After Bai Yanbing stormed out, a hint of worry appeared on Chu Yunjian's face. She turned to Feng Mo and asked, "Do you think we pushed him too far? What if he decides to fight to the bitter end?"
Feng Mo chuckled and shook his head. "That old man was just looking for an excuse to retreat. If he had stayed and continued negotiating, he might have lost his fleet. Trust me, in less than half an hour, the Qiao Family will reach out to negotiate the compensation."
And, as Feng Mo predicted, Bai Yanbing had found himself in an impossible situation. Before Feng Mo and Chu Yunjian, he was a fish on the chopping block, with no room to negotiate. His only choice was to avoid an all-out war that could cost his family everything, including his life. The Bai Family didn't have the strength to guarantee they could defeat Feng Mo, and it simply wasn't worth the risk.
Sure enough, about half an hour later, as Chu Yunjian was starting to grow impatient, there was another knock at the door.
Through the holographic screen, they saw an elderly man with white hair, wearing a moon-white robe embroidered with a gold Qiao Family emblem over his chest.
Chu Yunjian shot Feng Mo a look that said, You were right, before putting on a professional smile and opening the door.
"Ah, Elder Qiao! Welcome, we've been expecting you," Chu Yunjian greeted respectfully.
This time, even Chu Yunjian adopted a serious demeanor. Feng Mo also stood to greet their guest.
"Elder Qiao, it's a pleasure. I'm Feng Mo," he said, shaking the old man's hand. Though Elder Qiao's youthful appearance clashed with his silver hair, he had an aura of authority and offered a genial smile.
"Earl Feng Mo, Miss Chu, I'm here on behalf of the Qiao Family. Some of our associates have served us for over a century, and while they may not be without fault, they've worked hard for us. On behalf of the Qiao Family, I kindly ask you to show mercy to the Bai Family. I can assure you, there won't be a repeat of this situation," Elder Qiao said politely, though his words carried an undertone of non-negotiable authority.
Despite the warm words, Feng Mo detected the subtle pressure and decided to get straight to the point.
"Elder Qiao, I'm willing to give face to the Qiao Family, but the Bai Family must still provide compensation. Thanks to Fengyun Starship Trading Company, I don't need star credits. What I want are large quantities of dark energy crystals or raw dark matter. What do you think?" Feng Mo countered.
This demand carried far more weight than the three hundred million star credits he'd initially asked for. As mentioned before, what truly defined a noble house of the highest caliber was the possession of quasi-T5 starships, built with dark energy crystals for engines and raw dark matter for hulls. Feng Mo's demand made it clear he was gearing up to construct such a vessel, a daunting prospect for any adversary.
Elder Qiao's expression grew serious. His slightly hunched posture straightened, and he exuded an even greater sense of authority. "And just how much do you need, Earl Feng Mo?" he asked, each word deliberate.
Though both Feng Mo and Chu Yunjian felt the pressure, they remained composed. Feng Mo had survived countless bloody battles, and Chu Yunjian was a high-ranking member of the illustrious Chu Family. They were not easily intimidated.
"Not much," Feng Mo replied nonchalantly. "Just enough to build one T4 starship—dark energy crystals and raw dark matter."
Elder Qiao couldn't help but laugh at Feng Mo's audacity. "The Qiao Family doesn't have such a large stockpile readily available. Could we perhaps offer something else in exchange?"
"Elder Qiao, a family as vast as the Qiao Family surely has the resources. Besides, I'm not asking for much. If necessary, you can exchange materials with the military. Compared to the value of three hundred million star credits, these resources are hardly unreasonable, right?" Feng Mo cleverly twisted the narrative.
While the actual value of building materials for a T4 starship might not be equivalent to three hundred million star credits, these materials were incredibly rare and hard to come by. Even with immense wealth, it could take centuries to amass the amount needed, making them far more valuable in practice.
The atmosphere grew tense. Elder Qiao chuckled coldly, "So it's either three hundred million star credits or the materials for a T4 starship, is that it?"
"You've got it, Elder Qiao," Feng Mo said, grinning and patting his knee. He even scratched his head sheepishly, playing the part of a naive youngster.
"Fine, fine, fine! I'll relay your demands to the head of the Qiao Family. With that, I'll take my leave," Elder Qiao said, clearly frustrated. Negotiating with Feng Mo was like talking to a brick wall, and he knew he wouldn't get anywhere today.
"Take care, Elder Qiao. Do let the Bai Family head know that I'm ready whenever they have the funds or materials," Feng Mo replied, causing Elder Qiao's mouth to twitch as he hurriedly left.
The moment the door closed, Chu Yunjian burst into laughter. "You're impossible, Feng Mo! That was too funny."
But Feng Mo didn't laugh. Instead, he furrowed his brows, deep in thought.
Noticing his change in demeanor, Chu Yunjian had a sudden realization. "Feng Mo, if you're really serious about acquiring dark matter and dark energy crystals, I might know a way to get them—but it'll be dangerous. Do you dare try?"
Curious, Feng Mo asked, "What do you have in mind, Miss Chu?"
"Have you heard of black holes, white holes, and wormholes?" Chu Yunjian inquired.
"I know a little. Black holes are formed from the collapse of massive stars and only pull things in. White holes, on the other hand, only expel matter, and wormholes connect different universes or star systems," Feng Mo replied.
Chu Yunjian nodded. "That's correct. Now, what if I told you there are wormholes that connect black holes to white holes? Black holes, with their immense gravitational pull, consume everything, including asteroids and dark matter, compressing it into new forms. The white holes then expel this matter, so around them, you can find dark matter and energy crystals."
Feng Mo's eyes lit up with excitement. "I see! So the black hole absorbs and compresses the material, and the white hole expels it, creating a source of those materials?"
"Exactly! The Chu Family and the Yue Family know of a white hole where these materials are expelled. It's not a big secret; any family that's produced a duke knows about it. Every year, the military and noble families collect a significant amount of material from this white hole."
Chu Yunjian continued, "If you want, I can get you a permit from the Chu and Yue Families. But there are strict Federation regulations around the white hole. Each permit allows you three days to gather materials, and only one transport ship can enter the designated area."
"And there's one more thing: combat between ships is prohibited in the white hole's vicinity. Still, there are dangers. The white hole expels unpredictable matter, and even the Human Federation can't
fully understand or control it. It's the wonder of the universe."
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