Evolution - Chapter 2
Chapter 2
The first reaction of the world's leaders was: ET has arrived.
Their second reaction was: Are they only contacting our country? Can we gain an advantage from this?
Their third reaction was: Have the technicians trace the signal. Confirm if only our country received it.
Ten minutes later, the major world powers confirmed one thing: it didn't matter if every country had received the message. What mattered was that the countries with the most muscle definitely had.
Alright then. Since all the old friends had received it, you could round up and say the whole world knew.
So, how should they respond?
How could they respond?
Weak nations have no diplomacy. The fact that the other party could travel between planets, roam the universe, and simultaneously infiltrate the defense systems of every nation to leave a message—especially one translated into each country's native language—proved one thing: technologically, they were light-years ahead of Blue Star.
Technology, culture, military power... Forget it. None of that was the point; they couldn't possibly compete anyway. It was better to analyze the other party's intentions. After all, they hadn't attacked outright or made any show of force. The communication mentioned inclusion in an alliance, which suggested they were probably leaning toward establishing peaceful diplomatic relations.
And yet, as the world leaders discussed this idea, they were all secretly thinking the same thing: Probably? Maybe? But what if?
The ETs of their imagination seemed to have a special respect for Earth's work traditions, leaving everyone on tenterhooks by remaining silent for the next two days.
Then, at nine o'clock on Monday morning, another simultaneous communication was sent: “Next Monday at 0900 Huaxia time, we will hold a video conference with you. Please proceed to the Imperial Capital of Huaxia in a timely manner.”
Along with this communication, the Galactic Interstellar Alliance transmitted a video, thoughtfully translated into their languages. It was a thirty-minute short film of a small-scale battle—a highlight reel of Brigadier General Xie'er leading the Sixth Fleet in pursuit of space pirates. From the pursuit command to the takedown, the explosions, and the mecha units cleaning up the battlefield, the orders were clear and the firepower was immense.
After watching the thirty-minute video, the heads of state and military leaders all knew exactly what this was: a show of force.
So, what would they discuss in the video conference seven days from now? And how would they discuss it?
The ETs were as considerate as ever, quickly sending over the meeting agenda and a list of materials the attendees needed to prepare.
The world leaders couldn't have been more distressed.
It was like a three-year-old child inheriting a vast fortune, only for a hulking brute with off-the-charts strength to appear. Your first thought wouldn't be to rise up and resist to the bitter end, but to wonder: Is he here to adopt me, seize my fortune, or murder me for my wealth?
Alright, given the tone of the Galactic Interstellar Alliance's two communications, they could cross off the last, most brutal option.
So, between the first two, which was more likely? The former, of course, was the best-case scenario. But “adoption” could mean many things. The ideal version was being raised like a biological child, well-nurtured, and having the entire fortune handed over upon reaching adulthood—though that was highly unlikely, unless they were dealing with saints or the second coming of Lei Feng.
Still, everyone hoped for that outcome. Failing that, being adopted but not treated as a biological child would be acceptable too—as long as they were well-nurtured, charged a reasonable fee for their care, and received the majority of their inheritance upon adulthood.
Of course, they were all thousand-year-old foxes; they knew to strive for the best outcome while preparing for the worst.
While the leaders on Earth were busy imagining what these aliens were like, Brigadier General Xie'er, who bore no resemblance to an ET whatsoever, was reviewing documents sent from the military headquarters regarding the delegation and the relevant guidelines and authority for negotiations with the new civilization.
“They're being surprisingly well-behaved this time. I can't tell if they couldn't get a hand in or if they've finally learned their place.” She flipped through the pages nonchalantly, tapping a name on the list. “Is there no one competent in the Alliance's diplomatic corps? To think Claire is the chief representative.”
Standing beside her, Xiao Xia handed her a glass of warm water and mused, “The Prime Minister was very displeased about your promotion to Major General being blocked. Marshal Tang probably made some trade-offs for this appointment.”
The current Prime Minister had an excellent reputation. He was a fair man who detested seeing public duty compromised for private reasons. His influence in the military wasn't particularly strong, so Marshal Tang must have made certain concessions in government affairs to secure the blocking of her promotion.
But this had little impact on Xie'er. In any case, the Prime Minister leaned toward their side. The composition of this delegation alone showed he was already making amends.
Xiao Xia clearly shared her view. “It seems that was the reason for the Prime Minister's compromise. He wanted to shift some people around and promote Claire. And now, the moment an opportunity arose, he's done it. It looks like the military side of this planet is entirely your responsibility, while the government side belongs to Claire. Once the negotiations are over and the treaty is signed, you'll both be in line for a promotion. In a few years, after the initial integration is complete, we can transfer to a better sector. And this Claire, she'll probably get another promotion when she returns.”
“Mm. It'll take them about twenty days to get here. In that case, let's do a little something extra. Give Miss Claire a little surprise.”
The implication was clear: Brigadier General Xie'er was going to stir things up in the next twenty days.
Never mind the speculations of the world's upper echelons, their cautious probing, or the mood in which they awaited the arrival of the Galactic Interstellar Alliance's negotiating team.
The turbulent undercurrents among the powerful had no effect on the common folk, who remained blissfully unaware of what was happening, living their lives as usual. The few who paid close attention to politics and finance merely noticed, Ah, another world summit is happening. Oh, it's in Beijing this time. The theme is... huh? Accelerating globalization?
For Ji Changqing and her friends, the main impact of this major event was that Zhong Lan, being a civil servant in the Imperial Capital, seemed to be swamped with work. Unable to leave early and devote herself to gaming, the “Old Cadre” could only vent and chat furiously in their group, which had become much more active recently.
Lin Huang and Xue Hong were currently researching whether to buy some foreign currency or stocks. Before and after every world summit, a correct prediction could lead to a tidy profit. Ji Changqing, meanwhile, had to travel to the Yangtze River Delta for over half a month due to a script adaptation. She had neither the energy nor the expertise to join the discussion, but she had spare cash and generously transferred half a million yuan to Lin Huang to ride their coattails.
Qian Jing and Zhong Lan also chipped in a hundred thousand each, ready to follow suit.
For a time, the small five-person group chat felt like its own mini-summit—though most of the time, they were just talking nonsense and gossiping.
Just like tonight. Having just returned to her hotel after discussing the adaptation's storyline with the screenwriter, it was a bit too early to sleep, but she felt too tired to write. It was the perfect time for some idle chatter. So, with an itchy finger, she clicked into the WeChat group, hoping to spend a harmonious and perfect evening with her terrible friends.
However, in their five-person group, any topic initiated with a serious purpose never survived for more than three minutes.
RMB: Qing, I think I ran into your ex-girlfriend a while ago.
Red Scarf: +1
He Shi Bi: +1
Old Cadre: Qing, why didn't you ever get a girlfriend from the Imperial Capital? I can't +1 this.
Ji Changqing was stunned for three seconds. Seriously? Why? This makes no sense. Isn't talking about making money good enough? Why do we have to gossip?
He Shi Bi: It's terrifying when you think about it.
Red Scarf: Right, why are all your exes popping up recently? And we all happened to run into them.
Old Cadre: Let me check. Qing's in Mercury retrograde. Her chart shows a prominent feature: the return of the ex.
Red Scarf: Are they all asking to get back together?
Son of Heaven Zhou: In your dreams. One of them called a few days ago to ask if I was going to the class reunion.
Red Scarf: Then why don't my exes call me?
Old Cadre: Your exes probably just want to break your bones.
He Shi Bi: Haha!
Ji Changqing felt so weary. In their five-person group, the appeal of serious matters was practically zero. Gossiping and roasting group members was the eternal focus. Sometimes, they themselves felt their relationship had become so twisted it went beyond the scope of “terrible friends”—
They had to be mortal enemies.
The “our happiness must be built upon your suffering” kind.
RMB: It's been a long time since I've heard any of you talk about getting a girlfriend. Even Hong has been quiet these past few years.
Son of Heaven Zhou: Not interested.
Red Scarf: No beautiful women.
He Shi Bi: No time.
Old Cadre: No means.
Son of Heaven Zhou: I get to fall in love with the female lead every time I write a novel. I can make it as romantic as I want, and she can be as beautiful as I want.
Red Scarf: Anyone richer than me isn't as beautiful, and anyone more beautiful than me isn't as rich.
He Shi Bi: Rainie Yang is enough for me.
Old Cadre: Games are enough for me.
RMB: A bunch of fetishists.
Son of Heaven Zhou: Yep, I have my novels.
Red Scarf: I have my mirror.
He Shi Bi: Qing, you're throwing yourself into novels. What about the company?
RMB: Yeah, why are Huang and I busy as dogs while you get to mess around with this and that?
Red Scarf: That's just you. Qing and Huang are pretty free.
He Shi Bi: Qing is free. I'm just not as busy as Qian, okay?
Old Cadre: Envy.JPG
Red Scarf: What's there to envy? You work from ten to four and play games all day.
He Shi Bi: You're not busy either. You go abroad at least three times a year.
Son of Heaven Zhou: If you give the operations team the lion's share of the dividends, you could do it too. It's not like a small company makes that much profit in a year anyway.
He Shi Bi: That's true. On average, the money you make on your own is about the same as the company's dividends now.
Red Scarf: Damn this ridiculous society. If we were men, we'd be considered diamond bachelors, right? But here we are, single.
Son of Heaven Zhou: We would not, thank you!
He Shi Bi: We would not, thank you!
RMB: We would not, thank you!
Old Cadre: We would not, thank you!
Red Scarf: ...
Xue Hong was indignant. The five of them were spread across major cities—first-tier ones like the Imperial Capital and Shenzhen, or new first-tier ones like Chengdu and Wuhan. They had apartments, cars, savings, stocks, and their own small careers. At the very least, they were comfortably well-off. If they just changed their gender, they'd be a hot commodity, okay?!
Do you have to be like Daddy Alibaba or Big Brother Tencent to be considered a talented young elite?
Son of Heaven Zhou: Hong, snap out of it. A small part of our assets is because we're single. A much bigger part is because we're not burdened by paper shredders!
He Shi Bi: Mmm, before my friend got married and had a kid, she earned 500,000 a year and spent 200,000. After getting a paper shredder, her salary was cut in half to take care of it, and her expenses doubled.
RMB: I earn about the same as Qing every year, but I have a family to support. My annual savings are at least 300,000 less than hers.
Old Cadre: Supporting my two old folks already takes everything I have. If it weren't for the subsidized housing for civil servants, I'd never have been able to afford a place in the Imperial Capital in my lifetime.
Red Scarf: ...Fine. My parents' combined pension is a little higher than my monthly salary. Thinking about it seriously, maybe I'm only rich because I'm mooching off my parents?
He Shi Bi: You're finally willing to face the truth!!!
Son of Heaven Zhou: Don't be discouraged. The other half is because of your investment acumen.
RMB: All your money is spent on chasing girls. Don't you have any self-awareness?
Old Cadre: You don't get it. That's exactly why we've always been envious of you.
Red Scarf: Damn it!
Red Scarf: Qing, let me ask you, is it because of the pressure that you bought two apartments but not a car?
Son of Heaven Zhou: Are you fucking stupid?! I never leave the house. I'm a homebody who works and earns money from home. What use do I have for a car?
Red Scarf: It's convenient for dating. You can drive girls home at night.
Old Cadre: Why am I still so poor?
Son of Heaven Zhou: Thanks, but I'm not dating. IndifferentFace.JPG
He Shi Bi: Qing is a pragmatist.
Son of Heaven Zhou: Not really. I was just poor for too long. I don't understand the luxurious life.
RMB: Qing, stop talking nonsense. Weren't you with you-know-who for over two years? Didn't she teach you how to enjoy life?
Ji Changqing's finger, poised over the screen, paused. Enjoy life? Her gaze grew distant. She supposed she had, but back then, her focus had always been on improving herself, on becoming more outstanding. Memories flashed by. Even now, she still didn't understand why they had broken up so suddenly.
She had been excitedly sharing a recent success with her, only for the other woman to say with a cool expression, “Let's break up.”
There were no arguments, no cold wars, no betrayal. It was like being laid off—just a cold, hard notice.
She had tried to win her back, but in the end, faced with the other's indifference, she was met with a weary question: “There are a million reasons to be together, but only one reason to break up: I don't want to continue. Must you exhaust us both, mentally and physically, with these so-called attempts to salvage things?”
When she was younger, she dreamed of fancy cars and fine horses, of friends for wine and partners for poetry, of living a wild and unrestrained life. It was all about putting on a good show. Like a peacock spreading its tail feathers, making itself as vibrant and magnificent as possible for the simple purpose of finding a mate, they had gone to great lengths back then to show off, all in the name of getting out of singlehood.
Now, she had no interest in showing off anymore. Ji Changqing let out a long sigh. Showing off was so damn annoying, but not showing off meant escaping singlehood was on max difficulty. Torn between putting on an act and letting herself go, she ultimately chose to lie down and win—effortlessly earning the title of “single dog.”
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