Chapter 645 - 383: Earth’s Rebirth Day (Part 3)
On social media platforms across the Underground Cities, hashtags like "#BenziNationDestroyed#" and "#CountryCTerritoryExpands#" dominated the trending charts. The comment sections were a world of fire and ice.
On a North American freedom forum, a top-voted comment read, "My God! Country C just annexed a nation without spilling a single drop of blood! Can their Extraordinary Beings 'online shop' for entire countries now?" The post was accompanied by a holographic image of the Profound Nether mothership hovering over Tokyo Bay.
A historian from Europe tweeted mockingly, "Far more efficient than Napoleon—Li Xiang used Spirit Fruits and a Stellar Mother Ship to do what Hitler failed to accomplish with tanks."
Netizens on the South Asian Subcontinent, however, dredged up old scores. "They laughed at us when our Underground City was overrun by Exotic Beasts, and now they just surrender to the enemy? So much for the spirit of Bushido! Guess they fed it to the dogs!"
A user from Africa's Sahel Region posted a picture of one of Country C's holographic ecological domes, captioning it, "While we're still fighting desperately for a single mouthful of clean water, the residents of Benzi Province can already ride interstellar roller coasters at 'Chang'e's Illusory Moon Palace'!"
A young person from the Mao Bear Country started a poll on VK: "I support the Siberian city-states following Chiba Yuki's example! Trading three uranium mines for one of Jiang Cai'Er's quantum computers doesn't seem excessive, does it?"
Someone shot back, "You need to update your database. What century are you living in, still offering up uranium mines? You think Goddess Jiang would even give your trashy uranium mines a second glance?"
In truth, these online comments were far from the reality of the situation. After all, most ordinary people were simply repeating hearsay.
The most straightforward reaction came from an influencer in Southeast Asia. Dressed in a hanfu and wearing a replica of the "Immortal Feather Wooden Hairpin," she yelled during her livestream, "Head Shopkeeper Li Xiang, are you still in need of consorts? I can do the Breathing Technique version of 'Little Apple'!"
She was blatantly offering herself to him. The influencer went by the moniker "Southeast Asia's Xiaoluo Feifei" and only bore a slight resemblance to the real Luo Feifei, but she was still an otherworldly beauty. Her background was also quite impressive—she was the eldest daughter of a powerful local figure.
However, to the disappointment of this aristocratic influencer, "Southeast Asia's Xiaoluo Feifei," Li Xiang offered no response at all.
She begged her father to apply for their territory to be annexed by Country C as well. After some careful thought, her father decided it was a viable idea. It could very well be an opportunity for them to soar. His only fear was that Country C wouldn't even give them the time of day.
Not everyone was envious or jealous; for many, this was the last straw. For example, exiled politicians from the former Benzi nation railed on the dark web, "The Chiba mother and daughter are national traitors! They were bought off long ago by the AI butlers and Bubble Spirit Wine of City No. 03! They served Li Xiang with their bodies—it's a disgrace to our Yamato Race!"
But they were immediately roasted by another user, "LMAO, the last person who said something like that is still digging potatoes in Siberia—all thanks to Captain Lin Ye 'escorting' those nuclear batteries, wasn't it?"
Lin Ye's betrayal had prompted Li Xiang to take action personally, wiping out the Siberian "Skull Society." The incident had caused a major sensation at the time and was considered a rare black mark on Country C's record. It was often brought up later as a cautionary tale.
What stung even more was a trending topic within Country C itself: a real estate agency in City No. 03 was advertising a "Benzi Province Immigration Special Package." It came with a complimentary pair of dialect-translating earrings developed by Celestial Calculation Energy Technology. The slogan read: "No communication barriers, and your choice of any hot pot!"
Before long, on the European Continent, Erin's base, along with fifteen surrounding Underground Cities, also voluntarily applied for annexation into Country C.
Erin originally only had a small base with a population of just over ten thousand people. However, those fifteen Underground Cities had willingly pledged their allegiance to her, begging Erin to lead them in joining Country C.
If they had made the request on their own, they likely wouldn't have had enough clout. But with Erin as an intermediary, there were essentially no obstacles.
All at once, a great many Underground Cities began clamoring to be annexed into Country C.
After some discussion, Li Xiang and Jiang Cai'Er decided to establish the Earth Federation.
Jiang Cai'Er was actually quite gratified. 'My generosity wasn't in vain after all. These girls certainly know how things work.'
Erin and Chiba Yuki's decision to join them was, of course, a gesture of quid pro quo—a response to Jiang Cai'Er's earlier magnanimity.
From that point on, Jiang Cai'Er's "Supercomputing Center" would be installed in every Underground City that merged with Country C. Her Digital Life Clones, along with all sorts of cameras, surveillance equipment, robotic dogs, and mechanical spiders, would naturally follow.
Not only would Jiang Cai'Er's own power increase dramatically, but with such efficient administration, these Underground Cities were also poised for a new era of prosperity. And the more prosperous Earth Humans became, the more fortune would favor Li Xiang, making him even more powerful.
As a reward—and since she had, after all, taken over their life's work—Jiang Cai'Er decided to gift both the Chiba mother and daughter, and Erin, an 8% stake each in "Celestial Calculation Energy."
The Celestial Calculation Energy Technology Group was a conglomerate spanning the aerospace, energy, and defense industries, among others. It was currently expanding at an impressive 30% annual growth rate. An 8% stake represented a truly staggering fortune.
As for Yao Yao, Zhao Xueqing, and Lei Xiaohui, they already held shares in it.