ghtfall.From afar, one can see ripples rippling across the winding canal water, reflecting the setting sun.Actually, they haven't toured the royal city of Ikereth together yet.After relaxing now, this...Chapter 324: Governor Ranch Serving the People

Meanwhile, in the Frostbite Province of the Protoss Empire, thousands of miles away from the capital city of Gelderia in the kingdom of Aitherlan, it was also a bright afternoon. [Google Search]

The city wall, having weathered the passage of time, still stands firm, embodying the profound historical depth of Qinshenton. A group of people are slowly making their way along the road on top of the wall.

At the front center of the team, a man in a suit stood with his hands clasped behind his back. The sunlight shone upon him, casting a golden glow on his figure.

His mind was filled with thoughts, he often gazed into the distance, walking steadily and powerfully, as if feeling the pulse of the earth.

A throng of city lords followed close behind him, though some were figures of authority in their own regions. Yet at this moment, before the governor, they all became remarkably respectful.

"High-quality development is the primary task in comprehensively building our Xuelang Province."

Lanche is conducting intensive on-site research and making a series of important deployments.

Those around him nodded respectfully, their eyes fixed on Lanchi's shoulders or back, always ready to receive his questions or instructions.

Sometimes, they would lower their heads slightly in self-reflection, or avoid meeting the leader's gaze.

Earlier this afternoon, two hours ago, the Governor had already held a brief meeting with these lords in the town hall of Quintston City. In the conference room, Lance listened attentively to the work reports and gave a series of valuable suggestions.

He first expressed affirmation of the past year's work in Xueyuan Province, stating that it was the result of everyone's hard work. Afterward, he went on to elaborate on the strategic position of Xueyuan Province in the Protoss Empire and the responsibilities it bore.

He pointed out that the geographical location of Xueyuan Province determined its enormous potential in both ecological protection and tourism development. Therefore, development planning must adhere to the principles of social stability and ecological priority. While resolutely cracking down on the Ghost Party, it is imperative to ensure that the local ecosystem remains unharmed and sustainable development is maintained.

Lanche emphasized that the future development of Xueyuan Province must be based on local resources and characteristics. It is necessary to actively guide funds and technology into relevant infrastructure construction. At the same time, he also required that all departments at all levels in Xueyuan Province strengthen cooperation with the City-State, learn from advanced experiences, and strive to improve the operational efficiency and management level of the locality.

He lastly stated that he believed that, through the joint efforts of all people in the Frostfell province, the province could surely become a region with both ecological beauty and economic vitality, making its due contribution to the development of the Protoss Empire.

Despite this, the governor's demeanor remained serious.

But every well-considered, incisive opinion made the local lords deeply aware of their problems and led them to make positive commitments.

Now, after the meeting, several lords accompanied Lance as they walked along the walls of Kineston City.

He was last discussing the details of his work.

"I'm not planning on staying in the Snowdrift Province for too long. Once I've finalized my work plan, I'll be leaving. The next time we meet should be in Helrom, the capital city."

Lanche planned to stay in the Snowfield Province for only one or two more days at most, and then continue on to the even longer journey north to the Northern Border Province.

In the absence of a functional aetherrail and considering adverse weather conditions, travel from the Snowdrift Province to the Northern Border Province could take several days.

Lanche needs to make sure he can return to Helrom, the Imperial City, before mid-April.

Then, in late April, will be the long-awaited papal election.

All the lords and nobles surrounding him held seats in the Upper House, each with a weighty vote.

She got a lot of votes again, and she's very happy now. She said that all the favorability points that West Germany lost before were added back to Lance, and she wants him to keep going so that West Germany can become a happy girl.

Of course, if Ranch passes the election and enters the House of Commons, he will also have a vote, and the House of Commons has relatively more weight in voting.

The Protoss Empire's lower house holds the advantage in terms of jurisdictional distribution, having priority over many bills. The upper house, composed of nobles, only has a one-month extension power to pass through bills, and it is only responsible to the lower house itself.

The lords followed Lanci like attendants, and when they heard he was about to leave soon, the lords looked at each other with worry.

Finally, some hesitated and brought up their most worrisome question.

"Governor McCauley, regarding the Ghost Party, what should we do after you leave"

If Governor Loch Maccassey himself were present to command them in the extermination of the Phantom Party, they would certainly feel much more at ease.

If the governor left, even if he had outlined a plan for them before leaving, they wouldn't know if they could coordinate and execute it well, or if they could respond effectively and in time to the Ghost Party.

When it comes to actual implementation, people may likely engage in strategic games due to conflicting interests. Ultimately, each individual might choose the execution plan that maximizes their own benefit, thus abandoning the optimal solution for the collective good.

"Dealing with criminals in the snow region is an urgent issue. The fact that it's dragged on for so long, I personally think, boils down to you guys not reaching an agreement on contributions and benefits."

Lance halted, exhaling a plume of vapor, and spoke.

Previously, in the conference room, he did not make the strategic plan public. He was indeed preparing to discuss it again with several leaders at this moment.

"……"

The rest of the lords stood there awkwardly.

Faced with such a pointedly identified root cause, they were speechless.

Of course, I'm not blaming you... I just feel that upholding justice should never be a losing proposition.

Lanche straightened his back, his eyes sweeping across the snowy expanse before him with a depth that seemed to reflect years of experience. His voice, deep and resonant, echoed through the frigid air,

"Shift your thinking, everyone. Don't you feel the cost is too high now Then we need to increase the returns, motivating people to do good deeds."

But... how can we increase revenue from capturing the Ghost Party

A lord of the city-state stepped forward in perplexity, asking.

This is undoubtedly the biggest headache for them.

Suppressing bandits requires a great deal of financial and human resources, and the accomplishments gained are insignificant. The several lords who preceded them couldn't agree on how to share the cost and effort.

And at this moment, the governor actually told them that the profits from suppressing bandits could actually be increased

If feasible, it could potentially solve their predicament directly from its root.

"Issue a public statement."

Ranchi glanced back faintly and indicated.

"Official letter"

Lanche nodded and continued:

From now on, all prisoners in the Snowfield Province's city-state prisons will work in the outside world under proper supervision, participating in various public works projects. They will learn the value of honest labor and simultaneously contribute to their communities and make a contribution to the vast taxpayer population.

"!"

At the words, all the other lords were stunned.

Although the Protoss Empire had demon slaves, even turning criminals into slaves involved complex registration, review, and certification procedures. Furthermore, the cost of applying contracts and limiting magic was quite substantial.

However, the law doesn't explicitly prohibit using prisoners for "rental labor" within prison facilities.

Moreover, the definition of this "work" is rather vague.

In this vast snowy province, with an abundance of materials, all it takes is enough hardy workers to withstand the cold, and wealth will flow in like a raging river!

This is not a place to apprehend criminals, it's practically human trafficking!

(The End)

[ ]t to see the true face of the city-state's underground prison.Those prisoners who had been incarcerated before their reformation had no chance whatsoever of ever seeing the sunlight again.Due to the i...