The Crimson Guards, despite being an elite corps of humans renowned for their formidable individual combat strength and utter fearlessness, met an inevitable end within such a confined space, subjected to such a high-density barrage of potent weaponry:

Immediately, the chamber was a scene of utter carnage, littered with mangled remains, an intensely bloody tableau where vast splatters of gore stained even the walls.

Then, Prince Pompalou, radiating the momentum of a savage slaughter, proceeded to casually clip his fingernails while addressing the pale-faced old man and the ashen-countenanced Fei Ji with feigned nonchalance:

“I’ll take the Klyon element strips this sailor brought back. Whatever quantity he has, the Big Ben Research Institute will purchase it all. Mungo, you handle the specific details; I only want the results.”

As he spoke, Prince Pompalou cast a menacing glance toward Fang Senyan:

“However, you Contractor must remember this: according to the agreement between the Empire and the Nightmare Space, you have the right to refuse to sell anything. But if you must offload stock, the only legitimate trading partner is us. Anyone who dares defy my word otherwise will be declared an enemy of the Empire.”

Hearing such an overbearing declaration, a surge of defiance suddenly erupted within Fang Senyan. A cold sneer involuntarily curled his lips. Yet, at that very moment, a specific memory and a phrase surfaced in his mind.

The memory was the hallucination—or perhaps the deepest, hidden secret of his soul—that arose during his battle with the self-proclaimed Fool on the planet Eplos.

The phrase was what the Skull Man Barbarian Test Subject had uttered just before his final breath: “You must, absolutely must go into the Big Ben Research Institute. In there, in there, there is, there is, there is, there is, your, your…”

—Isn't this Prince Pompalou standing before me a key member of the Big Ben Research Institute?

The thought struck him, and instantly, Fang Senyan’s agitation settled. He bowed respectfully to Prince Pompalou:

“Your will shall be the standard I adhere to, Your Highness.”

Prince Pompalou snorted and turned his gaze upon the old Admiral of Venus:

“Don’t think for a moment that your clandestine maneuvers behind my back go unnoticed. My father emperor’s benevolence is merely temporary; your actions were far from flawless.”

With that, Prince Pompalou’s projection vanished. Fang Senyan, however, noticed something crucial: though the Prince arrived exuding overwhelming aura and terrifying might, showcasing a massacre with brutal efficiency, the only ones he killed were the Crimson Guards. Major General Fei Ji, arguably his primary opposition, remained untouched. This suggested that the Prince’s arrogance and defiance were merely a façade. He was acutely aware of what actions he could take and what he must avoid; his imposing manner was just for show.

This allowed for a deduction: the vast interstellar Empire suffered from external rebels and clear signs of internal warlord fragmentation. While there was no audible outcry among the common populace, it was likely because no one dared voice their grievances. If this continued, even without the rebels achieving outright victory—simply persisting to pressure the Empire—Fang Senyan could foresee the Empire potentially facing an internal crisis of fratricide in the near future.

After the communication ended, Ronnie immediately tried to persuade Fang Senyan to sell the Klyon element strips, guaranteeing that their offer would surpass the Prince’s faction’s. This was clearly done under General Fei Ji’s instruction, effectively treating the Prince’s words as wind. This indicated two things: first, the profit margin on Klyon elements was immense; second, the Imperial family’s authority in this remote war zone was almost completely eroded.

Such a situation sounded absurd, yet considering the powerful officials and generals under the brilliant and domineering founding emperor Zhu Yuanzhang—like Lan Yu and Hu Weiyong—or the formidable generals under Yongzheng, such as Nian Gengyao—if these men truly respected the Emperor’s authority, why would they eventually meet such gruesome ends? Moreover, Prince Pompalou was merely a prince; at best, he could force the old general to bow his head in person. He might achieve outward compliance, but genuine submission? Hardly possible.

However, Fang Senyan’s ambitions were grand now. He had already decided to use the Klyon element strips as the stepping stone to knock on Prince Pompalou’s door. Therefore, as long as Lieutenant General Mungo’s demands weren't excessively greedy, enduring a slight loss was acceptable.

Lieutenant General Mungo, however, was not a shortsighted man. Given the special status of Contractors like Fang Senyan, even if the Klyon element strips were useless to them, they could, if pushed, refuse to sell. A mutual destruction benefited no one. Furthermore, just a slight rumor that someone possessed high-purity Klyon elements would attract a swarm of interested parties, buzzing like flies to blood.

Thus, Mungo spoke frankly to Fang Senyan. He explained that the Nightmare Space often required strange and esoteric items, typically regional specialties. Possessing these specialties allowed one to trade with the Nightmare Space for different transactional privileges. For example, the Andromeda Galaxy produced a plant called 'Woven Wind Wood,' which could be traded for Contracted Attribute Point privileges. If Fang Senyan traded with the higher powers in the Andromeda Galaxy, the primary condition would undoubtedly revolve around attribute points. Similarly, the region governed by the old Admiral of Venus possessed a rare metal called Titantium-Silver, another item sought by the Nightmare Space. Trading this could yield the privilege for 'Type-A Elixir of Honor,' which increases maximum life by 1,500 points. Therefore, the old general’s faction centered their offer around the Type-A Elixir of Honor, naturally excluding attribute points.

After hearing Mungo’s explanation, Fang Senyan expressed understanding and asked Mungo to state his terms. Upon reviewing them, Fang Senyan immediately bristled with anger.

Mungo’s first set of conditions mirrored the old general’s: a: Reduction of 60% in the Merit Value required for the next military rank promotion. b: Crafting one High-Grade Bloody Equipment piece corresponding to Fang Senyan’s current rank. And that was it. Not an unfinished sentence, but the entirety of the offer.

Seeing these two conditions, Fang Senyan thought, Does he really take me for a complete sucker? He remained silent, fixing Mungo with a look of cold disdain, expecting a reasonable justification. Mungo, catching Fang Senyan’s thinly veiled expression, realized a misunderstanding must have occurred and immediately spoke up:

“It seems Colonel, you are unaware of how rare High-Grade Bloody Equipment is. To be able to offer such a bargaining chip, no place other than the Big Ben Research Institute can manage it.”

Fang Senyan scoffed: “Is that so? But why did I hear that Ronnie’s terms included a clause for tailoring a Bloody Weapon?”

Mungo could only patiently explain: “What you heard likely refers to Ordinary Bloody Equipment.”

Fang Senyan looked puzzled: “Are there also High-Grade Bloody Equipment?”

Mungo offered a wry smile: “Indeed. You appear to still be a Colonist, likely not having entered the high-intensity battle zones. No wonder you don't understand this secret. Since I am not bound by the limitations of your Nightmare Space, I shall explain it simply.”

“Bloody Equipment is divided into two categories. After all, the majority of Contractors hold reserve positions. So-called Scatter Equipment targets this group. Scatter Equipment ranges from inexpensive to costly. Expensive Scatter Equipment possesses decent stats, but they always feature clear, targeted drawbacks—for instance, a 50% reduction in damage dealt to non-Contractors. They usually lack top-tier attributes, making them perform poorly in parallel world combat. The entry barrier for purchasing them is also low.”

Listening to Mungo’s explanation, Fang Senyan instantly recalled the weapon he obtained after defeating Zeus’s right-hand man, Torrey Hartnett—the 'Weapon of Absolute Penetration.' According to Zis, this weapon required a Contractor to have reached the rank of General to redeem. A realization sparked within him; he was beginning to grasp what Mungo was about to say next.

“Beyond Scatter Equipment, there is, naturally, the standardized equipment tailored to regular military officers based on their rank. For example, a Contractor at Major General rank would have equipment custom-made for a Major General. The higher the rank, the more powerful the Bloody Equipment acquired.”

Having said this, Mungo took a sip of water. “The Bloody Weapon tailored for Ronnie is, in reality, just an exceptionally powerful piece of Scatter Equipment. It allows the addition of top-tier attributes applicable to common Scatter Equipment. However, the High-Grade Bloody Equipment we offer is powerful gear uniquely qualified for your current rank. If you trade with us, you will receive Colonel-level Bloody Equipment, which possesses formidable rank-specific attributes. Equipment below Colonel grade cannot acquire these specific attributes.”

Fang Senyan pondered this, frowning: “That sounds rather appealing.”

He now understood the distinction between Scatter Equipment and Rank-based Bloody Equipment. The former was akin to bandits—they might have expert sharpshooters, but never aircraft carriers or artillery. The latter was like a standing army; rigid in hierarchy, but the higher the rank, the stronger they became. Each rank advancement often bestowed unique abilities impossible to attain in the preceding tiers.

Fang Senyan immediately stated: “Then may I first view what kind of Bloody Equipment I can customize?”

Mungo nodded: “Certainly. Please wait a moment; I will connect to the Big Ben Research Institute and have them transmit the data.”

Soon, Fang Senyan received the transmitted manifest. His heart leaped when his eyes fell upon an item named the 'Bloody Colonel's Boots.' The very first attribute listed for these boots was a stunning: All Attributes +15.