The Predator that had been captured alive was the work of Dardanion; the tendrils shot out by the Treant he summoned possessed astonishing resilience, comparable to steel cables of the same diameter. However, this was also heavily related to the captured Predator's identity as a technology engineer.

Fang Senyan walked up to the Predator and gazed into its cold, metallic eyes, saying, "You're not convinced, are you? For a warrior, being captured is in itself a profound disgrace, and if nothing unexpected happens, I will hand you over to them."

Fang Senyan gestured towards the natives—some bewildered, some vacant, some screaming—"They once had happy lives, stable families, yet you dragged them to this planet to be prey. Their hatred for you is astonishingly potent. In their hands, you will be tortured like a dog, left to rot and die, and ultimately eaten by their rage."

As he described this background, Fang Senyan’s voice was slow and devoid of emotion, painstakingly ensuring the Predator's mask could translate his meaning. Regrettably, Fang Senyan detected no flicker of emotion in the Predator's yellow-green eyes; only coldness remained. This was the most difficult kind of enemy to deal with.

Nevertheless, Fang Senyan remained composed and steady, continuing his effort, "However, if you are willing to cooperate, I can offer you a chance: to fight like a warrior. As long as you can defeat your opponent, you will earn your freedom. Even if you lose, you can die gloriously, as a warrior should."

At this point, a mechanical, synthesized voice finally emerged from beneath the Predator's mask: "What... do... you... want?"

Fang Senyan asked calmly, "How did you find us?"

"Every living creature on this planet is livestock raised for the sacred Rite of Adulthood. Upon capture, every one of you was branded and even modified. Therefore, on the ship's life-detection instruments, your unbranded life signals shine through as clearly and inescapably as those on planet Figus!" the Predator stated frankly.

Fang Senyan frowned. "That's impossible! Creatures on this planet must reproduce. What about the young?"

"The brand is implanted directly into your DNA. Once implanted, your bodies automatically absorb trace elements to generate the branding signal. Even if the organism dies, its genes are passed down. Our technology is far more advanced than you imagine!" the Predator asserted proudly.

Fang Senyan took a deep breath. "Very well. Mark every one of us. Then, I will give you a chance for a fair duel!"

The Predator suddenly emitted a strange sound, half mockery, half sneer. Its metallic clash resonated clearly in everyone's ears: "You willingly ask to become prey?? What is your goal? To hide among the herd? So what? Even without Lord Bellon making a move, we would find you within three days at most! Is it worth it just to live three more days?"

A strange smile touched Fang Senyan’s face. "I specifically need that three-day buffer time. You decide."

The Predator immediately responded in a low tone, "Agreed! Your strength warrants the honor of being prey!"

Hearing this, Fang Senyan and the others felt deeply uncomfortable. What kind of thing was it to be told you possessed the honor of being prey... It was as if someone intended to kill you, and you had to be overcome with gratitude, thanking them for deigning to end your life... What kind of situation was this?

With that statement, the Predator extended its bound hands. Fang Senyan, unafraid of trickery, snapped his fingers at Dardanion. The vine swiftly retracted like a worm, granting the Predator its freedom.

The Predator moved its body, walked steadily to the portable medical repair kit, and retrieved a vial of pale purple solvent from the inner layer, handing it to Fang Senyan. "Take a sip. Your DNA will be subtly altered, your body will automatically absorb the relevant minerals and elements, and within two hours, a scar will appear on your skin. This scar is the prey brand."

Fang Senyan took it without hesitation and drank. Given his constitution, even a sip of cyanide wouldn't kill him. Moreover, although the Predators were bloody and brutal, they belonged to a powerful race that disdained lying, so their word was generally trustworthy.

Next, the released Predator began selecting weapons and organizing its gear. Finally prepared, it turned towards Fang Senyan, "Who is my opponent?"

Fang Senyan turned, surveyed the surroundings, and smiled, "There are six of us. Pick any one."

The Predator clenched its fists, and its wrist blades sprang out with a sharp clang, gleaming menacingly as it pointed toward Fang Senyan: "I, choose, you!"

Fang Senyan looked slightly surprised. "If you choose me, victory is nearly impossible."

The Predator stated coldly, "Battle is about honor, not victory or defeat. If I fight, I will naturally fight the strongest!"

Fang Senyan was moved by this, and respect entered his gaze. He stepped forward, looked at the Predator before him, extended his hand, and said seriously, "Please!"

The outcome of this battle was, of course, beyond doubt. After weathering two laser blasts head-on, Fang Senyan charged forward and cleanly snapped the Predator’s neck. During the fight, Fang Senyan also managed to test the effect of his virus on the Predator. The results were not optimistic, because the Predator's internal structure, immune system, and other factors differed vastly from humans, further aided by the mask's filtration. Consequently, the incubation period for the disease was extended, and the symptoms were lessened. This wasn't due to the Virus Monarch being ineffective, but rather the enemy being too bizarre, combined with Fang Senyan's limited knowledge of applicable diseases.

As mentioned before, it was akin to unleashing a virus a hundred times more potent than SARS only to find the target breathes through its skin, or deploying a tenacious stomach cancer against a creature with no stomach... How awkward was that?

However, there was one piece of good news: once the fight drags on, as the A-virus gradually erodes the Predator's immune system, the viral effect could be expected to improve. Therefore, if one were considering facing a high-ranking, powerful Predator, Fang Senyan's best bet would be to extend the fight as much as possible; as time passed, the scales of victory would tip increasingly in his favor.

During the post-battle inventory, these basic Xeno entities left behind no valuable spoils of war for Fang Senyan and his team. Still, Fang Senyan had Robot No. 1 carry a Predator mask left behind and ordered the left arms of all the dead Predators to be severed.

Because two robots had been lost during the raid, carrying the items Fang Senyan requested without sacrificing travel speed required discarding materials worth at least one hundred thousand General Credits. However, Fang Senyan’s prestige was firmly established by now; though he offered no explanation, no one questioned the decision.

Of course, another crucial reason for their lingering was to buy time to refine the large batch of Xian Ore that had been gambled away by the Ten Powerhouse Test Subjects, using the Crusher Refiner. The refined Xian Element would be classified as spoils of war and could be stowed in private storage space.

Having sorted out various matters, the refinement of the Xian Ore was nearing completion—only about ten minutes left. Although the human locals had previously displayed unfriendly attitudes, Fang Senyan still instructed Dardanion to offer them some assistance.

Fang Senyan’s reasoning for this directive was layered: firstly, they were all human; secondly, they shared a hatred for the Xeno species. If they recovered, they could cause the maximum possible trouble for any subsequent Xeno arrivals.

Soon, however, Dardanion relayed a message to Fang Senyan: "Boss, that Skull-Man Tom isn't dead! He wants to see you."

Fang Senyan’s eyes sharpened. To be honest, that individual had left a deep impression on him; he was the only enemy who could completely suppress Fang Senyan in close combat using sheer personal skill.

Furthermore, his survival was astonishing. Back then, five Predators had focused their shoulder cannons on him. Anyone with even slight knowledge of thermal weaponry knew that the destructive power generated by five high-energy lasers focused together wasn't a simple 5+5+5+5+5 calculation, but perhaps a power equivalent to 5 to the fifth power!

Considering this, Fang Senyan's curiosity flared intensely, and he resolved to go see him. For caution's sake, he made sure to bring Ronnie along.

By then, the semi-derelict spaceship had been destroyed by the Predators, but its interior rooms were certainly more comfortable than the outside environment. Under the complex gazes of the native humans nearby, Fang Senyan stepped into Skull-Man’s quarters.

The moment Fang Senyan saw Skull-Man, he understood how he had survived: the bizarre organ on the man’s chest had begun to proliferate terrifyingly, growing along his blood vessels like a 'Stairway to Heaven,' spreading throughout his entire body. Surface striations of overgrown tissue were visible, presenting a ghastly sight. (To be continued)