#109 - Chapter 109 Lifting the Gun Ban

Meanwhile, after five hours of emergency deliberation, the council issued a nationwide announcement that sent shockwaves across the country.

The announcement highlighted several key points:

First: The Red Robe Cult was defined as an anti-human cult organization that threatened national security and harmed the interests of the people.

Second: The "Gun Ban" was completely lifted, effective immediately.

Third: Citizens were encouraged to spontaneously form defense forces to strengthen their self-protection capabilities. This meant that the construction of defensive fortifications and the formation of armed teams by the people would be completely legalized.

Fourth: Private organizations with the resources were allowed to research, produce, sell, or lease lethal thermal weapons, including heavy combat equipment.

This was a complete lifting of restrictions on private forces.

At the same time, the Red Robe Cult became thoroughly known to everyone.

The content of the meeting was communicated via satellite phone to all reachable settlements, requiring them to post the announcement publicly and vigorously promote it.

As soon as the announcement was issued, the whole country was in an uproar.

Some cheered, some predicted doom, and opinions varied.

Due to limitations in raw materials, processing technology, and processing equipment, the vast majority of settlements across the country lacked the ability to mass-produce weapons. At most, they could only process some crude guns and cannons with limited lethality using rudimentary methods.

There was also the problem that even if some settlements benefited from their own advantages and possessed such conditions, the weapons and equipment produced could not be sold and could only be used for their own purposes. For example, some settlements were located in large factory areas such as ordnance factories and steel mills. They could gather the materials needed to produce guns through resource exchanges, but this was limited to the settlements involved in the manufacturing process. As for other settlements that had neither geographical advantages nor resources, they had no choice but to complain and predict doom.

After all, in this day and age, money could no longer be used as currency.

Some resourceful settlements came up with a roundabout way to save themselves: developing agriculture or light industry to exchange food or daily necessities for guns and ammunition. However, the quantity they could exchange for was small and the cycle was long. But it was better than nothing.

At this time, the Plum Forest Settlement was a different scene.

Mayor Gong rushed to the Huatong Chamber of Commerce as soon as he heard the news.

"Boss Niu, I have good news for you!" Mayor Gong shouted as he entered the door.

"Mayor Gong, what's making you so happy?" Niu Xingwang asked.

"Good news! Great news!" Mayor Gong was extremely excited.

After the two sat down in the office, Mayor Gong told him about the lifting of the gun ban he had just received.

Niu Xingwang's eyes also lit up.

"Isn't this just perfect?" Mayor Gong said.

"Look, our settlement has guns, currency, and a mercenary guild. We're about to take off!"

"Boss Niu, I wonder if you're interested in expanding your business?"

Before Niu Xingwang could say a word, Mayor Gong rattled off a lot of things.

"Mayor Gong, have you mentioned the antigen matter to anyone else?" Niu Xingwang asked.

Mayor Gong was stunned. What did he mean by that? Why did the topic change so drastically? After a moment of reaction, he sighed and said,

"Hey! Don't mention it. After thinking it over, I haven't mentioned the antigen matter to anyone."

Mayor Gong thought that he was complaining about himself, why he hadn't used this resource for so long. Niu Xingwang was now his and the entire settlement's cash cow, so he certainly couldn't offend him, and could only endure any complaints.

"Oh? Does Mayor Gong have any concerns?" Niu Xingwang asked with a smile.

"Boss Niu, our Plum Forest Settlement is just an ordinary small settlement. If the antigen matter gets out, we don't have the strength to protect it. I hope you can understand. Let's wait until the conditions are more favorable," Mayor Gong said awkwardly.

Niu Xingwang nodded and said nothing.

"But in the matter of the Chamber of Commerce and the Guild, can we do something?" Mayor Gong asked tentatively.

"Mayor Gong, I think it's better for us to just mess around in Plum Forest. The world is too chaotic now. Let's just take care of ourselves," Niu Xingwang replied.

When Mayor Gong heard this, he realized that the tone was wrong. This was such a good opportunity, how could he miss it? So he quickly asked,

"Does Boss Niu have any concerns?"

"Mayor Gong, I think you've misunderstood. I don't have any concerns. It's just that I'm just an ordinary citizen and don't have such big ambitions," Niu Xingwang replied nonchalantly.

Mayor Gong understood that he was preparing to drive a hard bargain. He thought about it for a while and realized that this made sense. You can't expect the horse to run fast and not eat grass. So he said,

"Then how about arranging a position for you?"

"Haha! Mayor Gong, you flatter me too much. How could I do that? I only know how to do business, I don't understand the things in officialdom," Niu Xingwang laughed and refused.

"Hmm? Is he嫌嫌 the position is too low, or is he really not interested?" Mayor Gong pondered for a long time but couldn't figure it out.

"How about this, I'll arrange for you to be the Deputy Commander of the settlement. Do you think that's okay?" Mayor Gong gritted his teeth and said.

"Since Mayor Gong has said so much, I won't hide it from you. I plan to leave Plum Forest," Niu Xingwang sat up, leaned close to Mayor Gong, and said in a low voice.