The entirety of this armor suite was practically tailor-made for Mogansa; it was undoubtedly top-tier, instantly igniting his envy and stirring his heart. The accompanying weapon, however, was a true heavy-hitter designed specifically for annihilating hordes of those Swift Beasts.

Name: Prometheus III Flamethrower Grade: Scenario Exclusive Equipment (Cannot be taken out of this world) Origin: Fessti System, Third Production Star, Star Alliance Material: Manganese Titanium Alloy Description: A terrifying tool of slaughter, possessing incredibly destructive power against enemies in tight groups, though it suffers from limited range. Equipment: Infinite Fuel. The Prometheus III Flamethrower automatically draws oxygen and hydrogen components from the atmosphere to replenish its propellant. The drawback is that sustained firing cannot exceed five minutes. Refuel time equals firing time. Note: Equipping or removing this weapon requires at least five seconds and must be wielded with both hands. When activated to spew flame, the user's movement speed is reduced. Movement speed returns to normal immediately upon ceasing fire. To purchase this weapon, reputation within the Steel Outpost Base must be Worship, and a payment of 4000 Universal Credits is required. Purchasing this equipment will also cost 4000 Reputation Points. The weapon vanishes upon leaving this world. ……，．．．

Mogansa sighed, "What a pity that purchasing requires Worship reputation! Climbing from Worship to the next tier requires at least 24,000 reputation; we are still far short of that."

Fang Senyan smiled faintly, "Perhaps not."

He immediately sought out Tommy Fickwen, the base commander, and accepted several missions from him. These involved routine patrols of the nearby areas, hunting down a few solitary Zerg, and, for the slightly challenging tasks, capturing a live Swift Beast. After spending two hours completing these objectives, Fang Senyan gained nearly 2,400 reputation points. The Steel Outpost Base was a relatively large and established base; an auxiliary radar station had already been constructed next to the central hall.

Entering the radar station, Fang Senyan had Jin Kuang pave the way. By spending only 300 Reputation Points and 300 Universal Credits, he persuaded the radar station staff to mark three locations on the map. After their calculations and real-time analysis, if the downed transport aircraft had managed a successful emergency landing, these three spots were the most likely crash sites.

He then went to see Madam Angz. Having Jin Kuang enter with his own Purple Star Insignia, combined with the "legendary" discount, Fang Senyan managed to purchase two units of N-grade High-Carbon Organic Armor and one Prometheus III Flamethrower outright! Of course, Fang Senyan was buying items that required Worship reputation while currently holding only Revered reputation. Consequently, both the N-grade armor and the flamethrower demanded nearly double the Universal Credits and Reputation Points! This was even with Jin Kuang’s maximum charisma influence! This leapfrog purchase completely depleted Fang Senyan’s Universal Credits and Reputation.

Mogansa’s eyes were nearly popping out! He simply couldn't fathom how Fang Senyan could directly purchase special items requiring Worship reputation when he only held the standard Revered status! At this time, Mogansa held Revered standing; he couldn't even view the special items and equipment restricted to the next tier of Worship reputation, let alone buy them! However, Jin Kuang's secret ability to "smuggle" purchases by front-loading high costs was a massive secret, one Fang Senyan was naturally unwilling to reveal at this moment. Still, watching Fang Senyan’s reputation plummet from Worship down to Indifferent, Mogansa grew pensive, vaguely grasping the situation.

After acquiring these three expensive pieces of gear, Fang Senyan’s financial status plummeted to zero. Fortunately, at this juncture, Mogansa stepped up, first equipping the team with a Reconnaissance Skimmer. This vehicle was a stripped-down, budget version of the Vulture Tank; it lacked offensive capabilities and could only carry two people. Its air-cushion hover system ensured remarkably stable speed over any terrain, and energy was never a concern—it could travel nearly ten thousand kilometers. Furthermore, Mogansa procured ten canisters of military rations. Each can cost 100 Reputation Points to purchase. Upon consumption, these restored a significant amount of health within seconds, while also boosting natural health regeneration by an additional 10% for 120 minutes.

Considering the harsh surrounding weather, the two men packed ample water and donned sandstorm-shielding helmets before setting off. During the previous base defense battle, the surrounding Zerg forces had been severely depleted, allowing them to drive out confidently. The open visibility of the desert provided ample warning against ambushes. Coupled with the holographic map that meticulously marked Zerg nesting grounds and hazardous zones, they drove nearly two hundred kilometers without encountering any danger.

Water was extremely scarce on this planet. Everywhere there were gravel, rocks, and dusty ochre ground, crisscrossed by sharp piles of rubble. Strangely, fine dust and debris were rare; there was an eerie cleanliness, suggesting frequent, powerful winds that swept away the lighter particulates.

However, it wasn't entirely devoid of life signs. Some objects resembling brown stones, upon closer inspection, proved to be incredibly resilient plant life. These formations were clenched tight like a closed fist, requiring considerable force to pry apart. Fang Senyan cautiously poured some water onto one, and the object immediately began to unfurl at a visible rate. Its leaves were thick, like Aloe Vera, rapidly spreading across the ground to cover nearly a square meter.

At that moment, Mogansa suddenly stiffened, then relaxed, "I just lost one Merit Point."

Fang Senyan, driving steadily, replied calmly, "I felt it."

Merit Points didn't vanish without cause. The only logical explanation was that the group sent to rescue the Hero Squad had met with disaster. Mogansa frowned, "If no more Merit Points are lost in the next five minutes, it means they were just careless and hit a temporary ambush. But if more start dropping, then without a doubt, they are in serious trouble."

Mogansa suddenly took several deep breaths, "Hold on... things ahead don't feel quite right."

Fang Senyan knew Mogansa’s intuition for danger was formidable. He immediately heightened his vigilance and pushed the Hover Skimmer’s power to maximum, ready to turn tail and flee at a moment’s notice. After cresting several rolling sand dunes, a massive, horrifyingly brutal battlefield materialized on the flats ahead! The ground was piled high with corpses of bizarrely shaped insects. Dark purple bodily fluids had pooled into sickening puddles of viscous blood, so thick that the arid desert floor couldn't absorb them.

Nourished by the blood and flesh of these insects, many desert plants, previously petrified, seemed to awaken, stretching their branches. Amidst the carnage and death, an indescribable vitality bloomed—a truly paradoxical scene.

The two men observed from a distance and noticed that while the slain insects looked superficially similar, they were clearly divided into two major categories: red and black, indicating a conflict between two distinct Zerg populations. Fang Senyan circled the battlefield once in the Skimmer to gather intelligence. Finding no immediate threats, Mogansa leaped out, donned his battle armor, and cautiously crept forward, bent low.

Fang Senyan also donned his armor, observing Mogansa’s forward posture from behind. He noted that moving in that manner must strain the lumbar muscles intensely, yet it allowed for faster adjustments when encountering unforeseen variables—perhaps only granting a fraction of a second’s advantage, but often enough to decide life or death. These tactical movements weren't taught in any manual; Mogansa must have forged them through his own experiences in mortal combat.

Mogansa concealed himself behind a boulder and observed for a long time before making a "clear" signal to Fang Senyan. "It's fine. The fight ended at least a day ago."

Fang Senyan dismounted and approached the battlefield. The deeper he walked, the more unsettled he became, because the Zerg corpses showed absolutely no signs of bullet spray or artillery bombardment. The visible wounds were all ghastly, wide-open tearing injuries, or corrosive acid damage. Even more shocking were the massive, scorched areas covering hundreds of square meters on the ground. Large numbers of insects in these zones were carbonized, and in the charred earth, one could spot faintly glittering particles—evidence that the temperature reached such an astonishing height that the sand itself had melted into crystal.

Mogansa murmured, "Could this be infighting among the Zerg?"

Fang Senyan's eyes flickered, "Remember our encounter at the Steel Outpost Base? While we were attacked by the Zerg, their assault was sequential: the flying units led the charge, followed by the ground units. If they could have coordinated an attack simultaneously, perhaps just taking out those two siege tanks at the critical moment... the base would surely have fallen."

Mogansa pondered, "So you mean?"

Fang Senyan confirmed, "The Zerg might not be as unified as they appear on the surface. At the very least, the Zerg at the Steel Outpost showed two distinct factions; they lacked any instinct for cooperation. Given that, it's plausible that warring Zerg factions exist that fight among themselves. The reason the victors haven't consumed the enemy corpses is likely because every Zerg hive probably tags its fighting armies with a unique genetic marker that acts as a potent toxin to insects hatched by other hives."