Chapter 340
Jade was momentarily stunned, completely at a loss for words—she couldn't understand how Ai Yue, as the supreme ruler of the civilization, could be so unaware of the preciousness of such a vast resource.
A genius can single-handedly elevate the technological level of an entire civilization, but even a genius cannot conjure up the resources needed for civilization's development out of thin air, can they?
But Jade didn't realize that resources were really not a problem for Ai Yue, who could directly scoop up World Bubble from the Sea of Quantum. The "Abyssal Eye" had now expanded to one-third the size of the Terran Alliance Civilization, making resource acquisition incredibly easy.
From the perspective of civilization development, the star system that Jade and others provided mostly consisted of relatively conventional resources. For Ai Yue, who now needed various rare resources to feed the system, these resources were not very attractive. Therefore, in his eyes, this thing was not even as good as the previous project.
"Yes, yes." After a moment of surprise, Jade quickly regained her composure. She calmly played her final trump card, "The last piece of compensation is, Mr. Ai Yue, please..."
Halfway through her speech, Jade suddenly stopped. She gritted her teeth and made the most audacious decision of her life. "Please join the board of directors!"
Upon hearing this, Topaz and Aventurine, who had been serving as background figures, almost jumped up on the spot. Even Aventurine, who was known for his aggressive style, had to admit defeat at this moment and acknowledge that the woman in front of him was more like a gambler who had gone all in.
The white-haired girl disregarded all the precautions required during negotiations and leaned directly in front of Jade, whispering, "Ms. Jade, this isn't the condition we prepared beforehand, is it?"
That's certainly not the case.
No one knew better than the Jade holding the terms of the contract what the company had originally planned—the board of directors originally intended to invite Ai Yue, or several envoys from the Solar System civilization, to join the company, or even directly take over the "Market Development Department," thereby gaining immense power and resources and becoming a noble figure second only to the leader.
In this way, it can be said that the interests of the two parties were bound together at the greatest cost, and the conditions were undeniably generous. Even Jade and the others had to double-check several times before they dared to believe their eyes before arriving here.
After all, as the company's strongest department for external expansion, the Market Development Department can be said to be the main force used by the company to expand its territory. Handing over such an army directly to an outsider, or even a complete stranger, is completely out of line with the thinking of a business empire.
Only at this moment can people realize that the Interastral Peace Corporation is ultimately a fanatical religious organization that "dedicates everything to the Amber Lord".
In other words, anything is acceptable as long as it can support the Amber Lord's great cause. If such an army can be exchanged for the support of a powerful figure for the Amber Lord, then it is reasonable.
This line of thinking isn't necessarily wrong; after all, before meeting Ai Yue, Jade also believed that these conditions were sufficient.
However, after witnessing the other party's strength and the many unusual behaviors they exhibited during the negotiations, Jade realized that such conditions would absolutely not be enough to sway them.
She is Jade, and also the owner of a famous pawnshop, "Madam Ciyu." Based on her years of experience in judging people, Jade is certain that the "desires" of the person in front of her far exceed anything that humans can comprehend.
Based on this alone, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the other party is an existence surpassing even the Star God.
That's why she made that decision at the last minute.
"Interesting," Ai Yue naturally understood that no matter how sincere the company was, it couldn't possibly offer a seat on the board of directors as compensation. Therefore, all of this was clearly the woman's own initiative. "Ms. Jade, do you really have the qualifications to make this promise?"
"I must admit, I'm not qualified right now," Jade took a deep breath before finally speaking, "But I believe you are."
"If you agree to this condition and cooperate with our plan, I am confident I can persuade the board to fill another seat for you."
Ai Yue looked at her, then asked, "What if you failed?"
"There is absolutely no such possibility," Jade replied decisively. "The board of directors will not refuse the addition of a Star God, so the only obstacle to this matter lies in your willingness."
After a moment's hesitation, Jade added, "I don't know what you're really after, but please believe me, whatever your ideals and ambitions may be in this universe, the company will always be your best partner."
"Is that so?" Ai Yue replied noncommittally, then glanced at the document that Jade was clutching tightly in her hand, and shook his head. "Besides that, is there anything else?"
Jade found it hard to describe her feelings at that moment. The other party seemed to have rejected the proposal, sparing her the blame for making a rash decision and committing an offense against superiors. But it also seemed as if they didn't care about the board of directors' position at all, as if the company was nothing more than that in their eyes.
But no matter what, she could only shake her head. "I'm sorry, this is the highest offer the company can make."
After saying those words, Jade seemed to collapse completely, only managing to avoid embarrassment thanks to Topaz's support. It was only then that she realized her palms were full of sweat, even soaking the document.
"I see..." Ai Yue pondered for a moment, then spoke again, "Then, would you like to hear my suggestion?"
As he spoke, Ai Yue placed the first two documents back in front of Jade: "I'm offering these three conditions in exchange for one. I wonder if you can agree to that?"
Upon hearing this, Jade's heart leaped into her throat again. She subconsciously pursed her lips, and finally said in a slightly hoarse voice, "Please speak."
She found it hard to imagine what outrageous demands Ai Yue would make in exchange for these three conditions, since he couldn't even meet them.
Is he going to ask the company to dissolve on the spot? If so, how should I respond? Should I firmly refuse? Or should I try to persuade him indirectly?
Jade was still brainstorming when she heard Ai Yue slowly speak, "I want to see the Amber Lord —close enough, preferably face to face, is that alright?"
The room fell silent. Looking at the three people in front of him with complicated expressions, Ai Yue couldn't help but scratch his head.
Is this condition still too difficult? Should I add some other bargaining chips?
He knew that the company's senior management were actually fervent admirers of the Amber Lord, which was why he was worried that such a request might seem offensive.
If the company feels this is blasphemous, and a fight actually breaks out, things could get a bit complicated...
While Ai Yue was still speculating, Jade remained silent for a moment before finally uttering two words: "That's it?"
Chapter 10 Is this the wholesale envoy's place?
As it turns out, Ai Yue overcomplicated the issue.
Admittedly, the predecessor of Interastral Peace Corporation was indeed Amber Lord's support team, and the company's senior management were basically Amber Lord's fanatical supporters. They used their enormous wealth to exchange for all kinds of materials and then sent them to Amber Lord's side. Even though he never paid any attention to them, they never stopped this pilgrimage-like behavior.
From this perspective, the company is indeed a religious organization, and for religious organizations, deities are indeed sacred and inviolable. Ai Yue, who is not a believer, dares to try to contact deities, which is extremely disrespectful.
On the other hand, a company is also an enterprise. Although the actual highest decision-making body is Seven-person Board of Directors, the nominal boss is Amber Lord himself (even though He is completely unaware of it). Therefore, from this perspective, meeting the boss is not as difficult as one might imagine.
Most importantly, unlike ordinary religions, the Amber Lord is a real, powerful star god. He does not need complicated rituals or an ethereal status to maintain his nobility among believers; on the contrary, spreading his miracles can better unite faith.
After hearing Jade's explanation, Ai Yue looked complicated. "So, this condition isn't difficult to meet?"
"It's certainly not easy, after all, there are many factors to consider..." Jade paused slightly, then smiled, "But compared to the previous conditions, it's infinitely easier."
"No wonder you reacted that way earlier." After hearing that the problem he was most concerned about wasn't difficult to solve, Ai Yue quickly looked at the documents on the table again. "I guess I overcomplicated things."
After realizing that this request didn't require three conditions to fulfill, Ai Yue suddenly felt that he had made a bad deal.
Putting everything else aside, at the very least, that resource-rich star system could serve as the first stop for our Solar System's exploration of the outside world!
"The previous conditions are still valid." Jade naturally saw through Ai Yue's thoughts and immediately smiled. "In fact, if you don't accept them, it will put us in a bit of a difficult position."
As the saying goes, "He who takes a bribe is bound to be obligated to serve it," so how can we guarantee that this conflict will be completely resolved if we don't let Ai Yue accept the benefits?
"Alright, the main responsibility for this matter ultimately lies with me." Ai Yue looked at the documents in front of him and finally chose only the second one. "Taking them all would feel a bit excessive. In that case, keeping this one will suffice."
His real purpose was to use this opportunity to establish his reputation and prevent the Solar System from being targeted by malicious individuals because of him. As for using this opportunity to solicit benefits from the company, that was not his real goal, so he just wanted to put the other party at ease.
"You don't need to be so polite. I think the board will offer even more generous terms to win your friendship once they know your capabilities." Jade smiled, observing Ai Yue's reaction. "Of course, we can understand if you have any other concerns."
Ai Yue certainly had concerns, after all, no one wanted their civilization, which they had nurtured with great effort, to finally reach the stage of the Star Sea, only to be branded as a "company" in the end.
It's important to understand that there are countless forces in the universe. While a company may be large and powerful, it is not without enemies and rivals. Once someone sees you as an ally of the company, you will inevitably attract the hostility of certain forces.
Ai Yue didn't want to end up taking the blame for the company after all the effort he had put into helping the Solar System escape the risks he had brought.
If possible, he would prefer the relationship between the two parties to remain at the level of "partners," with business dealings but also complete independence, so as not to be completely tied down.
But just as he was about to change the subject, Aventurine, who rarely showed any interest, suddenly spoke up, "Mr. Ai Yue, I would like to make a suggestion. I wonder if you would be interested?"
Ai Yue naturally shifted his gaze to the frivolous man who looked like a playboy. He raised an eyebrow and then said, "We'll have to wait for you to tell us before we can be sure, won't we?"
"Then I'll be frank," Aventurine paused, then picked up the last document on the table. "If possible, I hope you will accept this offer and become the eighth member of the board."
Aventurine spoke so bluntly that he made no attempt to conceal his thoughts, "In this way, our strategic investment department will also be able to get more support from the board of directors. I think it's a win-win situation, isn't it?"
"Leaving aside whether you really have the ability to nominate me as the eighth member of the board," Ai Yue said with a hint of interest, "I'm curious why you would say this is a win-win situation when I clearly want to distance myself from the company? What benefits would this actually bring me?"
"The company's sphere of influence is vast; to put it bluntly, we can influence 80 percent of the civilizations in the observable universe," said Aventurine. "Under such circumstances, every decision the company makes, whether good or bad, will affect countless people."
Ai Yue was certainly not stupid; given how far the other party had gone, he could naturally understand what Aventurine was trying to express.
Although the various departments under the board of directors have a high degree of autonomy, this is all due to the tacit approval of the board. In other words, it is the board of directors that decides the direction of the entire company's development. It is precisely because of their laissez-faire attitude that Oswald can not only wantonly destroy countless civilizations, but also use this as an "achievement" to gain promotion.
Therefore, as long as Ai Yue can join the board of directors, he can find a way to change the situation. Even if he alone cannot change the whole situation, he can still mediate or influence those bad decisions.
"I'm sure you've realized it too," Aventurine, seeing Ai Yue's knowing expression, and understanding that the other had figured it out. "Then you must have thought of the most crucial event right now that will determine the future of countless civilizations."
"The Market Development Department needs a new head, right?" Ai Yue revealed the answer directly, then gave a subtle look. "That's quite a difficult reason to refuse."
Clearly, as one of the company's most important departments, the head of the Market Development Department needs to be appointed by the board of directors. If Ai Yue could join the board beforehand, he would have the opportunity to influence the appointment and select a less aggressive person.
Although he doubted whether such people even existed in the Market Development Department.
But no matter what excuse he used to convince himself not to get involved, Ai Yue still wavered. After all, if he hadn't realized it, that would have been one thing, but now that there was a way to change the future of many civilizations, he had no reason to stand idly by.
"So, you really can do it?" Thinking it over, Ai Yue couldn't help but look at Jade and the others. "If this is just an empty promise, I'll be angry."
You made the right bet.
The moment he realized that Ai Yue had relented, Aventurine almost fell backward. Ai Yue himself might not have realized it, but everyone facing him could feel an invisible pressure, so much so that Aventurine, who had just breathed a sigh of relief, almost couldn't hold on and ended up embarrassing himself on the spot.
Fortunately, he didn't show any weakness in the end, but simply smiled and said, "Please rest assured, as long as you are willing to cooperate, we are 100% confident in handling this matter."
"However, we still need to discuss the specific details further," Jade interjected at the opportune moment. "Don't worry, you won't have to wait long."
"In that case, let's do as you say," Ai Yue nodded, then stood up. "Excuse me, please wait a moment."
It appeared that Ai Yue had something to do and left, but in reality, he deliberately left room for the three of them to have further discussions.
"You really have audacity, Aventurine!"
After Ai Yue left, Topaz couldn't wait to ask, "You really dare to use such a radical plan! Aren't you afraid of the risks involved?"
"Forget about the risks, just tell me if the outcome is good or bad," Aventurine said, his somewhat boastful demeanor returning when facing Topaz after losing Ai Yue's intimidation. "I guarantee that if this deal goes through, it will be the strongest investment our strategic investment department has ever made before and will never make again!"
"That's undeniable. After all, if we succeed, it would be like gaining a heavyweight ally for the company," Jade nodded with a smile. "The only thing we need to be careful about is whether Mr. Ai Yue will part ways with us for reasons of interest after he successfully joins the board of directors."
The cutthroat world of business is far more dangerous than most people imagine. For the sake of profit, many friends become mortal enemies, and many adversaries temporarily join forces. Even if the strategic investment department can support a director, it does not mean that the director can be their patron forever.
This kind of thing has happened countless times within the company alone.
"No, I think that's probably possible." Aventurine was quite confident about this. "Ms. Jade, I believe you've also noticed why Mr. Ai Yue agreed to our request, right?"
"Of course," Jade was far more experienced in dealing with people than Aventurine, and what he could see, Jade would naturally not miss. "Are you saying that Mr. Ai Yue accepted this condition for the sake of the future of more civilizations?"
Jade had considered this possibility before, but it was precisely because she had witnessed the full spectrum of human nature that she understood that no one in the world is unwavering. Just as everyone is extremely satisfied when exchanging their precious possessions for their desires at a pawnshop, very few people can truly remain satisfied forever.
Although Jade knew perfectly well that Ai Yue was a mysterious being with extraordinary power, everything he did seemed too much like an ordinary person, which made it inevitable for her to judge him based on her past experiences.
"Yes, that's what I think." Aventurine nodded. "So I think that as long as the Strategic Investment Department's actions don't violate ethical standards, Mr. Ai Yue will continue to support us."
Jade was silent for a moment, then finally nodded. "Perhaps you are right. Existence that defies common sense cannot be judged by common sense."
"So, what exactly should we do?" Topaz finally interjected. "Trying to convince the board with the current information feels a bit weak. I doubt they'll make such a huge concession."
"Don't worry, Topaz, this matter might not be as difficult as you think." Jade smiled, then said thoughtfully, "If everything goes smoothly, perhaps the board of directors will propose this condition on their own initiative?"
Some time later, just as the Oswald incident was fading from public attention, the company finally issued a statement in conjunction with the "Solar System - United Earth Government".
In this statement, the company proactively acknowledged a series of mistakes made by Oswald Schneider and made an unimaginable huge compensation to the United Earth Government. At the same time, it also announced that the United Earth Government would become a new partner of the company and would carry out a series of cooperative projects in the future.
Of course, these things weren't what everyone was concerned about. What truly drove everyone crazy was that the United Earth Government had quite directly confirmed the netizens' speculations—
This tiny star system truly possesses beings at the Envoy level! And not just one or two, but a full six!
If this message were simply released by the civilization called the "United Earth Government," probably no one would care; in fact, most people would question its authenticity.
But this time is different. This is a rare instance of the company taking the initiative to back down and offering huge compensation. Although the company has not taken responsibility for the authenticity of this news, it is obvious to everyone that if the United Earth Government did not truly possess such extraordinary military power, how could it possibly force a large force like the company to bow down?
Some even speculated that these six Commanders were far from the limit of the United Earth Government. After all, many people still remember that the "insider" revealed that not only were there many Commanders, but there was also one who surpassed the Commanders!
Now that the messenger's message is true, could the message about "surpassing the messenger" also be true?
In an instant, the incident, which had been gradually subsiding, was once again pushed to the forefront, and this time the rumors intensified, with some even believing that a true star god was hidden in the Solar System.
The seemingly ordinary name "United Earth Government" has spread to every corner of the universe along with this surge of attention. It is believed that the existence of the six envoys is enough to make countless people with ill intentions suppress their chaotic thoughts.
Meanwhile, on the moon, the Stellar Train will also set sail again.
However, the trains these days... seem to be considerably longer than before?
Chapter Eleven: Iron Collapse, Activated!
"A warm welcome to Ai Yue, our passengers, as you board the train!"
The party carriage of the Stellar Train was now decorated with colorful flags and balloons, creating a festive atmosphere. The train conductor, dressed as a lop-eared rabbit, personally held a ceremonial cannon and fired it while shouting the aforementioned message to celebrate the arrival of the new member.
"Welcome, welcome, a warm welcome!" March 7th was also holding up fireworks to create a festive atmosphere, but then she turned to Dan Heng and whispered, "Speaking of which, isn't the train conductor's attitude a bit too different? He wasn't like this with Brother Yue before!"
"I think this is only natural." Although Dan Heng didn't join in the commotion like March 7th, he was wearing a glowing star crown, so he could be considered to have participated as well. "After all, Mr. Ai Yue can be said to be the number one financial backer of the Stellar Train. If it were you, you would probably be even more excited than this."
"This..." March 7th subconsciously glanced around, then touched the now-new camera at his waist, scratched his head, and chuckled sheepishly, "It seems that's indeed the case."
As Dan Heng said, the train conductor's attitude towards Ai Yue has changed from initial wariness to a warm welcome, which is undoubtedly due to the influence of "money".
Not only the Stellar Train, but also Himeko and the others received gifts prepared by Ai Yue.
On March 7th, he received an enhanced camera with not only incredibly high resolution and storage capacity, but also a tactical function to "scan for target weaknesses." Dan Heng, on the other hand, received a set of indestructible notebooks, allowing him to record information in any situation.
As for Himeko, due to Ai Yue's wicked sense of humor, he gave her a special bonsai coffee tree that could produce coffee beans with different flavors by absorbing different types of nutrients, making it convenient for Himeko to realize her "whimsical ideas" anytime, anywhere.
Even Pom-Pom received a powerful train cleaning kit as a gift, but compared to that, the enhancements to the Stellar Train clearly pleased him more.
After all, Ai Yue's enhancements to the Stellar Train, strictly speaking, have gone beyond the scope of "money power," because some things really can't be bought with money alone.
Putting aside everything else, the Photon Alloy that Ai Yue used to reinforce the armor and keel of the Stellar Train is a unique creation in the entire universe. Even in the luxurious resource vault prepared by the company for Amber Lord, you won't find the same thing.