「血肉孱弱，而我心坚如辉石。若非如此，则『存护』之道无以立足。」
一「钻石」，星际和平公司·战略投资部部门主管，P47级
公司部门山头林立，而「战略投资部」在其中负责眼界，他们的投资从不拘泥于短期回报，往往以数十甚至数百琥珀纪为周期，以完全的星系掌控为结果。尽管在纳努克与星核的连番打击下，部门的多笔投资沦为坏账，但现任主管「钻石」上台后，战略投资部却达成了诸多令星海瞩目的业绩——
消除伽伦德星区的虫灾，完成新生态圈的商业化运行；
在星核事件后，对戈尔康达矿业世界联合体注资，为公司的筑材运输贸易带来新矿源；
重新回收失联世界雅利洛-VI，并注资其复兴工程；
与流光忆庭达成合作，进行对死灭世界忆质的打捞计划；
......
所有这些事件的背后，名为「石心十人」的团队异常活跃。这一岗位在公司内的正式名称是「不良资产清算专家」，是一支直属「钻石」的精英团队。其成员出身各异，职责也各不相同，甚至有多人轮替的记录。唯一的共性是他们均受「钻石」本人拔擢，并被授予了名为「基石」的身份凭证。
一些可信度较高的信息源显示，「石心十人」曾在某些场合展现过不可思议的「存护」伟力。尽管无法求证这种力量是来源于成员本人，还是他们持有的基石，但「钻石」作为公司少数被证实的「存护」令使，其能力很有可能与之相关。
「战略投资部」与「市场开拓部」的纠葛往事在公司内部早已不是秘密，人们称「石心十人」实为钻石的私兵，但也有人称他们只是纯粹的「存护」信徒，甚至认为他们「挖走自己的心，换上了克里珀的石头」。「石心十人」究竟效忠于谁？这暂时是个无法回答的问题。
Ten Stonehearts — Preservation
"Mortal flesh is fragile, yet my heart is unyielding like the monolith. For without this resolve, the Way of Preservation would fade into oblivion."
— Diamond, Rank P47, Director of the Strategic Investment Department, Interastral Peace Corporation
Among the myriad IPC departments, the Strategic Investment Department is responsible for being visionaries. Their investments are never obsessed with short-term returns — They often operate investment rounds stretching across dozens or even hundreds of Amber Eras per round, and their goal is nothing less than total control of an entire star system. Though many investments made by the department were turned into bad debts due to the continuous setbacks caused by Nanook and Stellarons, the Strategic Investment Department have attained multiple stunning achievements ever since the current director "Diamond" took over —
Eradicating the Swarm infestation in the Gallante sector and completing the commercialization of the new ecosphere.
Conducting capital injection to the Golcondar Mining World Consortium following the Stellaron incident, securing fresh sources of minerals for IPC's construction materials logistics trade.
Reclaiming the lost world Jarilo-VI and investing in its revitalization project.
Cooperating with the Garden of Recollection to salvage the memoria in deadworlds.
...
Behind all these events, the team named "The Ten Stonhearts" played a prominent role. Officially known as Non-Performing Asset Liquidation Specialists in the IPC, they are an elite team under Diamond's direct management. Its ever-changing list of members comes from a diverse range of backgrounds and holds a wide variety of responsibilities. The only thing they have in common is how they were all personally promoted to the role by Diamond and were granted a credential of their identity, known as the Cornerstone.
Some credible sources suggest that the Ten Stonehearts have demonstrated unbelievable might be related to Preservation on certain occasions. Whether this power originates from the members themselves or the Cornerstones they possess remains uncertain. However, since Diamond is one of the few confirmed Emanators of Preservation within the IPC, this power is likely related to that fact.
The troubled past between the Strategic Investment Department and the Marketing Development Department has long ceased to be a secret within the IPC. Some claim that the Ten Stonehearts are actually Diamond's private soldiers, while others believe they are purely followers of Preservation, even going so far as to say "they have carved out their own hearts and replaced it with Qlipoth's stone." The true allegiance of the Ten Stonehearts remains a mystery for now.
