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Chapter 728  Sealing the Deal

"What makes you think we\'re ready—or even willing—to surrender?" he asked calmly, showing no sign of worry as he was on the cusp of completing the deal that would come to his rescue. In his mind, he was already expecting the enemy to list all the reasons why he and his people were doomed and why surrender was the only logical choice.

But instead, the figure merely replied, "Okay, understood," before abruptly ending the call.

Everyone in the control room was left dumbfounded by the enemy’s abrupt response, unable to process what had just happened.

A few minutes of silence passed as everyone in the control room tried to make sense of the enemy\'s unusual behavior. Typically, when one side is on the verge of victory and demands surrender, they\'d follow up with a barrage of threats—promising slow, agonizing torture for anyone captured if they don’t surrender, using fear to pressure the crew into forcing their captain to concede, especially if he was too stubborn or prideful to surrender on his own.

But this group did none of that. They attacked swiftly and delivered their surrender demand, and when Xalthar gave a response that clearly indicated he wasn’t willing to comply, they didn’t bother with threats or intimidation. They simply ended the conversation, as if they had no interest in wasting time on further negotiations. This uncharacteristic approach left the entire control room unsettled, unsure of what to make of the enemy\'s intentions.

{Sir, the list is complete,} Xalthar\'s AI spoke, snapping him out of his moment of surprise. The unsettling behavior of the enemy still weighed on his mind, but the AI\'s prompt reminded him of more pressing matters. The system had finished filtering the people who met his criteria, urging him to act swiftly.

Xalthar straightened, forcing his thoughts back to the task at hand. He couldn\'t afford to linger on the enemy\'s unexpected actions or their lack of immediate follow-up. Seeing no further movement through the insulation, he decided it was best not to dwell on what they might be planning.

Without hesitation, he shifted his focus entirely to the filtered list, preparing to make his next move.

………………..

On the other side, Ismail Maylander stood in front of the fast-settling barrier that obstructed their progress. The material was dense—so dense that their sensors couldn’t penetrate to its other side. Resting his hand on the surface, he felt the subtle energy pulsing through it, which he already knew was mana which was there supporting the surface.

“How much longer till it\'s ready?” Ismail asked, his voice steady but eager.

{They are now being sent and should arrive within a few minutes,} Cortana, his AI companion, responded crisply. A map appeared before him, highlighting several objects moving toward the ship from multiple directions. The one headed directly for him glowed brightly on the display, signaling its importance.

After a few minutes, the device arrived—a spear gun-like weapon, just as expected. Ismail wasted no time, having trained extensively in its use. He quickly removed it from its carrier while the rest of his team instinctively stepped aside. Though the device was designed to protect them from collateral damage, none of them wanted to test that theory firsthand.

Raising the spear gun, Ismail took aim at the thick insulation material sealing the corridor. With a sharp pull of the trigger, a half-meter-long spear shot out, speeding toward the obstruction. The spear penetrated the barrier with surprising ease, but just as it passed halfway through, the mana within the insulation surged to life. The material responded aggressively, halting the spear\'s progress. The rear half of the spear stuck out from the barrier, visibly vibrating as the mana worked against it, preventing it from moving any further.

What followed was a tense silence, with the breachers poised and ready. Weapons raised, their intentions were clear to anyone observing—they were prepared to move the moment the breach opened.

Within seconds, the rods embedded in the insulation began to tremble ever so slightly before sliding downward, like a hot knife sinking into wax. The insulation material responded quickly, softening and melting around the rods. As the spears hit the ground, the changes became more pronounced—the thick barrier began to dissolve at an accelerating pace.

The breachers, undeterred by the settling and rapidly hardening insulation beneath their feet, advanced carefully. Each step was deliberate, yet their pace quickened in sync with the melting material. With the corridor clearing before them, their movements grew increasingly confident and swift, ready to engage the moment the breach was complete.

As the breachers continued their advance, Xalthar remained engrossed in finalizing the agreements, oblivious to the unfolding events. His focus was entirely on securing the final details of the agreements, unaware of the imminent threat.

The rapid melting of the insulation material made it difficult for the ship\'s observation methods to detect the breach in time. The insulation, once a formidable barrier, was now giving way under the relentless assault of the specialized equipment.

…………..

Those blinded by greed often fail to distinguish between genuine opportunity and mere bait. This was evident in the current situation within the Astral Conclave. Despite suspicions that it might be a trap, no one wanted to gamble on being left out if it proved real. As a result, their fears were ultimately unfounded, leading to an unexpected loop: groups that initially doubted the offer found themselves compelled to join the bidding, driven by the desire to prevent rivals from gaining the advantage if the opportunity turned out to be genuine.

As a result, one after another began reaching out to Xalthar, and he soon had a list of about thirty groups that met his criteria. Each offered to come to his rescue in exchange for the coordinates, with some even willing to provide additional incentives for exclusive access. Despite the tempting offers, Xalthar stuck to his original plan. He decided to provide the coordinates to all the groups on the list, provided they agreed to the mana oath. This way, he ensured that his initial strategy was maintained and all interested parties were in it for the most chaos they could cause.

Some might wonder why Xalthar placed so much trust in the mana oath. The reason was well-known throughout the Conclave: as long as mana was involved in the oath and the terms were meticulously crafted without loopholes, it was considered more binding than even the most formidable power. Mana, in this context, acted as the ultimate enforcer and impartial arbiter. It ensured that the agreed-upon punishments would be carried out if any party breached the terms, regardless of the consequences.

Thus, Xalthar had finalized the contract, securing significant advantages for his side. These benefits were not solely due to the promised rewards but were also achieved by leveraging the demands of various requesting groups. By threatening to grant the contract to those who met his terms, he ensured that some of the provisions the other side wanted were negotiated on his terms. When faced with the possibility of losing out to competitors who accepted Xalthar\'s conditions, the other side had little choice but to agree, knowing they would be in a stronger position if they did.

He then allowed the ship\'s AI to send all the necessary components to initiate the wormhole spell successfully. With that step completed, Xalthar returned to his initial plan, unaware of the impending doom drawing closer.