How Am I Still Alive?-Chapter 1334 - 1320: Companions

The Saphire people, for the Ancient city and Lu Ping’an, were an unavoidable factor.

Now, they have become the largest GDP growth point of the entire city, rising stars in politics, economics, and the military, but they have also become the city’s greatest source of instability.

Whether the decision made then was correct still cannot be answered, but from what could be seen, the Ancient city was no longer stagnant...

"I don’t regret the decision I made back then, just as today you still trust me, letting me succeed in being re-elected..."

In the recent government transition, since Mayor Li had successfully continued in office, it meant that at least the majority approved of this change.

"You are very aggressive, and moreover, you’ve started to impact us..."

"Hey, hey, hey, you are the outsider, it was one thing then when I wasn’t here, but now that I’ve returned, I can’t let you mess around."

The mere existence of Lu Ping’an had a considerable impact.

"The local government has continuously introduced new labor laws and refugee regulations, are you saying these have nothing to do with you?"

"I am a Contractor, I do not lie. I really didn’t do anything; these regulations truly have nothing to do with me, I was completely unaware before they were issued."

Lu Ping’an said with a smile, thinking he would be criticized by the other party, but instead saw them nod in agreement.

"Indeed, I’ve heard that being a high-level Contractor isn’t easy, and that’s why you’re highly regarded. So, perhaps it’s believable after all."

Seeing the serious nod from the person across, Lu Ping’an was momentarily speechless.

It seemed that the Prince, who didn’t climb to a high position through the professional system, really didn’t know this catch... After all, he hadn’t been exposed to the professional system for long, not to mention low-level Contractors, even high-level Contractors wouldn’t bother to lie to him needlessly.

"Although it wasn’t caused by you, it indeed has something to do with you."

"That is true..."

This time, Lu Ping’an didn’t lie; he truly hadn’t done anything... but it was indeed because of him that new regulations were established.

Both regulations involved the Saphire people, an external race... or more accurately, though not specifically targeting the Saphire people, anyone with eyes, considering the demographic ratio of the Saphire people among the local Exotic Races, could tell that these two regulation laws impacting the Saphire people greatly, and why these regulations were introduced now.

It wasn’t initiated by Lu Ping’an, yet it arose because of him.

Without the premise of equivalent combat power for checks and balances, any interference regulations involving the Saphire Clan had to consider the opinion of this Big Shot before Lu Ping’an.

Once hesitant, it was natural to be unable to act. However, with this Big Buddha as a support, the Saphire people naturally could try to interfere in the local politics and economy... Although they are relatively honest now, what about later? This generation of Saphire people might be compliant, but what about the next?

The return of Lu Ping’an, especially since he did not disguise his "pro-humanism" and "Ancient city-centric" political stance, further provided a pillar for the local government.

It’s not that the locals couldn’t bring in Rule-level forces, but they couldn’t let them stay long term in this "rear area," and even one or two Rule-level combat powers couldn’t pose a threat to one eighth-tier and one seventh-tier Saphire person.

But with Lu Ping’an and his group of combat powers in place, a balance was naturally formed against the high-level combat power of the Saphire people.

When neither side could dominate in combat power, they would "talk about laws" and "discuss reason"... The locals had countless means to gradually dismantle the Saphire people who tried to band together.

Being stared at by those blood-red eyes, Lu Ping’an just quietly drank his tea.

If worst came to worst, they’d fight; who was afraid of whom... Perhaps Lu Ping’an himself didn’t realize that the moment he walked into this room, when this "king versus king" became a reality, many local forces received the news and were waiting for an outcome.

"Snap."

Lu Ping’an put down the teacup, yet did not speak about the local Saphire people related matters.

He knew that when the focus was only on the land beneath their feet, the more powerful forces were only left with the options of "peaceful competition" and "bloody slaughter."

"Isn’t it a pity? The world is so vast, why not go out and explore..."

The Saphire people were once the main race of the Silent Mountain Range, and the person before him was even a member of the Royal Family, a true member of the ruling class.

Here on Earth, they really had to humble themselves... Under someone’s roof, one has to bow one’s head, but what they feared was not the people of the Ancient city, but the entire Human Race.

"Previously, I opened up markets and sales channels for the Development Zone, now Mercury 42 has an entire market waiting for us. If possible, I would hope for a Saphire Deity there to protect our business and our people..."

This time, Lulu showed up not only to talk with humans but also to introduce new ethnic groups to balance the current major trends.

Through the humans, the Saphire people had indeed become a true Star-zone race.

It was known that they were at least scattered across more than four worlds, including Green Planet.

Even without asking, Lu Ping’an could guess that what Lulu and Wang Sixiang had discussed must have involved moving the Saphire population to Mercury 42... She didn’t need to promise anything; merely arriving there would bring about new changes.

However, Lu Ping’an could also see that they definitely hadn’t reached an agreement... Even someone at the high level of Wang Sixiang couldn’t easily agree to this.

Moreover, what he could govern was probably only the Saphire people in this area, the king of this region.

"Don’t you think the Ancient city is too small..."

The total population of the Ancient city was roughly just over a million, but Lu Ping’an estimated that the total population of the Exotic Races had already exceeded one hundred and fifty thousand, with the Saphire people making up at least seventy percent of that.

Moreover, along with the expansion of the local Saphire population, quite a few smugglers from Exotic Realms had joined them.

Now, these overflowing Saphire people from the Ancient city had gradually become the source of new social problems, and their high birth rates, along with the inadequate newborn welfare and education systems, had exacerbated social conflicts.

"What about relocating tens of thousands, and at the same time, notifying the Saphire people and their Deity still residing in the Exotic Realms to stake a country in the new Mercury 42?"

"This isn’t just for your people, but also for yourself... You, an eighth-tier, just lying here, are you really comfortable? I’m afraid there isn’t a battlefield here for you to unfold at will, not to mention resources to advance further, do you think you have a chance to ascend to godhood on Earth? Ascension to Quasi-God is unlikely, right?"

The Contractor’s straightforward truths were exactly what Wang Sixiang had been considering.

In a sense, him, a high-level individual stuck here as a "strategic threat", was sacrificing his own future to contribute to his ethnicity.

"If you go to Mercury 42, you’d be pioneering a new ethnic group, still the king of the Saphire people... No, perhaps a Deity, after all, that world longs for more Deities, and you have enough people to support you."

The prospects of Mercury 42 were unclear, and the Quasi-Gods on Earth had many hesitations and doubts about Deification, but if it came to the Saphire population at hand... Did they have a choice? Earth would not allow them to easily succeed in Ascension.

"It sounds more like the local government wants to unload a burden."

"You’re mistaken there, I don’t represent the local government; I’m just a small boss here... but do you really think that continuing to crowd together like this is a good thing? The Development Zone has been overwhelmed long ago, hasn’t it?"

Lu Ping’an paused for a moment, pointing outside to the thriving city.

"If this expansion continues, the contradictions between ethnic groups will increase day by day, even turning them into enemies. Are you sure this is good for the relatively weaker Saphire people? Frankly speaking, it’s bound to happen, even without my return, those two laws restricting your ethnic group would just be delayed, this is the inevitable path the local government must take for further development..."

Hearing this, Wang Sixiang sighed helplessly.

Didn’t they understand these issues? As the parties involved, they understood better than anyone, but what choice did those caught in the middle have? Being able to forcefully suppress their own people to delay the outbreak of conflicts was probably the only effective measure, but that couldn’t last forever.

They couldn’t expel people... If they really drove the Saphire people away, where could they go?

Farther away, this generation of Saphire people still had the awareness of reliance, but what about when the new generation grows up...

"I’ll think about it," the Prince could only say in the end.

Lu Ping’an smiled and left it at that.

This was the limit of the negotiation, but Lu Ping’an’s presence was essential; he said that he did not represent the local officials, but in reality, his stance was that of the "Ancient city." 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Now, having obtained both the "invitation to the native ethnic groups of Mercury 42" and the "suggestion from the officials of the Ancient city," Wang Sixiang and his descendants had to seriously consider it.

Before leaving, the now proactive Lu Ping’an turned back and said,

"Personally, I would truly look forward to seeing you and your people on Mercury 42; by then, we can look out for each other..."

Lu had not lied; once the Saphire people really joined, they would naturally become allies of Lu Ping’an, able to help him gain a larger share amid conflicts with others.

Using one’s advantage to assist another? Or getting eggs from borrowing chickens? If this influence went with them, considering the relatives still back on Earth in the Ancient city, they would inevitably become allies of Lu.

"I’m growing to admire you more and more, have you really not considered an alliance through marriage?"

But it was just that remark from the insider that left Lu Ping’an at a loss for words.