Chapter 1 Hilda and Wim Stunned

Hilda and Wim were stunned into silence for at least half a minute before they snapped back to reality when Hao Ren waved his hand in front of them. If Hilda at least had some understanding of Hao Ren's background, Wim was utterly confused. He felt that what he had just heard was not just a hallucination, but something beyond Arabian Nights!

"You said... a planet?" Wim looked at the mysterious stranger in front of him in disbelief. "Can you give it to us? And you have a way to transfer a billion people at once? I'm sorry... I don't know if my understanding is correct, is that what you mean?"

Hao Ren had expected this reaction, so he nodded earnestly and began to explain the details: "I do intend to do this, you don't need to doubt anything. But there are some details I need to clarify first: because of some procedural issues, the planet is not a gift, but leased to you. Of course, this is just a formality. You can freely use the resources on the new home. I, in my personal capacity, will transfer the usage rights of that planet to you to the greatest extent possible, anyway, it's not very useful to me. After that, you will temporarily settle in another universe as sojourners, but once you develop true faster-than-light spaceflight technology, the first colony you develop will become your real, inherent property, and from then on you will be legal residents. Also, the fleet I arranged for you is not free, but you should be able to afford the fare..."

Hilda listened and nodded repeatedly. These details sounded like formalities. She knew that the other party was doing their best to get the Erem Elves out of the quagmire, so she didn't care about certain restrictions at all. But she still stood on the position of the Erem ruler and asked cautiously, "So, Hao Ren, what... is the price?"

"I said just now, on the one hand, you have to give up your foundation here, which is a psychological hurdle for you, and on the other hand, you have to bear the travel expenses yourself," Hao Ren spread his hands. "The task of this migration is undertaken by a private company, and they can't work for nothing. The conditions they offer are these floating islands you have and the large equipment you can't take away. These things seem to have some value in the second-hand market and some black markets, and after conversion, it is enough to transport your billion people to another universe. Besides, this is a special price for relatives, I know the guy who runs long-distance, so he agreed to offset the payment with resources."

Hilda opened her eyes wide in surprise: "Just these things?"

"Is it difficult?" Vivian couldn't help but interject, "You will have plenty of land and resources after you get to your new home, and your remaining population is only one billion. If you squeeze in, you should be able to live on the new planet. There is no point in keeping these floating islands, right?"

"It's not that I'm reluctant to part with these floating islands, I just didn't expect anyone to want them," Hilda said with some embarrassment. "I thought our depleted and old facilities were worthless in the eyes of advanced civilizations..."

The data terminal chimed in from the side: "You can't say that, scrap iron has value, it just depends on how you use it. Your floating islands themselves are indeed worthless. For civilizations that have the ability to go to space, there are countless free celestial fragments everywhere, so they naturally don't care about this. But the equipment you manufacture – there are people who want it in certain markets. The depletion of resources has pushed your technology in material circulation and ecological domes to the limit, and your equipment is very valuable in this regard. Advanced civilizations may not be able to use it, but some young civilizations with general technical levels and just entering space like to go to the second-hand market to find this kind of ready-made and cheap equipment."

"You seem to know a lot about this?" Hao Ren looked at the data terminal in surprise.

"I just learned it. I just checked the database and found that the pan-universal economic circle is a very interesting thing. The old Erem Elven equipment will be rebuilt into cheap colonial components by some professional refurbishment merchants, combined with other second-hand equipment with higher compatibility, and repackaged and sold to rookie civilizations who don't know the market. This industry is a large part of intergalactic trade. Perhaps in a few years you may see the shadow of the Rising Sun Island in a corner of the galaxy – the universe is too big, there are all kinds of industries. And even those dilapidated equipment that can't be recycled doesn't matter, they will be sent to the furnace, or become personal collections of some scholars and collectors with unique hobbies, anyway, they can always be used. 'Anything manufactured by intelligent races will not have zero value', this is a famous saying by the leader of the Fiyaali Consortium, and all intergalactic merchants firmly believe in it."

Hao Ren thought for a while: "... Let's not talk about this, how much did that 883 probably rip me off?"

"Not much, about the amount that should be ripped off from a half-familiar and generous business partner." The data terminal's tone was very nonchalant, "And strictly speaking, he is taking advantage of the Erem Elves, after all, he is a businessman, you can't expect him to be as noble as Izhaks."

Hao Ren: "..."

Hilda understood what the data terminal meant, and she quickly stated: "It doesn't matter, we can't take these things away anyway..."

Since the person involved had no objection, Hao Ren certainly couldn't say anything more. He took this opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the era of the stars and seas. And he also understood that the technological development tree of a civilization is often not balanced: the Erem Elves are indeed a civilization trapped in the homeworld, but this is due to the bad environment. In other aspects, such as material circulation and artificial ecology, their technology has actually reached the standard of entering the interstellar stage – as long as they are given a faster-than-light engine, they can bloom all over the galaxy.

It is foreseeable what kind of vigorous development stage the Erem Elves will enter after getting rid of the current quagmire. Their potential is not a joke.

"Then you have no objection to this migration plan, right?" Hao Ren looked at Hilda, "Do you need to confirm with your council of elders and ministers?"

The expression on Hilda's face was impossible to read, the excessive excitement and shock, coupled with the barely maintained composure, made her lips tremble a little. She just nodded vigorously: "Of course I have no objection! Rather, this is a huge... surprise, but you will really give us a planet? Don't you want us to do anything else besides the travel expenses? I don't understand... Is a planet such an insignificant thing to you?"

Hao Ren scratched his hair: "How should I say this, from a person's worldview, I really can't imagine what it would be like to have such a large piece of land in my hands. My own house hasn't been renovated for decades. The property of this planet is too big for me to imagine. But I am handling this matter as an inspector – that planet is just a nominal property to me, and I can't use it at all. What do you want me to do with it personally? Tie a rope around it and smash it into the sun? It's better to do you a favor."

"It's such a useless thing to you," Wim's expression was wonderful, "But our entire clan has struggled for thousands of years for this..."

"Wim, go notify the council of elders and my council of state," Hilda said quickly, "Also, immediately issue a royal supreme announcement to the people that there is a very important event, but don't announce what it is for the time being. Let them pay attention to all information channels, and I will announce the specific situation after the elders' meeting is over – suspend all the work you have at hand, they are not important."

Wim stood up abruptly: "Yes! Mother!"

Then the young Elven regent turned and walked towards the exit of the hall, but after only two steps, he couldn't help but turn back, the expression on his face was strangely comical, he looked at Hao Ren and his mother: "Wait a minute... I'm still a little confused... You guys didn't discuss it and tell a story, right? I really can't accept this..."

Hilda's face darkened: "Go quickly!"

The young regent ran out quickly, and Hilda reminded loudly from behind: "Don't forget to state that it is 'good news' when issuing the announcement – the people can't stand any more shocks!"

Wim trotted away from the living room, and Hao Ren sighed as he looked at his back: "You have a way of educating your son."

"He's not mature enough," Hilda shook her head, "He's just barely qualified as a regent, there's no way, he's just come of age not long ago... I'm a little impatient with his education."

Hao Ren felt that discussing the issue of educating his son with a beautiful older sister who looked only a year or two older than himself was simply a terrible scene, and he quickly interrupted the topic: "Let's not talk about this – now that the biggest problem of the Erem Elves has been solved, then the social problems such as the Promised Land organization should not be a problem, right?"

Hilda seemed to have just reacted, and then smiled: "Ah, yes... suddenly I feel... relaxed..."

Hilda's voice became lower and lower. Hao Ren didn't notice it at first, but when he felt something was wrong, he realized that the queen had fallen on the table, without any sound.