Listening to Fang Senyan meticulously dissect and lay out this sequence of events, explaining every detail clearly and precisely, accounting for almost every possible enemy reaction. The "native" humans showed little reaction, but the other Contractors felt an indescribable emotion bubble up; even Ronnie secretly shook his head and sighed, admitting that Hedi Kuli and Aziza’s defeats were utterly deserved.

For a Tank like Fang Senyan, even if he was merely a Colonizer, any Awakened Tank stood no chance of comparison!

The purple reed marshes on the island were now ignited by scattered flames, the fire soaring to the heavens, the smoke nearly obscuring half the sky. Of course, besides smelling the scorching odor, Fang Senyan and his team also caught whiffs of roasting meat, emanating from some of the enraged beasts being cooked.

Fang Senyan and his group were fine, but upon smelling this scent, the native human Hadrik and his men couldn't help but gulp audibly. To them, the local fauna was still too formidable; without firearms, they were difficult to take down, meaning they usually stuck to a vegetarian diet.

At this point, Hadrik waved his hand, and his men quietly waded into the murky water. They swiftly snagged two or three enraged beasts, gagged them with mud, and dragged them back, clearly intending to feast heartily and appease their hunger.

Fang Senyan also noticed the three Xenomorphs growing increasingly agitated, quickening their patrol pace beneath the swamp. This meant that sneaking onto that island was almost impossible. Since the spoils gathered that night were already substantial enough, the group returned to their camp to gorge on meat and drink heavily, thoroughly enjoying themselves.

After some consideration, Hadrik selected a new campsite for encampment—one that was both concealed and not too far in a straight line from the enraged beasts’ den.

The reason for changing camps was simple: their previous location was too distant from the beasts’ encampment. If the enraged beasts and the Xenomorphs sensed danger and suddenly relocated, they would be caught off guard. The new camp, however, allowed them to quickly mobilize for a surprise strike.

Despite the initial successful assault, Fang Senyan displayed no excessive excitement. He stood alone on a nearby high point, watching the sky gradually shift from pitch black to iron-gray, and then to a pale, fish-belly white—suggesting an imminent fair day. However, dark clouds quickly rolled in, indicating that Hunting Ground Star was about to define this day with foul weather.

Fang Senyan frowned. Rain meant rising river levels, which in turn meant the effectiveness of the Juāntóng seeds would diminish as the swamp water increased—not good news.

Furthermore, the physiology of the enraged beasts and Xenomorphs meant their combat power wouldn't be affected by heavy rain, but humans were different.

“Are we going to be delayed another day?” Fang Senyan couldn't shake a heavy, suffocating feeling in his chest. He looked up at the heavens, finding the sky so overcast it seemed ready to press down onto the ground, amplifying the gloom.

Under such conditions, on this strange planet, Fang Senyan felt a profound sense of pressure. Hadrik walked over, glanced at the sky, and said confidently, “What, worried about the weather? It will rain in the morning, but the downpour should stop in the afternoon. Since we didn't rest well last night, everyone can catch up on sleep this morning.”

Hearing this, Fang Senyan immediately relaxed. He suddenly recalled something important: “Hadrik, I don’t mean anything by this, but I once heard that after a Xenomorph lays eggs inside a host body, the young hatch within a maximum of twenty-four hours. So, your companion is likely already…”

Hadrik shook his head, replying with a calm yet brutal expectation: “The atmospheric composition on this planet is different, so the maturation time for the Xeno-offspring will be extended… More importantly, even if I can’t save the person, I will make the murderer pay with their life!”

Hadrik uttered the last few words with absolute finality! Fang Senyan immediately deduced that the person who was parasitized must be someone very important to Hadrik. Given that they were chosen by the Yautja for their formidable combat strength, the chance that the parasitized individual was Hadrik’s family member was slim. Analyzing from various angles, there was a high probability it was Hadrik’s girlfriend, though a close male comrade was also possible…

In the boundless expanse of the cosmos, a strangely shaped spacecraft hurtled forward at high speed. The vessel’s overall form resembled a torus, but about one-sixth of the circle was missing, its sheer size immense; the circumference of the ring likely exceeded twenty kilometers. If compared to something on Earth, it looked like a horseshoe magnified countless times.

The surface of the ship bore distinct, raised markings, strangely reminiscent of interwoven bone and tendon structures. It looked similar to Chinese bronzeware from the Yin-Shang dynasty—heavy, ancient, majestic, elegant, and archaic. Yet, a faint, soul-stirring blood-red glow seeped from the hull, exuding an aura of deadly intent.

This ship lacked conventional thruster ports, making it difficult to determine its bow or stern; it bore only one colossal symbol.

This symbol was the mysterious marking etched onto the forehead of the female protagonist in the plot of the film Alien vs. Predator 1, drawn by the Elder Predator using Xenomorph blood.

This symbol is the special insignia of the Predators, signifying the mark of the Scar Predator—the badge of the scarred ones.

The Scar Predators are the young nobles among the Yautja who, after completing the ritual of hunting an adult Xenomorph, use the creature's corrosive blood to carve this mark onto their helmets and foreheads as a sign of becoming a Warrior. These Predators are nobility on their home world, possessing heavy armor and various powerful weapons, and they form the main combat force in warfare.

Indeed, this vessel’s mission was to transport the Trial Seekers among the Predators to the planet Yautja Prime—their trial world. Aboard this ship were sixteen young noble Predators undergoing their trials, along with nearly a hundred members of the Predator clan.

Predators share the Xenomorphs' lust for slaughter but possess a fundamentally different nature. They are also a matriarchal clan society, with the Queen as the supreme leader, possessing a complete social structure similar to an imperial system. They view killing as honor and roam space ceaselessly; any planet showing signs of life is their target.

They enjoy collecting the heads of their prey as trophies. Predators possess an incredibly strong sense of collective honor, viewing the killing of their own kind as a disgrace. They also refrain from slaughtering unarmed opponents or pregnant prey—a factor that likely contributes to the continuous growth and strength of this predatory race.

Predators possess the most advanced technology, excelling at multi-perspective observation and self-concealment. They are equipped with sophisticated weaponry and cloaking devices, enabling them to kill without being seen. However, water can completely negate their cloaking technology.

Their social hierarchy is structured as follows: Predator Queen → Elder Predator (analogous to feudal lords, possessing their own lands and armies; characterized by always holding a skull—the head of its greatest vanquished foe) → Arbiter (wearing conspicuous red armor) → Greyback Predator (experienced fighters, wearing gray cloaks) → Scar Predator (bearing the ceremonial scar on the forehead from their rite of passage).

Of course, their military ranks are further subdivided based on the weapons used and their roles in combat—such as infantry, artillery, or tank roles—which will be detailed later.

The supreme commander aboard this vessel was an Arbiter clad in red armor. He stood with his arms crossed within the cockpit, gazing out at the vast, endless sea of stars streaming past at high speed, appearing utterly statuesque.

Suddenly, the Predator Arbiter spoke in a raspy voice, “How much longer until we enter Hunting Ground Star?”

A Greyback Predator stepped forward and slowly replied, “Using human time units, we still need at least four more days, provided those damned humans don't cause more trouble—or we don't continue hiding from them like timid vermin!”

“Silence, Belon!” The Arbiter turned, looking at the clearly disgruntled Greyback. “Avoiding large-scale, direct engagement with the humans of this plane is the will of the Great Queen. She has warned us that without sufficient protection, large-scale conflict with these humans risks the complete collapse of our own plane! You, I, everyone, must humbly obey and execute the Queen’s will. You will report for ten lashes later.”

Belon the Greyback was unsurprised by his fate but continued to protest stubbornly, “My Lord! But it has been confirmed that those damnable humans have sent personnel to contaminate the sacred Hunting Ground Star!”

The Arbiter said calmly, “Your Cleansing Squad exists for exactly this purpose. Upon arrival, thoroughly cleanse that beautiful planet, Belon. But remember this: if those trespassers manage to survive your attack, it proves they possess the strength to be worthy prey. Therefore, do not let the madness of the kill blind your reason and your sight.”

At this moment, several lines of data suddenly flashed onto the ship’s monitors, indicating the presence of several more human vessels near the wormhole ahead—the direct result of General Mongo’s frantic orders.

The Arbiter reviewed this information and issued a simple command: “Stop evading. Charge directly through!” (To be continued)