Poverty makes me capable of anything.

"Uh."

Christopher still doesn't know where Anran's confidence comes from.

Chapter 14 So-called Combined Evolution

A genius's ideas are always so unconventional.

Of course, even fools sometimes think like this.

At least An Ran doesn't seem like a fool, right?

Christopher couldn't figure it out, so he started watching the news.

Seven virtual panels opened in front of him, allowing him to watch news programs from seven different TV stations simultaneously.

After the tree stopped attacking, most news programs focused their attention on the Full Metal Cult.

Who knew that the members of the Full Metal Cult would remain motionless for a full three hours after uttering their life-giving mantra?

If it weren't for the hosts' dedication, using their stand-up comedy to keep the live stream going, the audience would probably have left long ago.

Due to dismal ratings, a certain TV station simply gave up on treatment. The hosts had already left work early, leaving only the tireless detectors to continue filming.

"I reckon this TV station will regret this soon."

Christopher muttered something under his breath.

Thanks to the previously constructed Star Gate, it only takes them two hours to get from their current location to the location of the Full Metal Cult.

Normally, the Mechanicus would have avoided the Full Metal Cult like the plague, but Enron did the opposite.

The Full Metal Cult?

what the hell.

Make the best use of everything.

But how do you use it?

Christopher turned his head, intending to see what Anran was doing.

In the temporary rest area on the right side of the cockpit, An Ran was staring intently at a virtual screen in front of her.

The content on that screen was visible only to An Ran.

But when Christopher pricked up his ears, he could clearly hear Anran muttering to herself the whole time.

"...167 billion, 162 billion, hmm, triple that's 1932 billion, I'm rich!"

"Well, we'll talk about that later. Let's draft a compensation agreement first."

Reparations treaty?

"Unjustified persecution, compensation for emotional distress is required..."

"Several planets belonging to Dawn Camp were damaged, and compensation is required for reconstruction costs..."

"Insulting the Cult of the Machine God requires compensation..."

"Having angered the God of Myriad Machines, you must pay compensation..."

"This will cause traffic congestion, and..."

"This has disrupted the commercial activities of Dawn Camp, causing significant losses, and compensation is required..."

"Disrupted Ella's meal...disrupted my vacation...added to Chris's workload..."

"emmm..."

Christopher finally understood.

At first, he thought An Ran was planning to use money to settle the insatiable All Metal Cult, but now it seems...

Anbapi is the greedier one; the Full Metal Cult is just a nobody!

Christopher couldn't help but recall the conversation he had with Anran about the natives of Outland some time ago.

The core issue is "why go to the trouble of helping indigenous people from other regions develop".

"I'll just say a few words."

Then An Ran talked for half an hour.

Christopher summarized An Ran's words.

One-off deals are unacceptable; we need to find a sustainable way to profit from unsuspecting investors.

The natives don't have much oil on them; assimilating them into interstellar-age inhabitants would be a different story.

Look at this sword. Selling it to those merchants would only get you a maximum of 10, but package it as a sword blessed by a machine spirit, and the price...

The most important thing is to expand the leek fields. Instead of trying to find ways to grow high-yield leeks, we should cultivate more wasteland.

Experience is often gained through summarizing!

Christopher and Tan looked at each other in silence.

Fortunately, Anran was good at disguising herself; otherwise, if the believers had known that the prophet of the Mechanicus was like a "demon," the newly established religion would probably have collapsed on the spot.

We have half an hour to go to our destination.

Tan He suddenly realized that the dense etheric power that had been surrounding him was gradually dissipating, as if it had found a place to pour out and all of it squeezed in there.

Contrary to Tan's expectations, the etheric energy was not safely absorbed; instead, it seeped into the tail of the spaceship.

Those who are still there now—

"Ella?"

Tan He was startled.

Could it be that it wasn't Anran who became stronger, but Ella?

"what happened?"

Christopher asked, puzzled.

Tan He said, "I think I've found a clue."

"Ok?"

What's going on? Why do you mechanics talk like you're solving a riddle?

At this moment, An Ran also stood up: "That's about enough."

This is only the initial fusion of the ancient essence and the power stone.

Even the initial fusion brought about an energy boost that caused Ella's strength to skyrocket.

Once the two are completely merged into one, a true ruler of the star field will descend upon this place!

Anran smiled and said to the somewhat uneasy Christopher, "Chris, our Cult of the Machines is far more mysterious than it appears on the surface."

"what?"

Christopher was a little taken aback by this sudden remark.

More mysterious?

In which aspect?

Christopher asked Tan He, "How much do you know about the Myriad Machines God?"

Tan He looked very hesitant.

The concept of the God of Myriad Machines was proposed by An Ran, and it seems to be a completely fabricated concept. What could he possibly know about it?

But if we return to the God of Aether...

Tan He shook his head and sighed, "I'm not really sure either. I only know that the etheric power controlled by the God of Myriad Machines is like a power born for machines."

“Born for machines?” Christopher blinked. “Isn’t that just like the power of gods in stories?”

"Maybe so."

"..."

cut.

Christopher walked to the glass window on the left side of the cockpit.

He saw the stars receding, he saw the news anchors in the studio getting a little tired of it, and he saw the Full Metal Cult members on screen getting impatient as well.

Just then, a dejected news anchor suddenly jumped up.

He waved his hands vigorously and shouted, "Here we come! Here we come!"

Countless "?" characters slowly floated across the screen.

Cough cough--

The host immediately straightened his collar and put on a professional smile.

"Just now, I received an urgent message from the front: the demonic tree that invaded the Dawn Camp has disappeared. Let's switch the camera now."

The live stream gradually zoomed out, past the Full Metal Cult members, and into the shattered star belt.

Sure enough, the enormous demonic tree had vanished without a trace.

"We're still unsure whether this is a ploy to lure the enemy in, or whether the magic tree has truly left," the host said.

This is also what the members of the Full Metal Cult are worried about.

The Pope said, "Don't move yet, let's wait a bit longer, we're not short of time anyway."

“The Pope is absolutely right,” the Foreign Affairs Bishop immediately offered his opinion.

"..."

You're so quick to speak!

After cursing under their breath, the others also expressed their agreement.

About twenty minutes later, the foreign affairs bishop suddenly burst into laughter.

"What happened?"