Chapter 819: Hearts Are Not Here

Not far from Taluosi, sitting on a luxurious chair polished from the bones of some dark star beast, was that figure shrouded in a simple cloak.

Beneath the shadow of the hood, only a jawline with rigid contours could be seen.

In his hand, he toyed with an inconspicuous black square plaque of unknown material.

When Taluosi reported the figure "94.31%", the cloaked person's finger tapped lightly on the plaque, emitting an almost imperceptible click.

"Probability is meaningless to us, Observer."

A slightly hoarse voice came from under the cloak, carrying a composure born of long-term high status.

"Results are everything. Canaan's 'Stardust Logistics' has already set sail, and the Lie Kong Chamber of Commerce's warehouses are being emptied. These... are the 'certainties'. Once Feng Qi obtains the 'Shield', the 'Spear' of the Ashes will be sharper. The mineral veins of FQ-95... will soon be stained with blood, and will also be more... valuable."

"Conflict is an inefficient reorganization process of matter and energy, accompanied by the depletion of civilization."

Taluosi's voice remained steady.

"The Star Spirit Commonwealth records this 'variable' and evaluates its potential ripple effect on the stability of nearby star sectors. The behavioral pattern of the Canaan Star Alliance... conforms to its past 'opportunistic' logic database."

"Heh, opportunism?"

The cloaked person let out a soft chuckle.

"We call it... 'market sense'. Chaos is a ladder, and blood is the lubricant. The 'Black Stone Consortium' only cares about where the ladder leads, and how much profit the 'machine' can produce after being lubricated."

The black square plaque in his hand flipped silently, a complex star map and financial data stream flashing across its surface before fading back to dimness.

"Waste Star Belt, the 'scavengers' have been very active lately. Shiluoke... that rock-headed smuggler, his shipping lane should be activated."

Just then, on the other side of the VIP room, a burly man wearing a crisp dark blue uniform with crossed Star Spear insignias embroidered on his epaulets walked over.

He was the military observer for the Star Sector Security Council, Colonel Kemaike Leiyesi.

He held a glass of strong liquor in his hand, his gaze sweeping over Taluosi's star map and the cloaked person.

"Observer Taluosi, Mr. Rex,"

Kemaike's voice was loud and clear, carrying the directness typical of a soldier.

"It seems everyone's 'pastime' is not at the Gladiator Arena below?"

He gestured with his chin toward the glass curtain wall below, where another participating race had just been eliminated in the adjacent Gladiator Arena 39.

Taluosi's energy fingers paused, and the miniature star map instantly retracted and vanished.

He turned slightly, his liquid metal face shifting toward Kemaike.

"Pan-Star Sector Security Council Observer Kemaike Leiyesi. We are recording regional energy anomalies and potential instability factors. The energy discharge in the Gladiator Arena... belongs to predictable low-intensity conflict."

The cloaked person known as "Mr. Rex" merely nodded slightly, the shadow of his hood obscuring all expression, and did not respond.

Kemaike took a sip of his drink, his eyes sweeping between Taluosi and Rex.

"Low-intensity? Below, it's for money and entertainment. Outside,"

He pointed his glass at the starry sky outside the porthole, implying the direction of FQ-95.

"It might be for resources and hegemony. The Council hopes... to at least maintain it at a 'controllable' low intensity. That batch of 'humanitarian supplies' from the Canaanites had better not really become an 'accelerant'."

Rex tapped the black square plaque in his hand lightly against the armrest of his chair again, emitting a faint click.

Taluosi then responded.

"Energy input variable recorded. The definition of 'controllable' depends on the rationality threshold of the participating parties. Current data... indicates that this threshold has a risk of fluctuation."

Kemaike frowned slightly and downed the drink in his glass in one gulp.

"Risk of fluctuation... Hmph, I hope the Council's 'concern' can make certain people raise that threshold just a little bit."

He said no more and turned to walk toward the bar.

Below, at the Secondary Viewing Platform Bar Area.

Galu's compound eyes keenly captured the brief but tension-filled interaction on the VIP level.

Although he could not hear the voices, the star map that the Star Spirit observer expanded and retracted, the tapping motion of the cloaked person, and the way the officer in the blue uniform drank irritably all clearly conveyed information.

"Look,"

Galu's appendages pointed upward, his voice dropping lower.

"The big shots up there... their hearts aren't here."

A few fragments of gravel fell from Shiluoke's body, and he let out a cold snort.

"Hmph, they're all calculating. The Star Spirit looks at data, the tycoons count Bode Coins, and the one in the military uniform is afraid the fire will get too big. None of them are easy to deal with."

"Hiss!"

Gelumu's tentacles curled excitedly as the trading terminal frantically refreshed encrypted price quotes from several secret contacts in the "Waste Star Belt".

"Who cares what they're calculating! Gelumu only calculates... Bode Coins! More Bode Coins! Shiluoke, is your shipping lane ready? The buyers are in a rush for the first batch of 'samples'!"

Shiluoke's fingers, made of weathered rock, tapped on the star map route.

"Route locked, the 'Crushed Stone' can depart at any time. See you in the 'Waste Star Belt'."

Galu's gaze swept over the three figures on the VIP level representing different cosmic forces once more, finally falling back to the screen in front of him where money symbols were jumping.

"Yeah... who cares what they're calculating. As long as our 'little business'... can steadily earn that 'risk premium' in this great storm, that's all that matters."