Chương 721: Development And Complaints.

By now, the Golden Sap Empire had actually become a proper power. In just a few decades, Liu Shu managed to steer everyone in a proper direction, gaining endless benefits with her buffs, and also assimilated many powerhouses from several powers. Even if she didn't act, her buffs alone were enough to make them submit voluntarily. Not because they were forced, but because of the working method of the Golden Sap Empire. What mattered here was one thing: Competence.

Yes, social work was still essential for favors and other matters. Nevertheless, with the law affecting everyone properly, only those with proper ideas and ability were able to climb the ranks to the top. Then, Liu Shu always kept an eye on these top people. After all, if those at the very top acted properly, those at the bottom would not be bold enough to cheat. So, by keeping the top 0. 001% in check, Liu Shu was able to maintain a 99% corruption-free society.

Queen Xakira didn't return straight away after speaking with Liu Shu. Instead, she sent back half her fleet with most of her advisors, deciding to remain in the Golden Sap Empire herself. She, naturally, poked Xalis here and there to ask about a way for their race to gain a foothold. Seeing her Queen Mother, who usually glanced at everything with indifference, look so curious and eager, tickled Xalis's heart. Therefore, she became soft-hearted and explained things in detail.

Xakira, finding everything quite novel, was like a kid in a newly opened toy park. She splurged here and there, going to many places while using her capital to open a few businesses specializing in products from her homeland. Zerrek and Rhex couldn't help but urge their own Kings to come quickly, telling them that Xakira had already started growing her roots here! These messages made those Kings back in their empires quite skeptical.

'That ruthless and indifferent Queen actually decided to stay in that Solar System Power?' They, as Kings, were far from stupid. Therefore, they quickly assembled a fleet and decided to go themselves to check with their fastest ships. The Mantis King, especially, was an extremely cunning individual. After all, the nature of his species was matriarchal. So, for him to reach the highest position and gain power, both his strength and intelligence were naturally top-notch.

The journey would take around 8 years, which would translate to 16 years for Xakira to take a head start. Liu Shu felt quite comfortable as she watched everything develop. Cassian and the other merchants continued their adaptation without a hitch. The development of the organic computer had reached a level sufficient to create local, simple servers, and the terraforming of the other planets was similarly advancing.

So, for the following years, Liu Shu focused everything on creating a double infrastructure for technology. The computer technology would act as the main pillar, while the biological computer would become a helper for now. After all, the thing grew more after proper use. Only then would it show its specialness. Liu Shu's push was not very well welcomed by some businesses. The biological computer was just too lacking and slow in comparison with the actual technology brought by the outsider merchants.

This was one of the only times that Liu Shu felt a bit guilty. Therefore, she gathered the top leaders of the computer sectors and all those affected by it, which was practically everyone.

"I am aware of your complaints." Liu Shu, having summoned her wooden Avatar, spoke to them with an apologetic expression.

"My recently created new technology is… sub-par at best, compared to what we had previously." Seeing Lady Heavenly Willow speak so frankly, those with complaints relaxed their frowns. In the Golden Sap Empire, no one dared to curse the World Tree. However, complaining about her actions slowing down progress was not considered improper. In Liu Shu's hypercompetitive society, those at the top naturally understood that Liu Shu just wanted a prosperous society that would allow them to fulfill two major objectives.

The first: those who wished to live simply should never be forced to fight tooth and nail just to afford a house, food, and basic luxuries. Then, at the same time, those who had ambition and the means to compete would also be able to clash heads with others in order to satisfy those ambitions. Basically, everyone had a shot at reaching the top. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

So, if Liu Shu poked her roots in any of those two zones, anyone could raise their hands and complain to her. Someone from a merchant group spoke up.

"Lady Heavenly Willow. We understand that you want to develop this new technology. We also see that it has a lot of potential. However, to even see the shadow of the current computer technology, it will need innumerable years." Liu Shu completely agreed, so she nodded.

"Mhm. You are right. However, my new technology has a quality that other non-biological technologies do not. It grows with use." She explained softly, properly presenting her idea as if she were someone giving a pitch for her product.

"While my new technology can't compare, you need to see it as a future investment. The computer in someone's house will have identical capabilties to process your documents than your own computer if their specs are the same. However, here is where Biological Computers take the edge. You can accustom them to work with your own proposals and documents, and it will grow to sort everything extremely efficiently." She paused here, speaking softly.

"Think of it as a naturally learning AI. Initially, it won't be very different from it, so equalizing them is just perfect. With use, the AI will grow accustomed. In our case, the Biological Computer doesn't just grow accustomed to the software category but also the hardware. The internal components are not fixed, as they can grow." The people gathered crossed their arms, listening patiently. Liu Shu sighed.

"Therefore, please allow me to be a bit selfish this time around. I promise, if in 20 years you find that the Biological Computer has no advantage whatsoever, I will obediently continue developing it in the background and open the market when the technology matures." 20 years sounded long. However, basically everyone present was at least <Fifth Energy Cycles>. These people had hundreds, if not thousands, of years of lifespan. Therefore, 20 years was just right for them. A Sylvan raised her hand and then asked.

"Lady Heavenly Willow, how about making it optional? Actually, there are quite a few of us who want to give it a try. Therefore, this can be a risk. Those who accept it now might profit in the future, while those who reject it today might regret it or be glad they didn't. In this way, the complaints should disappear for the most part." Liu Shu heard her suggestion and pondered silently for a few seconds.

"Alright, I will allow that. However, let me say one thing now so that there are no misunderstandings between us." Liu Shu looked around the room and spoke solemnly.

"This technology will take off in the future. The evolution properties are exponential. Therefore, 20 years is an extremely big head start. At first, the difference of 20 years might be 1 to 10 but later, it will be 10 to 100, and that breach will continue to widen." She needn't say more, as everyone present was intelligent enough to understand what she meant. Therefore, Liu Shu asked those who wanted to give it a try to raise their hands. In a second, over 60% of those present raised their hands.

After all, the installation was free of cost and made by Liu Shu herself and the Lignified trees. Liu Shu was quite gratified that over 3 in 5 businesses accepted her proposal. Then, as she was speaking with them, System Message hit her. [Congratulations! Your <World Tree Heart (A+ Rank Level 5)> has Leveled Up to <World Tree Heart (A+ Rank Level MAX)>.] Liu Shu was surprised for a moment, her eyes lingering on that message for a little while.

'Already? Didn't that skill need an absurd 88, 434, 000 proficiency points?' Because her World Tree Heart was a passive skill, advancing it was not easy. There were not many activities that could involve her World Tree Heart actively, so earning proficiency points was extremely slow for it.

'After more than 120 years, I've finally upgraded the World Tree Heart A- to the peak of the A+ level. It took a while!' Liu Shu was not hasty and continued the discussion with them. There were many people who took the stage and spoke about their projects. After all, it was not common for so many big shots to gather together. Therefore, everyone spent 3 days speaking together before disbanding. Liu Shu even managed to convince a few more people during those 3 days, elevating the acceptance rate to 81%.

Those who didn't were quite stubborn, so Liu Shu just shook her head and didn't insist. Meanwhile, Cassian and the other "newbies", including Xakira, who also participated, felt fresh and excited. They realized that they had been too… tentative due to fear of Liu Shu. However, they now completely understood Liu Shu's methodology. She wanted progress. She wanted transparency. She wanted talents not to be buried. She wanted her population to live peacefully and ultimately fulfilled.

That was the reason the tax rates never surpassed 5% and the reason the government never involved itself in the market unless necessary. Moreover, with the transparency, monopolies were extremely difficult to achieve. After all, if someone had a great idea, couldn't they develop it and be unable to be suppressed by the top companies? If the public liked their service more, then they would use it! Of course, there were some loyal people and others who didn't change for convenience.

Therefore, if one had almost achieved a monopoly once, they would have to mess up quite badly to lose those customers.

"Not bad, not bad~." Liu Shu chuckled.

"Now, everything is on track! The only things pending are the Nexus and Covenant matter, the new <Temple>, and then waiting for a bit before I do my next Synergy or Nemesis Fusions. After all, I should develop more <Temples> and find suitable ones to mix when I reach Level 200, right?" She was quite sure that, by then, she would've conquered the Solar System, gained the reward of the Sylvan Quest, and expanded greatly.

Still, as a <Sixth Energy Cycle>, she had a new slot for a <Temple>, and now she finally had time to choose properly!

"Before that, though…" She looked at her system page and chuckled.

"System, Level Up <World Tree Heart> to the S- Rank." [Do you want to spend 15, 918, 140 Experience Points to upgrade the skill <World Tree Heart>?] Liu Shu's eyebrow twitched, and she painfully selected Yes.

'Bye bye, Fifteen Million Experience.'