The Almighty Dominance novel Chapter 658

Alex stood at the central window, hands clasped behind his back. Below him, Changyi moved with the cautious energy of a city still learning who its new master was.

Zhuge Liang stood a respectful pace to his right, a stack of reports in one hand and a faint crease between his brows.

“Governor,” Zhuge Liang said quietly, “are you certain about sending the soldiers into the fields?”

Alex did not turn.

“Not exactly as you mean it. A strong country is built on steady food first. Trade follows abundance. Content people come after that. Right now our farmlands are fragile because the Yellow River has never been properly tamed. The soldiers we kept will not simply plant rice. They will build dikes, strengthen flood controls, and expand irrigation channels along the river’s course. Those works will prevent disasters and make the plains reliable. That is the foundation of real wealth.”

He finally glanced at Zhuge Liang. “Our drones and the Gaia network will make the work faster and more precise than anything this land has seen.”

Alex knew, Prussia’s engineering methods are not difficult to adapt here. Xia is underdeveloped because its people have poured every resource into personal cultivation and forgotten the basic welfare of ordinary citizens.

He will fix that imbalance.

Zhuge Liang was silent for a moment.

“It is a sound long-term plan. Food production will rise. But without a standing army, the other warlords will see weakness. They will test us.”

Alex’s mouth curved in a small, knowing smile. “Let them test. When they move, we will have the perfect reason to take what they offer. Self-defense is always the cleanest justification.”

Zhuge Liang studied the younger man’s profile. Bai Xiaochun—the laughing, woman-chasing fool who had stood in the street and shouted that he loved women—was nowhere in this room.

In his place stood a man who thought three moves ahead and was willing to appear harmless while he built something permanent.

Zhuge Liang stroked his beard, his expression thoughtful. “A calculated move. By disbanding most of the army, you demonstrate to the empire that your ambitions are limited. You do not seek the throne, nor do you intend endless war. This will ease the suspicions of the other powers and grant us time to consolidate our strength.”

“Yet there is still one major obstacle—manpower. Even if we combine the demobilized soldiers with new volunteers, we lack the numbers needed to execute your plans along the river on the scale you desire.”

Alex turned fully from the window. His expression was thoughtful, almost gentle, but his eyes were sharp.

“I have heard that large numbers of people are still joining the Yellow Turban rebels across the empire. Is that correct?”

“Yes, Governor.” Zhuge Liang said. “The reasons are well known. Heavy taxes and land concentrated in the hands of the wealthy have turned many peasants into landless tenants or refugees. Natural disasters—floods, droughts, famines, and epidemics—have struck with almost no relief from the court.”

“Political corruption runs deep. Dong Zhuo himself dominates the capital through the puppet Emperor Liu Xie, selling offices and squeezing the people dry. Faith in the central government has collapsed in many regions. The rebels offer food, purpose, and the promise of change.”

Alex’s smile returned, quiet and satisfied. “Then we have our free labor force.”

Zhuge Liang’s expression didn’t change, but there was a glint of understanding in his eyes.

“You don’t intend to crush the Yellow Turbans outright,” he said quietly. “You want them to come to us. Let them attack, bleed themselves against our defenses… and then take the survivors as slaves to work the river.”

Alex nodded.

Zhuge Liang sighed. “Fine. Let’s assume it goes exactly as you said. What then?”

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