Since An Junlie had fled to the Xilian Galaxy, Ilia had no choice but to approach Lanli for discussion.

A legion alliance was no trivial matter. Both the Angelic Domain and Fia were major powers, and cooperation between them could not be treated lightly. Ilia had not yet officially assumed the mantle of Queen, and Fia was currently in a state of fragmentation, leaving her with very little actual authority.

Unfortunately, the person she encountered was Lanli.

Lanli presented himself as a man of courtesy and refinement, but in reality, he was both cunning and vindictive. He still harbored resentment from several years prior when Fia attempted to dump nuclear waste within the Angelic Domain’s borders, not to mention the subsequent incidents where Fia’s shaggy beasts had disrupted the Angelic Domain's frontiers.

When Lanli sat across from Ilia, he summarily dismissed the cooperation proposal she put forward, his mind already set on how to exact revenge.

Ilia, unfamiliar with Lanli’s true nature, mistook his perpetual gentle smile for agreeableness. She proceeded to lay on the charm, speaking to him with the patronizing air of a Division Leader addressing a Deputy, or a superior speaking to a subordinate.

Lanli did not expose her pretense, merely listening with a faint smile.

She then meticulously detailed every aspect of the potential alliance, expounding upon the benefits of cooperation as if refusing her offer would be tantamount to forfeiting two trillion credits.

As Lanli listened, he took notes, and soon the surface of his light-screen was filled with dense, cramped script.

Ilia felt a surge of accomplishment.

Seeing that she was growing hoarse from talking, Lanli signaled a robot to prepare a fresh pot of superior tea.

Ilia accepted a cup, inhaling the fragrance. Though she rarely enjoyed tea, she felt an overwhelming sense of Lanli’s "acceptance" of her overtures, and asked with a warm smile, "What are your thoughts on my proposal?"

Lanli glanced down at the notes on the light-screen.

Ilia had finished speaking just as he finished writing.

However, while Ilia had been discussing alliance, the notes he’d written detailed a meticulous revenge plan.

He met her gaze with focused sincerity, brimming with apparent candor. "The method of cooperation you propose is excellent. It would be very beneficial for the development of both the Angelic Domain and Fia. However," he paused, letting her expectations build before dropping a deliberately ambiguous statement, "this matter of cooperation is not something I can decide alone. I must wait for the Commander to return so we can discuss it together."

Ilia sensed a crack of possibility in his words, and the mask-like smile she wore gained genuine warmth. "That is entirely necessary, of course. When do you anticipate the Commander will return?"

Lanli tilted his head slightly, feigning a sliver of helplessness. "He didn't specify. I sincerely hope he returns soon. Rest assured, the moment I have news, I will contact you immediately."

Ilia grew slightly anxious. "Can't you go to his vacation spot and speak with him? Or perhaps send him an urgent transmission?"

Lanli rubbed his forehead and sighed. "You know the Commander's temperament better than anyone. Once he retreats for a holiday, we lose all trace of him unless he chooses to return on his own initiative."

Ilia's smile faltered.

Unreachable?

How long would that delay stretch into?

She couldn't afford to wait even a single minute. The longer the delay, the more unpredictable the actions of Fia’s separatists and those figures in the Crystal Palace might become, putting her at a distinct disadvantage.

She subconsciously tightened her grip on the teacup. "Is there truly no other way?"

Lanli stood up, offering a polite smile. "I will endeavor to give you a reply within one month, how about that? Thank you for visiting today."

It was a clear dismissal.

Ilia realized she could not linger. She set down the teacup, rose, and restored her faint smile. "Very well. I shall await your good news."

Back aboard her shuttle, once Peizhe guided the vessel out of the dock, Ilia’s face immediately hardened. If the Angelic Domain genuinely intended to cooperate, a month was not an excessive wait. But how could she simply wait idly for thirty days?

Ilia opened the star map and began searching for her second prospective legion. Her ideal target remained the Huaxia Legion, but since the Wolf's Den was situated near the Angelic Domain, a visit there first might yield some results.

Though Ilia lacked true audacity, she possessed a significant trait: forgetfulness. In less than a year, she had entirely erased the memory of having previously mustered the combined forces of the Star Federation and Fia to crush this very star system, allowing her to approach the Wolf's Den with surprising ease. She even harbored the naive hope that the Wolf's Den, positioned somewhat subserviently near the Angelic Domain, might agree to an alliance.

Among the myriad legion commanders, the leader of the Wolf's Den was less famous than subordinates like the Director of Strategic Weapons or the Director of Combat Operations. Furthermore, it was a relatively new legion; perhaps they lacked the precise judgment regarding the current geopolitical climate…

Upon receiving word that Ilia intended to pay a visit, Old Dog immediately sent an urgent signal to Ziye. "Hey, your adversary is coming to call? Are you handling this one?"

Ziye blinked, momentarily confused. "My adversary? Who?"

An Junlie, however, raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Ilia is coming to see you?"

Ziye let out an "Oh," realizing the situation. "I don't consider her an adversary anymore."

Old Dog chuckled. "That doesn't matter. You were rivals back in school, so you should have plenty to talk about. This task is yours."

Ziye: "...Redhead has a grudge against Fia too, doesn't she?"

Old Dog: "Exactly. That's why Redhead is currently in Fia, stirring up trouble and getting her revenge."

Ziye had no further argument. "Fine. Tell her to come see me."

An Junlie had just received a message from Lanli. "Ilia has lost Kalu as her backing and is desperate for allies, which is why she’s seeking cooperation."

Ziye nodded. "Mm, understood."

Seeing her seemingly unconcerned reaction, An Junlie couldn't help but ask, "What do you plan to do?"

Ziye shrugged. "What needs to be done?" Seeing An Junlie's surprise, she stuck out her tongue slightly. "I just want to see if she’ll beg me."

An Junlie: "...And if she does beg you?"

Ziye merely smiled. "We'll see when that happens."

An Junlie had been preparing to ask a follow-up question—"And what if I begged you?"—but since Ziye refused to give a direct answer, he swallowed the words back down. A man who felt snubbed could not afford to press the issue.

As Old Dog predicted, Ilia soon arrived in the Xilian Galaxy.

Ziye glanced at Little Sprout, who was intently tinkering with the battleship management system, deciding not to bring him along. After informing Tang Wan, who was engrossed in her work, and calling for Halley, she prepared to leave.

An Junlie offered, "Let me accompany you."

Ziye smiled. "That wouldn't be appropriate. You’d steal my thunder."

An Junlie sighed in resignation, forced to remain a guest. He truly felt utterly dismissed by Ziye. She chose Halley over him for this task!

As Halley stepped out the door, he shot An Junlie a triumphant glance before striding confidently out.

An Junlie felt a knot of frustration. Previously, whenever he wanted to accompany Ziye, he would simply go where she was—whether it was Sprout Villa, Lings University, or the Wolf's Den headquarters. This was the first time he felt like an outsider, a complete guest. Everyone else was kind to him, but he couldn't truly integrate. Was it because Ziye was previously surrounded only by robots, and now by so many colleagues? An Junlie didn't know. Nor did he want to dig too deep, fearing the answer he might uncover would be unbearable.

Ziye stepped outside and found Halley waiting for her a short distance away. "You and those ten idiots go and fetch Ilia."

Halley acknowledged the order and opened a group communication channel. "Hey, you guys who aren't busy, come join me to pick someone up."

Little Green was the first to respond. "What person? Not going!"

Little Black chimed in next. "Yeah, I have plenty to do."

The others echoed the sentiment.

Halley thought for a moment. "We’re going to pick up a girl—a beautiful girl. Really not coming?"

The mention of a beautiful girl instantly lit up the eyes of the ten "idiots." They rushed to assemble, each grabbing a personal airship, forming a line, and setting off in a grand procession.

Halley took the lead, engaging the autopilot. "Hey, you guys should come up with a team name. That way, when Ziye calls the team name, you’ll know immediately. Isn't that good?"

—There were ten youths, and Ziye had entrusted their current arrangement to him. He needed to call them 'idiots' now, otherwise, they would surely tear him to shreds eventually. Thus, he leveraged Ziye's authority to motivate them.

The ten fell into deep thought.

Little Red clenched his fist, his face flushed with excitement. "We must choose a name that shocks heaven and makes ghosts weep!"

Little Green strongly agreed. "And it has to be catchy, one you remember after hearing it once!"

Little Yellow was not to be outdone. "How about we call ourselves Team Star? As long as we see the stars in space, people will think of us."

Little Purple couldn't stand it. "It has zero (bàqì - imposing presence/aura)!"

The group argued fiercely, failing to reach any consensus whatsoever by the time they arrived at the space station dock.

Just then, Ilia emerged from the dock hall—red lips, a long dress, large eyes, a pointed chin, makeup expertly applied, followed by two rows of identical-looking bodyguards if observed closely.

Little Cyan complained. "Is that the person?"

Halley confirmed. "Yes, that’s her. Ilia. I hear she’s soon to be the Queen of Fia."

"Achoo!" Little White sneezed inelegantly. "She looks like a female ghoul. You called her a beautiful girl?"

This single comment struck a chord, causing a massive reaction. Though the ten often disagreed, aesthetically, they were unexpectedly unanimous.

Halley quickly intervened. "Don't say anything, she's coming out now."

As Ilia exited the hall, Halley immediately stepped forward, composed and respectful. "Greetings, Miss Ilia. I am from the Wolf's Den Strategic Weapons Department, here to welcome you."

Ilia raised her chin slightly. "You are the one sent to meet me?"

To send one department's personnel to greet someone aspiring to be a Queen—that was crossing a line!

Halley nodded. "Yes, myself, and our welcoming detail."

Ilia’s expression frosted over. "Didn't your Commander say Ziye would meet me? Where is she?"

—In Ilia’s mind, she and Ziye shared a minor feud stemming from Ziye's team defeating hers to win the Kaga Mecha Tournament. She had imagined that if Ziye came to greet her humbly, even with a less grand reception, she might accept the situation. But who were these people greeting her now?

Halley considered saying, "Our Director is busy," but knew that statement would likely send Ilia into a rage. Having spent several months by Ziye’s side, he knew what to say instead. "All visitors to the Wolf's Den are greeted by our general reception team. Ziye does not have the authorization to be part of the welcome party."

Ilia scoffed.