Wow! The item-dropping rate is really high!-Chapter 970 - 678: Conflict (Part 2)

From bearing the title of "Insect Race Killer" to perceiving the psychic pull of the Bug Race because of him, Bai E knew that there was an indelible connection between himself and this race.

Escape is not an option; only by facing it, and even eliminating the source of the threat, can true peace be achieved.

Xing Zhuo was stunned; he hadn't expected Bai E to say such a thing.

It wasn't based on an exchange of interests, nor was it forced by circumstances.

Rather, it was a near-instinctual assumption of responsibility by the strong.

Previous statements might have been intended to persuade him to mediate more earnestly, but now, after his failure to persuade, he still willing to take responsibility — that was the true intention.

This sense of responsibility made Xing Zhuo feel not only ashamed but also deeply respected.

"Then you..." Xing Zhuo began but stopped.

"The Bug Race, I will handle it," Bai E gave a definitive answer, "But how to handle it and when to handle it is for me to decide. What you need to do is to provide me with the latest detailed intelligence on the movements of the Bug Race fleet as much as possible, and... when I need it, coordinate a safe supply and passage route for me. As for the Huowali Fleet..."

A cold glint flashed in his eyes: "If they want to encircle, let them encircle first."

While Xing Zhuo was negotiating, two unmarked, dimly painted ships, shaped unobtrusively like asteroids, quietly appeared in the shadow of the asteroid belt at the far edge of Mine Star.

They evaded the main surveillance direction of the Huowali fleet, approaching with an almost perfect stealth posture.

"They've arrived." Black Beast, having received the encrypted signal early, said to Bai E and Catherine, "The expedition team from 'Dusk'. They request to first see the 'goods'— namely, our Mine Star and its development potential, before deciding whether to take the order and at what price."

Bai E nodded: "Let them land, we'll go meet them."

...

Outside the basic mining area.

The spaceship's hatch opened.

The first to step out were not fully armed warriors, but several people dressed in dark gray uniforms, with a sharp demeanor akin to engineers or analysts.

Their eyes were sharp, quickly scanning the surroundings like a scanner: a rudimentary but reinforcing residential area, a preliminarily planned functional area, a miner self-defense team under training, and defensive works faintly visible in the distance in the mining area.

Leading them was a middle-aged man with a stern face and a thin scar at the corner of his eye, who introduced himself as "Gray Falcon", the leader of this 'Dusk' expedition.

Black Beast accompanied them, introducing the general situation of Mine Star.

The assessment was fast and straightforward.

Gray Falcon and his team primarily inspected the production of the mining area, examined several main ships seized from pirates and currently being refitted, and gained a general understanding of the current predicament of Mine Star—

The blockade by the Huowali Fleet, and Bai E's identity and potential as the "Bauhinia Inheritor."

"The potential is not bad." In a temporarily arranged meeting room, Gray Falcon gave an initial evaluation, his voice calm and unemotional.

"Though the location is remote, it holds a certain strategic depth value. The leader... has courage and strength. But the problem is, you are very poor right now, extremely poor. You can't afford our conventional commissions."

He paused and raised two fingers: "We at 'Dusk' can offer two cooperation models. First, a war commission. We will deploy a task force sufficient to break the current blockade and exert sustained harassment pressure on the Huowali Fleet, ensuring the smooth flow of your supply line and forcing the other party to reconsider the cost of besiegement. The quote... is this number."

He entered a number on the data pad and pushed it over.

It was an astronomical figure enough to bankrupt a small country; even if converted to minerals, it would take Mine Star decades to mine.

The expressions of Black Beast and Catherine, who accompanied him, changed.

"The second option." Gray Falcon continued as if not seeing their expressions, "Technical equity. We can invest in building a medium-small 'arsenal' and accompanying defense system on your planet. We provide technology, core equipment, some senior technicians and security forces; you provide land, basic labor force, some raw materials, and enjoy a portion of the future factory's output. Meanwhile, as the investor, we will be responsible for resolving your current blockade issue—this is a necessary measure to protect our assets."

"What's the cost?" Catherine asked.

"The decision-making and control rights of the factory belong to us." Gray Falcon bluntly stated, "You will enjoy dividends and priority procurement rights for some products, but what to produce, technical core, and sales channels will be decided by us. This is equivalent to... you ceding part of your sovereignty and future military industry autonomy in exchange for our protection and initial development assistance."

These two options, one absurdly expensive and the other involving ceding core interests.

The atmosphere in the meeting room was somewhat grave.

Just then, a commotion and clashing metal sounds came from outside.

A soldier from the Seventh Legion hurried in to report: "My lord! The escorts from 'Dusk' got into a conflict with our people in the outer training ground! It seems because their people were pointing fingers at our training methods and... and mocking our equipment as junk!"

Gray Falcon frowned slightly, looking at Catherine: "I'll handle it."

"Let's go together." Catherine stood up.

At the edge of the training ground, two groups were confronting each other.

On one side were several guards dressed in 'Dusk' standard light battle armor, with defiant eyes.

The other side was led by Victor, comprising a dozen veterans from the Seventh Legion and key members of the miner self-defense team, all flushed and clearly angry.

Several pieces of training equipment lay scattered on the ground.

"What's going on?" Gray Falcon asked coldly.

A 'Dusk' guard shrugged: "Boss, we were just watching their training, said 'this outdated formation and equipment might work against pirates, but against a regular army, it's suicidal', and these guys got agitated, even wanted to fight."

Victor retorted angrily: "Nonsense! What do you know? This was developed from actual combat experience! What gives you the right to criticize?"

"Actual combat? Against pirates?" another 'Dusk' guard sneered, "Frog in a well, if you don't like it, let's fight instead of flapping your jaws here."

"Fight it is, who's afraid of you?!"

Gray Falcon frowned, "Old Sang, restrain yourself."

Though he said that, he didn't make any further moves, as if a bit indulgent.

Catherine observed him from the side, feeling this conflict didn't seem accidental...

Are they doing it on purpose? Wanting to show their strength?

Thinking this, she instinctively turned to look at Black Beast.

They were people she brought in, perhaps she knew better.

Yet when she met Black Beast's gaze, it was filled with the same worry.

"They always act tough... although they do have the qualifications to be tough," Black Beast muttered softly.

'It seems so,' Catherine thought tensely.

She actually wanted Victor to teach the other side a lesson, but the current situation was likely more advantageous to the other party.

The scene was momentarily stagnant, but the tension between Victor and the opposing guards was growing, appearing ready to explode at any moment.

Yet a calm voice somehow appeared in the scene, instantly suppressing the almost full-blown fighting intent.

"What are you all doing here?"

An invisible, mountain-heavy Spiritual Energy pressure quietly descended, precisely enveloping those 'Dusk' guards and the most agitated Victor and others in the center of the conflict.

Instantly, everyone felt as though they were frozen, unable to move a finger, unable to utter a sound from their open mouths, their eyes only revealing an expression of extreme shock and fear.

They felt as though thrown into the deep sea, surrounded by boundless pressure, even their thoughts growing sluggish.