"Right, Lu Jianhong, how is our mana stone mine doing?" asked Wan Gengxin, a spark of interest in his eyes. The news that had just emerged from Europe was far too important to ignore, and it had already prompted the Chinese leadership to gather in a secure meeting room. They needed to discuss the information and determine how it would affect China's position in the new world. Naturally, Lu Jianhong should have had more than enough time to prepare the relevant statistics and present an accurate overview of the country's current production.
"Yes, sir. As you know, we discovered our mine close to Shanghai, which was fortunate for us, considering how difficult it can be to locate such deposits," replied Lu Jianhong. "The reason Europe managed to establish its mana stone production before our country was largely because nobody thought to search so close to a major city. But the mine is nearby and easy to mine, so all is good.
He paused briefly before continuing with the less encouraging part of his report. "However, because our department was concerned about the losses that could occur through corruption and theft, we initially restricted mining operations. We only extracted mana stones when government departments or approved factions requested them for research purposes. That meant we did not begin serious mining operations until approximately three months ago, after the intelligence agency informed us about the movements taking place within the European Union. Since then, we have extracted around one million mana stones per month, and I have already issued an order to increase production as of yesterday."
"Good. These stones are of the highest national importance, so we cannot afford to waste time," said Wan Gengxin, nodding with satisfaction. "Who else knows the current production figures, and how secure is the mine?"
"Only the departments directly involved in its management have access to the complete figures, sir. The security arrangements have also been strengthened since we began large-scale extraction, although increasing production will naturally require additional personnel and resources," answered Lu Jianhong. He understood perfectly well that the mine was no longer an ordinary government asset. With the discovery of the method for establishing mana veins in Europe, every mana stone extracted from the ground had become a resource of strategic importance.
"Lu Jianhong is right, sir, but there is another matter we need to consider," Yan Wen interjected, his expression serious. "I have had my people analyse the likely reactions from the general public and the influential factions. The general sentiment is that people will not accept the government keeping every mana stone for itself while refusing to provide them with a way to establish their own mana veins. They will want access to those veins, regardless of whether we believe the government should have priority."
Yan Wen leaned forward slightly as he continued explaining his assessment. "We only need to look at what happened in Europe to understand the situation. The Great Houses caused considerable trouble while attempting to conceal their activities and ensure that they were the first to establish their own mana veins. They understood how important those resources would become, and they were prepared to take considerable risks to secure them before anyone else. Our influential families will think in much the same way, especially now that they know the method exists."
"Yan is right," Xian Mu said, looking towards the intelligence minister with a thoughtful expression. "As much as I would like to secure as many mana veins as possible for our troops and the rest of the government, we cannot afford to lose the support of the powerful families. That is especially true for those in the countryside. They were already local bullies before mana arrived, and I can only imagine how much more troublesome they have become now that their individual strength has increased."
He paused, his expression growing darker as he considered the possible consequences. "I would not be surprised if some of them were already making preparations for a rebellion. After all, a family that has controlled a region for generations might not be particularly interested in accepting orders from the central government once its members possess the strength to challenge us. We should not underestimate how quickly such people might turn against the state if they believe their interests are threatened."
"No need to worry just yet," Wan Gengxin replied calmly, although he clearly understood Xian Mu's concerns. He turned his attention towards Yan Wen, making it clear that the intelligence department would have an important role in preventing such developments. "The situation has not reached that point, but I do want you to maintain accurate records of their activities. Keep track of the influential families, their movements, and any unusual preparations they make. We need to know what they are doing before they become a genuine threat."
After giving that instruction, Wan Gengxin returned to the original subject. "Nevertheless, I have to agree that we need to sell mana stones to the other factions. Keeping everything for the government would only create unnecessary resentment, and we cannot afford to make enemies of every powerful family in the country. Instead, I propose that we sell a random mixture of mana stones for one hundred thousand silver coins. If a faction wants stones of a particular attribute that we possess in abundance, they will have to pay one million silver coins."
He considered the matter for another moment before adding the final condition. "As for rare attributes, we will have to evaluate each one separately and establish an appropriate price. There is no reason to sell something exceptionally valuable for the same amount as a resource we can extract in large quantities. We should also make sure that the available quantities are controlled so that nobody can purchase everything simply because they happen to possess enough money."
"That is a good idea," Gu Kang, the president of the National Bank, remarked. He had been following the discussion carefully, and the proposed arrangement appeared reasonable from an economic perspective. "It also reinforces the notion that only people capable of protecting a mana vein should be allowed to purchase the resources necessary to establish one. If someone cannot afford the required mana stones and the additional costs, they probably do not have the means to defend the resulting vein either."
He glanced towards the other leaders before continuing. "You can call the Europeans profiteers for asking each faction to pay one million silver coins for the tome, but you cannot deny that they have made a reasonable point. Establishing a mana vein is not something that should be treated as an ordinary investment. Whoever purchases the necessary knowledge and resources must be capable of protecting the result, otherwise the entire arrangement could become a source of instability."
"Yes, you are right," Wan Gengxin admitted, although he did not look particularly pleased about it. "However, I would rather not acknowledge that the Europeans have a point. There are more than enough people in our own country who would resort to all kinds of schemes and tricks to obtain a mana vein without paying the proper price. Some might even kill an entire family to seize its land, while others could claim that the property deeds were invalid or that the land never belonged to its original owners in the first place."
His expression became increasingly serious as he considered the possibilities. "If someone can afford to spend two million silver coins, not including the mana stones themselves, then protecting the land and the resulting mana vein is hardly going to be their greatest concern. We need to ensure that the people purchasing these resources understand that the government will not tolerate such behaviour. Otherwise, we could end up creating powerful private interests that believe they can do whatever they want simply because they possess enough money."
"I have one question, though," Gu Kang said, bringing the discussion back to the European decision that had initially prompted their meeting. He looked down at the information concerning the price being demanded for the tome, clearly puzzled by the amount. "Why are they asking for so much money? I mean, they would probably receive far less hatred from the other factions if they simply asked for one hundred thousand silver coins. The mana stones and the fee demanded by the System already create a considerable barrier for anyone hoping to establish a mana vein."
He looked around the table, searching for an explanation that would make the European decision seem less unusual. "Even if they wanted to prevent unqualified people from purchasing the knowledge, the existing costs should already accomplish much of that. The System's fee alone makes the process expensive, and the mana stones are not exactly easy to obtain. The additional price for the tome seems excessive, especially considering that the Europeans should understand how much resentment such a decision could create."
"I received the same question yesterday," Hu Guanyu answered with a proud expression, clearly pleased that he could offer an explanation. As the Minister of Foreign Affairs, he had spent considerable time analysing the European announcement and the possible motivations behind it. "However, I believe they might not have much choice. The information contained in that book is probably extremely important, and it is likely to explain the formation of mana veins in considerable detail."
Hu Guanyu paused to make sure the others were following his reasoning. "If that is the case, Gaia might want to know exactly who purchases the tome and gains access to its contents. After all, she would need to determine whether the people attempting to establish mana veins are corrupted. However, checking every potential buyer would require considerable effort and energy. By setting the price deliberately high, the Europeans can reduce the number of people interested in purchasing the book, meaning Gaia would not have to waste her time examining countless individuals who cannot afford it."
"That makes sense, but it is still speculation," Wan Gengxin replied. He was not entirely convinced, although he acknowledged that Hu Guanyu's explanation was reasonable. "We will have to wait and see what happens when the sale begins in two months. Until then, we should concentrate on our own preparations rather than spend too much time guessing what the Europeans are thinking."
He stood up, signalling that the discussion was coming to an end. "For now, I want to increase the amount of mana stones we extract from the ground. Lu Jianhong, prepare a plan for expanding production and make sure the additional workers and equipment can be arranged without compromising the security of the mine. I also want a battalion of soldiers stationed near the mine to protect the facility and every mana stone extracted from the ground. These resources are too important to leave vulnerable to theft or sabotage."
Wan Gengxin then turned towards the other leaders, making sure they understood that his remaining instructions applied to their respective departments. "I also want a complete price list for the different mana stone attributes, together with an overview of the exchange rates for silver coins. Furthermore, prepare a report identifying where mana stones are needed most throughout the country. We need to know which departments and factions should receive priority, how much they require, and how our available reserves can be distributed without weakening the government."
He looked at the people seated around the table one final time. "You have one week to prepare everything. I want the production plan, the military arrangements, the price list, and the distribution report ready by then. Once we have those figures, we can decide how to proceed with the sale and ensure that China is properly prepared for the establishment of mana veins."
With that, Wan Gengxin left the secure meeting room, leaving the remaining leaders to consider the considerable amount of work that had just been assigned to them. The discovery in Europe had changed the importance of mana stones almost overnight, and China could no longer afford to treat its mine as a resource that could be developed at its own leisurely pace. From now on, every stone extracted from the ground would play a role in determining the country's future position in the new world.