Chapter 286: Seeing is Believing! A Steel Behemoth with Triple Health Bars! A Great Opportunity!
When Duke Leto pretended not to understand, Song Zhaomei merely offered a faint smile. She decided to stop beating around the bush and spoke bluntly:
"Your Grace, perhaps you don't yet have a clear understanding of the power wielded by our Megacorporation."
"To us, your Galactic Empire is nothing more than a backward, barbaric, and inefficient primitive interstellar civilization. As for the Corrino royal family—you'd be surprised how easily we could replace them with a new emperor at any time."
The reason Song Zhaomei made such an arrogant and brazen claim was to make Leto understand: replacing emperors and dynastic shifts might be incredibly difficult for the Atreides family—something that could take generations of planning and effort.
But for a mega-corporation like the one she represented, it could be done in the blink of an eye. It simply wasn't a challenge.
Leto's brow furrowed deeply at her words. He looked at Song Zhaomei with a hint of displeasure and retorted:
"If your Megacorp is really that powerful, capable of replacing the Galactic Emperor at will—why bother coming to us, the Atreides family, for cooperation?"
"Wouldn't it be better to act on your own?"
Of course, Leto wasn't about to take her words at face value. Even a lie ought to have some consistency. A civilization spanning multiple parallel universes shouldn't need to go through such lengths.
"Because we have no interest in widespread slaughter, nor do we wish to use inefficient warfare to unify the universe," Song Zhaomei replied with the same calm smile. "We aim to unify every multiversal realm through highly efficient means, and to establish a prosperous and powerful Multiverse Trade Network."
"So instead of mutual destruction through war, we prefer to support a reliable force—one that can act as our proxy and assist in the unification of this universe."
"And your Atreides family is exactly the elite faction we've handpicked for this role!"
Song Zhaomei was utterly straightforward, openly extending an olive branch to Leto, hoping he would join the ranks of the megacorp.
Faced with Song Zhaomei's direct and decisive manner, Leto no longer tried to suppress his own thoughts.
The truth was—he had long dreamed of becoming Emperor of the Galactic Empire. Otherwise, he wouldn't have gone to such lengths to create the Landsraad Federation in the first place, uniting various minor houses to counterbalance the Corrino royal family.
But seizing the title deed to Emperor Shaddam's palace wasn't so simple. All Leto could do was lay the groundwork for his descendants, striving to build the right political environment for the next heir to the Atreides line.
Once the timing was right, all the political capital Leto had amassed could instantly be converted into the fuel for a coup.
The Landsraad Federation itself was a political resource Leto had meticulously crafted.
But transforming that federation into real political power would still take decades—possibly centuries—and the Atreides family could no longer afford to wait.
Now, however, the Megacorp was offering to make the Atreides their proxy. Wasn't that essentially saying... they wanted the Atreides to ascend the imperial throne?
At that moment, Leto's breathing became noticeably heavier. He could already sense what Song Zhaomei was about to say next.
It was nothing more than what he had expected: the Megacorp wanted to support a puppet emperor—one who would follow corporate directives—while showering the Atreides family with rewards and shielding them from danger.
"So what you want from us—what you see in House Atreides—is a puppet ruler to act as your spokesperson."
Leto's brow remained tightly furrowed. It wasn't that he had an issue with being a puppet or a proxy; he just didn't yet understand what kind of benefits the corporation could actually offer.
If what the Megacorp brought to the table wasn't at least better than the current arrangement, then Leto would rather refuse and resist the Corrino royal family and House Harkonnen on his own.
As long as they prepared for war in advance and pulled a few other houses into the fight, House Atreides could still hold out.
Besides, Leto still had no real sense of how powerful the Megacorp truly was. If they turned out to be all bark and no bite, then he'd be in serious trouble.
Which meant that the foundation for any negotiation had to be built on military strength. Without power, words were nothing more than hot air.
"Director Song, I haven't yet seen any proof of your strength," Leto said cautiously. "Nor do I know if you're even capable of helping House Atreides."
Even if he were to serve as a puppet, it would have to be under a master truly worth serving.
After all, Emperor Shaddam's Sardaukar Legion was no joke. If they couldn't defeat the Corrino forces, there was no point in talking cooperation.
"Of course. Seeing is believing."
Song zhaomei gave a gentle smile. She could tell what Leto was worried about, so she patiently explained, "The shield technology we use isn't Holtzman shielding."
"It's a type of shield that doesn't trigger a nuclear reaction."
Currently, there are three primary shield technologies employed by Universal Megacorp: antimatter shields, Reaper civilization energy shields, and Forerunner hard light shields.
All three have powerful properties that negate or absorb energy-based attacks and are fundamentally different from Holtzman shields, which can trigger nuclear detonations.
Upon learning this, Leto was momentarily stunned before his expression shifted to one of disbelief and astonishment.
The reason there were no super battleships in the Dune universe was precisely because everyone used Holtzman shields. When struck by energy weapons, the shields would trigger a nuclear explosion.
As a result, building massive warships was pointless.
But if there was a kind of shield that could fully block energy weapons without setting off a nuclear reaction, it would completely rewrite the logic of warfare in the Dune universe.
In that case, it wouldn't be long before massive starships and super-caliber energy cannons became common.
The threat and destructive power of super battleships far exceeded that of small spacecraft or laser weapons.
A colossal carrier spanning tens of thousands of meters, parked in low Earth orbit, could unleash a devastating airstrike capable of flattening even mountains—let alone man-made fortresses.
Once this new defense technology was introduced, the great noble houses of the Galactic Empire would no doubt throw everything they had into building super battleships and massive guns.
At that moment, Duke Leto immediately turned his head and looked through the porthole at the Universal Megacorp's fleet outside.
Those enormous carriers and cruisers were probably only built so large thanks to this very shield technology.
If that were the case, then Universal Megacorp wouldn't just be capable of conquering Caladan—they could probably wipe out House Corrino and House Harkonnen all at once.
"If you can prove the effectiveness of this shield technology and are willing to share it with House Atreides, I'll give this partnership serious consideration."
Leto's heart was pounding. He was not one to hesitate. As a seasoned politician, he had always maintained a flexible moral compass and keen political instincts.
Since Emperor Shaddam was clearly ready to rip off the mask of civility, there was no longer any need to play the righteous noble.
Forming an alliance with Universal Megacorp to take down the royal family and House Harkonnen—and to redistribute power and resources—that was the better choice!
Climbing the ladder when opportunity strikes is a basic skill for any noble head. If cooperating with the Megacorp brought advantage to House Atreides, what did regicide or rebellion matter?
"Seeing is believing."
Song Zhaomei smiled again. Seeing Leto's softened stance, she knew the negotiations were already more than halfway to success. All that remained was a demonstration of strength.
"Your Grace, you may order your naval fleet and the orbital defense cannons to fire upon our fleet formation."
"There's no need to worry about destroying our fleet. Once the barrage begins, you'll see the truth about our shield technology."
Universal Megacorp's shields had undergone numerous iterations, optimized for powerful defense, low energy consumption, and long operational duration.
The shields currently mounted on the Megacorp's naval expeditionary fleet were already as thick and tough as if each ship had three steel health bars layered over it.
In fact, if the Megacorp didn't mind wasting time, this expeditionary fleet alone could unleash an apocalyptic-level assault on the Dune universe's human civilization.
An efficient neutron purge would bypass all noble houses and carry out a genocidal-level cleansing strike.
They hadn't done so only out of regard for the fact that the inhabitants of the Dune universe were human. If this civilization had been some other kind of creature,
Li Ang might have seriously considered using this universe as a testing ground for his neutron purge weapons.
Of course, the more important reason was that the Dune universe's feudal nobility was actually quite easy to handle.
A simple replacement and purge of the upper class, followed by the installment of a new Galactic Emperor and redistribution of interests, would bring many houses in line behind the Megacorp.
"Duffy, order the fleet to fire. Mobilize all orbital defense cannons. Concentrate all fire on their fleet formation. No reservations—just fire!"
Leto issued the attack command via communicator to Hawat, stationed at the ground command center.
When Hawat learned that the purpose of the attack was to test the Megacorp's shield systems, his heart skipped a beat.
Like Leto, he instantly realized what a shield capable of withstanding energy weapons would mean for noble houses like theirs.
After confirming the attack order multiple times, Hawat finally gave the command to his staff.
"All units, target Universal Megacorp's fleet. Open fire in three seconds."
"3, 2… 1! Fire!"
As the final word rang out, countless enormous turrets rose from the orbital defense arrays, towering like mountains. Blinding energy beams condensed into clusters and rapidly surged toward their targets.
At the same time, a dense formation of fighter craft formed shooting lines and launched volleys of energy blasts at the Megacorp's fleet.
Yet all of these blasts, large and small, were instantly annihilated the moment they entered the shield perimeter of the Megacorp's fleet. The energy dissolved into near-invisible flecks of light before disappearing altogether.
Even though House Atreides' bombardment continued, Hawat, who witnessed this firsthand, felt utter despair at the strength of the Megacorp's fleet.
Even the largest energy cannons House Atreides possessed couldn't penetrate their shields—not even a single breach.
Their energy blasts were like stones sinking to the bottom of a pool—utterly ineffective.
After the initial shock and disbelief, Hawat actually felt a trace of relief. Thank goodness the power wielding this shield technology had no ill intent toward House Atreides.
Otherwise, it would have been a catastrophe.
"Your Grace, we've launched nearly twenty thousand artillery strikes against their fleet. No Holtzman reactions were triggered, and no shield overload occurred."
After three rounds of continuous bombardment, Hawat reported the results to Leto.
"Understood."
Leto's face remained calm, but within, waves of astonishment surged.
Nearly 20,000 rounds fired, yet not a single nuclear reaction or hint of shield strain.
This was more than enough proof that Universal Megacorp's shield technology was leagues beyond anything their civilization had achieved.
And in real naval combat, these warships wouldn't just be sitting ducks—they would be firing back as well.
In many cases, defense was even more critical than firepower. Survival comes before striking power.
The least effective weapon in war is one that hits hard but is fragile—such designs are easy targets and may be destroyed before they ever get a chance to attack.
Moreover, in most cases, the development of offense and defense progresses in tandem. If the Megacorp had such powerful defensive tech, it was likely they also possessed terrifyingly lethal weaponry.
From this alone, one could tell this was a civilization with outstanding research teams and formidable production capacity.
By that logic, Universal Megacorp really might be a high-tier civilization spanning multiple universes!
Leto had never felt such excitement. For such a powerful civilization to appear suddenly—and offer to support House Atreides—was nothing short of a divine gift.
"Very well. I've seen what you're capable of."
Leto took a deep breath to calm his racing heart, then asked Song Zhaomei, "What's the price?"
There's no such thing as a free gift. Leto knew perfectly well that to gain the Megacorp's support, there would be a price to pay.
Song Zhaomei, seeing the negotiations had reached a pivotal point, got straight to the point:
"Emperor Shaddam is cruel and careless with his subjects. He plunders without restraint and is driven by personal greed. For the greater good, Universal Megacorp must replace him with a new Galactic Emperor."
Leto listened intently, already imagining what would come next. If they could build such a powerful fleet with the Megacorp's support, House Atreides could flourish for millennia to come.
And as the new Galactic Emperor, he would lead House Atreides to the top of all the noble houses.
Just as Leto was dreaming grandly, Song Zhaomei abruptly shifted tone: "So, the Chief Executive of Universal Megacorp will replace Shaddam and become the one true God-Emperor of the Galactic Empire."
The sudden twist caught Leto completely off guard. Wait a minute—after all that setup, the punchline was: "Our boss is becoming Emperor"?
What happened to supporting House Atreides? It sounded like they were just getting promoted to high-ranking employees!
Before the Megacorp even arrived, Leto was already the head of the Landsraad Union. Now, after all this, he was supposed to scrounge for privileges from the Megacorp?
That didn't sit right.
Just as Leto was about to ask why Li Ang would be the new Emperor, Song Zhaomei laid out the full terms of the deal.
The Megacorp only wanted the powers and privileges of the God-Emperor. As for fiefs and holdings, everything would be redistributed—with House Atreides receiving top priority in resources and authority.
In short, under Megacorp rule, House Atreides would receive far more and far better assets than they currently had.
Within the Megacorp's trade network, House Atreides would become the leading noble house, spearheading trade operations and transporting goods across universes on behalf of the Megacorp.
After hearing the conditions, Leto felt he might not need to turn them down after all. After all, the role of Emperor wasn't as glorious as it seemed.
Even if he did become Emperor, he'd still have to answer to the Megacorp. It was best to know one's limits—if they couldn't claim the throne, being the strongest noble house wasn't a bad deal.
Just as Leto was about to nod in agreement, Song Zhaomei added, "One more thing—we want Arrakis."
Leto was briefly stunned, then asked, "You mean, Universal Megacorp wants the permanent rights to spice extraction?"
In truth, Leto wasn't surprised that the Megacorp would demand Arrakis. After all, spice was the most valuable substance in the Galactic Empire.
Spice allowed for the cultivation of Navigators, Mentats, Truthsayers—powerful and rare specialists. It was the Empire's golden lifeblood.
An ordinary person with just a handful of spice could purchase the most luxurious property anywhere in the Empire and live a life of leisure for the rest of their days.
Since the Megacorp had arrived from across universes and offered to support House Atreides, handing over Arrakis and its spice wasn't such a big ask.
Although spice was vital to all noble houses, as long as the Megacorp didn't hoard it and continued to supply it steadily, it didn't matter who held the extraction rights. Even at a higher price, trade was still possible.
Besides, the Megacorp could seize Arrakis anytime they wanted. Leto knew full well that his refusal would mean nothing—the power was already in their hands.
This wasn't a negotiation. It was a notification.
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