"My lord, if possible, we need to occupy a few Infinite Mines."
"Don't worry about the money. Soon, we'll have more Energy Coins than we can spend." Lin Zhichen waved a hand, then looked at a young man with an erudite air and almost no hair. "You must be Dr. Li Ping, the one Dapeng mentioned?"
"Yes, Commander." Li Ping shrugged. "I'm the head of the Mercenary Group's Research Department. I'm responsible for research, though there isn't much to do right now."
"There will be soon," Lin Zhichen said. "There's a new drug I'd like you to look into. Get the finished product made as soon as possible."
Li Ping looked at the data Lin Zhichen had sent him. "This is...!"
"A new drug that helps with learning," Lin Zhichen said casually. "This will be our future source of income. Get it made as soon as possible."
He turned to Wei Chenglin and instructed him, "Get in touch with the Earth Defense Directorate. We'll soon have twenty-three pirate ships arriving at the port. They're all spoils from this battle, and they'll form the foundation of the Mercenary Group's future."
"Yes, Commander!" Wei Chenglin paused for a moment. "Commander, we can use Earth Starport for our fleet in the short term, but in the long run, we'll need a base of our own.
"The Pirate Base you attacked in the Asteroid Belt would be ideal."
"Our base won't be in the Solar System. I'll figure something out when the time comes." Lin Zhichen shook his head. He had too many secrets; it wouldn't do to be under the Federation's nose.
After assigning the tasks and saying goodbye to the senior officers, he headed to his room in a high-rise villa.
Sunlight spilled across the villa. A faint energy shield smoothed out the strong winds at high altitude, making them feel unusually gentle. Sitting in a lounge chair beside the swimming pool, he could almost imagine himself on a sunny beach.
At last, he had time to look over what he'd gained on this trip. He had destroyed more than two hundred pirate ships and collected fifty or sixty pieces of loot.
The most valuable spoils were three Destroyer Blueprints and fourteen Frigate Blueprints, followed by five large gun emplacements, as well as some smaller ones and ship components.
He kept the blueprints for three Destroyers, then sold the fourteen Frigate Blueprints, the gun emplacements, and the ship components. With the military shipyard's twenty-percent discount, he finally had enough to cover the cost of three standard Destroyers.
After placing the order, the huge sum of money he'd started with had dwindled to just a few dozen coins for pocket money.
"No matter how much you earn, it's never enough."
He felt a pang of emotion, but he wasn't worried. Once NZT-50 went into production and hit the market, the entire Mercenary Group would have a steady stream of wealth—enough to make others green with envy.
Yet Lin Zhichen remained calm. In his previous life, he'd understood that great rewards always came with great risks. If he wanted to develop steadily and safely, he could rely on his talent and spend this life as a Legion Commander, a Hero famed throughout the stars and a pillar of humanity.
But he wanted more: to build a nation with his own hands, stand alongside or even surpass the Federation, rise to the upper reaches of the Milky Way Galaxy's community, and perhaps even venture beyond the galaxy to witness the vastness of the universe.
By comparison, the mere Solar System was far too small to contain his ambition.
"The Federation won't covet everything I have, because it has to maintain order. The ones who'll covet what I have are the major conglomerates and powerful families that make up the Federation, along with its vassal states.
"But the production rights to NZT-50 can't be taken away from the Meteor Mercenary Group. They're already bound to it. I can't die—at least, I can't die in a conspiracy. Before I die, I can disband the Mercenary Group at the last moment, and then they'll have nothing to show for it.
"The most likely outcome is that they'll try to intimidate and entice me, using all sorts of methods to force me to give in. As long as I hold out and get through this brief period of weakness, Meteor will develop rapidly."
He closed his eyes and enjoyed the sunshine and breeze. Thanks to the Federation's modifications, the planetary weather control system had been built, allowing it to regulate the climate and temperature across the entire Earth and keep them at the most comfortable levels.
Because of the New Universe's unique nature, even the most advanced technology couldn't make a barren planet habitable without the proper authorization and turn it into a paradise for life.
That restriction made Life Planets in the Milky Way Galaxy incredibly precious. Setting aside unmodifiable Class Five planets, such as poisonous worlds, and subtracting Class Four planets with unsuitable environments, such as worlds that were entirely ocean, as well as Class Three planets that were difficult and costly to terraform, very few planets could be colonized by humanity. Each was a priceless treasure.
And a Class Two planet like Earth, which could be inhabited without terraforming or after only minor modifications, was a rare treasure among treasures. Every one had to be carefully protected.
"Now comes a busy stretch."
It was easy to imagine that once NZT-50 was exposed, the entire Federation would turn its attention to it.
If the behind-the-scenes maneuvering failed, the most likely outcome would be a compromise. The production rights belonged to the Meteor Mercenary Group—that was dictated by the authorization.
And the Meteor Mercenary Group's size meant it could never provide enough to meet the needs of the entire Federation. That, too, was a restriction imposed by the authorization. The only exception would be if the Federal military made an exception and directly elevated the Meteor Mercenary Group to a legion.
But that was still impossible, for the same reason: the Federation was the greatest beneficiary of order, and therefore had to be its greatest defender.
"The Federation will take the lion's share, but even the little that's left will be enough to stuff the Meteor Mercenary Group to bursting." Lin Zhichen closed his eyes and drifted into a deep sleep.
Three days later, Lin Zhichen was in the training room, instructing his crew in their training, when a Holographic Communication interrupted him. He glanced at it and felt his temples throb.
He walked out of the training room and sat down in his villa. "Why are you contacting me again? Didn't we make everything clear last time?"
"Coordinates!" the tall beauty demanded bluntly.
Lin Zhichen sent her the location of the headquarters. If she could get into the Solar System, Earth wouldn't be able to stop her.
Soon, a ruby-red flying car landed. It sped along so fast that flames seemed to streak across the horizon, like a phoenix in flight.
"An Inferno Phoenix. She's loaded!" Lin Zhichen clicked his tongue.
The Inferno Phoenix flying car was a high-end model produced by the Federation's Bacchus Heavy Industry Group, equipped with a luxurious cabin that could seat up to five.
Its most eye-catching feature was its built-in mini Quark Fusion Reactor, which powered its Hyperspace Engine and Sublight Engine. It was also equipped with an Electromagnetic Deflection Shield comparable to a Destroyer's.
With such luxurious equipment, the price was naturally steep: 7,998 Energy Coins, enough to build a standard Cruiser.
In short, it was an extravagant toy for the nobility. Even if they stripped the Meteor Mercenary Group bare, they could barely afford this one little flying car!
The Inferno Phoenix was incredibly fast. Friction with the atmosphere made it look like a crimson bird diving downward, and in the blink of an eye, it was soaring above the high-rise villa.
"Boom!"
It was like a clap of thunder. The sonic boom burst open, sending a shock wave racing outward.
Fortunately, flying cars had been refined over generations of design, and the obvious safety hazards had long since been eliminated. By the time the gale reached him, it had softened into a gentle breeze that stirred the willows.
Moving with effortless grace, the red Inferno Phoenix glided down. This time, because the car was larger, it stopped in the air beside the villa.
Lin Zhichen waved away the armed drones that had gathered after noticing the disturbance. Then the car door opened, and a woman in a crimson military uniform and a badge stepped out.
"Now that's a sight." His eyes brightened as he appraised her. Beautiful things always lifted his spirits.
Almond-shaped eyes, willow-leaf brows, a delicate nose, lips like sandalwood, a curvaceous figure, and a slender build—paired with her flame-red uniform, she stirred up a surge of youthful desire. Even Lin Zhichen, no novice, was momentarily transfixed.
His gaze clearly displeased the beauty. She rolled her eyes but didn't make a scene. She opened the car door, and another beauty stepped out.
Unlike the first, who seemed somewhat delicate, this one had the air of a mature woman. Her glossy black hair was tied in a ponytail, and her charming face couldn't conceal the boldness in her brows. Her red uniform did nothing to hide her voluptuous figure. Her phoenix eyes swept across the scene, seeming to flash with electricity and make the heart skip a beat.
If the first woman was around a ninety-five out of a hundred in appearance, then the second was a ninety-seven or eight. Don't be surprised: Psionics could nourish cells, improve genes, and promote Life Ascension. In a word, Psionicists were all handsome men and beautiful women.
That's right, both women were Psionicists!
Lin Zhichen reached out with his Psionics, carefully sensing their strength. Unless they had trained in a special technique, Psionicists could gauge one another's strength from the Psionic energy they naturally emitted.
The first woman's Psionics were clearly weaker. Judging by his estimate, she was slightly weaker than him, with around 120 to 130 points of Psionic Reserve. She was also a newly advanced Psionic Warrior.
The second was stronger than him. Judging by the pressure she seemed to exude, she had probably already reached the Advanced Tier of Psionic Warrior.
A newly awakened Psionicist usually had no more than ten points of Psionic Reserve. They had to refine it over a long period, gradually building it up. Generally speaking, once it exceeded ninety points, they had reached the peak of Apprentice. At that point, they had to consider breaking through the Apprentice tier and becoming a Psionic Warrior.
But everyone had different fortunes and constitutions. Some could bear more power than others—like Lin Zhichen, who had more than one hundred points of Psionics from the moment he awakened. That was what it meant to be born exceptional.
Her captivating eyes settled on Lin Zhichen. She smiled, and a hundred charms seemed to bloom. "We meet again. I told you that you couldn't get away from me!"
Lin Zhichen put on a roguish air, his eyes roving over her crimson uniform. "Come on, a date between a man and a woman is perfectly natural. We were in too much of a hurry last time. This time, we can explore each other properly~"
"Pfft~" The beauty beside her couldn't help covering her mouth and giggling.
Liu Manyun's expression had already turned cold. She spoke solemnly. "At the invitation of the Federal Psionic Association, Liu Manyun, Commander of the Thorn Rose Mercenary Group, sends you her regards!"
As she spoke, she crossed her hands and gave the salute of placing them over her chest.
It was a greeting between Psionicists. The other beauty beside her followed suit. "I am Li Murong, Chief Scientist of the Thorn Rose Mercenary Group. I pay my respects to you!"
In the Galaxy Era, talent was still paramount. Any faction with even a little ambition would cultivate its own team of scientists, especially Psionic scientists, whose research was more efficient than that of ordinary people.
"Lin Zhichen, Commander of the Meteor Mercenary Group." Lin Zhichen could only return the greeting. Guests were to be welcomed, and it was best to observe proper etiquette in formal settings—especially since they'd been able to enter the Solar System at this time. They must have filed the necessary paperwork and gone through the proper channels.
"By custom, every Psionicist who completes their awakening is registered with the Federal Psionic Association, which sends someone to review and verify their identity," Liu Manyun said with a smile.
"It just so happened that my unit was passing through the Solar System. When I saw this assignment, I took it. As it turns out, you've already passed identity verification.
"Congratulations, Mr. Lin Zhichen. You're now a respected Psionicist. May your name spread throughout the stars!"
"Thank you for your kind wishes!" Lin Zhichen saluted solemnly.
At the same time, his Holographic wristband chimed. He'd received an email.
Lin Zhichen's gaze shifted slightly. He activated the wristband, and, just as he'd expected, a message had arrived in his personal inbox, signed by the Federal Psionic Association:
"Dear Mr. Lin Zhichen, all employees of the Federal Psionic Association, on behalf of the Federal Government, pay their respects to you and are honored to announce:
"Your status has now been officially updated. You will join the Human Federation as a Psionicist and make a positive contribution to the prosperity of civilization! May the stars endure and civilization never perish!"
It was an official document, unlike the guarantee they'd issued last time. This one had gone through the proper procedures, and any procedural loopholes had now been closed. It also came with certain benefits:
One standard Frigate, to be delivered in a week; a monthly allowance of one Energy Coin; citizen privileges; and the right to hire military NPCs.
These benefits weren't very meaningful to him anymore, but they were free.
"You've already advanced to Psionic Warrior? I see. Judging by how you changed before and after attacking the Pirate Base, you must have broken through that bottleneck." Liu Manyun wasn't surprised by his advancement. Her unit had learned all about his recent exploits along the way.
"Which skill did you advance?"
"Ship Command," Lin Zhichen replied. There was no reason to hide it.
"That skill?" Liu Manyun looked at him in surprise. "If you raise your entire Psionic Combat Skill to the Domain level, you'll be a main Hero of the commander type!"
"Commander type?" Lin Zhichen was taken aback.
"These subjects aren't taught at the Federal Military Academy because they're part of the Psionicists' domain, and ordinary people have no use for them," Liu Manyun explained.
"Depending on the nature of their Domains, Heroes can generally be divided into several types: the vanguard type, who charge into battle; the support type, who strategize; the commander type, who lead head-on engagements; and those in logistical support, such as medical care and emergency repairs. There are many kinds.
"I thought you'd chosen Sublight Strike, which is a skill for a vanguard Hero. I didn't expect you to choose the commander Domain."
Before you continue