Kaka!
Without any hesitation, Rocket flipped the gun's safety off with practiced ease, aimed it at Star-Lord's waist, and laughed.
"Boss, it's done!"
Star-Lord froze in disbelief.
He had been planning to pull off another job… but now he was the target?
Was there any justice in the universe?
Gamora narrowed her eyes slightly. She had come to ensure the contents of the Orb (Cosmic Spirit Sphere) didn't fall into Thanos's hands. Since it was being held by the Collector, she had assumed it would be safe.
And yet…
Her sharp blade was now pressed against Star-Lord's other side. She figured she might as well make some extra money while she was here. After all, if she ever defected from the Dark Legion, she'd need something to support herself.
Drax scratched his head.
He hadn't come for money. He'd only heard Ronan the Accuser might show up.
But with the atmosphere turning tense, he thought about it for a moment, then unsheathed the short knife at his waist and pointed it at Star-Lord's brother.
To him, this felt more important than his kidneys.
Star-Lord felt a chill spread to his crotch and was on the verge of tears.
"Hey, guys, we escaped from prison together, right? We're teammates—don't be so heartless!"
Rocket sneered.
"Oh? When you called me a trash panda earlier, you didn't think of me as a teammate."
He tilted his head.
"By the way... what's a panda?"
Russell glanced over and shook his head.
"It's a black-and-white bear. Never mind..."
He didn't bother explaining further and said calmly:
"Your mission isn't just to capture Star-Lord. There's someone named Ego listed as the bounty target in the black market mission. That target... is him."
He pointed at Star-Lord.
"I want you to contact them directly and keep sending people over, as requested by the client."
Rocket scratched his head.
"Sir, are you taking a cut from our earnings?"
Russell smiled faintly.
"The bounty target is just a name. If it weren't for me, would you even know which Quill it was?"
Rocket nodded thoughtfully.
"Fair point. You do deserve a commission."
Russell tapped his finger on the armrest, and the Collector stepped forward, addressing the group:
"Everyone, we can begin the next mission."
"I've already settled the payment for this job."
It felt like free money. Rocket grinned from ear to ear.
The group set off, looking quite impressive.
As they walked out of the Collector's spire, Star-Lord couldn't help but voice his concern:
"Hey, guys... don't you think something's off?"
"This is his territory. You managed to capture me without resistance? Clearly, he's planning something."
Rocket raised his weapon and smacked Star-Lord, sneering:
"First rule of interstellar bounty hunting—never ask why the employer wants the job done."
"How the hell did you ever join the Ravagers with that kind of mindset?"
Just as Star-Lord was about to fire back, a sudden gust of wind swept through the area.
A highly recognizable spaceship flew into the starport. But instead of docking as per procedure, it blocked the path to the black market entirely!
Gamora's expression changed as she gasped:
"That's a Kree warship… Ronan the Accuser! Why is he here?!"
She knew he had to be after the Orb—but how had the information leaked?
At this moment, Drax let out a short laugh, pulled out two daggers from his waist, and shouted:
"Ronan the Accuser! You actually have the nerve to show up here!"
"You killed my wife and daughter—today, I'll kill you with my own hands!"
Rocket and Gamora widened their eyes and roared in unison:
"You invited him here?!"
"Damn it! Are you out of your mind? He'll kill everyone!!"
Star-Lord wanted to curse too—because honestly, Drax was being an idiot.
But as his eyes darted around, he realized... this was the perfect chance to escape!
He immediately shouted at the spaceship hovering in the air:
"I know where the Orb is, Accuser!"
"Save me—I can take you to it!"
"Hurry... Hurry—huh?"
At that moment, everyone noticed something strange.
Even though the spaceship had landed, the hatch never opened, as if it were just parked there—completely still.
It felt... off.
That's when the Collector calmly said:
"Don't bother looking. Everyone inside is already dead. Let's keep moving."
The group fell silent.
Even Drax, who was filled with rage a moment ago, felt a chill run through his chest—like a cold wind had blown through his heart.
He stared at the massive ship, unmoving in the sky, and a deep sense of unease crept in.
It felt like... a graveyard.
Dead?
All of them? Silently?
How could that be possible?!
Everyone slowly turned to look at the Collector, their eyes filled with fear.
They hadn't even seen anyone make a move.
Was this the power of someone who ruled the Void?
Was it really that terrifying?
The Collector, noticing their reactions, tried to suppress the excitement in his voice. He took a deep breath and explained:
"No—you're mistaken."
"I don't have that kind of power. The one who killed them... was the Venerable you just met."
"He is the true master of Knowhere."
The group's scalps tingled with fear.
None of them could comprehend how it was done.
Just then, the space around the Kree spaceship began to ripple and twist.
The ship folded in on itself—then vanished completely in a flash of light.
Star-Lord, who had been preparing to bolt, quietly raised his hands and rested them on the back of his head.
Rocket swallowed hard. A deep fear was building in his chest.
This kind of terrifying power...
He seriously regretted signing up for this job.
Greedy bastard.
But Gamora was different. Her eyes were gleaming, her heart pounding in her chest.
What if Thanos came?
Maybe... maybe this was the real answer.
Drax, always the straightforward one, turned toward the towering spire and kowtowed several times in reverence.
The group continued in silence, heading toward the black market.
Along the way, bounty hunters they passed bowed respectfully to the Collector.
Soon, they found the bounty listing and contacted the employer using the information provided.
The employer requested a one-way live video call. When Star-Lord appeared on screen, the man beamed with satisfaction and sent over a set of cosmic coordinates.
Rocket and the others brought Star-Lord aboard the same ship they had arrived on.
After several jumps through hyperspace, they reached the destination...
But it was just a dark, empty starfield—completely barren.
They contacted the employer again, and another set of coordinates was sent.
When they followed those... they found another false lead.
Three times in a row.
Rocket was about to explode with rage when finally—on the fourth try—they jumped out of hyperspace to see it:
A planet, roughly the size of Earth's moon, with vast fields of red flowers covering its surface.
At first glance, the crimson blooms looked almost like countless red eyes, staring right into the mouth of the approaching spaceship...
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