Chapter 492: Schiller's New Venture (1)

Chapter 492: Schiller's New Venture (1)

Inside the Green Lantern Corps headquarters, in the Corps Leader's office, Thaal and Schiller shook hands.

Thaal understood from Hal that a handshake was an Earth custom. By taking this initiative, he indicated his trust in Hal's judgment and believed that Schiller had the capability to help them overcome their current challenges.

Schiller gestured a "please," and Thaal and Hal took their places on either side of the desk, while Schiller sat in front.

Turning his head to Schiller, Hal said, "As I mentioned before, we're facing a dire situation. On one hand, the Green Lantern energy is in short supply, and many subordinate sectors are expressing dissatisfaction. On the other hand, the Space Guardians want to create a Green Lantern Constitutional Guard to limit the Green Lantern Corps."

Hearing that Hal didn't bring up the issue of kickbacks, Thaal cleared his throat and put on a serious expression, saying, "Correct, I heard from Hal that you have experience dealing with such matters..."

Schiller lowered his head and chuckled. He said, "I believe there are many capable individuals within the Green Lantern Corps. I'm not indispensable. It's just that times have changed, and there are very few people available now. My suggestions are just a starting point, and everyone should give it a listen..."

"Alright, no need for formalities." Hal interrupted Schiller's bureaucratic tone and said, "There's no surveillance in this room. We're all in the same boat. What's the plan now?"

Schiller glanced at Hal, implying, "You could have said that earlier."

He dropped the faux smile, revealing a more business-like demeanor. He then took out two documents and handed one to Thaal and the other to Hal.

Thaal squinted as he looked at the large words on the covers of the documents. He said, "Troop expansion plan? What does that mean?"

"It's just what it sounds like." Schiller placed his hands on the desk and said, "Troop expansion means increasing the size of the military."

Thaal looked puzzled by the plan book he was holding. He said, "Increasing the size of the military? But we're already short on energy. If we recruit more people, won't there be even less to go around?"

"And moreover, they're forming a Constitutional Guard because they fear us. Won't proposing troop expansion at this point only provoke them?" Hal also looked at Schiller and asked, "Shouldn't we be aiming for fewer people right now?"

"Correct, but the idea of troop expansion doesn't mean recruiting more personnel. It means expanding the establishment."

Thaal thought for a moment. It was clear that he had experience in this field and had already inferred something. Then he saw Schiller flipping through the materials while saying, "To my knowledge, so far, Space has been divided into 3,600 sectors. According to the rules, each sector should have a Green Lantern, but that's not the case in reality..."

Thaal sighed. He thought Schiller might be addressing Hal's earlier question. Thaal explained, "I think you should understand that the 'one sector, one Green Lantern' system is just a theory. Even if we assign one Green Lantern to each sector or even have ten sectors share one Power Battery, we would still need 360 Power Batteries..."

"Not to mention the cost of manufacturing these Power Batteries. Just the logistics of replenishing energy from headquarters to all those Power Batteries is unmanageable..."

"And if a Green Lantern from one sector falls in combat, and his sector can't immediately select a new Green Lantern, then a Green Lantern from an adjacent sector would have to act as a caretaker."Cheêck out latest novels at novelhall.com

"What about the original sector that Green Lantern was responsible for? If there are over a hundred Green Lanterns unavailable for duty, who will oversee those areas? And if one Green Lantern can't handle certain issues in a sector and needs assistance, what about the maintenance of order in the area covered by the assisting Green Lantern?"

"This method is simply unworkable. Therefore, the Lantern Corps now employs a regional responsibility system. Roughly a hundred sectors are grouped into a larger region, with a permanent team stationed there. And within that, around twenty sectors form a smaller zone, patrolled by partitioned patrol squads..."

Schiller nodded and said, "Correct, this approach is more scientific. Though it remains a bit rudimentary, it can still function. The problem I want to point out is the issue with the Lantern Corps' logistical support system."

"At the very least, on my home planet Earth, logistics are of paramount importance. But..." Schiller hesitated, looked at the materials in his hands, and frowned. "I haven't seen any logistical provisions in the Green Lantern Corps' establishment. What do you do about logistical issues?"

"Logistics? What are you referring to? Administrative work?"

"More than that. Hardware maintenance, intelligence gathering, medical services, exploration and monitoring, and so on. Are none of these accounted for?"

Thaal spread his hands and said, "I know on Earth, militaries might have these roles, and it's the same on my planet. But that's because we're relatively primitive surface-dwellers."

"Actually, the Green Lantern energy is incredibly powerful. Power Batteries don't break and don't deplete. Most of the engineers at headquarters are mostly responsible for maintaining the devices around the Power Batteries."

"Within the Green Lantern ring is a galactic encyclopedia. All Green Lanterns can upload the information they collect here for everyone to access."

"The Green Lantern ring has inherent healing capabilities, allowing us to treat injuries suffered by Green Lanterns anytime, anywhere. It also has scanning functions for biological, geographical, spatial, and environmental elements. There's no need for additional exploration and monitoring."

"A single Green Lantern is like an entire army, and a small team is almost equivalent to the armed forces of an entire civilization..."

To Thaal's surprise, Schiller didn't argue this point. He simply nodded and said, "Yes, but that was before."

Thaal furrowed his brows, and then he heard Schiller say, "I've seen in previous battle reports that we've hardly ever won against the Yellow Lantern Corps?"

"Even including this recent fight in Gotham. I witnessed it myself. When the Yellow Lantern energy swept across the sky, all Green Lanterns fell."

"Forgive my bluntness, but isn't this problem visible to the naked eye? Isn't anyone curious about what's happening behind this? Why haven't we investigated?"

Thaal rubbed his chin and said, "Actually, I've been a bit puzzled myself. I just haven't voiced it. I was afraid of shaking the morale. I don't know why, but we feel fear when encountering Yellow Lantern Energy. That energy dissolves our Green Lantern energy and strips us of all our abilities."

"You see, the Green Lantern ring isn't all-powerful. It hasn't provided an answer to this problem. We need to investigate this ourselves."

Schiller framed the question differently, "Do you think, for the Space Guardians, the threat from the Green Lanterns themselves is more significant, or is the threat from the Yellow Lantern Corps more significant?"

Thaal hesitated for a moment and said, "Of course, it's the Yellow Lanterns. While I don't know why Sinestro betrayed the Corps, he seems to

harbor a deep hatred for the Space Guardians. If the Yellow Lantern Corps were to grow, even if the Space Guardians are formidable, there might be danger."

"So, what's the issue with expanding our troops?"

Thaal paused. He realized Schiller's reasoning. If they justified troop expansion as a response to the threat posed by the Yellow Lantern Corps, it made sense.

Schiller continued, "Furthermore, as I mentioned, we're not expanding combat personnel. We're only expanding the establishment of logistical support personnel."

Schiller took out a pen, tapped the table, looked down at the materials, and then said:

"First, to address the issue of Yellow Lantern Energy countering Green Lantern energy, we need to conduct a comprehensive inspection of the Power Batteries in the 3,600 sectors. On average, each Power Battery requires three engineers and one supervisor. The significance of the central Power Battery goes without saying; it requires an entire engineering department, fully staffed with 300 engineers..."

"Yes, after all, you know how powerful this energy is, and the reputation of the Green Lantern Corps has always been good. Becoming a Green Lantern is seen as a great honor in many civilizations."

"But, joining the Green Lantern Corps is quite difficult, right?"

Thaal nodded again and said, "The use of Green Lantern rings has certain requirements. Even if one excels in other aspects, lacking sufficient willpower renders it ineffective."

Schiller picked up the green crystal from the table again, looked at it, and said, "But using this thing has no requirements..."

Thaal's eyes gradually widened, and he looked at Schiller in shock, saying, "You're not thinking of selling Green Lantern energy, are you?"

"No!" Thaal denied immediately. He said, "That's too dangerous. If certain malicious individuals get hold of this, it could spark interstellar warfare!"

"But what if we don't give it to malicious individuals? They don't have a safety lock, so anyone who gets it can use it. What if it gets resold?"

"True, there's no safety lock now, but that doesn't mean there won't be in the future. You're the leader of a Green Lantern Corps, and you're the future head of the intelligence bureau within the Green Lantern Corps. You wouldn't be unable to acquire the technology for a safety lock, would you?"

Thaal and Hal exchanged a glance, and Hal said, "Enough with the suspense. Tell us about the specific plan."

"In fact, we're doing the same thing as the Space Guardians. Originally, Green Lantern energy was a gift of nature, but they built Power Batteries, crafted rings, extracted the energy, and formed the Green Lantern Corps, using the Green Lanterns for their own purposes."

"For Green Lanterns to use Green Lantern energy, they must wear a ring, recharge at the Power Battery, and abide by the limitations of the safety lock."

"We can do the same. We'll find something, add a safety lock, infuse it with Green Lantern energy, and then sell it to civilizations in space that are interested."

"We can restrict the use of this crystal through the safety lock. Simultaneously, we can sign agreements with them, lending them the crystals temporarily. Once the energy inside is depleted, they must renew the contract to recharge it."

"The payment can be on a monthly or yearly basis. There will be a fixed monthly rental fee, regardless of usage. If payment is not made, the safety lock will engage."

"In addition to the monthly rental, there will be package fees. Each month, a certain amount of Green Lantern energy will be provided within the package. If they want to continue using it after using up the allocated amount, they'll need to pay based on usage or purchase additional packages."

"The package will also include certain benefits, such as security services or teleportation services by the Green Lantern Corps. Of course, if they want more advanced privileges, they'll need to upgrade their package, increase the monthly fee, and achieve the level 120 membership..."

"Most importantly, each crystal will have an independent code, linked to the civilization's credit level within the Green Lantern Corps. If the Green Lantern energy within the crystal gets out of control, their credit level will decrease. Failure to pay or prolonged non-renewal will also lead to a credit decrease."

"Subsequently, we can develop a third-party credit platform in space, including all civilizations that use Green Lantern energy in the Green Lantern credit system. Those on the credit blacklist will lose the protection of interstellar society..."

"The Green Lantern Corps is excellent, but I prefer the Green Lantern industry. It's the time to establish industry standards. Why not?"

Thaal and Hal looked at Schiller together, and they saw that Schiller's expression was no longer that of a playful demeanor. His eyes were full of mockery. They heard Schiller say:

"The Space Guardians control such immense power, yet they've only created a Green Lantern Corps. It has to be said that they still value peace."

Neither Thaal nor Hal detected any hint of praise in Schiller's tone. Thaal was about to speak, but Schiller continued...

"But don't sympathize with them. They don't refrain from doing this out of a true desire to contribute to space. It's simply because they are too greedy. They want both profit and prestige."

"The positive reputation of the Green Lantern Corps is merely a means to an end. They will gradually tighten the noose until the Corps they've created becomes a machine that only follows their orders. The Constitutional Guard is just the first step..."

"And we are here to tell them..." Schiller's smile turned chilling, causing both Thaal and Hal to feel a sh

iver down their spines.

"The cooked duck is ready, and now it's mine."

Before Thaal and Hal could comment on this plan, Schiller placed the crystal on the table with a "slap" and continued, "Of course, this is a long-term plan. It may take hundreds of years to fully realize, but you and my civilization can't wait that long."

"We urgently need a qualitative leap. Researching this thing isn't the best method."

"What do you plan to do then?" Thaal asked.

"Now, this thing is already here. If you were a leader of an interstellar civilization, would you be interested in it?"

On this question, Thaal was very confident. He said, "If you were to bring this thing out, it would indeed cause a war. I'm not joking; there are too many individuals in space coveting Green Lantern energy. No civilization would not want this powerful and convenient force."

"Alright, now we're facing some difficulties in the research of this technology. Of course, the specific difficulties depend on what technology Earth and your civilization need. Would you be willing to invest reasonably in this?"

Hal widened his eyes, looking at Schiller and asked, "Are you talking about deceiving them into investing? That doesn't sound right!"

"What do you mean, deceiving? What do you mean, deceiving?" Schiller retorted loudly, "The physical evidence is already right in front of you, isn't it? We've even completed most of the development independently, only the final steps remain..."

"We've gone against the current in such a challenging environment, striving for innovation. If it weren't for budget constraints, how could we bring out such a precious opportunity to benefit the public?"

Hal kept his mouth shut, as Schiller's tone reminded him of certain less scrupulous industries on Earth. However, Thaal found this line of thinking brilliant. He said:

"Correct, we don't even need to infuse so much energy into it. Just a tiny amount will suffice to let them experience it. Once they realize this technology exists, they'll find ways to obtain it..."

"And with the backing of the Green Lantern Corps, they definitely won't dare to snatch it openly." Schiller chuckled, looking at Hal and saying:

"This is when our powerful Ion comes into play again."

[Another extra long chapter... But it's fun!]

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