Chapter 98 (1/2)
Joanne couldn’t help but fidget underneath the gazes of the dozen elders gathered in the room. It wasn’t because they were nascent-soul cultivators; she had seen plenty in the army. It was the fact that she was being treated like an animal in a zoo. The gazes of the elders seemed to bore holes through her clothes, revealing what was underneath.
“Is there a way to speak with the leader of your federation?” Ruby asked, her hands folded in front of her on the table. The elders were sitting on chairs in an elevated platform, looking down at Joanne in the center.
“It’s possible,” Joanne said. “I brought a communication device with me, but it’s quite large in size. My crew will have to construct it first; if you wish, I can give the order now. It shouldn’t take more than a day.”
“We can begin the construction later,” Rachel said with a snort. “Continue the interrogation.”
Ruby glanced around. No one else seemed to want to take charge. She leaned forward and squinted at Joanne. “Why are you here?”
Joanne straightened her back, sticking out her chest. “I’m here as a delegation sent by the federation. Ideally, I’d be able to convince you to join the federation. I’m sure you’ve interrogated my crew members and found out basic information about the intergalactic society. Other than my federation, there is also the Summit Empire and the Peacemaker Coalition. Although your civilization’s technological strength isn’t very high, your individual strengths are more than enough to boast about.” She stared at Rachel. “If the sect leader piloted a BAR, you’d be an unstoppable force on the battlefield. With your strength, it’d be possible to tip the scales of the battlefield in our direction.”
Rachel nodded. “What does the federation have to offer us?”
“An introduction to the intergalactic society,” Joanne said. “We’ll give you the required technology and abilities to leave your planet, and we’ll also connect you to the federation’s main hub. Although it doesn’t sound like a lot, please don’t underestimate the value of such benefits. With connection to the main hub, you’ll be able to engage in trade with countless planets. Optimized cultivation techniques, herbs that are difficult to find on this planet, you can obtain just about anything with enough money. In fact, the federation can also give you intergalactic credits to jumpstart your society’s foundations.”
“What about the armor you wore?” Michelle asked. “Can we purchase those from the hub as well?”
“Yes,” Joanne said. “If you join the army, as a nascent-soul cultivator, you’ll be given a battlesuit for free that you may keep upon retiring. Of course, rich individuals can also purchase battlesuits.” She glanced at Grandpa Vremya. “The ones who think they’re capable can also buy the relevant information and skills to create their own battlesuits.”
Rachel tapped on the table in front of her. As the strongest sect in the world, it was natural for them to be the leaders. If they joined the federation, wouldn’t they be giving up their spot at the top of the hierarchy. “I assume there’s a leader,” Rachel said. “I assume he’ll also be above us.”
Although it was said as a statement, Joanne knew it was more of a question. “We’re a democracy. That means as long as the majority of the people vote for you, you can be the leader too. For now, the president can order anyone around, including your civilization if you choose to join the federation. Of course, that also means a future leader of the federation can come from your planet. Although what I’ve said is a bit simplified, it’s the truth.”
Rachel’s lips extended into a frown. Wouldn’t that mean she’d have to take part in politics? The best kind of politics was the one where everyone listened to her unconditionally, and those who didn’t were crushed underneath her feet. However, it would be a lot more difficult for her to ascend to the peak of political power in the intergalactic society using the same methods she used here. If a sect didn’t listen, all she had to do was fly over and obliterate them. It was easy to obliterate a sect, but if she had to do the same for a planet? Much harder. According to the intel received from interrogating Joanne’s crew, the world they were on was a relatively small one compared to some of the others in the federation. There was a countless number of planets out there too. How long would it take to individually crush all of them. By the time she was done thrashing the last few planets, the first planets would’ve already changed out their generation and forgotten about their defeat. It sounded like a hassle, one she didn’t want to deal with. Her eyes shifted onto Grandpa Vremya. “Elder Vremya.”