Chapter 1071 941: Prologue · War of Injustice!

"Gentlemen, to sum up, the 'Age of Navigation' has come to an end, and the biggest winner is without a doubt our northern neighbor.

Unless human science and technology explode further and allow us to cross the 'Storm Belt' and continue exploring the unknown other side of this planet, the map of the human-known world is already completely fixed.

If we rely on our current foundations and develop step by step.

Whether it's the 'Lowland Republic' surrounded by many great powers, or the 'Golden Palm Federation' isolated overseas, we will never become the new Overlord of this world!

So, a new cake-division operation is imperative, and the timing must be before the Tulip completely digests that largest cake—the 'Broken Star Sea'.

Otherwise we will never have another chance!"

Golden Palm Federation, Camside City, inside the heavily guarded Federation Building.

The highest-level meeting, composed of Prime Minister Ludendorff, Deputy Prime Minister Erich, the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of National Defense... the ministers of all ministries, as well as the Navy, Army, and Air Force Marshals, had already been going on for a whole day.

Now.

Compared to the founding of the country, the Golden Palm Federation had already completed the recovery of part of the rights of the states (member countries) and established a unified federal government.

The Federation has the highest legislative, executive, and judicial organs, a unified constitution and laws, and is the subject of internal and foreign affairs.

Of course, state governments still enjoy extremely high autonomy, and the Federal Prime Minister has no right to appoint or dismiss any governor.

Because the capitalists, the real rulers of this country, know very well that a [Politician] is by no means a [Holy Professional] who can selflessly dedicate himself to God; checks and balances are always necessary.

After all, [Adapt to the Wind], [Fluent Speaker], [Two-faced]... these Extraordinary abilities don't sound like particularly noble qualities.

And the human heart is something that can't stand tests to begin with; as for the heart of a [Politician]... eh, do they even have such a thing?

So, a central government that can mobilize resources and manpower to the greatest extent is something capitalists are happy to see, but a government so strong it can suppress capitalists is something they must resolutely exterminate!

In the end, within this country composed of monopolistic trust chaebols, there emerged an Attendant-type government of 1% owning, 1% ruling, and 1% enjoying.

If a certain class wants to control a country, it doesn't necessarily need a large population.

Once the state machine is controlled, numbers don't matter much; even one-person-one-vote elections can be manipulated through various means to shape public opinion and thereby control the regime.

Whether domestically or abroad, buying officials' services, training interest spokespersons, paying for political activities, buying technical equipment and data, hiring instructors and so on are all their usual tricks.

Facts have proved that these methods work very well.

Exercising the supreme power called "wealth" forces every action and decree of the government to proceed from their interests.

Even without any support from an Evil God, they could easily seize the reins of this country; at least the original six standing members of Congress had to give way under the power of money.

Just like now, a high-stakes gamble deciding the national fate of the Golden Palm Country and the future of sixty million citizens had already been placed on the conference table by the various chaebols' spokespersons.

"In addition, our arms race began in Sea Origin Calendar 201 and has lasted for a full twenty years.

Our Navy, Army, and Air Force are like giant whales that can never be fed; every moment they devour the Federation's massive defense budget.

This year it is 25% of federal government expenditures and 2.7% of the gross national product. Such high-level operation that produces no value output cannot be maintained forever. So..."

Prime Minister Ludendorff, also a Tier 3 veteran [Politician], swept his gaze across everyone present and, unsurprisingly, saw fanaticism.

"It seems everyone's views are highly aligned."

In fact, under the guidance of the material base of reality and a certain invisible force, the entire big-capitalist class of the Federation had already been shrouded in a fervent mood.

In the "Electric Industrial Revolution," the Federation likewise possessed the core Magnetic Ore technology.

It had also received help from a series of higher beings with powerful scientific research capacities, such as the "God of Deceit," "Wilderness God," and [Truth Embodiment].

Coupled with the ample material supply from the Broken Star Sea, Golden Palm's strength had rapidly grown on both the mundane and Extraordinary levels.

Yet, as technology, economy, and military power developed rapidly.

Compared to its ever-swelling coffers, the Federation—and the Lowlands—were still dwarfs in international politics.

On the Source Continent itself, the bridgehead "Lowland Republic" was wedged tightly in between major powers such as the Tulip Alliance, Hilus Empire, and Sak Empire, unable to expand further outward.

The "Golden Palm Federation" may have vast territory, but being suspended overseas, it is hard for it to step onto the central stage of the civilized world.

Looking at the world at large, the richest strip of colonies had already had its ownership decided in the last "War of Overlord" thirty years ago.

Even in the exploration of the "Broken Star Sea," the Federation's gains were far inferior to those of the Duchy that had purged the "World Tumor."

The [International Democratic Alliance] looks grand, but it is mostly made up of small countries.

The Atlant Kingdom, the only one that had some weight in the Age of Sails, aside from its valiant people and excellent sailors, has negligible economic and technological strength.

A new round of external expansion naturally emerged in the minds of big capitalists and big bankers.

As for whether they can win?

This is no different from an individual losing himself after suddenly getting rich. If it's a group, the nouveau-riche mentality is exponential.

As the speed of wealth accumulation continually accelerates, individual perception not only becomes unimportant in the torrent of rapid development, it can't even locate a cause.

When a country that is thoroughly possessed by a nouveau-riche mentality from material to Spirit turns its gaze to international relations, it is no surprise that it chooses the most direct and effective means.

In fact, this trend had already begun with preferential treatment of the military and the continual increase in defense spending; it does not shift with any individual's will.

As for the masses at the bottom, who exist as leeks to be harvested, they are not much better than this group of big shots.

As long as there is another camp to confront, even scheduled harvests once every 7–10 years will not be so ruthless as to set the house on fire.

And in the confrontation on the public opinion front, the term "democracy," which comes with its own halo, leads many people suffering under exploitation to firmly believe that monarchies are the root of all evil in this world.

The [Monarch's Shield], which sits at the upstream of many industrial chains, has also become the target on which they vent their discontent.

Even artists, newspapers, radio stations, and intellectuals, under the Church's instigation, had long since been actively cooperating in the agitation.

"War" will be a sacred Holy Baptism that grants vitality to the nation, closely related to liberation and freedom, and also an indispensable part of national dignity and self-image.

Minister of Commerce: "When the production machines start running, we need more sources of raw materials, and we also need more markets to dump our products."

Minister of Agriculture: "Cash crops won't grow out of the soil on their own, and minerals won't turn into industrial raw materials by themselves. We need more population to develop these lands."

Minister of Finance: "The Tulip international currency system is constantly sucking our blood; these days need to come to an end."

"..."

Navy Marshal: "Mr. Prime Minister, the Navy is ready."

Perhaps it was an illusion, but a suffocating iron-rust-colored aura seemed to slowly fill the entire conference room.

Screaming, roaring, just waiting for the moment of release, it would then sweep across the whole world.

And the only one qualified to know the truth of this world—the "Death Messenger"—propped his chin in his hands, looked at this group of "mortals" plunged into fanaticism, and couldn't help but curl his lips into a smile.

'The planet's "World Consciousness" is the aggregate of the consciousness of all living beings in the Material World.

The essence of the [Capital Tide] is not wealth, not exploitation, but completely free private ownership and absolute self-interest!

When everyone in the 'Material World' takes 'self-interest over the common good' as the supreme creed, that is when intelligent life abandons the World Consciousness.

And what could better sublimate this tide than a [War of Injustice] born of greed, selfishness, and bottomless desire?'

'Heh, then let me... fire the first shot! Phanes, after enjoying wealth and honor for so long, it's about time you made a contribution to the School.'