Collapse Iron Live Broadcast Connects All Worlds, Scares Away Wuzhan at the Beginning

"Haha, the reason is simple. Signing this contract means we won't have to worry about 'staying alive' anymore. For most residents here—especially those in the lower-class areas—this alone is enough to convince them."

"As for working for a company—well, everyone has to work, no matter where they work. If anyone from the company dares to bully us, it won't be too late to rise up and resist then!"

-

Attack on Titan.

"Resist?"

Alan couldn't help but snort coldly, "Will you really be able to resist then? If you become an employee of the company, you'll put your fate in the hands of others and give up your freedom. They may give you a bite of bread today, but they might threaten you with starvation tomorrow."

"Eren, not everyone can fight like us." Armin shook his head. "Most of the Belobergs are ordinary people. Even if they wanted to resist, they would be no match for the company. Don't you see? All Toppa needs to do is move her fingers... and the mechas beside Jeppard will work for her."

"The so-called choice is just to give Bronya dignity... She didn't have a choice from the beginning. And, with Topa's experience, I believe the company will abide by the agreement-"

Eren looked at him sharply. "Agreement? Armin, even if what Toppa said is true, we can't trust those guys at the company to actually abide by it. In the face of an absolute disparity in strength, there's no such thing as fairness. The company will only abide by an agreement when it's necessary."

"Did you see those company employees? They're rampaging through the mining area, relying on their advanced equipment. Their arrogant and domineering attitude... If Xing and Sanyue hadn't intervened, who would have dared to reason with them, under the mechas and missiles?"

The atmosphere suddenly became tense. Armin was silent for a moment, and finally sighed: "...Maybe you are right, Eren. But if it were me, I would still choose to sign the contract. Not everyone can give up everything for freedom like you."

"Like Hook, Clara, and the others... I still hope that one day they can see the lush green spring after the cold wave fades away."

Chapter 225 Future Market (VIII)

"Xing and Sanyue arrived at the Silvermane Guard's camp and found Dunn. After explaining the whole story, Dunn's attitude was completely different from the previous two."

"He's a soldier, and he knows he must face the company and never compromise. The only way out is fighting. The company's employees are so arrogant in Beloberg, who can guarantee they won't break the contract?"

"When faced with coercion, the only option is to keep fighting and resisting. If you give in, you'll just be put on the table and eaten."

"After learning of Dunn's intentions, Xing rushed to the lower city without stopping. As the leader of the Underworld, Natasha, like Dunn, voted against it. The reason was simple: she remembered a quote she'd read in school: 'Those who are willing to give up freedom for security will ultimately find nothing.'"

"Everything I've experienced in the Lower District has given me a profound understanding of this statement. For me... I'd rather carry a huge rock and trek through the snow than be locked up in a beautiful cage and live a fake life."

"After understanding Natasha's thoughts, Xing found Oleg again. He and Natasha were both from the Earth Fire, but his answer was yes."

“If a company could be so powerful as to return the world to how it was a thousand years ago overnight—in my opinion, there’s really no reason to hesitate.”

"Let's think about the flip side. What happens if we refuse? The reconstruction plan already seems to have no end in sight, and now we have to pay off a huge debt out of nowhere. Can we really handle it on our own?"

"If there's one person he's worried about, it's Bronya herself. Can she withstand the criticism from the people? Is she ready to bear the infamy that could last for a thousand years?"

-

Marvel Universe.

"Criticism?"

Tony smiled softly, then stood up and poured himself a glass of whiskey, the amber liquid swirling in the glass.

"Perhaps there will be some criticism at first, but once they taste the high-end food from another world and realize they no longer have to worry about making a living or spending money, all the criticism will disappear."

"If I were Bronya's advisor, this contract would be fantastic—much more generous than the one I signed to sell missiles in the Middle East. It would forgive the current debt, provide food and clothing for the people, and revitalize planetary construction. Those city builders who are worried about infrastructure would probably love this contract."

Strange's brows knitted together. "That might not be the case. This kind of contract is like a deal with Dormammu—it starts with sweet promises, but ends with eternal slavery."

"You compared the company to Dormammu? Those executives who believe in Creeper would probably cry if they heard that."

Tony put down his drink and drummed his fingers on the metal armrest of his chair. "You know what? When I shut down the weapons division of Stark Industries, they all said I was crazy, but some kid in a village in the Middle East lived because they had one less missile."

He paused. "The question for Beloberg has never been 'should I sign a contract with the company?' It's whether the cost of signing is worth it... If it's worth it, then sign it. If not, then fight for more rights from Topa."

"Freedom shouldn't be weighed on a scale, Tony." Strange shook his head. "Every soul has the right to determine its own destiny."

"Hey, Strange... don't use those high-society or Wall Street rhetoric. You can use it to fool politicians, but I'm tired of hearing it. Before you say that, you have to understand the living conditions and environment of the residents of Beloberg. After all, hungry people don't have time to listen to philosophy."

"The cold snap in Belloberg is receding, but full recovery will take hundreds of years. Talking about 'freedom of choice' when you're still burdened by a massive debt is like telling a drowning person 'you have the right to refuse a lifebuoy.'"

Tony suddenly raised his voice, "Sometimes the reality is there are no perfect options, only less bad options!"

-

"Xing asked Clara about her wishes. Clara didn't insist, but simply hoped to be able to decide her own future path."

"After all, once you sign the contract, you've essentially bought out the dreams of Hook, the Mole Gang, and the others. The direction of their lives is set."

"The votes are tied at 3-3. This makes March 7th very difficult... After all, everyone seems to have a point."

"Finally, they found Xier. Just by looking at the solemn expressions on their faces as they arrived, Xier had a premonition that something was wrong, but she had already prepared herself mentally."

"After being told the whole story, Xier was silent for a long time. Finally, she made her choice - to abstain from voting."

"Eh?!" Sanyueqi opened his eyes wide in surprise.

"I've thought it through—the choice is Bronya's, not mine." Seele's tone was filled with trust. "Agree or refuse, no matter which one she's leaning towards right now... she definitely has a longer-term perspective than I do, and she's definitely considering more and more completely."

"She doesn't want her own ideas to sway the outcome of the tie and influence her judgment. She doesn't want to do that. No matter which path Bronya chooses, she will follow...but the only thing she can't do is make the decision for her."

"On March 7th, I suddenly realized that the current vote count shows that people haven't reached a unified position. This is when leaders need to step up."

-

Teyvat.

Inside the Holy Flame Arena.

"Doesn't this all come back to Bronya?" Chaska spread his hands, a look of helplessness on his face. "In the end, this little girl still has to make the decision."

"I understand her very well. This kind of choice is really not easy to make. Even if I were in her position, I wouldn't necessarily be able to do better than her."

Mavica took a sip of beer from her glass. "I can tell that Bronya is still a little scared... After all, she's still young, and this is her first time making a decision that will affect the fate of the entire Beloberg people."

"So what would you choose?"

"Me?" Mavica was stunned. "I'm the leader of Nata, not Beloberg. Shouldn't I let that girl deal with Beloberg's problems herself? I can't put myself in her shoes, so I can't make a reasonable judgment."

"But if the Interstellar Peace Company ever comes to Nata...if I, Mavica, dare agree to a contract that's tantamount to selling my body, I'm afraid the leaders of the major tribes won't agree."

"Nata has been fighting the Abyss for thousands of years. Now that the threat of the Abyss has disappeared, I'm afraid they wouldn't mind changing their target to the company and continuing the fight for another thousand years."

-

"When the two returned to Krippenburg, the Grand Guardian's office was as noisy as a market, with those who supported and opposed each arguing fiercely. As the voices from both sides grew louder and louder, Bronya became increasingly upset and slammed the table."

"Enough, stop!" Bronya, having just experienced a struggle between her conscience and her own desires, took a deep breath and moved her trembling fingers to the option of agreement. "...I know what to do."

"But just as she was about to press the button, a familiar and bright voice suddenly rang out from the hall."

““——Please wait a moment!””

"In the distance, Himeko was walking towards Bronya calmly. She raised her head slightly and looked firmly at the girl on the stage."

"I have something to tell the Great Guardian."

Chapter 226 Future Market (IX)

"Himeko! It's actually Himeko! It should be the real person, right? Not a hologram or something..." Seeing Himeko, Sanyue Qi was overjoyed and immediately came over."

Ji Zi smiled faintly: "Don't worry, Sanyue, it's me, no problem."

"After meeting Bronya, Himeko also told her the true purpose of her visit. She wanted to tell Bronya the whole situation so that she could make a decision."

"I happen to know a friend who knows something about Topa's background. Indeed, because of what happened to her hometown, she believes that being acquired by a corporation is probably the only way for the Beloberg civilization to survive."

“But I’m afraid there’s one thing she deliberately left out: not every world that accepted the company’s terms was saved.”

““You mean…”

"Rebuilding a planet's ecology... a project of this magnitude inevitably carries risks." Ji Zi paused, then continued, "I got some data from a friend. The number of planets truly revitalized by our company's technology accounts for 63% of the total number of projects."

"Of course, these statistics are averages. The overall success rate of projects Topa personally oversees is over 80%. Her professional skills are undoubtedly top-notch."

-

Konosuba: God's blessing on this wonderful world.

"Fraud! This is absolutely a fraud!"

Aqua slammed the table and stood up, her aquamarine eyes burning with rage. "That woman named Topa actually dared to use such despicable means to deceive Bronya! How is she any different from those cultists who trick people into buying fake holy water?!"

Kazuma rubbed his ears, which were numbed by Aqua's noise, and said with a pout, "Hey, can you lower your voice a little? Everyone in the bar is looking at us."

He looked at Bronya's shocked expression on the screen and scratched his head. "Honestly, for a project this big, a 6-8% success rate is pretty good, I think. If Toppa told me the transformation was 100% successful, I'd think there was something fishy going on."

“Kazuma! Why are you speaking for a bad woman?” Aqua came up to Kazuma and made a big “X” with her hands on her chest. “You’ll be deceived by a bad woman if you do this!”

"It's obvious that you are the one who is more easily deceived, right?! Stupid goddess!" Kazuma said angrily.

"But if the success rate isn't 100%, but 80%, then there's a certain element of gambling involved." Yunyun looked at Bronya with concern. "Gambling the future of the entire nation on an 80% chance of success... I'm afraid it's not worth it."

At this moment, Yunyun, who had been silent on the side, suddenly spoke up, "Also, I think Topa is hiding something... that is the standard for 'successful reconstruction'. To what extent can the Yalilo-VI be rebuilt to be considered a 'successful reconstruction' as the company calls it?"

"Does it mean simply stopping the raging snowstorms, or restoring the situation to what it was a thousand years ago? Or... does it mean helping Beloberg become a fully competitive interstellar civilization, bringing prosperity to everyone, from top to bottom?"

"If the only criterion for successful reconstruction is improving the planet's environment, then I think Bronya needs to reconsider this."

-

“These are the numbers, these probabilities I want to convey. I think it’s only fair to you if all the information is open and transparent.”

"After fully conveying the information you wish to convey, the final choice is still in Bronya's hands."

"I see... Thank you, Ms. Himeko. Your information has allowed me to see the true nature of this matter." Bronya looked down at the contract sent by Toppa. "No matter how beautiful the other party's promises are, this contract represents a gamble. As a leader, I absolutely cannot sign a contract on behalf of all citizens just because I believe in the stars."

"Bronya looked up and around, seeing the determined eyes of these city builder ministers, young and old, she finally determined the answer in her heart."

"Himeko stopped pretending and nodded at her. "Since you've made up your mind, I won't pretend to be neutral anymore. I think your choice is the right one, Bronya."

"After deciding on her plan, Bronya decided to spend some time mobilizing all the residents of the city and then meet with Topa again."

"Before that, she hopes that the train crew can help find her and stop the company from seizing Beloberg's assets."

Bronya looked at the train crew with sincerity, a bright smile finally breaking through her long, weary face. "Beloberg will not sell out his future. The only ones we will remember forever are friends like you who have repeatedly offered a helping hand in times of crisis."

"Soon, Jeppard sent a message to the others, saying that Topal possessed some kind of technology for manipulating mechas. She was currently with Swarlow, and her general location was in Rivet Town."

-

Cut the red eyes.

"Phew...Luckily Jizi arrived just in time."

Seeing Bronya change her mind, Maine finally breathed a sigh of relief. Moreover, with Himeko escorting them this time, they felt incredibly safe.

"Even with Jizi's intervention, if Topa insists on completing this project, things will still be difficult."

Nadezhda lit a cigarette and said meaningfully, "The Train Crew isn't just rebelling against Topa, but against an entire galaxy-spanning business group. The Train Crew is certainly renowned throughout the galaxy, but going against a corporation is definitely not a wise move."

"But the Luofu Immortal Boat is behind the train. The company should be wary of this, right?"

Najeta spread her hands and slowly exhaled a puff of smoke. "It's hard to say. Even though the train crew is on good terms with Luofu Xianzhou, it doesn't mean that Luofu has to intervene when Jizi and others are dealing with other planetary affairs. That wouldn't be appropriate."

"Furthermore, the train team is backed by Luofu, not the entire Xianzhou Alliance. Even if Xianzhou is willing to support the train team... I'm afraid the company won't have too many concerns."

"...Eh? Wait! Is this what you're focusing on?" Lubbock on the side suddenly reacted and cast a puzzled look at everyone.

"Oh? Then what are you focusing on?" Nadezhda smiled.

"Of course it's Jeppard! He took out all those mechas with his fists! Is he still human?! If he's from Xianzhou, I wouldn't be surprised at all. But the thing is, aren't the humans in Beloberg similar to us?"

"Don't make trouble, I'm a serious guardian of destiny."

Marin had a mischievous look on her face. "Perhaps from today on, if you begin to believe in the Protector Star God, you'll one day embark on a path of protection. Then, no Imperial Tool User will be able to break through your defenses, and you'll be able to defeat Esdeath without any problem. What do you think? Do you want to give it a try?"

Chapter 227 Future Market (10)

"Meanwhile, Topa and Swarlow are on the other side."

"Topa was taken to an open area. It was a large venue, with only a few lights providing limited visibility."

"I didn't expect it to be here... But I don't see any mechas or weapons. There's solid rock all around. Could it be..."

"That's right. Those weapons are hidden in the towering rock walls." Swarovski confirmed Topa's thoughts.

"No wonder! No wonder we can't find the so-called arsenal anywhere—" Topa suddenly thought of something and looked up. "Wait! You just said that these weapons have been hidden here all along? In other words... the builders of Yalilo-VI didn't use these weapons at all during the battle with the Legion?"

"These robots have never left this place since they were built. When the company evacuated this planet over seven hundred years ago, no one knew how to activate them."

"Based on the blueprints left by the company, the City Builders built the first batch of replica mechas. However, the main force of the resistance army led by Alisa Rand is still flesh and blood humans."

“…Oh, I see. The stories about this world are becoming increasingly fascinating.”