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Payment can be made in advance based on expected output, as long as the difference in time does not exceed three months.

There won't even be any future output?

That's easy. We can join the Great Voyage Agreement centered on our Mineral Town, and the residents can receive the industrial transfer from us (actually the Brown Pool Tribe). After that, everything will be fine.

My plan is to cultivate the market while gaining current profits, and to bind together various unfamiliar forces with the rope of mutual benefit. As long as there is mutual need, such cooperation can continue.

The eastern offshore area where Mineral Town is located requires a continuous supply of goods, while the Jay Tribe needs an educated population to participate in expanding production.

I've discussed the crux of the matter with Bertholdt, and this plan perfectly addresses his concerns about the expansion and absorption of displaced people harming the interests of the original tribes—after all, this relocated production base is far away on the edge of the galaxy.

Given the successful execution of the plan, Mr. Dart finally spared me from stealing their rooftop antenna for the time being and even cooked me a meal.

…………

"Marcus, where did you find these caravans and goods? They seem to have appeared out of thin air," Boss Dart asked curiously.

I scooped up a mouthful of rice: "Boss, didn't you say before that everyone has secrets, and that you've always kept your distance and didn't like to pry?"

Mr. Dart, though taken aback by my remark, wasn't annoyed and continued, "Alright. Can you guarantee a continuous supply of these materials?"

I nodded: "Yes, if the plan goes smoothly, the scale may even expand."

Mr. Dart finally relaxed his brow in satisfaction, quietly staring at the static-filled television screen while wiping the glass in his hand.

"Uh... Boss, has the mayor been here recently?"

I quickly changed the subject, afraid that he would remember the antenna.

Mr. Dart put the glass back in its place and then neatly arranged the barware on the bar table. "He's too busy to come. People from Twin Village, Honey Village, and Olive Town have all come to discuss business deals. Thomas must be very busy right now."

"That's good."

After finishing my meal, I stretched and said, "Boss, you know me. I hate these kinds of schemes and tricks the most. I wouldn't have done this if you hadn't forced me to do it."

Boss Dart glanced at me: "But I think you're doing a great job. How does it feel to screw over the Federation?"

"But I'm lazy... If I have to be so careful, step by step, afraid of making a mistake and ruining things, and worried about overdoing it and causing a disaster, I might as well just run the ranch properly and become a supplier myself..."

Boss Dart retorted angrily, "Then why don't you do it? When you first came, I was really hoping you could turn the ranch into a successful business, but now it's practically a zoo. Do you even have a decent business in there?"

I simply slumped onto the table, mimicking a salted fish shaking its body: "But I'm lazy..."

"Dad, what are you talking about?"

Lin suddenly appeared, her butterfly hair clip standing out.

Mr. Dart glanced at me, turned and went into the kitchen. I stopped splashing water awkwardly and got up from the table.

"We're just chatting about important matters, nothing like political news, it's not important. Lin, who's following you?"

Hey you with the pink hair behind you, stop hiding. I saw you lurking around from way back.

Another figure appeared behind Lin; it was Poppy who had followed her into the tavern.

"Marcus~ I've come to play with you~"

I asked curiously, "Playing? I've always felt you've been very busy lately, is that just my imagination?"

Poppy pouted as she sat down: "After Dad came back, he said that the family should be together, and that we should come home on time every day to eat Mom's cooking. He won't even let me go out to play."

I chuckled with a subtle expression, "I never imagined Mr. Rhodes had such a heartwarming habit; you really can't tell from his appearance."

Poppy couldn't help but continue complaining, "I don't know what Dad cares about, even though he hasn't been home for so many years. And Mom, she always goes along with Dad..."

Eating at home every day isn't so bad... Wait a minute, Lady Lilia is cooking? Some terrible memories are flooding back!

Recalling Lady Lilia's only specialty, egg dishes, Mr. Rhodes has been eating them every day, at every meal, since he returned, and even insisted that everyone gather together to eat them...

"Perhaps this is love."

I tilted my head and thought for a while.

Is there any other explanation besides love?

Poppy tilted her head to match my angle: "I don't understand."

It's okay if you don't understand, just don't say anything when you go out.

You wouldn't believe it, but there's a scientist on the next film set who looks like both Aquaman and Thor. He just wanted to prove that the Earth is round, but someone came to his door and beat him up, all because he didn't understand love.

"Marcus, there's something about this that I feel is off, so I wanted to ask you about it."

Poppy added, "Although Mom didn't say it, I have a feeling Dad is leaving again. This time, I don't know how long it will be before he comes back..."

How did you know Mr. Rhodes was leaving again?

Poppy declared confidently, "Because Dad ate two bowls of fried rice with eggs for lunch!"

...Young lady, I can understand that your mother's cooking skills are somewhat unbalanced and deserve some criticism, but how come you are so perceptive in this area? Is this what they call a woman's intuition?

"Don't overthink it. If Mr. Rhodes really wants to leave, it's because he has urgent business to attend to."

"But……"

Poppy hesitated.

I pointed to his heart. "Believe me, he has always kept you in his heart and has never forgotten you for a moment."

Poppy held her face in her hands, looking at the ceiling with a hint of melancholy, seemingly unable to accept what had happened.

Her pink hair was draped over her shoulders, obscuring most of her face, making me suspect she was on the verge of tears.

The sadness of parting is inescapable, just like all the brief encounters and unexpected meetings in this world, which will eventually fade away after a certain period.

No matter how hard we try, we are powerless and helpless in the face of these circumstances. After all, no one can know whether going against the natural order of cause and effect will lead to an even greater tragedy. While there may be ways to maintain a semblance of cause and effect, it is only because someone has paid a much higher price.

Ah B is right, there's no such thing as a peaceful and carefree life. However, the video was suspected of violating regulations, and the comment has been deleted.

“Popli, do you remember the bet we made?” I suddenly said.

Popli paused for a moment, then let out a soft, choked-up response.

"Um……"

“Then let’s work together. There are always many things that require courage to face when problems arise. Instead of worrying like this, why not have a heart-to-heart talk with Mr. Rhodes!”

"But... I don't dare... I've wanted to ask Dad but I can't bring myself to do it, and I can't bear to ask Mom either, she must be even more heartbroken than me..."

This shows that Mr. Rod has failed in his role as a father. What kind of daughter doesn't even have the courage to want to be pampered by her father?

The result of prolonged separation is not so easy to resolve; only some simple and crude methods can be used.

I said firmly, "No problem. You'll only have the motivation to accept it if you're willing to work on it. If you're afraid to go alone, I can go with you to talk to them!"

Everything is difficult at the beginning, difficult in the middle, and difficult at the end. But you get used to it after a while!

Poppy said hesitantly, "But... is this really okay?"

Haha, I can't speak for others, but I know Mr. Rod very well. After all, we've been through life and death together. When we got to Poppy's house, I just took the lead, and the rest of the conversation naturally just started between the father and daughter.

I'm just an ordinary little genius!

Lin, standing nearby, waved her little fist encouragingly, "You can do it, Poppy! Go for it!"

"OK then……"

Poppy cautiously raised her head. "Then I'll give it a try..."

…………

Lady Lilia's chicken farm.

The familiar furnishings remained unchanged, but the details of the home had become more lived-in, as if Mr. Rod's return had brought the family back to life.

Poppy and I sat on the living room sofa, facing Mr. Rod, who was dressed casually. His resolute features were no longer sharp in front of his family; from behind, he looked like a slightly serious, ordinary chicken farm owner.

I had a vague feeling that something was wrong.

"Lilia is resting upstairs, and Rick went to feed the chickens. You were probably looking for me, right?"

Mr. Rhodes looked at me for a while, and finally fixed his gaze on me, an outsider, assuming that I had something to say to him.

I glanced at Popli, who was standing silently to the side, and decisively spoke up for her: "Mr. Rhodes, it wasn't me who came to see you, but Popli had something she wanted to tell you. She was too shy to say it, so I came with her."

Mr. Rhodes frowned at Poppy and said, "Is there something you need, Poppy? You didn't tell me today."

Poppy stammered, "Um... there's something I want to tell Daddy..."

Mr. Rhodes frowned and encouraged, "Then speak up. What can't you say?"

I encouraged her, "Publi, go tell your Mr. Rhodes. Didn't we already agree on this? Remember?"

Poppy lowered her head, nervously twisting her fingers: "Daddy, there's something I want to say..."

Her voice grew fainter and fainter until it faded into silence, and the only sound in the room was the ticking of the clock.

I believe everyone has had this experience: when you get stuck and forget your words during a speech or recitation, and you feel the silence and whispers in the audience, no matter how well you memorized it, your mind goes blank, and you can't remember who you are, what you are doing, or what you are eating for dinner.

In this situation, an experienced person will decisively sort out their thoughts, skip the previous parts, and continue from a familiar paragraph and content. An even more skilled person can even make up a few words to ease the atmosphere.

But for most people, it's just...

"Waaaaah... No, I can't say it!"

Under inexplicable pressure, Poppy fell into self-destructive behavior, burying her head in a sofa cushion, leaving only her pink fur, reflecting the indoor sunlight, faintly visible.

...Does the father-daughter relationship really have to be this strained?

Mr. Rhodes's mind was even more confused. He glanced at Poppy in confusion, and then could only look at me.

"Then you tell me."

I said... what a load of rubbish!

I asked Mr. Rhodes when he was leaving.

This is ridiculous. Will he suspect that I have designs on his wife and daughter?

Besides, I'm just a teleprompter!

Who has ever seen a lead actor quit the show, leaving just a teleprompter reciting lines?

But then the atmosphere on the scene changed again, and I had a vague feeling that something was wrong.

Mr. Rod stared at me, his expression shifting from doubt to deep concentration, then from deep concentration to solemnity. Finally, I saw his eyebrows twitch slightly uncontrollably, and his temples bulge as he clenched his teeth…

"Marcus!"