Chapter 89: Give Me Oil
“I’ve examined the exploration range, but no signs of artificial activity were found,” reported Ichigo and Akane, presenting their analysis.
“I see. Thank you. That means there’s a low chance of being discovered even if we advance…” She pondered, gazing at the map.
Transporting various machinery by air poses no issues. Once below the horizon, visibility is lost. Even at an altitude of 1,000 meters, the horizon stretches about 150 kilometers, so even if there are watchmen at the fortress, they likely won’t spot us.
What we need to be cautious about is whether there are patrols moving on the ground.
“Why would they build a fortress in such a location, anyway?”
Technically, the area, including the desert, falls under the territory of the Forest Country (Lebresta). However, the fortress and its walls seemed to be oriented towards the desert, as if they were erected to fend off enemies coming from that direction.
“It doesn’t appear that any civilization has existed there, nor can we assume that an army landed on the coast and is crossing the desert to attack. So, it seems this facility is meant to stop something coming from the desert.”
“Something?”
“Yes, Ma’am. It’s likely some kind of monster,” Akane replied.
“Oh, I see. There are indeed monsters in this world…”
If RINGO’s speculation is correct, it suggests that the Forest Country (Lebresta) is struggling with the southern desert region. If that’s true, it would be good news for The Tree.
“I wonder if we can confirm that somehow… If we could understand even a little of the internal situation, it would help in our decision-making.”
“Let’s check with the Lebresta ambassador in East Gate City. It wouldn’t be too unnatural to inquire about the port town of Lebresta in that context.”
“Hmm. Are we going to mention the port town? Isn’t it preferable to route trade through East Gate City?”
“I had planned to promote economic revitalization, but there’s no issue with changing priorities for securing oil. Besides, if it’s just casual conversation, it shouldn’t raise any flags.”
“Is that so? Well, I’ll leave that to you. I hope we get some useful information.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
RINGO carefully constructed the conversation and obtained information about the desert region from the Lebresta ambassador.
The desert is a harsh land with almost no vegetation and scarce water, making it nearly impossible for humans to survive. No useful resources have been found there, and there’s little incentive to venture into the desert. The real problem lies with the unique monster species inhabiting the area. From what we’ve heard, large monsters resembling giant scorpions are reportedly trying to invade the grasslands and forests in search of food. To prevent this or to detect them in advance, the fortress and walls have been constructed.
However, it’s impossible to stretch walls across the vast desert. Instead, it seems they keep soldiers stationed at the fortress as bait to lure and eliminate the monsters.
“You managed to extract the information well. And it seems there’s more than I expected,” Akane noted.
“Yes, Ma’am. It appears that the general perception within the Forest Country (Lebresta) is that the desert region is a domain of monsters, and it’s not something they feel the need to hide. Occasionally, there are those who venture in seeking monster materials, but it seems they only travel south for about a day on foot at most.”
There was a lingering question about what exactly monster materials were, but discussing that would stray too far into casual conversation, so they decided to cut it short. Such inquiries would be made in Terek Port Town or Flatara City.
“If we operate at low altitude or on the ground, we shouldn’t have to worry about being discovered while working around the oil fields…”
“Yes, Ma’am. There’s also a possibility they are unaware of the oil field’s existence. It’s over 200 kilometers in a straight line from the main fortress, so unless they organize a caravan to traverse the desert, reaching it would be difficult.”
She contemplated the situation.
In a world without an international framework, the issue of a power like The Tree seizing resources from other nations arises.
While the opposing nation recognizes it as their territory, they aren’t effectively governing it. If they merely claim it without any real control, it’s akin to a theoretical argument. If a group were to occupy it without facing any interference, could any form of sanction be imposed on them?
“In the end, whether The Tree faces sanctions from the Forest Country (Lebresta) or other nations, or whether conflict arises, is the real issue,” she mused.
“Yes, Ma’am. Throughout Earth’s history, international treaties only hold power when there is sufficient military or economic strength to inflict damage on the sanctioned nation. For instance, if there exists a nation with the capability to challenge the world, can they be compelled to adhere to any treaty?”
“They cannot. If a nation can withstand being an enemy to everyone else, they won’t be forced to comply. Because, in the worst-case scenario, they could win a war. The effectiveness of negotiations arises precisely because they can inflict significant damage through warfare.”
“Yes, Ma’am. Only with comparable military strength can one sit at the same table. …Though I digress, if the likelihood of the opposing nation advancing into the desert is sufficiently low, I believe there’s no issue with The Tree securing this oil field.”
“Hmm… Right. To put it bluntly, as long as the force securing the oil field isn’t identified as The Tree, there shouldn’t be a problem. Worst case, we could withdraw after securing a certain amount of oil.”
While it might seem ethically questionable, one must consider whether adhering to that ethics holds any value.
“Once you take the first step, the second becomes easy…”
“Yes, Ma’am. If you’re concerned about losing control, we could implement an ethical warning AI.”
“Hmm. Well, let’s observe the situation for now.”
Given the structural issue of one individual making decisions, it is essential to have a presence that can restrain her actions. However, such a presence does not exist in this world, leaving The Tree with the potential for unchecked rampancy. While it is possible to prepare an AI capable of rational judgment and warnings, it stands to reason that RINGO should be able to fulfill that role adequately.
“RINGO, keep an eye on this. This invasion should maximize The Tree’s benefits while minimizing damage to the opposing nation.”
She closed her eyes for a moment before opening them again.
“I will secure the oil fields within the territory of the Forest Country (Lebresta). RINGO, manage the operations appropriately.”
“Understood. The Tree will transition to a second-class combat deployment. The Second Fortress will be on first-class combat readiness. I will appoint Ichigo as the fortress commander, with Akane as the deputy commander. The objective of the operation is to secure the oil fields. After securing the coastline, we will promptly construct port facilities. Utsugi and Erika will be in charge of managing those facilities. The design, construction, and operation of the oil extraction equipment will be entrusted to Olive.”
“I grant you permission.”
“Understood. Operation: ‘Give Me Oil’ is commencing.”
“Huh? What kind of name is that?”
From the runway, planes began taking off one after another. Six propeller planes loaded with cargo followed suit. All aircraft used in this invasion operation were motorized propeller planes. There was no need for the speed of jets, and propeller motors were chosen for their lower cost and better mass production capabilities.
Eight reconnaissance aircraft ascended into the sky to secure the flight path. They maintained an altitude of around 800 meters, monitoring for any anomalies above and at sea. Following them were the cargo planes and their escort.
The cargo planes were loaded with multi-legged tanks for ground suppression, multi-legged construction machines for port development, and a multitude of materials.
With these aerial forces, they planned to secure the coastline and subsequently transport a large quantity of heavy machinery and materials by sea. The construction ship used for building the Second Fortress departed almost simultaneously, fully loaded with equipment and supplies.