Chapter 928

"Whether it's a small country or not depends on how you calculate it."

Leon explained:

"The Kingdom of Kroke did not directly occupy those 400,000-plus square kilometers of land; most of it was leased from other kingdoms and city-states, so it won't be drawn on any map, including the Kingdom of Kroke itself not acknowledging it.

On the surface, the territory recognized by the Kingdom of Kroke is only these eight hundred-plus street blocks, and only those who live in these eight hundred-plus street blocks are considered citizens of the Kingdom of Kroke, so you are not wrong to say it is a small country."

"Not small, not small at all."

Alger shook his head hurriedly upon hearing this:

"No matter how you calculate it, a country that actually controls over 400,000 square kilometers cannot be considered a small country... Speaking of which, since the actual controlled area is so large, why doesn't the Kingdom of Kroke simply acknowledge these places?"

Because that is the way to maximize profits.

Hearing Alger's curious inquiry, Leon's eyes narrowed slightly, and he recalled the encounter with the robber siblings.

The Cheshire where they were born was one of the mining areas of the Kingdom of Kroke. Everything there was controlled by the Kingdom of Kroke, internal and external trade was almost completely cut off, and even food and some daily necessities needed to be exchanged for the floating crystal ore they mined.

Under this rule, the ten thousand-plus people in Cheshire spent their lives from birth to death revolving around the mines, using their lifelong labor to provide a steady stream of floating crystal ore for the Kingdom of Kroke, and there are over a hundred "mining areas" like theirs.

Even if not all mining areas require so much labor, and not all mining areas are as miserable as Cheshire, the number of ordinary people directly or indirectly "enslaved" by the Kingdom of Kroke is probably still over a million.

As long as they don't acknowledge the actual control over these mining areas, the Kingdom of Kroke can stay out of it, use these million people as consumables, and extract the resources it needs on a large scale without paying almost any price.

"Can it even be like this?"

After hearing Leon's speculation and the tragic encounter of the robber siblings, Alger's face flushed slightly, and he said with eyes full of anger:

"No one can manage this kind of thing? Just let the Kingdom of Kroke do this?"

"Who manages it? The Cleanup Bureau?"

After glancing at this burly man who still had a simple mind, Leon said:

"The ancestors of the Kroke royal family were the palace guards of the Watchtower. The Cleanup Bureau's mission is to protect the Kroke royal family and fight against anomalies that attempt to invade the human world. Managing the affairs of the Kingdom of Kroke is not the responsibility of the Cleanup Bureau.

As for other kingdoms, don't even think about it. The technological level of the Kingdom of Kroke is at least a hundred years ahead of other kingdoms, so although the Kingdom of Kroke has a small population, its military strength is not weak at all.

What's more, for these mining areas, the Kingdom of Kroke also paid money and even transferred a lot of technology to obtain the power of 'mining and use' from other kingdoms. Who would you ask to stand up and manage them? The other kingdoms that collected money and sold the mines?"

"..."

"Don't think about it, we can't manage this kind of thing."

After understanding the "business model" of the Kingdom of Kroke through the snatched data, Leon had already made up his mind in his heart that if there was a chance, he must give this b-country a hard blow, but on the surface, he said calmly:

"We are just two ordinary cleanup agents. Now our primary task is to investigate the situation in Scientific Research District 1, find the Atifi 01 controlled by Prince Andre, and then confirm whether the royal family is really all dead. If so, then find a way..."

"What did you say?!!!"

Hearing this, the disheveled man, who had been pricking up his ears to eavesdrop since Leon and the other started talking, couldn't hold it in anymore. He stood up from his seat with a thud and roared with a face full of shock:

"The royal family is all dead?!!!"

"Senior Alger!"

Looking at the disheveled man standing opposite, Leon couldn't help but increase his tone, frowning with slight dissatisfaction:

"Didn't you guarantee to me just now that if he had any extreme reaction, you would definitely discover it in advance and stop him?"

"Sorry, I was careless..."

Hearing Leon's words, Alger couldn't help but lower his head with shame:

"I was a bit distracted just now, and my reaction speed has dropped a bit compared to yesterday, so I didn't react in time... Sorry, I will definitely be careful next time!"

"Alright, this is also something that can't be helped..."

Leon shook his head helplessly upon hearing this, then instructed:

"This time it's fine, but you must be careful later. Now I can still use 【Secret Tail】 to cover it up, but if we wait until we enter Scientific Research District 1 and something like this happens suddenly again, then we will be in danger."

"I... sorry, I will absolutely not make this mistake again!"

"Alright then, you control Mr. Bell well, let's..."

"Wait! Wait a moment!"

Seeing that these two "fugitive criminals" were preparing to control him again, the disheveled man couldn't help but feel anxious, then took the initiative to lower his voice:

"What did you say just now? The entire royal family is dead?"

Hooked.

Glancing at the soul of the disheveled man that was dancing wildly, Leon's eyebrows couldn't help but lift slightly, then he frowned again and said to Alger:

"Sorry, I was also a bit careless. This kind of key intelligence shouldn't have been told in front of him. You control him first..."

"Don't! Don't control me!"

Hearing Leon preparing to let this burly man control him again, the disheveled man said hurriedly:

"I can help you! Don't stop me from talking!"

"This..."

After hesitating slightly, Leon shook his head and refused:

"Sorry, this matter is too important, we can't trust you. If you say you will help us but actually find a way to tip them off, then that would be..."

"I won't!"

The disheveled man said anxiously:

"I am a classmate of His Majesty Finn! My rank as a level-four scholar was also specially approved by His Majesty Finn! I... did something really happen to the royal family? As long as you can prove that you weren't lying just now, I... I can help you sneak in!"

Got him!

Hearing the disheveled man's words, the corners of Leon's mouth couldn't help but lift slightly.

Regarding the disheveled man's identity as a die-hard "Royalist," he had already seen it from the snatched data. Given his relationship with the old king, once he heard the intelligence that the royal family might have all been killed, he would definitely be unable to hold back and would be eager to get to the bottom of it. This was exactly what he wanted.

After all, Scientific Research District 1 is so important, and Prince Andre, who is suspected of being the mastermind, would definitely guard it strictly as long as he is not a fool.

His 【Secret Tail】 is not omnipotent. Even if he finds a scholar in Scientific Research District 1 and relies on an anomalous object to replace his identity, without his knowledge and memory, and not knowing his interpersonal relationships and the rules of Scientific Research District 1, he would still be exposed in minutes.

So the only way to successfully sneak in is to persuade this disheveled man to lead the way for the two of them willingly.

And compared to earnest persuasion and begging him for help with facts and reasoning, it was naturally safer to set the hook first, wait for him to take the initiative to talk, and finally beg to help.