novelonline Chapter 2288
Chapter 2288
Chapter 2288
Seemingly endless derivatives surged towards the Asgardian warriors like a tidal wave.
This scene nearly gave Vostagg a heart attack.
Holy crap, this is going to be terrible!
When Thor returned before, he brought back detailed information about the War at the Center of the Earth... Don't really think of Thor as a fool. He's just a bit clueless about many things, not that he has an intelligence problem, especially in combat. This guy seems to be born to be with war, and he has an extraordinary talent for war.
The intelligence he brought back was extremely detailed.
The part about Gel is particularly impressive.
Therefore, Volstagg was very aware of the strength of those derivatives, and ordinary Asgardian warriors who were not prepared... were just waiting to be slaughtered!
It wasn't that the Asgardian warriors were too weak, but rather that those derivative beings were too unreasonable.
Unless given special instructions before the battle, Asgardian warriors still habitually use melee weapons in combat.
The weapons produced by these dwarves are extremely strong and incredibly sharp. Dwarven weapons are enchanted during the forging process. Therefore, you can think of Asgardian warriors' weapons as power weapons similar to those of the Warhammer 40K. Although they appear to be melee weapons, their power is immense; even a steel pillar as thick as a person cannot withstand their blows.
The problem is that the derivative is not afraid of being chopped. If you cut it in two, it can immediately regenerate. If all else fails, it can split into two individuals.
If it weren't for the fact that the derivatives are afraid of sound waves and fire, this thing would be a nightmare on the battlefield.
The Asgardian warriors had already suffered heavy losses. If the mages of Kamar-Taj hadn't seen the situation was dire and immediately come to their aid, the Asgardians might have been wiped out as soon as the war began.
After that, they were no longer involved.
At this moment, because the alarm about the Rainbow Bridge being invaded suddenly went off, the Asgardian garrison rushed over without ever expecting to encounter Gale. Therefore, with so many derivative forms, Asgard's losses this time are far greater than imagined.
Of course, this is only one aspect. After all, this is Asgard, and once Asgard knows who the enemy is, they have plenty of ways to counter them. Even if they suffer losses at the beginning, they can quickly recover.
What really made Vostagg uneasy was...
What will happen to Sif if this happens?
She will become a complete traitor, with no room for maneuver!
Do you know why people didn't react much to Loki's carefree escape?
On the one hand, it's because Odin and Frigga really love their youngest son, and everyone is happy to give them face.
On the other hand, it's also because no matter how many bad things Loki did, there was one thing he did very well: he never caused any casualties to Asgard!
That's right.
Loki did many things that seemed outrageous.
But actually, the people of Asgard didn't really change their opinion of him much... they didn't like him that much to begin with.
However, it wasn't to the point where they absolutely had to kill him.
After all, most Asgardians don't really care how many people Loki killed with his messes... since it wasn't Asgardians who died.
Furthermore, the extermination operation targeting Jotunheim... well, that's even more laughable.
To be honest, many people in Asgard cheered Loki's secret plan to destroy Jotunheim.
Ordinary people don't really care about politics.
In a healthy society, politics should serve the economy and people's livelihoods, not the other way around, making everyone revolve around politics. When the impact of politics on ordinary people's lives is minimized, society can achieve deeper levels of prosperity. This is not advocating complete political apathy, but rather emphasizing that high-quality political operation can liberate people from the trivialities and uncertainties of daily politics. When a country's governance system is efficient, fair, and transparent enough, and power is effectively checked, politics will return to its essence—providing a stable foundation and fair rules for society. If a country's public's attention to politics far exceeds general expectations, even reaching an "excessive" level, it is not a good thing for the country!
Imagine if studying and promoting the political theories of leaders became a widespread social phenomenon, even permeating the daily lives and studies of ordinary people…
If political education is a compulsory subject from elementary school to university, encompassing extensive education on political theories, policies, and the ideologies of leaders, students are taught from a young age to understand and master these theories and regard them as guiding principles. If official media engages in continuous and in-depth political propaganda, a large portion of the news and commentary encountered by ordinary people in their daily lives will be related to this, making political theory an unavoidable topic. In this scenario, people will largely view political theory as a guide to action, rather than merely an ideological reference. Every update to a theory and every deepening of its interpretation is likely to attract widespread attention and discussion from all sectors of society.
The alarming thing is that this excessive focus on politics will inevitably stifle social innovation. When businesspeople devote enormous energy to "studying" politics to ensure business security, rather than studying markets and technology, businesses lose their vitality. When the public spends more time understanding and adapting to the political context, rather than freely expressing and creating, social innovation and cultural diversity will also suffer. Even more seriously, the cornerstone of faith in a society governed by the rule of law will be eroded! And the rule of law is the only guarantee for the vigorous development of a market economy! Because, for businesspeople, the most important thing is a stable business environment and a predictable future. If policies change frequently, economic activity is fraught with uncertainty. True rule of law can provide this stability, allowing entrepreneurs to fully devote their energy to innovation and production, rather than being busy studying political trends and speculating on the potential impact of power shifts and policy changes. When the success or failure of business depends on market forces and their own efforts, rather than political relationships, all industries can truly flourish. For ordinary people, the law is the highest principle. They don't need to spend their time trying to decipher the ruler's personal will or political ideology to avoid risks. This allows them to dedicate more time and energy to production, learning, scientific research, and artistic creation, leading to more efficient allocation of social resources and thus promoting overall progress. Public disinterest in politics can, to some extent, be seen as a sign of a country's maturity, moving from "rule of man" to "rule of law." Politics is confined within the framework of the constitution and laws. Regardless of who comes to power, politicians must adhere to established legal procedures and principles. In this context, politics becomes more like a technical form of public administration than a performance of individual will regarding power. The public can trust the state's system and focus on their own careers and lives because they know that regardless of who is in power, basic social order and rights will not be fundamentally shaken.
That's how the Asgardians were.
They didn't really understand why those in the upper echelons were unwilling to completely destroy the Frost Giants.
After all, the frost giants have been Asgard's enemies since ancient times.
Even today, these barbarians still occasionally cause trouble for the Asgardians.
To put it simply, there isn't a single family in Asgard that isn't at odds with the Frost Giants. Therefore, a large portion of Asgardians would actually be happy to see Jotunheim destroyed. As for the fact that Asgard's natural defenses would be weakened after Jotunheim's destruction… they don't think that far ahead.
Just like ordinary people on Earth, everyone is ultimately more concerned about what's in front of them.
The most typical example is those Western countries with high welfare systems. When the national economy is good, there are naturally no problems, and everyone has a bright future.
Once the national economy encounters problems.
That would inevitably lead to financial problems.
In this situation, cutting welfare is actually the best way to reduce government spending. But almost no high-welfare country has been able to pull off such a move.
Because giving out welfare is easy, but taking it back can cost lives.
The most typical example is Argentina.
There's a 20-year curse in Argentine politics: the left pushes welfare, crippling the economy → the right employs shock therapy → the public, unable to bear it any longer, elects the left again. In 1991, Menem used the magic trick of "1 peso = 1 dollar" to quell hyperinflation, at the cost of personally emasculating the nation's monetary sovereignty. When the debt crisis erupted in 2001, university professors and janitors lined up at ATMs, cursing neoliberalism side by side.
Nobel laureate economist Kuznets once said: "There are four types of countries in the world: developed countries, developing countries, Japan, and Argentina."
Japan transformed itself from a closed country into one of the world's strongest economies in a short period of time by replicating Western society and adding its own unique culture. Argentina's strange development process, however, is like someone who grows up quickly only to revert to being a child again.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the wealthiest and most powerful nations were Western European countries, the United States, and Argentina. Even the most astute investor knew that the Argentine market was the best investment target. People back then, much like we today are fond of predicting the future, speculated that the world's future would be in the hands of the United States and Argentina. But a century later, all those predictions have failed. Argentina today is merely a mediocre country, or even worse. Looking at the living conditions of Argentinians, in 2019, over 35% of the population lived in poverty. In 2020, the impact of the pandemic pushed 40% of Argentinians into poverty, and the unemployment rate reached 20%. If inflation is added, Argentina's situation is even more dire.
Although compared to other countries' economic data, Argentina can barely be considered a middle-income country, its high unemployment rate, huge wealth gap, hyperinflation, sharp currency devaluation, and impending debt crisis all make the country's economy appear riddled with flaws.
In the first half of the 20th century, two world wars broke out, altering the course of the world. Argentina seemed to have escaped major impact, and Buenos Aires remained the most elegant capital in South America. At that time, Argentinians owned more cars per capita than France, more telephones per capita than Japan, and a well-developed subway system crisscrossed the capital. The wealthy would buy the latest Parisian fashions every season.
In 1946, Perón became President of Argentina. His most famous stance was opposition to capitalism and communism, advocating a "third way" that aligned with the working class. When Perón took office, Argentina was facing a critical juncture in its economic transformation. He vigorously promoted industrialization, but placed key industries and public infrastructure under government control and adopted protectionist trade policies, strictly restricting imports from other countries and focusing on supporting domestic industries. This approach was not uncommon and could even have boosted domestic industry. However, comparing Argentina's protectionism at this time with that of South Korea reveals serious problems. South Korea had promoted protectionism in the 20th century with the goal of developing its domestic industries to compete with global powers. Argentina, however, was different. Its protectionism was accompanied by diplomatic isolationism. Argentina not only prevented its domestic companies from expanding overseas but also attempted to withdraw from the global economic system. The consequences were predictable. While some domestic industries, such as refrigerators and telephones, initially developed as a result, these companies operated inefficiently under state protection and were unable to compete with other global manufacturers. Besides protectionism, Perón also introduced unprecedented social welfare policies, which have been criticized by many scholars as populism. During his first term, nearly 50 houses were built, mostly for low-income families. He also heavily invested in schools, hospitals, and other public facilities, and significantly increased workers' wages. While Perón's initial intentions were good, in the context of economic downturn, such measures further strained the national treasury. Whether Perón was a hero who saved the poor or a villain who brought ruin to the country remains to be seen. Perón left Argentina with the political path of Peronism. Since then, Argentina has oscillated between Peronism and liberalism.
Perón gravitated towards the working class, introducing numerous welfare measures, but Argentina's fiscal revenue at the time simply couldn't support such massive expenditures. Later, populist leaders in Argentina, in an attempt to offset the deficit, resorted to massive foreign borrowing and even printing money. When the economy collapsed and a new president came to power, spending cuts sparked public discontent, and Perónism would resurface, creating a recurring cycle that slowed the country's development.
And then, it's a cycle like this.
Increased welfare leads to financial difficulties, so debt is borrowed. Then the finances collapse, so the new government wants to cut welfare to make up for the financial hole. However, the public is dissatisfied, so politicians promise high welfare again, so they are elected, and then the unsustainable finances collapse. So the next government wants to cut welfare again, and then the public is dissatisfied again.
Does the public really not know that cutting welfare is the best way to save government finances?
know.
Knowing something is one thing, caring about it is another!
It's hard to part with charitable donations!
Of course, more than anything, people care about the present, rather than the uncertainty of the future!
Therefore, the Asgardians didn't really hate Loki, after all, he destroyed Jotunheim. Of course, the key point is that he didn't actually kill the Asgardians.
Of course, the Asgardians didn't like him much either.
But if Sif killed so many Asgardians with Gol... then she's a completely different person from Loki!
The Asgardians will never forgive Sif, and she will completely side with Asgard! They won't even be able to ignore her; they will have to eliminate the traitor!