Chapter 307: I Want Both the Country and the Beauty

Fan Liweite watched Romero quietly; Romero might be ruthless, but as long as their interests aligned, he was a relatively reliable partner.

"What the hell is Xilian up to? Going through all that trouble to bring them here, and then nothing?" Romero asked. He had been tempted by what he saw in the underground laboratory that day. It wasn't just him; Basta was the same. Everyone had secrets, but more than one person had sensed it. When it came to the secrets of power, no powerhouse could suppress their curiosity, including Xilian. Otherwise, how could someone like him end up in such a state?

The goal was massive.

As the future head of the Baiwu Style, Fan Liweite clearly hadn't been idle. "Those things are real. Through research on the Wormhole, they did indeed find approximate coordinates in the Atlantic Ocean. But the Alliance explored for a long time and found nothing, and it cost too much. Coupled with the Alliance's fiscal deficit, they stopped. I didn't expect the Meraphis Family to actually dig it up. The news I received is that the submarine exploring at the time was at a depth of over six thousand meters on the seabed when it collided with an invisible wall and discovered the ruins."

Romero's eyes flickered. "It seems certain that there was an old civilization on Earth in the past."

Fan Liweite looked at Romero with a half-smile. "That's not what you're concerned about, is it?"

"Likewise. How about it, want to give it a try?" Romero was clearly very tempted. What he was asking was likely also what Basta was thinking.

Fan Liweite didn't play coy about such things. "I'm still not sure. If it really only requires someone with strong Mental Power, why look for us? There's no such thing as a free lunch, is there?"

With Xilian's capabilities and the influence of the Meraphis Family, they could certainly find people with strong Mental Power if they wanted to.

"Xilian went through a huge circle, put on a show for half a day, and then had it poked through by a single sentence from Li Hao. He must be furious. I really hope the two of them clash again."

"It's only a matter of time. I'll find a way regarding the base. Currently, he needs us; he should be the one in a hurry. When things are abnormal, there must be a demon."

"Hehe, don't make a move tomorrow. Let me arrange it. Bullying the weak is our daily entertainment as Martians." Romero licked his lips, revealing a cruel expression. It wasn't time to take on Li Hao yet, but messing with his people could vent some frustration. He had been subjected to all sorts of cyber-bullying on Mars during this period.

Fan Liweite nodded. In other words, the two had reached a preliminary agreement on this matter. The relationship between him and Romero had been maintained for a long time; the enemy of an enemy was a potential partner. After Li Hao and Xilian fell, the younger generation of the Solar System entered a Warring States period. The Moon and Mars took turns holding the reins, and everyone had a chance. Currently, his situation was the most advanced, and he was the most likely to become the one standing at the peak. At this time, the simultaneous return of Li Hao and Xilian was truly not good news.

"Do you need me to go probe Basta?" Fan Liweite asked suddenly.

A strange light flickered in Romero's single eye. "Depends on your mood."

It appeared that Romero and Basta were a community of interests, and Romero was even attracting outside attention for Basta. But was all of this what Romero wanted?

Fan Liweite certainly didn't believe it. At most, it was just going with the flow, waiting for an opportunity. Everyone was the same. Back when Maxis was at the height of his popularity, he had been in a similar position, eventually helping the Galaxy reach the top. When he saw Maxis standing at the pinnacle enjoying supreme Glory, Fan Liweite swore he would reach that position. That feeling was a pleasure that seeped into the capillaries.

He had succeeded, so he understood Romero best, and at the same time, he was probing Romero.

Romero looked at Fan Liweite and suddenly revealed a strange smile. "Setting your sights on Arths is no big deal; everyone has their eyes on her. But if you lose your mind, you've gone too far."

Fan Liweite's expression sank. He knew he had been a bit too obvious, though it was actually a deliberate declaration of territory. Whoever competed with him was going against him. After a moment of Silence, confidence that could swallow mountains and rivers erupted in his eyes. "The country and the beauty, I want them both!"

"Haha, good. That's got some spirit. Let's see if you can win the beauty and turn everything upside down!" Romero laughed smugly.

In the training ground, Aofei and Dumela were locked in a fierce battle. Both had reached the level of Burning Will. As old rivals, they were actually quite familiar with each other's combat styles. Whether it was the pilot or the Mecha, there were differences, but the rhythm and movement habits were the same. At their level, they grasped things very delicately.

Martians were ruthless, while Titans were characterized by resilience—terrifying resilience. It was the same with Dumela. In terms of technical movements, Aofei was more sophisticated, holding the initiative with the Titanium Blade in her hand. Aofei's ability was speed; under her high-speed sword, Dumela could only defend.

Aofei performed a swift sliding thrust, which was parried by Dumela. At the same time, a blade light swept across. Aofei leaped into the air, performing a Dragonfly Skimming Water, aiming directly at Dumela's head. Dumela raised her Titanium Blade to deflect. Aofei landed, her long legs suddenly springing, about to launch a Lightning Thrust, when suddenly a huge mental pressure descended.

Titan Gaze!

Aofei's Burning Will was interrupted, and her intended ability-based acceleration failed to trigger. Her body suddenly lost its center of gravity. Dumela, who had been waiting for this opportunity for a long time, erupted. With a side-kick, she sent Aofei flying. Following closely, she twisted her body, pouncing out like a beast. The Titanium Blade in her hand was pulled to the limit, the energy of Burning Will pouring into the blade.

*Clang. *

As the blade slashed down, Aofei's body suddenly disappeared in mid-air. The nearly certain hit missed. Immediately after, one Aofei after another appeared beside Dumela.

Aofei's ultimate move: Nine-Fold Sword Dance of the Rotating Heavens!

High-speed and high-frequency chain of nine swords. *Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang. *

Accompanied by a series of explosions, Dumela was hit by two swords in a row. Aofei appeared, the ninth sword pointing straight at her throat.

A pinpoint strike to a vital point within a high-speed sword attack. If this were a life-or-death struggle, it would truly be a killing technique.

This speed was something Dumela couldn't keep up with at all. However, at this moment, red light shot out from Dumela's eyes.

The next second, the Titanium Blade was already resting on Aofei's neck.

Dumela pinched Aofei's cheek. "Baby, it's a draw."

About two seconds later, the stiff-bodied Aofei regained her ability to move. "Is this your Flowing Heart Soul Origin Ability?"

If it were just a normal Zone skill, it couldn't have completely paralyzed her mobility. Just like the Titan Gaze from earlier, although there was a delay, it wasn't fatal. She had held back during the exchange, but this situation just now was a bit dangerous.

"This is my trump card, how could I tell you?" Dumela smiled charmingly. "How do you think this move of mine would fare against him?"

Aofei smiled. "You can try, but you have to use your full strength. Don't test him."

"You think I really care about some alien ruins? What does that have to do with me? I have to spar with Li Ge to make this trip worthwhile."

The two put away their weapons. "Xilian's intention is very clear. He wants to use the Meraphis System entirely in this S Tournament. What is his attitude?"

"Second Brother thinks this won't work. The EMP won't agree. To be precise, the Alliance won't agree."

"Is that so? The influence of Meraphis is huge, and the trend of transcendent fighters becoming mainstream is unstoppable. There are still problems with using them directly in reality, but testing them in the EMP first is feasible. The Meraphis System has been in preparation for a long time; if there were problems, he wouldn't bring it out." Dumela actually quite admired Xilian. This person was also a monster; as soon as he appeared, he could subvert the norm. It was as if he could cover the sky with one hand.

"Yes, I believe if there were problems with this system, Xilian wouldn't bring it out. However, small-scale will cannot resist collective will. The biggest problem with Meraphis is that only he has it," Aofei said, also feeling a headache. As long as Xilian made a move, it seemed the whole world would be stirred up by him.

Dumela thought for a moment. "In that case, I won't prepare for transcendence. Coming here this time is just to spar with Li Ge, catch up on old times, and see if anything can develop. Have you tasted it?"

Aofei helplessly shot a glance at Dumela. Titan women were sometimes truly too wild. It seemed half-true and half-false, but if Second Brother were interested, Dumela would definitely want to try. She really wondered what Dumela wanted to spar about, and where?

"Alright, I won't tease you. Give me some advice."

"Then I can really give you a piece of advice: go all out. No matter what form it takes, you will gain something."

Dumela looked at Aofei, her eyes shining.

Far away in the underground laboratory of the Moon Shadow Zone, Xilian naturally grasped the situation of the exchange tournament, but he didn't pay much attention to it. The laboratory was operating in an orderly manner, without any movement, and he was even looking forward to visitors.

Ma'er, standing to the side, was reporting the resolution of the higher-ups. "Currently, there is great resistance. The Alliance side believes that pushing the transcendent system hastily in this S Tournament is unfair to other military academies and cannot demonstrate true skill. They suggest considering moving it to next year."

Xilian smiled. "The word 'fair' carries a strong sense of insult coming from their mouths. Continue to push forward. No one can stop the pace of the era."

"Yes, Young Master. Should the funding continue?"

"Continue, and increase it. Keep squeezing them through public opinion. Find one or two disobedient councilors and single them out. If their work is fine, look into their personal lives. If there's nothing in their personal lives, look into their morals. Go for it all. These people are all dirtier than the next. Kill the chicken to scare the monkey," Xilian said lightly.

"Yes, Young Master. However, this will increase the overall budget by more than twenty percent. It will also bring significant backlash to the family."

Xilian smiled slightly. "The other side is currently fighting for the moral high ground. Hehe, a single 'consideration for the big picture' could make us fall short of success. This is a winner-takes-all game. Whoever gets to the top can judge the other."

At this level, no one talks about the law; there is only interest and game theory.