The Red Beard Star Thief Group would be broken up and reorganized.
Since leaving the Vimi Starfield, Saine's Ash Star Pirate Group had grown ever larger.
When star pirate lackey Alebi stood before Saine, Tourmaline, and the others, he wore an eager, flattering expression.
Yet before other, lower-ranking star pirates, he strutted about with his nose in the air.
This fellow had come to enjoy a level of extravagance and authority he could never have imagined in the past.
As for the unlucky interstellar merchant convoy that had been raided, the Ash Star Pirate Group had not endangered their lives.
They merely stripped away all their valuable resources, leaving them only a little energy—enough to reach the nearest supply station.
"The Star Realm has its rules. Not only within Wizard Civilization, but even in such remote Alien Star Region space, there is its own set of operating rules."
"If we blindly carry out raids, we may gain considerable profits at first. But in time, either the interstellar merchant convoys in the nearby starfields will cease coming here, or we will face a joint encirclement campaign formed by the Surrounding Starfield." Saine stroked his chin and sighed.
"If we want to find a stable, sustainable source of income... perhaps our choice should be to join them," Saine said.
"Join them?" Tourmaline raised her head curiously.
"Yes, join their chain of interests and collect protection fees."
"Or buy shares and take a cut from every interstellar trade," Saine said.
"Only then can this count as a relatively long-lasting way to acquire resources." Saine sighed. "Otherwise, the faster we acquire resources, the faster our eventual destruction will come."
"However, that only applies if we remain active in the Surrounding Starfield."
"If we're merely passing through and won't stay in the same place for