Some days later.
Zhao Chen was seeing to certain public business Lilith had given him.
Having dealt with the last document, he said, "Have those six set out?"
"They have set out, and we have set our own people at their sides besides to assist them.
"Each may to begin with move resources of ten million star coins for his working," Lilith answered.
Six men — to the look of it very few.
But this will be the first blade Zhao Chen drives into the Demon Race's inwards.
"And now it is waiting." Zhao Chen stretched himself.
But Lilith said at this time, "Upon that business of yours of meeting a representative of the Machine Race, a representative there calling herself Ah-Yin says she may hold a video communication with you."
Zhao Chen's face grew serious.
Upon the earlier business of the annual mission the system had published — that the Demon Race would threaten the Machine Race — Zhao Chen had meant to tell the Machine Race.
But the little girl could not be reached at all, and Zhao Chen could only find some means to reach other high officers of the Machine Race.
And now at last there was an answer.
"Arrange it, then," said Zhao Chen.
……
A dozen and more minutes later.
Zhao Chen looked at the virtual holographic picture before him, and opposite him stood a mechanical beauty of female mechanical build, with a head of silver wig.
"Owl Dragon's lord, upon what business do you see me?" Ah-Yin asked, coming straight to the point.
A mechanical voice likewise, but with certain features of a woman's manner in it, so that it did not jar upon one so much.
Zhao Chen answered, "I have a matter of the utmost importance, and must reach your highest leader.
"But of late I have not been able to reach her at all.
"Can you help me reach her?"
Ah-Yin answered, "Of late our mistress is busy with another matter, and cannot get free.
"Whatever your business, you may tell it to me directly."
Zhao Chen drew his brows together; that the little girl should at this time be unable to get free for some matter, and thinking besides upon the threat of the Demon Race's invasion of the Machine Race.
Might there be some relation between the two?
Zhao Chen pressed it again. "This is a matter of the utmost importance; it were best that I might treat with this leader of yours face to face!
"Of the utmost importance!
"It may bear upon the Machine Race's very living or perishing!"
Upon those last words Zhao Chen laid a particular weight.
But Ah-Yin answered levelly for all that, "I am very sorry; our mistress truly cannot see you at present."
"Then can you tell me where she is now? And what she is doing?" Zhao Chen asked with his brows drawn.
"That is our secret; it cannot be told," Ah-Yin answered.
To ask one thing and be answered with three nothings is truly somewhat vexing.
Zhao Chen said gravely, "This business is of the utmost importance; can you not at the least pass my words to your leader, and then tell me her answer? Not even that?"
Ah-Yin paused this time, and answered, "I am very sorry; within a short time we cannot reach our mistress either."
They cannot reach the little girl themselves?
Zhao Chen's brows drew together.
"If you have any important matter, you may tell it to us.
"And if you are unwilling to tell it to us, then there is nothing we can do.
"If there is nothing further, let us end this communication here." Whether it be for her being a mechanical life or no, Ah-Yin's bearing is truly very cold.
Not the coldness of an ice-mountain beauty, but as though she truly cared for nothing whatever.
Did she not open her mouth to speak, Zhao Chen would take her for a work of art without life in it.
Zhao Chen sighed; he had now no other choice, and he looked gravely at Ah-Yin. "Very well; I hope you will consider in earnest what I say next.
"By the word that has come to me, the Demon Race's strategic objects hereafter may take in your Machine Race, and above all the most central district of your Machine Race.
"And so I hope you may strike first and take the advantage, and undertake such military action against the Demon Race as is needful.
"Or else, I hope you may strengthen your own military defense.
"To keep such a thing from coming about."
The little girl had said before that the Demon Race is a test set upon Zhao Chen's Owl Dragon, and that until it is done she will not take part in this great war of the universe.
So that Zhao Chen could not be certain whether this Ah-Yin would put out a hand against the Demon Race.
And sure enough, what Ah-Yin said next bore out Zhao Chen's guess.
"I am very sorry.
"Our mistress has given her instruction: in this campaign that reaches to the Owl Dragon, the Angel Race and the Demon Race.
"Our Machine Race will take no further part."
Having said it, Ah-Yin paused, and went on, "As for this matter you speak of, that the Demon Race would attempt an invasion of our Machine Race.
"You need not be concerned.
"Our Machine Race's military strength is enough to stand against any interstellar power in this universe.
"There is no one whatever who can threaten our Machine Race."
At the moment he knew he could not see the little girl, Zhao Chen had in truth already guessed at such an end as this; that he said those things for all that was to make what trial he could.
Who knows but there might be a chance in ten thousand?
Seeing the case, Zhao Chen wasted no more breath; he looked at her helplessly. "Very well.
"Then I hope that when your mistress may be reached again, she will contact me at the first moment.
"And I urge one word more: on no account slacken your guard against the Demon Race.
"And further, I hope we may set up a channel of swift contact between your side and mine; should you have need of help anywhere, or meet with any particular crisis.
"You may reach me at once."
"I do not think we shall meet with any crisis.
"But to set up a channel of swift contact is no difficulty; to that I agree.
"If there is nothing further, shall we end this communication here?" Ah-Yin answered.
Zhao Chen sighed; this meeting may be said at least to have completed one small fruit.
Zhao Chen nodded, and ended this video communication.
"How went it?" Lilith beside him inquired.
"I did not see that one; she seems to be busy with something, and even her own trusted people cannot reach her.
"As for what I said of the Demon Race's threatening the Machine Race, neither did she believe it.
"But she agreed for all that to set up a swift channel of communication with us," Zhao Chen said helplessly.
"How is it you are certain the Demon Race will open an attack upon the Machine Race?" Lilith asked, perplexed and not understanding; within the intelligence known to them there is nothing whatever upon this.
To speak truth, Lilith held that were she herself to hear such a thing out of nowhere, she would not believe it either.
The other side's bearing is wholly to be understood.
"Intuition, I suppose…" Zhao Chen found a lame excuse; he could hardly say it was a mission the system had published to him.
Speaking of which, Zhao Chen opened his own system interface.
The annual mission… the Machine Race's Secret…
This year's quarterly mission — has it not refreshed yet?
That column stood empty.