Translator: AnubisTL
For years, the Zerg Civilization had been waging constant war, while the Kasha Civilization had been steadily developing in peace. This had become an unspoken truth.
Though no one had ever bypassed the Zerg Civilization to discover which civilization was at war with them on the other side, it was widely known that the Zerg Civilization was engaged in a protracted conflict with another civilization.
What remained unknown was that the civilization warring with the Zerg Civilization was also a Zerg Civilization.
Originally, these two Zerg Civilizations had been locked in a fierce, life-or-death struggle for the title of "Orthodox Zerg Civilization." However, the Kasha Civilization's external threat forced them to temporarily set aside their mutual hatred and launch a joint all-out assault against the Kasha Civilization.
This development drastically altered the situation.
The Kasha Civilization had initially been in a position to observe the conflict from afar, like a heron watching clams fight. But Commander Li's actions had thrust them into a desperate two-front war.
Even in a one-on-one battle, victory required every ounce of strength.
Fighting two opponents simultaneously?
The chances of survival were virtually nonexistent.
"..."
Chen Mang silently gazed at the latter half of the headline in the Kasha Daily.
"We need everyone's united efforts. All civilizations must gather and surrender all resources to the Kasha Civilization within three days. Failure to comply will result in execution."
"After victory, the Kasha Civilization will return double the amount."
"Please believe that final glory will undoubtedly belong to the Kasha Civilization Federation. With our collective efforts, we will ultimately witness the day of victory."
"This will be nearly impossible to achieve," Xiao Ai's voice echoed through the train. "The Kasha Civilization has never regarded the people of other Federation civilizations as human beings. They casually destroy civilizations within the Federation, and no one intervenes."
"The Federation has always been maintained through brute force."
"There is no sense of unity or honor."
"No civilization feels any sense of honor toward the Kasha Civilization Federation. They will never willingly surrender all their resources. In the end, the Kasha Civilization will likely massacre the planets of hundreds of civilizations, using the 'kill the chicken to scare the monkeys' tactic to forcibly collect all resources."
"Then they will launch an unprecedented decisive battle against the Zerg Civilization."
"This war will be even grander in scale than the conflict between the Zerg Civilization and the Mechanical Civilization, though its duration is expected to be much shorter, potentially concluding within three years."
"A decisive battle?"
Chen Mang's eyes narrowed slightly. After a long silence, he murmured, "The storm is brewing. No one can predict what course events will take. We must focus on developing our own strength first. That way, no matter what comes, we'll have the foundation to respond."
At least—
He now possessed a significant advantage.
The overpowered effect of his Tier 500 spider leg allowed him to freely enter and exit the Pseudo-Fourth-Dimensional Space, launching attacks from angles his enemies couldn't possibly anticipate, making him nearly invincible.
However, true survival within the Pseudo-Fourth-Dimensional Space was impossible.
Prolonged stays were unsustainable.
Moreover, maintaining his presence there required a constant drain of resources.
The primary purpose of this headline wasn't to inform the public about the war's progress, but to warn the leaders of all civilizations: gather every resource immediately, or your civilization will be the next to fall.
This was a blatant, undisguised threat.
A threat that defied all reason.
Chen Mang, aboard the Stellaris train, remained unaffected by the external turmoil. Within the Kasha Civilization Federation, he was practically invisible, unknown to anyone despite the widespread news of the Second-Tier Civilization, the human civilization, achieving Advancement.
Yet—
No one had discovered the location of this civilization's planet or the boundaries of its domain.
Naturally, no one knew of him.
And no one knew that Chen Mang himself was the Leader of this civilization.
At this moment, he was comfortably upgrading all the train's accessories. Today was a major undertaking: he planned to upgrade every single accessory to Tier 200!
Whether useful or not, any accessory present on the train would be upgraded to Tier 200!
With 28 trillion units of iron ore remaining, he had ample resources.
First to be upgraded was the Built-in Security System.
This green-grade Accessory required 800 million units of iron ore.
For a long time, this system had maintained order within the train. During Xiao Lu's infancy, the Giant Beast Car itself had housed numerous third-rate heavy machine guns in its mouth, a feature designed to provide the Cosmic Behemoth with combat capabilities even in its early stages.
Once Xiao Lu reached full maturity,
This effect was now useless. Xiao Lu's mouth no longer contained any heavy machine guns. Given his current attack methods, he had no need for such weapons to supplement his damage.
["Built-in Security System Tier 200 Overpowered Effect: The Great Dao is Simple."]
Only five words.
Inside the locomotive cabin, the hundred "third-rate heavy machine guns" that had been embedded in the ceiling had vanished completely. He had expected the number to increase to two hundred, but instead, they had all disappeared, leaving behind only the four words: "The Great Dao is Simple."
After puzzling over it for a while, he finally understood the meaning of those words.
In truth, the number of heavy machine guns had still increased to two hundred, but they were now hidden, only extending when needed. This was the nature of the Tier 200 God-Tier Overpowered Effect: invisibility.
It sounded rather ordinary.
He shook his head, deciding not to upgrade each component individually—it would be too time-consuming. Instead, he quickly selected nearly all the accessories on the control panel screen, confirmed there were no issues, and chose the "Aggregate" option for a one-click upgrade!
All accessories within the train were instantly upgraded to Tier 200!
Whether green-grade or red-grade, every component reached Tier 200.
Total resources consumed:
981.6 billion units of iron ore.
Less than a trillion—this amount of iron ore wouldn't even cover the rounding error when upgrading the armor.
Yet a trillion units of iron ore was already an astronomical figure.
It was truly a vast amount.
After completely excavating an entire mining star, they had only obtained a few tens of trillions of units of iron ore. However, the resource consumption for upgrading the armor was so immense that even a trillion units of iron ore seemed like a mere drizzle, easily spent.
At last!
The Stellaris train had officially entered the Tier 200 Era!
Nearly all accessories had been upgraded to Tier 200, each gaining a Tier 200 God-Tier Overpowered Effect.
Admittedly, not all Tier 200 God-Tier Overpowered Effects were equally powerful. Some were genuinely underwhelming, such as the God-Tier Overpowered Effect of the "Built-in Security System," while others had yet to reveal their unique utility.
For example, the Tier 200 God-Tier Overpowered Effect of the "Single Bed" could absolutely purify the mind, proving particularly effective within cultivation civilizations. He had gifted several to the Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion and his colleagues, enabling them to drastically accelerate their cultivation progress.
Seated in his chair, he meticulously reviewed the God-Tier Overpowered Effects of all accessories before focusing on the few he had identified as particularly potent or noteworthy.
These effects were either exceptionally powerful or possessed some unique significance.
[Tier 100 Overpowered Effect: Increased hardness and rotational speed.]
[Tier 200 Overpowered Effect: Increased hardness and rotational speed.]
This accessory had been with him for a long time, leaving a deep impression. It was a purely numerical accessory, enhancing stats without any special mechanisms. He hadn't expected that even at Tier 200, a level where qualitative changes should occur, it would still only boost stats.
He had imagined something more extravagant, like the ability to pierce through the void.
Skeptical, he spent 237.5 billion units of iron ore to upgrade the white-grade "Drill" accessory to Tier 500 in one go!
He obtained another special overpowered effect.
[Tier 500 Overpowered Effect: Drill]: Increased hardness and rotational speed.
With each upgrade, the drill accessory's effects consistently improved its hardness and rotational speed. Now, with all the overpowered effects further amplifying these attributes, he began to suspect something.
The Mechanical Civilization must have deliberately fine-tuned the drill accessory's overpowered effects.
They must have experimented countless times to ensure all the overpowered effects randomly rolled into this specific outcome.
Otherwise, under Cosmic Empowerment, the drill should have had a chance to acquire a variety of overpowered effects. How could it be such a coincidence that they all converged on this single outcome? But why would the Mechanical Civilization expend such vast resources and effort to create an ultra-hard drill? What were they planning to accomplish?
If the Mechanical Civilization had indeed manipulated the process, then—
It would mean they had repeatedly upgraded the accessory blueprint to Tier 500 during their fine-tuning. The murphy stone consumption would have been astronomical, far exceeding the resources required for Princess Tuotuo's Tier 200 AI.
"The more I learn about the Mechanical Civilization, the more mysterious it seems," Chen Mang murmured, his expression dazed. He didn't know what the Mechanical Civilization was trying to achieve, nor whether their plan had succeeded. But he was certain this drill would prove invaluable in the future. After all, even he couldn't fathom its true hardness.
I'll find a chance to test it out next time.
Beyond the drill, there were numerous Tier 200 God-Tier Overpowered Effects.
For example:
[Tier 20 Oxygen Generator Overpowered Effect]: Halves energy consumption.
[Tier 50 Oxygen Generator Overpowered Effect]: Can produce differentiated oxygen environments tailored to various races and their living habits.
[Tier 100 Oxygen Generator Overpowered Effect]: The oxygen produced will have a purifying effect on the body.
[Tier 200 Oxygen Generator Overpowered Effect]: Can partially repair bodily organs, thereby extending lifespan.
These were all accessories he had upgraded to Tier 10 and then stopped. The initial overpowered effects were relatively normal, showing a steady progression. But once they reached Tier 200, it was like suddenly riding a roller coaster, with the effects skyrocketing.
Even an oxygen generator could extend lifespan now.
Truly remarkable.
If the Kasha Civilization had known about the Tier 200 overpowered effect of oxygen generators, they would have equipped every citizen with one. While it certainly wasn't as effective as a medical bay, it was far cheaper.
Oh, almost forgot.
The murphy stone required to reach Tier 200 might be expensive for others, but for him...
It was pocket change.
"Xiao Ai, mass-produce Tier 200 oxygen generators and ensure every city on Aquablue Star has several units, enough to cover all residents. Our native population is still too small. While extending lifespans, let's also incentivize childbirth with rewards."
"We'll provide housing, jobs, and retirement benefits."
"No need for Black Tortoise Star. Their lifespans are already long."
Although everyone was listed as residents of the "human civilization" on the Civilization Panel, he would inevitably favor Aquablue Star, his home world.
Besides these, there were many other intriguing accessories.
[Telescope Tier 50 Overpowered Effect: Increased viewing range.]
Perfectly normal. It's Tier 50—of course it can see farther. What's the problem?
[Telescope Tier 100 Overpowered Effect: Functions as an Astronomical Telescope.]
Completely reasonable. It's Tier 100! A Tier 100 telescope should be able to observe stars and planets. Who could argue with that?
[Telescope Tier 200 Overpowered Effect: Can rewind time within a specific zone, allowing you to witness events that occurred there within the past 24 hours.]
Fuck you!
You're a goddamn telescope!
A telescope that can rewind time? What the hell are you trying to pull?!
"This thing..."
Chen Mang stood in the locomotive cabin, holding his Tier 200 telescope, and gazed out at the passing scenery. The images that filled his vision were scenes from the previous day.
Upon reaching Tier 200, he had immediately gained a rule ability.
This thing had countless uses.
For example,
When several powerful figures next door explored highly confidential information at a conference, he simply strolled over the next day with his telescope and took a casual look around, effectively eavesdropping on the entire event.
It was a master tool for information theft.
"It's just that the crime rate on Aquablue Star is so low. Otherwise, with this thing, the case-solving rate would definitely reach one hundred percent."
The crime rate on Aquablue Star was so low that weeks often passed without a single serious crime being reported.
The society was remarkably stable.
This stemmed from various factors. For instance, having recently survived the apocalypse, people were deeply content with lives where they had enough to eat, warm clothes, and a place to live.
He tucked the Tier 200 telescope into a drawer, intending to use it regularly as an accessory. But as he glanced at the telescope in the drawer, he hesitated. Should I upgrade it to Tier 500 and see what happens?
Upgrading a white-grade accessory to Tier 500 would only cost 237.5 billion units of iron ore.
Not much at all.
The train currently held 27 trillion units of iron ore.
The problem is...
I can't just upgrade every good accessory to Tier 500 to see what happens. I need to conserve some resources.
After a few moments of contemplation, 237.5 billion units of iron ore within the train dissolved into countless wisps of white light, which streamed into the telescope in the drawer. The telescope's cost had now skyrocketed, exceeding even the original price of the Stellaris train when it departed Aquablue Star.
It was now worth a fortune.
And finally, he obtained the brand-new overpowered effect he had been seeking. He couldn't resist taking a peek first, indulging in this extravagance just once.
[Telescope Tier 500 Overpowered Effect: Observable Universe.]
Chen Mang frowned slightly. He had imagined that reaching Tier 500 would allow him to see the future, but now it seemed he had been too optimistic. Seeing the past might be relatively easy, since the past was already fixed, but glimpsing the future was far more challenging. Countless factors could lead to different outcomes.
Still...
[Observable Universe.]
He picked up the telescope and gazed at the starry sky above, but sensed nothing unusual.
He pondered for a long time.
After more than ten minutes, he gave up.
Completely useless.
At least, he couldn't figure out what the words "Observable Universe" meant. It felt like a completely worthless overpowered effect.
"You're a Tier 500 overpowered effect, old man! You can't be this useless!"
The entire Kasha Civilization didn't even possess a single Tier 500 accessory.
Accessories of this tier were something a Third-Tier Civilization could only dream of, unless they were willing to sacrifice everything else.
And yet, he had been given this completely useless overpowered effect?
It was a bit disappointing.
Just then, Xiao Ai's voice echoed through the locomotive cabin again: "I might have a clue. According to the Mechanical Civilization's database, there's a theory that the universe must be constantly observed to function properly."
"If no one observes the universe, it will instantly collapse into The Void."
"Everything in the universe changes when observed."
"Or rather, everything changes once it becomes aware of being observed."
"For example, take the simplest scenario."
"You're a student diligently doing your homework in your room. Suddenly, you realize your mother is watching you from the doorway. Instinctively, your mind wanders, and you start behaving differently."
"Consider the classic quantum experiment: the act of observation causes the wave function to collapse, forcing particles to transition from a 'probability cloud' into a definite state."
"The exact mechanism remains unclear."
"We only know that when observed, things undergo corresponding changes."
"From this perspective..."
"The phrase 'Observable Universe' definitely represents an incredibly powerful overpowered effect. The problem is, perhaps our civilization level is too low, and we haven't encountered enough to fully understand its meaning. An accessory of this Tier shouldn't even be within our civilization's reach."
"..."
Chen Mang picked up the telescope again and gazed into the cosmos. "Even though I don't see anything special, can the universe sense that I'm observing it?"
"Could it be observing me back?"
"No. Throughout the universe, countless beings are observing it simultaneously. Even if the universe were sentient, it would be nearly impossible for it to notice you."
"According to what you said earlier, if all living beings closed their eyes at the same moment, the universe would collapse. The probability of that happening is extremely low, but it's not zero, right?"
"Visual observation isn't the only form of observation. Skin contact and perception also count. That scenario won't occur unless every living being in the universe dies instantly, which would trigger the Cosmic Big Bang."
"In short—"
Chen Mang paused, then withdrew his gaze from the telescope. "This overpowered effect is incredibly potent, but we can't use it yet."
"Is that right?"
"Yes."
To put it bluntly, they had obtained a Divine Artifact from a future update before the current version was even updated. They had no idea how to use it. If they ever encountered a more advanced civilization, they would finally understand the true potential of this overpowered effect.
Should I try upgrading it to Tier 1000?
The thought suddenly popped into his head.
But when he saw the resources required to reach Tier 1000, his lips twitched slightly, and he immediately abandoned the idea. He was now certain that Tier 500 accessories were designed for Fifth-Tier Civilizations at the very least, while Tier 1000 accessories were intended for 7th Tier Civilizations or higher.
Forcing a Second-Tier Civilization like his to possess such advanced technology would likely result in them being completely unable to understand its purpose.
The drill remained the most suitable tool for his civilization's current level.
Pure numerical values.
Pure upgrades.
Extremely clean and straightforward.
However, he suddenly realized that certain accessories with unique mechanisms could be upgraded to Tier 500 first to test their effects. For example—
"Refrigerator!"
If the Stellaris train were to rank its most valuable contributors, the refrigerator would undoubtedly secure a spot in the top three!
In its early stages, it served as both living quarters and storage, significantly expanding the train's capacity.
During the mid-game, it functioned as an instant, large-capacity Space Pouch, simplifying resource gathering, transporting troops, and even acting as a defensive shield.
By the late game, it directly replaced wormholes, becoming a permanent wormhole with exceptional cost-effectiveness.
Every part of it was a treasure.
From start to finish, the refrigerator remained consistently powerful. While some accessories boasted overpowered effects in the early game only to become useless or obsolete later, and others only shone in the late game, the refrigerator remained steadfastly strong throughout.
This accessory was absolutely worth upgrading to Tier 500 to witness its "Cosmic-Grade Overpowered Effect."
The term "Cosmic-Grade Overpowered Effect" was coined by the train conductor himself, mirroring the "God-Tier Overpowered Effect" to distinguish the qualitative leaps between Tier 200 and Tier 500.
After consuming 237.5 billion units of iron ore, the refrigerator was upgraded to Tier 500 in one go!
A Tier 500 refrigerator!
[Tier 500 Refrigerator Overpowered Effect: None.]
"None."
A single word shattered Chen Mang's composure, crushing all his resilience. It seemed the refrigerator's legend would end here, a tragic end to a lifetime of glory.
But it didn't matter.
The refrigerator was merely a white-grade accessory. Obtaining its Accessory Blueprint should be easy.
He'd have Qi Kexiu create one.
Then he'd reroll the overpowered effect multiple times, aiming for a useful one for the Tier 500 upgrade.
After all, his rerolls were free.
Essentially infinite rerolls.
Only then did Chen Mang turn his attention to the other overpowered effects. After memorizing all the ones he possessed, he stretched languidly, leaning back in his chair with a hint of fatigue. With this upgrade complete, the Stellaris train's capabilities were now virtually maxed out.
There were no remaining weaknesses.
He still had 27 trillion units of iron ore left.
But—
He still felt the resources were somewhat insufficient. If he had more, he could have acquired Tier 500 armor.
Armor...
Tier 200 still didn't feel secure enough. Tier 500, now that would be sufficient. Even if the sky were to fall, he believed Tier 500 armor could withstand it completely.
Just then, Xiao Ai's voice echoed through the train again.
"Train Conductor, I've obtained detailed information about the Seven-Colored Firepower Accessory Blueprint that consumes copper ore, as you requested."
"That's good news," Chen Mang breathed a sigh of relief. The train's most powerful weapon was the Arcanon Light Energy Main Cannon, but its biggest drawback was its consumption of iron ore. Iron ore was already scarce, so they couldn't afford to waste too much of it.
With a firepower accessory that used copper ore, his nearly ten trillion tons of copper ore would finally have a purpose.
"The blueprint will be auctioned at the Aristocrat Auction House on Gemini Star soon."
"The Aristocrat Auction House... that name sounds familiar."
"It's the same auction house you raided last time, Train Conductor."
"What a coincidence! They're back in business?"
"Yes."
"Then let's pay them another visit."
Gemini Star, part of the Kasha Civilization, had tightened security significantly after the previous incident. All trains arriving near Gemini Star through wormholes were now boarded and thoroughly inspected by border guards.
But Chen Mang still managed to slip onto Gemini Star undetected with ease.
After all, his refrigerator was there.
He didn't need anyone's permission to go anywhere.
He went wherever he pleased.
He materialized in Extreme Night Market, sitting beside his usual café, gazing at the familiar auction catalog in his hand. The Auction House, despite having been robbed once, had reopened, its deep foundation unshaken.
It had been completely rebuilt on its original site, as if nothing had happened.
"Same old spot, huh? Then everything's fine."
Three minutes later, Chen Mang stood on the wasteland outside Extreme Night Market. Without hesitation, he sliced open a tear using the spider leg and slipped into Pseudo-Fourth-Dimensional Space, moving undetected straight to the Auction House's entrance.
He passed through walls without anyone noticing him.
This was the allure of Pseudo-Fourth-Dimensional Space: if an enemy lacked this ability, they might never discover him.
Soon, without pausing, he tossed Xiao Lu into the thin membrane resembling a dimensional wall. Xiao Lu instantly exited Pseudo-Fourth-Dimensional Space, materialized in reality, and rapidly expanded to the size of a football field. With a single gulp, it swallowed the entire Auction House.
Then, shrinking back down, it shot away into the distance and vanished in the blink of an eye.
The entire operation flowed seamlessly.
"Not bad," Chen Mang said, grinning as he watched the scene unfold. In the Pseudo-Fourth-Dimensional Space, he maneuvered the Stellaris train and Xiao Lu along the dimensional walls, racing side-by-side until they stopped in a desolate area. Xiao Lu then regurgitated the Auction House from his mouth.
"..."
Chen Mang's smile gradually froze as he stared at the sight before him.
The Auction House Xiao Lu had spat out was now a smoldering ruin, thick smoke rising from the debris.
The entire structure had been rebuilt with explosives. The moment Xiao Lu swallowed it, it had detonated. Xiao Ai, having completed its scan, reported, "Train Conductor, all living beings within the ruins have been killed by the explosion. No valuable items detected—only rubble and debris."
"It seems we've been played."
"..."
Chen Mang remained silent. He hadn't planned anything elaborate—just a straightforward heist of the Auction House and a quick getaway. But now that someone had schemed against him, that changed everything. Doing nothing would make him look foolish, as if he'd fallen for such a simple trick.
If not for Xiao Ai's report, he might have suspected the person had deliberately set him up.
"Investigate which faction controls this Auction House," he ordered. "Prepare for a visit."
"Now that I'm here, you can't expect me to leave empty-handed, right?"
"Understood."
Meanwhile—
In a high-rise office building in Extreme Night Market on Gemini Star, several men were gathered around a long table, silently watching the holographic projection hovering in the air.
The projection showed Xiao Lu devouring the Auction House.
They had replayed the footage countless times, yet each viewing brought a fresh wave of shock.
The Aristocrat Auction House was the largest auction house on Gemini Star. Just days ago, a mysterious figure had uprooted the entire establishment. This earth-shattering news, however, had been overshadowed by reports of seventeen city warehouses being raided across Gemini Star.
No one paid attention.
The government ignored it.
Refusing to swallow this humiliation silently, they believed it was a coordinated and premeditated attack. Seeking revenge, they devised a plan: publicly announce the Aristocrat Auction House's reconstruction and impending reopening, enticing potential bidders with a trove of highly desirable items.
They were certain the culprit would return for a second strike.
To that end, they had planted massive quantities of high-grade explosives within the Auction House, their destructive power terrifying.
Yet...
On the holographic projection screen, a massive, green, furry monster suddenly appeared without warning, swallowing the entire Auction House. In that instant, they saw flames—signs of the Auction House exploding.
But the green, furry monster immediately shrank again, disappearing from view at a speed too fast for the naked eye to follow.
Throughout the entire terrifying explosion, the monster seemed completely unharmed.
"This is definitely a Cosmic Behemoth," the leader said after a long silence. "I keep a Cosmic Behemoth at home, so I know them well. It's an adult one, though I'm not sure of its exact Tier."
"Its Tier is definitely higher than the one at your place."
"Have we provoked anyone recently?"
"With so many top-tier Auction Houses in the Kasha Civilization, why target ours specifically?"
The situation was already bizarre enough.
Their Auction House had been robbed simultaneously with the strategic warehouses of seventeen cities, clearly the work of a violent, organized, and premeditated group. Yet the authorities had classified it as a cover-up to destroy evidence and balance the books.
They had no choice but to grit their teeth and endure it.
But now it was clear that even after the original group had been captured, someone was still trying to rob them. This proved that it hadn't been a simple accounting adjustment at all—the Kasha Civilization had genuinely been targeted by pirates.
"Could it be the Artificial Human Pirate Group?" a man sitting at the side of the table murmured hesitantly.
Within the entire Kasha Civilization Federation, the most formidable pirate group was the Artificial Human Pirate Group. Lacking resources but commanding an astronomical bounty, their reward surpassed the combined bounties of the second through tenth most wanted groups.
This pirate group had originated from the Kasha Civilization itself.
According to legend, their leader had once been an ordinary citizen of the Kasha Civilization. One day, while walking home from work, he stumbled upon two gangs brawling in an alley. Seized by a sudden surge of righteous fervor, he charged forward, shouting at them to stop.
But...
Being just one man, unarmed, he stood no chance of dispersing two warring factions.
So, the man improvised, pretending to be a police officer to halt the fight. Unfortunately, the Kasha Civilization's legal system was still underdeveloped at the time. By the time the actual police arrived, the two gangs had already dispersed.
No serious injuries had been inflicted.
After a verbal reprimand, both sides were released.
The man was convicted of impersonating a police officer, a serious crime, and sentenced to ten years in prison without parole.
Ten years later, he emerged, armed with a single blade. On a rainy night, he tracked down both gangs from the original brawl, dispatching them one by one. He then hunted down the judge, jurors, and other officials who had arrested and sentenced him, executing them all with a single strike each.
Afterward, he joined the pirate group led by his prison boss, gradually rising to become the leader of the Kasha Civilization Federation's most powerful pirate syndicate. Ironically, his case significantly accelerated the refinement of the Kasha Civilization's legal system.
The continuous improvement of any legal system inevitably requires sacrifices.
Those unfortunate enough to become such sacrifices bear the crushing weight of an era's progress, feeling utterly powerless against its momentum.
This man harbored a deep hatred for the Kasha Civilization, targeting only their merchant guilds while sparing those of other civilizations.
"Rumor has it he keeps a terrifying Cosmic Behemoth. Could it really be him?"
"That seems unlikely."
In the conference room, the man at the head of the table shook his head, his expression darkening. "If it were him, he would have stormed in here by now, not..."
The next moment—
BANG!
The conference room door was kicked open with a violent crash.
Chen Mang strode in, leaning on his cane and wearing a round hat, followed by Biaozi and his armed men. He casually pulled out a chair, propped his feet on the table, and gazed calmly at the men in the room.
"Fill-in-the-blank question," he announced.
"How much resource are all your lives worth combined?"
"Answer correctly and live. Answer incorrectly and die."
"You have only three chances to answer."
"You have ten seconds to respond."
In the conference room, the men who had been meeting sat frozen in their chairs, their faces shifting between fear and defiance. They exchanged nervous glances but ultimately refrained from pressing the emergency buttons beneath the table. The stench of blood had already seeped in from outside; their security forces were likely all dead.
No one could come to their rescue now.
Their only hope lay in the special items they carried.
But given that their assailant had clearly come prepared, they couldn't be certain if their special items would even work.
The leader, a man who had weathered countless storms, rose with remarkable composure and turned to Chen Mang. "I don't know. Would you mind telling me your name?"
"Incorrect. You have two more chances."
Chen Mang pulled a cigarette from his pocket, stuck it in his mouth, and tilted his head slightly. Ji Chuchu, standing beside him, cupped her hand around a flame to light it for him.
Ji Chuchu's eyes sparkled with curiosity and a hint of excitement as she surveyed her surroundings. She hadn't left the Stellaris in ages, and she never imagined Lord Mang would specifically request her for this mission.
So this is the Kasha Civilization?
She gazed out the window at the dazzling, futuristic city. It was far more dazzling and technologically advanced than any city on Aquablue Star.
She greedily absorbed every detail, knowing it might be a long time before she had another chance to venture out again.
The man's expression shifted between anger and uncertainty as he glared at Chen Mang. The man's aggressive approach was clear, but if he thought he could seize their hard-earned foundation with such a flimsy threat, he was sorely underestimating them.
"Name your price. We'll concede this round, but if you demand too much, we'd rather die and leave our resources to our children."
"Incorrect. You have one final chance."
Chen Mang looked up at the group, a surprisingly gentle smile spreading across his face. "If you're truly willing to die rather than let your children go without resources, I must admit, I'm genuinely moved. I'm easily touched by such sincere emotions."
"After I kill you," he continued, "I'll turn and walk away. I absolutely won't pursue your children."
"You have six seconds to answer."
"Five hundred billion." Before the countdown finished, the leader of the group spoke through gritted teeth. "Five hundred billion tons of iron ore. That's our limit. It's all the liquid capital the Aristocrat Auction House can spare without disrupting normal operations."
"If you demand more, you can kill us now."
"Very well."
Chen Mang leaned back in his chair, chuckling softly as he prepared to say more. Suddenly, a gunshot rang out in the conference room. The leader had abruptly risen, drawn a pistol from his coat, and fired at Chen Mang's head.
But the moment the bullet struck Chen Mang's skull, it flattened into a metal disc and clattered to the floor.
Not a scratch.
By then, Biaozi and the others had reacted. Their faces contorted with rage, they rapidly squeezed their triggers. In the blink of an eye, the group lay dead in pools of blood, leaving only Chen Mang's party in the conference room.
"So bold?" Chen Mang murmured, slightly bewildered. He waved his hand. "Xiao Ai, check their company database for detailed information. Seize all resources that should be confiscated."
Then, with a hint of anticipation, he pulled out his telescope and aimed it at the conference room, curious to see what they had been discussing earlier.
His primary objective for this mission was simple and brutal:
Robbery.
Yes, plain and straightforward.
The Kasha Civilization had forcibly seized resources from all other civilizations. Chen Mang's goal was to seize a portion of those resources, which would allow him to instantly surge back into power and dominate the entire battlefield.
He was facing three opponents alone.
No need for fancy tactics.
This was just an appetizer, but these individuals seemed to hold some authority. Perhaps he could extract useful information from them.
Three hours later, Chen Mang lowered the telescope, his eyes stinging. "Damn it, why can't I fast-forward this thing?" he muttered. "This is a major problem. I need to figure out how to fix this. Watching this is exhausting."
From the overheard conversation, Chen Mang gleaned several crucial pieces of information:
The most powerful pirate group in the Kasha Civilization Federation, the Artificial Human Pirate Group, had recently been spotted near the Gemini Star system. This group was planning to raid the resources seized by the Kasha Civilization.
In other words, the group likely knew the Kasha Civilization's transport routes and might even have discovered hidden vulnerabilities in their defenses.
Chen Mang wanted his share of the spoils.
To get it, he first needed to find the pirate group and learn the Kasha Civilization's route.
He turned to PuruPuru beside him. "Do you know anyone in the Artificial Human Pirate Group?"
"I know of them, but they don't know me. We've never interacted," PuruPuru replied, shaking his head.
"Hmm."
Chen Mang fell silent, deep in thought. He was determined to get his share. With his current abilities, not seizing some of the spoils would be a waste of his God-Tier Overpowered Effect. Those Divine-tier Overpowered Effects couldn't be left unused.
(End of the Chapter)
📖Read [MAT] ahead on Pa.treon@AnubisTL upto c390. 💠COMPLETED💠
🎁All [3] Novels can be accessed for just $6/mo.
🔥Translated [1.1k+] Chapters and [2.46M+] Words.