Chapter 208

【The consultation place is in the hotel lobby.】

【Everyone, follow me.】

Jing Yuan started to lead the way,

heading to the hotel lobby.

A moment later...

【Mr. Aventurine and Ms. Topaz are here too... and, who is that over there?】

From far away,

Himeko saw the IPC trio in the distance.

【Professor Ratio of the Intelligentsia Guild, quite a lineup.】

Welt answered Himeko's question,

and couldn't help but sigh.

【Long time no see, everyone from the Astral Express.】

【And I also extend my sincere gratitude to you, General of the Luofu.】

【With you all here to witness, I believe this negotiation will surely end with a result that satisfies all parties.】

Seeing them arrive,

Aventurine immediately greeted them warmly.

Stelle: "I say friend, that slash didn't do you any harm?"

Stelle: "How are you standing here unscathed?"

March 7th: "Looking at him, he's like nothing happened..."

March 7th: "Is Preservation really that tough?"

March 7th: "Nihility can't even slash it?"

Aventurine: "Based on my assessment of myself, I definitely shouldn't be unscathed."

Aventurine: "Otherwise I wouldn't have been saved by that noble knight."

Furina: "Is Aventurine deliberately holding on to his injuries to attend the meeting?"

Furina: "That's really professional..."

The video continues.

【Oh? It seems you all have expectations.】

【Why not tell us?】

Jing Yuan looked at Aventurine,

and immediately understood that they had made their choice.

【Of course.】

【You do it, Topaz?】

Aventurine threw this question to Topaz to answer.

【Hmm, leave it to me.】

【Overall, it's good news—after deliberation and voting by the Strategic Investment Department's major affairs group, the following resolution was passed by an absolute majority:】

【Based on long-term considerations for Interastral Peace, authorized by Pier Point headquarters, the Strategic Investment Department will represent the IPC in permanently abandoning its claim to Penacony's sovereignty, and unconditionally support the Family's reconstruction work in Penacony.】

Stelle: "..."

Stelle: "We're doomed, I'm starting to feel like there's a problem too."

Paimon: "Ah??"

Paimon: "Why??"

Paimon: "Isn't this a very, very good result?"

March 7th: "It's because it's too good, so good that it's completely unreal!"

March 7th: "I think it's possible that Ms. Topaz and Aventurine are willing to let Penacony go."

March 7th: "But the two of them can't represent the IPC in making decisions."

March 7th: "And how could the IPC be so generous, giving up this piece of fat, and supporting their old rival for free?"

Boothill: "That's right, this son of a biscuit is definitely not something the IPC would do!"

Jade: "Frankly speaking, the IPC is determined to win Penacony."

Jade: "In other words, this scene will definitely not happen."

Furina: "Ah this..."

Furina: "Then what is the situation?"

Aventurine: "Heh, this confirms my guess..."

Aventurine: "I said, how could I lose?"

Aventurine: "After all, my gamble has never relied on luck!"

Zhongli: "Is it just a reflection in the mirror?"

The video continues.

【This...】

Himeko listened to Topaz's words,

and suddenly didn't know what to say.

【Heh, interesting.】

Jing Yuan chuckled,

thinking the IPC's decision was very interesting.

【Then didn't Aventurine take that slash for nothing?】

Stelle looked at Aventurine with sympathy.

【Haha, if this can bring peace to the whole universe, then it's worth it.】

Aventurine smiled,

and said indifferently.

Guinaifen: "Mr. Aventurine's perspective suddenly became so big."

Guinaifen: "So big that it makes people feel strange."

Hu Tao: "Eh? Ms. Stelle asking this means she hasn't forgotten Ms. Acheron."

Hu Tao: "And Aventurine doesn't seem to have forgotten either."

Boothill: "Then it's strange, why did only Dan Heng and I forget?"

Miss Qingque: "Didn't Ms. Black Swan forget too?"

March 7th: "Maybe Ms. Black Swan was just pretending?"

The video continues.

After chatting with Topaz and Aventurine for a while,

Stelle and Welt started to look for Dr. Ratio nearby to talk.

【Finished talking about the IPC's opinion?】

【Then it's our turn.】

【The Intelligentsia Guild and the Genius Society also pay high attention to this disaster in Penacony.】

【Finally, both sides decided to reach a comprehensive cooperation, providing technical support for Penacony's reconstruction...】

【... or specific details, let's listen to what this genius has to say.】

【It's your turn, Mr. Screwllum.】

Dr. Ratio finished speaking,

and Screwllum's projection began to appear next to him.

【The unremitting exploration of the inner spiritual world by organic life is both admirable and enviable to me.】

【Inorganic life has no function to dream.】

【But when the intelligent pulse is activated and the inspiration circuit starts to operate, I will enter a state defined as imagination.】

【Every time, in the imagination, a fire rises from the darkness.】

【It is warm and bright.】

【I often think that the flame might be the essence of intelligence—a cluster of inspiration triggered by high temperature.】

【The direction of the universe's future might lie within it.】

【Unfortunately, to me, it is nothing more than a virtual image refracted by the thinking system, visible but unreachable.】

【But after learning about Penacony's current achievements, I finally realized that the flame is not impossible to grasp.】

【After discussing with several partners, we decided to postpone the promotion of the Simulated Universe project and will support the Intelligentsia Guild's research on dreams and the Memory Zone as technical consultants.】

【So that this substance can better serve all mankind.】

Screwllum said a lot,

and finally voted on the opinions of several geniuses.

【Not only that, we also contacted the Garden of Recollection through the IPC, and they also promised to assist in the research...】

【Heh, I'm really happy for the dreamers of Penacony—the wisest and the dullest minds in the universe are now all being used for them.】

Stelle: "Ahhh, it's over, it's completely over!"

Stelle: "Have the people of Penacony become puppets?"

Stelle: "Otherwise, why would they say such unrealistic things?!"

Stelle: "And Screwllum, where did you pop out from?"

Stelle: "Have you been influenced by Penacony too??"

Dr. Ratio: "Heh, that I would actually say such things is a statement that would make me laugh myself."

Herta: "Postpone the development of the Simulated Universe and support Penacony's Memory Zone research?"

Herta: "Forgive my bluntness, Penacony's research value isn't even one-ten-thousandth of the Simulated Universe."

Herta: "I would have to be crazy to support such a resolution."

Ruan Mei: "Although Herta's words are straightforward, they are not without reason."

Screwllum: "I do indeed want to do some research in Penacony. Conclusion: But that is also about the Simulated Universe."

Furina: "In other words... what is said in the video is impossible to happen??"

Furina: "This.. this!"

Hu Tao: "Puppets of Order..."

Hu Tao: "Could it be... everyone didn't win at all?"

Hu Tao: "But became puppets of Order silently and unknowingly?!!"

Miss Qingque: "No... possible, right?!"

Miss Qingque: "Our General is also there..."

Miss Qingque: "He is an Emanator, how could he be easily tricked?"

Fu Xuan: "Don't underestimate that Dominus of Harmony."

Fu Xuan: "That was ultimately a part stolen from an Aeon."

Fu Xuan: "The essence is incredibly high."

Lumine: "Things have suddenly taken a turn for the worse."

Lumine: "This is going to be big trouble."