"I received some sort of promise," the old man replied.
Xu Le vaguely thought of something from this sentence and lowered his head in silence.
"What we need the most now is ammunition and military training. The Federation definitely won't be willing to give us warships and mechas, so please provide us with enough firearms and ammunition. "
"How do you send them over? I think that's the biggest problem, "Xu Le raised his head and asked with a frown.
"You've been on the run for a year, so it seems that you're not very clear about the current situation of the universe," the old man said. "Your army has already reached the Southwest Star System, and the entire space channel is under your complete control. Transporting ammunition and weapons isn't a difficult task."
In Xu Le's concept or impression, the Federation and the Empire were extremely distant existences separated by countless light years. Whether it was the six and a half years in the membrane space or crossing the space channel, it made communication between the two sides very difficult. That was why he had such a question before. It was only when he heard Leader Worth's words that he remembered that his brave comrades had already fought their way over. In an instant, an inexplicable excitement and desire surged into his body. He could not wait to return to those guys, to return to that dangerous battlefield.
"It's best to control the smile on your lips," Worth said coldly. "The smile of an invader is very dazzling."
The old man tapped on a certain page in the document with a trembling finger and continued, "Also, I hope that your army won't enter this star system. My organization and I will definitely not allow you to really harvest our planet clean."
"This, I really can't promise," Xu Le said very directly.
Old Worth did not continue this topic. After a moment of silence, he said, "Then I ask that your army maintain enough calm on the occupied administrative planets and try not to harm civilians as much as possible."
"Okay." Xu Le replied without the slightest hesitation. Then, he added, "But the right to define the civilians and the army has to be decided by us. I can't let my colleagues make unnecessary sacrifices just to avoid accidentally hurting civilians of the Imperium."
"As for the location of military training, I think this smuggling interstellar passage is more suitable. The request for escorts mentioned in the document is actually two sides of the same coin with this matter. Our economic source is mainly dependent on this smuggling route. "
"Speaking of the economy, I hope your government can provide generous material assistance. Remember, it's a material that can be easily exchanged … The Federation's currency is equivalent to waste paper in the Empire. "
…
…
Xu Le patiently listened to the old man list out the conditions of the resistance organization one by one. In the end, his mood finally became a little strange. Pressing his right hand on the document, he frowned and asked, "I only see our obligations. Where are our rights? What can you do? "
"We will send you alive … back to your army," Voss looked into his eyes and said calmly.
"This is far from enough." Xu Le looked into the old man's cloudy eyes and said seriously.
"We will provide you with information on the deployment of the Empire's direct troops, coordinate your relationship with the citizens of the occupied planets, and help maintain order on the various planets."
Voss paused for a moment before replying with a smile. What he said were the most troublesome aspects for the Federal forces after entering the Empire's Star System.
"I doubt your abilities." Xu Le looked downstairs and shook his head. "I even doubt if the influence of the resistance organization you lead can extend beyond this slum."
"I was able to rescue you from Master Fan's manor. This is already proof of our ability."
"No, I don't believe you have the ability to do this at all." Xu Le stared into his eyes and said, "Someone is helping you. Who is that person?"
The old man's cloudy eyes fell on the document, completely ignoring his somewhat impolite question.
"Do you want me to believe that you can break through the Empire's army's encirclement with just these unorganized and undisciplined thugs downstairs? The conditions you promised, coordination, security, intelligence … I don't believe you can do it. Even if all the underworld emperors in the Empire's Star System are your most ardent supporters, it would still be the same. "
"You underestimate our strength, and you seriously lack experience in administration." The old man slowly raised his head and looked at him. "To maintain the security of the occupied planet, to intimidate the parents, wives, and children of those hot-blooded guerrillas, to search for the intelligence you need in the dark … there is no one more suitable than these underworld thugs."
Xu Le was silent. He found that although the old man's words seemed ridiculous, they actually made a lot of sense. He shook his head and asked, "These underworld thugs commit all kinds of crimes by extortion and blackmail. If they can enjoy a rich and indulgent life, why would they follow you and risk their lives to resist the Emperor? Also, don't you worry that the resistance organization is filled with such ambitious people and butchers? That would be a very dangerous thing? "
"In order to find the light in a dangerous and authoritarian society like the Empire, we must unite all the forces that can be united. Although Mu En is engaged in many shady businesses and is a leader of the underworld feared and admired by many, he is a high-ranking officer of the organization. He and his gang are one of the most reliable armed forces of the resistance organization. "
"Mu En is the same as us, born as a lowly commoner. His entire family died under the butcher knives of the Empire's royal thieves, so we have never doubted his loyalty. It is because we have the same tragic experience and determination to change this world."
"Just like you, you are a member of the Federation. There is naturally no need to doubt your determination to return to the Federation."
The old man's gaze suddenly became gentle. He smiled and said, "Speaking of this, I have to thank you on behalf of many of the Empire's citizens."
"Thank me?"
"You have lived on Planet Tianjing for close to a year. Perhaps in your eyes, the conflict between the classes in the Empire has not intensified to the point of no return. However, that is because you have not had the chance to visit other planets … those planets that have been stained red by the blood of the lowly commoners."
A cold flame danced in the old man's eyes. "Planet Tianjing is the face of the Empire. His Majesty will naturally not allow too many bloody massacres to occur. On the planets where the lowly commoners dared to resist, His Majesty has never sheathed his butcher knife.
"Kaedun is his biggest butcher knife. Tens of millions of rebels and innocent commoners have died under his bloody suppression, becoming a bargaining chip for his glorious promotion.
"These few years, Emperor Fuchai has given him the cold shoulder because he does not want to have too much to do with the blood in the hands of this butcher.
"Kaedun died in your hands. Tens of millions of unwilling heads and their dying relatives will thank you for taking revenge for them. For example, Mu En, whom you just met, his sister died under the iron hooves of Kaedun's direct subordinates. "
Xu Le paused for a moment before explaining, "I am taking revenge for myself. When I killed Kaedun, I did not think of this."
"But in the end, he still died in your hands." Old Man Voss smiled and said, "Therefore, it is easier to convince the young people in the organization to come to an agreement with you."
"Alright, I admit that you are an excellent persuader. I personally agree with this agreement." Xu Le said, "But I have been thinking about a problem. According to your political ideology and program, if … the Federal forces continue to penetrate deeper, and if the Empire's White Hibiscus Dynasty is really destroyed, then you and I will definitely have an intense war again.
"But that is a matter for a very long time." Old Man Voss did not hide anything in front of Xu Le and said simply, "You invaders are the second mountain placed in front of us. We have to topple one mountain first. As for your government officials, after receiving this agreement, they will definitely have a similar view.
"In the current historical stage, we can be friends.
"In the future historical stage, we will definitely be enemies.
"As for what the relationship between the Federation and the Empire will become in the more distant historical river, that will be left to the Creator to deal with."
The old man in front of him kept switching between the three roles of the respected leader of the resistance organization, the cold businessman full of opportunistic spirit, and the philosopher with a nihilistic aura who used simple concepts to induce a complex future. This switch made Xu Le feel a little strange, and he always felt that this aura was very familiar.
Naturally, he thought of Mr Shi's uncle at the Double Moon Festival ball, the most legendary figure in Green Dragon Mountain. He could not help but frown slightly as he smelled some kind of strange smell.
"The last question is a repetitive one." He looked at the old man in the chair and said, "Who on earth rescued me from Master Fan's Manor?"
"It was us."
"I don't believe it."
…
…
Because of the long years of war, Xu Le did not have a trace of affection for all the people of the Empire in the past, and he had no interest in the internal political struggles of the enemy country.
After spending nearly a year in the slums of the capital of Tianjing, especially Aunt Susan and Paul in that warm little courtyard, his mentality gradually changed. Deep in his heart, he knew that the poor and free people of the lower class of the Empire rebelled against the rule of the royal family. From an emotional standpoint, he sympathized with those who were oppressed, but he still would not take the initiative to do anything.
Just as Professor Lin had said, there was no such thing as reason in the universe. Naturally, there was no such thing as true fairness. As a citizen of the Federation, the first thing he had to protect was the Federation. He had to protect the things within the Federation that were worth protecting.
The joys and sorrows of human beings may be interconnected. If the Federation and the Empire were all human beings, the Federation should also be able to clearly feel the sadness and joy of the Empire people. It was just that the snow in front of their own door had not been swept clean. Even if they saw the roof of their courtyard collapse, what could they do?
The problem was that now the situation had taken a turn for the worse. He was already sitting under the crumbling roof of someone else's courtyard, and he had no choice but to join forces with the owner of this courtyard to work seriously in the wind and snow.
Xu Le sat on the second-floor balcony of the repair shop, looking at the dark mass of buildings in the slums of Tianjing with some emotion.
…
…
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