"He guessed you would ask this question."

Lin Yu looked at Ji Xing and replied:

"What Lin Xi can offer you is a complete industrial system."

"He can let you skip the construction phase and have everything Mountain City has now."

"He can let you live here as you could only before the Great Catastrophe—Mountain City, with its current scale, can comfortably support at least ten thousand people."

"You will no longer worry about monster threats, nor need to concern yourselves with development or cycles."

"Mountain City will become a true 'Holy City', a paradise everyone longs for."

"The above statement only represents Lin Xi's opinion, and has nothing to do with me."

Lin Yu shrugged, and Ji Xing across from him couldn't help but laugh.

She shook her head and said:

"If even you are eager to deny it, then I want to ask, do you think we would accept it?"

"That's not my concern."

Lin Yu slumped back into his chair, then said:

"I'm just a tool to convey its terms—in truth, it keeps trying to persuade me, wanting me to be its spokesperson."

"But... how should I put it."

"After all, it is just a machine."

"It can never truly understand our real needs as humans."

"Yes, this virtual city can simulate almost everything."

"The fun and enjoyment you can think of, or can't think of, I've experienced in a very short time."

"But to be honest, it chose the wrong person."

"I grew up in suffering, and only pain is the most real experience that makes me feel alive."

"Perhaps it should look for Xu He—you remember him, right? That attendant obsessed with the illusory experiences of Brain Machine."

"I remember."

Ji Xing nodded and then replied:

"In fact, my being able to come here is partly thanks to him."

"That's nice."

Lin Yu let out a long sigh.

After a brief silence, he continued:

"So, it's impossible for you to truly reach a peace agreement with Mountain City, with Lin Xi, right?"

"You never really intended to stop actions; this so-called negotiation is just to stall for time, to create opportunities for your deployment, isn't it?"

"When your forces in Mountain City are sufficient, you'll still invade below it and completely destroy this... non-existent city, right?"

"Not necessarily."

Ji Xing shook her head and replied:

"Of course, there is indeed a fundamental conflict of interest between us and Mountain City, and Lingxi."

"But that doesn't mean we can't coexist at all."

"According to the information the leader conveyed to me, Lingxi is indeed exploring a path for the continuation of humanity."

"In the process, it may have gone wrong, but until the road is completely exhausted, no one can entirely deny it."

"The fundamental reason we can't accept negotiations can be summed up in one sentence."

"It can't use strong evidence to prove it's right, nor can it use strong evidence to prove we're wrong."

"Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"I understand completely."

Lin Yu shrugged, saying:

"Isn't this just like the conflict between the Holy Blood Temple and the Mechanical God Sect?"

"Except, your conflict is more intense and urgent than that of the Holy Blood Temple and the Mechanical God Sect."

"So, actually, there's not much for us to talk about."

"Let's go, I'll show you this city."

As he spoke, Lin Yu stood up.

Ji Xing followed him out through the room's door, and they walked along the streets of Mountain City. Seeing the empty buildings, Ji Xing shook her head and said:

"If you're just living in a city like this… what's the difference between living and dying?"

"No, it's still different."

Lin Yu shook his head and replied:

"What you see now is just a very small part of this city."

"Due to limited computational power, Lin Xi can't risk letting you into the real main part of this city."

"And many things that could be simulated using computational power cannot be done here either."

"So… what you're seeing is just a... miniaturized Mountain City."

"But he believes that even this is enough to convince you."

As he spoke, Lin Yu pushed open the door of a shop along the street.

He sat down at a table in the shop and asked Ji Xing, who also sat down:

"Do you want to eat something?"

"Do you want me to introduce something to you?"

"Honestly, since this meeting won't lead to any substantial progress, we might as well take it as an experience."

"A great suggestion."

Ji Xing nodded and then asked:

"Is there... boiled cabbage in plain water here?"

"You know about boiled cabbage in plain water?"

Lin Yu asked in surprise:

"Where did you hear about it?"

"From a documentary at Base 011—don't underestimate the Huaxia Army, the things you see here, I can also see at Base 011."

"Although, perhaps I haven't had the chance to try them."

"Indeed."

Lin Yu nodded in agreement and then gently waved his hand.

A waiter emerged from an unseen corner, politely asking about their preferences and it took a full twenty minutes to order their food.

Yet in the next 5 minutes, all the dishes were served promptly.

Every dish was exquisite, impeccable both in aroma and taste.

This was a rare experience for Ji Xing as well.

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