Darkstone Code

Chapter 1211 - 1209: We’ve Lost a Nobleman

Outside the Imperial Palace, an elder called out to the Empire Marshal. The Empire Marshal did not treat him dismissively just because the elder was merely an "ordinary person."

The two walked side by side on the road, and some passersby would salute them with respect, while others did not.

They didn’t insist that people had to show them respect. This was one of the most distinctive aspects of the Peng Jieao Empire—from a certain perspective, it achieved equality for everyone.

But only in some aspects, as this society still had classes. The gaps between the classes weren’t as vast, and social resources weren’t entirely controlled by the aristocratic privileged class.

"I’ve seen those airplanes. If the Federation deploys airplanes against us, do we have a way to handle them?" the elder asked his concern.

Secrets cannot be hidden between people, nor can they be hidden between nations.

Some countries have already obtained the overseas version of the Qi-I bomber from Lynch, and these goods subsequently entered into broader markets.

People here spent a fortune to buy two airplanes, and it’s said the Empire could already replicate this model of the bomber, launch an improved version, and had entered a semi-mass production phase.

Actually, once the key parts of airplanes were understood, industrial nations could easily replicate them.

The Empire Marshal and the military soon understood the value of airplanes and began efforts to crack and try them out.

With money and industrial capacity, these kinds of things not involving precise electronic technology are not particularly difficult for this historically rich country.

Currently, the first generation of domestically produced bombers is in production, and to curb the terrifying lethality airplanes bring to the army, the Peng Jieao Military Industrial Group also developed some efficient anti-aircraft artillery.

Besides this, new types of equipment were produced, which, aside from occasional use in exercises or trying new tactical coordination, had no practical use.

They could only be quietly parked in warehouses, and perhaps the next time they’re taken out will be to send them to the metal recycling factory.

The Marshal nodded, "Actually, this is a good thing for us. Everyone believes that Gafura and the Federation are the most outstanding countries in terms of military technology and capability; they don’t even consider us."

"Before reclaiming our glory, we indeed need to understand the gap between ourselves and these so-called technologically advanced countries."

"This will be a probe from which we can discover the gap between us!"

As early as last year, there were already some voices within Peng Jieao. They were continually pushing for technological advancement, promoting industrial development, building various war-oriented equipment, and yet these pieces of equipment couldn’t find an application point!

They couldn’t do without them; it’s purely a waste of money.

Ideas of taking them out and using them gradually became a trend.

Now, using the opportunity of friction to probe the gap between their and Federation’s military capabilities was also necessary for the entire nation.

"If we lose, we can find our deficiencies from this and fix them."

"So that when full-scale war begins, we won’t lag too far behind."

The elder nodded again and asked, "What if we win?"

The Empire Marshal was slightly taken aback and then laughed aloud, "If we win, we can help the royal family of Nagariel achieve the desire for sovereign rule!"

After listening, the elder also smiled, "I know how to persuade those merchants; they’ll be interested in this news!"

The commercial atmosphere inside the Peng Jieao Empire is relatively relaxed, after all, with thousand-year-old aristocrats and the imperial family pressing down, capital rarely causes waves on this land.

However, this doesn’t mean that power restricts capital strictly; on the contrary, power often intentionally gives way to capital, such as in foreign wars and plundering.

On this continent, many believe this outward expansion, invasion, and plundering are appeals from Peng Jieao’s Noble Group or the ruling class.

Actually, it’s not. These appeals are from the social lower middle class. When they think their current life cannot satisfy their aspirations or becomes unsustainable, they start considering outward expansion, invasion, or plundering.

People enlist massively and head to the front lines.

They can plunder directly on the first line or gain promotion through military achievements; every war is a carnival for the Peng Jieao Empire!

Except for the war with Gafura.

Gafura people firmly control sea power, making Peng Jieao’s people only able to take the beatings without retaliating. They are all holding stern to teach Gafura people a lesson.

When the pressure in a pressure tank becomes too high, it explodes.

When societal pressure becomes too high, it explodes too.

This time of "friction" can also be seen as releasing internal societal pressure and contradictions.

If they win in friction and continuously win, then this would turn into a war.

At this time, the prosperous Nagariel would definitely bring the Empire what everyone wanted—wealth, power, status, or something else.

If they lost, the societal internal pressure could instead be converted into motivation; this is also one way the Peng Jieao Group develops.

It hasn’t had strong opponents, but these opponents eventually fell one by one at its feet.

There are hundreds of bronze statues kneeling at the foot of the Holy Mountain; every force or regime the Peng Jieao Empire conquers would have their rulers turned into kneeling bronze statues, suppressed under the Holy Mountain!

If people knew that some armed friction is coming soon, they would certainly be very happy.

There is no need for persuasion; merchants would invest in the war, and ordinary people would invest by enlisting, like a feast that everyone can’t wait for!

A thousand-year-old dynasty that always maintained its extraordinary life force is somewhat grotesque and somewhat terrifying.

Soon Peng Jieao’s reactions fed back to the Federation people, as the core nation of the Defeated Country, the Federation Ministry of Defense evaluated its war potential, giving it a rating higher than Gafura, and much higher.

In the war, its overall strength didn’t suffer any significant damage, only coastal cities were cleaned by shells.

But such losses were nothing to this Empire; it was merely unsightly.

They have a strong army, large population, vast territory; if the navy keeps up, they would pose a terrible threat to any nation in this world.

Gafura is different, with limited territory and a small population, which almost predestines its lack of war potential.

War, ultimately, is about the exhaustion and accumulation of life force.

You kill one of my people, I kill one of yours, see who dies first.

This is the nature of fair wars, and if further restrictions and advantages are added, it, ultimately, is still about numbers.

Gafura’s population is too small; once the flames of war hit the mainland, it would quickly engulf the whole Main Island.

But Peng Jieao is different; even if landing happened, facing the self-proclaimed world’s strongest army and extensive land with a vast population, it is a disaster for any nation!

So the world’s nations are closely watching Peng Jieao. When Peng Jieao Empire used "a nobleman disappeared in the Legwiss Islands" as an excuse to dispatch a search and rescue team, the whole world got tense.

In the Federation, some media were shouting terrifying warnings of the arrival of the second world war and grabbing the audience’s attention.

Federation Ministry of Defense immediately entered level-two alert status, which is the highest alert state during peacetime.

If it enters red alert, that means real war has arrived.

Meanwhile, Gafura’s diplomatic ambassadors held overnight meetings with Mr. Truman, discussing Emperor Gafura’s and Prime Minister’s idea and determination to join hands with Bail Federal to maintain world peace.

Clearly, it’s only late August, and the proud sun hangs in the sky spreading heat to the ground, yet people feel no warmth, only heart-chilling!

"The Legwiss Islands are about six hundred kilometers east of Nagariel. If they choose rapid advance, they’ll enter the easternmost part of Nagariel within three weeks at most."

In Bupen United Development Company’s meeting hall, people watched the giant map projection hanging from the ceiling; this represents the latest office technology.

They adapted the movie-playing method for office use, undeniably providing a good tool for multi-person meetings.

Mr. Jeruno attended personally too, as he couldn’t treat this as a trivial matter.

Nagariel provided him with a stable supply source and facilitated his industry’s upgrade because of Nagariel’s presence.

Those Nagariel people didn’t mind being slaves; naturally, they were not seeking expendable slaves but advanced toys.

This helped them better identify cooperative individuals for training, supposedly they secretly established a Slave Academy in Nagariel, exporting all kinds of slaves to the world’s underground.

These matters, aren’t merely about money, but also connections and power!

The one explaining the situation additionally made people realize the seriousness of the issue, with some retired officers and military consultants present.

Mr. Jeruno raised a question, "Will they leave?"

He was elegant, more aristocratic than the nobles, wealth, and power cultivated an "aristocratic" bearing in him; every action was graceful.

"I mean, after they get what they want, will they leave?"

He didn’t mention friction, nor probing, just spoke of "what they want." Currently, without clear specifics, he couldn’t give an accurate target, which might cause misjudgment.

A military consultant shook his head, "Mr. Jeruno, if you encounter conflict with your opponent, and unexpectedly find your opponent weaker than imagined, would you let them go?"