The small, streamlined craft zipped past, almost skimming the treetops, a lighter fighter trailing closely behind its wake. One hundred tall, white armed robots blasted faint plasma flames from their foot-thrusters, forming a perfect defensive perimeter on either side of the vessel.

Inside the ship, in an elegantly furnished and immaculate cabin, Gu Xiechen peered out the viewport, fascinated by the swiftly passing panorama of verdant mountains and clear waters. The scenery of Planet Yafik was truly exhilarating; it was an extraordinarily habitable world. As he watched, Gu Xiechen suddenly sighed deeply.

He thought of the Federation commoners back on Earth—the "ground rats"—whose population density had become utterly unbearable. The promised paradises of Planet Tiantang and the Thirteen Consecutive Stars were locked in chaotic conflict. By the time a victor emerged to delineate the borders, the natural environments of those dozen worlds would likely be ravaged beyond repair.

Fuyaming entered, carrying a tray, and presented Gu Xiechen with a cup of fruit tea emitting a delicate, floral fragrance.

Smiling faintly at Fuyaming, Gu Xiechen didn't hesitate at the scalding temperature of the tea. He took a huge gulp. The tea was sweet and refreshing, like biting into a freshly plucked fruit. Enjoying it immensely, Gu Xiechen raised the cup toward Fuyaming and laughed, "Your Highness, this is excellent tea!"

Fuyaming looked at him as if he were a monster, her mouth opening and closing, unable to form a word. The standard atmospheric pressure on Planet Yafik was about twice that of Earth, meaning the boiling point of water here was significantly higher. The liquid in the cup was freshly boiled water; for an ordinary Yafik citizen, a single mouthful of this tea would be enough to scald their esophagus raw. Not only was Gu Xiechen unharmed, but he could even speak clearly. Fuyaming was deeply astonished.

Handing the teacups on the tray to Ducat, Penghua, and Boruboru, Fuyaming took a cup for herself and stood beside Gu Xiechen. Gazing out at the lush jungle, she smiled softly, "Thank you for the compliment. This is fruit tea made from our Yafik specialty, the 'Three-Leaf Golden Velvet Fruit,' which is quite beneficial for mental energy recovery."

Penghua sniffed the floral aroma in his cup, curled his lip, and set it aside.

Ducat sipped happily, swallowing the tea in one gulp just as Gu Xiechen had done.

Boruboru, however, excitedly clutched the teacup—which seemed overly large for him—and carefully blew small, tentative sips at the steaming liquid, sucking in air forcefully through his two small nostrils. He mumbled quietly, "Three-Leaf Golden Velvet Fruit tea... ah, this is a supreme rarity only tasted by the most important figures in the Star Alliance! Oh, this one cup must be worth a hundred Star Alliance gold coins! So extravagant. So extravagant that I, Boruboru, actually get to taste such a delicacy!"

Fuyaming turned toward Boruboru and laughed, "Mr. Boruboru, you have helped us immensely. When you depart this time, I will send you ten standard pounds of this fruit tea."

Boruboru's blue eyes instantly brightened. He cried out in delight, "Ah, your generosity could illuminate the entire universe! However, could I have the cash equivalent?"

Fuyaming's expression stiffened. She glared fiercely at Boruboru, and the look she gave him held a touch of ferocity, startling Boruboru into shrinking back on the sofa.

"Hehe!" Gu Xiechen laughed, watching Fuyaming assert herself. He quickly intervened for Boruboru, saying, "Planet Yafik is truly a marvelous place. The environment here and your people are both very comforting. But, Your Highness, you and the soldiers under your command seem vastly different?"

Fuyaming turned back, her long eyebrows tightly knitted together. She sighed and shook her head, "Yes. My father, the King, sent me to the Star Alliance core planet, 'Daverms,' when I was twelve to study at the Star Alliance First Military Academy. I hold a Star Alliance recognized Junior Battlefield Commander certificate and have passed the assessment for a Junior Assault Trooper."

"Remarkable!" Gu Xiechen exclaimed, scanning Fuyaming’s body with his spiritual sense. Indeed, she was impressive. Her physical strength surpassed that of the elite fighters in Earth Federation's guard units, and deep within her, an extremely faint energy, akin to Zhenqi, flowed constantly. This energy was roughly equivalent to the power of a Houtian martial artist who had cultivated Zhenqi for ten years in the Earth Federation. It was no wonder she dared to charge into enemy formations wielding a lightsaber.

"And, of course, a very fine figure!" A slight sense of inappropriate curiosity stirred within Gu Xiechen. His spiritual sense had perceived not only Fuyaming’s power but also her physical data, including her height and measurements. This caused Gu Xiechen, who had never engaged in such invasive observation, to flush slightly. He hastily withdrew his spiritual sense. "Uh, the physical structure is identical to that of an Earthling. A true miracle of life! By bloodline, she almost possesses pure Ancient Chinese ancestry!"

Absurdly, Gu Xiechen recalled a strange rule of the Gu Clan Group: all direct descendants of the Gu Clan Group were only permitted to marry those who also possessed pure Ancient Chinese blood.

Gu Xiechen's face grew redder still. He quickly recited a short mantra recorded in a text to forcibly calm his mind and expel intrusive thoughts.

"A heart demon, it must be a heart demon! Could my Tribulation of Outer Celestial Demons have arrived?" His left hand instinctively gripped the Qilin Seal fastened to his belt, but the seal remained utterly inert.

Fuyaming leaned languidly against the edge of the viewport. She gave Gu Xiechen a wry, helpless smile. "But, as you can see, while my personal combat ability is adequate, my soldiers are not. You cannot imagine, when I was studying military command at the Star Alliance First Military Academy, my compatriots were studying music, painting, and sword dancing at the Star Alliance First Arts Academy, right across the street."

Speechless, Gu Xiechen could only offer a dry chuckle. "Your citizens have considerable artistic talent!"

Penghua snickered from the side, laughing so hard his belly ached. Yafik soldiers truly did have artistic talent. On the battlefield, they wore cloaks and robes reminiscent of the ascetic monks of the Earth Federation's Vatican Curia. Weren't they afraid of tripping and falling to their deaths while fleeing a lost battle?

Ducat grumbled, "Meaningless concepts of nation and race!" He picked up the teacup Penghua had set aside and downed the fruit tea in one gulp, vigorously chewing the fruit pulp and petals left in the dregs.

Fuyaming glanced at Ducat. She smiled gently, "I am delighted you enjoy the specialties of our Kingdom of Yafik. May I ask, who are you?"

Gu Xiechen gestured toward Ducat, whose cheeks were still moving as he chewed, "That is His Excellency Xiao, our mercenary group's Chief Mechanic and Weapons Manufacturer. And that gentleman is our mercenary group’s... Chief."