Chapter 3012: Seeds of Reform, A Decent Start

Since increasing consumption is not a viable path (it is possible, but not the root cause), the only option is to find a way to increase the number of Mages; otherwise, if Xia Duo does not reduce the order quantity, wouldn't that mean a significant chunk of income will be lost?

Behind these large chambers of commerce, there indeed exist many Upper Families. Perhaps these Upper Families worry that fully opening up Magic inheritance will affect their rule, but if it is only opened to the level of ordinary Mages, it actually does not affect them at all.

On the contrary, one could use the excuse of the costs involved in training new Mages to pocket the profits from connecting these new Mages to the Computing Power Pool. In such a situation, wouldn't it be that the more new Mages are trained, the more money is made?

In this situation, the meager income from the Connectors doesn't count for much. After all, there are only a few designated suppliers for the Psionic Network Research Center, and other Upper Families will certainly want to find a way to get a piece of the pie.

However, once the number of Mages increases, it will not be so easy to reduce them again. Aryvandaar, which once nearly unified the entire Elf World, tried to strengthen its rule by reducing the number of high-level Mages, and the result was a disaster.

Now, this expansion in the number of grassroots Mages has a more profound impact on the future. While they cannot directly resist oppression in the short term, the seeds of inheritance have already spread, and they will always be able to take root and sprout in the future.

Furthermore, the essence of the Computing Power Pool is actually a Mind Network; it is not only used to boost computing power and inspiration, but can also be used for communication.

At a critical moment, turning the world upside down might just be a matter of an instant.

……

Besides the Computing Pool Connector, Xia Duo also intends to launch more mass-produced Magic Artifacts. On one hand, this is certainly to find an outlet for the excess productivity of Xia Ling before industrialization; on the other hand, just like the Connector, it is to stimulate the growth of the number of grassroots Mages.

Of course, compared to the costs paid in the later stages, those seventy million are a bit of a loss.

Calculating simply with 150,000 users, that requires 1,500 to 3,000 sets. Counting at 3,000 sets, that is 6 million Gold Coins, but—

Three days later, the first batch of 170,000 Computing Pool Connectors were all distributed. The staff dispatched by the Computing Power Pool Operations Department under the Psionic Network Research Center received over 70 million Gold Coins in prepaid fees for advanced functions.

Although the earlier testing and debugging results were very ideal, the current total number of users is as high as 170,000, and the peak number of concurrent users is also 10,000 to 20,000; that is the total number of users from the testing period.

……

In addition, there are the costs for the Gateway Magic Tool and the Translation Device. Both of these items are purchased from the Tower of Time, and Xia Shao himself has earned quite a bit from them, but the costs that should be recorded to the Alliance side must still be recorded.

Under such circumstances, rather than being replaced by external forces, it is better to try a reconciliatory progress to consolidate one's own rule, though doing so will only accelerate the curtain call of the old forces.

Subsequent production is not counted for now; for the 170,000 pieces already distributed, the Psionic Network Research Center has paid 120 million Gold Coins for them.

But if something goes wrong with the operation of the Computing Power Pool, then it is truly finished.

The expected price Xia Shao could accept was 1,000 Gold Coins per piece, but he couldn't withstand the Diya Chamber of Commerce providing an assist, and the result became 800 Gold Coins.

Before the end of June, 200 million must be earned, otherwise the subsidies for those connecting to the Computing Power Pool cannot be paid out. Whether the project goes bankrupt is hard to say for now, but the credit will definitely go bankrupt.

No matter how good the future prospects are, if you can't make money now, it's all in vain.

If the old forces would "rather give to foreign states than to their own servants," then Xia Shao might laugh. He might be playing the role of the "foreign state" in the Northland reforms. If the old Northland forces are willing to surrender to him unconditionally, how could he not laugh!

In such a situation, the old forces still possess an absolute advantage, but as long as they cannot extinguish all the flames of reform at once, in the long run, reform will always happen.

New and old are only relative, not absolute.

If the subsidies cannot be paid out, they could actually be issued in the form of usage time for user advanced functions. Although this also damages credit, it would at least not lead to bankruptcy.

……

With such a large deficit, even if Xia Shao were willing to use his own money to make up for it first, he could not come up with so much money at once.

……

The highest cost in the early stage is the 170,000 free Connectors, of which 30,000 were first charged and then refunded; the costs were all borne by the Psionic Network Research Center.

Then one can only train users oneself!

This brings us back to the previous scene: the number of grassroots Mages is constantly rising, and there will always be challengers to the existing order. And the most effective way to challenge the existing order is to continue to Popularize Magic.

Xia Shao feels that even if he were staring at the scene, he probably wouldn't have the heart to do anything else.

The Gateway Magic Tool uses Spirit Material, which is actually equivalent to a consumable; it needs to be replaced with a new one about every month, so the 6 million Gold Coins here is actually that much every month, which is 72 million a year.

But that is a matter for later; currently, there is not a bit of income in that regard.

Since the Public Computing Power Pool officially began operations, Xia Duo's avatar has almost never left the Gateway Control Hall, constantly monitoring the operating status of the Computing Power Pool.

Of course, if any old forces can foresee the true future and make up their minds to transform thoroughly, there is also a chance of success, though they would similarly face a backlash from the old forces.

But once production efficiency is improved and excess productivity has nowhere to vent, and the things produced cannot be sold, what should be done?

However, the subsidies for those connecting to the Computing Power Pool cannot be ignored. It has only been less than a month, so there is no need to calculate it yet. If one really were to calculate it, one month would at least be in the hundreds of millions.

Then there is the Translation Device, 10,000 per set. Although the unit price is more expensive, they are used less, so this part of the cost can be ignored for now.

If there is no more income following this—at least before the end of June—it is likely that bankruptcy will be faced.

Alliance Headquarters, Psionic Network Research Center.

Of course, all Old Magic Artifacts can be recycled and reused. The Elf World also has chambers of commerce and workshops specializing in the recycling of Old Magic Artifacts, but the price certainly cannot go anywhere high. Calculated by the year, one can barely earn about 10 million.

That is to say, with the 40 million in prepaid fees for Computing Power Pool advanced functions already received, the Psionic side is still in a deficit of 86 million! (120 million + 6 million - 40 million)

When others see him making money, they will certainly imitate him, but he happens not to care about others' imitation, and will even teach them how to improve production efficiency.

Finally, there are personnel expenses. The Psionic Network Research Center has not yet reached the time to retain income; this part is temporarily paid by the Alliance side, so it is also ignored for now.

Although the cost of a Connector is less than 500 Gold Coins per piece (the Special Connector that can protect consciousness costs over 1,000 and sells for 2,000; the ones distributed for free are all basic models), the price given to various suppliers cannot be calculated based on cost.

The Gateway Magic Tool is priced at 2,000 Gold Coins for a set of five pieces. A small network of 50 to 100 people needs one set. Well, one always has to pay a certain price.

And this is only from the perspective of a single country. If placed in the perspective of the Alliance, the Main Plane, or even the various realms, the result of the old forces not progressing is being replaced by other external progressive forces.

It is not yet a month, so the early investment is counted as 6 million.