Shattered Star Pirate Alliance headquarters.
The former Dark God Temple base had lost every trace of its religious aesthetic, replaced by high-tech buildings and space defenses in a mixture of alien styles.
A dedicated commercial port had now been developed on the outskirts of the Alliance headquarters.
Since the Pirate Alliance's founding, the chaos within the Shattered Star Region had improved dramatically.
Pirates, merchants, and trading fleets from across the Shattered Star Region and even beyond flocked here.
Pirate ships of every style, some rugged and others exquisite, shuttled back and forth, with desperate mercenaries of various races scattered among them.
Steadily improving security and tax rates so low they were almost negligible rapidly turned the Shattered Star Region into the largest black market in the surrounding regions, greatly fueling its prosperity.
Here, chaos and order complemented each other, and the place gradually earned the flattering name "City of a Thousand Stars."
"Mr. Antonio!"
"Antonio, long time no see! How did a busy man like you find the time to come here today?"
"Mr. Antonio, I'm with Black Fir Venture Capital. We're very optimistic about your trading fleet's prospects. Would you be interested in accepting an investment?"
"..."
As Antonio walked through the commercial port, people frequently greeted him warmly or sought partnerships. He met them all with a smile and responded politely, one by one.
The launch of the Shattered Star Escort Plan had not only brought the Pirate Alliance handsome, steady profits, but also created a whole crop of lucky people who had made their fortunes through it.
Antonio was undoubtedly the luckiest of them all.
Thanks to the advantage of being the first to take the plunge, his Bassanio Interstellar Transport Company had leaped from a small trading fleet on the verge of bankruptcy to one of