Otherworld Advance Team
Chapter 492 - 485: Initiative

Chapter 492: Chapter 485: Initiative

However, since Nina did not attend the negotiation due to her illness, Li Si was not comfortable bringing up the in-law situation. So, he had to seek Luo’er’s verification about Nina’s identity instead.

Although he didn’t bring it up now, he knew Nina’s identity and the success of the collaboration were directly related. Even if it wasn’t spoken of now, it would come up eventually. Once the headquarters learns that Nina is the Princess of Ilanadale, her marriage to Luo Chuan will unavoidably be shrouded in political factors. Both Li Si and Luo’er knew this well.

The headquarters’ representatives mainly chose to reside in the inner city of Divine Wood Down. Still, the advance team, being accustomed to treehouses, didn’t move there to join with Li Si and others, continuing to live in the treehouses.

Duing the negotiations, Li Si visited the treehouse to learn about their experiences and schedule from Luo’er. Luo’er dared not report his near-death experience to Li Si. Fortunately, Cheng Ziang filled him in on all the events that occurred during his unconsciousness. This made it easier for him to face Li Si confidently.

"Is that your sister?" Li Si, noticing a little face peeping shyly from the door, couldn’t help but ask.

"Hmm." Luo’er turned to glance at Luoya, who instantly shrank back and avoided his gaze.

"Your real sister?" Li Si asked.

"Who else could it be?" As they were peers, Luo’er didn’t show as much respect as he would to Wang Xu.

"She seems a little different from you, a bit...childish," Li Si observed, pointing to the eyepatch that covered Luoya’s left eye.

"She has heterochromia. Girls her age care about their looks," Luo’er replied.

"Heterochromia...interesting," Li Si commented, nodding. Suddenly, an idea appeared to strike him, "How about letting her stay on Earth for a while? After all, she’s your sister and Earth is still her home."

"Maybe we should pass on that," Luo’er disagreed, shaking his head.

"Can’t bear to let her go or afraid we might mess up?" Li Si questioned.

"No, it’s just that she has a temper and likely won’t listen to me. If you want her to go to Earth, you’d better discuss it with my mother," Luo’er clarified.

"Your mother seems unwell. I still haven’t met her," Li Si remarked.

"My fault," Luo’er confessed, shrugging.

"Oh, did you make her angry?" Li Si enquired.

"No, I told her about my father’s death," Luo’er confessed, lowering his head.

"I see," Li Si nodded in understanding. It made sense. Waiting for Luo Chuan for over twenty years, only to learn of their permanent separation, would be unbearable for anyone.

"So, Luo’er, just to confirm it, Princess Nina really is your mother, right?" Li Si asked seriously after a few moments of silence.

"Yes," Luo’er affirmed, nodding his head.

"Good, that will settle the matter," Li Si sank into prompted with a nod.

"Do you not trust my mother?" Luo’er wondered.

"No, it’s not that," Li Si refuted, conscientiously strolling to the window and looking down at the elves under the tree. Without turning his head, he continued, "From the day this airboat left, our contact and collaboration with Ilanadale began. Even if Princess Nina had nothing to do with you, we’d still have to do business. It’s just the extent of it that would vary."

He paused before continuing, "I’m sorry to say this, but we need your connection with Ilanadale. Presently, we need this relationship to act as a sign of our cooperation. Currently, you lack the Queen’s acknowledgement. So, our approach towards the collaboration is relatively cautious. We want Queen Lilith to understand that only by acknowledging your identity can the cooperation proceed without reservation. Otherwise, it will always only remain at the most basic level."

"To be frank, this approach does carry substantial risk. Because, in principle, we also need Ilanadale as our base of operations for southern expansion. The Ancient States might be a good choice, but don’t forget, we’re currently in a honeymoon phase with the Church Court. We don’t need to offend the Church for the sake of the Ancient States. Right now, we are not in a position to assert our dominance over the Church Court, so unless necessary, try not to have any involvement with the Ancient States. Even if we don’t treat them as enemies, we shouldn’t treat them as friends either."

"I know," Luo’er sighed and then said, "From the day I learned of my mother’s identity, I knew that this day was inevitable. I’m the main link between the headquarters and Ilanadale. I was born in the Otherworld and raised on Earth, so I’m fully qualified to be the spokesperson for both worlds and both countries."

"If you are aware of this, then I won’t feel so guilty." Li Si walked over, patting his shoulder in comfort.

The headquarters’ foreign policy in the Otherworld is rather assertive, or in other words, this might be translated into dominance. The main reason is that Earth represents a more advanced civilization, while the Otherworld lags behind. So no matter how modest they are, they will inevitably come across as assertive.

What’s more important is that this assertiveness from the headquarters is required to maintain a lead in their partnerships, otherwise, they’ll simply be led by the nose by these foreign countries.

The Incomparable Ronisca Air Force of the High-peak Dwarves, and their commander Mooer, hold exceptionally high status; however, Wang Xu dared to criticize him directly. The cooperation with Melia from the headquarters seems like a partnership on the surface, but it is more like a charity from the headquarters to Melia.

These two examples serve to indicate that in diplomatic processes with the foreign states and organizations of the Otherworld, the headquarters often displays the assertiveness of an advanced industrial country. It is precisely for this reason that the headquarters has been striving to maintain a leading role in the cooperation with the Church Court.

Although the Church Court is powerful, the headquarters still hopes to take a commanding position in such cooperation, rather than holding an equal footing. In this regard, the people of the Otherworld do not have the right to stand on equal footing with the people of Earth.

The fact that the Otherworld has not been divided by the people of Earth is mainly due to the objective barrier of magic. But as Earth’s research continues to deepen, this constraint is noticeably dwindling. The birth of the subspecies directly changed the situation in which Earth people were unable to use magic.

What the country wants to establish is an Otherworld united force led by the headquarters, not a cooperative group for equal mutual benefit. The world is unequal, Earth is objectively more advanced than the Otherworld, and this is an undeniable fact. Historical experience tells them that it may take a long time for the Otherworld to break free from such a dominated situation.

Outside the room, Luoya was stomping her feet in frustration because she couldn’t understand the conversation inside. After hesitating for a moment, she turned to leave.

"You be careful, always so flippant." She almost bumped into Cheng Ziang who had suddenly appeared. After stepping back, he couldn’t help saying.

"It was clearly you who suddenly appeared, are you blaming me now?" Luoya frowned, speaking irritably.

"Who are you mad at now?" Cheng Ziang asked, seeing the look of frustration on her face.

"It’s none of your business." Luoya said huffily.

"Isn’t my questioning showing concern for you? Otherwise, why would I ask?" Cheng Ziang didn’t get mad, but spoke calmly.

"Who asked for your consideration? Honestly, I’ve enough people who care about me!" Luoya glared at him, her cheeks blushing slightly. She dared not look directly into Cheng Ziang’s eyes, so she turned her face away, not daring to make eye contact with him.

"Yo, Cheng Ziang, long time no see." At that moment, a few people suddenly approached from the corridor. Cheng Ziang took a closer look and found that it was Murong and his group, who were smiling at him.

"Who is this?" He noticed Luoya with her eyepatch. Feeling his gaze, Luoya instinctively hid behind Cheng Ziang.

"Luo’er’s sister, Luoya." Cheng Ziang briefly introduced.

"Oh, so this is Luo’er’s sister, indeed as beautiful as him." Murong couldn’t help but praise. He didn’t mean to insult anyone with that remark, as Luo’er’s good looks are well acknowledged at Haiya Academy.

"These are your brother’s friends," Cheng Ziang turned to Luoya to introduce them, paused for a moment, and then said, "Of course, they are my friends as well."

Hearing him, Luoya glanced at him, then meekly stepped out and politely said, "Hi, hi, my name is, is Lu, Lu... Luoya."

"Don’t be so nervous, my name is Murong. It’s nice to meet you." Murong nodded slightly, smiling in reassurance.

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