Honkai: Man(Sludge) From Future

Academy City unveiled a terrifyingly massive plan.

As it opened its doors to the world, Academy City made a high-profile announcement: a grand plan to build a new canal using the power of a Herrscher and the SELENE.

According to the plan, no cultural heritage sites, surface landmarks, or underground mineral deposits would stand in its way.

Anyone who dared to obstruct Academy City would find Academy City selling Honkai Fission Bombs to their rivals.

The United Nations erupted in condemnation, but Academy City had never been a member, nor did it even have the status of a specific nation. As such, no one there cared about the UN's outrage.

Many thought Academy City had gone mad, believing that wealth gave them the right to build whatever they pleased.

No one expected that in this day and age, someone would be crazy enough to dig a canal of this scale. After finalizing the last details of the project, Fu Hua, acting as Shenzhou's ambassador, returned to report the good news.

She needed to discuss the specifics with her people, determining the most convenient route for the canal and what to do with the excavated earth.

Selling it to the Far East for land reclamation was one option, as was using it to build small islands in Southeast Asia.

Noldrei felt no concern about having instigated such a bizarre plan.

He had, after all, acquired the right to use the Fourth Divine Key from Otto.

"I believe we could use the Fourth Divine Key to create storms and rainfall, rendering certain regions uninhabitable. That way, the people in these places should relocate quickly enough."

Mobius's suggestion was certainly effective, but it was best left unsaid.

Tesla thought the green-haired woman was a complete psychopath.

How could she say something so cold and heartless at a time like this? Everyone had come together to build a new Earth. If they harmed civilians for their own convenience, what right would they have to lead the world?

"What a ridiculous, pointless suggestion," Tesla scoffed, clearly displeased with such a non-constructive approach. "Do you think moving is some kind of child's play?"

"My suggestion," Tesla continued, "is to establish a Third Academy City in North America. The people who need to be relocated for the canal can immigrate directly to America, filling the population gap in the new city. Our North America is in short supply of such excellent, cheap labor resources."

Mobius suspected Tesla was eyeing the demographic advantages of Shenzhou, likely having coveted their cheap labor for a long time.

"The cost of building the new city can also be offset through immigration. We'll have the immigrants pay for the construction of their new city themselves."

"Moreover, we would also appreciate someone helping us cut through the Rocky Mountains, merging the water sources of the eastern and western United States. This would be a massive help in building the new North America of the future."

These days, Tesla was particularly fond of pointing at maps with her left hand. It was a perfect way to flash the ring on her ring finger and watch the frustrated yet helpless expressions on certain people's faces.

"Through this exchange of benefits, North America will naturally have far fewer people opposing cooperation with Academy City."

Mobius glanced at a detailed topographical map of North America. She had only suggested displacing people because she was newly returned and lacked a full understanding of the world's geography.

She had to admit that Tesla's proposed exchange of interests would indeed silence many dissenters in North America and within Anti-Entropy.

The Panama Canal had brought immense benefits to the United States; a canal that cut through the Rocky Mountains would be a feat of unimaginable greatness.

"That is indeed a fine idea," Mobius conceded. "For the same distance and power, the cost of water transport is far lower than land transport. So, which part of the work will require the Fourth Divine Key?"

Mobius had no interest in getting into a pointless argument with Tesla. The woman was prone to getting worked up and acting like a tsundere over certain matters. Whether she won or lost the argument, Mobius would feel like she had lowered herself.

Noldrei gathered all the engineering personnel from Schicksal and Anti-Entropy.

With the overall plan for Earth's reconstruction now in place and the banner of fighting the Honkai gone, Schicksal and Anti-Entropy instinctively began to seek new, profitable collaborations.

"We need to open a new Honkai Energy mine in North America. Detonate more Honkai Fission Bombs over there. Then, we'll send our people to clean up the resulting Honkai Beasts, using their genes to fuel the biotech needs within Academy City."

"After the Honkai Beasts are cleared, we find local newcomers to partner with. We need more Stigma-armored users to join the Honkai mining operations. Then, industrial machinery based on the SELENE engine will move in to construct the new Third Academy City in North America. Where in North America do you think would be the best place to carve out a new canal?"

Noldrei wasn't very clear on the division of interests on North American soil. But he had a gut feeling that if he left it to the Americans, they would most likely bungle the entire construction process of the Third Academy City.

Tesla's finger traced the border between the United States and Canada. "Right here," she said. "This is the best spot."

She hadn't chosen a location that cut across the American heartland, nor was she trying to cut costs.

Instead, she had picked a key location that would unite North American interests and, as a bonus, use the canal's flow to flush the heavy metals from the Great Lakes out to sea.

Tesla was choosing to trust in the power of nature.

The Fourth Divine Key could even be applied to this, a far cry from Overseer Otto's petty scheme of using it to conjure a giant hurricane to attack Houston.

Seen in this light, Overseer Otto truly was a piece of work.

With the new framework of interests established by Academy City, Noldrei already had a clear idea of his next move.

"What are you thinking about?"

Mobius noticed Noldrei's attention wasn't on these grand engineering projects. He seemed to be brewing a new, unsettling idea.

"I'm thinking about something," he said. "How to make all nations abandon the very concept of citizenship and borders."

Noldrei's ambitions were even more radical than theirs. He simply lacked the material basis to achieve it just yet; the widespread adoption of genetic ID was still a ways off.

Tesla suspected Noldrei wanted to destroy North America. If people all over the world were allowed to vote with their feet, North America would be crushed by the ensuing tidal wave of immigrants.

She frowned. "Are you insane? Wouldn't everyone instantly flood into developed countries? Where would the resources come from to support so many people?"

Noldrei replied with a touch of coldness, "I want to find a test plot to try it out, but I'm not yet sure where to begin. As we enter a genetics-based era, this kind of national division based on race and culture should have ended long ago."