083. plex Dispute

  The rise of the Red Arrow Empire was both difficult and plex, but regardless of the challenges, as a teer, the Red Arrow Empire joihe GTB and became today’s dominant power, ruling the world in teology, finance, and medie.

  The meical legions crushed the frozen rivers and old dreams, and Red Arrow’s generals, carrying treaties and scarlet arrows, marched to battle. Oer another, as they broke through the capitals of nations that once occupied their nd, Red Arrow’s soldiers would paste those shameful dots all over, pinning them with red arrows to doors, so the nations could remember their past mistakes.

  Over the past three hundred years, Red Arrow’s territory has expanded stantly. To the east, they ride to Tianhuan; to the west, they sweep over Frost-Pted. They have destroyed and annexed dozens of nations. Their territory now far surpasses that of the old Blue Ink Alliahey no longer fear the great powers, for now, they are the great power.

  However, for the five hundred million Red Arrow citizens, reg the Huamida Archipego remains their greatest demand in this lifetime.

  The dispute over the Huamida Archipego has long roots. It is a fragment of an old-world nuclear-powered tial block, but after the Esha Crisis, the entire world froze over, and the Huamida Archipego stopped drifting, being a stationary artificial barrier that sheltered the Blue Ink Alliance.

  To uand this cept, imagi as an unsinkable aircraft carrier capable of ung 10,000 fighter jets at once, den with the military facilities the old-world Yamiriko Federatio behind to assist the Blue Ink Alliance.

  The teology and produ capabilities of Azure Star are far behind those of the old world. Whoever trols the Huamida Archipego essentially trols the old world’s full suite of chips and programming teology.

  For example, Azure Star’s most advanced fighter jet is the Frost-Pted ‘Vulture,’ which only link to a maximum of twelve loyal drones. However, with the old-world’s chips and programming teology, this number could increase to 220.

  This isn’t an exaggeration. The same issue occurs with the mech problem. Everyone knows that rge humanoid mechs are pletely impractical for atmospheribat, but Azure Star has no choice. Ier Regions, if the maes aren’t ehey ot withstand the cold.

  But with old-world teology, the mech size could be reduced to under five meters, while still maintaining the same speed and efficy as before.

  With resources so valuable, Tianhuan would never return the Huamida Archipego to the Red Arrow Empire.

  To protect the teological equipment, the two longstanding military rivals pulled back from the archipego but never fot to assert their snty, engaging in skirmishes around the surrounding areas. This flict has been ongoing for forty years. Red Arrow, driven by a deep e to their homend and the value of the teology, relentlessly pursued this issue, enf a series of eis that led to a colpse in the value of Tianhuan’s currend resulted in the try’s high unemployment and stagnation.

  It is well known that during times of eic dee, the cost of itting crimes decreases. Those left homeless and jobless turn to crime to survive, and under such ditions, ordinary citizens bee the victims.

  —What, do you think the poor would rob the rich? Would they steal from the aristocrad the great s?

  All four nations have gun trol, but with the ey in shambles, the best firearms a oner afford are basic assault rifles. The estates of politis and corporate families are protected by Beta-level elites, elite warriors, and military forces. Only a fool would target them.

  The weak will always draw their bdes against the weaker.

  Tianhuan’s gover’s issez-faire ma generally uses a simple and brutal method to hahese internal flicts: War.

  Don’t have a job? Gather a few people, form a security expedition team, and seize nd ier Regions. As long as you pay taxes, Tianhuan will reize you.

  In this enviro, tless people armed themselves and rushed into the ions. In just twenty years, Tianhuan expas territory by 33%, and along with the war and the captured poputions, both birth ah rates soared to new heights.

  But the vast majority of Tianhuan’s ordinary citizens could no longer ehis. They were just a geion of ordinary workers’ children who had received an education that made them aware of the realities of war. The tinuous death and fear caused them to abandon the fantasy of education as a path to a better life and develop a deep rese for war.

  If things tinue like this, the nation will colpse.

  It was at this point that Tianhuan begaedly attempting to nd on the Huamida Archipego. This a severely provoked the empire, which coldly stated, “We may not have many nuclear bombs, but we have enough t the world down with us.”

  But this attitude only further porized Tianhuan’s internal divisions—hawkish fas advog war became even more rampant, seeing this as a sign of weakness, while dovish fas criticized the colpsing ey, calling for ao the suffering.

  Hearing this, the on people finally broke down. If a war over the archipego broke out, they would be the first sent to the frontlines as on fodder.

  Rather than die in an unjust war, it would be better to revolt and take down that dog, Prime Minister Park Jeong-sun.

  The Tianchihuan?Akaban Squad, the National Unity Army, the Tianhuan Student Salvation League… such anizations sprouted up everywhere. Initially, they only protested, but after they blew up police stations and seized military equipment, they started dug various attacks.

  The struggle finally had an effect, and Tianhuan’s politis, uo withstand the pressure, directly ordered corporations to strike back.

  Within a year, 220,000 members were arrested and imprisohe absolute power disparity led to the disba of most anizations. Some members turned into outws, shifting from anti-war heroes to motorcycle-riding bandits and looters. Survival became the only priority.

  “The Tianchihuan, o for the nation, the red sun shall not set, shining upon the East!”

  The Tianchihuan Akaban Squad, a military anization that still adhered to this creed, maintais structure and discipline. Because the full name was too long, people referred to them as the Akaban Squad. However, many rogue groups appropriated the name, so calling them Akaban was seen as more precise.

  The Akaban Squad and the Royalists represent two of Tianhuan’s main storylines:

  Pyers choose to join the Akaban Squad, raiding military supplies, assassinating corporate executives, and spreading anti-war messages to gain the people’s sympathy. The ultimate goal is to overthrow the Ring King and the ruling s, establishing a funal gover.

  Or, they choose to bee retainers of the s, gainih and status as samurai, while tinuing the war and maintaining the current deg order.

  Li Aozi wasn’t a Tianhuan native, but he was very familiar with these two main storylines.

  Tianhuan people despised both Mutants and Omega Energy users, sidering them abominations that corrupted the purity of human bloodlihe Akaban Squad, however, weled any power they could find, recruiting many Omega Energy users. This even attracted iional volunteers.

  Among them was the ‘Bight’ Gretorvo?Night Song.

  FAL