Fortunately, humanity has a knack for compromise.
Since both sides were deadlocked in their argument, they decided to meet in the middle.
First off.
Simply repeating the strategy used during the Third Honkai Eruption was clearly not an option.
Even with the entire world's assistance, the Third Eruption still placed an overwhelming burden squarely on Shenzhou's shoulders.
The Far East, by comparison, was a secondary concern.
Even so, the effort required far surpassed what most other nations or organizations had to muster.
On the other hand, knowing a Honkai Eruption was coming and doing nothing was obviously not feasible.
Forget public opinion for a moment.
The real question was, what would the young mistress say? And honestly, no one could be sure.
Besides, their perspective on resource allocation did hold merit.
Human resources are far more critical than economic ones.
Preserving a larger population now means having more hands and minds to face future challenges.
So then!
How about this~
Once we identify a region with a high probability of being the next Eruption's epicenter, we simply designate a large, circular area around it as a high-risk quarantine zone.
The people living within this zone would be evacuated and absorbed by nearby nations and organizations.
This way, the costs and logistical strain of relocation are drastically reduced and distributed. The influx of people would be dispersed, preventing any single nearby country or region from being overwhelmed.
At the same time, this allows for a much faster response.
We wouldn't need the long, drawn-out lead time required during the Third Eruption.
With these nations and organizations coordinating, resources could be marshaled much more efficiently.
Most importantly, it still achieves the primary goal of protecting the populace.
The pressures on resources, supplies, and even population density would be spread out, requiring far less stringent conditions than the Third Eruption demanded.
But what if the Honkai just shifts its target?
Sure, that was a possibility before.
But still!
Isn't this approach definitely safer than moving everyone to a single, crowded location?
We certainly can't just take one group, leave another behind as bait to draw the Honkai's attention, can we?
"You know… that actually doesn't sound like a bad idea…" a senior official muttered, almost without thinking.
But in the very next instant, the people around him fixed him with an eerie, penetrating stare, as if they'd just spotted a traitor in their midst.
"Get him out of here!"
Seriously, after all this time, haven't you figured out the young mistress's temperament yet?
With her particular… disposition, if you dare do something underhanded, she won't hesitate to show her disgust.
Her being disgusted with you is one thing. The real problem is, if she starts feeling that way about the entire world, the whole civilization, could you possibly bear that responsibility?
Even if someone argues, 'I'm already rotten to the core, why should I care?' You might not care, but others do.
Others still have hope. They still want a future.
Because of this, situations like this have become pretty common.
It's all about exposing these clueless individuals and putting them straight on the blacklist.
It not only helps purge our ranks but also serves as a warning to others.
You could say they're fishing for these reactions. But you should never doubt their loyalty to the young mistress.
Though, it has to be said, it's all thanks to the young mistress's… fine training~
After all, every time the young mistress meets someone official, she wears her disdain plain on her face.
Well, when dealing with high-ranking officials, the disdain is slightly toned down, but it's still pretty obvious.
It's almost like she's intentionally making sure you see it.
And there's nothing you can do about it. You just have to smile apologetically and take it.
Because Kiana understands one thing deeply:
Kindness is often mistaken for weakness.
With these political creatures, the nicer you are to them, the more they'll push their luck.
Don't be fooled by how obedient they seem now.
Just think about what was seen in the original story…
And nowadays… across countless potential futures, there's always someone whose brain short-circuits and decides to stir up trouble.
It's really beyond words… you just don't know what to say…
So naturally, she has even less reason to give them a pleasant look.
They come when called, and are dismissed with a wave.
A single glance from her is enough to send them off to play in the mud.
That's probably the most effective approach.
To put it simply, when working for Kiana, doing a good job earns no reward, but messing up means you could be dragged out and executed on the spot.
Once they got used to it, they were actually grateful.
Over time, the various nations and organizations, for the most part, began to align all their actions with the young mistress's expectations.
Everything, absolutely everything, prioritized the young mistress's mood.
Thus, not only did the young mistress become their collective ancestor, but even the young mistress's wife… yes! The one named in the Sky-Screen projection.
She became their little ancestor too.
On this point, maybe not everyone could fully appreciate it, but Aponia felt it keenly and unmistakably.
After she was… invited away, she didn't head straight to Kiana's location.
Instead, as if she couldn't rest easy, she insisted on seeing the children from the orphanage properly settled, ensuring they truly had a good outcome, before she finally left to join Kiana.
This, of course, ended up taking some extra time.
But!
The officials involved could only smile, agree, and didn't dare show a hint of complaint.
Under Aponia's gaze, they even acted as if they were in the presence of a divine being, feeling an inexplicable sense of mission welling up inside them.
They worked more diligently, more meticulously.
They didn't dare seek credit.
It felt almost… natural!
When Aponia mentioned this to Kiana later, Kiana just smiled slightly and didn't say much more about it.
Aponia assumed it was probably because of Kiana's influence that things had gone so smoothly.
Little did she know, her innate aura of serene authority, coupled with those eyes that seemed to see right through to the future with detached clarity, naturally imposed a certain pressure on ordinary people.
It was like a sacred baptism.
Some might even feel compelled to confess.
However, if Aponia wasn't intentionally exerting this effect, it usually didn't manifest so strongly.
But if she did do it on purpose… what would happen?
The answer was obvious.
Just look at the present moment.
"Aponia, Mommy… hug~"
Kiana wasn't there to confess anything, but Aponia's gentle presence and motherly aura made her feel incredibly relaxed.
So, she playfully called her 'Mommy,' watching with glee as Aponia showed a faintly troubled expression, and couldn't help but giggle.
This really matched up with the Sky-Screen projection now.
When Kiana needed to relax, she'd either go find Eden, or she'd seek out Aponia.
Resting her head on Aponia's lap, feeling the soft warmth of her thighs beneath her neck, she cracked her eyes open slightly only to see just a sliver of the sky.
What filled the rest of her view?
It was the great peaks.
A pair of elegantly curved, full mounds.
With each soft breath, she could catch a faint, milky fragrance.
Aponia could see right through Kiana's little game, but she didn't mind. She was immensely tolerant, even adjusting her sitting posture to make Kiana more comfortable. Her soft hands gently massaged Kiana's head, skillfully working the pressure points to help her relax even more.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
20+ advanced chaps on my patreon.
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.