A Core Ship From The Start
Chapter 1283 - Chapter 1283 Chapter 865 Signing Banquet

Chapter 1283: Chapter 865: Signing Banquet Chapter 1283: Chapter 865: Signing Banquet After deciding to accept the invitation, Duanmu Huai also informed the girls about the situation. Naturally, everyone was very much looking forward to it, as people like Ann, Greiya, and Lumiaire had all fought to save those planets, so they were quite concerned about the future of human civilization on them.

Now seeing them able to unite and move forward together, it also made them very happy – didn’t that mean their efforts in the past weren’t in vain?

Of course, if you ask Duanmu Huai, it’s…

“What is this ‘Embrace the Future, Create Splendor Together’… Do they really have to use such a boring theme? Well, it’s better than something like a grand celebration of the 100th anniversary of Bapulov’s birth.”

Looking at the slogan on the invitation, Duanmu Huai silently rolled his eyes. Right now, they were aboard a Tribunal warship on their way to the venue of the banquet, located at a place called the Center of Aquila, situated in the center of these planets. To better coordinate the commercial and political relationships between the planets, Dada Niel spared no expense in building a large space station there. According to Dada Niel’s vision, this place would become the hub for material trade and transportation for other planets.

This dinner also equated to the announcement that this space station was officially operational.

“I really didn’t expect them to actually pull it off; it’s quite moving. I still remember when these planets were on the brink of extinction.”

As the person who had followed Duanmu Huai the longest–second only to Ogis–Ann couldn’t help but feel nostalgic. She had been with Duanmu Huai all this way, and she had taken part in nearly all the wars on these planets. Now looking back, the Princess felt as if it were all a lifetime ago.

“Don’t get too excited, either.”

Duanmu Huai looked at Ann, who was brimming with excitement, and silently threw cold water on her excitement.

“We’re going there mainly to kill someone.”

“Huh? To kill someone?”

Upon hearing this, Ann was suddenly shocked.

“Why? Mr. Knight, is there some kind of problem with those planets?”

“Not exactly.”

Duanmu Huai shook his head and then stretched out his hand to point at the invitation.

“Didn’t you take a close look at the invitation? Our opponent is the Galactic Business Alliance.”

“What’s that?”

At this point, Ann also came over, picked up the invitation, and carefully examined it.

“Simply put, it’s a large commercial alliance established by a group of alien civilizations. Do you understand now?”

“Oh… wait a minute, why would they get involved?”

Upon hearing Duanmu Huai speak, Mary and the others had no reaction, but Ann immediately noticed something was amiss. Despite seeming naive and carefree, the Sorcerer Princess was very familiar with politics. So after hearing Duanmu Huai’s introduction, Ann quickly sensed the problem.

Ann also knew the situation of these planets. To be honest, even putting it nicely, she didn’t think they had much trade strength at the moment. These planets were still in recovery; technically, they were in a weaker position.

Of course, it’s quite normal for those at a disadvantage to band together for warmth, and that’s what they had done.

However, the emergence of the Commercial Alliance was another matter entirely.

Especially since Duanmu Huai had pointed out that the other party was a “large” commercial alliance, this immediately put Ann on high alert.

It was only natural for merchants to expand their strength and reach, but that also depended on the situation. If it’s a merchant of mediocre strength, they would choose to cooperate with the local forces.

But what about powerful merchants?

“Uh… I still don’t understand, is there a problem, Miss Ann?”

Seeing Ann lost in thought and wearing a serious look, Mary asked with confusion. She might be a very powerful writer, but unfortunately–politics was not her forte.

Maybe archaeology would be a bit better.

“Merchants are all about pursuing profit. Indeed, I admit, from a business perspective, planets that have survived a catastrophe have great developmental value, and because they need to be rebuilt, there’s also an urgent demand for commerce, but this creates a problem.”

“A problem?”

“Yes, merchants will indeed sell you what you want, but you also know that if they know you really want it, they’ll jack up the prices, right?”

“Ah…”

Upon hearing this, Mary also immediately understood.

“If it’s a personal item, you might be able to choose not to buy, but what if a planet is about to enter a cold winter, and people need enough warm goods to survive the winter? In that case, if the other party raises the price, you’d have no choice but to buy, right?”

“But I can shop around…”

“That works when there’s healthy competition, and more importantly, these merchants are regulated, so they have to comply. But what if there’s no oversight? What then?”

“Ah, this…”

Upon hearing this, Mary also frowned and quickly realized the problem.

“This is why Dada Niel asked us to come.”

Duanmu Huai then unveiled the mystery.

“It is certain that they must have had contact with Dada Niel before. Honestly speaking, as a Merchant Voyager, his strength isn’t strong. Even within the Star Union, he isn’t able to compete with those large commercial houses.”

“Well, that’s…”

“So I believe that those damned aliens must have applied both carrots and sticks, wanting to gobble up this nascent Commercial Alliance in one bite to bolster their own power, monopolizing the economic circulation here. Of course, if the other party were also a human civilization, then this would be normal business competition, however…”

Speaking to this point, Duanmu Huai revealed a fierce smile.

“Mere Alien Creatures, daring to covet human interests? With these inferior Alien Hybrids? It’s not just unfair business competition that they can’t engage in, even fair competition is out of the question!”

“So Mr. Duanmu is saying that we are here to kill, huh.”

At this moment, Mary also understood – the invitation from Dada Niel was partly an invitation and partly a plea for help. The interstellar civilization’s Commercial Alliance must be a colossal entity, certainly not something a small merchant voyager and a few planets still in the process of post-disaster rebuilding could compete with. Dada Niel’s request for the Tribunal’s intervention was to confront this giant head-on!

As for Duanmu Huai’s intermittent ranting, everyone was used to it by now. This human supremacy ideology of the Tribunal was just this way. From the Tribunal’s perspective, the so-called Galactic Business Alliance was nothing but an organization of lowly Alien Species trying to harm human interests, and should be directly eliminated.

During their conversation, the Tribunal’s warships had already arrived at the Space Station built at the center point. Compared to the Tribunal’s Space Station, this one’s technical design was clearly more primitive; its shape was like a giant doughnut, with a large and thick chocolate stick stuck through the center of the doughnut… How should I put it…

Well, that’s how it was.

Of course, Duanmu Huai didn’t particularly care. After all, this was the first Space Station Dada Niel had spent a huge amount of money to build, and it looked somewhat decent. If possible, Dada Niel would naturally wish to build a massive Space Station like the Tribunal’s, but alas, he neither had the technology nor the capital nor the power.

So he could only make do with what he had.

Several warships were patrolling around this Space Station.

“Ah, that one over there belongs to UAC, doesn’t it?”

“I see the High Tower Council’s warships…”

Observing the markings on those warships, the girls discussed amongst themselves. This was not surprising, after all, these space-faring warships were purchased from the Tribunal, just altered in terms of insignia. Of course, with their current funds, they couldn’t afford large warships; buying some ordinary destroyers or cruisers was sufficient for their needs.

As for things like Emperor-class Battleships, they shouldn’t even dream about it, as those were not for sale. Duanmu Huai wouldn’t sell them.

“What warship is that one over there?”

However, just then, Greiya curiously pointed her finger towards the side and asked. Hearing Greiya’s question, the others followed the direction of her pointing.

They saw a metallic warship with an unusual appearance moored on the orbital path on the other side of the Space Station. It was about the size of a Moon-class Cruiser, its surface looked very smooth. Honestly, it gave off the feeling of a horizontally laid long eggplant… well, its shape was quite similar.

“That’s probably a warship from that Galactic Business Alliance.”

Looking at the warship, Duanmu Huai snorted coldly.

“Aikute, pass by them.”

“Understood, Uncle.”

Hearing Duanmu Huai’s order, Aikute immediately made the course adjustment. Soon, the Tribunal Fleet, with the Emperor-class Battleship at its core, redirected and headed towards that long eggplant-shaped warship. They slowed down, sweeping past the strange warship one by one, with the black muzzle of the Macro Cannon on board also targeting the warship in front. It was certain that a single command would immediately shatter the warship under the Tribunal’s bombardment.

As for the other side’s reaction, Duanmu Huai didn’t care. He just led the fleet in a show of force around the Space Station before disembarking onto the Flying Ship and leaving the flagship. Under the guidance of the control tower, they entered the sealed hangar.

When the hatch opened and Duanmu Huai and his group stepped out of the Flying Ship, they saw Dada Niel already grinning eagerly to greet them.

“Hello, esteemed Great Judge, oh, it feels like three years have passed in just one day since I last saw you, your complexion is still so good…”

“Enough with the flattery, I see you’re doing quite well, you’ve even put on some weight.”

As he spoke, Duanmu Huai sized up the merchant voyager in front of him. He remembered that when they first met, Dada Niel had a relatively proportionate figure. Now… well, that beer belly indicated that he hadn’t exercised in a long time.

“Oh my, what are you saying…”

Hearing Duanmu Huai’s jest, Dada Niel also revealed an embarrassed smile.

“I’ve been busy… always in meetings, dining and drinking, ah, I thought about losing weight… but just didn’t have the time…”

“Starting a business is hard, take it easy.”

Duanmu Huai extended his hand and patted Dada Niel’s shoulder.

“Oh, by the way, let me introduce you.”

As he spoke, Duanmu Huai turned towards Mary.

“This is Mary Clarissa Christie, she is also a member of our Tribunal and a writer. She has been accompanying me and has written many of the Tribunal’s actions into books. If you are interested, you could discuss it with her.”

“Really?”

Hearing this, Dada Niel’s eyes gleamed with excitement.

“Ah, Great Judge, I had no idea you would bring me such a grand gift upon your arrival, I’m so thankful!”

With that, Dada Niel hurriedly turned to greet Mary, bowing respectfully.

“Hello, Miss, I am Dada Niel, a somewhat renowned merchant voyager. I was wondering if you would be interested in discussing the publishing of your work with me?”

“Eh?”

Looking at the before her Dada Niel, Mary was completely stunned, surprised she looked at Dada Niel, then at Duanmu Huai, a confused expression on her face.

What kind of development was this?

Mr. Duanmu hadn’t mentioned this to me at all before?

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.