Once Xing Chen finished outlining the broad framework of the operation, the remaining work was handed over to the professionals of the Military Commission to handle the specifics.
Maintaining peace is more precious than war.
Theresa and Xing Chen traveled together, visiting many countries and experiencing different livelihoods and landscapes.
She still adhered to her ideals for Babel, but she also made many changes based on reality.
"...I've finished explaining what I had in mind," Theresa hadn't expected that after traveling around, she'd find that trying to secure survival for the Sarkaz through peaceful means was even more difficult than war. "Does anyone else have questions?"
Theresa herself rose to power through war; perhaps combat was more suited to her.
Xing Chen didn't tell her how difficult it was for an individual to get promoted in peacetime, and the same was true for nations.
If one were to carefully review history, they would find that the status of great powers was entirely forged through battle.
Her willingness to uphold peace was good. Peace was still very precious. "Better to be a dog in a prosperous age than a person in a chaotic one"; it was better to have less of this thing called war.
"If there are no problems, then execute it quickly."
---
Londinium, a hotel in Norbert District.
The Sarkaz blockade and military management policies significantly reduced Londinium's commercial vitality.
The hotel owner recruited a Sarkaz elder from somewhere, making him a waiter to attract guests.
And surprisingly, this move was quite effective. Every day, some "special" guests chose this hotel, making the owner's life a bit better than his competitors.
On this day, he was waiting at the hotel entrance as usual for guests to arrive.
There were more mercenaries on the streets than ever before, and Victoria's Felines were too scared to go out.
This made his work much more relaxed, but he also lost a lot of bonuses.
As a native Londiniumer, he didn't speak the Kazdel Sarkaz language and didn't much care for these rude, uncultured kinsmen.
However, if these kinsmen hadn't occupied Londinium, he wouldn't have gotten this job.
Just as he was lost in thought, a Sarkaz mercenary with a greatsword on his back appeared at the hotel entrance.
"Oh, a venerable guest from Kazdel has graced us with his presence, bringing glory to our humble establishment. Would you like to stay with us?" The Sarkaz elder immediately went into work mode, warmly greeting the Sarkaz mercenary.
The Sarkaz mercenary spoke a Kazdel slang that he didn't understand. Seeing no reaction from the elder, he grumbled and pulled out a piece of paper with a somewhat familiar symbol drawn on it.
"This, know?" the mercenary asked in broken Victorian.
The elder shook his head, and the mercenary grumbled again and walked away.
Once the mercenary was far away, he immediately returned inside the hotel and shouted to his Victorian Feline colleague.
"Percival, hide quickly."
"What happened?" The pink-furred Feline walked out from backstage, asking with a puzzled expression.
"A Sarkaz mercenary came asking if I'd seen the symbol you had on you before."
"What did you say?"
"I said I hadn't seen it."
"Then it's fine, continue your work."
As a messenger for the Londinium Reunion Movement, she knew that there was cooperation between the Sarkaz and the Reunion Movement, and even many high-ranking members and elites of the Reunion Movement were Sarkaz.
She returned backstage, and before long, she keenly sensed heavy footsteps coming from the entrance.
Neither the Sarkaz mercenaries nor the Royal Court Army of the Military Commission seemed to have deployed heavy armor units within Londinium city.
And among the heavy-armored Sarkaz she knew, there seemed to be only one.
"Patriot, sir."
Percival immediately ran out of the hotel, where a tall figure obscured the sunlight.
"Percival, hello," the Wendigo, holding a great halberd and a sturdy shield, greeted her.
"What are you doing here?"
"Representing the cooperation between the Reunion Movement and the Sarkaz," Patriot hung the Reunion Movement flag on his shield. "Let's discuss this inside."
"Oh, oh, alright, this way please."
Mercenaries belonging to the Military Commission were ordered to blockade the hotel to prevent espionage by the Grand Duke's spies.
Percival chose the most private room, and as soon as they sat down, they immediately got to the point.
"I represent the Reunion Movement and Kazdel. The Sarkaz are also Infected, and the Infected should unite and help each other."
Percival nodded, but the Infected within Londinium were not in a very good state right now.
Oripathy inhibitors were expensive, and ordinary Infected couldn't afford them at all.
After the Sarkaz entered the city, prices soared, and the supply of inhibitors was extremely short; even with money, they often couldn't be bought.
Sarkaz Infected could live a long time without medicine, but Felines might not.
"By the decree of Princess Theresa, Babel will provide work for the Infected within Londinium. Those who participate in the work will receive a free Oripathy inhibitor quota."
Due to Babel's forces suffering heavy losses in the civil war, Babel's influence within Londinium was unable to undertake tasks such as registration and distribution, so this work was handed over to the Reunion Movement.
"Wait, Patriot, sir, did I hear correctly? Free Oripathy inhibitors for participating in work?" Felines had keen hearing, and Percival was now suspicious of this claim. "How long would one have to work?"
"Ten hours a day, six days a week."
..."Ten hours a day, six days a week," Catherine looked at the envoy from the Military Commission with an incredulous gaze. "If you have some conspiracy, you can just say it. We workers with families can't resist now anyway."
"This is the decree of Her Highness. Our Queen has returned. This weekend, she will give a speech at the Shard with the Regent. As a factory owner, you can attend."
"No, no, no, what I mean is, the treatment you're offering is too good; it's hard for us to believe."
Victoria was indeed the strongest nation on Terra, and this was largely built on the contributions of its workers.
Victorian workers could earn more for the same amount of labor as workers in other countries, and this was the source of their sense of superiority.
Even after a decline following the execution of the king, it was still significantly higher.
However, their labor system, in Xing Chen's view, was still unreasonable, and its exploitative nature already exceeded his acceptable limits.
He had experienced the baptism of working in 'black factories' for twelve hours a day with only one day off every fifteen days.
It was hard to imagine what Victoria, which had not experienced effective worker movements, was like.
"What was mentioned above is the work system for Infected workers, because it includes free Oripathy inhibitors. The working hours for ordinary healthy workers are five days, eight hours."
Free inhibitors? Catherine felt as if she was hallucinating.
The conditions offered by these invaders exceeded, no, they far exceeded the worker treatment established by Victoria's dukes.
Workers toiled themselves to death for Victoria, only enough to support themselves and their families. While the Sarkaz did not raise wages, they drastically reduced working hours, which in turn significantly increased effective pay.
Not to mention inhibitors, a medicine that might not even be affordable with a month's savings, was now being distributed for free monthly.
"Then what do you need us to do?" If the Sarkaz could truly deliver, it would definitely be tremendous news for the workers.
"Provide us with weapons, just as you provided equipment for Victoria."
"That's it?"
"Mm."