The night sky over Woreil was subtly different from that of other large orbital cities; "Dao Crab" streaks often shot across the expanse, trailing flares of flame. Furthermore, they appeared from all directions, so frequently that one could witness thousands every night, decorating Woreil’s heavens with vibrant animation, lending a poetic quality to the tranquil void.

However!

If one were to peer through a proper astronomical telescope, they would discover these meteors were merely cheap imitations. They frequently veered mid-flight or tumbled in corkscrews, carving out bewildering, bizarre curves.

Because these "meteors" were, in fact, fighter jets!

Woreil didn't just train ground forces; pilots and crew were paramount in their training regimen. The city alone boasted over ten thousand trainer aircraft, and the number of certified pilots exceeded half a million!

Mercenaries lacked the specialized branch divisions of a regular army. The engagements mercenaries typically faced were small-scale and highly sudden, often leaving no opportunity to select one's preferred weaponry. They were forced to use whatever was at hand.

For a mercenary—especially one hoping to survive long and earn substantial income—it was essential to have a working knowledge of all manner of weapons, requiring a considerable grasp of everything from firearms and explosives to aircraft and tanks.

When a mercenary first began flight training, they were never allowed directly into a combat aircraft. They first had to pass rigorous simulations in cockpit simulators. Only after completing the required pilot curriculum did they earn the qualification to fly actual fighters.

In the barracks where Yang Ying was housed, there was an entire building dedicated to pilot cultivation, containing one thousand simulator cockpits available for the mercenaries training there to hone their flying skills.

After dinner, Yang Ying dispatched two Ghost operatives to that very building to try out Woreil’s pilot curriculum and assess the actual skill level of the pilots trained there.

While he was resting briefly in his quarters, the communicator in the barracks chimed.

He activated the device and saw the image of a soldier on the screen. The soldier snapped to attention upon seeing Yang Ying, saluting sharply and announcing in a loud voice, "Your Excellency Yang Ying, this is the gatehouse. Miss Baches of the Kussen Corps and her bodyguard wish to see you. Do you grant an audience?"

"Let them in," Yang Ying replied.

"As you command, Your Excellency!" The soldier's tone conveyed immense pride, as if speaking with Yang Ying was the greatest honor imaginable.

The communication ended, and Catherina approached, smiling. "I was wondering when this Princess Kussen would finally arrive. She's a bit later than I expected."

She and Christina had remained in constant contact, frequently communicating via neural interface devices; their personal relationship was quite warm.

Christina served as the Kussen Corps' representative to the Mercenary Alliance, with her usual office located in Woreil's Alliance Tower. Being well-informed, coupled with the Kussen Corps being allies of the Tellan Mercenary Group, it was easy for her to ascertain Yang Ying's location in this particular barracks.

A short while later, a mag-lev vehicle stopped outside the barracks entrance. Christina and her bodyguard, Shiro, stepped out.

Catherina deliberately waited at the entrance to greet them and led them into the room.

After exchanging brief pleasantries, they cut straight to the matter at hand. Yang Ying inquired about the recent status of the Kussen Corps. Christina responded, "Since the Tellan Mercenary Group utterly destroyed the Five Great Powers in that battle, our lives have become much easier. Before, when dealing with surrounding large mercenary groups, we often lacked confidence. For example, core members of several major groups used to frequently dine on credit at Kussen under various pretenses, and they even harassed female tourists. They had a long record of misconduct. Although we detained them a few times, when their powerful backers demanded their release, it was difficult to stand firm. That old mayor previously specialized in internal conflicts, not external ones; whenever another major mercenary group came demanding someone's release, he would always let them go and seek reconciliation."

"So that's how it was," Yang Ying mused, becoming increasingly certain that removing the old mayor had been a wise decision.

"However, ever since news of the total annihilation of the Five Great Powers at the Gray Harbor battle spread across the asteroid belt," Christina continued with a smile, "as allies of the Tellan Mercenary Group, we experienced a shared rise in fortune. Those core members of the large mercenary groups have, in the last few days, settled all the bills for the meals they ate on credit. Moreover, their backers have spread the word that they will never set foot on Kussen territory again."

"If they don't come, then good riddance," Catherina interjected. "If you ask me, people like that must pay the price for what they've done. A mere promise to wipe the slate clean for past offenses? Christina, you are far too soft-hearted!"

"How could I let it go like that?" Christina retorted. "I haven't finished telling you. For this issue, I approached Roland at your Kussen Liaison Office and issued a commission, asking him to help us... deal with those fellows."

"Deal with them how?" Catherina asked, puzzled.

"I can't say the word. It's certainly not language a lady should utter," Christina shook her head.

"Well, whisper it quietly," Catherina leaned in curiously. "You're capable of doing it, yet you hesitate to speak the word?"

"To render them utterly powerless, directly severing—the word reaches the knees, implying injury to the groin..." Christina firmly shook her head. After a moment of thought, she extended her hand and made a sharp downward chopping motion. "It was this."

"Castration?" Catherina seemed unconcerned. "You're the daughter of a mercenary commander; what's so difficult about saying that?"

"No, not that," Christina lowered her hand to her waist level and swept it downward, whispering, "This?"

"Hiss." Catherina inhaled sharply and stepped back half a pace. "This... this..." She turned to look at Yang Ying, curious to see his reaction to his superior.

Yang Ying also understood what Christina was implying: she had commissioned Roland to have those who harassed female tourists mutilated. He thought privately, This woman is ruthless.

However, he showed no expression, cleared his throat in a deliberate manner, and inquired, "And then?"

"And then..." Christina continued, "Roland handled the matter cleanly, leaving no trace. They can't touch us, especially since our backer is the Tellan Mercenary Group, ranked just below the Super Mercenary Groups. The action was taken by the Tellan Mercenary Group’s Kussen Liaison Office. Even if they had evidence, they might not dare confront us."

"Fine, you intended to dump the fallout onto us, didn't you?" Catherina murmured in her ear.

Christina immediately looked flustered, stepping forward to take Catherina's hand, repeating anxiously, "Catherina, you know perfectly well that wasn't my intention. I admit I played some improper games when we first met, but now that you are so powerful, how would I dare resort to schemes? That’s why I went directly to Roland and used the commission method for this matter. If Roland hadn't agreed, he simply could have refused the commission."

"She's right," Yang Ying interjected. "Roland agreed to this, so he must have his reasons. If he didn't want to be involved, he could have easily declined. The matter itself is simple—it was just neutralizing a few people. If it were up to me, I'd have preferred killing them outright. Leaving behind a few crippled individuals harboring hatred for us is a greater liability."

"Alright, since the Commander has spoken, stop worrying," Catherina said with a smile.

Christina nodded and continued, "Now, several mid-sized mercenary groups are considering swearing allegiance to us, likely due to the Kussen Corps being your allies. We are currently observing them; if they bear no ill will, we plan to accept them."

"It seems the Kussen Corps is entering a stable period of growth," Yang Ying remarked, gaining a new perspective on his own influence.

"Actually, compared to us, the Lehai Group benefited even more," Christina reported. "They even lost their only large battleship in the Bos Battle. Due to a lack of funds, they couldn't replace another large vessel. But once the reputation of the Tellan Mercenary Group spread, several financial consortiums contacted Baldy, proactively offering low-interest loans to help the Lehai Mercenary Group recover. I heard Baldy is currently recruiting heavily and just purchased a light cruiser yesterday, which he has also named Lehai, though it is significantly more advanced than the previous one."

"This truly embodies the saying, 'One person attains the Way, and their chickens and dogs ascend to heaven,'" Catherina commented.

After some further casual conversation, Yang Ying asked, "Miss Christina, do you have any news regarding the Thirteenth Fleet?"

"Of course, I do," Christina replied. "The news of the Thirteenth Fleet entering the asteroid belt made the evening news. All major news channels in the asteroid belt reported on it. However, I knew about it before the broadcast. I attended the Alliance Committee meeting this afternoon as an observer."

Although Christina was not a member of the Alliance Committee, as the Kussen Corps' representative to the Alliance, she held the qualification to attend committee meetings as an observer.

"That’s perfect. Tell us what the committee's reaction was to this new fleet being stationed in the asteroid belt," Yang Ying requested.

Christina shook her head. "The bigwigs argued fiercely about how to deal with the Thirteenth Fleet. Not a single resolution could be finalized during the entire meeting. I can't even recall the specifics of what they argued about."

"Tell us whatever you can remember," Yang Ying urged.

"Really? You can't possibly remember absolutely nothing," Catherina said. "Here's a clue for you: recall what Committee Member Yusuf, Committee Member Haines, and Committee Member Andre said during the meeting?" Catherina had personally seen these three committee members when she accompanied Yang Ying to the training grounds earlier in the day.

"These three are major figures. Committee Member Yusuf is a veteran of the Mercenary Alliance, having climbed from the grassroots to his current position as a committee member. Committee Members Haines and Andre are representatives sent by the Super Mercenary Groups to the Alliance, and their standing is even higher than Yusuf's. Why are you asking about them?" Christina asked, surprised.

Catherina briefly recounted what had transpired that afternoon.