I, on the Starry Sky Railway, change everything

“You’ve given me a great idea, and the timing is perfect; the new Amber Age has just begun.”

"My goal is not to directly negate the company's investment from back then, but simply to hope that Belloberg can maintain his autonomy. If Ariello-VI can receive logistical benefits or online shopping subsidies after returning to the Pan-Galaxy Trading System, that would be a pleasant surprise."

"More than that, right? Once the company uses Bellberg as propaganda material for [Storage], it can't let the antimatter legion cause trouble here anymore, otherwise it would be a slap in the face. At the very least, it should provide humanitarian aid and help them evacuate if necessary."

Toppa leaned back in his chair, his mind clear.

"The media's loudspeaker offensive is likely to backfire and may cause the planet to be targeted by the Legion again. It's better to let Belloberg do it himself—display materials in the history and culture museum to show that the automatons are based on the company's mechs and that the builders once received a large amount of credits from the company."

"can."

These are facts, and Hua Yi agreed readily.

"The underlying code for the Automaton is the same one the company used 700 years ago. We hope Miss Topa can offer suggestions for improvement to prevent anyone in the company from taking control of the Automaton with just the source code."

"no problem."

The negotiations have yielded results.

Hua Yi will repay all debts, including principal and interest, but will not waive the penalty for breach of contract, which would be detrimental to future cooperation between the two parties.

As for what kind of online shopping discounts the company will offer, and the marketing expenses for storage, we need to wait for Toppa to contact his superiors in the investment department.

However, as a P45 level executive, she has the authority to make temporary decisions.

"The company won't be stingy with publicity and logistics. As for the debt from seven hundred years ago, how about we completely forgive it? Mr. Hua Yi, as long as you..."

"Don't even mention joining the company. I can pay my bills; there's no reason for me to sell myself."

"How can this be considered selling yourself? The work at the company is very... uh, very fulfilling! The salary is generous and the benefits are excellent!"

"You were just about to say 'relaxed and free,' right? You realized it was unrealistic halfway through and changed your mind."

Upon hearing this, Topa stuck out his tongue.

Even this workaholic had to admit that Interstellar Peace Corporation had two things it didn't lack.

One is credit points, because they are actually just a string of virtual numbers, and the company's wealth is almost unlimited before it loses credibility.

The other one is work.

Investing, debt collection, actuarial work, reporting... the company's affairs are never-ending.

"wait for me a while."

Toppa stood up, went to a cubicle next to the conference room, took out his personal terminal, and made an interstellar call to his respected senior and superior.

Hearing the call connect tone, the director perked up.

"Lady Emerald..."

In five minutes, Toppa gave a clear overview of the situation with Yalilo-VI, including the solutions provided by Hua Yi.

When she came out of the cubicle and sat down again on one side of the conference table, her expression was visibly relaxed, but also carried a hint of embarrassment.

Hua Yi asked curiously.

"You didn't get scolded by your superiors, did you?"

The three steps of negotiation are: first, listen; second, probe; and finally, reveal your true intentions.

This is what I taught you, but in the case of Ariello, you never seemed to show your true colors.

Well done. Hua Yi already has the Black Tower's attention and is an unknown passenger on the Starry Sky Train, so he's worth befriending. Besides, he has the ability and intelligence. Remember to send me the original recording, and I'll give you a detailed report later.

—At this point, it's best not to quote Lady Jade's original words.

Toppa coughed lightly.

"The department has decided to classify the investment in Yalilo seven hundred years ago as a grant, and there will be no debt issues in the future. The credit record will also be deleted."

"Are you planning to force me into joining the Interstellar Peace Corporation by making things unavoidable?"

"Consider this an expression of gratitude from the investment department for your contributions to the long-term care industry. If you encounter similar problems in the future, as long as Mr. Hua Yi can maintain the same mindset, the company will continue to provide support. Of course, joining us is not just about support; the company will be your strong backing."

"Definitely next time."

It doesn’t matter, there’s a long way to go.

If dealing with Hua Yi is this comfortable even for business purposes, then we should communicate more privately in the future, tell him about the company's various benefits, and one day I'll successfully poach him.

Topa smiled broadly.

"In addition, we hope that Cripperburg will register a corporate account on the Interstellar Peace Network as soon as possible. The company will provide funds to expand your museum, and all future interstellar trade will be conducted through the corporate account."

"It's up to you, Bronya."

"Ok!"

"Miss Bronya is a remarkable young lady; her personality is much more mature than her age."

“…Miss Topa, I must be about your age, right?”

Chapter 267 Profit is not the reason for action

"No, no, no, the situation is completely different and cannot be directly compared."

Both Bronya and Topa lived on planets that had experienced crises, and both possessed extraordinary intelligence at a young age. Are they really completely different?

Hua Yi felt that they should have a lot in common.

The two are now staring at each other. Topa is smiling, but he's treating her like a little girl. Bronya wants to argue, but since this company executive just decided to forgive Arilo-VI's debt, she can only protest with her eyes.

They weren't at the point of direct confrontation; they were simply showing different personalities.

It's a feast for the eyes.

It's quite interesting to watch the two girls secretly competing when you have free time.

It's possible that it will develop into a situation where whoever blinks first loses, and Bronya will most likely be the one to lose. In that case, the once majestic High Guardian will have to show a dejected expression again.

Oh no, I'm getting really tempted.

Compared to Belloberg's [deposit protection] which impressed the company, it is now Hua Yi who has persuaded the strategic investment department to change its decision, even at the cost of giving up the credit points invested in the past in order to maintain good relations.

Bronya's sense of guilt intensified, and it could easily escalate into "Please bully me as much as you want," allowing the great hero to do whatever he pleased.

When we first met, she was the commander of the Silvermane Iron Guard, dashing and reliable, possessing the qualities of a leader. Now, as the Great Guardian, her status has risen further, and she exudes even more authority when giving speeches. Yet, in private, she has become increasingly submissive and obedient.

So excited.

What's going on?

I did know from the beginning how to make Bronya develop the greatest degree of dependence, causing her worship of Cocolia to completely collapse, making her pitiful, weak, and helpless, shedding many tears, and seeing herself as the only beacon in her life, but I didn't do that.

Because I didn't want to hurt the girls, and I didn't want them to lose their precious pearls.

Hua Yi has never pursued the maximization of material interests; he only hopes to transform the people and things around him into the beautiful forms he desires.

In Toppa's eyes, his incisive and perfectly aligned pros and cons analysis, which perfectly matched the company's values, seemed extremely rational. However, Hua Yi was often a sentimental person.

Like now.

Bronya didn't shed any tears, but why did she still seem a bit pitiful and weak?

If this continues, I won't be able to control myself and will tease you in front of Toppa, making you show even more adorable expressions.

No, we must uphold the image of the Great Guardian!

Hua Yi coughed lightly.

"It seems the negotiations have yielded a mutually agreeable result."

"I will compile a star map of the area near Yalilo, filter out resource production areas or logistics transit stations, and recommend suitable sellers. This will save us more effort than buying from the Black Tower Space Station and then transporting the goods here."

"We said before that Miss Topa could take a vacation, but it seems like she has even more to do now?"

"Resolving bad debts in two days is an incredibly efficient way of doing things. And it wasn't based on emotion to forgive the debt; it was a decision made after discussions with senior management, the kind that can be included in performance metrics."

Topa thought for a moment.

"Without your solution, I probably would have been persuaded by Bronya and empathized with her. Ariello and my homeland are somewhat similar; both experienced crises. However, the crisis facing the Legion and the Star Core clearly far outweighed environmental issues. As a result, the people of my homeland gave up on saving themselves long ago, while you, with only one city left, are still persevering... phew..."

"That planet has something to be proud of—that girl is as outstanding as Toppa. Why are you sighing?"

“No Great Guardian appeared in my hometown, and I myself was unable to stand up and turn the tide in times of crisis like a Great Guardian. I was still young at the time—but working in a company wasn’t so bad.”

Is it time to emphasize company benefits again?

Hua Yi was both amused and exasperated.

For the sake of Topaz's gracious forgiveness of the debt, allowing the string of numbers in his account that are often useless to continue growing, be a dutiful listener.

"Yes, I'm ready to hear about the company's compensation package."

“You’re clearly not the type to work for money, and neither am I! Money is a means, not an end. Work makes people happy, and I think that’s the most basic principle.”

"It has a very capitalist feel to it."

"what?"

"Considering that Miss Topa works hard on her own, unlike those bosses who only know how to order people around, this must be from the bottom of her heart, a typical workaholic's statement. If I also started a company, I would definitely try my best to poach you."

After pretending to ponder for a moment, Hua Yi adopted a sinister posture.

"If I had known, I should have played the emotional card, used your sympathy to find a way to get rid of the debt, and even asked for more benefits. Then, when the company held me accountable and canceled my year-end bonus or demoted me, I could have extended an olive branch and asked if it was possible for you to join my side?"

"There's actually such a way of thinking?!"

Toppa's eyes widened.

"You're a bit mischievous."

"Just a little bit? I feel encouraged."

"Being able to use people's hearts as pawns to gain greater benefits for yourself shows your intelligence and ability. You are capable of doing it and have thought of it, but you have no intention of taking any action. Aren't you even better and more capable than an honest and law-abiding good person? I'm just saying this casually now, of course it's just a little bit of malice."

The girl before them was one of the ten members of Stone Heart, and she possessed a cornerstone called [Demand for Yellow Jade].

The items that can borrow the power of preservation are actually very suitable samples for Hua Yi to study in detail. Anyone who can hold such a foundation for a long time will definitely be able to deepen their understanding of the destiny of preservation from another perspective.

If Hua Yixue studies the collection of Huang Yu as a branch of the [Preservation] category, he can use his ability to manipulate imaginary numbers to simulate and reproduce it once he has mastered it.

What creates ripples on my journey of preservation is not my imaginary oars, but the foundation.

What a great direction for development! Following the Star Shattering King Insect's pseudo-body, this is another method that can be explored, analyzed, and glimpsed to acquire knowledge and strengthen oneself.

Just as Hua Yi did not ignore people's feelings and recklessly pursue maximum profit when dealing with Belloberg and Bronya, he did not covet what Toppa had brought him.

"So, Miss Topa can now relax and enjoy her free time?"

"That's right~".

Chapter 268 Hua Yi's Background: What Has Been Shown Is Only the Tip of the Iceberg

As Topa and Estella had previously discussed, if they could manage to combine their holidays, they would take a ship to explore the vast starry sky and chat about company gossip.

Now it all falls into place; both business trips are to Arillow, with important travel goals and a relatively relaxed schedule.

To make additional investments in Bellberg, to serve as promotional material for [preservation] when necessary, to convey goodwill to Huayi on behalf of the Strategic Investment Department, and to deal with Star Train and Black Tower Space Station.

Even if Toppa had already reported Hua Yi's proposal to her superiors and the debt had been settled through departmental decision-making, even if she hadn't done a good job in this area, the company would still increase Toppa's overseas assignment time to sort out the situation once they learned that Bellberg had gathered various forces.

Regardless of how Aesta spent her vacation these past two days, Toppa felt he should learn more about Hua Yi.

So, King Belloborg's secretary today is Bronya, plus an extra guy who's just joining in the fun.

It's alright, anyway, the work at Cripperburg isn't anything that needs to be kept secret. Let Toppa turn on automatic follow and observation, and he can even offer suggestions based on the company's thinking if problems arise.

"The design drawings for the improved Earth Core heater for the space station have arrived? Great, let's try producing a batch, verify the effect, and then prepare for promotion. The design fee will be paid as usual."

"The underlying code of the Automaton is the same one that the company used 397 years ago. It's time for an iteration. Here is the source code. Give it to Shiluwa."

"The transport ships have completed unloading and will be put into the market and support the construction of the lower districts according to the established plan. A portion will be reserved in the Kripper warehouse as a strategic reserve."

"Interstellar Peace Corporation has decided to invest in a history and culture museum. Let me think about it—"

Belloberg's workload increased, but it didn't faze Hua Yi.