Chapter 55

Chapter 55

The old marshal was taken aback as her gaze shifted from the fiercely fighting Big Black Egg to the wounded soldiers with various physical disabilities who now radiated vitality and were unrecognizably different from before. Her eyes filled with relief, "They all seem very spirited."

Xiao Chen had once left the Sixteenth Legion's medical officers and pharmacists at a loss. After he was injured, she, as his only relative, didn't have time to be by his side. Seeing him so lively and carefree now, she gradually felt reassured as his grandmother.

The other young soldiers who had been forced into early retirement due to injuries were also faring much better than they did in the legion's medical department, both physically and mentally. Their resurgence brought her great comfort.

She turned to look at Bai Xiaoyu, her expression softening even more. She owed it all to this young man, Bai Xiaoyu.

Only he could have restored these people so well across the entire galaxy.

At that moment, another urgent war report arrived, and she glanced at Su Ran.

Su Ran immediately became serious, exchanged a few brief words with Bai Xiaoyu, and ended the call. The lively projection vanished, replaced by a battlefield report.

After ending the call with Su Ran, Bai Xiaoyu watched the group fight for a bit before speaking up, "Big Black, if you keep fighting them, we won't finish until nightfall. Why don't I quickly check them over and head back?"

His voice wasn't loud, almost drowned out by the sounds of animals and combat, but Big Black Egg stopped instantly. The other warriors, slightly slower, reined in their attacks, and the chaotic scene froze as if paused.

Bai Xiaoyu waved at Big Black Egg, "Big Black, come back."

Big Black Egg pushed aside the cheetah blocking his path and excitedly ran towards Bai Xiaoyu, rubbing against him vigorously.

Bai Bai was right; finishing the tests quickly meant bringing Bai Bai back sooner. Although there would be a clingy little one waiting, still just an egg and immobile, he could tolerate it.

Bai Xiaoyu patted Big Black Egg and then addressed the many warriors, "Line up, I'll check each one."

This time, everything went smoothly with Big Black Egg watching closely, and the scene remained orderly.

Within half an hour, the checks were completed, and the warriors' conditions had improved significantly. Bai Xiaoyu left behind a batch of medications, gave instructions, and then headed back with Big Black Egg.

Three days passed quickly, and apart from a dozen severely injured soldiers, most were now fine.

Bai Xiaoyu focused on preparing medicinal baths for those dozen or so individuals whose injuries were fundamental, mostly due to severe dark matter contamination, requiring gradual recovery.

In addition, after retiring, the warriors had their high-end equipment, including mechs, confiscated. Currently, they only retained weapons purchased with military credits, while standard military-issue weapons were also reclaimed.

The warriors' mechs and armaments were provided by the legion and not personal property. Now retired, they voluntarily handed over their gear, redirecting resources to the current battlefronts.

Feeling embarrassed by their rudimentary equipment, the warriors believed Bai Xiaoyu lacked resources on D36, making it difficult to arm them properly. Moreover, Bai Xiaoyu had already spent astronomical amounts on top-grade medications for them.

Many warriors planned to pool their savings and retirement funds to collectively purchase new equipment.

Upon discovering this, Bai Xiaoyu rejected their proposal.

The reason was simple: as their employer, he was responsible for their equipment. Besides, their savings were limited, and they had families to support. Combined, their funds wouldn't cover even a few mechs.

Seeing their current gear, which included only basic energy cannons and energy guns, along with close-combat military daggers, Bai Xiaoyu realized it was insufficient. They needed various military instruments, sophisticated reconnaissance and counter-reconnaissance devices, multifunctional mechs, and a base-standard battleship.

A battleship not only combined defense and offense but also provided supplies and repairs for mechs and medical treatment for injured personnel.

Bai Xiaoyu checked online and found that even a small battleship cost billions. A basic model for a hundred-person crew started at fifty billion, and higher grades were even more expensive, starting at hundreds of billions, with no purchase rights for non-legion entities.

Bai Xiaoyu withdrew his gaze and looked at mechs instead. Most mechs sold externally were civilian-grade, with the highest being B-class. A-class mechs were rare and similarly expensive, costing nearly nine digits in credit points. S-class mechs were even pricier, doubling the cost without guaranteeing availability.

Bai Xiaoyu gained a clearer understanding of the galaxy's most expensive regions, realizing the massive investment required to build a formidable force.

But he wasn't deterred, as it was less than what he'd already invested in the Herb Base and the core research teams led by Tao Limeng and Qi Yanhuan, alongside Qin Lie. Each required significant funding.

Starting from the basics seemed necessary.

In recent days, Qi Yanhuan and Qin Lie had recruited a few more people to join their team, while Tao Limeng had declined, echoing Lou Hao's earlier sentiment that recruiting was fine but not necessary around him as a core figure.

Bai Xiaoyu approached Tao Limeng, who was busy studying a nutrient solution synthesizer.

Without looking up, Tao Limeng, seemingly accustomed to this, said, "Boss, what do you need this time?"

Bai Xiaoyu: "I do have a request, but it's hard for you to handle alone."

Tao Limeng looked up at Bai Xiaoyu, "What is it this time?"

From the alchemy furnaces for interns, spirit force training devices, to various functional instruments and defensive weapons for the Herb Base, he had never encountered such a diverse set of demands from an employer.

Had he not been preoccupied with the nutrient solution synthesizer, he might have packed up and left long ago.

Tao Limeng felt an inexplicable sense of dread, fearing he might be stuck here if he didn't leave soon.

But he dismissed the thought, confident that within three months, he could crack the synthesizer.

Bai Xiaoyu: "The warriors need more advanced weapons..."

Tao Limeng interrupted him, "Boss, that's not my problem. More advanced weapons require different materials. D36 doesn't have enough mineral varieties to provide the raw materials needed for higher-grade weapons. I've barely managed to design something reasonable with the limited resources available. This is the best I can do given the constraints."

Bai Xiaoyu placated him, "I understand. I'm not doubting your expertise. I want you to consider higher configurations if we expand the material pool."

Tao Limeng: "Then you need to specify how large the material pool should be. You don't have much here, and seeing this barren warehouse makes it hard to imagine."

Despite having access to a tech product surpassing current galactic standards by a century, Bai Xiaoyu's conditions were among the worst he'd ever encountered. Everything had to start from scratch.

However, despite the constant requests and lack of materials, Tao Limeng appreciated the freedom and support he received. The challenges had led to breakthroughs in basic designs, enhancing his work on the nutrient solution synthesizer.

Bai Xiaoyu: "Alright, I can't give specifics yet, but follow the optimal design approach."

Tao Limeng: "...Boss, you're getting ahead of yourself. My optimal design requires SSS-grade weapons. Where are you going to get such high-quality materials for me? It's not just one type of material; we need dozens or even hundreds. Not to mention, did you find the materials for the biomechanical limbs?"

At this moment, Bai Xiaoyu's optical brain flashed. He looked down and saw a message from Bai Kan.

—I'm here.

Bai Xiaoyu raised an eyebrow. He arrived so quickly. And at just the right time.

His dear supplier of raw materials.

Bai Xiaoyu turned to Tao Limeng, who had once again immersed himself in his research, and grabbed his arm.

Tao Limeng was startled. "Boss, what are you doing?"

Bai Xiaoyu smiled as he walked. "I'm taking you to see the variety of raw materials."

Tao Limeng was confused. What is he talking about?

What nonsense is this?

Tao Limeng struggled. "I don't want to go; I still have to work on the refining instrument."

Bai Xiaoyu didn't let go. "The refining instrument is currently limited by materials too. If you come with me, you might gain new design insights."

Thus, Tao Limeng was dragged by Bai Xiaoyu to the front entrance of the Pharmacy Building.

In front of them appeared a limited-edition, dual-S-class interstellar spacecraft, with a translucent light blue shell and streamlined design. Clearly capable of invisibility, it combined speed and combat power. This top-tier spacecraft, released a week ago, cost two hundred billion credits and was extremely rare, making it hard to buy even with the credits.

Tao Limeng turned to Bai Xiaoyu. "It's much better than your ten-million-credit junk."

Bai Xiaoyu: "...As long as it works. How about you make me one later?"

Tao Limeng scoffed. "Do you have the materials?"

Bai Xiaoyu pointed at the spacecraft. "Ask him for them."

Tao Limeng was stunned. Is this the supplier of raw materials? Looking at the two-hundred-billion-credit spacecraft, it seemed like they had deep pockets.

Could Bai Xiaoyu really have found a supplier?

Getting hold of such a limited-edition spacecraft meant they must be capable. But it could also be a nouveau riche who paid a huge price for it.

The former was acceptable; the latter was questionable.

Tao Limeng recalled Bai Xiaoyu's previous words and realized it was likely the former. With this supplier, A-grade materials should be no problem...

At this moment, the spacecraft opened, and a tall, fair-skinned, handsome man stepped out. He immediately looked over.

Both were taken aback.

Seeing the arrival, Tao Limeng was shocked.

Bai Kan, the next heir of the Lu family. And behind him was the Lu family, the largest supplier of raw materials in the entire galaxy!

When Bai Xiaoyu told him to broaden his design thinking, he thought it was just a corner opened. Now, his mind was completely open.

If they truly collaborated with the Lu family, there would be no shortage of raw materials!

Seeing the transformed Bai Xiaoyu, Bai Kan was surprised.

He hadn't expected that within a few months, the fool who used to be fooled by Bai Qi and others wouldn't seem foolish anymore.

This face paired with this demeanor made him seem like a different person, yet more pleasing to the eye.

Just looking at him improved his mood.

Bai Kan thought, if he really deceived me, how could I take revenge against such a face?

As a hidden appearance enthusiast, he felt a bit reluctant for the first time.

He then noticed Tao Limeng beside Bai Xiaoyu and was slightly stunned before recovering. Remembering that Bai Qi had been frantically searching for Tao Limeng, now he was here with Bai Xiaoyu.

Was this the start of a counterattack? Interesting.

Bai Xiaoyu extended his hand to Bai Kan. "Welcome."

Bai Kan looked at the pale, slender hand and didn't refuse. He reached out and shook it firmly. "Xiaoyu, don't deceive your brother."

Bai Xiaoyu returned the firm grip. "Of course not."

Bai Kan released his hand. "Then introduce me to that master? I want him to help me now. If he's not capable, don't waste my time."

Bai Xiaoyu nodded. "Sure, but you need to pay a deposit first. Did you bring the materials for the biomechanical limbs?"

Bai Kan glanced at Bai Xiaoyu and, feeling rather good, tossed him a spatial button. "Inside is one-fifth of what you need, as a deposit."

Bai Xiaoyu caught the spatial button and handed it to Tao Limeng. "Check it out."

Tao Limeng complied. "Extremely high-quality materials."

Bai Xiaoyu: "Go back and study them. I'll send you the warriors' body data later."

Tao Limeng nodded. "What about the other materials?"

Bai Xiaoyu: "I'm working on it for you."

Watching their conversation without any pretense, Bai Kan was speechless. "You're really confident."

Bai Xiaoyu: "Of course. Let's go up and help you."

Bai Kan was followed by two tall men, both of whom clearly had extremely high combat abilities.

Bai Xiaoyu led him to a newly built medical room in the Pharmacy Building, with Qi Yanhuan and the others next door.

He looked at the two men behind Bai Kan, who waved them away, "Go outside and guard."

Bai Kan glanced around. The journey here had already surprised him. He had assumed that Bai Xiaoyu’s conditions would be terrible, but now he saw that although the location was a bit remote, it was actually not bad.

The people below seemed to be acquiring medicinal herbs. Judging by their appearance, this had been going on for quite some time. He recalled the intelligence he had received earlier: Bai Xiaoyu apparently seized the Huang family's herb acquisition chain on this planet?

Bai Xiaoyu had indeed changed too much. For someone to change so drastically in a short time, was he stimulated by something, or was he just pretending back on Imperial Star?

Bai Kan harbored doubts but did not show them. However, the next second, his calm demeanor was broken by Bai Xiaoyu’s words.

Bai Xiaoyu suddenly touched his leg, "Take off your pants and remove the external biomechanical limb support layer."

Bai Kan jumped up instantly, "What do you want?"

Bai Xiaoyu: "I’ll check your leg condition."

Bai Kan looked at him suspiciously, "Why are you looking and touching randomly? Get the master pharmacist to come."

Bai Xiaoyu: "He’s right in front of you, yet you’re unwilling to cooperate."

Bai Kan stared at Bai Xiaoyu, his expression cracking, "You?"