"Old Huang, how can you speak with such an attitude! Student Zhao Chen is a junior; naturally, he needs time to consider things he hasn't fully thought through, doesn't he?"

The Azure Governor looked at Zhao Chen with a kindly expression and said, "Student Zhao Chen, do you feel that we aren't giving you enough? How about this: I see that we are fated, and I am willing to adopt you as my foster son! I will give you the twenty percent of the profits that were originally allocated to me. Let the Hurricane Conglomerate handle the operations for these Starship technologies, and I'll have Chairman Feng give you fifty percent! Furthermore, I can guarantee that within five years, you will be promoted to Viscount, and within twenty years, you will become a Count!"

A foster son? I wouldn't even want you as a son.

Zhao Chen had figured it out; these people were just playing good cop, bad cop here! Using both carrot and stick, they wanted to subdue Zhao Chen first.

As for whether Zhao Chen would actually be able to get his hands on that so-called fifty ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) percent profit, that wouldn't be up to Zhao Chen.

Compared to this cunning bunch, Zhao Chen trusted Governor Chu more. According to the records of Governor Chu's past, he was at the very least a man who kept his word, valued loyalty, and hated evil! Under his administration, the Chu River Star Region was at least several times better in terms of public security compared to other star regions, and there had never been any reports of nobles wreaking havoc on the local population.

"Governor, I still think we should forget this proposal. I've participated in this banquet long enough, and I'm feeling a bit tired, so I shall take my leave." Zhao Chen prepared to stand up and leave.

But just at that moment, a circle of light curtains rose up around the semi-circular booth where Zhao Chen was sitting, and at the same time, four men who looked like bodyguards stood in the only path Zhao Chen could take to leave.

"Does Student Zhao Chen really not want to give me this face?" The Azure Governor narrowed his eyes as he looked at Zhao Chen; the smile on his face was now filled with a chill.

It was time to show their hand.

Zhao Chen smiled, leaned his body toward the Azure Governor, whispered into his ear, and said with a smile, in a voice that everyone in the booth could hear, "If I say no, what can you do about it?"

Zhao Chen's words were the equivalent of pouring a pot of oil onto a fire. The Azure Governor looked at Zhao Chen with eyes that had turned cold and gloomy.

At this moment, Marshal Huang Zhixiong, who was sitting next to him, spoke up: "How about this? I am now, in my capacity as a Marshal of the Imperial Army, suspecting that your Starship technology is related to the Mechanical Race! I am detaining you for interrogation! I hope Student Zhao Chen can cooperate; otherwise... there will inevitably be some physical suffering."

Zhao Chen kept a smile on his face. These people were prepared to resort to force if soft tactics didn't work, not caring in the slightest that Su Lan and the others were present. Their behavior was truly ugly.

However, looking at the expressions of the guests at the banquet, they probably didn't know what was being said inside. That light curtain wouldn't block sounds from the outside, but it could prevent sounds from inside from being transmitted out.

"Nonsense! How could Student Zhao Chen possibly be related to the Mechanical Race? He is the hero who saved the teachers and students of the Two Academies! You have no evidence! You cannot make such baseless accusations!" Xue Xiaoxiao, being straightforward, stood up directly to speak for Zhao Chen. This made Zhao Chen feel somewhat surprised by this loli who loved big guns.

"Is the word of an Imperial Army Marshal not evidence? Are you questioning the authority of a Five-Star Marshal of the Empire? If he truly has no issues, I will naturally release him after an interrogation!" Marshal Huang Zhixiong said, lifting his head.

Interrogation? If he let this guy take him away for interrogation, even if there were no problems, he would probably fabricate some, Zhao Chen chuckled inwardly.

Teacher Qin stood up and said with a serious expression, "Gentlemen, Zhao Chen is a student of our North Star Academy! You cannot treat our student like this. I can see it now; you are only after the Starship technology that Student Zhao Chen possesses. Regardless of where Student Zhao Chen obtained his Starship technology, according to the laws promulgated by the Empire, any Starship technology developed by individuals, organizations, or research institutes is protected by Imperial law; it belongs to private property. Even the Imperial Royal Family cannot forcibly require the other party to hand over relevant private Starship technology! This is illegal! Are you not worried that I will spread what you have said and cause the three of you to lose all your prestige and face?"

The Azure Governor shook his head with a chuckle, "Since I dared to say these things while you are present, do you think we are worried about this? I know who you are; you are the daughter of that Dean from the North Star Academy, right? But don't forget, this is the Azure Star Region, not your North Wind Star Sector. Here... I have the final say! Today, Student Zhao Chen must stay, and you three can leave as you please. I don't care what you say outside."

The Azure Governor was so fearless, which showed that he and the forces behind him did not care about these things at all. As long as Zhao Chen was on their turf, they were confident they could manipulate this little Baron.

"You..." Teacher Qin's face turned ugly; she hadn't expected these people to be so shameless.

Zhao Chen looked at Teacher Qin; this teacher was still too naive. Those Imperial rules were only used to restrict the middle and lower classes; for those standing at the top of the pyramid, those rules were just tools. As long as there was sufficient profit placed in front of them, they would naturally ignore those rules. And Zhao Chen was currently that huge profit that was enough to make them ignore the rules. They had to get their hands on that T3 Blizzard-class Light Interstellar Battlecruiser no matter what! And the North Star Academy shouldn't even think about stopping them!

"Then what if I say that Zhao Chen belongs to our Su Family!" Su Lan, who hadn't spoken until now, chimed in.

The Azure Governor stared at Su Lan and said with a smile, "I know who you are; you are the illegitimate daughter of the Su Family's main branch in the Purple Su Star Region, right? Let's not even talk about whether the words spoken by someone of your status carry any weight. Even if the Su Family really wanted to protect this Zhao Chen, don't forget what I just said!"

The Azure Governor's eyes flashed with malice at this moment, and he slammed his hand on the table, "This is my Azure Star Region, not your Su Family's Purple Su Star Region! Your Su Family cannot dictate things on my turf!"

Su Lan's expression was complicated. She actually knew the result would be like this, because the relationship between the Su Family and this Azure Governor was extremely poor. Since the other party dared to do this, he was certainly not afraid of the Su Family causing trouble. Even if they did cause trouble, would they really dare to lead an army to crusade? The Royal Family would be the first to disagree. Now that Zhao Chen was in his hands, he held the initiative!

Only now did Xue Xiaoxiao realize that the atmosphere was wrong, and she looked at Zhao Chen with worry. Now, the other party didn't even put Su Lan's Su Family or the North Star Academy behind Teacher Qin in their eyes. Was Zhao Chen really going to be detained here? If that happened, Zhao Chen would truly be a lamb entering a tiger's den; even if he didn't die, he would be skinned alive! 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

"Azure Governor, Marshal Huang Zhixiong, Chairman Feng. I wonder if you have ever heard this old saying: 'Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river; do not bully a young man because he is poor.'" Zhao Chen looked at the three big shots in front of him, teasingly.