utterly destroy most of the area!”

The squad leader, a long-dormant spy from Fiery Flame Land now activated for this critical moment, made his calculations.

As he surveyed the number of alchemical bombs in their possession, he confirmed that they were enough to devastate the majority of the zone upon detonation.

Nodding slightly, he smiled with satisfaction, “Timing our operation during the True Dragon’s slumber—our two months of intel work won’t go to waste!”

“We’re closing in on the target area.

Stay alert, everyone!”

While the stealth squad pressed forward silently through the shadows…

In the High-Tech Development Zone, Adalbert, who had just concluded some self-initiated overtime, stared blankly at the bright, glowing entities within his ‘Nether Vision Field.’