Chapter 1636 - 526: This Isn’t What We Agreed On? (6k)
Chapter 1636: Chapter 526: This Isn’t What We Agreed On? (6k)
"Haha, a newbie? This must be your first mission.
Newbies are always like this. I was nervous on my first mission too, but you’ll get used to it after a few more times.
No need to worry, it’s just a negotiation. You’ve trained for this many times. Just think of it as dealing with instructors during routine assessments."
Not far from the building where Bai Yi was, an older agent glanced sideways at the young agent next to him and laughed, as if they were just having a casual chat.
Of course, both of them were in disguise, looking like ordinary office workers.
As agents, this basic skill was a given.
Even though this wasn’t a capture mission, they chose not to confront the target directly and instead performed reconnaissance outside, slowly closing in.
"After all, this target is special. I’ve heard that those believers are extremely ferocious, fanatically devoted to their God, and they possess many abnormal Transcendent abilities.
You never know, they might kill us in a bad mood and use us as a sacrifice..."
The young agent didn’t try to deny it. Even he could see his nervousness, so there was no use in denying it.
Openly admitting it, the young agent took deep breaths, using learned techniques to adjust his mindset, and asked curiously:
"And you, senior? Aren’t you nervous?"
"Of course I’m nervous."
"Then how do you adjust... what?"
The young agent abruptly turned his head, surprised to hear his senior’s response.
"Why wouldn’t I be nervous? The minister said this target concerns civilization and might likely be connected to the recent widespread upheaval caused by the Insect Clan.
Such an important mission, how could I not be nervous?
But I manage it better. This is the calmness of an old hand. Just go on a few more missions, and you can achieve the same.
Haha, and just like that, you’re not nervous anymore, right?
Alright, get ready, we’ve arrived."
With this diversion, the young agent indeed found his nerves settling, nodded heavily, and looked up at the building ahead.
He quickly recalled his mission details, and the two of them stepped inside together.
Walking through the building, they found that the place was already empty.
It seemed they had been discovered in advance, and such a clean retreat must have started even before they set out.
Had the interior really been infiltrated so severely...
Even their incoming contact action had been forewarned.
The older agent felt increasingly heavy-hearted, realizing this was a display of dominance by the opposing side.
Standing before the target’s door, he knocked forcefully.
The room was arranged like most company executives’ offices, with two people inside already waiting, one reclining on a chair behind the desk, the other silently standing by the side.
The two agents quickly identified the person standing to the side as their current target.
However, based on the positions of the two, it was clear their target here was merely a subordinate.
The woman sitting behind the desk held the higher status, signaling a shift in the main player they would negotiate with.
"Since the esteemed individual has already cleared out the space, it must mean you’re aware of our purpose and know our identities.
We can skip the preliminary steps.
May I know what your goal is..."
The older agent quietly turned on the micro-communication device on his body, addressing Bai Yi respectfully from across the desk.
Even though directly asking like this was somewhat impolite, there was nothing left for formalities.
Their identities had long been exposed, and the opposing side must already be aware of their intentions. No further explanations were needed.
Moreover, since they had already sent an obvious high-level figure as a negotiator, it was clear they intended to talk. Hence, getting straight to the point and understanding the other party’s objectives was the true courtesy.
However, instead of speaking, Bai Yi let the believer who was originally the mission’s target speak:
"Our demands are simple: we need the ’Roes’ civilization."
Both agents were stunned, taking a few seconds to realize that this meant controlling their entire civilization. The young agent immediately felt a mixture of embarrassment and anger, seeing it as a deliberate provocation.
Who comes right out and demands your entire nation submit to them?
He was about to lose his temper, but the older agent stopped him with a hand.
Compared to the young agent, he remained much calmer and wasn’t easily angered.
He knew that a common tactic in negotiations is to start by making an advantageous yet impossible demand and then negotiate further.
Just like them, the first condition they were prepared to present would obviously be something unattainable.
Focusing intently on Bai Yi, who hadn’t spoken, the older agent found it surprisingly easy to quell the anger rising in himself, calmly asking:
"What do you mean by that? Could you elaborate a bit more?"
"It’s quite literal. We need a civilization to cover for our actions, and the ’Roes’ civilization fits perfectly.
So our civilization hopes to bring the ’Roes’ civilization under control and make it our ally.
We can promise that aside from the need to fully comply with our control, the ’Roes’ civilization can continue to exist and develop, and we will provide some assistance to help in its progression."
Though they didn’t introduce their organization or reveal their identity, the tone of the conversation and the conditions presented conveyed a lot of information.