Chapter 184: The Location to Plant the Oasis Source

Let's not think about other things for now.

What Luo De and Nadixa are thinking about now is where to go to plant this Oasis Source.

Regardless of what idea Apep had in sending out this Oasis Source.

This fern has the ability to speed up the rebirth of the Great Merciful Tree King, which is always fine.

Now, Nadixa is using a huge amount of elemental energy from the Gnosis to treat Apep; not to mention using it to water the Great Merciful Tree King, she doesn't even have enough capacity to handle emergencies.

If she were to use her own elemental energy to water it every day.

The time required would also be very long.

The timing of this Oasis Source's arrival is just right.

As for where exactly it should be planted.

Nadixa's idea is still to plant it in A Ru Cun.

No matter how you say it.

A Ru Cun is now an autonomous territory of Sumeru, and under Luo De's arrangement, it is still gathering on a large scale the tribal people and mercenaries from the desert.

The future A Ru Cun will definitely be more than just a village.

This is a settled matter.

And if one wants to expand A Ru Cun's scale to city level, even rivaling a supercity like Sumeru Cheng, then a large amount of resources must be invested.

Just like now.

Although with the help of alchemical potions and various completely new planting methods, A Ru Cun's food production has expanded to a number previously unimaginable.

But such production is premised on A Ru Cun constantly frantically absorbing labor.

If Luo De or Kantisi were a bone-sucking capitalist, even absorbing several times more labor would not cause such problems for the village.

Nor would there be a situation where a group of mercenaries buys up all the market food, almost forcing the use of reserve grain.

But the problem is that Luo De and Kantisi are not doing that.

At least there is basic fairness.

Even those bandits who previously attacked the village and were captured back, while doing hard labor to atone, still receive wages.

This behavior can be called explosive even when looking across all of Sumeru.

Looking across all of Teyvat, no one would even do this.

Bandits have no human rights.

This is a universally acknowledged fact.

Kantisi used to think that way too.

Back then, the bandits that fell into her hands didn't even get wages, let alone the chance to do hard labor; they were simply reincarnated on the spot.

So when Luo De said he would give these people wages, Kantisi and everyone else alike didn't understand.

Of course.

Luo De made this decision not because he thinks criminals also have rights, but simply because he wants to attract more people to A Ru Cun.

The target group is also not these lawless bandits and thieves.

It is the tribal people and mercenaries that Dixiya and Tadelia are currently winning over in batches.

The plan originally set for A Ru Cun has long exceeded expectations, advancing toward a greater goal.

Nadixa, who previously plotted together with Luo De in the dream world, naturally understands what A Ru Cun needs now.

That is money!

Indeed.

After Luo De rescued Nadixa, people or things related to Luo De have received considerable attention.

Especially his birthplace, A Ru Cun, as recorded in official documents.

After Nadixa resumed leadership of the Academy, she immediately received many investment intentions from merchants led by Duoli.

But considering that investment requires returns.

Once accepting these merchants' investments, one must produce corresponding results to repay them.

After careful consideration, Kantisi calculated the village's current production capacity, ultimately rejecting most of the investment intentions and retaining only a few limited partners.

And as of now.

The biggest backer behind A Ru Cun is not those merchants, but the Academy.

However.

Even relying solely on these backers' input, it still hasn't alleviated the fact that the village's expenses keep growing.

Short of money.

This situation is like an endless pit.

Anyway, in Luo De and Nadixa's impression, A Ru Cun's economic situation has never been good.

Either they are in a state of severe shortage of money, or they are on the road to such a shortage.

However, just as Nadixa said she would plant the Oasis Source in A Ru Cun to reduce the village's consumption for improving land and increasing crop yields.

Luo De, however, said: 'This thing is not to be planted in A Ru Cun.'

The former site of the Tanite Tribe is the location he chose.

'Go there?'

Nadixa didn't really understand.

Other things are easy to discuss, but why go to a place that was once a temporary foothold for the tribal people, instead of continuing to expand A Ru Cun, which already has a good foundation?

'Because the desert is so vast, it shouldn't have only one A Ru Cun.'

Luo De voiced the thought in his heart.

Expanding A Ru Cun can indeed achieve the highest return with the smallest investment.

It can be said that the cost-performance ratio is maximized.

But from a long-term perspective.

The geographical location of A Ru Cun will severely limit the improvement of the desert's overall environment.

It is too close to the rainforest.

Such a convenient geographical location.

It is destined that if all the human resources of the desert are concentrated within the scope of A Ru Cun, then ninety percent of the desert will eventually become completely uninhabited, and from then on the desert people will either accept assimilation by the rainforest or cling stubbornly to this little plot of land in A Ru Cun; those desert people unwilling to accept either option will become outcasts shunned wherever they go.

There's nothing we can do.

The desert is too big.

And A Ru Cun is too small.

"Hmm, this is indeed a problem."

"Nadixa roughly understood Luo De's idea, and then asked another question: 'Are you trying to revive the glory of Valiweijie?'"

Valiweijie.

A kingdom that exists only in historical records.

A powerful kingdom with the largest territory in Teyvat's history.

"Well, it's not exactly about reviving Valiweijie."

"Luo De chuckled: 'Wanting to revive that kingdom is difficult.'"

Then.

"He then continued: 'What I want is merely to let those people like Dixiya live a fair life, rather than spend their whole lives in wind and sand, hunger, death, and bullying.'"

"Moreover."

"After all, it's hard to leave one's homeland."

"Deep desert, A Ru Cun, rainforest, and Sumeru Cheng—these places are not on the same level in terms of lifestyle pace or quality."

"Roughly forcing everyone to live in a basically established new environment would require them to adapt, change, and spend a long time before they could integrate into that circle."

"If any part of this is mishandled, everyone will band together into new cliques, and conflicts and attacks will constantly arise, ultimately resulting in a countereffect."

"So by pulling out those who might cause trouble and letting them develop their own homelands—since the source of the oasis is right there, you can reclaim land, and whatever land you reclaim is yours—this will both motivate those people and allow the desert to see one or even several brand-new cities rise again."

"This way, A Ru Cun is to the east and a new oasis to the north."

"With these two points as a foundation, we can later radiate development outward; someday the entire Great Red Sand Sea will become a region like the rainforest where everyone can live and work in peace, no longer a world where people eat people."

(End of chapter)