Chapter 1049: Energy Reserves
Zhang Lie explained, "I brought back the death spirits' battleships from the war, and they're in the superior draconian world right now."
Li Zongming's eyes widened. "Something good, then?"
Zhang Lie nodded. "Extremely powerful artifacts, a dozen or so generations ahead of what the three thousand worlds should have been able to come up with. Even ten thousand years might not be enough."
Zhang Lie couldn't help but be impressed with the death spirit king again for the technological marvel that his battleships were.
The death spirit king was ruinously ambitious, it was true—but he was also an unparalleled genius, who had devised incredibly powerful weaponry even in this technologically locked realm.
The death spirit king had prematurely tried to devour the three thousand worlds. If he had focused on developing his weaponry, he would easily be able to surpass the other superior worlds.
"Each of those battleships had the fighting ability of a superior king, and the strongest even went beyond that."
Li Zongming's eyes widened. "Why didn't you bring such treasures here?"
The combat ability of a superior king... if Li Zongming had access to such technology, the Zongming world wouldn't have to fear any invasion.
Zhang Lie shrugged. "It is a treasure, but an incomplete one. None of the battleships survived intact.
Li Zongming understood immediately. "That was the only way you could get them back under the eyes of the other forces, wasn't it?"
Zhang Lie sighed. "The draconian world ascended first into a large world, then a superior one, in a few years. It doesn't have the resources or reserves to do anything with the battleships—no skilled researchers of any sort."
Li Zongming gave him a thumbs up. "You managed to accomplish all that in a few years? It took us dozens of generations!"
.
Zhang Lie laughed. "That's why I'd like to borrow some of your skilled researchers."
Li Zongming frowned. "Will the research be ready for the upcoming invasion?"
Zhang Lie sighed, shaking his head. "It'll be very difficult."
Li Zongming suggested, "I can loan you the people, but you'll have to conduct the research in the Zongming world."
"I'm afraid that's not possible." Zhang Lie shook his head.
Li Zongming cried out, "I've even given you my daughter! I don't want the spoils of war—I just want to be able to witness the research myself."
Zhang Lie sighed. "It wouldn't have been a problem for me to just give you a few ruined battleships, but something happened that makes me believe that performing the research in the draconian world will be best."
Li Zongming frowned. "And just what might that be, to make the draconian world a superior option?"
The draconian world was a newly evolved superior world, one that had jumped from a medium-sized world to a superior one in just a few years. The resources it had were roughly equivalent to those of a large world.
On the other hand, the Zongming world had been a peak large world before its ascension. It couldn't compare to the superior worlds of antiquity, but it certainly was a respectable superior world in its own right.
Li Zongming asked, "How can the draconian world be a better place for research than the Zongming world?"
Li Zongming certainly couldn't think of a reason why. The draconian world was inferior in terms of resources and reserves—how could the Zongming world not compare favorably in all respects?
The Zongming world was worse than the superior worlds of antiquity, it was true—but to the newly evolved draconian world? When had the Zongming world fallen so far behind?
Zhang Lie spread his arms. "The Zongming world is better in almost every respect, but the draconian world has some resources the Zongming world does not."
Li Zongming asked, "What resources?"
"Energy!" Zhang Lie handed Li Zongming a chunk of black metal.
Li Zongming initially thought the metal wholly unremarkable, but he quickly found something unusual about it.
The black metal possessed an inordinate amount of energy that resulted from mixing what seemed like a random, eclectic mix of elements together. If it were to explode, it would release a huge quantity of energy.
Zhang Lie replied, "The most crucial aspect of the death spirits' battleships is their energy source. We're unable to replicate what the death spirits used, so we found an appropriate substitute."
Li Zongming frowned. "Are you joking with me?"
"It looks like you don't believe me..."
Li Zongming sighed. "Who would be willing to believe that a newly evolved superior world could produce such a ridiculous resource? If others were to find out about this, those greedy superior worlds of antiquity will surely strike, as will the medium-sized and large worlds all around the superior draconian world."
In some sense, the black metal was worth more than a superior world's energy.
Zhang Lie shrugged. "I was very shocked to hear about this news. The appearance of the black metal is an accident, one that's not reproducible."
Li Zongming frowned. "You intend on developing this black metal as a source of fuel for the death spirits' battleships?"
"Indeed."
Li Zongming finally understood. "That's why you believe it would be more appropriate to perform the research on the draconian world."
Zhang Lie asked, "Do you disagree?"
Li Zongming shook his head. "No, it's a rational idea, but you have to be aware of how important the researchers you're asking for are to me. It won't be possible for me to provide them to the draconian world directly."
Zhang Lie frowned. "Not even if we share the benefits?"
Li Zongming rolled his eyes. "I'm not working with you alone."
Zhang Lie understood what he was getting at. "You don't trust the superior king of the draconian world, the draconian sage?"
Li Zongming nodded. "I trust you, but not to the extent that I would blindly make such an important decision."
Zhang Lie replied, "Would you be willing to have a meeting with the draconian sage, then?"
Li Zongming waved his hand. "I won't be able to trust them fully after just a single meeting. You know how long it usually takes worlds to build up trust, don't you? It's very difficult for kings of the realm to trust each other, because they have to put their worlds first. If I provide these specialists and the other party refuses to share the research with me, or shares flawed or incomplete research instead, what will I do?"
Trust was built up on mutual cooperation. Li Zongming wouldn't trust a superior king he had never met, even with Zhang Lie's guarantee. If his trust were misplaced, he wasn't the only one who would suffer—the millions of lifeforms in the Zongming world all would. He would be willing to work directly with Zhang Lie, but he had to be much more careful about working with other superior kings.
This 𝓬ontent is taken from fre𝒆webnove(l).𝐜𝐨𝗺