Chapter 170: Chapter 139, Just Because He Is the Governor?_2
Swan had actually eavesdropped for quite a while before entering the room.
The situation of the argument was pretty much as he had understood before.
Most people still wanted to continue holding on.
Even though the situation was dangerous, everyone’s investments were still in Rubbish Town.
On these wastelands, the value of “floating wealth” was very low.
Currency? This thing that can’t be eaten or drunk isn’t the same as in a stable society where money can buy everything. In the wastelands, it was too common to have currency but not be able to buy anything. Even if it was the Alliance currency issued by the Alliance, it might not be accepted much farther afield, and its purchasing power fluctuated greatly.
What was truly valuable were tangible goods, whether it was food, raw materials, or weapons and equipment—these were wealth.
Another important form of wealth was industry.
Industry depended on many things—machinery, locations, sources of raw materials, trade channels, business environment… Many of the people present had worked their way up to being agents because they owned industries.
Giving up Revival City was tantamount to surrendering their greatest wealth.
Not even seeing a coffin would necessarily bring tears, let alone without seeing one.
The situation was just a bit dire now—the Green Skin Orcs hadn’t charged into Rubbish Town yet. Indeed, many people were unwilling to give up Rubbish Town; that would be like dispersing their wealth and breaking up the group.
But on the other hand, many agents who had no fixed property and relied on transportation and channels, the trader-type agents, wanted to flee. Although the losses from disbanding and fleeing were not small, it was still better than continuing to hold on and ending up completely collapsing and unable to escape.
However, the next piece of news that Swan was about to announce could very likely change the situation.
When he stepped onto the podium, the noisy and chaotic arguing gradually subsided.
People began to wait for this big shot to speak, hopefully with some good news.
And Swan did not disappoint them, “The retreat that spread from the 18th District to the Fifth District has stopped. A force from the Alliance Army in Revival City has responded to my request. They have not only plugged the holes in our defensive line but have also pushed back out two kilometers. Meanwhile, other units on different fronts made an orderly retreat and have now reestablished a new defensive line centered around the Fifth District. The situation has temporarily stabilized.”
This news was exhilarating!
The arrival of the army belonging to Mr. Gu near Rubbish Town was known to everybody. Those who were not well-informed wouldn’t be able to sit in this meeting room.
Someone couldn’t help but ask, “Is Mr. Gu coming to help us? Will he resolve the trouble with those Green Skin beasts for us?”
“Yes,” Swan gave a confirming response.
In fact, he had not had the chance to communicate with Mr. Gu, only with Henry.
But that didn’t prevent him from speaking confidently now.
And this message, indeed, was inspiring!
Anyone with clear eyes knew that the Green Skin crisis had spread to a point where it could not be resolved by the power of Rubbish Town alone. By bringing in Mr. Gu, who had completely taken control of Revival City, there was hope for a solution to the problem.
However, some even smarter people thought of another key point.
A man with dirty, tangled, blond hair stood up and questioned Swan, “What’s the cost? What is the cost?”
Swan looked toward him.
That was Nasr, his rival.
The second-ranked agent in the whole of Rubbish Town, unlike him, Nasr didn’t control much in the way of physical industries. His greatest “industry” were the adventure groups.
At least thirty large and small adventure groups active around Rubbish Town had been brought together by him through funding, sponsorship, direct organization, and other means. He controlled these adventure groups’ earnings and sales channels and could directly issue tasks to those adventure groups.
The thirty adventure groups, the largest with thousands of members and the smallest with dozens, collectively added up to two or three tens of thousands of armed adventurers under his influence and control.
Moreover, he also had close connections with many raiders on the wastelands.
This was an annoying fellow, and precisely the person Swan was most wary of during this Green Skin crisis. He was the typical type with no industries; his wealth lay within those “people.” Even if Rubbish Town was ruined, Nasr would indeed suffer severe losses, but he could take his people and try to develop another ‘Ruin Mine,’ or simply become a raider for some time.
With a gun, there’s always a way out.
Facing Swan’s intimidating gaze, Nasr seemed utterly unconcerned. Splitting his mouth into a grin, he revealed his yellow teeth and said, “Would Mr. Gu be so kind as to help us fight this war without asking for anything in return? Our dear Mr. Swan, just what exactly did you promise Mr. Gu?”
His question sent the room back into silence.
It’s certainly good that Mr. Gu is willing to help, but one must indeed clarify what the price will be.
The other various agents awaited Swan’s answer.
Swan revealed a smile, “The price? The entirety of Rubbish Town.”
With those words, the room fell silent.
Even his old rival Nasr was completely thrown off balance.
He tried to create difficulties for Swan, but how could you blurt out everything on your own?
He had planned to press further, to clarify what specific rights over Rubbish Town Swan had sold out, wanting to embarrass him further. Unexpectedly, he heard news that left him speechless.
It wasn’t a matter of selling out some rights; it was the selling of the whole thing, stripped clean, with nothing left!
Nasr, regaining his composure, burst out laughing. His hoarse, unpleasant laugh sounded incredibly shrill: “You sold the entire Rubbish Town to Mr. Gu? What right do you have to do that! Is Rubbish Town yours alone?!”
In the face of the accusations, Swan wore an indifferent smile.
“Let me correct you on one point; it’s not ‘selling out’ but a ‘price.'” Swan said. “Whether Mr. Gu chooses to save Rubbish Town and what he asks as a price, do you think those are decisions I can make?”
“What do you mean?”
“Let me be even clearer.” Swan continued, “Mr. Gu believes that Rubbish Town is already part of the Alliance, and as the ruler of the entire planet, it is only right that he would rule Rubbish Town and rightfully incorporate it into the new Alliance system. It’s just that Rubbish Town happens to be facing a huge crisis, under the threat of Green Skin Orcs. He is coming to help his own people.”
Swan emphasized the word “helping his people” heavily.
Many understood his implication and fell into thought.
Others either did not understand or refused to accept it even if they did.
Nasr continued to make noise: “What gives him the right to do that? Do our hundred thousand people, our hundred thousand guns, mean nothing?! Those factories, those industries, they are our property! How can he just take them because he’s Mr. Gu?!”
Some, confused, joined in the commotion.
Swan just looked at them and let out a cold snort, not saying much else.
Gradually, some began to understand and gradually fell silent.
Finally, Nasr’s face turned sour.
His supporters were no longer numerous.
Clenching his rotten teeth, he said to Swan: “Are you intending to wipe us out completely?”
“I never said that,” Swan retorted.
“I’m taking my people and leaving! Right now!” Nasr declared.
Finally, Swan smiled, a radiant smile: “That’s not going to work. We are in a state of emergency. The battle outside the city has not yet ended, the threat of the Green Skin Orcs is still severe, and with Mr. Gu’s imminent arrival, I propose that, effective immediately, Rubbish Town enters a state of emergency, the entire town under martial law, with no one allowed in or out!”
Following procedure, Swan’s proposal should go to a vote, but today, he didn’t ask for those in favor to raise their hands; instead, he asked for the opponents to raise theirs.
Nasr shouted in opposition, and a minority roared angrily with him.
But it was to no avail as the majority maintained an eerie silence.
With a smile, Swan announced: “Then from this moment on, Rubbish Town is officially under martial law.”