Cipher proudly told Derick how she had gotten her hands on the item, boasting that unless Firefly actually tried to use it, even she wouldn't be able to tell it was a fake.
Derick knew this was Firefly's transformation device.
A small part of him was disappointed that the Sam armor could no longer be separated from Firefly; otherwise, he would have loved to take the device, find a secluded spot, and try transforming himself.
To transform into a mecha... that was a dream every man shared.
For a self-proclaimed geek like Derick, the allure was even greater.
"This thing... do you have any idea what it is?" Cipher asked him while he was examining the device.
Derick shook his head. "I can't figure this device out either. You can't expect me to be both a powerful warrior and an omniscient scientist, can you?"
"But... I'll hold onto this for now," Derick said, quietly taking Firefly's Sam transformation device into his own hands, intending to store it away safely.
He wasn't sure if Firefly was an ally or an enemy at this point. So, to prevent Sam from harming anyone, Derick felt it was best to at least control her ability to transform.
"Hey, that's my spoils of war! Don't just take it!" Cipher, seeing Derick's action, immediately put her hand over his. "You can have it, but..."
"What do you want? If it's too much, I can't give it to you. This is just something I need for my investigation, I can't afford a high price."
"I just want you to add a little something to the price," Cipher said, rolling her eyes at Derick.
"As a thief, isn't selling stolen goods just part of the job?"
"You're not wrong, but Cipher, there's something I have to tell you," Derick said earnestly.
"I don't have a single credit on me."
Although Derick held the title of a guardian of the Yaoqing's Hunt, it wasn't payday yet. Besides, he had to go to the Xianzhou Yaoqing to collect his salary. Here on the Luofu, he was truly broke.
This was a detail that even Feixiao had forgotten to consider. After all, for someone of Derick's status and power—arguably among the strongest below the Emanators—to be penniless was unbelievable. If word got out, countless people would probably be clamoring to give him money.
Cipher was a bit taken aback, but on second thought, it did make sense.
"Fine. You can pay me later when you have the money. Or..." Cipher's tone took a teasing turn. "Or, if you really don't want to pay, you can always use your body to pay off the debt. That works too."
Hearing this, Derick reached out and flicked her on the forehead.
He was a kind and devoted... or at least, a not-so-promiscuous young man. He would never do something like paying a debt with his body.
Cipher was about to say more when a man came stumbling into the Wenchen Inn. As soon as he entered, he pointed at Derick and Cipher and yelled, "You two! I've done everything you asked! I'm leaving the Luofu now, so shouldn't you finally cure the poison you put in me?"
After shouting, he couldn't help but clutch his stomach, crying out "Ouch, ouch," his face contorted in pain.
It was none other than the Interastral Peace Corporation commissioner, Skott. He had snuck away after completing his mission to lure the enemy. After he fled, Cipher had assumed he'd eventually realize he wasn't actually poisoned and had long since forgotten about him.
She never expected him to show up now, still clutching his stomach, demanding a cure from them.
Seeing his state, Derick and Cipher exchanged a look.
"You... you still haven't figured it out?" Cipher couldn't help but ask Skott.
"I really haven't figured anything out!" Skott cried out loudly. "These past few days I've had several more check-ups, but all those quack doctors couldn't find anything wrong with me! Useless! They're all a bunch of useless hacks!"
Derick: "..."
Cipher: "..."
After a long silence, Cipher slapped her own forehead in exasperation. "I've met paranoid people before, but I've never met anyone this paranoid. If you were just a little less suspicious, you would have been fine ages ago."
"What do you mean by that?!" Skott yelled at Cipher.
"I was tricking you the whole time. You're not sick."
"Tricking me?" Skott pressed his stomach and shouted again, "Ouch! No, that's not it! You're trying to trick me now! I know it! I'm poisoned by you!"
Cipher stared at him in utter disbelief.
"You can't be serious? Is your paranoia really that severe? Have you never trusted anyone in your entire life?"
Lone wolf Skott... that might actually be the case.
Derick thought to himself, watching Skott's reaction.
In the end, Cipher was speechless. She had no choice but to use her Titan authority to "eliminate" the "poison" from Skott's body.
"Now do you believe I wasn't lying?"
"Huh? You're right." Skott patted his stomach and felt no pain.
"So you really were tricking me?"
Skott was furious. He wanted to swing his fist at them, but just as he was about to, he glanced at Derick and instantly calmed down.
This guy was blessed by the Aeon of The Hunt and even took down a Lord Ravager. Compared to a Lord Ravager, my strength might be... just a tiny bit lacking.
"You just wait! I'll get my revenge!"
Skott left, looking thoroughly aggrieved.
Watching his retreating figure, Cipher remarked, "That guy... he's really one of a kind."
Derick wholeheartedly agreed with her assessment.
With that, Derick headed upstairs.
As she watched him walk away, Cipher muttered under her breath:
"Just you wait. Sooner or later, I'll steal you, heart and soul."
Skott left in a huff. He tried his best to think of a way to get revenge, only to discover, with great regret, that there was absolutely nothing he could do.
Whether in terms of power or background, Skott was completely outmatched by Derick. He was just a minor employee of the Interastral Peace Corporation, while Derick's teacher held a status at least equivalent to an IPC department head. If Derick killed him, the IPC would likely pretend they saw nothing.
This was a gap that Skott couldn't bridge with his cunning and lack of scruples.
In the vast universe, strength was still the most important currency. Without corresponding strength, you had no corresponding status.
As Skott mulled it over, his desire for revenge began to fade.
Just then, his communicator rang.
It was his superior.
Towards his boss, Skott maintained the excellent quality of a model employee.
Fawning. Always fawning.
Of course, that was only when there was no opportunity to backstab. If such an opportunity arose, Skott wouldn't mind putting a knife in his superior's back.
"Skott, you haven't left the Xianzhou Luofu yet, have you?"
"That is correct, sir. I have not," Skott replied earnestly.
"In that case, you don't need to leave."
"What do you mean by that, sir?" Skott panicked instantly upon hearing those words.
Is he firing me? Did he find out about that time I secretly followed him to see if he had a mis...tress?
"Director Topaz of the Market Development Department is arriving on the Luofu. I need you to go and receive her."
Hearing his superior's words and realizing his secret was safe, Skott breathed a palpable sigh of relief. He quickly replied:
"...Yes, sir! I'll go and receive Director Topaz immediately!"
After hanging up, he headed towards the port of entry to the Xianzhou.
Due to the Phantylia incident, the Luofu's port had been closed for some time. Now that it had reopened, the backlog of business needed to be completed quickly. As a result, the port was incredibly bustling.
Skott had to search for a long time before he finally found Topaz.
Topaz was standing in front of a spaceship, holding her pet, Numby.
Her short, silver hair faded to red at the tips, with one streak that was a pure, solid red.
She wore a uniform-style, form-fitting bodysuit that showcased her slender waist, broad hips, and thick thighs. The way the bodysuit clung to her thighs, in particular, couldn't help but draw one's attention.
None of this mattered to the sycophant Skott.
All he knew was that this was a high-ranking corporate executive, a powerful figure who could decide his fate with a single word. He had to do everything he could to please her.
At the same time, a thought crossed Skott's mind: if he could use Director Topaz's power to get his revenge, it would be absolutely perfect.
"Director Topaz, hello! I am Skott. During your time on the Xianzhou, I will be at your service for any and all matters," Skott said to Topaz, putting on the most sycophantic expression he had ever learned.
"Mm, I know. Skott, I'll be troubling you during my stay," Topaz nodded.
He then called over the other company employees who had come with him to help Topaz with her luggage.
He, on the other hand, asked Topaz, "Director Topaz, what brings you to the Xianzhou Luofu? Are you looking to purchase a plot of land, or perhaps a certain enterprise? I can begin investigating for you right away. Of course, if any... less-than-reputable methods are needed, I have plenty of those prepared as well."
"My line of work has nothing to do with investments. I've come here to seek help from the Xianzhou Alliance."
As Topaz said this, a look of resentment flashed in her eyes.
She had originally thought that this trip to a D-class planet to collect a debt would be an easy task. She never expected that when she arrived, she would be met with a scene of utter devastation.
She also saw the one responsible for the tragedy.
The culprit, wearing a ragged cloak and a mask, with many strange flying swords floating around him, was incredibly powerful. Topaz didn't even have time to take out her Topaz Stone to transform. In the end, she only managed to escape after sacrificing many of her subordinates.
After escaping, Topaz's eyes were filled with rage.
Her subordinates had been with her for years, and now they were all dead on that planet.
This was a debt that had to be repaid.
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