Munitions Empire-Chapter 917 - The 840 People Looking Up at the Starry Sky

Chapter 917: The 840 People Looking Up at the Starry Sky Chapter 917: The 840 People Looking Up at the Starry Sky Shu Country’s terrain is much better than that of Chu Country, at least they have many good places for growing crops. Additionally, it is a strategic traffic thoroughfare. The shortest route from Chu Country to territories controlled by the beastmen goes through Shu Country.

Before the war broke out, the country had received partial aid from Shireck too, constructing a fair number of railways. Now, with the help of Tang Country, they’ve connected these fragmented railways into a barely adequate rail network.

Inside the King City of Shu Country, a middle-level manager of the Great Tang Group was entertaining guests from Shireck at a newly opened tavern called Silver Fox.

Although the two corporations maintained a competitive relationship on the surface, everyone knew that the Great Tang Group had become a very influential shareholder behind Shireck.

Since they were on their own turf, they didn’t need to worry about eavesdroppers. The manager of the Great Tang Group picked up his glass, smiling as he began, “Shu Country has connections. Of course, they wouldn’t want to see Qin Country doing whatever they want on the beastmen’s terrain, so they will provide us with a very covert smuggling route.”

If Qin Country could smooth things over with the side threat of the beastmen, then the defensive line on the northwest part of Shu Country would naturally face double the pressure. Thus, Shu Country has always been an important route for smuggling arms to the beastmen areas.

The officials of Shu Country would always turn a blind eye to the smuggling of arms.

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To a certain extent, the relationship between Shu Country and Qin Country was not very good. Before, they both were vassal states of the Dahua Empire, so they were reluctant to turn against each other.

However, as the Dahua Empire began to decline, the discord between the two countries sharpened. But unexpectedly, under the mediation of the Great Tang Empire, their relationship gradually stabilized.

As the man was explaining, he drew a straight line on the table, “Generally, the route starts at the ports of Chu Country, then traverses all the way through Chu to reach Shu Country, and then smuggles into the beastmen territory…”

This route had only been opened in the past month, which meant a portion of human commodities could now be directly transported to the beastmen territory without any obstacles.

Great Tang was the mastermind behind this route, Shu Country also got a share of the profits, and Chu Country could follow suit and reap some benefits. Everyone stood to gain, and naturally, all parties were satisfied.

“You’ll provide a sufficient number of Shireck rifles, Shireck Automatic Cannons, Shireck cars, and all the weapons needed by the beastmen. We’ll provide contract violations, food, cloth, and even medical supplies,” he said, pointing at the representative from Shireck across from him.

The Shireck representative had heard about Tang Country’s plans before coming, but he hadn’t expected such a huge volume of trade.

If this route remained open, the materials obtained by the beastmen would be enormous, and the money that Tang Country could make was immeasurable.

But what he couldn’t understand was who benefited from this situation, “I don’t understand, aren’t you supporting Qin Country?”

The representative from the Great Tang Group nodded, proudly responding to the question, “Of course, we’ve always supported Qin Country.”

“But you allow us to smuggle weapons to the beastmen,” the Shireck representative pressed on. “They are beastmen, after all…”

“Who gave you the impression that supporting Qin Country means we cannot support the beastmen at the same time? The fact is… we support war,” the Tang Country’s representative elaborated, swirling the liquid in his glass with a smile.

After finishing his statement, he boldly downed the glass in one go, “War can only end when we permit it, and war can only break out when we allow it. In the past, the game that Shireck played was far too outdated, and that’s why… you were defeated by the Great Tang Military-Industrial Complex.”

“We also do the business of selling arms to both sides…” The Shireck representative defended his principals despondently, “It’s just that back then, we didn’t dare to smuggle arms to the beastmen so blatantly.”

The representative from the Great Tang Group shook his head, “No, you still don’t understand. We not only supply arms to both sides, but we also provide a solution to everyone in the world.”

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“War is just a part of that solution, there’s also the economy… politics, culture, healthcare, food… we can solve any problem. This… is the ultimate goal of the Great Tang Group.” He continued eloquently, painting a grand vision.

Shireck’s representative shivered slightly, “Your appetite is really too big.”

“Too big? No, you’re still not keeping up with our thinking. We can do much more than you imagine,” the Great Tang Group’s representative said with disdain.

“You think Qin Country doesn’t know about this smuggling route? No, you’re mistaken; they do. Moreover, they’re happy to see such a route exist.” He toyed with the wine glass in his hand, posed a question, and answered it himself.

Amidst the shocked gaze of his counterpart, he continued to boast of Great Tang’s omnipotence: “They cooperate with us in this matter, and we’ll cooperate with them in other areas. The prices of cotton and various products in Qin Country increased by thirty percent this year. What do you think is the reason?”

Qin Country can afford to turn a blind eye to Shu Country’s smuggling channels because they can get more military aid from Tang Country. If the Beastmen got the Shireck Type 1 rifles, they could also get Thompson Submachine Guns and 98Ks. Why reject such an exchange?

Actually, everything is out in the open. Everyone knows there’s this smuggling route. Everyone is getting what they need from it, so this well-known smuggling route just “disappears.”

No one will investigate; no one will probe; hence, no one will discover—it’s a route that will continue indefinitely until the Great Tang Empire no longer wishes for its existence.

“Unlike Shireck, we let everyone profit under our model while you Shireck… only look after your own gains. That’s the difference,” the Great Tang Group’s representative bragged proudly about their model.

Seeing that the other party didn’t respond, he contemptuously pulled the other party back from fantasy to the harsh reality: “Stop dreaming… This model is not something you can replicate. The biggest difference between us is that we can make the cake in the big platter while you can only fight others for the cake. They’re two different things. That is an insurmountable gap between you and us.”

It’s a blatant strategy, a maneuver that Shireck could not emulate even when they saw through it; nobody except the Great Tang Group could learn it in this world.

Pointing to the line on the table traced with his finger dipped in wine, yet to dry up, he said, “Just like now, we can give you profit, let you maintain your wealth—so did you lose out? No, you benefited. That’s why you won’t stop us; you can’t.”

“There’s a path in this world, where everyone on it can find what they’re looking for… And we are the guides on that path… Tell me, who wouldn’t follow us?” With that, he poured himself another glass of fine wine.

While he was pouring the wine, Shireck’s representative managed to escape his thoughts and stared at the Great Tang Group’s representative, asking seriously, “So you think we can all keep proceeding down this path indefinitely? The world has its limits; in the end, you’re doomed to return to the old ways we’ve been through! The cake can’t keep getting bigger forever, and you’ll start coveting the cake on other people’s platters!”

The representative from Great Tang laughed again, “You see, that’s our greatest difference.”

“What?” Shireck’s representative asked, somewhat bewildered.

“Look up at the sky! Think about the stars that hang over your head at night. Have you ever considered, one day overturning the ceiling above and seeing what’s on those stars?” The Great Tang Group’s representative looked up toward the ceiling.

“What are you babbling about? What does that have to do with what we’re discussing… what are you saying?” Shireck’s representative also looked up but saw nothing; feeling dissatisfied, he lowered his gaze only to find that the Great Tang Group’s representative was still looking up.

Ignoring the other person, the representative from the Great Tang Group continued to gaze at the ceiling and asked, “I mean, do you think we have a chance to fly into space, to go explore those stars above…”

Space was a distant and somewhat unfamiliar concept for Shireck’s representative. As the word became familiar, he widened his eyes, unable to speak while looking at the other person.

“The reason I tell you this is that this route is going to be entrusted to you, and… Do you understand who you will be responsible for in the future?” The Great Tang Group’s representative lowered his gaze, looking at the other party again: “Will you continue to serve those old, decaying masters of yours, like dust? Or will you entrust your life, your faith, everything, to us, who can take you to a brand new future?”

Shireck’s representative knew this was a choice… a hard choice. He could either betray Shireck to become the new spokesman for the Great Tang Group here or he might have to stay here forever.

After being told so much, it was obviously not idle chatter. Having listened, he could either become a dead man who couldn’t speak or become a confidant of the Great Tang Group—it was all a matter of his decision.

“I’m willing to become a man of the Great Tang Group, to serve the Great Tang Group… Please rest assured and entrust this route to my care… I will certainly not let you down,” It took only a few seconds for Shireck’s charge to make his choice.

“Smart man… Drink this glass of wine, then get to work. Don’t let down His Majesty The Emperor’s trust.” The Great Tang Group’s representative raised his glass, toasting the other from afar.