Above The Sky
Chapter 543 - 543 512 You Must Stand at the Summit 54

543: Chapter 512: You Must Stand at the Summit (5/4) 543: Chapter 512: You Must Stand at the Summit (5/4) What do ordinary people really represent to the Sublimators?

Perhaps it is only to ensure the scale of The Empire, to safeguard the potential of the “future,” and to cultivate more geniuses and Sublimators with a greater base number that they continue to protect these “ordinary people.”

The reason why Ian of Inega II could persuade the major groups within The Empire to implement universal education was not only because of his strength, but probably also because other groups harbored the notion that universal education could enhance the quality of citizens and create more Sublimators to bolster their influence.

The Emperor dines on meat, and they can sip the broth.

Everyone is ultimately a subject, no match for Emperor Inaga and the First Knight.

Since that’s the case, so be it, follow their lead, and sipping the broth isn’t bad at all.

But in the end, due to excessive technological advancement, these educated ordinary people instead lost their channels to advancement—Inega II miscalculated human nature, thinking that learning and acquiring more knowledge was a reward in itself, but many did not see it that way.

They needed a more direct, more tangible “reward.”

Among these people, indeed, a batch of Sublimators emerged in greater numbers than in the past, but far fewer than imagined, leading to social unrest in many regions.

The Empire recognized the benefits of universal education but also its “disadvantages,” and Inega II’s demise made them wary of this policy, willing only to invest in those certain talents and Spirit Energy Users who could definitely become Sublimators.

The reason why Ian could receive so many privileges along the way is precisely because of the continuation of this policy—he was chosen by the system, and that is why his rise was so meteoric.

This is why Ian received so much favor from the Nobles and even prompted Michael, a Crown Prince, to come warn him personally.

Because he is an “investment that can reliably reap rewards and not cause chaos.”

A surefire, no-loss stock.

Enough to make people invest heavily.

As for the ordinary people, they just need to be protected.

For most of the Terra Sublimation rulers, they only need the elites among the ordinary people, to select these individuals and turn them into Sublimators.

Whether the rest of the mediocre ordinary people can be educated or have hopes and dreams is inconsequential.

They don’t care.

—This has already… transcended the issue of class.

“This is a separation.

A near-impossible chasm to bridge, caused by technology that is beyond the era!”

When Ian learned that The Empire had already mastered the technology of “Inscription Intelligence” capable of producing “Alchemical Potions,” his heart soared with ‘ecstasy’, but then gradually ‘cooled.

The ecstasy was because Terra’s artificial intelligence technology had a foundation, suggesting that the world’s productivity would soon experience an explosion—if it could be made practical, then productivity could boom, and Terra would be ready to become a near interstellar civilization at any moment.

But the cooling came from a simple question.

—So what if it explodes?

A Fourth Energy Level… No, a Fifth Energy Level, could destroy it all at any moment.

Even without destruction, who could consume all this bursting productivity?

Give it away for free?

Offer it for free?

Provide benefits without compensation?

What a joke, such a thing never happened in my previous life, expecting the Alchemy Workshop run by Sublimators to do such a thing?

Even with Inega II’s authority and power, they would still resist…

—Oh.

The young man finally understood why, why Inega II was betrayed by nearly all his old companions back then.

Because that naive guy, that supremely genius guy who overlooked the problems under his feet, really intended to do it.

“It’s probably because he wanted to launch a welfare giveaway to everyone… That’s not running, that’s rocket jumping to a utopian society.

My past life’s homeland didn’t manage it, and could only rely on interstellar expansion to consume resources, tackling symptoms through infinite productivity through interstellar colonization—but the root causes remained unaddressed.”

“Without four or five Fifth Energy Level individuals endorsing the reform, daring to advocate such changes?

Considering that era, our Cheharlowa Family even developed the technology of Eternal Echo, everyone thought about being tormented by Inega II for their lifetimes and future generations, no wonder all revolted.”

“Not to mention the Crown Prince of that time.

Everyone probably held a compromising mindset of ‘The Emperor and the First Knight are too strong, we can’t oppose them, and even if we could, the cost would be too great, better to endure and wait for them to die of old age,’ and then accidentally learned of the eternal life technology, even just the Mirror Echo kind of stuff… They were frightened and thus had to fiercely ‘counterstrike.'”

“And at that time, Inega II’s base support, the emerging productivity, Alchemy Association, and other forces were probably still tallying up bankruptcy.”

Ian chuckled bitterly in his heart, the more he understood about the world of Terra, the more he found it fraught with problems.

People?

Not lacking.

Technology?

There’s no lack of it.

Social system?

As long as you’re powerful enough, do whatever you want.

But here lies the problem: what does it mean to be powerful enough?

Originally, Ian thought that the Terra People’s lack of enthusiasm for universal education was due to simple reasons like ‘even if they learn, they can’t find jobs,’ or ‘the mismatch between productivity and education’—that’s easy to solve.

Just gradually build an industrialized society.

By improving productivity and increasing the citizens’ purchasing power at the same time, Terra could swiftly enter a modern society.

But now, it seems that the issues of ‘even if they learn, they can’t find jobs’ and ‘the mismatch between productivity and education’ are indeed correct.

Yet, the reality is completely the opposite.

In terms of production technology, Terra had developed ‘artificial intelligence,’ which meant that ordinary people could study all they wanted, but it would be useless—how could average people ever compete with artificial intelligence!

Sublimators were also disinterested in this since what they needed were sufficiently ‘powerful’ alchemical potions, only producible by Alchemy Masters, or even high-level alchemical potions that required the assistance of a ‘soul’ to manipulate.

Artificial intelligence couldn’t provide this, and neither could ordinary people.

Therefore, The Empire didn’t dare to continue researching and felt that universal education was meaningless.

Because if they were to develop an Inscription Intelligence that could even possess a soul… wouldn’t that mean, apart from ordinary people, the current alchemists would also become unnecessary?

And would that truly spark a revolt from the entire Sublimator class?

“The technology left by the pre-era civilizations is sometimes really no blessing… Alas, excessively powerful technology is truly a disaster; it can completely destroy the potential for an era to develop, turning the whole society deformed.”

Engulfed in fervent contemplation, Ian spoke slowly.

“I understand now.”

The words of the young man made Michael, who was about to leave in a glow of light, halt his steps, “Your Highness, you think the Former Emperor’s mistake was that he wasted too much time on ordinary people.

Moreover, these ordinary people are like grass that sways with the wind, easily swayed by a bit of propaganda, smear, deception, and alteration, to change their stance and hate those who truly cared for them.”

“So, ordinary people…

they just help whoever wins.

They need to be won over, but what’s more crucial is to first make oneself stronger, to ensure one’s own victory.

Otherwise, everything becomes meaningless.”

“Instead of being nice to ordinary people from the start, it’s better to choose a genius, cultivate them to the Fifth Energy Level, strengthen one’s own forces, and then be able to do more.”

“Kindness and love without the support of strength will definitely be twisted, twisted into… tyranny.”

Michael stood with his back to Ian, listening silently to his words.

“Indeed.” He only spoke softly after the young man finished, his expression unseen, his tone indiscernible: “Isn’t this land just like that?

Ian, why weren’t you born a hundred years earlier, to catch the era of your grandfather?”

“If back then, beside your grandfather, there had been one more at the Fifth Energy Level, history would have changed.”

But there wasn’t.

Inega II had died.

“Ian, you are truly intelligent,” the second prince turned to face Ian.

Before leaving, Michael said for the first time with such solemnity, “But the way you look at things is too focused on the technology itself; it lacks altitude.”

“Your life in South Ridge let you experience the hardships of ordinary people firsthand.

I understand; I truly have done similar things.

But you’re already a Lord, and even though you might not take office so soon, it’s time you understood.”

“Compared to the simple happiness of a group of people, ensuring the stability of the city and province where they live is far more important.

You must realize, aside from The Empire, there are many other forces, other strong individuals at High Energy Levels.

We are restraining and opposing each other, with the vast majority of resources being thrown into this bottomless pit, and within our lifetimes, we must continue to throw.”

“All technology, all resources, must be skewed in this direction—we can’t change this distribution of resources, even if there are better options.

But if this change will cause turmoil and dramatic upheaval, then we cannot do it.”

“We cannot afford to be good, because transitioning from bad to good will create vulnerabilities, and we are competing to see who fails first, who shows their weaknesses first.”

“Ian, you can’t think about peaceful development, you can’t indulge in such luxuries.”

“You must divert resources to contend against the destruction by Magical Beasts and other nations—a destruction that’s much easier than construction—you must protect the peace and stability of this land, and that’s when you’ll have to make sacrifices.”

The Crown Prince extended his hand, his right hand resting on Ian’s shoulder, while his left hand lifted, pointing towards the distance… Ian knew that it was the direction of the Imperial Capital Upper City District: “You’re the kind of person who can stand at the highest point, Ian.

You will become a heavy minister of The Empire, standing on the peak of the Imperial Capital.”

Michael stated almost gravely: “Whether it’s me or someone else who finally becomes the Emperor… even if it’s the Emperor himself seeing you now, he would cultivate you.

You will become one of them.”

“You need to learn this way of thinking.”

“Ian, you must stand on the mountain peak!”