Chapter 40: Meteor City Renovation Plan

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In the world of capital, there is a well-known saying:

"If your strength cannot protect your wealth, then you are nothing more than a lamb to the slaughter!"

Here, strength encompasses both authority and force.

In the world before Kai transmigrated, most major conglomerates rose to power through influence and control.

Take, for instance, the corporate giants of the United States.

They often manipulated presidential candidates behind the scenes by offering financial backing.

Even though the U.S. separation of powers system prevents any one entity from becoming a true dictator, it's undeniable that these colossal financial groups wield the power to influence presidential will.

In fact, there are times when the president himself must proactively seek their support.

Money can't solve every problem in this world—

But it sure as hell can solve 99% of them!

Yet, Kai prefers another path. Rather than wielding power from behind the scenes, he would rather use force to secure his position.

"All thanks to the strange rules of this world," he thought.

Perhaps due to the existence of Nen users, this world exercises shockingly little control over low to mid-tier firearms.

Any gang with a bit of influence can easily get their hands on serious weaponry.

Maybe the authorities believe that as long as there are enough powerful Nen users, any kind of unrest can be forcefully suppressed.

Machine guns? Mortars? Those are nothing but toys in comparison.

In a real battle, even armed soldiers might never spot their targets—let alone engage them effectively.

Of course, weapons on the level of the "Poor Man's Rose" are an exception.

Its status is equivalent to that of a nuclear weapon in the real world. The technology behind it is highly restricted and tightly controlled.

As far as anyone can tell, only V5 holds the capacity to manufacture such devastating arms.

With the Dawnlight Group halting its outward expansion, its threat level has dropped drastically.

On one hand, Kai has worked tirelessly to whitewash the group's criminal past and infiltrate legitimate sectors.

On the other hand, he began the massive transformation of Meteor Street.

His goal is singular: to cultivate a loyal and powerful Nen army.

As previously mentioned, through clever use of "Oaths and Restrictions," even a low-talent Nen user can unleash terrifying power—at the cost of their own lives.

The sacrifice is enormous, but from a strategic standpoint, entirely worthwhile.

Of course, there's a prerequisite for this method to work: absolute loyalty.

So loyal that they're willing to die for the cause without hesitation!

Meteor Street has always been a place that breeds the strong.

Only in that brutal survival-of-the-fittest environment could talents like Chrollo, Uvogin, and Feitan emerge.

But that's not what Kai wants.

"In hell mode… only demons are born."

Just look at the personalities of the Phantom Troupe in the original work.

Meteor Street's cruel environment breeds power, yes—but it also breeds cruelty, lawlessness, and selfishness.

You could list a hundred advantages of that environment—

But loyalty would never be one of them.

"I don't need a few top-level monsters. I need a top-level army."

With that conviction in mind, Meteor Street began a transformation unprecedented in its thousand-year history.

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"Boss, why not just relocate everyone?" asked Aruba, perplexed.

"Building a city for ten million people in the middle of the desert... it's madness."

Constructing a new city outside the wastelands would be infinitely easier and cheaper.

Now, they had to search for underground water, build sand-blocking structures, and develop wind control systems.

And worst of all—

They had to clean up thousands of years' worth of garbage, piled into literal mountains.

For ordinary people, cleanup is deadly.

Toxic gas, radiation, sudden collapses—one mistake and you're dead.

The laborers brought in from outside aren't stupid.

After just a few fatal incidents, they refuse to work anymore.

As for the Nen users of the Dawnlight Group, there are less than 500 in total.

And fewer than fifty are willing to clean trash for days on end.

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"Take it slow," Kai replied with a sigh.

He understood Aruba's concerns perfectly.

Meteor Street's land had long been ruined—by heat, toxins, and its own brutal history.

Rehabilitating it wasn't something you could do overnight.

But the biggest obstacle wasn't infrastructure—it was the people.

Polls revealed that Meteor Street's residents are unwilling to leave.

They knew the outside world was safer, wealthier, and cleaner—but they still refused.

No amount of persuasion could change their minds.

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Several months passed.

With the Dawnlight Group's unlimited investment, Meteor Street underwent a miraculous rebirth.

Once a slum, it was now a shining gem in the desert.

Hospitals. Schools. Shopping centers. Restaurants.

Everything the outside world had—Meteor Street now had too.

Kai even launched a daring new initiative: "Disaster Tourism."

It had two goals.

First, to increase local income—Meteor City couldn't rely on the Dawnlight Group forever.

Self-reliance was a virtue ingrained in Meteor city's soul. It must not—and cannot—be lost.

Second, to rebrand Meteor city in the eyes of the world.

Because in the near future, this place and its people would step onto the world stage.

And while reputation may be intangible, no one can deny—

it matters immensely.

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