What's wrong with being a puppet?

Gu Hang hadn't been talking nonsense just to gross people out when he said he wanted to use the Abscess Monsters as a food source.

He really meant it.

If he had a choice, of course he'd prefer normal food. But production conditions on this wasteland were what they were, and only so many people could be fed. They had to find every possible way to make ends meet.

Eating enough was more important than eating well.

It was certainly possible to draw this technology from the [Technology] panel. But the mechanism that made the odds of getting anything drop sharply after a technology had been unlocked once made every slot on the panel precious. If he had a choice, Gu Hang would rather not obtain this technology from the [Technology] panel. He preferred to reach his goal by more conventional means.

His gaze turned skyward.

Some faction on Nuxiao Planet might have similar technology. However, for one thing, he hadn't seen any sign of it near Revival City, which meant that even if the technology existed, it was far away and hard to get. For another, synthetic starch technology was probably extremely valuable on a wasteland planet, and those factions wouldn't hand it over easily.

It would take less effort to mooch off the Quintet than to go to all that trouble.

A giant starship like the Quintet, home to a population of a hundred thousand, couldn't always rely on landing to restock—especially when it was on a mission. They were bound to have technology that could recycle almost any usable organic matter.

Thinking of that, he coughed a couple of times, feeling a little embarrassed as he thought, I only just asked her for two hundred sets of equipment and four armored vehicles last time. It feels a bit much to ask her for new technology again today.

I won't ask today, then. I'll ask her tomorrow.

Thinking this way, Gu Hang felt much more at ease.

In high spirits, Gu Hang hummed a little tune as he waited for the merchant from Trash Town, Dennison Henry.

Dennison Henry finally met Governor Gu Hang.

After a thorough search, he was escorted to the governor's residence.

It was just a prefab house. Aside from being a little larger, it looked no different from the prefab houses built nearby for the servants. It had no special decorations and was made of no expensive materials.

A guard pushed the door open, and Henry stepped inside. Everything he saw was just as plain and unadorned.

There were no special decorations in the room, just an ordinary long table. A rather young-looking man sat at the other end.

That must be Governor Gu Hang.

His Excellency the Governor seemed quite out of place in his surroundings. Everything around him was so simple, while his clothes were so exquisite. Yet the contrast seemed negligible, thanks to the governor's calm acceptance of his humble surroundings.

Henry didn't dare look around any longer.

With his head bowed, he came to the near side of the table. He didn't dare sit down. Instead, he placed one hand against his chest, then bowed deeply.

Maintaining his bow, he said humbly, "My name is Dennison Henry, and I come from Trash Town. I would like to offer Your Excellency the Governor my most sincere greetings. Your speech upon landing on this planet rang in my ears like thunder. It made me understand that you came to this dying planet with grand ambitions and a compassionate heart, to save us, your subjects. As a resident of Nuxiao Planet, I deeply admire your nobility."

A torrent of flattery came pouring out.

As he spoke, Henry also pulled out an elaborately wrapped box.

"When I learned I would have the good fortune of meeting Your Excellency the Governor, I was so excited that I resolved to prepare a gift to express my admiration for you. Unfortunately, time was short, and this humble gift is all I could manage. I hope Your Excellency won't take offense."

Still bowing, he held the gift box in both hands and raised it above his head.

A guard came forward, took the gift from him, and brought it to Gu Hang.

Gu Hang didn't even glance at the box. His eyes stayed on Dennison Henry, a faintly amused smile playing on his lips.

"Get up, or you'll break your back if you keep that up."

Henry straightened up as instructed.

"Sit down. Let's have a proper talk."

Only then did Henry dare to sit.

Tapping his fingers on the table, Gu Hang said, "Dennison Henry, I already know why you're here."

Henry replied cautiously, "I hope Your Excellency will give me the chance to serve you."

Gu Hang chuckled. "You're good with words, and I'm satisfied with your attitude. I know that what you say may not be what you truly think, but I don't care. I can entrust this business to you, but I have two conditions. First, I'll give you goods, and I'll also give you a list of what I need. You must bring those things back to me in the right quality and quantity. No cutting corners."

Gu Hang's remark that Henry's words might not reflect his true feelings made him uneasy. But the next sentence instantly filled him with joy.

Obtaining the agency was his biggest goal in coming to meet the governor.

As for the second part of the request, Henry thought it was practically a gift. It wasn't even a demand; it was another generous offer from the governor. Of course he would have to pay for the goods he received, but now it looked like he could earn that money back by helping the governor procure the things he needed.

How could that possibly be a bad deal?

He didn't hesitate for a moment before nodding. "No problem! I'm willing to serve Your Excellency!"

Gu Hang waved a hand and said, "I have a second condition. You need to expand your influence in Trash Town as much as possible, and become an Agent—even a major one."

At this second condition, Henry sobered up a little.

Becoming one of Trash Town's Agents was already his goal. In principle, there was no conflict between that and the governor's condition. He should have been happy.

However, he didn't consider himself a fool, and he understood the implication hidden behind the request.

With the governor's support, he would become an important Agent in Trash Town. And then what? Who would call the shots—him, or the governor, his boss behind the scenes?

But he soon pushed his hesitation and misgivings aside.

There was no point worrying about things like that.

A powerful patron was practically holding out a leg for him to cling to. Why wouldn't he grab it?

So what if he became a puppet? Plenty of people wanted to be one and never got the chance.

And he might not even be a puppet. If he worked hard for the governor, wouldn't he still have some authority of his own? His Excellency was busy with affairs all day long. When he was in charge, wouldn't he get to call the shots on the small matters in Trash Town? At most, he'd have to accomplish the governor's goals and follow his lead. That was only right and proper!

Besides... to put it more bluntly, there was no guarantee the governor would still be governor two years from now.

At that thought, he saw the half-smile on Gu Hang's face and immediately dared not take the thought any further.

He had a feeling Gu Hang could see right through him.