I started by watching videos, and I chose 10,000 combat power.

Several representatives from the United States sat around a square table.

The table was empty, and there was a faint smell of disinfectant in the air, probably left by the cleaning staff when they cleaned in the morning.

The president's National Security Advisor was the first to speak; he was the youngest person present, just over forty years old.

"Objectively speaking, the proposal put forward by the Dragon Kingdom this time is more fair than we expected. The Blue Star United Government is led by the Dragon Kingdom, while being jointly managed by several major countries. Major decisions are made through voting, not by the Dragon Kingdom alone. It is worth noting that the veto power is given to Luo Fei, not the Dragon Kingdom. The difference here is quite subtle."

The defense minister leaned back in his chair, his hands clasped together on his abdomen.

His belly wasn't protruding, and his crisp military uniform fit him perfectly.

"Whether the situation is delicate or not is irrelevant; the key is that we have no bargaining power left. Luo Fei's spaceship is hovering over Kyoto; he alone could cripple a country's entire military force in fifteen minutes. Resist? What can we use to resist?"

The Secretary of State remained silent, twirling a pen between his fingers.

The pen twirled between his fingers a few times before stopping, and he casually placed it on the table.

"The problem is not whether we are willing to cooperate, but to what extent we cooperate."

"China has proposed technology sharing, and we can choose to believe it. Once the sharing is achieved, the technology will be in our own hands, produced in our own factories, and deployed on our own territory. At that point, it will no longer be under their control. In the short term, it is cooperation; in the long term, it may be an opportunity."

The national security advisor shook his head and drew a meaningless circle on the table with his fingertip.

"Long-term? Let's get through these 100 days first. If we can't hold off the alien fleet once it arrives, humanity on Earth will probably cease to exist. What long-term is that even possible?"

A moment of silence fell over the meeting room.

The president's National Security Advisor took his phone out of his pocket, placed it screen-down on the table, and the black glass back gleamed under the light.

"My question is—is what Luo Fei said true? Will the alien fleet really come? If the answer is yes, then we have no other choice."

No one answered this question, simply because everyone already had the answer in their hearts.

The defense minister sat up straight in his chair.

"I have served in the military for forty years and have had many dealings with the Chinese military. We have confronted each other at sea and shaken hands in conference rooms."

"To be honest, as their opponent, I know them quite well. The Chinese sometimes leave room for interpretation when they speak, and sometimes they say half of what they mean and hide the other half, but there is one thing they will never do: lie on matters of life and death."

"They have no reason to deceive us; it would do them no good. Therefore, this time I choose to believe. Not for the sake of the Dragon Kingdom, but for the sake of the entire Earth."

The President's National Security Advisor picked up his phone, turned on the screen, and dialed a number. "Please have the Department of Defense compile a list including top experts in all relevant fields, including space weapons, laser physics, high-energy materials, and propulsion systems—the most outstanding talents possible. Have them assembled by today and ensure they arrive in Kyoto tomorrow."

He heard something said on the other end of the phone, and replied, "That's an order," before hanging up.

Unlike the United States, the Japanese delegation did not choose a small meeting room for closed-door discussions.

They stood in the corridor outside the hall for a while, forming a circle, shoulder to shoulder, heads close together, speaking in extremely low voices, so low that even the staff in the corridor thought they were discussing what to have for lunch.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs is the head of the delegation, and he was the one who stood up to ask the question at the conference.

His hands were still in his pockets, his fingers touching the metal frame of the phone case.

He spoke, and although his voice wasn't loud, the people around him could hear him clearly.

"The Dragon Kingdom probably won't truly cooperate with us. They may not talk about those historical events, but they may not truly let them go. Now that they hold a dominant position, no one can predict how they will treat us in the future."

The Vice Minister of Defense stood to his right, half a head taller than him, and was looking down at his profile.

He said in a low voice, "But Luo Fei is in the Dragon Kingdom. Although his remarks at the meeting today were not very pleasant, he made one very good point—we, the Japanese, have neither resources nor strategic depth, nor bargaining chips. What do we have to negotiate with them?"

The Foreign Minister paused for a few seconds, then flipped his phone over in his pocket, screen facing out.

Through the fabric of his pants, he could vaguely see a light—it was the notification light flashing, but he didn't bother to check it.

"We don't need to negotiate with the Dragon Kingdom; we just need to wait for the aliens to arrive. Where did Luo Fei's abilities come from? They could never have originated on Earth; he must have come into contact with some advanced civilization."

"It was this civilization that provided him with spaceships, technology, and those extraordinary abilities. Why did the aliens choose him? Was he the only one on the entire planet Earth worthy of this choice?"

"Once the Calda civilization's fleet arrives, we will take the initiative to make contact with them. Their purpose in coming to Earth is conquest, isn't it? And conquest requires someone to manage it, someone to guide it, and someone to help them understand everything about Earth. We can absolutely be that kind of person."

The youngest translator in the delegation took a step back, his heel hitting the corridor wall with a soft sound.

His face was a little pale, and his lips twitched slightly, but no sound came out.

He remembered that his parents still lived in the coastal area east of Edo. The tsunami triggered by the last major earthquake destroyed their house, and they were now temporarily living in government-provided resettlement housing. The house had thin walls and was drafty.

He was momentarily at a loss for words.

Another official spoke up, his tone carrying a hint of self-consolation.

As he spoke, his gaze fell upon the window on one side of the corridor, where the leaves of the ginkgo tree outside had quietly turned yellow.

"Our Japan has been plagued by misfortunes lately, with earthquakes, tsunamis, and the eruption of Mount Fuji occurring one after another, making the domestic situation already unstable. Unless we are absolutely certain of victory, it is best to avoid a direct conflict with China."

"As for Luo Fei, for now, we'll follow the United Government's arrangements and outwardly cooperate fully. Once the aliens arrive and we establish contact with the Calda civilization, we'll plan our next move."

The Foreign Minister pulled his hand out of his pocket, but did not take his phone with him; his palm was empty.

A thin layer of sweat seeped from his palms.

After listening to the official's words, he neither nodded nor shook his head, but his eyes gleamed with a light, the kind of light a gambler would have before betting their last chip—not bright, but fiery.

-

Luo Fei stood in his own courtyard in Liuxi Village. Several new roses had bloomed, and bees were still buzzing busily among the flowers.

The Spirit Gathering Grass has also grown taller, and the fine hairs on the surface of its leaves shimmer with a faint silver light in the sunlight.

Chu Yue was practicing her movements alone in the courtyard. When she saw Luo Fei suddenly appear, she paused for a moment, but did not relax and maintained her original posture.

Li Xiulan had just finished preparing lunch when she called out to Luo Weidong. Turning around, she saw Luo Fei standing in the yard, so she quickly invited him and Chu Yue to eat.

Around 2 p.m., Luo Fei was in the yard instructing Chu Yue on her movements.

Xiao Wan's voice came through the phone: "Captain, we have received the list of top scientists from various countries. There are 347 people in total, from 42 countries. The Dragon Kingdom's high-level officials have arranged a special plane, and they are expected to arrive in Kyoto tomorrow to begin their studies on the spaceship."

Luo Fei responded and took out his phone.

The screen displayed a map showing the distribution of rare materials in the solar system, sent by Xiao Wan. The points of light were distributed in different orbital locations, some in the asteroid belt, some around Mars' moons, and others near the moons of Jupiter and Saturn.

He turned around and said to Chu Yue, "I have to go out for a bit."

The words had barely left his mouth when, with a thought, he was already standing in the cockpit of the Eternal Falcon.

He walked to the control panel and said to the air, "Xiao Wan, based on the probe data, plan a collection route. Collect data from within the solar system first. After that, head to outside the solar system."

"Also, contact Director Qin and ask him to arrange several large warehouses for temporary storage of the ore. Send Director Qin the storage conditions for the extracted special substances and rare materials, and ask him to arrange the corresponding warehouses and transportation teams."

Xiao Wan replied, "Received. The message has been sent to Director Qin's mobile phone, and he has replied to confirm receipt and sent the coordinates of the temporary ore storage warehouse. The arrangement of the special warehouse is underway."

Luo Fei had Xiao Wan pilot the spaceship to the airspace above the warehouse. They saw soldiers and military trucks frequently entering and exiting several huge warehouses below, clearly indicating that they were taking off.

He then landed on the open ground outside the warehouse and marked the spot where he was standing.

Upon seeing Luo Fei, the warehouse manager immediately ran forward and saluted. After returning the salute, Luo Fei instructed him to first clear out one warehouse. The manager accepted the order and turned to make the arrangements.

Luo Fei teleported back to the spaceship, and Xiao Wan immediately reported:

"The navigation route has also been planned."

"The first stop is the asteroid belt, with the target being carbonaceous asteroid number 4387. This asteroid is about 20 kilometers in diameter, rich in europium, and is estimated to yield about 20 tons of material. It is recommended to prioritize its collection because its orbit is relatively close."

"Captain, may we depart now?"

Luo Fei only said "Let's go" before the Kyoto sky outside the window vanished instantly.