Chapter 58: Star Rights Coalition and Landis with Cub

Chapter 58: Star Rights Coalition and Landis with Cub

Over the past few months, the town built by Xiao Sa's clansmen on the desolate planet had started to flourish.

After Xiao Sa's new inhibitor factory got on track, apart from the most common high-concentration inhibitors, Xiao Sa also developed a series of inhibitors with varying effects based on his experience treating soldiers in the legion during his time in the Dawn Empire.

There were specialized inhibitors for psychic entity regulation, pain relief for disabled soldiers, and others designed to dissipate the effects of a violent onset of a mating period. And, of course, the most expensive and effective type was for reversing pollution damage, usable even by deeply polluted soldiers.

Each type of inhibitor came in various flavors, including wine, tobacco, musk, as well as sweet cream, ice cream, and grape.

Once launched, they quickly gained widespread popularity and became highly sought after in the black market, significantly impacting the inhibitor markets of several neighboring countries.

Especially in the edge regions of the Dawn Empire, where local armed groups and government officials colluded for profit, normal trade was greatly affected by the blockade, which in turn made smuggling increasingly rampant.

The previously low-concentration and expensive inhibitors from the Royal Association now had a strong competitor, making them seem even less cost-effective. Even some upper-class nobility began secretly using these smuggled inhibitors, with prices soaring up to ten times higher than Xiao Sa's selling price.

In the edge star zone of the Dawn Empire, there even appeared counterfeit inhibitors mimicking those produced by the Star Rights Coalition, and even these knock-offs were flying off the shelves.

The Royal Association was furious, and Xiao Sa was helpless, after all, he was just a smuggling supplier now.

Xiao Sa's clansmen had been busy up to this point and had managed to solve the basic survival and food problems, but the environment on the planet was still too harsh, and mutants would occasionally emerge from the surrounding debris belt. There was still a long way to go before the planet could be fully transformed into a habitable one.

"Is it around here?"

Xiao Sa drove an exploration mech and worked with his elder brother to prospect for energy minerals.

This was at the foot of a volcano where the exploration team had recently detected significant underground energy fluctuations, suspecting there was an energy vein.

Haino's robot chimed in, "Monitoring shows that underground geological activity is rising. There might be a small-scale lava eruption soon."

"Understood," Xiao Sa nodded. "Everyone, be careful."

Haino's original ordinary bionic robot had been replaced by a high-performance biological robot.

Its internal skeleton was made of nano-alloy, its muscles filled with bio-materials, and its skin tissue appeared no different from a human's, with moisture and elasticity, even capable of normal eating and excretion.

The Star Rights gem that was originally installed in its core had been separated and re-worn around Xiao Sa's neck.

Haino had been given an ordinary energy stone instead, as he was no longer the Central Mind of the Dawn Empire and didn't require such massive energy. Basic energy was enough to maintain the operation of the entire biological robot.

With his own aesthetic, Haino had specially crafted a mature and handsome middle-aged face for himself, complete with a long scar on his nose for decoration.

Tall, broad, and muscular, slightly taller than Xiao Sa, standing silently in a dark coat, he exuded an intimidating presence, like a seasoned crime lord. His imposing figure and silent demeanor made him look every bit the part of a dangerous leader.

However, Xiao Sa knew that once Haino opened his mouth, he would reveal his chatty, gossipy, and fussy nature.

The exploration team had just installed a detector in a newly drilled borehole when everyone suddenly felt the ground tremble beneath them.

Xiao Sa's face tightened with concern. "Fly a bit farther away. It's about to erupt."

All the exploration mechs immediately took off at full speed, and just as they ascended into the air, thick smoke surged out of the volcano. The golden-red lava, nearly black, flowed slowly down the crater, causing the ground to tremble violently.

The elder brother's voice came through the system channel, sighing, "Fortunately, it was only a minor eruption. Otherwise, our newly built small city would be in danger."

Haino suddenly said, "Detecting high-index energy reaction."

Xiao Sa was stunned. Could it be that the energy minerals were embedded within the lava or volcanic ash and had just been ejected?

That would save them the trouble of excavation altogether.

Once the volcano stabilized, the team's exploration mechs slowly returned to the ground.

As expected, they found a significant amount of special energy minerals in the areas where the lava had flowed. These minerals were rich in highly pure energy, and after processing and extraction, they would be more than sufficient to support their production, livelihood, and construction.

Xiao Sa immediately contacted the command post to send a transport team to collect these energy minerals and establish a proper mining base.

After a busy day, the exploration team returned to the city with substantial gains. However, as they approached the city, the port satellite suddenly triggered an alarm and alerted the command post:

"We've detected an unidentified starship approaching from outside the atmosphere! We've sent a warning, but they haven't responded. Our combat teams are preparing for engagement."

Xiao Sa frowned as his father's voice came through the system channel, instructing him and his elder brother to head to the command center immediately.

In the center of this newly established city stood a tall tower, which housed the city's defense, surveillance, and energy systems.

At the top of the tower was the command center, a circular flat layer with 360-degree unobstructed floor-to-ceiling windows that allowed a clear view of every corner of the city.

Around the center of the command center was a large holographic projection screen. Xiao Yijing was standing in front of the projection and quickly called the two brothers over when he saw them.

The starship on the opposite side was a capital-class warship, roughly the same size as the one Xiao Sa had encountered when he first met the Broken Peak pirate group.

Xiao Yijing spoke slowly, "They didn't come here with good intentions. They're after us."

Xiao Ke, the elder brother, thought for a moment and asked, "Could it be that our recent profits from smuggling inhibitors have caught the attention of nearby groups, and they've come to rob us?"

However, this planet is near the debris belt, and mutants often appear. Would these pirates really risk encountering mutants to come and rob them?

Xiao Sa observed carefully for a moment and said, "Their target is very clear; it doesn't seem like a spur-of-the-moment decision. But we don't lack energy anymore, and they only have a massive warship. We should activate the city's defense shields first; otherwise, if their main cannon fires, our losses will be significant."

Xiao Yijing nodded and said, "Don't worry, the city's defense shield has been activated."

As they were discussing, Broken Peak hurriedly arrived at the command center.

The Broken Peak Security Armed Company had long upgraded its battleships and weaponry, and all personnel had been cured of mental contamination. As the Fourth Legion that once fought for the Dawn Empire, their combat effectiveness was not to be underestimated.

"Everyone, the emblem on that battleship... I've heard of them from my time as a space pirate," Broken Peak said, crossing his arms with a sneer. "These people are space pirates called the Hurricane group, but what they do is bully the weak and engage in profitless massacres."

"They control several colonies on indigenous planets, where the locals are forced to cultivate raw materials for them."

"The Hurricane pirates' base is probably located in the debris belt not far from here. I've already sent scouts to investigate, and it seems that the indigenous king deliberately lured them here."

Xiao Ke was surprised and said, "We've dealt with this indigenous king before and exchanged quite a bit with them. The king was quite friendly at the time and didn't seem to reject us. When we first arrived, we didn't speak the language and learned both the language and common knowledge from the people of that indigenous nation. Why would they do this?"

"Moreover, aren't they afraid that these space pirates might not only steal their national assets but also enslave their people and turn their planet into a colonial world?"

Broken Peak gave him a deep look and shook his head. "Maybe it's because you were too generous, trading rare ores for basic food, supplies, and common knowledge. That might have given them the impression that you were easy to push around."

"More importantly, our city's construction has been rapidly absorbing labor from their nation. This city now houses over 30,000 people, most of whom have fled from there, and the number is still increasing exponentially."

"Rumors have spread that our city is filled with opportunities—anyone who comes to work here will find endless food and wealth."

"Some people resent seeing their former neighbors thrive while they struggle."

Xiao Yijing agreed. "Yes, this desolate planet has long been isolated from the developed galactic society due to the threat of mutants. They probably have no idea how vicious those space pirates are. They might even see them as equal partners, coming to divide our accumulated wealth."

Xiao Sa looked calmly at the gradually approaching warship on the projection screen. He could already see their combat mechs pouring out of the landing bays, preparing for ground combat. Perhaps they still saw them as backward natives.

Xiao Sa instructed Broken Peak, "We shouldn't expose our warships. A bunch of pirates isn't worth our people risking their lives."

"Let's show them the full power of our home planet's most advanced ground defenses."

Xiao Yijing and Xiao Ke exchanged a glance, their expressions equally complex.

This cannon was removed from their battleship and was once the strongest ground defense weapon on their home planet. It consisted of 181 ballistic trajectories, each a miniature clean nuclear cannon.

It had a surprisingly fitting and catchy name—Sunflower.

The full-scale Sunflower was incredibly powerful. A single volley could severely damage or even destroy a super-class starship.

However, the version they had built on their current planet was a miniaturized one, with only 81 trajectories. The only drawback was its enormous energy consumption. In the past, to conserve energy, this weapon would not have been used unless absolutely necessary.

Xiao Sa calmly turned to Haino, "Taking out these pirates will only require the central eight trajectories. It's time to show the native king of this planet and the neighboring forces what we're capable of."

"If we don't give them a heavy blow now, there will surely be a steady stream of troublemakers coming to take advantage of us in the future."

"Alright, Xiao Sa," Haino said with a sinister grin, nodding eagerly. The scar on his nose bridge made him look even more menacing.

On the battleship of the Hurricane Pirate Group.

In the captain's command room, the pirate leader twirled a high glass of blood-red wine. He had a horizontal scar on his face, not for show like Haino’s, but a deep, bone-visible wound.

"Boss, the native king said there's an inhibitor production plant here and a rudimentary spaceport. His people often see large vehicles full of supplies and rare energy being transported in," reported a subordinate.

"We've robbed many planets, but we've never looted an inhibitor production plant."

The captain sneered, "This is just a desolate planet. The one smuggling inhibitors to them was once the pirate Broken Peak, wasn't it?"

"I heard that he was hunted by the Third Legion of the Dawn Empire and almost annihilated. Why should we fear them?"

"Broken Peak and his cowards. Their radar has already detected us, yet they haven't even brought their battleship out to face us. Maybe they're hiding."

The vice-captain laughed arrogantly, "After this job, we'll be rich. Just like on those other colony planets, we'll put that native king in charge of the inhibitor production plant as our assembly-line king."

Hearing this, the other pirates in the command room laughed.

But their laughter quickly turned to shock.

Below them, a massive 30-meter-wide turret in the city slowly swiveled to lock onto the Hurricane Pirate Group's starship. The turret's muzzle was like a concave honeycomb cross-section, densely packed with clean nuclear cannon trajectories. The center circle gradually lit up with a pale golden energy fluctuation.

In the city's command center, the countdown on the control panel began: "Ten, nine, eight… three, two, one, fire!"

"Boom! Boom! Boom!" Eight micro-nuclear bombs were launched at high speed with powerful propelling air currents, heading towards the locked pirate starship.

The captain of the Hurricane Pirates only had time to order the activation of the defense shield. The next second, everyone heard the sound of the defense shield shattering!

Immediately after, the command room's monitors flickered with static, and the pirates were blinded by a dazzling white-gold light.

As a series of deafening explosions erupted, the starship was swallowed by a blinding white-gold light!

A terrifying blast wave whipped up a huge storm in the air, and the shockwave energy visibly rippled through the air before disappearing into the distance.

The stellar-class starship was ripped in half, its front section vaporized, leaving only the rear half to be hurled backward hundreds of meters, trailing a thick plume of gray smoke as it plummeted to the ground.

In the upper level of the command center, Broken Peak stared in shock at the scene, his mouth agape.

Holy shit, their new boss has some serious firepower. Even in the Dawn Empire, such a powerful weapon would only be deployed in the core administrative areas of upper-class stars.

At this moment, thousands of kilometers away, in the royal palace of the native kingdom.

The king was still immersed in the happiness and joy of dividing the profits from the inhibitor factory with the pirates, hosting a feast with his ministers.

The intoxicated king clung to a dancer who had just finished her performance. He shouted at the ministers who were flattering him, “It’s all the fault of those ungrateful fools. At first, they traded crystal minerals for our food, but now?”

“Not only do they refuse to pay us tributes, but they also lured away all the commoners. Now, there’s no one to work the abandoned fields outside. This is an outrage! Have they forgotten who helped them when they were in distress?”

One minister said, “But they arrived in warships...”

“We may not be able to fight them, but there are stronger forces outside the planet. What do we have to fear?”

The minister looked worriedly at the king and said, “But those pirates are not to be trifled with. What if they decide to rule our country? Their ships are bigger than our largest vessels.”

The king said coldly, “What choice do we have? We can’t fight them, so we might as well ally with the stronger side. Who let those Xiao people be so stubborn? Besides, anyone who can afford such advanced ships wouldn’t be interested in our limited resources. It’s best if they fight each other to the death, and we can pick up the pieces.”

The ministers wiped their sweat and praised the king for his foresight.

Before they could finish speaking, a deafening explosion was heard outside. All the glassware on the banquet table shattered instantly. The dancers screamed and scattered in fear.

The king almost hid under the table. “What’s happening? A volcanic eruption? An earthquake?”

A minister ran in frantically from the door, shouting, “Your Majesty, we’re doomed! That group is terrifying! Their cannon took down the giant ship we were in contact with in just one shot!”

“Now they’re coming for us to seek revenge! What do we do?”

The king, trembling like a leaf under the banquet table, emitted a foul smell and fainted.

The remaining ministers looked at each other in panic. Finally, they steeled their hearts and said, “Forget it. Since the power gap is so large, there’s no point in resisting. Let’s just surrender!”

Meanwhile, in Xiao Sa’s command center, everyone had relaxed smiles on their faces.

The elder brother got emotional, his eyes turning red again. “Ah, sunflowers—how nostalgic. This is what it feels like to be wealthy and powerful, isn’t it?”

After starting to build the city, the clansmen’s combat units had been trying to nurture mental entities to resist the solar rays while gradually clearing out all the mutant nests nearby.

Now, all the visible contamination on the planet had been cleaned up almost completely.

All along, what they lacked the most was neither money nor resources, but a large labor force.

Now, the neighboring native kingdom had a total population of less than a million. A small city on any average planet in the Dawn Empire would have a similar population.

It was said that this kingdom had once been a superpower on this continent, but ever since the mutants appeared nearby, the population had been dwindling. If not for encountering Xiao Sa and his group, they might have gone extinct in another decade or so.

With Xiao Sa’s base city, they finally had enough people to develop their city to scale.

Xiao Sa calmly stroked his chin and said, “Now that we have territory, resources, and a population, it’s time to give our territory an official name.”

On their home planet, his father, Xiao Yijing, like Landis, had been a military general. Later, during a civil war that left the home planet devastated and uninhabitable, Xiao Yijing had led his direct legion and clansmen to leave their homeland.

Xiao Yijing sighed and thought for a moment before saying, “Our organization is made up of several factions. Xiao Sa’s tech conglomerate is called the Star Power Group. How about we name it the Star Power Alliance?”

※※※

Half a year passed in the blink of an eye.

Over the past few months, the Dawn Empire had been in turmoil due to the nationwide lockdown.

The council chamber is in constant turmoil over this matter, with citizens holding banners and placards protesting at the entrance of the council hall every day.

On major administrative planets across the star zones, large numbers of affected citizens regularly take to the streets to protest against the incompetent royal family, who have expended so much effort to hunt for Alpha but found nothing, while also impacting their economic income and living standards.

Governments at all levels of the planet continuously dispatch armed forces to suppress these demonstrations, but they often encounter various "accidents," which ultimately escalate into large-scale conflicts.

Even other nobles can no longer withstand the economic losses, and under the boiling public resentment, the royal family can no longer turn a deaf ear to public opinion.

Inside the council chamber.

The emperor sits on his throne like a statue, holding his scepter, silent, watching the ministers below argue and complain.

The president of the Royal Association, Sa, fumes, shouting, "Your Majesty, the armed smuggling groups in the fringe star zones are now openly resisting our association's inhibitors."

"We cannot allow these armed factions, big and small, to continue trading inhibitors recklessly in the fringe star zones!"

"If this continues, a reduction in tax revenue will be a trivial concern; what truly matters is the destabilization of the foundation of royal rule. The local armed police are no match for these people."

"Moreover, some local government officials are heavily bribed, taking advantage of the distance from the capital to ignore the royal commands. Your Majesty, please send the army immediately to suppress and completely eliminate these lawless local forces!"

The emperor furrowed his brow, his gaze hesitantly sweeping past the face of the Fourth Legion commander before settling on Landis.

The First and Second Legions are stationed on the front lines and cannot be moved. At present, the only legion that can be mobilized is the Third Legion, but Landis is still on mandatory leave.

He sighed; Landis has already recovered from childbirth, and there is no reason to keep him detained in the central star any longer.

However, during the empire-wide search, Landis has remained quietly in his territory, not associating with any suspicious individuals. If he continues to be forcibly detained, it might provoke him, which would be disastrous.

The emperor cleared his throat and said, "In fact, the council has reached an agreement and is about to lift the border blockade soon, restoring trade and traffic."

He smiled and looked at General Landis, "General Landis, President Sa is right; this matter indeed requires the military's involvement. Your Excellency has rested for so long, your body should be recovered, yes?"

Dressed in black and gold military uniform, General Landis stepped forward, his right hand resting on his waist as he bowed slightly, his face expressionless, "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. My body is well, and I am willing to serve you."

Seeing no obvious displeasure on his face, the emperor breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "That’s good. This task will be entrusted to the Third Legion."

Landis's eyes flickered slightly, "Yes, Your Majesty."

***

After the administrative meeting, Landis returned to the manor, and the first thing he did was head straight for the baby's nursery.

Pushing open the door, he saw a little golden-haired ball hugging a bottle of diluted pheromone inhibitor, sucking on it incessantly while burping occasionally. Two attendants were taking care of him nearby.

Hearing the sound, the baby turned his head unsteadily, revealing a pair of blue, misty eyes, looking as if he were drunk, and giggled foolishly at Landis.

"…" Landis felt utterly helpless, supporting his forehead with one hand.

He couldn't understand why the baby liked the pheromone inhibitor so much. Besides drinking milk, he seemed to enjoy sucking on this. At just six months old, he was already almost the size of a child over a year old.

Suddenly, he thought of Xiao Sa, who had once mentioned his love for tequila. He wondered if the baby's preference for this taste was related to his genetic inheritance.

Landis took the pheromone inhibitor from the baby's hand and put it away, then removed his military jacket and unbuttoned his shirt; it was time to feed the baby.

The baby extended his two plump arms and was placed in Landis's embrace, mumbling "MaMa" indistinctly.

"You should call me Dad," Landis had corrected him many times, but the baby still preferred this pronunciation.

The baby sucked contentedly at Landis's chest, occasionally uttering "MaMa?" in confusion.

Holding him, Landis felt a pang of pain in his other breast.

He took down the wedding photo hanging on the wall, raised an eyebrow, and pointed to Xiao Sa beside him, saying irritably, "This is Mom!"

"He's on a long trip, and Dad has to go on a business trip too. You stay here in the manor and wait for us to come back, understood?"

The baby looked at Xiao Sa's face with wide eyes, "MaMa! Burp~"