Meteor Fall Master in the 'Starry Abyss'
Chapter 429 - 68. Valenkov Autonomy (Part 1)

Chapter 429: 68. Valenkov Autonomy (Part 1)

The Red Arrow People would likely be greatly shocked by the emergence of the Pathway architecture, and Li Aozi also notified N4, telling her that this was her only chance to break into the Red Arrow market.

The Red Arrow Empire leaned toward trade protectionism in its economic strategy, and its style of operation was extremely domineering. Mingji Heavy Industries was not well-received locally, making it easy for the local courts and government of Red Arrow to find fault.

Today they inspect your fire safety, tomorrow your taxes, the day after your social security—what company could withstand such devastation, especially a behemoth like Mingji, which needed at least twenty thousand employees to function? How could you ensure that each inspection was error-free?

Even machines malfunction, let alone people.

The White Obelisk increased the probability of Mutants’ emergence, and the Red Arrow Empire not only needed this but also couldn’t compete technologically with Mingji Heavy Industries, making it an excellent opportunity.

For Mingji Heavy Industries, exiting the Frost Plated Market was somewhat painful, but compared to the Red Arrow market, it was acceptable.

Moreover, from Li Aozi’s experience, the Frost Plating Federation under David Lyn’s rule was actually quite friendly to foreign companies; it wasn’t necessarily a complete defeat for Mingji Heavy Industries.

After all, they could just register a new company and start from scratch; it was just a ghost reincarnation, just a loss of a few hundred billion Derby.

With the strength of Mingji Heavy Industries, they would eventually earn it back.

As for how N4 perceived this real opportunity as a birthday gift—Li Aozi didn’t bother with that for the time being.

Due to her character Specialty and Talent, Li Aozi couldn’t see any changes in her Favorability, but presumably, just the market share of Red Arrow would please her.

On the other hand, operating the White Obelisk was an interesting affair.

Within the range of the Pathway architecture, as a Pathway Pioneer, he could freely inspect the situation.

One could imagine that Red Arrow would soon find that they couldn’t dismantle this object and would eventually calm down to observe and study it, soon realizing that Li Aozi was behind it.

Considering that Li Aozi held a green card for Red Arrow, the Red Arrow Empire probably wouldn’t be too troubled and would just see it as mutual beneficial exchange.

Ah, thinking about it, what a warm-hearted, loyal patriot he was, not only caring for his never-met homeland from the beginning but also pouring vast resources and effort for them by providing massive intelligence, with Red Arrow only needing to bear a bit of diplomatic pressure.

He was indeed so gentle, Li Aozi felt he could die from weeping.

The Red Arrow Empire did have an Arcane Energy Training School, but initially, the purpose was to prevent these people with Superpowers from being abducted by malicious groups for research, performance, or weaponization, and to protect these naturally awakened Superpower Users from straying down the wrong path.

After all, those who wield power are inherently a threat to the existing system.

Ironically, because of racial and environmental reasons, Red Arrow conducted extensive research on Calamity substances, and the misuse of various technologies and hormones led to a high mutation rate among Arcane Users.

This wasn’t the kind of Bio-Giant research that Mingji Professor did; instead, it was genuinely protective research.

Every year, just handling the crimes and education of these Arcane Users would cost several billion Galun.

From this perspective, Li Aozi’s presence was indeed a mutual beneficial exchange.

"This White Obelisk, it really is a great thing."

Upon careful study, Li Aozi discovered that he could store the Arcane Energies he designated in the White Obelisk for players and NPCs to ’rent’.

NPCs also had a benefit; that these people were unlikely to run away. They had stable incomes and fixed living environments. Although they provided less Experience, stability was consistent and long-term.

Li Aozi stored his own "Gravity", "Eye of Truth", and "Blood of Eternity" in it. "Calamity" was a bit hazardous as an Arcane Energy; after learning the truth about Arcane Energy from Madame Liue, and that it had significant risks through creator authority, Li Aozi felt it was safer to be cautious.

He knew that the four Sequential Arcane Energies required by a Meteor Fall Master were completely without side-effects, or rather, had no significant risks to mention. Yet in Madame Liue’s account, there seemed to have been some serious accidents and dangers, which made Madame Liue very secretive and fearful to discuss.

But Li Aozi would not give up on expanding.

"Gravity" was the entry and core Arcane Energy for a Meteor Fall Master; to ascend to an Echoer, one first had to master "Gravity" Arcane Energy.

On the other hand, "Gravity" was one of the milder Arcane Energies he possessed. Most people would just confuse this with Telekinesis, but they were completely different.

While nominally a force, Gravity’s essence was the distortion of spacetime; in other words, this object was almost the father of all spacetime-based abilities.

Whatever spacetime-based abilities could do, Gravity could do; what spacetime-based abilities failed to do, Gravity could also do, and what both spacetime and Gravity couldn’t do—"Electromagnetic Force" could accomplish.

There was a clear hierarchy among Arcane Energies, and Li Aozi himself wouldn’t dare to say he could match "Gravity" against the supremely powerful sequences one, two, and three.

While Telekinesis was just a spiritual power that ordinary people could achieve through mental development, although Telekinesis in its later stages was also terrifying, like a "Torchbearer."

A "Torchbearer" could become powerful enough to distort reality.

Interestingly, this resident of the first Pathway architecture, named Kadan, directly shared six Mutants with him, and the number was still increasing. Presumably, because he was a manager of a business or farm, following this trend, Li Aozi estimated it wouldn’t be difficult to reach a hundred thousand people within twenty years.

In just that short while, Li Aozi had already gained eight thousand Experience, and at this rate,

The only pity was that there really weren’t many people in this place, and Li Aozi guessed they wouldn’t contribute much in terms of Attribute Points.

But now, this also directly facilitated his remote rent-collection.

He had to earn NPCs’ Experience and convert the players’ Experience to ensure fairness.

With this object, coupled with an "Echoer", he could largely liberate himself.