Translator: AnubisTL
"Sir..."
The young man, shielding his sister behind him, slowly retreated a few steps. His voice, hoarse with fear, trembled as he asked, "Are you the train conductor?"
"Mm."
Chen Mang nodded, pulling out a mirror from his pocket to admire his own refined features. He leaned on his cane, his expression puzzled as he gazed at the young man. "I don't look particularly intimidating, do I? I'm quite amiable, aren't I? Why are you so afraid?"
He quickly followed the young man's gaze, turning to his sides to look at the Zhang Brothers, their faces as cold as ice. He sighed. "Relax, you two. Don't scare the child."
Zhang Yi and Zhang Er, each towering over two meters tall, were massive figures. Their broad shoulders bore refrigerators, and their mere presence exuded intimidation. Their icy expressions only reinforced their menacing aura.
Whew.
The young man took a deep breath, his gaze unwavering as he spoke to Chen Mang, each word deliberate and serious. "Are you here to recruit me?"
"Eh?"
Chen Mang looked at the young man with surprise, a curious smile playing on his lips. "Perhaps I'm just taking a stroll. Young man, don't overestimate your own importance."
"Let me guess," the young man continued, his voice resonating calmly through the cramped space as the uninvited guest remained silent. "Train conductors are all high-ranking officials who wouldn't bother with such a filthy place. So you must have been following me here. You probably saw me being unceremoniously kicked out of the company at the entrance."
"That means you need someone to research accessory blueprints for you."
"But..."
"I'm unknown, unproven, and was publicly humiliated and fired by my manager."
"Yet you still chose me."
"This suggests your own background might not be entirely legitimate. Perhaps you're involved in smuggling or piracy, unable to recruit through proper channels. And a civilizationless vagrant like me is exactly what you need!"
"Researching accessory blueprints is an incredibly resource-intensive endeavor. It's perfectly normal for a civilization to spend over a decade without producing a single blueprint. This is something a civilization does, not an individual."
"The fact that you even considered this suggests your train's strength must be considerable."
"Judging by your ruddy complexion and robust energy, you're clearly in the prime of your career, unburdened by trivial matters."
"According to the news..."
Recently, the largest merchant guild of the Peace-Seeking Civilization was robbed by the Philia Pirate Group during a trade expedition. This pirate group ranks 23rd on the Kasha Civilization Federation's Bounty Board and is known for its immense strength.
The Philia Pirate Group wasn't originally from this galaxy. They migrated here from another galaxy for unknown reasons, but they certainly made a splash with their first major act.
"I presume you are the deputy train conductor of the Philia Pirate Group?"
"Mm."
Chen Mang rested his chin in his hand, lost in thought for a moment. "Don't I look the part?"
"It's common knowledge that the train conductor of the Philia Pirate Group is a goblin."
"Is that so?"
Chen Mang didn't dwell on the matter. Instead, he turned his gaze to the data on the screen and murmured, "If I don't need you to develop new accessory blueprints for now, but rather to recreate old ones, like the 'Refrigerator'—a white-grade accessory blueprint for the train—can you do that?"
"I need you to recreate the 'Refrigerator' accessory blueprint and then repeatedly test the manufactured accessory blueprint to identify the best overpowered effect."
"Can you do it?"
"Yes, but it will require a significant amount of resources and murphy stone. Each test will be a major upgrade."
"Ignoring resources, how long would it take?"
"A few months, but I'd need a lot of experimental equipment. If you're not planning to apply for PTT research grants but actually want to get things done, I'll need a large number of high-precision experimental devices, enough research chips, and an AI with sufficient computing power to assist me."
"Where can I buy those high-precision experimental devices?"
"They're not available on the market. You can't purchase them through official channels."
"What about unofficial channels?"
"There are many. Smuggling, robbery... Feiyang Technology Co., Ltd. in Sanshui City, where I used to work, recently purchased a large batch of high-precision experimental equipment through official channels because their superiors were coming to inspect. I'm not sure when it will arrive on Peace Planet, but I'm sure you're better informed about such matters than I am."
"Are you suggesting we steal them?"
"Pirates don't buy, do they?"
"Excellent."
Chen Mang chuckled, his eyes fixed on the young man standing in the shadows, a smile playing on his lips. He pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and tossed it over. "You mind joining the pirates?"
"I'd prefer not to, but I doubt I can refuse."
"That's true."
Only then did he turn and walk toward the exit. "Let's go buy you and your sister some new clothes."
"Xiao Ai will probably like you."
"Let's go."
Old Pig, who had stayed behind, patted the young man's shoulder with a puzzled expression. "Why are you still standing there?"
"Huh?"
The young man blinked, pointing at the two burly men nearby who were meticulously stuffing all their daily necessities into the refrigerator. He looked bewildered. "I thought someone as powerful as you would have told me to throw all this away and travel light."
"Oh, don't worry about them. They have a bit of a hoarding problem."
"Big Brother, what position do you hold in the group?"
"Deputy Train Conductor. I'll tell you more later. Let's go—this stench is making my eyes water."
The young man hastily nodded, taking his sister's hand and following Old Pig. Gazing at the faint shaft of light filtering down from a manhole cover ahead, his expression gradually drifted into a daze. This was his life.
A drowning man will cling to even a single straw.
This group was like that faint ray of light, pulling him out of the pitch-black sewer.
He didn't know what the future held if he joined this pirate group, but he knew he had no choice.
He didn't want to die.
At least, he didn't want his sister to die.
That man turned out to be the train conductor of the Philia Pirate Group. It seemed the goblin rumors were just a smokescreen to divert attention. But which pirate group did he really belong to? The only other powerful pirate group in the area was the Geek Pirates, a newly emerged force with immense strength.
The next moment—
The dim light ahead suddenly brightened. The manhole cover, which had been partially ajar, was now fully open. Biaozi leaned down impatiently, his head poking through the opening. "Hurry up! Are you taking a dump back there?"
The young man froze for a moment, then quickly caught up.
"Coming, coming."
In Sanshui City, at a clothing store called Impression City Mall, Chen Mang led Biaozi and the others inside. He glanced around and saw that the prices were exorbitant. A single jacket cost a staggering 20,000 units of iron ore—a truly outrageous sum.
"You two go pick out something suitable."
"Just buy one set each. Don't get too much. I'll get you better stuff when we get back."
What a bunch of garbage clothes.
Without even a Space Pouch, the clothes he'd crafted on his train were all equipped with them, and they only cost 1 unit of Wood each. Even high-quality garments only cost 500 units of Wood, far better than what was available here.
Though he had money, he refused to waste it on such overpriced items.
This was a clothing store located on the ground floor. It was likely a luxury brand.
But when he saw the young man's slightly anxious expression, he couldn't help but smile. The easiest way to win over a down-and-out young man like this was to take him to high-quality places and gradually shatter his worldview.
20,000 units of iron ore for a coat—not bad. It was worth the money.
"Alright, this way, please."
The Store Clerk warmly ushered the young man and his sister to a sofa and began introducing the styles one by one. "This is the latest design, incorporating elements of the starry sea and Starships. The fit is..."
Just then—
A middle-aged man strode into the store, arm in arm with a woman.
Instantly!
The other Store Clerks in the shop swarmed around him, their faces alight with excitement like flies drawn to dog shit.
"Seventh Master, why did you come in person? I was just about to send the latest designs to your residence for your approval."
"It's Seventh Master! Why didn't you say you were coming earlier? We haven't even cleared the area yet!"
"Hurry! Seventh Master is here! Why aren't you clearing the area? You have no sense at all!"
"No need."
The middle-aged man waved his hand with a hearty laugh. He nodded at Chen Mang and the others standing nearby, smiling warmly. "Sometimes it's good to share the joy with the common folk. Besides, what kind of shopkeeper chases away customers? They're all guests, and should be treated equally."
"Seventh Master's vision!"
"Only Seventh Master could say something like that!"
"..."
Chen Mang sighed softly, avoiding the middle-aged man's gaze. From experience, he knew that if he dared to meet the man's eyes, he'd likely be asked what he was staring at. Being new to the area, he really didn't want to cause trouble.
The man was clearly a local dignitary. It was best to keep a low profile.
However, this scene was quietly observed by a young man standing nearby. When he saw his new master, Chen Mang, avoid Seventh Master's gaze, a hint of disappointment flickered in his eyes, and his initial excitement faded considerably.
Even as a pirate, he hoped to follow a master strong enough to provide ample resources for his research. But if his master was too weak to even provoke a local dignitary, he was likely just a small-time pirate.
Could he really have enough resources to conduct his research?
"Huh?"
Biaozi, standing nearby, glanced at the logo on the middle-aged man's clothing and paused slightly. "Lord Mang, look, doesn't that guy's clothing with the sun logo look familiar? We have one too, remember, Lord Mang?"
"You have one too?"
The beautiful woman beside the middle-aged man sized up Chen Mang's group's attire, then looked down at her manicured nails and chuckled. "Do you know what this is? It's a top-tier luxury brand from the Mechanical Civilization: Blazing Sun!"
"Even during the Mechanical Civilization's peak, a single Blazing Sun Garment was incredibly expensive. Now that the Mechanical Civilization has fallen, every Blazing Sun Garment is a rare, limited edition piece. Any one of them could fetch a fortune at an Auction House, a true treasure worth its weight in gold. You're telling me you have one too?"
"You? You dare claim to own one?"
"Enough, enough," the middle-aged man said, feigning anger as he glared at the woman. "Watch your tongue!"
Only then did Zhou Shen approach Chen Mang's group with an apologetic expression, pulling out a business card from his pocket and handing it over.
"My subordinates aren't very good with words. I apologize for startling you."
"Here's my business card. As compensation, I'll cover the cost of the two garments you purchased today."
Port Director of Sanshui City
Zhou Shen
No contact information, only his title and name.
"..."
Chen Mang stared at the business card, silent for a long moment before suddenly laughing. Sometimes life just worked out that way. "Old Pig, look into this Zhou Shen."
"Yes, sir!"
Old Pig, standing nearby, quickly began searching on his tablet.
As the Port Director, Zhou Shen should be the person most familiar with when Feiyang Technology Co., Ltd.'s shipment would arrive in Sanshui City. Chen Mang needed those high-precision experimental instruments to build his own research team.
A "research team" was a tool for raising the ceiling.
It wouldn't have much impact in the short term and might even waste resources.
But in the long run...
What a sight it would be when every accessory on his train was washed clean, achieving perfect overpowered effects.
"I found it," Old Pig said, holding a tablet. "The official website shows that Zhou Shen will be appointed as the Port Director of Sanshui City in three days. The final three days of the public announcement period are still ongoing. Tonight, Zhou Shen is hosting a 'promotion banquet' at his private residence, inviting close friends, family, and all the Chamber of Commerce Presidents of Sanshui City."
"That position is where all the profits are skimmed from the merchant guilds," Chen Mang remarked.
"It seems he's trying to make connections with the Chamber of Commerce Presidents before taking office."
"Daring to buy luxury goods during the public announcement period? And with a mistress in tow?"
"The Peace-Seeking Civilization has relatively lax regulations in that regard."
"Good," Chen Mang said, turning to the young man and his sister beside him. "Have you made your choices?"
"Yes," they replied.
"Then let's go," Chen Mang said, leading Old Pig and the others out of the store.
"Sir, you haven't paid yet!" the Store Clerk called after them.
"Didn't you hear? Charge it to Zhou Shen's account."
After leaving the Impression City Mall, Chen Mang looked down at his smartwatch and entered the phone number Qiu Yisao had left. The call connected immediately.
"Senior," Qiu Yisao's respectful voice came from the smartwatch.
"Hmm. Zhou Shen, the new Port Director of Sanshui City, is hosting a Celebration Banquet at his private residence tonight. Did he invite you?"
"Huh?" Qiu Yisao's voice was clearly surprised. "Senior, your intelligence network is incredibly sharp. I only received the invitation an hour ago. This guy is newly appointed, and tonight's banquet is clearly a show of force, meant to intimidate us and discuss his cut of the profits."
"I was just pondering how to handle it. The previous Port Director took a 2% cut of the total cargo value. They say this one is even greedier."
"If you don't pay enough, he might plant a Forbidden Item during cargo inspection. He usually won't confiscate the goods outright—that's too blatant. Instead, he'll hold the cargo at the port for a year or two, which can bankrupt a merchant guild."
"What gift are you planning to bring?"
"I haven't decided yet."
"Come find me before the banquet tonight. I'll go with you."
"This..."
Qiu Yisao's voice on the other end grew noticeably hesitant, tinged with a hint of unease. "Senior, the Peace-Seeking Civilization's overall strength isn't weak. If something unexpected were to happen, leading to Star Sealing, it could have serious consequences."
"Mm, I know."
After hanging up with Qiu Yisao, Chen Mang finally exhaled, stretching languidly and gazing at the darkening sky above with a light chuckle.
His luck had always been good.
When he was sleepy, someone brought him a pillow.
Just then, Old Pig leaned in close and whispered, "President Ai's team has been investigating all available intelligence on the Peace-Seeking Civilization from recent years. So far, their firepower organizations can be categorized as follows:"
"First, the Law Enforcement Bureaus in each city."
"Generally, a city's Law Enforcement Headquarters is equipped with a Tier 10 Train, primarily armed with a Tier 10 Doomsday Cannon and Tier 10 Armor. Law enforcement personnel are equipped with standard-issue weapons, with attack strength typically at the First-Level."
"Moving up the scale..."
"We have the city's base weapons, such as the anti-aircraft guns around Sanshui City and those at the port. These are generally around Tier 30."
"Beyond that..."
"The most powerful weapons are the Interstellar Main Cannons and the Train Army."
"The former primarily protects the planet. The Peace-Seeking Civilization possesses three of these, all Tier 50 in attack power, used to repel invasions by foreign civilizations and intercept meteor fragments hurtling towards the planet at high speeds."
"In addition, there are numerous robot units, a small number of armored Ground Action Forces, and the mainstream Train Army, which currently has 1,600 trains in service. The highest-Tier Military Train is Tier 30."
"The most powerful weapon mounted on these trains is the Tier 99 Arcanon Light Energy Main Cannon."
"The standard weapon remains the pink Sidewinder Wave Engine Cannon, a secondary cannon with an attack power of around Tier 50."
"However..." Old Pig paused before continuing, "Of these 1,600 mechanical trains in service, 1,086 are privately owned by various families within the Peace-Seeking Civilization. The civilization's policy is that any family who places their train in the Military will have half the cost of upgrading the train covered by the government."
"During peacetime, family trains are used by their respective families. They are only requisitioned during wartime."
"The Peace-Seeking Civilization hasn't seen war in many years."
"Mm."
Chen Mang nodded slightly, taking the tablet from Old Pig and flipping through it. While upgrading Seven-Colored Grade Accessories to Tier 100 required a significant amount of resources, it was still manageable for a civilization.
However, beyond Tier 100, the resources needed for upgrades became astronomical.
The Peace-Seeking Civilization's most powerful weapon was a Tier 99 Arcanon Light Energy Main Cannon. This meant that even with all their Civilization Means deployed, they couldn't penetrate the defenses of his train.
Little Calamity.
Old Pig only reported the attack strength, not the defense strength, because it wasn't necessary. Their strongest train had a Defense Rating of only Tier 47.
Compared to the Stellaris, it was vastly inferior.
Old Pig continued his report: "President Ai also shared some historical information. There's a record of a civilization accidentally hitting a Tier 2 zombie with a Tier 1 Arcanon Light Energy Main Cannon. The attack failed to break through the zombie's defenses, and the zombie survived. However, when they fired a Tier 101 Arcanon Light Energy Main Cannon at a Tier 102 zombie, the zombie was killed."
"Conclusion."
"Tier 100 in the cosmos marks a threshold. Once you surpass this level, the strict protection system based on core energy ceases to exist. Everything is calculated based on the intensity of energy attacks."
"For example, Arcanon's Tier 101 light energy main cannon can inflict some damage on Tier 110 armor. However, due to the armor's high Defense Rating, the damage isn't significant. But if the attacks are frequent enough, they can slowly wear down the armor, rather than being completely ineffective."
"The Kasha Civilization prohibits all Tier 1 Civilizations from possessing weapons with an attack intensity exceeding Tier 99. Any violation of this rule will result in the Kasha Civilization's forces descending upon the offending civilization."
"Officially, there are no Peace-Seeking Civilizations, but whether they exist in secret is unknown."
"..."
Chen Mang narrowed his eyes slightly. This information was crucial. It meant that once they crossed the Tier 100 threshold, mass production of troops would become extremely important. With sufficient numbers, even ants could overwhelm an elephant.
However...
Mass production on this scale would likely be limited to battlefields of Tier 3 or Tier 4 Civilizations.
Even for the once-dominant Mechanical Civilization, mass-producing Tier 100 attack strength was a formidable challenge. This likely explains why they repeatedly nerfed the overpowered effect of the "Robot Research Center" accessory, eventually reducing its resource consumption by half.
Each shot of such powerful attacks required a massive amount of resources.
His Tier 50 Arcanon Light Energy Main Cannon consumed 5 billion units of iron ore per shot.
Extrapolating from this, a Tier 100 Arcanon Light Energy Main Cannon would require at least 20 billion units of iron ore per shot. This level of civilization warfare was a battle of attrition, where running out of resources meant certain death.
The Peace-Seeking Civilization's trains were capped at Tier 30.
Even the Mechanical Civilization's High-Level Trains never exceeded Tier 100.
It seemed that train Tier wasn't a mandatory requirement, at least not in most cases, where accessory Tier took precedence.
"Prepare to return," Chen Mang said softly, handing the tablet to Old Pig. "Get ready. We're attending the banquet tonight."
He wasn't yet ready to engage in the grand battles of Tier 100 and beyond. For now, his immediate priority was attending the banquet.
He walked toward a hotel by the roadside.
He booked a double room.
He waved his hand, signaling Biaozi and the others to cover the young man's eyes. When the young man opened his eyes again, he was already inside the locomotive cabin of the Stellaris train.
"What—?"
The young man stared at the scene before him, slightly stunned, unable to believe how he had suddenly appeared there. But before he could say anything, Chen Mang, seated in a chair, waved his hand. "First, take this little guy downstairs and have Xiao Ai implant a Resident Chip. Talk to Xiao Ai too."
"Yes, sir."
Old Pig nodded respectfully, then turned to the young man and the little girl hiding behind him, clutching her brother's sleeve with wide, anxious eyes. He smiled and said, "Welcome to the Stellaris. Follow me."
After they left, Chen Mang picked up Xiao Lu, who was sleeping soundly in a chair nearby, and began to rub the furry creature in his arms. Xiao Lu, still half-asleep, opened its eyes and, upon seeing Chen Mang, nuzzled its head affectionately against his palm.
Its fluffy fur made it incredibly adorable.
"Xiao Lu, Xiao Lu, you've eaten so many of my resources. Tonight, it's your turn to perform, got it?"
Chen Mang looked down at Xiao Lu in his arms, constantly poking at its pink, chubby mouth as he chuckled. "You're probably the fastest-growing Cosmic Behemoth in the entire cosmos."
Cosmic Behemoth.
Legend says they are the darlings of the cosmos.
Once they reach adulthood, they possess unfathomable power, surpassing even the Divine and Ghost realms, making them true children of the cosmos.
This ability is unique to Cosmic Behemoths, and they do not belong to any civilization.
The Giant Beast Car, a magnificent invention of the Mechanical Civilization, drastically shortens the cub phase of Cosmic Behemoths, allowing them to quickly reach their combat-ready adult stage.
Adult Cosmic Behemoths can reach tier 180, boasting formidable attack and defense capabilities.
At this moment, Xiao Lu was already Tier 100, having completed most of its cub phase. This rapid growth had consumed a significant amount of resources, with each carriage upgrade allocating a portion to Xiao Lu.
He was preparing to attend a banquet.
He needed a powerful weapon to completely control the situation. The train's movements were too conspicuous, so he planned to keep things quiet, avoiding unnecessary attention and interrogating only Zhou Shen.
Xiao Lu was the perfect choice.
Though still a Tier 100 cub, its attack and defense strength already matched that level.
His Arcanon Light Energy Main Cannon was currently at Tier 50 and hadn't been upgraded further. However, each shot from his main cannon consumed an enormous amount of resources.
In contrast, Xiao Lu's wild charge cost only as much as a meal.
Cheap and effective.
He had tested it. As a cub, Xiao Lu didn't yet have many attack options. His only attack was the wild charge, which sounded crude but was a Tier 100 Cosmic Behemoth's wild charge.
If all 9,398 Tier 1 Civilizations within the Kasha Civilization Federation followed the rules, Xiao Lu alone could defeat them all, given enough time.
One beast against nearly ten thousand civilizations.
To be precise—
The Kasha Civilization Federation's regulations stipulated that the maximum attack intensity range for all Tier 1 Civilizations could not exceed 9,900.
9,900.
This range corresponded to the power of a Tier 99 Seven-Colored Grade firepower accessory.
The Tier 200 rapid-fire ballista was unaffected by this rule.
Even a Tier 400 ballista wouldn't matter, as its power could never reach this range.
Below Tier 100, the "core energy" protection mechanism prevents attacks from breaking through armor, regardless of their intensity, as long as the attacker's Tier is lower.
But once the protection period ends, everything is calculated based on "Energy Ranges." As long as the Energy Range is high enough, even a ballista can slay a Divine being. However, a rapid-fire ballista's attack intensity typically wouldn't reach such a high Energy Range.
Chen Mang then prepared some car blade fragments and stored them in the refrigerator.
With powerful magnets, he could unleash "Ten Thousand Swords Unleashed" within the target acquisition radar's range.
And...
He turned his gaze to the train's screen, focusing on the "Robot Research Center" and the "Armed Black Hole Robot Production Line."
Manufacturing a standard Tier 10 robot without armor required only 70,000 units of copper ore.
It would have Tier 0 armor and Tier 10 attack intensity.
Of course, that was the price before. With the two consumption-halving effects active, upgrading the "Robot Research Center" to Tier 200 allowed him to produce a Tier 10 armed robot for just 4,375 units of copper ore.
It was incredibly cheap.
After consuming only 43.75 million units of copper ore, Chen Mang had created ten thousand Tier 10 Armed Black Hole Robots. Each robot's head contained 100,000 units of copper ore to ensure sufficient ammunition.
Such low-Tier attacks wouldn't consume much ammunition.
Tier 10 Armed Robots.
On the battlefield, they wouldn't even qualify as cannon fodder.
But against a minor official from the Peace-Seeking Civilization, they were more than sufficient. While Xiao Lu's strength was formidable, it wasn't immediately obvious. A thousand Gatling-wielding Armed Robots were far more visually impactful and intimidating.
Normally, they wouldn't need ten thousand.
But it was best to be prepared.
In case of an emergency, they could simply step out of the refrigerator door.
Twilight faded.
Countless stars filled the sky.
In Sanshui City, Chen Mang and his group successfully rendezvoused with Qiu Yisao outside a manor.
"That manor nearby is Zhou Shen's private residence. Its ownership has been tangled up in legal disputes for years, but it's now customary for each Port Director of Sanshui City to reside there upon taking office. Zhou Shen's promotion banquet is being held there tonight," Qiu Yisao explained.
"Understood," Chen Mang replied.
Chen Mang stood in the shadows, leaning on his cane, paused for a moment, and then said softly, "Qiu Yisao, I've noticed that the Peace-Seeking Civilization is rotting from within far too severely."
"Companies openly use PPTs to defraud research funds."
"Corrupt officials brazenly skim off the top."
"It's as if no one cares about the civilization's development."
"..."
Qiu Yisao remained silent for a long time, his expression complex, before finally speaking. "Senior, you're too kind. In truth, there's nothing we can do. The civilization's ceiling has been fixed. The Kasha Civilization Federation won't allow a First-Tier Civilization to become too powerful. Unable to advance further, we can only rot from within."
"The Peace-Seeking Civilization may seem peaceful after all these years, but it has always been under immense pressure."
"You may not be aware, Senior, but recently, the 'Philia Pirate Group' arrived near our galaxy. They've been constantly raiding merchant guilds from various civilizations in this region. Their most powerful weapon is a Tier 100 Arcanon Light Energy Main Cannon."
"As everyone knows, the pirates' primary source of profit isn't from looting. It's from using their raids to demonstrate their strength, then extorting protection money from merchant guilds, smugglers, and other civilizations. That's their main source of income."
"If it weren't for the Kasha Civilization's regulations, how could so many merchant guilds from various civilizations be bullied by a bunch of pirates?"
"Civilizations are bound by rules, while those pirates operate without restraint."
"This has led to many pirates growing increasingly powerful, even crafting firepower accessories stronger than the most advanced trains of many civilizations. Though those pirates upgraded their 'Arcanon Light Energy Main Cannon' to Tier 100, they've never actually used its Tier 100 attack strength."
"They've never fired it."
"After all, what defensive components could possibly reach Tier 100? They don't even need Tier 100; Tier 50 would be more than sufficient."
"They built it purely to show off."
"The entire Civilization Federation is in a state of extreme repression. Something's bound to break sooner or later. In such circumstances, everyone is just trying to get by."
"Survive today first."
Chen Mang nodded slightly. "There is a way, though. Civilizations could secretly fund their own pirates, severing ties and denying responsibility."
"Indeed," Qiu Yisao said with a hollow tone. "Otherwise, where did the sudden emergence of the 'Geek Pirate Group' come from?"
"No civilization will ever willingly accept these restrictions. Even if the Kasha Civilization tries to suppress them, the pursuit of the Dao cannot be extinguished."
"That's right," Qiu Yisao said, his voice heavy with concern. "The Federation is overrun with pirates. I fear the Kasha Civilization will eventually have to conduct a massive purge, and countless lives will be lost."
"Moreover, most of the Peace-Seeking Civilization's resources are concentrated in the hands of various noble families. The Leader has little power to restrain them. Without the Kasha Civilization's restrictions, the Leader could build a powerful enough train to secure absolute authority, thus centralizing resources. But as it stands now, both power and resources are extremely fragmented."
Chen Mang remained silent, simply patting Qiu Yisao on the shoulder to signal him to enter.
In the outskirts of Sanshui City stood a grand manor. People were streaming into the estate. Chen Mang, along with Old Pig and the others, followed Qiu Yisao inside.
The path was brightly lit and festively decorated. At the entrance, someone was taking names. It was a lively scene.
Interestingly, instead of registering names, a person at the door held a small notebook containing the names of all the merchant guilds in Sanshui City. As each guild's representative arrived, the person would cross off their guild's name in the notebook.
In the end, a list of no-shows would remain.
This method might make it difficult to track who attended, but it instantly reveals who didn't.
Following the manor's winding path to its end, they came upon a luxurious villa. A middle-aged man with a broad, welcoming smile stood at the entrance, greeting each guest. This man was none other than the Port Director of Sanshui City they had encountered earlier that day at the Impression City Mall.
Just then—
The middle-aged man noticed them. Abandoning his conversation with other guests, he strode over, sizing up Chen Mang with a smile. "We met earlier today. I didn't expect you to be involved with the merchant guild as well."
"Looks like we'll be crossing paths quite often in the future."
"Come, please, step inside."
"Very well."
Chen Mang returned the smile, but as soon as he spoke, Zhang Yi, who had been carrying a refrigerator, strode forward, opened the refrigerator door, and slammed the entire appliance down over the middle-aged man's head. When the refrigerator crashed to the ground, the man had vanished.
"..."
"..."
"..."
Qiu Yisao stared blankly at the scene before him. He had known his senior would cause trouble tonight, and he had prepared himself. But had his senior's actions gone too far?
"At least find a secluded spot!"
"There are people everywhere. How could no one notice us here?"
Chen Mang glanced around. To his surprise, no one was paying them any attention.
Could there be no cameras?
He looked around again.
Sure enough, there were no cameras. No one would install cameras in this manor—that would be like leaving evidence of their crimes. While the Peace-Seeking Civilization wasn't overly strict about such things, they couldn't ignore it if it became public knowledge.
The young man following Chen Mang was completely dumbfounded. Earlier that day, he'd thought his new master might not be very powerful, afraid of offending local authorities. Yet here he was tonight, barging into someone's home and kidnapping them in broad daylight.
This is brazen!
Have pirates these days gotten so bold? Kidnapping a Port Director is a serious crime. Except for a few powerful pirate groups, no pirate could withstand the wrath of the Peace-Seeking Civilization.
Even the Philia Pirate Group wouldn't dare provoke the Peace-Seeking Civilization.
After all, even with a Tier 100 Light Energy Main Cannon, their weak defenses made them vulnerable. If the Peace-Seeking Civilization launched a full-scale attack, the Philia Group would have to flee in disarray.
"..."
Chen Mang, leaning on his cane, stood frozen in place. He had just extended his right hand with a smile, ready to shake hands, when he witnessed the scene before him. His smile slowly froze on his face. He glanced around, making sure no one was watching, before turning to Zhang Yi and Zhang Er and asked in a low, hoarse voice, word by word, "May I ask... what exactly are you doing?"
"I..." Zhang Yi, perhaps realizing he had made a mistake, lowered his head in embarrassment. "Lord Mang... didn't you say that when we saw Zhou Shen, all you had to do was say 'That's quite nice,' and I would put him in the refrigerator?"
"Did I really say that?"
"Yes, you did."
Chen Mang turned to Old Pig, a questioning look in his eyes. Old Pig mumbled awkwardly, "Lord Mang, you did say that."
"..."
After a long silence, Chen Mang sighed softly. "In the future, remind me not to use my verbal tic as a code word when we're making plans."
"Seriously..."
"Since we've already started like this, let's stick to the plan. Find a place to hide and ask Zhou Shen a few questions."
Stellaris, inside the train.
Zhou Shen stood bewildered on the wasteland, gazing up at the orange-red sun overhead, then at the desolate, empty landscape around him. Finally, after a long moment, he couldn't help but shout:
"Where the hell did they bring me?!"
"Is this even Peace Planet?!"
"Anyone there?! Hello?! Hello?!"
Peace Planet's sun was a beautiful pink, but this planet's sun was a goddamn orange-red. He didn't know where he was, but he was certain this wasn't Peace Planet.
Most importantly, Peace Planet was currently in twilight. The sun had just set, and dawn hadn't broken yet.
All he remembered was encountering a man he'd met earlier that day at the Impression City Mall. As he approached to greet him, a burly man carrying a refrigerator charged toward him. The next moment, he was here.
Unwilling to believe it, Zhou Shen opened the refrigerator.
It was just an ordinary refrigerator.
Empty.
Completely empty.
He had just been stuffed into this refrigerator, and when he opened the door again, he found himself here.
"This can't be a kidnapping by the Kasha Civilization, can it?"
Zhou Shen sat on the ground, feeling helpless. Only the Kasha Civilization possessed the technology to teleport someone instantly to an unknown planet. Could they be planning to attack the Peace-Seeking Civilization, using him as an inside man?
(End of the Chapter)
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