They won the Holy Grail War, but this turned out to be the Virtual Tree Universe.

Chapter 80 Two Ways to Cook a Fish (5000 words)
After saying goodbye to the three of them, Danlei went straight back to his room.

However, before Danlei could even settle into his room, the doorbell rang.

Dan Lei looked through the peephole and saw Ting Yun.

However, it's strange that she's here at this time.

So Dan Lei opened the door with a puzzled expression, welcomed him into the room, and asked...
"Miss Tingyun, shouldn't you be traveling around with Captain Yukong on inspection tours? What brings you here?"

Tingyun waved her exquisitely crafted bone-gathering fan as she entered the room, saying...
"Lord Yukong returned to this city early this morning to meet with Oswaldo Schneider from the market development department of Interstellar Peace Company. My identity is not suitable for me to stay there."

I just heard that you, Danlei, have been assigned to this hotel, so I came to see if you need any help.

It's important to know that the Minghuo Merchant Guild members are also staying at this hotel, but they are separate from the official personnel led by Lord Yukong.

Dan Lei was genuinely unaware that the Minghuo Chamber of Commerce was also staying at this hotel.

However, Danlei doesn't have an intelligence network in Ejihazo, and it's not the main storyline yet, so it's normal that he doesn't know.

But now that I think about it carefully, it's clear that Interstellar Peace Company's arrangement for me to stay at this hotel was premeditated, and it was most likely done by those three people in the strategic investment department.

I have to say, this was a very thoughtful thing to do. There were many people from my hometown and acquaintances in the hotel, which definitely made me feel much more at ease.

As for why Tingyun came now, her purpose must be more than just to see if I need help; she must also be carrying out a mission to exchange information.

After all, Danlei is a man. Although he can't have children, he is fully functional. It would be easy for her and him, a single man and woman, to have an unnecessary rumor in a room together.

So, after the two sat down, Dan Lei went straight to the point and asked...

"Miss Tingyun, you didn't come here just to see if I have any trouble, did Lord Yukong ask you to convey anything?"

Seeing Shan Lei ask this, Ting Yun unfolded her fan, covered her mouth, and laughed.
"Mr. Danlei is indeed astute. After these few days of research, Lord Yukong asked me to inquire of you: Is the gate to the Sea of ​​Quanta only accessible on the surface of a planet, or can it be opened in the universe?"

Regarding this question, Dan Lei considered how the earth vein network operated, and then answered definitively.

"It can be opened in the universe, but only in the near-Earth universe of this planet."

The coordinates for opening the Sea of ​​Quanta are only useful near Egihazo; they become ineffective if you travel too far away.

Upon hearing Dan Lei's words, Ting Yun immediately said with a hint of regret.

"I see. If the battle breaks out, this planet may be hard to save."

After Lord Yukong relayed the information you provided back to Luofu, General immediately reported it to the Alliance.

After the Jade Palace Immortal Ship's Ten Directions Light Reflecting the Dharma Realm, the probability of encountering Envoy-level insects in this Insect Temple is extremely high. Luo Fu alone could defeat them, but would suffer heavy losses.

Therefore, the Immortal Boat Alliance plans to have the Luofu Immortal Boat and the Yaoqing Immortal Boat work together to clear out the insect nest.

Following the Third Abundant People's War, both celestial ships underwent extensive reconstruction of their cloud cavalry garrisons, thus requiring a controlled and impactful war to test their strength.

Dan Lei nodded after hearing this. The arrangement of the Immortal Boat Alliance was correct. The Jade Palace Immortal Boat's Ten Directions Light Reflection Dharma Realm was much more accurate in calculating how strong the insects in the ruins were than he could estimate himself.

It says there are Envoy-level insects inside, so there must be.

However, the insects here have no logistical support. Judging from the True Zerglings that Dan Lei fought, these insects, having been sealed for so many years, are not actually at their peak.

It's roughly equivalent to the reduction in combat strength of someone who has been starving for four or five days.

However, insects can quickly regain their fighting strength as long as they have food, even if it means eating their own kind.

Therefore, once the swarm of insects in the temple is released, its first target will definitely be to devour all the organic life forms in Ejihazo.

With the firepower of Luofu and Yaoqingyun cavalry, even if they manage to eliminate the insects, the surface of Aijihazo will be completely ravaged, and there probably won't be much left.

Moreover, in a life-or-death battle at the Envoy level in near-Earth space, even if the Immortal Ship Alliance is fighting two against one, the aftershocks would shatter planets as easily as playing a game.

To be honest, the fate of the planet Ejihazo has nothing to do with Danlei. Even if it is destroyed in the end, Danlei, who is responsible for opening the gate, will still be well protected.

However, thinking of Ashley, who had been with him for more than half a year, Danlei still asked a question.

"Has the Immortal Boat Alliance said anything about how to settle the natives here in Aijihazo?"
Moreover, I think that fighting the Zerg swarm here is unavoidable with the Interstellar Peace Corporation. There is clearly something in this Zerg temple, and the Interstellar Peace Corporation will definitely not let the Immortal Alliance monopolize it.

Therefore, if we cooperate with Interstellar Peace Corporation in this war, not only will our chances of winning be higher, but our losses will also be smaller.

Dan Lei's words clearly hit Ting Yun in her right spot; she doesn't like cold-blooded and ruthless people.

So Tingyun quickly replied with a smile.

"Mr. Danlei, rest assured, the General decided to cooperate with Interstellar Peace Company as soon as he received the Alliance's instructions."

As you said, we can't avoid them when we're active in Eji Hazo.

Therefore, instead of being wary of each other and holding each other back, it's better to cooperate and divide the spoils according to the combat power each side contributes. Either way, we won't lose out.

Dan Lei nodded after hearing this. If the spoils of war were distributed according to combat strength, the Immortal Boat Alliance would never lose out.

Since they can send out two envoys at once, while the Interstellar Peace Company only has two official envoys, how could they possibly send both of them?

As for those below the Commander, Dan Lei said that Emerald, Sand Gold, and Toppa should be able to play a supporting role remotely, since their power is less than one-tenth of that of the real Commander.

Dan Lei didn't believe that Diamond had given away all its power and kept nothing for itself.

Although there are varying degrees of strength among the Commanders, a Star God as generous as Lan to the Immortal Ship Alliance is unique, especially since it is a matter of life and death in battle. In terms of attack power alone, the generals of the Immortal Ship Alliance are definitely stronger than most Commanders.

However, after thinking for a few seconds, Dan Lei decided to take the initiative to confess that he had contacted the strategic investment department, because no matter what price they offered later, he could not hide it from the Immortal Boat Alliance in this great battle.

Moreover, if the strategic investment department has any bad intentions and leaks the deal to Luofu, Danlei will be in a bad situation, even if he is not held accountable.

So Danlei said

“Miss Tingyun, please tell Captain Yukong that Emerald, Toppa, and Sand Gold, three of the Stone Heart Ten from the Interstellar Peace Company, have already contacted me.”

They want to cooperate with me in order to gain an advantage in the struggle for interests after this war.

I agreed to let them name their price and provided them with the memory images of the Bug Temple and the Commander-class Bugs.

I believe that the internal discord within Interstellar Peace Corporation is something we can exploit.

The idea is to get two birds with one stone; we should take advantage of the behind-the-scenes deals between the Market Development Department and the Strategic Investment Department.

Then let them fight for their share of the spoils based on their own abilities.

Upon hearing this, Tingyun's eyes narrowed immediately, and he clapped his hands repeatedly with his fan before grinning mischievously.
"Interesting. Mr. Danlei, I have no comment on your unauthorized actions."

However, since you're the one who discovered the intelligence, if you're really planning to sell it to someone, Luo Fu probably won't say much.

Upon closer reflection, the strategic investment department really has a keen eye. Oswaldo Schneider treated you as a lucky nobody and hasn't taken you seriously until now.

The people in the strategic investment department really got straight to the point.

I will convey your words to Lord Yu Kong, but I cannot guarantee the outcome.

Dan Lei nodded, took out a string of beads from the pile of sacred objects containing the Holy Grail, and handed it to Ting Yun.

“Miss Tingyun, I have gained a lot from my experiences outside these past few years. This bracelet is something I made myself. It will automatically open a shield to defend against malicious attacks.”

Like the rifles standard issue for Star Peace Corporation guards, it can stop dozens of shots.

You can judge how long the shield can hold by the degree of breakage of the hand beads.

Consider this a gift upon our reunion; please accept it with a smile.

Tingyun knew that Danlei's gift was simply an attempt to get her to put in a good word for him with Yukong. Although Danlei was unaware that Luofu had begun military operations and held no military rank, his act of leaking information could easily be labeled as a breach of military intelligence. While no one in Luofu would do such a thing, sometimes, a change in the order or tone of a message can completely alter its meaning, even if the words are the same.

Therefore, the shrewd and resourceful Tingyun did not refuse Danlei's kindness and accepted the bracelet, saying...
"Since it is a gift from Mr. Danlei, I will naturally treasure it. I will give you a return gift later, so please look forward to it."

After saying that, Tingyun took her leave, guessing that she would go to report to Yukong now.

After Tingyun left, no one bothered Danlei that day.

The next day, Danlei received a reply from Luofu via Tingyun, which simply stated that this would not happen again.

Dan Lei was relieved to see this reply, and now he had more room to maneuver.

On the third day, in the same small theater, Danlei met Emerald and the other two again.

Over three days, the appearances of the three Jadeite members remained unchanged, but Dan Lei could clearly sense that the level of importance they placed on him had increased considerably.

Clearly, they must have made many other attempts over the three days, and now it seems that those attempts have failed.

So, after Dan Lei sat down, Emerald and the others didn't waste any time. After exchanging pleasantries, they presented their prices in the form of a contract.

Dan Lei glanced at it and found that the three people from Emerald did not mention money or any other benefits in the contract.

The only bargaining chip the three of them could offer Danlei was safety.

Jade promised that if Danlei agreed to cooperate, Sand Gold and Toppa would stay by Danlei's side for the entire duration of the war, and Danlei could use them at will as long as it was a war-related mission and not a suicide mission.

When Dan Lei encounters danger, they can be used as human bodyguards; they can even be used to block attacks from the Star God.

As for Emerald, she will definitely be one of the highest-ranking managers of the Interstellar Peace Corporation, and she will be on the battlefield supporting Dan Lei's actions.

Because some things don't need to be said too explicitly, since Dan Lei is willing to cooperate with the Strategic Investment Department, it means that Xianzhou will not cooperate with some of his actions, so he needs a partner.

Danlei's biggest need in this war is to recruit at least a spirit of the queen insect level.

But as the one who opens the door, even if I get close to the front line, I will definitely have a lot of people protecting me.

These people are both protectors and obstacles to Danlei's attempts to act on his own.

Moreover, Dan Lei really wanted to explore the insect temple. If there were any treasures inside, as long as they weren't too outrageous, he would take them and keep them for himself.

However, given his own strength, he probably wouldn't agree to delve into the Insect Temple. There would only be room for discussion once he captured a suitable spirit.

But if one had command of two Stonehearts, the situation would be different.

After reading the contract, Dan Lei smiled.

"That's quite a generous gesture, with two bodyguards and human shields with the power of messengers at my beck and call."

"Ms. Jade, you have truly grasped my needs perfectly."

Hearing Danlei say this, Jade knew that the general direction of the cooperation between the two parties had been agreed upon, and what remained to be discussed were only the details.

Sure enough, Dan Lei changed the subject again and said...
"However, Ms. Emerald, how can you guarantee that Mr. Sand Gold and Miss Topa will actually obey my orders on the battlefield?"

Furthermore, you have to convince me that if I lead them to find any treasure, they won't just knock me out and keep it all for themselves.

Upon hearing Danlei's words, Emerald immediately leaned back, indicating that Sand Gold and Toppa could handle it themselves.

The two then pulled two enormous gems from thin air and handed them to Danlei, after which Topa said...
"These are our cornerstones: [Demanding the Return of Yellow Jade] and [Deceptive Gold Sand].

They are the source of our power. Without them, Sand Gold and I are just two ordinary travelers on our own paths, and we should no longer pose a threat to you.

Now, we entrust our foundation to you for safekeeping.

Even the slightest damage to them would be a huge problem for us, which should earn your trust.

Of course, you need to return them to us immediately after the battle; otherwise, you will be declaring war on the Strategic Investment Department of Interstellar Peace Corporation.

When Danlei saw that both Sand Gold and Topaz had brought out their foundation stones, he immediately believed in their sincerity.

However, just to be on the safe side, Danlei didn't take the two foundation stones, but instead spoke to Jade.

"Ms. Jade, I'm so sorry, could you please show me your base stone?"

Of course, I don't want your base stone either, but jadeite and high-quality aventurine have too many similarities; I can't distinguish them from a single base stone.

Emerald wasn't angry at Danlei's request; instead, she nodded in satisfaction.

"Prudence is a fine virtue, Mr. Danlei. I am increasingly optimistic about your future."

After saying that, Jade also took out its foundation stone from the void.

When the two foundation stones, 【Pawned Jadeite】 and 【Gold Sandstone】, were placed together, Dan Lei, who previously couldn't distinguish between jadeite and gold sandstone, could tell at a glance which one was jadeite and which one was gold sandstone based on their luster and color.

So Danlei directly summoned two Devouring Sacs from the Holy Grail Space, then directly absorbed the two cornerstones, [Demanding Topaz] and [Strange Gold Sand], and then transformed them back into a Concept Gift Device and put them in the inside pocket of his clothes.

This is a trick using Mystic Codes. Storage items like the Gourmet Pouch, once filled with supplies, cannot be returned to the Grail Space even after reverting to Mystic Codes.

This is to prevent Danlei from using the Holy Grail mechanism to smuggle things, or it may be a protective mechanism. After all, the Holy Grail's energy for traversing can only carry Danlei. If he carries a bunch of extra things, he might run out of fuel halfway and get stuck in the imaginary energy sea between worlds.

However, after storing the items, the Devouring Pouch concept is transformed into a protective shroud with multiple layers of space. Unless the items that were taken away are the kind that can communicate with their owner across worlds, the owner will no longer be able to detect them.

After packing his things, Dan Lei signed the contract without hesitation, officially establishing a partnership between himself and the three members of the strategic investment department.

However, Sand Gold and Toppa clearly did not expect that Danlei could actually sever their connection with the cornerstone.

In fact, this is also a covert game between the two sides.

The ten members of Stoneheart wanted to leverage the power of the foundation to obtain the power of the messenger, but they never said that the foundation had to be by their side.

The leaders of many major powers in the universe know of the existence of the Cornerstone, but they do not know how the Cornerstone operates.

Even if you're not around, even if you're broken into pieces, you can still transform by piecing them together.

If Danlei didn't have the ability to block the sensing of the foundation stone, even if he obtained the foundation stone, he would be controlling nothing. Sand Gold and Toppa could transform at any time by chanting prayers, and it wouldn't matter if Danlei smashed the foundation stone on the spot.

Sand Gold and Toppa wanted to use the above mechanism to fool Danlei, making him think that he had obtained their lifeline, thus lowering his guard and starting to trust them.

In this way, if they encounter a treasure so valuable that it would be worth turning against Dan Lei, they can immediately turn against him.

However, now that Dan Lei has shown his skills, their lives are truly in Dan Lei's hands, so their faces instantly turned bitter.

However, Jade didn't seem to mind that her two juniors had suffered a minor setback in the game.

In Dan Lei's hands, the [Demanding Yellow Jade] and [Strange Gold Sand] are just two high-value stones, and Dan Lei has no way of unleashing even a fraction of their power.

Therefore, Emerald was not worried that Danlei would simply embezzle the two cornerstones after the war, because it would not benefit him in any way.

So, Emerald took back the contract, signed her name, and then handed it to Toppa, smiling as she extended her hand and said...

"Alright, that's how we reach an agreement. Mr. Danlei, I'll leave my two juniors in your care from now on."

Furthermore, if we want them to unleash some of the power of the Commanders, those two cornerstones still need to be brought out.

Therefore, the timing of when they exert their power is now in your control.

Dan Lei nodded, extended his hand to shake Jade's hand, and said...
"It's a pleasure to cooperate. However, since we're going to cooperate, I still need to keep up with you in many worlds. The three of you, prepare to witness a corner of the history of the Star Gods."

(End of this chapter)