Chapter 624: Proposition
(Juxta Military Base, The Holding Cell, Leo’s POV)
"So... why are you here, man? I don’t think the Su Clan has made an official diplomatic outreach to the Cult in forever, so are you here on behalf of the Su Clan, or are you here for yourself?" Leo asked once the reunion was over, as Su Yang’s golden eyes sharpened with sudden seriousness.
"I don’t want to discuss business in front of him... unless you trust him completely." Su Yang said, his chin tilting faintly toward Veyr, who frowned for being put at the spot.
"I trust him completely," Leo replied at once, his tone steady as his gaze did not waver. "Veyr is my cousin, and he is the Cult’s Dragon with an army of his own. If you are here in an official capacity, then he is the man you need to ask for help."
The words carried enough weight to make Veyr’s chest visibly puff out, his back straightening as though every inch of him swelled from that simple vote of confidence, the title he wore seeming to grow heavier and brighter as he sat taller in his seat.
"Well... alright, if you trust him, then I guess it’s fine," Su Yang admitted, exhaling a long sigh, as his voice softened and his tone grew grave.
"I don’t know if you’ve heard about this yet, but my grandfather, the Su Family God, has been betrayed by the other Great Clans and the Universal Government. We don’t know for sure what’s happened to him... but we are presuming he might be dead."
"WHAT?" Veyr said, his eyes widening as the words struck him like a hammer, his voice almost breaking as disbelief shook his usually unflappable confidence.
Leo, however, simply nodded, his expression calm and unreadable. "Yeah, I heard about it. It was an unexpected development."
"You knew about this?" Veyr repeated, his voice rising with indignation as he turned sharply toward his cousin.
"Calm down," Leo said evenly, cutting him off with a look. "Try to keep up."
As the room stilled once more, Su Yang continued with the weight of centuries pressing on his shoulders. "The news spreading across the universe is that the Five Great Clans are now planning to turn on the Su Clan, seizing our lands now that grandfather is gone. And we... Well, we are desperate to cling to whatever we can."
His head dipped slightly, shame tugging at his words even as his pride strained to hold them steady.
"We know we cannot hold everything, which is why I’ve come with a proposition for the Cult—one that I believe will be mutually beneficial, if you choose to accept it." His gaze alternated between Leo and Veyr, as though measuring them both, testing whether his words would find fertile ground here in enemy soil.
"We are prepared to offer you two planets in return for one thing: that the Cult intervene and protect planet Su Prime during a critical attack in the future, should we ever call upon you."
"As of now, we do not believe any of the Gods from the other Great Clans would stoop to personal involvement in something as petty as planetary conquest, but with the Cult standing by us as a deterrent, we can be certain they will stay out of it. Because if they do get involved... then so shall Soron."
Su Yang’s voice trailed into silence, leaving only the faint clink of his chains against the table as he searched their faces for any reaction.
To his dismay, Leo did not show much reaction to his words, his face remaining as impassive as ever, while Veyr seemed lost in thought, as he seemed to weigh the pros and cons of this deal in his head.
On one hand, Veyr knew that the Su Clan, even without the Su God, was still a formidable force.
They controlled a total of seventy-eight planets scattered across the universe, commanded roughly thirty Monarch-tier warriors under their banners, and were a clan that were both wealthy and technologically advanced.
In this hostile universe, where the Cult stood isolated and bereft of allies, forging a bond with the Su Clan was hardly the worst idea, yet the true question that lingered was whether the price of offering them aid would outweigh the reward.
"You’re asking us to commit our forces to safeguard Su Prime," Veyr said finally, his tone even, though the sharp gleam in his eyes betrayed the whirl of thoughts racing behind them.
"That’s no small thing, Su Yang. You speak of it like a simple deterrent, but deterrence only works until someone dares to call the bluff.
What happens when the Cult sends fleets, and the other Clans decide to test how far we’re willing to go? What happens when they measure our strength against theirs?"
Su Yang met his words without flinching, his golden eyes steady.
"I’m not asking you to bleed for us endlessly. I’m asking for a single guarantee. If Su Prime is attacked, then you come to help us out.
We are already pulling out of 74 of the 78 planets we control, and want to hold on-to only four.
Which means, we will defend those four like hell.
It won’t be a one sided war, that much I promise, we just need you to be on our side at the right moment."
Su Yang explained, as Leo shrugged his shoulders in slight surprise.
He did not expect the Su Clan to decisively pull out of 74 planets..... that was definitely a bold plan, which did improve the chances of their survival massively.
For instead of focusing on multiple battlefronts, they could not focus on saving only a very limited few.
"This is a lot to take in at once," Veyr said as he leaned back slightly in his chair and began tapping a finger against the armrest.
For the Cult, gaining control over two extra planets was precious, however, the real benefit was always getting a strong ally in the form of the Su Clan.
However, the question remained.....
Was the Dragon Army ready for a war of this scale?
Against the combined might of Five Clans?
"Two planets..." Veyr muttered at last, his eyes flicking briefly to Leo as though expecting him to weigh in, yet his cousin remained silent, his gaze fixed squarely on Su Yang, as if waiting to hear what else the young master of the Su Clan had left to offer.
Su Yang did not hesitate. "We are not fools, Skyshard. We know the Cult will not move for free. That is why I bring you this proposition. Two planets, including Nemo, which is a goldmine for resources.
And we give you full ownership of it.
You won’t have to fire a single shot.
We will retreat and hand you the entire planet without bloodshed,"
"So what do you say? Take my deal and the Cult gains territory, resources, and perhaps most importantly, an ally. Tell me... is that not worth the risk?"
The question lingered, heavy and deliberate, as silence settled over the room again, broken only by the clanking of chains as Su Yang shuffled in his seat, while Leo and Veyr looked into each other’s eyes, as if unsure on what to do.