Chapter 353: Transaction Failure_1
Jiang Yu's expression immediately turned solemn. Regardless of whether 171266's defection was genuine or not, he had to respond at that moment.
He took a few steps forward and found Sophon in the front row, "Let's make a trade."
With a graceful smile, Sophon watched Cheng Xin's lecture while saying with a smile, "It seems we can also catch the Wallfacer's sore spot!"
It seemed that the previous failure to breach the Wall had been bothering her all along.
Jiang Yu ignored her snide remark, "I advise you not to miss this trading opportunity."
Sophon: "We have already stated our demands; reveal all of the 'Sophon Blind Zones' and disclose your research findings on the 'Dark Forest'."
"Impossible!"
Sophon was taken aback, "It seems that the person we've captured isn't so important in your heart!"
Jiang Yu: "He is important, but what you're asking for are Humanity's most core secrets, even more important than myself, the Wallfacer, and cannot be used for trading. Suggest another condition."
Sophon: "What if we insist?"
"Then there's nothing to talk about. I will avenge him in the Earthlings' way."
"How will you avenge him?"
Jiang Yu gave a signal to the guard robot behind him with his eyes. The robot unscrewed its left index finger, then opened a compartment in its chest and took out a palm-sized, silver-gray device, screwing it onto its own finger.
Next, the robot stepped forward and extended the device towards Sophon, stopping about ten centimeters from her. Suddenly, that small device emitted a purple electric light, paralyzing Sophon where she stood.
The scene had happened so quickly, and everyone was so engrossed in Cheng Xin's speech that no one noticed what had happened here.
Sophon could have dodged it, but she seemed to have intentionally not done so, clearly wanting to see the ins and outs of this device.
The Trisolaran team behind Sophon must have regretted it by then, because about half a second after the purple electric light appeared, it captured and destroyed the Sophon inside her robotic body.
This was a super-weapon reverse-engineered from the 'Dark Forest', although its current usage conditions were quite harsh, such as it had to be used within twenty centimeters of Sophon, was a single-use weapon, and its energy source was exceedingly costly, and so on.
But this did not diminish Jiang Yu's fondness for it.
This was Humanity's first weapon ever capable of striking back at the Trisolarans!
Even if it wasn't his own research, even if it was an independent weapon system difficult to replicate, it still had significant strategic value!
After the attack, the robot's eyes immediately dimmed, a single attack causing its energy system and motherboard to overload. The costly robot was effectively rendered useless.
The device in its hand was taken by another robot and carefully stored in a box that had been prepared in advance.
The scrapped robot was also carried away by two other robots.
At that point, Sophon started moving again. Obviously, another Sophon had re-entered her robotic body after seeing that robot being carried away.
She said with some surprise, "Have you already obtained the method of using antimatter as an energy source from the 'Dark Forest'?"
From a higher dimension, Sophon had seen the antimatter inside the device.
The scrapped robot had activated antimatter energy with all of its power and had powered the Sophon-destroying device with the energy released by the antimatter.
This was a bit like the process of detonating a hydrogen bomb in the 20th century.
Only after the Solar System State's Huanri Particle Accelerator was completed did the production of antimatter increase, but it remained extremely precious, measured in micrograms and milligrams.
Even so, for a civilization, this was a qualitative change in energy resources.
Jiang Yu smiled, "You guess!"
He then continued, "Alright, now let's discuss the trade I proposed just now."
"Send the person you captured to the Solar System unharmed, or I will destroy all Sophons in the Solar System!"
As of now, Jiang Yu's threat to eliminate all the Sophons in the Solar System was completely a bluff; however, that day would inevitably come eventually.
Sophon paused for a few seconds before speaking, "We will add one condition, you will never be able to enter the Sophon Blind Zone again!"
"Agreed!" Jiang Yu replied without hesitation, knowing that the critical moment would come this afternoon, and after today, who would care about these conditions!
Sophon smiled gently, "It seems the person we captured is indeed very important to you!"
"Unfortunately, I have to tell you that he has been executed during our conversation!"
"We have already learned through Sophon the last message he sent to you, even if you declare war on the PDC and Fleet International, you might not be able to stop Cheng Xin from becoming the new Swordholder."
The Trisolarans weren't fools either; they knew that the deal lacked sufficient binding forces to create mutual deterrence, so this transaction fundamentally had no credibility.
Jiang Yu glanced at Sophon, "It seems you haven't left any way out for yourself! Fine, the deal has failed, let's see the real deal under cover!"
Having said that, Jiang Yu returned to his original position expressionless.
It wasn't that he didn't want to destroy this new Sophon, but there was only one device capable of doing so.
Furthermore, both Jiang Yu and Sophon felt they had achieved their objectives; Sophon knew the importance of the captured Trisolaran to Jiang Yu.
And Jiang Yu feigned exactly the reaction Sophon wanted to see and would believe to some extent.
This was the real intelligence duel behind the transaction.
Jiang Yu ignored the bustling ceremony and calmed himself to recall everything about 171266 from its emergence to the present.
Previously, he had always believed that all the intelligence provided by 171266 was purposeful and had undoubtedly been screened by the Trisolaran Governing Council.
Yet 171266's performance today made Jiang Yu doubt this judgment.
But Sophon's recent behavior led him to reaffirm that there must be a grand scheme at play.
Jiang Yu noted that Sophon had virtually admitted that they were using Cheng Xin to become the Swordholder as part of their plan for invasion.
This was highly unusual!
This plan had been in the works by the Trisolarans for a long time, and it was a gamble on a civilization's "fate," which couldn't possibly be disclosed so readily to their arch-enemy, Jiang Yu!
Since they did disclose it, Jiang Yu judged that they must have had a contingency plan!
Realizing this, Jiang Yu sighed deeply, knowing that what lay ahead would be an extremely arduous battle!
As Jiang Yu was lost in thought, the lengthy handover ceremony concluded, and Cheng Xin would rest for a few hours in the break room before heading to the Deterrence Center underground.
The enthusiastic crowd gradually disbanded, but Jiang Yu didn't leave; he was waiting for Logic, who was finally relieved of his burdens.
This wait lasted from noon until past three in the afternoon. Despite the chilling winds, Jiang Yu felt that Logic deserved such a ceremonial welcome from him.
Cheng Xin came out of the break room and, followed by the rotating chairman of the PDC and the chief of staff of Fleet International, made her way to the Deterrence Center.
She saw Jiang Yu on the plaza, arms crossed in thought, and after greeting the two dignitaries, she approached him.
Jiang Yu glanced at her and said expressionlessly, "You indeed did not heed my advice and have placed yourself in an absurd position.
"What are you doing here? To have me congratulate you on becoming the Swordholder?"
Cheng Xin smiled, "Your thoughts have become more and more incomprehensible! I came here to tell you that I would not let this beautiful world fall into the hands of an ambitious person like you!
"In the days to come, I will also deter you! So please, don't go too far!"
Jiang Yu was taken aback at first, then he burst into laughter, "Deter me? You're not qualified enough!"