The Tianou Group is the oldest consortium in the United States of Orlan, with a history spanning several centuries.
Unlike the other four major conglomerates, the Tianou Group had already been established on the Western Continent at a substantial scale long before the Eastern and Western Continents of Orlan were connected.
Although the Orlan Industrial Revolution brought waves of crisis, causing Tianou Group to experience countless upheavals, it seemed as if fate itself had blessed Tianou.
Each time, the company emerged unscathed, undergoing drastic transformations and surviving against all odds.
Governments in Orlan have come and gone, and the political landscape has been reshuffled time and again.
Yet, Tianou has always maintained its foothold in history, never truly disappearing.
A name that has endured for centuries has instilled in the Orlan people an almost instinctive belief—Tianou will never fall.
Jian Qianou looked up at the towering warship before him, its black and red armor exuding an oppressive aura.
In his long life, this was the first time he had ever faced such a terrifying and awe-inspiring war machine.
Even back when he had stood on the battlefield of the Natlan Empire, witnessing Orlan's pinnacle of military engineering—the Tyrant Mecha—fall from the sky to engage in battle against the Natlan Extremist, a warrior so powerful that he could hover in the air with sheer physical prowess, the scene had not been as daunting as this moment.
These two ultimate weapons, forged with the collective ingenuity of their respective civilizations, paled in comparison to the short-haired black-clad woman and the ferocious warship before him.
And the man who called himself the Head of State was certainly no ordinary individual.
Jian Qianou shifted his gaze to the tall man in the mask.
According to his intelligence, the commander of this port area was a young man named Lin Lan.
As an "undercover" agent of the Tianou Group's board of directors, he had meticulously investigated every detail of this place before arriving.
Few knew that beyond its three-member board of directors, the Tianou Group had another highly classified position—
The Stalker.
A position held by only one person at a time, whose true identity remained a mystery.
Unlike the directors, who wielded power and influence over the corporation's vast operations, the Stalker did not enjoy wealth or authority.
Instead, he roamed the grassroots levels of Orlan year-round, listening to the voices of ordinary customers, staying attuned to the nation's realities, and ensuring the authenticity of information.
And the Stalker had one absolute power—
If he discovered a crisis capable of bringing about the Tianou Group's downfall, he could issue an order that the board of directors must obey without question.
In other words, the Stalker was the true decision-maker behind the Tianou Group.
From breaking tradition and making Tianou the first Orlan conglomerate to formally cooperate with the Teaching Country, to becoming the first consortium in Orlan to hire large numbers of Liao Continent people—
To forming the Zhuhai Commercial Association with four other major conglomerates during the Siren Disaster in a bid to seize control of the nation—
Every pivotal decision in the Tianou Group's history had been orchestrated from the shadows by the Stalker.
And Jian Qianou was the current Stalker of Tianou.
"Dignity exists only at the edge of the sword, and truth lies solely within the range of firepower..."
"As expected of you, Mr. Leader. I am grateful for your teachings."
Jian Qianou could tell from the masked man's gaze that his identity had already been exposed.
His ability to read minds—a skill that had never failed him before—was completely ineffective against this man.
The masked figure undoubtedly knew that he was no ordinary person.
Although he had heard from his Navy Department informants and Sun Dewang about the overwhelming strength of the mysterious Iron Cross Fleet, he had never imagined it to be this terrifying.
With that realization, he abandoned all pretense and stepped forward from Sun Dewang's side, coming face-to-face with Lin Lan.
"Your Excellency, please forgive our previous discourtesy. I apologize for any offense I have caused you."
He now understood that the masked man before him possessed the power to utterly annihilate the United States of Orlan.
Any deception or scheme would bring not just disaster upon Tianou, but ruin upon the entire nation.
The ship girls standing beside this man were so powerful they seemed almost otherworldly.
Even the terrifying Sirens were no match for them.
On the Eastern Continent, the recent turmoil within the Goilia Group was almost certainly caused by this very man.
Thus, under Sun Dewang's disbelieving gaze, Jian Qianou humbly lowered himself onto one knee and spoke with sincerity:
"Allow me to reintroduce myself. My name is Jian Qianou."
"I am the representative of the will of the Tianou Group."
As he spoke, his figure gradually blurred, and under the sunlight, wisps of light blue mist began to rise from his body.
Shrouded in the ethereal glow, Jian Qianou's face became obscured, his true visage indiscernible.
Lin Lan watched the transformation in silence.
He had taken note of Jian Qianou the moment he had appeared.
This man was no ordinary human.
Rather, he was a spiritual entity, composed of a dense and pure elemental essence.
Simply put—Jian Qianou was a materialized soul.
Realizing this, Lin Lan had preemptively activated his Heroic Power, rendering the Stalker's mind-reading ability completely ineffective.
After allowing Deutschland to test him, he observed that Jian Qianou remained utterly unfazed by her killing intent.
That alone made it clear—this soul-bound entity was far from being a mere corporate agent.
But he hadn't expected that Jian Qianou would turn out to be the true power behind the Tianou Group.
He had unintentionally caught a big fish.
Despite Jian Qianou's humility, the Iron-Blooded ship girls and Akashi beside Lin Lan remained vigilant, their weapons still trained on him and Sun Dewang.
After a moment of contemplation, Lin Lan finally spoke.
"Since you claim to represent the will of the Tianou Group, I assume you've already investigated this place and understand my identity."
"Then you should also understand that I am not a warmonger—unless my hand is forced."
Jian Qianou noted that Lin Lan displayed no surprise at his transformation, which only reaffirmed his suspicions—
All his earlier speculations were correct.
Had he not come here in person, Tianou would have inevitably followed in the footsteps of Battleaxe Military Industries.
The thought of Yalang City and the ruins of Goilia's headquarters sent a tremor through the blue mist that wreathed his body.
"My Lord, I alone possess this knowledge. If it worries you, I will kill him myself."
Jian Qianou turned to Sun Dewang, his tone grave.
At those words, Sun Dewang trembled violently and collapsed to his knees, frantically kowtowing.
"Director Jian! I know nothing! Nothing at all!"
Lin Lan chuckled.
As expected of a man who represented the will of a corporate empire—ruthless and decisive.
Yet, Lin Lan knew that Sun Dewang's misfortune was almost entirely his doing.
Moreover, the man had always advocated for peaceful coexistence between Orlan and the ship girls.
He was neither overly cunning nor harbored ulterior motives, making him far more useful than most.
Thus, Lin Lan had no intention of killing Sun Dewang. On the contrary—
He intended to use him.
"It seems you are a wise man, much more perceptive than the others. This man still has value; there is no need to eliminate him."
Jian Qianou glanced at Sun Dewang in surprise, then let the matter rest.
"Mr. President, in that case, I will not beat around the bush—"
"Would you be willing to grant the Tianou Group the opportunity to become your most loyal partner in Orlan?"
Oh?
So you've finally revealed your true intent.
A faint smirk curled beneath Lin Lan's mask.
He and his ship girls had carefully orchestrated everything—
All for this very moment.
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50 advanced chapters on p@t re on (.) com/SenatusTheta
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