Chapter 110: And You, My Friend, Are a True Hero
Learning from the older Seele that Caelus's group would be heading to the furnace core settlement to negotiate with Svarog today, Natasha woke up early and got busy.
She first made her rounds, checking on the patients in the clinic and ensuring everyone was settled. She handed over daily affairs to Oleg, then, without a moment's rest, she took a group of Wildfire's armed personnel and rushed to the furnace core settlement.
The negotiations with Svarog were of great importance, directly tied to the fate of everyone in the Underworld. As the true leader of Wildfire, Natasha couldn't possibly not be concerned. Beyond that, she was also worried for the safety of Caelus and his friends. Wildfire had tried to communicate with Svarog countless times, and Natasha had a considerable understanding of him. He was a machine that obeyed only the results of his calculations, a being of absolute rationality. Persuading him would be no simple task! If a conflict were to break out, she had to ensure everyone's safety.
Just as a worried Natasha rushed to the furnace core settlement, she happened to hear Caelus's picture-perfect imitation of "Help me, Mr. Svarog!", as well as Svarog's subsequent response.
Natasha's beautiful, black-stockinged legs stopped in their tracks. Her eyes widened, her expression cycling through worry, bewilderment, confusion, and a dream-like state. For a moment, she wondered if she was hallucinating, just like the two miners from before.
One second, the situation was tense enough to draw swords, with the cannon on Svarog's arm more than halfway open. The next second, because of Caelus's cry, his attitude did a one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turn? This was completely wrong!
Was the problem with Caelus, or with Svarog?
The Wildfire members behind Natasha looked at each other, disbelief in every eye.
"Hmph hmph~ As expected, this baby's charm is irresistible!"
Stelle stood with her hands on her hips, chest puffed out, an expression of supreme invincibility on her face. Caelus's achievement was her achievement.
"Good heavens, truly good heavens!"
Taking a sharp breath, March 7th leaned her fluffy pink head over. "Caelus, how on earth did you do that?" Making Svarog bow down with a single sentence?
Dan Heng, Bronya, and the older Seele all looked at Caelus in astonishment. Dan Heng's gaze lingered on the phone in Caelus's hand for a moment. Was it related to him tossing the phone to Svarog? But how did he do it?
"Just a basic operation, no need to get hyped." With a faint smile, Caelus waved his hand dismissively.
What was the Trailblazer's strongest skill? The baseball bat? The lance of fire? The hat?
NO, NO, NO. It was calling for backup!
"Big Brother Caelus, what's wrong with Mr. Svarog?" Although Clara was happy they didn't fight, this situation was clearly not right. She was uneasy.
"It's nothing. Besides the newly added mission, your Mr. Svarog is completely normal." Actually, it was possible to have Silver Wolf set him as the highest authority, but the idea of stealing Clara's robot dad... Hiss, it sounds kind of fun~
Clara nodded at his words but still walked up to Svarog, concerned, and asked about his condition. In response, Svarog initiated a self-diagnostic.
"Language module operating normally. Memory module search beginning... Record of Clara creating a mini magnetic flow drill, complete. Record of Clara explaining the human behavior of sleeping in, complete..."
"That's enough, that's enough! Clara knows Mr. Svarog is fine now!"
Her embarrassing history being aired out in public, Clara blushed and stood on her tiptoes, waving her small hands to try and cover Svarog's mouth, but she still couldn't reach.
"Truly incredible." Natasha approached, leading the members of Wildfire.
"Natasha, what are you all doing here?"
"We came to provide backup, but it seems like we made the trip for nothing," Natasha said with a smile, her gentle expression filled with joy.
"Not for nothing, Natasha. I have some good news for you."
Caelus's overly familiar form of address made Natasha pause for a moment, then she smiled gently. "I've already seen it."
Creating supplies for the Underworld and persuading Svarog, the key to lifting the blockade—Caelus had clearly raised Natasha's favorability of him to a considerably high level.
"It's not about Svarog," Caelus said, shaking his head with a light laugh.
"Hmm? What is it then?" The slight pause made a curved strand of hair fall across her forehead, making her mature charm even more pronounced. The others also looked at Caelus curiously.
"Something delicious." Caelus took out the mushroom spore packet that Raven had brought from Silverwing.
"Something delicious?" March 7th immediately leaned in curiously. Her expression changed when she saw the instructions on the packet. "This... this is!"
"Seele, use the power of White Flower," Caelus said, handing the packet to the dark-blue-haired girl.
"Okay, Big Brother Caelus," Little Seele nodded, speaking to herself.
Seele took some mycelium from the packet and scattered it on the ground like flower seeds. Black Abyss and White Flower fell into the girl's hands, and she plunged the spear's tip into the earth.
"I am the white that nurtures all things."
The girl's voice was as soft as an angel's, and Black Abyss and White Flower emitted a pure white light symbolizing life force. On the quiet, empty ground, the sound of tender grass growing and flower buds blooming suddenly arose. The scattered mycelium grew rapidly under the influence of the power of creation.
To everyone's astonishment, green grass and white flowers grew from the rocky ground. More importantly, from the ground, from the rocks, from the walls, mushrooms of various colors sprouted. A rich aroma began to fill the air.
Stelle watched a mushroom grow from a crack in a rock beside her. The fresh scent tickled her nose, and without much hesitation, she reached out, picked it, and popped it into her mouth.
"Ooh, not bad."
"This is..."
Natasha picked up a mushroom, her rose-scented lips biting into it. As she ate, her eyes widened in disbelief.
Seeing this, the older Seele, Bronya, and many of the armed Wildfire members all picked nearby mushrooms to taste.
"So delicious!"
"Th-this is a mushroom?"
"How can a raw mushroom taste like this?"
"I'm not dreaming, am I?"
"The taste is just one factor. This is what's important," Caelus said, handing the instructions that came with the spore packet to the stunned Natasha.
"A dark, underground growing environment... This-this growth speed! Is this really a mushroom?" When she saw the fungal characteristics and nutritional content described in the manual, Natasha's rose-red eyes suddenly constricted.
Many of the Wildfire members behind her heard Natasha's soft recitation. And so, after a brief, dead silence, the crowd completely erupted, their voices thundering with excitement and joy.
"This is great!"
"We'll never go hungry again!"
"That guest... no, Lord, is he a god?"
The way the armed Wildfire members looked at Caelus completely changed. It was as if they were looking at a god who brought miracles and blessings. In Belobog, that was Jarilo, the god of spring and war. Few of the common people at the bottom of this primitive planet had a real sense of the Aeons. When having enough food and clothing was a problem, whoever could feed them was a god!
The older Seele and Bronya strode over to Natasha's side, their expressions tense, their eyes quickly scanning the instruction manual. It was just ordinary black print on white paper, yet it made them breathe faster, the pounding of their blood making them feel dizzy for a moment.
Solved?
The food resource problem in the Underworld was just... completely solved?
Not just the Underworld, if the contents of this manual were true, the surplus food could even be sent to support the Overworld!
Natasha, the older Seele, and Bronya looked blankly at the smiling gray-haired young man. Natasha was the first to snap out of her ecstasy. She saw the expressions on Dan Heng and March 7th's faces.
Dan Heng was frowning slightly, his expression serious. March 7th was scratching her head, conflicted and hesitant. Meeting Natasha's gaze, Dan Heng sighed. "Caelus, this kind of thing is very dangerous. If the Interastral Peace Corporation finds out, the people here won't be able to bear the consequences."
Dan Heng's words quieted the jubilant Wildfire members.
"Is it dangerous?" the older Seele asked anxiously.
Dan Heng shook his head, then nodded. "It's not dangerous in itself, but..."
Amidst Bronya and Natasha's unease, he explained the galactic patent laws, the patent fees, and the consequences of not being able to pay—the entire planet, including its descendants, would become indentured servants to the Corporation to pay off the debt.
The three women's expressions gradually turned from serious to a dim look of loss. The hope of survival was right in front of them, but the price was so heavy. Bronya bit her cherry lip hard, a fierce ideological struggle raging in her mind. She was the heir to the Supreme Guardian of Belobog, the future leader of their civilization. Every decision she made could determine the future fate of her people.
Should they plant these mushrooms first, solve the urgent crisis, and let more people live? As for the patent fees that would have to be paid in the future...
Pay them.
But with what?
Belobog had no money. If only she could bear the cost alone. No matter what the price, she would be willing, as long as the people of Belobog could survive!
As fellow leaders, Natasha's head was bowed, her cherry-red eyes staring at the instruction manual in her hand with unprecedented seriousness. Her slender hand unconsciously crumpled the paper. Her thoughts coincided with Bronya's, but Natasha sighed deeply, intending to let all the people of the Underworld decide whether to use it.
Just then.
"Of course I know there's a patent fee. But I've already taken care of it."
A somewhat lazy young man's voice drifted into Natasha and Bronya's ears, making them snap their heads up to look at Caelus.
"Taken care of it? Where did you get that much money!?" March 7th's eyes widened in shock. "Even if we combined all of our Express funds and multiplied it by ten thousand, it wouldn't be enough, right?"
"I don't have money, but I can pay the rich woman back with my body." Caelus's tone was as casual as if he were paying for a spicy snack at a convenience store.
Dan Heng: "?" March 7th: "??" Stelle: "???" Did you get my permission to pay with your body? I want to pay back the rich woman with my body too!
Natasha, Bronya, and the older Seele opened their mouths, their hearts filled with a mix of complex emotions that were impossible to describe.
The armed Wildfire members, on the other hand, were filled with solemn respect. Many of them were on the verge of kowtowing and kneeling.
To sacrifice his own body in exchange for food for the Underworld... this was a true, undisputed hero!
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