Chapter 2178: Pointing the Way for the Stars
Youming glared: (๑ŏ益≠) "Got any more questions? How dare you come to me with such a shameless face?"
"Not only are you trying to break out of prison, but you also want to take Chong Feiyu with you? That's pure wishful thinking!"
"The insect race left Chong Feiyu here with me to keep an eye on her, and if I let her go, how do I explain that to them? Me..."
Jiangnan shrugged: ʅ(･´～･｀)ʃ "It's me who's abducting her and running off, what does that have to do with your Netherworld race? I've got so many debts that another one doesn't matter, and more lice don't make me itchier!"
"Whatever responsibility there is, just push it all onto me. After all, in the eyes of the Starry Sky Races, I'm just a big villain who's done every evil deed and lost all conscience!"
"Besides, what can the insect race do to you? Attack the Minghe Star Domain just because Chong Feiyu got away? They wouldn't dare make such a big decision, right?"
Youming gulped, his gaze flickering!
Jiu Lan was dumbfounded. So Jiangnan was openly planning with Youming, the warden, right in front of him, about breaking out of prison with Chong Feiyu?
Heavens!
You're the first prisoner to be this arrogant, aren't you?
Jiangnan pressed on: "Once I help Chong Feiyu reclaim her Celestial Spirit Chrysalis Shell, she can regain control over her swarm!"
"Then all the industries under her command will be mine. With the resources she controls, supplying humanity and even adding your Netherworld race shouldn't be a problem, right?"
"Moreover, after she recovers her Star Devourer level, she won't acknowledge the insect race anymore. She'll be on our side!"
"A Star-Devouring Mother Empress controlling a swarm, a Dimensional Star Navigation spanning the starry sky, and a dimensional war that can be ended at any time!"
"With the Dimensional Gap as our base camp and Lord Black God as my backing, tell me—does Jiangnan still have a place in this starry sky?"
At this moment, Youming's scalp tingled, and goosebumps shot from his tailbone straight to his crown!
This was a scheme, a massive scheme!
One that Jiangnan had personally laid out. If he succeeded, it wouldn't just be about whether he had a place anymore!
He would have firmly established himself and even gained a certain say in matters!
Chong Feiyu, as a Star Devourer, would stand on Jiangnan's side to protect him. He would hold the Dimensional Star Navigation, use the dimensional war as leverage, and could retreat into the Dimensional Gap if needed.
On offense, he could attack; on defense, he could retreat. Once this succeeded, even if Jiangnan broke out of prison and became active in the starry sky, the Holy Law Council wouldn't be able to do anything to him!
Humanity's position in the starry sky would be completely opened up!
For the first time, Youming saw the terrifying side of this young man standing before him!
Not only did he dare to think, but he also dared to act!
What kind of things were in his head?
Youming knew well the massive mineral resources that Chong Feiyu once controlled!
If they could be reclaimed, supplying both humanity and the Netherworld race would be more than enough!
However, Youming narrowed his eyes: "You're good at drawing big pies, but what are you doing making empty promises to me here?"
"Help Chong Feiyu reclaim the Celestial Spirit Chrysalis Shell? Do you think the insect race will just hand it over? Do you think it'll be that easy?"
"Sounds easy enough, but actually doing it will be harder than ascending to heaven! What makes you so sure you can pull it off?"
Jiangnan sneered: "Tch! Is it harder than blowing up the Thousand Stars City in 27 minutes right under the noses of ten thousand races?"
"I pulled off the Thousand Stars Catastrophe. Is there anything I wouldn't dare to do? A measly little Celestial Spirit Chrysalis Shell—can't I get it back? The problem isn't how hard it is; it's whether I want to do it!"
Youming's thoughts raced. He admitted he was hesitating!
If Jiangnan actually succeeded, Youming could get resources from him without having to bow to the Holy Law Council!
And this kind of thing would be done secretly, an under-the-table deal!
He could easily play both sides: be a good boy for the Holy Law Council while secretly making deals with Jiangnan!
The only thing he needed to be wary of was whether Jiangnan could pull it off and whether he would keep his promise after succeeding.
After all, that was no small amount of money. Under enormous interests, even brothers could turn against each other!
Let alone just Jiangnan's word alone. The question was whether Youming could trust Jiangnan!
And operating like this carried huge risks. If the truth ever came out, the Netherworld race's position would become awkward!
They would face sanctions and isolation from the Starry Sky Races, possibly even triggering racial wars or conflicts!
Youming fell silent, thinking and weighing the pros and cons!
This was about the future of his race. Every decision was crucial!
Jiu Lan's hands and feet went numb. She couldn't interrupt in such matters, and she certainly couldn't make the call!
Jiangnan continued: "Of course! Don't think I'll provide resources to the Netherworld race forever. After all, humanity also needs to develop!"
"After all, who ever thinks they have enough resources? I'll keep supplying the Beimian Xingkong Kuangchang's resources until your Netherworld race enters the Starry Sky Sequence!"
"Once the Netherworld race is no longer confined to this corner and can freely traverse the starry sky, then you'll have to figure out how to eat from the starry sky's bowl and how much you can eat, based on your own abilities!"
"You can't keep eating handouts forever. If you want to be full, you have to do it yourself!"
Youming was taken aback: "Starry Sky Sequence? What do you mean by entering the Starry Sky Sequence? Can you get my Netherworld race into the Starry Sky Sequence?"
At this moment, even Jiu Lan perked up her ears, her eyes shining with little stars as she looked at Jiangnan!
Jiangnan grinned: "Did you hear what I said? What, don't you want to?"
"Or have you been imprisoned in the Minghe Death Prison for too long and lost the ambition to step into the starry sky?"
"If that's the case, there's no need for further discussion!"
Youming sneered: "Hah! Don't talk big there! How do you plan to get my Netherworld race into the Starry Sky Sequence?"
"Do you think my race is content to stop at the Minghe Star Domain? In countless eons, my race has tried before!"
"But every time, we ended in failure, with heavy losses. Numerous tribesmen died in wars, and the survivors could only retreat to the Minghe Star Domain, silently licking their wounds!"
"Wars kill people. My Netherworld race has already learned enough lessons! The current situation is the peaceful state we've achieved with all our effort!"
"And just because of a few words from you, I'm supposed to take the whole race and risk their lives for you? Anyone can talk big! Can you actually do it?"
Jiu Lan also lowered her head in disappointment, clenching her fists tightly!
Jiangnan narrowed his eyes: "I did it! Just a few months ago!"
Youming froze for a moment!
"That was because of Lord Black God, because..."
Jiangnan said calmly: "Why do you think Lord Black God chose to help me? I earned it! If I hadn't fought for it, it wouldn't exist!"
"Wars kill people? I know that better than you! Humanity wasn't just pushed back once—we were pushed back three times! Even in this fourth time, during the World Purification Plan, nearly half of humanity died!"
"Do you think I understand? I understand all too well! I only know that if you don't fight, nothing will ever change!"
"Indeed! The Netherworld race is different from humanity back then. You have the Minghe Star Domain as your retreat. If you can't win or lose the fight, you have somewhere to fall back to!"
"We don't. We can only win because we have nothing!"
Youming stared blankly at Jiangnan. The person standing before him, talking to him, was not some naive, arrogant brat!
He was someone who had truly come out of the smoke and blood of a racial survival war!
He was the Era Lord who had led his race to victory!
Jiangnan took a deep breath: "Having a retreat is a good thing. I just want to tell you, don't let the retreat dull your sharp edges!"
"Among us Huaxia, there's an old saying: 'Worry breeds survival; ease leads to death.'"
"You have a retreat! What's there to fear? Even in the worst-case scenario, you still have somewhere to fall back!"
"If you can't even dare to fight for something with that, then the Netherworld race deserves to be stuck in the Minghe Star Domain forever, never witnessing the brilliance of the starry sky!"
This time, Youming wasn't angry. He lowered his head and remained silent!
Jiangnan and he were complete opposites, with two entirely different mindsets!
When he was young, he too was full of drive. Maybe it really was the retreat that had dulled his edges!
If... if there were no Minghe Star Domain to retreat to, maybe the Netherworld race would have risked everything without holding back!
They might have won, but they could also have lost everything!
But in the real world, there are no ifs!
"How do you plan to get the Netherworld race into the Starry Sky Sequence? How will you resist the opposition from the Starry Sky Races?"
Jiangnan smiled, a wild fire burning in his eyes!
"Don't underestimate yourself! The Netherworld race is not weak! Against the Starry Sky Races, you have a natural advantage, even able to counter energy bodies and material-type lifeforms!"
"The Sequence War! I don't plan to let this Sequence War go! Wait for the next one? By then, everything will be cold. What I hate most is waiting!"
"We're all trying to scrape a living under this starry sky. Since we can't change the rules, become the ones who make them!"
"Let's not talk about others. Among the Starry Sky Races, carbon-based lifeforms make up the vast majority, but among the top ten sequences, we carbon-based ones are the most pathetic!"
"Have you ever considered the concept of a Carbon-Based Alliance?"
Youming was stunned: "You mean..."
Jiangnan grinned: "You know what humanity is capable of. We've already shaken hands with the Apocalypse race! If we add the power of the Netherworld race, we can even handle energy bodies and material-type lifeforms!"
"Who says carbon-based lifeforms can't do it? In this Sequence War, I plan to be the biggest dark horse! It's time to let some fresh blood into the Holy Law Council!"
"I'm not just talking about other things. I'm talking about the potential future situation of the starry sky!"
"Being in the starry sky, personally participating in it, making the starry sky change because of us, stirring up the winds and clouds, climbing to the peak—doesn't that get you excited?"
Youming looked at Jiangnan in shock. Your ambition... isn't it a bit too big?