125: Timely help

District 2, Mining Area 01.

Camp building, top floor office.

"General, all our contacts have lost communication."

General Phil's face gradually turned ashen as he listened to his subordinate's report, veins bulging on his forehead, and a faint grinding sound came from his tightly closed mouth.

He walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, looking at the large mining area that was continuously producing carbon crystal, his eyes gradually turning cold.

"Gore, that old geezer, still found a chance to make his move."

Holding a document, the subordinate echoed, looking at the brief on it: "The Commander's strike this time was too ruthless. Not only did he flatten the black market, but he also razed our secretly built transfer points to the ground."

"If we can't find a buyer in the short term, the estimated loss will be at least 10 tons of silver."

"Too much inventory buildup, and maintenance costs are an astronomical figure."

"General, it seems we can only reduce carbon crystal mining to minimize losses."

General Phil: "Damn it, the funds allocated by the higher-ups aren't even enough to replace the brothers' new equipment."

"Without additional income, how can I make the brothers willingly risk their lives in this godforsaken mining area?"

"Does that old geezer Gore really think that just relying on those slogans can support a family?"

"Did that cannon blast destroy the Revolutionary Army, those rats who can't even show their faces?"

"He destroyed the brothers' source of income."

By the end, General Phil grew increasingly furious, kicking the coffee table in front of the tiger-skin sofa to smithereens.

"The General is right."

Cutting off someone's livelihood is like killing their parents.

But Phil could only swallow this bitter pill.

Because this major cleanup operation was the first time the Hai Star people had suffered such a heavy blow in decades; hundreds of people sent out were wiped out by the Revolutionary Army, with no survivors.

The main cannons of the Hai Star battleship were indeed aimed at the Revolutionary Army hiding in the underground black markets of various districts.

The reason was also sufficient: revenge for the fallen Hai Star warriors, and anyone harboring the Revolutionary Army must die.

If someone were to step forward now to criticize Gore, they would absolutely be nailed to the pillar of shame and severely tortured.

"General, should we look for interstellar merchants on other planets who are willing to accept carbon crystal?"

General Phil: "Look for what? Gore is clearly trying to rectify internal affairs."

"Even if those interstellar merchants are bold, they definitely wouldn't dare to touch Beastman Star's resources again for at least a year and a half."

At this moment, the office phone rang.

General Phil pressed the answer button, and his face became even more sinister.

"General, there's a human merchant outside who claims to be introduced by Hawks and wants to see you."

"Hawks?"

"Yes."

General Phil hung up the phone and looked at his subordinate with a puzzled expression.

The latter picked up the document, turned to the third page, and pulled out a report, handing it to General Phil.

"General, Hawks and his team were in District 3. Although we had notified them in advance, they probably didn't escape the ground sweep."

General Phil: "That's strange then. Hawks is already dead, so what's with this human merchant?"

"General, if this human merchant is from Tianqin Star, he might actually be able to take this batch of carbon crystal off our hands."

"Go, invite that human merchant over.

Be polite to him."

"Yes!"

Soon after, Li Rui, the official commercial representative of Longguo, was ushered into the office.

He wore a dark blue suit and had a slicked-back hairstyle, looking full of spirit.

General Phil's gaze was sharp, scrutinizing Li Rui from head to toe.

"General Phil, I've long admired your reputation."

"My name is Li Rui, and I am from Tianqin Star."

Li Rui stepped forward, bowing and extending his hand.

Upon hearing that he was a human from Tianqin Star, Phil's expression softened by two points, and he stepped forward to shake Li Rui's hand.

After some pleasantries, Li Rui winked at the person behind him.

Two accompanying attendants carried in an object covered with velvet cloth.

General Phil immediately saw that it was a gift. The object looked quite large, requiring two people to carry it, and a hint of curiosity arose in his heart.

The velvet cloth was removed, revealing a shimmering silver object under the light—a pure silver vase, half a person's height.

The craftsmanship was exquisite, and the bas-relief carvings on it were incredibly lifelike.

Phil's eyebrows raised slightly, and he took a few steps forward to examine it closely.

Upon closer inspection, he realized that the front bas-relief on the vase was a bust of himself, while the back featured the Hai Star national emblem.

Leaving aside the value of the silver item itself, this gesture alone showed immense respect.

"Mr. Li, you've truly gone to great expense. I really like this gift."

General Phil, with a smile, stroked the silver vase, and his attitude became more cordial.

Li Rui, beaming, sat down and did not rush to the main topic, but instead chatted casually, following General Phil's lead.

From life in the mining area to the difficulties of interstellar travel, the atmosphere quickly became harmonious.

Seeing that the time was right, Li Rui's gaze seemingly inadvertently swept over an ancient wooden sword hanging on the right wall.

"This is?"

Li Rui stood up and walked to the wall, carefully examining the wooden sword.

"General, does this sword have a history?"

General Phil's eyes lit up, and he spoke, following Li Rui's lead.

"This sword, ah, is a souvenir I brought back years ago while on a mission on a primitive planet."

"What, Mr. Li, are you interested in this sword?"

"It's indeed very unique."

"Look at the wood grain and the patina; you can tell it's naturally formed over a long period, definitely a top-notch antique."

Li Rui turned to look at Phil, his tone extremely sincere.

"General Phil, I personally really enjoy collecting these kinds of old objects with a sense of history."

"If the General is willing to part with it, I am willing to exchange it for one ton of standard purity silver."

One ton of silver?

Phil was stunned for about a second.

The weight of this gift was undeniably heavy; an ordinary interstellar merchant would definitely not be able to offer it.

Looking at Li Rui again, his gaze unconsciously carried a hint of seriousness.

General Phil naturally understood that buying the sword was merely an excuse; this one ton of silver was the formal knocking stone.

This was someone truly sincere about doing business.

Strong background, bold, and sincere.

This was precisely the big buyer General Phil had been looking for.

After a brief consideration, a smile bloomed on General Phil's face. He stood up, personally took down the wooden sword, and handed it to Li Rui.

"Hahaha, it's just an old sword. If Mr. Li likes it, I'll just give it to you."

"The General is generous, but we Tianqin Star people believe in fair trade."

"Having received the General's sword, it's only natural to show our appreciation."

Li Rui solemnly took the wooden sword with both hands; after some pleasantries, this door was officially opened.

After they sat down, General Phil got straight to the point.

"Recently, external inspections have been strict, and imported and exported goods will be rigorously reviewed by the higher-ups."

Li Rui understood, responding with a smile: "General, rest assured, patience is the most important thing for us in business."

"Even waiting three or five years is no problem."

Upon hearing this, Phil knew that this big deal was completely secure. He was just worried about finding someone to take over, and he hadn't expected someone to personally come to solve this huge problem for him.

Subsequent negotiations went very smoothly. Li Rui even added 5% to the purchase price, which made Phil even more enthusiastic.

With the deal settled, Li Rui did not linger long, as he was busy rushing to his next appointment.

On the way to District 3, the subordinate was visibly excited, his mouth never stopping.

"Brother Li, I didn't expect our line of work to be so easy. The Hai Star people aren't as scary as I imagined."

Li Rui chuckled softly.

"Yes, and we owe it all to the detailed intelligence provided by the Lord of the Star Sea."

"General Phil probably never dreamed that the carbon crystal he sold from here would become a weapon for our Longguo to confront the Hai Star fleet."

Li Rui disdainfully rolled his eyes at his subordinate: "Are there really so few people selling out their country for glory here?"

"For such people, profit is the most important thing."