All those present looked at that data chip with hearts exceedingly heavy.
Even Blanche, so cool in the ordinary way, turned her gaze aside so that no one might see her expression.
Leona drove both fists against the tabletop, grinding her teeth.
"This data chip I hand over to you; I believe this combat material will be of great help to you." Chieftain Deer King said it slowly.
"Thank you, Chieftain Deer King; we shall put this thing to proper use!" Blanche took up that data chip and looked at it in her hand.
She felt this thing exceedingly heavy.
"Chieftain Deer King, as to our Dragon-folk tribe's strategic policy in facing the Demon Race hereafter. Did the Dragon Emperor leave any word?" that Dragon-folk elder asked.
At this hour they had no time left to dwell upon Chieftain Deer King's former standing.
The most important matter at hand was the Demon Race threat.
Chieftain Deer King pointed at that video recording device in Leona's hand. "Within it there is a passage that is the Dragon Emperor's counsel. I must trouble Princess Leona to open the fifth video file among them."
Leona, following Chieftain Deer King's direction, opened that video file.
A holographic projection appeared above the conference table — the Dragon Emperor, seated in a captain's chair.
"When you see this recording, I imagine I am dead — died, it should be, in the fighting against the Demon Race fleet. How the battle went I do not know; presumably there is little cause for optimism. Very well; to the point. The Demon Race threat is now imminent, and my plan to unify the Warhammer and use all the Warhammer's resources against the Demon Race has not succeeded. The one means now of protecting the Warhammer and the Dragon-folk tribe is to come to terms. Come to terms with the Hundred Beasts Alliance, and seek so far as you can for cooperation with the Owl Dragon Legion."
Come to terms?
Hearing this counsel, the expressions of no few of them grew delicate.
"Why should we come to terms with the Hundred Beasts Alliance — and with the Owl Dragon Legion above all? I do not agree! Had it not been for them, Father's plan would have succeeded long since; perhaps… perhaps it would never have happened…" Leona stood out and objected outright.
"Would you then defy Father's decree?" Blanche fixed her eyes upon Leona.
Leona's face was ill; she opened her mouth again and again, but the words stopped at her lips.
Thereafter Leona rose outright and left the conference room in indignation.
At Leona's leaving, Blanche was not surprised.
This elder sister of hers might be a talent at commanding fleets in battle.
But that temper of hers still wanted tempering.
"Let us go on discussing the matters to come, and above all the business of terms with the Hundred Beasts Alliance and the Owl Dragon Legion." Blanche's gaze swept over all those seated.
——————
While the Dragon-folk tribe's side was at its wits' end.
Zhao Chen's side, by contrast, ran before a following wind.
T5 Mall Unlock Task (completion 70%)
Next, please make your selections by the task prompts; once the selections are made you will gain the corresponding completion rate, and when completion reaches 100%, the T5 System Mall is unlocked.
More than one of the following options may be completed. Time limit: six months.
Option one: Win over the Siren Queen of the Siren tribe — 10% completion. Completed!
Option two: Win over the Harpy King of the Harpy tribe — 10% completion. Completed!
Option three: Win over the Spider Queen of the Spider Queen tribe — 10% completion. Completed!
Option four: Win over the Fox Clan Empress of the Fox-folk tribe — 20% completion. Completed!
These tasks were complete, and the completion rate had reached 70%; the unlocking of the T5 Mall seemed but a single step away.
Zhao Chen looked at the two standing respectfully before him.
The Siren tribe's queen, the mermaid Haina, and the Fox Empress Su Yaya.
Zhao Chen looked above the two women's heads.
Both win-over values had reached 100.
Both of these two had stood at only 95 and more before.
By the look of it they had learned of the T5 Hades-class Interstellar Dreadnought's record.
And had seen the present situation clearly, and so come over thoroughly to the Owl Dragon Legion.
And to display their loyalty, had visited in person.
They had just now said a great heap of flattering things besides.
"Very well; I have understood all you have said. What you should count yourselves fortunate in is that you made the right choice before the campaign began." Zhao Chen said it mildly.
In fact Zhao Chen's reason for consenting to see them, besides the System task—
was chiefly that they had declared their position before the fighting began, and announced their stand within the Warhammer Interstellar Commonwealth.
And certain tribes had taken their side along with them.
Had it not been for those two great matters that broke afterward, their conduct would without question be the most influential thing in the Warhammer Interstellar Commonwealth at present.
But there was nothing to be done; everyone's attention now lay elsewhere.
"Very well; you may both withdraw." Zhao Chen waved a hand to signify they might go.
Before the Fox Empress Su Yaya saluted and took her leave, she glanced at Commander-in-Chief Zhao Chen.
She knew that although they had made their choice at the last moment, set beside those powers that had taken a side earliest, their standing with Zhao Chen would not be very high.
This was the price of their indecision.
They could only find ways to acquit themselves well in future, display their value, and strive to raise their standing in this Commander-in-Chief's regard.
Happily, her own kin the Black Fox tribe had stood on the Owl Dragon Legion's side early on.
After the two of them had left.
A communication came in on Zhao Chen's side.
The video window opened; opposite were Charlotte and Chieftainess Hu Ya.
"Commander-in-Chief, I come to report the Hundred Beasts Alliance's latest situation," Charlotte said.
"Speak." As Zhao Chen asked it, he opened a task window that only he could see.
"Over these last few days, a great many tribal powers have been making contact with us, and declaring themselves willing to join our camp. We have sifted these tribal powers, and by your earlier instruction divided them into several grades, giving each different treatment. …"
Annual Task
Task one: The death of Qin Ming (completed)
Task two: Control at least four star regions of the Starlight Empire (completed)
Task three: Control four star regions of the Warhammer Interstellar Commonwealth (completed) — the Black Tiger Star Region, the Moon-God Star Region, the Fang Star Region, the Sacred Plume Star Region
Zhao Chen listened to Charlotte's report while looking over his own annual task requirements.
Control four Warhammer star regions — already complete.
Among them the earliest, the Black Tiger Star Region; and the Sacred Plume Star Region, formerly administered jointly by the Harpy tribe and the Golden Eagle tribe. Of the Harpy tribe there is no need to speak; and the Golden Eagle tribe had been crippled earlier by the Owl Dragon Legion, and the great power behind them now had no leisure to look after itself.
The Golden Eagle tribe had at the first instant asked to join the Hundred Beasts Alliance, and the Sacred Plume Star Region had naturally fallen into Zhao Chen's hands.
The remaining Moon-God Star Region and Fang Star Region were controlled by the Siren tribe, the Frost-Wolf tribe, the Hound tribe and the Golden Leopard tribe; these had already submitted obediently to Zhao Chen, and their two star regions naturally belonged to Zhao Chen as well.
And just as Zhao Chen was looking.
The annual task, of all things, refreshed outright.
An additional Task Four had appeared.
And below it there appeared besides that completing this task would complete the annual task.
And the annual task's reward.
At that reward, Zhao Chen's eyes grew hot!