Zhao Chen read carefully through the several files before him.
The Bluewater Elf Queen said nothing beside him, only waited quietly.
"You've nothing you want to say for them?" Zhao Chen had gone roughly through the files, and looked at the Bluewater Elf Queen.
The Bluewater Elf Queen said with a smile, "What should be said is all written plainly in these files. The Owl Dragon Emperor will naturally judge for himself. As for anything else, I can't guarantee it, so naturally I won't say more. But what's in these, I can promise you in my name as the Bluewater Elf Queen, will certainly be done."
Zhao Chen narrowed his eyes and thought a moment. "If it's really as you say, then I can indeed accept these proposals of yours."
When he had said it, Zhao Chen closed these information panels.
He looked at the Bluewater Elf Queen meaningfully. "But I'd heard before that the Sacred Elf Empire has always put peace first, and doesn't meddle in the affairs of other interstellar civilizations' universes. But now it seems that isn't so. This information can't be gathered simply by hearsay."
The Bluewater Elf Queen said openly, "True: before, our Sacred Elf Empire, or rather most high elves, were very proud, and cared little for things outside. In earlier years I did think so too. But……"
The Bluewater Elf Queen paused; there was a complicated look in her eyes. "But when I saw those interstellar civilizations' universes invaded by the Devourer Civilization and destroyed in war, I asked myself in my heart: is this the peace we want? I watched those beautiful planets and stars fall one after another and go out entirely. I began to doubt the faith I'd held in my heart. And at that time I had some close dealings with the Flame Elf Queen; perhaps she saw my confusion then, and told me what she thought in her heart. To her mind, peace is the outcome. As for what the process is like, in truth it doesn't matter. If peace can be won in the end, then what if some means are used along the way, or one's former principles are broken? If seeking nothing but peace leads in the end to destruction, isn't that peace just a reflection in a lake?"
That did sound like something the Flame Elf Queen would say.
"After that, Salaman and I talked about a great many things. Gradually I came to new thoughts. The Devourer Civilization will sooner or later wipe out the other interstellar civilizations' universes. And as I see it now, the Owl Dragon Empire is the only one so far that dares stand up to the Devourer Civilization head-on. And now you've won a victory for this stage, and become a banner of resistance to the Devourer Civilization, even of resistance to Order. If your banner falls, no one will ever dare think of resisting the Devourer Civilization again. And the Sacred Elf Empire will sink down for good, until destruction comes down on the Sacred Elf Empire's own head. I don't want to see that happen. So I'm giving you these resources I have. You can use the resources and information in them to rule, manage and cooperate with those interstellar civilizations' universes. Any way at all is fine, so long as the outcome is peace. So long as the stars in those universes, and the lives on those stars, can go on, does it matter who rules them? Whether they're called the Sacred Elf civilization, or the Cancer civilization, or the Owl Dragon civilization, to me that doesn't matter."
Looking into this Bluewater Elf Queen's clear eyes, Zhao Chen believed what this elf woman said; what she said now was the plainest thought in her heart.
"It was the Flame Elf Queen who recommended me to you, wasn't it?" Zhao Chen asked.
The Bluewater Elf Queen nodded. "When she came back to the Sacred Elf Empire before, she had a private meeting with me. In truth, before that she'd already given me a great deal of advice." The Bluewater Elf Queen looked at Zhao Chen. "But I'm not as wild as Salaman; I'm rather cautious. I didn't know much about your Owl Dragon Empire, and didn't know whether you truly had the strength to stand against the Devourer Civilization. So I told Salaman: I'll wait; at least I'll wait until the turn of a stage comes. And that your Owl Dragon Empire could defeat the Devourer Civilization's invading fleets in this battle is enough to show your strength. So this time I'm willing to work with you."
He had never thought the Flame Elf Queen had done so much in private.
It seemed he really would have to thank her properly the next time he saw her.
"I accept this precious gift. Count it as my debt to you. So long as what's in here is true, and they can keep their promises, I can promise on behalf of the Owl Dragon Empire that whether the relationship between us and them then is alliance or cooperation, I won't take up arms lightly," Zhao Chen said seriously.
The Bluewater Elf Queen gazed at Zhao Chen; she crossed her hands before her chest and bowed slightly to Zhao Chen,
a courtesy particular to her people; then she said slowly, "The stars and the Elf God will shelter you."
This meeting ended.
The Bluewater Elf Queen left first; she did not go by the way Zhao Chen had come, but walked toward a corner ahead. If Zhao Chen remembered rightly, that should be a dead end.
But whether it was a dead end for the Bluewater Elf Queen was another matter.
Zhao Chen looked at the starry universe beyond the viewport, and a smile came over his face.
……
Zhao Chen went back to his room and into one of its offices.
He opened again the files the Bluewater Elf Queen had given him.
These files were in fact information the Bluewater Elf Queen had gained among those interstellar universes' civilizations in her capacity as the Sacred Elf Empire's civilizational diplomat, and records of the contacts she had made.
For instance, in this Cancer interstellar civilization,
the Bluewater Elf Queen had given a list of several of its interstellar powers, with their contact details and so on.
One of these interstellar powers was called the Giant-Fang Siren Tribe.
It sounded like a tribe, but it was in fact an interstellar kingdom, with domains spanning several star regions and nearly a million interstellar warships, counting as one of the overlords of the Cancer interstellar civilization.
And lately a civil war had been breaking out within this Giant-Fang Siren Tribe.
Several heirs refused to recognize one another, and each was quietly building up armed forces to back them.
Some were within the Giant-Fang Siren Tribe, and some were people colluding with interstellar powers outside the Giant-Fang Siren Tribe.
The whole tribal kingdom reeked of gunpowder.
And among these heirs, the Bluewater Elf Queen recommended one candidate to Zhao Chen:
the younger brother of the Giant-Fang Siren Tribe's former chieftain, known as the Carefree King, rumored outside to have no interest at all in the struggle for power, a man of culture.
But in the Bluewater Elf Queen's intelligence, this younger brother of the former chieftain was in truth someone hiding his talents, keeping his edge concealed all along,
waiting for a chance.
He was highly gifted in many fields; before, because he had no part in the ruling ranks within the Giant-Fang Siren Tribe, he had mainly traveled all over the Cancer interstellar civilization,
having dealings with other interstellar powers, and, through his own talents and personal charm, had a good many friends and a great network of connections.
His reputation was quite good too.
In the Bluewater Elf Queen's suggestion,
if the Owl Dragon Emperor were willing to back this man, he could take control of the whole Giant-Fang Siren Tribe in a short time, and, relying on his existing connections, build an interstellar alliance system in the Cancer interstellar civilization.
Under a unified interstellar alliance system, everything would be done with great efficiency.
Then the Owl Dragon Emperor, through this proxy, could draw on the Cancer interstellar civilization's resources and supplies far more efficiently and quickly.
Having read the file on this man, Zhao Chen was in truth quite satisfied with this candidate.
It had to be said, the Bluewater Elf Queen truly had an eye for people.
And the other files were basically the same, each recommending to Zhao Chen several candidates fit to be proxies,
suggesting that the Owl Dragon Emperor work with these people, and so take control of those interstellar civilizations' universes, controlling their resources more efficiently while cutting down war,
and so feed it back to the Owl Dragon Empire, which could use it to recover quickly and even grow its military strength.
This material was very precious.
In Zhao Chen's eyes it was even worth as much as a Sacred Elf fleet of 300,000 interstellar warships.
With this intelligence, even if Zhao Chen did not follow the Bluewater Elf Queen's suggestions, it could save the Owl Dragon Empire a great deal of time in carrying out a whole series of operations in those interstellar civilizations' universes in future.
Mind you, for Zhao Chen and the Owl Dragon Empire now, time was the most precious thing of all.
Zhao Chen read through everything carefully; then he typed out a message himself, and after encrypting it,
he took off the handheld terminal on his wrist.
"Come in a moment."
The words had barely fallen when, within a few seconds, Panther-Girl pushed the door open and came straight in.
She closed the door and looked at Zhao Chen behind the desk. "Your Majesty, what are your orders?"
Zhao Chen pointed at a data disk already copied before him. "Go and tell Xiong Xiangxiang to arrange an interstellar warship. Then pick a few people yourself, board that interstellar warship, and escort this back to the Owl Dragon Empire. Get it to Secretary-Officer Lilith in the shortest time you can. Until then, no one else is to look at it."
Having heard the task His Majesty the Owl Dragon Emperor gave her,
Panther-Girl walked to the desk, picked up the data disk, and said seriously, "Please rest assured, Your Majesty; I'll see to the task you've given me. I'll make sure this data disk reaches Secretary-Officer Lilith's hands safely, securely and in secret. If you have nothing else for me, I'll go and arrange it now."
"That's all." Zhao Chen waved a hand.