Chapter 708 Summary Report

Chapter 708 Summary Report

December 15, 5 AE (After Empire)

It has now been five years since the formation of the empire, and it has finally entered a phase of stability. No major obstacles threaten the empire, aside from the inevitable minor issues that arise. However, even these small problems are kept to a minimum and are swiftly addressed whenever they occur.

With all citizens now relocated to fortress cities, satellite cities, nearby villages, and even the rebuilt former cities upgraded to fortress city standards, the empire could confidently claim it had completely eradicated homelessness.

Due to the large number of newly built cities combined with the refurbished older cities, the empire was experiencing an overflow of unoccupied houses under its administration. In a fully capitalistic system, this surplus would have led to a significant drop in property values, as supply far exceeded demand. U//ppTodated fr/o/m nô/v/e/lb(i)n.c(o)\/m

However, the empire was not a fully capitalistic or free-market society. While the free market was allowed to operate in areas like business, the government maintained strict control over sectors deemed essential for survival, as outlined in the constitution. This approach ensured that necessities such as housing, healthcare, and food were accessible to all citizens, preventing the exploitation of basic needs by market forces.

As a result, the millions of still-empty houses were not subject to devaluation. Instead, the empire set their prices based on factors such as size and location, but these prices remained stable, only adjusted for inflation. This ensured that even future generations wouldn’t have to worry about the cost of owning a home, providing long-term housing security for all citizens, including children born generations later.

Although the prices were regularly adjusted for inflation, more than four years had passed since the Fortress City project began, and none of the houses had seen any price increases. This was due to the empire’s meticulous efforts to prevent both inflation and deflation.

The Trade Commission kept a close watch on Demeter Agriculture, ready to act if the company attempted to undermine competition or engage in anticompetitive practices. Unless the emperor directly intervened, the commission had the authority to address any violations and ensure fair market conditions.

The same principle applied to all of his companies. Fortunately, the emperor didn't need to resort to underhanded tactics, as he was always several steps ahead of any potential competitors in each industry.

“At some level, money now is really just like agreeing to accept children's currencies,” Aron remarked as he reviewed the yearly report for his companies, noting the staggering profits they were generating.

Despite spending hundreds of billions on the House of Hope and the Coeus Foundation, it seemed like a mere drop compared to his earnings.

{True, it is almost valueless since you can have everything you want without it anyway}, Nova agreed. At this point, anything he desired required something beyond money—System Points (SP).

“But that is only in the eyes of someone in my position; for everyone else, it’s everything,” Aron said, reflecting on his past. He remembered his time as a student, about a decade ago, when he was on the brink of graduation with a massive student debt hanging over him.

{However, that might change depending on how our faceoff with them unfolds,} Nova said, hinting at the upcoming event. She was referring to the approaching body now in its final phase of deceleration, soon to come to a complete stop.

“Let’s hope it’s something beneficial for us and not just a stone cast into a now calm lake,” Aron said. While he was excited about the prospect of something unexpected, he hoped it wouldn’t disrupt the peace and stability his citizens had come to enjoy. Their expectations and hopes were different from his own, and he wanted to ensure their well-being was maintained.