Chapter 874 874: The First Foundation

The assembly quickly settled into their seats, retrieving notebooks and drafting pens from their satchels.

Ryen cast his gaze across the gathering, a wry, helpless smile touching his lips.

In his previous world, he had despised meetings above all else.

To his mind, formal assemblies were exercises in evading accountability, shifting blame, or trading hollow pleasantries.

Rarely did anyone address genuine substance.

Simply put, they were a colossal waste of effort.

If tasks required execution, one had only to issue clear directives and set the crews to work; why endure such tedious conferences?

Yet here he was.

He had become the very figure he had once mocked.

In truth, meetings held genuine utility here.

Ryen could not vouch for how other organizations conducted their affairs, but whenever he called an assembly, the conclusion brought sharp, structured acceleration to the development of this universe.

He outlined the core obstacles, Ningguang and the leaders formulated solutions, and the directives cascaded cleanly to the ranks.

That streamlined efficiency was infinitely superior to working in isolation behind closed doors.

Clearing his thoughts, Ryen opened the council.

"First: the structural repairs and municipal restoration following the cataclysm. What is our current status?"

Zhongli, who had overseen the inspection of Redstone Tech City throughout the morning, spoke without hesitation.

"Damage to the metropolis is remarkably light, with every critical redstone installation preserved intact."

"Sectors requiring reconstruction have been mapped. The primary tasks involve the outer perimeter walls, the inner stone paving, and the surface redstone rail lines."

"Repairs beyond the walls consist primarily of grading and backfilling the exterior craters."

"Furthermore, regarding the sixteen subterranean drop chambers excavated along the cardinal boundaries, I intend to have engineering squads backfill them completely and decommission the funnels."

Keqing's brow furrowed slightly.

"Decommission them? If another crisis arises..."

"Backed by server administrator authority, Redstone Tech City will never again face an automated mob siege," Ryen clarified gently, affirming Zhongli's assessment.

"As for materials, requisitions from the Millelith regional depots are already underway," Zhongli added smoothly. "Our stockpiles are abundant; all municipal restoration will conclude within three days."

Ryen offered a satisfied nod, turning his eyes toward the roster.

"Next: logistical replenishment. Who commands this portfolio?"

Keqing rose promptly, her posture straight and her tone crisp.

"Logistical recovery rests entirely under my direction. Rex Lapis requisitioned three thousand soldiers for municipal repairs, leaving our remaining divisions fully staffed."

"Liyue commands twenty-eight thousand active troops within this realm, meaning we require zero supplementary manpower to fulfill our supply quotas."

"Our Nether and End expeditionary wings will redeploy tomorrow morning. Three days from now, Deputy Commander Fengyan will lead an allied vanguard of twelve hundred elite soldiers across all five courts to resume resource harvesting within the Twilight Forest."

"Personnel allocations to the Nether have been tripled relative to historical deployments. We project accumulating sufficient points within twenty days to craft the necessary Totems of Rebirth, ensuring the complete restoration of all five hundred and thirty-two fallen warriors."

"Liyue's fifteen thousand fresh recruits will deploy across our allied sectors and the New Continent within five days to assist with foundational construction."

"All remaining personnel will oversee material extraction."

"This includes modern munitions, Wizardry components, SlashBlade alloys, advanced enchanted items, and the harvesting of the Genshin Impact module."

"That outlines the deployment of Liyue's forces; integrating the operations of our allied nations requires further coordination."

Jean considered the framework before nodding in firm approval.

"Keqing's logistical distribution is entirely sound. With Liyue's infantry managing our municipal foundations, our knights can pivot toward resource extraction."

"Beyond maintaining our current stations across the Main Continent, I plan to assign five thousand personnel toward surveying the New Continent."

"Though the Main Continent holds abundant ores, our stockpiles require rapid replenishment, demanding the establishment of fresh extraction hubs."

"The New Continent offers our finest frontier."

Nods of consensus rippled across the benches.

Liyue's vast standing army absorbed the heavy burden of municipal construction, freeing the allied courts to commit thousands of hands to resource harvesting.

Across the Main Continent, while countless caves dotted the terrain, most had already been claimed and cleared.

The material expenditure of the forty-nine-day cataclysm had been staggering, consuming stores that had taken months to amass.

Relying solely on existing mines to replenish those reserves would take far too long.

The New Continent was an untouched frontier. Since cities would eventually be raised upon its soil, capitalizing on their surplus manpower to harvest its riches was natural.

To take a simple example: across the Main Continent, only Liyue and Mondstadt operated automated Totem of Undying farms; the other nations held none.

The New Continent offered them an open canvas.

Between replenishing consumable supplies and hoarding strategic reserves, the developmental center of gravity for the coming months would clearly tilt toward the western ocean.

Aether felt a sharp prick of urgency. The Five-Nation Alliance was preparing to dispatch tens of thousands of workers to the New Continent at once.

While allied expansion accelerated regional security, it also heightened territorial competition.

He needed to quicken Khaenri'ah's pace.

"Then our supply directives are broadly settled," Ryen said, clapping his hands to seal the decision.

"Manufacturing modern munitions and standard supplies follows established protocols; everyone understands the routine."

"Our central priority is mastering the Genshin Impact module. The More Enchants module requires minimal oversight, as our automated Villager Trading Halls are already operational."

"Once those trading loops are reactivated, enchanted books will flow off the counters in bulk."

Greater Lord Rukkhadevata inclined her head gracefully, her voice calm and soothing.

"Developing the Genshin Impact module remains our paramount task. Last night, our scholars compiled extensive documentation regarding Teyvat's native flora and fauna from the archives of the Akademiya."

"While modest compared to the mysterious artifacts introduced by the module, our records cover virtually all conventional flora."

"Arming our gathering detachments with these texts will streamline their work, sparing them the need to consult us over every botanical specimen."

"Following this assembly, I shall distribute copies of these dossiers to your respective staffs."

Makoto nodded enthusiastically in support.

"The scholars of Sumeru command unmatched knowledge regarding Teyvat's ecology. Having their technical guidance will prevent our troops from bothering Ryen over trivial questions."

"Furthermore, during my inspection outside Redstone Tech City this morning, I observed numerous unfamiliar specimens and wild entities."

Opening a wooden container, Makoto retrieved a brilliant Flaming Flower Stamen, displaying it before the council.

"This is a Flaming Flower Stamen. As Ryen indicated, it is an essential reagent for forging Pyro Visions, while serving as a foundational alchemical component across Teyvat."

"I initially assumed specimens would prove scarce, yet across the mountain ridge two kilometers east of our gates, Flaming Flowers carpet the hillsides."

"Their abundance is beyond question. My inquiry is whether these plants can be cultivated within our own agricultural plots."

"Moreover, this specimen possesses staggering quality. Compared to native specimens gathered in Teyvat, its elemental density is nearly a hundred times greater."

"I returned to Narukami Island earlier today to confirm the calibration. If every botanical resource introduced by the module mirrors this stamen, the strategic significance of the Genshin Impact module eclipses all our initial projections."

"A hundred-fold elevation in elemental density: Mr. Albedo undoubtedly grasps the implications."

Albedo accepted the crimson bloom, turning it over in his slender fingers. After a moment of silence, a rare look of awe crossed his eyes.

"To speak plainly, I have never held a Flaming Flower Stamen of such immaculate purity. Utilizing this specimen to brew essential oils or distill alchemical solvents..."

"From the perspective of pure alchemy, the potency of the resulting draughts would escalate a hundred times over."

"The applications across other disciplines are boundless."

"It raises the very real possibility that materials harvested from this module could completely supplant the native resources of Teyvat."

Tighnari leaned forward to inspect the vibrant petals, his ears twitching with excitement.

"Precisely. If Sumeru's elemental machinery integrates materials of this caliber, our technological reach will attain heights we never dared envision."

"The Genshin Impact module aligns flawlessly with our needs. When our divisions deploy to the New Continent, prioritizing these resources is non-negotiable."

"Nor can we neglect our home territory. Our existing subterranean shafts contain veins of these ores, yielding deposits whose mineral density will easily dwarf Liyue's Chasm."

The artifact passed from hand to hand around the table. Though not every commander was an alchemical scholar, the pure, searing heat radiating from the petals was impossible to miss.

Its elemental purity was breathtaking.

If every material conformed to this standard, the Five-Nation Alliance was poised for an unprecedented qualitative leap.

Crucially, if these plants adhered to the agricultural mechanics of the block world, they could likely be farmed and harvested in automated cycles.

That single revelation changed everything.

Seeing the council buzzing with restless energy, everyone itching to march into the wilderness with pickaxes and harvesting baskets, Ningguang spoke up, her voice cool and measured.

"The priority of the Genshin Impact module is undisputed. However, we cannot throw our troops directly into the field today."

Keqing's brow furrowed, her disagreement immediate.

"Field operations brook no delay. The material deficits we sustained aside, the sheer value of this module demands immediate mobilization."

"I fail to see what could possibly take precedence over securing this harvest."

Ningguang offered an amused, weary smile, shaking her head.

"The cataclysm raged for forty-nine consecutive days. Our soldiers endured relentless, mortal combat; they are mentally and physically spent."

"We cannot force them back into heavy labor without a pause. We must arrange mandatory leave rotations first."

"Our domestic populaces across Teyvat know that a great campaign was fought, and the families of our soldiers are sick with worry."

"We must give them peace of mind."

"Our regiments must rotate home on scheduled leave. All field operations, while maintaining steady progress, must be throttled back to grant our troops a window to breathe."

Keqing parted her lips, an instinctive declaration that work waited for no man rising to her throat.

Yet looking out over the battlements and remembering the hollow exhaustion etched into the faces of the garrison, she let the breath go, holding her tongue.

Passionate as she was about endless overtime, believing that not even forty-nine days of siege justified falling behind on schedules, the common soldiers were flesh and blood.

Few possessed her terrifying stamina.

Balancing exertion with proper rest was the authentic catalyst for sustainable development.

"Ningguang identifies our most urgent duty," Ryen said, bringing his palms together to settle the matter. "Rotate the troops home in shifts. You may coordinate the specific schedules amongst yourselves."

"Replenishing our stores, repairing Redstone Tech City, organizing the garrison, and surveying the New Continent are all settled for the present."

"Which brings us to the paramount agenda of this assembly."

Ryen turned his gaze toward Ningguang, Guizhong, and Zhongli.

"Redstone Tech City has officially unlocked its server perimeter. It is time for you to prepare."

"How do you intend to define your server parameters? What rules must be established to ensure the eternal security and flourishing of your metropolis?"

"I invite everyone present to contribute your thoughts, as each of your future capitals will draw directly from this framework."

A wave of intense, focused stillness swept through the hall. Notebooks flipped open across the table, pencils held poised above pristine vellum.

Breathing slowed.

Redstone Tech City stood as the very first sovereign server in existence, serving as the foundational blueprint for every nation that followed.

They needed to study how Ningguang and her peers calibrated their realm, ensuring they could replicate the architecture when their own settlements ascended.

Ningguang pressed two fingers against her temples.

In truth, all the operational tasks discussed today paled in comparison to defining the fundamental laws of a server.

It was an exhausting mental endeavor.

Not only did it demand immense strategic foresight, but directly weaving the underlying rules of a reality placed a staggering burden upon the spirit.