"Cooperation?" Kruze raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, cooperation!
Peace, not violence; harmony, not confrontation. Abandoning zero-sum thinking, viewing relations between civilizations through the lens of development, fostering a healthy commercial environment across the universe, and building a harmonious, mutually prosperous Greater Milky Way community have always been our organization's firm principles and lofty goals!"
"..."
"We strongly condemn and deplore the Locke Conglomerate's use of warfare to plunder others' wealth and coercion to force through transactions!"
"..."
"The Locke Conglomerate's actions have tarnished the reputation of merchants and severely disrupted the market!
Following my written report and an investigation by headquarters, the All Things Unity Society's headquarters has decided to provide policy support to the Gemini Branch and impose sanctions on the Locke Conglomerate, in order to crack down on unscrupulous merchants and preserve a fair and equitable business environment!"
The Twin Stars councilors present, who had been left somewhat dazed by this barrage of official jargon, immediately perked up when they heard that the other party actually intended to take on the Locke Conglomerate.
Sanctions?
That was a term used only when one side overwhelmingly outmatched the other!
In their eyes, the Locke Conglomerate was already a behemoth, slightly stronger than their own civilization, yet the All Things Unity Society was talking about sanctioning it?
What gave them such confidence?
"Then... what specific cooperation proposal do you have in mind?" Kruze asked evenly.
No matter how grand the rhetoric, politicians trusted words least of all!
Yet the calm expression on his face completely crumbled after the very first sentence.
"First, we can provide you with an interest-free war loan of twenty thousand tonnes of energy crystals, to cover wartime expenses and postwar reconstruction, with no repayment deadline!"
A collective gasp swept through the room.
An interest-free loan with no repayment