As the venue grew increasingly rowdy, the President banged his gavel once again.
"Order! We will have order!" shouted the Egyptian President of the UN General Assembly.
The President's shout partially quelled the noise, but whispers and clamoring voices still filled the venue.
Eyes filled with doubt and disdain focused on Grand Chancellor Yan and the Seraphim Isles representative. Many knew of the Qing Empire's domineering actions, despite their self-portrayal as righteous allies.
The leaders present were not naive; they recognized the hypocrisy of the Qing Empire, which sought to regain its former glory and dreamed of conquering Europe and Asia.
Hearing Verus Justius's claims, Daniel shrugged and offered a sarcastic smile, as if saying "See? I told you" to anyone who caught his gesture.
Of course, Daniel knew that Verus Justius likely possessed the royal bloodline of the Tessia Kingdom. He was aware of the gossip surrounding the late King Pious Justius and his numerous illegitimate children.
Amidst the clamor, Grand Chancellor Yan tried to calm himself. Since they could no longer discreetly manipulate the situation, they would have to forcefully push their agenda, regardless of any objections.
"According to regulations and for the sake of fairness, a disputed territory cannot be recognized as a country. Mr. Emberweave, you must resolve this matter first," Grand Chancellor Yan declared, amidst boos from some representatives and strange looks from both Choi Ha-Eun, the UN Secretary-General, and the Egyptian President.
Noticing their doubtful gazes, Grand Chancellor Yan felt uneasy. This was the first time he had pushed their boundaries so far, risking a revolt against the Qing Empire.
Even with the largest standing army, the Qing Empire was still just one country. If they became too domineering, they could face the same fate as the Nazis, who were ultimately defeated after antagonizing too many nations.
The Grand Chancellor gritted his teeth, cursing Daniel inwardly. His initial aim during this public session was to demonize Daniel by highlighting his perceived pettiness. He wanted to tarnish Daniel's image so that later, when they obstructed Sector Alpha City's petition, it wouldn't reflect poorly on the Qing Empire.
That's why he colluded with other nations to bring up the food problem and deliberately ask Daniel for a solution. He knew Daniel would refuse if asked to give up his key technology for free. Thus, he used the phrase 'help us with technical issues' to not be too conspicuous to listeners at home.
He was 99% sure Daniel would refuse, and in the 1% chance he agreed, it would still benefit the Qing Empire with new technology. Either way, his plan to obstruct Sector Alpha City's recognition as a country was ready.
But he never expected such a disastrous backfire. He assumed a nerd like Daniel, a powerful mage, would spend most of his time on research and invention, and not be good at politics. He never thought his concealed plan would be blatantly exposed to the world like this.
Yes, the Grand Chancellor was correct that Daniel spent most of his time on research, invention, and his family. But that didn't mean Daniel couldn't recognize a pile of turd wrapped in a fancy package.
All of the Grand Chancellor's dirty thoughts were revealed to the world, but he could only push forward, as allowing Sector Alpha City to become a country was too dangerous for the Qing Empire's interests.
"Is that so?" Daniel spoke, addressing Grand Chancellor Yan, then looking at both Choi Haeun and the Egyptian President, who seemed uncomfortable and disagreed with the Qing Empire's stance but were unable to intervene.
"Since this is the UN's judgment, then I'll accept it," Daniel said before turning and walking out with his entourage, who gathered their documents and followed him.
— Meanwhile - Switzerland —
In the penthouse suite of the Hotel Edelweiss, perched atop the highest peak in Bern, a marvel of architecture seamlessly blending modern luxury with traditional Swiss elegance, Greed watched the live news broadcast of the UN conference in Sweden.
She sipped wine after finishing an A5 Wagyu steak, a rare delicacy from Japan that had just recently become available for international trade, thanks in part to Daniel's actions in Japan.
The A5 Wagyu, with its marbled texture and exquisite flavor, was a testament to the artistry of Japanese cattle raising. Before Japan opened its borders, Wagyu beef was a coveted smuggled item among food connoisseurs worldwide, fetching exorbitant prices.
Greed maintained a calm facade while watching the news, but inwardly, she seethed at the Qing Empire's treatment of her beloved Daniel. She had read the report Albert sent to Daniel, revealing the Qing Empire's plan to use the illegitimate child of Pious Justius, the former king of the Tessia Kingdom, to entrap Daniel.
They had been unable to stop it because they couldn't locate Verus Justius, who had been hiding in the Qing Empire, the one place where the Whispering Hall's spy network hadn't fully matured.
Knowing that Daniel was bound by a soul contract with the Qing Empire, which prohibited him from selling weapons to the Ming Federation in exchange for their promise not to veto Sector Alpha City's recognition, fueled her anger even more at the Qing Empire's deceitful tactics.
Even though… Daniel already told her that They should have used this trick against them but on the off chance that the Qing EMpire might truly honor the contract, so… he reluctantly bet on this with a cross finger.
She picked up her phone and dialed a familiar number, the one she always called when she wanted something done in the US. After a few seconds, the other side answered.
"Yes? Ms. Goldwyn. How may I help you?" spoke the voice of John Malcomes, the US President.
"John... I need you to push through Congressional approval for selling Astral Corporation weapons to the Ming Federation. In return, tell Congress and those blockheads in the military, in secret, that I'll convince Daniel to sell you the second-generation power armor they've developed, at a discount," Greed instructed the President.
The mere mention of "second-generation power armor" thrilled John Malcomes. Expert analysis indicated that the power armor they had purchased from Astral Tech Corporation was a first-generation model, lacking in many areas compared to the data gathered from observing Astral Corp soldiers in action.
They desperately wanted the second-generation model, but Daniel always deflected their requests, directing them to Cao Cao for sales authorization. Cao Cao, however, was a tough negotiator, either diverting them with unrelated offers or flatly refusing, claiming lack of authority.
Then… When they spoke to Daniel about it, he simply laughed wryly and told them to convince Cao Cao, as he always deferred to him on military matters. This game had nearly driven them mad.
"With pleasure, Ms. Goldwyn! I believe the military will be thrilled at this news," John Malcomes said excitedly.
"Ah, take care of that for me then," Greed replied before hanging up the phone. Since this is what she did with her own initiative, it is not covered in the contract, so Daniel is safe from the contract punishment.
She sat there in the penthouse suite looking at the TV reporting about the incident at the UN conference venue, her eyes glinting with a cold light as she still felt like it still wasn't enough to vent her anger, but for now, it's time for her to meet with the Beaumont Family.
— Meanwhile - Sweden —
Daniel returned to The Stora Kronan hotel with his entourage. Michaela seethed with anger throughout the journey, wanting to unleash her holy flames and purify the sinners with a cleansing fire.
If Daniel hadn't calmed her down, she might have actually done it, regardless of the consequences.
Even at the hotel, Michaela continued to pout intermittently, expressing her dissatisfaction with Daniel for stopping her rampage. Daniel could only sigh with a weary smile.
Opening his notebook, Daniel studied the world map. He noticed North and South Korea, recalling that North Korea was supported by the Qing Empire as a buffer state, preventing other powers from gaining a foothold to launch attacks. South Korea, on the other hand, harbored resentment towards the Qing Empire due to historical invasions.
"Mr. Gua," Daniel began, calling out to his strategist. "Tell Mr. Cao to sell our weapons and power armor to South Korea." This was the only way Daniel could think of to retaliate against the Qing Empire without breaking their contract.
At first, Gua Jia was confused, but after looking at the world map, he gave a cunning smile.
"Of course, my lord. Consider it done," Gua Jia reassured him before leaving the room for the nearest Whispering Hall information hub. He wanted to teleport to Sector Alpha immediately to discuss this with Cao Cao and possibly Albert, who was known for his deviousness in sowing discord.
Seeing this, Daniel turned to Michaela and asked, "Would you like to go to South Korea with me?"
Michaela's ears perked up, and her imagination ran wild. She envisioned herself standing in the snow, embraced from behind by her lord, sharing a scarf as they watched the romantic neon lights of Seoul illuminate the falling flakes.
"Ye... yes, my lord... Gladly," Michaela stammered, blushing at Daniel's invitation.
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