Galaxy Domination Guide

The visiting delegation from Earth was also nearing the end of their journey, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ba Qinyuan, timely invited the now 29-member delegation for lunch (Ruyi City time). Regardless of the taste of Iridium Star food, it was still alien cuisine, which intrigued the group of visitors.

However, during the meal, most of them carried heavy hearts with forced smiles, clearly still shaken by the sight of parasitic organisms crawling out of people's heads.

Lunch was served buffet-style, with various dishes floating in mid-air for guests to choose from, and Bionic Human waiters adding beverages for the visitors. Iridians don't drink alcohol at working meals, so no alcoholic beverages were provided. What the delegation found very convenient was that people could easily push around the floating tables and chairs to chat and eat in different places.

After standing up, the floating tables and chairs would retract automatically, preventing any mess.

More than one official from the Iridium Star's Ministry of Foreign Affairs was present at the meal, including Ba Qinyuan and several Iridian diplomats, who were catering to the group and answering all sorts of questions.

Ba Qinyuan didn't feel out of place; he was a seasoned Iridian diplomat, accustomed to interacting with many planets, and a guideline in Iridian diplomacy is to maintain a respectful and dignified attitude, regardless of how much stronger or weaker the other party's country might be.

This conduct not only preserved the diplomats' integrity but also saved the United Empire a lot of trouble in practice.

Academician Ding couldn't help but smile as he watched a few Iridian diplomats surrounded by people. Zhong Zhiyan was also squeezing into a circle, hoping to speak with the Iridians. For any country to establish a friendly relationship with Iridium Star first, even engage in any field of exchange, could bring enormous benefits to their nation's development. Even the U.S.

diplomats, now ostracized for losing a member, were sparing no effort in trying to extract as much information as possible from the Iridians.

For Academician Ding, his mission was complete. He had come to witness the remarkable technology of the Iridian people, and he had seen everything he was meant to see. As for diplomatic matters, there were professionals to handle them.

Academician Ding, feeling his age, had drunk some beverages and wanted to use the restroom. He stood up and asked a Bionic Human server beside him, "Excuse me, where is the restroom?"

Academician Ding hadn't noticed any difference between these Bionic Humans and regular people, and even many Iridians themselves couldn't distinguish them just by looks. To facilitate identification, Bionic Humans were manufactured with a ring of metallic color on the upper edge of their left ear—ordinary civilian models also had their power-off buttons located here.

The server bowed slightly and said, "Sir, allow me to lead you there."n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

"Thank you."

Similarly, visitors from Earth found Iridium Star's restrooms a novelty, akin to Lady Liu touring the Grand View Garden, with intimate worry-relief features that turned an ordinary activity into something more sophisticated.

After resolving his needs, the server led Academician Ding away. However, after a few steps, Academician Ding frowned and said, "This isn't the way back to the dining hall, is it?"

The server did not look back but simply said, "Academician Ding, please continue with me."

Though puzzled, Academician Ding wasn't overly concerned given that he was on Iridian turf, and he doubted the Iridians would harm a man in his seventies.

Academician Ding was brought to an unremarkable office-like room. The server bowed and invited him in. Full of confusion, yet still striding with purpose, he entered the room to see a young man gazing out the window.

Despite his age, Academician Ding's eyesight was still keen, and he recognized the man at once; he was the Iridium Star Chancellor who had recently caused a stir on Earth—a man alleged to have lived five thousand years before reincarnating in Earth's Country C, Bai Zhongqi.

When Bai Zhongqi saw Academician Ding enter, he smiled faintly and gestured for him to sit down, saying, "Please take a seat, Academician Ding."

Academician Ding was somewhat stunned, but he realized that Bai Zhongqi must have personally summoned him for an important matter. His exclusive invitation, without representatives from other countries, clearly showed that the Chancellor treated Country C with a preferential distinction.

"Speaking of which, you and I are alumni, Academician Ding."

Academician Ding smiled at the comment. Indeed, he and Bai Zhongqi were alumni. Bai Zhongqi completed his undergraduate studies at a famous domestic university in Country C, the same institution where Academician Ding had studied in his younger years. Although there was a significant gap in their years of attendance, they were truly alumni.

However, Academician Ding did not dare assume a senior's posture in front of Bai Zhongqi, whether because of Bai Zhongqi's claimed five thousand years of life or their respective statuses.

"That's quite a destiny. Not only has our alma mater produced many of the Republic's pillars, but it also brought forth an extraterrestrial emperor—quite an occasion for celebration," Academician Ding joked. Your journey continues with empire

They exchanged smiles, and the atmosphere grew warmer.

Bai Zhongqi didn't continue with small talk but went straight to the point: "I asked you here because there are some matters I would like you to convey to Country C. Though I am an Iridian, having lived in Country C for many years, I still feel an affinity for its people.

The United Empire is predominantly interested in exploring the universe and advancing civilization, and I believe we can find common ground with Country C in this regard."

Academician Ding was overjoyed—Bai Zhongqi had extended an olive branch, exactly what Country C had hoped for. Every Earth nation was eager to gain advantages from Iridium Star, even a casual cast-off from the Iridians could be groundbreaking black technology for Earth.

Moreover, Bai Zhongqi had just indicated that Iridium Star was willing to involve Country C in their interstellar explorations, which meant it was not just about obtaining some technology from Iridium Star. If they could encounter new habitable planets during the exploration with Iridium Star, it could vastly expand the living space for Country C's population.

The 1.3 billion people wouldn't be confined to their seemingly vast but increasingly insufficient homeland; they would venture into deep space and build a new home.

Yet, Academician Ding was no fool. There is no such thing as free lunch in the world, and even if Bai Zhongqi claimed an emotional connection to Country C, freely granting Country C an incredible advantage like the "Golden Finger" seemed too good to be true.

Therefore, he asked, "Country C is indeed eager to collaborate with the United Empire of Iridium Star on many matters, but it appears Iridium Star isn't necessarily in need of letting Country C ride this gravy train. What does the Empire hope to gain from such a partnership?"