Chapter 47
The city casino floating in the air, the endless Diamond Silver Beach, the giant ship restaurant sunk to the bottom of the sea, countless lounges, nightclubs... The Archipelago Hotel tells every tourist with its perfect service: Here, all the happiness that humans can imagine can be bought with money.
Tonight, the Moonlight Theater, which is widely praised by tourists, hung a sign saying "Temporarily closed" for some reason.
The tourists who came here to see the theater left disappointed, leaving the Moonlight Theater with a quiet and peaceful night under strict security measures.
The marble was washed gleaming by the moonlight, and the circular stage silently displayed its pride and luxury. The circular auditorium, which could accommodate a thousand people, currently only had three people sitting there:
Miyazawa, Yamashiro Hiroshi, and Jiang Yun.
The three of them faced the stage, sitting in three different directions.
There are eight seats between each person, which is not too close, just enough for them to hear each other clearly.
On the stage, the gorgeous curtain slowly opened, and the spotlight poured down.
A figure appeared in the beam of light.
The man was wearing an exquisite tuxedo. His face was not young but very charming. His temperament was elegant and luxurious, and even his breath seemed to exude the scent of money.
——Golden Archon, Kingsley.
"Good evening, everyone." Kingsley bowed towards the center of the audience, where Jiang Yun was sitting.
"The moonlight tonight is so beautiful, isn't it? I haven't enjoyed such beautiful moonlight in a long time." Kingsley took a deep breath, revealing an intoxicated expression. "Ever since Colonel Lu showed up on our Diamond Coast for no apparent reason, I've been forced to work overtime every night—and I don't even get overtime pay."
Having said that, Kingsley couldn't help but glance at the Omega under the stage, who was even more cold and beautiful than the moonlight, with a hint of accusation in his eyes.
If it weren't for the good deeds of this couple, he, the great Golden Archon, would not have ended up like this.
"Working overtime on Kinmastu Island is a crime against principle, and I've had enough," Kingsley said grandly. "Tonight, let us work together to write the final chapter of this classic drama that has been resurrected from the dead."
Kingsley snapped his fingers, and another spotlight came on.
The protagonist's projection finally appeared in the center of the stage.
The young and handsome Alpha was wearing a dark green military uniform and sitting on a classical and gorgeous red velvet chair.
He casually placed one hand on the armrest and supported his forehead with the other, his eyes closed peacefully, as if he was asleep.
Miyazawa and Yamashiro Hiroshi straightened their backs simultaneously.
Jiang Yun maintained his original sitting posture, with the sleeves of his black shirt turned outward and his wristwatch-wearing hands crossed in front of his chest.
He stared at the young man on the stage motionlessly, his expression calm and focused.
"This is a real-time projection of Colonel Lu. He's currently somewhere in the Moonlight Theater, awaiting his final fate," Kingsley said. "Colonel Lu is currently experiencing partial memory loss. He only remembers events from seventeen years ago and has no idea how he left Ice Wasteland Planet or arrived on Golden Mastoo Island."
"Excuse me, but don't you all think this story is too far-fetched?" The white-haired Prime Minister Orin leaned on his ebony cane. His voice was old yet powerful, carrying a certain strength accumulated over time. "The amnesiac Colonel Lu suddenly appeared on the Diamond Silver Beach. There were no clues, no witnesses. Are you trying to tell me that all this was done by the gods?"
Kingsley spread his hands. "I don't know about that, Prime Minister. How about you convince the Palace Speaker and Mr. Jiang to allow you to bring Colonel Lu back to Olin and investigate this matter thoroughly?"
"Impossible." Miyazawa said immediately, "Colonel Lu is a hero to all citizens of the Alliance. The Alliance will never let Colonel Lu live in exile in another country."
"Of course the Alliance can take Colonel Lu with them," said Hiroshi Yamashiro, "Only if the Alliance returns our mining rights to the crystal cores and immediately withdraws its troops from the Ice Wasteland Planet."
Kingsley looked like he had a headache. "Please don't repeat the same old tune. Jinmastu Island will always be neutral. I will not, and I don't want to, side with either Olin or the Alliance..."
"The highest bidder wins," Jiang Yun finally spoke, "How do you think?"
Jiang Yun's simple six words were like pressing the mute button, turning this drama that should have been full of ups and downs into a pantomime.
It was as if the light was taken away from Yamashiro Hiroshi's face, and it was suddenly immersed in darkness.
Miyazawa cast a puzzled look at Jiang Yun.
He didn't understand that their mission goal was to bring Colonel Lu back to the Alliance while ensuring their vested interests.
Why did Jiang Yun propose a plan similar to "bidding"?
Kingsley let out a dumb exclamation as he suddenly realized what was going on.
He finally understood why Jiang Yun insisted on participating in this competition in his personal capacity.
Among the only three audience members in the Moonlight Theater, only Jiang Yun knew that he was destined to be the winner.
Lu Huai had already returned to Jiang Yun, so Jiang Yun could bid without any scruples.
Therefore, he dared to push Shancheng Bo - dared to force the Olin cabinet to the point of bankruptcy and unbearable situation.
Kingsley looked at the sleeping Alpha and suddenly realized something.
No wonder, back then on the island, there were so many Omgea who showed goodwill to Colonel Lu, but Colonel Lu looked down on none of them.
It turns out that Colonel Lu likes this kind of Omega.
Yes, it is powerful and beautiful, who can not like it, who can not admire it?
"I have to admit, Mr. Jiang has spoken my mind," Kingsley said happily. "On Kinmastu Island, money always holds supreme authority. Based on this principle, I am willing to hand Colonel Lu over to the party that can bring more wealth to Kinmastu Island."
"Do you think this is appropriate, Diplomat Jiang?" Shan Chengbo's wrinkled face made him look like an ordinary, kind old man. "Colonel Lu is your husband, a living person, and even your hero. How could you have the heart to bid on him like an object?"
Jiang Yun nodded. "Good question. When Colonel Lu comes home, I'll ask him if he minds if I treat him as my own. If he does, I can consider giving him more pocket money to make it up to him."
The Alphas present: "..."
If it were in a formal diplomatic occasion, Jiang Yun would never say anything that contained too much personal emotion.
But now, he is no longer a diplomat representing the alliance.
Miyazawa represents the alliance, he is just Jiang Yun.
He was just a wife trying to bring her husband home.
Kingsley smiled and said, "If you three have no objection, we can start bidding."
Hiroshi Yamashiro quickly calculated a price.
The value of 20,000 tons of crystal cores is equivalent to nearly 100 million Aoyuan, plus the garrison rights on the Ice Wasteland Star and the subsequent benefits brought by the crystal core technology... As long as it does not exceed 5 billion Aoyuan, the Olin Cabinet can barely accept it.
Of course, he couldn't easily reveal his psychological price to his competitors.
"Five hundred million Aoyuan." Yamashiro Hiromichi.
Jiang Yun glanced at Shan Chengbo, a smile on his face, and he casually quoted Shan Chengbo's highest price, "5 billion."
Shancheng Bo suddenly narrowed his eyes.
Gong Ze's expression also changed. He felt that he needed to remind Jiang Yun: "Foreign Minister Jiang, with such a large sum of money, the Ministry of Finance cannot easily..."
"I didn't ask the Ministry of Finance to pay this money, Mr. Gong." Jiang Yun said slowly, "I said that all my actions on Jinmastu Island are solely my personal actions and have nothing to do with the Alliance."
Miyazawa was slightly startled. "You mean you want to pay this money from your personal account?"
Jiang Yun said with a smile: "What else?"
Miyazawa: “…”
Jiang Yun downplayed the matter too much, as if they were discussing a mere 50 million, rather than the 5 billion that was enough to cover the alliance's military expenses for a month.
At this point, Yamashiro Hiroshi couldn't help but suspect that Foreign Minister Jiang had long been in cahoots with the Golden Consul.
Their so-called "highest bidder wins" is nothing more than a trick to silence the Austrian side.
No matter how high the price Ao Fang bids, Jiang Yun will continue to raise it until Ao Fang shuts up completely.
As for whether Jiang Yun would pay this huge sum of money to the Golden Consul, only the two of them knew.
This is the real reason why Jiang Yun insisted on joining the negotiations in his private capacity.
But for the Austrian side, once the price exceeds 5 billion, they will face a very passive situation.
What if Jiang Yun stops bidding and plans to take Lu Huai away through other means? Wouldn't the Austrian side have to bite the bullet and pay a huge sum of money far beyond what they can afford?
The Prime Minister must act with extreme caution. Yamashiro Bo dare not gamble, nor can he gamble.
"If you're truly willing to pay five billion to take Colonel Lu away, then we have nothing to say." Yamashiro Hiroshi quickly accepted his defeat, his words and actions showing no sign of embarrassment. "But we have one request."
Kingsley said politely, "Please go ahead."
Yamashiro Hiromichi: "We want to see with our own eyes the transfer of 5 billion Aoyuan from Mr. Jiang's personal account to the Golden Archon."
Jiang Yun raised his eyebrows slightly, "Okay."
The Moonlight Theater was silent.
In the corner, an unknown security guard could be heard gasping for air.
Hiroshi Yamashiro stood up with the help of a cane.
Knowing that defeat was inevitable, there was no need for him to waste any more time on Jinmastu Island.
The empire has many more equally important matters waiting for the Prime Minister to deal with.
"I already knew that Foreign Minister Jiang of the Interstellar Alliance held a high position of power and authority, possessing half the country. But I never expected that he would still be so..." The old Prime Minister stared at Jiang Yun and uttered four words, word by word, "Rich enough to rival a nation."
Jiang Yun said, "You are too kind, Mr. Prime Minister."
"We will definitely meet again, young diplomat." Yamashiro Hiroshi nodded at Jiang Yun and left the Moonlight Theater without any reluctance to fight.
Miyazawa stood up, straightened his suit, and walked towards Jiang Yun.
He asked Jiang Yun: "Can you really come up with 5 billion Australian dollars?"
Jiang Yun asked back: "What do you think?"
Miyazawa couldn't guess the answer, so he asked again: "Is it worth it?"
"Of course." Jiang Yun said calmly, "Colonel Lu will always be priceless to me and the children."
Miyazawa was silent for a moment, then said, "It seems that you really love Colonel Lu."
Jiang Yun originally didn't want to pay attention to this question that countless people had asked him and he had ignored countless times.
But perhaps it was because the moonlight tonight was so beautiful, he suddenly felt that this question was not so difficult to answer.
Lu Huai came back alive.
Colonel Lu returned as Jiang Yun's husband.
His weak spot has turned back into a sharp blade that protects him.
Why can't he admit it?
"Yes," Jiang Yun heard himself say, "I love him very much."
Under the spotlight, the sleeping Alpha curled up the corners of his lips slightly.
Miyazawa let out a helpless sigh and turned to walk towards the door.
"The auction ends here. Once your money is transferred into my account, I will find a suitable time to return it to you." Kingsley bowed slightly to Jiang Yun. "Now, Colonel Lu is yours, Mr. Jiang."
"Please be mindful of your words, Archon." Jiang Yun stared at the golden projection on the stage and said calmly, "Colonel Lu has always been mine."
"My bad." Kingsley knew it was time to leave and said with a smile, "Go pick him up quickly. He's been waiting for you for a long time."
The play was over and the audience had all left.
But their story has just begun.
In the midsummer moonlight, the stage mechanism rose up, and the young man's illusory projection gradually became solid.
Jiang Yun stepped onto the stairs and walked step by step to the center of the stage.
On the red velvet armchair, the young Alpha slowly opened his eyes and looked up at him.
"Long time no see," Lu Huai's smiling eyes were as bright and shining as they were seventeen years ago, "Jiang Yun."
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