Empire of Shadows

President Diego did not discuss whether it was good or bad for the federal people to come here to invest and build factories, because any ruler, even if his brain wasn’t very good, would understand that this was definitely not a bad thing.

So after Minister Rabour mentioned that Lance was trying to control a part of the region for the stability of factory production, Diego didn’t pursue the matter further.

Because asking more was meaningless. Since the federal people had already decided to handle this matter personally, even if he objected, would it be useful?

It seemed it wouldn’t be of any use.

Of course, he could use his status as president to expel these federal people, but he couldn’t bear the consequences of doing so.

Sometimes, in the dead of night, he would also think about everything that had happened during this period, and he would have a very inexplicable feeling.

Being a president in such a backward and poor small country was, on the contrary, not as good as being born into a rich family in the Federation.

At least those rich people living in the Federation never had to worry like him, worry about whether their rule and power would be stolen by a small thief.

For the next period of time, Diego focused all his attention on the matter of solving those anti-government armed forces. He continuously conscripted troops around the Zhuolan region, allowing the number of soldiers in his hands to increase greatly.

The weapons aided from the Jede Republic’s side also allowed these soldiers to at least not fight with cold weapons. With 70,000 soldiers under his control, he felt an unprecedented strength!He wanted to find someone to clash with, but this time it wasn’t Pedro.

Pedro’s forces were still expanding in an orderly manner. They hadn’t immediately captured many cities. Instead, they were consolidating control over the surrounding villages and towns around Saige City. As of now, they only had one city, Saige, which wasn’t even a big city.

But no one would underestimate their strength. Not only had they captured a batch of military supplies from the Rapa government army, but they also had several field cannons in their hands.

They had already become an anti-government armed force with ”fortification-storming” capabilities. So Diego had turned his attention to the group that currently claimed to be the second-largest revolutionary force in Rapa, which was Ross’s group.

Ross had already led his followers to occupy three cities. Ross’s approach and Pedro’s were complete extremes; they were expanding crazily.

As soon as they took a city, they would kill all the previous ruling class, then replace them with their own people, and then support a batch of local ordinary people to form a new regime.

Of course, being able to take these cities so quickly also had to do with the great famine.

Now, most cities in the entire Rapa were in the grip of famine. Even if they had no weapons, they could still conquer one city after another with ease.

It was just that Ross clearly hadn’t thought one thing through, which was that he had taken three cities, but whether he had the ability and supplies to manage these three cities well was still a question, an unknown.

Diego’s choice to make a move on Ross was clearly also planned and considered. Taking advantage of their manpower being split among three cities to attack a part of them, this would definitely not be too difficult a battle.

The eyes of the Rapa nation were once again focused on this impending battle. The last defeat of the Rapa government army could be said to have directly torn off the fig leaf of the Rapa government’s lack of decisive force, letting people see the emptiness and weakness of the Rapa government.

If they failed again this time, the situation of the entire Rapa might slide in a direction that no one knew.

In early June, Diego had appointed a lieutenant general of the Rapa Army to lead 20,000 men to attack a city that was said to be defended by less than a thousand people.

The battle had broken out around June 8th or 9th. Reporters from Lance’s newspaper, surrounding countries, and the Yalan League, and even federal reporters, had all rushed to the front lines to gather news content.

This was the first time Ross’s men had fought the Rapa government army. They were clearly still unfamiliar with it. The battle was very fierce from the very beginning.

Ross’s men wanted to replicate the successful case of the ”Saige City street battle,” and to, in a clearly disadvantaged situation, inflict a heavy blow on this part of the government army, to establish his own position as the number two rebel in Rapa.

However, this time, there was a high probability that he would not be able to get the result he wanted.

After the last defeat, Diego had had the military buy some materials about street fighting from the Federation. Although these materials were not very complete, and not very detailed, for Ross, who likewise did not know how to fight a street battle, it was enough!

From the start of the exchange of fire, the anti-government armed forces had begun to show signs of a steady retreat. Some of their deployments had clearly not worked, for example, some of the traps that had been set in the rooms.

This time, the Rapa government army had become much smarter. They would hardly enter those rooms that looked like they might have traps, or didn’t look like they had traps, but would first use a grenade or the like to conduct a ”blast.”

The vibration and shrapnel produced by the grenade’s explosion in the room were enough to activate those traps. The traps had played almost no role in this battle.

The two sides had returned to the most primitive state of killing. In the low and complex urban environment, they were fighting in the most primitive way. The losses on both sides were quite heavy.

By late June, Ross’s defending forces were no longer able to resist. They had retreated from the city overnight.

It was said that the group of people who had successfully retreated was less than 200, and at least 700 or 800 had been lost in the city.

This was also a heavy blow to Ross, because he had not only lost these fighters, but more importantly, he had also lost the weapons that these people were carrying, and had also made some people question his decisions.

This was far more unacceptable than failure!

If people die, they can be recruited again.

Rapa has nothing in abundance, except for people. A population of 12 million. Even if three or five million died, in the entire Yalan, it would still be considered a populous country.

But other things, weapons, authority, once lost, are very difficult to get back.

To want the federal people to aid them with another batch of weapons, it was unknown what kind of mind-boggling treaties or the like would have to be signed.

The next day, on the cruise ship to the federal mainland, Minister Rabour had seen this news in the newspaper.

The Rapa’s government army, after paying a loss of about 2,000, had successfully retaken the city, and had also captured a batch of military supplies and ammunition.

The report had shown the Rapa government’s attitude towards these anti-government armed forces, which was to kill every single one, and to definitely not let any go.

His gaze soon fell on the accompanying pictures, a large number of them.

The government army had arranged the bodies of the anti-government armed forces in a row, and had also singled out some of the ”anti-government armed forces officers,” had cut off their heads, had strung them together with a rope, and were holding them in their hands.

In this period, there was no such thing as censoring technology. Even if there was, it wouldn’t be used much. Diego just wanted to use these photos to deter those anti-government armed forces, to make them understand that what they were doing required paying a price!

”What are you looking at?” his son walked over and sat down beside him.

They had booked a luxury suite, with more than 200 square meters of space. The tabletop was full of exquisite snacks.

At any time, as long as one of them was hungry, they could pick up the phone and have the kitchen make them a sumptuous meal, which would be delivered by a food cart.

If you only looked at these people, you couldn’t feel that there was any famine at all.

Their attire was so decent, it was hard to associate them with the poverty and backwardness of Rapa.

This time, in order to leave a good impression on the federal people, Minister Rabour had had several sets of formal wear made just before he had set off, to be used for attending various occasions.

Watching his young son walk over, he handed over the newspaper. ”The government army has won a battle.”

His young son quickly read the newspaper, and then a smile appeared on his face. ”Does this mean that the situation will soon be stabilized?”

He had originally been considering whether to let his young son go to a government department for an internship, or to a capital group.

Now he had already made a decision, which was to let this guy go to a capital group for an internship, and not to the government.

Because he was a bit naive, and was not sensitive enough to political matters.

This thing, politics, you can’t be dull. Once you are dull, it means that there will be a big problem.

In fact, he still had other choices, but his other children already had their own careers, and did not need him to arrange.

Watching his father not speaking, the young man became a little puzzled. ”Could it be that even if the war is won, the situation will continue to deteriorate?”

Minister Rabour sighed lightly. He took the newspaper back, and then flipped to the pages with the cruel photos, and then asked, ”If you were the leader of the rebel army, a cadre, or a member, would you put down your weapons and surrender?”

His son saw the bizarrely shaped corpses or body parts in those photos, and for a moment, he realized that this newspaper would only make everything even more irreversible.

Their attitude towards the anti-government armed forces, to kill them all, and not to leave a single one, had forced those anti-government armed forces to completely stand on the opposite side of the Rapa government.

Minister Rabour shook his head. If Diego had adopted his previous idea, and had negotiated with these people, maybe there would still have been room to turn things around.

But he was only thinking of killing these people, to prove that he was the master of this country. It seemed that the result had already been foreseen.

And there was also the problem of the famine that had not been solved. This was a dead end!

Now he was no longer considering these. He was only considering the matters after the Federation.

Lance had also seen this newspaper. Perhaps Diego had hoped to, in this way, to deter those anti-government armed forces.

However, his view was the same as that of Minister Rabour. Diego had blocked all the retreats of the anti-government armed forces, and had also blocked his own retreat.

Even if he were to suddenly announce now that he would not exterminate the anti-government armed forces, and was willing to have peace talks with them, to solve some of the differences and disputes through negotiation, those anti-government armed forces would not believe him anymore.

At this time, Minister Rabour’s mood was much more stable than before. He would not have any feelings of panic or unease. Everything seemed to have become as stable and calm as in the past.

This was a kind of confidence that had been brought by defecting to the Federation!

If you have no way to stop the weapon in the executioner’s hand from falling, then you’d better turn yourself into one of the executioners.

He was practicing this truth.

After a round of attacks, Ross’s forces had not shrunk back. They had, in their own control area, recruited another batch of men.

At a time like this, in order to survive, there were plenty of people who were willing to do anything, whether it was illegal, or not.

Because it was summer, and there were again some edible things in the jungle and the wild. Although the problem of the famine still existed, it had clearly been somewhat alleviated.

Diego had planned to use the grain transported from the Jede Republic to buy over more of the public. He had, with the help of some of the things that this battle’s victory had brought, soon stabilized the situation around Zhuolan. Everything seemed to be developing in a better direction.

But in fact, there were still many problems in this.

For example, where would the military funds come from?

To learn the Federation’s street fighting techniques was indeed very effective, but the military expenditure was too large.

In the office of the Presidential Palace, there was not much of the joy on Diego’s face that should have been there from the victory of the battle.

Now the total number of the Rapa government army was already close to 90,000, which meant that every month he would have to pay the salaries of 90,000 soldiers.

If calculated according to each person needing to be paid at least eight Federal Sols, this would be an expenditure of 720,000 Federal Sols a month.

At the same time, these people needed to eat, drink, defecate, and urinate. They needed to be trained, and ammunition also needed money.

When a soldier dies, he needs a pension. When a soldier is injured, he needs medicine to treat them.

Even if the pension was squeezed a little, at least one person would have to be given a pension of a hundred or so Federal Sols.

Before, when they were attacking the city occupied by Ross, more than 2,000 of them had died, which was another 200,000-plus in pensions.

Besides this, the treatment costs were also a large sum.

Because the war between the Slad people and the Dantra people was constantly escalating, a large amount of effective strength was being consumed. In the past, the soldiers that they would not have chosen to save, would now also be very well taken care of.

This meant that the price of medicine was still continuously rising, and it was also in short supply.

Even if the Federation’s side was willing to sell him the drugs, it was very difficult for him to be able to afford the cost of using these drugs.

Even if you used some of the local witch doctor’s folk remedies, it also required expenditure.

All kinds of expenditures were pressing down on him, making him a little breathless.

Now he didn’t have many choices. Once the wealth in the state treasury, which was worth several million Federal Sols, was used up, the remaining Paras would only be enough for them to last until about October.

After about October, it would mean that the state treasury would be unable to continue to support them to maintain so many soldiers. And the Rapa government also needed various expenditures. This money wouldn’t even last until October.

Either Diego would have to pay for these expenses out of his own pocket, until the end of the war.

Or, he would have to find a way to squeeze some money out of others, to continue to maintain the war.

For him to pay out of his own pocket, it was not very likely for him to do this, although he was not considered to be short of money.

Then it seemed there was only one possibility left, to have everyone pay together.

Soon, the ministers of Rapa had gathered together again. The situation on Zhuolan’s side was still very stable, and these ministers also had their own basic support. For the current changes in the situation, they were not as uneasy as people had imagined.

”I have gathered you all this time, because the money in the state treasury is not quite enough,” Diego said, telling the truth as soon as he came up, without any concealment.

”Now the money in the state treasury can only last until October. After October, it will be very difficult for us to pay the soldiers’ salaries.”

”And this year’s grain harvest will definitely be poor. To want to supplement this part of the expenditure through grain, is probably impossible.”

This is the sad part of a single income. The country’s income, the people’s income, all come from grain.

Once the grain harvest is poor, and a problem occurs, the entire country will fall into chaos.

If it was just an ordinary lack of money, to cut back on some expenses could still be managed. Now they simply had no place to cut back, and were still in a period of war, so this was indeed a problem that needed to be solved.

A minister asked in a low voice, ”Can’t the war be ended before October?”

The people in the room all looked at him at the same time, including Diego.

Diego also looked at him as if he were looking at a fool, as if he were asking if he really thought so.

”October... a conservative estimate, we can’t do it.”

”At least until after October of next year, when the grain income has stabilized, only then might there be a chance to solve it.”

That minister, as if he didn’t know that he had asked a very stupid question, had asked again, ”Then how are you planning to solve this problem you have proposed?”

Diego was suddenly a little annoyed. ”What do you mean, ’the problem I have proposed’?”

”I am just taking out this problem that really exists!”

”This is not my problem, okay?”

”This is a problem for me and for all of you!”

His voice was much louder, just short of slamming the table.

Another minister eased the atmosphere in the conference room. ”It’s just that he had used the wrong word. Diego, do you have any good suggestions?”

Diego glanced at these people. ”My idea is that we... share this part of the expenditure.”

”Impossible!” someone immediately rejected his proposal. ”There has never been a precedent for us ministers to pay for the state treasury. I don’t think this is appropriate.”

The other ministers also objected, one after another, believing that to do so was indeed not very good. How can there be a principle of having the ministers pay for a war when there is no money?

And this country is not even theirs!

On what basis should they pay?

Diego was a little annoyed. ”If we don’t pay, who will?”

”Let those ordinary people who can’t even earn 500 Paras a month?”

”Or to have those merchants pay more commercial tax?”

The ministers all chose to keep their mouths shut. As long as it did not infringe on their interests, they could pretend not to hear.

But once it had harmed their interests, they would immediately object.

From time to time, the arguing made the whole meeting unable to proceed well. Until the last moment, they seemed to have all forgotten that there was still a large batch of federal investors.

If they could collect an extra portion of the tax from the federal investors, perhaps this problem could be solved.

But none of them had mentioned this, and they had not even thought about it.

To tax the federal people?

Are you crazy?

In the end, these people had also parted on bad terms. In the words of some of the ministers, it was still a long time before October!

Let’s talk about it after October.

For the first time, Diego felt so exhausted. The deep feeling of exhaustion had made him sometimes even have the thought of giving up...