Chapter 617
Chapter 617 - 597: Ambition
1,556 words
•
8 min read
Obviously, when fifty thousand elites enter the Ancient City with a huge amount of wealth, the turbulence and reforms they bring will be an inevitable important topic in the near future.
This is not a group of fifty thousand displaced people; they have skills, technology, knowledge, and wealth. When they try to integrate into this city, they must localize their wealth, abilities, and technology... In simpler terms, "local investment" and "technology/investment immigration."
An excellent chef can lead the rise of a bakery or even a chain store, creating employment for dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of people.
For those who can score a passing mark, each one is a strongman among hundreds or even thousands of others. In their field of expertise, perhaps the term "excellent" is no longer enough to describe them. They just need to adapt to the local environment and naturally be able to achieve something.
Even if they just replicate and localize their past careers, they will bring a huge impact to the Ancient City. Even if more than half of their businesses fail, they will completely change many things.
If developed well, the Ancient City might leapfrog to higher levels, and it is possible that the total production value will double by next year.
"The only unpleasant thing is that the Changping State Government can also benefit from this wave, perhaps even benefiting the most."
During an internal meeting, a high-ranking official from the Ancient City commented.
There is no way around this. The development dividends of a policy era have never been evenly distributed. It is normal for the strong to benefit more.
And this sentence itself, mentioned in a semi-public setting, reveals a hint of "resistance"; the Ancient City wants to become the leader of Changping State, and its historical revival is no longer a hidden fact.... In the past, when cities were relatively independent, bigger Provincial Capitals and State Governments inevitably drew talent and resources from other cities, accumulating resentment and discontent. Powerful cities naturally yearn for autonomy.
"In fact, they are limited by geographical defects (surrounding development has been exhausted) and have reached a bottleneck. If both sides grow, it will only lower the relative strength ratio, which is a good thing. If we truly develop for a decade, even if we cannot become the State Government, achieving an independent city or a directly-governed city should be possible."
This new era has strengthened the connections between states and the central government, but the opportunity for large-scale development has also given rise to various "ambitions" among the lower levels.
This is normal and necessary for the development of the era. Perhaps now, first-tier cities like the Changping State Government are thinking about how to become a secondary capital.
And the reason why this is deemed "normal" is because they have a fundamental difference from the old era...
"The administrative upgrade from the Bureau of Anomaly Management to the Department has some difficulties, as our security department lacks rule-level power. But the independent finance and warehouse management areas have been approved. Next year, no, this quarter, we plan to expand with twenty special service teams and corresponding auxiliary police teams."
"Is there enough talent? Are we being too hasty? Shouldn’t we transfer some young military officers from the armed forces? In this new era, we need harmonious development between security and the military..."
"This time, we cannot let Changping State take away the power to transfer personnel. Of the previous generation’s Top Ten Talents of the Ancient City, two went to the central government, and six were transferred to Changping State, completely depriving us of our foundation!"
This era is always a quasi-war era, and the relative independence and "arms-bearing" of various places are inevitable... In the current era where too-distant reinforcements cannot be relied upon, talent, combat power, and wealth can all be converted into urban security and border security. The security situation inside and outside cities can further absorb wealth and human resources from neighboring areas.
Big cities are safer and have more development potential, which attracts more talent. With more talent, they have everything else, creating a cycle where the strong become stronger, and the weak struggle for survival.
Second and third-tier cities like the Ancient City want to rise, not for meaningless titles or power, but for a better right to survival and development. This level of "healthy infighting" is also recognized by the highest authorities.
The most straightforward example is that the local military and local government officials have become substantially bound together, and local people protecting their own hometown cannot be relied upon by outsiders... This is obviously the enemy of centralized authority, but it has become an irreversible fact.
"Top ten talents? Talking about it just makes me angry. It’s as if there are talents, and we can use them well. Of the remaining two, one has been a special service team captain for 15 years and still cannot break through the rule-level. Eventually, he died in remorse and battle. The other has no development opportunities, worked for a while, and then went on to become an instructor... It’s our responsibility to give excellent seeds the opportunity to thrive, but we lack such a foundation..."
"Well, I suggest we negotiate with the ancient city’s military and temporarily transfer their Rule-level to the public security department. The Bureau of Anomaly Management and the city need a top-level strongman to maintain order. You see, those exotic guests hold royal flushes that need to be balanced... Besides, we’ve seen the previous reports. It’s challenging for us to handle the trouble caused by the fall of the Life Quasi-God locally. Under the current situation, our city is not safe."
The central government does not consider a second-tier city like the ancient city because it’s too far away and will not interfere with their lives and development. However, the nearby Changping State Government has always been a kind of "bloodsucker" in various senses.
The core contradiction is that when treasures and talents are taken away, they can’t help when something happens on their side... That’s why there was an incident of the ancient city hiding two Rule-level treasures. Such events are quite common in second- and third-tier cities, and it’s challenging for the state government to pursue.
It’s easy to hide treasures, but talents need tempering and resources to grow. The local talent pool is too shallow to nourish, so they naturally leave.
"Don’t worry; now the situation is different from before. Hasn’t the new generation produced many excellent explorers?"
But now, the situation has changed. The emergence of the explorer system allows those talents to go out and gain experience. They don’t need to go to big cities or capitals anymore, and the ancient city may be able to retain talents. Once the snowball starts rolling, there won’t be any difference between here and Changping.
"What we need to do is to take care of the overall situation and create a good environment... Simply put, give them a stable ’home’."
The torrent of current times is an opportunity, perhaps the last chance to turn things around... These experienced political schemers have seen it. The final state-level administrative units will be integrated, but it’s difficult to say who will be in charge.
"We must not miss this opportunity. It’s best to secure those foreign guests from the Nan Liuzhi. Once the first batch is settled, the second batch will naturally come to have a look. Development will then form a scale effect. What’s the situation now? Any response from the accompanying intelligence bureau comrades...?"
"It’s much better than expected. That young man who was urgently recruited turned out to be a rising star in academia. And after just returning from the other world, he has brought a magic plant that they desperately need. It’s said to be related to the Rule-level they urgently need to treat. The chances of them agreeing are high!"
Undoubtedly, this is good news. The big shots present immediately shared the information, allowing the name Lu Ping’an to enter the government’s higher-ups’ sight for the first time.
The intelligence officer who made the report added hesitantly.
"Actually, there’s one more thing about him that’s worth reporting."
"During the talks, the Rule-level guest from the other side publicly praised the young man, saying that he has the potential to reach the Rule-level."
In an instant, the atmosphere became intense. Who wouldn’t like a nuclear weapon like the Rule-level, especially a local one?
When Lu Ping’an’s resume was dug up, the "top secret" and "blacked out" on it made people’s scalps tingle.
"As the city’s secretary, I don’t have the authority to view his entire file?! The authority is not with us?"
At this point, some people completely remembered the young man.
"Could it be just a courteous compliment?" Someone raised this doubt, but the intelligence officer shook his head in refusal.
"That’s the root of why I can’t forget that scene. When the other side said that the young man would enter the Rule-level, he was very calm. That micro-expression, it was as if he was saying, ’Isn’t it natural?’."
— End of Chapter 617 —