Leo Galaxy

Zhao Chen's interstellar fleet had silently passed through the stargate and arrived here.

The various forces in the Reef Starfield were unaware that a dragon was already lurking right under their noses.

At that moment, Medusa, who had just led the snake people to a great victory, contacted Zhao Chen.

The two appeared in a virtual image space.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty, on your great victory over the enemy fleet!" Zhao Chen congratulated her as soon as he arrived.

"How do you know I won?" Medusa looked at Zhao Chen in surprise, as her battle had only ended less than half a day ago.

Not only do I know you won, but I also know every detail of your entire battle very clearly.

Zhao Chen would never say that. He smiled and said, "If it weren't for the great victory, you wouldn't be here to see me with such joy on your face, would you?"

Medusa smiled slightly: "This is all thanks to the batch of interstellar warships that Lord Zhao Chen gave us; they are indeed incredibly powerful!"

Help our Serpent People achieve victory in this battle!

"It's just a very ordinary transaction. Her Majesty the Queen pays, and I sell the starship," Zhao Chen shrugged.

Medusa gazed at Zhao Chen with her beautiful eyes and pressed her advantage, asking, "I wonder if Your Excellency Zhao Chen would still be willing to sell us a batch of interstellar warships..."

Although the battle was won, the Warhammer faction will surely retaliate fiercely.

With just these Dragon-class interstellar warships, we cannot completely defeat the Warhammer faction's interstellar warships, and the enemy will certainly be better prepared for their next attack.

Zhao Chen said calmly, "Your Majesty, given the current situation, even if you go bankrupt to purchase my interstellar warships..."

It is also impossible for them to completely defeat the Warhammer faction's Starfleet.

There was an element of luck in this victory.

Next time it won't be so easy.

Medusa was speechless, her face showing some worry.

She knew this fact, but it was the only option at the moment.

Medusa looked at Zhao Chen, biting her lip lightly, preparing to try again: "Your Excellency Zhao Chen, I still hope you can join our Independent Faction."

"If you're willing to help us, you can then divide the entire Reef Starfield into three parts with our Serpent People and the Thorn Free Trade Group!"

Medusa offered what she considered to be a good deal.

But what the Queen didn't know was that Zhao Chen wanted more.

Zhao Chen stared intently at Medusa.

Although it was merely a matter of ideology between the two sides, Medusa seemed to feel a kind of oppressive aura.

She rarely had this feeling; the last time was when her mother was alive.

“We can cooperate, but the form of cooperation must meet my requirements,” Zhao Chen said.

Medusa was secretly pleased, which meant that Zhao Chen was wavering.

Although we don't know what conditions the other party will propose, the fact that there are conditions means that there is room for negotiation between the two parties.

"you say!"

Zhao Chen raised his hand and held up three fingers: "I have three conditions."

First: After the battle ends, there can only be one ruler in the Reef Starfield, not three!

That's me!

Medusa's beautiful eyes narrowed; the conditions offered right off the bat were so tempting.

She hadn't expected this man to have such a huge appetite.

“That’s impossible... We snake people will never submit to any power!” Medusa objected directly.

Zhao Chen was not affected by the other party's opposition; the opposition was exactly what he had expected.

He continued casually, "Secondly: Apart from the Lion King Galaxy, I can hand over all the other Reef Star System to your Serpent People and that Thorn Free Trade Group for jurisdiction."

I grant you the highest degree of autonomy, and I can assure you that as long as you and your people do not do anything that threatens me.

I will absolutely not interfere with your ethnicity.

However, 70% of the quarterly net profits of all star systems in the Reef region must be handed over to me.

This condition was also excessive, but because of the first condition, Medusa wasn't too angry.

"Third: This is somewhat related to the previous one. I grant you the highest degree of autonomy, but diplomatic and military powers belong to me."

As for the Serpent People and the Thorn Free Trade Group, I can grant you a certain share of military strength to maintain your rule, but any purchase of new warships beyond the existing ones must be approved by me.

Furthermore, I and my starfleet will take responsibility for any crisis in the Reef region.

Medusa squinted at Zhao Chen: "You want us to be your puppets?"

Zhao Chen spread his hands and asked casually, "What's wrong with puppets? I wonder if Your Majesty has ever heard this saying?"

Better to be a dog in times of peace than a human in times of chaos.

Compared to your grand ambitions, your people actually want something much simpler: a peaceful life.

I can give you all of these.

Aside from having an additional nominal ruler above you, there is no difference.

Does Her Majesty truly wish to watch her people and lands be devastated, slaughtered, enslaved, and ultimately forced into exile?

Medusa's eyes were filled with complex emotions, and she herself was also somewhat conflicted.

"Then why don't I choose Starshine or Warhammer?" Medusa retorted to Zhao Chen.

"Do you have a choice?" Zhao Chen asked with a light laugh. "The people of the Starshine Faction and the Warhammer Faction have long since pledged allegiance to the two empires, while those who have already pledged allegiance are far superior."

Do you think they'll care about someone who's 'late' to surrender?

The treatment you will receive then is unimaginable; you, the queen, may even be forced to submit to the tyranny of someone, and your snake-people will become subservient.

"Alright, stop talking!" Medusa stopped Zhao Chen from continuing, not because she thought he was exaggerating, but because these were the realities.

Medusa simply didn't want to face it.

Her breathing became rapid, and the joy of her previous victory vanished.

She stared at Zhao Chen: "Our conversation ends here, Mr. Zhao Chen. Excuse me."

"You can consider my terms. If you ever change your mind, feel free to contact me anytime." Zhao Chen smiled as he watched Medusa's figure disappear from his sight.

Finally, Zhao Chen opened his eyes on the captain's chair of his flagship.

"Your Majesty, I hope you can make a wise choice, otherwise I might have to be ruthless and destroy your beauty." As he spoke, a system task screen appeared in front of Zhao Chen's eyes.

【Reef Sector Campaign 2/3】

Please choose to either purge the Independents from their own ranks and rule the Reef Sector, or appoint the Serpent People as proxies to rule the Reef Sector.

This was the option that popped up before Zhao Chen met with Medusa.

Although directly ruling the Reef sector sounds awesome.

However, it's troublesome. Zhao Chen needs to train a large number of managers, and it will take a long time to digest the entire Dark Reef Starfield.

Instead of going through all that trouble, it would be better to directly support an 'agent'.

The most suitable 'agent' would naturally be this Medusa.

Zhao Chen was very confident that Medusa would eventually submit to him.

Because reality is cruel.

The current situation in the Reef Starfield is also brutal!

The queen had no choice but to break the deadlock.

Zhao Chen was her only lifeline.