Chapter 114: The Fatal Weakness of the Music Godhood

Chapter 114: The Fatal Weakness of the Music Godhood

"It's not that I'm unwilling to give it to you, but giving it to you would bring you no benefit at all."

Yu Sheng'an looked at Aphnora's puffed-up cheeks, resisting the urge to poke them, and spoke earnestly:

"Industrial production can only reduce costs and achieve industrial upgrading through the agglomeration effect."

"I could give you a bicycle production line, but what would be the point? The bicycles you produce, aside from personal use, would be impossible to sell in Keville. Because once you factor in transportation costs, the pricing would inevitably become exorbitantly high. If they don’t sell, how would you pay your people’s salaries?"

"If it’s just for personal use, then there’s even less need to set up a factory. I could simply allocate a portion of the goods to you."

"Besides, bicycles are just a transitional product for Dragon Factory. In the future, Dragon Factory will inevitably shift toward heavy industry. I can’t possibly handle the production of all components—not only would the costs be high, but it would also be meaningless. So, I need to branch out and cultivate a complete industrial system to prepare for industrial upgrading."

"And right now, every second counts in upgrading our industry. Giving you the production line would not only be of no benefit to you but would also delay my own progress."

Industrial production is interlinked, and each step is more than just a simple exchange or complement of goods.

It also involves "transaction costs."

For example, when there’s a surplus of fresh milk, dairy farmers would rather dump it than distribute it to the poor. Why?

Because of transaction costs.

Distributing it to the poor requires packaging, transportation—even expensive cold-chain logistics—and finally, distribution. Every step costs money.

What if the poor suffer from lactose intolerance and get sick? Who would take responsibility?

The same logic applies to industrial production.

This is also the origin of the agglomeration effect.

When the parts you need can be procured right next to the factory, it’s undoubtedly far better than hauling them from another city.

To protect Sir Bai Ruide, a crucial piece on the board, Yu Sheng'an couldn’t transport too much machinery from the Primary Domain of Azerai.

Thus, with limited resources, he had to concentrate the industrial chain in a single location.

Vias also had enough workers, research capabilities, and even magical firepower to nurture and protect his industrial flame.

If he divided resources with Vias—whether by building a separate system or dividing labor—it would divert his strength and increase transaction costs.

This would be an extremely unwise move.

Upon hearing this, Aphnora inwardly groaned, "Here we go again!"

This scoundrel always spouted all sorts of convoluted, half-true nonsense.

Right now, his words left her half-understanding, half-confused.

But she was too embarrassed to press for details, so she could only say solemnly, "What about producing firearms? These are strategic supplies—absolutely not for sale. I could stockpile them there."

Yu Sheng'an couldn’t be bothered to explain further. After a moment of silence, he said, "I have a suggestion. Would you like to hear it?"

"Hmm?"

"Vias is a small nation with a sparse population. Developing industry would actually be unwise. My idea is to leverage Vias’s geographical advantage and transform it into a trade hub—a bridge between the Keville Empire and the Kaman Union."

Yu Sheng'an spoke gravely.

Vias was located in the Lanlun Mountain Basin.

The Lanlun Mountains serve as the natural border between the Keville Empire and the Kaman Union.

From Yu Sheng'an's low-price food strategy to the Interconnected Bank and even the Dragon Factory, one of the paths he intends to take in the future has already become evident.

Namely, through the export of "soft power" trade, spreading the Interconnected Bank, and subsequently the internet, he aims to gradually infiltrate the entire Azeia Main Domain.

Keville's military development is his ultimate means to ensure the smooth progress of trade.

Now, he is about to take the first step—exporting goods to the Kaman Union, plundering production resources, and gradually controlling this nation ruled by countless noble lords through commercial interests.

In truth, using Vias as a trade hub is not the optimal choice.

The Keville Empire is located at the southernmost tip of the Azarea Continent, while the Kaman Union lies in the southeast. A sea route would be more cost-effective.

Unfortunately, the ocean is controlled by the God of the Sea, one of the Five Great Righteous Gods.

Taking the sea route would be courting death.

Thus, Vias became the second-best option.

"Think about it—in the future, when nations in the southeast, northeast, and even the northern regions of the Azarea Continent wish to import goods from Keville, they will have to pass through Vias. Even if you don't impose any tariffs, the daily necessities (food, clothing, shelter, transportation) consumed by merchant caravans in Vias alone will bring you endless wealth."

"And wealth is a formidable force second only to military might. Under special circumstances, it can even surpass military power. With it, you can accomplish many things."

"Of course, the most crucial point is that the internet will spread across the Azarea Continent along with the footsteps of merchants, and your Source Essence spring will inevitably grow stronger as a result."

At this moment, Yu Sheng'an's tone was brimming with temptation.

Aphnora watched Yu Sheng'an's radiant expression and, after a long pause, said, "From the moment you approached me, had you already planned all of this?"

Yu Sheng'an hastily raised his hands. "No, I swear!"

Faced with Yu Sheng'an's playful grin, Aphnora fell into an uncharacteristic silence.

Through her deepening interactions with him, she had to admit that beneath his seemingly carefree and gentle demeanor, he had already demonstrated the potential of the King of Gods.

His strategies were often unexpected, yet they consistently achieved their strategic objectives.

Now, even the Five Great Righteous Gods had failed to defeat him, and his influence continued to expand. It was not impossible that he might one day rule the Azeia Main Domain.

But the more this became apparent, the more uneasy Aphnora grew.

True, with the spread of the internet, her Source Essence spring would also grow steadily.

But everything she had was built upon the internet.

She could only receive as much Source Essence as Yu Sheng'an was willing to share.

What if... what if one day, this ambitious man achieved his strategic goals and cast her aside?

Or worse, what if he schemed to seize her Godhood?

Aphnora might not even realize it herself, but having been hurt by those closest to her, she had long found it difficult to trust others again.

Some spend their lives healing from their childhoods, while others spend their childhoods healing for life.

Aphnora belonged to the latter. The indifference of her parents and the exploitation by her master were psychological traumas she could never erase.

"Does the Music Godhood have a fatal weakness?" After a long silence, Aphnora finally spoke.

"Yes," Yu Sheng'an nodded.

"What?"

"Vacuum!"

Yu Sheng'an opened his right hand and effortlessly created a vacuum bubble using wind magic. As he directed mechanical waves toward the bubble, he explained:

"Vacuum can block mechanical waves. Even a vacuum as thin as a strand of hair is enough to strip the Music Godhood of all its power!"

The essence of the Music Godhood was mechanical waves.

Unlike electromagnetic waves, mechanical waves required a medium to propagate. And a vacuum—devoid of any medium—was the blank space where its authority held no sway.

Aphnora watched Yu Sheng'an's experiment, her pupils dilating, her spine tingling, her entire body chilled to the core!

She had asked the question merely as a test.

She never expected Yu Sheng'an to actually answer her.

Even less did she expect him to have uncovered the fatal weakness of the Music Godhood.

After all, this fatal weakness was something even she hadn’t known about.

"I know you’ve always had doubts about me, and I understand that. I’m telling you this to show my sincerity—trust begets trust. Our enemies are formidable. If we turn against each other now, there won’t even be a future to speak of."

Yu Sheng'an spoke earnestly.

His words, however, still carried a hint of detachment.

He held the fatal weakness of the Music Godhood, while Aphnora had no means to counter his Contract Godhood.

In this comparison, Yu Sheng'an had effectively seized complete initiative.

That said, this couldn’t be taken as a lack of sincerity on his part.

If he had chosen not to reveal the Music Godhood’s weakness to Aphnora, the room for manipulation would have been vast.

For instance, at a critical moment, assassinating Aphnora could have allowed him to seize the Music Godhood.

Now that Aphnora knew the weakness, she would undoubtedly take meticulous precautions against it.

In a way, this was tantamount to giving Aphnora a lifeline in the most extreme scenario.

Aphnora was no fool. She quickly grasped this and found herself staring at Yu Sheng'an in a daze.

In those pitch-black eyes of his, a warm light seemed to radiate, piercing the deepest darkness within her heart.

Trust begets trust?

"I believe you," Aphnora murmured.

"Thank you," Yu Sheng'an extended his right hand.

Aphnora hesitated briefly before reaching out as well, clasping his hand in hers.

At this moment, the God of Contracts and the Music God—long since bound by alliance—finally forged a far sturdier bond of trust!