Chapter 9: Conquering the Dome
Facing the Arbitrator's oppressive aura, Ninglu's expression remained calm.
"I brought the Magneto Steel Plant under my control not for myself, but for the Hantmansi Dome, and even more so for you, Arbitrator."
The young master of the Fende family showed an interested gaze, and the Arbitrator was amused by his anger.
"Don't talk nonsense, kid. You took the steel plant for yourself, how could it be for me?"
"Vostronia has been loyal to Mars for thousands of years. What do the followers of the omnissiah value? Efficiency is their top priority, am I right?"
Listening to Ninglu's calm and soothing voice, Dimitrov's irritable mood gradually calmed down, but he still didn't understand what the other party's words had to do with him.
The Arbitrator's tone softened slightly as he asked,
"You're right, but what does that have to do with you taking over the steel plant? And how is it for me?"
"The steel industry where the Magneto Steel Plant is located is upstream of Foundry D-46. Chandler, an Ancient Terra management expert, has already said that controlling upstream enterprises can optimize resource allocation and improve resource utilization."
"Once my foundry controls the steel plant, efficiency will greatly increase, and the Hantmansi Dome will stand out among many Domes, and you will also enter the Tech-Priest's sight."
Dimitrov fell into deep thought upon hearing this. The entire Vostronia was ruled by nobles and Tech-Priests from Mars. Even if he only gained the favor of one Tech-Priest, he could ascend to the Upper Nest.
He was silent for a moment before speaking.
"Why you? Wouldn't it be better if I controlled it myself?"
Ninglu smiled confidently and said,
"If the Arbitrator acts personally, it will inevitably cause strong resistance from many factories, and you will lose a large number of people."
"If I merge the factories, they won't immediately form an alliance. They won't realize I have such a big appetite. By the time they react, the overall situation will be set."
"I have the ability to swallow all factories, and only I can improve the efficiency of the entire Dome."
Dimitrov looked at Ninglu. He was convinced by the other party's logic, and he also felt strong confidence, as if the boy would do what he said. But he thought of Fender's instructions and still forced himself to find an excuse.
"Rules cannot be broken."
"Not so."
Ninglu instantly recalled the legal knowledge he gained when he drank the potion, and found a precedent he could cite from Tezvoc's rulings.
"To my knowledge, thirty-eight years ago, the Kurnikova Family launched a surprise attack without precedent, seizing fifty-two chemical plants in the Upper Nest within nineteen work cycles, and ultimately won victory in the arbitration assembly composed of nobles and the Mechanicus, thereby monopolizing the chemical industry."
"And according to '《Omnissiah Guide》' written by Kivior the Wise, Chapter 11 'Tezvoc Governance Regulations', Article 11 Factory Management Rules, Article 11 Detailed Rules: 'Past precedents of this Hive City may all be cited as a basis for judgment.'"
Although Vostronia had not yet joined the Imperium, and the Ministry of Law had not yet entered the Tetzvork Hive, a unique decision-making body had formed locally due to its special dual-headed political system.
They inherited the arbitration system of Ancient Terra and established an arbitration body with the same name as the Ministry of Law's adjudication body—the Arbitration Court.
Members of the Arbitration Court were composed of nobles and Tech-Priests, who made decisions on major matters, and this also led to the emergence of special groups like Lawyers.
This system, when extended to the Lower Nest, was simplified to the Arbitrator making sole decisions.
Upon hearing this, the blond noble stared intently at Ninglu. The precedents and detailed rules cited by the other party were likely only known by Hive City barristers, and how could he, a young boy from the Lower Nest, know them?
【Looking at his appearance, he doesn't look like a Lower Nest person at all, but he's still a teenager. Even a barrister from the Upper Nest would still be learning basic knowledge at this age, and it's impossible to master legal provisions to this extent.】
Dimitrov's gaze was blank. He wasn't even sure if this detailed rule existed in the '《Omnissiah Guide》'. As an independent Arbitrator, he only needed to grasp the rules at a basic level.
While he was thinking, he heard Ninglu speak.
"I imagine this noble from the Upper Nest must know this regulation."
"How dare you! How dare you call an adult by his name! You should address him as 'Adult'!"
"No matter," the noble young master applauded and looked at Ninglu with appreciation, "A wonderful argument, just as wonderful as the barrister's arguments I've overheard in the adjudication hall."
"You've convinced me. The steel plant you seized originally supplied raw materials to the Fende family, which is also why I came."
"When I heard that a boy ten years younger than me had achieved such success in a short time, I decided to meet you in person."
"Now, your performance amazes me."
He turned to the Arbitrator and said, "Dimitrov, give him a chance. I want to see how far he can go."
"As you command, Adult."
The Arbitrator looked at Ninglu, who had gained the favor of Adult Howard, with envy in his eyes.
Howard Fend turned back, "But I have one condition: I want to send an observer to be with you."
"Don't rush to refuse. He won't restrict any of your actions. He'll merely observe your abilities. If you perform well enough, I will support your expansion in the Lower Nest, and even help you go to the Upper Nest."
Ninglu pondered for a moment. He thought of the rare material, psionic crystal. Besides psionic craftsmen, it was most likely to be in the hands of nobles and Tech-Priests.
"Alright, but I want a psionic crystal."
"You're asking for a high price," Howard was silent for a moment. "No problem, but you must control all factories in the Hantmansi Dome within one month and increase production capacity by more than ten percent. Can you do that?"
"Of course."
Seeing Ninglu so confident, Howard became even more curious. He said to a subordinate holding a Plasma Gun beside him,
"Yasin, you follow him."
"As you command, Young Master."
Dimitrov said to Ninglu, "Congratulations, Ninglu. The Magneto Steel Plant is yours, and you are also permitted to merge all factories in the Hantmansi Dome."
As Ninglu heard these words, he felt his spirituality become much more vibrant.
【Hmm, by playing the role of a "Lawyer," I gained benefits and received recognition from others. The digestion rate is better than simply seizing benefits.】
Sixteen work cycles later, Upper Nest.
Howard Fend sat in his office, his brows furrowed.
As he was deep in thought, the beeping sound of the voice intercommunication system within his master-crafted power armor rang out. He connected it, and his personal butler's voice came through.
"Master, Yasin has returned."
Upon hearing this, Howard's brows furrowed even deeper. His order to Yasin was to return only after Ninglu's actions yielded results.
【Could it be that he controlled all the factories in the Dome so quickly? How is that possible?
He couldn't possibly be dead, no, it's impossible. With the abilities he displayed, he couldn't fail, but how could it be so fast?】
"Tell him to come in."
A moment later, Yasin rushed in.
"Adult, Ninglu has already controlled all sixty-three factories in the Hantmansi Dome, and he has increased production capacity by fifteen percent."
Howard was stunned, and it took him several seconds to recover.
"How did he do it?"
"Adult, his combat power can only be described as terrifying. Even if all of us, whom you've trained, went against him together, we wouldn't be his match."
"I suspect he's a product of genetic engineering, perhaps even cultivated in a Mechanicus gene laboratory. In just over ten days, he's grown significantly taller, and his combat can only be described as art—precise, efficient, and lethal in one blow..."
Yasin spoke voluminously, vividly recounting the entire process of Ninglu's conquest of the Dome.
Howard, who had been reclining in his leather chair, gradually sat upright, finally propping his chin with his hand, listening intently to his confidant's report.
"He also has certain qualities about him. His speeches are very inspiring. Those lifeless workers seem to have been brainwashed by him, full of drive. Even some gang leaders, after hearing his speech, brought their subordinates and factories to pledge allegiance voluntarily."
"However, he truly did it. He standardized factory management, improved the efficiency of the entire production chain, and he also ensured that both workers and thugs were well-fed."
"Not just the workers, but even those former gang scum, followed his regulations diligently. They were like..."
Yasin thought for a while, then found a suitable word from the vocabulary his Adult had used.
"Those scumbags were like they had been reborn. I dare say that the Arbitrator's subordinates are no match for Ninglu's subordinates in combat power anymore."
"He really did it."
Howard was stunned for more than ten seconds, then suddenly thought of the problem he was currently facing.
【Perhaps he can help me solve my current troubles.】
He abruptly stood up, used his family crest—a golden lightning bolt on a red background—to open a secret room, and took out the largest of over ten psionic crystals. It was one meter long with a cross-sectional diameter of ninety centimeters.
Howard Fend is the future First Company Captain of the Eleventh Legion, a character set by the group member "I love hotpot, I love cold drinks".