He disembarked and took his place beside Qingniao, silent, his face set in an expression that suggested a total absence of emotion. The crowd spared him a glance or two before treating him as if he were invisible.

Qingniao patted the bodyguard’s shoulder and addressed the onlookers, “My bodyguard is not skilled in social graces. If he has caused any offense, I apologize on his behalf.” With that, she moved to rise.

Yang Ying raised a hand to stop her. “It is a minor issue. Let us discuss the main business first. I wish to inquire what solution you have for the Shark Pirate Fleet operating outside the port.”

Seeing that Yang Ying and his companions showed no change in expression upon hearing the name Shark Pirate Fleet, Qingniao immediately understood they were already aware of their predicament: “Since you already know about the Shark Pirate Fleet, why are you here to help us? A mere three million is already quite high for an escort mission, but provoking such a formidable enemy for that price hardly seems worth it.”

Yang Ying dismissed the concern with a wave of his hand. “We have already provoked them.” Noticing Qingniao remained quiet, he continued, “Perhaps you haven't heard in Gray Port, but the Shark Pirate Fleet has recently been sending warships to harass the vicinity of our mercenary group’s base. We destroyed the harassment fleet they dispatched—two medium-class warships in total. The feud is already established; what’s one more time?”

Qingniao exchanged a look with her bodyguard, and their estimation of the Trand Mercenary Group immediately rose a notch. Qingniao said, “To answer your previous question, our original plan was to use speed to outrun their main force. With a speed exceeding 60V, it would be almost impossible for the pirates’ old-model warships to keep up; we had a very high chance of escape. The problem, however, is the fighter jets.”

The fighter jets were faster than the warships. While 60V could shake off the battleships, it couldn't shake off the jets.

Qingniao continued, “Although the pirates only use carrier-based aircraft without nuclear drive, they still pose a danger if they close to short range. We believe we can find a more concealed route to delay detection as much as possible. As long as we can gain distance from them initially, we won't fear the short-range carrier-based aircraft.”

“The fighter jets are not an important issue,” Yang Ying stated. “If the pirate group's jets catch up, we will deal with them. Please rest assured.”

“You have such confidence?” Qingniao asked doubtfully.

“Yes. You don’t need to worry about the specific operational details,” Yang Ying replied, full of certainty.

“According to the data I have researched, you are a newly established mercenary group. How can you possess such strength?” Qingniao inquired cautiously.

“Strength and time do not have an absolute correlation,” Yang Ying offered without elaboration, then asked, “One final question: do you have any arrangements for the route to Kussen?”

Qingniao’s answer was direct: “None. Your group may arrange the route freely; whatever you deem safe is acceptable.”

“Good.” Yang Ying clapped his hands. “In that case, if you have no objections, how about we go take a look at the warships we sent?”

“I wholeheartedly agree.” Qingniao stood up and extended her right hand to shake Yang Ying’s.

Arriving at Military Port District Three, the group gathered before an observation window above the berths and saw the three Valkyrie-class frigates docked in the harbor.

The three warships were lined up parallel across three separate berths, their angular exteriors appearing sleek and mysterious against the backdrop of the surrounding starlight.

Qingniao praised them. “These three frigates are stunning. Why have I never seen them before?”

Randall said proudly, “These are a new class of frigate produced exclusively by our company; of course, you wouldn’t have seen them elsewhere.”

Qingniao reached her hand toward the observation window, as if attempting to touch a Valkyrie. “Exclusive production? Are they sold on the Solar System arms market?”

“We are strangers meeting by chance. It is best if neither side asks too many detailed questions,” Randall reminded her, subtly signaling that they were not yet familiar enough and should both maintain their secrets. Qingniao was quite suspicious, having been trying to probe into matters concerning the Trand Mercenary Group since they made contact.

Qingniao sighed softly, gazing out at the cosmos through the window, and nodded. “That is true.” She turned back. “In that case, this contract is settled.”

“Excellent.” Yang Ying shook her hand once more. “Where is your cargo ship, and how will we rendezvous?”

“We will meet tomorrow morning at seven outside Port District Three. We will come to you.” She still did not disclose the cargo ship’s location, indicating she was still unwilling to be entirely open with Yang Ying and his companions.

“Seven it is. We will await your arrival.” Yang Ying released her hand and addressed those behind him. “Let’s go.”

After parting ways with Qingniao, Yang Ying and his party proceeded to the Crown Hotel, Gray Port’s finest seven-star establishment, for a preliminary inspection ahead of the planned reception. The hotel boasted fifty stories, entirely magnificent both inside and out.

The main entrance was ten meters high, seemingly built for giants, framed on either side by massive marble columns that imparted a sense of grandeur and scale. Atop the entrance, a large, gilded crown housed a holographic projector in its center, beaming the words “Crown Hotel” upward—each character the size of an elephant.

Upon entering, one was immediately struck by the resplendent lobby. The most captivating feature was a large fountain at the center, tiered into seven levels. Carved from artificial crystal were a series of figures engaged in diverse, often dramatic actions, their faces displaying the full spectrum of joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure. Each tier seemed to narrate a deeply moving story.

Yang Ying and the others headed straight to the front desk to secure their rooms before beginning an internal tour of the hotel.

On the ground floor was an art gallery housing precious works gathered from all corners of the world, spanning from millennia ago up to the last century—a comprehensive and boundless collection.

Outside the hotel were various recreational facilities for guests, including swimming pools, dojos, tennis courts, and a golf course.

The first basement level housed the parking area, vast enough to accommodate over ten thousand mag-lev vehicles. The second basement level contained a massive casino spanning one hundred thousand square meters, packed twenty-four hours a day, three hundred and sixty-five days a year, every moment teeming with a surging crowd. Even describing the revenue as earning gold daily barely captured one-thousandth of it.

A day in Gray Port, like Earth, lasted twenty-four hours. Not just here, but across the Solar System, human colonies—with the exception of Mars—timed their days according to the Earth calendar. This adherence to the terrestrial cycle was due to the ingrained habit of Earth humanity's ten-thousand-year evolution; altering the living cycle risked slowly disrupting the body's balance and leading to various sub-health conditions.

After spending a night in the luxurious hotel, early the next morning, Yang Ying, Randall, and Catherina boarded the Valkyrie that Lilia was piloting. The warship then set off, with the three Valkyries positioned one leading and two trailing, forming a triangular formation as they steered into space.

The transport craft, loaded with five infantry escorts, followed closely within the protective envelope formed by the three frigates.

Shortly after leaving the port, a cargo ship materialized before them. The freighter sent a communication to the Valkyries to confirm its identity; it was indeed Qingniao’s contingent.

“The safety of the journey ahead will depend on you now,” Qingniao said, her face still masked, her voice distorted by a modulator.