They were old friends after all, they couldn't be offering less than outsiders, could they?

Chu Guang had thought that, but when he saw the offer of 1 billion CR he still froze for a moment.

Money was one thing... Was he the kind of man who could be bought?!

In the Alliance Tower's meeting room, Chu Guang and Yi Chuan sat at the round conference table.

Thinking the administrator found the money too little, Yi Chuan cleared his throat and lowered his voice to continue. “The price is negotiable... Besides, beyond the public amount, we can privately transfer a sum into your personal account.”

Arrangements like that were not uncommon in the Among Cloud Province. Many big names at the settlements had bought luxury homes in Ideal City with views over the sea of clouds. Even far outside the Among Cloud Province, in the River Valley Province, places that weren't partners of Boulder Town, a number of important people had sent family there.

It was only because the distance was so great, those so-called nobles living in the settlements usually couldn't produce that much CR. At best, life in Ideal City for them was little better than ordinary people.

The New Alliance was a strategic corporate partner of great importance. It was not comparable to Boulder City.

The two sides had signed a currency swap agreement long ago. Their strategic significance obviously exceeded that of an ordinary Enterprise partner in the Among Cloud Province.

At least from Yi Chuan's point of view, it wasn't taboo to discuss. But after hearing his hint, Chu Guang's expression grew stern. “Mr. Yi, how long have we known each other?”

Yi Chuan blinked. “About half a year... why?”

Chu Guang, full of righteous indignation, said, “Do you think I'm that sort of person?”

Seeing his expression, Yi Chuan went blank.

Before he could answer, Chu Guang went on. “Our New Alliance is indeed backward, it can't keep up with your prosperity, but I'm willing to stay with my companions. Don't say things that harm unity like that again!”

Yi Chuan could only force a laugh and nodded. “Sorry... I overstepped. That was only one of the proposals we offered, no offense intended.”

Chu Guang sighed and continued, “I understand, spending money is the easiest solution. If something can be solved with money, then it's not a problem. But what we're discussing now can decide the future of this planet... Let me ask it another way: would you sell an immature product to a customer?”

Yi Chuan instinctively shook his head. “Of course not.”

Chu Guang looked at him earnestly. “Neither would we. We have opened a completely new line of research into the Mutant Slime Mold. We place great hopes on it, we hope it will end the wasteland, that it will bring us a better, more harmonious future... In the world we envision, Mutant Slime Mold will no longer be used as a weapon, but as a medium to help us understand ourselves and the universe.”

“Because we have invested so much hope in it, we do not want to burn ourselves prematurely while it is still imperfect.”

Yi Chuan nodded in understanding, but couldn't help asking, “But... wouldn't getting more scholars and experts involved better help you achieve your dream?”

Anticipating that remark, Chu Guang sighed, “Yes, but we know how unreliable human nature can be. We must guard against it being used for other means. Whether out of goodwill or malice, its application could lead to unpredictable consequences... You should have seen what the Brocade River Province has become.”

Yi Chuan stared at Chu Guang in silence. “So... in what form do you want the cooperation to proceed?”

“You won’t be able to buy it out.” Chu Guang pushed the agreement on the table gently back and went on, “I can tell you our bottom line.”

Yi Chuan nodded seriously. “Go ahead.”

Chu Guang held up three fingers. “Firstly, the Hive will never be transferred, Little Feather must remain with the New Alliance, and must stay in our shelter. Only that way can we guarantee the Hive is absolutely controllable.”

“Secondly, to prevent new mutations, we will not cultivate new mother bodies with independent consciousness, thereby avoiding a loss of control.”

“Thirdly, We will provide assistance to regions that need Hives removed, but any aid plan must be guided primarily by our researchers’ opinions and must be led and implemented by our people.”

“Those three are non-negotiable. Everything else is open to discussion.”

In short, Little Feather was like the New Alliance's giant panda. But its significance was not merely for display, it could unlock the places in the wasteland that Slime Mold had sealed for more than 200 years.

The relics unlocked in the center of Clearspring City could trigger a technological explosion for the New Alliance, and there were many relics across the wasteland comparable to it.

Not just on the Central Continent, and not even just on land.

For the sake of all humanity, the New Alliance could share research results, but for the New Alliance's interest, Chu Guang insisted Little Feather remain in Shelter 404.

Through human radio, psychic interference and quantum computing techniques, Little Feather could be freed from its self-limitation, insufficient processing power, and a series of other natural constraints, allowing satellite bases to be opened across the planet.

And as long as Little Feather's main body stayed in the shelter, all their bases would be safe and controllable.

After hearing Chu Guang's conditions, Yi Chuan opened his mouth but quickly closed them. He had not expected things to run so deep, after all the Enterprise’s understanding of Little Feather had so far only been the series of smoke screens released by the Clearspring Daily.

Hesitating for a moment, he couldn't help asking, “What about the data-sharing agreement on Mutant Slime Mold research we signed earlier?”

Seeing the concern in Yi Chuan's eyes, Chu Guang smiled. “Of course that remains valid. We only want to lead how this new technical route proceeds until the technology matures.”

He paused, then, seeing relief wash over Yi Chuan's face, added, “We may not be the ones to determine the future, but at present this is the most promising route we have discovered to solve the current problems. I trust our scholars and technicians. I will support them to the end without interference.”

Looking at the shorthand notes on the holographic screen, Yi Chuan pinched the bridge of his nose with his forefinger and, after a while, sighed, “I will report your requests to the Highest Council, but honestly, I can't think of a better alternative than 1 billion CR. Maybe you can give me a hint or suggestion.”

The biggest difference between Enterprise and the two other powers, the Army and the Academy, on issues regarding the Hives were territory. The Enterprise didn't control a lot of land. All they had was a prosperous Ideal City.

Among Cloud Province did have Hives, but they were not on the Enterprise's territory.

Given the discovered self-limiting expansion of Mutant Slime Mold, the current population and wild anomalous species on the wasteland were not enough to support the kind of rampant reproduction they displayed two centuries ago.

In other words, the Enterprise was interested in the Mutant Slime Mold of Clearspring City because it could unlock vast unexplored areas for them. However, they weren’t in any urgent need to get rid of the other Hives in the Among Cloud Province.

That was why the Highest Council leaned toward negotiating an appropriate price with the New Alliance.

By contrast, the Army, which had conquered vast territories yet was helpless within its own lands, urgently craved the technology to control Slime Mold.

The Hives occupying the Wislander’s territory far outnumbered those in the Wandering Swamp, Among Cloud Province and River Valley Province combined...

Now the Academy and Enterprise were knocking on the door one after another. As the news spread, representatives of the Army would most likely arrive in Dawn City before long.

Negotiating alone with those lunatics would be hard to get concessions, unless the Enterprise and the Academy were brought into the mess.

Chu Guang thought for a moment, an idea striking him. “We can set up a multilateral, cross-regional cooperative committee specifically to address Mutant Slime Mold issues.”

Yi Chuan hesitated and asked, “Like the Post-War Reconstruction Committee?”

Chu Guang shook his head. “No. This committee will have no administrative authority and would not involve other matters, it would focus solely on Mutant Slime Mold issues. Each party can raise its demands at meetings and publicly discuss them with other members. We will seek common ground while reserving our differences.”

If consensus could be reached on Mutant Slime Mold agendas, cooperation in other fields could proceed on that basis.

At least it would build a foundation of trust.

Yi Chuan considered for a moment, seeming to realize the committee's advantage. His eyes lit up. “That sounds good! I'll report this idea along with your other demands to the Highest Council!”

A smile spread across Chu Guang's face. He rose from the conference table as Yi Chuan did the same and extended his right hand. “I hope we have a pleasant cooperation!”

...

While Chu Guang was negotiating details of the Slime Mold Research Committee with Yi Chuan, Sindison, who had been locked in a small dark room, was being interrogated by the Guard Corps.

To the interrogator's surprise, they hadn't even started asking when Sindison, who had been brought forward and seated, blurted everything out at once.

Not just Sindison. The other six suspects did the same.

They were all traders of nutrient paste and fertilizer raw materials. This year they had planned to take advantage of the peak of the wave to buy a batch of Slime Mold corpses and sell it to the Bugra Free State. But the New Alliance authorities suddenly issued an order. All Slime Mold corpses would no longer be sold.

It would never be sold again either.

Seeing the food wrenched away from their open jaws, the merchants lost it. They already had buyers lined up, and then the New Alliance told them there weren’t any for sale.

So Sindison hatched a plan and orchestrated the Clearspring Daily incident, trying to stir up public opinion in Dawn City to pressure the New Alliance authorities. Shame. He had clearly underestimated the cohesion inside the New Alliance. It might have had some effect in old Boulder Town, but for Dawn City's survivors, it was nothing more than a joke.

Looking at the three pages of the confession, the two men sitting at the interrogation table exchanged glances; one looked at Sindison and couldn't help asking.

“... All this over that?”

Sindison trembled and nodded, trying to explain. “This... It's not a small amount either. This is a deal worth billions.”

Billions of Bugra Dollars, converted to Dinars, was about tens of millions. However, it was merely a million or so silver coins in the eyes of the New Alliance.

For a moment the two interrogators didn't know what to say; they exchanged looks, communicating silently.

“Could he be lying?”

“The confessions of several suspects are similar, and no other physical evidence was found in the room... that possibility is small.”

“Damn... for such a petty matter, I thought it would be a major case.”

“Fuck!”

Seeing the interrogators' faces darken, Sindison grew even more terrified and at last, trembling, asked cautiously, “Sirs... I really am not a spy.”

The interrogator on the right scowled. “The current evidence doesn't prove you're a spy, but your actions caused extremely bad repercussions and indirectly led to severe losses of property among New Alliance citizens.”

The other interrogator continued, “Just last night, the protesters burned down the Tuja Press's warehouse. Today, the city's newspapers are out of stock; estimated losses are probably in the millions of silver coins. Even if you're not a spy, you can't escape charges of incitement to vandalism.”