"Then, sir, may I ask what your purpose is?"
The middle-aged man struggled to sit up. "Dingyuan Jin's Heart-Piercing Dagger struck me directly in the heart. If my body hadn't been close to advanced body-tempering level, I would've died before I could even inject myself with a stimulant.
"You understand the Jin Family's ways. That's good—it'll save us a lot of time. But I suggest you take the Jin Family even more seriously. They're always a thousand times more despicable, shameless, vile, disgusting, perverted, and contemptible than you could imagine."
Wang Dong nodded slightly, adopting a receptive expression.
He genuinely agreed.
Before his rebirth, he really hadn't taken the Jin Family's tenacity seriously enough.
Or rather, he'd tried his best to take them seriously, but his abilities had been limited. He still hadn't taken them seriously enough.
"I have to say, you've performed remarkably well."
The middle-aged man offered his assessment of Wang Dong.
"Whether it was your swift, decisive response when things changed, or the calm way you handled the situation once you understood it—or even how composed you remained in the face of forces beyond your control. Young people like you are rare, even among the privileged."
Wang Dong bowed slightly in thanks.
"You flatter me. I still have a lot to learn. For instance, how did your warship suddenly appear beside me?"
The middle-aged man tugged at the corners of his mouth, which passed for a smile.
"My name is Yuan Shu, and this is my warship, the War Axe. She's a Kindling Warship. What should I call you, young man?"
Wang Dong bowed slightly in greeting. "Mr. Yuan, it's an honor to meet you. I'm Wang Dong.
"So the War Axe is a Kindling Warship. Was what it did just now the function of some Shipborne Module?"
Yuan Shu paused, slightly taken aback. "Wang Dong... Young man, it seems you know something about Kindling Warships, too. That's rare. To have learned about them in a remote little place like this shows that you have serious ambitions."
Wang Dong folded his arms and sighed. "Yes. Kindling Warships are the symbol of humanity's greatest military power, and the force the privileged rely on to maintain their rule.
"In fact, owning a Kindling Warship of my own has always been my dream."
Yuan Shu's mouth curled again. "Then congratulations. Your dream is about to come true."
Wang Dong frowned. "Mr. Yuan, I don't quite understand. What do you mean?"
"Just what you suspect. I'm about to die.
"There are only the two of us aboard this warship. Before I die, I'll transfer the captain's authority to you. You'll become the next Captain of the War Axe!"
Wang Dong smiled bitterly. "Mr. Yuan, may I refuse?"
"Obviously not."
Yuan Shu moved his arm, seemingly puzzled by Wang Dong's refusal.
"But I don't mind hearing your reasons. I really am confused.
"I don't want to die still wondering why."
"Having my own Kindling Warship has been my dream ever since I learned they existed."
Wang Dong shook his head, his smile still bitter.
"I have my own plans.
"I'd work as a miner and save money, then leave this country and go to the Federation. Its advanced academies offer the friendliest path to advancement for ordinary people.
"If I could graduate and earn excellent grades, I'd be able to get a Kindling Warship funded by the academy.
"It would be difficult, but I believe in myself. I'd still have at least a thirty percent chance.
"Now there's a Kindling Warship practically within my grasp, and it could save me at least twenty years of hard work. Of course I'm tempted. More than tempted!
"But it's too soon, and it's all too sudden. I'm completely unprepared, whether mentally, in terms of ability, or in terms of having the connections and backing I'd need. Mr. Yuan, do you understand?"
Yuan Shu fell silent.
At first glance, once Yuan Shu died, Wang Dong would inherit the War Axe and become its new Captain, rising to the top in an instant and gaining a far higher status.
But would it really go that smoothly?
First of all, Yuan Shu, who had clearly made an enemy of the Jin Family, was doomed to die. Wang Dong knew it, Yuan Shu knew it, and the Jin Family—which had orchestrated it all—naturally knew it too.
But if Wang Dong inherited the War Axe from Yuan Shu, would the Jin Family leave him alone?
Obviously not.
Ever heard of "the vengeful Dingyuan Jin"?
Just as Yuan Shu had said earlier, the Jin Family had long had its eye on him and the War Axe.
If the Jin Family discovered Wang Dong aboard the warship, he'd be added to their hit list.
And that was before he became the War Axe's new Captain.
In fact, any faction, upon learning that an ordinary person like Wang Dong owned a Kindling Warship, would strike without hesitation and do whatever it took to seize the War Axe.
That brought them to the second factor Wang Dong had just mentioned.
Connections—or, more precisely, power.
To hold a resource on the scale of a Kindling Warship, you naturally needed to be qualified.
That qualification could come from ability—being a recognized expert in some field, an exceptional warship commander, and so on.
It could come from connections—belonging to a privileged family, or holding a sufficiently high-ranking government position.
It could also come from power—a major conglomerate, a local faction, and so on.
You could even be a wastrel who'd inherited an elder's estate.
But for an interstellar miner like Wang Dong, that clearly wasn't enough to qualify.
Not nearly enough!
Before you continue