Xiao Yue pouted, her eyes glazing over with suspicion and mockery, forcing Ling Qingyu to raise her palm as if swearing an oath.
"Alright. You own colossal satellite constellations, Athena's godlike reach, dicinal Island with cutting-edge technology and connections, imnse wealth—and what, a nanoprinter?" Xiao Yue paused. "And that's the plan you ca up with? Just that? Think outside the box, Ling Qingyu."
Ling Qingyu nearly cringed and shrank under Xiao Yue's bluntness. Every word struck her like a hamr, forcing her head to droop lower as if her confidence were being shattered.
Seeing her reaction, Xiao Yue gasped. "What?! Do you expect to complint you?"
"At least I expected softer words from you," Ling Qingyu muttered.
"Well, I believe my words are very neutral and impactful," Xiao Yue rolled her eyes.
"It's your tone, alright?" Ling Qingyu felt exasperated, though she didn't truly mind the outburst.
Now that Xiao Yue had pointed it out, Ling Qingyu reconsidered everything carefully. She had failed the most fundantal rule—know yourself and know your enemy.
No matter how thoroughly she calculated her opponents' capabilities, if her understanding of her own power remained vague, she would never achieve true greatness.
"Co on. It's just that my expectations of you are high—that's why I feel like scolding you," Xiao Yue said. "You're destined for sothing greater than what you're currently envisioning."
"I know. I am the new conqueror," Ling Qingyu replied, slipping back into her narcissistic mode and earning Xiao Yue's helpless look.
"However, you did see things clearly. For that, I'll give you credit," Xiao Yue conceded. "Survival needs always prevail, regardless of the status quo—prosperity, desperation, fragile statehood, and so on."
She continued, "Food and dicine are the foundational pillars of civilization. Controlling them ans leveraging real power. But the number one resource you've overlooked is water."
"Water? Isn't it everywhere—abundant…" Ling Qingyu paused, suddenly realizing how fortunate she had been in both her past and present lives to have never experienced water scarcity.
She had read about it in historical accounts, but no matter how detailed those descriptions were, they failed to replicate the true horror.
"Yes, water is abundant—everywhere. But you see, human greed is what destroys equilibrium. Everyone knows that evenly shared resources, prosperity, and wealth would bring peace and happiness. Yet no one truly does it. And even when attempts are made throughout history, they fail."
"Human greed is endless. And so people are more selfish than others," Ling Qingyu acknowledged. She understood the fundantal principle behind the 80–20 distribution.
From capitalism breaking away from aristocratic authoritarianism to socialism and communism—none could function perfectly if humanity's inherent flaws weren't accounted for, if systems relied solely on the idealism of saints.
The most reliable answer to anything in the universe was simplicity—staying grounded.
"Right. Continent E and the Middle Kingdom don't lack water resources, but they're either robbed away, overexploited, or managed through inefficient practices that ignore long-term consequences—the risks behind short-term achievents. By themselves and by others."
"Isn't the primary cause natural factors, like desertification?"
"We won't drift into irrelevant debates," Xiao Yue replied calmly. "Desertification does occur naturally, but humans are the dominant driver—deforestation, overgrazing, and even wars."
"So, little—ahem—my dear Yue," Ling Qingyu corrected herself the mont she noticed Xiao Yue's expression shift. "Water is the core component I must focus on for leverage. Is that what you an?"
"Yes. Never ignore water, food, dicine, and healthcare. Whoever controls and hoards them can leverage everything—provided they have the ans to deter others and protect themselves."
"Water scarcity, huh?" Ling Qingyu smiled, realizing the value of consulting Xiao Yue. She truly had underestimated the strategic weight of water resources. "With Athena's research capability and proper investnt on my part, there's no way I can't pioneer advanced water technology. Thank you, Xiao Yue. I almost overlooked the real advantage."
"It's good that you can admit your mistake," Xiao Yue returned the smile. "Never underestimate simple matters. Sotis, they're the only life-changing variables—just waiting for the right opportunity."
Ling Qingyu nodded, accepting Teacher Yue's guidance without the slightest resistance. As expected of a forr warlord who had managed resources and governed vast territories during chaotic tis, Xiao Yue instantly grasped what Ling Qingyu ultimately intended to accomplish.
Even from just a rough blueprint, Xiao Yue had already discerned the bigger picture.
"Besides water, food, and healthcare, with your advantages, we can manage sanitation, telecommunication and internet access, energy and infrastructure, education, and micro-finance."
Ling Qingyu's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. Woah, she never expected she could influence and control these sectors so thoroughly.
Of course, she had plans for so of them, but not as thoroughly as Xiao Yue had listed so plainly.
The two of them in this room understood far more complexities behind each term. Water, sanitation, food, and healthcare weren't as simple as humanitarian aid.
They were purposefully packaged as INGOs to hide the real ambition and set up initial grounds. Sure, many people would receive imnse help and be able to sustain themselves later on, as Ling Qingyu wouldn't forget to teach a person how to fish.
However, in return, she desired sothing far more powerful.
Likewise, telecom, internet, energy, infrastructure, education, and finance provided essential services. For instance, wells, water purification plants, and sanitation systems were welcod without suspicion because of the needs. Yet, they could be used to control populations or create dependency.
Providing mobile networks and internet access gave control over communication, surveillance, and propaganda channels.
Education could indoctrinate future generations into her core principles and spread the ideology. As for finance, although it seed to empower locals with financial services despite unstable and dangerous regions, it bound communities to her power, controlled economics, and ran a parallel economy.
At this, Xiao Yue and Ling Qingyu exchanged a knowing glance without further explanation. So words didn't require clarification between confidantes.
Ling Qingyu's plan exceeded re control and dependency. The main ambition was silent and kinetic power projection.
Her dream of building huge rcenary corporations like Atlas and Umbrella from the gas truly began now as both exchanged and affird ideas.
The water projects could serve as logistical hubs for her group. Education could filter out talent for her use.
Energy and infrastructure allowed loopholes for her to establish standards and platforms which she could later influence from the shadows. dicine and healthcare would raise her group's prestige and influence the locals, gradually eroding the governnt's authority.
Afterward, Ling Qingyu laid out her plans for a parallel governnt apparatus to seep across Continent E and the Middle Kingdom.
Xiao Yue raised her brow and praised her wholeheartedly, inwardly surprised at the beautiful chessboard laid before them. Both won tried to simulate how the world's geopolitics would react to their campaign.
The conclusion was to bid for as much ti as they could, hiding until others realized it was too late. Unfortunately, data concealnt was nearly impossible in the modern age unless Athena tweaked the records.
Nonetheless, this rely elongated the tifra Ling Qingyu possessed to keep up the montum, not to erase or completely obscure her plan.
Anyone with a sane mind, sharp eyes, and attention to detail, backed by strong support, could spot the discrepancies at any ti. Such was the reason she completely separated Tang Ziyi's connection from her Spirit Group.
After all, superpowers like Country A, Country R, and even her holand, Country C, were too sensitive to economic statistics after the upheaval caused by the growing World Governnt in power—the globalist faction.
No party would allow another hidden leverage to appear on the chessboard. Besides, sovereignty was far more complex than resource managent.
Legitimacy, narrative, and consent—even manufactured one. It was the human factor, that was the hardest to articulate and control.
Of course, these worries weren't too dangerous since Ling Qingyu rely longed for her uncrowned emperor plan. She wasn't after being a ruler but a pioneer in the new system she envisioned.
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