TN: And we're back! sorry for the week long hiatus, it was not intentional since I had to get my right leg in a cast after tripping 3 floors down a stairwell (like an idiot ://) and be unable to use my PC setup upstairs BUT I should be OK now.
Anyways, Thanks for Arcanic Madness, WeissAkumu and WolfWTF for becoming as Supporters!,
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"However, there is something I must state first. The budget the IPC can allocate to this matter is effectively limitless. That said, in adherence to humanitarian principles, we refuse to employ force. Of course, if you personally possess extraordinary strength, we have no reason to restrict individuals outside the IPC."
Beneath this string of lofty declarations lay Jade's inference regarding his plan.
Most likely, it involved seizing the Silverchain Galaxy by force.
To be honest, there was nothing particularly novel in this universe.
If one looked purely from a commercial standpoint, no force could claim to be stronger than the IPC. And if even the IPC had exhausted all its options, then in Jade's view, the only remaining path was violence.
But the Silverchain Galaxy was no soft target. Unless one possessed Emanator-level combat power, there was no way to secure it outright.
Jade's words were also a clear signal: Diamond would not make a move—at least not at this critical juncture.
Which meant that unless the person on the other end of the communicator was himself an Emanator!
Hearing Jade's statement, Aventurine responded cooperatively, "Exactly. Interstellar matters, peace and all that. I understand the IPC's difficulties perfectly. So naturally, I wouldn't propose any method that would put the IPC in an awkward position."
With evident enthusiasm, he continued, "Rest assured, the IPC won't need to deploy a single soldier. Moreover, it will be able to take over the Silverchain Galaxy as a savior, entirely reasonable and fully compliant."
No way… did I actually guess right?
Jade was startled by Aventurine's reply.
"The identity of a savior"—she keenly grasped the implication hidden within those words.
If the world were not facing a crisis, where would a savior come from?
And a crisis capable of destroying a world—how could it possibly arise out of thin air?
The answer was already very close.
If nothing unexpected occurred, the person opposite her was an Emanator.
And he even intended to personally step into the situation, shouldering all the infamy himself!
Frankly speaking, this kind of arrangement—fame and profit both secured—was something the IPC could only dream of.
But why?
Why would an Emanator be willing to sacrifice himself like this?
She wanted to ask outright.
But to avoid the embarrassment of overestimating herself, she chose a cautious approach. "Sir, please state your plan directly. Bonajade Exchange's credibility is well known—we will not go back on our word."
"All right. I'll tell you."
Aventurine didn't bother with suspense. His low voice came through the communicator. "An ion storm."
"Ion storm?"
It was so far from what she had imagined that Jade failed to react at once.
"That's right. An ion storm."
Aventurine said with certainty, "At exactly three in the afternoon, twenty-eight days from now, an ion storm rarely seen even once in several hundred Amber Eras will sweep across the Silverchain Galaxy—enough to completely destroy it!"
She understood now. She truly understood everything.
Jade was struck with sudden clarity.
Her mind erupted at the weight of this information.
Just as he said—this was a perfect opportunity for the IPC to make a grand entrance as a savior!
Yet what shocked her was not the plan itself, but…
"This ion storm—did you cause it?" she asked in disbelief.
Otherwise, how could he pinpoint the timing down to the hour?!
Foreseeing the future? Don't be ridiculous—no one could do that!
The only explanation was that he possessed either the technology or the ability to create a super-scale ion storm. If it were an ability, that would be easier to accept—but if it were technology…
A name surfaced in Jade's mind, one the IPC had discarded after use—Chadwick.
The human who had created terrifying weapons like the Imaginary Pulse.
And now, someone of comparable stature was speaking to her!
She blurted out involuntarily, "Are you from the Genius Society? Then why would you—"
Jade had wanted to ask why he would do this, but she forcibly stopped herself.
Because another infamous genius came to mind—Dr. Primitive.
Could this be an experiment laden with hidden schemes? And if so, what role would the IPC be assigned?
That unclear future made her hesitate.
But upon hearing her exclamation, Aventurine replied irritably, "Of course not!"
If he ever managed to have connections within the Genius Society, it would probably require Professor Ratio to suddenly achieve enlightenment and have a miraculous epiphany.
He said matter-of-factly, "The Genius Society doesn't hide their identities when they act. Those lunatics commit atrocities openly and proudly."
"Mm… that makes sense."
Jade nodded. His manner indeed didn't resemble those research fanatics.
Still—where could an ion storm of this scale possibly come from?
"Sir, I believe it would be better for us to be more forthright. I already understand the plan you've proposed. The IPC can indeed manufacture devices to deal with ion storms. But a storm of this magnitude is no small expense. At the very least, we need to know how you obtained this intelligence. Otherwise, I can't trust it."
"..."
As expected, this was the hardest hurdle to clear.
Aventurine fell silent for a moment, then made his decision. "All right. I can tell you my identity."
There was no helping it. This was the only way through.
After taking a deep breath, he spoke solemnly, his voice sincere beyond pearls. "Actually, I'm a Galaxy Ranger."
"?"
Jade listened in utter confusion.
She asked skeptically, "And… what does that have to do with the ion storm?"
"Everything."
Aventurine's voice grew low, as if he were reopening old wounds, reminiscing about a past too painful to face.
"Our organization's greatest achievement was the assassination of the invincible Lord Ravager, Zephyro. In that battle that stained entire galaxies red, countless young men from our ranks perished beneath the claws of Destruction. But driven by obsession, they did not fully disappear. Instead, they transformed into another kind of special lifeform."
"Those who lost all reason were laid to rest after being delivered. But a small number who retained their sanity gained peculiar abilities. They can perceive impending disasters and issue early warnings to us. This ion storm is the result of their foresight."
"Th-this…" Jade hesitated.
It was a theory she had never heard of before—there was no way to tell whether it was complete fabrication.
She probed cautiously, "Is that… really true?"
Aventurine answered firmly, "Of course it's true!"
Of course it was false!
The beauty of this lie was that the dead told no tales. Jade had nowhere to find a Galaxy Ranger to verify it.
And even if she did, they'd probably fire two shots straight at IPC personnel rather than help her.
"Besides, does the IPC even have another choice?"
Jade's tone turned sharp. "Are you trying to coerce the IPC?"
"No, of course not. On the contrary—we're ants tied to the same rope."
In every sense of the word—especially twenty years later.
Aventurine snapped his fingers and smiled faintly. "If I were lying about something like this, the IPC would only lose some money, while I'd gain nothing at all. Only if this is real can I obtain my consultant's fee."
"We're in a mutually beneficial partnership, aren't we?"
Jade fell silent for a moment.
Indeed, as he said—aside from followers of Elation, no one would tell a lie that harmed others without benefiting themselves.
Still, this feeling of being led by the nose was inexplicably uncomfortable.
"Very well. Then, here's to a pleasant cooperation."
At this point, she had no choice but to accept.
But immediately after, her tone shifted. Her eyes, sharp as blades, fixed on the communicator as she asked coldly, "Then, Mr. Galaxy Ranger—after handing over such critical intelligence to cooperate with the IPC, what exactly is the compensation you seek?"
"Don't tell me your organization is simply short on funds, so you're pinching your nose and coming to work with the IPC."
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