A Small Gift, A Great Sentiment

The news of the cult's proliferation kept everyone in Revival City busier than ever.

As the one who had poked the hornet's nest, the Governor himself felt no sense of urgency at all.

Early the next morning, he contacted the Quintet in orbit once more to address the food supply issues in his territory.

Yelicia still didn't have a pleasant look for him.

Gu Hang didn't mind this; in fact, he understood it perfectly.

If it were him being fleeced of his resources day after day, his reaction would be even more intense than Yelicia's.

Well, in consideration of how understanding I am, why not just give me the synthetic starch technology?

Of course, Gu Hang knew he couldn't just ask for it for free; he had to bring something to the table.

"Commodore Yelicia, I've brought you more good news!"

Hearing this, Yelicia immediately recalled the three thousand laborers, three hundred Servitor soldiers, piles of weapons and equipment, and four Strider V units she had already lost.

Heartache.

As for the Marine captain she had sent over previously?

Did that happen? She didn't remember.

Yelicia kept a straight face: "The Governor's good news is always very expensive."

"How could you say that? I am simply sharing our achievements with my best partner."

"If you have actual business, speak quickly."

"Regarding the cultist heresy spreading on Nuxiao Planet, I've made some headway. I captured a cultist who turned out to be a high-ranking official in the planetary government!"

Hearing this, Yelicia's expression turned solemn: "Has it deteriorated to such a degree? Tell me where the enemy is, and I will wipe them out."

"No, no, it hasn't reached that point yet. I will soon find the specific traces of those cultists. When the time comes, I may need you to dispatch elite Marines, or even the power of the shipboard chapel, to assist me in purging those heretics."

"That is possible, but it would be best if you could create an opportunity for me to conduct an orbital bombardment directly."

"I will do my best."

Yelicia had no reason to refuse this. Orbital bombardment was the most convenient method, and if ground troops were needed, she wasn't opposed to it—as long as there was merit to be earned.

Moreover, this way of dispatching Marines was different from the previous 'loans' that were essentially gifts. The people 'loaned' to Gu Hang were working under him long-term. But for a mission, the entire command system—whether to fight and how to fight—remained under the starship's control. At most, Gu Hang would provide a target and some reference suggestions.

It was a completely different concept.

Yelicia's expression softened slightly, and she felt a bit more relaxed.

The investment in this Governor was finally showing a glimmer of hope for a return.

Clearing out a cultist heresy entrenched in the capital city of the planetary government was, at the very least, something worth reporting.

Although it wasn't a massive achievement, having a return meant there was something to look forward to, and there were still two years left.

In a better mood, Yelicia asked a question that she would later regret: "Very well, is there anything else?"

"Yes, I need the synthetic starch technology."

Yelicia's face stiffened.

I thought you were just here to report news. Good grief, you're here to ask for things again, aren't you?

"I am only responsible for striking the enemies of The Empire," Yelicia said. "Supporting infrastructure is not my job."

"This is exactly for the purpose of striking the enemies of The Empire!" Gu Hang argued. "What is the core of the cult's growth? It's that the people see no hope. When they can't even get enough to eat, they are easily seduced by cults. Synthetic starch technology can help us solve this problem."

Yelicia felt that Gu Hang made sense, but... would the people saved by this method count as a merit for the Navy?

As she pondered, Gu Hang's voice came through again: "Commodore Yelicia, please understand, it is certainly necessary to eliminate enemies with thunderous force. But if the situation deteriorates to the point of being uncontrollable, where only total destruction can achieve salvation, that is not necessarily a good thing."

"A city destroyed after being corrupted by a cult; or, the cultist heresy spreading to a terrifying degree but being wiped out under your command, with hundreds of thousands of Imperial subjects saved. Please compare which of these two narratives is better?"

A destroyer, or a savior...

The former seemed cooler, but in The Empire—at least within the Pegasus Sector—the latter held much more weight.

Furthermore, the identity of a savior better suited the mission Yelicia was executing. She hadn't come to orbit Nuxiao Planet to spend two years just destroying enemies; she was here to assist the Governor in reviving the planet.

At this point, Yelicia had to admit that Gu Hang's argument had moved her once again.

She began to calculate how she would go about giving Gu Hang the synthetic starch technology. Was the cost high?

The conclusion was, not really.

The starship naturally possessed synthetic starch technology. During long interstellar voyages, supplies were scarce, and the ability to recycle almost all organic matter into edible starch blocks was an important auxiliary technology.

However, important as it was, the synthetic starch machines weren't actually used that often. In non-wartime conditions, when the starship could receive supplies relatively smoothly, no one wanted to eat starch blocks.

Currently, the food reserves on the Quintet were quite abundant, enough to last for several years.

Besides, there wasn't just one synthetic starch machine on the ship. Sending one down wouldn't be a problem.

Of course, Gu Hang wanted the technology, not just the machine. But that wasn't too troublesome either; sending down the technicians responsible for logistics, along with a machine and some spare parts, should meet Gu Hang's requirements.

In theory, this would be enough for Gu Hang to manufacture the machines himself, provided he had a certain industrial foundation.

If he didn't, then Yelicia could only say she couldn't help: I'm not your mother; do you expect me to breastfeed you directly?

"I agree."

Yelicia finally relented, and a transport craft carrying technicians and equipment arrived on the surface; when it returned, Gu Hang loaded it with a significant amount of supplies.

According to him, this was a token of gratitude for Brigadier General Yelicia, consisting of local specialties from Nuxiao Planet. In reality, however, it was just a small portion of the food and textile supplies shipped over from Revival City, diverted to be sent up to the sky.

It wasn't entirely meaningless, though; it improved the meals for the people on the starship and provided some much-needed replenishment.

At the very least, it showed that the Governor was not just taking things for free!

As for the difference in value between the two... well, it's the thought that counts!

After watching the transport craft fly off into the distance, Gu Hang dove headfirst back into his grand plan for expanding production.