The more fear Rynar felt in his heart, the more impassive his expression remained; he was, after all, a man capable of great composure. He offered flattery: "That is a necessity. The pharmaceuticals from the Fia family truly live up to their reputation as being top-tier across the galaxy!"

Iliya accepted the praise without modesty. "Next, I have a mission for you to carry out."

Rynar wagged his tail like a dog. "Tell me, I will certainly accomplish it."

Iliya smiled faintly and pulled open a drawer. Inside, it was shockingly full of medicinal supplies.

Rynar's expression immediately shifted.

Poison him?

Iliya chuckled languidly, "What are you afraid of? It's not for you to ingest."

Rynar hurriedly nodded. "Yes, yes, I'm not afraid. I just think you are too formidable, to be able to bring these into the hotel without anyone noticing."

Every entry point of the hotel was equipped with sensors; illegally bringing in pharmaceuticals would make it very difficult to slip past them.

Iliya offered no explanation, merely stating, "I have two lists here. One is for the legions interested in cooperating with me, and the other is for those who are destined to be enemies. You take the enemy list, find an opportunity, and administer the medicine to them."

When Rynar saw the long string of names, his legs went weak. "Mistress, are you sending me to my death!"

Iliya scoffed. "I'm not asking you to die. Use whatever method you can—put the medicine into their drinking glasses or their meals. If all else fails, smear it on places they touch frequently, even the rim of a cup."

Rynar felt a jolt, finally grasping the truth. So, the poison administered at the cup rim during the foreign dignitary reception was Iliya’s doing.

How ruthless, how venomous!

Rynar lowered his head, afraid to lift his eyes lest his emotions betray him. "Your cousin and her entourage are in the dining hall; perhaps they would be more suitable?"

A flash of ruthlessness crossed Iliya’s eyes. Rynar knew too much; if he refused to help, death would be the only outcome! However, her emotion was well hidden. "They are more likely to fail than succeed at anything. I only trust you."

Each harboring their own agenda, they looked up and saw cunning reflected in the other's eyes.

Rynar dared not refuse Iliya's demand. He took her list and consulted the monitoring screen, locating and meticulously noting down the corresponding positions of every person on the list. After portioning out the drugs, he straightened his clothes and headed out.

Iliya smiled sweetly. "If you do this well, I will certainly reward you handsomely."

Rynar didn't dare look back, bolting straight out the door.

After he left, Iliya elegantly changed into a slightly more formal evening gown. She understood the delicate balance between men and women, maintaining formality while incorporating subtle sensuality—a slight lean or an uplifted hand could easily transition into seduction.

Her first stop was Zhan Yi, the Combat Director of the Huaxia Legion.

Earlier, Iliya had planned to push the Huaxia Legion into the hostile camp for Rynar to poison. But she hesitated, unwilling to let go. Among her adversaries, the Angel Domain possessed abundant resources, the Tang Clan had superior manufacturing technology, and the Moke Legion boasted a developed media sector. Adding the unified support of the Huaxia Legion would make her conquest significantly harder.

If she could secure the Huaxia Legion, with their collective alignment towards her, it would be doubly effective.

Iliya elegantly traced her lip line, applied gloss, and offered a faint smile to her reflection before heading toward Zhan Yi's hotel suite.

Zhan Yi was considered one of the era's outstanding youths, having become a Combat Director at the mere age of forty. Iliya had investigated his background and sensed a degree of difficulty.

Every person, however, had one or two weaknesses.

But she had failed to uncover any weakness in Zhan Yi. He cared nothing for wealth, lust, power, or war. He had never engaged in petty behavior, nor did he have any compromising secrets in the hands of others. Facing him felt like confronting a hedgehog bristling with quills—nowhere to land a blow.

At that moment, Zhan Yi was seated leisurely in the top-floor revolving restaurant, taking in the view while observing the intense struggles of the other legions below, possessing the demeanor of an aloof master.

When Iliya arrived at the restaurant, he was the only one present.

She dropped the pretense and walked directly to the seat opposite him, smiling faintly, "Excuse me..."

Before she could finish, Zhan Yi frowned. "Pardon me, you are blocking my view."

Iliya managed an awkward laugh and moved to the side, following his gaze upward just as a warship swept across the transparent view of the space station's shields.

She paused, then tried to make conversation: "Do you enjoy looking at the stars?"

Zhan Yi replied, "No. I just prefer more space."

Indeed, the Kelaie Hotel had been sealed off; all exterior-facing doors and windows were obstructed. The only place with an unobstructed view of the outside was this revolving restaurant on the top floor.

Iliya smiled understandingly, smoothed her dress, and sat down opposite him. "I truly didn't expect you to be such a connoisseur of life. I always thought Combat Directors only knew fighting and killing. You’ve completely changed my impression of them."

Zhan Yi offered only a noncommittal "Mm."

Iliya felt a touch of frustration. If Zhan Yi would just say something—anything—she was confident she could keep the conversation flowing. But since he remained silent, she was forced to recycle the same 'starry sky' topic. "Do you miss the night sky back in Huaxia? I heard your sector is in the central galaxy, with few nebulae, making the sky exceptionally pure."

Zhan Yi still didn't answer. He stood up, preparing to leave.

Iliya quickly rose as well, taking two steps forward to grasp his arm. "Could you spare me a few minutes to talk?"

Her hand was soft and delicate. When she grasped him, she didn't use much force; instead, it rested softly against his skin, adopting the innocent posture of a young girl. Upon gripping him, she "suddenly" realized her error, covering her face with a look of bashfulness. "I'm sorry, I got too emotional."

Zhan Yi stopped.

Iliya's heart fluttered with excitement. Success? She knew Zhan Yi was a rugged man, and this type of man couldn't resist the 'soft touch of a gentle woman.' She was determined to weave her charm until he became her devoted subject!

Just then, someone walked into the revolving restaurant. The sharp sound of high heels clicking on the wooden floor echoed: "Oh, looks like I walked into the wrong place. Don't mind me, carry on."

Iliya’s face flushed so deeply it felt like blood might spill—it was pure fury! How could Hong Fa appear at this critical moment? She had ruined her plan!

Zhan Yi, however, finally spoke. "It's fine."

Iliya nearly ground her teeth to dust. Fire blazed in her eyes, but as Hong Fa's gaze fell upon her, she instantly suppressed all emotion, offering a charming, bright smile. "Sister Hong Fa, you're here too."

Hong Fa retorted, "Damn, who’s your sister? I hate those pretentious girls who call everyone 'sister' upon meeting them." While she was indeed older than Iliya, it didn't give Iliya the right to call her sister.

Iliya's face paled, showing a hint of fragility, yet she forced back tears. "I apologize, I misspoke. I offer my apologies."

Hong Fa inwardly sneered. She knew exactly what Iliya was plotting. Still, seeing her like that made Hong Fa itch to deliver a scathing retort: "Such a pretentious bitch!"

Hong Fa held her contempt in check, her expression equally unpleasant. She casually chose a table, sat down, picked up the teapot, and weighed it. No tea. Where had the service bot gone? She couldn't even find someone to fetch a glass of water. Sighing, she settled in.

While Hong Fa sighed and grumbled, completely ignoring the polite overtures Iliya was making, she remained unbothered. After all, the revolving restaurant wasn't Iliya's property.

Unable to maintain her act in front of Hong Fa, Iliya lowered her voice to Zhan Yi. "Zhan Yi, could we step aside to talk?"

Hong Fa noticed a flicker of hesitation cross Zhan Yi's face and immediately raised her hand. "Hold on!" She had come to recruit the Huaxia Legion herself; she couldn't let Iliya whisk Zhan Yi away!

Zhan Yi turned his head to glance at her.

Hong Fa abandoned the idea of tea, strode up to him, and extended her hand with a smile. "Hello, I am Hong Fa, Combat Director of the Wolf's Den Legion. We've met before."

A genuine smile finally cracked Zhan Yi's stern face. "Hello."

Iliya's eyes felt like they were about to shoot bullets through Hong Fa's back. Stealing her target right in front of her? Unbearable!

Iliya smiled sweetly. "Hong Fa, you are too wicked! Just now you were chatting and laughing with the Combat Director of the Seki family, and now you've rushed over to seduce Zhan Yi."

It was common knowledge that the Huaxia Legion and the Seki family had a poor relationship; the two legions had engaged in numerous clandestine skirmishes during the interstellar war. Iliya knew this perfectly well, so she immediately tried to push Hong Fa into the Seki camp to make Zhan Yi feel aversion toward her.

Hong Fa laughed heartily. "That's right. The Seki Combat Director is still picking himself up off the floor right now. Damn it, he dared to flirt with this old lady, I'll beat him senseless!"

Iliya choked, momentarily stunned.

Hong Fa continued, "Oh, right, Zhan Yi, I came to ask you about the current war. You know this conflict has dragged on too long. Are you interested in casting a vote for a ceasefire during the Legion Assembly?"

Iliya glared at Hong Fa with all her might, unable to utter a single word. She wanted to win Zhan Yi over, but she didn't want anyone to know about it. Now Hong Fa had boldly announced her intentions first. Zhan Yi would undoubtedly prioritize Hong Fa's proposal. Even if he ultimately rejected Hong Fa, considering her would make him view Iliya with suspicion, as no one wanted an enemy like that reckless woman. This meant Iliya's chances of persuading Zhan Yi had drastically diminished.

Iliya wished she could flay Hong Fa alive with her gaze, hating how this excessively disruptive woman had sabotaged her efforts!

Hong Fa noticed the murderous intent in Iliya's eyes but remained smiling, completely unfazed, focusing solely on Zhan Yi.

Zhan Yi was a clever man; he neither agreed nor refused. "Our Huaxia Legion also desires peace across the stars, but regarding the ceasefire vote, I cannot make that decision unilaterally. I must consult with our Commander upon returning to the Legion. Thank you for your kind offer."

Hong Fa nodded. "You are correct. Just like me, I must discuss it with our Commander; it’s truly a headache." She smiled. "I won't keep you any longer. You two chat. Have a good discussion." With that, she gracefully walked away, her high heels clicking.

Iliya’s gaze nearly pierced through Hong Fa's retreating back!