Guardians of the Galaxy! No, the Cosmic Comedy Troupe

Kiana hummed a little tune, her white braids bouncing behind her with her light steps. The translator on her wrist flashed a pale blue light, perfectly translating the cries of the Xandar merchants around her into a language she could understand.

"Wow! This candy lights up!" She pressed her face against the window of a dessert shop, her nose almost touching the glass. "Boss, I want three!"

Kiana eagerly opened the beautifully packaged candy box, popped a candy into her mouth, and savored the sweet taste. The flavor exploded on her tongue, making her squint her eyes in bliss. Just then, her keen Warrior instincts suddenly kicked in – someone was Stealth!

"This aura..." She subtly slipped the candy box into her shopping bag, the Valkyrie's alertness instantly replacing the girl's naivety. Following the direction she sensed, she pretended to stroll casually through the streets, but in reality, she had already locked onto her target.

In the fountain plaza at the center of the commercial street, a man in a red leather jacket was nonchalantly twisting his body. He wore old-fashioned Walkman headphones and hummed a severely off-key song. "~Hooked on a feeling~"

Kiana stared in disbelief as the blond man danced a bizarre dance by the fountain, occasionally throwing flirtatious glances at passing women. This wasn't some dangerous Stealth; he was clearly a narcissistic psychopath!

No... no, that Stealth wasn't him.

Kiana casually glanced around, her white braid swaying gently as she turned her head. Her gaze swept over the corner café, the hovercar dock, and the neon-lit billboards, trying to find traces of the Stealth.

"Hey, beautiful lady~"

Suddenly, an exaggerated gliding sound rang in her ears. Kiana turned around sharply and saw that the blond man in the red leather jacket had somehow glided up in front of her, still kneeling on one knee, winking at her.

"Meeting in this vast universe is fate," he said, taking off his headphones and flashing what he thought was a charming smile. "I am Star-Lord, Peter Quill. May I ask your name?"

Kiana's lips twitched slightly. "Uh... thank you, but no need." She turned to leave.

"Wait!" Star-Lord flipped over and blocked her way. "Don't be so cold! Look at this—" He magically produced a glowing flower. "A specialty of Xandar, the Moonflower. Only the most beautiful lady is worthy of it."

Kiana's forehead creased with annoyance. She was about to use her Herrscher of the Void ability to escape when she suddenly froze—that murderous aura had returned! And this time it was right next to her!

"Careful!"

She shoved Star-Lord away abruptly, and almost at the same moment, a gleaming sword slashed down where Star-Lord had just stood, carving a deep crack in the ground.

"Whoa!" Star-Lord rolled twice on the ground in a sorry state. "What's going on?!"

Kiana had already assumed a fighting stance, her twin pistols seemingly already in her hands. She warily stared at the red-haired woman who had suddenly appeared—the woman had emerald green skin, wore black bodysuit armor, wielded twin blades, and had eyes as cold as knives.

Star-Lord staggered to his feet, his right hand already on the Element Gun at his waist. "Wow! My ex-girlfriend wasn't this violent!"

Gamora's twin blades gleamed coldly under the neon lights. "Hand over the Orb," she suddenly attacked, her blade aimed straight for Star-Lord's throat, "And you'll live."

A clang of metal clashing rang out as Kiana appeared between the two, her twin pistols crossed to Gamora's slash. "Hey!" the white-haired girl glared angrily, her eyes wide. "Killing someone in the street is going too far!"

Gamora the momentum to flip backward and landed, warily eyeing the girl who had suddenly intervened. "Get out of my way, this is none of your business." With a flick of her wrist, she changed the angle of her twin blades. "I can sense the energy fluctuations within you... Who are you?"

"I don't change my name or surname!" Kiana proudly puffed out her chest, then suddenly realized something and covered her mouth. "Oh wait! Will this cause trouble for the Commander?"

While the two were still locked in a standoff, a bloodcurdling scream, like a pig being slaughtered, suddenly rang out.

"Help! I've been kidnapped!"

Kiana turned around abruptly and saw Star-Lord hanging upside down in mid-air by a thick tree branch, looking like a salted fish being dried in the sun.

"Got him!" A raccoon carrying a giant energy cannon leaped out of the sewer, rubbing its paws excitedly. "Peter Quill, bounty of forty thousand dollars!!"

A tree-like being emerged from the corner. "I am Groot." His branches were tightly binding the struggling Star-Lord.

"I know, I know, fifty-fifty split." Rocket Raccoon waved his hand impatiently, pressing the muzzle of his gun against Star-Lord's temple. "Behave yourself! Otherwise, my big gun won't have eyes!"

Star-Lord's eyes widened. "Wait! We know each other?"

"Who wants to know a petty thief like you?" Rocket kicked a tree trunk, sending Star-Lord swinging like a pendulum. "I'm a professional bounty hunter!"

Gamora's twin blades froze in mid-air, as she and Kiana stared at each other in bewilderment. The white-haired girl tilted her head. "Is it fashionable to use raccoons as police officers now?"

"I am Groot." The tree-man kindly offered a small flower.

Amidst the piercing alarm, Rocket suddenly perked up his ears. "Damn it, the Nova Corps is here!" He deftly pulled out handcuffs. "Groot, load the cargo onto the truck—"

More than a dozen patrol boats of the Nova Corps roared in from all directions, and blue and white energy barriers instantly sealed off the entire block. Fully armed Nova Warrior jumped off the hovercraft, their energy rifles aimed at the group of people in the center of the square.

"Everyone, freeze!" the leading officer shouted sternly. "Drop your weapons and put your hands behind your heads!"

Rocket's ears perked up instantly, his little eyes darting around. "Damn it!" he cursed under his breath, his claws already stealthily reaching for the smoke grenade at his waist.

Gamora, and she slid backward like a ghost, trying to use the chaos to disappear into the crowd. However, she had only taken two steps back when a white figure blocked her way.

"Trying to run?" Kiana put her hands on her hips, her ponytail swaying gently in the wind, a sly smile on her face. "Weren't you pretty fierce just now?"

Gamora pointed her twin blades at Kiana: "Get out of the way!" she threatened in a low voice, "This is none of your business!"

"Sorry~" Kiana winked playfully, "The Commander said that we should report any suspicious individuals to the Nova Corps immediately~"

Rocket, not far away, suddenly shouted, "Groot, now!"

The treant abruptly flung Star-Lord into the Nova Corps' encirclement, while simultaneously sprouting countless vines to create chaos. Rocket seized the opportunity, pulling out his energy cannon and firing a shot at the ground.

"Bang!"

The smoke from the explosion instantly filled the air, but the Nova Corps' energy barrier had already activated, completely absorbing the shockwave. Worse still, dozens of red targeting lasers suddenly lit up in the smoke, all locking onto the Rocket.

"Uh..." The Rocket's claws froze in mid-air. "... A misunderstanding?"

Groot's branches were also entangled in a specially designed energy net, rendering him unable to move. "I am Groot..."

Star-Lord landed face-down at the feet of the Nova officer, then looked up with an awkward smile, "Hey~ wanna listen to my new album?"

Seeing the situation was dire, Gamora hurled a flashbang and retreated rapidly. Kiana, however, was prepared; she instantly activated her Herrscher of the Void ability, creating a transparent spatial barrier that completely blocked the flashbang's power.

"Don't waste your energy~" Kiana crossed her arms and looked smugly at Gamora, who was trapped in the energy net. "The Nova Corps' technology is really amazing!"

That night, at the Nova Corps headquarters.

"In recognition of Ms. Kiana Kaslana's outstanding performance in the capture of the wanted criminal," Nova Prime personally pinned a gleaming medal to Kiana's chest, "She is hereby awarded the title of Honorary Citizen of Xandar."

A thunderous applause erupted from the audience. Kiana scratched her head sheepishly, "Actually, I didn't do anything..."

Chen Tian stood in the stands, a smile playing on his lips. Beside him, Bayonetta sipped her drink and whispered, "The little kitten's contribution won't be recognized, you know."

"Who knows? Maybe it's a tactic used by the Nova Prime to win people over." Chen Tian shrugged. "But Kiana definitely needs some positive recognition."

Kyln

The metal walls of the corridor, a blind spot for surveillance, were covered in scorch marks from energy weapons. Amidst the piercing alarms, red emergency lights stained the corridor crimson. Star-Lord, running, glanced back at the pursuing automated turret. "Rocket! Is this plan even feasible? We'll be blasted to smithereens!"

"Shut up and stick with me!" Rocket Raccoon nimbly leaped onto the ventilation duct, his claws quickly dismantling the control panel. "Groot! Block the way! Drax! Cover our retreat!"

"I am Groot!" The treant's arms swelled, and thick branches blocked the corridor like a tidal wave. From behind came Drax's roar, "Come on! You scum!" The muscular man was using the cell door as a shield, taking the energy blasts from the guards.

Gamora coldly dispatched three guards, her twin blades dripping with anesthetic. "Quill, one more word and I'll leave you to the Nova Corps."

"Wow, that hurts!" Star-Lord clutched his chest, feigning heartache. "We're the strongest breakout team in the galaxy!"

"A temporary collaboration." Gamora the blade against his throat.

Rocket suddenly cheered, "Done!" Its claws pulled out a data cable and connected it to the device. "Main control system hacked! Three, two, one—"

The entire prison was plunged into darkness in an instant, with only the emergency red lights flashing. A guard shouted frantically over the loudspeaker, "Power outage in Block B! Lock all cells immediately—" Before he finished speaking, all the cell doors clicked open.

"What did you do?!" Star-Lord's eyes widened.

Rocket Fangs gleamed coldly. "Let's create a little chaos~" He pointed to the monitor screen, where prisoners were frantically pouring out of their cells. "A prison break, the more people, the more exciting!"

Drax shoved two guards aside and charged in, shouting, "I smell freedom! Ronan! Wait for me! I'm going to tear your spine off!"

Meanwhile, at the Nova Corps headquarters...

Beneath a dazzling Crystal chandelier, Kiana was surrounded by a group of Nova officers, who were vividly recounting their "heroic deeds."

"Then I did a side somersault and dodged Gamora's slash!" she gestured, her white braid swinging high with exaggerated movements, "and then I hit Rocket's smoke grenade with a backhand shot—"

The officers gasped in admiration, some even clapping. Kiana blushed slightly and scratched her head sheepishly, "It's not actually that amazing~"

Just then, the banquet hall doors were suddenly pushed open, and a Nova officer strode nervously toward the Nova Prime, leaning down to whisper a few words in her ear.

The Empress's previously gentle expression froze instantly, her brows furrowing deeply. She quickly raised her hand, and several high-ranking officers immediately left their seats and followed her to the command room.

Bayonetta tilted her head slightly, pressed her red lips to Chen Tian's ear, and whispered, "My lord, it seems our victory celebration is going to be interrupted."

Chen Tian lowered his gaze slightly, withdrawing his attention from the departing Nova Prime, and said calmly, "Something happened at Kyln."

Bayonetta raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Those little mice escaped?"

"Most likely." Chen Tian picked up his glass, took a small sip, and said, "Raccoon's hacking skills, Groot's brute strength, and Gamora's tactical acumen... the Nova Corps' prisons can't hold them for long."

Bayonetta chuckled, "Then our Miss Kiana's efforts were all for nothing?"

Chen Tian shook his head. "No, she did very well." He looked at Kiana, who was still excitedly telling her story in the distance, and smiled slightly. "At least, she's happy, isn't she?"

Kyln Helipad

The pitch-black night sky was stained crimson by the red glow of the prison alarm as Star-Lord and his crew raced toward the dilapidated spaceship, the "Milano," at the edge of the helipad.

"Hurry, hurry, hurry!" Rocket Raccoon jumped into the cockpit, his claws rapidly tapping on the control panel. "Engine warm-up! Shield activation! Groot, close the hatch!"

"I am Groot!" The tree-man slammed the hatch shut with his branches, simultaneously blocking the pursuing guards with his body.

Gamora sat in the passenger seat with a cold expression, her fingers rapidly operating on the weapon systems. "The Nova Corps' interceptor ships have taken off; we'll be locked on within thirty seconds."

"Then we'll get out of here in twenty seconds!" Rocket grinned, yanked the booster stick, and yelled, "Hold on tight, everyone!"

The spaceship's engines roared deafeningly, and its tail spewed out blazing blue flames as the entire ship shot into the night sky like an arrow.

"Wow!" Star-Lord was thrown hard into his seat by the inertia, but he still couldn't resist showing off. "Now that's what you call an interstellar escape!"

Drax crossed his arms, his face stern. "Ronan's lackeys, just wait! I'll tear you to pieces with my own hands!"

The Rocket rolled their eyes. "Let's get through tonight first, muscleman!"

The spaceship had just sped off when the Nova Corps interceptor ships were already in hot pursuit, their energy cannons flashing in the darkness.

"They've locked onto us!" Gamora shouted.

Rocket grinned maliciously. "Let them taste this!" He suddenly pressed a hidden button, and dozens of flares were launched from the tail of the spaceship, exploding in a blinding flash in the dark universe.

The Nova Corps' interceptor ships instantly lost their targets, and the Dragon Radar screens were filled with clutter.

"Hahaha! Goodbye, you fools!" Rocket whistled triumphantly, then maneuvered the spaceship in a sharp turn, leaping directly into the jump point.

In the instant space warped, Star-Lord glanced back at Xandar as it receded into the distance, and whistled, "Next time I come, I'll have to use a different identity."

The spaceship sped through the distorted space, its cabin flashing with a ghostly blue warp light. Rocket Raccoon jumped out of the pilot's seat, rubbing his paws together, his eyes gleaming with greed. "Alright, Quill, now it's time to get down to business!"

Star-Lord, legs crossed, toyed with the mysterious metal sphere— the Orb —a sly grin playing on his lips. "Of course," he said, "As agreed in prison, we're pulling off something big."

Rocket excitedly jumped onto the control panel: "The Collector! That old guy is most interested in strange and unusual things, especially these legendary cosmic artifacts!" He counted on his fingers, "Think about it, what's forty thousand dollars? This thing can sell for four hundred thousand! No, four million!"

Groot stood aside and nodded honestly. "I am Groot." (Meaning: Get rich!)

Drax, arms crossed and muscles bulging, suddenly burst into laughter. "Hahaha! That's right!"

Gamora gave him a cold look. "Do you know what they're talking about?"

Drax's smile faltered for a moment, then he said matter-of-factly, "I don't know! But they were laughing, so I laughed along!"

Gamora facepalmed. "..."

Star-Lord patted Drax on the shoulder. "Brother, your optimism is commendable."

Rocket couldn't wait to pull up the star map. "The Collector's territory is in the Knowhere,' a haven for the most dangerous criminals in the entire galaxy, but the reward is absolutely worth it!" He waved his claw, and a holographic projection unfolded. "We'll just jump there; we'll be there in a day at most!"

The cheerful atmosphere in the cabin was abruptly shattered by Gamora's icy voice. "You all better understand, this orb is no ordinary item." Her sharp gaze swept over everyone, finally settling on the metal sphere Star-Lord was toying with. "Thanos is also after it."

"Thanos?" Rocket's ears perked up. "That purple psychopath?"

"That's right." Gamora's voice was like ice. "He sent Ronan to find this, promising him an army to massacre the Kree Empire if it worked out."

Drax abruptly stood up, his muscles bulging. "Ronan?! Where is he?!" He grabbed Gamora's shoulder. "I'm going to pull his spine out and use it as a necklace!"

Gamora shook off his hand. "Control your muscles, idiot. Ronan is Search the entire galaxy; Thanos's fleet could appear at any moment."

Star-Lord suddenly chuckled, crossing his legs. "So? What does this have to do with us?" He tossed the orb lightly. "Sell it to Collector, take the money and run. Let Ronan play with his own shit."

Rocket's small eyes gleamed. "Quill is absolutely right!" He counted on his hands, "Four million, split among five people, that's eight hundred thousand each! Enough for me to upgrade ten new weapons!"

Groot tilted his head. "I'm Groot? Do we really have to do this?"

"Duh!" Star-Lord rolled his eyes. "We're not the Guardians of the Galaxy, we're—" He grinned, revealing his signature roguish smile, "The universe's strongest thief crew! Making money is the real business!"

Gamora's eyes were sharp as knives. "Quill, you have no idea how dangerous this thing is."

"Oh? Then please enlighten me?" Star-Lord raised an eyebrow.

Gamora a deep breath. "This contains enough power to destroy galaxies. If Thanos gets it, the entire galaxy will become hell."

The Rocket's claws froze in mid-air. "... Are you serious?"

Drax pumped his fist excitedly. "Fantastic! Ronan will definitely come to snatch it himself! Saves me the trouble of going to him!"

Star-Lord's smile faded as he stared at the Orb: "... Are you trying to scare us?"

Gamora remained icy. "Do you think I'm joking?"

Rocket swallowed hard. "... Eight hundred thousand seems a bit low."

Star-Lord suddenly slammed his fist on the table and stood up. "Change course! Full speed ahead to the Knowhere!"

"Huh?!" Rocket's eyes widened. "Didn't you just say—"

"That was just now!" Star-Lord scratched his head. "Now I understand, the more dangerous something is, the more valuable it is! Collector will definitely bid higher!"

Gamora sneered, "You're all courting death."

"Honey, when am I not courting death?" Star-Lord winked at her. "But I always make a fortune, don't I?"

The Rocket rubbed its paws excitedly. "You're right! High risk, high reward! I'll adjust my course right away!"

Drax slammed his fist on the table and roared, "I don't care what you do! If Ronan shows up, I'm going to kill him!"

Groot shook his head helplessly. "I am Groot..." (Here we go again)

Gamora stood with her arms crossed. "When Thanos comes knocking, don't expect me to save you."

"Don't worry, darling." Star-Lord put on his helmet and activated the holographic star map. "Once we get the money, Thanos won't even be able to smell our exhaust fumes!"

Rocket had already jumped to the pilot's seat. "Full speed ahead! To hell with those purple-skinned monsters!"

Nova Corps Headquarters - Command Room

The Nova Prime frowned deeply, staring at the smiling man before her, her voice tinged with confusion. "You want a spaceship? You're planning to leave this place?"

There was a hint of relief in her tone—this man of unknown origin was finally leaving.

Chen Tian smiled slightly, his slender fingers tapping lightly on the table. "Your Excellency, I've stayed here for so long, I should at least repay you."

Nova Prime narrowed his eyes. "Repayment?"

"Yeah, after all, we're partners." Chen Tian's tone was relaxed, as if he were discussing what to eat for dinner. "How about I go and bring Ronan's head back to you?"

The command center fell silent instantly.

The Nova Prime's pupils contracted slightly, and the officers around him exchanged glances, some even gasping in shock.

"You..." The Supreme Being's voice deepened, "Do you know what you're saying? Ronan is now leading his army, his fleet is powerful enough to destroy a planet."

Chen Tian shrugged. "So?"

The Supreme One stared at him, trying to find any trace of arrogance or madness in his expression, but there was only a calm smile in his deep eyes.

"Where are you going?" she finally asked.

Chen Tian's lips curled into a slight smile, "The Knowhere."