Chapter 414: Chapter 247: Agreed Integration Terms_2
Originally, the Es Civilization was adamantly unwilling to make concessions, but now the situation is different.
And this time, the concession seems to have become a certain beginning.
"The Es Civilization has stated they can provide us with more comprehensive B-level technology, along with the corresponding development devices."
"The Es Civilization demands that we launch propaganda against other civilizations and, when necessary, initiate warfare."
"The Es Civilization requires accelerating the integration process."
"They have agreed to migrate a large portion of their population to Human Civilization, and they’re doing so as ’allies’, not ’subordinates’."
"They allow..."
One good news after another came through, mostly in the technical fields where both parties were stuck in over thirty years of prolonged negotiations, unwilling to compromise.
But now, it’s very clear that the Es Civilization is conceding.
And they are pursuing faster integration.
They are starting to feel anxious.
"Raise some costs appropriately, but also pay attention to the other’s attitude," Shen Shi made the highest directive from behind, "We need to appear extremely greedy, but not excessively so that it leads to failure. In short, handle it well and test bit by bit."
He hasn’t been idle during this period.
Instead, he has been continuously bringing the technology that future Human Civilization obtained from the Es Civilization back to three thousand years ago.
Although these technologies are actually not usable yet nor do they have the capability to be studied three thousand years ago, as long as Shen Shi brings them, they will inevitably appear in the development history of Human Civilization over these three thousand years, which also causes the future timeline to be constantly changing. Human Civilization becomes increasingly powerful and earns more respect from the Es Civilization, and conversely, Human Civilization’s retained culture also becomes more complete as its strength grows.
A positive cycle has already initially formed in this short span of time.
However, no matter how much time is delayed, there exists a limit. When in a negotiation, if Human Civilization hasn’t changed its negotiation conditions by a certain moment and the Es Civilization accepts everything entirely, Shen Shi will know that the negotiation cannot continue anymore.
Changing conditions further would openly mean unwillingness to be swallowed up, unwillingness to surrender. What awaits humanity would no longer be negotiations.
The next step would be the start of integration.
From the moment Shen Shi returned to the power peak, made decisions, and began negotiations, it has been ongoing for seventy-eight whole years.
This period, actually, is considered extremely brief for interstellar civilization, even for the seemingly urgent Es Civilization, but for Shen Shi, who utilized the positive cycle over these three thousand years, it’s extremely significant.
An important statistic is that at this moment in the future timeline, Human Civilization has already achieved breakthroughs in over three thousand key technologies to B-level. But among these, the percentage of independently developed technologies by humans exceeds two thousand pieces, while the fields receiving assistance from the Es Civilization account for less than a third.
Under such circumstances, the percentage of Human Civilization’s cultural assimilation actually reduced significantly.
This requires the Es Civilization to spend more time participating in the management and development of Human Civilization to achieve the swallowing goal.
And this is undoubtedly a lengthy period.
If Shen Shi continues to alter the future timeline, this period might not only not shorten with time but might even continuously extend.
All of this combined is what gives Shen Shi the confidence to change fate.
However, less than ten years after the negotiation result officially came to fruition, humanity received news.
A civilization that had reached C-level, with over a thousand technologies breakthrough to B-level, was utterly destroyed by the Es Civilization overnight.
"They already have our example, this civilization’s importance has diminished, along with the need for the Es Civilization to select one civilization to be absolutely domineering as a warning, and so this civilization was unfortunately chosen," Yulan analyzed during the meeting, and was visibly tense emotionally, "Just a little more, and we might have ended up in such a situation! In fact, this also serves as a warning to us!"
Yes, the destroyed civilization was also not weak in strength.
If they had surrendered first, it might have threatened Human Civilization’s ’exemplary’ status.
At that time, what might be destroyed could very well have been humanity.
Over these seventy-odd years, while Human Civilization obtained a considerable amount of benefits, it also actually added a lot of crises.
Fortunately, this has now been completely overcome.
"Next, just proceed step by step as per the terms in the clauses, no need to make special actions, neither intentionally dragging our feet nor speeding up, but apart from that...we, all of us, need to step down from the peak of power behind the scenes," Shen Shi said.
Having already signed the integration clauses, in reality, a significant portion of the rights in Human Civilization no longer belongs to itself.
As part of the clauses, Shen Shi, who was originally a staunch leader against integration along with his close associates, must relinquish frontline rights.
It’s evidently so that the Es Civilization doesn’t trust some people like Shen Shi.
In the end, Shen Shi returned the position once again to Kennen.
Kennen also received open support from the Es Civilization.
Clause after clause and restriction after restriction, at least on the surface, it seems that humanity’s fate is left only with being swallowed.
As if Shen Shi’s return to power merely delayed humanity’s fate by a few decades.
However, only Shen Shi himself knows how much change these decades of rolling the snowball have added to humanity.
"Next, I will once again hide in the shadows," Shen Shi said among the standing members, "I can definitely assure you, Human Civilization will not be swallowed. I have enough trump cards, and to avoid being targeted by the Es People, I may remain in a semi-disappeared state. As for you, feel free to make bold changes. You just need to know, when the scales tilt again, it’s time for you to make a new choice."
This last sentence was basically directed at Kennen.
Because clearly, Kennen’s return to power will be highly authorized under the Es Civilization’s support.
It looks like Shen Shi has lost.
But Kennen is already completely lacking in such confidence, even if behind him stands the Es Civilization.
In the end, when it’s just the two of them, Kennen said very seriously, "Master Sage Saint, the only thing I can assure is that everything I do is solely for humanity’s future. All the positions I hold are solely for humanity’s glory. So, if you indeed have the means to reverse this, I will undoubtedly follow along to reverse it."
"I understand, Kennen, I have always understood," Shen Shi looked at him with considerable gratification, "Although your position is opposing mine, I understand what kind of person you are. Otherwise, you couldn’t have become a standing member right under my nose."
Kennen’s emotions shifted slightly.
He understood the meaning behind Shen Shi’s words.
The ultimate rival of this "Sage Saint" is actually handpicked by the Sage Saint himself?
Even though Kennen’s emotions had already become very calm without unnecessary mood swings due to power transition, yet after understanding Shen Shi’s words, Kennen’s emotions still uncontrollably became complex.
At this moment, he truly believes that Master Sage Saint will once again achieve victory.
And it would be an even greater victory!
"By the way," Shen Shi seemed to recall something, and he spoke solemnly, "There’s one more important matter. According to the integration terms, the next step, the Es Civilization will select Masters of Primordial Energy to actively integrate into our civilization’s culture, transforming themselves to become human, and then join our power hierarchy. You say...does such ’humans’ have the potential to get into trading markets?"