Relying on the many industries generated by road transportation, such as logistics, road maintenance, vehicle maintenance, energy processing, and a series of other industries, all were in the process of being prepared.
Here, a large number of convenient commercial and trade services were also provided, facilitating subsequent cities and industrial zones to set up foreign trade branches in this place.
These were the core driving forces for the future development of Skaaro City.
However, long-term forces were still a matter of the future. At present, the biggest driving force for the development of Skaaro City was the construction of the Starport.
Undoubtedly, the construction of the Starport itself would create a huge market demand.
Hundreds of thousands of workers were working here, their food, clothing, housing, and transportation spurred the initial market of Skaaro City; the parts factories serving the construction of the Starport would also give rise to a large number of services; Rafael was even striving to introduce some production lines to establish a preliminary raw material processing system in Skaaro City.
With the help of the developed road network and the huge demand brought by the construction of the Starport, Skaaro City even had the chance to become an industrial city before becoming a hub city.
This was certainly not a bad thing.
During the half-day inspection of the Starport and Skaaro City, Gu Hang was generally satisfied with the development here.
And just before Gu Hang was about to leave, Hu Ke applied to have a private chat with him.
“Thank you very much for letting me participate in the construction of the Starport.” Hu Ke’s face was overflowing with a smile.
Gu Hang was also very polite, “It’s I who should thank you for your efforts.”
“No, no, no… It’s what I ought to do. I’m taking the salary and benefits provided by the Alliance Government, so I should do these things. But you let me participate in the construction of the Starport, and the set of technical blueprints you gave me is truly… I apologize, I don’t know how to describe it. This entire set of technical blueprints is simply unbelievable!
I’ve learned so much from them.”
“In the past, for a long time, I was very confused about my future development. I haven’t felt myself progressing for a long time. But just in the past few months, I feel that my abilities have grown significantly. All of this is thanks to participating in this project, so I must thank you!”
Hearing this, Gu Hang had already faintly perceived what Hu Ke probably meant.
But he didn’t speak.
Hu Ke sneaked a glance at Gu Hang’s expression, didn’t make out anything, so he could only continue, “Your planet… or to be more precise, the research institute controlled by Ms. Wu Jiarong, is truly miraculous. Various technologies keep emerging from within the institute, inspiring longing… If possible, I would like to join the institute.”
As expected.
Gu Hang felt inwardly moved.
In the research institute of Weixing City, where technology kept spurting out like a fountain, it was impossible to hide such a thing from anyone intent on finding out.
Possibly no one had such a powerful imagination to immediately think that there were already several dozen Black Boxes there and that there would be even more as Gu Hang unlocked more and more of the technology tree. However, it was quite normal to think that there were secrets there.
Otherwise, were all these inventions developed by Wu Jiarong?
That would be too genius.
It’s not that there couldn’t be someone with such gifted talent, but even if there were a supremely talented genius leading the institute, whose scientific research ability was impeccable, it would still take time to produce so many results.
But it seemed as if it took no time at all for Wu Jiarong to create all these.
Gu Hang understood Hu Ke’s curiosity, he would have felt the same way.
And it was not just Hu Ke.
In the past, although the development speed of Rage Owl Star was fast and the rise of Gu Hang was rapid, the stage was limited to the planet that didn’t even have a Starport, with little interstellar communication. Even if there were anomalies, people were too lazy to pay attention.
Just as ordinary people wouldn’t care about what happens in an ant nest.
However, as the development of Rage Owl Star accelerated in the future, expanding its influence onto a larger stage, the situation on Rage Owl Star wouldn’t be as simple as an ant nest.
Even now, people began to wonder how Gu Hang managed to build a powerful army on a barren planet, how he had developed so rapidly in just a few years, and how those mature production lines came into existence.
In response to this, Gu Hang had already prepared two sets of explanations.
First, Wu Jiarong was a genius.
Second, the Gu Family had invested in and constructed it.
These explanations might suffice for ordinary circumstances, but for those with intent, who had thoroughly investigated the rise of the Rage Owl Star Alliance, they would be a bit hard to accept.
And Gu Hang didn’t bother to find new explanations—he couldn’t find any.
On this matter, the fallback he had prepared was just one move: no response, strict confidentiality.
The Alliance’s security work for Wu Jiarong’s research institute was elevated to the highest level, even stricter than the security for Gu Hang himself.
The only living person allowed to access the Black Box, apart from Wu Jiarong, was nobody else—servo servants don’t count as people, and they wouldn’t reveal secrets.
As for how the Alliance developed and pulled off so much technology, you can guess that on your own.
Guess whatever you like, but if you want to come up with evidence, you’re dreaming.
As for outright inspection,
Mr. Gu would firmly refuse in his capacity as Planetary Governor.
Imperial law grants the Planetary Governor all powers on his own planet, so of course, Mr. Gu had the right to do so.
Of course, this so-called power needed to be backed by strength.
Mr. Gu’s future goal was to ensure he had the strength to do so, preventing entities from the Star Sector Government to the Tribunal and Mechanical Church from forcefully conducting inspections.
Without concrete evidence, it’s challenging to create trouble through official means; without evidence, merely a suspicion makes it difficult for certain powers to take significant action.
Of course, before Mr. Gu developed to a certain extent, there wasn’t too much need to worry about this issue.
It’s still that old metaphor: when he was still an ant nest, no one cared about what happened in the ant nest, let alone thinking that the infinitely precious Black Boxes would be piled high inside it.
Honestly, other possibilities are much more plausible than ‘Mr. Gu has a system that can produce a bunch of Black Boxes at will’.
As for using the tech tree more cautiously in the future… Mr. Gu did not plan to do that.
The things that need to be cautious and kept secret, of course, must be done with all effort.
But to say that for the sake of confidentiality, he would slow down his own development pace, Mr. Gu was not going to do that.
That would be sacrificing the essential for the sake of the trivial.
As for the present, with Hu Ke’s request, Mr. Gu had a rough idea of what he wanted to say when he anticipated it earlier.
He spread his hands to Hu Ke and said honestly, “Mr. Hu, I understand your curiosity about the Alliance Research Institute. There lies the core of the Alliance’s technological output, containing the core secrets. I too wish you could join there; you would learn many secrets, which would greatly benefit you. But…”
“Please allow me to be frank, to ensure the secrets don’t get leaked, I need every person joining the institute to be trustworthy enough. Mr. Hu, you still need to pass a period of testing. Perhaps a visit to the Loyal Heir Academy is necessary.”
Your next chapter awaits on empire
“Additionally, also in the interest of keeping secrets, once you join the research institute, you will lose a lot. Your movements might be restricted, and your actions might have to be reported, subject to close surveillance; the time you spend with your family will also be reduced…”
At this point, Mr. Gu opened his arms, looking Hu Ke in the eye as he spoke, “You may need to consider this matter carefully.”
After listening, Hu Ke indeed hesitated.
He hadn’t even considered the Black Boxes; his biggest suspicion was merely that the research institute contained many technical blueprints obtained by the Gu Family, such as various technologies for weapons and the construction of production materials, all achieved through the replication of technical blueprints.
What he wanted were those.
Studying those technical blueprints would greatly improve his level.
Still, he quite understood the reasons Mr. Gu expressed for ‘keeping secrets’.
The price of undergoing strict surveillance, being cautious even when with family, was something he found hard to accept.
“There’s no rush,” Mr. Gu said, “You can make this choice at any time, you don’t need to give me an answer right now.”
“Thank you, Mr. Governor, I will consider the whole matter carefully.”
After the conversation, Mr. Gu boarded the Wind Falcon and returned to Revival City.
There, his loyal subordinates had many things to report to him.
But before that, he needed to tend to some other matters.
The nearly twenty thousand points of grace he had at his disposal had to be spent.
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