Him and their stars.

Chapter 2065 The first step in cooperation is academic exchange
Venerable One? You're not talking about that... no, that one of the Seven Sacred Fish, are you?

Yu Lian looked at the illusory spirit beast with colorful scales and a cat-like head, which looked adorable no matter how you looked at it, and felt that the name was still a bit awkward. Then, he saw it, which was coiled on the mountaintop, stretch out its neck and give him a very expressive wry smile, revealing its helplessness.

So you really were secretly observing all along, right?
Just as Yu Lian was about to say something, he saw the sacred beast raise another sign: "It is indeed me, but I didn't want to."

Then, He spat out a marker from His mouth and began to write furiously, shaking His head as He did so.

In the virtual realm, his writing (shaking) movements were much faster than outside, even leaving afterimages. This could no longer be described as being on drugs; it was as if he had a motor installed on his neck.

Yu Lian was stunned for half a minute before the other party raised his standee again: "I accepted their feeding and occasionally helped them run errands and deliver goods. Strictly speaking, I was just an unofficial salesperson, at most a bit of a mascot. But they insist on calling me 'Lord,' what can I do? Although it sounds a bit awkward, once I accept this setting, I have no choice but to accept it."

Yu Liande admitted that this was the first time he had ever seen such a magical being that could express its talkative nature through handwriting. However, on the other hand, the fact that this Seven Sacred Fish could even accept its mascot attribute made it a truly magnanimous and refined creature, and he had great respect for it.

Thinking of this, Yu Lian cupped his hands in a gesture of respect to the other party, saying, "You are a righteous person."

The spirit beast, who called itself the "mascot," nodded in satisfaction and then held up a second standee: "That young man named Wanda is indeed quite good. I really like the pills he made by mixing spiritual essence with the seven luminaries' crystals."

So this is what it means to have a close friend or family member! If he had become a magical creature trainer earlier, he wouldn't have died on the spot!

Yu Lian sighed, still feeling it wasn't worth it. His expression turned even uglier as he turned to look at the snake-headed creature.

The one who broke the spell sensed the other party's dissatisfaction, and a clear sense of unease and helplessness gradually appeared on his face:

"As the craftsman has already said, among the top cadres of the thirteen sides, only one position is needed to be in charge of scientific research, so as not to cause unnecessary conflicts."

Is your family's Thirteen Noodles named Li X Ke? Yu Lian Chaoshou said irritably, "One is in the field of biological genes, and the other is intelligent machinery and prosthetics. These are not even the same field."

“I think so too. The client said, as ‘Craftsmanship’ has also said, that resources are limited, but the field of scientific research is limitless, so resources need to be integrated. No one in the entire organization is better at this than him. After all, he is a veteran of the organization, and many people have benefited from his kindness and are doing their best to support him. As for me, as the ‘Chief’ of the Thirteenth Side, I need to be more careful with my words and actions and adhere to the principle of neutrality. I really have no way to seek justice for Mr. Wanda.”

Very well, even a mere "Snake of the World," a mere terrorist organization, has such a realistic development.

"However, all of that is in the past. These are all things of the past, and with the passing of those involved, these grudges are nothing but history." The Lawbreaker said with a sincere expression, his words carrying a hidden meaning.

Is this a case of blaming the dead for everything? Yu Lian thought of his predecessor's "past," that Eredar elf. That guy really didn't seem like a leader of a secret society; he was more like a classic bandit, and that's why he died so bravely.

Of course, not all of them actually died. At least the "Craftsman," the creator of Workshop 13, the most dangerous cybernetic terrorist, is still alive and well. Considering that he has been captured by Princess Rainbow Rose, even though he only has a head and half a body left, he should still be able to serve as a beast of burden for many more years.

“Currently, there is a vacancy in the personnel responsible for coordinating and organizing scientific research resources. Our organization needs relevant talent. Therefore, this invitation is made with great sincerity…”

Yu Lian sneered, "Invite me? The lady invited me last time, and offered me a position of thirteenth rank."

"...You flatter me. Those were just youthful arrogance, and I've already reflected on them." The speaker was still the "present" lady, but she had lifted a corner of the optical barrier from behind the strange veil, revealing an awkward smile that was stiff with fear yet still carried a hint of obsequiousness:
"Moreover, the situation is different now. Our organization has long had a rule that, in principle, the leader of a civilization, nation, or political group should not be a member of the organization."

The Lawbreaker rubbed his hands together and added, "So, the first thing I wanted to do when I came to visit you was to get your approval. We hope to invite Mr. Trend, the former leader of the Engineers' Guild, to join our organization."

Yu Lian glanced sideways at the pleading face of the young woman, then glanced at the "Now" lady whose face was very well-behaved, hiding under the light screen.

Speaking of which, their colleague, who had been arranged into a two-dimensional form, is still stuck to the floor next to them. His name and identity are still unknown, but he seems to have been forgotten.

Yu Lian's senses swept over that horribly deformed body, and he immediately became interested.

"Former leader?" he asked.

The Lawbreaker hurriedly said, "The current leader of the Engineers' Guild is Mr. Samos. He has received the legacy of the Brotherhood of Machines and passed all the tests. Our organization's capabilities are limited, and we cannot be considered witnesses, but we can sense it through special channels..."

“I know, the Eternal Mechanism hidden in the New Jade Gate Sand Sea. Now, Mr. Summers should be the most powerful cyborg in history, right?” Yu Lian interrupted him.

The Snake Organization clearly wanted to use this information to gain favor with Yu Lian, but the latter directly interrupted them, making the atmosphere somewhat awkward. However, even so, they didn't seem to care.

The one who broke the law even stood there in awe: "Your wisdom is unparalleled! Your Excellency, General!"

The woman wiped her eyes, tears welling up, her face full of relief: "I didn't make any great grudge against you, and this is the only right choice I, a foolish woman, have ever made in my life."

Although it was cheesy, what she said made sense. So far, Yu Lian and Snake had fought several battles, but their side had suffered almost no losses, while the enemy's casualties ranged from the Executioner to the Thirteenth Face to the Alliance Leader, covering Snake's leadership.

Even if I were to think back to my past life, I really didn't harbor much personal resentment towards snakes. Now that they've decided to let go of past grievances and look to the future, what more can I say?

"Also, regarding Mr. Summers' true identity, actually... uh, sorry, I was being nosy," the Lawbreaker quickly apologized.

Yu Lian nodded sternly: "That's right. Adults all have their own little secrets, and some secrets can be taken to the grave. Before the person involved is ready to wake up, what are we forcing ourselves to do?"

The one who broke the law looked as if he were receptive to instruction, and then reported in a serious manner:

"Mr. Samos is serving as the technical and military advisor for the Community's New Jade Gate War Zone and has assisted Admiral Carter in stabilizing the battlefield situation. Although Turon has been occupied, the Empire still needs to maintain at least ten divisions on the planet, yet the situation remains unclear. In the recently concluded Southern Sand Sea Campaign, the Imperial army suffered 24,000 casualties, including two Star Knights and one Inquisitor."

Who would believe it? The earliest firsthand battle report I received from Xinyumen actually came from the Snake. Yu Lian's expression was strange: "You're observing the battle at Xinyumen?"

"We are participating in the New Yumen Campaign, and we are deeply involved in this war. But please rest assured, whether in New Yumen, on Earth, in New Chang'an, or anywhere else, we are never your enemy." The Lawbreaker maintained his humble smile.

Yu Lian said thoughtfully, "My colleague and junior apprentice told me that in addition to the Marines from the former embassy and the presidential guard, the security forces of the exiled government are also some teams from multinational security companies. Among them, the team from Red Constellation Company thwarted an assassination attempt against Ms. Yang, and suffered some casualties as a result."

A flicker of surprise crossed the Lawbreaker's eyes, but he still spoke with utmost respect: "Indeed, everything is within your grasp! In fact, my organization does have a certain influence in the Crimson Constellation. Furthermore, my colleague 'Flint' is already on Earth."

"Oh?" Yu Lian's face darkened slightly.

"He is a progressive mercenary influenced by the primary ideology. He and his companions resolutely became volunteers, made many contributions, and were highly regarded by Mr. Bai," said the Lawbreaker.

Within the currently occupied territories, there are still forces that persist in resisting and waging guerrilla warfare on the planet, which indeed includes volunteers from all over the universe.

The scale of an "international brigade" is certainly unimaginable, but organizing a few international companies is not a big problem, and it already has a strong sense of internationalism.

As if afraid that Yu Lian would misunderstand, "Now" quickly added, "His current alias is Manda Jalon."

She was, of course, telling Yu Lian that they had absolutely no intention of threatening him. They were trying their best to prove their sincerity.

It's important to understand that among the forces remaining on Earth and continuing the resistance, there are many highly skilled individuals. Besides the remnants of the Azure Guard, there are also experts from the Spirit Research Society. As long as their identities are known beforehand, they pose no direct threat to the resistance's high command, including Elder Bai.

Yu Lian remained noncommittal: "Let's get back to Mr. Trend."

"He has actually handed over the chairmanship of the Engineers' Guild and the Brotherhood of Machines to his disciple, and is now serving as a technology advisor to your Human Alliance in New China. Forgive my bluntness, but it is a bit of a waste of his wisdom."

“Is the People’s Federation a collective enterprise, or is it the party property of the Pioneer Party?” Yu Lian asked, clasping his hands together.

“Yes, just like our organization is also an association that focuses on social research.” The woman nodded vigorously, as if to say, “Yes, yes, that’s exactly what we need to learn.”

“More importantly, Mr. Trend is still a former retainer of Earl Salvin, isn’t he?” Yu Lian said.

"There is some reason, but it is far from the important one. To be honest, I know very little about that feud that took place two centuries ago," said the Lawbreaker.

The woman vaguely sensed Yu Lian's gaze drifting over again, and quickly said, "Me? As for me, of course I know even less. My qualifications are actually very shallow, and I'm not well-liked within the organization."

"So, would you be willing to accept our request? If you approve, I will send someone to contact Mr. Trend." The Lawbreaker said respectfully, "Of course, even if he joins my organization, it will not affect his other social relationships. In fact, if you really ask, we would even be happy to invite Professor Zinov and Professor Zhuang."

Yu Lian smiled and said, "I thought you would be happy to invite Eisen and the others."

"Is this really possible?" The lawbreaker was slightly taken aback.

“Of course you can. It would be best to try inviting Eisen, Xiaobai, and Tamir.” Yu Lian had a matter-of-fact smile on his face: “Don’t worry, I’ll communicate with them in advance.”

The lawbreaker was speechless for a moment, and for the first time, hesitation flashed in his eyes.

"This will be a progressive academic exchange, won't it?"

It was Lady "Now" who reacted first, sobbing, "Objectively speaking, some past conflicts have crippled us, but in the long run, they haven't been entirely bad. At least they allow us to move forward unburdened, gather wise men from all over the world, and head towards a brighter future. I swear to the spirit of the universe, this is the truth. Thank you, thank you for your understanding. Waaah, if all the leaders in the universe had your mindset, the whole universe would be at peace!" She then sighed, fluttered her eyelashes somewhat nervously, and said softly with her eyelids lowered, "We will see it soon; your time is coming."

Someone who can recite an opening poem upon entering the stage can also be surprisingly convincing when he lowers his head and looks meekly. Of course, this is just acting, and both parties are well aware of it.

However, Yu Lian also admitted that when he saw a powerful enemy who used to be able to suppress and toy with him at will now be humble and subservient, even someone as knowledgeable as himself had to admit that the emotional value of this was indeed at its peak.

"Please believe me, we have come here hoping that you will accept our friendship... no, please grant us a chance to cooperate." The Lawbreaker began his plea again.

Under Yu Lian's astonished gaze, the mysterious "Lawbreaker," who had been a Double Flower Red Stick in the Serpent of the World for at least several hundred years and held the top position among the Thirteen Faces, decisively buckled at the knees and performed a very standard prostration on the smooth white marble floor.

"What is this doing?"

“To express my sincerity,” the Lawbreaker raised his head with difficulty and said solemnly, “Actually, I was hiding in the shadows not to launch a sneak attack, but out of caution. I only dared to show myself if you gave the order. If you hadn’t given the order, how could I have dared to act rashly? In any case, it was my fault in the end.”

He has now completely given up all resistance and has even deliberately exposed his neck.

"If you still refuse to believe in the sincerity of our organization, then I can only apologize to you with my head."

Yu Lian stared at the "Lawbreaker" kneeling before him, chuckled, and slightly raised his hand. The sharp edge formed from the dimensional sword pellet naturally aimed at his neck and then swung down fiercely.

In an instant, the head of that lovely young man turned into a large red ball covered in smoke and blood.

As a qualified commander, he felt no moral pressure whatsoever in killing an enemy who had given up resistance.