Chapter 27: The Golden Harbor of Andromeda
Location: Deep Space – The Andromeda Galaxy
The universe streaked by in a blur of indigo and violet. Inside the bridge of the Void Piercer, the sensation of movement was nonexistent. The artificial gravity was perfect, the hum of the Divine Heart engine no louder than a purring cat.
"We are dropping out of Warp in T-minus ten seconds," the Ship AI announced.
Jiang Chen sat in the Captain's chair, reviewing the galactic map. Earth was a speck of dust in the rearview mirror. They were now 2.5 million light-years away from home.
"Oasis-4," Jiang Chen read the destination. "The largest trade hub in the Outer Rim. A neutral zone governed by the Merchant Guild."
"Neutral means expensive," Mo You commented from the weapons station. She was cleaning her daggers, looking bored. "And usually filled with thieves."
"And food!" Feng Xi cheered from the pilot's seat (which she was mostly using to spin around in circles). "The database says they have 'Star-Squid' on a stick!"
"Dropping out of Warp," the AI announced.
VWOOM.
The stars stopped streaking and settled into pinpoint dots.
In front of them lay Oasis-4.
It wasn't a planet. It was an artificial moon constructed entirely of gold and glass, orbiting a binary star system. Thousands of ships swarmed around it like fireflies—massive freighters, sleek fighters, and organic bio-ships.
"Look at the traffic," Jiang Chen noted. "Compared to this, Earth's spaceport looks like a dirt road."
"Captain," the AI interrupted. "We are being hailed by Harbor Control. They are demanding a docking fee."
"Put them on."
A holographic screen popped up. An alien face appeared—blue skin, four eyes, and mandibles clicking nervously.
"Unidentified Vessel," the alien squeaked. "You are piloting a Dreadnought-class ship. Docking Fee is... 50,000 Galactic Credits."
"Credits?" Jiang Chen frowned. "We don't have credits. We have gold."
"Gold?" The alien scoffed. "Gold is insulation material here! We trade in Spirit Crystals or Mana Ore."
Jiang Chen looked at Mo You. "Do we have Mana Ore?"
"We have the spare Void Crystals from the Academy," Mo You suggested. "And some raw Adamantite from Terra Nova."
Jiang Chen pulled out a chunk of Adamantite the size of a fist. He held it up to the camera.
"Will this cover it?"
The alien's four eyes widened until they almost popped out of his skull.
"Pure... Pure Adamantite? That's S-Rank material! That... that covers the fee for a year! Proceed to VIP Docking Bay 1! I will clear the lane personally!"
The screen cut out.
"Money talks," Jiang Chen smirked. "Take us in, Feng Xi. Try not to scratch the paint."
Location: Oasis-4 – VIP District
The airlock hissed open.
The air on Oasis-4 smelled of ozone, spices, and exotic perfumes. The gravity was slightly heavier than Earth, maybe 1.2G.
Jiang Chen walked down the ramp, flanked by his wives. They had changed clothes. Jiang Chen wore his Void Walker Suit (repaired and upgraded to sleek black armor). Mo You wore a dark combat dress. Feng Xi wore a white and gold robe that shimmered with light.
They drew attention immediately.
The dock workers—mostly sturdy, four-armed aliens—stopped working to stare. Not at the humans, but at the ship. The Void Piercer loomed over the other vessels like a predator among sheep.
"Keep moving," Jiang Chen whispered. "We need an Information Broker."
They walked into the main concourse. It was a sensory overload. Neon signs in a hundred languages flashed overhead. Stalls sold everything from laser rifles to slave collars to potions.
"Fresh slaves! Strong workers from the Orion Belt!"
"Potions! S-Rank healing! Cheap!"
"Information! Maps of the Inner Rim!"
Feng Xi stopped at a food stall run by a cyborg octopus.
"One Star-Squid, please!" Feng Xi pointed.
The octopus grunted. "Five credits."
Feng Xi looked at Jiang Chen. Jiang Chen sighed and tossed a small nugget of Adamantite to the vendor.
"Keep the change."
The octopus stared at the metal, then frantically piled twenty squids onto a tray. "Thank you, My Lord! Thank you!"
As they walked deeper into the city, Jiang Chen felt a gaze.
[Grandmist Perception]
He didn't look, but he sensed it. Three figures were tailing them. Their stealth was high-tier, using light-bending cloaks.
"We have tails," Jiang Chen muttered.
"Thieves?" Mo You asked, her hand drifting to her thigh holster.
"Assassins," Jiang Chen corrected. "Their intent is killing, not stealing. Probably hired by someone who saw our ship and wants to hijack it."
"Should I eat them?" Feng Xi asked around a mouthful of squid.
"Not here. Too many witnesses. Let's lead them into an alley."
They turned sharply into a narrow service corridor between two towering casinos. The noise of the market faded.
The three figures followed.
As soon as they entered the shadows, Mo You vanished.
The three assassins stopped. They were clad in sleek, chameleon armor.
"Target lost," one whispered in a guttural language. "Where is the female?"
"Right here," a voice whispered from the darkness behind them.
SHING.
Mo You appeared. Her dagger didn't cut flesh; it cut the shadow of the lead assassin.
The assassin screamed as his shadow severed. His physical body collapsed, paralyzed.
The other two panicked and drew plasma pistols.
"Don't move," Jiang Chen stepped out from the other end of the alley, blocking their exit. Nightfall was in his hand, glowing purple.
"Who hired you?" Jiang Chen asked calmly.
The assassins looked at each other. Then, they activated their suicide implants.
POP.
Their heads exploded inside their helmets.
"Professional," Jiang Chen frowned, stepping over the bodies. "They'd rather die than talk."
He searched the leader's body. He found a datapad. It was encrypted, but the System cracked it in seconds.
[Contract: Hijack the Black Dreadnought.]
[Client: The Red Sun Cartel.]
[Payout: 10 Million Credits.]
"Red Sun Cartel," Jiang Chen memorized the name. "Looks like we made enemies before we even bought a drink."
"Let's go find that Broker," Jiang Chen kicked the body aside. "I want to know who runs this Cartel."
Location: The All-Seeing Eye
At the center of Oasis-4 stood a tower shaped like a giant eyeball. This was the headquarters of the Information Guild.
Jiang Chen walked into the lobby. It was silent, protected by sound-dampening fields.
A receptionist—a humanoid with translucent skin revealing a glowing brain—looked up.
"Welcome to the All-Seeing Eye. Knowledge has a price."
"I want to know about the Void Lords," Jiang Chen said, placing a chunk of Adamantite on the counter. "And the path to the Galactic Core."
The receptionist's brain glowed brighter. She touched the metal.
"High-value query. You need to speak to the Grand Observer. Top floor."
She pressed a button. An elevator tube opened.
They ascended.
The top floor was a circular room filled with floating screens. An old alien sat in the center. He looked like a tortoise, his shell inscribed with glowing runes.
"A Human," the Observer wheezed. "Rare to see your kind this far out. And with a Dragon and a Phoenix? You are walking with dangerous company."
"I need a map," Jiang Chen said, sitting opposite him. "To the Core."
The Observer laughed. It was a dry, rattling sound.
"The Core? Everyone wants the Core. But nobody gets in."
He waved his hand. A holographic map of the galaxy appeared.
The center was surrounded by a massive red wall of energy.
"The Great Barrier," the Observer explained. "Erected by the Pre-Creation Empire a million years ago. It blocks all Warp travel. Physical ships are vaporized upon contact."
"There must be a key," Jiang Chen said.
"There is," the Observer nodded. "Three Keys, actually. They are held by the Three Galactic Warlords."
* The Machine King (Controls the Cyber Sector).
* The Hive Mother (Controls the Bio Sector).
* The Crimson Emperor (Controls the Pirate Sector).
"The Crimson Emperor..." Jiang Chen's eyes narrowed. "Is he related to the Red Sun Cartel?"
"He owns the Cartel," the Observer grinned. "And if my sensors are correct, his men just tried to kill you."
Jiang Chen stood up.
"So," Jiang Chen smiled coldly. "If I want the Key, I have to kill the Emperor."
"Basically," the Observer shrugged. "But be warned. The Crimson Emperor is an SS-Rank Peak cultivator. And he commands a fleet of ten thousand ships."
"Ten thousand ships?" Jiang Chen checked his Nightfall blade. "Sounds like a target-rich environment."
"One more thing," the Observer added. "The Crimson Emperor... he has been acting strange lately. He stopped raiding. He started... gathering biomass. Entire planets have been depopulated."
Jiang Chen and Mo You exchanged a look.
"Void Corruption," Mo You whispered.
"He's not a Warlord anymore," Jiang Chen realized. "He's a puppet."
Jiang Chen turned to leave.
"Thank you for the info."
"Wait!" The Observer called out. "That Adamantite... do you have more? I can offer you a fair price. Credits, IDs, star-charts."
Jiang Chen tossed him a second chunk.
"Set up an account for me. Name it The Jiang Clan. I have a feeling we're going to be doing a lot of business."
Outside the Tower
As they stepped back into the neon lights, Jiang Chen looked at the sky. Somewhere out there was a Pirate Emperor holding a Key to the Core.
"Husband," Feng Xi pulled on his sleeve. "Can we kill the pirates now? They tried to steal our ship."
"We will," Jiang Chen promised. "But we don't go in blind. We need to lure him out."
He looked at the bustling market.
"The Cartel wants our ship? Fine. Let's give them a target they can't resist."
"We are going to hold an auction," Jiang Chen declared. "We are going to sell... a Void Crystal."
Mo You smiled. "A bait trap. The Crimson Emperor needs Void energy. He will come personally."
"And when he does," Jiang Chen's eyes glowed purple. "We take his Key. And his head."
[System Notification]
[Quest Added: The Pirate King's Key]
[Objective: Lure out and defeat the Crimson Emperor.]
[Reward: Galactic Map Fragment 1/3.]
"Let's go shopping," Jiang Chen said. "We need to rent an auction hall."