"Mr. Oti Averfa, it's an honor to meet you as a representative of the Astral Express." Himeko greeted the Old Oti gracefully.
"Hehehe, just as I thought... This beautiful lady before me is the navigator of the Astral Express?" Old Oti stroked his long, snow-white beard and greeted her with a smile, "A pleasure to meet you, a pleasure to meet you."
"You all have a general understanding of the proposal. As envisioned, after this round of financing, the company will hold a 30% stake in Penacony."
Jade intervened at the opportune moment, its gaze sweeping over the crowd:
"Subsequently, the company will transfer 5% of its shares to Astral Express and appoint Himeko as an independent director. This move is to recognize the sacrifices and contributions made by the Nameless in history to the Land of the Dreams."
"Although nothing is finalized yet, we are deeply honored that everyone here recognizes the train's Trailblaze spirit." Himeko nodded, her words composed.
" The Nameless embarked on their journey not for fame or fortune. But if the Family and the company share this desire, we will fulfill our duties as board members."
Himeko looked around at everyone and announced the decision, "With the approval of the entire Astral Express Crew, the Astral Express will assist in the reconstruction of Penacony."
"In addition, we will dedicate ourselves to bringing the dream of the Planet of Festivities to more parts of the world on our future journeys."
This statement carries considerable weight—after all, if Astral Express, which travels the world under the name of " Trailblaze," were to serve on the board, it would be tantamount to bringing in Penacony's most persuasive ambassador.
Finally, Himeko gently placed her hands on her chest, her expression solemn. "Of course, all cooperation is based on one premise— Penacony's principle of ' Harmony ' must not be distorted again, and the same tragedy must never happen a second time."
Topaz, standing nearby, gasped. She knew the relationship between [ Eternity ] and [ Trailblaze ]. If Penacony showed even the slightest sign of deviating from " Harmony "... she could almost foresee the scene of Chair Blake arriving in an instant with the [ Church of Eternity ].
Topaz could almost picture Chair Blake's tone. "[Ha ha ha! The end of [ Harmony ]... is [ Eternity ]!"
The negotiations concluded, and Topaz and Jade returned to the quiet lounge.
" Old Oti has agreed, so we've passed this hurdle, right? What about the remaining family heads...?"
"They will also come to terms with the situation. When they ask that last question, Old Oti will represent more than just the Clover Family." Jade, one hand on her hip, exuding a mature and composed aura.
When would be a suitable time for the formal talks? I'll arrange it.
"I'll do whatever you say. You can handle the rest of the negotiations and handover; I won't get involved."
Topaz was slightly surprised, "Ms. Jade, this..."
"This case was originally secured by Aventurine, and you were his designated project partner. If that kid hadn't gone too far, I wouldn't have been pushed into the spotlight."
Jade explained, a hint of helplessness flashing in her eyes.
"I'm here today to help you remove the toughest nut to crack. I believe you can finish this job well, Little Elena."
"Of course, definitely no problem," Topaz said confidently. "And please rest assured, [ Diamond ]."
"Don't worry, [ Diamond ] has always trusted us. Your and Aventurine's performance this time far exceeded expectations, and promotion to P46 is not impossible."
Her gaze shifted to the magnificent starry sky outside the porthole, a hint of admiration in her eyes. "[ The Radiant Feldspar ]... what a fine ship. Now that we've finished discussing business, I should probably take care of my own 'little hobby'."
"You want to bring [ Jade Pawnshop ] onto this airship too?"
"After all, such opportunities are rare. Look at the guests on this ship; we can definitely get a list of valuable treasures from them."
"That's all for now. The pawnshop can't open without the proprietress. See you later, Topaz."
As Jade turned to leave, Topaz called out to her, "Ms. Jade, I have another question to ask."
"Hmm?" Jade stopped and turned around. "Go ahead and ask."
"That [poison]—I'm Curiosity, where did you get the information?"
"It wasn't that I found the information, but rather that the information found me."
Jade paused briefly, lowering her voice even further:
"It comes from... a girl who cares about Harmony future."
"In exchange, I'll help her with something, but that's a matter for later. We can do it after we leave Penacony."
Using this question as a springboard, Jade explained her philosophy to Topaz: "You see, this is [investment]. The seeds of opportunity are buried in the soil, needing only a little nourishment to take root and sprout, and all we have to do is wait patiently."
Her gaze seemed to pierce through the cabin walls, reaching into the distance. "Just like now, the last [distinguished guest] I've been waiting for... should also board this ship."
As soon as the words left their mouths, an invisible force swept over them. Topaz and Jade's bodies paused almost imperceptibly at the same time, and the fragments of their Remembrance about the Intellitron visitor who called himself ' Lycurgus ' vanished without a trace, as if erased by an eraser.
The perspective shifts to the other side of the [ The Radiant Feldspar ], where Xing's battle with the Intellitron is still ongoing.
"Xing, if we lose again, Teacher Ye Yan's milk tea will be completely gone."
March 7th muttered to himself, but his body betrayed him as he shrank further into his seat, preparing to continue watching the play.
Firefly maintained her elegant posture, observing Star's reaction and the composed Intellitron with great interest; he was indeed a formidable opponent.
"The rules remain the same." Xing stepped back to the console, his finger hovering above the start button.
"But this time, I'll see through your infinite item trick!" She quickly calculated in her mind. Jarilo-VI had fought the [ Eternity ] Aeon that time; it would be strange if she won.
This time, facing an opponent who isn't afraid of attrition, we must find the key to a decisive victory, or restrict the opponent within the rules!
The Intellitron gentleman nodded slightly, a soft grinding sound emanating from its metal joints, "Your determination is admirable, madam. Please."
Having said that, He made an inviting gesture again.
This time, Xing played with unusual caution. She no longer focused on competing with her opponent in terms of the number of items, but instead concentrated all her attention on observing the operating patterns of the Intellitron and the timing of item usage.
Her fingers flew across the keys with lightning speed, each item she released aiming to precisely strike the core of the opponent's strategy, trying to find that fleeting, potentially disruptive gap in the opponent's seemingly endless torrent of resources.
In the game "[ Origami Bird Clash ]", Origami Bird representing stars struggle to survive amidst countless "obstacles" and "attacks" generated by the opponent's items, with the score and health gap widening dramatically at times.
March 7th covered her mouth in nervousness, and Firefly leaned forward slightly.
"Wow... This is just a match-3 game, why am I so excited about it?!" March 7th was completely baffled in the audience.
However, just when everyone thought that Xing was about to suffer its third crushing defeat, the situation took a subtle turn.