The two Angel Kings reached Zhao Chen once more.
"Upon our discussion, we agree to your lordship's advice.
"We are willing to open an attack of ourselves." The Holy Angel King spoke out their determination.
Which was a thing within Zhao Chen's expectation; the two Angel Kings, having understood the benefit and the harm within it, would not let slip so rare a chance to recover their lost lands.
But thereafter the War Angel King said, "And how, if one may ask, does your lordship's Owl Dragon Legion prepare to move?"
The question he had looked for.
After the campaign of last year, the Angel Race understands clearly the Owl Dragon Legion's mighty capacity for war; and though their fleets be few in number at present, they are a strength not to be made light of.
And above all those T5-grade warships.
"Within three months our Owl Dragon Legion must put itself in order and rest, and so cannot take part in the military operations to come," Zhao Chen said frankly, opening the door to see the mountain.
Hearing this word of Zhao Chen's, the looks upon the two Angel Kings' faces plainly altered somewhat.
Here you urge others to open military operations, and take no part in it yourself.
Set anyone in their place and he would have some thought about it within.
"I know what you two are thinking.
"Though my Owl Dragon Legion will take part in no military operation within three months.
"Yet we shall support our allies in another manner.
"First, as to the present number of military purchase orders: so long as you need it, it may be raised threefold outright!
"And the price shall be at eight parts in ten throughout.
"And further, we shall open the right of sale upon certain T5 warships.
"Such as the T5 Lightning-Wraith-class Heavy Assault Interstellar Cruiser and the T5 Chaos-Knight-class Heavy Assault Interstellar Destroyer." Zhao Chen threw out his sweetmeat.
All this while the Angel Race has in truth been hankering after the Owl Dragon-line T5 warships.
This turn of the business set the two Angel Kings wavering once more.
"A moment, if you please." The Holy Angel King broke off the communication again.
"Will they agree?" Lilith beside him asked in her curiosity.
"They will agree.
"Were it only the raising of the purchase orders and the discount before, they might still sway this way and that.
"But if it be the right to buy T5 warships, they will assuredly not let it slip.
"For as the war across the universe grows fiercer, everyone understands very well how important T5 warships are upon a field.
"The Demon Race, leaning upon two quasi-T6 warships alone to lead them, took two Machine Race star gates.
"From which one may imagine the strategic meaning of warships of such a grade upon a field!" Zhao Chen's gaze was deep, as though he had seen clean through it all.
This time the waiting was shorter.
Before long the two Angel Kings opposite restored the connection.
"Let us ask: upon the sale of T5 warships, is there any limit?
"And is it all to be sold at eight parts in ten?" the Holy Angel King inquired.
"There is no limit of number, so long as the money suffice — the condition being of course that we have that number," said Zhao Chen.
"The selling price of T5 warships is too high, and how great a space of profit lies within it we all understand.
"Your lordship, since the two of us now stand in a relation of allies.
"Give us rather a price more substantial: what say you to the T5 series at five parts in ten?" The War Angel King fixed his eyes upon Zhao Chen and asked it.
By the look of it the two had settled it between them beforehand, and were prepared to haggle with Zhao Chen.
Zhao Chen wore a look of thought and hesitation, and at the last he said, "The T5-series warships I may sell you at five parts in ten.
"But I do not warrant that they shall all be new ships — though in whole performance I can warrant them nine parts as new."
The meaning within which is plain enough: I shall be selling you secondhand starships.
"No difficulty.
"Let it be settled so." The War Angel King agreed without a word more.
The Holy Angel King nodded likewise.
And with that a short agreement of three months was reached.
The Angel Race will open military operations against the Demon Race, and the Owl Dragon Galactic Interstellar Group will enlarge its supply of military purchase orders to the Angel Race, and the right to buy T5 warships.
"We would purchase now ten T5 Lightning-Wraith-class Heavy Assault Interstellar Cruisers and thirty T5 Chaos-Knight-class Heavy Assault Interstellar Destroyers.
"In place within one month.
"May it be?" the War Angel King said, all eagerness.
By the five-parts-in-ten price upon the T5 series the two sides had agreed.
The price of a single T5 Lightning-Wraith-class Heavy Assault Interstellar Cruiser falls as low as 30 trillion star coins.
The price of a single T5 Chaos-Knight-class Heavy Assault Interstellar Destroyer falls as low as 20 trillion star coins.
And this vast share of a military purchase order comes outright to a terrible 900 trillion star coins!
This is beyond doubt the greatest military purchase order in all the Angel Race's history! And no second to it!
For it must be remembered that the Angel Race at its fullest had an annual output of but some 300 trillion star coins.
This is three years' output outright!
Zhao Chen kept the corner of his mouth from twitching by main force, and fixed his eyes upon the other. "The money in place, and the starships are yours."
"Ten days from now, at your star port here in Angel Race space.
"The money to the value of 900 trillion star coins shall be wholly ready," the War Angel King vowed.
"The same word again: the money in place.
"And the starships are yours," said Zhao Chen.
"Upon my word."
Thereafter they discussed some other matters briefly, and the communication ended there.
Zhao Chen turned about, and saw behind him a Lilith with little stars shining in both eyes.
"900 trillion star coins!" Lilith muttered that string of figures.
"If I remember rightly, the number of T5 warships in service with our Owl Dragon Legion has reached a thousand, has it not?
"Then sell them some of the secondhand of these two T5 classes.
"Though it be at five parts in ten, yet a thin profit and a wide sale.
"And with this money we may enlarge our own legion fleets upon the grand scale." Zhao Chen looked at Lilith with a smile.
This one mouthful may be reckoned to have eaten the Owl Dragon Legion fat at a stroke.
At a guess there will be no difficulty whatever with the need for raw materials of production within half a year.
And at the same time this purchase order can raise the Angel Race's present military strength.
For taking thought that the Demon Race holds quasi-T6 warships, and that with the T5 warships the Angel Race now has it can hardly be said they would not suffer for it.
To set them out with Owl Dragon-line T5 warships can give them great help upon a field.
"It is only that one does not understand why the Demon Race should of a sudden have produced and built quasi-T6 warships.
"It is very strange…
"There was not the least breath of it before." Lilith stood there conjecturing.
"It may be help given by the Mechanical Divine Church.
"Go and charge Charlotte to set the interstellar stealth scouts to search closely within Demon Race territory — and above all the movement and the course of those raw-material stores," Zhao Chen ordered.
"Yes."