Yama Rising

They weren't the only ones who were confused, all of the other underworld emissaries in the hall were also quite puzzled. There was a very simple and direct benefit to entering the energy resource market: the one who entered the market first would be able to recover their funds the quickest, and dictate terms to all those who entered the market after them.

The Cathayan Underworld had already won the race to develop the new energy resource. Lights had already appeared over the entire city, which meant that they had a lead of several years on the Argosian Underworld when it came to the construction of ancillary facilities. By the time the Argosian Underworld developed their energy resource and reached the stage that the Cathayan Underworld was currently at, the Cathayan Underworld would've most likely already developed phones.

Thus, no underworld would choose to use the Argosian Underworld's technology. Regardless of how close their nation was with the Argosian Underworld, there was no way that they would stubbornly choose to use the Argosian Underworld's technology at the risk of incurring mass dissatisfaction from their populations.

Furthermore, the Argosian Underworld wasn't going to continue investing in the research and development of the energy resource anyway. In a race of technological output, a lead of several years was absolutely decisive. Thus, the Argosian Underworld would rather scrap the Prometheus plan and begin researching the next generation energy resource, rather than continue to waste time trying to develop the electricity-like energy string.

There was no problem with Qin Ye's declaration for the Cathayan Underworld to enter the international energy resource market with immediate effect, and that was an announcement that would be easily accepted by the entire world. From this point onward, the Cathayan Underworld would be entitled to receive astronomical sums in patent usage fees for each unit of the new energy resource that was used in the world.

At a time like this, the Cathayan Underworld should've immediately tried to seize control of 100% of the patent rights, but they hadn't done that.

Why was that the case?

The death gods of the three pillars and even the financial maestros that were the 10 consortium chairmen were all very perplexed to hear this.

It was clear that Qin Ye was plotting something, but at the very least, this was a piece of good news for the three pillars at face value as it meant that the Cathayan Underworld's economy wasn't going to grow as rapidly as it otherwise would've. Furthermore, this proposal raised no conflict of interest with any other underworld or organization so no one raised any objections.

Qin Ye paused momentarily to assess the situation, and a faint smile appeared on his face.

As expected, no one had caught onto anything.

There were no slouches on the Cathayan Underworld's panel of advisors, and the trap had already been set. Qin Ye couldn't wait to get to the last item on his list!

However, complacency could ruin even the surest of victories, and with that in mind, he calmed himself down before continuing, "Thirdly, the Cathayan Underworld's technological output will be provided in the form of assistance. The Cathayan Underworld's construction workers will assist other nations in constructing their electrical base stations, and for neighboring countries, the new energy resource can be provided to them through laying down electrical networks. On top of that, experts will be sent out from our Cathayan Underworld to provide effective technological support…"

"Objection!"

"Objection!"

"Objection!"

Before he even had a chance to finish, three opposing voices had already rung out in unison.

All of the Yin spirits immediately turned toward the people who had spoken, and to no one's surprise, they were the ruler death gods of the three pillars.

"What is your reason for objecting?" Camross asked.

"It's a matter of national security," Anubis replied in a calm voice. "Before we determine how dangerous the new energy resource could potentially be, it's too risky to allow the Cathayan Underworld to construct base stations in our countries. Who knows whether they'll be planting things like bombs or listening devices in their base stations?"

"With all due respect, Mr. Anubis, please allow me to remind you that we're only discussing the new energy resource here," Camross said.

Who the fuck would plant bombs or listening devices in power stations? Are they mentally disabled?!

Yamaraja interjected, "Prior to sufficient assessment of potential risk factors, anything is possible. What if the electricity-like energy resource is as dangerous as nuclear energy of the mortal realm? In that case, no one would allow another nation to construct their base stations for them. Don't forget how the new energy resource was discovered! The inspiration for it was derived from the Zhu Rong plan's second-generation forbidden arts startup module!"

All of the death gods present were quickly weighing up the risks and benefits involved. While it was correct that the risks involved in the new energy resources hadn't yet been assessed, none of the small underworlds cared about that at all!

They were dying for the Cathayan Underworld to provide them with their blueprints and technology! As long as the new energy resource could reach their nations, they didn't even mind if the Cathayan Underworld sent their construction teams directly to them!

How did forbidden arts have anything to do with them?

Besides, why would the Cathayan Underworld sabotage their own new energy resource plan by blowing up the power stations that they constructed for other nations?

Of course, raising these points would pit them in direct opposition against the three pillars, so no one dared to say anything.

After a brief silence, Perkins said in a respectful voice, "Esteemed death gods, please allow me to remind you that Yanluo Qin is only stating his intentions. He is telling us how the Cathayan Underworld is preparing to integrate the new energy resource into the rest of the world, not asking for our verdicts on his proposals. All of you have signed countless agreements in the past, so you should know the process very well at this point. First, the intentions are stated, and only after that will all details be finalized. For a massive project like this one, there could easily be several hundred agreements attached to it, so there's no need to be in a hurry to make your opinions known now. Please continue, Yanluo Qin."

Do you want to fucking die?!

Yamaraja cast his gaze toward Perkins through narrowed eyes. He was the informant that the Russian Underworld had gone to great lengths to recruit, yet he had completely betrayed them!

What was even more infuriating was that during this international trade conference, the directors and chairman of the GTO had superior speaking rights compared to them!

"Shit…" Thanatos swore under his breath before falling silent.

Qin Ye gave a nod in Perkins's direction, then turned his gaze toward the next item on the list, and his hand began to tremble slightly as he held onto the report.

Up to this point, everything that had been served up was only the entree, and the main course was only coming now!

He reflexively cast his gaze toward the ruler death gods of the three pillars, and they just so happened to be looking back at him. As their eyes met, it was as if an unspoken declaration of war had been laid down.

"Fourthly." Qin Ye turned his gaze back to the report, then continued, "Once the new energy resource enters the world energy resource market, all transactions related to it will be settled in dragon jade."

Silence immediately descended upon the scene.

All of the death gods looked up at Qin Ye with stunned expressions, and the ruler death gods of the three pillars were so astonished to hear this that they felt as if they were in a dream!

Camross's mouth was gaped wide open, and he was spluttering for air like a fish out of water as he slowly rose to his feet. He pointed a trembling finger at Qin Ye with a horrified look on his face, but he couldn't muster up even a single word.

There were so many things that he wanted to say, but he couldn't articulate any of them before he slumped back down onto his chair. Meanwhile, all of the death gods present had slowly risen to their feet, and even the chairmen of the 10 consortiums had stood up as the netherfire in their eyes sprang up to over two meters in height.

"Objection!!!"

After a full 10 seconds of silence, Anubis finally let loose an enraged roar. "You're trying to create a currency dictatorship! All of the death gods of the Aegyptian Underworld unanimously object to this proposal!!"

BOOM!!!

The entire hall had erupted in response to this announcement!

"They're trying to anchor their currency!!" Anko gasped as she clasped a hand over her own mouth. "What a bold move! Are they not afraid of the potential backlash?!"

"Are they directly telling the entire world that the Cathayan Underworld is about to make a resurgence?" Giltine was also astonished as she looked up at the main stage. "Are they trying to rule over this world?!"

"What is the Cathayan Underworld trying to do? Are they trying to become a dominant force in the underworld?"

"Is the equivalent of Usonia in the mortal realm finally about to appear in the underworld?"

"Is this what the Cathayan Underworld was aiming at all along?"

"My god… They're going to completely revolutionize the energy resource market!"

The reaction of the 10 consortium chairmen was much the same.

"So this is what they wanted…" Archbishop Antonio slumped back in his chair with a stunned expression. "So the previous few proposals were all just a setup for this one… Aren't they asking for too much?"

"I didn't think this was possible…" Another chairman was on the verge of hyperventilation. "Who thought of this idea? They're trying to plunder the entire world!"

Even the 18 witnesses of history had raised their heads in unison to stare directly at Qin Ye.

The fourth proposal seemed very simple, but in reality, it was no different from resting a sword on the necks of the three pillars!

If all transactions related to the new energy resource were settled with dragon jade, then all nations would have to prepare massive sums of dragon jade in order to be able to purchase electricity. Qin Ye wasn't as generous as Nikola Tesla, he certainly wasn't going to release the patent of the new energy resource to the rest of the world free of charge. If others wanted to use it, then they would have to pay!

Where was this money going to come from? It was going to come from foreign exchange, of course!

However, during the Cathayan Underworld's century-long absence, the reserves of all nations' dragon jade had diminished significantly.

Thus, the first priority for all nations was to provide massive quantities of exports to the Cathayan Underworld, using their products to exchange for the Cathayan Underworld's dragon jade!

For the Cathayan Underworld, this was a brilliant opportunity as the Cathayan Underworld also had no reserves of foreign currency! However, they couldn't tell everyone that, and through this tactic, they would be able to rapidly accumulate funds without revealing their predicament to everyone else!

Furthermore, these exports were going to significantly bolster the Cathayan Underworld's productivity and technology. Unbeknownst to the entire world, the Cathayan Underworld was sorely lacking in the most basic of products, such as seeds, livestock, wool, milk, fruits… They were going to take as much as the rest of the world had to offer!

Even this was only scratching the surface, the crux of the matter was that this arrangement was going to make the Cathayan Underworld the king of the world's economy!

All nations would have to immediately establish trade agreements with the Cathayan Underworld, and from this day forth, the Cathayan Underworld was going to become the core of the entire underworld's economy! As a result, its political power, status, and influence would be significantly bolstered!

All nations that traded with the Cathayan Underworld would have to suck up to them. Whatever the Cathayan Underworld, they would have to give them. Otherwise, they would refuse to purchase exports, rendering a nation devoid of dragon jade, and without dragon jade, there would be no way to purchase the new energy resource. Without the new energy resource, dissatisfaction from the population would eventually boil over to the point of rebellion, which could lead to the demise of those nations!

The first domino had already been tipped over, and it was setting off a massive chain reaction.

Furthermore, this wasn't the end, the most terrifying developments were still to come!

What would happen once the Cathayan Underworld released massive quantities of dragon jade into the world?

There was no way that the Cathayan Underworld could print too much dragon jade. If they were to do that, once currency reflux took place from international trade, the dragon jade that they had previously released, in addition to the dragon jade already circulating in the domestic economy, would instantly result in massive inflation.

Thus, there had to be a limit on the amount of dragon jade released to the rest of the world.

However, the rest of the world wouldn't allow that!

The new energy resource was directly tied to dragon jade, and without sufficient dragon jade released to the world, some nations wouldn't be able to satisfy their demand for the new energy resource!

What could they do in that situation?

This was where the concept of national debt came into the equation.

National debt was also known as international blank cheques, and it had to be bought, no matter how reluctant a nation was to do so.

The Cathayan Underworld wasn't going to print more dragon jade, they were only going to act as handlers of dragon jade.

Once all of the nations in the world purchased the Cathayan Underworld's national debt, they would all have enough money to purchase the new energy resource, but as a result, the Cathayan Underworld would become the biggest debtors in the entire world.

However, on the international stage, the debtors were the ones who called the shots.

No one would dare to plot against the Cathayan Underworld or object to its proposals in fear of the Cathayan Underworld simply refusing to pay off its national debt!