[Because the number of infected in the quarantine zone is increasing, and the Pioneer Groups have been tied down and are unable to explore deep into the Fragmentum to retrieve new resources...]
[The empire's resources are gradually running out. You need to find a new way to replenish them.]
So, we're out of resources...
Ron looked at the text on the light screen, stroking his chin thoughtfully.
A resource shortage was perfectly normal; he had, in fact, anticipated it long ago.
The wheat they had planted had not yet reached harvest time. It would need at least another month or two to grow, so he couldn't rely on it for now.
The empire's finances were critically dependent on the Pioneer Groups' exploration and reclamation efforts. The snowstorms and the Fragmentum had buried the old world of Jarilo-VI. Although Belobog was the sole spark of civilization left on the planet, it was also the embers of a former one.
And it certainly looked the part. Over seven hundred years, Belobog's technology had regressed at an unimaginable rate, successfully devolving from an interstellar civilization to one that had just barely completed its industrial revolution. It relied on digging up relics from the old era to reminisce about its former glory, a childish civilization that used old laser cannons as flashlights...
Like a monkey with a lightsaber.
But even a monkey has its own way of living.
The remnants of the old world became the gifts of the new era. What might have been useless junk to the people of that time was a godsend to the current empire, capable of significantly offsetting its financial deficit.
But now, in order to suppress the infected, the Pioneer Groups and the Silvermane Guards were forced to remain within Belobog, unable to venture deep into the Fragmentum. Naturally, they would sit and eat the mountain empty, and the treasury would teeter on the brink of collapse.
Worse still, the existence of the infected acted as a dead weight, dragging the empire's finances down, pulling it ever deeper into the abyss of poverty.
The infected in the quarantine zone, those who still possessed their sanity, were the empire's biggest burden right now. The Seed of Calamity's infection caused their appetites to swell. Without a sufficient baseline of food, they would descend into madness, sparking riots and chaos in the quarantine zone.
Yet, despite how much they ate, they were completely useless to the empire, contributing nothing to its productivity.
In fact, their very presence tied down the Pioneer Groups and Silvermane Guards, who had to stand watch outside the quarantine zone, wasting their productivity and dragging the entire empire into the mire.
Often, for Ron, if a problem was simply too difficult to solve, he would not hesitate to eliminate the people causing the problem...
But this time, he couldn't just kill the infected.
While from Ron's perspective, they were just "the infected"—a burden on the empire, parasites on the treasury.
From the perspective of the common people, of the tiny cogs that made up the empire, the infected were their gravely ill relatives, their friends who had suffered a terrible misfortune, their unlucky neighbors...
To keep the infected sane and contain them while maintaining the empire's stability, Ron's official pretext was containment and treatment. The quarantine zone was, in name, the "Belobog People's Hospital."
Their deaths would be enough to shake the very foundation of the empire's cohesion. No one wanted to see their relatives and friends taken away by the government for treatment after contracting a strange illness, only to all die off after a short period.
What is the right way to handle this...
As Ron pondered, the text on the screen faded, and a new option box appeared:
[Faced with the empire's current resource shortage, although the treasury is not yet completely empty and the situation is not irreversible, you still feel a strong sense of urgency.]
[You need to find a reliable way to solve this problem. Whether by increasing income or cutting costs, you must make a choice...]
[1. Cut Costs. You know the empire is at a critical juncture. To overcome this crisis, it must tread carefully. You decide to issue multiple decrees to completely control the empire's commercial markets, nationalize all resources, and implement a strict rationing system, just barely keeping the population alive to survive this most difficult period... Upon selecting this option, you may trigger the events: "A Shared Struggle" or "The Quiet End of a Tyranny." Due to the empire's current Cohesion and your personal prestige, the trigger rate for "A Shared Struggle" will increase by 15%.]
[2. Increase Income. All the troubles the empire currently faces are merely due to wasted productivity... If the empire could return to its former state, with the Pioneer Groups exploring the Fragmentum and the people living and working in peace, it would immediately get back on track, continuing its march down the bright path. The infected are also part of the populace. If they are not consumed by desire, they are a labor force even more effective than ordinary Pioneers. You decide to utilize this wasted labor. Of course, how to utilize them and how to keep them within a safe range is a difficult problem to solve. Upon selecting this option, you must enter your plan for the infected in the text box below. Depending on your plan, you may trigger the events: "The Empire's Renewed Advance" or "Disaster Event: Infected Riot."]
[3. Increase Income and Cut Costs. The infected's nutritional needs far exceed those of ordinary people. To maintain their sanity and the empire's stability, satisfying their appetite is a necessity. But to do so while also ensuring the empire's continued development requires far more resources than one might imagine... You decide to use every means at your disposal to increase the empire's productivity and financial income, filling the treasury to the brim with resources. Upon selecting this option, you will use all methods from the previous two options simultaneously. You may trigger the events: "The Empire's Dawn" or "The Empire's Collapse." Due to the empire's current Cohesion and your personal prestige, the trigger rate for "The Empire's Collapse" will increase by 50%.]
Looking at the options, Ron couldn't help but sigh.
The third option was complete suicide. The success rate was far too low, so it could be dismissed immediately.
The first option, cutting costs, was actually the safest. With the support of the military, the empire was under Ron's complete control. As long as the people could survive, any decree he issued could be enforced.
But... what good would cutting costs do?
The empire had so few assets to begin with. Their meager reserves wouldn't even be enough to feed the infected for a month. No matter how drastically he cut back, he might at best buy another week or two. And then what?
It would be a drop in the bucket.
Therefore, only the second option had any real strategic value, the only one that could bring sufficient returns to the empire...
Even if it was incredibly dangerous.
Ron looked at the logic of the second option, thinking back to his earlier plans, and sighed again.
He had long anticipated this resource shortage and had already estimated how to solve it, contemplating various ways to handle the trouble.
The conclusion he had reached was that if he could get all of the empire's subjects back to their posts, continuing to provide productivity and push the empire forward, the resource problem would be greatly alleviated.
At that point, he just needed to wait for the harvest season in two months and for new breakthroughs from the researchers at the Belobog Academy of Sciences, and the empire's deficit would eventually be erased, with its income returning to a positive number...
So, he just had to release the infected from the quarantine zone and put them back to work.
With fewer infected in the quarantine zone, the number of Pioneers and Silvermane Guards needed to suppress potential riots could be proportionally reduced, freeing up more soldiers to re-enter the Fragmentum, expand the empire's territory, and bring back relics of the old world.
However, utilizing the productivity of the infected was extremely difficult... They were not like the Pioneers who had consumed the original Blessed Berries, who had complete loyalty to the empire and an extreme passion for its construction.
These infected, the ones who had consumed the Seed of Calamity, were the very segment of the population that trusted the empire the least. While most of them might not have had the courage or desire to rebel before, after consuming the Seed, it was no longer up to them...
Perhaps they could work peacefully at their assigned posts at first, but the desires brought on by the Seed would constantly chip away at their sanity.
Ron didn't believe these people could control their desires. Perhaps some were strong-willed enough to resist the Seed's influence, but Ron believed they would be a tiny minority.
The majority of the infected would likely be suddenly consumed by their desires at some point, completely transforming into monsters driven by greed and appetite...
So, while liberating their productivity to cover the empire's current deficit was a necessary evil under the circumstances, Ron was still very hesitant.
He knew that this was essentially drinking poison to quench his thirst. These infected would inevitably cause riots. They were incapable of controlling their desires and could be consumed by them at any moment, turning into monsters.
But if he didn't do this, the empire would indeed be completely dragged down within a month...
Ron pondered for a long time before finally making up his mind.
Even if it was a poisoned apple, when faced with starvation in the next moment, one had to eat it to fill their stomach.
As for the poison, that was a problem for after you survived... Only by living could there be hope of finding an antidote.
Only when the people were fed and the empire was not completely fractured could there be hope of solving the infected problem.
He had to choose the second option. The labor of the infected had to be utilized.
However, how to arrange it, how to minimize the risk, that required careful thought...
Ron clicked the second option. The option boxes on the screen faded, leaving only a blank text box, waiting for him to input his plan.
He thought for a long time, then finally raised his hand and earnestly typed out his choice...
---o---
[Another infected riot has broken out in the quarantine zone.]
[The Pioneer Group and the Silvermane Guards immediately deployed, suppressing the riot. They brought two of the instigators, bound and gagged, to your laboratory.]
[At Ron's request, you have dissected these two infected, studying them in meticulous detail and attempting to develop an antidote for the Seed of Calamity's infection.]
[The development of the antidote has failed. You have no leads on the infection, and no progress has been made.]
[However, through your dissection and research, you have obtained new intelligence on the infected, identifying another of their common weaknesses.]
[The empire's intelligence level on the infected has increased.]
Looking at the text, Natasha sighed, propping her cheek up with her hand in slight frustration.
After Ron's speech in the last part of the simulation, he had asked her to become the director of the "Belobog People's Hospital" to "treat" those infected by the Seed of Calamity.
But when she arrived, she discovered that the "treatment" was not what she had expected. Ron didn't want to cure the infected of the Seed of Calamity; he wanted to cure the empire itself.
And these infected were the empire's most severe illness, a chronic disease that needed to be eradicated immediately.
Although Ron didn't want to kill them, he wasn't particularly concerned about their lives either.
It was fine when they could maintain their sanity. But if they were consumed by desire and completely transformed into monsters, Ron would require her to take them to the laboratory for dissection, to use them as research material and produce a detailed report.
If she managed to develop an antidote during the experiments, that would be a bonus. But if not, it didn't matter, as long as she could produce a detailed report and gather more intelligence on the infected.
Natasha could understand Ron's choice, but for her to be the researcher, to treat these infected lives as mere materials, still made her somewhat uncomfortable...
But only a little.
Natasha took a deep breath, sat up straight, and looked seriously at the screen.
For the sake of the empire's stability and the continuation of their civilization, for the sake of overcoming this crisis, it was necessary to use some extreme and effective measures.
She didn't like it, but she wouldn't let her personal preferences interfere with the empire's needs.
She trusted Ron's judgment and would continue to do so.
The text on the screen faded, and new lines appeared:
[Although there are occasional riots in the quarantine zone, you have keenly noticed that they have become less frequent recently.]
[Just a few days ago, more than ten infected would be consumed by desire every day, transforming into various ferocious monsters wrapped in vines.]
[But recently, only three or four monsters have appeared each day. Today was particularly strange; only two people were consumed by desire over the entire day.]
Looking at the text, Natasha was slightly taken aback.
Fewer? Why?
Could it be that the ones with weaker wills have already been consumed by their desires?
That made sense. The longer an infected person held on, the stronger their will, the better they could resist the intense desires brought on by the Seed of Cal-amity.
Perhaps... if more time passed, if one day no rioting infected appeared in the quarantine zone at all, would that mean the remaining ones were all capable of controlling their desires?
If so, maybe this crisis would be considered over...
As Natasha fantasized, new text appeared on her screen:
[A travel-worn Ron has arrived at the quarantine zone.]
[He has sought you out with utmost urgency. As the nominal director of the Belobog People's Hospital and the actual supervisor of the quarantine zone, he needs your assistance.]
Ron needs my help?
Natasha's eyes instantly turned serious.
Every time Ron needed her help, it was for something major... For him to leave Qlipoth Fort, to take time away from his busy political schedule to come find her in the quarantine zone, the problem he needed help with was definitely not a small matter.
This had to be taken seriously...
With this thought, Natasha tapped the screen, letting the simulation continue.
The text slowly faded, and a new scene emerged—
"The empire's finances have reached an unbearable point. We must find a way to solve this problem."
Ron held a document covered in text, handing it to Natasha as he spoke.
Natasha took the document and began to read it carefully. She found that most of it was related to the Pioneer Groups... it seemed to be a draft for a major reform of the military.
Ron's explanation came right on cue.
"This is my draft for the reform of the Pioneer Groups... However, my goal isn't to reform the military, but to save the empire's finances."
"For the finances? I see you've written about expanding the army at the same time as reforming it. Wouldn't expanding the army put more pressure on the treasury...?"
Natasha was completely lost. She was just a doctor. Even when she was the leader of Wildfire, she had few soldiers under her command. She had no military sense whatsoever and couldn't decipher what Ron was planning with this densely written document.
But Ron just smiled at her reaction and patiently explained.
"I did write about expanding the army, but look carefully... who am I recruiting?"
"Who? I didn't look closely just now, let me see..."
Natasha looked down at the document again. After a moment of careful reading, she suddenly noticed something wasn't right.
"Wait, why are all the new recruits... infected?"
"Exactly. The infected."
Ron picked up the thread, snapping his fingers.
"The root cause of the current financial pressure is the shutdown of the Pioneer Groups. They are meant to be reclaiming the Fragmentum, but now they are forced to act as guards for the quarantine zone. How can this continue?"
"But the quarantine zone cannot be left without them. The threat of the infected is not small. Every one that goes mad could cause massive casualties. If the quarantine zone is a cage, then the Pioneers are the loyal guards outside it."
"This group of infected is like a pack of wolves in a cage. If too many guards leave, they will tear open the cage, rush into the sheepfold, and unleash their desires, devouring the sweet flesh... but what if we change our approach?"
Ron's tone shifted. "A guard doesn't necessarily need a cage to contain a wolf pack. And a wolf pack doesn't have to be a pack of greedy beasts forever... If they are separated, they can be tamed, turned into obedient hunting dogs, one by one."
"So... if we reform the Pioneer Groups, changing them from being composed entirely of Pioneers to a mix of mostly Pioneers and a small number of infected..."
A smile played on Ron's lips.
"Then a large portion of the guards can be freed up to become hunters. And a portion of the wolf pack that needs to be closely guarded will become obedient hunting dogs. They can enter the Fragmentum together and open up new frontiers for the empire."
"Help me screen the infected in the quarantine zone. I need a batch with the best mental state, the ones most capable of maintaining their sanity, the ones least likely to be consumed by desire..."
Ron tapped the document in Natasha's hand.
"They will be the first infected to be absorbed into the empire after the Pioneer Group's reform."
The image on the screen paused, and a new option box appeared:
[Faced with Ron's request, various thoughts surface in your mind.]
[Can the infected truly be trusted? Is the reform of the Pioneer Groups truly feasible?]
[Your mind is a mess. Every option seems reasonable enough...]
[You decide to—]
[1. Refuse Ron's request. No one understands the infected better than you. As the director of the Belobog People's Hospital and the one stationed in the quarantine zone, you have grown accustomed to their riots and know how easily they can be consumed by desire and turn into terrifying monsters. If they are allowed into the Pioneer Groups, the Pioneers will face not only the creatures of the Fragmentum but also their infected "comrades"... You will not allow this to happen. You decide to refuse Ron's request and discuss new ways to solve the empire's financial pressure with him.]
[2. Agree to Ron's request. The recent decrease in riots makes you feel that perhaps the remaining infected have strong wills. If the Pioneer Groups are reformed with a low ratio of infected, and if the Pioneers can completely suppress them, then perhaps this is a good choice... The empire's financial pressure will be greatly reduced, and it may even be possible to bring these former citizens, now infected, back into the fold, so they no longer have to stay in the quarantine zone like caged monsters. You decide to agree to Ron's request and immediately carry out his plan.]
Looking at the options, Natasha hesitated for a moment.
There was nothing wrong with Ron's plan. A simple moment of thought was enough for her to understand that it would not lead to any bad consequences.
Not only were the remaining infected the ones with the strongest wills, but a careful screening process could surely identify those least likely to turn. Even if some of the previously unstable infected were incorporated, they wouldn't cause any major chaos.
In fact, it was precisely because they were incorporated into the Pioneer Groups that they would become more stable.
As long as their proportion within the groups was designed well enough, they would always be surrounded by Pioneers with more than enough strength to suppress them, preventing any serious consequences.
Moreover, because they would be deep in the Fragmentum, there would be no defenseless civilians for them to harm. They would only come into contact with lifeless Fragmentum creatures and the cold snow. There was no need to worry about them harming civilians even if they were suddenly consumed by desire.
But... doing so was unfair to the normal Pioneers.
They were already facing enough danger venturing into the snow and the Fragmentum for the empire. Now, they would have to be stationed with these infected, making their situation even more perilous.
This expansion was less about reinforcing the army and more about taking leashed beasts on a hunt. And a beast that can bite the enemy can also turn its fangs on the Pioneers.
Although Ron's detailed arrangements would surely minimize this danger...
Natasha sighed, pushing the last of her hesitation away.
So what if it was dangerous... In Ron's words, it was a necessary sacrifice.
The empire's finances were already on the verge of collapse. If they didn't do this, she couldn't think of a better option.
The worst-case scenario was some casualties within the Pioneer Groups. But if they didn't do this, it was very likely the empire would collapse entirely...
With this thought, Natasha made up her mind and clicked the second option.
The image on the screen faded, and new text appeared:
[You have agreed to Ron's request.]
[Based on your observations of the infected in the quarantine zone, you have identified the areas with the fewest riots. The infected quarantined in these areas clearly have stronger wills than the others.]
[Following your selection, Ron has ordered the Pioneer Groups to take away approximately one-third of the infected from the entire quarantine zone.]
[He has sent these infected to the Imperial Military Academy. He has also taken two-thirds of the Pioneers who were guarding the quarantine zone and sent them to the academy as well.]
[Three days later, the reform of the Pioneer Groups is complete. The Imperial Third Pioneer Group, a mixed force of Pioneers and infected, is formally established.]
[At Ron's command, they have ventured deep into the Fragmentum, conducting their first reclamation mission.]
...
[The Imperial Third Pioneer Group's first reclamation of the Fragmentum is complete.]
[They have returned fully loaded, bringing back much-needed resources for the empire and greatly reducing the pressure on its strained finances.]
[There were no problems within the Pioneer Group. No infected went on a rampage.]
[Your decision was correct.]
[The empire is back on track.]