The negotiations were going quite well.
After Shen Feixian subtly expressed that he was hungry, a staff member brought the two of them to the cafeteria of the operations group, which was a makeshift kitchen set up in the former conference room.
Once Shen Feixian and Song Jixing were seated, dishes started flowing out like running water.
After researching Song Jixing's enormous appetite, the research lab personnel speculated that Shen Feixian's appetite was about the same, so they prepared enough food for twenty people.
The dishes were takeout orders from nearby Michelin-starred restaurants, then reheated by the chefs in the makeshift kitchen.
Considering that the portion sizes at Michelin-starred restaurants were likely much smaller than home-cooked meals, the chefs combined two portions together for each dish they plated and sent out.
In total there were fourteen hot dishes, four cold dishes, a bowl of soup, and a plate of chicken legs.
As Shen Feixian ate, he expressed his thoughts, "I think this could work. After all, they've prepared so much food for us. If they provide food and lodging in the future, life wouldn't be too bad..."
Song Jixing remained silent and didn't share her opinion yet.
Logically speaking, if they really worked for their superiors, with only food and lodging provided, it would be quite exploitative.
Song Jixing wasn't sure if Shen Feixian was trying to numb their willpower with those words, or if those were his true feelings.
She quietly ate her food, planning to enter the interrogation room afterward.
-
Even if it was a makeshift cafeteria, there were still cameras and recording devices present.
Or rather, they didn't even need those things - someone sitting in the next room could hear everything clearly.
At that moment, Wu Xiao was sitting in the adjacent room, responsible for security and listening in on Shen Feixian's words.
According to protocol, he had to record those words and relay them verbatim to his superiors, without any embellishment.
That was his duty.
As for whether they were true or false, professionals would come to process and judge that.
-
After the two finished eating dinner, Wu Xiao invited them to the lounge to watch TV.
The lounge was also makeshift, with a large flatscreen TV brought in and connected. Some cucumber and orange slices were taken from the kitchen and placed in a plate on the table.
Mainly because the special operations team didn't really have any place for leisure and entertainment, so they had to temporarily set up a TV watching area for the two.
"The senior leadership is in a meeting right now, please wait a moment, the meeting will end soon," Wu Xiao said.
Although their superiors didn't explicitly state how to handle this matter, they only said to treat the two well.
Just based on that, Wu Xiao could infer many things.
If the cooperative relationship was established, the two would not only be honored guests of their research institute, but also a beacon of hope for this land's future.
The last time Shen Feixian watched TV was when he first arrived here, in order to understand the local customs. After he fully understood this world, he took the initiative to eliminate TV from his life. Shen Feixian chose faster ways to get information - the internet.
But since they were already here, how could they not watch some TV?
Shen Feixian looked at the man pouring tea and asked, "Can we pick a movie to watch?"
The man hesitated briefly before nodding, "Yes, what would you like to watch?"
Shen Feixian smiled and named the TV series and films Song Jixing had recently acted in.
Two minutes later, the opening credits of the TV series flashed Song Jixing's face.
Shen Feixian critiqued again, "I want to watch episodes 7, 8, 10 and 11, that's where my junior sister has scenes."
Shen Feixian was acting exactly like Song Jixing's diehard fan.
Song Jixing: ...
The staff member immediately adjusted the playback order to episode 7.
After doing that, Shen Feixian still wasn't satisfied. He waved at the attendant again, "Are you going to watch with us? The more the merrier!"
Song Jixing strongly resisted the urge to leave the room and forced herself to stay put.
-
In a secret office in Jing City.
This office held several meetings a week, big and small, each deciding the direction of the people's lives.
Today's meeting wasn't the longest, but it was definitely the most vexing in history.
Usually there would be heated debates at these meetings, but not today. If past debates were based on the knowledge and cognition they had built up over decades, then today's debate covered content they had never encountered before.
The only difference was in believing or not believing.
The middle-aged man with slightly graying hair sitting at the head seat glanced at his watch, it was getting late, time to make a decision.
In fact, trust was sometimes unimportant.
"Our land has endured too much turmoil, and the people have only enjoyed a few decades of peace. I understand all your concerns, but there is only one path before us."
"Trust each other and cooperate."
"If our cooperative relationship falls apart, they are fully capable of finding new partners. And if this is their plan to buy time before an inevitable struggle, then we must make sufficient preparations!"
"Of course I hope this cooperation will be stable and long-term. Even if not long-term, the future situation surely can't be worse than now!"
"Xiao Wen, come over and call them now to ask what their requirements are for cooperation! If their demands are within our acceptable range, cooperation is entirely feasible!"
"Yes, Minister."
-
Shen Feixian's requirements for cooperation had always been very clear.
First was the issue of status.
Shen Feixian's demand was to establish a new household registration system. This system could be applied not only to them, but also to the next generation of new talents cultivated in this country.
Once someone became a cultivator, not only their lifespan changed, but also their abilities far surpassed ordinary people's.
The laws and systems that restricted ordinary people were completely unsuitable for them.
After listening, Wu Xiao took careful notes.
More than the upcoming new systems, he was curious how the next generation of superhumans Shen Feixian mentioned would be selected to become like them.
Would he have such an opportunity?
The remaining demands seemed rather simple.
"We recently rented a plot of land in the suburbs, could you allocate the surrounding land to us as well, and reduce the rent and utilities a bit?" Shen Feixian asked.
Compared to the previous demands, this one seemed extremely plain.
Wu Xiao diligently typed on his keyboard: "I'm relaying your request upstairs now."
"Actually, I think cultivating new talents is key for cooperation. I think we could open a school on that land, you can send some suitable candidates over. There's an old saying here right, 'Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime!'" Shen Feixian said with a laugh.
Wu Xiao's heart thudded, but he kept his expression under control and continued typing.
Although it was supposedly cooperation between the two sides, the exchange seemed a bit unequal.
