amaotonovel Chapter 1410 As expected! They were up to no good.
Chapter 1410 As expected! They were up to no good.
Upon hearing Xiao Dingshan's words, Xiao Ce felt a chill run down his spine and then said, "So, the real Xiao Dingshan is alive?"
Xiao Dingshan nodded.
His method is indeed very likely...
Xiao Dingshan said to Xiao Ce, "Xiao Ce, I really didn't want to cooperate with you before because I thought you and him were definitely in cahoots. But what you just said persuaded me... and made me realize that I was indeed immersed in my own assumptions before..."
"You're a smart person, you should be able to tell... I'm serious..."
Xiao Ce leaned forward slightly and said, "Alright, you're the one who brought up the cooperation. Show some sincerity that I can't refuse. Otherwise, I don't mind continuing with my 'Plan One' or 'Plan Two'."
Xiao Dingshan nodded in agreement as he listened to Xiao Ce's words.
"First, the universe!"
Xiao Ce, you hold the key to the celestial network; sooner or later you will have to face the universe.
It's not just a key, it's also a signal source! A very conspicuous signal source!
You can control it now, but can you guarantee that you will always have control over it?
After all, it's not yours...
If it were ever to be activated again, its fluctuations would act like a lighthouse in the darkness, attracting unimaginable attention! Without experience and knowledge of interstellar travel, you humans are lambs to the slaughter on a cosmic scale!
He stared at Xiao Ce: "And we! We are interstellar hunters! We have been wandering the universe for hundreds of years!"
We are familiar with major trade routes, understand the distribution of different forces in the universe, know the basic rules and unspoken rules of interstellar navigation, and are even more clear on how to avoid dangerous areas in deep space and...
Those indescribable beings!
We can be your cosmic guide and advisor.
You need us so that after leaving this cradle, you won't crash headfirst into the jaws of a behemoth! You should know that in the vast universe, one wrong judgment can lead to your utter destruction...
Xiao Ce was indeed drawn in after hearing Xiao Dingshan's words...
Xiao Ce's goal has always been the stars and the sea...
This is indeed an opportunity...
"Secondly, interstellar forces!"
Xiao Dingshan has offered an even more tempting deal!
"You think those things in the Hidden Dragon Arsenal are all the war legacies 'he' left behind? No! Those are just individual pieces of equipment and some defensive systems!"
True interstellar warfare requires fleets! It requires motherships! It requires platforms capable of projecting power, conducting large-scale operations, and facilitating transportation across the cosmos!
"And since I possess these technologies, once we've extracted those energy ores... I can provide you with guidance. That way, I can save you so much time..."
"The Creation Base, our spaceship wreckage, although the core area is imprisoned, many of the peripheral structures and equipment modules can be repaired and modified!"
More importantly... we have the technology!
We have complete starship design blueprints, energy shield generator blueprints, and subspace propulsion engine manufacturing processes!
We can help you utilize the resources mined from this planet, combined with our technology, to build something that belongs to humanity and our community...
The first interstellar fleet! A force capable of truly setting foot in the stars!
Without this, you will forever remain planetary natives!
"Thirdly, and this is what you care about most, about 'him' and this planet!"
Xiao Dingshan lowered his voice even further, with a hint of sharing a secret: "What I just mentioned about sharing planetary energy data is just the basics."
In our thousands of years of exploration, we haven't come away empty-handed. We've discovered some... fragments of clues about 'him,' some... conjectures and inferences about the nature of this planet's energy.
This information is extremely sensitive and may even involve some of the security mechanisms of the Star Network Hub.
Once a genuine, trusting partnership is established, I can gradually share this core information with you.
This will allow you to avoid many pitfalls when using the Dragon Armory and Starlink Hubs, and even... avoid triggering certain deadly traps.
Xiao Dingshan finished speaking in one breath, and that human eye was fixed on Xiao Ce!
He said these things were indeed made with sincerity...
After he finished speaking, he awaited Xiao Ce's final judgment.
He presented three weighty propositions: essential knowledge for survival in the universe, the foundational power for interstellar travel, and the key to unlocking the core secrets of planets.
Each one directly addresses Xiao Ce's biggest weakness and most pressing need.
The air in the cell seemed to freeze.
Xiao Ce's face was expressionless, his deep eyes like two ancient wells, reflecting Xiao Dingshan's half-human, half-machine figure, full of expectation and trepidation.
He needs time to process this information, and even more time to judge whether it is a bridge to the light or another, more intricate abyss trap.
Siu Ding Shan's vision of the future!
A powerful civilization that combines alien technology with the planet's primordial energy, possessing its own interstellar fleet, and mastering the laws of survival in the universe!
It certainly has an irresistible allure.
This is almost the fastest path for human civilization to achieve leapfrog development.
But what's the cost?
Trust a prisoner who just tried to deceive, threaten, and is terrified of him?
Is the future of human civilization tied to a group of interstellar hunters who live by plundering?
Is the core energy of the open planet used for its research and development?
More importantly, once cooperation is established, Siu Ding-shan and the remnants of parliamentary consciousness behind him will inevitably regain the space and resources to act freely. Will they really be willing to be subservient to others?
Will their data-driven yet hunter-like consciousness truly be tamed by the ideals of a new homeland?
After pondering for a long time, Xiao Ce slowly raised his eyelids. His sharp, hawk-like eyes locked onto Xiao Dingshan, and a cold, emotionless smile appeared on his lips. There was no trust in that smile, only a cold assessment and an unquestionable desire for control.
"Cooperation is negotiable."
Xiao Ce's voice was not loud, but it carried a resolute decisiveness, like a cold alloy lock!
"But that's on the condition that my rules apply."
The light in Xiao Dingshan's eyes instantly shone, filled with wild joy and a hint of barely perceptible triumph.
But he immediately suppressed his anger and waited for Xiao Ce's rules.
"First!"
Xiao Ce held up one finger: "All shared data must be subject to my highest-level review. Especially the information about the planet's energy core and 'him,' I need to see the original records and your analytical logic, not the processed conclusions."
Any concealment or falsification will result in immediate termination of the cooperation, and you understand the consequences.
"second!"
The second finger is raised: "The transfer of interstellar technology, especially starship technology, will be led by me."
You provide blueprints and process guidance, but core manufacturing, personnel training, and fleet command must be in our hands.
Your advisory role is limited to technical consultation; you are not permitted to interfere in any command decisions or personnel management. Furthermore, I will dispatch my most core and reliable personnel to the innovation base to learn and supervise your entire learning process.
Xiao Dingshan's metal mask seemed to twitch slightly, which was tantamount to treating them as mere tools and knowledge bases, but he gritted his teeth and remained silent.
"third!"
Xiao Ce's voice suddenly became even colder!
The third finger, like a cold gun barrel, pointed at Xiao Dingshan: "And most importantly: the shackles of consciousness."
Xiao Dingshan froze.
"I will not trust your consciousness, not even a copy of your consciousness trapped inside a simulator."
Xiao Ce's gaze was like a scalpel, dissecting all of Xiao Dingshan's wishful thinking as he said, "Before the cooperation officially begins, all existing core consciousness copies of your council must accept my imprinting on them."
This was actually a suggestion given to him by Lingxu while he was deep in thought; Lingxu does possess this ability...
"A brand?!" Xiao Dingshan's voice was filled with shock and anger.
"Don't worry, it's not about erasing or controlling thoughts."
Xiao Ce said coldly, "It's just an anchor point and an insurance policy. I'll have a way to record the characteristics of your consciousness fluctuations and establish a one-way link."
This link serves two purposes: First, it ensures that I can locate the position of any of your consciousness copies at any time, no matter which android you are hiding in or attempting to transfer your consciousness!
Second, this is a self-destruct switch. Once I determine that you have engaged in any act of betrayal, or attempted to bypass me to conduct dangerous activities that could trigger a planetary energy backlash or transmit information outwards, I can instantly, through the Star Network Hub, transfer copies of your consciousness...
Completely format.
To eradicate it at its root.
Upon hearing these words from Xiao Ce!
"This is impossible! This is a slave contract!"
Xiao Dingshan practically roared it out, which meant that their lives were completely in Xiao Ce's hands!
"impossible?"
Xiao Ce chuckled, his eyes as cold as ice, and then prepared to get up: "Then there's nothing to talk about."
I'd rather have a silenced, harmless prisoner, or... a wreck, than a powerful but uncontrollable ally who could explode at any moment. At least, that's safer.
My patience and your sincerity have come to an end.
Tell me your choice now!!!
Xiao Ce raised three fingers again, and the invisible countdown to death descended once more:
"three."
"two..."
The cold, hard numbers came crashing down like a hammer blow.
In Xiao Dingshan's eyes, the newly ignited glimmer of hope was overwhelmed by extreme humiliation, anger, and...
It was replaced by a deeper fear.
He could sense the unwavering resolve in Xiao Ce's words.
This is not negotiation, this is an ultimatum.
Rejection means the complete annihilation of consciousness and the utter demise of the remnants of parliament.
“...One.” Xiao Ce’s lips moved slightly, about to utter the last number.
"and many more!"
Xiao Dingshan's voice was hoarse and broken!
He slumped down, his entire metallic body seemingly losing its support. "I...we...accept..."
Saying those three words seemed to have exhausted all his strength and dignity.
It was a humiliating compromise, a forced wearing of invisible shackles in order to survive.
Xiao Ce smiled, then said, "Very well... So how do I obtain everything you've mentioned..."
Xiao Dingshan said to Xiao Ce, "Take me back..."
Xiao Ce had actually noticed that Xiao Dingshan was suppressing his excitement and trying his best to appear calm...
"it is good!"
Before the cold smile on Xiao Ce's lips had completely faded, he turned around decisively after speaking, walking straight toward the heavy alloy gate of the cell, which gleamed with a cold metallic luster.
His footsteps echoed in the deathly silent cell, striking Xiao Dingshan's taut nerves.
"Wait! Xiao Ce!"
Xiao Dingshan's voice suddenly rose, carrying a panicked shrillness, as if a drowning person was watching helplessly as the only piece of driftwood drifted away.
His remaining human eyes contracted violently, and his metallic body seemed to stiffen from the sudden movement.
"You...you're leaving already? You...you promised to cooperate with me? You...are you going back on your word? Or...or is there a problem?"
His panic was so real that it almost overflowed from his distorted, metallic face.
Xiao Ce stopped in front of the gate and turned half of his face to the side!
He didn't turn around, but said in a calm, almost indifferent tone, "Cooperation? Of course we should talk. But not now, and not here. I already know your attitude..."
He tilted his head slightly, glancing at Xiao Dingshan's face, which was filled with surprise and doubt: "Even if we go to the creation base to retrieve the 'sincerity' you mentioned, we still need to make preparations."
You're not so naive as to think I can just swagger into your lair right now, are you?
We need to...make some arrangements.
"Make...make preparations..."
Xiao Dingshan seemed to have some of his strength drained away, and his tense body relaxed slightly!
The panic in that person's eyes was quickly replaced by a suppressed glint of relief and calculation, tinged with a hint of obsequiousness...
They even went so far as to flatter him, saying, "Yes, yes, yes! We should prepare...we should prepare...safety first!!"
He muttered to himself, as if trying to convince Xiao Dingshan, or perhaps to comfort Xiao Ce.
Xiao Ce didn't say another word, only letting out a barely audible hum.
The heavy alloy gate slid open silently to both sides, and blinding white light poured in through the cracks, instantly engulfing his tall and aloof figure.
The gate slowly closed behind him, completely isolating Xiao Dingshan's face, which had instantly turned gloomy, yet whose eyes gleamed with a kind of fanaticism and desperate light, in the cold, dark room.
"As expected! They're up to no good."
Xiao Ce sneered inwardly.
Behind that brief moment of relaxation and relief lies a kind of excitement and impatience, like prey about to step into a trap.
The more compliant and cooperative Xiao Dingshan appeared, the clearer his hidden malice became.
He was like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows, flicking its tongue, waiting for the opportunity to deliver a fatal blow.
After leaving the cold cell, Axe Bull said with some worry, "Your Highness, you don't believe his nonsense, do you?"