Yes, Madam Prime Minister

Page 466

If you want to exert pressure on others, you will of course use economic means, but others are not stupid. Even if they are stupid, they will eventually be pushed to the limit.

The ever-expanding economic development machine of France and Serres simply cannot be stopped. Applying the brakes? No, it can only be accelerated.

And so, war broke out.

In 1702, a small-scale regional war triggered a chain reaction that led to a world war that affected the entire globe.

Ronan's existence, coupled with the fact that this is a supernatural world, caused the First World War in this world to occur two hundred years earlier than in Ronan's original timeline, and the scale of the conflict was completely different.

The alliance consists of Seris, Suleiman, the German Will, the Italian Vena of this world, and a bunch of ragtag underlings.

On the other side, France, Wehland, Villa, the Rus' Empire, Annam, and a bunch of vassals formed an alliance.

The war lasted for twenty-three years.

This war, fought in the name of justice by both sides to eliminate the evil forces that brought calamity to all mankind, was also the most brutal war in history.

The casualties were arguably the most devastating in human history, with over a million superhumans killed and tens of millions of ordinary people dying.

Ultimately, neither side surrendered; instead, they signed a peace agreement.

We can't afford to fight anymore.

The German Empire and Vienna were utterly destroyed in the West.

In the East, the Rus' Empire's influence in Central Asia and the Near East was completely wiped out by Seres, and Annam was nearly destroyed, forced to retreat into the mountains to wage guerrilla warfare. The true instigators of this war, France and Wieland, Seres and Suleiman, suffered immense losses in personnel and wealth—a veritable bloodbath—but their homeland did not suffer overly severe damage.

There were no winners in this war.

Perhaps so, namely the quietly emerging capitalists and bankers.

In 1728, just three years after the war ended, revolutions broke out in the Kingdom of Fas and the Kingdom of Weyland. The "England" of this world was different; the king and the king of France were both sent to the guillotine.

Both countries became republics, and the system became presidential.

Seris was not having an easy time either. The leader was forced to step down, but the capitalists did not get what they wanted. They had high hopes for him, but the new leader began to blame them for the start and failure of the war in the name of reform, instantly winning the support of many people, and then began a bloody crackdown on them.

But the worst one was Suleiman.

Some surrounding territories not only failed to gain any benefits but also suffered heavy losses, so they attempted to become independent, which led to civil war.

This beacon of Islam is on the verge of collapse.

After 1735, the world entered a brief period of peace, while small-scale conflicts continued, especially in the New World.

The landscape of the New World has changed again. The west coast is home to the Seres and the indigenous nations supported by the Seres, the central region is dotted with numerous indigenous nations, and the east coast is a colony of the three major powers of the western continent.

There is not a single peaceful place in the vast North America.

In 1740, several countries redefined their spheres of influence in the New World, and at the same time, Suleiman's civil war finally came to an end.

From then on, the world enjoyed temporary peace and stability, and a new period of rapid development began. Although frictions continued during this period, no major conflicts ultimately occurred.

Chapter 1080 1783, Demons Run Wild, Ronan's Children

And so, more than forty years have passed. Now, in 1783, Mrs. Zhao, who had just been thoroughly satisfied and looked somewhat tired but radiant, sat on the edge of the bed and quickly tore off her torn pantyhose and threw it aside.

Looking up at Ronan, he said, "Even you probably can't imagine what the major countries in the outside world are like now."

"A scene of dazzling lights and revelry, with the long night about to begin?" Ronan tentatively offered an answer.

“No,” Madam Zhao denied.

"A desolate scene, a facade of peace?" Ronan asked again.

"No, not exactly," Madam Zhao denied.

Ronan frowned and remained silent for a moment before asking for the third time, "Are heaven and hell clearly separated?"

This time, Madam Zhao didn't shake her head. "If all three are combined, Ronan can probably breathe a sigh of relief. He's already vaguely guessed some of it. Heh, it seems that in the last hundred years, the speed of productivity development has far exceeded my expectations, even to the point that far too many people can't adapt. Then all sorts of monsters and demons have jumped out, and the whole world is in chaos, right?"

Madam Zhao was taken aback. She hadn't expected that Ronan could guess the biggest reason for all happiness and unhappiness just from a few questions and answers.

"That's roughly it, but in reality, it's a completely different world from a hundred years ago," Madam Zhao said, still unable to describe in words what she had seen and heard in this new world since she first woke up.

"How are they now?" Ronan asked about the people.

Mrs. Zhao replied, "Sister Lu and Hanlu are in China, Isabel and the others are in the New World, Sister Di and the others are somewhere unknown, and Sister An and the others are in Ross."

"How are the children?" Ronan asked, concerned about his children.

Madam Zhao lowered her head, lost in memories, and spoke as she recalled them.

Ronan was the last to wake up; she was the third to last, after Zhao Yingqi.

Those who woke up one after another all first explored this drastically changed world before inquiring about their children.

Several years ago, a group of people returned to the country at the same time. Madam Zhao had just woken up then, and she learned a lot from the other people.

Astrid had already reached the seventh rank and achieved immortality before Ronan and his group fell asleep. She spent a long time in France, serving as the vice principal and most renowned professor at the Royal Academy of Magic. Forty years ago, after the arrival of peace, she left and now resides in the Celestial Realm.

Guo Ruoyu, the eldest daughter of Guo Hanlu and her ex-husband, is slightly less talented than Astrid and is also lazy, but she can still easily reach the fifth rank. With the help of Ronan's skeleton, she successfully achieved immortality. Long before Ronan and his group fell asleep, she was already a female sea queen. Now, she is probably somewhere harming young men.

Guo Xingye died on the battlefield. There used to be a bronze statue of him in the capital, but it was torn down a few years ago.

Guo Youwei gave up immortality and grew old with a man, living a peaceful life until her death.

Lu Jianling's three sons, Luo Nan's adopted sons, have all died except for the second son, Liu Chongsi, who now resides in the Heavenly Realm.

Falek's two daughters, Menar and Mushir, are quite remarkable. Forty years ago, these two women established a new country, the Persian Republic, on Iranian territory, and also occupied the Persian Gulf region that originally belonged to Suleiman, which is the Iraq area in Ronan's original timeline.

Although neither of them currently holds power, the head of state is Mainar's daughter, and the deputy head of state is her son-in-law, though in reality, the deputy head of state is in charge. The religious leader is Mushir's daughter, and the chief mathematician is her son-in-law, who is also the leader of the religious order's gendarmerie.

Ronan's two outstanding daughters devised a system of inheritance laws based on sons-in-law.

Moreover, both of them are still alive and hold a prominent position in the Persian Republic, which possesses a very powerful cultivation system. It is through this system that Yi Ran is able to rival the still powerful Suleiman in the Middle East.

Alice's son Guts and Canaan's son Ariman founded a technology company called G&A in France. Although they both died in an experimental accident, the company still exists today, and according to Mrs. Zhao, it is incredibly powerful.

As a French super-giant company, this company not only has technological advantages and occupies a huge market share in crop seeds, livestock breeds, fertilizers, and agricultural machinery, but is also a military giant targeting superhumans. It even leads the way in magical devices and related technologies used for human modification. In addition, it also has pharmaceuticals.

Ashley's twin daughters were born in Wieland after Ronan and his group fell into a deep sleep. One of the sisters wrote screenplays and the other choreographed dances, becoming the most renowned artistic creators in the entire Western Continent during the period from the 17th century to the turn of the century. The usually arrogant figures in the French art scene next door regarded the two as goddesses, and many people made a pilgrimage to Wieland just to see them.

The sisters remained unmarried throughout their lives, never having a confirmed lover, and they remained eternally youthful, attracting a constant stream of suitors.

The two wrote and staged more than twenty classic plays throughout their lives, and to this day no one dares to claim that they have surpassed them.

More than 20 years ago, the two disappeared without a trace. Some say they died, while others say they did not.

They are most likely not dead, but they have indeed disappeared without a trace, and their whereabouts are unknown.

Grande's daughter ultimately did not achieve much and did not grow up, but she was Ronan's daughter after all, and she was decent in all aspects. She still became a minister in France, and after retiring, she lived a comfortable life for a while before passing away.

"Sigh." After listening to the story, Ronan sighed, but he didn't feel frustrated or sad.

Although some are still alive and some have passed away, they all basically achieved what they wanted during their lives, and some even achieved remarkable results. Ronan's time and energy devoted to their education were not in vain.

"What do we do next?" Madam Zhao asked.

"Then let's go to Ross first and find Annie and the others."

Ronan responded.

"Then let's stay outside for a few days to recover, see the world as it is now, and buy some things while we're at it," Madam Zhao said.

A hint of puzzlement flashed across Ronan's face. This secret base was in the Arctic. Go outside, a little south, and you'd be in northern Finland. What was northern Finland like? Ice fields, grasslands, forests. To be frank, would you even see anyone there?

"Let's take a look first."

Madam Zhao smiled smugly and mysteriously.

"It seems there really are people living here. Let's take a look."

Ronan said, "By the way, do you have any clothes?" His clothes were intact, but they were too thin. It would look strange if he met people here. Others might be able to tell that he was a top-tier superhuman who was completely impervious to the cold, but Ronan didn't want to directly contact this new world as a superhuman.

That would be a bit boring.

Moreover, although the plan was to go to Ross to find Ambrina and the others, Ronan also wanted to travel and explore under an ordinary identity first.

Chapter 1081 Ronan Beyond the Seventh Rank, Finland, Monster-like Domestic Animals

After changing his clothes, Ronan started moving his body again, and a sense of power continued to surge within him.

Ronan's strength is not what it used to be; he is far superior to any ordinary seventh-tier cultivator.

After the Son of God was cremated, he left behind a left hand, a heart, and a spine. The left hand was kept in the church and later given to Ronan by the Pope. The latter two were lost at that time, but during the twenty years of adventures before he fell asleep, Ronan and his companions "found" them and then put them on Ronan.

The heart has raised Ronan's magic power ceiling and output to another level. Now, Ronan's magic power is only slightly less than Dinia's, but his magic power output is in no way inferior to hers. At the same time, Ronan's original ability to absorb magic power in his left hand has also been enhanced. He can absorb magic power even at the seventh level and convert it efficiently.

The presence of the spine also greatly enhanced Ronan's physique, far exceeding the average level of a seventh-tier cultivator.

In addition, Ronan also has the Demonic Transformation technique. Many people know this technique now, but the amplification of the Demonic Transformation technique is smaller for stronger people. However, it is unknown whether anyone will be able to deduce and improve this technique to a higher level in a hundred years. Ronan has already mastered this technique to the top level, and the enhancement is still quite significant. He doesn't know how strong it is.

However, even if they did, they wouldn't have Ronan's crystal-stamped skeleton. Top-tier magical transformation combined with this would bring about a qualitative change. This qualitative change means that no matter what kind of damage Ronan suffers, what kind of magic he is hit by, or what form he takes, he can still cast spells normally.

Leaving the secret base, Ronan and Madam Zhao, both bundled up in thick clothes, walked across the snowfield.

In reality, the land they are teaching her now belongs to Norway in Ronan's original timeline.

It's summer here, and the days are very long, sometimes even without nights. However, it's still quite cold. The temperature difference between the north and south of Finland is significant. The south is only slightly colder than places like the Netherlands, where it can reach over ten degrees Celsius in the summer and feel warm under the sun. But in the north, it's only a few degrees Celsius and still quite cold.

"The air is quite nice."

Ronan sighed.

The land of South Sunderland was ruled by the United Kingdom of Swindon a century ago. The United Kingdom of Swindon disintegrated, and Finland became the Grand Duchy of Finland. Not long after, the Grand Duchy also collapsed, and Finland became the Republic of Finland, a name it retains to this day. It must be said, it's Ronan's fault again. He single-handedly created the Republic of China in Seris. Now, in this world, republics are everywhere. Don't worry about what they actually look like, or how unique each republic is; they might not even have changed rulers, but they all share the same name.

Looking at the endless grasslands and forests in the distance, Madam Zhao said, "Let's fly instead."

"When you said you'd give me a big surprise, I thought there would be someone nearby not far from here," Ronan said with a smile.

Madam Zhao playfully punched Ronan, saying, "How could that be? This country only has six or seven hundred thousand people."

In Ronan's original timeline, Finland had five million people. Now, this number exceeds one-tenth of that, which is already quite good.

Ronan picked up Madam Zhao and took off.

Not long after we flew, we saw a village on the edge of a river.

From high above, the village appears extremely large, with endless grasslands dotted with flocks of sheep, deer, and cattle. Near the forest, there is even a large herd of pigs. In addition to pastures, there are also vast tracts of farmland, which are also extremely large.

The houses here are like small manor houses, scattered very far apart. I roughly counted them and there are probably only about a hundred houses, which means there are about a hundred households here.

With about a hundred households, grazing so many cattle, sheep, and deer is no problem, but taking care of so much farmland is a problem.

Without the agricultural machinery brought by heavy industry, even with people and oxen, it would be impossible to cultivate so much land. Even if it were barely manageable, harvesting would be exhausting. Surely, in this far north, each household couldn't possibly support several or even a dozen slaves? That wouldn't be cost-effective. Crops in the frigid north only ripen once a year, which is completely different from the three harvests every two years, or even two harvests a year, in the south. No matter how many slaves or oxen, they can't eat grass like real cattle and horses, only receiving grain when they work. Soon, Ronan noticed the anomaly and landed on the ground with Madam Zhao.

He saw a giant horse, larger than the largest draft horse in the original timeline, the Shire horse, which could reach two meters in shoulder height. This horse was probably three meters tall at the shoulder. It was simply a monster. It was 1.8 meters tall. Even the strong Ronan looked like a dwarf in front of it. It was just over 1.6 meters tall. The slender Madam Zhao felt like she couldn't even take a kick from it.

It also possesses a magical aura.

It is clearly a monster bred artificially.

"This is all thanks to your two sons," Madam Zhao said.

Guts and Ariman, with their own knowledge and the "monster legacy" left to them by Ronan, created GA Company. Together with human technicians of "sub-races" such as the Seapipers and citizens of the Ship Country, they cultivated many new breeds.

Only such a monster could satisfy the needs of a population shortage while cultivating such a large area of ​​land.

Besides the enormous draft horses, the cattle and sheep were also unusual, with the cattle being particularly large, some weighing almost 2,000 jin (1,000 kg).

There are also sheep, which are practically enormous. In the original Luonan timeline, the largest cattle weigh only a little over a thousand kilograms, but the cattle here are so small that you can only see their tiny heads. In the original Luonan timeline, only modern technology can cultivate such a breed.

"No wonder they were able to fight a world war."

Ronan couldn't help but sigh.

Only a developed agriculture can support industry, and industry can bring people out of work, which in turn can improve agricultural productivity through scientific research. As agriculture becomes more developed, it will give rise to the true rudiments of an industrial society. Only in this way can a large-scale war be possible, and only in this way can a prolonged war be sustained.

In theory, industry cannot emerge unless the agricultural population accounts for less than half of the total population, because it cannot support an industrial workforce. Anyone who forces technological advancement is utterly incompetent. Forcing development would only result in the cruel exploitation of farmers, pushing them to the brink of survival, and even causing large numbers of farmers to starve to death.

That might not even be enough.

In some countries, the industrial sector is already extremely strong, but the agricultural population is still large, so farmers have to suffer.

But this is a paradox.

Because some countries, or rather most countries, simply do not have the natural conditions to reduce the proportion of agricultural population to less than half under natural conditions. Even with foreign technology, it is impossible in a short period of time. Does that mean they have to remain agricultural countries forever?

Go to hell.

Those who say "everything is a necessary sacrifice" have no conscience, because they are certainly not the ones being sacrificed. Those who say "those people should not be sacrificed" are brainless, because only through sacrifice can some countries stand up and be on equal footing with other countries that are naturally privileged.

This is a tragic song of blood and fire.