Chapter 208

Inside the virtual reception hall.

Cao Fanrong and Elvin sat opposite each other.

This time, both sides had shed the wariness and probing from their first contact, and the atmosphere became considerably more relaxed.

"Mr. Cao, it seems you are very interested in my information."

Elvin lifted a cup of virtual clear tea made of data and said with a smile.

"Of course."

Cao Fanrong smiled.

"After all, this concerns the very livelihood of our entire civilization."

"We don't want to painstakingly build a house only to have someone come the next day and rip off the roof."

He used a very colloquial metaphor.

"Hmm, that's a very vivid metaphor."

Elvin nodded.

"Then let's proceed as we did before."

"If you want to know everything about the Rent Collector, you need to offer a price that would move me."

"We remain very interested in your droplet material technology."

He steered the conversation back to the original point.

"Mr. Elvin, there's no need to bring this up again."

Cao Fanrong waved his hand, his attitude firm.

"The droplet material is the foundation of our civilization; it is not for sale. There is no room for negotiation on this."

"However, aside from that, we have many other things you might find interesting."

Speaking, Cao Fanrong lightly tapped his finger in the air.

A new trade list appeared before Elvin.

The list contained various detailed data on the Mo Yun Empire's biotechnology.

From the lowest level of how to cultivate fungus mats, to the highest level of how to transform a planet into a breeding nest for bio-warships.

Everything you could want is there.

These were all parsed by the Human Federal from the wreckage and memory of the mother brain when cleaning up the battlefield.

"The Mo Yun Empire's biotechnology?"

Elvin glanced at the list, his eyebrows slightly raised, as if somewhat disdainful.

"Such dirty, chaotic, low-efficiency technology has long been eliminated by mainstream civilizations."

"You offer these things in exchange for core information pertaining to a Third-level Civilization?"

"Mr. Cao, aren't you being too insincere?"

"No no no."

Cao Fanrong laughed and shook his head.

"Mr. Elvin, don't rush to a conclusion yet."

"These technologies, for your kind of high civilization that pursues elegance and nature, may indeed be trash."

"But for certain civilizations in the universe that also follow a biological evolution path but have taken a wrong turn on their tech tree, this is priceless."

"According to information from previous trades, at the far end of the Orion Arm there seems to be a civilization called the 'Swarm' that greatly covets this technology capable of rapidly producing troops."

"If you resell these data to them, I believe the price could at least increase tenfold."

"We are offering you a lucrative business opportunity."

Luo Rui Xiang's words caused Elvin's eyes to shift slightly.

He hadn't expected that this human civilization could actually extract some information about the Swarm civilization from those intelligence.

It appears they are not as ignorant as he imagined.

"Alright, you have successfully convinced me."

Elvin pondered for a moment, then finally relaxed his mouth.

"I will accept this technical data."

"Then, in exchange, I will tell you everything about the Rent Collector."

He took a deep breath, his expression turning solemn.

"The so-called Rent Collector is actually a resource management method employed by various Third-level Civilizations in the Milky Way Galaxy over all Second-level Mid-tier Civilizations within their sphere of influence."

"You can understand it as a feudal enfeoffment system at the interstellar civilization level."

"Each powerful Third-level Civilization will divide the star domain it controls into several territories."

"And all Second-level Mid-tier Civilizations that arise or develop within that territory are, in a sense, their vassals."

"These vassal civilizations have the obligation to periodically pay a portion of resources as tax to their lord, that is, the Third-level Civilization."

"This tax can be rare minerals, special technological products, and in some extreme cases, even population."

Elvin's words made Luo Rui Xiang and others watching the meeting via remote monitoring feel a heavy weight in their hearts.

Indeed, it was exactly as their worst suspicions had predicted.

This is not some protection fee at all, but outright interstellar colonization and exploitation!

"What if we don't pay?"

Cao Fanrong posed the most crucial question.

"Not pay?"

Elvin glanced at him, his gaze like that of looking at a child who asks a foolish question.

There is only one consequence.

That is to be thoroughly erased from the physical level.

Your civilization, your homeworld, everything you have, will turn to cosmic dust in the lord's fury.

No Second-level Mid-tier civilization can withstand an attack from a Third-level Civilization; there has never been such a case.

His tone was plain, yet full of indisputability.

As if stating one of the most basic natural laws of the universe.

In the past tens of thousands of years, many Second-level Civilizations that considered themselves powerful or arrogant have attempted to challenge this rule.

But their ends were all the same.

They became negative examples in the textbooks of later generations.

A chill cold enveloped the Blue Star's highest Command Center.

Everyone fell silent.

They could imagine how despairing that scene would be.

A civilization that considered itself already at the pinnacle of the world, before a stronger civilization, having no room to resist, was easily crushed.

Then... how much of this tax must be paid?

Cao Fanrong's voice was a little hoarse.

This has no fixed standard.

Ai'erwen replied.

But it depends on what kind of civilization your lord civilization is.

Some Third-level Civilizations are relatively benevolent; the tax they collect is merely symbolic, and they value order and stability more.

While some Third-level Civilizations are greedy by nature, they will squeeze you like a juicer, draining all your value until you collapse completely, then go on to support the next one.

"Unfortunately," Ai'erwen looked at Cao Fanrong, a hint of sympathy in his eyes.

According to our Chamber of Commerce's intelligence, the Third-level Civilization governing your barren star field happens to be the latter.

Its name is... the Silicon-based Union Civilization.

A civilization composed purely of mechanical life, adhering to absolute logic and profit above all, a ruthless civilization.

In their eyes, all carbon-based life are merely inefficient, unstable resource-gathering tools that can be replaced at any time.

This news was like adding frost to snow.

It let everyone's hearts sink to the bottom.

Then... how much time do we have left?

Brother Luoge asked with difficulty.

Hard to say.

Ai'erwen shook his head.