Frontline operatives and local magnates had conflicting interests, making Jiang Ye doubt the reliability of assigning them to conduct investigations.
It was possible that even spitting on the ground would be portrayed as a heinous act of brutality.
Since the academy was constantly graduating new recruits, and new recruits needed to be tempered on the battlefield, it would be better to assign a separate group of people to conduct the investigations.
Different batches of operative organizations could also foster competition and mutual checks and balances among themselves.
"Besides the pressure from local magnates, our biggest challenge is our competitors," Yan Huan said.
Jiang Ye chuckled, "I read in the report that smuggling companies in the Gante region have sprung up like mushrooms, stealing your business?"
"Yes, too many," Yan Huan said with an embarrassed expression. "Of the smuggling companies I initially established, sixteen have appeared in the vicinity, of varying sizes."
Jia Tianrui nodded, "In the region I'm responsible for, the number of competitors is five times ours."
Dubois smiled, "In the region I'm responsible for, the number of competitors is seven times ours, and a brutal price war has already begun."
Jiang Ye was stunned.
This was truly unprecedentedly fierce.
The proliferation of smuggling companies indicated the peculiar situation in the Gante region.
"Competitors are difficult to manage, aren't they?" Jiang Ye said casually. "Those who open smuggling companies are also locals. You hold official positions and cannot resort to bombing or intimidation; you can only compete fairly. From my perspective, more smuggling companies mean these regions will be hollowed out faster."
"You are correct, but companies can be legitimate or illegitimate," Yan Huan said with a fawning smile. "Our smuggling companies offer fair prices and guarantee safe passage across the border. However, the local companies that have sprung up arbitrarily often extort passengers halfway, and when they encounter Gante soldiers on patrol, they shoot and kill a large number of people. Some also get lost and die."
Jiang Ye nodded, "You are more professional and reliable, and I hope you will primarily be responsible for these matters."
The three operative leaders nodded and smiled obsequiously, looking at Jiang Ye with flattery.
"So, I hope Jiang Ye Army can give us an identity," Yan Huan said. "Acknowledge that we are supported by the Jiang Ye Army."
"The sole designated smuggling company of the Jiang Ye Army?" Jiang Ye laughed. "That doesn't seem quite appropriate."
"Other more euphemistic ways would also work..." Jia Tianrui said nervously. "As long as we have military support, we will definitely win the competition and attract most of the stowaways to us."
"Easily done, just issue identity cards," Jiang Ye said casually.
The three operatives reacted for a moment, then their faces lit up with joy, and they nodded gratefully.
"You mean..." Yan Huan said, overjoyed. "Local stowaways who come to our smuggling companies can directly get identity cards for Wheeler Star?"
"Issuing identity cards directly is definitely not feasible," Jiang Ye said.
The smiles of the three operatives froze, and they became nervous and uneasy, cautiously asking what their superior meant.
"Issuing identity cards requires reviewing documents, confirming information, and assigning household registration, which is very troublesome. You are behind enemy lines and lack the manpower and conditions to issue formal identity cards," Jiang Ye explained. "However, you can issue temporary ones, obscuring personal information, so that stowaways can quickly connect with the local authorities after arriving in the rear and obtain formal identities faster."
The three operatives beamed again.
It was foreseeable that as long as they had such an identification document recognized throughout Wheeler Star, stowaways would trust them even more.
"Refugee certificates?" Yan Huan asked. "Asylum certificates?"
"Both of those names are not good; stowaways will feel inferior when they receive them," Jiang Ye shook his head. "Let's call them Wheeler Star Temporary Identity Cards. Doesn't that sound like they've already integrated into Wheeler Star?"
The three operatives repeatedly nodded in agreement, extremely excited.
"Each certificate should have a name, fingerprints, iris recognition, and anti-counterfeit marks. Certificates for immediate family members should have interlinked information, such as if you get a child's certificate and scan it on the recognition machine, you can know the parents' certificate numbers," Jiang Ye elaborated. "The certificate information should be networked with Wheeler Star's database. Let the stowaways memorize their certificate numbers. Even if the certificate is lost, they can get a replacement by stating their number and confirming their identity in the rear. When issuing the cards, explain this to the stowaways, and they will feel like they have become citizens of Wheeler Star."
"Does Wheeler Star already have a central database?" Yan Huan asked in surprise.
"It was built long ago. The major warlord factions in the rear are all busy registering citizens. The more citizens registered, the greater the warlords' influence," Jiang Ye chuckled. "I have already prepared the machines for issuing identity cards for you. Some mechanical soldiers have been assigned to operate the machines. You should return as soon as possible to find suitable hidden locations. The machines will be transported to the border within 12 hours."
"Thank you, Commander!" the three operatives exclaimed in unison, their voices filled with excitement. "We guarantee to complete the mission!"
Jiang Ye was startled.
100% synchronization, why don't you go pilot mechs?
...
After sending off the three operatives,
Jiang Ye did not rest and rushed to the conference room without delay.
As he pushed the door open, a group of people immediately stood up. They were all members of the think tank, of various heights, builds, genders, ages, and ethnicities. Jiang Ye nodded, and the think tank members all sat down again.
"Let's discuss," Jiang Ye said. "The five planets that Zhang Qiongshi plans to open for settlement are Muyun Star, Coleridge Star, Zhuangpu Star, Daiyong Star, and Pingdao Star. Which one should we choose?"
"Pingdao Star," Che Zhen said. "Its advantages are very obvious."
"Why do you say that?" Jiang Ye asked.
"The drawbacks of the other planets are too significant," Che Zhen said, handing over an analysis sheet. "Muyun Star requires a large amount of funds and time for environmental modification. Coleridge Star has residual relics from large-scale ancient battlefields. Zhuangpu Star is extremely lacking in resources. The star next to Daiyong Star is unstable and prone to helium flashes at any time. Only Pingdao Star is thriving, with a stable environment, and 80% of its area is suitable for human habitation."
"Coleridge Star... residual relics from ancient battlefields?" Jiang Ye noticed a peculiar reason. "Can't we improve our technological level by excavating the relics from the ancient battlefields?"
"We don't know what kind of campaign left them behind; the pollution is very strong, and much of it our technology cannot handle. There are also many unknown weapons and spacecraft wreckage left behind, all of which are potential hazards," Che Zhen explained. "There is information that Coleridge Star is not a naturally formed planet but an artificial star from five hundred million years ago, and the planet itself is a weapon."
Jiang Ye was slightly shaken.
An entire planet as a weapon reminded him of ancient artificial mountains, modified into military fortresses to withstand the armored torrent of tanks.
Things from five hundred million years ago, logically, should have turned to dust if there were any relics, yet they still existed.
Jiang Ye felt that Coleridge Star was like an ominous ancient tomb, and who knew what was buried within. It was indeed a place to be avoided.