…The clamor of the testing battle concluded, and the fight for the armor contracts drew to a close, yet it was Gu Yechen, observed by the onlookers, who remained in everyone’s memory, alongside Hekomus.

Ten first-class battleships, twenty second-class battleships, and nearly a hundred patrol and assault vessels of various sizes escorted a single warship—indistinguishable from any ordinary vessel on the exterior—as it ascended into the upper atmosphere.

Inside a large cabin aboard the warship. Gu Yechen reclined comfortably on a sofa. Two young Spirit Race maidens, clad in thin, pale green silk chemises and possessing delicate, lovely features, hurried in, presenting cigars and fine wine. After tending to Gu Yechen, Du Lang, and Hekomus, lighting their cigars and pouring them a glass of the exquisite vintage, the two maidens retreated backward out of the room.

Staring at the closed door, Gu Yechen let out two forceful puffs of smoke and flashed Hekomus a thumbs-up. “Admiral, you are truly formidable. This is your command vessel, and you employ Spirit Race attendants?”

Hekomus approached, raising his wine glass. He chuckled dryly. “These girls belong to our Hekomus family; they have been servants for over ten generations. Absolute loyalty, guaranteed. Otherwise, why would the Marshal deign to visit me? Little.”

Du Lang, carrying his ever-present, large tea mug, first took a deep sip of his strong tea, then another of the fine wine, and stated calmly, “Enough small talk. Serious matters, serious matters!”

Hekomus grew serious. He raised his glass toward Gu Yechen.

After a moment of silence, Gu Yechen met Hekomus’s toast, remarking casually, “Truthfully, a figure of your stature has no need to involve yourself in our affairs.”

Hekomus sighed. He sat beside Gu Yechen, crossing one leg over the other. With three fingers gently gripping his wine glass, he slowly swirled the liquid, speaking somewhat distantly, “Jinkeli is my niece’s husband; he is kin to the Hekomus family, after a fashion. So, regarding this armor issue, I could only offer him some assistance. But who would have thought he would be such a disappointment.”

Du Lang took another drink of tea, then downed half a bottle of strong liquor in one go. He glanced askance at Hekomus and sneered, “Disappointment? That’s enough. We let this matter go. The order for five million units of Hercules I is just the first phase. The Federal Military Department is preparing to expand its forces, deploying large ground units across those thirteen star systems. To reduce casualties among the ground troops and avoid public impeachment, we require a massive supply of Hercules I battlesuits.”

When the talk turned serious, Gu Yechen straightened his posture.

Hekomus frowned, cursing under his breath. “If the intelligence had arrived twenty-four hours sooner, I would never have backed that bastard Jinkeli!”

Slapping Gu Yechen hard on the shoulder, Hekomus declared, “Five million armor units. The subsequent orders from the Military Department will likely involve ten more batches. We must strive to equip every soldier on the front lines and all subsequent reinforcements. All payments for the armor will be settled with equivalent rare minerals and energy crystals.”

Du Lang said gravely, “All minerals and energy crystals will be shipped to the military factory of Hadewor Defense Corporation. We look forward to the super-battleships you mentioned!”

Hekomus placed his left hand on Gu Yechen’s shoulder and smiled. “The Juxin Group, controlled by the Hekomus family, is prepared to cooperate fully with Hadewor Defense Corporation.”

Du Lang stepped forward and placed his right hand on Gu Yechen’s other shoulder. “The Lunar Special Military Zone can establish an independent, top-secret production area for Hadewor. The Earth Federation Academy of Sciences Military Equipment Research Institute can provide all necessary equipment support to Hadewor Defense Corporation. And this equipment will only be supplied to Hadewor!”

So that was it. It explained why Hekomus proposed paying with minerals mined from Heaven Star; Du Lang had clearly revealed critical information to him!

Feeling the warmth from the palms of the two military heavyweights beside him, Gu Yechen smiled.

“Super engines are the company’s specialty. The engine is the soul of a battleship. A super-battleship cannot exist without a super engine!” Gu Yechen shook Hekomus’s hand tightly.

“The Federation’s most advanced military equipment is essential. Without it, even the largest battleship is just an empty shell!” Gu Yechen then clasped Du Lang’s hand. “I especially need a classified production zone. After all, many of our designs are highly confidential and cannot be shared. I require a fleet belonging solely to Hadewor Corporation! At least thirty first-class battleships!”

Gu Yechen was making an audacious demand.

Yet, Du Lang and Hekomus showed no hesitation, immediately consenting to Gu Yechen’s request to form a factory security detachment, equipped with thirty of the new model first-class battleships.

Gu Yechen then smiled kindly. He rubbed his hands together and looked at Du Lang and Hekomus with sincere warmth. “Then, shall we discuss the matter of stock division? With two such supporters backing me on this massive pie, I am confident I can swallow it whole.”

Du Lang and Hekomus were equally forthright, immediately entering into a meticulous debate with Gu Yechen over percentages. Both were keenly aware of what the Federation’s new shipbuilding plan signified: controlling this plan meant controlling the vast majority of the Federation’s future space fleet power for the next century. This was no arena for carelessness; they dared not repeat the fiasco where the Holy Unicorn Mercenary Corps’ dozen large transport ships were annihilated by Gu Yechen alone. Both men were old foxes, cunning and meticulous; they were not about to make the same mistake twice.

After arguing nearly to blows with Du Lang and Hekomus, those two old warlords in the Federation Military Command Center, the alliance was finally forged after a full day of bickering.

Gu Yechen would receive forty-five percent of all financial returns from the shipbuilding plan. Du Lang and Hekomus would equally divide the remaining fifty-five percent. However, concerning the distribution of power gained upon the plan’s success, Gu Yechen’s portion was less substantial; the two elders merely reiterated their commitment to Hadewor Company’s future development interests and promised to support an increase in Gu Yechen’s military rank at an appropriate time, acknowledging his contribution to strengthening the Earth Federation’s space fleet.

But Du Lang and Hekomus also issued a stern warning to Gu Yechen: the Special Operations Bureau was the absolute limit of his authority; the power within the Military Department was strictly off-limits to him!

Dazed, Gu Yechen stumbled out of the Federation Command Center. As soon as he cleared the signal jamming range, his communicator exploded with a ringing sound—in the past twelve hours, he had been called twenty-four times, roughly once every half hour.

Curiously, he answered the call. Ms. Mei, with whom he had a positive working relationship on Easter Island, appeared on the screen.

“Mr. Gu, you esteemed gentleman, you are truly busy!” Ms. Mei maintained her impeccable composure and offered Gu Yechen a warm jest.

“Not at all, not at all. I am just a common man, recently discussing some business dealings. Whatever you require, please state it plainly. If I can assist, I certainly will.” Gu Yechen was direct; he held Ms. Mei in good regard and presumed she was contacting him only on important matters.

Indeed, Ms. Mei was contacting him on behalf of someone else: Grand Master Dahuang of the Banji Sect, the current leader and the foremost expert on array formations within the Asian Dao Alliance. It had taken many turns and efforts to locate Ms. Mei, as the path to Gu Yechen ran through her. He sought her help to request Gu Yechen assist the Banji Sect in retrieving certain items.

The Banji Sect’s sanctuary was located within the famous Yandang Mountain. Within the mountain were sealed countless ancient texts and magic treasures left by their ancestors. However, these artifacts were shielded by layers of complex formations, requiring each generation’s disciples to break through the outer layers before gaining access to the corresponding strata of texts.

The saying ‘each generation is worse than the last’ held true; Daoist sects on Earth were in steady decline, and the Banji Sect was no exception. A thousand years ago, the ancestors of the Banji Sect could still enter the mountain’s scripture repository to copy texts for their disciples. But now, the Sect Master, Grand Master Dahuang—proclaimed the foremost Grand Master of Array Formations in the Asian Dao Alliance—could not even approach his own sect’s sacred grounds. Compounding this, Dahuang had encountered significant obstacles in his cultivation, and waiting for enlightenment alone, heaven knew when he would break through his bottleneck.

About sixty years ago, Grand Master Dahuang began setting his sights on the sect’s treasury. He neglected sect affairs, ceased teaching his apprentices, and spent his days with bloodshot eyes pacing around the forbidden scripture repository, like a weasel trying to pilfer a chicken. Alas, his mastery of array formations was far inferior to that of the ancestors who laid down these formidable restrictions; after all these years, he had not managed a single step inside.

It was in desperation that several younger disciples of the Banji Sect returned from Heaven Star, bringing news that Gu Yechen’s puppet, Zhao Yi, possessed the ability to break through these restrictions.

From that moment, Grand Master Dahuang began plotting how to approach Gu Yechen. However, as a Grand Master at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage, he simply could not bring himself to beg Gu Yechen for help.

Gu Yechen was the disciple of the Corpse Emperor—making him a junior to Grand Master Dahuang. For a Grand Master of Arrays to request help from a junior to breach his own ancestral formation restrictions? If this tale spread, Grand Master Dahuang would have grounds to hang himself. He dared not even voice the thought to his own disciples, lest he lose all face.

Winding his way through various contacts, Grand Master Dahuang finally found Ms. Mei. Ms. Mei was Dahuang’s distant relative by marriage, a descendant several degrees removed. How Dahuang managed to sort out this familial connection within a mere few months was a mystery. Regardless, Dahuang found Ms. Mei, knew she had some connection with Gu Yechen, and knew that Ms. Mei, who navigated the secular world, could keep a tight lip.

Thus, Ms. Mei approached Gu Yechen, seeking his assistance in breaking the restrictions for Grand Master Dahuang!

“If this matter is resolved, Elder Dahuang will certainly offer a generous reward,” Ms. Mei concluded, stating the final term to Gu Yechen.

“A generous reward?” Gu Yechen’s eyes lit up. He was currently deeply interested in the contents recorded on the three rolls of silk left by the Daoist Priest Wuchen. However, the material was too arcane; deciphering arrays solely from the script was agonizingly slow. Even if Zhao Yi could instruct him in the Way of Arrays, what Zhao Yi knew seemed too advanced. What Gu Yechen desperately needed now were foundational array knowledge!

After contemplating for a moment, Gu Yechen smiled. “If I am allowed to copy all the introductory foundational texts of the Banji Sect, I will agree to help! I swear I will never reveal these texts!”

Ms. Mei agreed without hesitation, accepting the terms immediately.

The moment she gave her assent, a fast transport shuttle landed before Gu Yechen. Ms. Mei had dispatched it to collect him, indicating a brief intermission.

A skyscraper begins with a single brick laid on the ground; learning from the foundation is only proper. Monthly tickets are also built this way, accumulating one by one. (To be continued)