Chapter 751 Signing of the Ceasefire

Chapter 751 Signing of the Ceasefire

"From forcing nation leaders to sign surrender agreements to now signing a ceasefire agreement with aliens on behalf of the empire—who would’ve thought all this would happen in less than a decade?" an alluring woman remarked as she disembarked from her ship. The ship's tractor beam engaged, gently guiding her toward the designated location for the signing.

She was a member of Nyx, one of the few who had been active even before the Unification War, and despite the ceasefire not yet being in effect, she showed no signs of nervousness. In fact, she seemed excited—not at the risk of an accidental firing ending her life, but because of what this ceasefire hinted at. The signing of this agreement suggested the possibility of a larger peace, and an end to the conflict. And what followed would be a battlefield of intelligence gathering, one of a scale previously never imagined. This prospect thrilled her far more than any conventional war ever could.

Although she had always enjoyed her work, it often felt lacking in true challenge. Even before the unification, they held technological supremacy, meaning very few secrets remained hidden from them. The cult, which once posed a threat by not relying on technology, had been a brief anomaly—one quickly dealt with.

But now, for the first time in years, it seemed like there was an actual game to be played. The newly opened frontier presented a real opportunity—an arena where Nyx operatives would truly be needed. The vast expanse of potential allies and enemies, each with their own secrets to uncover, promised the challenge she had longed for. Spying, once routine, would now become an art again.

While her mind worked in the background, focused on the approaching representative, they finally reached the point where the formal exchange was expected. However, just as they neared, she felt an odd sensation—an attempt to breach her mind.

"Let’s not do that and focus on what we're here to do," she said calmly, realizing the Zelvora representative had tried to infiltrate her thoughts. The psychic shield in her headgear had blocked the attempt, causing the Zelvora to experience a slight backlash. Fortunately, it was minor, as his intent hadn’t been malicious—at least, not overtly. He had been trying to create a mental network for easier communication.

“Please forgive me for the misunderstanding," the Zelvora said, his tone carrying remorse, as translated by the device. "I wanted to establish a mental link to make the process smoother, but I forgot to ask for permission. This situation is new for us.”

There were no handshakes, no formal exchanges—only a lingering sense of the violence that had been halted moments ago. Now, there was only the fragile peace brokered by the ceasefire, hanging in the balance of what would come next.

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{Sir, they have sent their proposal,} Nova said, materializing a document that seemed endless—a hundred pages long with thousands of terms embedded within it.

Aron wasted no time, quickly scanning the first few lines. It didn’t take long for him to grasp that this so-called peace proposal was not quite a peace deal. Instead, it was a wager, a challenge that had to be met before any true peace agreement could be finalized.

The proposal was clear-cut: both sides would meet, and they could place anything on the line as a wager—resources, territory, information—so long as the other party accepted it.

Likewise, demands could be made as long as something equally valuable was offered in return. Once both sides agreed on what was to be wagered, they would then negotiate the rules of the engagement—how the stakes would be won or lost.

After finishing the lengthy document, Aron paused for a moment, reflecting on the potential benefits and pitfalls. The concept of negotiating via wagers intrigued him, but it was also fraught with uncertainty and risk. Finally, he broke his silence.

"I will be negotiating with them personally," Aron declared with conviction. "But first, have the others gather once they’ve finished reviewing the proposal. I need to determine if there are specific requests we should make, and the same goes for the AIs." He displayed no signs of hesitation, as the notion of retreating had never even entered his mind.