Chapter 38: Further Deliberation

"Very well, all the demands you have raised, our consortium can agree to," the young man nodded.

Attorney Jane had not expected the Heluse Group to be so forthcoming, though upon reflection, it made sense. Interstellar standards for product quality were exceptionally strict, and the rights of minors were a taboo subject for all interstellar citizens. Jiang Hui’s case touched upon both, leaving the Heluse Group with no room to maneuver.

They had no other choice. Thinking of the string of scandals and persistent product quality issues that had plagued the group over the years, Jane couldn't help but sneer inwardly; they were getting off far too easily.

Jane nodded, took the documents, and began a final review with Jiang Hui to ensure no loopholes had been left for the other party to exploit.

The young man sitting opposite them paid little mind to Jane’s caution, turning his gaze instead toward Jiang Hui, who had remained silent. He had not forgotten that she was the true protagonist of this accident.

"Ms. Jiang, do you have anything further to add? We sincerely apologize for the unpleasant experience our product has caused you. If you have any additional requirements, please feel free to state them now. Our group will do its utmost to accommodate you." The young man’s tone was amicable, though the way he attempted to address Jiang Hui directly suggested he was perhaps not as benign as he appeared.

These old foxes were full of tricks; his sudden interest in speaking with Jiang Hui was surely not out of kindness. Jane prepared to intervene.

"You certainly should apologize," Jiang Hui said coldly. "I don't think I mentioned this to you, or perhaps you already know. Your product failed not only in its alarm system; the head injury I sustained was also caused by your company’s product."

"If not for that smart robot, none of the subsequent events would have occurred. You are indeed responsible," the girl added with a chill in her voice.

The face of the young man and his assistant, who sat beside him, shifted slightly.

Jiang Hui had hit the mark. They were, in fact, aware. The faulty smart robot they had recovered from the scene still contained residual footage. Fortunately, this data was something the group had kept as a contingency; when the inspection team conducted their review, the group’s own people had managed to seize the device under the guise of "conducting their own investigation."

It was a ticking time bomb. The fact that Ms. Jiang’s accident was caused by a malfunction in the smart system was an entirely different matter from the failing alarm system. Had it been discovered immediately, the Heluse Group would not be here handling this so leisurely; they would likely have been splashed across interstellar headlines and facing administrative sanctions from the government.

It was precisely for this reason that their stubborn board of directors had suddenly abandoned their previous stance and immediately dispatched Andy—who had been negotiating with Jiang Hui—to resolve the matter as quickly as possible.

They had analyzed Ms. Jiang’s previous words and demands, assuming she had suffered brain trauma and forgotten the incident; otherwise, she wouldn't have asked for such a meager settlement.

Who would have thought that not only did she remember, but she had chosen this exact moment to bring it up? What did this mean?

The young man felt a mounting headache, his earlier poise replaced by a flicker of wariness.

Simple-minded people often wear their thoughts on their faces, making them easy to read. Others are naturally more reserved, keeping their thoughts and strategies hidden from view.

Jiang Hui was undoubtedly the latter. Whether she was naturally cold-natured or simply held a grudge due to her misfortune, she was, in every sense, a difficult opponent.

Now that she had brandished this leverage, he found himself in a bind.

After a long pause, the young man excused himself, claiming he needed to consult with his superiors. He suggested they might be able to revise the compensation package and increase the terms.

He instructed his assistant to provide the two with tea, refreshments, and the pre-prepared gifts, then turned and hurried off, disappearing from sight.

Watching him practically flee, Attorney Jane set down the contract—which would now likely be discarded—and frowned slightly. "Ms. Jiang, so this was the situation. You should have told me sooner; we shouldn't let them off so easily."

Jane hadn't realized there was such a complication. She had assumed this was merely a standard product liability case, which was not uncommon in the interstellar sector.

But if what Jiang Hui said was true, this went beyond mere product quality—it was professional negligence resulting in a life-threatening incident. If the victim chose to take this to court, it would be a formidable case.

"My frontal lobe was damaged, and both my body and mind were exhausted. I couldn't recall it at the time. It wasn't until I returned home the other day that it suddenly came back to me, but by then, we were already this far along..."

Jiang Hui didn't explain why she hadn't pursued it further, but Jane already understood. Even if she had known sooner, she likely wouldn't have advised Jiang Hui to take such a matter to an interstellar court.

The inspection bureau had arrived immediately after the incident, but they had clearly failed to uncover this hidden detail, which was why the Heluse Group remained unscathed. The fact that the group knew about it meant they had their own back-channel information.

If Jiang Hui were to go head-to-head with them, it would require resubmitting evidence and undergoing layers of scrutiny, with no guarantee of a conviction, all while pitting herself against a powerful consortium.

Jiang Hui was a newcomer without a guardian; to put it bluntly, she was living on her own, and it was better to avoid unnecessary trouble. She had to live on this planet, and the Heluse Group would not collapse overnight.

Therefore, it could only serve as a bargaining chip—a heavy issue handled with a light touch.

"Still, the timing of your demand was perfect. Look at how scared he was..." Jane chuckled. She could see a hint of hidden mischief in Jiang Hui’s behavior. She had likely done it on purpose, waiting until the moment the opposition thought they had the upper hand to strike, purely to throw them into disarray. "I must say, well done!"

The Heluse Group was clearly acting out of a guilty conscience; they were so terrified they had rushed off to revise the compensation package before the next round of talks could even begin.

This was clearly to Jiang Hui’s advantage, and neither of them intended to stop it.

Seeing that it was nearing mealtime, Jane realized the Heluse Group wouldn't be finishing their deliberations quickly, so she invited Jiang Hui to have some refreshments. The young man had had his logistics team prepare them, and they looked quite lavish.

It was just like the Heluse Group to focus their efforts on such superficial things.