Chapter 8: Angels and Demons, Section 4

From Black Hair’s perspective, whether it was about seizing markets or fighting for territory, the most crucial thing was gaining official support. Once that hurdle was cleared, the rest was nothing but a bloody farce. He was glad that Koko also understood this and was making efforts in that regard.

The communication with the head of the security department went smoothly. Even a fool could see that he had been confused by Black Hair and Koko’s combination of pressure and persuasion. It was only a matter of time before he fell under their control. In contrast, Black Hair no longer saw any hope in Baroka’s negotiations with that underworld leader—there wasn’t even a hint of interest.

But what he didn’t expect was that Baroka actually succeeded. Or rather, it was an incomplete success. The leader of this city’s underworld was none other than the Pikxian they had seen on the streets—Black Hair and Blood-Pupils. For a race like theirs, devoid of hearts, all living beings were nothing but flesh and blood compounds. What they cared about was not the abilities of these beings but rather how much value they held. Baroka simply obtained their full support by offering 75% of the captives as payment. The leader promised that as long as Baroka didn’t interfere with his direct interests, the fate of other smaller factions had nothing to do with him—so long as Baroka paid on time.

What a ridiculous race. After hearing Baroka’s report, Black Hair couldn’t help but laugh.

People outside might not understand, but he knew all too well. Baroka and his men were nothing but a pack of hungry wolves. Few things remained intact after passing through their hands—humans were no exception. Just look at how he had wiped out over twenty small factions without leaving a single survivor. As for those 75% captives, Black Hair really wondered how many there would be—one? Two? Or two and a half?

As night fell, the bustling streets of Silver Star gradually quieted down. Only the large nightclubs and hotels remained brightly lit, as lively as markets. In front of Paradise, Silver Star’s largest nightclub, a luxurious Tebi hovercar slowly came to a stop. The doorman, who had been waiting, immediately stepped forward and respectfully opened the car door.

The doormen who can work here are all smart people. They naturally understand the value of this Tebi hovercar. Not to mention anything else, just the magic-guided engine installed in this car is enough to drive ordinary rich people into bankruptcy. Coupled with its thick protective body and luxurious decorations, it was once known as the “noble among cars” in the market of Silver Star. Ordinary merchants could only sigh in envy.

By extension, the passengers in this car must also be extraordinary individuals. The doormen became even more cautious in their service.

The door opened, and Koko’s large head poked out immediately. He grinned at the somewhat dazed doorman and staggered down. Soon after, Hei Ba and the others followed one after another.

“Hey, truly worthy of being the best nightclub in Silver Star. Just the exterior is worth the admission fee.” Xue Tong remained as lazy as ever, with his hands in his pockets, acting like a ruffian.

“Hehe, Mr. Xue Tong. You’re right. This nightclub is said to be run by the Locke Merchant Guild, the ‘emperor of hotels’. It’s 470 meters tall and has over 200 floors, always serving as a landmark of Silver Star. Here, customers are gods—there’s nothing impossible or unfindable for entertainment.” Koko chuckled mischievously, joining in.

“Oh?” Xue Tong immediately became interested. “You mean I can find any kind of fun? Even if I want to kill a few people for fun, it’s okay?”

“Everything can be found,” Koko repeated, his smile unchanged. “As long as you want it—even if it’s killing someone—the hotel will bring them to you, as long as you can afford it.”

“Hehe, then forget it.” Xue Tong touched his nose and glanced at Hei Ba. “I’m poor. The little money I had was taken away by my boss. My pockets are now empty enough to hold a mammoth.”

“Oh? If you change your mind, I can give you the money back. It happens to be that the parts for the mech haven’t been ordered yet,” Hei Ba said with a light laugh before suddenly adding, “Oh, never mind. I was just joking.” Xue Tong shrunk his neck, looking scared.

After some time of observation, he had come to truly admire Hei Ba’s skills in assembling mechs. For Xue Tong, having someone assemble a mech that suited him was more important than anything else. Money? That was just a symbol. A killer always relied on strength to survive.

“There’s no need to overdo it. Mr. Bloodpupil, as long as you need it, the guild will prepare everything for you. You can enjoy yourself today—all expenses will be on me.” Seeing Bloodpupil’s embarrassed expression, Koko immediately followed up. As long as he could strengthen the relationship between Bloodpupil and the guild, he didn’t care about a little money.

Hearing this, Blackhair glanced at him briefly, his face showing a half-smile. Without further delay, he led the way into the nightclub.

The Creek Guild was indeed wealthy, having reserved the entire 15th floor at once. As Blackhair and the others walked in, the humble servants immediately saluted and bowed, their faces filled with respect. Blackhair silently counted—just a few hundred meters of distance, yet there were over thirty servants, most of them beautiful elf girls with revealing clothes and smooth skin. No wonder it was so tempting.

But what surprised him wasn’t these elf girls—it was the scale of the entire 15th floor.

It turned out that this so-called 15th floor wasn’t just a single floor but part of a huge plaza. From the middle of the floor, a wide space led straight downward—upon closer inspection, it was a large arena where intense battles were taking place. Cheers and excited shouts kept coming from the lower floors.

“What is this?” Blackhair frowned.

“Hehe, this is Paradise’s Arena. Mr. Blackhair, you don’t know? As the largest nightclub in Silver Star, its combat shows are always popular among nobles and elites. Performances happen day and night, with no restrictions.” Koko laughed softly as he sat down at a luxurious table.

“Being able to eat while watching performances is a favorite among many high-class people here. It’s a bit noisy, but it won’t affect us at all.”

Koko was right. Such a noisy environment was actually perfect for discussing confidential matters. As long as no one was paying attention, no one could overhear their conversation.

The bald minister was indeed trustworthy. Before Blackhair and the others could even settle in, his chubby figure appeared at the entrance.

After sitting down and exchanging pleasantries, Koko, still smiling, didn’t get straight to business. With a wave of his hand, exquisite dishes were served amidst the graceful figures of the elf girls. For a moment, the aroma of wine and the beauty of the surroundings created an atmosphere like that of a palace.

“President Koko is truly a great host,” the bald minister sighed softly as he picked up a glass of red wine. “But I’m afraid our previous deal will have to be canceled.”

“Oh?” Kokos showed no sign of alarm. She turned her head slightly. “What, Minister Kuris? Is it because the money I gave isn’t enough?”
“It’s not about money.” The bald minister’s face turned gray. He gently touched his bald head. “There’s been a slight change in the situation. You may not know, but during the recent conflicts, the son of a high-ranking finance official died. His father is making a fuss. My superiors have ordered that this matter must be resolved thoroughly. So…”
A hint of distress appeared on his chubby face. The bald minister glanced subtly at the dark-haired man beside him before falling silent again.
As he had expected, the dark-haired young man showed a hint of contemplation upon hearing this news, though it vanished instantly.
“Minister, I believe I’ve said before: situations are unstable, and people don’t stay the same. Just because a government official’s son dies, you have to run around in constant worry. I think your job as a minister is rather pointless,” the dark-haired man said coldly, taking a sip of red wine.
“What can I do?” The bald minister shook his head. “My superiors, along with the planetary commander, are pressuring me. These matters aren’t something I can decide on my own.”
“It’s simple,” the dark-haired man said, setting down his glass. “You just need to replace him.”
His voice was low, but the bald minister, as if waiting for this moment, immediately lit up with excitement.
“What do you mean, Mr. Darkhair?”
“I have no interest in it,” the dark-haired man smiled lightly, turning his gaze toward the arena below. “I’m just pointing out one possible path. In three days, something bad might happen on Silver Star again. It’s possible the commander will also get involved. How it’s done is none of my concern.”
The bald minister’s mind was in chaos. Staring at the dark-haired young man before him, he was speechless. Even though he was an expert dealing with dangerous situations, he never imagined there could be such a crazy person.
The planetary commander was the military leader of a planet—highly powerful, beyond what ordinary people could shake. If he said someone would get involved, would they really think they were gods?
Still, the bald minister couldn’t predict what this young man might do. With his years of experience, he knew exactly how dangerous the man before him was—and how great the rewards that came with that danger.
Gritting his teeth, the bald minister finally made the most important decision of his life.

“As you said, President Koko. Let’s start our deal over again.”
“Boom!!”
Before Koko could respond, a loud explosion suddenly rang out below. The bald man’s expression changed drastically.