Chapter 2027: Submission and Cooperation

You raised your rating, but you have no points to raise yourself. You can't retrieve the reward, and you also can't explain to the Alliance. Otherwise you wouldn't want to kill me so much, right?

His gaze swept over the crowd, Lin An calmly locked eyes with Qing Kai.

He showed no fear whatsoever of Qing Kai's bloodshot eyes.

Lin An slowly opened his mouth; each word he spoke seemed to strike Qing Kai's heart.

As a Star Destroyer, your status in the Creator Alliance is probably not low either. Just look at the Divine Archer's attitude and you'll know... Given your position, you really shouldn't be taking on this kind of mission.

So, your strength must have stalled for a long time—not only are you seeking a breakthrough opportunity for yourself, but there's also pressure within the Alliance, right? Factional infighting? A life-or-death crisis? Forcing you to come in?

Qing Kai, let me guess. Actually you know what you'll face in your next mission. You're well aware that you probably won't survive.

And your Alliance certainly won't help you either, especially since you failed this mission...

Having said that, Lin An's pity grew stronger, as if he were looking at a dead person when he gazed at Qing Kai.

As expected, just as Lin An had predicted, Qing Kai trembled all over, the despair and collapse in his eyes almost spilling over.

Just like the final straw that breaks the camel's back, Lin An actually guessed his situation!

Exactly!

If he could still bring back a few hundred points, the Alliance might even send someone with him for the next mission!

But he not only failed, his rating actually went up! Even though the Alliance itself is in crisis, if he doesn't die here he'll die in the mission! Moreover, those political rivals within the Alliance will surely kick him when he's down!

Even if he killed Lin An and fled, it would be useless! Once the news gets back, he who brings back no reward will only be mocked as incompetent by those hostile factions.

One thing leads to another, no matter how arrogant Qing Kai is or how he looks down on Lin An.

At this very moment, he felt that Lin An before him was like a monster, mercilessly tearing apart his psychological defenses!

Who the hell are you!?

What exactly... do you want to do!!

Forcing himself to hold onto the last shred of reason, Qing Kai even posed a somewhat desolate and indignant question to Lin An. He faintly realized that this damned brat calculating him might not be so simple!

Nothing.

Switched to mental transmission.

Lin An smiled faintly, pausing between each word.

If you want to live, then make a deal with me...

You want to enter the Star Radiance War!? And represent us in it!?

In the mental transmission, Qing Kai stared at Lin An with an incredulous expression, never expecting Lin An's proposed trade condition to be this.

No matter how hard he tries to figure it out, he can't comprehend what Lin An is selling from his gourd!

Exactly.

After you go back, you arrange for me to represent your Alliance in the competition. I know you have plenty of slots, so this won't be difficult for you.

As long as you agree to me, I can not only let you off the hook, but I can also give you five hundred points and a B-rank permit!

These points and permit will surely improve your survival odds in the next mission...

Like a devil tempting hearts, Lin An bluntly stated his conditions.

It's simple.

Let him participate, and help him conceal the mission.

Qing Kai will sign the agreement on behalf of the Creator Alliance, and afterward must deliver the complete Alliance technology tree to him, plus the core secrets and data—whenever Lin An wants them, he must provide them!

You're asking me to betray the Alliance! What exactly do you want to do? Are you scheming against the Alliance!?

Do you know what a complete technology tree represents? Those data are far more than just a few points—they're enough to fill an entire planet's worth of information!

No longer regarding Lin An as a Fourth Stage, Qing Kai instinctively wanted to refuse, highly wary of Lin An. Yet merely refusing, he couldn't bring himself to say it—Lin An's conditions moved him!

Hard to describe—on one side the Alliance, on the other himself—Qing Kai only felt as if he had fallen into a huge conspiracy.

Betrayal?

Seeing Qing Kai waver, Lin An smiled, not caring.

What's this called betrayal?

No matter how high the value of the technology tree and data, you still need to be able to sell them. Put bluntly, you absorb subordinate civilizations—don't you give them these things?

How so—is your life not worth these? Or are you afraid that once my civilization behind me gets these, it could threaten you?

With just you lot, how could that be possible!?

Qing Kai instinctively rebutted Lin An, and he didn't think Earth getting these things would make any difference.

But.

I admit, even if I gave it to you it wouldn't matter—but a complete one is impossible; we give subordinate civilizations only fragmented versions, and most of them are wrong!

Let me tell you frankly, a complete and correct technology route can mass-produce Fifth Stage cultivators! Who would sell something like that?

Technology drives rules, summarizing laws and cognition.

Having said that, Qing Kai clenched his fists tightly, assuming Lin An understands nothing! Not only is the value of mass-producing Fifth Stage cultivators, whoever gets the technology tree could potentially reverse-engineer their rules and threaten their top combat power!

However, just as he finished speaking, he saw Lin An's eyes turn cold:

You have no room to refuse.

Either agree or die! You can give me half of the technology tree first, and the rest after I come out.

Give it after I come out!? What do you mean—wait until I emerge from the Star Radiance War to give the rest? Do you really think you'll definitely make it out alive?

Unaware, he was already being led by the nose by Lin An under the threat of death.

Qing Kai instinctively countered, his heart slightly relieved.

Although he doesn't know why Lin An wants to enter the Star Radiance War, if Lin An dies in there, he'd have effectively contributed nothing. Moreover, tentatively agreeing to this brat is not impossible; as long as the other Star Destroyers leave, he has ten thousand ways to manipulate Lin An!

Trying to scheme against him? Do you really think he's a fool? He'll make that monkey know the cost of underestimating Star Destroyers!

However, before Qing Kai could even think two things at once, he quickly began calculating.

He only heard Lin An seem to have guessed his thoughts, and let out a cold laugh:

That's right—you can wait for me to come out to give you the rest of the data and technology. But the points and permission I promised you will also be given after I come out! Your next mission isn't that imminent; I think you can wait.

Impossible! Waiting for you to come out before giving it—when would that be?! Following your logic, I wouldn't get anything now?! What if you die on the mission?!

No, at least you've saved your life for now!

Too lazy to waste more words with Qing Kai, Lin An wiped the smile from his face, his gaze turning cold.

Either sign or die!

If I die in the Star Glory Battle, the rewards on me will go to you ahead of time! Moreover, I'll certainly get rewards for competing, so you might end up with even more!

Earth is off‑limits! With your status, hiding the situation there from Earth is a piece of cake!

He never intended to give Qing Kai a single cent; after saying that, Lin An stopped wasting words, believing Qing Kai knew how to choose!

Under these conditions, Qing Kai not only has to help him enter the competition, but is even more worried than anyone else about knowing he has points. Thus Lin An needs no further trouble—Qing Kai will himself suppress the news and dare not act against Earth before receiving the rewards!

As expected.

A few seconds later, Qing Kai drew a deep breath, as if squeezing the words out of his throat, uttering them one by one.

Good!

I promise you, kid! I hope you can go far in Star Glory! Don't... die too miserably!