I was so foolish, truly, I uploaded this chapter before sleeping this morning, only for it to still not publish!! Ahh!

They remained at the Alpine Forward Operating Base Seven for another three days. After that, the group was set to part ways. Dardanion was still unconscious; only Fang Senyan and Ronnie were left to bid each other farewell.

Ronnie’s feelings toward Fang Senyan were incredibly complex—a volatile mix of intense hatred (for being turned into a human stump and threatened with being made into a eunuch stump), fear, gratitude, and awe. He found himself at a loss for words.

Fang Senyan gazed at the sky, where transport ships buzzed like locusts, his eyes lingering on the orange-yellow afterburns. After a long pause, he finally looked at Ronnie and smiled faintly:

“Is your Bloodthirsty weapon ready?”

Ronnie snorted:

“Of course. If I had possessed this weapon before, that Arbiter from Ironblood Star would surely have died by my hand!”

Since Ronnie knew this parting might very well be the last time he dealt with Fang Senyan, with no conflicts of interest remaining, he frankly displayed the weapon’s stats for him. Only then did Fang Senyan realize that even Bloodthirsty equipment sold at the Reserve Officer rank had tiers of quality—the saying ‘don’t fear a lack of appreciation, fear comparison’ held true!

The Indestructible Force Fang Senyan possessed before was already a rare masterpiece in his eyes, but compared side-by-side with Ronnie’s custom-made weapon, it wasn't even in the same league.

Ronnie's weapon took the form of a single-handed short blade. When held, it looked like a fusion of ice and light; abstract, yet utterly imbued with a sharp, piercing aura, as if it could tear through the boundaries of time and space!

This short blade also boasted a rare attribute: Sharpness, granting an additional 10% Critical Hit Chance, and if an attack landed a critical hit, the resulting damage was calculated at 4x (normally 2x)!

Its other attribute was: After stabbing an enemy, it secretes a unique toxin that infiltrates the target’s body, forcibly reducing any subsequent healing received by 50% for a period. If the victim was a Contractor, the reduction increased to 75%. For percentage-based recovery items like the Honor Potion, the healing was capped at a mere 25% of maximum health.

Admiring Ronnie’s weapon, Fang Senyan offered a few compliments, but Ronnie expressed regret, saying he must find a way to attain a Regular Army rank eventually. Fang Senyan asked why out of curiosity.

Ronnie held nothing back and explained that the Sharpness attribute on his blade was the peak achievable for a standalone Bloodthirsty weapon; nothing better existed.

However, he had seen a rare attribute reserved for Regular Army personnel called Divine Favor. Upon hitting an enemy, the wielder might gain the blessing of a deity, ensuring all subsequent attacks within the next five seconds would connect, and every strike during that duration would be a critical hit!

Fang Senyan was astounded by such a monstrous attribute. Paired with a fast-firing gun loaded with many rounds, unleashing hundreds of guaranteed-hit, critical-damage bullets in under four seconds… was there any chance of survival for anyone else?

With common ground established, the previous awkwardness between the two slowly dissolved, and their conversation grew animated. By this time, however, their respective spacecraft had been waiting for a long while, and they truly could wait no longer. Still, as they parted, Ronnie couldn't help but say:

“I hope we don’t have to meet again.”

Fang Senyan raised an eyebrow:

“Why?”

Ronnie sighed:

“The chances of us being assigned together again to complete a joint Honor Mission are vanishingly slim. So the next time I see you, it will likely be on the Bloodthirsty Battlefield, in a fight to the death… Damn it, making an enemy out of a bastard like you is no pleasant prospect!”

Fang Senyan laughed heartily:

“That remains to be seen. For a long time after entering the planet Eplos, weren't you choosing to be my enemy? Now look—besides me, you are the only one who managed to retreat whole.”

Ronnie gave a wry smile, waved goodbye to Fang Senyan, then walked a few paces away before turning back hesitantly:

“You… you are the most meticulous person I have ever met. Can I ask you one question? We no longer have any vested interests tied together, so I trust the impartiality and accuracy of your judgment.”

Ronnie then recounted a story echoing the tale of Zeus and Callisto, but with a twist. Fortunately, Ronnie had succeeded in his endeavor, and thus, he and his partner remained on the team. Unfortunately, the woman had used the same tactic on several other key members. Consequently, Ronnie was wearing a massive cuckold’s hat, and it was no wonder he was anguished and conflicted. This led him to contemplate leaving the team, yet he couldn't shake the attachment.

After listening, Fang Senyan asked him plainly:

“Can you accept a wife who has sexual relations with multiple men?”

Ronnie smiled bitterly and shook his head decisively:

“Absolutely not.”

Fang Senyan roared with laughter:

“Since that is the case, she cannot be your wife, right? Then she is someone else’s wife. Does it feel great to give other men a cuckold’s hat every day in this team?”

Ronnie was stunned:

“This… this logic?”

Fang Senyan smiled:

“My advice is this: don’t leave. Because right now, you lack the desire or the capacity to let go. However, you must first adjust your mindset, or you might end up dying out in the void.”

Ronnie pondered for a moment, then offered a grateful thank you.

Watching Ronnie’s receding back, Fang Senyan suddenly fell silent. He realized he was now contemplating Zi’s state of mind! It was uncertain whether Zi knew the nature of his relationship with Wuge. How was she thinking right now? Was she pretending ignorance, or was she, like Ronnie, slowly accumulating internal pressure, waiting for a single, explosive moment?

Ronnie was undeniably an indispensable part of his team, but the energy and money Fang Senyan had invested in Zi were considerable. If Zi decided to leave, it would be a far more devastating blow to the small Ace Team! At this thought, Fang Senyan immediately resolved to keep Zi tethered to his side, even if it required using some underhanded tactics. Fang Senyan had his principles, but that absolutely did not mean he would always stick to convention in execution…

Thinking this over, Fang Senyan boarded the ship designated to return him, only to find that his escort was none other than Archer.

This man was currently highly favored by Mongo, having been promoted twice. At the mere rank of Captain, he managed the entire base’s maintenance apparatus and was soon eligible for assessment as a Senior Technical Engineer. Archer certainly possessed the capability; he just lacked an opportunity to demonstrate it fully. He was riding high, yet he still found time to see Fang Senyan off.

Of course, Fang Senyan, returning with a massive haul of Xenon Element Bars, was no longer the man he once was; no one dared to view him with the disdain reserved for lower races anymore. However, having a familiar and relatively agreeable face like Archer for company on the journey, Fang Senyan saw no reason to refuse.

As for Archer, this mysterious and powerful man before him was his lucky star. Ever since meeting him, Archer’s luck had been ceaseless. Why not cling tightly to such a sturdy backer when the opportunity arose? Fang Senyan looked at Archer, a sudden idea striking him, and he gestured toward the cabin, clearly inquiring about surveillance systems. Archer chuckled:

“Yes, there are, but everything is funneled directly to me, so confidentiality is not an issue.”

Fang Senyan considered this, then pulled out two Xenon Element Bars and handed them to the dumbstruck Archer.

“My Bloodthirsty Major General Armor is currently being custom-made. If you get a chance, keep an eye on it for me. Also, help me gather any unfavorable news circulating. But you don't need to take any action; climbing the ranks diligently is the greatest repayment you can offer me.”

Archer had heard of such things before; they were common in the Alliance, referred to as political contributions. But he never expected to be on the receiving end of such a colossal payoff!

Just as he was about to speak, he noticed Fang Senyan had already closed his eyes, feigning sleep. Before long, Fang Senyan was back near his Nightmare Space, looking out at that ugly, massive, terrifying, and bizarre megastructure. Strangely, Fang Senyan felt an indescribable sense of kinship, a feeling of devotion mixed with dependence he had never experienced before.

Upon returning to the Space, despite having made contact with his team members, the first thing Fang Senyan did was take the Xenon Element Bars for appraisal. He figured these things might fetch a good price in the Space store.

However, the appraisal result that instantly popped up left Fang Senyan stunned.

----This is a low-grade, obsolete element that was once widely used but was ultimately banned. Its negative side effects are extreme, rendering it completely worthless to the Space.

This… This!!

Fang Senyan suddenly realized that many things now fell into place, clicking together perfectly.

Why was Xenon Element so scarce?

It turned out that before humanity, another civilization that had created the Nightmare Space had already mined it extensively, making the element appear so rare even to the Empire’s scale of resource gathering.

But why was Planet Eplos a leftover—a fish that slipped through the cracks of that civilization?

Because, seeing the Cyclops from Greek mythology appearing on that planet, Fang Senyan suspected that Eplos itself might be the catastrophic result of parallel dimensions eroding and overlapping. Planet Eplos was likely not indigenous to this plane; it might have materialized from another dimension entirely! (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, you are welcome to visit Qidian () to cast recommendation votes and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.).RT