As the data flashed past Boss Bai's and Lei Chenghu's faces, Boss Bai gradually relaxed, and Lei Chenghu was so gloomy that he looked like black magma that was about to explode.
"What … What's the meaning of this?"
Lei Chenghu clenched his metal arm so hard that sparks were bursting out of his teeth as he asked, one word after another.
"Exactly what you're seeing, General Lei."
Li Yao smiled and said, "I'll return the entire capital planet to the reformists, but not the Gold Crystal Pyramid. Technically speaking, the ten square kilometers around the Gold Crystal Pyramid will be established as a 'demilitarized zone'. Any garrison of the armed forces will trigger my most severe reaction. Please bear that in mind."
"You're going to claim the Gold Crystal Pyramid for yourself?"
Lei Chenghu burst into fury. "What are you up to exactly?"
"Rest assured. I know the horrors of the Gold Crystal Pyramid as well as you do, and I don't want to activate such a terrifying weapon again."
Li Yao sighed and said, "However, Boss Bai is right. The so-called alliance is the most stable when the two parties are on par with each other. Right now, the Imperium and the federation have such a huge gap in capability, and our ideologies differ greatly. Let me ask you, how can the temporary alliance be maintained in the long run without an 'insurance'?
"I am only adding a solid safeguard for our alliance. Otherwise, even if you value dignity and promises more than your life, General Lei, you cannot guarantee that none of the malicious Immortal Cultivators will covet the federation. In the meantime, some of the Cultivators on our side, in order to prevent the covetous Immortal Cultivators from the Immortal Cultivators, will inevitably try to attack them first. In such a situation, the internal friction will never end. If the alliance falls apart, how can we deal with the remnants of the four families and the Alliance of the Holy Covenant?
"Besides, the Cultivators are only willing to cooperate with you because of the great cause of 'renewing the Imperium'. When it comes to renewing the Imperium, we have to ensure that the so-called 'reform' is good for the bottom-level people of the Imperium. Otherwise, what's the difference between Wuying Qi, Li Linghai, and you, General Lei Chenghu? Why should we help you defeat Wuying Qi?
"The Gold Crystal Pyramid is the greatest reliance for our supervision and the greatest hope for the people at the bottom level of the Imperium to be saved. It belongs to all mankind including the underground hominoids. Like Boss Bai said just now, I'm neither qualified nor empowered to transfer it to you."
"Supervise our reform …"
Lei Chenghu narrowed his eyes, his killing intent almost condensing into visible blades. He gnashed his teeth and said, "Li Yao, are you threatening me?"
"It's not a threat, but it's certainly a deterrence."
Li Yao was not shaken by Lei Chenghu's killing intent at all. In fact, after the life-and-death battle with Wuying Qi, few people in the entire Imperium were more intimidating than him. "Don't the Immortal Cultivators respect the law of survival of the fittest, and don't you believe in 'winner takes all'? If the Cultivators do not have enough power to intimidate the capital, why should we be valued by you and cooperate with you as equals? "
"I knew it! I knew it!"
Lei Chenghu burst into fury and roared, "I knew that the Cultivators were absolutely untrustworthy. You have been up to no good since the beginning. You don't just want to take care of Wuying Qi! At first, you shook the Immortal Cultivators' belief with Wuying Qi's filthy pictures and tarnished the glorious image of our founding emperor. Now, you are even claiming the secret treasure that belongs to the Imperium for yourself. Li Yao, you shameless scoundrel, do you really think that I won't turn on you just because you saved my life? "
"You're wrong about that, General Lei Chenghu. The Gold Crystal Pyramid does not belong to the Imperium. Technically speaking, it belongs to nobody. It's a legacy that the primeval civilizations left for mankind. Now that it's in my hands, I'm naturally the 'virtuous' one!"
Li Yao continued with a smile, "As for my shamelessness, it's not new to you. You knew it a long time ago. I've never pretended to be a gentleman in front of you, have I?
"Why did you cooperate with me when you knew that I wasn't a good guy? Because you didn't have a choice at that time!
"Now that you've chosen to cooperate with me, and I've exposed Wuying Qi's real face as I promised and even killed him, I certainly have the right to claim part of the reward. Otherwise, you want to claim the capital without paying anything? Isn't that too cheap? "
Lei Chenghu took a deep breath and immediately retreated his aggression, as if it were just a bluff.
However, his eyes that were as deep as cannons beamed out even more dangerous brilliance, suggesting that he had made a cruel decision deep down in his heart.
"Tell me, Li Yao."
Lei Chenghu said coldly, "If I refuse to acknowledge your so-called 'demilitarized zone' and insist on sending the marines to the surface of the planet to take over the Gold Crystal Pyramid, what will you do?"
"In that case, I'm afraid that the Coalition Fleet of Pyromaniacs will immediately attack the Thunder Fleet, and my puppet army on the ground and below the ground will resist desperately until there are no soldiers left."
Li Yao said, "We will defend the Gold Crystal Pyramid by whatever means possible, including … the last resort."
"The last resort?"
Lei Chenghu smiled. "Are you saying that we will reactivate the Gold Crystal Pyramid and infuriate the sun again?"
Li Yao's eyelashes shivered quickly. "… Yes, you're forcing me to do that. If you really attack the underground, I will reactivate the Gold Crystal Pyramid."
"Hehe. Li Yao, although you are a shameless scoundrel, you are still a Cultivator, which is both your most precious advantage and your most fatal shortcoming."
Lei Chenghu smiled. "Let me tell you, I don't believe it. I don't believe that you will reactivate the Gold Crystal Pyramid against the beliefs of the Cultivators and deal with me with the lives of billions of people at stake, especially after you just risked everything to save those people from Wuying Qi! Your belief, your law, and your ideology won't allow you to do that.
"You may be an excellent infiltrator and an outstanding deceiver, but you are too soft-hearted. You can't be a qualified deterrent. The power of your threat and deterrence is close to zero.
"Let me show you how to be a qualified deterrent. Now, I'm going to show you my deterrence.
"I'll give you half an hour to make your final choice. You have two options.
"Firstly, sail the Arsonist Fleet to the No. 9 orbital base in half an hour and hand over the permissions of all the key facilities on the ground, including the Gold Crystal Pyramid. I will abide by my promise and guarantee your safety and power. Even the 'Reform Supervisory Committee' can be established according to your will as a supplementary agency for the Council of Elders.
"As for you, Li Yao, your identity as the 'Black Wind King' and the 'Master of the Black Wind Sector' will be acknowledged by me and the military of the Imperium. The Black Wind Sector will become a 'special zone for Cultivators' in the future, and the fleets of the Cultivators will be able to operate openly in the Imperium under the name of the 'Black Wind Legion'.
"That's the limit of my sincerity and the tolerance of the Immortal Cultivators.
"Secondly, if the Arsonist Fleet doesn't sail to the No. 9 orbital base in half an hour, and you insist on not handing over the facilities on the ground, especially the Gold Crystal Pyramid, my troops will land on the capital planet and take over all the facilities. What happens next will be beyond anybody's control."
"Lei Chenghu, you're playing with fire!"
Boss Bai bellowed, "You're throwing away the victory that we've worked so hard to achieve!"
"That's right, but that's exactly what deterrence is."
Lei Chenghu crossed his hands and said casually, "Of course, it will cause great trouble for the cause of the reformists and even the rebirth of the Imperium, but I believe that the Cultivators will suffer ten times more severe strikes. I'm just betting that you don't have the courage to end on bad terms with me. Of course, if I lose the bet, I'll throw out the chips without any hesitation and put the threat just now into action. That's what a qualified deterrent should do."
Boss Bai fell silent and looked at Li Yao.
Li Yao's face was pale, and he hesitated, as if he had run out of ideas.
"Look, Li Yao, that's your nature."
Lei Chenghu saw through the weakness in Li Yao's heart. He smiled and said, "It may not be a weakness, but it's just 'unsuitable'. Every one of us has a suitable position, and your position shouldn't be a 'deterrent', especially when the lives of billions of people are chips. You can't afford such a game.
"In any case, my troops will land in half an hour. If you want to restart the Gold Crystal Pyramid, feel free to do so. I'll just watch you press the button of destruction here. Will you?"
"… I … I won't."
Li Yao sweated hard and seemed to have a mental breakdown at any moment. He bit his lips hard and sighed, "You're right, General Lei. It seems that I'm not cut out to be a 'deterrent'. My first deterrence failed so easily. I … I'm really useless!
"It's true that it's impossible for me to restart the Gold Crystal Pyramid in any case. If I do that, I'm afraid that my belief will collapse in 0.1 seconds. I … I can't bear such a pressure. It's too cruel and … too exciting."
"It's alright. It's not your fault. It's even one of your strengths."
Lei Chenghu said with a smile, "It seems that we've reached a consensus. You're not a qualified 'deterrent', and I'm more suitable to control the Gold Crystal Pyramid as a real 'deterrent' than you are, right?"
"Yes. You're absolutely right."
Li Yao blinked and wiped the sweat on his forehead, but he put on a casual smile. "But I'm too softhearted and indecisive. You're not the only person who's more suitable to be a 'deterrent' than me. I don't necessarily have to give the Gold Crystal Pyramid to you.
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