Yes, exactly. Making fractions of syls per click, but when a lot of people do it, it can add up. At least enough to pay for the operation, and turn a bit of a profit to start the next thing. Once we get to the next level though, and start a production company, even a local channel can earn decent ad revenue.
Well, the money I am talking about here was not really intended to help the player, as much as help progress that arc, it would be reinvested into the business, though it is not a bad idea, if it requires the player to invest in it, it could work like the bar, they have to spend a good bit, but then it provides a passive income. It would be a pretty easy mechanic, just duplicate the bar, change some flavor text, and maybe add a new location, but that's not even really needed.
Yes, we are building a nice network, and we need to keep expanding that, use any ally we can, in whatever way is safest. (Don't let anyone get too close to the true goals, until we trust them).
If we do try to set up an 'underground railroad', something more permanent than Nia/Sui's system, we would need some place for them. Those are ones we could not keep with us, that is for sure. Not sure I would want to put the desert elves at risk either. The island would be nice, but has issues. Like you said, we would need some other kind of sanctuary for them, but how we could build a city for them, hidden somewhere that the rest of civilization can't find, I am not sure, not without some serious help. The only other option would be a literal smuggling operation, to get them out of the country, but we would still need a place to take them, and not sure if Kali's dad can help us too much on that one, it could put his position at risk, Mariella maybe, but she would have to keep it a secret too, hum... Few ways that would work out well... Not sure we could manage that, even with her team. Stick to buying as many as we can, and giving them a decent life. Could even have some be our 'liaisons to the desert elves', and send them there to live with them. We still officially 'own' them, they are there officially 'doing a job for us', and then they can freely live their lives and help the desert elf tribes grow and prosper.