Strategic Decisions

The next day, a large sum of money was transferred—not a deposit, but the full payment for the 75 aircraft. Krishna had made his intentions clear from the start. The Airbus team could not help but feel a mix of surprise and admiration. This was no ordinary customer. The magnitude of the transaction—coupled with the $3 million added to each aircraft for priority delivery—was something they'd rarely seen before. But for Krishna, this was just the beginning. The aircraft purchase was part of a larger plan.

Airbus was pleased, of course, but they had no idea that Krishna wasn't merely looking to develop a fleet of planes. He had bigger plans in mind, plans that involved securing the future of Vijayanagara as a powerful empire.

While the deal with Airbus had set the wheels of aviation in motion, Krishna was already thinking ahead. The $5.145 billion spent on the aircraft was only a small portion of his strategy. He had another $320 million to spare, which he swiftly used to buy a 5-building park complex—a series of 20-story buildings located at a prime spot in Vijayanagara's capital. Within five days, Krishna had already spent $5.465 billion. The transactions had been quick, but they were essential in his long-term plans.

Sitting in his lavish office, Krishna checked his system interface and saw the new balance of 5.465 billion points. With so many points in his possession, he decided it was time to act.

He headed out to the royal mall, a massive complex where he could access all manner of resources available through the system. Krishna had already made his mind up—oil was the resource he needed to secure. The 50 oil field cards were a necessity, and his immediate purchase of the Magic Pesticide Formula was part of his broader plan to increase agricultural productivity. The oil fields could generate up to 1-10 billion tons of oil per field, but the reason he bought 50 cards was clear: there was a time limit.

He didn't buy the F-35 stealth fighters, though. That could cause too much attention, especially from the world's superpowers. The Vijayanagara economy was still in its early stages of development. Engaging in military expansion was not the right course.

Krishna understood the risks. Military might was not enough to secure invincibility. Venezuela had the largest oil reserves in the world but was still subjected to international sanctions. It was a perfect example of why economic power was far more important than military power. In fact, he knew that developing a strong economy would shield the royal family from crises. A well-nurtured economy would allow the empire to thrive, but military escalation could lead to international isolation.

Though Vijayanagara had nuclear weapons, equivalent to those of India and Pakistan, it was not as formidable as the Western powers or Russia. Moreover, the empire only shared a land border with India to the north. Its maritime borders were closer to Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and the Maldives. Despite their proximity, the two nations—Vijayanagara and India—had a long-standing relationship of freedom of movement for their citizens. Both were Hindu-majority countries, and they supported each other politically and economically.

However, Krishna was aware of the importance of balancing growth with stability. Oil would give Vijayanagara a massive advantage, but too much attention too soon could invite unwanted conflicts.

He now had 466 million points remaining.

After purchasing the 50 oil field cards, genetic pesticide formulas, and other items, Krishna began to prepare his next move. Standing in front of the system warehouse, he was about to make an unprecedented decision.

A prompt from the system appeared before him:

"Take an oilfield resource card. Do you want to use it immediately?"

Without hesitation, Krishna selected "Yes."

Immediately, a virtual map of the Vijayanagara Empire appeared in front of him, displayed in 3D with realistic mountains, rivers, and seas. He marveled at the sight. The natural beauty of his empire was overwhelming, especially when viewed through this enhanced, interactive map.

After a few moments of reflection, Krishna chose a location for his first oil field. It was 11 nautical miles off the coast of Chennai, located in shallow waters. The location was ideal—not only because it was close to the Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean, but also because it would make drilling for oil much easier.

As soon as he made his selection, the system activated:

"Location confirmed. Opening… Congratulations to the host for obtaining 3.39 billion tons of oil fields. Resources are being refreshed. Countdown: 23 hours and 59 minutes…"

Krishna blinked in mild disappointment. The number was less than he had hoped for. But he remained calm. The process was far from over.

He selected the same area again, hoping for a better yield.

"Location confirmed. Opening… Congratulations to the host for obtaining 2.67 billion tons of oil fields. Resources are being refreshed. Countdown: 23 hours and 59 minutes…"

This time, the number was even lower. Krishna looked at the system display with mild frustration.

Two cards had yielded a total of 6 billion tons of oil—not a bad result, but certainly not as much as he had hoped for. He had 48 oil field cards left, and he intended to use them sparingly.

Krishna's reasoning was simple: he did not want to expose his empire's newly-acquired resources too soon. The strategic value of oil was immense, and he knew that without the proper defenses, such resources would only invite international interest. He was not ready to deal with the consequences of having such valuable assets exposed.

Despite this, Krishna was satisfied. 6 billion tons of oil was a powerful asset, and now he would focus on building the economy, reinforcing the strength of the Vijayanagara Empire before anyone could take notice.

The next day, Krishna visited the building complex he had purchased earlier. It was a large, modern space—an area that would eventually house offices, residential buildings, and facilities for the growing population of the empire. His mind was already turning toward how to transform the area into a hub of innovation and culture.

The foundation had been laid. Now, the real work began.

To be continued…