Who Says My Commander is Foolish? He's Clearly Brilliant!

Based on the intelligence relayed by Chen Dafeng, it was revealed that the commander of Guangling didn't unveil the true power of the "Heart of Technology" until the second month—shortly after the commander system was established—giving rise to a vast technological base that spanned a large area. From that point onward, relying on the base's production capabilities and military strength, the commander quickly gathered a group of core followers. He used his position to extend his influence, rapidly uniting the city with ease.

However, after unifying Guangling, the commander did not continue with the disaster relief and civilian welfare as his superiors had emphasized. Instead, he introduced a slew of strict internal management policies, exploiting a high-pressure system to seize and loot resources, upgrading materials, and even destroying civilian shelters to earn survival points—actions that provoked widespread resentment among the population.

This led to the emergence of a resistance movement, though at first, it wasn't a major threat. The real trouble began when the Guangling commander grew dissatisfied with simply exploiting the city's survivors. He began expanding outward, forcibly bringing in outsiders, which not only increased the pressure on the city's management but also fueled new conflicts.

Under an ever-tightening atmosphere of oppression, the resistance began to gain momentum, evolving into a substantial underground force. Each month, they waged battles against the commander. Yet, the commander seemed unfazed, showing no desire to eliminate the underground resistance. Instead, he continued to hoard materials and kidnap more people.

Though he never quelled the internal resistance, the commander still focused on strengthening his grip on power. By enforcing dehumanizing policies and distributing lavish benefits, he won over many powerful individuals, both within and outside the city, using sheer force to suppress the growing resistance.

Hearing all this, Mike frowned. The pattern was becoming clearer.

"This guy is an idiot," he muttered.

After Chen Dafeng finished reporting the intelligence, he kicked a nearby headless corpse in disdain, "Compared to my commander, this guy's a joke! I just can't figure out his reasoning. How did he turn a golden opportunity into a breeding ground for infighting?"

Sitting on top of such an advanced technological base and surrounded by so many powerful followers, yet he couldn't manage his city's internal problems?

As Chen Dafeng kicked the body, the people huddled in the room nervously looked away, not daring to breathe too loudly. The woman who had been screaming at the commander's corpse earlier now sat silently, her head lowered, clutching her swollen cheek and the blood-stained teeth that had fallen out.

"He's not stupid," Mike said, shaking his head.

Chen Dafeng paused, then quickly added, "Not stupid? Then he's greedy. He's robbing the people and making their lives miserable, which is why everyone's turning against him."

"But have you considered why he's so greedy? Why are his methods so crude?" Mike raised an eyebrow, his voice quiet but thoughtful. "In Jinling, we also have governance issues. Some of the disaster relief staff with a little power can be greedy, lazy, or arrogant toward the survivors. But even they are cautious—afraid of getting caught."

"Why, then, would the commander of Guangling act so recklessly? Even if he doesn't fear the higher-ups or the people, doesn't he fear the instability of his own position?"

"He could've been much smarter about it," Mike continued, "there are many ways to profit without inciting widespread anger, yet he chose the most self-destructive path."

Chen Dafeng was still stunned. "So greed has all these nuances?"

Mike ignored him, thinking deeply. "According to the Heart of Technology upgrade data, his shelter is only level two."

Chen Dafeng looked confused. "Isn't he hoarding all these resources? How could his shelter still be so low?"

"It's not because his upgrade is hard; it's because he's distributing the benefits," Mike mused, squinting. "He's sending resources out."

"Sending resources?" Chen Dafeng was baffled. "To whom? If he's a commander, who's still taking resources from him?"

"Isn't it obvious? The resources aren't going to his own shelter. They're going elsewhere."

This didn't make sense to Chen Dafeng at first. After all, he had always believed that a commander would use resources to grow their own power. That was the rule of survival in this world, wasn't it?

But Mike's analysis made him rethink everything. If the commander of Guangling wasn't using resources for his own benefit, then who was he really working for?

"And this is where things get more complicated," Mike murmured. "There's a bigger player behind him. Someone who's using him as a pawn, someone whose strategy goes far beyond just one city."

As the pieces of the puzzle slowly fell into place, Mike became more and more certain: the commander of Guangling was not the architect of his own actions. There was someone behind the scenes, pulling the strings.

"The behind-the-scenes player is pulling the strings on a much larger scale," Mike continued. "They want not just strategic breakthroughs but to set a foothold in Jiangnan—draining the region of its survivors."

Looking up at Chen Dafeng, Mike suddenly spoke with purpose, "Big Brother, you mentioned that Guangling's commander didn't fully implement the commander system until after it was officially announced. Is that right?"

Chen Dafeng nodded confidently. "That's what they all said, and I can guarantee it's true. I even verified it with a lie detector."

Mike's eyes narrowed. "That makes sense. The commander system was introduced at the end of the first month, and Guangling's technological base appeared in the second month. This technology… it didn't originate from Guangling. It was given to him by someone else."

Chen Dafeng was taken aback. "You mean... the technology wasn't even his? But he's been claiming credit for it all along!"

Mike's analysis was unerring, piecing together every contradiction and flaw in the commander's actions. "Before obtaining the Heart of Technology, the commander's original talent likely had something to do with shelter reinforcement. His ability to enhance others' shelters made him an important figure early on, but it's clear now that he didn't come up with the idea of the technological base on his own."

Mike's suspicions were verified when Chen Dafeng later confirmed from survivors that the commander's previous talent had been related to shelter enhancements, not technology.

"We need to figure out who's pulling the strings," Mike muttered. "Who's behind him? And how are they controlling him?"

His mind raced with possibilities, the situation growing more dangerous by the moment. Every piece of the puzzle was slowly falling into place, and it was starting to become clear: Guangling wasn't just a failed city. It was part of a much larger scheme.