Furina de Fontaine: "A deal?"
Furina de Fontaine: "Listening to Miss Robin's words just now…"
Furina de Fontaine: "It seems she reached some kind of deal with Miss Jade beforehand?"
Hu Tao: "Given Miss Robin's personality, her deal should be beneficial to Penacony."
Hu Tao: "Just don't know the specific details of the deal."
Hu Tao: "A bit curious."
....
『 Jade returned to the negotiation venue, beginning the second half of the negotiations.
[ Thank you for your patience, Mr. Alfalfa. Let's continue our discussion. ]
Jade sat on the sofa, gesturing to old Oti.
[Ohohoho, came up with a countermeasure so quickly, Miss Jade? ]
[Hmm… where did Miss Topaz go? ]
Old Oti looked around, not seeing Topaz, feeling a bit puzzled.
[ Topaz has other tasks, you'll see her in a moment. ]
[ The conversation can continue, just you and me. ]
Jade's tone became slightly cold.
[ Is it my imagination, Miss? ]
[ The tone you're using compared to just now… is very different. ]
Old Oti noticed the change in Jade's attitude.
[ One must set a good example in front of juniors. ]
[ At the negotiation table, speaking without restraint is not a good habit, is it? ]
[ Now, we can speak frankly and openly. Do you believe what I said, Oti? ]
[ Over the past ten Amber Eras, you are not the only merchant to have witnessed the changes in the cosmic market. ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
March 7th: "Miss Jade's attitude changed so much!"
March 7th: "Before, when she was with Miss Topaz, she was very polite when talking to old Oti."
March 7th: "Now, her attitude is cold, her tone is casual, she even dropped the honorifics."
March 7th: "Is this what it means to unsheathe the blade?"
Stelle: "Good, good, I love watching this kind of tense standoff!"
Stelle: "The previous negotiation was just too boring, no fun at all."
Stelle: "This atmosphere is much more exciting!"
Furina de Fontaine: "Haha, I get the feeling that old Oti on the other side was a bit stunned for a moment."
Furina de Fontaine: "He doesn't seem to have adapted to Miss Jade's sudden change of face."
Paimon: "Just now, old Oti gave off a high and mighty, overbearing feeling."
Paimon: "Now, that feeling has shifted to Madam Jade."
Paimon: Old Oti's momentum has been suppressed!
Lumine: "Learned something, learned something!"
Lumine: "In negotiations, momentum is very important!"
Lumine: "You must have that aura of being in control and high above, to disrupt the opponent's rhythm and make them panic!"
Aventurine: "Exactly, negotiation momentum is indeed important."
Aventurine: "But in fact, the more critical thing lies in how hard the chips in your hand are!"
Aventurine: "This old Oti is no novice; relying on momentum alone is simply not enough to subdue him."
....
『 [ Interesting… Ohohoho, this is getting interesting. ]
[ Speaking frankly, very good! ]
[ What I like most is openness and transparency. ]
[ Let's hear it, where are you planning to move this piece? ]
Old Oti stared at Jade, asking.
[ Heh, unfortunately, my habit is to check first, then move. ]
[ Let's state the conclusion directly: First, your plan cannot be realized. ]
[ There is absolutely no possibility for Penacony to bypass the IPC and go public. ]
[ Second, you also cannot stop the IPC from entering Penacony. ]
[ We have plenty of time and ways to find a suitable breakthrough, tear it open bit by bit, then fill it, letting the Asdana system become familiar with the IPC's methods once again. ]
[ The words you said, I am returning them to you in full. ]
[ To save your dignity, and so you don't become the target of public criticism at the formal meeting, you had better abandon that pipe dream of a plan. ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Stelle: "Tsk tsk, turning the tables!"
Stelle: "The form of the first half and second half of the negotiation has suddenly reversed."
Qingque: "Madam Jade is really not polite at all, not doing any extra things, just using power to suppress people, threatening old Oti with the IPC's massive strength~."
Fu Xuan: "The IPC's commercial strength is unquestionable."
Fu Xuan: "Using it to suppress people is indeed the most convenient negotiation capital."
March 7th: "No matter how great old Oti is, he's just a rich merchant in Penacony. Compared to a behemoth like the IPC on a galactic scale, there's just no comparison."
Topaz: "That is natural."
Topaz: "But there is one point, the IPC has many businesses, and it is impossible to use too much power to chew on this tough piece of meat that is Penacony."
Topaz: "So, this old Oti is still quite tricky for the IPC."
Aventurine: "But it doesn't matter, he has already been scared."
Aventurine: "It will be easy to handle from here on."
Paimon: "So is this actually just intimidation?"
Jade: "That doesn't count, after all… the IPC indeed has plenty of time to play with him."
....
『 [ Ho ha ha ha ha! ]
[ Interesting, truly very interesting! ]
[ You painted-skin woman, your tone is quite big! ]
[ Today I want to see exactly what cards you are holding. ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Stelle: "Laughing to death, is this about to tear off the mask?"
Stelle: "GOOD!!"
Stelle: "Is it time to start cursing next?!"
Stelle: "And then fight?"
Hanabi: "Yay, I love watching fights the most!"
March 7th: "Stelle, this is a serious negotiation!"
March 7th: "Do you think this is a street brawl?"
Stelle: "Yeah, I know that!"
Stelle: "Isn't verbal abuse also a means of negotiation?"
Stelle: "Spray the opponent until they are autistic, break their defense, and you win the negotiation."
Silver Wolf: "….You really know how to talk trash."
Paimon: "Ah, this…. can cursing really have such great power?"
Qingque: "Hey, Miss Paimon must have never been online, right?"
Qingque: "If you had been online and seen those keyboard warriors, you'd know that cursing is also a skill."
Qingque: "Some people don't use a single dirty word when cursing, but every sentence hits your heart!"
Furina de Fontaine: "Uh…. seems I've seen this kind of skill in someone before…."
Hu Tao: "It's Hanabi!"
Hu Tao: "That's how she talks."
Hu Tao: "However, although her verbal aggression is ridiculously high, the person opposite her is Aventurine, who possesses the power of Preservation."
Hu Tao: "Didn't break his defense at all."
Hanabi: Sigh, the little peacock is too hard, relying on lips alone doesn't work!
Hanabi: "The Family's curse is still better."
Guinaifen: "Speaking of which, if Miss Hanabi were in this negotiation, would it turn into a shouting match?"
Li Sushang: "It would, right? It definitely would, right?"
Hanabi: "You underestimate me, Hanabi-sama!"
Hanabi: "Would I go to something so boring?"
Hanabi: "If I really had the time, I'd have already pressed the bomb button~"
....
『 [ Don't forget, Mr. Alfalfa, the IPC controls the largest propaganda platform in the galaxy. ]
[ More than half of the news networks in the entire universe are our mouthpiece. ]
[ The second after you spread the news of Penacony's public offering, trillions of users will receive this push notification simultaneously: ]
[ The Family's protection of Penacony has failed; accidents in the dreamscape may lead to permanent brain death. ]
[ Guess, when the whole galaxy turns its eyes to Penacony, with just this one piece of news, how many ways does the IPC have to make Alfalfa credits worthless within twenty-four system hours? ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Stelle: "Holy shit!"
Stelle: "RUTHLESS!!!"
Stelle: "The IPC actually hires internet trolls, guides the rhythm, and manipulates public opinion?"
Stelle: "To fiercely attack Penacony?"
March 7th: "More than half of the media organizations in the universe belong to the IPC."
March 7th: "In that case, manipulating public opinion is really an easy thing for the IPC."
Ningguang: "Unsolvable, facing this move, it is truly unsolvable."
Zhongli: "The IPC is a commercial giant that dominates the universe."
Zhongli: "Its industrial chain is spread everywhere and is quite rich in variety."
Zhongli: "Relying solely on the Alfalfa Family, it is destined that they cannot fight against this behemoth."
Qingque: "Tsk, going to lose miserably!"
Qingque: "And I thought this old Oti's ten Amber Eras of business wisdom was something great."
Qingque: "Looking at it now, it's just so-so."
Fu Xuan: "Even if his business experience is rich, he cannot turn the tide when the strength gap between the two sides is so disparate."
Fu Xuan: "It would be better to say that he made this move just to gamble and see the IPC's attitude."
Fu Xuan: "If the IPC's attitude is soft, he pushes hard; if the IPC's attitude is tough, he retreats."
Fu Xuan: "Anyway, the final result won't be any worse."
Li Sushang: "So the Master Diviner means that old Oti is going to soften up next?"
....
『 [ … ]
[ Do you think you can do it? ]
Old Oti frowned deeply, staring fixedly at Jade and asking.
[ Heh, my whip is very long; even in Pier-Point, I can easily tighten it around your neck. ]
[ But as long as you abandon that foolish listing plan, the IPC will promise: absolutely not to damage the interests of the family heads led by you. ]
[ In Asdana, we also need allies. ]
[ The IPC can help Penacony with financing—starting by buying 30% of the equity. ]
[ With our capital inflow, the stability and reconstruction of Penacony will be an overnight project. ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Venti: "Hit them with a stick, then give them a sweet date."
Venti: "Ehehe, is Madam Jade giving out dates now?"
Welt Yang: "Madam Jade doesn't want to push too hard either."
Welt Yang: "After all, if it really touches the other party's core interests, they would rather die trying to drag us down with them."
Welt Yang: "The IPC wouldn't get any valuable benefits that way."
Welt Yang: "It doesn't fit the IPC's goals."
Stelle: "I get it!"
Stelle: "It's just to prevent a cornered dog from jumping over the wall!"
Stelle: "Only when everyone has benefits to gain will this relationship be stable."
March 7th: "But the IPC wants to buy 30% of Penacony's shares, would the Family agree?"
Jade: "The Family can certainly refuse, but that is by no means a wise choice."
Jade: "Especially for the current Family."
Furina de Fontaine: "This old Oti is also a smart man."
Furina de Fontaine: "He should know how to choose."
....
『 [ Thirty percent, who can guarantee your appetite won't keep growing? ]
Old Oti's tone was gloomy, his face pulled down.
[ Hehe, isn't the brilliance of the whole thing right here? ]
[ The answer is: no one. ]
[ No one can guarantee it, everything depends on self-discipline and respect; at least the Board of Directors will still care about the face of your family heads to some extent. ]
[ Old Oti, you are a smart man. Going to such great lengths to play this game of chess with me, isn't it just to show your business acumen and seek more benefits for the family? ]
[ Stop while you're ahead, it's good for both of us. If you think this is not enough, the other purpose of letting Penacony go public is nothing more than wanting to further expand the influence of the Planet of Festivities and attract more guests to come and spend. ]
[ For this demand, I have also prepared a corresponding solution for you. ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Boothill: "Everything depends on self-discipline and respect?"
Boothill: "Son of a nice lady, it's hilarious."
Boothill: "Isn't this just naked robbery?"
Dr. Veritas Ratio: "Isn't the competition between capital just like this?"
Dr. Veritas Ratio: "Whoever is strong has the advantage."
Dr. Veritas Ratio: "The weak can only accept it honestly."
Silver Wolf: "The Family has lost miserably this time."
Hotaru: "But this might be beneficial to the future of Penacony."
Hotaru: "At least having two forces checking and balancing each other is much better than one dominating."
Hu Tao: "Do you think… Senior Mikhail went to such great lengths; did he also harbor such thoughts?"
Furina de Fontaine: "It seems he has this intention."
Furina de Fontaine: "If Penacony remains the Family's Penacony forever, then it will never become what it was in Senior Mikhail's heart."
Furina de Fontaine: "That is why he brought in all kinds of factions, striving to break this dominance."
Zhongli: "Based on the current situation, his idea is about to be realized."
March 7th: "Looking at it this way, the remnants of the Order have also indirectly promoted the development of all this."
Stelle: "Hehe, everything is within Senior Mikhail's expectations!"
Stelle: "This is the caliber of the Father of Penacony!"
....
『 [ ine, now I see your sincerity. As the head of the Alfalfa Family, I don't think I have any reason to refuse your offer... ]
[ However, as THEIR, the Harmony chosen one, I still need one final answer. ]
Old Oti's expression suddenly returned to calm, and he was about to ask Jade a question.
[ Hmm, continue, go ahead. ]
Jade gestured for old Oti to continue.
[ When I was a child, I heard adults recite the story of the ancient Amber Era: Harmony Xipe ascended, Order Ena fell. ]
[ In those ancient days, Order and Preservation were so close. ]
[ As believers of the Amber Lord, why doesn't the IPC stand on the side of Order, but instead seeks to cooperate with the Family? ]
Old Oti asked a crucial question.
[ The answer may be simpler than you think: Credit Points, the thing people love most, the only constant value currency recognized in the galaxy; the IPC has the ability to ensure it never devalues. ]
[ Every time a world joins the credit system's map, the cause of universal peace will add another brick and tile, until all foreign exchange, capital, and trade are brought under a unified monetary system. ]
[ At that time, the development of all planets will be summarized into the accounts, with clear entries; all concepts can be defined, valued, exchanged, and circulated, and its center is Qlipoth's Credit. ]
Jade answered faintly.
[ And then, the IPC can manipulate everything. ]
Old Oti sneered.
[ We just want to build an eternal Preservation. ]
[ So you must also be able to understand— ]
[ This universe doesn't need two types of Order. ] 』
『 ....』