A Conversation with Bronya: I Have Too Many Trump Cards!

Bronya sat upright across from Lin Hai and spoke first:

"Bronya, commander of Belobog's Silvermane Guards. Under most circumstances, I can mobilize the Silvermane Guards in the Upper District."

Her introduction was brief and candid.

Lin Hai met her gaze, his tone calm. "Lin Hai. I'm not from this planet. I come from... another civilization beyond the stars."

He did not say outright that he came from beyond this world.

He only said he was not from this planet.

In a sense, it was the truth with a crucial detail concealed.

A flicker of confirmation appeared in Bronya's eyes.

The situation on this planet, sealed in ice and snow, was dire.

Only someone from beyond the planet could possibly have ample supplies.

Bronya asked curiously, "A journey across the sea of stars is no easy feat. What is your purpose in going to all this trouble?"

Lin Hai's answer was just as direct. "To give the people I meet a way to survive."

His gaze never wavered, clearly expressing what he had seen and what he wished for.

Those words struck precisely at the heaviest burden in Bronya's heart.

She knew all too well how the residents of the Underworld struggled to survive amid bitter cold and scarcity.

It was an enormous problem she had tried to solve day and night, with little to show for it.

After all, the Upper District was short on supplies too!

Bronya fell silent, forced to accept this harsh reality.

Lin Hai continued, "A persistent shortage of supplies means persistent deaths. Without outside intervention, it may only be a matter of time before this place dies out."

Then he looked at Bronya again. "And I suspect the Upper District's reserves are far from abundant as well, aren't they?"

Bronya's fingertips trembled almost imperceptibly.

She sighed softly and let down some of her guard, revealing the weariness in her heart.

"...Yes. The Eternal Freeze affects the entire region. Our stockpiles are being consumed far faster than expected. We're barely managing to hold on."

"In that case," Lin Hai said, "my aid can go to both the Underworld and the Upper District. There should be no distinction between upper and lower when it comes to where the supplies go."

At that moment, Bronya was far more deeply shaken than before.

If she had been wary of his purpose before, she now truly felt how precious his timely help was.

She gazed at Lin Hai and asked a crucial question. "What... do you want in return?"

Lin Hai shook his head slightly, his expression calm. "I haven't decided yet."

Gold?

He had enough for the time being.

The gold the Underworld alone had given Lin Hai in return already far exceeded imagination.

Bronya understood that what he sought was no ordinary wealth.

She considered for a moment, then said solemnly, "Your aid will make you Belobog's most honored guest. This friendship and honor will be the highest reward this city can offer!"

Lin Hai accepted the promise and raised his teacup. "Good. Then, here's to our cooperation."

"Here's to our cooperation!"

Bronya also took a sip of tea, then asked, "As for handing over the supplies going forward, do you mean..."

Lin Hai's expression remained calm. "For all future deliveries of aid and the details of distributing it, I'd like you to coordinate directly with Wildfire."

Bronya frowned slightly. She would have preferred to speak directly with the source of that power.

"I believe it would be more prudent for the two of us to communicate directly about matters this important."

"But I won't always be here."

Bronya was perceptive and noticed something.

On a planet completely cut off by the Eternal Freeze, with almost no contact with interstellar society,

the suggestion that he would not be here carried a great deal of meaning in itself.

Bronya could not help asking, "If you're not here, where will you be? The areas beyond Belobog have been swallowed by snowstorms, and interstellar travel consumes an enormous amount of energy."

Lin Hai did not answer her question, merely smiling faintly.

Control of the conversation had quietly shifted at that moment, and he held the reins firmly.

The reason was obvious.

Belobog's need for supplies to survive was urgent.

It was a matter of life and death.

And Lin Hai happened to be the only person who could satisfy that need.

That irreplaceability gave him the absolute upper hand!

Bronya was clever too, and she also sensed the shift in power.

She changed her approach, softening her tone. "I understand. Then, so that our future cooperation can proceed more smoothly and develop further, I sincerely hope you will formally meet with our Supreme Guardian, Lady Cocolia."

"Certainly." Lin Hai nodded.

In a sense, Supreme Guardian Cocolia was an unstable factor.

The Star River's influence had left Cocolia in an unstable state.

If she went berserk, the consequences would be incalculable!

Lin Hai was not afraid of that. His confidence came from two trump cards.

The first was the Contract Lucky Star, which could get him out at any time.

The second was the [Super Burst] ability within him.

It could fully reproduce The Herta's power, enough to shake the stars, for ten minutes.

Before setting out, Lin Hai made one request. "I need to tell Seele first, so she won't worry."

"Of course." Bronya nodded in agreement.

By now, she regarded Lin Hai as an equal to Belobog's highest leader, someone who had to be accorded the highest honors!

Lin Hai descended the restaurant steps and immediately spotted a slender figure standing in the shadows at the street corner.

Seele was anxiously wringing her hands, her eyes fixed on the restaurant entrance. Only when she saw him emerge unharmed did her tightly knitted brows ease slightly.

She hurried over to meet him, her concern plain in her voice.

"Are you all right? Did she give you any trouble?"

Warmth filled Lin Hai's heart. He went up to her and reached out to gently pinch her soft cheek, the gesture intimate and tender.

"Don't worry, I'm fine."

He felt the warmth of her skin beneath his fingertips, reassuringly real.

But Seele's worries did not entirely fade.

When Lin Hai told her he would be going with Bronya to the Upper District to meet Supreme Guardian Cocolia, her worry was almost palpable.

"The Upper District... You have to be careful. It's not like other places. I'm worried there might be a trap."

"Trust me." Lin Hai's voice was steady as he patted Seele on the shoulder. "I'll be fine. If something really does go wrong, the Supreme Guardian will be the one in trouble!"

Words were still not enough to dispel all her unease.

Seele rose onto her tiptoes and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips.

After reassuring Seele, Lin Hai and Bronya boarded the enormous elevator connecting the Upper District and the Underworld.

Amid the rumble of machinery and the scrape of chains, the car rose steadily, gradually leaving the Underworld's noise and warmth below.

When the heavy gate opened again, a piercing wind rushed in, carrying pellets of ice.

Lin Hai stepped out of the elevator, and the view suddenly opened up before him.

Belobog's Upper District lay before him.

There was no oppressive ceiling here, no dim yellow lamplight like in the Underworld.

Instead, it was a desolate expanse shrouded in eternal wind and snow.

The pale outlines of buildings flickered in and out of sight through the swirling curtain of snow. Few pedestrians walked the frigid streets, and everything was enveloped in a vast, cold stillness.