359: Chapter 359 Prephemos

"I am honored to be the first person to join the UN Security Council as the CEO of a private corporation.

Unfortunately, my appearance today is shrouded in a series of suspicions. Some say my company is developing a weapon of mass destruction, one that can precisely target specific ethnic groups. I want to respond to these allegations head-on.

Are we developing such a weapon?

No, we aren't, because we've already finished developing it..."

Emm...

Lin Fang watched the holographic footage, somewhat unable to understand just how narcissistic one had to be to play this in front of himself repeatedly.

At this moment, Lin Fang was in an office at the top of Argus Base. Sitting behind the luxurious desk in front of him was a middle-aged man with short blonde hair—the most distinguished figure in this world.

Jonathan Ains.

During his time as a brigade commander, Lin Fang had naturally learned about him. Irons had started from scratch fifty-five years ago and built the Jushen Group. As if he had a cheat code, he became the invisible overlord of Earth in just a few short years, pushing national governments to the fringes.

Subsequently, the Jushen Company discovered Pandora Planet, 4.37 light-years away...

"It turns out fifty years have passed in the blink of an eye. Only three months left."

The resolute-looking Irons turned off the projection and spoke with a hint of reminiscence. Then he stood up and walked over to Lin Fang.

"Jonathan Ains. May I ask how to address you?"

"Lin Fang." Lin Fang shook hands with him; it felt like a real human. Could he be one of those Clones? After all, in the interrogation room, Venom had already shown his face; appearing before him in person wasn't a wise move.

Moreover, there was no one else in the office besides the two of them. Lin Fang was confident he could take his life within a second.

Irons seemed unaware that the person in front of him was thinking about how to squeeze the maximum profit out of him after capturing him. He invited Lin Fang to sit down and poured him a cup of tea.

The aroma of tea drifted out.

The leaves unfurled in the water, the liquid clear and slightly yellow, carrying a hint of warm vegetation. In an office filled with metal and cold, hard technology, it seemed out of place.

"Pu'er, my favorite tea," Irons said slowly as he poured himself a cup.

"People used to say that tea connects the world. In an era before interstellar travel, before the Jushen Group, and before Pandora Planet 4.37 light-years away, tea had already traveled across the entire Earth. Easterners drink it plain, Westerners add milk and sugar, Middle Easterners pair it with mint, Indians brew it with spices... It's clearly just a leaf, yet it can make people of all races and skin colors sit down quietly and take a sip."

Pausing, Irons gave a chuckle, his tone carrying a bit of self-deprecation he hadn't even noticed:

"Others say Irons holds world-ending weapons and controls the fate of humanity, that he's a god-like man. They fear the weapons I develop, they fear I'll purge dissenters, they fear I'll dominate the world. But they don't understand—everything I do has never been for myself.

"In front of them, I am as weak as an insect."

Lin Fang: ...

Sorry, what are you blabbering about? I don't understand.

Lin Fang picked up the teacup and took a sip.

"Mr. Irons, if there's something on your mind, just say it. Once you're done, please hand over the technical data for the Warp Engine."

That's right. When he heard that Irons wanted to meet him, Lin Fang had cheekily made this request. Surprisingly, Irons had actually agreed.

Irons spoke, "I heard that one of your identities, Mr. Lin Fang, is that of an otherworldly merchant?"

The projection began to play what Lin Fang had said in the interrogation room. Without that atmosphere, the young man's talk of angels and demons sounded a bit embarrassing.

But not to Lin Fang. Hearing this, he showed a look of interest. "That's right, Mr. Irons. What would you like to trade with me?"

Irons looked at him, his tone suddenly becoming solemn.

"The future of human civilization in this world."

Hiss—

Hearing this, Lin Fang was impressed despite not fully understanding, and he munched on the melon seeds on the table, gesturing for him to continue.

"Fifty years ago, shortly after I made those remarks just now, an unknown civilization arrived..."

Irons' voice lowered, his golden eyebrows furrowed. This was a truth many people never knew.

"They call themselves the Philiphimus Civilization. I remember it clearly because they look like half-peeled bananas, except they have over twenty eyes on them."

Irons continued.

"They gave me technology beyond this era, the capital to develop the Jushen Group, and the power to unify Earth and step into the stars. Even the Warp Engine you want, Mr. Lin Fang, isn't the rarest technology among them."

"They said they could give humanity another fifty years to develop freely..."

"Isn't that a good thing?"

Lin Fang spat out a melon seed shell, looking indifferent as if it had nothing to do with him.

"Mr. Lin Fang, if they hadn't stated their purpose afterward, I would have thought so too—that there could be such a foolishly friendly and selfless civilization in the universe."

Irons gave a bitter smile and looked at Lin Fang.

"They told me that after fifty years, they would come to destroy human civilization, making it vanish completely from the universe. Whether humanity accepts this technology or not, it is an unchangeable fact."

"I accepted it, because without it, we would only die faster."

Lin Fang didn't speak. Instead, Venom emerged from Lin Fang's shoulder. "Sounds like they're playing a classic hunting game—fattening the prey to make it stronger and more fun to struggle with, before swallowing it whole."

"Fang, I like playing this game too."

Irons looked at Venom with a slight sense of wonder, then sighed.

"I thought so too. I don't trust the high-level officials of Earth's nations, so I could only develop Jushen's technology with all my might, scouting brilliant scientists from all of human civilization, attempting to find a slim chance of survival for humanity fifty years later."

"But how can a flock of penned-in lambs forge a blade to break out of the cage?"

Irons slowly exhaled and looked at Lin Fang.

"There are only three months left until the date those peeled bananas mentioned. My intuition tells me humanity is doomed. So, after learning about the variables at the Earth base, I returned here from Pandora Planet immediately.

"Your appearance, Mr. Lin Fang, makes me feel delighted. Perhaps you are the key to our fight against the Philiphimus Civilization. As long as you help us achieve victory, you can have whatever you want, even the entire Jushen Group."

Hearing this, Lin Fang's eyes couldn't help but light up.