Iliya had been overwhelmingly busy lately. The other factions within Phia saw this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to pull her down, keeping her so swamped that she never even noticed the real Pezhe had been kidnapped.

Fortunately, the Legion Assembly of the Unity Council was about to commence. This was the perfect moment for her to momentarily step away from the public scrutiny in Phia.

Without a word, she managed her emotions, packed her things, and boarded her ship. Leaving the Crystal Palace, finally outside the public eye, meant there were far more things she could do than when confined there.

Interceptions, assassinations—all constraints were gone. As long as she could represent Phia at the Unity Council's Legion Assembly, the position of Queen of Phia would be irrevocably hers.

As for those other Phian factions, she could guarantee they would never return from their endeavors. As for the legitimate Queen of Phia, she was indisposed due to illness and absolutely would not be able to attend; even if she wanted to, the chance would have already passed.

The command ship initiated its launch sequence, exiting the Niya Space Station, and the tension in Iliya's chest finally began to ease. From this moment on, she could kill without restraint!

Everyone who stood in her way had to die! The throne of Phia was hers, and the entire world would be hers!

From that instant, the path from Phia to the Galun Galaxy became a perpetual warzone, with all manner of artillery shells being scattered about as if they were free. This time, Red Hair didn't need to give the order; Nine Hands immediately dove into the lucrative business of black-market ammunition dealing, selling supplies at every space station along the route—making immense fortunes daily was not an issue.

Seeing him so adept at the trade, Red Hair said nothing, deciding instead to take some time to visit Ziye in the Xilian Galaxy for a long-overdue reunion. The ravishingly beautiful Red Hair, clad in a fiery crimson gown and perched atop twelve-centimeter stilettos, arrived at the temporary office in the Xilian Galaxy exuding an intoxicating charm, causing every male staff member in the Xilian Galaxy to erupt with nosebleeds.

Little Black was so agitated he nearly threw himself at her feet to grab hold, looking as though he had never seen a woman before. Ziye looked at him with disdain, to which he wailed, "The Xilian Galaxy is a complete monastery, Ziye!

You need to recruit more girls around here!" No sooner had the words left his mouth than Ling Yin punched him squarely on the head. He turned back, finding Ling Yin glaring at him furiously: "Are we not girls?" Little Black clutched his head, casting a pitiful glance at Ziye, and muttered weakly, "I used to think so, but now..." Alas for the three sisters of the Xilian Galaxy—Ziye, Tang Wan, and Ling Yin—they had all been thoroughly masculinized.

Ziye stood at the office doorway, watching Red Hair sweep in ostentatiously. Glancing again at the barely concealed excitement of Halley, she deeply felt the necessity of sending every single G-System girl a personal escort.

Amidst the ogling gaze of the men, Red Hair walked up to Ziye and casually smoothed down her own stunning, wavy, wine-red hair, offering a bewitching smile: "Little Brat, aren't you happy to see me?" Ziye rolled her eyes, turned, and headed deeper into the office. Passing the refrigerator, she casually pulled out two cups of jelly—one she handed to Red Hair, keeping the other for herself—and proceeded toward the conference room.

Red Hair glanced down at the jelly: Yellow Rose, Red Wine, and Lily flavor. She grudgingly accepted it.

Arriving at the conference room, Ziye set down her own jelly, popping the lid as she began, "You haven't shown up this time without some trouble brewing, have you?" Red Hair glanced at the jelly Ziye held—Blue Rose, Blueberry, and Yogurt flavor—and sensing Ziye wasn't being entirely harsh, chuckled, "Don't say that about me. Didn't I come here for your sake?" Ziye cut to the chase: "Get to the point!" Red Hair cleared her throat delicately, pressed her jelly close, and slid into the seat next to Ziye, murmuring conspiratorially, "I recall you have a feud with Iliya, right?" Ziye tensed immediately.

"What are you suggesting?" Red Hair spread her hands. "I suffered considerable losses back in Phia.

If I don't take advantage of its current weakness now, I'd be letting myself down." Ziye instantly understood. Red Hair intended to partner with her to dismantle Phia.

Ziye silently scooped a spoonful of jelly into her mouth, savoring how the cool, soft confection melted between her teeth. Truthfully, she no longer held such intense hatred for Phia or Iliya.

Hatred was something one had the leisure to contemplate when stuck in a tedious place like Silver Crest Star. Now, she needed to develop the Xilian Galaxy, forge strategic weaponry for the Wolf's Den, and in a few months, she still had to begin her fourth year of university...

she simply didn't have the time to nurse grudges. However, kicking Iliya while she was down wasn't a bad idea at all.

Ziye looked up, seeing Red Hair watching her with a half-smile, and shrugged. "Fine.

What do you need me to do?" Red Hair didn't state her plan directly but instead analyzed the latest situation with Ziye. When it came to the Legion Assembly, the collaboration between Angel's Domain, Wolf's Den, and Tang Clan would ensure Iliya gained little advantage.

Just as Ziye was about to suggest focusing energy elsewhere, she suddenly grasped a key point and happily slapped the table. "If Phia fails to attend the Legion Assembly on time this cycle, what would the consequences be?" Red Hair raised an eyebrow.

"Phia's overall strength is still decent. Even without attendance, it would be difficult to strip them of their legitimate seat.

At most, they would pass policies detrimental to Phia, leaving them unable to complain effectively." Ziye grinned wickedly. "That’s better than nothing." Red Hair looked surprised.

"I didn't realize you could be quite ruthless yourself." Ziye replied, "Since we’re taking action, we should commit fully. Otherwise, if she recovers, she’ll just come back, creating endless future trouble." Red Hair nodded.

"I agree, then." Ziye asked, "So what is your plan? Do you have a good way to exact revenge?" Red Hair didn't answer, instead posing a question: "What is the single most important thing for a legion?" Ziye blurted out the answer: "Talent!" Red Hair placed her hand on Ziye's shoulder.

"And so?" Ziye understood the implication immediately. "We poach their talent, lure away their investors?

Let them slowly decline?" Red Hair slapped the table enthusiastically. "Exactly the meaning!" No matter how large a legion seemed, no matter how much effort was poured into it, once internal rifts appeared—especially consecutive ones—its resources would quickly be devoured by hungry competitors.

Some say a starving camel is still larger than a horse. In reality, when the camel is starving, its sheer size demands far more food, leading to a faster demise.

The decay of a legion always begins from within. Once decay sets in and there is no one capable of turning the tide to successfully salvage it, disintegration is imminent.

Currently, Phia was a massive, plump target not just for Ziye and Red Hair, but for the entire galaxy. What the Wolf's Den could achieve was to claim a larger share of this massive prey when everyone else began carving it up.

After conferring with Ziye, Red Hair immediately summoned the high command of the legion and convened an internal meeting for the Wolf's Den, establishing their immediate strategy for consumption. The first priority was recruitment.

Recruitment across the galaxy, but especially within Phia itself. Instability is the fatal constraint on commercial development; peaceful legions are always welcomed.

Given Phia's recent turmoil, many individuals working there had been negatively affected to varying degrees. Wolf's Den threw out highly favorable terms—surely people would be tempted.

-RS