Combine Harvester

After reaching a preliminary consensus, the next step was to deal with the peripheral issues of the chaebols' legacies, as well as some lingering problems, such as the 'shrimp' (minor figures).

The chaebols' influence was all-encompassing, affecting the upper, middle, and lower echelons.

Currently, the Star Cluster Organization inherited most of the legacies from the upper echelons, while the two lower tiers had a vast number of people.

What was called 'handling' was actually a joint harvest.

"Minor transgressions are exempted."

"Serious crimes will not be forgiven."

"Look, look at what a mess you've allowed things to become; it's absolutely chaotic."

...

During the meeting, Joe Weill slammed the table, showing no respect to the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, yet they could only silently acquiesce.

There was nothing they could do.

Strictly speaking, weren't they responsible for the chaebols becoming so powerful?

Rebuttal?

How could they rebut?

That the chaebols were too strong?

That would be admitting their own incompetence, and the Star Cluster Organization, having almost uprooted the chaebols, had the right to speak like this.

Frustrating!

They had always been the ones criticizing others.

Now, they were being pointed at and challenged.

Alas!

Their future days would likely be difficult!

...Soon, a consensus was reached on how to deal with these 'shrimp'.

Arrest.

Dismissal.

Disciplinary action.

To rectify the atmosphere, as for the vacant positions, the Star Cluster Organization made a concession, only taking one-sixth of them.

The remaining positions were to be handled by the other parties as they saw fit.

However, the Speaker and Deputy Speaker were not happy about this; they were all 'shrimp', so what difference could they make in total?

The Star Cluster Organization had eaten most of the meat and drunk one-sixth of the soup.

What was left could only be described as tasteless, yet too good to throw away, and even if it was served, it was uncertain whether they could actually drink it.

An organization that had been hidden for so long without revealing itself.

Now, it was powerful enough to contend with them.

Just standing there, it was a brand.

Who knew how many 'shrimp' wanted to attach themselves to it? Not allowing overt recruitment was just a piece of empty paper.

Just to give everyone a plausible reason... At noon, the meeting paused.

The Speaker of Polar Bear origin curiously asked:

"Joe Weill, may I ask why your organization's Decision Committee has eighteen members? How do you resolve votes?"

Upon hearing this, Joe Weill looked at him.

"Because we are a collective."

"Everything is formulated by the think tank; although the Decision Committee can decide on various organizational matters, its main function is execution."

"Disagreements?"

"Once everyone abandons their personal positions, they cease to exist."

"Unlike your complex structure."

"Positions."

"Individual thoughts."

"Interests."

...

"There are no differing opinions within the organization; everyone works together to accomplish a task. Why bother pursuing odd or even numbers?"

"The number of the entire Decision Committee is determined by demand."

"New business."

"New functions."

"It might be eighteen now, and in a while, it might be nineteen or twenty."

...

After listening, the Speaker was stunned.

What?

What kind of organization was this, with such unified thinking? He had thought that its internal structure might not be monolithic and could be divided.

Now, it seemed he had overthought it.

At the same time, he was even more alarmed by the terrifying nature of this organization.

Co-opting.

Dividing.

Balancing.

All sorts of ideas that had just emerged were immediately doused with cold water.

Indeed.

If, as Joe Weill said, such a single-minded organization, why would it need an odd number? They simply had no disagreements.

The key was, how did they achieve it?

Perplexing!

Selflessness should have a limit. Could it be... that his own understanding was truly low?

...After lunch, the meeting resumed.

The Speaker said:

"Over at Proxima Centauri, the chaebols still have considerable influence. We will activate our hidden pieces to try and control the situation."

Joe Weill: "No need."

The Speaker: "???"

Joe Weill: "If we wait for your actions, the flowers will have long withered."

"Could it be that you...?" the Great Xia Deputy Speaker asked in surprise.

Joe Weill: "That's right."

"The situation at Proxima Z has already been brought under our control. Those who should be imprisoned are imprisoned, and those who should be eliminated have been."

"The planetary transformation plan is steadily progressing."

"And it has temporarily entered military control."

...

Upon hearing this, everyone was almost speechless.

What did he mean?

It meant that Proxima Centauri had already been taken over by the Star Cluster Organization, and the Proxima military district was also under its control. What could they do?

Earlier this month, the Wormhole had stopped shrinking.

Now, in the middle of the month, as Chu Xuan had predicted in the meeting, the Wormhole had recuperative abilities and began to rebound after shrinking to a certain extent.

Proxima Centauri, which they had initially thought would lose contact, could not only resume contact but also continue to receive immigrants.

That was a new Galaxy.

Representing immense benefits.

However, now, control of this benefit was no longer in their hands.

"You wouldn't be thinking of monopolizing it, would you?" the Deputy Speaker of The Empire on Which the Sun Never Sets couldn't help but ask.