"If you want to stop the war, I advise you to stop."
Spider refilled Roland's coffee and retreated behind the desk, like a qualified follower or secretary.
"You want to report?"
Roland did not raise his head, and his tone was not very surprising.
It is Spider's job to report his every move to Li Lin. Even if he looks like a white-collar beauty, it is just a disguise. In his heart, he is still a spy and a killer.
To her, the Archon was a mother-goddess-like existence, and her orders were absolute and she could not disobey them.
"Even if I don't report it, someone else will."
There was a trace of loneliness in the girl's voice, and then she spoke in a business tone again:
"But, do you really think you can hide it from His Excellency and carry out your own little plan?"
The hand that was flipping through the documents stopped. After a few seconds, Roland answered calmly:
"I never counted on that."
In addition to the all-pervasive secret intelligence network, Li Lin's own analysis and prediction skills are also very good. As long as he is willing, he will be able to master the details of anything and hide it from Li Lin? It has to be said that this is an almost impossible task.
Roland had no hope of deception from the beginning. No matter how clever the disguise was, as long as funds, materials, and personnel flowed, there would definitely be traces left under the current system. All secret activities and plans were impossible.
Escaped from Li Lin's observation.
He just wants to prevent Li Lin's plan from bringing disaster to the world; or at least, when Li Lin's plan may have devastating consequences, he can at least point out and correct his mistakes.
It is extremely easy to seek peace and interpret your life according to other people's scripts, but it will also take away your courage and stop your own thinking. Roland knows this very well.
Indeed, Li Lin never makes mistakes. His wisdom and strength are worthy of the title of "transcendent species" and "agent of divine will". No one is more like a god than him.
Yes, he seems to be king over all living things, in front of him. Human beings, intelligent species, ancient species, etc. are like grass and mustard. Omnipotent and absolute. It is not an exaggeration to call him a god.
The future of the intelligent species is neither certain nor certain. In order to resist despair and accept the cruelty and unreasonableness of the world, people need God. This can help them gain a positive direction and make them believe that there is room for improvement in this world.
However, even if this is the case, even if he admits Li Lin's correctness deep in his heart, Roland also believes that there should be people who hold negative views on Li Lin's ideas and methods, and cannot exclude other possibilities just because they are correct.
obliterate.
To put it more simply and understandably, when Li Lin and even the entire organization keep making mistakes, who can stand up and tell him: You are wrong.
Perhaps this sounds naive and unrealistic, but Roland believes that the world should accommodate different voices. It is too cruel and sad to give up exploring other possibilities just because there is one absolutely correct value.
"I don't think my views are absolutely correct. Maybe in the end, that guy's argument will be proven correct, and what I do is just a futile effort. But I just hope that the world will not become
An existence that cannot even accommodate good intentions.”
"We never know what we want to do at any given time."
The slender throat made a murmuring sound.
To the young man.
Facing the ideal.
"At any time, we never know whether we are doing the right thing or not."
The girl curled her lips and smiled.
"But God came for us."
"...Section 2 of the Book of Samar, the second part of the Holy Book of Marfa?"
"It's the third quarter."
Spider flatly corrected to:
"You have the potential to become a good priest, but those stubborn people in the church may not be able to understand it."
"They won't accept a guy like me who lacks faith."
"The crime of 'preventing jihad' is enough for them to burn you."
Spreading his hands, Spider continued:
"Besides, you should know that even if the company and the president do nothing, the war will still break out. As long as people want to, they can always find a suitable reason."
A bloody fact, like an accusation, but not clear. When Roland turned to look at the spider, the girl was still a somewhat cold secretary.
(Maybe it's an illusion.)
Roland shook his head and got his thoughts back on track.
"It is too late to prevent the war now, and it is impossible to promote a compromise before both parties are willing. All we can do at this stage is to contain the company to prevent the war from turning into the worst form."
This is the kind of situation that the company's executives expected - no honor, no humanity, it doesn't even look like a war, but a large-scale vendetta: between principalities and kingdoms, orcs and humans, church members and orthodox believers.
.
"Are you sure you can do this kind of thing?"
Double questions: How can Roland do it under heavy surveillance? Under the company's strict supervision system, are there any means that may hinder the company's operations?
"I want to consider improving workers' treatment and establishing an organization like a workers' association."
There was no joke in Roland's words. The spider's jaw almost dropped to the ground. Then he turned to look at the sun outside the window. That thing might be square today.
"I don't think this is a good idea."
A capitalist's son proposed to form a labor union. Anyone who hears this sentence will suspect that it is a joke, and then they will doubt the IQ of the person who says and does such things.
As we all know, Li Lin is a big capitalist, and he is also a typical capitalist who wants to squeeze all his workers dry. Under his words and deeds, the elf supervisors who were originally racially discriminatory towards human workers were within the scope allowed by the rules.
Possible exploitation of workers.
Although it has become more restrained now, in the initial stage, there was a 16-hour working day, the use of child labor, pregnant women not allowed to take leave, salary deductions for failure to meet quotas, corporal punishment... various methods were common. At that time, v.e Company was
An out-and-out sweatshop.
Among them, Vice President Nidhogg is the most concerned about this kind of thing. In other factories, one supervisor monitors 1,000 workers, but in the factory managed by Nidhogg, one supervisor monitors 10 workers. In ordinary small workshops,
, the workshop owner can drink and chat with the workers. In Nidhogg's factory, the foreman just stands behind the workers with a time clock. If anyone complains about the excessive workload, this person will definitely disappear the next day.
In fact, Nidhogg, who firmly believed that "it is good for the company to shoot a group of troublemakers every year", had approached the biological weapons research department more than once and asked them to create chimeras or dangerous species that could act as supervisors to supervise the workers' endless work.
work, or simply used it to suppress the labor movement. He personally designed a dangerous species code-named "Godzilla" sketch. However, this
The plan was killed as soon as it was submitted. The reason was that no one could prevent a monster that was 50 meters tall and weighed 20,000 tons from being crushed into pulp by its own weight at the moment of birth... It is said that Nidhogg has not yet
Discouraged, we are currently studying the 60-meter-tall "Super Titan Overseer" and the smaller "Armor Titan Overseer", but no one is optimistic about it.
No matter what, there is such a group of upper-level people. If anyone wants to organize a trade union and seek benefits beyond "necessity" for workers, his end will be very interesting.
"Of course I know this, and I have been told this in person more than once. When workers use strikes to exercise their power to demand increased wages and reduced working hours, capitalists can also use the army, machine guns, poison gas and monsters to exercise it.
They reject the power to increase wages and reduce labor hours."
With a wry smile on his face, Roland continued to explain:
"But I don't have no chance at all."
According to Li Lin's instructions, the company is actively participating in various charity activities, and Roland is an important part of the public relations plan of the "philanthropic consortium". The image of "Master Roland, who is willing to listen to workers' voices and provide assistance to workers" is deepening
At this time, Roland put forward the suggestion of "forming a workers' association", which would not only gain the maximum support from workers, but also take into account the public relations image, and the company's counterattack measures would be relatively limited.
This is the best opportunity.
"But you still have no chance of success, because everyone knows that you are the heir to the company."
Spider pointedly pointed out the biggest drawback of this plan. Roland is only the heir, and the actual power of the company is in the hands of Li Lin, and the entire upper management supports Li Lin unreservedly. Unless Li Lin is overthrown, Roland's suggestions will be implemented.
The possibility is not even one in a million. As for overthrowing Li Lin... Anyone with a little common sense knows that this is a miracle that is more difficult than bringing a dead person back to life. Human beings may not see that day in their lifetime.
Secondly, as the heir of the company, no matter what Roland thinks, in the eyes of others, he represents the interests of the company, not the interests of the workers. Therefore, if he takes the initiative to organize the workers' association, the workers will be very happy at first, but soon
They would involuntarily think that he was actually executing an order from the president, and that there was a conspiracy going on behind the scenes. And other members of the upper echelon would definitely be dissatisfied with his behavior. The final result would be that the entire plan was ruined, and Roland became
The poor guy caught between top managers and lower-level workers.
"You are trying your best to do something that will not please both ends, and there is no possibility of success."
"Yes, I know this, and I don't expect anything to happen. All I want is to divert the company's energy."
Roland's eyes flashed.
From the beginning, he had little hope that the power of the labor movement could prevent the war. Compared with typical capitalists in the company, the power of workers was extremely weak. Regardless of force or means, they were not opponents of the same level. Except for skilled technical workers
, generally if you don’t like it, just change a batch.
The establishment of a workers' association is just a pretense to create a controllable chaos. Without affecting the company's survival, it can divert the energy of the management and create a little trouble for the company's military production, which will then affect the preparation process for the war.
Until some time.
The most important thing is that this is the last chance. Once the church names this war a "holy war", any means of resisting the war will become illegal. He himself doesn't care, but Roland doesn't want to involve the workers in the heresy trial.
In terrible things like that.
"It doesn't matter if I say this is for my personal self-satisfaction. No matter what, the war cannot be allowed to escalate further."
Roland found the document he wanted and stood up from his seat with a serious face. Just as he was two steps away from the door, the voice "I'm afraid it's too late" came from behind.
"News has just come that at the state funeral at Londinium, the second prince who attended the ceremony on behalf of Charlemagne gave a speech."
Talk? This didn't seem to be a problem, but Roland, who vaguely felt something was wrong, stopped.
Spider put down the right hand that pressed the earphone and snapped his fingers. The dark red curtains slowly lowered and the large landscape painting on the wall turned over. The display terminal began to play images and sounds.
Tens of thousands of subjects stood in silence in front of Westminster Abbey. People who came from all over to attend the funeral filled the entire Londinium, and every street was packed tightly, but no one was exposed.
With angry looks on their faces, they remained silent. They lowered their heads and stood in silence.
In the concierge stand, a young man from a foreign country looked at this scene indifferently. His handsome face could not contain a trace of emotion.
The smelly air, the sticky humidity, the vulgar people who don't understand etiquette, and the disgusting food - everything about Londinium is so incompatible with Prince Bernard.
Everyone would get a rash. If possible, he hoped to return to the prosperous Lüdes immediately and not stay for a second longer.
However, he still had something to accomplish. Before completing this important matter related to his future, Prince Bernard had to hide his true thoughts and sit in the guest seat in a dignified manner.
Fortunately, he didn't have to wait much longer.
Queen Elizabeth, who is on the main seat, is making her final speech in memory of Lieutenant General Parkinson - according to convention, soldiers who die in battle will be promoted one level, and now they are Lieutenant General.
After the queen and state ministers have finished their speeches, it will be the turn of the foreign guests. It won't take long...
His Royal Highness Bernard de Bourbon!
Upon hearing his name, Prince Bernard stood up and walked onto the podium in front of tens of thousands of eyes. He walked solemnly, and every movement showed the nobility that a Charlemagne should have.
and elegance.
"We have lost a hero!"
The prince's loud voice shocked the entire audience, and all the audience, including those listening through amplification technology on the street, waited with bated breath.
"But, Lords of Albion, Lords of all human nations, may I ask, does this mean failure?"
As Bernard waved his fist, the crowd buzzed, and the distinguished guests looked at Prince Bernard blankly, not knowing what he wanted to say.
"Perhaps, this prince wants to give everyone a surprise."
Walsingham, sitting in the corner with his hands clasped together, muttered to himself.
"No, this is just the beginning! Over the past thousands of years, how many heroic souls have fallen in the holy war against the pagans. Your relatives and ancestors have all sacrificed for this. Great sorrow exists in the hearts of every kind and upright person, but
Even so, we still resolutely launched a challenge to the infidels, why? The respected General Parkinson died in the battle, why?!"
"For profit."
The cardinal, who listened to the broadcast of the speech through the communication gem, shook his wine glass.
"Everyone, we humans are fighting for justice! You all know this best. As the only baptized people of the law, we humans have the obligation and right to bring the light of civilization to this world. The souls of the departed heroes are fighting for justice.
, fighting for justice and civilization, the Mother Goddess will guide the heroic spirits to the kingdom of heaven, and God will not abandon us. The hegemony of the new era belongs to us who were chosen by the Mother Goddess. This is a historical necessity. Now it is time for us to open it with our own hands
It’s time to open the door to a new era!”
The "buzzing" sound became louder again, and the surging atmosphere in the crowd was beyond enthusiastic. The air at the scene was heating up, and a dangerous heat was expanding.
"However, at this moment, those despicable pagans are still resisting us in order to maintain their evil power. This meaningless resistance has claimed the lives of many Albion warriors. This hatred cannot be tolerated under any circumstances.
Forgotten. Now, we must concentrate our anger and tilt it towards the infidels, let them suffer the retribution they deserve, and win real victory. Only victory can soothe the souls of those who died in battle!"
Taking a deep breath and licking his lips, Prince Bernard raised his clenched right fist and shouted at the loudest volume he could:
"Rise up, everyone of Albion! Turn grief into strength, all members of the human family! We are the nation chosen by God. Under the protection of the Mother Goddess, the glory of victory will eventually belong to us!!! Victory!
--Long live!!"
"Victory - long live!!"
"Victory - long live!!"
"Victory - long live!!"
Countless fists were raised to the sky, the tsunami of cheering slogans swallowed up all the noise, and countless individuals issued a uniform will, making even the display terminal thousands of miles away tremble.
Under the fiery storm, Roland could not speak a word.
The document in his hand was crumpled into a ball, and the boy's body could not help shaking. After a few seconds, the crumpled pages of paper weakly fell from the boy's fingers. (To be continued...)