Chapter 15: :Cooperation

The place designated for discussing cooperation was the VIP reception room arranged by Prosina Star. Xiye arrived alone and looked around with curiosity.

The VIP room wasn't as opulent as he had imagined, and the standard seemed quite ordinary. However, in such a vast establishment, being labeled a VIP was certainly expensive, signifying a level of commitment to negotiations.

"Excuse me, which room has Lord Jiuxian reserved for our business meeting?" Xiye politely inquired at the navigation desk.

The attendant waved casually and replied, "It's over there, take a left at the end. It's the most budget-friendly room."

Xiye raised an eyebrow, momentarily taken aback. It seemed the people here had quite straightforward manners.

He followed the directions and soon arrived at the designated room. Glancing at the door, he found that it was labeled with six conspicuous characters: "The Cheapest Room."

Xiye couldn't help but feel a twinge of frustration. It appeared that Prosina's straightforward style persisted, even in its labeling.

Upon entering the room, Xiye finally met the legendary predecessor. It was said that Pandaren had the lowest genetic assimilation abilities, and now he could see why. Although the race he had seen at school seemed unique, it had transformed beautifully into the gods' image. The senior Pandaren, however, was hardly distinguishable from an ordinary Pandaren, except for the pair of Supreme Purple Star Sky eyes.

Xiye pondered over this unique race, realizing that he had become more beautiful than he was. Yet it seemed the Pandaren didn't find much value in it. Other than his unique eyes, this senior seemed no different from other Pandaren.

Well, maybe there was one key difference. According to the Pandaren's method of distinguishing individuals by weight, this senior outweighed the previous "two fat" Pandaren. Seated in a chair, it looked like at least half his meat was spilling over the edges.

"Damn, not even a bigger sofa!" The Pandaren Lord appeared somewhat vexed.

Xiye frowned slightly and asked, "Can't you request a larger chair? This VIP reception room should have suitable accommodations for giant races in the Commonwealth of Nations, right?"

The Lord Jiuxian shook his head, "Yes, you can, but it comes at an extra cost."

Xiye formed his first impression of the miserable lord. "Never mind, we'll make do."

Jiuxian sighed and shifted his attention to Xiye's helmet. "By the way, Junior, isn't your attire a bit too serious for a negotiation?"

Xiye hesitated for a moment and whispered, "I'm sorry, due to some personal reasons, I can't reveal my face in any public or monitored place."

"Did your appearance have a flaw during evolution?" Jiuxian inquired, seeming puzzled. "Unusual, such issues are rare among the gods' lineage. If you need it, I can introduce you to an incredibly skilled Dr. Mu Ling; her cosmetic surgeries are out of this world. There's no trace of unnaturalness. You see, this body is her handiwork. Can you tell that I'm a god of the gods except for my eyes?"

Xiye politely declined, "Thank you for your kind offer, but my appearance is already perfect."

Brewmaster: ""

"Let's get down to business, Senior." Xiye found a place to sit and got straight to the point. "Since you invited me here, I assume you've given some thought to my proposal?"

"Well, I've examined the samples that Erfan sent, and they're of good quality, considering they're from a D-class mine. Are you confident that all the products you produce will maintain this quality?"

"I'm confident," Xiye quickly responded. "The data from our measuring instruments won't lie. I can borrow a 10 billion credit loan from the data to prove it. If needed, I can provide a copy of the financial institution's certificate as well."

"Financial institution?" Jiuxian raised an eyebrow. "You didn't obtain a bank loan?"

The word "Erfan" seemed to have exposed something. Xiye cautiously said, "Well, I could have obtained a bank loan, but I was scammed by my teacher and ended up borrowing from private institutions."

"Galrod?" Brewmaster's distasteful expression transformed into one of intrigue.

"Huh?" Xiye was bewildered. "Why, Brother?"

Brewmaster sighed, "Isn't that institution called Zuanjin Shabi Financial Club?"

"Brother, you know about it?"

"Ugh," Jiuxian made a disheartened expression. "Brother, cherish."

Seeing the almost mournful look on the Brewmaster's face, Xiye couldn't understand. "Why are you showing that expression, Brother? It was just a modest profit of three to five. Even though I got scammed, can't I recover from it? How's Brother's development going now?"

"I had a unique opportunity!" Jiuxian showed a pained expression. "Do you think you were scammed only by those meager profits?"

"What else?" Xiye felt a tinge of anxiety.

Jiuxian spoke seriously, "These private organizations are very lax when it comes to keeping customer information confidential. As long as the price is right, they can expose your data at any time. If your planet's data ends up in the hands of some mischievous individuals, it's very dangerous!"

"What kind of danger?" Xiye inquired, puzzled. "I didn't reveal any coordinates."

Jiuxian explained, "Big data analysis can be used to trace your location. If some senior lords have a dragon-level arcanist or analyst, they can use your data to track your whereabouts for up to 100 years!"

"Dragon level?" Xiye chuckled. "Aren't lords at that level usually occupied with more significant matters than targeting a newcomer like me?"

Brewmaster took a moment to think and then responded, "Typically, yes. But you're not your average newcomer. I just reviewed your data. Is your last name Eldia? Is your family known for its Thunder Warriors?"

"Brother, you're aware of our family?"

"Yes, your Thunder Warriors from the Eldia family have a great reputation for quality and work ethic in the industry. But recently..."

"How are they doing?" Xiye inquired, showing concern for his family's well-being.

"Is your generation led by someone named Ren?" Brewmaster asked. "That guy has become an ambitious lord, and now he's almost completely taken over Thunder Warriors in your family. Most of the younger generations are working under him. I couldn't even hire one."

Xiye listened silently, his face growing somber. In the Federation, the clan's policy was to be like cunning rabbits, with three burrows and multiple nets. Very few families fully tied themselves to a lord, as it was a risky move.

Although his grandfather was a high-ranking interstellar marshal under a major lord, he still adhered to this strategy, not encouraging the younger generations of the family to serve under his lord. For instance, Ren used to be one of the family's lords.

But why was his grandfather now tolerating such chaos with Ren?

"I've crossed paths with this guy Ren a few times," Brewmaster mentioned as he took a sip of green tea. "In my view, he doesn't strike me as someone who would tolerate a god in the family."

Xiye couldn't help but worry, but he replied, "Senior, my grandfather has always adhered to the principles of our Eldia family. He's half a step away from becoming a dragon, with a lifespan of at least tens of thousands of years. I doubt Ren would dare to act recklessly under my grandfather's watch."

"Tens of thousands of years?" Brewmaster chuckled. "That might seem like an eternity to some lower-level beings, but it's merely a fleeting moment for characters like us. You're currently enjoying your grandfather's protection, but what happens after he's gone?"

"After my grandfather's gone?" Xiye's purple pupils gleamed, and he spoke softly, "That's when Ren should start worrying about whether I'll give him trouble."

"Ah?" Brewmaster was taken aback. This young and talented Ren had already surpassed the twelfth-level threshold at a young age, and he served as an interstellar marshal under a major lord. It was unlikely for an ordinary minor lord to cross paths with him.

Entrepreneurship was never an easy path. While the gods enjoyed long lifespans, they grew slowly. Without a sufficient amount of believers, they would linger at the tenth level of life. Yet, judging by this young man's demeanor, he appeared fully capable of surpassing Ren after thousands of years. What was his secret?

With these thoughts, a shrewd glint flashed in Brewmaster's eyes, quite different from a typical Pandaren's. He put on a characteristic sly grin and said, "In that case, let's discuss our cooperation."