Chapter 732 Discussion II

Chapter 732 Discussion II

“Then at what point do you suggest we interfere? Do we wait until everything is settled between them and fight, or do we jump in amidst their skirmishes and attack all of them?” Youssef asked, now reconsidering his earlier stance.

"I suggest we act after issuing a formal warning once they make their move," John replied without hesitation. "If they refuse to back down, we deploy one of our WMDs to wipe out a significant portion of their forces. That will send a clear message—we're not bluffing, and they'll take whatever we say next very seriously."

"Why do you think that's the best approach? Wouldn't it make more sense to wait until they've exhausted their forces fighting each other?" Jeremy asked, seeking further clarification.

"Although they have powerful forces, you have to remember they also possess exceptionally strong individuals, something we are still not equipped to match one-on-one, despite having some capable people ourselves. If we wait until they exhaust themselves, sure, we might win the fight, but it could leave them thinking they only lost because they were weakened. They'll believe that with full preparation, they could come back and defeat us—meaning they'd likely attempt another attack down the line.

By striking them when they’re at their strongest, we not only eliminate their fleets but also their most formidable individuals. This sends a clear message that we can take down even their best, whether or not we have a one-on-one match in terms of power. It removes any doubt in their minds that better preparation might have given them a victory.

Additionally, this strategy puts us in a stronger position for negotiations. They won’t know our full capabilities yet, and it’ll make them more inclined to consider us the stronger side. This will help us achieve our goal of forming a mutually beneficial agreement without fully joining them, which would cut off potential cooperation with other civilizations and alliances," John explained, showing that, as usual, he was quietly listening and adapting the strategy to ensure their objectives were met.

"How are we going to make the announcement then? Have we finished deciphering the communication system on the ship?" Jeremy asked, now indicating his agreement with the plan to strike at the first announcement.

Aron raised an eyebrow, intrigued by her question. "What do you mean?"

Rina studied him for a moment before replying, "From what you’ve told me, it sounds like everything’s been settled. Yet, it seems like there's still something weighing on you, something you haven't fully resolved."

Aron sighed, acknowledging her insight. "It's the wormhole technology they’re planning to use to get here. I’m trying to figure out how to acquire it as quickly as possible," he admitted, revealing part of his concern while keeping some details to himself.

The moment Aron learned about the wormhole technology, he immediately rushed to the system shop, hoping to purchase it. However, he was quickly dissuaded when he saw the exorbitant price; he only had about a quarter of what was needed. Faced with this setback, he reconsidered his approach.

While the system did allow him to purchase parts of the technology, he would still need to fill in the gaps himself. Without the necessary knowledge to do so, obtaining the technology and expertise from the other side seemed to be the best option.

Rina nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "And the issue is that they’re unlikely to hand it over willingly, right?"

“Yes, exactly,” Aron confirmed. “Although the information they received from Xalthar is false, we can actually produce mana stones, which are the main fuel for the technology. It’s like giving nuclear technology to a country with abundant resources for it. While we could choose to hide the existence of mana stones, doing so would mean giving up our bargaining chip. We need to use it as leverage to bring them to the negotiating table. Hiding it isn’t an option.

Even if we manage to push them back with our initial attack, there’s no guarantee they’ll agree to a mutually beneficial deal. We could resort to threatening to destroy them all to force an agreement, but that could drive them to fight with everything they’ve got, which is something we want to avoid right now.”