After settling Weiss in, the rest were just some "minor matters".
With the government staff operating at an almost mechanical efficiency, the piles of paperwork and daily affairs of the territory were processed at an astonishing speed.
All that was presented to Lind was a summary that required his final decision or was worth his attention.
Linde learned a lot of new information from this.
After the Sass Empire completely shifted to a defensive posture on the eastern front, it indeed sent an envoy delegation with a full ten carriages of "apologies." The procession was grand and imposing, and under the banner of peace and goodwill, it arrived at the outer city area of Blackrock Territory, which was under expansion.
The gifts on the list were of considerable value, including a large number of rare magical materials, works of art, gold coins, and several symbolic documents of ownership of barren mines near Blackrock Territory that originally belonged to the Sass Empire—it was less of an apology and more of a disguised form of "tribute" and a test.
Linde didn't even show his face. He simply had Astaire send someone to silently accept the apology and "politely" accommodate the delegation in a mediocre inn, without any further arrangements for a meeting.
His intentions were clear and ruthless: he would accept the gifts, appreciate the goodwill (or rather, the fear), but not make any attempt to build a good relationship.
He maintained a detached neutrality, and as long as the Sass Empire behaved itself and did not attempt to challenge the Kree Empire (or rather, challenge the stability of the Blackrock Territory's surrounding areas), he could pretend they didn't exist.
This silent, almost humiliating treatment left the Sassian delegation uneasy, yet they dared not utter a word of complaint. In the end, they could only leave their gifts behind, filled with speculation and even deeper unease.
The Principality of Oak, however, remained completely silent, as if frozen in ice.
There were no new troop movements at the border, no diplomatic announcements, and even the previously active border trade had almost come to a standstill.
They were like a wounded beast, silently licking their wounds, hiding all their ambition and sharpness.
But Lind would never be so naive as to think they had given up.
A nation capable of developing the "Crimson Barrier" and alchemical airships, and daring to covet the legacy of the Zedo, possesses an extraordinary resilience.
This deathly silence often signifies deeper planning and a more dangerous brewing. They might be working tirelessly to analyze the incomplete data, perhaps developing more powerful weapons, or searching for new allies or... Lind's weaknesses.
Linde didn't seem to care much about it.
In the face of absolute power, most schemes and tricks appear pale in comparison.
He only needed to keep an eye on things and wait and see. In his eyes, the Principality of Oak was still a "technology sample bank" worth exploring, and it would "come active" again sooner or later.
His attention had long since transcended the conflicts of the mortal realm.
As he told Aster, repairing and upgrading the Iron Sky, restoring and even surpassing its former power, was the core objective at present. This starship was his fundamental bulwark and source of power to cope with all future changes.
What's even more urgent is the information Naraku brought about regarding a "legendary" being, and... that "invitation" that has been hanging in the balance all along.
Urano the Goldenmane Watcher, Lord of Beasts.
The invitation was extended by the orc god.
Lind never forgot, nor did he respond easily.
For Lind, who has not yet fully mastered the Iron Sky and whose own power system, though unique, has not yet reached its peak, the realm of the gods is still full of unknowns and risks.
Meeting God requires confidence.
It's not just the confidence in strength, but also the confidence in knowledge and understanding.
He must ensure that he does not look up to others as an "ant," but at least observes and communicates as an "equal."
He had been accumulating strength, analyzing the legacy of Zedu, expanding the boundaries of his own knowledge, and even unexpectedly gaining a "miracle sample" from the Shadow Abyss, Weiss. All of this was to increase his "confidence" when facing the supreme being.
“Aster,” Lind’s voice rang out in the core command room.
"Yes, my lord." Aster's projection instantly materialized.
"Strengthen monitoring of all abnormal energy fluctuations within a 500-mile radius of the territory, especially abnormal phenomena involving nature, life, and animal populations. Raise the precision to the highest level."
"Understood. Monitoring array priority has been adjusted."
Linde nodded slightly, his gaze falling on the holographic projection of the endless starry sky on the main control panel.
He knew that the meeting with the Lord of Beasts could not be postponed indefinitely.
Since that being extended the invitation, it must have had its own purpose.
Delaying for too long may result in missing a good opportunity or attracting unnecessary attention.
He needs to proactively create a suitable opportunity, a moment on a carefully prepared "stage," for this divine meeting.
Before that, he needed the final piece of the puzzle—a "buffer layer" or "observation station" that could, to some extent, isolate him from the direct impact of divine power, or at least allow him to clearly observe the nature of that power.
His gaze involuntarily drifted towards the Howling Abyss, towards the Shadow Abyss Rift that he had completely analyzed.
Shadow Abyss, the dark side of all things, the final void. Its power attributes, from a certain perspective, are exactly the opposite of those of the Lord of Beasts, who represents vitality, reproduction, and nature.
Perhaps... we could utilize this rift, along with Vice's unique characteristics, and the spatial technology of Steel Sky, to create...
In Linde's purple eyes, the golden data stream accelerated once again, and a bold idea gradually took shape.
He wanted to establish a temporary "neutral observation post" in the gap between the material world and the shadow abyss to receive the "Lord of All Spirits".
This was undoubtedly an adventure, but also an attempt with great scientific value.
"Initiate preliminary research on the 'Ark of the Other Shore' project," Linde issued a new instruction. "Using the Howling Abyss Rift as a reference point, design a cross-dimensional static force field that can be temporarily deployed and stably exist for one to two standard times. Prioritize ensuring energy observation and rule isolation performance both internally and externally."
"Command received. Project 'Ark of the Other Shore' established, privilege level: highest. Computing resources allocated: 15%," the system of Steel Sky responded.
Linde slowly sat back in the command seat, his fingertips tapping lightly on the armrest.
The accumulation continues, but the pace is quickening. The day of conversing with God is not far off.
He was very curious about what interesting form the Lord of Beasts, formed from "morning light," would take within his "Ark of the Other Shore." And what brilliant addition this meeting would make to his treasure trove of knowledge.
The clamor of Blackrock Territory and the conflicts of the continent had become distant background noise. Linde's gaze had already turned to the stars and the abyss, to the realm belonging to the gods.
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