"You!" The little girl stamped in her vexation, then folded her arms and glared at him with no good humor. "Nor have I forced you to do this thing. You may arrange it yourself, or send your fleets to investigate. And if you feel there is danger when the time comes, you may choose not to do it."
As the little girl finished saying it.
Something changed in Zhao Chen's eyes.
Not because of what she had said.
But because a task window had appeared before him.
System task triggered (The Machine Race's Secret)
First-stage task: seek out the coordinates of the Mechanical Prophet. (Time limit: three months)
So a System task was issued for it too.
That System fellow never comes to the temple without business.
Since it issued a task, the matter was no small one.
And behind it lay the Machine Race's secret besides.
As the greatest known boss within this universe.
Though this little girl looked normal enough now, one must remember that through the hundreds and thousands of years before, the Machine Race had held down every interstellar race and power in this universe.
Who could say whether she might not of a sudden turn into some small devil of chaos.
Know the other and know yourself, and in a hundred battles you will not be in peril.
While the chance served, to learn more of an enemy might win more counters for the future.
"I can think it over." Zhao Chen nodded slightly; and looking at her thoroughly satisfied expression, he said further, "Then since I am to do a business for you. Ought you not to…"
Zhao Chen looked at her with a narrow smile.
Feeling the meaning within Zhao Chen's smile.
The little girl folded her arms without thinking, with the air of one who has met a dubious uncle. "Here, here, here — don't you come near me! I warn you, I shall not accept certain perverse requests of yours."
Zhao Chen rolled his eyes. "It is not you I want; I mean resources, raw materials, or — technology!"
What temptation had this little sprout beside raw materials and interstellar warships?
"I helped you so much before. And gave you intelligence of the utmost importance in this swarm campaign! And here you stand naming terms to me!" The little girl glared at him with no good humor.
But Zhao Chen said, with a face of perfect innocence, "I have no wish to either. But you know as well that my Owl Dragon Legion has just come through a campaign, and its losses in battle are heavy. And now I am to deal with this Mechanical Prophet — who knows what strength the fellow may have? Must I not make ready a little more fully? Of course, if you are unwilling to give some help. I shall do the thing all the same; only that in time… it may be a little long. A year and a half, or three years, or five."
Zhao Chen wore an air of perfect unconcern.
And the little girl truly believed what he said, little knowing that with a System task upon him besides, he was simply looking to knock one more sum out of her.
The little girl hesitated, with a thinking look.
At the last she said, "At this set of coordinates there is a stretch of resource-mining district. I shall order the mechanical fleets within it to withdraw. Once you are established there, you may have at the least 500 billion star coins' worth of raw material output every month. And the mining equipment I shall leave you entire. But you must guarantee me an answer within half a year!"
To come by, for nothing at all, a resource-mining district yielding 500 billion star coins' worth of raw materials a month — for Zhao Chen this was no different from a meat pie falling out of heaven.
"My thanks, then." Zhao Chen said it with a face full of smiles.
The little girl gave him a glare, and then sent him a set of data.
Within it were two sets of coordinates.
One lay within the Owl Dragon Fifteen Star Regions, in a district hard against the Machine Race's territory — about half a star region in size.
The other lay upon the far side of the Machine Race's territory, at the border where the Demon Race's territory and the Machine Race's meet.
"This position…" Zhao Chen looked at the coordinates, and would without thinking have talked further with her.
"In short, this business I leave to you. Bye-bye." The little girl, perhaps fearing the fellow would ask her for something again, vanished outright.
Zhao Chen shook his head helplessly.
He looked at the data of these two sets of coordinates; he had come by no small matter this time.
Whether in resources or in intelligence.
Nor did Zhao Chen forget to have Little Dragon Girl go over the Dragon Emperor's systems once again.
Toward this highest will of the Machine Race, Zhao Chen would keep the wariness he ought.
Every contact was made with the greatest care.
"Come in," Zhao Chen called to the outside of the office.
Lilith pushed the door open and came in.
Zhao Chen sat upon the sofa and told Lilith the whole of it, item by item — the System task, of course, excepted.
"The Machine Race's inner strife? The Mechanical Prophet… the Mechanical Divine Church…" Lilith put the information in order.
"What do you think we should do now?" Zhao Chen asked.
Lilith thought a while and said, "Because of the Machine Race's vast comprehensive strength, we cannot be their enemy in any short time. So it is best to keep the present relation so far as we may. Indeed, we may even profit by it. The star gate route to the Angel Race already built, for instance; and now this resource ground we have come by; and the intelligence relating to the Machine Race. All of it is of the greatest good to us."
Zhao Chen nodded; this too had been his thinking all along in keeping contact with that Machine Race little girl.
"And as to this business of the Mechanical Divine Church?" said Zhao Chen.
Lilith said, "We may see to it; she has not, after all, compelled us to complete it. We may judge by the case: if it is truly as that little girl says, and this Mechanical Divine Church is a great threat, then where we have the chance we may destroy this Mechanical Prophet. And if what we come to understand then does not match the intelligence she has given us, we may decide again. In short: handle the relation with the Machine Race properly."
In the main Lilith's thought was much the same as Zhao Chen's.
"The business of this resource ground I leave to you; send people to take it over as fast as may be, and reach the best output in the shortest time." Zhao Chen pointed at the matter of the resource ground and gave the order.
Lilith nodded.
"As for these coordinates of the Mechanical Prophet, set an interstellar stealth scout fleet to go and look into the case. Once we have their word back, we may act as the occasion serves. For the place is particular in its position, and we cannot possibly drive a fleet straight there," said Zhao Chen.
"All shall be done as the Commander says," said Lilith.
Zhao Chen rubbed at his own temples.
"The business is truly endless. The hive-race is settled, and up springs the Machine Race. And there is no lack of business upon the Angel Race's side either. Can this universe not be quiet a while?" Zhao Chen could not help grumbling.