Jiang Ye flipped through, and there was nothing below.
"Aren't there five stages? You've only released three, what about the remaining two?" Jiang Ye messaged.
Snake: "Don't know."
"???"
"We follow the headquarters' command one step at a time. We only know there are two more steps, but not where to go," Snake replied.
"Where are your underground facilities located?" Jiang Ye asked.
Snake sent a coordinate, very promptly.
Jiang Ye forwarded it to Shao Wan and Che Zhen, telling them to lead their troops there.
"Where does your operating budget come from?" Jiang Ye asked again.
"Our funding sources are varied. Our accounts were handled on an alien planet, with initial funding from headquarters. As the plan progresses, we occasionally receive subsidies. Then, we also earn some from Jiang Ye Star."
"We've checked your records, and you have no consumption records on Jiang Ye Star. What's the use of the money in your accounts? Also, I can trace the data of remittances from alien planets to this planet, and I haven't seen any records of remittances to you."
"Buying things in stores leaves records, but according to the Galactic Empire's Property Privacy Law, small private transactions do not leave records. We don't buy from official channels. We collude with store employees privately and remit money directly to them. For example, when dining at a restaurant, there are too many ingredients, and the exact quantities are unknown. The chefs and waiters will take private jobs, using the chickens, fish, meat, and eggs that the boss bought with his money and placed in the kitchen, and cook them for us at half price. No one will know. Jiang Ye Star has many mines, so the precious metals industry has already started, and there's a lot of profit from scrap materials."
"For example?"
"For example, in jade mines, workers deliberately cut the stones carelessly, making high-jade content rough stones look like waste rock, and then secretly sell them outside. The appraiser takes money, so they turn a blind eye, take a photo, write a certificate for the archives, and no one knows. In jewelry stores, processing causes some debris, and the accumulated debris is considerable. We have people working inside who melt the gold dross into gold bars and take them out. In shale mines, the mining areas are large and there are many ores. The site managers deliberately mine carelessly, extracting the main parts and secretly selling the secondary parts from the edges of the mining area to individuals for mining. We go at night, and we've even seen other miners from different mining areas engage in gunfights with homemade firearms. People were killed in the middle of the night, and by dawn, they were burned to ashes and scattered in the mining area, mixed with the ore, leaving no trace."
"List all these places for me," Jiang Ye said.
"Cannot."
"Cannot?"
"I've traded with them, and I must abide by basic trading ethics. You can investigate the matters I've revealed, but I cannot specify which ones."
"Alright." Jiang Ye didn't insist further. Since he knew this, all the mines on the entire planet would need a thorough investigation. "Anything else?"
"The rest is more normal, working for money. We definitely can't go to legitimate big companies, so we can only do some black market jobs in small places."
"Terrorists actually need to work," Jiang Ye teased.
"We don't consider ourselves terrorists."
"What a high level of self-deception."
"What else do you want to know?"
"I've already dispatched troops to your underground facilities. Will destroying the warp machine stop the stellar disease?"
"No need to destroy it, there's a switch, just turn it off. The technology for that machine is very advanced, it was directly handed over to us by the Miel people, and it should be worth a lot of money."
"So the stellar disease isn't contagious, but you've been spreading it from one galaxy to another?" Jiang Ye asked. "Is there any way to know the location of the warp equipment on other planets?"
"There's no way to know, we can only search."
Jiang Ye quickly drafted a report, writing down the entire situation. It was over a thousand words, and he sent it to Li Nannan.
Li Nannan quickly forwarded the report to the stellar disease group chat.
After a few minutes of silence, the entire group exploded.
They all cursed the Miel people and the Galactic Separatist Alliance.
When a group of influential planet governors started to curse, they were no less inferior to online trolls. Various vulgar and violent words flooded the screen, creating a spectacular scene.
Jiang Ye secretly marveled, these big shots are truly passionate people!
After a moment of thought, he sent a message to the group, interrupting the enraged curses and chants.
Jiang Ye: "@All members, the cause and method of the stellar disease have now been identified, and there is no longer a need for various forms of aid to my planet. The completed aid projects cannot be dismantled, and I will compensate them slowly. I will refund all the funds that have been transferred very soon. Thank you all for your trust and cooperation during this time. Jiang Ye Star will always welcome you as guests. I also wish you all the best in finding the warp machines of your respective planets and resolving the stellar disease crisis."
The group chat fell silent for a few seconds, then messages popped up like a flood.
"Brother Jiang, you're too polite. The aid projects must continue."
"No need to refund! Aid agreements signed in black and white, how can they be changed just like that?"
"This amount of money is nothing to me, it's just a token of my appreciation. No need to return it."
"To be honest, the aid isn't purely aid. Our teams did excellent work on your planet. In the future, when your planet develops, similar jobs will be given to our planet's teams first. So, this matter must continue."
The big shots in the group were extremely enthusiastic.
For the few who weren't generous, under the prevailing atmosphere, they felt embarrassed to ask for the aid money back.
Jiang Ye thought they were all just being polite, a matter of social etiquette.
He never expected that after he returned a few installments of the aid money, they were all returned immediately.
A few planet governors in the group posted screenshots of the returned funds.
"Hey, this kid is quite honest. He said no need to return it, and he really sent it back."
"Brother Jiang, this is not good!"
"These funds are our planet's friendly aid to Jiang Ye Star. The amount is not large; it represents the good feelings of mutual support and trust between the people of our two planets. Please, Commander Jiang Ye, do not reject this kind gesture."
"Jiang Ye, you need to be criticized for this. How can you do things like this? I patted my chest and promised you aid, can I take it back? Besides, this money isn't for you, it's for the benefit of your planet's people, it's to promote scientific development. If it's truly to be returned, you can't just make the final decision."
Jiang Ye was a bit dumbfounded.
This situation was beyond his wildest expectations.
They didn't want the money back even when he offered it?
Were they all so wealthy and generous?
Could it be that they were still being polite?
Jiang Ye tried to return the money again, but they all blocked him with a combination of soft and hard tactics.
Honestly, he secretly wanted to keep the money. Such a huge sum, if he had to earn it himself, it would probably take more than ten years. Moreover, this money was originally intended for research on stars, but now that the stellar disease didn't need research, it could be used however he pleased.
However, it felt awkward to just accept this money.
Therefore, he had to find a way to have his cake and eat it too!
Jiang Ye pondered for a long time, and finally slapped his thigh!