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Chapter 18: Buildin' n' Plottin'

P.S. I now have a discord server! Discord .gg/ceBMM2Zz6c

Also Pxtreon: P a treon . com (slash) socialistbukharin

Hello fellow gamers, Bukharin here. And I introduce you to the current theme of this week, City Skylines. I had plans to turn this in an episode of Europa Universalis IV since it was the closest to help in that circumstance, but then I realized that the Ming-plosion was a dangerous phenomenon when you are inside Ming China, and you don't want to know how the early Qing Empire worked around people then again[, it was also bad for the latter years of that dynasty].

So, my plan here is to do what many Victoria III players do when it comes to make a quick loss income out of the expenses of others: creating a construction company. Now, I get it- John, how do you plan to do something seemingly unimportant when you don't have the proper workers? And I would answer with another question: why would I not want to do that if there were the workers, but the market was so floaty due to 'unpleasant competition'?

The paperwork proved to be dreadful as, if one may have yet to understand, the written language here was Chinese seals [and I am questioning if I can get myself a nine-tailed Vulpix to yeet bombs to my enemies through seal summoning]. [But no, it's not that kind of Naruto stuff], it's about the way these were used in 'official seals' in old China. And I was illiterate in that regard. I could speak the slangs of this place just fine like anyone would, but the writings were a bit of a bitch.

Luckily for me, I had a helpful free assistant to assist my plot to [conquer the Lands of Rocks and Contracts] [China but less Deadlier] set up business in Liyue to catch up enough money for a safe trip across the continent. I had to explain a few terms which Nahida knew nothing of due to her knowledge being limited to mostly natural laws and Sumeru's peculiar system.

Modern Liyue was a bit of a surprise from her as her understanding of the region was based on what merchants from the harbor brought to Sumeru and it was an extremely scarce source from what she admitted. So, the girl was excited to learn more of the world, which helped me learn the language of Ming China through her assistance.

Paperwork was dealt with, independent and individual competitors in the construction businesses were approached, and Liyue's first construction company was fully established four days into our stay in Liyue. One of the big unused warehouse buildings was thus bought and refitted for the task of acting as the HQ.

Some resources that I had been stored in my inventory were set down in the storage area to be used by the builders, a system of administration was also prepared to handle the general contract-handling tasks with the introduction of 'innovative' and convenient cabinets that were made of iron and could be closed by key.

Day six of our stay in Liyue, we had our first big commission. Some of the sections of the docks required to be replaced and reworked, with the planks and the foundation pikes having absorbed too much water and grown some mold on it that weakened the entire structure. Before sending a small group to help with that, I decided to 'create' something new. And by create, I mean actually crafting a waterproof paint meant to keep the wood used for the fixing safe from being screwed by the same issue.

The nails used to fix the planks weren't even made by metal, but by crystal mineral. The material was sturdy enough to handle a few hits from a hammer, and it was impervious to the stress of people walking on the planks like Iron did. The difference? It glowed in the dark, thus giving a means to not fall off and drown for thepeople wandering at night around this part of the city, and also providing nails that can't rust.

The job was excellently applied, and I had gone to check to see if it had been done correctly. The commissioner was pleased by the end result and the accorded price was paid in full. A business was on the rise, that was undeniable, but I should have expected for my glorious plans to be instantly noticed by the governing body of Liyue as I was... 'an anomaly'.

Since the [National Yuan] Liyue Qixing was pretty much meant to oversee the general economic policies at the behest of Rex Lapis' own advice, I was the sort of element that shouldn't have made this kind of progress and thus created an 'alternative' to one of their ministries. It was... pretty dictatorial in terms of handling the national policies but it worked. Sorta. It drained on the brain power of the Rock God, but it gave Liyue pretty much a stable governance established by rigid legislation.

Still, it got me in a bit of a tight spot when members of the Millelith, the local security organization in charge of acting as Liyue's legit army, had me escorted out of my own business for a summon from the yuhent of the Qixing. I had Nahida take over while I was busy, the girl was nervous that I was being 'dragged out of the place against my will', but I assured her I would do just fine. [Plus, she would be able to have some fun with people's live and numbers while I was busy evading a potential attempt to my life a week into my stay in Liyue.]

After getting pulled around Liyue up to the Yuehai Pavilion, I was pushed into the main building and I couldn't even see Ganyu! Then again, she wasn't around, possibly busy in her own tiny office with her big stacks of paperworks to deal with. It was all a blur and then I was staring at a potential tsundere girl (her face told me quite much of that) which, for a brief moment, I thought was a cat girl too. Then I realized it was just hair and not cat-ears.

"John... Bukharin," The girl hummed, reading my name from the file she had on her side of the table. "I have been hearing a fair bit about you, especially regarding your construction company."

I slowly nodded at this, "I hope it's all good things, Lady Yuheng."

Behaving serious about it was the best option for now, ignoring the headache I was getting because of that.

"In most part, yes. You have received quite the praise for your worker's dedication, standards and... peculiar administration when it comes to benefits," The young woman paused, taking a better look on her notes. "An union, tutorship under senior builders, paid meals and assured breaks within a realistically... short workday."

"That's about right, yes," I confirmed and she frowned deeply. "Is that wrong?"

"These benefits severely lessen your income. I am just... surprised that someone would want to apply those."

"Well, it would be a lie to say it's only about making people happy. It creates a form of competition that many would struggle to keep up with, and it would create an incentive for any new worker to join the company."

"I was familiar with that, yes, but there's a small issue with this," Lady Yuheng remarked, sounding sympathetic in my case. "Some merchants that come from Snezhnaya have mentioned that you have purposely refused all offers to sell products to you on the basis that 'you do not support terrorists'."

I blinked, the girl gave me a quizzical look and I sighed.

"It's a bit of a long story, but I will do my best to summarize it for the sake of brevity. I left my baby girl to handle the business while I was away."

"Your... child? You left a child in charge of the-"

"It's connected to the story, so please I would like to be heard before a judgment is passed on me."

She leaned back and nodded, and soon I explained how I, a Monkee of the Mondstadt descent got kidnapped by Soviet Animal-Smugglers, got put through the Gulag System, emerged a faux nazi officer bearing a Communist Leader's name, and then bailed from Snezhnaya through traing. Then there was also the Sumeru's situation.

"So, to make it clear... the Cryo Archon wants to kidnap you for reasons you don't know."

"Yes."

"And you managed to escape because their prisons are 'barely guarded'."

"I would say the guards have barely enough brain to commit to the task, but sure," I replied, causing the girl to sigh.

"And you... 'rescued' the Dendro Archon," Lady Yuheng sighed loudly. "Understand that I accept that explanation as potentially true since it would explain how Sumeru is able to access to information so easily... or used to as there have been some issues now that their Archon is out of the region."

I tapped at the table. "So yeah, this is why I have a child in charge of the shop right now."

"She is probably better than you at it."

I snorted, causing the young woman to pause.

"What? It is not true? The Dendro Archon is revered as the God of Wisdom after all."

"Not within the concept of modern contracts, that's more of a Geo God's business. Rex Lapis has been making small changes around ever since she took over, so she is 'discovering' new things."

"I see..." The violet-haired lady tilted her head as she thought on what she just heard. "And I suppose you want to... establish a business for your final goal. To return to Mondstadt? What about your company?"

"I will retain the business, I don't plan to cause an economic crash for Liyue," I assured, noticing the tense note on that last bit of the question. "Nonetheless, I believe you have other reasons to inquire for my presence here rather than just report on the Snezhnayan woes against me."

Lady Yuheng nodded twice. "That's correct. The reason why I wished to speak with you is related to your innovative thinking on resolving renovations and constructions. I wish to know if you would be willing to open up for a collaboration between your company and my ministry to allow a harmonious cooperation in the commission-handling and administration of proper documentation."

"What does it entail in the long run, if I may inquire?" I asked calmly. "I don't wish to sound too harsh about it, but sounds like you are nationalizing my company."

"It's fair, but that's not what I was suggesting. I meant the opening of a greater and friendlier cooperation through the established of a joint committee to facilitate the production of projects which would improve the current queue of construction for my Ministry."

I leaned back, pondering on the ramifications of this and then added in some rumors I heard about Lady Yuheng and... the Tianquan. There were some skirmishes on the Qixing over the handling of some businesses, with many projects shot down due to either the budget being 'too stretched up as it was' or 'the funds could be used for better opportunities'. I didn't need to look deeper to know what she was up to.

"You want to use my company as a legal method to overturn the Tianquan- not as an act of defiance, but more to pass through projects to improve the infrastructures and also the life standards for Liyue denizens as you are not requesting to put your name on the front page of these projects."

The girl gave off a sheepish look. "I-Is that so predictable?"

"I would say many are not going to see the correlation, but I believe it will bring some 'dislike' from Lady Ningguang towards me and..."

"And?" She looked so hopeful and I couldn't help but smile.

"And that sounds amusing! After all, competition is good if its healthy and reasonable, right?"

Beaming, Lady Yuheng stood up and offered her hand for a shake.

"And from now on, please do address me as Keqing."

Aw, she is so giddy and cute and a bit hottie. I reached out and shook her hand.

"Then do address me back as John, Keqing, as friends should."

This was, after all, the beginning of a good friendship. I just didn't know how good and how beautiful that was going to get.

AN

John may have gotten himself the ideal buddy. I will not explain why Keqing is 'ideal', but let's just say that the two will end up clashing a bit but then uniting in a driven combo to attain something they both 'secretly' aspire to get. It will be so glorious and so unexpected~.

Still! Next time Monstadt shall receive letters. Klee will get a gift too much to her delight and proudly be the owner of something she likes and is one piece of a kind! Also, Venti's sit-rep since he is a drunk-boy that needs some wholesome sex.

[Remember to enlist to the Zong Zhongchan's based thought, join the Shandong Clique, and promote your love of Kaiserreich/Kaiserredux China by world-conquering as the Dog Meat General himself!]