Resurrection Empire-Chapter 858 - 330: Darkness Before Dawn

Looking at their astonished expressions, Ren Zhong didn't feel particularly proud.

Others thought he was naturally knowledgeable, but no one knew how much he had already experienced.

After a few seconds, Ren Zhong slowly said, "So, you just need to do what you can do well. I'll handle the rest. We will bring change to this era. Of course, we all know that every change comes at the cost of many lives. Source Star will surely be littered with corpses. But I don't believe we're doing the wrong thing."

Hearing Ren Zhong's confident yet murderous words, Sun Miao was initially stunned, and the excitement in his heart slightly subdued.

After a long while, Sun Miao asked, "Though we all believe the 'Net' is the root of all evil, if we really succeed in stirring up the revolution, in some sense, we will also become executioners. Right?"

Ren Zhong nodded, "Yes."

"What if the revolution ultimately fails?"

Ren Zhong: "Many, including you and me, will die in vain."

After speaking, Ren Zhong paused again and resolutely said, "But I will not fail."

Sun Miao asked again, "Then how do you know, after succeeding, we won't become the new rulers?"

Ren Zhong smiled slightly, "We won't."

"Why are you so confident?"

"Because I'm a pure idealist."

"What if you die midway?"

Ren Zhong: "At least I was here. I've erased some things from Source Star, and left others behind."

Sun Miao pondered over Ren Zhong's words, and after a long time, nodded, "Hmm."

Ren Zhong continued, "Furthermore, I can be sure of one thing. Even if we do nothing, in the near future, there will still be massacres on Source Star. The Empire needs human brains, and the migration tickets are only given to citizens of at least Fifth Level. The outcome is obvious, only one billion will survive. Everyone else must perish. Since they face death either way, why not take a chance, right?"

Sun Miao: "In our situation, if we want to live, there's no problem, and we can live better than most people."

Ren Zhong: "But that's not what we want."

Sun Miao: "Yes. Let's take a chance! Let's try it!"

...

On the 149th day, the enterprise war erupted as scheduled.

Everything unfolded just as Ren Zhong had planned. The three towns of Chongyi and two other towns in Liao Yuan County hoisted white flags at lightning speed, voluntarily offering their assets.

Ren Zhong accepted them all with a smile.

He spared some who deserved to die and no longer easily dispensed justice, quickly integrating the resources of the six towns, absorbing personnel, expanding the Starfire Army's scale, and upgrading equipment.

Meanwhile, he slightly popularized the management model of Starfire Resources, allowing new Starfire Army members to become familiar with equipment through hunting Ruined Beasts, training in coordination, while also generating more profits for him.

Compared to other resource recycling company bosses, he only conceded an extra 5% profit, but using skill training, incitement, brainwashing, and other methods, he more than doubled hunting efficiency in a very short time.

Tanggu Group was very pleased with his pilot performance.

He cloaked himself in thick imitation armor, turning himself into a true Source Star capitalist.

Sun Ai also informed Ren Zhong that the 'Net's surveillance intensity on him was gradually decreasing.

Ren Zhong was happy to see this, locking himself up in Starfire Town, simultaneously training to improve combat power, trading stocks, managing new industries to make money, and studying to recharge.

Everything was moving in a positive direction, the only issue was Ren Zhong's transformation was so drastic it made others somewhat unfamiliar.

Someone had opinions about it.

On the 166th day, as if ordained by fate, Ma Xiaoling knocked on his office door.

Her face was full of displeasure, and she walked up to Ren Zhong with urgency, "What exactly is going on in your mind? Why are you watching when Mengdu Group is almost capturing all the wild people in West Lake County, yet doing nothing? Due to the pressure you've created, the few resource recycling companies in West Lake County are frantically oppressing and exploiting the wild people. Why do you remain idle when you could easily seize those four towns? What are you really thinking?"

In the past, among everyone, Ren Zhong often appeared the most radical one, leading others forward.

But this time, Ren Zhong became conservative, while the hot-tempered and brainless Ma Xiaoling took the lead.

Hearing this, Ren Zhong looked at her helplessly.

By now, Sun Ai could easily shield him from the Net's surveillance, so he wasn't afraid of being watched.

But Ren Zhong had already been overturned once by Ma Xiaoling's psychological scrutiny; now was not yet the time to be forthright with her.

"Speak up. I always feel like nothing has been the same since you came back from prison. Yes, you're richer now, you even acquired your own armory. Now Ren's Group starts exporting its products. The people in Starfire Town are living better lives. But you could do even better..." 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Ren Zhong still didn't answer, just looked at her with a smile.

After a moment, Ma Xiaoling gradually closed her mouth.

Whether it's an illusion or not, she vaguely felt that, for an instant, she saw profound regret in Ren Zhong's eyes.

In that instant, she convinced herself again.

It seemed Ren Zhong hadn't changed.

Ren Zhong said nothing, yet Ma Xiaoling interpreted that he too felt bad, just had no choice.

"Forget it, do as you please. I understand your point, you're likely counting on those four towns to first internally wear themselves out so you can acquire them effortlessly, as before, right?"

Ma Xiaoling blinked as she said this.

Ren Zhong nodded, "Yes. You've gotten smarter!"

"Get lost! Nice idea."

Ma Xiaoling left.

Days went by, one after another.

In a blink of an eye, two months passed, leading to day 206, New Origin Calendar January 24, year 683.

Ren Zhong still did nothing, yet the resource recycling companies of West Lake Four Towns successively sought him out within just three days, expressing their inability to endure psychological pressure and proactively offering to sell their companies to Ren Zhong at the lowest price.

These people spoke of pressure, but Ren Zhong knew all too well.

After two months of relentless exploitation, the wild people in these four towns were entirely drained of oil and water.

The small town population rapidly declined, with the economy hitting rock bottom.

If they didn't hand over the territory to Ren Zhong, these four towns risked declining to the point of Starfire Town's initial state, failing to pass next year's Pu Cha.

They caved under the pressure from West Lake County Government, compelled to hand over their assets.

Ren Zhong declined their "lowest price," proposing a curious price of one Contribution Point, surprisingly not met with rejection.

Thereby, the enterprise war in Yangsheng City officially ended.

The Starfire Army never launched an aggressive attack, truly conquering the whole of Yangsheng City without losing a soldier or firing a shot.

While visiting, allotting resources, and revitalizing morale in West Lake Four Towns, Ren Zhong witnessed a Hell on Earth.

As one of the masterminds, indirectly causing such a scenario, the Steering Man, he didn't feel good inside.

But his face still radiated a smile, encouraging these afflicted wild people, only telling them that from now on, they became off-roll employees of Ren's Group.

"You've endured the toughest days; I shall let you live lives akin to those of Starfire Town's wild people."

The psychological expectations of people in the four towns had been reduced to an extremely humble state, leaving only gratitude.

Truly, none resented Ren Zhong.

Ren Zhong's maneuvers also received high praise from the Tanggu Group and Ying Hao.

Both parties unanimously agreed that he achieved victory with the utmost ease, reaping the maximum benefits.

After all, within a mere two months, his Starfire Army swelled to a colossal fifteen thousand, well-equipped, with zero casualties.

On that very evening, Sun Ai informed him that all preparatory work was done, and it was time to act.