Chapter 18: The Dark Prison, Section 3

The “physical examination” was naturally organized by the Wandering Race.
This powerful and mysterious race had a very simple solution for Blackhair. They used their own bodily tissues to construct a room, then coated its surface with shiny metal paint and installed standard equipment used in physical examinations. Anyone passing by in a hurry would never notice anything unusual about this room. In reality, however, everyone who entered it would unknowingly have their bodies invaded by the Wandering Race’s cells, turning them into hosts.
Of course, no one was stupid. Until a spy was identified, the Wandering Race’s cells would never let them detect them. In fact, in some ways, these cells enhanced their abilities—making hosts stronger, more focused, and quicker in reaction. But once betrayal was detected, these cells, which split directly from the core, could instantly strip them of all mobility, turning them into completely immobile zombies.
Cruel, isn’t it? Yet it was highly effective. Blackhair was very satisfied with the arrangement. Under his orders, all new members, even those from the Hunter Guild’s Core Warriors Association still gathering in space, could not escape this fate. The “physical examinations” proceeded in an orderly manner… Watching the warriors emerge one after another from the room, Blackhair felt a profound sense of accomplishment.
These were the foundation of his power. If used properly, their value would far exceed that of those so-called precious Cemsi ores. After all, in Blackhair’s eyes, no matter how precious an ore might be, it was still inanimate matter. But these people were living beings!
Smiling gently, Blackhair climbed a hillside beside the Death Star Lake and lay down on the grassy ground. The fresh scent of soil mixed with dew filled his nostrils, making him feel as if he might float away. White clouds drifted slowly in the sky, carried by the breeze. Everything around seemed like a paradise on earth.
The Death Star… Heh. Was this really the Death Star that made other cosmic races recoil in fear?
Blackhair smirked sarcastically and stretched heavily. A sudden wave of fatigue overcame him. He thought it might be a good idea to take a nap here. Such a beautiful environment was probably rare throughout the universe. He felt like a figure in a painting, even the icy world deep in his heart seemed to soften somewhat.
But sadly, fate had already decreed that he wouldn’t be so lucky.

Just as Hei Fa closed his eyes and hadn’t even had time to squint, a figure slowly appeared as the grass on the slope swayed… It was Xue Tong!?
Hei Fa frowned. Shouldn’t he be organizing the troops with Baroka at this moment? With so many people and equipment arriving, there was far too much to do on Death Star. If he wanted to be a hands-off boss, he definitely needed such help. Why did he come here instead of focusing on bringing together the subordinates he’d assigned?
“Hehe, Boss, you really are quite relaxed. Everyone else is busy as hell, yet you’re just sleeping here. I had a hard time finding you. If not for Lily knowing you were here, I’d have gone crazy.” Laughing casually, Xue Tong sat down next to Hei Fa and took a deep breath of the fresh air, his face showing satisfaction.
“It’s great. This planet is simply paradise. Even Rainbow Star can’t compare, I think. You know what, Boss? Every time I see this place, I start to doubt whether this really is our new home, our place?”
Bored, Hei Fa turned his back on Xue Tong. “That’s nonsense. Since we’ve already moved here, what’s there to doubt? Since we know how precious Death Star is, we must protect it. Don’t forget—In the 31st Star Region, this is the only base we have. If we lose it, we’ll have to pack up and wander.”
“Hehe. Of course. Boss, when I was a killer, it didn’t matter, but now, if anyone dares to touch Death Star even slightly, I’ll take their life—God himself included. As for those so-called Moors, I really want to see if they’re truly invincible.”
“Just talk. Use that time to organize the troops. Without people and equipment, how can you fight them?” Hei Fa clearly disdained Xue Tong’s arrogance.
“I know, Boss. I’d do these things even without your urging. I came to see you because I have two things to report—one good and one bad. Which do you want to hear first?”
“Okay.”
“Oh, I checked carefully just now. All the warships we received this time are top-quality, with a full range of types and ample ammunition. Those guys didn’t fool us. I’ve already had people install new channels and integration devices, so we can now command them centrally. The Blood Wolf’s paint job has also been changed. Boss, congratulations on making a big deal.”

Sure enough, it was good news. Black Hair lazily turned around, grabbed a blade of grass nearby, and started chewing it. To be honest, his biggest concern regarding this deal was the allocation of warships. In this universe dominated by force and constant conflict, warships were undoubtedly the best indicator of a faction’s strength. He had demanded twenty warships from each buyer—though it seemed like a small number, it still significantly weakened their forces. It seemed excessive no matter how you looked at it. And these buyers weren’t easy opponents; if they tampered with the warships, he wouldn’t be able to do anything about it.

But now, with Blood Pupil’s personal inspection, Black Hair could relax a bit. Coupled with a unified command system, these warships would truly belong to him, no longer tied to their original factions. Even if he wanted to use them to attack his former allies at this moment, there wouldn’t be any problem.

“How bad is it?” Black Hair, in high spirits, spat out the grass root and asked.

“Bad? Well…” Blood Pupil scratched his head, a hint of anxiety appearing on his face. “It’s the news we just received. It’s from Keko, saying he found a subspace device on Silver Star.”

“Huh!?” Hearing this, Black Hair sat up abruptly, his expression turning serious. “Subspace!?”

“That’s right, subspace. It seems the Supreme Research Institute has perfected the theory of subspace and successfully applied it in reality. The subspace device found on Silver Star is something like a watch, with a storage space of twenty cubic units. It runs on Cesium-X ore and can store any non-living substance. The price asked is six million crystal coins.”

“…” Black Hair was speechless, but his expression grew even more solemn.

As a thug from Earth, no one understood the significance of subspace better than him. It could be considered a truly groundbreaking discovery. Once put into practice, its impact would be even more astonishing than that of nuclear weapons back then.

Using subspace for storage was just a basic application. As time went on and subspace technology matured, new devices would be developed—space dividers, subspace transmission terminals, and even terrifying black hole cannons. These taboo-like terms would gradually appear before humanity, reshaping human society and changing everything.

What should he do in such a situation?

Black Hair’s mind raced, his expression shifting rapidly.

If possible, the best way is undoubtedly to take control of this technology in person. This not only prevents the situation from getting out of control but also brings great benefits. However, Hei Fa knew it was utterly impossible. The Supreme Research Institute sits at the top of humanity’s societal pyramid, a place everyone aspires to reach. Once he reached there, he would no longer be facing just one faction but all of humanity. Under no circumstances could Hei Fa bear that.

So, the only option was to strive to gain the upper hand as soon as possible. It’s better to act early rather than late. The technology of the alternate space also needed to be acquired as soon as possible.

With that thought, Hei Fa’s voice was heard immediately. “Xue Tong, go tell Ko Ko. This device must be brought to me, no matter what the cost. If it succeeds, I’ll give him thirty tons of Cesium ore.”

“What!? Boss, are you crazy? That’s six million crystal coins! Enough to build two—no, three fleets! Are you burning money recklessly?” Xue Tong widened his eyes, clearly unwilling to carry out Hei Fa’s order.

“You don’t need to worry about that. I have my reasons for wanting this. Just send the message.” Hei Fa’s expression turned serious as he stopped Xue Tong from questioning further. Then he rubbed his temples. After thinking for a moment, he added, “Also, tell Hong and Lan to go to Silver Star with Su Lei. Gather some people there and investigate the origin of this alternate space device. If possible, try to make contact with them. No matter what the cost, I must meet this person.”

“Crazy, truly crazy…” Shaking his head helplessly, Xue Tong still carried out Hei Fa’s order. As he stood up to leave, he suddenly seemed to remember something. “Oh right, boss, there’s one more thing I need to tell you…”

“Speak.”

“Well, it’s nothing much. It’s still about the equipment for this deal. Although there are quite a few warships, they come from various factions. Boss, the differences in their equipment are too great. It’s fine now with ample supplies, but once there’s damage, we won’t have anywhere to get replacements… Do we have to exchange them for supplies from their original factions?”

“Hm?” Xue Tong’s words were like thunder, instantly changing Hei Fa’s expression. The straw in his hand snapped in half…