The two arrived at the backup meeting room—the wall of that room had been left with a warm, human-shaped hole.
Nagokin solemnly instructed the guards not to let anyone in, then closed the door, staring intently at the Mutation Source that Han Xiao had placed on the table. He took a few steps to the table and examined it closely with wide eyes.
A pool of dark liquid was sealed inside a transparent sphere, slowly changing shape.
"Are you sure this is the source of the Mutation Disaster?" Nagokin asked intently, then paused and added, "It's not that I don't trust you, it's just that this is a matter of great importance, and I need to get to the bottom of it."
Han Xiao understood Nagokin's caution and slowly said, "Don't worry, this is an unopened Mutation Source. Two years ago, when I was on a mercenary mission, I happened to run into DarkStar's cargo carriers, and they were transporting this very thing. I accidentally snatched it from DarkStar and never knew what it was, so I handed it over to Dragon Calm."
"Until the Mutation Disaster broke out, after reviewing a lot of information, I gradually determined that this dark, viscous liquid was the Mutation Source. I came to see you more than half a month ago to talk about this, but you were busy at the time, so I went back alone to get the things."
Upon hearing this, Nagokin slapped his forehead, somewhat regretful, "You should have contacted me sooner!"
Han Xiao shrugged, indicating his own helplessness, and asked knowingly, "With this original body, you should be able to develop an antidote sooner, right?"
"I'm not a researcher, everything depends on the research department's conclusions..." Nagokin clenched his fist, unable to contain his excitement, "But it will definitely speed up the research process!"
Goddora's researchers have been studying the Mutation Disaster in an attempt to develop a cure, but they can only work on the infected and lack data on the original, bringing their research to a near standstill.
However, if we have the original body, we can conduct more experiments, treat the symptoms, and the research and development speed will advance by leaps and bounds!
The sooner we resolve the Mutation Disaster, the sooner we can prevent the situation from escalating!
This means that with what Han Xiao handed over, Goddora will be able to break the stalemate created by DarkStar and turn the tide in one fell swoop!
At this moment, Han Xiao interrupted Nagokin's fantasy, laughing, "Don't misunderstand, I never said I was going to hand the things over to you."
"What?!"
Nagokin looked over abruptly, his expression one of astonishment, a hint of hostility lurking beneath. Goddora was determined to have this, even if it meant Black Star ...
"Don't be so tense. What I mean is, I can give you the items, but I need something in return. I'm a mercenary, and I prefer to resolve things through trade. In other words..."
Han Xiao rested his hands on his chin, "How much are you Goddora, willing to pay for this Mutation Source?"
"I see."
Nagokin narrowed his eyes, calmed down slightly, and a thought flashed through his mind.
At this critical juncture, Black Star suddenly produced the key item to break the deadlock... very strange!
It's possible that Black Star simply wants to profit from the war, but we can't rule out a very small possibility— that Black Star and DarkStar have a subtle, unspeakable relationship.
Black Star has consistently caused considerable losses to DarkStar. To most people, the first impression is that the two are mortal enemies, and it's impossible for this to be a ruse. However, this kind of thinking is fixed and rigid... If DarkStar had endured the humiliation and did not retaliate, but instead contacted Black Star privately afterward and reached a cooperation agreement with Black Star at a high price, that would also be possible.
Black Star is a mercenary who fights for money. Nagokin doesn't have high hopes for mercenaries' integrity. It's not that he's overthinking things, but rather that it's always better to be safe than sorry. Now that DarkStar's situation is extremely critical, he has to consider all the risks. After all, Black Star suddenly produced a key item in DarkStar's plan, and even if the other party explained its origin clearly, it was still hard to believe.
These thoughts flashed through his mind. Nagokin pondered for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "Does the Dragon Calm side know about your actions?"
He secretly decided to contact Dragon Calm privately. Dragon Calm would never cooperate with DarkStar, and only when Dragon Calm confirmed Han Xiao's statement could he feel at ease.
"Of course they know." Han Xiao had anticipated this, chuckled inwardly, and shrugged. "If you're worried, go ask Ames; I brought her along."
Thump!
Nagokin slipped and fell directly under the table.
Then he jumped up, looking completely bewildered.
"You... you... you brought the Dragon Emperor to this planet?!"
"Yes, she's over there in the square."
Nagokin stared at Han Xiao in disbelief.
Gaol! What kind of person is Ames? Black Star actually summoned her! She's Black Star's boss! Just how much influence does this woman have in Dragon Calm?! Am I playing the Veyne Cards, you idiot?!
"I have nothing more to ask..."
Nagokin smiled wryly. Well, Black Star has already brought over such a big shot, clearly unafraid of confrontation, so what's there to doubt? It's definitely true. He would never doubt that Ames is connected to DarkStar; DarkStar has no right to do so!
Han Xiao remained calm. On the way back to the Tu Shu, he had already told Ames about the Mutation Source. It wasn't anything shameful, so there was no need to hide it from Ames. Han Xiao knew her; she wouldn't care about such trivial matters. That's the good thing about being a capricious, hands-off manager. If it were Jenny, she would probably be slamming her fist on the table and roaring.
As expected, Ames showed little interest in the matter, so Han Xiao had no further concerns.
"Black Star, this is very important. I need to report this to the higher-ups. You should make your demands to them."
Nagokin did not hesitate any longer. He took out his communicator, contacted the higher-ups, and explained the situation in detail.
The communicator immediately crackled with incredulous exclamations. As various departments racked their brains for ways to contain the situation, this news filled them with elation and joy. It reached not only the War Bureau but also the desk of Goddora's supreme leader!
The top management of Goddora was in an uproar!
Soon, Goddora had several high-ranking officials handle the matter, and their images appeared simultaneously, all looking at Han Xiao immediately.
"So you're Black Star? Just say it, what are your conditions?" Several high-ranking officials spoke with grave tones and serious expressions, prepared to bleed heavily.
However, the higher-ups at Goddora were not dissatisfied with this. Since it was a transaction, paying a price was only natural. Asking someone to give up their resources for free was thuggish behavior. Even if Ames wasn't here, they wouldn't act like thugs. The higher-ups in this position wouldn't make enemies casually.
If a problem can be solved with money, is it even a problem?
Han Xiao's eyes flashed, and he smiled, "Then let's discuss it in detail..."
For the next hour, the two sides engaged in intense negotiations. Several high-ranking officials from Goddora occasionally argued and negotiated the terms, gradually reaching a mutually acceptable outcome. In front of these high-ranking officials, Nagokin had no right to interrupt.
After a long while, the argument finally stopped.
"... We accept your conditions. Once this matter is settled, we will fulfill the agreement reached today," a senior executive said solemnly.
Although this deal had the air of taking advantage of someone's misfortune, Han Xiao did not make unreasonable demands. He proposed conditions that he had already thought of beforehand, without raising the price on the spot, and within the other party's acceptable range. This attitude made the senior executives of Goddora feel much more at ease.
Han Xiao nodded, feeling relieved; the negotiation outcome was even better than he had anticipated.
Just as guessed, Goddora understood her situation and desperately needed him to provide a way out. With that in mind, the negotiations became much easier.
Goddora was very sincere and agreed to most of his conditions. Moreover, she was eager to make a decision, so the people who came forward were all high-ranking officials who had the authority to decide on major issues. Therefore, the negotiation was very efficient and there was not much wrangling.
The Mutation Source brought many things in return. First, there was a sum of money, three million Enas, which was transferred directly, replenishing the funds and making the increasingly depleted wallet full again. Then there was a supply of goods for several years, including various mechanical raw materials and special products, all of which were high-quality products manufactured in the military factory, as well as finished products such as spaceships. Thousands of goods were offered at only the lowest cost price.
Besides these tangible benefits, there are other requirements such as status, special treatment, and access to certain areas. These are quite complicated and are intended to improve the mercenary group's reputation, their own status and fame, and NPC resources. These conditions require Goddora to fulfill them over a long period of time.
He wasn't worried about Goddora going back on her word; Dragon Calm's identity was his guarantee.
Furthermore, Han Xiao hinted to Dragon Calm that he would support his actions in order to gain favor with Goddora and strengthen Dragon Calm's diplomatic relations... This was not an alliance, but Dragon Calm and Goddora's relationship would become closer than before, and having another friend would be beneficial.
Ames is revered and wields immense influence over Dragon Calm, with many organizations giving her face. However, this doesn't change the fact that Dragon Calm's power is weak; this influence is superficial. Other Beyond Grade A powerhouses, on the other hand, have deep-rooted cooperative and interest-based relationships with numerous civilizations, forming a complex and powerful network. Han Xiao wouldn't arbitrarily undermine Dragon Calm's neutral stance; however, neutrality doesn't preclude making friends.
Master Han was happy to help Dragon Calm connect with other forces. This was originally Jenny's job, but obviously, that frigid woman's style was too conservative, Han Xiao didn't mind giving her more tasks to handle.
The stronger Dragon Calm's power, the more he benefits.
Goddora was eager to maintain a good relationship with Dragon Calm, and naturally understood Han Xiao's implication without saying a word.
"That's settled then. Goddora appreciates your contribution, and we won't treat our friend unfairly." The senior executives gave Han Xiao a deep look.
These powerful figures in Goddora felt it was time to reassess the importance of Black Star.
beep--
The images disappeared, leaving only the two people in the room.
Having achieved a satisfactory result, Han Xiao tossed the Mutation Source to Nagokin.
"Take it and secretly send it back to Goddora. Don't let anyone intercept it on the way."
"I see."
Nagokin nodded solemnly. He couldn't wait to see Goddora thwart DarkStar's evil plot and triumph. He even found Han Xiao incredibly pleasing to the eye now.
Han Xiao stretched and yawned as he sat in the chair, feeling completely relaxed.
Having finally handed over the Primarch, Goddora was able to quickly resolve her predicament, likely more than a year earlier than in her previous life, completely changing the situation herself.
DarkStar is still in the dark. I wonder what his expression will be when he discovers that his long-planned scheme has fallen apart.
Players who complete this main storyline sooner will avoid wasting time on Planet Aquamarine and, as members of a mercenary group, will be able to enter interstellar space early, creating far greater value than in their previous lives!
The players' experience, and their perception of the plot development, will take a completely different new path!
"I wonder what the future will be like..."
The fates of countless people will be rewritten. Han Xiao closed his eyes, a long-lost tremor seemed to rise in his bones, and he was filled with unbearable excitement.