Zero had extensive work experience and could quickly sift out key points from long, tedious documents.
After speed-reading through the information, ten lines at a glance, he summarized the most urgent issue the Vidyadhara needed to resolve.
That issue was reproduction.
Zero inwardly marveled at how efficient his subordinates were. Just moments ago, they had been discussing the Vidyadhara, and now, the relevant data had already been delivered to him.
He quickly came up with a solution and told the Chief Strategist standing beside him.
The Chief Strategist was silent for a while, then raised a hand to rub his forehead and said irritably, "Think about it yourself, do you think it sounds good if you say that out loud?"
Just dealing with his deranged superior was already enough to give him a constant headache.
Because of that, he rarely paid attention to anything outside the Xianzhou, so he had no idea that the Vidyadhara couldn't reproduce.
But since someone had been able to easily dig up that information, it probably wasn't any big secret anyway.
Most likely, the other factions across the universe already knew about the Vidyadhara's problem too.
It was like a patient with a hidden illness, others might sigh in pity when mentioning them, then forget all about it afterward.
But once the boss went crazy, the whole situation changed completely.
It was like buying out the most expensive billboards on every planet and using giant electronic screens to broadcast, twenty-four hours a day, across all systems, or rather, for thousands of years, a nonstop advertisement about how the Xianzhou was desperately seeking children.
Once that spread through the universe, people who knew would think the Vidyadhara were infertile; those who didn't would assume the Xianzhou themselves had some sort of reproductive problem…
By then, whenever anyone brought up the Xianzhou Alliance, what came to mind wouldn't be the mighty Colossi, but that pitiful disease.
"What? You mean the Xianzhou Alliance? Aren't they the ones who've been spending fortunes trying to have kids?"
"Huh? I thought they were the ones always hiring experts to treat infertility?"
"Ah no, you're out of date, it's said that all Xianzhou people suffer from some hidden ailment…"
Just thinking about it made the Chief Strategist cringe in secondhand embarrassment.
For the sake of the Xianzhou's dignity, he had to step up and stop his superior.
Otherwise, the boss really would lose it, and take the entire Xianzhou and Vidyadhara down into social death with him.
The Chief Strategist's tone grew increasingly sharp, "Do you think it sounds good if you say it out loud? From now on, whenever people mention the Xianzhou Alliance, the first thing they'll think of is your big 'Desperate to Have Kids' campaign!"
Zero thought about it and realized, 'Yeah, that really did sound terrible.'
How was that supposed to boost his intimidation stat?
It had no dignity at all. It would turn him from the untouchable cosmic final boss into some clownish joke of a figure, just like Aha, annoying and ridiculous at the same time.
Zero immediately dropped the idea.
"Then let's change it to 'incurable diseases,'" he said. "We'll just treat infertility along the way."
His reliable members of the Alchemy Commission, while researching the Mara-struck body, would often end up solving various rare and difficult illnesses that plagued the entire universe, by accident, really. Over the years, they'd cured about a thousand such conditions.
Unlike Zero, the healers truly had the hearts of doctors who wanted to save people. Once they overcame these ailments, they immediately shared their findings with the entire universe and even proposed to him that the Xianzhou accept visitors seeking medical treatment.
Naturally, Zero didn't refuse. He was the one racking up karmic debt by creating death and destruction, while the Xianzhou doctors earned merit by saving lives. The two offset each other nicely.
If he thought about it carefully, by suppressing the Swarm and the machines and protecting planets on the brink of annihilation, he was actually doing good deeds.
And by agreeing to let outsiders come to the Xianzhou for medical care, that should roughly count as another bit of merit too.
In short, earn merit and everything would balance out. He was such a good person, wasn't he?
Once the Alchemy Commission solved the Vidyadhara's reproduction issue, that'd be another big merit boost.
Of course, even if they failed, it didn't matter.
At least the Xianzhou Alliance had shown sincerity, offering the Vidyadhara something that even the Automatons and the Swarm could never hope to enjoy.
Only those willing to truly stand on the same side as the Xianzhou Alliance would earn Zero's genuine effort.
After all, business was about fairness.
Take the Xianzhou's laborers, for example. Some worked to pursue their dreams, some to contribute to the Alliance, but at the core, what they needed most was wages.
That's what work was for, getting paid.
If Zero wanted the Vidyadhara to serve the Xianzhou wholeheartedly, he naturally needed to give them enough incentive.
Besides letting the Alchemy Commission treat their infertility, he'd also toss in some material benefits, like housing or antiques…
Oh, but not starships or planets. Those were exclusive perks for his subordinates.
Zero closed the document in his hands. When he looked up again, the Chief Strategist was approaching, pushing a cart piled high with books.
Zero reluctantly tore his gaze away from the cart and asked, "What's all this?"
Surely these weren't more documents he needed to sign? That couldn't be, he'd worked overtime to finish them all already.
The Chief Strategist replied, "Daiyang noticed you've been into reading ancient texts lately, so he specifically gathered these for you."
Glancing at the pile beside him, records of foolish and depraved rulers from past dynasties, Zero sighed softly.
What a thoughtful subordinate.
The Chief Strategist parked the cart beside his superior's chair, still puzzled. "Since when did you start reading?"
"As the saying goes, when the mountain you lean on collapses…"
Zero picked up a volume and said casually, "Rather than relying on external things, it's better to rely on yourself."
The Chief Strategist froze in thought.
'What kind of crazy idea is the boss cooking up this time?'
What did "relying on external things" mean, was he talking about the Colossi?
And "relying on yourself"? Was he planning to blow up planets like the Reignbow Arbiter?
Then what's the point of reading books? He'd be better off working out.
Zero had no idea what was running through his subordinate's head.
He hadn't actually liked ancient texts at all. The archaic language gave him a headache every time he tried to read it.
As for why he suddenly started reading… just as he'd told the Chief Strategist, depending on external tools wasn't a long-term solution.
Maybe it was the common disease of all rulers, thinking too much about pointless things.
One day, Zero began to wonder, what exactly was the Xianzhou Alliance he'd built through the system?
It was a utopia.
A utopia where orders from above were executed instantly, where corruption could not exist.
Of course, none of that came for free.
He had to constantly monitor the system map, all while bearing the Mara-struck body debuff that granted bonuses to the Xianzhou.
By relying on the system map and interface, Zero could assign every Xianzhou citizen to the most fitting position and respond immediately to their needs.
Not only could he solve their problems, but he could also eliminate potential sources of unrest before they arose.
Thus, within the Xianzhou, there were no traitors harboring ill intent, and no opportunists attempting bribery.
Because of that, the satisfaction rate among the citizens of the eight Xianzhou ships was extraordinarily high, something that pleased Zero's perfectionist tendencies.
But… what if one day, the system disappeared?
So he began reading ancient texts, trying to handle administrative matters without relying on the system, scribbling solutions on scrap paper by hand.
The results were less than ideal. It was like asking a child who hadn't even learned calculus to solve a problem that had baffled geniuses for centuries.
Before, managing government affairs had been like an open-book exam, he just had to look at the map and fill in the answers.
Now, he was answering blindfolded, half-guessing as he went. After finishing, he'd check the "answer sheet", the system map, and make corrections before copying the final version into the files.
People should know their limits, and Zero was fully aware that he was just an ordinary man.
He never believed he could truly become the omniscient, omnipotent god his people saw him as.
He just believed in time.
He believed time could gradually close the gap between him and the system, and that one day, he could write satisfactory "answers" even without looking at the map.
He didn't aim for a perfect score, passing would be good enough.
But there was another issue.
When Zero eventually left, how would this utopia he'd built continue running?
That problem couldn't be dumped onto his successor.
Then Marty's invention gave him inspiration.
SSR's device could monitor the Xianzhou people's physical condition, extend that idea, and it could become a portable communication device.
Like a smartphone, after all, most people carried their phones everywhere.
With that, whenever someone began to fall into the Mara-struck state, the alert could be sent instantly to the Alchemy Commission and the Ten Lords Commission.
If there was still hope, the Alchemy Commission could treat them; if not, the Ten Lords could handle the rest.
And if the citizens' health could be monitored… couldn't their large financial transactions be tracked too?
Of course, rooting out corruption couldn't rely solely on financial surveillance.
Where there are policies, there are loopholes. Someone would always find a workaround.
Even if valuable goods couldn't be gifted, there were always local specialties to give away.
Even with the precedent of "exterminating three clans," some people would still dare to scheme.
When people were determined, not even heaven could stop them.
So what next, monitor communications?
That was starting to sound like a full-blown control freak.
Zero thought about it and temporarily gave up on the idea of monitoring everyone's communications.
If the citizens found out they were living under total surveillance, they'd probably riot again, people once started trouble just because their porridge was too thin.
Better to focus on those in high positions.
From Marty's device, Zero's thoughts branched outward, leading him to a conclusion.
The Xianzhou needed a computer, a system with enormous processing power, and one that would never develop rebellious thoughts.
Only with that could the utopia keep functioning smoothly.
Ideally, it'd be a system that could even remotely activate the Colossi and Aether Resonance Engines with a single command.
And while he was at it… what if he added that feature to his own phone? Even if he wasn't on the Xianzhou, he could still command all their weapons remotely.
Zero suddenly felt a strong urge to collaborate with the Aeon of Erudition. If only that Aeon could come work for the Xianzhou.
But that was far too unrealistic.
Unless he, the "high-dimensional invader," started learning programming from scratch, coding, right?, and somehow rewrote the Aeon's code… maybe then it could work.
But the chances of success were minuscule, and there was always the risk of Erudition turning against him.
Besides, science was just too hard for Zero.
He could force himself to read classical texts, however obscure, because at least history taught him things, it reminded him to stay vigilant and not repeat the mistakes of foolish rulers.
But science? Zero learning science was like a fish trying to learn how to ride a bicycle.
He was a fish, how could he possibly ride a bike?
He feared that halfway through studying, he'd just fall into the Mara-struck body instead…
The odds of successfully controlling the Aeon of Erudition were too low, not worth the risk.
It wasn't cost-effective at all. Better to just let the Xianzhou people build their own computer.
Though, with only Marty working on it… that might be a stretch.
It seemed he'd have to build good relations with the Aeon of Erudition after all. Otherwise, how was he supposed to use "friendship" as leverage to recruit workers?
Zero sighed and told the Chief Strategist to summon Marty.
SSR hadn't yet calmed down, still looking overly excited when he came before Zero.
Zero explained his idea to him.
Marty immediately grew serious.
With his maxed-out scientific talent, it didn't take him long to give Zero a definite answer.
SSR said that at most within a month, he could produce the communication device Zero described.
As he spoke, Marty's eyes lit up with renewed passion, and he brought up his old dream again, to create a weapon as powerful as the Colossi.
He looked at Zero full of anticipation.
"Sure," Zero said, "but…"
Naturally, Zero didn't reject SSR.
"You should always finish what you start. We'll talk about it in a month."
At least let the people replace their communication devices first.
That way, they could locate anyone falling into the Mara-struck body right away.
Hearing the approval, Marty grew even more excited.
Then Zero asked, "And what about the computer? Interested?"
Marty blinked, then quickly caught on.
If the Xianzhou Marshal himself mentioned a "computer," it definitely wasn't just some ordinary machine.
There had to be some deeper purpose behind it.
Marty's mind spun furiously until it landed on the Aeon of Erudition.
Could the all-powerful Marshal want him to build something like the Aeon of Erudition itself?
Marty was immediately torn. That was way too difficult...
Just by looking at SSR's expression, Zero knew his thoughts had gone completely off track again.
So, he patiently explained his real idea.
Once Marty understood, he exhaled in relief.
Good thing the Marshal wasn't asking him to handcraft a Aeon.
Relaxing instantly, he patted his chest and assured his boss,
"As long as it's something you want, I'll do it, but it might take a long time…"
Zero shook his head. "That's fine. Take your time."
Time was the one thing he had in abundance.
Just as SSR promised, within a month, Marty completed the communication device capable of instantly transmitting data to the Alchemy Commission and the Ten Lords Commission.
When Zero asked what he wanted to name it, Marty scratched his head and blurted out Zero's own name.
Zero, "…"
Who would name a phone after themselves?
Forcing a smile, he told SSR, "I think your name sounds better."
Marty immediately turned bright red, realizing how inappropriate his suggestion had been.
But he wasn't good with words, naming things wasn't his strength at all.
Hesitantly, he said, "Then… how about calling it Jade Signal?"
Zero didn't hesitate and chose that name.
Anyway, it sounded way better than using his own.
Once the name was decided, Zero ordered the people across all Xianzhou ships to replace their current devices with the new Jade Signal.
His subordinates, having followed him through countless major events, handled it smoothly and efficiently.
They'd already anticipated how people would react.
If it cost money, some wouldn't want to buy it.
If it was free, others would look down on it.
They could invoke the Marshal's name, of course, the people of the Xianzhou would cooperate if it came directly from him.
But they were the Marshal's subordinates, weren't they? They couldn't use his name every single time.
Even though the Jade Signal could instantly alert the Alchemy Commission about anyone's physical condition so they could be treated in time, people wouldn't necessarily believe it.
So his subordinates started half-selling, half-giving them away, using "subsidies" as an excuse, to replace the devices of retired Cloud Knights first.
Those veterans had always been a group of special concern for the Marshal. They had fought and bled for the Xianzhou, seen countless horrors, and thus required close attention to their mental health.
Next were the older citizens approaching the Mara-struck body stage.
Once those two groups had their Jade Signal devices replaced, the rest would just be a matter of time.
Soon enough, after the Alchemy Commission successfully saved one after another Xianzhou citizen on the brink of falling into the Mara-struck body, people finally believed, and began voluntarily purchasing and using Jade Signal.
When eventually all Xianzhou people had switched to the newest model, SSR brought Zero another surprise.
Previously, the Colossi always required a fleet for protection, but with Marty's work, that weakness was now gone.
Looking at Marty giving his report, Zero suddenly recalled the mask Aha had gifted him, the one that nearly blew up all of Yaohqing and its entire star system.
Smiling, he asked Marty, "Tell me, are you interested in the power of the Aeons?"
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