Chapter 70 p1
Although the interstellar conference was held in secret, the Hua nation had still prepared for it with the utmost formality. All of the country’s high-level leaders were in attendance, a lineup comparable to the nation’s highest representative assembly.
The venue was set in the Great Hall. It was difficult to conceal such a grand meeting, so the official cover story was a seminar on the Hua nation’s development plan for the coming year.
Xia Anran was the star of this conference and had arrived early. Since the meeting with the United Star System had been unexpectedly upgraded to a cooperative seminar with the entire interstellar era, the format had also been switched from a conference mode to a livestream mode. That is, after starting the meeting through the system’s new conference function, they would simultaneously open a livestream to broadcast the entire content to the interstellar audience.
Speaking of which, this was a request made by the interstellar side. Strictly speaking, it was proposed by the Interstellar Empire.
“Since our three parties have already reached a consensus on cooperation, wouldn’t it be better to broadcast this first meeting with the Hua nation live, so that all the citizens of the interstellar era can witness it?” Phileas had said, trying hard to persuade the United Star System and the Beastman race at their trilateral talks.
The first interstellar cooperation conference had been held a day earlier, at the border of the three parties’ star sectors. All the high-level leaders had also attended.
“Alright, alright. You talk so much, I don’t want to hear a single word of it,” Jeqi said, sitting directly across from Phileas. Although he was wearing a neat and magnificent formal attire, he had been lounging with his legs crossed and hadn’t given him a pleasant look since they had met. After listening for a couple of sentences, he had impatiently interrupted him.
“…” Phileas was choked for a moment, but he quickly readjusted his expression and said with a smile, “Your Majesty Jeqi, this is a formal meeting. Every participant can express their own opinions.”
Jeqi nearly fell off his chair. Ruoya, on the side, caught him with a deadpan expression.
“Holy crap, what did that bastard just call me?” he whispered to his sister. “Is he out of his mind? He called me ‘Your Majesty’?!” When had Phileas ever been so respectful to him?
Ruoya rolled her eyes. This was an all-interstellar conference. Several consuls from the United Star System were sitting right there. No matter what kind of person Phileas was, he always paid full attention to appearances. Her stupid brother, really…
Phileas thought to himself that while he couldn’t handle the United Star System, handling Jeqi was a piece of cake. This guy was born with a few screws loose.
“Your Majesty Jeqi, may I continue now?” he said, still smiling.
“Ahem, alright then. You can continue,” Jeqi said, giving a couple of perfunctory coughs and, for a rare change, sitting up straight.
A single sentence had managed to quell the bristling Beastman emperor.
Xuan Mo and Qin Feng were sitting together. The two had become good friends after fighting each other. “Your Majesty… is he always like this?” Qin Feng asked, his brow twitching. So easy to fool… no, to coax?
Xuan Mo also felt a little embarrassed. He said in a deep voice, “Actually, I’ve always suspected that there might have been a mix-up at birth. No matter how you look at it, it’s not the style of a Beastman man.”
Qin Feng’s eyes lit up. Is there more to this gossip? “And then? Did you investigate?”
Xuan Mo nodded. “And then my father told me that the previous emperor was also like this. There’s no need for a paternity test; it’s a guaranteed match.”
“…”
Qin Feng gave a forced smile. “Haha, then your royal family’s genetic inheritance is quite good.”
…
After Jeqi’s persistent suggestion, the interstellar side had finally adopted his proposal and had tried to communicate with the Earth side to change the format to a livestream, completely open to the entire interstellar era.
Xia Anran, who had received the notification, was already numb to it. In a single day, not only had the Interstellar Empire joined the meeting, but it had also been changed to a livestream format?
Ye Yuxing, who was in charge of the notification, was also typing with a wooden face.
[United Star System Science Academy, Ye Yuxing]: This was strongly requested by the Interstellar Empire. After discussion, the Consul General felt that making it public to the citizens would also be beneficial to the stability of the entire interstellar era, so he agreed.
[United Star System Science Academy, Ye Yuxing]: We are very sorry for this sudden situation. We will propose corresponding compensation during tomorrow’s meeting.
How should she put it? It did fit her impression of the Interstellar Empire causing trouble everywhere.
After reporting this to the top leader, he was silent on the other end of the phone for a moment, then said with a laugh, “This is no big deal. I understand. Little Xia, you can reply to them that there is no problem.”
“I hope there are no more sudden situations between now and tomorrow’s meeting,” she sighed. It was really one thing after another.
The top leader took a sip of water and took off his glasses. He was currently preparing the documents for tomorrow’s meeting. The sky was already dark, and he had only turned on a small lamp in his room. The desk was covered with papers filled with dense writing.
Listening to her complain about the Interstellar Empire, he said with a smile, “This time, they’ve actually helped us.”
Xia Anran: “Huh?” From any angle, it was the Interstellar Empire causing trouble! They had joined at the last minute and had insisted on turning a formal official meeting into a livestream.
“Currently, in the interstellar era, the ordinary citizens have the highest level of identification with our Hua nation. Not to mention anything else, your influence alone in the interstellar era is probably greater than that of any official body,” he explained slowly. “If this meeting is made public in a livestream format, then under the pressure of the public, the interstellar side will surely make many concessions. The Interstellar Empire is showing us goodwill.”
She was stunned. “Then we have to thank him?”
The top leader laughed. “It’s just a common tactic before negotiations. Little Xia, you can inform the other side that we don’t need any compensation, as long as they can ensure the smooth progress of the meeting.”
She only half-understood, but she relayed his words to Ye Yuxing verbatim. He quickly replied.
[United Star System Science Academy, Ye Yuxing]: Understood. Please rest assured, the United Star System will make thorough preparations for this meeting.
After settling all these miscellaneous matters, Xia Anran posted a title on her livestream channel. At the same time, after the Hua nation had agreed to the livestream, the interstellar officials had also issued an announcement to all citizens.
[Holy crap, I thought the officials were going crazy! Is it actually true???]
[Ahhh, an official cooperation! I’m so excited!]
[After the official cooperation, will we be able to eat more of Earth’s food?]
[Hehehehehe, I’m already camping out.]
[I will supervise this meeting from beginning to end! Don’t you dare try to fool our Host Anran!]
[Seconded! Anran, you must be careful of that bunch from the Interstellar Empire! They’re too scheming!]
[…Although I’m from the Interstellar Empire, Anran, you really do have to be careful.]
[Our Beastman race is the most simple and honest! Don’t worry, Anran! We all love you!!!]
[Yes, yes! Our Emperor and Princess are your iron fans!]
[Ahem, our Emperor is also Host Anran’s iron fan! The sincerity of our Interstellar Empire is the greatest!]
[Ewww~]
[Ewww~]
[Ewww~]
[Do you Imperials even believe that yourselves?]
[Hahahaha, who doesn’t know the Imperials are the most insidious?]
[Sob, the Empire’s reputation has been damaged. Please save some face for us ordinary citizens at the meeting tomorrow!]
Before going to bed that night, Xia Anran scrolled through the comments and gained a deeper understanding of what the top leader had meant by the Interstellar Empire showing them goodwill. As expected, these people all had eight hundred schemes up their sleeves.
…
At twelve o’clock the next afternoon, she and Ren Yi arrived at the conference venue. The leaders were already there. The moment she entered the Great Hall, she saw the top leader and the second-in-command chatting on the side, their secretaries each holding a large pile of documents.
“Little Xia is here,” the top leader said, waving at them when he saw her.
They walked over. The second-in-command looked at Ren Yi, sized him up, and patted him on the shoulder. “Ren Yi, not bad. Although this sounds a bit cliché, I really did think from a young age that you would have a bright future, hahaha.”
“Chief, that really is too cliché.”
“Hahaha.”
The Great Hall was mostly set up, and most of the leaders had already arrived. Her seat was arranged next to the top leader, so the few of them simply took their seats early.
Sitting in the front row of the Great Hall, with the top leader of the Hua nation beside her, although she had seen many grand scenes in the past six months, she still felt like she was dreaming. She had never even dared to dream that she would one day be sitting here.
“Little Xia, I heard you’ve been showing A Bite of Hua Nation in the interstellar era recently?” the top leader chatted with her.
She nodded. “The response has been very good. The interstellar audience loves it very much. The gifts they’ve sent are almost as much as during the livestreams.”
“Hmm?” He tilted his head. “Do you also get earnings from uploading videos?”
“Yes. The view count and popularity can be converted into some, and the audience can also send gifts under the video, just like a livestream,” she explained.
He thought for a moment and then asked, “Then can our current funds buy some signal-blocking items in the system shop?”
She blinked and suddenly thought of something. “Chief, are you worried about eavesdropping?”
The top leader smiled without speaking and made a “shush” gesture.
She quickly took out her phone and opened the system shop. He explained on the side that when they had been discussing a few days ago, he had thought of guarding against spies. After all, many countries loved to pull this kind of stunt. But all of her savings had already been spent on supplies, and after that, she had been busy screening talent in the army with Ren Yi, so she hadn’t streamed. She shouldn’t have had any more earnings, so he hadn’t mentioned it to her. They had anti-detection technology, but it couldn’t guarantee one hundred percent protection.
The shop had over three hundred pages. This cursed app didn’t even have a search function, so she could only flip through it page by page. Ever since the system had tried to trick her into buying it a new phone and she had mercilessly exposed it, it had run off somewhere. Now, even if she wanted to find it for help, she couldn’t.
“Chief, it will take some time for me to find it,” she said.
“No rush. Take your time,” he said with a smile.
After flipping for a while, she finally found a jammer. The product description said it could block all electronic signals, and there was even a cheeky line that said it was “suitable for use on low-level planets.”
Xia Anran: “…”
A look at the price showed it was ten thousand Activation Coins. How should she put it? It was a bit expensive, but her current funds were just barely enough. Should she buy it?
She hesitated for a moment and was just about to click “buy” when the system, which had been playing dead for many days, suddenly popped up.
[Stop, stop, stop!!! What are you doing!]
[Why are you buying this piece of junk?]
[You really know how to waste your money!]
Xia Anran: “Hey, why are you suddenly back?”
[I never left, okay! I was just too lazy to talk to you! Hmph!]
The top leader, on the side, heard her talking and also leaned over to ask, “Are you talking to the system?”
She explained to him the whole story of the system being in a sulk and ignoring her, which made him chuckle.
The system seized the opportunity to tattle.
[Grandpa, she’s bullying me!!!]
[She won’t even buy me a new phone! Hmph!]
Helpless, Xia Anran could only coax it for now. “Let’s talk about business first. Recommend a signal jammer for us.”
[I can, but you have to buy me a new phone!]
She and the top leader exchanged a look. He nodded.
“Alright. I’ll buy you one later,” she said.
[You have to write it down!]
“…” She was speechless.
After she had written an electronic IOU, the system was finally satisfied and pulled up a product.
[Buy this one. It’s cost-effective. This will be enough for you guys.]
[With the current technological level on Earth, it’s more than enough. And it not only blocks electronic signals but also particle penetration. Most importantly, it’s cheap.]
Indeed, it was only seven thousand Activation Coins.
She clicked “buy,” and soon, a small, square box appeared in front of her. It was also very simple to use. Just turn it on, and it would automatically block nearby signals. The range could also be set.
The moment the instrument was turned on, the signals of several computers in a villa on the outskirts of the capital were suddenly cut off.
“What’s going on?”
“Why did we lose signal at the same time?”
The agents frowned and began to check the network. In the end, they found that it wasn’t their listening devices that were damaged, but that the signal had simply disappeared.
“All the listening devices that lost signal are near the Capital Great Hall,” an agent said.
They had received news that there was a general assembly in the Great Hall today, so they had started listening as usual. But to their surprise, their signal had been cut off before the meeting had even started.
“Notify the head of state immediately,” the leader of the agents said decisively.
Kaelen, who received the news, had already returned to Country A. “Understood. Don’t try to listen anymore. That’s all,” he instructed, then hung up. His face immediately darkened. The Hua nation’s technological development was truly advancing by the day. They had never discovered this before. What on earth was this meeting about?
…