Otherworld Advance Team
Chapter 1148 - 1141: Administrative Division Arrangement

Chapter 1148: Chapter 1141: Administrative Division Arrangement

"Well then, let’s jot down these options for the time being and leave the decision to those above us," the moderator, nearly at his breaking point in the face of the many military officers’ opinions, had no choice but to adopt a policy of appeasement.

"Haha, since we listen to those above us for everything, what’s the point of having this meeting? We argue back and forth, but in the end, the decision isn’t in our hands. Just now, you were saying, according to the document, our Headquarters will be fully responsible for Lipei’s affairs, turns out it’s all hot air?" An officer asked disdainfully, with his hands spread wide.

"What I mean is, if we at this level can’t decide, then we should leave it to our superiors," the moderator explained hastily.

"What’s there we can’t decide on, just needs more discussion. Oh, you don’t like us arguing, so you want to throw the problem to a higher level. Are you implying that our discussions are as trivial as quarrels between kindergarten children?" That officer asked relentlessly.

"That’s not what I meant..." The moderator was so anxious he almost burst into tears.

"Let’s all calm down a bit, calm down. It’s okay to leave undecidable matters to our superiors for decision-making," Lin Wei volunteered to defuse the situation, "Building in Lipei isn’t going to be completed overnight; it requires the concerted efforts of all departments. Some matters are very important, unchangeable once decided upon, otherwise, if we keep changing our decisions, it’s going to set a very bad precedent."

Clearly, Lin Wei held considerable prestige in everyone’s eyes. After he spoke, everyone stopped arguing and turned their attention to him as if by some unspoken agreement.

"Gentlemen, some things can’t just be decided by us alone. Like the sovereignty issue of Lipei and related naming issues, these require careful consideration. It’s not that we can’t be responsible, just that we can’t act rashly. We still need to listen to the higher-ups and do our best in handling these matters. It’s not that if we’re responsible, we can just mess things up. I think that reasoning is incorrect," Lin Wei continued.

"Fine, we’ll listen to Old Lin, report up the chain and seek their views, so we don’t damage our good relations with each other, after all, we have to work together in the future," Lin Wei’s words gained most people’s approval, and, at last, the discussion came to a temporary halt.

"Let’s move on to the next agenda item," Lin Wei said to the moderator, giving a dismissive gesture, then sat back down.

"Yes, so," the moderator bowed slightly, wiping the sweat off his brow, took a deep breath, and read the next agenda item, "Next is the construction issue in Lipei. In line with the document, all lands within the Lipei jurisdiction must be reclaimed by the state and centralized under Lipei City Government, then distributed according to the actual population. The potential violence against such law enforcement will be discussed in later agenda items. Let’s focus on this issue first."

He paused and continued, "Currently, the upper levels also haven’t given concrete opinions on Lipei. Broadly, there are several directions for us at the operative level, that is, Headquarters, to execute. One direction is, towards developing an agricultural city. Lipei has fertile and flat land, and it is also near rivers, which is quite suitable for food cultivation. If we could fully commence farming, we can solve Lipei’s food problem, without having to allocate food from domestic sources..."

"Another direction is towards developing an industrial city, building light and heavy industries in Lipei..."

He wasn’t finished when he was interrupted, "Otherworld can develop industry?"

"Yes," Lin Wei explained, "Steam power can be utilized in Otherworld, and we can develop industrial technology of the Steam Age. Additionally, we’re planning to get a batch of magic industrial equipment from the High-peak people to set up factories in Lipei."

"We can get magic industrial equipment from the High-peak people?" Luo’er couldn’t help but blur out but quickly realized his indiscretion and clammed up.

"It’s alright," Lin Wei waved his hand and said in a kindly manner, "Feel free to ask whenever you don’t understand something, there’s nothing you need to hold back."

He coughed slightly, looking at the others who were equally confused, and then explained, "Not long ago, our frontline Headquarters reached a deal with the High-peak people, exchanging a set of equipment for their magic industrial equipment."

"What equipment?" someone couldn’t resist asking.

"A Differential Engine!" Lin Wei shrugged as he said.

"Differential Engine!" His words sparked a flurry of discussion. Someone couldn’t help asking, "Aren’t Differential Engines not allowed for export?"

"Why not allow exports? Has anyone thought about why?" Lin Wei asked in return.

"Why?" Encouraged by Lin Wei’s affirmation, Luo’er became much bolder and took the initiative to raise the question that puzzled everyone.

"Balance!" Lin Wei raised his index finger and explained, "It is to balance the development of the Otherworld inhabitants, to prevent them from advancing too quickly and exceeding our control. Now that we have established a firm foothold in the Otherworld and the High-peak people are our steadfast partners, I think we can consider lifting the ban on exporting some high-end precision equipment."

"However, this would mean that on the international front..." someone said with concern.

"In the past, the biggest obstacle to exporting high-end precision equipment was the Australian customs, which are controlled by Western powers. Now that Door Number Two is in our hands and doesn’t even have customs, we can sell whenever we want. When has it come to the point where international powers can dictate what we do?" Lin Wei confidently declared.

"But," although his words were convincing, someone still raised doubts, "if they were to merely develop industry, there isn’t much industrial potential in the Otherworld. As Lipei is our first Otherworld city, it’s unnecessary to develop it towards pollution-heavy heavy industry, right? Our domestic industry has long been saturated. What’s most needed is an overseas market."

"Therefore, this brings us to the third direction, which is to make Lipei an export hub, channeling domestic products to the Otherworld and creating an interworld trade transit city," the chairperson seized the opportunity to explain.

"Hmm, this proposal is good, just the tariffs alone would be enough to sustain the entire city," someone nodded in approval.

"I think," someone else stood up and said, "we can make Lipei a city that revolves around trade, with industry and agriculture as secondary focuses. Limited industrial products would ensure agricultural production; agriculture would sustain the city’s population; and in principle, agriculture will not be taxed to attract more Otherworld inhabitants to settle in Lipei. City tax revenue would mainly come from commercial activities. What do you all think of this idea?"

"That’s a good idea. No matter how much Otherworld industry develops, it will not compare to Earth’s. Just dabble a bit, nurture some industrial workers, produce some industrial goods like fertilizer to support the agricultural population," someone agreed, nodding continuously.

"However, there is one industry that we must focus on developing!" a military officer spoke up seriously.

"What industry?" everyone asked.

"Shipbuilding. Sooner or later, we need to manufacture airboats ourselves; we can’t always be buying them from the High-peak people," the officer stated.

"Would they let us have airboat shipyards?" someone asked, not without worry.

"If they don’t give them to us, we’ll figure it out ourselves," the officer insisted, "In general, building airboats is not much different from Earth’s ship construction; the only breakthrough needed is the anti-gravity engine. We’ll figure that out sooner or later. It doesn’t matter if the High-peak people don’t sell it to us."

"So, what you’re saying is, the industrial focus should be on shipbuilding as well as industries related to agricultural inputs, like fertilizer and seeds," someone summarized.

"Let’s leave it to the higher-ups to arrange. Let’s pass our opinions up the chain for them to decide since it’s best for professionals to handle their respective fields," a military officer said, spreading his hands in resignation.

On this issue, the military officers present unusually refrained from argument, as they were indeed not well versed in the matter. Letting the higher-ups decide was a preferable option for them.

Although there were representatives from other departments at the meeting, it was largely an internal meeting of the Headquarters, with the majority of participants being military personnel. Several officers from the army had been sent over.

Even though the Headquarters and the Origin Project had been handed over to the Ministry of Defense quite some time ago, the army was, after all, the initiator of the project and the source of many staff members at the Headquarters, naturally feeling an affinity for the Headquarters. It was not at all surprising for the army’s personnel to be involved in such an internal meeting of the Headquarters.

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