"Hello, esteemed Princess. Do you recall me? I am the servant of Boluopoluxukongsancheng!" Boluopolu suddenly sprang up from behind the bench, bouncing vigorously a few times. "I am Boluopolu, do you remember? I only completed a transaction with you three days ago! Apologies. This... fellow is not an Yafike!"

Fuyaming stepped back in surprise several paces. Boluopolu was simply too short, and Fuyaming's chest was perhaps too prominent. When Boluopolu stood too close to her, Fuyaming had difficulty spotting the little fellow. Hands planted on her hips, Fuyaming waited, astonished, as Boluopolu laughed, "It is Mr. Boluopolu? Ah, they are not Yafike? Are they your companions? But, didn't you already leave?"

Suspiciously glancing at Gu Xiechen, who was lost in thought, Peng Hua, standing nonchalantly with no semblance of posture, and the tall, handsome, god-like Peng Hua with a perpetually grim face, Fuyamo glared resentfully at Boluopolu and muttered in a low voice, "Damn you, Boluopolu, did you sneak off again to trade with Prince Daogen? His control lines have advanced this close, and you're still trading with him?"

"No!" Boluopolu cried out in agitation. "I truly didn't this time. Prince Daogen is very stingy. He’s not as generous as you! Of course, this is also partly due to my ship; my Old Ancestor's vessel simply cannot accommodate much cargo, otherwise, I certainly would have."

...

Suddenly realizing he had let slip something he shouldn't have, Boluopolu awkwardly clasped his hands tightly over his chest and managed a cautious, fawning smile toward Fuyaming. "Uh, my apologies, Your Highness. I—I have always supported your righteous resistance movement. I'll bring you some heavy ordnance next time!"

Fuyaming, who was about to erupt in anger, immediately broke into a captivating smile upon hearing Boluopolu's words, as if a hundred flowers bloomed before her eyes in spring. Even Gu Xiechen, who was deep in contemplation, was drawn in by this smile.

"A most captivating smile!" Gu Xiechen shot Fuyaming a fierce look and mumbled under his breath, "A woman capable of inciting disaster! Yes, pure disaster!"

However, the next words from this beacon of trouble were chillingly filled with killing intent. She grabbed Boluopolu by the ear and demanded in a low growl, "Heavy ordnance? Can you procure a Type-W Antimatter Annihilation Bomb? Not too many—just thirty standard-grade annihilation bombs will suffice!"

Boluopolu’s round, watery little face instantly turned deathly pale. He hissed out in terror, "Impossible! Your Highness, that—that—that is a weapon strictly regulated by the Star Alliance!"

Fuyaming frowned and said fiercely, "Aren't you an omnipotent smuggler? Stop trying to fob me off with those assault rifles that can't even kill a bird every time! Get me something with real power. I want to settle that bastard Daogen in one go! And while we're at it, I'll take care of the troublesome Senate of the Kingdom! Can you get it? Name your price!"

Boluopolu gritted his teeth tightly, the peculiar gleam of silver blocks flashing in his eyes, as he hesitantly began counting on his fingers.

Fuyaming’s eyes widened, the fierceness in her gaze surging. "One annihilation bomb, and I’ll give you one ton of Starlight Silver!"

"Gah!" Boluopolu's deathly pale face abruptly shifted to a ghastly blue. He stared fixedly at Fuyaming, a string of drool hanging from his lip.

Fuyaming’s entire demeanor pulsed with immense killing intent. Gu Xiechen clearly sensed that sharp sliver of malice within her heart.

"A very interesting Princess!" Gu Xiechen smiled. The killing intent radiating from Fuyaming was comparable to that of the old mercenaries from the Hardwood Defense Company who had clawed their way out of the corpse piles on Paradise Star. He truly wondered how she had acquired such a trace of ruthlessness.

"Boluopolu, you are a grown man, stop being so wishy-washy! Give me a clear answer—can you get me annihilation bombs or not?" Fuyaming glared menacingly at Boluopolu, already reaching for the particle pistol holstered at her waist, poised to shoot him down if he didn't comply.

Large beads of sweat broke out on Boluopolu’s forehead. He struggled to wipe them away, stammering as he calculated, "Th-these annihilation bombs, only the biggest merchant guild leaders might possibly procure them for me. My status is far too distant from theirs. However, if..."

Fuyaming smiled, a gentle warmth in her expression. "I'll advance you half a ton of Starlight Silver?"

"Oh!" Boluopolu's little claws shot up to clutch the region over his heart. He staggered backward a few steps, looking at Fuyaming with shock. "Half a ton? Really? Oh, my heart, my heart—both of my hearts ache!"

Clearing his throat lightly, Gu Xiechen frowned and placed a hand firmly on Boluopolu's back, carefully channeling a thread of True Essence to soothe his violently spasming heart meridians. How had this little fellow become so undependable? He hadn't reacted this strongly when he saw that huge pile of silver locks aboard the Primordial Battleship.

Gu Xiechen did not know that the pile of silver locks on the Primordial Battleship had already sent Boluopolu into a trance-like state; he still believed what he saw was a mere illusion, which is why he hadn't shown much interest in those silver keys. Fuyaming’s half-ton of Starlight Silver, however, was tangible. Half a ton of Starlight Silver—the value of this item was roughly equivalent to half a ton of gold in the Western World during Earth's Middle Ages. Its worth was immeasurable!

Just as Boluopolu was about to begin haggling with Fuyaming, urgent footsteps suddenly rang out from the distance. Audol, impeccably dressed with not a hair out of place, led exactly two hundred young soldiers in neat robes, jogging toward them with synchronized steps. Audol called out unhurriedly as he ran, "Your Highness, please leave this area immediately! A major rebel contingent is less than a mile away from us!"

Gu Xiechen's divine sense instantly swept the surroundings. To the left, behind a small hillock, about 1.5 kilometers away, ten light hover-engine armored vehicles—equipment considered merely police apparatus on Earth Federation standards—were rapidly bearing down, accompanied by around three hundred soldiers riding some kind of individual transport equipment akin to hoverbikes!

Gu Xiechen had detected this force about half an hour ago when they were still twenty kilometers away. After half an hour, they had finally "trudged" twenty kilometers and managed to reach the outskirts of the village.

Peng Hua forcefully tossed his cigar stub onto the ground, spitting a thick glob of phlegm next to it. He ground his right foot vigorously over the stub and the phlegm. He chuckled, "They’ve arrived quickly, haven't they? Truly elite troops! Heh, heh heh!"

Ducat, standing nearby, also suppressed a sneer, his lips pursed. Covering twenty kilometers in half an hour—even those pampered young masters of the Roman people wouldn't manage that.

Fuyaming frowned, looking at the crude movements of Peng Hua, and shook her head with displeasure.