Hey, Bitch!

A twelve-meter-long small transport ship detached from the belly of the pirate vessel, slowly cutting into the atmosphere of the ochre planet.

In the co-pilot seat, Yang Ming gazed at the land covered in endless yellow sand below, a sense of belonging inexplicably rising in his heart.

He thought of his old home, and a deep nostalgia welled up within him.

Though this nostalgia was quickly dispelled by Milili, who was piloting the ship while wearing a tight-fitting spacesuit.

She knew how to show off her figure.

"Here you go, Hanton."

Kolev, in the back seat, handed over a metal mask with an intricate air purification device.

Kolev chuckled:

"I just checked the latest news from Kor Port and the Sherman Empire. They haven't publicly announced our escape. They're just saying there was a riot at Kor Port Prison, resulting in the deaths and injuries of over a dozen guards and prisoners.

"Later, I'll try to see if I can get some intel on you. If your little lover turned you into one of those dead or injured prisoners to hide you from the Sherman Empire's intelligence agency, that would be quite interesting."

"That won't do any good. Lina will keep tracking my whereabouts. She just doesn't want other intelligence agencies to notice me as prey."

Yang Ming put on the mask, his voice gaining a slight metallic edge:

"From now on, don't call me by Hanton's real name. Use my alias... call me Yang Ming."

"Yang Ming?" Kolev repeated.

"Uncle Yang Ming? Uncle Hanton still sounds better, though."

Milili's sweet voice reached Yang Ming's ears, causing a slight itch in his heart.

She's his niece.

And a Star Widow.

Yang Ming reminded himself inwardly, then said, "Whatever you prefer."

A thin energy shield appeared around the transport ship, blocking out the high temperatures caused by friction and preventing excessive vibration.

The gravitational acceleration of this planet was slightly greater than Earth's, but it posed no burden to Yang Ming.

Stepping onto solid ground once more, feeling the pleasure of his boots sinking into the sand, Yang Ming couldn't help but murmur, "Finally, I'm stepping on land again."

"Has Uncle Hanton been traveling in space for a long time?"

Milili asked from beside him. She had already put on a metal mask, her wine-red hair tied into two braids that lay on her shoulders. A laser gun adorned with punk-themed stickers was slung over her shoulder.

"Yes, it's been about a year since I last stepped on soil," Yang Ming said with a smile. "I feel a sense of familiarity here."

"Keep up!"

Kolev's voice came from the edges of their masks, where miniature speakers were hidden. These not only altered the wearer's voice but also served as a team communication device.

Kolev grumbled, "We need to leave before we run into him. We don't want to push the situation into a stage we can't control."

"Let's go."

Yang Ming walked forward with his hands behind his back, his movements unhurried, gradually closing the distance to the three ahead with his strides.

His tall figure, as he walked, appeared quite elegant in Milili's eyes.

This planet was named Orhaifu, located on the edge of the middle section of the Milky Way's second spiral arm. It was currently the largest black market trading center in this airspace and a temporary intelligence hub for pirates in the region.

The cunning pirates always liked to change the location of their markets, and Orhaifu was just one of the resting points for this black market.

This pattern reminded Yang Ming of the collective festival activities he attended in his rural hometown as a child – the "big market" gatherings. Those detestable vendors who tricked him out of his pocket money with shoddy toys also changed their trading areas irregularly.

This habitable planet had residential areas.

As Yang Ming passed the crest of a sand dune, he gazed at two cities on the horizon.

One city was encased in a semi-transparent dome, with towering buildings and a high-quality environment, where aircraft crisscrossed.

The other was exposed to the threat of wind and sand, consisting mostly of buildings embedded underground, with a high wall around the perimeter to block the wind and sand. Only a few aircraft occasionally passed by.

The black market they were heading to had nothing to do with these two cities.

Descending the sand dune led to a plaza, where two transport ships being loaded occupied the entire area. Passing through the plaza would lead to the black market's location – an artificial canyon covered in sand.

A sign prohibiting aircraft stood before the entrance, which was only seven or eight meters wide. Twenty to thirty guards, dressed in various outfits and carrying laser guns, were chatting and laughing.

Someone recognized Kolev and exclaimed his name in surprise. Kolev raised his hand and waved.

He looked like an old leader to the pirates.

Soon, the news of Kolev's arrival spread throughout the canyon. Many elderly people even came out to the sides of the straight street to greet and chat with Kolev.

Yang Ming also felt a sense of relief.

Kolev's high reputation would be a great help in his upcoming plan to acquire a spaceship.

Yang Ming saw many children and teenagers here.

Their skin tones varied, and the ambition and desire in their eyes were completely unmasked.

The sparse buildings on either side of the street were actually spaceships with their tail compartments open. Their main bodies were buried in the sand, allowing them to quickly blow away the sand and ascend to escape if a dangerous situation was detected.

These cunning pirates.

After walking for a while, in front of a shop with a rotating lamp cabinet, resembling a barbershop, Kolev found a familiar old friend and embraced him warmly.

The shop owner was a stout man, his head wrapped in a sand-proof scarf, wearing a thick protective suit, with a sauce resembling ketchup still lingering on his lips. He grabbed Kolev and started complaining.

"Oh, Kolev! I just heard you escaped, and I didn't expect you to show up here! I knew it! The Interstellar Court's cage couldn't hold you!

"But Kolev, handing the Black Dragon over to Gimo wasn't a wise choice. Gimo is too eager for quick success and too brutal. He actually tried to change the contract we've had for over twenty years, saying we were earning too much!"

Milili, beside Yang Ming, pursed her lips slightly, showing a hint of disdain.

"Hahaha!"

Kolev laughed heartily:

"There's nothing I can do about it. Gimo just likes to take advantage of small gains. Handing the Black Dragon over to Gimo for management was the most suitable choice I could think of! Come on, let me see what new tricks you have here!"

"If anyone else came, I would naturally just give them some flashy but useless items to deal with them. But you're different, Kolev, you saved my life!"

The shop owner said dramatically, "You can take anything here that catches your eye, and I'll give you a fifty percent discount on everything else!"

Yang Ming raised an eyebrow; this shop owner was quite the businessman.

He surveyed the shop's displays and found it to be a veritable exhibition of individual combat weapons. One floor was filled with all sorts of firearms and protective suits, while in the corner, there were hoverbikes, exoskeleton mechs, and other personal assault equipment. There were also two more floors above and below, and he wondered what treasures were hidden within.

"Let's do it by the book," Kolev said, patting the shop owner's shoulder. "Show me your best individual combat equipment. I want to give my young friend a gift."

Yang Ming moved forward, giving the shop owner a naive smile.

The shop owner chuckled, "Is this your new disciple? He's a handsome fellow. Luckily, my precious daughter is studying at the New Federation and isn't here right now."

"No, he's not my disciple; he's my partner," Kolev said seriously. "My most trusted partner right now."

"Oh, what high praise! Come this way, sir! You don't need to waste your time on these ordinary goods."

The shop owner warmly took Yang Ming's arm and led him to a locked silver counter in the corner.

A few seconds later, Yang Ming looked at the neatly arranged row of 'flashlights' and a knowing smile appeared on his lips.

A man should wield the most powerful lightsaber!

"Can I try it?" Yang Ming asked softly.

"Of course! Oh, my robot with water in its positronic brain, hurry up and get the targets!"

The shop owner yelled. A humanoid robot in a small skirt in the corner shivered a few times and shuffled with heavy little steps towards the lower level.

Yang Ming asked, "What's the price range for these lightsabers?"

"We use New Federation credits as our standard, and we accept transactions in the top ten currencies at real-time exchange rates. These are good items worth five to six thousand credits."

Five to six thousand New Federation credits? That's thirty to forty thousand Sherman Empire Imperial Star coins?

Wow, that's more than Hanton's salary for three years.

He couldn't use Hanton's account right now; it would be too easy to expose his location.

Seemingly noticing Yang Ming's hesitation, Milili chuckled, "Uncle, just pick whatever you like. Consider it a gift from my allowance."

"Rather than from you, I'm more inclined to accept a gift from your father," Yang Ming picked up a brand-new lightsaber and played with it through his gloves. "How can I accept a gift from a junior?"

Milili shrugged and leaned against the doorframe, saying nothing more.

Hummm--

Yang Ming pressed the button on the hilt. The containment magnetic field shaped the gaseous plasma into a blade, and the hilt itself vibrated slightly.

Yang Ming flicked his wrist gently, and the lightsaber emitted a low hum.

The shop owner laughed, "You can use it to cut through any cabin door that tries to stop you!"

"The energy level is too low," Yang Ming shook his head.

The shop owner's smile stiffened. "Lightsabers with higher energy are more difficult to control, especially in near-ground and simulated gravity environments. External magnetic fields can create significant resistance to the lightsaber's containment field."

"That's an issue with the swordsman," Yang Ming said seriously.

"I understand! Try this one!"

The shop owner picked up a slender, light red 'flashlight' from the corner. Two characters were laser-engraved on it: Zhan Mo.

"This seems to be a second-hand item," Yang Ming remarked.

"Yes, but it's an excellent lightsaber. See if you like it," the shop owner pushed the power switch to maximum and handed it to Yang Ming with both hands.

As Yang Ming's hand grasped it, he felt that the lightsaber's weight was slightly excessive.

He took two steps back and turned on the switch. The lightsaber bathed the entire cabin in a blood-red light.

The vibration feedback was indeed powerful.

Yang Ming swung it a few times, and a sense of exhilaration welled up in his heart. This lightsaber was even more impressive than the one he had used when fighting the Valkyrie.

Just then, the robot returned carrying a dummy wrapped in an alloy skin and placed it behind the shop owner, enraging him. "Did your protocol for protecting humans get eaten by a dog?!"

Yang Ming stared at the dummy, a strange urge to destroy it rising within him.

He lightly swung his sword forward, and the dummy's shoulder was cleanly severed.

"Whoa!" Kolev chuckled, "What a magnificent treasure!"

"Do you like it?" the shop owner asked with a squinting smile. "I haven't seen many warriors who can wield it with such ease. Your muscle fibers seem different from ours, young man. If you like it, take it. This is my gift to Kolev."

Kolev laughed, "That won't do. I can't just waste a gift so easily. How many credit coins is a lightsaber worth? Especially a used one."

"Hahaha! Cunning Kolev, what's wrong with me giving you a few more items? As your going-away present!"

Yang Ming deactivated the lightsaber and placed it on a nearby shelf, stepping back with a smile.

This item was just a bonus; Kolev had a large procurement plan for today.

Suddenly, Yang Ming heard a commotion from outside the door.

"Isn't that the most beautiful pirate, Milili? The one who was expelled from her pirate crew by her own subordinates and almost stripped naked?"

Yang Ming turned his head and saw Milili, who was leaning against the doorframe, and more than ten men and women passing by outside.

A busty woman in hot pants and a crop top puffed out her chest, unleashing a double taunt at Milili's back:

"I heard your father broke out of prison to help you? He's seventy or eighty years old. He could have lived out his retirement in prison, but he still has to worry about you."

Kolev slightly curled his lips and continued to whisper with the shop owner, ignoring the events outside.

Milili remained silent, realizing that the group outside had an overwhelming numerical advantage. She wouldn't suffer such a disadvantage.

"What's wrong, Milili?"

The busty woman grinned eagerly. "Can't you speak Galactic Standard anymore? Did something shock you? Wow, you only bring two or three followers with you when you go out now?"

Milili snorted.

"Tch," the busty woman sneered and waved her hand, turning to walk towards the livelier part of the street. "Coward."

Milili clenched her fists tightly and took a deep breath.

Suddenly, she felt a tall figure appear before her. A lowered voice whispered, "If you have enough pocket money, give me that lightsaber, and I'll help you take down those followers. Add a protective suit, and I'll arrange them into a human centipede."

Milili looked up at the young uncle standing close to her.

"I can give you three items!"

She said firmly, then turned and ran two steps, tossing her laser gun aside. She pulled out the paralyzing stun baton hanging from her waist, extending the metal shaft, and sprinted quickly and silently into the middle of the group.

"Hey!" Milili shouted.

The busty woman turned around, her face filled with anger. The more than ten pirates beside her hadn't even had time to react before Milili's stun baton swung down towards the busty woman's face.

"Bitch!"