Late October, Galactic Stellar Calendar 3031
Zhao Chen's Blizzard-class Light Interstellar Battlecruiser returned to the Fierce Dragon Star System.
Red Eyes, who had been waiting for a long time, immediately requested an audience with Commander Zhao Chen.
"Commander!" Red Eyes stood before Zhao Chen, looking as if she could hardly wait.
"Tell me in detail about the intelligence you've gathered," Zhao Chen said, looking at Red Eyes.
Red Eyes began recounting her past month of scouting intelligence while piloting the Black Rhinoceros-class Interstellar Heavy Assault Escort Ship.
Actually, the process of gathering this intelligence wasn't particularly difficult.
Slave trading was a major business category in the interstellar black market, so naturally, everyone had dealings with those slave merchants under the Prince Party.
Following the trail, Red Eyes quickly discovered the headquarters of those slave merchants.
It was located within the borders of the Stellar Glory Empire, in the interstellar border space between the Azure Star Domain and the Starlight Central Star Domain.
Similar to the starting point of the Bloody Mary Mercenary Corps' headquarters, building a base in such a place was very secure.
But no one would have thought it would be so deep within the Stellar Glory Empire.
Yet, upon second thought, wasn't this direct evidence that these slave merchants were connected to the Prince Party?
With the protection of the Prince Party, this place was actually the safest location for these slave merchants.
"The specific coordinates are here—it's a medium-sized starport!
Based on my observations over a period of time, at least a legion-level starfleet, consisting of three thousand starships, is stationed there!
However, their quality isn't high—just slightly stronger than those stellar powers you dealt with in the Reef Starfield," Red Eyes reported.
"Do you have detailed information on the combat capabilities of those starships?" Zhao Chen continued.
Red Eyes replied, "Our information in this area isn't comprehensive, but based on my estimates, there are about thirty Tier 3 interstellar warships, approximately one thousand second-class interstellar warships, and the remaining two thousand are first-class interstellar warships.
The number of first-class interstellar warships might be even higher, as they frequently escort interstellar transport ship fleets carrying slaves captured from various places to this location!"
Thirty Tier 3 interstellar warships—if this were before, Zhao Chen might not have been confident about taking on such a tough target.
But by the end of this year, Zhao Chen would have a batch of Tier 3 interstellar warships commissioned into service, including a main force starship—the Phoenix-class Tier 3 carrier starship!
With such a lineup, Zhao Chen was absolutely confident he could take down the slave merchants' headquarters.
At this point, Red Eyes hesitated and said, "But... if you really plan to move against these slave merchants, it might bring you considerable trouble.
Because behind these slave merchants is the Prince Party. Setting aside whether they might trace the information back to you, just the location of the slave merchants' starport—if the battle cannot be concluded quickly, there's a possibility the Prince Party might dispatch reinforcements to support the fight.
By then, your interstellar fleet could be caught between two fronts."
As she spoke, Red Eyes looked at Commander Zhao Chen. "We feel your intention to seek revenge for us.
But if it means endangering the precious life we have now and putting you at risk for our sake... I... really... don't want that..."
As he said this, Zhao Chen could see Red Eyes was truly conflicted.
To say she didn't want revenge would be a complete lie.
During this time, the horrific scene of her Bloody Mary Mercenary Corps headquarters being attacked seemed to replay before her eyes every day.
But... as she watched her subordinates, friends, and the rescued children living stable, happy lives in the Fierce Dragon Star System, she didn't want to shatter this peace because of her own vendetta.
Zhao Chen looked at Red Eyes and spoke with firm determination: "Red Eyes, I understand your concerns.
But rest assured, I will never go back on my promises.
I can guarantee you that everything we are protecting will remain safe, now and in the future.
At the same time, I will make those responsible for the blood debt incurred at the Bloody Mary Mercenary Corps headquarters pay the price!"
Hearing Commander Zhao Chen speak like this truly moved Red Eyes.
She genuinely couldn't understand why this man would go to such lengths for her and the bloody grudge she carried.
Just as Red Eyes was moved by Zhao Chen's words.
A side mission appeared before Zhao Chen's eyes.
[Side Mission: Red Eyes' Revenge
Mission Content: Investigate and eliminate the leader of the slave trafficking organization under the Prince Party, as well as the fleet commander who attacked the Bloody Mary Mercenary Corps headquarters base.
Task Reward: One Tier 4 interstellar warship technical blueprint]
A Tier 4 interstellar warship technical blueprint!
Zhao Chen had to obtain this!
Forget some slave merchant; even if that so-called prince stood before him, it wouldn't matter!
"However, to ensure the operation's thoroughness, I need you to gather more detailed intelligence and give me some preparation time.
By the end of this year, I will launch a military operation against that slave merchant's headquarters!" Zhao Chen told Red Eyes.
Red Eyes nodded in understanding.
Zhao Chen looked in a direction outside the bridge, toward the construction zone of the Iron Hammer-class Tier 2 heavy interstellar industrial ship and the Furnace-class Tier 3 heavy interstellar industrial ship, where the Fierce Dragon Fleet's new generation of interstellar warships were being built!
For the Hurricane Consortium, the following months of October and November were undoubtedly the most difficult period.
The emergence of the Tibetan Mastiff-class Tier 2 medium interstellar destroyer had completely eliminated orders for their Hyena-class Tier 2 medium interstellar destroyer.
Apart from the starship orders already signed before, they hadn't received a single new order for the Hyena-class Tier 2 medium interstellar destroyer since that day's Military Procurement Conference.
Even some of their old orders were being canceled.
"Big brother... an interstellar lord has breached the contract, preferring to pay us the penalty rather than take our Hyena-class Tier 2 medium interstellar destroyer..." Feng Xiao Wei walked into an office, looking at the somewhat dispirited Feng Dawei.
Scattered around Feng Dawei's hand were many liquor bottles, clearly showing that the failure of the Hyena-class Tier 2 medium interstellar destroyer at the Military Procurement Conference had dealt a heavy blow to this once-proud prodigy.
"These bastards, before they were all like lapdogs running to us, begging us to sell them interstellar warships! Pah!" Feng Dawei cursed.
Feng Xiao Wei continued: "Our capital chain is also facing problems. If... if we don't resolve the funding issue within a month... our raw material supply will be cut off, and two Tier 3 interstellar warship research projects will be unable to proceed..."
Hearing these words, Feng Dawei covered his face. This once-favored son of heaven simply refused to face this mess, which was why he was here drowning his sorrows in drink.
At that moment, a figure walked in.
"Father..." Feng Xiao Wei looked at Feng Weihao, whose hair had already turned half white.
Over the past month or two, Father Feng Weihao had been running around everywhere, all to resolve the Hurricane Consortium's current crisis.
Feng Weihao walked up to his eldest son, grabbed a nearby wine bottle, and smashed it against his eldest son's head. This left the eldest son stunned, staring blankly at his father.
Feng Weihao raised his hand and opened an electronic document: "I've secured funding. The development of our two Tier 3 interstellar warships can continue.
If you're still my son, pull yourself together! Take back everything that belongs to our family!"
With that, Feng Weihao turned and left.
Upon hearing that funding was available, Feng Dawei immediately perked up. But when he clearly saw the contents of that electronic document, he was dumbfounded.
The document stated that the Hurricane Consortium would receive financial support, but at the cost of 59% of the consortium's shares!
And the other party was the Huang family behind the Governor of Azure Star Domain and Marshal Huang Zhixiong!
Feng Dawei understood: his father had "sold" the Hurricane Consortium to buy their current, temporary survival.
"Northern Goose! Li Yaqi! I, Feng Dawei, swear to be your mortal enemy! What my Hurricane Consortium has lost today, I will reclaim tenfold, a hundredfold!
The humiliation you've brought upon me, I will make you pay for it!" Feng Dawei roared!