After a long while, a complete map of Jarilo-VI appeared on the tablet in Jade's hands—the mountains, rivers, forests, and creatures on the surface were all clearly displayed, and even the structures, terrain, and people in the Underworld beneath Belobog were detected.
Such was the power of advanced technology.
In a place where civilization lagged behind, this technology proved most effective, undisturbed by any other interference.
'Hmm, there's an arsenal in the underground as well?'
Jade pondered silently while tapping her finger on the sofa armrest.
'If the information is correct, all of this is actually IPC's equipment left here for the locals centuries ago to help them fend off invaders.'
'Hmm, there's even a giant mech, huh? But its details weren't in the files... Could it be something the locals developed themselves?'
Jade finished scanning Jarilo-VI's surface but found no sign of the Stellaron Hunters, nor did she detect any particularly powerful individuals.
Maybe the most threatening thing was that giant mech hidden in the valley, but for the IPC, a mech like that could be disabled with a few mechanical disruptor rounds.
'It seems there's nothing here worth noting—no pressure at all.'
Jade put away her tablet and gave the order to the others.
"One team, come with me—the rest, stay here on guard."
Now that she had confirmed everything on this planet, she decided to conduct a personal inspection.
If someone here had managed to resolve the Stellaron crisis, their leader couldn't be too weak.
If the person was worth recruiting, she would show some respect, but if there was no strong leader and they had just survived by coincidence, she would simply take the planet over.
If they refused to cooperate... she would have to resort to other means.
With part of an Emanator of Preservation's power, her authority in this backwater place was unquestionably top-tier.
Before long, Jade entered Belobog but was stopped by the Silvermane Guards.
However, after saying she was here for business negotiations, Jade was soon granted an audience with Cocolia.
===
Qlipoth Fort, Supreme Guardian's Office.
Cocolia sat at the long desk on the dais, looking down at the visitor from above.
Below the dais, Jade stood alone, looking calm and composed.
"Ms. Cocolia." Jade said, her voice held a warmth that brooked no refusal. "Jarilo-VI has endured the Eternal Freeze up to now, and I admit that tenacity is impressive, but forgive me for being blunt—tenacity alone has limited value in the markets of the vast galaxy."
Cocolia sat upright on the Supreme Guardian's seat, her eyes deep and cold as she listened to Jade's words. Her hands were folded atop the desk, knuckles slightly whitened, betraying a touch of tension from having her domain intruded upon.
Regardless, facing this imposing visitor from a galactic corporation, she showed no sign of backing down.
"Jarilo-VI's value does not need to be judged by outsiders, Ms. Jade." Cocolia's voice was steady as stone, hardened by the snow and wind of Belobog. "Our people, our history, are treasures beyond price, and the 'value' your corporation speaks of, I'm afraid, is far removed from what we understand."
"Hmm..." Jade let out a soft hum, her smile deepening—a sharp, cunning glint flickering in her eyes. "Even treasures need the right 'custodian' and 'means of appreciation.'"
In short, what she meant was, 'Who's really in charge here? How strong are you to confront me?'
It should be noted that business negotiations never begin with a confrontation—one had to be courteous where courtesy was due, subtle when the situation called for it.
Jade's gaze locked onto Cocolia, sharp as a probe, trying to dig out any clue from that flawless face about a 'Stellaron' or any other powerful presence.
"If you want to talk about these matters, speak with our Supreme Guardian." Cocolia responded, her lips curling into a confident smile.
As his woman, she had full faith in Lucian.
Knowing his overwhelming strength and the alliance with Koolur, even the IPC would have to think twice before causing trouble.
However, she wasn't sure whether he had any past grudges with the IPC, so it was best not to mention him right now. Letting him handle the talks himself also meant any trouble could be dealt with directly, erasing witnesses if necessary.
"You're not the one in charge here?" Jade asked, looking slightly puzzled.
"No." Cocolia replied calmly. "I'm just handling government affairs on his behalf—no more, no less."
"If that's the case, then let me meet the true decision-maker." Jade narrowed her eyes. "You're not the one in control of this matter."
"Unfortunately, that won't be possible for now." Cocolia shook her head. "Our Supreme Guardian is away, and we have no idea when he'll return."
Upon hearing this, instead of anger, Jade remained calm, her smile never wavering, as if Cocolia's response was just a minor hiccup in her expectations.
A moment later, she turned gracefully, her heels making a crisp *click* against the floor.
"Such determination is admirable..." Jade said slowly, her words sounded like honeyed poison. "I'll wait here for a few days, then. I hope to meet your true leader soon."
With that, she left the office directly, the sound of her heels echoing through the empty hall like the ticking of a clock.
Cocolia, staring at Jade's departing figure, knew this woman was a viper who looked friendly and graceful, but always acted according to the situation.
Clearly, the request to see the Supreme Guardian was only a test—if Lucian didn't return in a few days, she would probably make her move.
===
As Jade exited the Qlipoth Fort, she regrouped with the IPC's armed guards waiting outside.
"Lady Jade, what should we do?"
"Nothing." Jade smiled faintly. "We'll wait for the so-called Supreme Guardian and see what he's made of."
Honestly, she didn't mind waiting—in fact, she could use this time to gather more intel, so she could have a better advantage later.
If it were Obsidian handling this task, she probably would've already started a violent crackdown and thrown Belobog into chaos, but unlike her, Jade preferred to bide her time and strike only when the moment was right.
For now, she just had to see if this place truly had a leader worth her attention.
*Ding-Ding-Ding—*
Jade's phone suddenly rang, and as she took it out and glanced at the screen, she saw it was a call from Diamond.
[Jade, any sign of the Stellaron Hunters?]
"No, and no sign of a Stellaron either. I'm guessing it's already been taken by the Stellaron Hunters."
[As expected. By the way, when the department was investigating Jarilo-VI, they found a bad debt. They already sent the details to you. I know this is technically Topaz's job, but since you're already there, you handle it. Any issues?]
"Of course not. P46's work has no boundaries."
As soon as the call ended, Jade immediately checked the documents sent by the Strategic Investment Department.
It turned out that seven hundred years ago, the Architects of Jarilo-VI had borrowed a huge sum of credits from the IPC to fund their defensive war.
In the end, after Jarilo-VI lost contact, the IPC assumed the planet was destroyed, so the debt was written off as bad.
However, now that Jarilo-VI was found to have survived, the debt naturally needed to be repaid.
"Heh, after all these centuries, the interest and debt... tsk, tsk..." Jade remarked, certain that there was no way this poor place could pay the debt back. "Might as well acquire this planet directly and have everyone sign up for mining duty at the IPC. In a hundred or two hundred years, the debt will be paid off."
With her new assignment in hand, she entered the Qlipoth Fort once again and knocked on the Supreme Guardian's office door.
"Come in."
As Cocolia's voice resounded, Jade pushed the door open and walked in with a smile.
"Ms. Cocolia, there's still a debt you need to sign—"
As soon as Jade spoke, however, she paused when she noticed there were several new faces in the office.
Herta, Screwllum, and Ruan Mei.
===
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