An Junlie gripped Ziye’s claws, his expression as calm as a breeze over still water. “It’s nothing. If the Star Federation can send pirate fleets to raid private enterprises, what’s wrong with hijacking a few of my military cargo ships?”

A small flutter of warmth sparked in Ziye’s heart—was An Junlie doing this for her?

However, she absolutely would not let him detect this secret little thought. She haughtily tilted her chin up. “Are military cargo ships worth much?”

An Junlie nodded. “They are. I’ll have someone hijack two more; all the money earned goes to you.”

Ziye’s eyes glittered, all pretense thrown to the nine heavens. “How much are they worth?”

An Junlie smiled faintly. “Several hundred billion, at least.”

Ziye instantly leaped up. “Go hijack a few more! I’m short on cash lately.”

The Star Federation destroyed the Rose Garden; compensating with cargo ships was only fair.

The niceties of interstellar law were not within her scope of consideration.

Interstellar law, when stripped bare, was merely a talisman for the powerful.

An Junlie: “……”

Ziye secretly glanced at him and noticed his expression was somewhat unreadable. She suddenly remembered that his legion was a regular military force, not pirates wearing the guise of a legion like Red Hair. She hastily added, “Forget it if it’s too much trouble.”

An Junlie didn't answer directly, merely smiling as he gently rubbed her head. “When you’re done, will you take a walk with me?”

Ziye nodded like a pecking bird. “Not a problem at all.”

She had confirmed the overall design of the space station; engineers could handle the rest. What worried her next was the production equipment.

Warship production equipment was, without question, the most expensive asset in the Air Force assembly workshop.

The manufacturing facility for a standard flagship cost trillions. The thought alone was staggering.

An Junlie had finally succeeded in his subtle persuasion. He took Ziye onto his shuttlecraft, started the engines, and they shot out into space.

They had barely left when Tang Wen arrived at the construction site.

Tang Wan complained with frustration, “That group just now was outrageous, absolutely clinging to us!”

After Ziye finished sparring with Harley, she boarded Harley’s airship to leave. The three of them were intercepted by a crowd of inexplicably appearing people.

The first group came seeking Tang Wen’s autograph out of admiration for his reputation.

After Bu Lan managed to send them packing, another group arrived claiming kinship. Once the kinship seekers dispersed, others began slandering Tang Wen as a pirate... After all that turmoil, they finally reached the construction site only to find Ziye had vanished.

Tang Wen remained silent, but his heart knew the truth perfectly.

This was absolutely An Junlie’s doing.

Just as he was thinking this, a small sphere shot over with a whoosh and smacked him on the head. “Hey there, Big Jerk Tang, long time no see.”

Meanwhile, the culprit, An Junlie, was enjoying a private moment with Ziye in space.

Upon seeing Rose Jelly, Ziye unhesitatingly opened a bottle, finishing it in three quick bites. Wiping her mouth, she asked, puzzled, “Are you planning to take me along to watch the cargo ship hijacking?”

An Junlie walked over to the sofa beside her, naturally scooped her up, placed her on his lap, and chuckled, “No need. Sending a pirate fleet is enough.”

Ziye was surprised. “You have a pirate fleet too?”

An Junlie found the sight of her holding the jelly impossibly adorable and couldn't resist pinching her soft cheek. “Which legion doesn’t have a pirate fleet tucked away?”

In this era, no matter how powerful a strong entity was, it always needed to cloak itself in a layer called ‘civilization.’

Pirates were different.

Their very existence was to trample interstellar law.

The powerful often resorted to piracy to secure greater interstellar influence for themselves.

Ziye couldn't help but ask, “Does the Tang Sect have one?”

An Junlie nodded. “Definitely.”

Ziye pressed further, “Are the legions behind the pirates blocking the entrance to the Kolai Space Station?”

An Junlie replied, “Half and half. The entrance to Kolai Space Station is a breeding ground for pirates.”

Ziye was about to ask more when An Junlie turned her body towards him, his voice low. “Can we not discuss pirates, okay?”

Ziye was momentarily stunned. “Then what shall we discuss?”

An Junlie’s lips brushed lightly against hers, a fleeting contact, and his voice was muffled as he said, “Let’s discuss us.”

Ziye’s cheeks instantly flushed. She reached out as if to push him away, but he only held her tighter, as if intending to fuse her into his very core and never let go.

??? Ziye trembled slightly, wanting to recoil, but ultimately remained still.

She would never admit that his gentleness had moved her.

Sometimes she thought An Junlie was a complete bastard; he wouldn't appear when she needed him, yet he’d press close when she wanted to ignore him.

This infuriating man!

Ziye suddenly didn't want his kiss. She pulled her neck back and burrowed into his embrace. An Junlie sighed helplessly, gently set her down onto the sofa from his lap, turned sideways, and trapped her against the cushions. “Why are you avoiding me?”

Ziye snapped back angrily, “What do you mean I’m avoiding you? You’re the one ignoring me!”

An Junlie paused to consider. It was true that he initiated contact with Ziye infrequently. He lowered his stance. “It’s my fault. How about I stay with you every day from now on?”

To outsiders, the Angel CEO appeared as the embodiment of imposing might; the timid would naturally retreat three paces from him.

But An Junlie was utterly clueless about romance, incapable of flattering or pleasing others. He simply gave what he could offer and tried his utmost to treat her well.

Thus, in the face of love, even the greatest commander would lower his stance to the dust for a chance to see his beloved smile.

Ziye was completely unimpressed. “You’re lying to me!”

An Junlie sighed helplessly. “I promise.”

Ziye sneered, “Promise my foot! Aren't you attending the Legion Convention in half a month?”

Seeing her face flushed with anger, An Junlie’s heart ached fiercely. He pulled her back into his embrace, resting his chin on her shoulder, and took the opportunity to gently nip her earlobe.

Ziye gave him a solid kick to the chest in fury. “Try touching me again!”

An Junlie admitted defeat. “Then what will it take for you to forgive me?”

Ziye stood up and walked toward the Captain’s quarters.

What use was forgiveness? What use was withholding it?

Regardless, Red Hair had spoken one truth: her focus was entirely on the warships, and An Junlie’s number one priority would always be his Legion.

No matter how close they were, they couldn't truly sacrifice for the other.

Seeing her rise, An Junlie reached out urgently to pull her back. He had always possessed immense strength, and this time, he misjudged the force. With a strong tug, he inadvertently threw Ziye onto the sofa.

She scrambled up from the cushions, her eyes red-rimmed.

An Junlie found her reddened eyes and nose incredibly endearing and couldn't help but lean down over her.

Ziye immediately kicked out.

An Junlie reacted with lightning speed, restraining her hands together, and punctuated the moment with a quick peck on her moist lips. “Be good, come to the Legion Convention with me. Leave future matters to Lan Li; I’ll help you sort out the Air Force assembly workshop, alright?”

Ziye stopped crying and managed a smile. “Really?”

An Junlie hadn't seen her smile in so long; he was momentarily stunned, thinking her smile was like a blooming flower, almost too beautiful to look at.

But the next second, searing pain shot through his neck.

Ziye had sunk her teeth into his carotid artery.

An Junlie reasoned that if a bite could alleviate her anger toward him, it was all worthwhile. Thus, he offered no resistance, instead adjusting his hold to a more comfortable position for her, letting her bite.

That’s what it meant to be a man—to accept being bitten by one’s own woman!

Ziye actually didn't dare to bite too hard, worried about spraying his arterial blood. Seeing him not even frown, she felt no sense of satisfaction, so she let go.

An Junlie was overjoyed. He used his thumb to gently stroke her lips. “Did I hurt you?”

Ziye felt like her lungs were about to explode.

What kind of man was this? Scolding him was like yelling into cotton, and hitting him was like striking cotton. If he didn't possess some culinary skills, she might actually consider assassinating him!

Ziye mentally vented her frustration and finally managed to calm down.

She poked the man still pinning her with her finger. “Hey, are you seriously planning to hijack those cargo ships?”

Truthfully, hijacking cargo ships—an eye-for-an-eye tactic—was the lowest form of strategy. Even if a pirate fleet took the blame, this method meant killing a thousand enemies while injuring eight hundred of one’s own; it yielded no real benefit.

Even without understanding political maneuvering, she knew this wasn't a good path. Why would An Junlie choose it?

An Junlie took her small hand and placed it on his lips for a kiss. He smiled. “Kiss me proactively, and I’ll tell you.”

An Junlie received another solid kick to the chest in response.

An Junlie finally understood that coaxing Ziye to show affection first was virtually impossible. He couldn't bear to let her stew in her own confusion, so he decided to explain plainly. “Hijacking the cargo ships is just a smokescreen.”

The true enemy of the Star Federation wasn't the Angel Domain, nor the Wolf’s Den Legion, much less the Tang Sect. It was Fia, his former ally.

The hijacked cargo ships could be the work of common pirates, government-sanctioned pirates, or perhaps even a rival legion. Whoever was set up as the culprit would determine the subsequent developments. A single action could trigger massive systemic changes, shifting the entire balance of power in space.

An Junlie’s goal wasn't just to raise funds for Ziye's space station; it was to gain more leverage before the Legion Convention.

This scheme could be expanded infinitely or kept small; the control remained firmly in An Junlie's hands.

Ziye wasn't foolish; she immediately grasped his intent and snapped back angrily, “You’re playing me again!”

It wasn't a question; it was a statement of fact.

So, An Junlie truly was a scoundrel.

An Junlie held her hand, warming it against his chest. “If I wanted to play you, would I tell you?”

Ziye puffed out her cheeks. “I think you’re just taking advantage of the fact that I don’t understand politics or power plays.”

A pleasant conversation had come to an abrupt halt once more.

An Junlie frustratingly rubbed his temples. When did he lose the ability to have a proper conversation with Ziye?

He decided he’d need to have a serious talk with her after the Legion Convention concluded.

But at that very moment, a major event unfolded in space. All interstellar news channels simultaneously broadcast a single report: Queen Fia was feeling unwell and had departed for the planet Katcher for recuperation.

This was practically a signal. Space, only recently recovering from large-scale warfare, was instantly whipped into a new frenzy, and nearly every major legion mobilized at once.

Sect Master Tang, who had been chasing his beloved wife, immediately returned to the Tang Sect. The commander of the Huaxia Legion, who had been in seclusion, emerged. Red Hair, who had been accumulating wealth in the Tama star system, began deploying troops. An Junlie of the Angel Legion kissed the smooth skin of Ziye’s forehead…

Everything was poised for action.

Because everyone knew: Elia was finally about to overthrow her mother and become the Queen! RS