Chapter 280: The Rules from Above

Two men arrived from the military department, besides the burly man, there was also a slightly shorter middle-aged man. He didn’t exude any obvious sharpness and looked rather ordinary. Hearing the burly man’s complaint, he smiled and said, “Shouldn’t we be waiting for him? Should we have him wait for us instead?”

The burly man was still indignant: “It makes sense, but it’s too humiliating! Who does he think he is? Daring to make us wait!”

“Haha, then who do you think we are?”

“Though our ranks may not be high, we’re both capable of managing an area. If he does this, isn’t it as if he doesn’t take the military department seriously at all?”

The middle-aged man sighed and said, “I say Xiao Fang, this is a neutral ground, not the Empire. Let’s put aside the way we act in the capital. We’re just minor officials in the military, here to carry out orders. To get things done, we need to ask nicely. Asking nicely isn’t like this, right?”

The burly man stiffened his neck and said, “But I can’t stand his attitude!”

The middle-aged man took a sip of the pale tea and, without getting angry, said, “He’s just making us understand that agreeing to see us is already a favor. If it weren’t for the private seal left by that person, relying solely on our military emblem, we might not even meet anyone.”

Fang, the burly man, lost some of his bluster, saying, “But we’re still representing the military department…”

“Don’t forget, Li Fengshui is also from the military department,” the middle-aged man cut him off with one sentence. Then, shaking his head, he added, “Xiao Fang, your family background and abilities aren’t bad, but you’ve only managed a minor operation. Have you ever thought about it properly?”

Fang, the burly man, was taken aback and asked, “General Lan, do you mean I’ve offended someone?”

“You’ve offended quite a few people.”

“But how could that be? I’ve always been very cautious,” the burly man, surnamed Fang, protested.

The middle-aged man said, “The military department belongs to the Empire, to His Majesty, or perhaps to the Longevity King, but it’s not yours or mine. We’re just doing our job in the military. If someone offends us, they’ve only offended a few low-ranking officials. You keep talking about the military department all the time, don’t you think you’re causing enough trouble for those above you?”

Fang, the burly man, was dumbfounded, clearly still not understanding.

The middle-aged man gave a self-deprecating smile and said, “We have power and status because of our position. Once we lose it, we’ll revert to nothing. When that happens, will the military department still have anything to do with us? Xiao Fang, if this matter goes smoothly, you can make some progress. If not for that, I wouldn’t be telling you so much.”

Fang, the burly man, immediately broke out in a cold sweat and hurriedly said, “Thank you, General Lan!”

General Lan didn’t elaborate but said, “This matter is important for both of us and for those others. But you must understand, there are many who don’t want this to succeed, and the reasons are obvious.”

“Are they trying to avenge Li Fengshui?” Fang, the burly man, asked tentatively.

General Lan shook his head, “That’s minor. Li Fengshui wasn’t stupid, just unlucky. I’m worried there are some who might not want the King to extend his life.”

Fang, the burly man, was shocked and hastily said, “There’s such a thing? Those I spoke to aren’t like that.”

General Lan calmly said, “I don’t know if they are, but I know if this fails, there will be consequences. In others’ eyes, you’d be seen as having such thoughts.”

Fang, the burly man, was drenched in cold sweat.

At this moment, the door to the reception room opened, and Qian Ye walked in. He glanced at the two, and they felt as if lightning had flashed through the room, momentarily blinding them.

The intense flash of light disappeared instantly, leaving them unsure if it was real or imagined.

Qian Ye sat down calmly in the main seat and said, “Please, sit down.”

The middle-aged man first performed a bow and said, “I am Lan Xincheng, Deputy Commander of the Equipment Department in the military. This is Fang Zhan, the head of the Third Transportation Office in the Equipment Department.”

“General Lan, General Fang,” Qian Ye nodded, returning the greeting.

Fang Zhan’s face darkened, but he didn’t erupt.

Lan Xincheng said, “Lord Qian Ye, we’ve come to this neutral ground to seek your help, but it will also benefit you.”

“Go ahead,” Qian Ye remained indifferent.

Lan Xincheng didn’t beat around the bush and explained their purpose. The recent upheaval in the great vortex had caused significant losses for the Empire, with almost half of the young masters from the various families losing their lives. Especially those who followed Qian Ye into the great vortex, they were mostly led into the high-gravity zone and lost contact. With their cultivation, they couldn’t survive the first frigid night.

However, those who managed to escape had gained immensely, with the total loot being almost equal to the last thirty years’ worth. The emergence of Baiguo, a longevity-boosting item, had stunned the entire Imperial upper echelons. Not only was Baiguo quickly distributed, but its wine was also snatched up. Various rewards were given, including several titles of nobility.

But the best treasures were mostly in Qian Ye’s hands. Just the two super-grade crystals, in the eyes of true powerhouses, were more valuable than Baiguo. For the Imperial court, the two crystals were equivalent to two powerful divine generals, adding several provinces to the Empire’s territory.

Thus, the two men came for the treasures in Qian Ye’s possession.

Due to their immense value and Qian Ye’s formidable strength, the Equipment Department directly intervened. The Logistics Department, which handled general supplies, also wanted this assignment but was overpowered by the Equipment Department, leaving only Fang Zhan to come.

Only the massive Imperial military could afford the treasures from the great vortex. A smaller, top-tier family would not be able to pay the price.

Qian Ye smiled faintly and said, “Actually, why did the military go through such trouble? They could just send a divine general to capture or kill me, and everything would be theirs.”

Fang Zhan’s face turned awkward, and he lowered his head. Coming from a good family, he had smooth sailing, but he couldn’t hide his thoughts. It seemed he indeed had such ideas.

Lan Xincheng smiled, “Lord Qian Ye is no ordinary person, with friends and acquaintances all over the world. How could we do such a thing? Even if someone wanted to, it would be hard to succeed. The Empire has its rules.”

Qian Ye found it amusing. The Empire’s so-called rules depended on who you were. They would only apply if they thought you were worth it.

But he reconsidered and realized Lan Xincheng’s words had a deeper meaning. He nodded and asked, “General Lan, what rules are you referring to?”

Lan Xincheng pointed to the sky and said, “Of course, the rules from above.”

Qian Ye understood. With no connection to the Emperor, this protection likely came from Empress Li.

Realizing this, Qian Ye felt more at ease and said, “If that’s the case, what do you want, and what can you offer?”

Lan Xincheng lowered his voice, “Above wants Baiguo, the whole fruit, not just the wine. Of course, the more wine, the better. Also, the super-grade crystals in your possession, are you willing to sell them? Besides that, we want all the resources from the great vortex.”

Qian Ye laughed, “You want everything, then what can you offer?”

Lan Xincheng signaled, and Fang Zhan took out a book and handed it over, saying, “Everything the Empire can provide is listed here.”

Qian Ye scanned it and saw a list of bulk supplies and high-level equipment. For example, the origin force gun, though only up to the 7th tier, was available in large quantities. The Thunderbolt he once used was on the list, with a quantity of a hundred. But even with the guns, Qian Ye lacked the number of strong warriors.

Seeing Qian Ye’s indifferent reaction, Lan Xincheng gave another signal, and Fang Zhan produced another book, handing it over, saying, “Lord Qian Ye, this shows the Empire’s sincerity. Normally, we would give this to you after getting the Baiguo, but you can take a look now.”

Fang Zhan, initially arrogant, became subservient after Qian Ye’s gaze. The power Qian Ye displayed, even unintentionally, was beyond his ability to resist. After seeing Qian Ye’s terrifying power, Fang Zhan dropped all pretenses and became almost fawning.

Lan Xincheng’s eyes showed a hint of disdain. Such aristocratic children, weak against the strong, he had seen many.

Qian Ye picked up the book, thinner but beautifully bound. Opening it, a simple diagram of an engine caught his eye. Below it, the text read: “Mountain-Class Floating Warship Engine, designed for Destroyer-class ships, used by the main Imperial fleet, developed in the 30th year of Xuanwu reign.”

This engine was developed in the late reign of the previous Emperor, less than thirty years ago. According to Imperial practice, it usually took over twenty years to develop a new engine. So, the Mountain-Class engine was considered the most advanced, with only one generation more advanced.

Starting with the Mountain-Class engine, the sincerity was indeed significant.

The next page listed various origin force arrays designed to isolate the surrounding void force, providing a relatively pure working environment for the engine. These arrays, though increasing weight and energy consumption, seemed to have no other use.

However, Qian Ye knew this was specifically designed for the neutral ground. The void force wreaked havoc there, causing rapid wear and tear on any machinery. The Mountain-Class engine couldn’t function there. In such a situation, either redesign a new engine or use this method. Though the weight, energy, and cost increased, it provided a ready-to-use engine.