After conversing for the better part of the day, Yang Ying had Tom select his next assignment. Tom considered it for a moment, choosing to return to the Floating Continent to lead the Naga there. This way, he could completely vanish within the Solar System, leaving his double without any lingering concerns.

Tom's selfless choice greatly pleased Yang Ying.

However, what pleased Yang Ying even more was that all his subordinates were like Tom—selfless, obedient, and never complaining about any assignment.

After sending Tom back to the Floating Continent, Yang Ying returned to the real world. He toured the entire base, greeting everyone he met, inquiring about their well-being, before finally returning to the command center to work.

Possessing such loyal subordinates, Yang Ying felt his energy renewed tenfold as he worked.

Another day passed, and Robin dispatched the clearly diminished Mercenary Alliance Investigation Team onto an Alliance official spacecraft.

Thanks to Harry’s defection, the Mercenary Alliance didn't know what had transpired at Gray Harbor until the very last moment. The list of personnel executed for espionage was also submitted at the very end.

This was done to allow the base to deepen and solidify its combat readiness!

This was because, as time went on, the productivity of the Floating Continent and the base continued to increase; every day delayed meant more troops joining the base’s ranks. Last week saw six squadrons of Ghost Fighters daily; this week, it rose to seven squadrons a day. With massive resources being channeled into the airfield, next week could very well see production reach eight and a half squadrons per day!

As the base’s forces grew daily, so did its capacity to handle various contingencies. The entire base remained highly vigilant against the potential threat posed by the Caesar Mercenary Group.

As soon as the Mercenary Alliance Investigation Team returned to Worell, the news of "Thousand Faces" Alva’s death spread, creating an impact that exceeded everyone’s prior expectations.

Even among the ranks of S-class mercenaries, Alva was an exceptionally famous master, which accounted for his moniker, "Thousand Faces." His mission completion rate was one hundred percent, and the details of several classic missions he undertook were even recorded in the Mercenary Alliance textbooks. Almost every mercenary trained in Worell had heard of Alva’s exploits, especially those specializing in tracking, counter-tracking, stealth, disguise, infiltration, and escape—one hundred percent of them knew Alva’s name and viewed him as a goal to surpass, even an idol to worship.

Later, Alva mysteriously disappeared, with only a select few knowing that he had defected to the Caesar Mercenary Group.

And now, the legendary Alva had finally been defeated. Defeated by the Tran Mercenary Group, defeated—and killed!

The mission process that led to Alva’s death for the final time had been recorded as a holographic image, which Harry brought back to the Mercenary Alliance. Many well-informed individuals had viewed it before it was sealed away under the pretext of its excessive influence; they wanted no part in offending the Caesar Mercenary Group.

After this rumor spread, mercenaries throughout Worell who couldn't view the recording formed a long line outside the Alliance building, cursing loudly over their unsatisfied curiosity.

“These bureaucrats, hoarding the holographic footage of Alva’s death! That was the legendary Alva!” a Black mercenary holding a banner exclaimed below the Alliance building.

“Alva was always elusive, always the one observing others from the shadows. For him to have been spied on and have the entire operation recorded—impossible. Could that so-called Alliance holographic video be fake?” a tall White mercenary expressed skepticism. He was only there to watch the commotion.

“Don’t dismiss it. The existence of the video seems real. I heard Alva died in Gray Harbor this time,” the Black mercenary said mysteriously. “That’s Tran Mercenary Group territory.”

“The Tran Mercenary Group? The number one large mercenary group?” the White mercenary asked, surprised.

“The very same. I have an elder brother who serves as a bodyguard for Commissioner Yusuf. He told me he personally witnessed the commander of the Tran Mercenary Group’s bodyguard possessing S-class mercenary strength,” the Black mercenary explained.

“An S-class mercenary alone might not be enough to capture Alva. Alva was a legend among spies in the mercenary corps; ordinary S-class mercenaries wouldn't match up to him,” the White mercenary said, shaking his head.

“Hmph, you two are simply ignorant.” A short White mercenary chuckled beside them.

“What did you say?” Both shouted simultaneously.

“You darkie, you only know that Commander Yang Ying’s bodyguard is S-class, but you don't know the Tran Mercenary Group is teeming with experts. They have several times more S-class mercenaries than Worell does! For that mere Alva to dare cause trouble in Gray Harbor—he was asking for death!” the short man said smugly.

“Several times more? Do you think S-class mercenaries are walking the streets?” The Black mercenary dropped his banner, grabbed the short man, and raised his fist, ready to strike.

“Easy, easy! I have an explanation,” the short man pleaded quickly.

“Spit it out. If you can’t offer a sensible reason, my fist won't spare you!” the Black mercenary snarled.

The short man shook off the Black mercenary’s grasp. “Do you two know Mars?”

“That ace pilot? I’ve heard of him. Seems like he’s about to become an S-class pilot,” the White mercenary offered.

“That’s him,” the short man confirmed. “A while ago, he took a group of followers to Gray Harbor for pilot training. One of those people took a liking to my friend, who is also a veteran S-class mercenary. A few days ago, he told me he was nearly scared to death while undergoing training in Gray Harbor.”

“How so?” the Black mercenary asked irritably.

“Because during their training there, all one hundred of their instructors were S-class pilots, and every one of them was a veteran! The newly promoted S-class pilots stood no chance against them,” the short man declared with an excited expression. “Furthermore, the soldiers patrolling the streets of Gray Harbor are all S-class masters. My friend intentionally tried to pick a fight just to test them, and he was taken down instantly!”

“Nonsense!” The other two didn't believe him at all. In the end, the Black mercenary beat the short man until he was hospitalized.

In a secret chamber within the Caesar Mercenary Group’s compound in Worell, Istha watched the video Harry brought back with a blank expression. Halfway through, he punched the projector, shouting, “Trash! Good-for-nothing! Alva, an S-class mercenary equipped with advanced espionage gear manufactured by the Caesar Group, not only failed to transmit any useful intelligence but had his entire operation recorded! Now the whole city is talking about it—it’s a disgrace to our Caesar Mercenary Group!”

The intelligence officer reporting to him stood awkwardly, unsure whether to stay standing or sit. Istha’s imposing aura seemed innate; a mere look or gesture could make breathing difficult, and those with weaker wills felt stifled in his presence.

Andre, another member of the Caesar family, presented a much calmer demeanor. He waved the intelligence officer away and said, “My brother, I warned you before not to underestimate the Tran Mercenary Group. Although you sent your most capable personnel equipped with the most advanced tools for this mission, you still didn't treat the Tran Mercenary Group as a genuine threat in your heart. I hope this failure serves as a serious warning to you.”

Istha snorted coldly. “A waste like Alva couldn't even handle a task like this. You call him capable personnel? I gave the Tran Mercenary Group my utmost attention, but a lion never considers a mouse its opponent. The Tran Mercenary Group and their backer, Tran Corporation, are nothing more than upstarts leeching off Earth’s economy relying on a few crucial technical patents. Compared to the millennia of glory enjoyed by our Caesar Family, they are utterly insignificant! Looking at it this way, this failure was clearly an anomaly. All my arrangements were meticulously planned; this result was caused by Alva’s incompetence and various objective factors. Brother, you are giving the Tran Mercenary Group far too much importance!”

Andre shook his head. “My brother, do not let your arrogance cloud your judgment. The Tran Mercenary Group is not as baseless as it appears on the surface. Consider their patents; even the R&D departments within the Group have offered high praise. How can they be dismissed as mere upstarts?”

Istha looked up and replied, “Brother, what you see is merely the massive shadow a mouse casts on the wall; the mouse itself is quite small and not nearly as strong as you imagine. We should neither become complacent after a victory nor doubt ourselves after a defeat. Brother, have you forgotten that we are members of the great Caesar Family? Why are you so afraid of the Tran Mercenary Group?”

Andre stood up. “Don’t twist my meaning. Prudence does not equate to fear; rather, it is the indispensable foundation on the path to success. Without caution, the road can shatter at any moment.”

Istha also stood up and shouted, “The path of the Caesar Family will never shatter!”

Andre yelled back furiously, “You are twisting my words again!”

The two stared at each other without yielding for several seconds. Istha then calmed down, pointed toward the door, and said, “Brother, the report on this operation is concluded. Please leave now. I require some quiet time to contemplate alone.”

This was Caesar Mercenary Group territory, not a place where hierarchy was determined by the Mercenary Alliance standards. Within the Caesar Family, Istha’s status was above Andre’s; speaking in that tone was akin to giving an order.

Andre knew further argument was futile. He sighed and turned to leave. Before exiting, he looked back once more and said, “I will be in the garden outside. If you run into trouble and need assistance, you can call on me anytime.”

Istha replied politely, “I know.”

Andre detected the coldness masked beneath the politeness. He fixed Istha with a deep look before exiting the secret chamber.

Istha contemplated for the entire afternoon. Then, his expression turned cold, and he picked up the communicator, dialing a number.

“Father, the previous plan against the Tran Mercenary Group has failed.”

“I know the word ‘failure’ should not have come from my mouth, and I deeply apologize for that. Please grant me another opportunity.”

“I am aware that Yang Ying has received the Solar System Medal, as well as his connections with General Randolph and Master Pang Qian.”

“If you ask what I need, I request the loan of a few Laurel-class vessels—the more, the better, naturally.”

“Thank you, Father.”

Istha closed the communicator, his face a mixture of shadows and light.

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