Ahhh, this is awful.

I was utterly regretful about my cringey, over-the-top remarks from yesterday.

What was that? Sounding like I was some big shot.

Huh. Deep breath. Stay calm.

Regretting it already...

Suddenly deciding to help Alto and all that...

Oh right—should I call him King Altos now?

Honestly, my heart’s totally torn up.

All because I got overheated that day. Ended up laughing like a maniac. So cringey I can’t even face it.

But I said it out loud. Gotta take responsibility. Baha Balm’s already raised its independence flag. If I blurted, “Ah, sorry—all that was nonsense!” now...

Chining would chop me to bits.

I shivered uncontrollably. Huh. Terrifying.

I stood before Windward Fortress’s gates, gazing up at the Baha Balm flag fluttering high—iron shield and flying dragon emblazoned on it. A strange surge of pride filled my chest.

Wait—I’m Baha Balm’s Strategist now.

There wasn’t even a Strategist position before. But Chining insisted it suited me. Said he loved the title.

Then Alto slapped his thigh and made it official. I’m still in a daze about it.

This is an Eastern Bas title. Don’t drag it over here, seriously.

Huh. Well then—as Strategist, I must do my duty.

First things first: stabilize Baha Balm.

I’ve zero experience with domestic affairs. Such a headache.

Baha Balm’s situation is dire.

Food shortages. Empty treasury. Weak military.

I rubbed my temples. This is impossible.

Even a governance expert would faint at this mess.

Worse—winter’s closing in on Baha Balm.

Huh. What is this? A hell-difficulty game?

To plan solutions, I asked Alto about grain and gold reserves.

All of Baha Balm has just 900 tons of grain and 5,000 gold coins.

Alto looked utterly helpless telling me. Baha Balm’s dirt poor.

In this era, fertile fields yield over 300 jin per mu. But up north? Harsh lands give barely 100 jin per mu.

Baha Balm rules a dozen villages. Each has roughly 1,000 people and 1,200 mu of land. Windward Fortress alone holds nearly 6,000 mu of fields and 20,000 souls.

Total population: around 80,000.

Windward’s fields used to yield 300 jin per mu—floods weren’t bad there. But Leahdon’s army trampled everything. Harvests ruined.

Other villages drowned in floods. Yields? Pitiful.

That’s all the grain Baha Balm has.

Two meals a day per person? They’d need 1,400 tons yearly.

No way they’ll eat full.

Yuan Longping was truly great...

What do I do?

Sas—think fast!

My brain raced, scouring every memory corner for knowledge.

This world’s wisdom. Another world’s tricks. I pieced it all together.

A vast web formed in my mind. Details clicked into place.

My thoughts spiraled outward. Every possibility weighed.

In a flash—I had all the puzzle pieces.

I know the answer!

Eh? Why’s the ground swaying?

So dizzy... huh.

My hand went limp. The cane slipped away...

Darkness swallowed my vision. I collapsed before the gates.

My final thought:

I’m amazing! v!