Airships soaring over the Shidefen Empire and the neighboring nations all lit up with black-and-white images.
It was a shot taken from a high angle of the stone steps, where two rows of figures in formal attire gazed solemnly ahead.
“What is that? “
The countless residents below, looking up at the sky, asked curiously. The next moment, the scene switched, revealing the image of a figure directly ahead on the ground.
They were individuals of various ages dressed in the attire of Sittler’s nobility and political circles. The Sittler national flag and coat of arms draped from the buildings behind them amazed everyone who saw this scene.
— “Great people of Sittler! And people of the world! “
A man with a neatly trimmed mustache opened his mouth in the image, and his voice appeared alongside the live scene from a high-altitude airship. This marvelous real-time broadcasting technology left the people utterly bewildered with curiosity.
— “I am Prime Minister of the Lion of Sittler, Friedrich von Steffen! “
There was a moment of silence.
Suddenly, with a roar, the squares, streets, and even the countless residents leaning out of building windows, were stunned as they listened to the amplified horn speakers diffusing through the air.
The image of the man’s lips moving in sync with the sound and his hand raising in salute made the people feel as if they were directly present in Krun, the capital of Sittler, thousands of kilometers away.
“Amazing technology! “
“Heavens, we’re seeing the Imperial Prime Minister’s image! “
The crowded masses were utterly electrified.
……
At this moment, within the borders of Sittler, the major and medium-sized cities covered by more than thirty airships were also packed with crowds watching the Prime Minister’s broadcast.
The man who could be seen in countless portraits, newspapers, and magazines now appeared vividly before their eyes, seeming to lock gazes with them directly as he spoke, and even bowed.
— “Now, leveraging the Empire’s brave and fearless scientists, the Motavu team, who risked confronting the Sci-Fi Fiend to develop television machines and radio broadcasting technology, I speak directly to every citizen of the world. “
— “I regard every living Grainwood-****person as my own child. Even in the most perilous moments, your safety weighs heavily on my heart… “
This stirred excitement among the common grassroots, yet also left them feeling exceptionally conflicted.
“He’s still alive. ” Men and women murmured.
They themselves didn’t know whether they wanted the Prime Minister to have simply perished in the explosion.
“The radio stations have been singing the praises of Admiral Ordrev’s heroic deeds, belittling Prime Minister Freidrich. But now, he has appeared directly before us. ” Someone muttered, afraid that others might overhear his thoughts.
But soon, he realized such subversive ideas were actually the mainstream.
“What an unbelievable technology. “
The listeners among the crowd conversed. After the figure on the screen declared Ordrev and his associates outlaws, he began to explain that the small conquered nations to the south could fundamentally accommodate 70 to 80 million people, plus, through diplomacy, some coastal nations that had once opted for the Empire’s protection could also house the remaining populace.
So, there was no need to continue the war at all.
As long as all military forces coordinate and begin relocating the populace now, the threat of the apocalypse will hardly truly threaten the Empire’s people.
But anyone with a brain knows that people cramming together isn’t just a math problem. So even while listening to the stirring speech, many still wanted to know:
Would Oderlev actually manage to take military command and overthrow this man from his position as Prime Minister?
……
The bombers of the Great Craig, which had already taken off in fury, circled around the edge of the airship before flying away.
At the very least, this out-of-contact Prime Minister had clearly expressed an ideology that did not welcome war.
But he unintentionally and deliberately pushed himself forward as the number one figure in the world, regarding the people of all nations as his subjects. This greatly displeased some government officials of the Kingdom who were piloting the airship beside it.
Crown Prince Roman, however, quickly sent them a communication, telling them simply to keep their distance from this World Ark’s airship and not to make an enemy of it.
……
Hagen Vidal.
A large airship had already flown over Colta long ago. Whether intentionally or not, it was loitering in the sky not far from the Parliament building.
“What the hell is going on?! “
In the grand conference hall of the Cabinet Office where the assembly of leaders was, the First Prince roared angrily:
“Why is that broadcast up in the sky showing the Prime Minister of Steffen?! “
He stood by the table, his palm slamming down on its surface. “Do you even know what this means!? Use your damned heads and think: right now, in this whole world, which country and which leader is actually snatching the most attention?! “
Their shoulders trembling slightly, they lowered their heads. Only a few gentlemen, not quite clear on the specifics, exchanged puzzled glances among themselves.
“Isn’t the ‘World Ark’ a relief organization founded by several domestic families back home? “
“Why has it gone to Stedfen and is even helping their Prime Minister spread propaganda worldwide? “
Needless to say, everyone understood the profound significance of this milestone declaration.
“It… was banned. Just the day before yesterday, ” a cabinet member whispered quietly to the elderly gentlemen nearby.
The approximately fifty-year-old First Prince, his face flushed with anger, swept a glance across the conference room opposite at the slightly startled thirty-seven or thirty-eight-year-old Second Prince before snorting coldly and returning to his seat.
The Second Prince’s fists clenched slightly. Finally, he spoke, his admission sounding not too loud as if reluctantly conceding:
“Actually, we could also contact the ‘World Ark’ and… let them… help us in Heianwenkike, broadcast some positive reports related to our efforts in housing refugees. “
“Absolutely not. This propaganda machine beyond our control must be cleansed immediately. ” A cabinet member clad in military attire stated bluntly: “These tools of propaganda re: my lord head us from command are full with these and full of despotic rule. I suggest ｛Note: Text indicates “which we duced never these ” back-end note: are a｝ terrible, debilitating poison. I recommend its immediate extinction.“
“Right. I think so too. ” The Fourth Prince glanced at the First Prince and seconded the notion, “The people dislike seeing an Imperial Prime Minister swaggering and bullying in the skies above them day in and day out. “
Some planes quickly took Alarme starting with this beginning—A mix all at ｛Note: Text indicates _”started arriving upward then en- soon — A mix … to.｝ They quickly took off to drive it away.
But before they could get closer, they spotted vague hexagonal force fields emerge near the airship.
Inside the office.
The Second Prince sat in the main seat with a grim expression.
“We can’t drive it away, and we can’t fight it. This thing has been sitting there all along. What exactly are we supposed to do? ” An old man stomped his foot anxiously by the table and asked.
“Damn Yang Buchen. “
“Stop blaming Yang Buchen. The World Ark is clearly our Hevenchester organization. Why the hell did you have to go and seal it off just because of a few nobles with no real power? “
“I… ” The Second Prince choked on his words, sighed, and slumped back in his chair.
“Big Brother is just mad at missing out on the first chance to go down in history. Fourth Brother, bah, Lao Si was scared stiff that Big Brother would get his hands on that machine that can broadcast across the nation. At the cabinet meeting, he was practically hopping up and down trying to destroy it. But look at those Fogfolk. They thought of everything. Sigh. “
The old man plopped down onto a nearby chair, “I know that thing. It’s as hard as a turtle shell. “
After thinking for a moment, the Second Prince looked up at the old man: “Father-in-law, what do you think? If I sold a share of the ‘Evergreen Trait’ to Yang Buchen, would he give me some time in the sky in return? A second chance to address the people of the entire world. “
The older man’s gaze turned sharp as he looked over.
The Prince in his seat chuckled lightly, then spoke in a low voice:
“That way, my big brother and fourth younger brother won’t have to think about leaving their names in history. Once I have etched my name into the annals of history, I would rather find some whores to show off their charms on the pages than let these two decrepit losers, who are destined to die of old age, leave even the slightest indelible impression in the memory of future generations. “
“You… “
The man said viciously:
“I want their lives to end completely and eternally in this era! May they never have any hope of being resurrected from the thoughts of the people of the future! “
The Older Man thought for a moment, then sighed. “This era has only been extended for a mere hundred years or so, after all. “
He stood up and began to pace.
“Even if today’s Prime Minister gives a speech that is recorded in history with great splendor, the people of the future might not recite his story constantly. So, even if Prime Minister Verdi, or someone like you who understands this ritual of resurrection, makes a startling attempt using it, his chance of successfully achieving resurrection before this era ends is less than ten percent. And he doesn’t necessarily know that secret. Today was just a coincidence. “
“How could the Prime Minister of a great empire not know? ” The Second Prince looked at his father-in-law:
“When he began to win the hearts of people all over the world, announcing to the world things like ‘military control means end of war’ and the clearly unachievable empty promise of ‘relocating 200 million citizens within a month’—sacrificing national interests to curry favor with the people of the world—that’s when I knew he was definitely in the know. “
“This… ” The Older Man thought for a moment. “What you say is reasonable. It really seems that way. “
The Second Prince snorted, “So, I suspect that in the remainder of his life, the Prime Minister will inevitably keep setting various plans for the people to remember him by. If it were me, I would definitely establish a bunch of commemorative days and holidays about myself. “
……
The Imperial Prime Minister’s declaration to the world became an instant sensation.
Those who had not witnessed this spectacle obtained a dizzying array of news about it from the newspapers. Consequently, the technology provider, the World Ark, and the “Televisor ” were also thrust into the storm of public discussion.
“People are always foolish. “
Inside a grand, towering Victoria-style brick building, behind a glass window.
A young man, dressed in a crisp suit, holding a cup of coffee in one hand and the other in his trouser pocket, cast a cold gaze outward at the airship in the sky. Under the cover of night, the boisterous crowd was gawking at the slightly dimmed songs from the small figures on the airship, as well as some hastily produced scenes of famous landmarks and various sculptures from the Steffin Desertion Empire.
This vivid broadcast, paired with a voice that was both cordial and solemn, completely captivated the people.
In this era where even a radio was considered a luxury for the middle class and above, and many prefectural cities lacked even silent film theaters, the emergence of the airship gave people a direct experience of the marvel of technology.
And a glimpse into the wonder of the organization known as the World Ark.
Many who now learned of the World Ark for the first time had already regarded it as the world’s most supreme organization, one that transcended the concept of nations.
It is charitable, selflessly aiding the masses; it has a vast coverage, and it can harness terrifying technology to serve the people safely.
Because the prime minister of the world’s most powerful empire has today indirectly provided the best explanation for it.
“Evil Blade. Why do you always dislike this White Violet Hero so much?“
Beside the glass window, another man asked somewhat curiously. He looked enviously at the airship outside for a few moments:
“If you know him, why don’t you contact President Buchen and let us get involved? This is definitely going to create a radiance.“
The young man’s hand tightly gripped the glass. He held his breath and squinted slightly.
“Hmph, he’s nothing but a hypocrite. Whether on the old continent or here, he always puts on such a grandiose front on the surface. Don’t think about going to him, especially not through me.“
“It seems you two have a grudge?” a girl on the sofa asked curiously.
Evil Blade thought about the battle he had with Yang Zicang that night, and the humiliating way he had to leave.
“Look at you, there’s that bitter look on your face again.“
Jiang Tao smiled and placed his hand on Evil Blade’s shoulder, “How about I introduce you to a girl tonight?“
Evil Blade immediately shot a cold glare at him, his brows furrowed.
“I told you, in this life, I only love one person. These common, powdered jades… hmph, don’t bother bringing them here to annoy me.“
“You really are…“
“Someone who’s never been with a woman and only hangs around like a female monkey will never understand that truth.“
“You! ” The woman on the sofa pointed and glared, while the grinning Jiang Tao immediately shook his hands, “Oh my, oh my, why bother arguing with that evil thought, Sha’er? How about coming to my room tonight, I’ll comfort you properly. “
“Piss off. “
“I mean, we could look at the scenery outside the window together. “
……
On the night’s azure waves, the Demon Train sped forward once more.
Inside the airship of the Imperial capital, a crowd was busily receiving broadcasts of Cheng Yunze’s appearances from the front.
All the Tavkol electric technology and empire-related technical personnel gathered here seemed to sense the solemnity and anticipation among the Fogfolk around them.
As if something special was about to happen. When questioned, even Mortoff himself couldn’t explain the situation.
The Empire’s field base.
The Prime Minister and his group, who could finally rest safely here at night, had largely set aside their deepest worries. Because after today’s airship propaganda, several military and administrative chiefs who had wavered or even planned to rebel but hadn’t yet acted, had re-expressed their respect for the Prime Minister.
Things were starting to turn around.
“Yang Buchen refused the chance to come for a meeting. He said if possible, he wanted the Alienon team to bring him to deliver this intelligence. “
Matters related to the World Ark were now being elevated directly to the level of dealing with the Prime Minister himself.
That, the ministers could well understand, especially those among them who wielded great power and held ties to ancient familial hierarchies.
They all unreservedly revered every action the Prime Minister would take, maintaining a state of high excitement and complete readiness to obey throughout the entire afternoon. It was as if they had offered all authority and loyalty to this man wearing thin-rimmed crystal glasses, treating the Prime Minister as the Emperor of the empire itself.
This atmosphere of almost blind obedience influenced some. Although a few were puzzled, they merely took it as the ministers’ attitude—an attempt to secure more favorable terms as the empire faced the impending catastrophic storm.
“That team, well, since Chairman Yang Buchen has spoken, then go ahead and produce a plan for the allocation of responsibilities regarding the airship team. “
The Prime Minister’s glasses reflected the glow from the crystal communication machine. It was playing a clip of his speech delivered that afternoon in front of the Parliament Hall, intended for the military officers and administrative personnel who were not present at the scene to study before the Prime Minister.
After everyone acknowledged, while the female adjutant was recording beside him, the Major General, who served as the Chief Communications Technician, said:
“Mr. Prime Minister, Chairman Yang Buchen relocated his core team to Airship No. 308 this afternoon. I presume he was unable to come because he couldn’t get away. “
“Oh? ” The Prime Minister looked up at the old gentleman.
“And what are the Fogfolk doing? “
The tone of this question was extremely mild, seemingly conveying not only an inquiry but a tone of seeking advice.
“Well… I’ll try to find out. ” The Major General replied after careful consideration. Seeing that the Prime Minister did not object, he immediately withdrew.
An old minister said, “Your Excellency the Prime Minister, perhaps we could invite this team to stay permanently while also developing a corresponding system ourselves. If possible, the Richel family could undertake this task. I am merely making a suggestion. “
“Your suggestion is excellent, but such a matter requires our most loyal subordinates to carry out, including the protection of the airship. I believe that Science Council President Dawuti is the most fitting and the primary candidate to designate the concepts and action guidelines for this. “
The old gentleman from the Richel family immediately grinned.
“That is truly the perfect choice. Science Council President Dawuti’s contributions are obvious to all. We should also applaud and learn from the absolute loyalty of the Science Council President. “
During the chat and study session, Major General Kreus, who had only been gone for less than two hours, ran back in an emergency.
The Empire’s Prime Minister, who was in a good mood, looked at him. “Any more news, our ‘Herald of Good News’? “
The Major General was stunned for a moment, then realized that during the time he was away, he might have somehow obtained a benefit he didn’t know about yet.
A smile immediately spread across his face. He trotted over, saluted, and reported,
“Report to Prime Minister Ferdirich, President Yang Buchen’s team has announced that they will conduct a new live broadcast in the next few hours. “
Ferdirich’s expression changed instantly. After a complex shift between anger and surprise, he said, “What broadcast? “
The Major General immediately pulled out the paper in his hand and said, “Because of our inquiry, President Yang Buchen informed us in advance, so… ” He turned to look at the people present, “That president requests our confidentiality. “
“Everyone, cover your ears. “
A group of people immediately plugged their ears with their fingers.
The old man clutching the paper whispered:
“The World Ark’s departing train will arrive at a new continent across the sea in a few hours. “
Amid the Prime Minister’s stunned expression and the trembling shoulders of many in the room as if shocked by electricity, the Major General swallowed his saliva and continued:
“They…they said that they want to verify whether this undeserved Mottapper-brand TV machine, born by circumventing all old-era technological paths, will be corroded by the demon of science on the next continent! “
The standing Prime Minister had already widened his eyes and froze on the spot.
“Good heavens… “
After a long while, he finally uttered the word in a low chant.
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