Chapter 145: The Kidnapping Plan
To the west of the Afrasia United Kingdom lies a collection of several nations. Among these neighboring countries, the largest is the Country of Wheat, known as Weitzenland.
As its name suggests, the Country of Wheat is a vast agricultural nation that exports staple grains such as wheat to surrounding countries. It boasts fertile lands and produces a variety of crops, including wheat, other grains, tubers, and beans.
Towering far to the north is the Northern Limit Mountain Range, from which abundant snowmelt flows into the sea via the Country of Wheat, passing through a massive forested area along the way. During the annual rainy season, fertile silt from the forest floods into the region, which the Country of Wheat skillfully utilizes for its agriculture.
To the south of the Country of Wheat, there exists a cluster of small nations. Some of these are city-states consisting of just a single city, and the exact number of nations is unclear. The number of cities under their control fluctuates with the times, and wars can alter the balance of power. Consequently, it is likely that no one truly grasps the current situation.
Bordering the Afrasia United Kingdom is a nation that maintains a certain degree of size and influence. However, it seems that every few years, the rise and fall of some country occurs. As a result, there are no documents within the Afrasia United Kingdom that record the names of these small nations.
“Does it seem like this cluster of small nations isn’t worth negotiating with?”
“Yes, Ma’am. Their national strength is lacking, and they have almost no governing ability over their regions. Rather, we will likely need to deal directly with the pioneering villages near the border.”
According to reconnaissance results from above, there are currently 114 such pioneering villages, which serve as bases for Redstone mining. Nations or lords with keen insight have invested in these villages, recruiting immigrants and expanding their mining operations. The rest seem to be scraping by, hand-mining Redstone to earn a meager living.
“Drawing the border with military force would be the easiest option, but what will happen to them?”
“Yes, Ma’am. Essentially, they are impoverished people with no backing. If Redstone mining were to be prohibited, they would likely face immediate extinction, as they have nowhere else to turn.”
The pioneering villages rely almost entirely on income from Redstone. Surrounding them is nothing but barren wasteland. They have managed to gather as a village only because they dug wells to secure water.
In such places, there is naturally no vegetation, nor do wild animals inhabit the area. Some villages have attempted to cultivate agriculture or raise livestock out of a sense of crisis, but overall, they seem to be struggling. The environment is simply too harsh.
“Since we have so few citizens, can we manage them all?”
“Yes, Ma’am. If we dig wells and develop farmland, we can manage to some extent. We can supply chemical fertilizers, and it would be acceptable to have them produce agricultural products.”
With a sense of reluctance to abandon them, the decision was made to attract citizens from the neighboring country. It would undoubtedly be a burden for the other nation.
“We need to select crops suitable for high-temperature environments. This area has interesting geological layers where water springs up when you dig…”
“Yes, Ma’am. There is a significant amount of groundwater flowing through the voids of the lava layers. It’s perfect for digging wells, but it’s not a good environment for resource mining. Especially since they are hand-mining. If they accidentally tap into an underground water vein, it could be life-threatening.”
The Afrasia United Kingdom appears as an endless expanse of wasteland. However, the water veins themselves spread like a web beneath the surface. They are mostly concealed by lava, which prevents them from being exposed above ground.
Thus, if one digs to a certain depth, water will naturally spring forth. There are many places where water emerges from natural fissures, forming lakes.
“However, that border is incredibly long… For a normal country, it would be nearly impossible to defend such a border.”
The Afrasia United Kingdom is flanked by other nations to the east and west. Just to the west, the border stretches over 2,000 kilometers.
Because of the harsh environment of endless wasteland, territorial disputes are not very prominent. However, attempting to manage the border properly could easily destabilize the nation.
“Constant surveillance via surveillance satellites, the construction of watchtowers, and regular patrols by security drones make it possible to manage the border. It seems unlikely that disputes over the border will arise, but if tensions escalate, we may need to establish a buffer zone.”
For instance, if an agreement is reached to maintain a buffer zone of about 5 kilometers between the provisional borders of our nation and the opposing nation, it could help deter unnecessary conflicts. Of course, this assumes that discussions with the opposing nation are possible.
That said, what is there to worry about in a situation where there is an overwhelming disparity in military strength?
“The rocket launch test facility will soon be completed. We should be able to conduct launch tests shortly. We are also concurrently manufacturing rockets for data acquisition.”
“Okay, okay. Once that’s done, space development will be just around the corner. Well… to be honest, I’m really skeptical about whether the sky is truly safe…”
In preparation for space development, various hypotheses have been examined. Among them, the topic primarily raised by Asahi was the potential existence of flying monsters.
“Not only in the sea, but there are also enormous creatures living on land! The possibility of large flying monsters existing is quite plausible! With the body structure enhancements provided by Magic Stones, it would be easy for large monsters to maintain life with a light, hard, and flexible body!”
She passionately asserted.
While the other AI units expressed skepticism, the understanding and supportive Eve agreed with Asahi’s claims.
“There are quite a few flying monsters out there. We need to be careful.”
Upon hearing this, Ringo had no choice but to allocate resources to monitor the skies. However, as of now, no such monsters have been confirmed.
In Port Town of Terek, inquiries have been made, but only rumors of a dragon-like creature with large wings have surfaced. At the very least, it seems that no such creatures have been confirmed within the Afrasia United Kingdom.
Asahi speculated that this could either mean they truly do not exist or that there is simply not enough food for them to appear.
“When it comes to sea monsters, the giant octopus (Kraken) is quite famous, but I wonder if they really don’t exist? I’m surprised that crocodiles inhabit the sea.”
Asahi rambled on, leading Ringo to not place much faith in her predictions.
“The prototype of the aerial platform is also being constructed smoothly. It should be ready for its first flight in a few days.”
“Oh, impressive. I mean, it’s hard to believe that such a massive thing can actually fly.”
Next in line is the aerial platform intended for use in the northern regions of the Afrasia United Kingdom. Essentially, it is a gigantic flying aircraft carrier. It can serve as a mothership for aircraft or as an airborne drop platform for tanks, and if equipped with artillery, it can possess offensive capabilities on its own.
The operational challenges stem from its enormous size, which limits maneuverability and makes it vulnerable to guided weapons like missiles. This necessitates increasing the number of escorting aircraft for protection.
“Then there’s the simple issue of energy.”
And the energy source needed to support its massive structure. A certain amount can be supplied through microwave power transmission. However, it is actually challenging to transmit everything via microwaves. The operational radius is simply too vast, easily exceeding the range of power transmission. Furthermore, the energy loss associated with high-power transmission and the heating issues of receiving equipment are no laughing matter.
Thus, an energy source utilizing internal combustion engines or nuclear power will be necessary.
“The prototype is currently designed with a gas turbine as its main power source. However, due to poor fuel efficiency, it will remain a prototype. We could consider aerial refueling, but that would depend on the operational radius of the refueling aircraft, making it inefficient. Ultimately, it will likely be equipped with a nuclear fusion reactor.”
Nuclear reactors are dangerous, which is why a nuclear fusion reactor is being considered. It produces an extremely low amount of radioactive waste. In the unlikely event of a crash, the impact would be minimal. Additionally, the required mass of fuel is low, making it an excellent energy source.