Chapter 1002: The Specialty of Xintila

Ke'erwa, Huguang City, former Zongdufu banquet hall.

The figure of Sheng Wolun disappeared on the other side of the banquet hall doors.

A crisp shattering sound came from inside the hall.

Grand Duke Aldridge accidentally dropped the crystal glass in his hand to the floor and said with a trembling voice.

"He... how could he... he actually... he actually humiliated us like this!"

Mining Tycoon Sike tore open the tie that was making it difficult for him to breathe and spoke up.

"For those mud-legged ones... those slaves?!

Is he crazy?! Can those lowly lives compare to the wealth and status we have accumulated for generations?

Give them clean water and medical care? How much money would that cost! That money was supposed to be our profit!"

Lady Lina's elegant demeanor had vanished completely, her fingers clutching her skirt.

"He... he is not a normal person at all! No desires, no weaknesses, like a... like a cold machine! The methods we used to deal with the Fengqi officials before are like a joke in front of him!"

A relatively young noble, Viscount Pake, said in a low voice.

"But... what he said, the will of the Emperor, liberating all of humanity... it sounds, like... quite noble, doesn't it?"

Sike interrupted Viscount Pake.

"Noble? Pake! Has your brain also been infected by those mud-legged ones?

Those are just slogans to fool fools! Which ruler doesn't say a few pretty words when they take office? In the end, don't we still have to rely on us, the ones who control the resources, to maintain rule?

Can he, Sheng Wolun, rely on himself alone, and those grunts outside, to manage the entire planet? Without us, where would the tax revenue come from? Who would maintain order? Who would operate the factories?"

Grand Duke Aldridge quickly calmed down and said in a deep voice.

"Hasi-ke is right. This Sheng Wolun might be an outlier, a brainwashed madman. But he represents the force behind him, a force capable of quickly defeating the Feng Qi Xing Alliance. We cannot meet him head-on.

He doesn't take bribes, doesn't touch women, and is full of benevolence and morality... but that doesn't mean he has no needs or weaknesses.

He wants political achievements, wants stability, and wants to push through his ridiculous 'equality' laws. Perhaps... we can start from that aspect."

Lady Lina asked curiously.

"Grand Duke, what do you mean?"

Aldridge lowered his voice.

"Cooperate with him, at least on the surface. Doesn't he want to improve the slums? We can 'proactively' offer to assist, send our people to 'manage' the relief supplies, and 'organize' the engineering construction.

In the process, we can move things around a little, such as reporting false numbers, skimming off a portion, or still tilting the best resources toward the areas we control... as long as it is done covertly and the books look good, he is new here and short-handed, so he may not necessarily notice."

Sike's eyes lit up.

"Right! We can also secretly incite those mud-legged ones to make them dissatisfied with the new policies, such as complaining about unfair distribution, or stirring up conflicts between different groups of slaves to create chaos.

By then, since he, the Governor, is governing ineffectively, he will naturally need to rely on us to 'pacify' the situation!"

Viscount Pake hesitated.

"But... he looks... very serious. If he discovers we are playing tricks..."

Aldridge glanced coldly at Viscount Pake.

"Pake, put away your unnecessary mercy and fear! This is war! A silent war! To preserve the foundation left by our ancestors and the privileges of our descendants, what does it matter if we use some means?

No matter how capable Sheng Wolun is, he is only one person! As long as we are united and firmly control the economic lifeline and the bottom-level labor force of Ke'erwa, he will have to compromise with us sooner or later!

Unless he really wants to see the entire planet fall into paralysis and riots!"

The nobles exchanged glances and nodded in agreement.

Indeed, a strong dragon cannot suppress a local snake.

They had operated in Ke'erwa for generations; how could a parachuted Governor shake their deep-rooted network of relationships and control over resources in a short time?

"Let's do it!"

"Listen to the Grand Duke!"

Meanwhile, outside the banquet hall, in the Zongdufu corridor.

Just as Sheng Wolun walked out of the banquet hall, two soldiers wearing dark gray urban combat uniforms appeared at his side.

"Governor."

The lead squad leader, whose shoulder insignia indicated he was a sergeant, saluted Sheng Wolun.

Sheng Wolun returned a standard nod.

"Sergeant Makusi, what is the situation?"

"According to your orders, while you were dealing with the targets, the Xintila Seventh Squad has preliminarily completed non-contact intelligence gathering and cross-verification of the core noble circles in Huguang City."

As Sergeant Makusi spoke, he handed a data pad to Sheng Wolun.

"This is a summary of the key information gathered, involving acts that seriously violate the Xiuluo Basic Law and the Interim Regulations on the Governance of Newly Recovered Areas."

Sheng Wolun took the data pad and browsed the content above.

Target One: Grand Duke Aldridge is suspected of using his old power to illegally occupy mountains, forests, and lakes that originally belonged to public resources, and transforming them into private hunting grounds and vacation spots.

The chamber of commerce controlled by his family has long monopolized nearly forty percent of the daily necessities supply in Huguang City and is suspected of manipulating prices.

Reliable intelligence indicates that he still has unclear connections with the secret police organization of the already abolished Feng Qi Xing Alliance.

Target Two: Several mining areas under Sike's name, including his Number Three Mining Area, have situations involving the extensive use of involuntary slave labor, extremely harsh working environments, and a lack of safety measures, resulting in a large number of work-related injuries and deaths.

He is suspected of evading huge mining taxes; through bribing former Fengqi officials, he illegally obtained mining rights for several high-quality veins that originally belonged to small mine owners.

Target Three: Several banks controlled by Lady Lina are suspected of illegal usury businesses, using fraudulent means to embezzle the collateral assets of a large number of borrowers.

She uses financial means to cooperate with Grand Duke Aldridge's chamber of commerce to monopolize the market; there is evidence that she is attempting to transfer a large amount of assets abroad through secret channels.

There are other nobles who are also more or less involved in illegal land annexation, tax evasion, bribing former officials, and abusing slave labor.

The data is detailed.

In investigating corruption issues, the work efficiency of the Xintila Squad is astonishing.

Sheng Wolun muttered in disgust.

"Mites... fat rats..."

These nobles suck the blood of this planet, yet they view the common people at the bottom as mere grass.

"Governor, we also intercepted that after you left, an encrypted communication band inside the banquet hall was unusually active."

Another Xintila soldier added.

"Although the content cannot be fully decrypted, energy pattern analysis shows they are urgently discussing countermeasures, very likely targeting your policies."

Sheng Wolun let out a cold snort.

"As expected. They are accustomed to seizing benefits in the shadows, accustomed to twisting rules with money and power. They cannot understand, and they will never willingly give up their privileges."

Sheng Wolun looked toward Sergeant Makusi.

"Sergeant, categorize and organize this evidence, especially the parts involving homicides, severe labor exploitation, and illegal transfer of assets; mark them as high priority. Notify the Planetary Law Enforcement Force to stand by."

"Yes, Governor!"

Sheng Wolun added.

"Additionally, strengthen patrols and surveillance of the Sike Number Three Mining Area, as well as several major slums in the city."

"If these nobles cannot succeed openly, they might secretly trip us up, or even incite a Disturbance and frame the new policies for it."

"We must ensure the basic safety of the people at the bottom; we cannot let them become victims of power struggles."

"Understood! We will dispatch additional plainclothes personnel to blend into key areas, while simultaneously strengthening overt patrols to create a deterrent."

Sheng Wolun nodded and walked toward his Command Center.

"Let's go, there is still much work to be done."

To change an entrenched old world, relying solely on legal statutes and incorruptible officials is far from enough; it also requires iron-fisted methods, and... when necessary, a reckoning.

Sheng Wolun stroked the small metal badge pinned to the inside of his uniform collar.

It was given to him by a Salamanders Space Marine when the Salamanders Legion rescued him from a Beast Race cage, and it was engraved with a lizard pattern rising from flames.

This badge reminded him of why he fought and where his convictions originated.

"For the Emperor, and for those who are still struggling in the darkness."