The Dark King â Chapter 262
I would like to thank MrMartinke & KageMugen for doing an awesome job by editing the chapter!
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âThe frontier war?â Dudian was surprised. He had faintly heard the words before but didnât have an in-depth understanding. He asked: âDoes it refer to the war outside the wall?â
Old Fulin nodded: âIt mainly refers to the war outside the three districts. The war is happening in the radiation zone. The area is massive and the population is big. In addition to the infected beasts there are some deported barbarians. In a sense, they are no different than beasts. They are hairy, warlike people who like to drink blood ⊠Moreover, they even eat their own kind if there is a food shortage. They are very cruel!â
âThe barbarians have repeatedly tried to invade into the residential district to plunder resources. The army is on duty to guard the borders through the border fortresses. They fight both against barbarians and monsters.â
Dudian wasnât aware that were still people living in that piece of the desolate area.
âThe barbariansâŠThey should originate from the same ancestors as we are⊠I mean they couldnât be descendants of someone else⊠âDudian wondered while his heart was still in doubt: âBut the offspring of the survivors should be born within the small walls and live at ease and comfort after the new era. Why would they deport their own descendants outside the border into the radiation zone?â
He brainstormed a lot but he couldnât come up with an answer since he had no clues relating to the question. Although three hundred years was not a long term for humanity but werenât a short period of time either. Perhaps the ancestors of these barbarians werenât the people who lived within the wall but survivors who fought for rights to enter and live in here. That was a possibility too.
âWhat about their population?â Dudian asked Old Fulin: âIt should be very difficult to survive in the radiation zone where the radiation is too high. Even sterilization is possible after a long-time life. After such a long time of fighting, how could they have survived?â
Old Fulin shook his head: âAccording to that reason their population had to be extinct by now. But in fact, they have grown more and more after each passing year. It was too late the moment when military realized and was aware of the potential threat. Their size had become so big that the military couldnât easily exterminate them. It is so bad that the military is bitterly struggling to defend the border fortresses. It has become an extremely troublesome matter. Moreover, military and other consortia are secretly involved with the dark church to make sure that the advance of barbarians is delayed.â
Dudian frowned: âWhy does the Holy Church not intervene to solve the problem?â
âThe Holy Church and military are wearing the same pants but different legs. They naturally help them but Holy Church is at the same time fighting against Dark Church for self-preservation. They donât supply forces or troops to reinforce the borders.â Old Fulin sighed: âActually military has forcefully conscripted soldiers for six times in the last few years in the slums and residential district. The people are getting angry and there have been few riots regarding the matter.â
Dudian secretly contemplated in his heart: âThe Dark Church should be aware of this problem as their intelligence network is wide and deep. Moreover, they are having problems with the human research as the Holy Church has prohibited any kind of such experiments. Most probably military has secretly commissioned the alchemists from life faction of the Dark Church to help them within the radiation zone. Those alchemists would be interested in finding the breeding grounds of barbarians and experimenting on them. The bodies of these barbarians should have some kind of mutation that protects them from radiation. If those antibodies could be found and sold in large-scales to people in slums and residential district then the profits would skyrocket. The alchemists of the dark church should be involved in this problem behind the shadows.â
âMoreover it is also useful to me.â
âI donât have a âlight physiqueâ. If the radiation content increases in my body more than four points then it is already a risky situation. I would still go hunting outside the giant wall but after two or three times the radiation content would soar to more than ten points. It would obviously cause damage to my body. It is possible that my skin would deform or there would be some kind of physical deformity as a result. The only way to solve that out would be to buy the âfountain of lifeâ from Holy Church but that is a very expensive item.â
âIf the barbarians really have the constitution that resists high radiation then it is kind of an inexhaustible source of âfountain of lifeâ for me. Furthermore, it means that these people have the âlight physiqueâ. â
Dudianâs eyes lit up as he dazed into thought.
Old Fulin saw that Dudian was contemplating about something so he didnât bother him. Dudian recovered after a while and asked Old Fulin: âHas anyone from Mellon consortium came over to offer us anything for the military crossbow?â
Old Fulin didnât think that Dudian would change the topic and jump to the business of the consortium: âNo, they should be aware of the relationship between you and the Burong family. They would give Rudolph some faceâŠâ
âIt shouldnât be as simple as thatâŠâ Dudian looked back at Old Fulin: âThey may have already started their plan.â
Old Fulinâs face changed: âYou are famous and it is a sign of warning for them. They should plan to eradicate you in the cradle as it would be the most resource-saving process. They have been pressuring us within the cotton industry and the market at Pine town. The Yard townâs economy is in a critical situation. I have decreased the taxes to almost nothing. Right now we are relying on the dividends from the Scott Consortium. You can sell the crossbow to support us for the time being but by filling the water into the dry well, fundamentally nothing will change.â
Dudian deeply looked at him: âCotton industry, Pine town and Yard town, are small industries. Even if everything is completely plundered it wonât be one-tenth of the dividends from the new textile machine.â
Old Fulinâs face turned ugly: âDo you mean that they would contact Scott consortium? They are enemies! They would not act against us together! â
âWe are a thorn in their eyes. But Mellon and Scott consortium would not join hands to act against us. We are not big enough to have such an effect. However, Scott consortium will take the advantage of this opportunity to make sure that they get our products.â Dudian slowly continued: âAn old consortium such as Mellon wonât use regular commercial means to suppress us. It will be a very slow move and it will be hard to do it directly. However, they can rely on dirty tricks to crush us. We are nothing more than ants in their eyes right now.â
Old Fulinâs mouth twitched and his face turned ugly. It was the deepest worry in his heart and he was reluctant to put it forward before. But at the moment Dudian had clearly stated it and Old Fulin was aware that there were some things that were inevitable. The big consortiumâs such as Mellon couldnât reach the point they are today by simply relying on financial resources and businesses. They would always use dirty tricks behind the shadows. They would use their personal connections, assassinations and other means to crush the opposite party.
âThey sent someone to assassinate you the last time so they wonât use this approach again. Moreover, they are aware that I am an old man so they wonât try to kill me either. They should be aware that consortiumâs burdens are on your shoulders. The one who is a threat to them is you but not me.â Old Fulin slowly said after a moment of silence.
Dudian narrowed his eyes: âThere are way too many means to deal with us and we canât waste our resources to prepare for each and every occasion. Actually, there is no point in trying to go on defense. Right now the best defense is the attack.â
Old Fulin was shocked: âAre we going to go on the offensive against Mellon consortium? This is same like fighting a rock with the eggs!â
Dudian slowly replied: âAlthough Mellon consortium is a giant in comparison to us but it doesnât mean that it is indestructible. Furthermore, the structure of the consortium is not a whole. There are many parties with different interests than Mel or Burong families. If we think of a Mellon as a single body and attack it from outside with a dagger then we wouldnât be able to kill it. But if we could let it swallow a rusty metal then we will have its life. Moreover, we wonât even use our own strength. It will destruct from inside.â
Old Fulin stared back at him: âSince you have expected this then I presume you have already prepared a plan and were ready to talk to me. How can I help?â
There was a trace of a smile on Dudianâs face: âAfter I get the money you will need to help find a few helpers.â
âHelper?â Old Fulin was surprised: âWhere are we going to find them?â
âThe place where the thorns are blooming.â
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