The Contractors kept thinking about Gavin and Grey, almost certain those two had “struck it rich” and fled with the loot, making them rush along at breakneck speed, paying no heed to their surroundings.

Fang Senyan let them pass with ease, then walked for about five or six minutes before reaching a high vantage point to survey the area. Fang Senyan was already quite confident: “The principle behind the Ghost fighter’s cloaking ability isn't complicated; it requires storing a massive electrical charge and then continuously supplying it to the refraction devices on the fuselage to achieve invisibility. This means that after cloaking for a period, the Ghost fighter must deactivate its stealth mode to recharge! With the Protoss having achieved total victory, they neither have the need nor the audacity to fly around recklessly in an uncloaked Ghost fighter…”

While calculating, Fang Senyan had already reached the top of the high ground, and the unique deep indigo topography of the Lost Temple planet unfolded before him. He squinted, gazing at the terrain: “So, the best option is to temporarily land the Ghost fighter and camouflage it. This will not only reduce the chance of detection but also conserve fuel… The Ghost fighter lacks VTOL capability, and the vicinity is all rugged mountains, meaning the suitable spots for it to take off and land… are truly few and far between. Yes, it must be right there! Hmph hmph, Miss Artemis, you never expected such an uninvited guest as me!”

It was a seemingly hidden cave, with a huge protruding rock above the entrance. When the shadow fell, looking down from above, it appeared as nothing more than an utterly ordinary piece of rock on the ground, easily overlooked.

But if one stood on the ground and looked horizontally, they could see a cave behind the rock, shaped like a flattened entrance leading into a wide belly, large enough for at least a basketball court inside, and over twenty meters high.

At the cave entrance, there was a camouflage membrane, a highly advanced piece of technology. From the outside, the entrance looked like a sheer rock face; only upon touching it would one realize it was a thin barrier, which would also deliver a powerful electric shock and trigger an alarm for those inside.

The camouflage membrane could also easily block light emanating from within, filtering out sound, scent, and everything else.

Passing through the membrane, one could see a Ghost fighter parked on the right side of the cavern, seemingly modified deliberately. Both the Gemini anti-air missile system and the 27mm rapid-fire laser cannon had been removed, rendering it completely incapable of air or ground combat.

However, because the weapon systems, the feeding systems, and the loading bays were all eliminated, a vast amount of internal space in the Ghost fighter was freed up. This space had been used to install two 'Falcon' engines, boosting the Ghost fighter’s acceleration capability by 175% and its top speed by 271%.

More importantly, the Ghost fighter's sustained cloaking time had been significantly increased due to the additional installation of an electromagnetic kinetic energy module.

In the open space to the right of the Ghost fighter, a roaring bonfire was burning. The warmth of the fire chased away the dry, cold air inside the cave. Half a sheep was roasting over the flames, its skin already golden brown, emitting a mouthwatering aroma.

There was also a sweet, musky scent inside the cave, likely resulting from recent intimate activity. Sitting by the fire was a woman with luscious curves; her watery eyes were narrowed, seeming to speak volumes. Her cheeks held an unusual flush, while two languid men sat or reclined nearby, their chests open to display hardened muscle.

“Artemis, what if those guys also go and don't come back??” a scarred man asked.

Artemis flicked her eyebrows, immediately exuding a fiery aura, and sneered, “Do they dare? Two people might coordinate their interests easily, but how would four divide it? If that were even possible, this old lady would climb up and skin them alive to fly as kites in the sky!”

Another man drawled lazily, “James, you worry too much. Artemis’s judgment is spot on; stop fretting.”

James snorted, “Gian, is that thing you made really capable of isolating the scent leak? If it can’t, we might just end up as Zerg excrement being expelled.”

Gian immediately jumped up angrily, “Are you doubting me now! Even Artemis didn’t doubt it, so what’s with all your nonsense?”

Watching the verbal sparks fly between the two men, Artemis remained unmoved. The woman even preferred seeing the two men draw blood over her. However, James’s comment seemed to remind her of something, and she couldn't help but pull out an item from a nearby container.

The item was a bottle, but its material was transparent and looked incredibly strange, as if condensed from ice. More importantly, what filled the bottle was precisely the fake Artifact the Protoss had used to lure the Queen of Blades into their trap!!

Gian looked at the bottle proudly and said, “The nucleocrystals I fabricated contain spatial energy; they absolutely will not leak any information. Although this thing can't yet be placed in our personal storage, Artemis, rest assured, placing it inside the nucleocrystal bottle I made is no different from keeping it in private storage.”

“Oh?” Artemis shot him a sidelong glance, causing the fullness of her chest to tremble, and then she smiled seductively, “Of course, I trust you.”

Gian seemed utterly captivated by the smile, looking quite mesmerized, and couldn't help but ask, “But, Artemis, you risked lives to seize this thing; what exactly is its purpose? It’s just a lure meant to be discarded after use!”

Artemis gave him a look of private disdain. James was quicker to speak up, “Idiot, under those circumstances, without exposing ourselves, what could we do? Simply obtaining this thing was a major achievement. Besides, didn’t you hear Artemis say that the look of obsession on the Queen of Blades’ face when she held this thing couldn't possibly be faked? Moreover, the fact that it can't be taken into our personal storage means it must be extraordinary!”

Artemis gazed at the fake Artifact inside the nucleocrystal bottle, her expression suddenly becoming serious: “I saw it clearly. Although the trap set by the Protoss was powerful, it couldn't kill the Queen of Blades—or rather, my intuition tells me they never intended to kill the Queen of Blades!”

“How is that possible?” James exclaimed in surprise! “The Protoss should deeply hate the Queen of Blades!”

Artemis stated confidently, “The best way to exact revenge on someone is definitely not simply by killing them. Someone like the Queen of Blades already scorns death. What she fears most is likely having her power stripped away. Why do so many billionaires choose to jump from buildings after going bankrupt? For them, surviving is easy; it's because once you’ve possessed something, you can no longer bear the pain of losing it.”

Gian frowned, “But… but what does this have to do with us collecting the fake Artifact?”

Artemis sighed, “Don't you understand yet? Since this thing attracts the Queen of Blades so powerfully, the first thing we must do is find out what exactly is attracting her. Given that the Queen of Blades has a high probability of not dying… Do you need me to teach you what to do? Of course, we need to find a way to strike a grand bargain with the great Queen! I believe she will surely reward us handsomely.”

Gian revealed an expression of sudden comprehension and was about to speak, but a loud voice boomed throughout the entire cave: “Hahahaha, excellent! As expected of Artemis, your analysis is flawless. Since that’s the case, I’ll take this item!”

This statement was delivered with immense dominance, and the complexions of both Artemis and Gian instantly changed. They sprang up simultaneously, entering a fighting stance. Artemis wielded two daggers, and combined with her slender waist and full hips, she truly resembled a queen bee. Gian magically ‘conjured’ a shield to block in front of him!

Their gazes swept the entire area in an instant, finally landing on James, who was leaning against the wall.

More accurately, they focused on his expression.

It was a look mixed with terror, pain, and utter disbelief!

From James’s throat, the tip of a bloody sword point was clearly protruding!!!

Immediately afterward, the sword tip vanished, and the stone wall behind James shattered and collapsed with a crash—he had been punched through! Then, a fierce young man with eyebrows as dark and sharp as blades appeared before them. He held an ordinary blood-red longsword, but anyone whose gaze fell upon that sword would involuntarily hear horrific, agonizing screams echo in their minds!!

The newcomer was Fang Senyan. Relying on his superior perception, he had easily seen through the camouflage at the cave entrance, then transformed his [specific ability/item] into a mining glove to dig through the adjacent mountainside, successfully infiltrating the main chamber and overhearing a series of secrets.

Then, Fang Senyan struck, using his Annihilation ability to severely wound James!!