I Can Control Resources

A heated discussion erupted among the crowd.

Ultimately, it all boiled down to one question: war or peace?

There were good arguments for war, and equally valid reasons for peace. So, after the debate, all eyes once again fell upon Wu Qingjing.

After all, the final verdict still depended on the will of the Speaker of the Supreme Council.

Wu Qingjing tapped the tabletop with two fingers.

He could already tell that the pro-war faction slightly outnumbered the pro-peace one. If his assessment was correct, the sentiment within the Supreme Council would be much the same.

"Gao Neng, what is your opinion on this matter?" After a two-minute silence, Wu Qingjing’s gaze finally shifted to Gao Neng.

"I have no opinion, but..." Gao Neng began, then trailed off.

"But what?"

"I may have forgotten to mention that the conduit is the key to my ability to connect to the magnetic core. In other words, if Gao Xiaomeng is mentally resistant and unwilling to cooperate, then the matter of the evolutionary energy... will likely prove quite difficult." Having pushed things this far, how could Gao Neng have failed to consider the Human Alliance’s attitude toward Gao Xiaomeng?

That one sentence settled the matter.

All that talk about her not being one of them, about her being difficult to control...

It was all bullshit!

The bottom line was simple: if they wanted the evolutionary energy, their only option was to cooperate with Gao Xiaomeng.

This was the ultimate goal Gao Neng had been working toward after taking the long way around and deliberately showing off the ’evolutionary energy’.

’A choice?’

’Not happening!’

Gao Neng had gone so far as to reveal his ’Origin’ ability; there was no way he would leave the Alliance any other choice.

Just as he’d intended, the moment Gao Neng finished speaking, the administrators who had been ready to argue fell silent, one by one closing their mouths.

In truth, they weren’t stupid.

Gao Neng’s bias toward Gao Xiaomeng was plain to see.

But bias aside, they had no choice but to carefully consider his words. After all, as things stood, the key to the evolutionary energy was still in Gao Neng’s hands.

It didn’t matter whether Gao Neng was telling the truth or lying.

What if it was true?

Wouldn’t that mean squandering a golden opportunity?

Both Wu Qingjing and Yutian narrowed their eyes at the same time. This matter was simply too significant for the Human Alliance.

"Does anyone have any other opinions?" After a silence of about five minutes, Wu Qingjing and Yutian exchanged a glance, and Wu Qingjing spoke up.

"No."

"Nothing."

"We’ll leave the decision to Speaker Wu."

The administrators all shook their heads.

"Alright. I will convey your opinions to the Supreme Council within two days and draft a special proposal as quickly as possible. Ultimately, the Supreme Council will make the final decision," Wu Qingjing said with a nod.

"Understood. Thank you for your hard work, Chairman!"

"Yes, thank you, Chairman!"

"..."

The few administrators naturally understood Wu Qingjing’s intentions.

Wu Qingjing was the Speaker of the Supreme Council, but to issue a resolution in the council’s name, he still needed to convene a meeting and have it decided by a vote of all members.

However, Gao Neng had already made his intentions perfectly clear.

The outcome of this special proposal was, in fact, not very difficult to guess.

...

The meeting concluded.

Gao Neng rejected Wu Qingjing’s dinner invitation and went straight back to his quarters.

CRASH!

The moment he got back, he kicked a chair out of his way, sending it flying. The chair crashed against the wall and shattered into mineral fragments.

Gao Neng rarely vented his emotions like this.

But this time, he had truly been pushed to his limit.

The scene at the South District City Gate replayed in his mind... images of heavy weaponry bombarding the Cat Race, and the sound of Gao Xiaomeng’s furious roars.

All of it told him one thing...

He really wasn’t the one in charge!

That’s right!

Just as Gao Xiaomeng had said, the future of the Cat Race and the Human Alliance was truly not his decision to make. After all, he, Gao Neng, was at best just a genius within the Human Alliance.

He glanced at the shattered chair.

Gao Neng paid it no mind, stripped off his clothes, and stepped into the shower.

Warm water rained down on his body.

Memories replayed in his mind, one after another.

Inside the Federation Government Building...

His hidden talents had been exposed.

The look in Liang Qi’s eyes.

Wu Qingjing having to tamper with the records of his hidden talents again, concealing his affinities for Hydrogen and Uranium.

All of it seemed to be for his protection.

But in reality, it all pointed to one problem...

His future!

He had no control over it!

Take today’s disciplinary hearing, for instance.

If Gao Neng hadn’t so forcefully turned the tables, what would the outcome have been? He could already guess from the administrators’ tone.

Confinement, penalties, demotion...

All of these were possible, and they might even have been levied against him all at once.

And beyond that, what about Gao Xiaomeng’s future?

Gao Neng had been able to discern that, too.

There were far more people in the Alliance who advocated for control and war.

Of course, that problem was now solved.

Gao Neng knew the Alliance’s upper echelons weren’t stupid. The choice might seem difficult, but the core issue was actually very simple.

The true enemy of the Alliance right now was not the Cat Race.

It was the other races—the Hundred Races Alliance Army!

When comparing the two, anyone who wasn’t an idiot would know what to choose. After all, what was the hidden threat of the Cat Race compared to that?

If the situation was really that serious...

How could the two Strongest at the South District City Gate possibly have let Gao Xiaomeng leave?

Still, there was one thing Gao Neng couldn’t figure out.

’That white dragon...’

’Why did it help Gao Xiaomeng?’

’I’ve never seen it before!’

’And, from their conversation, that white dragon seemed to be a human Strongest?’

’What did Gao Xiaomeng call her again...? I think it was... Mom? So, the white dragon couldn’t have been Xu Zilan in disguise, right?’

Ugh!

Gao Neng shook his head.

’What am I thinking?’

’If Xu Zilan was the Little White Dragon, wouldn’t that make me a Dragon Prince?’

’It has to be a coincidence. If my mom was really one of the Strongest, would I have fucking suffered for eighteen years?’ Gao Neng tossed the unrealistic thought from his mind.

Just then, he heard a noise at the door.

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

Someone was knocking.

The sound was frantic.

It was accompanied by a rhythmic shouting from outside.

"Gao Neng, Gao Neng, open up! You had the nerve to knock me out, now have the nerve to open the door! Gao Neng, Gao Neng, open up! If you don’t, I, Death God Fang Tangtang, am about to go ballistic!"

BANG!

Before Gao Neng even had time to finish dressing, the door was kicked open.

Fang Tangtang charged in, wielding her Number Four Electromagnetic Cannon. Behind her followed Shen Ning’Er, her expression calm and her lips sealed.

The two of them entered the room and stared at him like a pair of hungry wolves that had just spotted a little lamb.

And yes, they stared very, very carefully.

They stared for nearly five full minutes without so much as blinking.

And then, naturally, came the howl of a hungry wolf.

"Hahaha, Gao Neng, you’re not even dressed? Hahaha... Sister Ning’Er, quick, look! He’s got a mole on his butt!" There were no screams from Fang Tangtang, no covering her face, no shy blushes.

Her over-the-top reaction was a perfect demonstration of what it means to be utterly shameless!

As for Shen Ning’Er, she simply smiled, found a place to sit, and showed no intention of leaving. She even gave Gao Neng an encouraging nod.

The meaning was clear.

’You get dressed. Don’t mind me.’

Gao Neng looked at the expressions on Shen Ning’Er and Fang Tangtang’s faces and was rendered speechless. Still, for some unknown reason, looking at the two of them made his mood lift slightly.

"What are you two doing here together?" Gao Neng asked as he dried himself off and continued to get dressed.

"Sister Ning’Er said your hearing was over, so we came together. By the way, how did the Alliance punish you? They put you in confinement, right? Did they take away your Underground City points? If they took all your points, that would be a huge loss... You won’t be able to afford the energy breakfast anymore!" Fang Tangtang launched into one of her trademark tirades.

"Gao Xiaomeng left," Gao Neng said, slipping on a jacket. He then poured two cups of tea and placed them in front of Fang Tangtang and Shen Ning’Er.

"I... know." Fang Tangtang’s body trembled slightly. She glanced at the tea, then slowly lifted the cup and took a sip.

"What was the verdict from the Alliance hearing?" Shen Ning’Er asked, also picking up her teacup. She was clearly more direct than Fang Tangtang.

"The Alliance said my merits and demerits canceled each other out, so I wasn’t really punished. In fact, they’re planning to expand my lab so I can research elemental raw materials." Gao Neng sat down opposite Shen Ning’Er and Fang Tangtang, his tone calm.

"Research elemental raw materials?" Fang Tangtang didn’t quite understand.

"That’s right. Like this..." Gao Neng smiled, then pulled a stalk of Blue Thunder Grass from his pocket and placed it in front of Fang Tangtang and Shen Ning’Er.

"This is?"

"First, you add a little Thunder Crystal Ore powder, then apply some heat... and finally, use a tiny bit of evolutionary energy!" Gao Neng demonstrated with practiced ease in front of them.

Soon, the Blue Thunder Grass transformed into Thunderlight Grass.

Fang Tangtang’s eyes went wide.

Shen Ning’Er also trembled, her hands subconsciously clenching into fists.

Then, both of their gazes snapped to Gao Neng.

"Whoa, you can do magic?" Fang Tangtang’s mouth hung open, wide enough to stuff her fist inside.

"Evolution of an elemental raw material? From a low tier to a middle tier?" Shen Ning’Er was clearly much more knowledgeable than Fang Tangtang, understanding at a glance what Gao Neng was doing.

"Correct. This is why the Alliance didn’t punish me." Gao Neng nodded, then held the Thunderlight Grass out to Fang Tangtang. "So? Pretty amazing, right?"

"So amazing!" Fang Tangtang was so excited she almost jumped for joy. Then, as if remembering something, she said, "Oh, right! Gao Neng, about that cooperation you proposed last time, I’ve thought it over! The Celestial King Group will give you its full support. Whether you want money or formulas, we can provide it. What do you say? Let’s talk!"

"Sure. Just have Grandpa Fang come to the Underground City," Gao Neng said, not looking surprised in the least. On the contrary, he seemed to fully approve of her suggestion.

"Huh? You’re agreeing just like that?" Fang Tangtang was surprised. In her view, Gao Neng could now evolve low-level elemental materials; he was the technological core of the entire project. For him to not make any demands under these circumstances was really a little strange.

"Yes. And I’m also planning to discuss something important with Grandpa Fang," Gao Neng said with certainty.

"Something important? What could be more important than this collaboration? Gao Neng, you’re not looking down on my Celestial King Group, are you? We’re the number one military-industrial conglomerate in the Alliance! We could drop a few hundred billion without even blinking, you believe that?" Fang Tangtang was confused.

"I believe you. But the important matter I want to discuss involves more than just a few hundred billion," Gao Neng said, shooting her a disdainful look before pouring himself more tea.

"More than a few hundred billion? Are you planning to ask for a trillion? You sure know how to make an outrageous demand... Okay, okay, that’s not entirely out of the question, but I’d have to discuss it with my grandpa." Fang Tangtang seemed startled.

"Gao Neng, what are you planning?" Shen Ning’Er’s eyes brightened, and she subconsciously leaned forward.

A faint fragrance wafted toward him.

Almost subconsciously, Gao Neng reached out, taking a strand of black hair that had fallen over Shen Ning’Er’s shoulder into his hand. Then, the corner of his mouth lifted in a slight smile.

"If I said I want to run for Speaker of the Supreme Council in the next election, what would you two think?"

"PFFT!" The mouthful of tea Fang Tangtang had just swallowed came spraying right back out, coating Gao Neng’s face in a perfect mist.