# Chapter 2364: Vast Ambition
Yakeli's blood-colored eyes stared directly at Yao Hong!
"From today onward, I, Yakeli, will wield the blade for the Star Project, for the Milky Way Star Domain! Yao Hong, is it?"
"During the execution of the Star Project, if you encounter any problems you can't solve, just come to me. I'll cut down all obstacles for you! Anyone below Star Devourer—I can kill!"
"I don't have much of a brain, and I don't like to think things through. I'm extreme. You handle the execution of the plan. Killing people... leave that to me!"
"Also... saving slave species doesn't necessarily have to be done by throwing money around, right?"
With that, Yakeli flashed a vicious grin!
At this point, he had long since realized that Jiangnan wasn't just painting him a fantasy—he genuinely wanted to make this happen!
Unlike himself, Jiangnan liked to use his brain. No matter how distant the goal, he would take steps to achieve it step by step. He dared to say what he thought and do what he said, with an execution ability like a madman!
He looked up at the starry sky but kept his feet on the ground, forging ahead through hardship!
Yakeli had nothing left to pursue, and he had already fully acknowledged Jiangnan!
This life... he would entrust it to him!
As for the final outcome? He'd leave it to fate. As long as he tried, he wouldn't regret it!
Yao Hong shuddered violently. That line—"anyone below Star Devourer—I can kill"—how confident in his own strength would someone have to be to say such a thing?
Yao Hong looked at Jiangnan questioningly.
Jiangnan grinned and nodded:
(˶‾᷄↼‾᷅) "You can trust him. If there's something you can't handle, something that needs action, just tell him!"
Yao Hong nodded heavily. With such a powerhouse joining, the execution of the Star Project would go much more smoothly!
(๑•̫̌•̑)ˀ̣ˀ̣ "By the way... does he always talk this cool?"
Jiangnan teased: (˵ಡꇴಡ) "Of course! Yakeli is super cool, you know?"
Yakeli glared fiercely at Jiangnan, then turned his head away in a tsundere manner, snorting coldly. His face seemed to be slightly red.
(⸝⸝˘～˘) Hmph~
Jiangnan's gaze shifted, landing on the representatives of the various races. "In the future, the human side will increase investment in the Star Project. Resources mined from the Beimian Xingkong Kuangchang will also be distributed to all races as needed."
"If you lack manpower for homeland construction, Feiyu's swarm forces can also be lent to you."
"As time goes on, the Star Project family will only grow larger! I've done so much for all of you, and I hope you won't disappoint me!"
"Alright! Any more questions about the Star Project?"
The representatives of the various races shook their heads frantically. Under the current circumstances, this was already the best outcome for them. They wouldn't ask for anything more!
What remained was to work hard on development, earn money, save their kin, and make the future better!
But just then, the representative of the Hidden Spirit Clan raised his hand. His entire body was composed of some unknown energy, like a drifting ghost.
"I have a question!"
Jiangnan raised an eyebrow. He remembered this person—his name should be Hun Dan or something?
(๑◔д◔ิ) "Go ahead."
Hun Dan's expression was cold. "I hope Lord Nan Shen won't be upset by what I say. Some of you don't dare to speak up for fear of angering Lord Nan Shen and getting targeted, right?"
"I, Hun Dan, dare to say it! Blindly flattering won't get you satisfactory results. Someone has to be the bad guy, isn't that right?"
"Lord Nan Shen is surely broad-minded and won't bother with trivial matters, right?"
Jiangnan smiled: (⌒◡⌒;) "Depends. I'm usually pretty vindictive, and I don't wait overnight to get revenge. I'm particularly petty. Go ahead."
Hun Dan's face stiffened. Why wasn't he following the script?
Yao Hong frowned deeply. Nian Yu said urgently, "Hun Dan! Watch your words! How dare you be disrespectful to Lord Nan Shen? Sit down quickly!"
Jiangnan shook his head: "No, let him continue."
Hun Dan's gaze sharpened: "Since Lord Nan Shen asked me to speak, then I won't hold back. I doubt your motives. There's never been a free lunch in this world!"
"Lord Nan Shen has gone to such great lengths for all races, donating money and resources, removing the slave marks. I'm grateful for that, but I don't believe there's someone this kind-hearted in the world!"
"Even if the slave marks are removed, so what? We still don't possess true freedom. We can only move within the Milky Way Star Domain, living under human control. With the absolute disparity in strength, what does having a slave mark or not even matter?"
"Isn't this just another form of control?"
With these words, the gazes of the various race representatives began to waver. Yao Hong's expression turned cold.
Wang Youzhi snickered evilly. Here it comes, the farmer and the snake... tsk tsk tsk~
Yakeli's forehead veins bulged, and his eyes toward Hun Dan were filled with killing intent.
He was about to stand up, but Jiangnan shot him a look that made him back down.
Yakeli could only sit there, suppressing his anger.
Hun Dan glanced at Jiangnan's expression and continued: "You say it's for the good of all races, but you don't spend money to save our kin. Instead, you want all races to develop on their own, using specialty products to trade for resources, doing business to earn money and save our kin?"
"Isn't this another form of exploitation, another invisible enslavement? With the goal of saving our kin hanging over us, we'll work even more efficiently than under a slave mark, won't we?"
"Of course, Lord Nan Shen, don't blame me for being a petty person judging a gentleman's heart. Our Hidden Spirit Clan is naturally like this—paranoid by nature. We lost once in the Star Ruins War; we don't want to lose again!"
"Everyone! Don't be afraid to speak up! What I'm saying are also your concerns, aren't they? I'm just the one standing up now!"
Nian Yu said angrily: "Hun Dan! Shut up! Lord Nan Shen has helped us this much. If it weren't for Lord Nan Shen, we'd still be slave species today. What you're saying—is that even human speech?"
The Seven Brothers fumed: "Not being grateful is one thing, but biting the hand that feeds you?"
Meng Li said anxiously: ꒰⸝⸝ᵒ̴̶̷᷄﹏ᵒ̴̶̷᷅⸝⸝꒱ "I believe Lord Nan Shen has good intentions. If he truly wanted to enslave us, why would he go through all this trouble?"
Hun Dan sneered: "Flatter! Keep flattering! What's his real purpose? Who knows? I know! I'm gambling with my clan's fate! But I just want to understand clearly!"
"I don't want to put in all this effort only to end up as someone else's pawn! Lord Nan Shen! You've gone to such lengths for all races—what exactly are you after?"
"I don't believe there are purely good people in this starry sky!"
Indeed, Hun Dan had voiced the concerns hidden in the hearts of all the race representatives. They couldn't help it—they couldn't afford not to worry!
This was not a pure world. There were too many things to consider!
At that moment, the meeting hall fell into dead silence. Everyone's gaze was fixed on Jiangnan!
Jiangnan grinned: "You really live up to your name. The things you say are truly despicable! What am I after? What could I possibly want from you? Your meager productivity? Feiyu has plenty of swarm forces under her command. Do I really need to rely on you?"
"But you're right about one thing—I do have selfish motives! Otherwise, only a fool would do this money-losing business! However, the height at which one stands determines the angle from which one sees things!"
"What you see is the development of your own race. What I envision is the progression of an era!"
Jiangnan swept his gaze across the entire room and continued:
"You have questions, don't you? Then let me answer them one by one! You think that by not letting you leave the Milky Way Star Domain, I'm restricting your freedom?"
"Actually, this entire starry sky, the Milky Way Star Domain, is your only safe haven! If you leave the Milky Way Star Domain, you'll face the myriad races of the starry sky, the crushing force of the Thousand Stars Era! Out there, you'll either die or return to being slave species! This era does not allow you freedom! Do you understand?"
"And as for letting you do business to save your kin—you call that exploitation? I'm teaching your races a means to survive, a skill! To be self-reliant! So that in the future, even without humans, you won't starve in the starry sky!"
"Look at the myriad races of the starry sky—which sequence race doesn't have its own way to make a living? The Apocalypse, Silicon, Metal Clan, Crystal Clan? Which one doesn't?"
At this point, the heads of the various race representatives drooped low, feeling utterly ashamed.
Hun Dan's face also turned ugly.
Jiangnan said calmly: "As for selfish motives, I do have some. You all are the medicine for the long-term development of the human race, the fresh blood injected into human civilization! Healthy competition can keep humanity united and prevent internal strife!"
"What I want is to reach the absolute peak, to overthrow this damn Thousand Stars Era, and to usher in a new era—one without the slave species system!"
"To achieve that, I need to explore, learn, think, and I also need your support! Everything is unknown—that's the origin of the Star Project!"
At this moment, all the race representatives were dumbfounded. This was the height of Lord Nan Shen's vision?
Over... overthrow the entire Thousand Stars Era? To become the founder of a new era?
Yao Hong's scalp tingled. Lord Nan Shen's ambition was still as fierce as ever!
Even Zhong Yingxue and the others shuddered violently. Although this wasn't the first time they'd heard Jiangnan say this, every time they heard it, they felt an inexplicable sense of shock!
Jiangnan looked at the crowd: "In the future, the slave species system will no longer exist. Everyone will walk freely under the starry sky—that's the ultimate goal of the Star Project!"
"Right now, humanity is like a protective umbrella, a towering tree, shielding you from wind and rain, bearing all external pressure!"
"You are the saplings under that giant tree. If you leave the giant tree, you'll be broken and swept away by the storms. If one day humanity falls, if the towering tree is uprooted, your fate will be no better. Right now, your clan's destiny is tied to humanity!"
"Hope that day never comes. Otherwise, it will be the true apocalypse!"
"Once upon a time, no one held an umbrella for us humans. We endured the storms and grew into a towering tree. Now I'm holding an umbrella for you, bearing the pressure of the Thousand Stars Era. Tell me—what am I after from you?"