Chapter 18: The Black Prison, Section 4

Black Hair had long wondered how those forces could be so obedient, but now everything became clear.
Just like the arms-selling nations on Earth in the past, these forces were pursuing the same tactics. They gave you weapons—no fakes, fine, no problem. Not only that, but they also provided warships fully loaded with equipment and supplies—so you couldn’t complain, right? But war always consumes resources. By the time your current supplies run out and you need to replenish them, well, sorry, you’ll have to pay a heavy price. If they didn’t extract every last bit of value from you, it would be as if they’d worked for nothing.
Such tactics were by no means novel, but they were undoubtedly the most effective. For Black Hair, this meant his lifeline was directly cut off. If a real battle broke out, the cost he would bear would certainly be far more than just twenty tons of Cemsi ore. He could even imagine the scenario: his forces losing resources in large quantities while only getting second-hand weapons and ammunition. And due to the endless war, he would be trapped, eventually becoming a pet for others.
Absolutely not!!
Black Hair’s brows furrowed into a deep line as his mind raced. This situation was absolutely unacceptable, so he had to come up with a solution immediately.
After pondering for a moment, Black Hair threw aside the grass stem in his hand. “Blood Pupil, do you know where the warship manufacturing bases are?”
“Well… there are many. Interstellar fleets, the five major families—even the stronger forces have their own floating ship manufacturing bases. Generally, they’re located on mining planets to use local resources. Are you thinking of…?” Blood Pupil’s face showed a hint of surprise. “That won’t work, boss. The production of floating ships is the top secret of every force—completely off-limits to outsiders. Buying them is fine, but trying to take ownership will trigger a huge backlash. The result would be no different from an open war!”
“Nonsense!” Black Hair cut Blood Pupil off irritably.
“Everyone knows how important warship bases are. I’m not asking you to attack them by force. I’m asking if we can buy some shares.”

“Ah, hehe. I misunderstood.” Bloodpupil scratched his head sheepishly. “But it’s impossible anyway. Boss, it seems you don’t know much about the situation here. Forces with the capability to produce floating ships are different from ordinary business associations—they don’t have the concept of shares. Generally, they operate in the form of noble families. Outsiders can’t even approach them, let alone try to take control. This idea won’t work.”

Indeed, the idea was rather foolish. Blackhair shook his head slightly, looking annoyed.

In any environment, the security of military equipment always comes first. Just like on Earth back then, there’s no difference in this era either. Although the composition of magic weapons and warships differs from the mechanical models he knew, they are still the product of human wisdom and civilization—the foundation for dominating the universe. No one would be stupid enough to spread such knowledge casually. If other races found out, it could bring disaster. Besides, even if it weren’t other races, one must be extremely cautious to maintain the stability of one’s own forces. After all, the concept of power here isn’t like those small groups on Earth; these are forces spanning multiple planets. Who could afford any problems?

Seeing Blackhair deep in thought, Bloodpupil gradually realized the issue. At first, he thought it was just a routine supply matter. With Koko’s help, he hadn’t taken it seriously. But now, it was clearly something more serious. Even the cold-blooded assassin began to feel uneasy. He tentatively stepped back a few steps, and when Blackhair didn’t react, he sat down beside him.

“Boss, what if I try to contact those noble families again? See if we can sign a long-term contract?”

“Useless,” Blackhair waved his hand, rejecting Bloodpupil’s request.

What a joke! They had already made up their minds from the start when they sent you equipment. How could they give in just because of a few words from you? Besides, according to the original deal, they didn’t give any discounts at all. There’s no way he can argue a point here.

Unless… unless he also has a base for producing warships!

At this thought, Blackhair’s eyes lit up. He reached out with his right hand and grabbed Bloodpupil’s shoulder. “Bloodpupil, tell me—is it possible for us to get the production technology for floating ships and the relevant personnel?”

“That’s… very difficult,” Bloodpupil shrugged helplessly, looking regretful. “This technology has always been highly confidential. The relevant personnel are treasures to each force. Not to mention obtaining them, even meeting them is a problem.”

“Not even a slightest chance?” The dark-haired man’s gaze gradually dimmed.
“Hmm, it’s indeed very difficult. But…” The blood-eyed man paused suddenly, as if remembering something. “It’s not entirely hopeless. There’s a place that still needs such talents. And they don’t have any masters yet. But compared to ordinary forces, getting them is even harder.”
“Where?” The dark-haired man immediately became excited, his tone urgent.
Who would have thought that after reaching a dead end, there would suddenly be a way out? Already somewhat desperate, how could he not be overjoyed upon hearing about such a place? As long as they weren’t under someone else’s control, no matter how difficult it was, force could always be used to obtain them. The dark-haired man wasn’t willing to miss any opportunity.
For the future development of his forces, necessary losses and wars were inevitable. He never feared or cared about such sacrifices.
Under his intense gaze, even the blood-eyed man felt a flutter in his heart. He swallowed hard before finally uttering two words.
“Black Prison.”
“Black Prison?”
“Black Prison,” the blood-eyed man nodded firmly. “It’s the largest prison in the entire universe, as well as the most terrifying planet. It’s said to hold countless extremely vicious criminals and abominable scoundrels. Ordinary criminals not only can’t even get close—approaching it is difficult. Everyone inside was imprisoned for committing unforgivable crimes. There’s no way they’ll ever escape in their lifetime. It’s said that tens of thousands of corpses are taken out there every year. And since its construction, not a single person has ever emerged alive.”
The blood-eyed man gave a detailed explanation, but sadly, the dark-haired man wasn’t listening at all.
He had already heard about Black Prison back on Xieke Planet. He also had a clear understanding of its structure and purpose. Simply put, it was a hell. People who entered there couldn’t even die—let alone live. Ordinary criminals didn’t even qualify to get near it. Anyone who came out from there was someone extremely powerful. But correspondingly, these criminals all possessed extraordinary abilities.
Talents—what are talents?
In the eyes of the dark-haired man, these criminals were talents. Those who made all of humanity treat them like demons, locking them away in prisons forever, not daring to let them die, yet still seeking some benefit from them—those were the greatest talents in the world!

There’s nothing else to say; it’s right here. Hei Fa gritted his teeth fiercely. In the past, he lacked the strength to dare touch this place, but now that he had some resources, he might just take action. Hmph, he really wanted to see if this Black Prison truly had the power to defy even gods and Buddhas.

With that thought, Hei Fa stood up without hesitation.

“Xue Tong, go prepare and get a few warships ready. Together with Li Feng, we’re going to this hellish place. Also, bring some veterans on this trip. Those newcomers can stay on the Death Star first to get familiar with it. Have Baroka stay here as a guard.”

“Are you really going?” Xue Tong was shocked. “Boss, it’s extremely dangerous there.”

“Nonsense!” Hei Fa dismissed it with disdain. “How dangerous can it be compared to the Interstellar Fleet? We’ve even faced the Interstellar Fleet before—why worry about just one planet?”

“That’s not the same.” Xue Tong stood up alongside Hei Fa, shaking his head with a serious expression. “The army guarding Black Prison isn’t the Interstellar Fleet; it’s another organization. They’re called the ‘Bone Guards.’ They’ve existed since the day Black Prison was created and never appear before the public. From birth, their fate is to forever guard Black Prison. They’re extremely mysterious, and no one knows exact information about them. But one thing’s for sure—these guys are incredibly powerful, on par with the Interstellar Fleet. There aren’t many of them, but each one is an elite.”

“The Bone Guards?” Hei Fa smiled, turning and walking down the hillside. “Then let’s see what they’re like. Xue Tong, you should be happy. If those Bone Guards are really as you say, then this trip to Black Prison will likely be the most thrilling experience of your life. Haven’t you always loved thrills? Hehe, hahaha…”

Behind Hei Fa, Xue Tong could only force a bitter smile.

Thrills? Go to hell. If he really had to face the Bone Guards, Xue Tong wished for as little thrill as possible. Though he was a pretty good assassin, compared to those Bone Guards, he was probably just a child…

Crazy, utterly crazy… Watching Hei Fa’s back, Xue Tong shook his head in despair.

But anyway, Hei Fa was still the leader of the Blood Wolf faction, and no one dared to oppose his orders. So soon, five warships led by Li Feng took off from the Death Star and rushed toward the distant stars.

Death Star remained as quiet as ever, with a gentle breeze blowing across the land, creating ripples on the calm lake surface. The bustling aliens in the city looked up at the roar of the warships and saw the wake of the Blood Wolf Fleet disappearing on the horizon. They exchanged knowing smiles.
Their leader was probably going to take advantage of others again. Who knows what he could get this time?