Chapter 17

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Protagonist:

Xuan Ge

The reconstruction work on Planet Lia Lan Du began in full swing not long after the Shen Wu forces withdrew.

The Interstellar Peace Corporation — to be precise, the Strategic Investment Department.

Almost immediately extended an enthusiastic "helping hand."

They dispatched professional engineering teams, provided massive quantities of standardized construction materials, and brought advanced ecological restoration technology.

They even promised to open part of their basic technology database to Lia Lan Du's research institutions, helping this heavily traumatized planet recover as soon as possible and achieve the civilizational level of independent interstellar navigation.

On the surface, this appeared to be another charitable act by the corporation practicing the Preservation philosophy.

The Strategic Investment Department's calculations never stop at a single ordinary, resource-average planet.

Their gaze, like a precise star chart instrument, had long since locked onto a farther, more critical target.

Using Lia Lan Du as a springboard to establish a deeper, more stable cooperative relationship with the Shen Wu Xian Zhou.

Or rather, an investment.

Never underestimate the Shen Wu Xian Zhou.

It may only be one-tenth the volume of Xian Zhou like Luo Fu or Yao Qing.

But the person wielding this small Xian Zhou is no small figure.

The corporation has long wanted to make contact with the Shen Wu Xian Zhou.

Unfortunately, this "Shen Wei General" and his fleet operate in a style that is too... elusive and busy.

Either on the road pursuing Abundance abominations, or en route to intercept the Destruction legions — a veritable "galaxy drifter," wandering the entire Huan Yu, striking wherever he goes.

Conventional diplomatic channels struggle to keep up with his tempo.

What gives certain corporate departments even more headaches is that this General's impression of them seems rather mediocre, even including public, unvarnished mockery.

At an interstellar conference, Xuan Ge once "casually" remarked:

"I won't name Ao, but some people really have no shame at all."

Corporation: I've been insulted, I'm somewhat angry, who exactly is this person? Ao Si Wa Er Duo, do you have any leads?

And now, an opportunity seems to have arrived.

Leveraging the opportunity of aiding Lia Lan Du, the corporation can finally extend its reach more formally toward the Shen Wu Xian Zhou.

At this moment, inside the Zheng Dian of the Shen Wei Jiang Jun Fu.

The atmosphere couldn't be called tense, but it was absolutely not relaxed.

Xuan Ge sat on the Zhu Wei, posture relaxed, even somewhat languid.

He held a Jade Tablet in his hand, its screen scrolling through the "Cooperation Intent and Preliminary Support List" just submitted by the "Strategic Investment Department."

The list's content was extremely "generous," covering virtually every potential logistical gap and infrastructure need in the Shen Wu Xian Zhou's development plans for the next several hundred years.

Moreover, the remarks column clearly stated:

"Free aid, technical support, no attached political conditions, purely the corporation's respect and support for the force maintaining interstellar peace."

Translated: free gift, no money, but there's a personal condition.

Xuan Ge's fingertip brushed across rows of dazzling data and proposals, the corner of his mouth holding a smile-yet-not-smile curve as he looked at Fei Cui and said:

"You're using this to test me, this old Xian Zhou cadre?"

Although his acting style is straightforward, he's no political novice.

He knows exactly what the corporation is calculating.

These cosmic-level capitalists have set their sights on the Shen Wu Xian Zhou's unique "characteristic":

Unlike other Xian Zhou that hold fixed territories or patrol fixed routes, it is like a highly autonomous, incomparably sharp dagger — wherever there is a threat, it stabs there.

This mobility and combat power, in certain specific scenarios, is of inestimable value.

Are there benefits? Yes.

The benefit: the Shen Wei General sweeps across all directions, eliminating evil thoroughly.

But drawbacks? Also yes.

The drawback: he might conveniently slice the corporation in the same stroke, he'd even slice the Xianzhou Alliance's home base together...

Seated at the guest position below Xuan Ge's left hand was a woman of elegant, capable bearing.

She wore a perfectly tailored senior Harbinger uniform of the corporation, her purple-pink long hair meticulously coiled up, revealing a fair, graceful neck.

Senior officer of the Strategic Investment Department, one of the "Stone Heart Ten" — Fei Cui.

Hearing Xuan Ge's meaningful light laugh, Fei Cui's heart stirred.

'This General... is he hinting that our "sincerity" still lacks weight?'

'Or does he feel this gift list is too blunt, its purpose too strong, displeasing him?'

Just as she was weighing her words, preparing to engage in a round of "friendly negotiation" with more skillful business rhetoric...

The side door of the General's Hall was gently pushed open.

A man wearing the signature dark judge attire of the Ten Kings Division, face stern, walked in with steady steps.

He stopped several paces from Xuan Ge, facing the Zhu Wei direction, and meticulously cupped his fists in salute:

"General, your subordinate, Ten Kings Division Judge Li Yi, has an important matter to report."

Xuan Ge lifted his eyelids slightly, the smile-yet-not-smile expression on his face fading somewhat, but still calm: "Speak."

Judge Li Yi straightened, voice steady and clear: "Regarding the eight hundred forty-seven Bu Li Ren prisoners of war captured in the previous battle, in accordance with the 'Ten Kings Division Jurisdiction Regulations'

"Interrogations, convictions, and subsequent dispositions involving important tribal prisoners of war of the Vidyadhara should be uniformly taken over by the Ten-Lords Commission and transferred to the nearest facility equipped with detention conditions....."

His report was professional and fluent, the statutes he cited precise to the letter.

However, when he had stated half of it, he raised his head, and his gaze met Xuan Ge's calm, watching golden eyes; his voice paused for a barely perceptible moment.

This Judge's heartbeat involuntarily sped up a few beats.

This was not his first time coming to the Shenwu General's Mansion to report similar affairs, nor his first time facing this legendary Divine Might General.

But every time, when he saw the General reveal that seemingly gentle yet actually unfathomably deep faint smile on his face, his back would faintly turn cold.

Because he knew, what followed would very likely be that sentence that made him both helpless and forced to obey.....

Sure enough.

Xuan Ge leaned his body slightly forward, elbows propped on the table, ten fingers interlaced, gaze calmly watching Li Yi.

His tone was not severe, could even be called slow, but every word seemed to carry a thousand-jun weight, clearly and immovably landing in the ears of everyone in the hall:

"Judge Li Yi."

Li Yi's heart sank.

"This is the Shen Wu Xian Zhou."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Li Yi's slightly tense face, also seemingly brushing past Feicui sitting quietly observing on the side.

"My rules are the rules."

Judge Li Yi's mouth corner twitched imperceptibly.

He felt his mouth somewhat dry, but still steeled himself, attempting a final effort:

"General, this matter concerns the unification of Alliance law; the Ten-Lords Commission independently exercising its powers is an iron law jointly set by the Marshal and the Six Charioteers, it really cannot....."

"Li Yi." Xuan Ge cut him off, the smile on his face thoroughly vanishing, leaving only pure calm.

But beneath that calm was a deeper, unquestionable power.

"Li Yi, you are able to follow the Ten-Lords Commission's rules to come question me; General I am very happy."

"But this is the Shen Wu Xian Zhou, you still want to hold up the Ten-Lords Commission's rules; General I do not like."

Judge Li Yi fell silent for a full three seconds; he ultimately chose "Wise Submission."

He bowed again, his voice also lowered, carrying obvious compromise:

"Yes..... this subordinate understands. General's consideration is thorough; it is this subordinate who clung to the text, failing to grasp the General's deep meaning.

The Ten-Lords Commission..... will redraft the relevant report, classify this batch of prisoners as 'requiring special supervision and labor reform on the Shen Wu Xian Zhou'; relevant legal documents will be supplemented and delivered in due course."

Xuan Ge's face once again revealed that faint smile; he nodded: "Mhm, go on. Reform them well, don't waste the grain and lodging."

"Respectfully obeying the General's order."

Judge Li Yi, as if granted amnesty, saluted again, then maintaining a respectful posture, swiftly withdrew from the grand hall, his footsteps much faster than when he came.

Xuan Ge watched him leave, his heart fairly satisfied.

This Li Yi, though sometimes a bit rigid, his mind turns not slow; he knows when to persist and when to be flexible.

Worthy of being the professional talent he spent some thought to "dig" from the Ten-Lords Commission back then.

Just this speed of reading the situation is occasionally still a bit slow, needing continued cultivation.

Having handled this small episode, Xuan Ge seemed as if nothing had happened at all.

Xuan Ge turned again toward Feicui on the guest seat, his face once more recovering that composed even slightly apologetic smile:

"Sorry to have let the honored guest see a joke. Some minor internal procedural matters, delayed a moment. Please continue."

Feicui took in all of the preceding with her own eyes.

She saw clearly.

Even the Ten-Lords Commission — an independent judicial body that even Xianzhou Generals have no authority to directly interfere with.....

Here on the Shen Wu Xian Zhou, before the Divine Might General, had to lower its head and act according to his "rules."

How does this look like a Shen Wu Xian Zhou under the Xianzhou Alliance?

This is purely a Shen Wu Empire!

Feicui silently complained in her heart, but the smile on her face became increasingly dignified and proper.

She thoroughly understood: dealing with this General, those complex interest bindings, rule constraints, and verbal traps used against other forces before would probably mostly fail.

Those frameworks, invisible rules, here with him, seemed to have all become dust that could be brushed away at will.

"General's words are too heavy; it was Feicui who was abrupt, witnessing your department's internal affairs."

She gracefully bowed, then decided to abandon those roundabout probes and point straight at the core:

"Since the General is a straightforward person, Feicui will also speak frankly."

Her verdant eyes met Xuan Ge's directly, tone sincere:

"General, you also know the Huan Yu's situation; the Monarchs of Extinction continuously erode the Huan Yu; they act with the mission of burning the Huan Yu, destroying the Paths."

"Mhm." Xuan Ge noncommittally nodded, fingertips lightly tapping on the armrest.

These he naturally knew, but this was not the top-priority major matter he needed to personally handle right now.

Feicui continued, voice clear and forceful:

"The Corporation and the Strategic Investment Department hope to establish with the General, and with your undefeated Shen Wu Corps, a kind of..... mutual trust and cooperative relationship based on the long-term future."

She paused, throwing out the real trump card:

"What we need is not a binding covenant. We only hope that in some possible future, we could exchange for the General's one move."

Her gaze blazed as she watched Xuan Ge.

"Even if it is just your Shen Wu Corps conducting a crucial tactical reinforcement."

This is the Corporation's true purpose.

The Interstellar Peace Corporation's armed forces are no less than the Xianzhou, even stronger than the Shen Wu Xian Zhou by a lot.

But facing the Monarch of Extinction, what the company lacked was precisely an elite army like Xuan Ge's that could directly resist fierce forces.

Moreover, the philosophy of Divine Might General Xuan Ge shares some common ground with the Path of Preservation in certain aspects.

Protect what is worth protecting, and sweep away the enemies that threaten what is protected.

Divine Might General has always walked firmly on the Path of the Hunt, and through his unique way, constantly practices and broadens this Path.

He is the sharpest spear of the Hunt, and the company hopes to borrow a single strike of this spear at the most critical moment.

The hall fell silent.

Xuan Ge did not answer immediately. He leaned back against the chair back, his fingers still lightly tapping the armrest, the rhythm steady.