Two Weeks Later

Bell settled into his makeshift office perched atop the command center, scanning through reports and data streaming in from his system. Everything unfolded as he'd strategized, despite a few minor hiccups like skirmishes between different races. But beyond those blips, the industrialization of New Glacier advanced as planned. Factories sprouted up across the city's outskirts, particularly to the east, about thirty kilometers away, where the designated industrial zone thrived.

In addition to overseeing this expansion, Bell implemented several upgrades to the civilian program, notably boosting the budget allocation, which he deemed sorely inadequate in the grand scheme of things. He couldn't help but chuckle at the loophole in the system that practically guaranteed him a hefty sum of EPs in the end.

[Population Management Interface] [EP: 2,243,250,000]

[Population Census]

• Civilians: 3,000
• Reservist: 12,000
• Military Personnel: 30,000

[Revenue]

• Population Maintenance Allocation Budget: 121,500 EP/Civilian/Month [Triple Value: 781,250,000 EP]
• Current Revenue: 1,518,750,000 EP/Month
• Expense: 150,000,000 EP/Month + 67,500,000 EP Military Expense
• Total: 1,301,250,000 EP/Month

[Social Program]

• Educational Level: High — 5,000 EP/Civilian [Upgrade: 5,000,000 EP]
• Healthcare Access: Intermediate Level — 5,000 EP/Civilian [Upgrade: 2,500,000 EP]

More than a billion EPs had been expended in just a fortnight, all aimed at ensuring the smooth progression of the operation without significant hitches. This entailed the training of numerous humans, demons, and elves from Frostwood to serve as a backup unit stationed at the capital. Fortunately, the allocation of resources effectively covered all expenses.

Furthermore, farmers enrolled in the reservist program received subsidies and essential tools like combine harvesters, courtesy of Hanna's initiative. She even spearheaded the establishment of a factory for grain and food processing. Progress was remarkably swift, thanks to the reservist program swiftly transforming regular individuals into a highly skilled workforce in under forty-eight hours.

Indeed, the factory had already commenced production, thanks to the commissary terminal supplying the necessary raw materials. Thus, despite the wheat fields being worked on only the day prior, the factory had already churned out bread and other food items. Additionally, with Green Armaments expanding rapidly, there was a constant demand for more employees.

Moreover, the newly operational Umbrilium mine south of town, under the management of state-owned Aether Energy, began yielding Umbrilium for Frostwood at an impressive rate. The demand for this resource was considerable, given its similarity to fission power without the associated drawbacks. Although its current use was limited to research at The Facility, several prototypes were in development for its utilization in energy generation. These prototypes already surpassed the capabilities of even the most advanced nuclear reactors of the 21st century, and its lack of radiation allowed for use without shielding.

Amelia hailed it as a groundbreaking development poised to revolutionize the world. Presently, The Facility endeavored to devise a method for controlling the reaction to achieve the optimal temperature for energy generation, balancing heat output. However, an alternative prototype suggested the possibility of direct energy production, though it remained less developed than the reactor-like design.

Suddenly, a knock on the door interrupted his musings.

"Come in," Bell called out as the door swung open, revealing a pink-haired individual accompanied by the middle-aged demon duo, Sylva and Gerhard. It wasn't an everyday occurrence to have both the heads of POO and RAA visiting simultaneously. Bell rose from his chair, gesturing for them to take a seat, and then settled back into his own.

"Thank you, Bell," Sylva acknowledged.

"So, how's the situation in Saven?" Bell inquired.

"Deteriorating, just as you predicted. It's hard to keep racists in check when they're in positions of power over those they consider inferior. Some of the elves have been subjected to forced labor, mainly in logistics, with some of the females being offered as 'pleasure women' for reasons our ISR haven't uncovered yet," Gerhard reported.

"Damn it, I knew it would deteriorate, but not this quickly," Bell remarked. If their aim was to garner sympathy, they failed miserably. However, if their goal was occupation and destruction, then their actions weren't surprising. They had heavy artillery at the port and numerous small arms scattered throughout the town.

Hussar likely breathed a sigh of relief upon witnessing the atrocities. He had feared that Bell would resort to such measures, and now he witnessed the horrors firsthand through the drone flying over the town.

Sylva chimed in with additional information, "My men have already scouted and counted the population. There's likely a division of armed forces, along with thirty ironclads, and another fleet en route. You can guess what comes next."

"20,000 people already there, and another 20,000 on their way. How far out is that fleet?" Bell inquired.

"Ten days away," Gerhard confirmed.

"It seems everything is proceeding according to plan. What's your next move?" Bell pondered.

Sylva grinned, "We've sown discord among the command staff. Our plan is coming to fruition. Expect an offensive from the coalition in nine days. This way, we can cripple much of their fighting force without endangering civilians. We've persuaded the generals to target the 'weak' and 'inferior' demons using certain methods."

"Good news indeed. Let's ensure the elves don't align with the coalition. Eldrin has documented the atrocities to keep the forest elves in line with the Federation," Bell added.

"That Eldrin is quite something," Sylva remarked.

"Anyway, that wraps up today's report. Any final thoughts, sir?" Gerhard concluded.

"Accelerate the deterioration. That's all," Bell nodded.

"Very well, then. Good afternoon," Gerhard bid as they exited the room.

As Sylva and Gerhard departed, Bell turned his gaze back to the window overlooking the forest, where scattered houses and apartment buildings now blended seamlessly with the new culture. The inhabitants had adjusted well, thankfully. Now, it was just a matter of waiting for the EPs to start flowing in.

Just before the door closed, Lisa entered the room.

"Hey, Bell, are you free?" she asked casually, her tone informal.

"More or less," Bell replied with a shrug. While there were still tasks to manage, such as zoning New Glacier and Frostwood to accommodate the rapid industrial growth, he was relatively free since the assault on Saven was being planned by Lukas, Shruss, and Hussar. "What do you need, Lisa?"

"Wanna go to the air base? I got an invitation for the grand unveiling of our new bomber," Lisa suggested.

"Alright, let's go," Bell agreed, ready for a break from his duties.

Bell studied the specifications provided by Lisa. The B-1D, a heavily modified version of the B-1 Lancer, boasted advanced variable cycle engines for enhanced performance and a larger bomb bay to accommodate heavier payloads. This transformation had turned the Lancer into a supersonic bomber capable of carrying a whopping 50,000 kg of bombs, thanks to extensive modifications to its fuselage. Additionally, it featured a new RAM coating to absorb radar signals.

From the vantage point near the hangar, four B-1 bombers were poised for takeoff, ready to return to Frostwood after completing their bombing run south of Saven, clearing out a cluster of husks and undead. It wasn't merely a display of power but rather a real-world test for the B-1D. The sight was breathtaking from the interior of Lisa's car.

"Four bombers," Bell murmured, recalling the capabilities of a single F-15 in terms of bombing, knowing that this aircraft could carry substantially more in comparison, not to mention its ability to internally carry air-to-air missiles. "I believe I purchased eight of them, correct?"

"Correct," Lisa confirmed.

"So, what's the assault plan?" Bell inquired. "The general plan is to take Saven in two days, utilizing a combined arms assault, by any means necessary."

"First, we'll neutralize the fleet, then the ships, and finally the armor will clean up any remaining resistance," Lisa elaborated.

"Sounds solid," Bell remarked.

"It is."

As the B-1s soared into the night sky with their roaring afterburners, Bell couldn't help but wonder what the upcoming offensive would entail. It promised to be a masterpiece, especially after his forces had nearly been decimated by the Longinus strike. Now, they would finally deliver a taste of their own medicine.