Zhao Chen looked over the introduction to this "winning over" in detail.
Having read it, Zhao Chen let out a breath.
So this winning over meant only bringing the other party to submit, to obey him.
And not that other meaning certain websites do not permit one to write.
With that, Zhao Chen had read through the whole of it: the annual mission, the quarterly mission, and the T5 mall unlock task.
Whether by coincidence or not, every direction pointed toward the Warhammer Interstellar Commonwealth.
There was no telling how long passed.
Lilith called softly at Zhao Chen's ear. "Commander-in-Chief, the Northern Goose Group's representatives have reached the starport outside the Imperial Capital Star. And it is arranged: the meeting is to be within the Imperial Capital Star's starport."
Zhao Chen opened his eyes. "Understood."
……
The Imperial Capital Star's starport · the Black Diamond VIP reception room.
Though it was only a reception room, it was exceedingly lavish, and the space was very large — more than ample to hold a banquet in.
Zhao Chen arrived first and looked toward the open door.
That Zhao Chen should come first to receive them showed well enough the weight he gave these Northern Goose Group representatives.
Chiefly because they had fought that battle on the Northern Goose Group's line so beautifully!
Several figures appeared at the doorway.
Several of them were the Northern Goose Group's leadership; Zhao Chen had only seen their names on a roster, and knew their faces roughly.
But one among them, who did not belong to the Northern Goose Group, Zhao Chen knew very well.
"Xu Yifan." Zhao Chen laughed and clapped Xu Yifan on the shoulder.
Xu Yifan laid a hand over his heart and made to kneel on one knee. "Xu Yifan pays his respects to the lord."
"This is a private meeting; there's no call for such tiresome courtesies." Zhao Chen raised Xu Yifan up, and praised him with a laugh. "I hear you put out no small effort in the defense of the Northern Goose Group."
Xu Yifan said in earnest, "It was what I ought to have done. The Northern Goose Group lies in the Morton system, and the Morton system is my charge. And since it is a system in my charge, I shall not permit any invading enemy to do as they please in our home!"
"Beautifully done." Zhao Chen clapped Xu Yifan's shoulder, and his gaze went to the door.
No one else was coming in.
And among the several standing before Zhao Chen, one figure he knew was missing.
Seeing that the lord's gaze was plainly searching for someone, everyone understood well enough; and whether from a guilty conscience or not, their eyes shied away.
"Where's that boy Li Wei? Why hasn't he come — squatting in the toilet again? That boy was like this back when we studied together at the Northstar Starship Military Academy: the moment anything happened, off to the toilet. I half suspect it's because he's hungry." Zhao Chen laughed.
No one round about said anything.
The smile faded by degrees from Zhao Chen's face; he looked at them all and found their eyes shying away.
"Xu Yifan. Where is Li Wei?" Zhao Chen's gaze came to rest upon Xu Yifan.
Xu Yifan bit gently at his lip, his fist clenched, as though holding something back.
Zhao Chen's heart sank; he came forward and stared straight at Xu Yifan. "Xu Yifan, I ask you again. Where is Li Wei!"
Xu Yifan moved his gaze aside, as though he dared not meet Zhao Chen's eyes.
Zhao Chen's body swayed; the expressions and bearing of Xu Yifan and the rest before him were, beyond doubt, telling Zhao Chen one answer.
"Impossible… impossible… this… this is impossible!" Zhao Chen felt himself somewhat unable to breathe.
Into his mind came, without cease, the foolish things he had done together with that boy Li Wei back at the Northstar Starship Military Academy.
Though the great bulk of those were the original body's memories, Zhao Chen had by now merged wholly with this body; as he saw it now, those memories were his own, things he had lived through himself.
And just as Zhao Chen's feelings were somewhat adrift—
a voice came from behind him.
"I hadn't thought you cared about me so much. You wouldn't happen to be in love with me, would you? I warn you, I'm a man with a girlfriend now — don't imagine that just because you're my superior you can put me on the casting couch."
A rascally voice sounded at Zhao Chen's back.
Zhao Chen was taken aback; turning his head, he saw Li Wei grinning at him, wearing the face of a man whose prank had come off perfectly.
"Go to hell." Zhao Chen planted a kick on Li Wei's backside without the least ceremony.
Though of course Zhao Chen had held the strength back.
Otherwise Li Wei would, at a guess, have had no backside for the rest of his life.
"Hey, hey, hey — your standing's no ordinary thing now; you're the Owl Dragon lord. How can you go about hitting people!" Li Wei dodged Zhao Chen's foot and hollered.
"I'll damn well hit you — you like the toilet so much. Today I'll stuff your head down the pan and let you eat your fill!" Zhao Chen pointed at Li Wei and cursed him.
Seeing Zhao Chen and Li Wei chasing and swearing at one another—
Xu Yifan and the others could hold it in no longer, and burst out laughing one after another, quite beyond controlling it.
Xu Yifan said between laughs, "My lord, it isn't our fault — it was Li Wei who insisted we help him deceive you. I very nearly failed to hold it in and told you just now."
"Not one of you is getting clear of this — I'll dock your wages!" Zhao Chen threatened.
And at this moment Zhao Chen caught at the somewhat bulky sleeve of the fleeing Li Wei; the sleeve tore away, revealing the mechanical arm within.
Zhao Chen's steps halted, and the smile on his face stiffened.
Li Wei laughed and rubbed at his nose, and patted his own mechanical right arm. "Bad luck — lost a right arm. But at least I kept my life. And this mechanical arm's not bad either — top of the line! Far stronger than before. Now, if I match strength with Dashan, that boy hasn't a hope against me. Only a pity that boy… isn't here anymore."
And as he spoke on, Li Wei's face was already covered in tears — and he was smiling through them still.
"Old Zhao, let me tell you. After I graduated from the Northstar Starship Military Academy, I joined a mercenary outfit — damn it, they called it mercenary work, but it was really a band of interstellar scavengers. That boy Old Jiang still owes me three months' wages to this day! And that fellow Wang Ting snored in his sleep like an earthquake; the first half-month I never slept a wink. Wu Yuhao above all — for all that fellow looked so honest and thick, who knew the thing bent that way? When I slept beside him I had to put a chain on my shorts before I could rest easy! Sister Ma was the best to me; whatever I didn't understand at the start, she'd teach me. Only a pity she already had a son and a daughter, or I'd surely have gone after her! Later my sister called me back to help her, to take charge of the Northern Goose Group. So I said to that pack of brothers of mine: come along with me, and I'll see you eating well and drinking well. Old Zhao, you have no idea — when they learned I was the Northern Goose Group president's own younger brother, the Owl Dragon lord's brother, the look on every one of their faces I'll not forget as long as I live. But I… I got them killed. They fell in the defense of the Northern Goose Group. A full 32 brothers. All of them gone. Hnn, hnn…"
Zhao Chen caught Li Wei up in his arms, and listened to Li Wei tell his story — telling of those brothers of his.