"From today onwards, anyone in the galaxy with ambition can become a shareholder in the Land of the Dreams! This is the ' Harmony ' principle that Old Oti will uphold, hohohohoho!"
Old Oti burst into laughter, the sound echoing through the hall. "Alas, this reform should have come sooner, but the Oak Family are a bunch of blockheads blinded by [ Order ]..."
"As their name suggests, their thinking isn't as quick as an old man like me."
"Thanks to that little [shock] before, the biggest obstacle blocking Old Oti's path to reform has vanished! Ho ho ho ho! We should also thank this envoy from the [ Church of Eternity ]!"
Old Oti glanced meaningfully at ' Lycurgus,' the Intellitron still wearing a black helmet, completely obscuring its eyes.
Topaz paused, muttering to herself, " Old Oti's laughter is too frequent... Could this be what Aventurine had mentioned to her: 'Those who laugh a lot are usually lucky'?"
" The Clover Family will publicly release the financial report of Dreamscape Paradise, letting the whole universe see that even after experiencing hardship, Penacony is still full of potential and opportunities, and the Family remains confident in the future."
"..." Jade remained silent for a few moments, her eyes flashing with insightful light. "A crisis is also an opportunity. You've actually been waiting for the right moment, waiting for Penacony to become the focus of everyone's attention again."
"If Penacony manages to weather this storm... and then the company tries to get involved again, our every move will be exposed to the public eye."
She accurately analyzed the core of Old Oti's strategy, and it must be admitted that it was indeed a very wise response.
Those who can ascend to the position of family head are indeed unfathomable. If the Interastral Peace Corporation forcibly monopolizes Penacony, not only will the cost be high, but it will also tarnish its own reputation.
"Heh heh... Now I believe you, Miss Jade. It seems you have indeed read my biography thoroughly."
Old Oti's smile widened, tinged with a hint of admiration for a worthy opponent. "You should all think about the next move..."
"We do need some time to digest such a massive amount of information." Jade nodded gracefully.
" Mr. Oti, I propose we conclude the first half of this meeting here. Please allow me and Topaz a moment to discuss this privately, and I will respond on behalf of the company later."
"Hehehe, of course. Ladies, please go ahead." Old Oti laughed and agreed.
Topaz turned around and saw that ' Lycurgus ' had silently opened the door to the lounge for them and was making a respectful "please" gesture.
Jade and Topaz exchanged a glance and left the room in tacit agreement.
After watching the two figures disappear, ' Lycurgus ' strolled leisurely and sat down opposite Old Oti.
" Mr. Oti, I sincerely admire your strategy. To take the step of going public under such perilous circumstances is truly worthy of the title of head of the Clover Family."
"Heh heh heh, the rhetoric of the Church of Eternity's spokesperson is truly unparalleled." Old Oti stroked his long beard and responded politely, but his eyes were as sharp as a hawk's as he scrutinized ' Lycurgus ' opposite him.
"However..." ' Lycurgus ' tone suddenly turned somber, "I'm afraid this risky move of yours isn't just to appease those two company envoys, is it?"
He leaned slightly forward, his gaze behind the mask seemed to pierce through the soul, and his voice was chillingly cold:
"What exactly makes you believe that such a risky performance can truly win the favor of [ Eternity ]?"
"You should know," each word of ' Lycurgus ' seemed chillingly cold, "That as a believer in [ Eternity ], what I abhor most is precisely the uncontrollable [variables] that come with adventure."
Old Oti's smile faded slightly, and his cloudy yet sharp gaze met Lycurgus's unfathomable stare.
"Variable?" he repeated the word, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the end of his beard.
On this stage woven from dreams, the remains of [ Order ] are still warm, the music of [ Harmony ] begins to play, the iron fist of [ Voracity ] hangs suspended, and the shadow of [ Remembrance ] lurks silently...
" Lycurgus, does the [ Eternity ] you serve truly fear such a small [variable]?"
His deep voice echoed in the empty lounge, giving the impression that he had taken over the role of the host.
"Or rather, what you fear is not the variable itself, but that the variable has broken free from the threads planned by you—or rather, the [ Weaver ] behind you?"
Lycurgus's mask seemed to freeze for a moment, but the elegant curve of his smile remained unchanged.
"The warp and weft of [ Eternity ] have their own order, Mr. Oti. Those who disturb the threads will eventually be entangled and bound by them, until... they are obliterated within the predetermined picture."
"The turmoil at Penacony has woven too many knots of disorder."
At the Dreamjolt Bar, Welt turned off his phone and briefly explained to Dan Heng what had just happened.
"Did the Clover Family meet with the company?"
"It was a message from the company envoy; he said it was 'reciprocity'."
Welt adjusted his glasses. "It's not hard to understand. Penacony today is just like the Frontier Prison of the past, with the people and galactic forces eyeing it from the outside, and the shadow of the [ Order ] stirring within."
"Rather than being caught in a pincer movement, it's better to take the initiative to back down and invite the company to the table for negotiations. Ostensibly, it's about cooperation, but in reality, it's about securing more opportunities for our own survival."
Dan Heng pondered, then looked up at Welt: "No wonder they invited the Astral Express to mediate. In your opinion, whose side should we stand on?"
"I don't think [ the Harmony ] are entirely victims," Welt concluded. "Whatever the reason, they also have a strong desire to settle things peacefully, and the reasons behind this are certainly open to speculation."
He recalled several Nameless, including Mikhail, Penacony in Mikhail's dream. He couldn't repeat the same mistakes as before.
"If Penacony were to fall completely under the control of the Family or the company, it would likely revert to a decadent, illusory dream, and the efforts of the old, Nameless... would once again be in vain."
As soon as they finished speaking, a gentle breeze swept towards Dan Heng and Welt.
Seeing Xing and March 7th suddenly appear before them, they were not surprised at all, because Ye Yan was right behind them.
"You're here! Did you have a good rest?"
"Wow... Teacher Ye Yan, how did you do that?"
March 7th was still reeling from the shock of the [ Flipping Coin ] ability. This seemed even more convenient than the [ Gate of Myriad Paths ]. Before she could even react, she had arrived.
"The moment the [ Flipping Coin ] is tossed into the air, the outcome is already decided."
Ye Yan carefully placed a special coin inside. "Keep it safe; it'll have its chance to shine later."
"An infinity- Type-∞ Coin? Can I toss it now?"
"Cannot."