The steady flight was abruptly shattered by an unimaginable jolt! Fang Senyan felt a flash of green light explode instantly before his eyes, dyeing the entire surrounding space a brilliant, sickly green. Even with the physique of a Contractor, his retinas were completely overwhelmed by the glare. Only afterward could he perceive fine droplets of thin, green acid misting and scattering through the void, finally vanishing.

Simultaneously, Fang Senyan heard an indescribable hissing corrosion emanating from the outer hull of his cabin—the sound, perhaps, of spitting water vapor onto a red-hot iron pan. Clearly, the outer layer of metal was being rapidly eaten away! Fortunately, his perception registered no specific warning, suggesting he was still relatively safe.

The green light flashed again, and this time Fang Senyan clearly saw a massive, swirling mass of acid hurtling up from below. The surface of this fluid exhibited vortex-like ripples, dotted with bubbling, pustule-like depressions, filled with a green substance as luminous as jade. It burst violently beside a nearby troop transport, raining down like a downpour. The green liquid immediately drenched the transport, which quickly began corroding, smoking, and then exploding with a tremendous roar! In the mysterious, deep expanse of space, a magnificent firework display bloomed.

"The route is under attack by Acid Spore Cannons." "The route is under attack by Acid Spore Cannons." "Warning: Please alter course." "Warning: Please alter course."

As the synthesized female voice sounded, Fang Senyan realized that the eleven other individuals in the cabin, like himself, were sitting pressed against the walls, faces grim, silent. They wore the advanced, one-piece combat armor and helmets, and Fang Senyan noted that their gazes swept the surroundings with a high degree of vigilance. They appeared to be mutually unacquainted, which undoubtedly increased the difficulty of this mission.

Just then, a beam of light suddenly shone in the empty seat to Fang Senyan's left. Immediately following, another figure materialized in that spot. Although clad in the same one-piece combat armor and helmet, Fang Senyan recognized his identity at a glance.

It was because the weapon deliberately slung across his back was far too conspicuous: a golden gunstock, a golden barrel, and that air of indifference to life and death, of looking down on everything—it was Mogsan, the ace gunslinger of the Symbiotic Society whom Fang Senyan had encountered in the previous world! If Fang Senyan recalled correctly, only Mogsan remained of the Symbiotic Society now.

After appearing, he casually surveyed his surroundings. Perhaps others recognized his signature firearm, murmuring amongst themselves. Finally, Mogsan’s gaze settled on Fang Senyan, pausing for a moment before transmitting a message through the Nightmare Imprint with considerable disbelief:

"Sailor?"

Transmitting messages this way consumed Universal Points, though promotion in rank gradually reduced this cost, becoming free upon reaching the Colonel level. Fang Senyan knew Mogsan possessed formidable sensory abilities; denial was pointless. He replied coolly:

"We meet again."

Mogsan let out a deep breath: "Stronger again. It seems your perception has vastly improved. I can’t discern specific information this time. Fortunately, we still won't be standing on opposite sides."

Fang Senyan smiled: "No longer planning to avenge Metal Mentor?"

Mogsan replied flatly: "Killing and being killed are normal occurrences in the Space. Besides, the only person Metal Mentor trusted was you. Why should I avenge them? I only speculated on a clean retreat, I didn't expect them to be killed by your hand either."

"They died because of greed and arrogance," Fang Senyan sighed slightly. "By the way, why is it such a coincidence that we meet again?"

Mogsan’s eyes showed a flicker of confusion, but he patiently explained: "Everyone in this cabin right now should be a Contractor with a certain level of strength who hasn't yet joined a team. These Contractors might be stragglers whose original team leaders died, like us, or perhaps they are lone wolves whose strength has grown to a certain level. This damned Space likely promotes teamwork, so it forces fragmented Contractors like us to form temporary teams to execute special missions, allowing us to find teammates. Of course, the difficulty of these special missions is often very high, intended to force Contractors into teams, otherwise, the later it gets, the harder it becomes for solo Contractors to survive."

Fang Senyan nodded slightly. In the world of Harry Potter, he had already begun to realize that clinging to his solo status was beginning to impede his growth. Moreover, the milestones from the last world alone were enough to consume all the time available to a solo Contractor. If he hadn't leveraged the power of the Symbiotic Society, he might not even have met the activation requirements for some of those milestones. Mogsan glanced at Fang Senyan and continued:

"We were previously in the same team, and we belong to different combat types—I am ranged, you are melee. Our combat styles don't overlap much, so when the Space considers forming a temporary team, it often prioritizes this combination. Therefore, the chance of us being paired is at least fifty percent."

Mogsan then looked at Fang Senyan: "To be honest, the two teams I was previously in had fatal flaws: a lack of someone reliable to step up as the linchpin in critical moments! To achieve that, one must be an abnormal creature with both brains and talent… So, I genuinely look forward to cooperating with you."

Fang Senyan’s gaze shifted slightly, and he smiled: "You overestimate me... But everyone who has worked with me before says I'm quite dominant and difficult to get along with."

Mogsan stated firmly: "If one wants to walk the right path, a dominant leader is naturally indispensable. Of course, dominance does not equate to tyranny or greed."

Fang Senyan narrowed his eyes slightly, smiled, and said no more. Everything that needed to be said had been spoken; understanding would come through combat. However, based on Fang Senyan’s ease in giving away the Bloody Key to Fante in the previous world, Mogsan could generally conclude that Fang Senyan was at least shrewd enough to weigh profit and loss.

At this point, the flight of the vessel gradually smoothed out, suggesting they had shaken off their pursuers. Only two transport ships remained beside them, roaring onward. But just then, a faint cloud of purplish-brown mist appeared in the distance ahead. The transport ships sharply veered, the orange-red afterburners twisting into two curved arcs behind them. Yet, two monstrous, grotesquely deformed creatures burst forth from the purple mist, beating their wings and swooping toward them!

The upper bodies of these two monsters somewhat resembled giant moths, but their wing protrusions and mouths sprouted sharp, barbed fangs. Their wings were primarily composed of membrane. Their tails were long, multi-segmented, curved, and slightly thick, ending in a swollen gland from which a deep concavity emerged. Their bodies were covered in an indescribable, shiny mucus, as if coated in a layer of crystal—this was evidently why they could survive in the vacuum of space.

Even though the transport ships were clearly at full throttle, their afterburners having shifted from orange-red to a thin, pale blue, the two creatures relentlessly pursued them, beating their wings. From the glands at their tails, they spat blocks of pale green, viscous fluid. This fluid seemed almost alive; it splashed onto the hard metal hull of one transport ship, leaving a scorched mark, then sprang off to strike the adjacent ship before dissipating.

The hearts of all the Contractors inside the transport cabins were clenching! They were in space, after all; if a transport ship was destroyed, they would be utterly helpless and surely dead! But they soon noticed their carrier ship began accelerating, carving an arc as it dove toward the surface of the ochre planet. Initially, the planet occupied only half the porthole, but now it filled the entire forward screen. It seemed certain that they would land safely before the other two transport ships were shot down.

Under the continuous assault from the two flying monsters, one transport ship became riddled with holes. Finally, the metal reached its fatigue limit. With a boom, fuel sprayed from the ruptured pipes, igniting the entire hull. It spun out of control with a roar, crashing into the mysterious, cold depths of space amidst a massive explosion of flames and scattered debris—parts, seats, and even bodies.

Fang Senyan watched the two flying monsters turn their attention to furiously attacking the remaining transport ship. His eyes flashed sharply. He sent a message to Mogsan via the Nightmare Imprint:

"Do you have a way to hit those two monsters behind us?"

Mogsan started, instinctively about to refuse, but then caught the look in Fang Senyan’s eyes. He hesitated: "I do, but this is a trump card I've kept hidden. Using it on those two would be a waste; I don't think it's necessary."

Fang Senyan smiled faintly: "Very good. We have taken the first step toward mutual trust. I noticed you seem quite well-known among these fellows; perhaps you could ask if they have a way?"

...

It has been a long time since I interacted with readers; I am also testing the strength of my descriptive writing. The question is: What is the name of the creatures attacking the transport ships mentioned in this text?

Heh heh, see you all in the comments section. Don't be late.