74: Chapter 74 Joint Planning, Moving Forward Hand in Hand

The night had just reached its deepest point, and before Chen Wuwang could even step down from the high platform, his communication talisman vibrated three times.

He knew it was time.

The doors of the domed hall opened slowly in the morning light, and the high-ranking members of the Seven Clans entered one after another.

No one spoke, but their footsteps were heavier than usual—the boundary marker for the "Eastern Wasteland Alliance" erected last night was like a final verdict, hammering the hesitation of the past into the ground. Yet, no one was certain about the path forward.

In the center of the deliberation hall, a deactivated light screen floated.

Chen Wuwang stood in his original position, neither taking the main seat nor offering any pleasantries.

He simply raised his right hand, his Mechanical Prosthetic Eye flashed with blue light, and the "Joint Construction Honor Roll" generated last night was instantly projected.

Data streams scrolled by: the Zhao Clan contributed seventeen metal structural modules, the Lin Family completed nine sets of ecological energy supply nodes, the Sun Clan reinforced three sections of earth vein chains, and the Li Clan calibrated the spirit-conducting tube frequencies forty-two times...

Every clan's contribution was crystal clear.

"The era of suspicion has passed."

His voice was not loud, yet it suppressed all noise, "The question now is not whether we can trust each other, but—what do we want to become?"

Elder Xu frowned: "The defense is just beginning to take shape, and our Foundation is not yet stable. I advocate for holding our ground for three years, and only discussing expansion once the joint defense System is fully formed."

The Zhao Clan Patriarch immediately retorted:

"Hold? We can hold for a moment, but not for eternity! The Yao Race has just retreated, the aftermath of the insect race is still lingering; if we don't seize resources and occupy Star Domain nodes now, are we waiting for others to block our path?"

Deacon Lin sneered: "Seize? With what? Our disciples haven't even mastered mech piloting, and you want a group of Body Cultivators to fight Golden Core Yao Race generals?"

Before he could finish, arguments erupted.

Some wanted to expand the military, others wanted to farm; some said technology should be shared, others insisted that core technology must be kept private; some even muttered: "The Chen Family contributes the most, so this Alliance... who does it actually belong to?"

Chen Wuwang did not interrupt.

When the arguing had mostly subsided, he raised his hand, and the light screen switched.

A three-tiered staircase model appeared, simple and powerful.

"Three-stage development," he said. "The first stage is to concentrate resources for research and development—not each family working behind closed doors, but joint efforts. The second stage is to convert results into combat power, with each clan pulling out at least one standardized combat unit. The third stage is to radiate influence outward, build trade routes, connect Star Domains, and make the four words 'Eastern Wasteland Alliance' a tough brand known throughout the heavens and worlds."

The whole room was silent for a moment.

These were not empty words. This was a path.

"But who will lead the R&D?" Elder Xu asked. "What if technology leaks? How will the results be distributed?"

"Establish a 'Joint Research Institute'," Chen Wuwang answered crisply. "Each clan will elect two technical representatives, and the Chen Family will provide the basic architecture and standard protocols. All projects will be publicly initiated, with contribution values calculated based on resources, manpower, and time invested. Results will be shared. Anyone who breaches the contract will automatically lose their seat in the institute and be barred from participating in any joint research plans for ten years."

He paused: "The rules will be engraved into a talisman contract, effective immediately."

Everyone looked at each other.

This was not charity, nor was it a dictatorship, but a set of rules that could actually work.

The Zhao Clan Patriarch narrowed his eyes: "What about the projects? What will we research?"

"The first batch has three directions," Chen Wuwang pulled up a list. "First, the miniaturization of universal energy cores; second, encryption protocols for cross-clan communication spirit networks; and third, the unification of interfaces for modular combat units. These are the most urgent and critical bottlenecks right now."

Deacon Lin couldn't help but ask: "These... didn't the Chen Family already have them?"

"We have them, but it's not enough," Chen Wuwang shook his head. "One clan being strong doesn't count as true strength. Only when all Seven Clans can build, use, and modify them can we be truly powerful. I'm not afraid of you learning; I'm afraid you won't learn."

With that one sentence, the expressions in many people's eyes changed.

This wasn't precaution; it was support.

"But who will oversee the plan?" the Sun Clan Elder frowned. "No matter how well it's drawn on paper, if no one implements it, it will just end up spinning in circles."

Chen Wuwang nodded.

The light screen changed again, revealing a "Three-Year Action Plan":

- End of the first quarter: Complete resource integration and the unveiling of the research institute; launch the three joint research topics;

- Middle of the second quarter: Conduct the first round of cross-clan technical training, with at least ten people from each clan entering the workshop to learn;

- Beginning of the third quarter: Launch the first batch of joint research equipment prototypes for internal testing;

- End of the fourth quarter: Hold the first cross-clan joint exercise to test the level of combat integration;

- End of the third year: Host the "Ten Thousand Clans Technology Exhibition" to announce the rise of the Alliance to the outside world.

Time, milestones, and responsible parties were all clearly listed.

"This is not a command," he said. "It is an agreement. You can change it, add to it, or delete from it, but right now, we need a common direction."

Silence spread through the hall.

It was not hesitation; it was digestion.

After a while, Elder Xu stood up, stared at the light screen for a long time, and suddenly said: "What about the executive body? With such a big operation, can we rely on self-discipline?"

"The Alliance Executive Committee," Chen Wuwang said. "Each clan will send one high-ranking member and one technical officer to join, rotating to preside over monthly evaluations. If progress drags or a problem gets stuck, it will be brought up at the meeting and resolved on the spot."

He pulled up a new interface: "Dynamic Contribution Tracking System—an upgraded version of the Honor Roll. It connects in real-time to the key data nodes of each clan; everything is transparent, from who did what to where they got stuck. It's not for ranking, but to ensure honest people don't get the short end of the stick."

This time, no one questioned him further.

The Zhao Clan Patriarch was the first to step forward and press his blood print onto the light screen.

Deacon Lin followed closely behind.

The Sun Clan, the Li Clan, the Xu Family... one name after another lit up.

A copy of the "Eastern Wasteland Alliance Development Charter" was generated, and seven Jade Slips were distributed to the representatives of each clan.

There were no gongs or drums, no oaths, only the rustling sound of fingertips sliding across the Jade Slips, like silkworms gnawing on leaves—dense and firm.

Chen Wuwang stood in the center, looking at the three-year timeline on the light screen, and finally let out a soft breath.

The plan was set.

It was not his own layout alone; it was the joint choice of the eight clans.

Outside the hall, the morning light had completely spread, shining on the construction site in the distance.

The joint boundary marker had been cast, the concrete was still wet, the emblems of the Seven Clans surrounded it, and the four characters "Eastern Wasteland Alliance" were deeply engraved into the heart of the stone.

People began to discuss the docking matters for their respective clans in low voices.

Some took out Jade Slips to record key points.

Others stared at the light screen with bright eyes, as if they had seen a future they never dared to imagine.

Chen Wuwang did not move.

He still stood in front of the light screen, his fingers unconsciously tapping the Titanium Alloy Dagger at his waist.

Tomorrow morning, he would pass this plan down.