T5 Hades-class Starship Dreadnought - Bridge

"How did the talks with those guys go? Did they go smoothly?" Zhao Chen looked at Lilith on the other side of the video window.

Lilith nodded and said, "It went very smoothly."

The sixty-eight industrial entities we selected, capable of building T3 and T4 interstellar warships and producing spare parts, are all willing to join the industrial system of our Xiaolong Galaxy Interstellar Group.

Among them are 29 Holy Radiance Empires, 21 Starry Empires, and 18 Warhammer Interstellar Federation Kingdoms.

We have already dispatched dedicated personnel to these military industrial enterprises.

The subsequent production arrangements will be determined by our personnel stationed here and representatives from the military industrial enterprise.

"When I heard you promise that these military enterprises could achieve an average annual profit growth of 30% over the next ten years!"

And achieve the goal of increasing tenfold in ten years!

Furthermore, it will also be integrated into the industrial supply chain of our Xiaolong Galaxy Interstellar Group.

The families behind those military industrial enterprises are all scrambling to cooperate with us.

"They even agreed to our offer—that we control 45% of their military-industrial enterprises, the Emperor of the Holy Glorious Empire control 10%, and they themselves control 45%—without a second thought," Zhao Chen remarked.

He had initially thought that the negotiations, which involved the military-industrial complexes of the three empires, would not go smoothly and that some tough measures might be needed in the end.

But to everyone's surprise, they agreed unanimously after the first meeting.

Some delegates were even worried that if they were late, they would miss their chance.

Lilith smiled slightly: "Those guys are all driven by profit, while these people are very clear about what they can get."

For those who prioritize profit above all else, as long as you offer them enough benefits, you can make them willing to submit.

From our perspective, it seems like we've paid a considerable price.

In fact, we got more.

We have so many existing military industrial enterprises, although these cannot compare to our own military industrial system.

But they have an existing framework, and they have existing craftsmen and technicians.

Compared to developing to this scale on our own, it's much faster to use their existing resources.

As for that betting agreement, it promises to increase tenfold in ten years.

Isn't it easy for us now?

Zhao Chen smiled knowingly.

In just five short years, Beiyan Group's profits have multiplied many times over.

It would be incredibly easy to make these military industrial enterprises grow tenfold within ten years.

Moreover, they achieved their goal of controlling these military industrial enterprises and were able to obtain 50% of the profits.

"Then I'll leave the household affairs to you and Charlotte."

I'm going to the Angel race this time, if things go quickly.

I estimate that we'll reach an agreement within half a month.

During this time, we will stay in touch and contact us immediately if anything important happens.

"If you can't contact me, you can decide for yourselves. I grant you the highest level of command!" Zhao Chen looked at Charlotte in the video window next to him.

Charlotte and Lilith are now the two women Zhao Chen trusts the most.

Zhao Chen felt at ease entrusting everything to them.

"Be careful," Charlotte simply said.

“Keep in touch,” Lilith said.

The video call has ended.

At this moment, Zhao Chen's acting captain, Xue Xiaoxiao, excitedly shouted to Zhao Chen, "We've arrived at the largest starport in the northern part of the Holy Radiant Empire!"

This time, we're heading to the Angelic territory.

Besides Zhao Chen, there's Xue Xiaoxiao and a succubus secretary temporarily assigned to Zhao Chen by Lilith.

Besides this T5 Hades-class interstellar dreadnought, only thirty interstellar warships accompanied it.

"Commander, Empress Saint Cana of the Holy Radiant Empire requests an audience."

"Also, the captain of the Angel race's research fleet requests an audience." A pretty but clearly nervous succubus secretary stood beside Zhao Chen.

The succubus Nancy graduated from the Goddess Academy-class starship six months ago.

He successively served as starship secretary, small fleet secretary, and legion deputy secretary.

She is a succubus secretary whom Lilith is focusing on developing.

Since the influence of the Wraith Dragon had spread to the three great empires, Lilith began to gather all the scattered succubi.

To date, the number of succubi within the Xiaolong system has exceeded one thousand.

Because of the succubus's excellent intelligence and efficiency, the position of secretary is a key training area for her.

"I have plenty of time, so I'll just see them for a bit." Zhao Chen stretched.

Their fleet would stop at this starport to resupply and rendezvous with the Angelic research fleet before heading to Angelic territory together.

It took about five and a half hours.

“Yes.” Nancy’s secretary immediately contacted both parties and confirmed the time and place of the meeting.

"Nancy, you don't need to be so nervous."

"I'm not some man-eating monster. Just treat me like any other captain or commander you've worked with before." Zhao Chen couldn't help but chuckle at Nancy's nervous expression.

“Okay...okay...” Nancy’s secretary was still a little reserved.

It seems that we still need some time to adjust.

Subsequently, under the arrangement of Nancy's secretary.

Zhao Chen first met the Empress of the Holy and Glorious Empire.

Zhao Chen looked the empress up and down, even though it had only been two months since they last met.

However, Saint Cana's demeanor is completely different from before.

Saint Cana was once like a spear, full of fighting spirit.

Now she is more like a goddess who looks down on all living beings from a high place.

"How long will it take to go to the Angel Clan this time?" Saint Cana asked Zhao Chen without any airs, sitting down in a chair and getting straight to the point.

"At least half a month."

They will definitely be back by the end of March at the latest.

"I heard that this time, your Dragon Legion annihilated 300,000 demon starships in the battle of the Demon Channel, but your own casualty rate also exceeded 30%?" Saint Cana looked at Zhao Chen.

The Dragon Legion now protects the Holy Radiant Empire, so Saint Cana naturally pays more attention to it.

"Yes, the losses were quite significant." Zhao Chen nodded, making no attempt to hide anything.

Saint Cana hesitated for a moment, but she still said, "About what you promised me, about handling the matter of a permanent Level 5 universe within the Holy Radiant Empire?"

Zhao Chen anticipated that Saint Cana would bring up this matter when she found him.

To be honest, Zhao Chen has been dragging this out for quite a while.

"How is the situation on your side right now?" Zhao Chen asked.

Saint Cana was prepared and opened a star map.

"I don't know if we're just lucky, but the number of Zerg fleets that have come out of this Level 5 cosmic wormhole in the past two months hasn't been very large."

And no second T5 Zerg mothership appeared.

The first T5 Zerg mothership has remained entrenched around the cosmic wormhole, seemingly in a state of... hibernation.