Chapter 518: The Bargaining Chip Is the Future
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
When the two of them entered the secret conference room, the upper echelons of the Six Nations had already been waiting for a while. The gigantic screen in the conference room showed the images of the Six Nations’ leaders. This was a long-distance video conference.
The moment that Han Xiao walked in, the upper echelons of the Six Nations began to size him up. Han Xiao then turned around and gave Bennett a look, and Bennett retreated to the side to indicate that he would not be partic.i.p.ating in the negotiations.
“The leaders of Stardragon, Hesla, Raylen, Theseus, Maple, and Ordina, I believe that this should be our first meeting. Good evening, gentleman,” Han Xiao said with a calm tone.
“h.e.l.lo, Black Phantom. More accurately, you should be called Black Star now. We noticed you a long time ago, and we are very happy to have this conversation.”
The leader of Stardragon replied with an amiable smile. Because Han Xiao had once worked for Stardragon’s intelligence agency, their relations.h.i.+p was the best, and the leader of Stardragon was the representative for this conference.
Han Xiao raised his brows. “I know what all of your intentions are. Just be straightforward.”
“Bennett understands our intentions, but we would like to have a personal conversation with you. Bennett said that the purpose of your return is to protect this planet and its inhabitants from being destroyed by the Mutation Disaster. You are a person of cla.s.s, and we truly admire you. Just as you have observed, our citizens are living in threat and worry every day, and we hope to seek your aid through this meeting.”
The Stardragon leader did not beat about the bush and got straight to the point.
“What are your requests?”
“We hope that you can help restore our fractured social system and save our citizens who are in danger.”
“How do you want me to achieve that?” Han Xiao said patiently.
“After some discussion, we all hope that the Sanctuary can share the recipe of the suppressant and its raw materials with us, and send people to instruct us on the concoction process. At the same time, we hope to obtain a large amount of completed suppressant to solve our countries’ immediate needs. We will need to first recover our government building and army before trying to quarantine and save our citizens. As long as we can regain our strength, we will be able to prevent the situation from worsening. In this process, we hope to borrow the strength of your warriors and fleet. We will inform you again of our detailed plan.”
“Doesn’t sound too bad. You guys delayed contacting me for a day to discuss this plan, right?” Han Xiao said calmly without giving a reply. “Then, what kind of benefits will I gain?”
The leaders of the Six Nations were stunned for a moment. Didn’t you come back specially to stop the calamity? Didn’t you help the refugees unconditionally? Why are you talking about benefits now?
“Why are you so surprised?” Han Xiao raised his brows. “Isn’t this a trade? If there aren’t any benefits, don’t waste my time.”
“This… no one will be able to avoid the calamity, and fighting the calamity is everyone’s responsibility. Why would this be a trade? Didn’t you return to save the inhabitants of this planet?” The leader of Ordina interrupted.
“Indeed, but that isn’t what we’re talking about now.” Han Xiao folded his arms and continued. “All of you want to borrow my strength to restore your control over your nation. I help you restore stability to your nation, and you give me benefits in return. This is a fair trade. If not, why should I help all of you?”
“Helping us will allow more refugees to be saved. Isn’t this a reason?” the leader of Hesla said.
“Everyone has to die eventually, and it is a pipe dream to save everyone on the planet,” Han Xiao said. “You’ve all read my file before and know that I am not an idealist. My goal is to stop this calamity so that this planet will not be destroyed. Regardless of how many people die, I will be able to accept the outcome. Don’t make use of this to hold me hostage. I am not Bennett and am not as kind as him. This isn’t a chip that you guys can use to get me to do whatever you want.
“The life and death of your regime has nothing to do with me. I can just guard the Sanctuary and wait for refugees from all over the world to seek aid from me. They would not foolishly wait for their deaths in your nation. When all of your regimes are destroyed, I can then support the Sanctuary to become the new and sole ruler of the planet.”
Bennett opened his mouth and wanted to say something. He did not have the ambition to rule and did not agree with this point. However, after some hesitation, he decided to watch from the side and trust Han Xiao.
“I don’t deny that all of you do indeed intend to save your citizens. However, your biggest motive is to borrow our suppressants and my strength to prevent your regime from collapsing. This is something that you cannot deny.” Han Xiao shook his head and said coldly, “Since all of you are pleading for help, make sure you look like you are seeking aid. The one who has the right to make demands is me, not you guys.”
The leaders of the Six Nations were both angered and shocked. They had never imagined that Han Xiao would be so straightforward.
“No, I think you are misunderstanding something. You are not as important as you think,” Theseus’ leader said. “We have already sought aid from G.o.dora, and they will arrive quickly. We are only seeking your aid so that we can save more people. Since you are so impolite with us, we cannot do anything. I hope that you remember that your rejection has caused many people who could have survived to die. They were all killed by you.”
Black Star was not their only hope, and the Six Nations were only testing Han Xiao’s att.i.tude. In their hearts, they still trusted G.o.dora more.
“We are all wise individuals, so don’t bother using such words as a threat. It is no more than a joke. Since you guys talked about being impolite…” Han Xiao shook his head and smiled. “G.o.dora should be very polite with all of you, but apart from providing the knowledge required for the awakening of Supers, what other aid had they given to you?
“Not only did they not give all of you any aid, they even shook the order of society. It was G.o.dora’s appearance that caused the war of hundred nations a few decades ago, causing the deaths of millions. Furthermore, the rescue force of G.o.dora still has not arrived, am I right?”
The Six Nations’ delegates fell silent.
Han Xiao raised his brows and suddenly changed topics. With a teasing tone, he said, “A few years ago, I helped all of you win against the Germinal Organization. At that time, I did not partic.i.p.ate in the meeting between all the upper echelons, but today, you took the initiative to contact me. Why is there such a drastic change in our status in just two short years? Why is there such a huge difference?”
The faces of the Six Nations’ leaders darkened, and they felt their hearts being stabbed.
They were only having a negotiation, and they could forget the matter if a consensus could not be reached. But why did he have to pour salt in their wounds!
What a cruel guy!
“All of you can only hug G.o.dora’s thighs as though they are your ancestors. Even if all of you don’t understand the other party, you still have to coax them with an amiable tone and humble yourselves like their grandchildren. As for me, not only do I understand their civilization, I have even worked together with them before. We have a good working relations.h.i.+p, and I can even contact their upper echelons. Can any of you do that?”
The faces of the leaders were completely black. This was a truth that they all understood. As leaders, how could they be willing not to hold any authority in their hands? However, the gap between the two civilizations forced them to lower their heads.
They did not know about Black Star’s achievements in the galaxy, but if Han Xiao was speaking the truth, then Black Star’s strength was far more powerful than they had imagined.
Han Xiao knocked on the table and said, “If G.o.dora helps you to deal with the Mutation Disaster, they will definitely depart on their s.p.a.ces.h.i.+ps the very next moment, leaving behind the aftermath of the disaster. All of you will still be citizens of a backward planet, and nothing will change. Hope that G.o.dora will take all of you into the galaxy? You know that this is impossible.”
The gazes of the leaders changed, and they all knew that what Han Xiao said was the truth. G.o.dora would save them from the calamity but would definitely not help them to develop. They were all extremely clear about this. It was just like how G.o.dora gave them a Galactic Communicator but locked more than ninety-nine percent of its functions. They could only contact G.o.dora unilaterally but would not be able to understand the galaxy.
Even if the Mutation Disaster was resolved, they would have to clean up the mess on their own. Not only would they be unable to advance, their weak civilization might even regress.
Han Xiao did not stop there and continued, “If you want to talk to me on equal grounds, all of you have to enter the galaxy at the very least. However, your technology is a few hundred years lacking before you can become a member of the galaxy. Are all of you going to place your hopes in a technological boom that would take a miracle to happen? Are you resigned to such a fate?”
“What exactly do you mean?” the Stardragon leader said.
“Don’t you understand? Only me. Your only hope is me!” Han Xiao slapped the table hard as he raised his voice. “I am your only choice because I am the only person from Planet Aquamarine who is in the galaxy. Only I am willing to help you develop!”
The leaders of the Six Nations were dumbfounded.
“You, what you mean is…”
“Accept reality. I am not negotiating about disaster relief but about the future!”
Han Xiao placed his arms behind his back as he pressured the leaders of the Six Nations with his charisma.
In his previous life, while the players had managed to complete the Mutation Disaster Main Storyline Mission, they had dragged the mission for too long. When G.o.dora solved the Mutation Disaster, the Six Nations had already collapsed, and there had only been darkness left behind in the civilization. The citizens who had lost their homes could only struggle on for their lives.
Because G.o.dora discovered the player’s special potential through the process of fighting the disaster, G.o.dora had set up a stronghold in the almost destroyed Planet Aquamarine to receive the never-ending stream of new Inhumans.
Han Xiao leaned toward protecting the Six Nations. No matter what, it was much better to have a mature regime rule over the place as it would make it much easier for any organization to function on the planet. Planet Aquamarine was a novice planet, and if Han Xiao could construct a base there, he would be able to have an endless stream of players.
Those words of his immediately stirred up a storm in the hearts of the Six Nations’ leaders. They all fell silent and began thinking about the pros and cons.
Han Xiao’s words had truly moved them. While G.o.dora was powerful, they were aliens after all and not their kind.
Black Star, who was from Planet Aquamarine, was truly one of them!
Even if they did not want to admit it, their rationality told them that this was the only chance for them to change the fate of their civilization.
“What do you want?” The tone of the Raylen’s leader was hoa.r.s.e.
“My words are already very clear, and all of you know what I want. Even if you don’t wish to give it to me, I can take it myself.”
“Your ambitions are too large…”
“Trust me, the vastness of the galaxy is worth this little sacrifice. You will not regret your choice of purchasing this ticket. You will only regret it for life if you miss this opportunity.”
Buzz!
The screen suddenly turned black.
Bennett was still in a state of shock as he asked, “Did they reject?”
“No.”
Han Xiao’s lips curled up slightly. “They are discussing.”
Bennett looked at Han Xiao and said with a complicated gaze, “You have changed.”
“I haven’t changed.” Han Xiao shrugged and casually said, “It’s just impossible to understand every side of a person.”
Bennett did not reply anymore with his heart in a complete mess. Black Star wanted to become the ruler of the entire planet! Could it be that the motive for his return was not to save people but to rule over the planet‽
He did not know whether Han Xiao’s actions were right or not. History had proven the tragedy of gathering authority in a single person’s hands many times. He had seen the desolate outcome of far too many ambitious individuals. The source of a disaster was very often an inflated desire.
Time seemed to have pa.s.sed by very slowly, and after waiting for ten minutes, the screen finally lit up again.
The leaders of the Six Nations appeared and looked at Han Xiao with a complicated gaze.
“As long as you are able to fulfil your promise, we are willing to satisfy all of your requests. We will use all of our strength and listen to your orders.
“We accept your conditions!”
The Six Nations truly did not have much of a choice in this matter. As long as a single regime accepted Han Xiao’s proposal, the other nations would fall behind if they did not accept it. Stardragon was the first to display their willingness to submit, and after some discussion, the other five nations also agreed. Black Star had already entered the galaxy, and it was not embarra.s.sing for them to submit to him.
One party was always high up on their thrones and treated them like dogs. The other party was one of their kind and promised to help them. Since they wanted to hug someone’s thigh, they would definitely choose the latter.
They did not ask Han Xiao in detail what he could give them because they were extremely clear that they did not have such rights. This was not a fair trade as they did not have any chips in their hands. It was just as Han Xiao had said. Even if they were not willing to give, he could take it himself!
This was just Han Xiao pitying them!
Han Xiao heaved a sigh of relief in his heart and was pretty happy. However, he maintained his calm expression and said with a smile, “My men will land in your territories soon and aid you in restoring order.”
The leaders nodded.
“Since we have come to a consensus, tell me a small nugget of intelligence first.” Han Xiao’s eyes narrowed. “Where is the Bell of Death Island?”