Chapter 11: Strategic Negotiations and Preparations

"Okay, Rios Frost," Carl responded smoothly, although he had no intention of changing the way he addressed her.

"Damn it, Carl! Enough with the pleasantries. Just send me some genetic resources. I've found a great spot, and if luck is on my side, I'll gain a lot of third-generation warriors. Resources are a bit tight, so hurry up!"

Despite her disdainful expression, Mony did not hesitate to ask Carl for resources, treating him like a loyal follower.

"Rios Frost, you know the River Styx is resource-poor compared to other star systems, so…"

Carl hesitated, smiling faintly, but Mony cut him off before he could finish.

"Damn it, Carl! Stop pretending to be poor! Your Great Clock isn't just for decoration. Don't forget, if I win against Keisha, it'll benefit your research too. Quit wasting time and send me what I need!"

Mony's confident expression made it clear she had Carl cornered.

"Alright, Rios Frost. How much do you need?"

Ultimately, Carl relented. Although he doubted Mony could defeat Keisha, and suspected her "great spot" was a ruse, his love for her overruled his skepticism.

"Give me all you've got. I'm sure I can win this time. Don't worry, I'll pay you back later!"

Carl's mouth twitched at her promise to repay. He wanted to tell her she'd never repay him, but he didn't dare say it aloud. Sighing, he thought about how the basic genetic resources were of little use to him and decided to give them to Rios Frost.

"Alright, Rios Frost. I'll send the command codes shortly."

"But Rios Frost, you really should join me in studying the void. The void has immense potential…"

Before he could finish, he heard the dial tone as Mony had already hung up.

Sitting at his timeless desk, Carl looked at a large painting on the wall, lost in thought.

"Rios Frost..."

After a long moment, the God of Death snapped out of his reverie and returned to his writing.

"Snow."

At his command, a shadowy figure with black skin and a mask emerged from the darkness.

"Yes, my lord?"

"Snow, prepare all our basic genetic resources and send the command codes to Mony."

"All of them, my lord?"

"Yes, we no longer have use for them. Send everything to her."

"Understood, my lord."

"Dismissed."

---

### Scene Change: The Celestial Palace

Elsewhere in the known universe, aboard the Heavenly Blade One.

Queen Keisha sat on her throne, legs crossed, deep in thought.

"Your Majesty, all our sisters tracking the demons have safely returned. Shall we proceed to Nova Star at full speed?"

Angel Keira entered and addressed the queen.

Keisha opened her eyes upon hearing Keira's voice.

"Yes, let's move out."

After leaving Angel Yan and the others, Ethan made his way to a secret laboratory.

The lab was located 200,000 meters underground, 100,000 meters deeper than the underground space built by the Shelter Plan. Its secrecy was unparalleled, known only to a handful including Mihail, Nicholas, William Eaton, Zachary Thompson, and Leonard Smith. Even the lab's scientists couldn't leave, with no records of them existing outside.

Ethan stood before a light screen, analyzing various data.

"Aiden, have you recalculated the ratio for the black gold alloy?"

Ethan asked, eyes fixed on the screen.

"BOSS, the new ratio for the black gold alloy has been recalculated and is ready for production. The second prototype kinetic diffusion armor, using the new alloy, shows an 80% improvement over the first prototype in overall performance."

"Based on combat data against the demons, the new armor will enhance your attack power beyond that of the demons. The armor's thrusters will also allow you to match their speed."

Despite Aiden's positive report, Ethan's frown deepened.

Such improvements were still inadequate for the impending war. This new armor was only comparable to third-generation demons, who possessed dark plane genetic systems and engines. When linked to celestial supercomputers, their combat power would multiply.

The prime example was Angel Yan. As the Holy Left Wing and angel heir, her power was unmatched when backed by the Holy Knowledge Treasury and the Heavenly Blade Seven's computational power. Even when she sought help from Nova, she proudly stated that if Queen Keisha were still alive, her enemies would kneel before her. This underscored the might of computational augmentation.

"It's not enough, Aiden. We need to further enhance energy output, defense, long-range capabilities, and endurance. Most importantly, can this armor be mass-produced?"

After some thought, Ethan raised his concerns.

"BOSS, most issues can be addressed. However, mass production is unlikely."

Ethan's heart sank at Aiden's reply. "Why?"

"The main material, Metal Five, is in short supply. Our current stockpile is limited. We can manage small-scale production, but mass production requires finding more Metal Five veins."

Ethan could only sigh at Aiden's response. "Alright, we don't have time to search for more. But Aiden, ensure the final version of the armor is equipped with at least ten micro-nukes."

"No problem, BOSS!"