Golden Frog Trade Ship

The Tacoarans were merchants who wandered the universe, proficient in almost every universal language. They had sailed through space for over a hundred million years.

They had detected the Insect Race's territory. This was their first encounter with the Insect Race, so they had hoped to do some business, never expecting them to be so aggressive.

But as merchants, the Tacoarans rarely encountered such an unusual race and certainly did not want to give up a chance to make money. They lingered on the outskirts of the Insect Race's territory with no intention of leaving.

They tried to establish contact with the Insect Race in various languages, but even after exhausting every official language, they received no response whatsoever.

"Boss, this is a barbaric race. Are we still going to do business with them?"

Boss Jin, the Takowar leader, stroked the three fleshy whiskers on his chin. His eyes rolled as he smiled. "Barbaric races like this have plenty of good stuff. Didn't you see their warships? Bio-Ships! In all our years of traveling, how many have you seen?"

An adjutant with a frog's face and a monkey's body, dressed in a silvery-white spacesuit, thought for a moment. "We've encountered them in the Southern Universe and the Northern Universe, but never in the Eastern Universe or the Vitter Universe."

Boss Jin nodded. "Think about it. If we get a Bio-Ship and take it to the Vitter Universe to sell, we might be able to trade it for an entire galaxy."

Before the adjutant could speak, Boss Jin continued, "Sell that galaxy in the Vitter Universe to the Delsa Race of the Eastern Universe, and we can get four Emperor Warships. Trade one of those to these people, and we pocket the other three. That's a fortune for next to nothing! Wait a little longer. You need patience when dealing with these barbarians."

The adjutant was about to speak when the pilot reported, "Boss, a Bio-Ship is heading toward us."

Boss Jin patted his drumlike belly and laughed. "See? What did I tell you? Business has come knocking!"

Matriarch Duolaner boarded Boss Jin's Trading Ship. Boss Jin greeted her personally and placed a Universal Translator on the floor.

Duolaner merely glanced at the device. Instead of picking it up, she pointed at the Frog-Faced Deputy beside Boss Jin and beckoned him over.

The Frog-Faced Deputy was certainly unwilling. He had seen the Insect Race's aggression firsthand. He turned to flee, but Boss Jin grabbed him and kicked him to Duolaner's feet, even making a deliberate "please" gesture.

A small insect crawled off Duolaner's body. Boss Jin watched its every move with curiosity.

Seeing the insect crawling toward him, the Frog-Faced Deputy drew his laser pistol and fired wildly. His marksmanship certainly needed more practice. Without dodging at all, the insect crawled straight onto his body.

It took a deep gulp of his green blood, and Duolaner immediately spoke. "Relax. You won't die. I'm only learning your language."

The Frog-Faced Deputy scrambled back to Boss Jin's feet and felt his neck. He did not seem to feel anything unusual.

His drumlike belly swaying, Boss Jin approached Duolaner with a warm smile. "Welcome! Welcome, new friend, to the Golden Frog Trade Ship!"

Duolaner spoke coldly. "This is the territory of our Insect Race. We do not wish to be disturbed!"

Boss Jin hurriedly replied, "We're here to trade with the Insect Race. We have plenty of fine goods from all across the universes. I'm sure there will be something you like."

After a brief silence, Duolaner said, "Do you have a star chart of Earth?"

"Earth? Where's that?" Boss Jin kicked the adjutant, who was still clinging to his lower leg, out in front of him. "Do we have a star chart of Earth?"

The Frog-Faced Deputy's eyes rolled three times before he answered, "I've never heard of that place. Could it have a different name? Do you have a chart of the surrounding galaxies? We could compare them!"

Duolaner sent the adjutant a star chart of the Milky Way and the Andromeda Galaxy.

The Frog-Faced Deputy exclaimed, "It's this rudimentary? Even if you gave me a million years to compare charts, I'd have trouble finding it!"

Duolaner said coldly, "That's not my concern. If you can find this place, everything else is negotiable!"

The moment Boss Jin heard that, he roared, "Go find it! Get every navigator searching!"

After kicking the adjutant away, Boss Jin said warmly, "I'm the owner of this trade fleet. Just call me Little Jin! May I ask your distinguished name?"

"Duolaner, Matriarch of the Insect Race!"

Boss Jin had no idea what "Matriarch" actually meant. As far as he was concerned, anyone who could speak on behalf of the Insect Race must hold a high position.

With a fawning expression, he said, "Lady Duolaner, we have fine goods from all across the universes. What sort would you prefer?"

Boss Jin waved his hand, and thousands of frog-faced astronauts filed past Duolaner like an assembly line, each carrying an item.

There were all sorts of armor, metal spheres, weapons, colorful potions, and even various living creatures, along with oddly shaped objects she could not identify. The display left Duolaner dazzled.

"Little Jin, we need powerful weapons. Do you have any?"

"How powerful?"

"Weapons that can destroy galaxies!"

Boss Jin's eyes rolled, and he said helplessly, "Weapons that destroy galaxies differ from universe to universe. The Western Universe has Moros's Staff, the Eastern Universe has the Lamarckel Cannon, and the Northern Universe has the Ghost Mist Bomb. The Southern Universe... I don't think the Southern Universe has any. The Vitter Universe has three: the Reaper Scythe, the Fire God Hammer, and the War God Spear. But those are only legends in the Vitter Universe."

"Then what do you have?"

"...Lady Duolaner, you haven't dealt with Trading Ships before, have you? Those items are all prohibited."

"Prohibited?"

"The Universal Federal Council forbids us from selling weapons that destroy galaxies. If we're caught, our licenses will be revoked, and we'll be imprisoned in a border galaxy for ten thousand years. No trade fleet dares sell them!"

After a moment's thought, Duolaner asked, "What if someone uses those weapons?"

Boss Jin's expression instantly soured. "Uses them? Surely not... The Western Realm Great Emperor controls this Western Universe. No one but him has one. Why would he use Moros's Staff in his own territory for no reason?"

Duolaner smiled faintly. "I was only asking. Do you have any weapons a little less powerful than those, but still destructive enough?"

Boss Jin hesitated for a moment. "We do, but they're rather expensive!"

Duolaner knew what he was after and smiled. "Let's hear it!"

Boss Jin paced back and forth for a long time, then asked with a troubled expression, "Lady Duolaner, may I ask what you need the weapons for?"

"No," Duolaner answered without hesitation, making Boss Jin look even more troubled.

"Then I'd be breaking the rules by selling them. If anyone found out I'd sold weapons of this caliber, I'd be arrested and exiled too."

Duolaner said coldly, "It isn't our place to tell you what risks to take, Boss Jin. Perhaps you should think it over some more."

After prolonged consideration, Boss Jin offered, "Why don't you take a look at the weapon's power first, Lady Duolaner?"

With Boss Jin leading the way, Duolaner arrived at the Trading Ship's observation deck.

Boss Jin pointed at a perfectly rectangular warship, roughly twenty kilometers long and ten kilometers wide, with an enormous cannon mounted on it.

"That's the Miras Cannon. It can fire twelve shells at once, and each shell has enough power to destroy a planet. Every shell also has a tracking system. Whatever kind of planet or warship the target is, it will be hit even if it passes through a black hole."

Boss Jin waved his hand. Twelve small shells flew out of the Miras Cannon, and the twelve planets before Duolaner's eyes were instantly blasted into an asteroid belt.

Duolaner sneered disdainfully. "What do you want in exchange for a weapon of this power, Boss Jin?"

Boss Jin's eyes rolled three times before he declared firmly, "Two of your large warships."

Duolaner exclaimed, "You want two Emperor Warships?"

Boss Jin said resolutely, "Yes. Not one ship less!"

"Deal!"

"Huh?..."