The four walls and ceiling were pristine white, and over seventy small tables were arranged to form a massive circle.
Planet Governors of all sorts sat tightly packed together, each with their own distinct demeanor.
Some wore stern expressions, their nostrils seemingly exhaling chilling, sinister energy.
Others were dozing on the tables, clearly having been busy all night.
A few were engrossed in their phones, their finger movements suggesting they were playing games.
Jiang Ye felt the scene was akin to a classroom, with all types of students present.
He was the only one standing, addressing the microphone:
"I extend my deepest gratitude to all the Planet Governors and diplomatic representatives for gracing us with your presence. This is an honor for Jiang Ye Star, a moment of unprecedented prestige in its history. On behalf of the 6.4 million citizens of Jiang Ye Star, I thank you all."
"Without further ado, today marks the official commencement of our first meeting, with the central theme being the research into Stellar Sickness."
"Several ladies and gentlemen have prepared their proposals, so we shall begin with the first speaker, proceeding clockwise from me. I invite my elder uncle, Liu Shuzeng from Le Ling Star."
A rustling sound of applause filled the air.
A few governors who had been busy gaming immediately put away their phones, their faces adopting a serious expression as they waited to listen.
Liu Shuzeng, perhaps having just finished his morning run, wore a tank top that did little to conceal his massive pectoral muscles.
He stood up, dripping with sweat, and said, "We've convened crisis meetings more than once. As always, the rule is: if you don't wish to participate in the discussion and only want to hear the arrangements, you are free to leave. Subsequent resolutions will be communicated to you."
A wave of movement!
A large group of people stood up!
Jiang Ye noticed that the few who had just put away their phones quickly retrieved them to continue their gaming.
The group, chatting and laughing, departed the conference hall!
Jiang Ye's expression immediately soured. The meeting had just begun... why were they all leaving?
Liu Shuzeng patted his shoulder and whispered:
"Don't worry, these people are just too lazy to think and make decisions. They won't hesitate to pay when it comes down to it. This is how it's always been in crisis meetings. Have someone clear away the tables."
Jiang Ye nodded and activated the microphone in front of him, "Guards!"
A contingent of guards immediately entered and efficiently began their work, swiftly removing the unoccupied tables and reconfiguring the remaining ones.
Surprisingly, only ten people remained.
This was for the better; the distance had shortened, and they could hear each other speak without needing microphones. When discussing matters, a large, chaotic group was indeed impractical; only a few were needed.
Liu Shuzeng, holding his notes, formally began reading his proposal:
"Jiang Ye Star's foundational infrastructure is relatively weak, comparable to that of a small town. In terms of sheer scale, it is incapable of undertaking the research into Stellar Sickness. Therefore, I believe the first step is to rapidly expand Jiang Ye Star's capacity."
"First and foremost, infrastructure must be built."
"Let's construct a new planetary power grid with an annual capacity of five trillion kilowatt-hours. What does everyone think?"
A woman opposite Jiang Ye raised her hand. She was Wen Qiurou, the Governor of Zi Hai Star.
"That's not enough. What can five trillion kilowatt-hours accomplish? For subsequent stellar research, who knows how many factories and equipment will be needed? My Zi Hai Star has numerous electricity patents and excels in this area. I can unilaterally undertake the construction of a ten trillion kilowatt-hour planetary power grid. I will contribute half the funds, and the rest can be pooled. Three trillion will suffice for me."
Jiang Ye was dumbfounded.
Ten trillion kilowatt-hours – what did that even mean?
It was enough to power a large city with hundreds of millions of inhabitants! And that was with a wasteful usage pattern, keeping the entire city lit up all night!
The price alone was staggering: half of it was three trillion, meaning the entire power grid would cost six trillion to build!
"What are your terms?" Liu Shuzeng asked directly.
"The terms are simple. After the power grid is completed, I will not charge a single cent for electricity used by the Stellar Sickness project. However, for electricity consumed by the residents of this planet, I will charge fifty cents per kilowatt-hour until a cumulative total of four trillion is collected. Mr. Jiang, this is not excessive, is it?" Wen Qiurou stared at Jiang Ye.
Just as Jiang Ye was about to speak, a pair of large hands suddenly pressed down on his shoulders, giving him a squeeze.
"Old Wen, that's not right. You're putting in three trillion and expecting to get back four trillion. Is that what you call aid? It's become an investment. Jiang Ye Star is such a small place, and you're trying to skim off a trillion. Are you ashamed?" Liu Shuzeng frowned.
"Old Liu, what you're saying is utter nonsense," Wen Qiurou retorted without backing down. "Given Jiang Ye Star's current development rate, it might take ten years to repay four trillion at fifty cents per kilowatt-hour. If I deposited this money in an interstellar bank for ten years, think of the interest! If I invested this money elsewhere, the dividends would be substantial! The entire galaxy is currently in a period of major inflation; money is losing value by the day. Have you considered that? I'm not directly asking for an extra trillion. If there are issues with the power grid later, I'll have to send people to maintain and repair it, leaving some teams here to manage the grid. The maintenance costs and salaries alone would be considerable!"
"You're still trying to calculate things. Let's not be so calculating. Three trillion for the electricity is enough. Don't make things difficult for young Jiang," Liu Shuzeng also stood his ground. "Your Zi Hai Star is wealthy and powerful. You spent over eight hundred billion on a planetary celebration. Now, in this time of crisis, why haggle over such a small sum?"
The others at the table chimed in their agreement.
Wen Qiurou glared at them, furious.
"Why are you all interfering? You're all inheritors, unconcerned about selling off your grandfather's land! I, however, am a first-generation founder who worked hard to build this!"
The other governors chuckled.
"Three trillion it is, but I will engage your planet's teams for future grid upgrades," Jiang Ye interjected. "At that point, it will be a business transaction, and we'll adhere to market prices."
"That's acceptable," Wen Qiurou's expression softened. "This three trillion is merely for the power grid's assistance. Our planet's aid extends beyond this."
"Thank you so much," Jiang Ye clasped his hands together.
"Do you have a plan?" Liu Shuzeng looked at Wen Qiurou.
"The general plan was finalized yesterday. It will primarily be a core geothermal power plant, supplemented by nuclear, hydroelectric, and wind power plants. We'll build a ring along the equator and two additional levels," Wen Qiurou stated. "You don't need to worry about this. Has our planet's power grid technology ever encountered any issues? The construction on Jiang Ye Star will also be flawless. Any engineer who causes problems will be executed!"
"Oh, please don't say that," Jiang Ye exclaimed, startled.
The governors burst into laughter, finding it amusing that the young man had taken the joke seriously.
"I'll be responsible for the water system. Jiang Ye Star has numerous rivers and seas, making the water system quite convenient and not very expensive," Liu Shuzeng continued. "As for infrastructure, that's it for now. Next is population. With only about six million people here, the scarcity of technological and military talent is a significant issue."
"It's extremely insufficient. We don't even have half the population of a single district. What can this small number of people accomplish?" a young Black man in a plaid shirt scratched his head from the side. "But... we don't yet know the specific scope of the Stellar Sickness project, so we're unsure what kind of professionals are needed. Bringing in a large number of pig farmers wouldn't be very useful."
"If we're unsure, we'll just use brute force," the White youth to the right of the Black man interjected. "My planet is overpopulated. Can you believe we've gained three billion people in the last five years? Relocating tens of millions of people is not a problem. Little brother Jiang, if you say the word, I'll call immediately and get people on ships."