When the topic shifted to manpower shortages, a heavy silence briefly settled over the room.
If the dilemma were merely about stockpiling raw supplies, the solution would hardly present a challenge. While current reserves were depleted, acquiring materials in this realm followed straightforward mechanics.
Two fully functional Totem of Undying farms stood ready for harvest. Operating at maximum efficiency for a fortnight would easily yield tens of thousands of totems.
As for other scarce materials, systematic harvesting combined with opening Lucky Blocks over the next two weeks would rapidly rebuild their inventory.
The ammunition reserves posed even less of a concern. Beyond the vast, untouched subterranean veins awaiting discovery on the New Continent, less than one-fifth of the firearms-related mineral deposits on the Main Continent had been mined.
Furthermore, those existing underground tunnels had long been cleared of danger. Harvesting them required no combat, only routine labor and logistics.
TNT stockpiles and alchemical potions were similarly manageable. The Main Continent alone housed several hundred mob grinders.
As for dimensions like the Twilight Forest and the Nether, fully equipped exploration teams were standing by. A single day of preparation would allow them to deploy, guaranteeing a massive influx of resources within a week.
Restocking materials required immediate execution, yet it presented no fundamental roadblock.
The true bottleneck lay in personnel allocation.
Every nation faced sprawling construction projects, balancing active developments across both the Main Continent and the New Continent. Furthermore, Ryen intended to distribute the deployment of the Witchery mod across their armed forces.
Beyond that lay two unannounced mods that Ryen had yet to reveal.
At its core, every leader in the room found themselves confronted by the exact same persistent issue: manpower, manpower, and more manpower.
Transferring personnel into the MC world was not merely a matter of travel time; conducting proper orientation and training took several days per cohort.
After a quiet moment of reflection, Ningguang broke the silence.
"Liyue can resolve the immediate manpower deficit."
She gestured toward the tactical breakdown. "The current Millelith deployment in this world stands at twenty-two thousand soldiers. That force should prove sufficient for our operational needs."
"While a week-long battle or intensive mining operations might not suit every division, structural construction and combat operations fall squarely within their capabilities."
"With a force of this scale, we need only assign a small cadre of senior officers to oversee general management. The bulk of urban construction across every nation can be entrusted to their hands."
"This allows the main standing armies of each nation to focus entirely on resource gathering, while freeing up auxiliary personnel to initiate mod development."
"Twenty-two thousand soldiers should ease our immediate pressure."
The gathered leaders paused, exchanging thoughtful glances before slowly nodding.
While the shortage felt acute, Liyue's deployment of twenty-two thousand troops nearly equaled the combined standing forces of all other nations present.
Integrating this force into general construction would free up substantial personnel for specialized assignments. With such a massive buffer, their operational bottlenecks would evaporate.
Yet Buer looked at Ningguang with a measured, contemplative expression.
"Are you certain about this?" Buer asked softly. "Committing twenty-two thousand soldiers leaves barely three thousand guards stationed in Liyue proper. Your security presence across Teyvat will drop significantly."
"Numerous ongoing operations to purge regional monsters would have to be suspended."
"In truth, a force of ten thousand would suffice to meet our immediate needs. The rest of us can call up additional reserves from home to cover the difference."
Ningguang glanced toward Keqing and Zhongli. The former Archon offered a subtle, almost imperceptible shake of his head, tacitly authorizing her to manage the decision entirely.
A faint smile touched Ningguang's lips.
"I am certain. Twenty-two thousand sounds substantial, yet spread across our current projects, it is precisely the amount required."
"Apart from Liyue, the other nations currently maintain a limited permanent presence in this world."
"Dividing these troops evenly between your individual city projects and the ongoing development on the New Continent aligns perfectly with our logistical needs."
"This arrangement frees your primary units to dive directly into material extraction and mod development."
"Simultaneously, our soldiers gain invaluable engineering experience while constructing these cities."
"Furthermore, the primary Ley Line Portal remains adjacent to Liyue. Should an unexpected threat arise in our homeland, reinforcements can transition back through the gate instantly."
"Besides, the monster populations within Liyue's borders have been swept systematically time and again. The remaining pockets are negligible."
"A garrison of three thousand in Liyue Harbor, backed by modern firearms and defensive grid technology, is more than capable of suppressing localized threats."
"Diverting these troops causes no systemic vulnerability. In fact, Liyue Harbor is already conducting fresh recruitment drives for the Millelith."
"Given Liyue Harbor's population density and the public's eagerness to serve, raising another ten thousand troops will take very little time."
"Moreover, the Abyss Order is actively sweeping Liyue's wilderness to gather Hilichurls. That naturally eliminates a portion of our regional monster threats, does it not?"
As she spoke, Ningguang cast a calm, lingering look toward Aether.
Aether inclined his head without hesitation.
"That accords with our prior agreement. The allied nations permit the Abyss Order to operate within their territories to retrieve the dispersed people of Khaenri'ah. In return, we take responsibility for mitigating localized monster conflicts."
"The Abyss Order maintains tens of thousands of combatants stationed in Teyvat. Securing Liyue's countryside presents no strain on our operations."
Aether felt no hesitation in extending a favor to Ningguang, serving as an auxiliary security force even without direct compensation.
Setting aside Liyue's standing, Ningguang's bond with Ryen alone warranted every courtesy.
Furthermore, Aether knew Liyue's contribution would not end in Teyvat.
With twenty-two thousand builders entering the MC world, no single nation could absorb the entire workforce. A significant detachment would inevitably be assigned to assist Khaenri'ah in constructing its new capital.
During the recent catastrophe, Khaenri'ah had paid a heavy price, accounting for over a hundred of the five hundred casualties sustained across the alliance.
Reciprocity was the natural path forward.
Architecture was hardly Khaenri'ah's strong suit, a fact laid bare by the pointed, boxy structure Aether had constructed for himself.
Liyue, by contrast, excelled in grand infrastructure. Even with their troops having arrived only seven days prior for the disaster, they brought seasoned architects capable of leading major engineering projects.
With their aid, Khaenri'ah's capital would rise at a fraction of the expected time.
Handling a few regional monsters in exchange for full-scale urban construction was an exceptional return on investment.
Aether stepped forward, cementing the gesture in front of Ryen.
"We will not interfere with Liyue Harbor or your primary population centers; your Redstone defenses make outside intervention unnecessary there."
"However, the outer wilderness and key trade routes will fall under the patrol of the Abyss Order."
"Liyue harbors a vast Hilichurl population. Our retrieval efforts will take time, easily bridging the gap until your new military cohorts complete their training."
Ningguang offered a polite nod of acknowledgment.
"In turn, Liyue will supply an ample allocation of milk to assist your forces in cleansing the Curse of Immortality from the Hilichurls you recover."
The exchange left both sides thoroughly satisfied.
With Ningguang's arrangement finalized, the lingering anxiety surrounding manpower dissolved.
With twenty-two thousand organized soldiers taking over heavy construction, every nation could redirect its elite personnel toward higher priorities.
Mastering the new mods remained their ultimate objective.
"Additionally, once the Redstone Tech City undergoes full repairs, it will serve as an absolutely secure residential domain. I intend to capitalize on that immediately."
"The influx of twenty-two thousand troops aligns seamlessly with this long-term blueprint."
Ningguang voiced the detail casually, serving as an advance notice to Zhongli.
Zhongli's brows knit slightly. "You intend to begin civilian migration?"
The room perked up, attention shifting back to the Liyue leadership.
Ningguang confirmed with a nod.
"Ryen and I have already finalized the details. The Redstone Tech City possesses structural capacity for well over one hundred thousand residents. Housing only military personnel leaves vast swaths of the city unused."
"I plan to bring in the families of our stationed soldiers as the initial wave of permanent settlers. This will relieve the mounting demographic strain on Liyue Harbor."
"Second, it allows us to establish a fully functional internal market economy, removing the need to rely on military logistics for daily domestic tasks."
"Specialized professionals should handle specialized roles."
"The portal sits right at Mount Tianheng, making transit simple and direct."
Zhongli remained silent for a short pause. Recognizing the move as an inevitable evolution for their expansion, he offered no objection.
Establishing a permanent, secure civilian sanctuary in this world marked Liyue's formal foothold across two realms.
For the preservation and continuation of their civilization, it was an indisputable step forward.
The surrounding leaders exchanged glances, internally marveling at the sheer speed of Liyue's expansion.
The completion of the Redstone Tech City provided Liyue with unrivaled strategic leverage. It stood as an absolute safe zone within this universe.
Aether's gaze narrowed slightly, a sense of urgency surfacing in his posture.
Khaenri'ah would soon no longer be the sole faction with permanent residents in the MC world. His nation needed to accelerate its output to demonstrate distinct value and secure its standing.
Healthy competition was expected. Aether had long understood that Ryen would never allow Khaenri'ah to hold an exclusive monopoly on residency here.
Balance was an absolute necessity.
Even if Ryen disliked administrative complexities, any world ruler understood the imperative of equilibrium. It was the natural trajectory of expanding civilizations.
"Naturally, should any of your nations wish to relocate a portion of your populace, you are welcome to establish temporary residence within the Redstone Tech City until your own capitals are built," Ningguang added smoothly.
"A vibrant market economy benefits this world and all our nations alike."
"Besides, the Redstone Tech City is vast. Even after accommodating the soldiers' families, extensive sectors will remain open."
Ningguang lifted her chin, her voice ringing with absolute confidence.
"My goal is to transform the Redstone Tech City within six months into the central metropolis of this realm, a thriving crossroads for all nations."
"A place where the embers of our civilizations take deep root and flourish."
The leaders absorbed the scale of her vision, their minds turning toward the prospect of relocating key personnel early to lay the groundwork for their own future market networks.
"When the twenty-two thousand troops deploy, there is no need to rush them into Redstone engineering," Jean added thoughtfully.
"The Redstone Tech City just endured a massive catastrophe. Our resource reserves are drained, and we cannot support another localized trigger event right now."
"Pacing our technical expansion is the wiser path."
Ningguang smiled and nodded in agreement.
"I fully agree. Besides, even if we ordered them to build complex Redstone machinery, they lack the technical foundation. The advanced Redstone architecture in the city was designed entirely by Guizhong."
"Our standard units have not mastered those concepts."
At those words, Guizhong offered a proud, triumphant smile. Ningguang was stating simple facts.
Aside from basic defensive cannons, every piece of automated Redstone infrastructure in the city bore Guizhong's personal design.
When it came to Redstone engineering within the MC world, even Ryen conceded to her expertise. She was, without question, the premier Redstone engineer in existence.
The group spent the next half hour fine-tuning the reallocation of their primary military units once Liyue's construction force took over field construction.
Gradually, the discussion tapered off.
Eyes bright with anticipation, the gathered leaders turned their attention toward Ryen.
With the administrative logistics settled, the moment for their harvest had finally arrived.