Chapter 286: Helplessness (First Update)

“Hmph, this isn’t allowed, that isn’t allowed, why don’t we just go back?”

Teacher Tang Xuan said irritably.

“I like the sound of that! Let’s go back then.”

Mia shrugged and said. She had already gained enough, and returning early meant cashing out early and getting a good price.

“No! Wouldn’t that be giving it away? The school invested a lot of capital, manpower, material resources, and technology transfer to sign that cooperation agreement with the Abyek Kingdom. Walking away empty-handed now would be like drawing water with a bamboo basket—all for nothing!”

Fleck replied, extremely unwilling.

“Then what do you plan to do? They’re clearly trying to devour you, what can you do?”

Mia sighed and asked.

“These guys are going too far. We provided money, effort, and technology, we were so good to them, and this is how they treat us? They’re just ungrateful wretches!”

Teacher Chen Yue cursed furiously.

“Don’t say that. In their eyes, those produced resources inherently belong to them. And we are the black-hearted capitalists; why should they give them to us?”

Mia laid it out plainly.

Chen Yue and the others fell silent upon hearing Mia’s words.

—

Starlight City, inside the City Lord’s office.

Gakels sat at his desk, his voice a little hoarse as he asked Secretary Cloud Soft.

“How is the withdrawal of personnel and supplies from the Neutral Countries progressing?”

“Lord Gakels, the withdrawal is not going smoothly. Many supplies are being obstructed from recovery. Moreover, many of our people in the fallen territories haven’t escaped and have been detained by the Imperial Army. We are currently negotiating, but the negotiations are not going well. The Imperial Army is being unreasonable and refuses to admit they have detained our people. This is the detailed report.”

Cloud Soft respectfully placed a thick report file on the table.

“I understand.”

Gakels looked at the report file Cloud Soft placed before him, a very weary expression on his face.

Cloud Soft looked at this scene, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke.

“Lord Gakels, may I ask you a question?”

“Ask away!”

“The Imperial Army is so unreasonable, the Neutral Countries are constantly asking us for help, and our people are filled with righteous indignation, so why doesn’t the Federation send troops?”

“Fight? How do we fight? The Federation’s people are not united at all right now, they’re like scattered sand, everyone has their own agenda, and no one obeys anyone else! Do you think I can mobilize the other two cities, sixteen districts, and the other nine planets?”

Gakels directly retorted.

Cloud Soft was also slightly stunned.

Then Gakels continued speaking to Cloud Soft.

“Sigh~ Even if we take ten thousand steps back, even if everyone was truly united, do you think we would definitely win? Those Neutral Countries are either fence-sitters or have extremely poor defensive fortifications! If the Federation troops go out and fight the Imperial Army and lose, then it will be an army at our city gates, and the Federation will be in complete danger! Even if by some good luck we win, you might have forgotten, but the Imperial Army isn’t the only force in this world; the Apocalypse Divine Kingdom is still watching. I believe they would be very happy to sit on the sidelines, wait for us and the Imperial Army to be mutually wounded, and then attack us. This kind of gamble on the nation’s fate, I cannot make the decision, nor do I have the ability to make it!”

“Then what should we do now?”

“What else can we do? Of course, we recover resources and hold our ground. Our only advantage now is to rely on the Black Flame Star Defense Line for homeland defense.”

“But this can’t go on forever!”

“Of course I know it can’t, but for now, we can only buy time and wait for Council President to awaken. Only Council President has enough prestige to lead all of the Federation in resolving this predicament.”

As Gakels spoke, he yearned for the days when Council President was around. Back then, even if the sky fell, he wouldn’t be as scared, anxious, and lost as he was now.

“When will Council President awaken?”

“I don’t know either.”

As Gakels said this, he seemed to have aged even more.

Three days later.

Inside Hangar 1 of the Red Fang.

Su Ming stood in front of the Gun Knight, watching the students from the Mechanical Maintenance Department perform maintenance on it.

“Wow! What a big chicken frame!”

Katini walked over with her mother, pointing at the Gun Knight and excitedly shouting.

“It’s a mecha, not a chicken frame.”

Su Ming smiled and corrected her.

“Mhm, mhm, Big Brother, is this chicken frame yours?”

“Yes!”

“How amazing! I wish I could pilot one too, then I could protect Mother.”

Katini looked at Su Ming with great admiration.

“You can learn when you grow up.”

Su Ming smiled and patted Katini’s little head.

Just then, Mia walked over, yawning and holding a bottle of wine.

Seeing Mia approach, Hai Lan quickly took Katini’s hand and gently said.

“Katini, let’s go play over there, don’t disturb Big Brother and them.”

“Okay!”

Katini obediently followed her mother to play nearby.

Su Ming turned to look at Mia and greeted her with a smile.

“Teacher, what time is it?”

“There’s no class today, so who cares what time it is.”

Mia took a sip of wine and replied.

“Alright, by the way, Teacher. How should we handle this Gun Knight? They haven’t recovered it.”

Su Ming quickly asked Mia.

“This Gun Knight is yours. I’ve already secretly arranged for someone to add this mecha to the boarding record, so it’s as if you brought it on board. As for that Iron Guard, I simply reported it as battle damage!”

Mia replied very straightforwardly.

“Awesome!”

Su Ming heard Mia’s words and couldn’t help but give a thumbs up in reply.

“Alright, just don’t forget to buy me a drink later.”

Mia said very nonchalantly.

“Definitely, but Teacher, my mecha’s main weapon is lost. I had to throw away the spear to use the mechanical launcher. Do you have a way to help me get a weapon?”

“You threw away the spear, huh? That’s a bit troublesome. And the mechanical nail gun your mecha has now is useless without a matching spear.”

“Exactly, that’s why I wanted to ask you.”

“I don’t have any good ideas either. You’ll probably have to pay to buy another one. But the spear that comes with this Gun Knight isn’t cheap; I remember one costs 100 million federal currency!”

“That expensive?”

Su Ming felt a pang of pain at the price.

“Now you know it hurts, huh? You little brat just threw away 100 million federal currency.”

“There was no other way at the time.”

“True. Just make do with it for now, and we’ll talk about it when we get back to the academy.”

“Okay, but what’s the situation now, Teacher? Didn’t they say that as soon as we arrived at the Abyek Kingdom, we would transfer supplies and leave immediately? But three days have passed, and there’s no movement at all, and we’re not allowed to disembark.”

“Don’t even mention it, something happened.”

Mia replied unhappily.

“What happened?”

Su Ming heard Mia’s words and asked curiously.