Since the delegation returned to the Xianzhou Luofu, time had flown by in the blink of an eye.
Merchant ships traveling between the two worlds departed and landed at the docks day and night without rest.
Because the Starsea Empire did not accept local currencies such as credit points or patrol tokens, all trade was settled in equivalent physical goods.
Including the payment for the Gundams, the Luofu loaded specialties purchased from the Xianzhou and other planets onto cargo ships and sent them toward the Solar System.
After inspection by the Sophon, the goods were repackaged and shipped back to the local territories.
Orders placed by the Whistling Flames Guild within the Starsea Empire were likewise routed through the Solar System before being transported to the Luofu.
Every two or three days, a sizable fleet would descend upon Cloudford, filled to the brim with goods from the Starsea Empire.
There were Gundams ordered by the Cloud Knights, as well as regular merchandise purchased by the guild.
The once-spacious transport harbor was now nearly packed to capacity.
The inventory lists of local Luofu merchant guilds had also gained a considerable number of novel items imported from the Starsea Empire.
Even ordinary citizens living on the Luofu could directly sense the influence of another interstellar civilization when confronted with the strange and exotic products.
At the Starskiff Haven central district, on Xuanye Avenue.
Kiana held an armful of Xianzhou snacks, a candied hawthorn skewer clenched between her teeth, strolling down the street with Bronya and the others.
They had originally been the Starsea Empire's advance team. After the delegation arrived, they temporarily settled on the Xianzhou.
"Does Bronya think we've stayed on the Xianzhou a bit too long? When are we heading to the next destination?" the little girl beside her asked.
"Ah, what's the rush? I think the Xianzhou's pretty nice. Let's stay a while longer~"
The white-haired girl chewed with her mouth full, her words slightly muffled.
"We've only just about finished touring the Luofu. If we have time, why don't we visit the Xianzhou Yaoqing and the Xianzhou Zhuming as well?"
"Besides, I heard the Commander sent over another fleet. We should at least wait for them and say hello~"
Unlike the delegation led by Grey, which had all sorts of responsibilities, the advance team enjoyed relative freedom.
They could wander about or go sightseeing as they pleased.
"What Bronya means is that because Kiana eats too much, and with the lodging expenses at the Exalting Sanctum before, we've already exceeded our budget on the Xianzhou."
"Oh. Then I'll just ask the Commander to increase the budget a bit."
Kiana thought about it.
"..."
The others could not help sighing. There was indeed a reason she had been selected for the advance team.
As they walked and browsed the shops lining both sides of the street, the white-haired girl spotted quite a few familiar items.
"Wait a second. Aren't these all things from back home?"
Since Starsea Empire goods sold best on the Luofu, the shops had put up massive banners for promotion, and many hawkers were calling out along the street.
"Imported miracle medicine from the Starsea Empire! Cures all illnesses!!"
"Huh?"
Kiana glanced over.
A healing potion from the Overlord world. Hmm. Who knew what effect it would have on Xianzhou natives.
"Peerless divine weapons! Sharp enough to cut iron like mud! Even superior to the Ministry of Industry's finest creations!!!"
"Those are Teigu—or knockoffs. Hey, can you tone down the exaggeration in your advertising?"
"Limited-edition Starsea Empire Gundam figures! Strelizia, Strike Freedom, Wusheng Mecha, 1:100 precision replicas!!..."
"Huh???"
"There are even merchandise lines now?!"
Kiana nearly thought she had returned home. The streets were filled with Starsea Empire products, and small vendors constantly tried to draw them in.
As she continued looking, she discovered something even more outrageous.
Inside a Whistling Flames Guild shop, several rows of boxes were neatly stacked—white, blue, purple, gold, and even rainbow-colored ones.
An orange-haired, golden-eyed girl with a side ponytail was peering curiously at the boxes, knocking on one, then another.
She wore a modified red traditional outfit with black stockings. Her appearance was cute and youthful.
Kiana vaguely recognized her—a street performer from the Exalting Sanctum.
"Boss, what are these?" Guinaifen asked.
"These are products imported from the Starsea Empire. They are called Primordial Infinity Boxes."
The shop owner wore a mysterious smile and adopted an unfathomable air as he began boasting.
"Within these boxes are sealed divine weapons of the Starsea Empire. It is said that among them lie rare treasures capable of reshaping heaven and earth, plucking stars and seizing the moon."
"As for what grade of equipment one may obtain, that depends entirely on fate. If luck is poor, you may end up with nothing more than scrap metal."
He spoke eloquently and extravagantly, leaving Guinaifen dizzy.
"Huh?!"
Kiana was full of question marks.
"...What? Primordial Infinity Boxes?! Aren't these just Akashi's boxes? Did she repaint the export versions or not?!"
"Since when did Akashi's boxes contain anything that ridiculous? Aren't you overselling this a bit?!"
"Mm..."
Guinaifen glanced at the price tags. None of the boxes were cheap.
A single gold box likely equaled more than half a year's income for her.
"I just wanted to find some novel props for my performances. I wonder..."
"Rest assured. The Primordial Infinity Box contains everything. It is said that treasures from all realms gather within. I see fate between us, so how about I give you a discount?"
The shop owner thumped his chest confidently.
"If you open a treasure, wouldn't it cover years of your hard work?"
"Uh..."
Guinaifen's curiosity got the better of her. She decided to try her luck and paid for a blue box.
Several shop assistants carried out the half-person-tall box and opened it right there on the street.
Click—
Hum...
With a press of a button, the box automatically compressed and unfolded. A flash of light burst forth.
A blue single-engine straight-wing fighter aircraft appeared on the ground.
It looked like a scaled-down model, its wingspan just over a meter, with weapons mounted beneath its wings.
"???"
"What is this?!"
Guinaifen stared blankly at the propeller plane, finding it strange no matter how she looked at it.
"That's an F6F Hellcat fighter. Uh, probably a weapon from several generations back in the port," Kiana said, stepping forward and taking a sip of her drink.
"Huh? You recognize it? Thanks..."
"Wait, wait—that's just a big toy, isn't it?!"
Something felt off to Guinaifen.
"Nope. It was spatially compressed into the box. It can expand, but since you're not a shipgirl, you can't shrink it back."
The white-haired girl placed a hand on the plane model and injected power into it.
Boom!!—
The fighter instantly expanded to full size, stretching across Xuanye Avenue.
"If you want to fly it, you can climb in and play around. Just don't leave the atmosphere," Bronya reminded her.
"...It can really fly?" Guinaifen asked uncertainly.
"Of course. It's a carrier-based aircraft. It should be able to take off here, right?"
Kiana enthusiastically pulled her up into the cockpit.
Vrrr—
The propeller roared to life.
Xuanye Avenue was broad enough to serve as a runway.
Under the astonished gazes of the Xianzhou citizens, the Hellcat slowly ascended into the sky.
It circled once over the Starskiff Haven, even performing aerial maneuvers, rolling several times before landing again.
The Cloud Knights were baffled, unsure where this strange aircraft had come from.
"???"
Guinaifen stood there, completely dumbfounded.
What the heck?
I paid money and bought a fighter jet?
From the perspective of the Xianzhou, a propeller aircraft like the Hellcat looked like something from ancient times, its design somewhat bizarre.
Wait—fighter jets can be stuffed into boxes too?
Why is the Starsea Empire even selling this kind of thing?!
"Uh, I wouldn't say your luck was bad. I remember there are also torpedoes, fire extinguishers, boilers, and all sorts of random stuff inside. At least a fighter can be played with, right?" Kiana pondered.
"It even has rockets mounted on it. You could hit people with those."
"Um... can I return it?" Guinaifen asked. Surely she couldn't perform acrobatics on a plane.
"Once a box is opened, how could it be returned? If everyone returned boxes just because they didn't get what they wanted, wouldn't that throw everything into chaos?"
The shop owner flatly refused.
"If you'd like to buy two more, I can give you a discount."
"Sigh... I guess I'll find a pawnshop and pawn it off."
The performer girl sighed helplessly.
"Miss, miss, would you like to try a couple of boxes as well?"
The shop owner noticed Kiana and the others, his eyes lighting up as he attempted to solicit more customers.
"These rainbow Primordial Infinity Boxes are guaranteed to contain peerless divine weapons. Two for ten percent off, three for twenty percent off..."
"No thanks. Back at the port, Bronya personally saw Akashi repaint boxes—white into gold, blue into rainbow."
Kiana wore a look that plainly said, Do you think I'm stupid?
The Xianzhou might not know what was inside, but they certainly did.
Just as they were going back and forth—
Suddenly, a strange woman's voice sounded beside them.
"All goods from the Starsea Empire, including these boxes, will be purchased by the IPC at one and a half times the price."
She casually bought out all the merchandise, her gaze settling on Kiana and her group.
"You are... guests of the Starsea Empire?"
"I would like to speak with you. May I?"
"Oh?"
Kiana and Himeko's squad looked at the newcomer with curiosity.
At the front stood a tall woman with purple hair and blue eyes.
She wore a short formal dress stitched together in white, blue, and black, high heels clicking softly against the floor, and a lady's hat adorned with a decorative bow.
Her appearance was alluring yet mature. The pendant at her neck and the bracelets on her wrist looked exceedingly valuable, giving her the air of an elegant older sister.
"Guests from afar, it is a pleasure to meet you. My name is Jade, from the Interastral Peace Corporation, Strategic Investment Department."
"You have been staying on the Xianzhou for quite some time. I assume you have learned a little about us?"
Beside Jade stood two other uniformed employees, who politely greeted the group one by one.
"We are specialists from the Marketing Development Department. A pleasure to meet you."
Bronya and Himeko were momentarily stunned. They had not expected the two sides to meet so quickly.
The Interastral Peace Corporation.
A true mega-corporate conglomerate within this universe.
They held absolute dominance over wealth and were obsessed with expansion and trade. Wherever transactions existed, so too did the Interastral Peace Corporation.
The Starsea Empire had encountered its share of oligarchic capitalists in other universes, but compared to a super-enterprise that spanned the cosmos like the IPC, those were hardly worth mentioning.
The surrounding shopkeepers, upon hearing that someone was willing to purchase all the goods at a premium price, were overjoyed.
To merchants, a sale was a sale. A higher bidder was always welcome.
They immediately began packing and drafting inventory lists. With a subtle gesture from Jade, several specialists efficiently stepped forward to negotiate details and tally the merchandise.
"So, they're fools," Kiana whispered to Bronya.
"It's my first time seeing someone buy Akashi's boxes in bulk at a markup. If she finds out, she'll laugh herself to death."
"The Starsea Empire's products are unusual and fascinating. Paying a little extra to collect them is not unreasonable," Jade replied with a smile, not the least bit offended.
"Besides, beyond the Luofu, they may hold even greater value."
"What exactly do you want to discuss?" Himeko asked, watching her closely.
"Our representatives took note of you the first time you boarded the Xianzhou."
"Mm... the IPC has many matters it would like to discuss with you. Might you arrange for me to meet your supervisor?"
...
Half an hour later.
Inside a luxurious private room in the Exalting Sanctum.
Grey walked in, sat down across from Jade and the specialists without ceremony, still muttering under her breath.
"What now? A business negotiation? Please, I'm very busy. Couldn't you just submit a report directly?"
She swept her gaze across the group and spoke concisely.
"Talk."
"There are Cloud Knights stationed near the Palace of Astrum. It is somewhat inconvenient for us to enter freely. Our apologies," Jade replied with a professional smile.
Together with her colleagues, she transmitted their business cards via holographic interface and offered a brief introduction.
"I merely heard that the Luofu had established trade relations with a mysterious nation and came to observe. I happened to acquire a few items along the way."
"Mm... it is actually my colleague who will be discussing matters with you this time. However, should you have anything you wish to mortgage or finance, you may contact me."
Jade strictly adhered to corporate protocol, allowing the Market Development specialist to step forward.
"The Interastral Peace Corporation welcomes the Starsea Empire into this universe's trade network. We are willing to provide the best possible services to every civilization and planet."
"Mm... the Starsea Empire appears to originate from the unobservable universe, which is somewhat remote from the IPC's sphere—but that is of no concern. In time, we will be interconnected."
He spoke like a seasoned salesperson, launching into a lengthy pitch.
"You seem to know quite a lot... so?" Himeko snorted softly.
The IPC's influence was deeply entrenched. It was hardly surprising that they had obtained some intelligence on the Starsea Empire through the Xianzhou.
They had likely been observing quietly until large-scale trade commenced and the Empire's location was confirmed before stepping forward.
"The Interastral Peace Corporation formally invites the Starsea Empire to join us," the Market Development specialist said.
"When trading with the Xianzhou, you are still using primitive barter methods. Do you not feel the need for a more convenient and efficient means of settlement?"
"Allow me to introduce the largest and most widely used currency in this universe—the credit point."
"If the Starsea Empire possesses its own currency, then for ease of trade it should adopt a universally recognized interstellar currency. And if you do not have your own currency... forgive me, but such a situation would be laughable for an interstellar civilization."
"???"
Kiana looked at him as if he were an idiot.
From the IPC's perspective, it was indeed difficult to imagine an interstellar civilization operating entirely outside a monetary system.
"So you want us to adopt the IPC's currency settlement system and join your trade territory, is that it?"
"Is that the mission of your Marketing Development Department?"
Grey rubbed her temples.
Across the cosmos, nearly all commercial activity was built upon the IPC's credit point system.
If interstellar trade were likened to a sporting event, the IPC was not only a top-tier athlete, but also every sport itself, the arena, and even the rules.
Through the credit system, they could harvest any nation at will.
"That is correct," the specialist replied, clearly pleased by her understanding.
He folded his hands and waited for her answer.
"Surely you understand the benefits of this proposal..."
"A foolish suggestion."
Grey was utterly indifferent.
"Since the Interastral Peace Corporation enjoys doing business so much... I have a proposal for you as well. If you agree, we may continue talking."
"Please, go ahead."
"The Interastral Peace Corporation will transfer all authority to the Starsea Empire. All departments and operations will undergo complete restructuring under imperial command. From this day forward, the IPC will become a trade institution subordinate to the Empire..."
Grey spoke slowly and deliberately.
"..."
Silence.
"..."
Pfft—
After a brief pause, the Market Development representative burst out laughing.
Jade looked at Grey with visible astonishment.
"I must admit, you possess extraordinary comedic talent. Of all the clients I have encountered at the IPC, your proposal is worthy of being recorded in history."
The specialist sounded almost sincere in his praise.
"But it seems you do not intend to accept our offer?"
"Heh."
Grey smiled faintly.
"Believe me. The first negotiation with the Starsea Empire is the best terms you will ever receive."
...
"So... does this count as a breakdown in negotiations?" Kiana scratched her head as they walked out.
"They at least resemble civilized people and understand basic manners. Unfortunately, their intelligence is lacking. A common flaw among organic lifeforms," Grey shrugged.
"Mm... according to available data, the Interastral Peace Corporation imposes sanctions on civilizations that refuse to join its trade system and rules," Bronya said, reviewing information on a holographic interface.
"Many individuals within the Marketing Development Department have been classified as high-risk figures by the Xianzhou Alliance. Since we're currently on the Xianzhou, the IPC is unlikely to employ extreme measures within Alliance territory."
"However, other hostile methods cannot be ruled out."
"Ha? Good. Let me see what they're capable of."
Grey yawned and checked the time.
"Oh, right. Our people should be arriving soon. Let's go greet them."
Hum—
Near the starskiff docks.
A massive pale-cyan warship passed through the Jade Gate and slowly descended toward the berth.
It was slightly larger than the previous nanomachine battleships, its design sleek and elegant.
Countless massive turrets stood along both sides and atop the hull. Dozens of Photoid launchers were mounted upon its weapon wings.
The Starsea Empire's flag was etched into the side of the vessel.
Beside it flew another banner belonging to this fleet's faction.
A red hammer-and-sickle flag stood out starkly against the cyan hull.
"Hm?! What is that?"
Certain IPC representatives stationed on the Luofu felt a faint sense of unease.
Clack—
The hatch opened. A shipgirl with long teal hair, holding an ice-crystal-colored scepter and dressed in uniform, stepped out first.
Behind her, the Northern Parliament shipgirls stood in two orderly rows, identically dressed, marching in synchronized steps.
Mixed among them were several Siren girls and dragon girls.
"Flagship of the Northern Parliament Fleet, Sovetsky Soyuz, greets you!"
The teal-haired shipgirl waved toward the welcoming delegation.
"Comrade, let us shatter the rotten edifice of capitalism together!"