Great! I'm surrounded by villains!
Chapter 278 - 197: Delicate Position

Chapter 278: Chapter 197: Delicate Position

The Silver Lotus Flower and the richest person in the universe.

This was quite an impressive title, especially since Duan Mingyuan had never had much to do with becoming a wealthy man; his wealth always remained at a level where he had some to spare, but was far from being greatly rich.

Embarrassingly, the money he had diligently earned from a year’s worth of work did not even compare to what Jiuyue could pick up as "trash" in just a few days.

After spending time together, he had come to understand why Jiuyue was so indifferent to money at their first meeting—the little fox never earned money, yet never lacked it either.

Duan Mingyuan checked the invitation, and Jiuyue was also listed among those invited.

However, this was not surprising; the relationship between him and Jiuyue was hardly a secret, and it would be easy for the Shanqi Commerce Association with its influence to investigate these matters.

As for the topic of the evening, one could easily guess it even by their toes.

The turmoil on Mechanical Star had brought the Blue Star delegation’s influence to its peak, and if the Third Prince publicly supported the merger bill of the commerce association and the companies, it would surely affect most of the directors’ decisions.

Although the directors understood rationally the impact of the merger of these two forces, not all were ready to turn against the commerce association fully, especially under the personal witness of the current head of the Silver Lotus Family.

Duan Mingyuan did not like gatherings filled with political calculation, but now the entire Gear Hotel was swarming with media from various planets, and his every move was watched, affecting how Blue Star was perceived by people.

After much deliberation, he decided to inform Jiuyue about the dinner.

The little fox was not the type to refuse an invitation, even dressing up enthusiastically in formal attire to head back to her room.

Before departing on the Ranger, she had heard that the Sixteen Star Summit was a grand affair, hence she carefully picked out several beautiful dresses.

At 19:20, Duan Mingyuan and Jiuyue took the elevator to the top-floor terrace ten minutes ahead of schedule.

The number of staff in both the elevator and the security passage had increased, with direct security personnel from the Silver Lotus Family taking over, who meticulously checked the identity of each invited guest and ensured they were not carrying any lethal weapons on them.

Upon arrival at the banquet hall, the family’s chief of security handed a ring to both him and Jiuyue.

"You might feel some discomfort when you first put it on, but that’s normal, and you will return to normal after about a minute,"

said the captain, "The limiter will temporarily suppress your energy, which is merely a safety measure, as the master of the house and his invited friends want to ensure that nothing untoward happens during the banquet. After it’s over, the security will help both of you remove the limiters."

These black-clad individuals were elite members handpicked by the family, dealing with different types of people every day. In this era, confiscating guns and weapons was not the sole assurance of safety, as the mere existence of some individuals posed a danger far greater than any weapon.

Duan Mingyuan and Jiuyue were such individuals.

In the chief’s words, it seemed that being the head of the Silver Lotus Family was a high-risk occupation, with countless people in the universe wanting to assassinate him.

Some sought fame, some were after the hefty rewards, and some were even involved in power struggles within their own family.

This inevitably made Duan Mingyuan feel a hint of irony.

As the spearhead of the United Front that the Shanqi Chamber of Commerce was keen to build, and the future "Great Demon King," those wanting to assassinate him were far fewer than those aiming for the head of the Silver Lotus Family.

Moreover, these elites were not as competent as one might imagine.

The ring did not suppress any energy, nor did it hinder his abilities in any way.

Jiuyue, however, experienced the "discomfort" the captain had mentioned, and she took the opportunity to cling to Duan Mingyuan’s arm, leaning on his shoulder.

Duan Mingyuan noted that among the invitees, aside from him and Jiuyue, there were quite a few familiar faces, including eight directors of the Sixteen Star Summit.

They looked troubled, clearly aware that this was a trap-laden banquet.

The Silver Lotus Family head personally visited Mechanical Star and invited them to dinner, and it certainly wasn’t for the pleasure of good food.

"Mr. Mingyuan, did the terrace look like this before?"

Jiuyue suddenly asked.

The area had been completely transformed into a high-end restaurant, and the renovation was thorough.

Red carpets led to the interior of the restaurant, which, whether due to lighting or wallpaper, was bathed in golden hues. Square tables were neatly arranged, each adorned with a tablecloth embroidered with golden patterns, beside rows of carved wooden chairs.

She clearly remembered the rooftop of the Gear Hotel not being a luxury restaurant but an open-air bar with a swimming pool, and she had been pondering inviting Duan Mingyuan to a pool party that evening.

Since it was summer on Mechanical Star, and as events proceeded, Jiuyue thought they should have also been looking forward to an exciting swimsuit episode.

She was not enthralled by the restaurant’s decor; rather, her face fell, "Where’s the pool, my pool, why has it disappeared?"

Aside from evening wear, she had also prepared swimwear.

Describing it as a "Lethal Hit" wouldn’t be an exaggeration.

But these wretched Shan Clan People had transformed the whole rooftop terrace of the hotel into a restaurant, thwarting her pool party plans.

"Perhaps this is also one of Mechanical Star’s mechanisms."

After taking in the restaurant, Duan Mingyuan speculated.

The restaurant wasn’t makeshift; even the best architect couldn’t complete such a renovation in less than an hour, so this seemed more like a trap that the Silver Lotus Family had set well in advance.

He also sensed an inexplicable solemnity and reverence from the decor, as if he was entering a church.

He and Jiuyue were clearly the most eye-catching guests at this dinner.

The family had arranged seating for everyone, with each table of council members spaced far apart, only able to observe Duan Mingyuan with surprise and astonishment.

After taking his seat, Duan Mingyuan quickly understood the identities of these eight council members.

They were members whose attitudes fluctuated most regarding the merger of the Chamber of Commerce and the company; in reality, not everyone could cast a firm dissenting vote.

Some were motivated by fear of the Chamber of Commerce’s series of tactics, but more were connected long-term with the Shanqi Commerce Association; the planets they represented were deeply entangled in business dealings with the association. If trade was cut off and economic sanctions were imposed after the vote, massive upheaval could ensue on their planets.

In fact, the Chamber of Commerce didn’t need to invade their planets.

Severe economic downturn would lead to widespread unemployment, and once the economic system of an entire planet was in jeopardy, it would spark unimaginable social strife.

Then, by providing the Rebels with some military hardware and technical support, the Chamber of Commerce could collapse a regime without shedding blood.

If the positions of these eight council members wavered, then the vote count could end up in a delicate balance of 8:8.

As a result, the newly joined Blue Star might become the decisive vote.

The somber atmosphere of the dinner and the delicate composition of the people made Duan Mingyuan realize the family’s intentions.

Inviting him to this dinner was a tactic in itself, placing him with the eight most wavering council members, making Blue Star’s stance uncertain on the matter as well.

The Sixteen Star Summit itself wasn’t a monolith; each councilor only knew the vote they were to cast, and suspicion and panic would haunt them until the moment the votes were counted.

No one wanted to be betrayed and become the "scapegoat" thrust forward after others switched votes.