Galaxy Domination Guide-Chapter 664: The Method of Communication 650

Perhaps finding Bai Zhongqi exceptionally easy to talk to, the young student pulled him over to a small stall by the road to continue chatting. Accompanying them were two of his classmates and comrades; it was only then that Bai Zhongqi clarified that this perpetually angry young student was named Pei Yanshi, and the other two classmates with him, the male student named Situ Cheng and the female student named Bao Qing.

As soon as Bai Zhongqi sat down, he expressed his apologies, "I left home in a hurry and didn't bring any money."

Situ Cheng, with a square face, shook his head with a smile, "It's rare for our Yanshi to find a new friend he enjoys talking to, treating Mister to a bowl of tofu pudding. Please don't feel bad about it."

Pei Yanshi also laughed, "Judging by your clothes and appearance, Mister must be much wealthier than us students. It's not like you're here to scrounge for food and drinks."

Bao Qing also joked, "If you were scamming for food and drinks, would you only scam a bowl of tofu pudding? You should at least aim for a table full of dishes."

Bai Zhongqi found these young people very amusing. The Eastern Land had retained many characteristics of the Empire era; people's speech was more refined, and despite technological advancements, the look and feel of the architecture, culture, and customs were still quite old.

As everyone was chatting, Bai Zhongqi was also delighted to taste the tofu pudding that was quite a specialty of Li Anfu. Suddenly, there was a commotion on the street, and a line of military trucks sped by on the road, with other small vehicles having to make way. On the military trucks were soldiers holding rifles, though their faces betrayed little anxiety.

"What's happening?" Bai Zhongqi inquired.

Pei Yanshi snorted, "What else could it be? Zhang Shixiong has sent troops to quell the unrest again. Ever since the fifteenth year of Shen Tong, when Dongfang Xun lifted the ban on importing grain from Yige Country, large quantities of mechanically produced wheat and corn from Yige farms have flooded our nation, driving the small farmers into bankruptcy. Unable to compete and afford food, unrest naturally follows. It's not only in Qing State; almost every coastal state has such incidents every so often."

Bai Zhongqi was astonished, "More than seventy percent of the population in the Eastern Land are farmers, aren't they? Disrupting the livelihood of so many people, how can there be peace in these times? These warlords are cutting off their own lifeblood."

Pei Yanshi had nothing but contempt for what the warlords were doing, "Previously, Dongfang Xun needed to wage war, but he couldn't buy any grain from those agricultural interest groups. That's why he crazily opened the door, buying grain cheaply from Yige Country, and challenging those landlords. But, his gain was only temporary, and the price being paid is a whole nation's ordeal."

After the military trucks passed, the street returned to calm. Passersby and vendors went about their own business as if the commotion caused by the soldiers had nothing to do with their daily lives.

Sitting there, Bai Zhongqi scooped up a spoonful of tofu with a chipped porcelain spoon, tasting it, yet his mind was filled with stirring thoughts.

When he viewed and handled matters, he was accustomed to looking at the bigger picture—discussing issues that affected the livelihood of hundreds of billions across dozens of planets. In reality, he was already far removed from the lives of the people of Iridium Star or Earth. At least, he wouldn't sit with a couple of friends by the roadside to eat street food, nor would he worry about how state policies affected the livelihood of the common folk.

He had become an entity whose single word could decide the lives and livelihoods of thousands.

The Eastern Land might resemble country C on Earth, but it was not his homeland. Yet, the civilization and culture here were strikingly similar. He wondered why the Pilgrims had gone to the trouble of creating such a planet, trapping themselves in such a fishbowl.

Bai Zhongqi could sense that, although this world was an illusion, the planet was real, the people were real, and the world was stable—it would not collapse without warning. Therefore, he was not worried about this world disappearing abruptly. In fact, should this world vanish suddenly, it would be to his advantage since he could simply return to the Void or any other universe and find his way back to Iridium Star.

"That youngster Yongxi, he won't recover anytime soon. It seems that there really are no other Pilgrims in this world, so I don't have to worry about him for the time being. Should I create some chaos in this world while I'm at it?" Bai Zhongqi pondered.

Bai Zhongqi had a faint feeling that setting up the fishbowl as something he would care about might just be a part of the Pilgrims' conspiracy.

"Could it be that they think I will form an emotional attachment to this planet and then use it to threaten me?" Bai Zhongqi thought, but even if that were the case, he would not be concerned. Let alone being threatened with Azure Planet, Bai Zhongqi was rational enough that even Earth or Iridium Star would not make him give up his own life.

Considering the part about the Pilgrims, Bai Zhongqi felt he had a clear understanding. The Pilgrims' actions were secretive because, in the end, they feared the Elder Race. As long as he could leave and return to the elder activity room, as long as he could garner the support of other members of the Elder Race, the Pilgrims obviously wouldn't be able to threaten him.

As he was lost in thoughts, Pei Yanshi spoke with a touch of bitterness, "There must be many people across the country who, like us, wish to save the nation and its people, but we can't connect with each other. If we could organize, we would certainly accomplish something great."

Upon hearing this, Bai Zhongqi set aside his concerns about the Pilgrims and said with a smile, "That's not difficult. Eastern Land has entered the era of the internet now. Just set up a social networking site."

Pei Yanshi asked in surprise, "Mr. Bai, do you understand the internet?"

Updat𝓮d from freewēbnoveℓ.com.

Bao Qing was quite curious too, "The internet is a new thing, huh? The schools have computer rooms now, and rich families are getting computers, but how to use this thing to contact our comrades?"

"Easy," he said. "Start a website, then, just like an online newspaper, you can publish your progressive opinions on it. If other people see it, they will be able to browse. If they have thoughts on the matter, they can register an account and express their views. Everyone keeps sharing their ideas, exchanging thoughts, and then you create a social networking app for real-time communication in cyberspace. That will do the trick."

Bai Zhongqi added with another smile, "I know the warlords have all kinds of controls, but it will take them some time to discover this. And when it comes to actual regulation, there are numerous technical barriers. I have ways to break through them."

Excited by Bai Zhongqi's ideas, Pei Yanshi clapped his hands and said, "Mr. Bai's suggestion is excellent. We pride ourselves on being progressives, yet we have overlooked the impact of technology on our cause. If we can really make this work, then we will surely connect with more comrades and truly achieve something great!"

Watching the flush of excitement on the faces of the young people, Bai Zhongqi thought to himself, "Great achievements are not so easily made."

He considered that since he didn't have much else to do, why not treat it like a side mission and see if he could accomplish the feat of leading a second-tier nation to a comeback.

"Heh, if the key could open it, I'd simply throw out an Interstellar Escort Ship, and this mission would be over. Unfortunately, I'm left with only the Supreme Command game and the Homeland Stone to use."