Very quickly, Dardanion appeared before Fang Senyan, his hair still damp, his body even emanating a foul odor of amniotic fluid, and he looked utterly exhausted.

It was obvious he had just crawled out of that giant seed; disposing of the corpses of former companions took considerable time, especially now that Bokhan's abilities had significantly increased. A slight lapse in attention could have alerted him.

Fang Senyan pointed toward the other side and whispered, "Is there any way you can help?"

Dardanion had a rough grasp of the current situation and held a degree of awe for Fang Senyan. He walked over, observed for a moment, and then said, "It's difficult. To perform the surgery now, we'd need a powerful anesthetic to prevent the Xenomorph embryos from struggling. But both of these individuals are extremely frail; a drug potent enough to anesthetize the embryos could very well be lethal to them."

A ruthless glint flashed in Fang Senyan's eyes. "Then, is there a method to extract the Xenomorph embryos alive, and give these two enough time to hold on for two or three more days before they pass?"

Dardanion hesitated briefly, then furrowed his brow. "That's not an issue. I can implant Yisheng Hu into their thoracic cavities. This plant, after mutation, can temporarily replace organs that might be damaged. However, this plant also drains the host's vitality. They might last about three to four days."

Fang Senyan nodded. "If you are confident, then go and assist. These people are still very useful to us at this stage, so be as courteous as possible."

Dardanion gave a wry smile and nodded. "The Xenomorphs won't hatch for at least another two hours. I need to go organize things first and recover some magical power."

Just then, Bokhan walked over, laughing and chatting with Paul. He was clearly in high spirits, likely due to the commotion nearby. Consequently, other Contractors also drifted over to see what was happening. Upon seeing Dardanion, they were visibly pleased, but the way they looked at Fang Senyan now held an added measure of reverence.

People are inherently pragmatic. When Hedikuri and Aziza led the team, they suffered constant defeats and were often routed humiliatingly. But after Fang Senyan took command, their progress could be described as smooth sailing, and everyone managed to profit handsomely.

Comparing the two eras, if Fang Senyan had previously only relied on his role as the MT to direct everyone, it was only now that he had truly cemented his position as the team leader! He was obeyed and respected by the masses.

A leader who delivers benefits is the one who truly wins the hearts of the team members.

Since Dardanion was willing to intervene, the biggest dilemma facing the indigenous humans was instantly resolved. Naturally, two living Xenomorph larvae were also secured in the team's storage. These native humans were naturally overwhelmed with gratitude.

Next, Dardanion vaguely hinted that the treated individuals might experience complications in the coming period, but they would be fine if they could endure three to four days. Fang Senyan then mentioned his intention to leave and continue exploring, so, quite naturally, Hadric extended an invitation, hoping they would stay as guests at their main encampment for a while.

Fang Senyan readily accepted this request because he knew he had to seize every second available.

The group traveled downriver again. Because Bokhan's power had received an additional boost, the malevolent native creatures in the river met their doom. Any time they dared to attack, they found themselves "grounded" in the middle of the current.

Shi Ren Razer, this powerful legendary elemental being, could not possibly be compared to mere common rock elementals; he possessed his own intellect and consciousness. With his assistance, Bokhan could raise a riverbed spanning over a hundred square meters five or six meters high in a very short time, and even use Earth Shackles to restrain enemies for a few seconds!

So, although it took Hadric and his reinforcements a full three days to arrive, the return journey took less than twelve hours. The scenery before Fang Senyan and his party had shifted from boundless marshland to a relatively dense forest, with reddish-brown mountains faintly visible through the trees in the distance. The temperature began to drop, and visible white vapor formed when breathing out.

Hadric explained that because the mountains in this area were reddish-brown, they called this place Fiery Mountain. It was strategically advantageous, and there weren't many aggressive wild beasts active here. Within the mountains, there was also a scenic lake called Lake Ontario.

Given the fact that the spaceship's energy had not been completely depleted earlier, Lake Ontario was the main reason for the drastic drop in temperature. This lake reached an astonishing depth of three kilometers, and at the bottom, there was a thick layer of ice!! This ice sheet covered the underground area for hundreds of kilometers around!

From a normal geological perspective, explaining the genesis of this geological feature was difficult. It was likely related to the properties of some rare, unusual mineral veins. Consequently, the creatures in the entire surrounding region seemed to be evolving within a refrigerator, and the local vegetation and ecosystem trended toward conditions found in high-latitude regions on Earth.

Hadric noticed Fang Senyan's interest in Lake Ontario—or more accurately, his interest in the mineral veins causing the hundreds of kilometers of underground ice—but he issued a cautionary warning. Usually, they avoided this lake because several mysterious disappearances had occurred there. People who got too close had vanished bizarrely—no signs of struggle, no blood, no warning whatsoever; they simply evaporated.

Soon, Fang Senyan and his entourage arrived at the human settlement: the interior of a semi-dead starship.

In terms of size, this ship was probably only a medium-to-small vessel by Imperial standards, yet even so, it served as an excellent sanctuary for the humans. Although it had crashed deep into the mountainside upon landing, most of the hull remained intact.

The reason it was called a "semi-dead" vessel was that the ship's primary mainframes and optical brains were destroyed, but fortunately, the entire power system had not sustained major damage. As long as light existed inside, the power supply and cloaking systems could operate continuously.

This was also why the ship had not been targeted by powerful creatures: sufficient energy could activate the cloaking system. Moreover, these people, once captured by the Xenomorphs, could receive the ship's protection, ample heating and oxygen supply, clean and tidy quarters, and a secure sleeping environment.

The last point was especially crucial. Planet Epross harbored numerous blood-sucking insects, as well as many carnivorous ones, which also carried terrible infectious diseases. In a way, they were more terrifying than the giant beasts that devoured humans without spitting out the bones. The latter usually killed in one swift bite, whereas the former could leave you screaming in agony for seven or eight days while watching parasites erupt from your body and consume your flesh!

However, these were the only services the ship could provide. Its control deck and mainframes were obliterated in that brutal crash, hence its designation as being in a semi-dead state.

For guests who had traveled from afar like Fang Senyan and his party, most residents of the camp expressed welcome. This wasn't due to simple hospitality, but because Fang Senyan’s group brought meat and wine. This was more than just food; it was the taste of home. Many ate while weeping uncontrollably, unable to contain their sobs!

Yet, Fang Senyan's group also sampled some uniquely prepared local foods. The most delicious among them was a type of moss called "Earth Vein." After being washed of sand and processed, eating it as a vegetable provided a unique sensation to the palate. Furthermore, since their staple diet usually consisted of mushrooms and roasted meat, the broth brewed from Earth Vein moss, honey, and bones was also excellent. Its flavor was superb at washing away fatigue.

Subsequently, Fang Senyan and his group entered the interior of the ship. The lights in the hull emitted a soft blue glow, lending an atmosphere of peace and tranquility. There were also potted plants arranged within, giving the space a strange and exotic feel. The opening of a single door separated the raw wilderness outside from the civilized world within.

Fang Senyan did not follow the others to his designated quarters to rest; instead, he immediately sought out Hadric. In Hadric's room, there were already five or six other people, presumably the key leaders of the encampment.

Fang Senyan cut straight to the chase. "I have fulfilled my promise; your comrades have survived the clutches of the Xenomorphs. I believe I now have sufficient grounds to request you honor your side of the bargain."

Hadric responded earnestly, "Certainly. Tell us, what is your demand?"

Fang Senyan closed his eyes, muttering, "Our purpose in coming to this damned planet was to verify the existence of shockingly abundant reserves of Xuan element, but our findings have been disappointing. After confronting the savage beasts, a thought suddenly struck me: perhaps we have been taking the wrong approach from the very beginning! If the creatures here possess high intelligence, it should imply they are capable of communication."

"Professional matters should naturally be handled by professionals!!" Fang Senyan stated emphatically, word by word, "Our previous, clueless searching was utterly foolish. If this world harbors creatures similar to Dwarves, establishing friendship with them would naturally solve our task instantly."