The assault ship, escorted by several smaller warships, rushed toward the military headquarters on the Tibetan Plateau.

Yet, scarcely had the fleet left the Australian base when the signal light on the warship's communicator began to flash urgently. Judging by the speed of the blinking, the other party was using an ultra-high-security communication code.

Upon connecting the signal, the holographic screen displayed the face of "Chris Joann," the very man Gu Xichen had been pondering—the Federation Chairman Joann's son.

The atmosphere in the command cabin instantly grew strange. Gu Wuchen paused for a beat, then plastered a broad smile on his face, bowing slightly toward Chris Joann: "It is a pleasure to meet you, Excellency Chris!"

Staring deeply at Gu Xichen, Chris Joann spoke dryly, "I apologize for the matter at hand. Personal grudges must not affect the interests of the Federation, so, the budget proposal passes!"

Glancing with surprise at the impassive Chris Joann, Gu Wuchen frowned. "The budget proposal? Which budget proposal?"

Chris Joann stated coolly, "After rigorous review by the Military Department and the Federal Academy of Sciences, the new Nantianmen-class and Beitianmen-class warships produced by Haduowei Defense Corporation have demonstrated exceptionally superior combat performance. After deliberation by the Federal Budget Review Committee, the application by the Military Department to procure two hundred Nantianmen-class heavy dreadnoughts and eight hundred Beitianmen-class destroyers has been approved! Two hundred Nantianmen-class heavy dreadnoughts! Eight hundred Beitianmen-class destroyers!"

For such a massive procurement order, given Haduowei Defense Corporation's current production capacity, all assembly lines would need to run at full power around the clock for over three years to meet the demand. Without a doubt, the mainstay warships of the Federal Space Fleet for the next two decades would be these two new classes: the Nantianmen and Beitianmen. Haduowei Defense Corporation would become one of the foremost pillars of the Federal Military-Industrial Complex, exclusively securing the juiciest slice of the Federal warship market cake!

With a clack, Kan Hua, who had been happily drinking from a bottle of strong liquor laced with tiger blood while slumped back in the large command chair, crushed the bottle in his hand. He leaped up in astonishment, roaring to the heavens, "Hahahaha, we're rich! Damn it all, a thousand new warships, we're rich, rich! This cash, rushing straight into my pockets!"

Chris Joann nodded indifferently, "Congratulations, congratulations. From this day forward, Haduowei Defense Corporation is the Federation's largest military contractor."

Gu Wuchen smiled, a faint expression like mist drifting across the green leaves of a summer night jungle—subtle, impossible to decipher. He chuckled lightly, "But what does this have to do with me?"

Shrugging, Gu Xichen feigned surprise and retorted to Chris Joann, "What does it have to do with me? Haduowei Defense Corporation? Oh, heavens, I washed my hands of that business long ago!"

Kan Hua sobered up, swaggered over, slung an arm around Gu Xichen's shoulder, and declared, "That’s right, my junior brother has already retired from the world, having washed his hands clean. We don't get involved in such filthy business affairs!" He shook his head vigorously, sighing with mock profundity, "Worldly fame and fortune—they are nothing but dog-shit floating clouds. Even with fortunes worth trillions, what do they add to me?"

Gu Xichen remained silent, feeling goosebumps erupting from the soles of his feet all the way to his scalp. Forcing down the impulse to kick Kan Hua flying, Gu Wuchen coughed lightly and then smiled faintly, "Haduowei Defense Corporation has absolutely nothing to do with me, Mr. Chris Joann. Therefore, I didn't understand what you just said."

What he meant by "didn't understand" was that Chris Joann should go attend to his own business and stop being an eyesore in front of Gu Xichen.

Frowning, Chris Joann's delicate features twitched slightly. He spoke calmly, "Then there is one more matter I must convey to you. My father deeply regrets the incident from a year ago, Mr. Gu Xichen. Therefore, if you have any free time, my father invites you to a gathering in his personal capacity."

The incident from a year ago? The one where Chairman Joann, in league with Hecr Korms, plus forces from the Holy See and the Pantheon, coerced Gu Xichen into handing over the metallic formula from the second bamboo scroll, nearly causing Gu Xichen's soul to scatter in the Federation Headquarters Grand Hall?

Gu Wuchen smiled, his laughter resembling a wisp of white cloud drifting across the high heavens, entirely untainted by worldly dust. He stated mildly, "That incident? I forgot about it long ago! I appreciate the Chairman’s kind intentions, but... I am quite busy recently. My master still lacks a hand-warming serving maid, and I am currently scouring the world to find a suitable woman for the old man."

The Corpse Emperor needs a hand-warming maid? Kan Hua’s face stiffened; this was likely the most absurd excuse in Federation history.

Chris Joann's face turned ashen green. Gu Xichen had just directly rejected the olive branch extended by the Joann family! He had trampled upon the Joann family’s dignity with the most ridiculous, unfounded excuse! One does not strike a man in the face; Gu Xichen hadn't just slapped the Joann family's face, he’d done it with his heel!

Smiling knowingly at the green-faced Chris Joann on the screen, Gu Xichen crossed his arms, adopting a posture that clearly communicated: I slapped your face, what are you going to do about it? Chris Joann took a deep breath and managed a strained smile, "Then, I apologize for the intrusion."

The screen vanished with a swish. Gu Wuchen’s expression immediately darkened. "Unsolicited courtesy means either treachery or conspiracy. Send an urgent encrypted report to Bell Adams: monitor the movements of the high-ranking figures in the Joann and Korms families, no matter the cost. Send an urgent encrypted report to that boy Gu Yuru: his performance last time was excellent; task him with getting close to that prodigal scion, Joann."

"Send an urgent dispatch to Siren: have him select a contingent of reliable psychics with sufficient strength and allocate them to Bell’s command."

After issuing a rapid string of orders, Gu Xichen dialed Wolf’s communication code and informed him about Chris Joann's sudden display of goodwill.

Wolf, seasoned by experience, immediately sneered upon hearing Gu Xichen’s words, "The only direct male heir of the Joann family was done in by you lot; Chairman Joann is not the type to swallow such an insult. The military procurement budget was just rejected and then approved; Chairman Joann must have something brewing."

After a moment of thought, Wolf decisively stated, "Have Tartaros cooperate with your actions. All personnel from the Military Intelligence Bureau are at your disposal."

Gu Wuchen nodded. After agreeing upon the necessary coordination and command passwords with Wolf, he transferred all authority for investigating this matter to Bell Adams. Entrusting professional matters to professionals, he only needed to organize, support, and grasp the overall situation from behind the scenes. Gu Xichen was already beginning to cultivate the mindset of a leader of a faction.

Since the warship procurement issue had been 'satisfactorily resolved,' Gu Xichen pondered paying a visit to Copenhagen for an inspection.