Chapter 16: Nightmare, Section 5

How valuable is Kemsi ore exactly?
That’s the question.
Ordinary people are well aware of the name of this ore, but when it comes to its actual value, few can give a clear answer. Simply put, due to factors such as purity, energy content, and stability, its value has never been accurately estimated. Yet even the worst-quality Kemsi ore can fetch an astonishing price of three million crystal coins per kilogram! Just those four pieces of Kemsi ore taken by the Black-Haired Raiders Association last time were worth nearly eight million crystal coins!!!
One crystal coin equals one hundred Kari. And five hundred Kari is the typical income for people of lower classes. By this standard, the value of Kemsi ore is astronomical—far beyond the reach of ordinary people or ordinary factions. Only the strongest forces in the universe can obtain and utilize it properly.
That’s why Silver Star is now in turmoil. With various factions getting involved, it has almost turned into a battlefield—no, a real battlefield.
In just seven days, hundreds of violent incidents have occurred on Silver Star. Factions are using any means necessary to find the owner of this ore, constantly investigating and spying on each other, filled with hostility. The atmosphere is as tense as a coiled spring, ready to snap at the slightest provocation. The irresponsible business model of Silver Star has exposed numerous flaws, and the government has gradually lost control of the situation.
The Warriors’ Association, Hunters’ Guild, Pirate Alliance, and even the five major families that have long stayed hidden have emerged, leaving all high-ranking officials in a state of panic. Although the market remains as bustling as before and ordinary people haven’t been greatly affected, everyone knows that if things continue like this, a full-scale war is inevitable. As a result, all factions have temporarily restrained their actions to prevent further escalation.
As for the culprit, the Creek Merchant Guild, they never expected Kemsi ore to have such terrifying appeal. Koko is already quite distressed.

Despite having made numerous preparations before selling and going through countless channels, he still couldn’t feel at ease. After all, the forces present on Silver Star now were no longer the minor players he had encountered before—any one of them could conquer several planets. If not for their previous hostility, Keko would likely have been caught already. So he immediately sent five urgent calls to Hei Fa, who was far away in the 31st Star Region, hoping to get more secure guarantees before taking further action.

In just seven days, Keko had sold three tons of ore. This amount was only a fraction of the share Hei Fa had given him, yet the wealth he amassed was almost incalculable. After covering necessary expenses, Keko still made a huge profit of over eight billion. Such sales could truly be described as plundering money.

That was over eight billion crystal coins! Not just in his account—such a vast fortune was enough for Keko to buy two more planets. Even though Keko was a businessman accustomed to huge sums of money, he still felt a bit nervous. In the secret chamber 200 meters underground in his merchant guild, there was an even larger amount of ore—thirty tons—far exceeding the amount he had sold. But now, even with triple the courage, he wouldn’t dare touch it.

Of course, Hei Fa, who was far away in the 31st Star Region, also never expected the Cemisi ore to have such immense power. When he learned about the situation on Silver Star, he didn’t hesitate at all and rushed straight for Li Feng. Soon, the entire Blood Wolf Fleet rose from the Death Star and charged wildly into space.

Sweat beaded on everyone’s face. Although they didn’t know their leader’s intentions, since following Hei Fa, they had never seen him so tense, which showed just how serious the situation was. So everyone rushed frantically, shutting down all unnecessary devices and concentrating all energy on the engine power. Only then could they barely keep up with Li Feng’s speed.

Three days later, they arrived at Silver Star.

It was only then that these fierce pirates exclaimed in shock.

What lay before them was by no means a simple commercial planet—it was clearly a prey surrounded by countless steel monsters. Countless warships of various sizes and bizarre shapes blocked the airports of Silver Star, severely disrupting normal commercial operations. Not only could ordinary freighters not enter, but even the Black-Haired Blood Wolf Fleet had to struggle greatly to dock at the airports, almost colliding with another warship in the process. If not for Li Feng’s formidable presence, other forces might have doubted the Black-Haired’s credentials, and a battle could have erupted even before they reached the planet.

“Boss, we’ve gone too far this time… I just saw that even the Five Great Families have gotten involved. If we handle this poorly, it could lead to unimaginable disasters. Those guys are all ruthless men who care nothing for relationships…” Blood-Pupil said anxiously, staring out at the dense fleet outside the window.

“The Five Great Families?” It was the first time the Black-Haired had heard of this term, and his eyebrows raised slightly in surprise.

“Yes, the Five Great Families—Licha, Beth, Edila, Abyss, and Dark Realm. They’re all massive organizations. But because they’ve always adhered to a policy of seclusion, they rarely appear in public. Yet their power is likely even greater than that of interstellar fleets. If they get involved, things will get tough.” Lily also replied with a worried expression.

“Oh.” The Black-Haired nodded, his face expressionless, though inwardly he cursed bitterly.

Damn it. What the hell… They pretend to be righteous all the time, talking about seclusion, but they dive into opportunities faster than anyone else. And each one of them seems to have even more influence. He had just managed to establish himself in the 31st Star Region, with a still-unstable foundation—how could he possibly compete with them?

But…

The Black-Haired snorted coldly. This was indeed a significant force… If used wisely…

He rubbed his chin lightly, and unconsciously, a new plan took shape in his mind.

After leaving the warship, the Black-Haired didn’t head straight to Coco’s Creek Merchant Guild. Instead, he took Blood-Pupil, Lily, and the others and strolled around the streets casually.

Speaking of which, half a year has passed since I last left Silver Star. Nothing here has changed. The sky remains gray, and the steel-alloy buildings give the planet an appearance akin to that of medieval knights’ armor, with everything covered in silver-white hues. The beautiful natural scenery has been replaced by man-made structures; everything looks like a futuristic city from a science fiction movie. Though bustling, it always lacks a sense of vitality.

People are coming and going in the streets. The group with black hair is chatting casually as they head toward the Interstellar Market. There, they plan to experience Silver Star’s current situation firsthand.

But the protagonist is the protagonist—things never go smoothly no matter where they go. Before they could even reach halfway, an accident occurred. Whether it was because Lily was dressed too sexually or out of sheer greed, a group of chubby, burly men approached them and blocked their path. The largest one of them stretched out a big hand with a smile.

“Five hundred… five hundred… okay…?”

Damn it, he’s stuttering too? Bloodshot Eyes rolled his eyes in exasperation and placed a hand on his forehead.

“Five hundred what?” Black Hair raised his head, studying the burly man carefully with a gentle smile on his face. His long black hair fluttered in the wind, giving him an elegant and graceful appearance.

“Five hundred… crystals… at once,” the burly man said with a smile, reaching behind his waist. His eyes, however, never left Lily. Black Hair noticed a large leather bag hanging on his back, resembling the kind used by ancient barbarians, bulging with unknown contents.

“What does this mean?” Black Hair was confused by his actions.

“Hey, he’s from the Rick tribe. That’s his way of proposing—he’s taken a liking to Lily,” Bloodshot Eyes explained with a laugh, winking at Lily. His gloating attitude made Lily stomp her foot angrily, her chest trembling again. The chubby men across from them were stunned.

Letting go of Black Hair’s arm, she stepped forward, spun around, and raised her leg. Under everyone’s gaze, Lily delivered a stunning kick straight to the burly man’s stomach. Given her sexy and slender appearance, no one would have guessed the incredible force behind that kick, which sent the man flying and slamming into a lamppost behind him. With a loud crash, the lamppost twisted and deformed instantly.

Oh, the bored onlookers around immediately gasped in shock, their gazes toward Lily changing as well.
“Damn you! Use that money to buy your own mother!!” Lily shouted angrily, her behavior completely unlike that of a well-behaved girl in front of the black-haired man. The change was so rapid that even the quiet Su Lei couldn’t help but stare in surprise.
However, her hostile actions made the fat men across from them nervous. Someone must have shouted something, and instantly, everyone rushed toward the group of the black-haired man, surrounding them tightly. Their pig-like faces were filled with menace, and their huge fists were waved around, as if a fight was about to break out at any moment.
In contrast to their nervousness, Blood Eyes and Baroque still seemed carefree, seemingly unaware of what was about to happen. It was unclear where their confidence came from. No matter how you looked at it, the group of the black-haired man was no match for those fat men. Especially with the delicate and civilized Su Lei by their side, the black-haired man and his group appeared even weaker.
At that moment, the fat man who had been kicked by Lily finally managed to stand up. Wiping his big belly, he suddenly saw what his companions were doing and immediately shouted angrily. At his words, the fat men seemed to shrink back in fear, reluctantly giving them some space.
To be honest, being surrounded by such a group of fat men felt terrible. It was as if there were countless walls around them, preventing even air from circulating.
“What did he say?” The black-haired man frowned as he saw the burly fat man stand in front of him again, babbling in a strange language.
“He said he didn’t do it on purpose. He just wanted to have sex with this lady… you know. (Here, Su Lei snickered.) He hopes she’ll agree. Five hundred crystals is a huge sum—enough for an entire tribe to buy food for a year. He’s willing to pay that much for a chance.” Su Lei translated quickly, her eyes wide with laughter. Finally, she reached out and secretly pulled at the black-haired man’s sleeve.
“That fat man said he’s sincere and just wants a child. Mr. Black Hair, please agree…”

Oh, my God… After hearing Sulei’s translation, Blood Pupils and Baroque both made expressions of utter discomfort. They exchanged a glance, stuck out their tongues at the same time, but didn’t dare say anything more.
Jokes aside, it’s better not to meddle in women’s affairs. Though Sulei seemed petite and delicate, she was actually very scheming. Lily, on the other hand, was the black-haired favorite—any intrigue between the two wasn’t something Blood Pupils and Baroque could afford to interfere with. Let things take their course…
Sure enough, when Lily heard Sulei’s translation, her eyebrows furrowed in anger. But she couldn’t say anything—after all, Sulei was just translating. So she vented her fury on those fat men. She stepped forward quickly and stood in front of the bulkiest one, glanced at his red-faced belly, and suddenly flashed a seductive smile.
“Well… this burly gentleman… I’m not sure how to address you…”
“Ah… ah… my name is Rector…” The fat man was flattered and foolishly rubbed the back of his head.
“Ah… Mr. Rector… you have such a strong physique… I’ve never seen a man as burly as you…” Lily smiled even sweeter, gently placing her hand on his large belly. This made the fat man even more embarrassed, not knowing where to put his hands. All he could mutter was, “Heh… here… here…”
But he never expected that Lily’s next move would send him from heaven to hell.
“Bang!!!” A muffled sound, like something breaking.
Amidst the laughter, Lily raised her leg again—this time, her kick landed right between the fat man’s legs…
A shrill scream!!!