Translator: AnubisTL
In the vast cosmos, the Commander-in-Chief of the Western Military District sat in his chair, his murky eyes devoid of emotion as he gazed indifferently at the countless stars before him.
The universe was immense.
Even after multiple wormhole jumps, it would take at least ten days of travel to reach the domain of the Zerg Civilization.
His decision wasn't a reckless gamble.
While he undoubtedly wished for the Kasha Civilization to endure forever, he wouldn't selfishly stake its legacy on a gamble for the future. He had a thirty percent chance of certain victory!
This information stemmed from the annihilation of the Heaven-Slaying Civilization a year prior.
Few people were even aware of this civilization's existence.
Over a year ago, the Heaven-Slaying Civilization had just advanced to First-Tier status within the Zerg Civilization's domain when the Zerg Civilization, at tremendous cost, created hundreds of thousands of random wormholes. This allowed their armies to reach the vicinity of the First-Tier Civilization and utterly destroy it.
This event was common knowledge to anyone possessing a galaxy map.
Even without the "Galaxy Map," a train conductor equipped with the Seven-Colored Grade Accessory "Wormhole Radar" could roughly deduce what had happened. At the time, the Zerg Civilization had deliberately leaked the coordinates of all their wormholes to the surrounding region.
This made the act widely known.
It was a form of deterrence.
A message to all: the Zerg Civilization's domain was not to be coveted by outsiders. Even a First-Tier Civilization—a civilization that posed no real threat to the Zerg Civilization—would invite the Zerg Civilization's wrath if it dared to enter their domain.
It must be said.
For a long time, anyone who knew of this act felt the intimidation from the Zerg Civilization and dared not act rashly. Especially the spectacle of creating hundreds of thousands of random wormholes at once, as if their resources were inexhaustible.
But—
In his eyes, this was actually a sign of weakness!
This meant that on the main battlefield, the Zerg Civilization had encountered an extremely troublesome opponent, perhaps even stretched too thin. They had to ensure the absolute security of their rear bases so as not to disrupt the front-line battles, to the point of wasting vast resources—using a sledgehammer to crack a nut—just to instill fear in others with the might of the Zerg Civilization.
He had been pondering this for a year.
He couldn't make up his mind.
If he guessed wrong, this long march would be the Kasha Civilization's self-destruction, and he would become the greatest villain in Kasha's history.
But after the incident with Zhang Qidi in the 27th Galaxy, he finally made his decision.
The Kasha Civilization was riddled with parasites. Many had forgotten about the war, or even refused to believe war could exist, naively thinking the Zerg Civilization would contentedly develop without ever crossing paths with them.
He couldn't delay any longer.
If he continued to hesitate, the inevitable outcome would be the Kasha Civilization's demise at the hands of the Zerg Civilization.
He had to take a gamble.
It wasn't that he liked gambling or had a gambling nature; it was simply that the situation demanded it.
He didn't report this to his superiors. He could predict with his buttocks what they would do. Having made his decision, he would stake everything to initiate this final battle!
"Whether I'll be revered for centuries or cursed for eternity..."
"...all hinges on this journey."
The old man gripped the chair's armrests tightly, his inner turmoil evident despite his calm facade.
"Sigh."
Hibiscus Star, Clearwater City.
Chen Mang stood at the entrance to the largest trading market, leaning on his cane and staring up at the blazing sun. He murmured, almost dazed, "Even this plan has failed. Has everything been cursed with Mercury Retrograde lately?"
TL/N: Mercury Retrograde is the apparent backward movement of the planet Mercury across the sky (caused by orbital differences). It's popularly associated with miscommunication, delays, failures, misunderstandings, broken plans, and bad luck in daily life.
He could accept the failures of the Marrow Cleansing Pill and Tourism Group plans. Those were beyond his control, influenced by external factors. But he never imagined that even the simple plan to sell Blazing Sun clothing would fail miserably. He had specifically come to Hibiscus Star, the planet within the Kasha Civilization Federation where Mechanical Civilization artifacts traded most abundantly, to sell these garments.
Yet...
After selling just over a dozen pieces and earning 2 billion units of iron ore, he couldn't sell a single piece more. The entire market had dried up. No one was buying or even inquiring about them. Those who did offered ridiculously low prices, as little as ten percent of their value.
The reason was equally absurd.
Li Wei, Commander-in-Chief of the Western Military District of the Kasha Civilization, had launched this campaign without proper authorization from Central, acting on his own authority. As the saying goes, "Provisions precede the troops." Before mobilizing, he discovered that parasites had pilfered half of the strategic reserve resources.
So—
This old brother acted decisively, slaughtering every parasitic family in the western region of the Kasha Civilization Federation. Overnight, almost all the rich second-generation heirs and bureaucratic scions of the Kasha Civilization perished.
Even those who were traveling abroad and managed to survive returned to find their families completely annihilated.
These families were no weaklings; each had their own private trains. Yet, faced with the organized military might, they crumbled like paper tigers.
These Kasha heirs were the biggest customers of Blazing Sun, the luxury clothing brand. They would even splurge exorbitantly on a single garment to outdo each other in status.
With their deaths, the most immediate consequence was...
He had no customers left.
His entire client base had been wiped out.
The second-hand traders in the market, upon learning their bosses were dead and that the goods they'd acquired might remain unsellable indefinitely, naturally stopped buying. After all, this was a massive investment.
Forget whether they could sell it later; holding onto the stock for even a few months could bankrupt them.
In such large-scale trade, liquidity was paramount. Profits could be thin, but turnover had to be rapid. Every extra day the goods remained in their hands multiplied the risk.
Therefore—
His plan had failed again.
"Sigh."
Chen Mang couldn't help but let out a long sigh. He lit a cigarette and stood blankly on the street, feeling as if he were truly cursed by Mercury Retrograde. The city on Peace Planet was called Sanshui City, the city on Black Tortoise Star was called Central Continent City, and this city here was called Clearwater City.
All of them contained the character for "water."
Even the name of the province had three water radicals.
Wasn't this the epitome of Mercury Retrograde?
Three plans in a row had failed, but he didn't feel much frustration. After all, none of it had anything to do with him. Mysterious external forces kept intervening and ruining his plans, just like in his failed startup.
Even when you had the perfect timing, location, and support, some random factor could suddenly emerge and utterly destroy your plan.
Just like how, before he transmigrated to this world, he'd foolishly invested in K12 education.
Well, that's life.
"Let's go."
After finishing his cigarette, Chen Mang tossed the butt into a nearby trash can and continued walking forward. Since this plan had failed, he'd just move on to the next one.
His next plan was simple:
Make money off the rich.
Who was the wealthiest in this area? The Kasha Civilization. So, he'd make money off the Kasha Civilization.
He was going to enlist.
Yes.
Enlist in the Free Army.
The Kasha Civilization's current recruitment drive had two branches.
The first option was the regular military. Those who joined would be assigned to a standard military unit, follow unified orders, receive regular pay, and get resource replenishments. After the war, they would also receive rewards.
The second option was the Free Army. The Kasha Civilization would provide nothing except the use of a "wartime wormhole," allowing them to travel to Zerg zones for free and wreak havoc as they pleased.
He decided to enlist in the Free Army.
Once war broke out, chaos would ensue.
Once chaos reigned, no one would notice him.
Then...
Then he could use the countless wormholes of the Kasha Civilization to reach countless uninhabited mining stars, all of which he could add to his train, taking advantage of the turmoil.
Without the Kasha Civilization's foundation to support him, the Stellaris train currently lacked the capability to travel such vast distances in the universe.
This network of countless wormholes required more than just resources; it demanded a deep cultural foundation. It was possible that the Kasha Civilization had already developed numerous Seven-Colored Grade Accessories, while his own research team had yet to be fully assembled.
They hadn't even completed a single White Accessory.
The gap between them was still immense, spanning all aspects.
To catch up, he still had a long way to go.
Hibiscus Star, Kasha Civilization Garrison.
A middle-aged man handed Chen Mang a chip, his voice cold and deliberate. "You have been recruited into the Free Army of the Kasha Civilization. This chip contains the coordinates and usage rights to 30% of the Kasha Civilization's strategic wormholes."
"Each wormhole coordinate has been designed with anti-leak measures. If the coordinates are compromised, the Kasha Civilization will immediately trace the source of the leak and hunt you down relentlessly, sparing no effort to eliminate you."
"Thank you for your service to the Kasha Civilization Federation."
"For peace, we strive."
With that, he waved his hand, signaling Chen Mang and the others to disperse and make way for the next applicants. The process was swift and efficient, with no formal review. It was as if all the cumbersome regulations of the past had been erased overnight, streamlining the entire operation.
Two long queues snaked through the hall: one for those joining the regular Military on the left, and the other for the Free Army on the right. The Free Army line was significantly longer, indicating that most applicants shared Chen Mang's motivation: to have the Kasha Civilization's forces absorb the brunt of conflict while they scoured forgotten corners of space for unclaimed mining stars and other hidden treasures.
Discovering a mining star meant instant wealth.
As a result, private fleets from various clans, powerful merchant guilds, and even a motley crew of cosmic pirates all signed up for the Free Army.
"They're only giving us 30% of the strategic wormhole coordinates and usage rights?"
Chen Mang casually handed the chip in his hand to Xiao Ai beside him and sighed, "That's a bit stingy. I thought we'd get 100%. It's wartime—can't they be a bit more forthcoming?"
"Let's see how many there are."
Less than a second later, Xiao Ai spoke, "There are a total of 82,803 wormholes, allowing access to virtually any corner within tens of thousands of light-years. The farthest one even reaches deep into the core of the Zerg Civilization."
"Among them, 1,892 are concealed strategic wormholes that remain unactivated."
"There are no two-way wormholes at all."
"They're all one-way wormholes."
"All one-way wormholes?" Chen Mang's brow furrowed slightly. He could understand why the Kasha Civilization would do this. After all, if the wormhole coordinates were leaked, it would mean the Zerg Civilization could also use them to directly enter the core of the Kasha Civilization's domain—a highly dangerous prospect.
Even if the coordinates of the one-way wormhole leaked, it wouldn't significantly impact the Kasha Civilization.
But doesn't that mean it's easy to go, but difficult to return?
How would they get back?
"Even if they're treating us like a suicide squad, they don't need to be so blunt, leaving us without even a sliver of hope for survival?"
"They do give us a way back. After the war, the Kasha Civilization's army will contact us and take us through a two-way wormhole to return home."
"Sounds good."
Chen Mang nodded silently. The promise was about as convincing as a con for fools. He didn't believe it, and clearly, many others felt the same. Yet they still chose to go without hesitation.
The potential rewards were simply too great.
How much could a pirate really earn?
But finding a single uninhabited mining star... that would secure wealth for generations.
Just then—
He suddenly noticed a group on the right side of the formation wearing logos that looked familiar. The people around them avoided eye contact, fear evident in their glances.
It was the Philia Pirate Group.
These pirates had also joined the Free Army.
"..."
Chen Mang stared expressionlessly at the group for a long time before murmuring, "You know, I'm actually someone who really values my promises."
"Although the plan failed..."
"I promised that little girl I'd help her avenge her father."
"Xiao Ai."
"Lock onto these people with the target acquisition radar, then bring out those robots. Find a secluded place and prepare to strike."
"Understood."
Standing nearby, Young Master Li was slightly taken aback. A flicker of bewilderment crossed his sorrowful eyes; he hadn't expected Lord Mang to still remember his promise to the little girl, even now.
He remembered that little girl.
He remembered being harsh with her.
He had found her naive and foolish, but after learning of her suicide, he regretted his harsh words. He had always believed that after her father's death and the upheaval of her family, she should have grown wiser, stronger, and more sensible.
But now, he realized that knowing what to do was easy; doing it was hard.
Achieving unity between knowledge and action was an exceedingly difficult thing.
The Great Onion Civilization had been utterly destroyed, and he found it hard to muster the will to go on. If not for the faint hope of revenge offered by the Stellaris train, he might have jumped from a building himself.
Imagine yourself in the young woman's position.
She was like a little princess, pampered by her father and uncle, living a carefree life in a wealthy family. Suddenly, she experienced a dramatic upheaval, and it's only natural that she would find it difficult to accept. It's completely understandable.
If she could have endured it, her character would have matured significantly. But unfortunately, she couldn't withstand the shock.
Hibiscus Star, Clearwater City, desolate wilderness.
The sun hung high in the sky.
Several speeding off-road vehicles gradually slowed to a stop, forced into a defensive formation. In an instant, they were arranged in a combat-ready array, with multiple guns protruding from the windows, trained on the encroaching enemies closing in around them.
The leader, his face grim, grabbed his walkie-talkie and urgently reported:
"Boss, we're surrounded."
"Tens of thousands of robots of unknown capabilities have us surrounded. They haven't opened fire yet, but we need backup immediately!"
He took a deep breath, then his voice boomed through the vehicle's external speakers:
"Which brave hero is behind this ambush?"
"Even the Dragon King's temple can be flooded by a great tide, but you've crossed the wrong people. This is the ground action force of the Philia Pirate Group."
"Send your leader out for a chat!"
Though he spoke with such boldness...
But his expression grew increasingly grim. These were men who made their living by dancing with death, and in their line of work, intercepting the wrong target was a cardinal sin—one they couldn't afford to commit. It was clear these attackers were here for them.
Tens of thousands of armed robots!
What kind of formidable force was this? Their resources were clearly substantial!
Those in their line of work inevitably made enemies. Who knew which faction had come to settle the score?
The man loaded his gun, his gaze fixed on the encroaching robots. His voice rasped hoarsely as he said, "We can't break through. Brothers, we might all be dying here today. Have everyone leave a last message while we still can. Send them out before they cut off our communications."
"Stay strong."
"This day was coming for us all."
"We enjoyed the good times—wine and meat. Now, facing death, are you going to cower in fear and regret choosing this path?"
"Stop whining like a bunch of girls."
Around the off-road vehicle, several armed robots, each wielding a Giant Wave Gatling, formed a slowly advancing circle. Though none fired, their deliberate approach amplified the tension, the oppressive weight of their presence pounding against their hearts like the drumbeats of the Death God.
The encirclement was complete, with the robots now less than ten meters from the off-road vehicle, closing in.
Just then—
A gap suddenly appeared in the encirclement.
A young man, leaning on a cane, slowly emerged from behind the robots. He approached the off-road vehicle, looked at them, and said softly, "Step out and talk. It's stifling in here."
"Alright."
The middle-aged man lowered the gun of the subordinate beside him with a glare. After a deep breath, he holstered his weapon in the Space Pouch at his waist and stepped down from the vehicle alone. He'd never encountered anyone like this before, but the fact that this man dared to approach them unaided likely meant he was either fearless or overconfident.
Attacking first now would be suicidal!
"This is the Ground Action Force of the Philia Pirate Group," the middle-aged man declared, his face stern as he addressed the young man. "I wonder if you've mistaken us for someone else, or if there's some misunderstanding. Why don't you explain?"
Chen Mang glanced at the middle-aged man and replied casually, "I heard your leader is a goblin. Is there any truth to that?"
The middle-aged man's lips trembled for a moment before he finally uttered two words: "It's true."
"You've already sent out a distress signal, right? Then let's wait a bit longer."
He still harbored a strong fondness for goblins.
In his mind, goblins were a simple farming people, content to focus on their own development. They wouldn't randomly kill the boss of a "Travel Company," especially since there seemed to be little overlap in interests between the two parties.
If possible, he hoped there had been some misunderstanding.
He really didn't want to kill a goblin.
Even if this goblin wasn't aligned with Doba, Mundo and his group.
Fifteen minutes later, a massive train soared through the air and shot overhead, hovering three meters above the ground. The carriage door opened, and a goblin, flanked by numerous subordinates, leaped down.
"Not bad," Chen Mang remarked with a hint of admiration.
"Can I help you?" The goblin, followed by a group of burly men, strode directly to Chen Mang. After a brief assessment, he said, "You stopped me but won't attack. Do you need something?"
Seeing their boss arrive, the man who had emerged from the off-road vehicle immediately regained his composure. He quickly retreated behind his leader and let out a long sigh of relief.
The situation had shifted.
Chen Mang stood thoughtfully, observing the group before him. The leader was a goblin, while the burly humans behind him displayed genuine reverence for the creature.
Humans, by nature, were an exceptionally proud race. Under normal circumstances, they would readily submit to a powerful human but would rarely ever bow to a member of another race.
He remained silent.
His index finger twitched slightly, and the Stellaris instantly hovered above the group at breakneck speed, nearly blocking out the sunlight and casting long shadows across the ground.
Then, a figure leaped down from the goblin train, bent down, and whispered something in the goblin's ear.
The goblin's expression shifted as he looked up at Chen Mang. "Tier 115 Train Armor?"
"Does a figure of your stature, Your Excellency, go to such lengths to find me?"
"I made a promise to a friend, and I always keep my word."
Chen Mang smiled as he looked down at the goblin. He hadn't hidden the tier of the train accessories; anyone with the means to detect them could easily do so. Before they began their conversation, he needed to demonstrate some of his capabilities to make the exchange more efficient.
He wasn't worried about revealing this information.
These people wouldn't be leaving today, regardless of whether the Philia Group had killed the man or not.
"I have a friend who is the daughter of the CEO of Jimei Tourism Company. Her father was killed by you, and I promised her I would avenge him."
"You have three sentences to explain why you didn't kill this man."
"You haven't explained it clearly in three sentences."
"You all will die here."
The goblin's expression shifted as he shook his head, enunciating each word: "I know this man, but we didn't kill him!"
"That's the first sentence."
"We really didn't kill him, but I can't tell you who did."
"That's the second sentence."
The goblin fell silent, his face darkening as he glanced up at the Stellaris train above and Chen Mang standing so close. After a few moments of silent calculation, he rasped:
"Zhang Qidi killed him—the same Zhang Qidi who is the Kasha Civilization's whistleblower. He coveted the man's daughter's beauty and kept pressuring him to send her over, threatening to cut off his income. The man hired me, hoping I'd help. I'd saved his life before and was considered the most capable person he knew. But I refused—I wasn't capable of such a thing. Just before he died, he told me he was going alone to see Zhang Qidi, to negotiate with him, carrying a large sum of money. Then he was killed."
He spoke in a single long breath, pausing only at the end to take a deep breath. "That's my third sentence. I've made it very clear."
"It's obvious your lung capacity isn't great."
"Well, I'm only this big. What size do you think my lungs could possibly be?"
"You'd have to dig them out to find out."
"Let's not do that."
"If things happened as you say, why would his daughter think you were the killer?"
The goblin fell silent for a long moment before speaking. "After I learned of his death, I went to Zhang Qidi and brought back his corpse to deliver to his subordinates. I told them I was the killer."
"I didn't dare reveal it was Zhang Qidi."
"Zhang Qidi is a powerful figure in a Third-Tier Civilization. I wouldn't dare provoke him. I had to spend a large sum of money and use a bit of my own reputation just to retrieve the corpse."
"And before leaving, as far as I know, he took all the company's liquid assets."
"I thought the company would go bankrupt, so I was planning to help out at the right time. I never expected it to keep running. I wonder how they managed that."
"I have surveillance footage and chat logs!"
"Xiao Ai, send someone to retrieve them."
One minute later.
Chen Mang handed a chip to Xiao Ai and looked at the screen Xiao Ai held up. It clearly showed the first encounter between the goblin and the man—the girl's father encountering pirates, and the goblin coming to his aid.
"Why did you help him?"
"This is my territory. I don't allow plundering here."
They then reviewed the chat logs.
As the goblin had said, before the incident, the girl's father had contacted him for help, but the goblin had tactfully refused and advised him to sell the company and move elsewhere.
Xiao Ai confirmed that the videos and chat logs showed no signs of editing—they were genuine.
This meant that the real enemy wasn't the Philia Pirate Group after all.
It was Zhang Qidi.
"..."
After a long silence, Chen Mang finally looked up at the goblin before him. "This matter is temporarily settled. If no further issues arise, I won't trouble you over this again. Let's discuss something else."
"I recall that among the nearly ten thousand civilizations in the Kasha Civilization Federation, there's no mention of a Goblin Civilization."
"There used to be," the goblin rasped, his expression darkening. "Before the Kasha Civilization Federation was established, goblins were quite renowned. Otherwise, everyone wouldn't know me as a goblin. The historical existence of goblins can be traced back to an era even older than the Mechanical Civilization."
"I hail from a Third-Tier Civilization Planet."
"That was long ago."
"My planet suffered an apocalypse, devastated by the Zerg Civilization. Our civilization was annihilated, countless clansmen perished, and I, the sole surviving goblin, escaped by sheer luck."
"Adrift in the Kasha Civilization Federation, I formed my own pirate crew."
"My goal remains to one day annihilate the Zerg Civilization. Since we've had this frank exchange, let's part ways now. May we meet again if fate allows."
"Wait."
Chen Mang suddenly thought of something, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Haven't you been away from your kind for a long time?"
"Very long," the goblin replied, shaking his head. "The Goblin Civilization left behind very little history, as if it had been deliberately destroyed. But I've been searching for years. Once, the Goblin Civilization was a Tier 3 civilization. For some unknown reason, it collapsed and fragmented."
"The planet I came from was just a small offshoot of the Goblin Civilization."
"Now, not a single goblin remains in the Kasha Civilization Federation. Our race has been completely annihilated. That's why I must survive, find a female goblin, and carry on the legacy of our civilization."
Chen Mang nodded, glancing sideways at Xiao Ai.
In the next moment—
Doba and Mundo, leading over a hundred goblins, leaped down from the Stellaris train. Doba now carried a faint aura of royalty, his expression solemn as he strode purposefully toward the lone goblin.
"Wh-who are you?" The leader of the Philia Pirate Group, a green-skinned goblin, stared at Doba and his group. His pupils constricted, as if he'd seen a ghost. "You're... all goblins?" he gasped, disbelief written across his face.
"Foolish goblin," Doba growled.
Doba Mian spoke slowly, his face cold as ice. "Call me King Doba of the Goblins!"
"I—"
"Doba, the newly crowned King of the Goblins."
"Under the leadership of this human seer, goblin civilization is slowly reviving. These are my clansmen behind me. Do you wish to re-submit to the goblin race, join my ranks, and assist me in reviving our people?"
"Doba? You're Doba?"
"You're actually fucking Doba?!"
The leader of the Philia Pirate Group's pupils contracted violently again, his entire body jerking as he stammered, "I'm PuruPuru!"
"PuruPuru?"
Doba, who had been looking skyward with arms crossed and a disdainful expression, froze upon hearing the familiar voice and name. He turned to face the goblin before him, the familiar face suddenly stirring memories deep within his mind. His eyes reddened as he rushed forward, equally incredulous. "You're really PuruPuru?"
"It's me, it's really me!"
The Philia Pirate Group's leader, abandoning all dignity, his eyes welling with tears, stuck out his butt and let out a series of loud farts. "See? My farts still sound like 'PuruPuru'!"
"Ugh..."
The middle-aged man who had just emerged from the off-road vehicle stood behind them, watching the scene unfold with a bewildered expression. He cautiously asked, "Boss, didn't you say your name was God of Slaughter?"
"It's really you, PuruPuru!"
Doba could no longer maintain his regal demeanor. He immediately embraced PuruPuru, and the two goblins began to sob uncontrollably.
"I never thought you were still alive, Doba! I assumed you'd died long ago. When I left, the planet had already become a dead star. I spent a whole year searching and couldn't find a single surviving clansman. I never imagined you'd still be alive."
"I never thought you were still alive either! When Lord Mang told me to come down, he only said there was a goblin who was a pirate leader. I never imagined it would be you! You used to just play house in the village, and now you're a pirate!"
"Have you forgotten? We used to play house all the time, pretending to rob black market merchants. You played the merchant, and I played the bandit. We practiced so much that we gained experience early on. When I officially became a pirate, it was like driving a familiar road."
"It's been so long. How did you come to the Kasha Civilization Federation?"
"It's a long story. Are these goblins behind you your clansmen?"
"Yes, but they were severely injured, and their minds haven't fully recovered."
"Are there any others still alive?"
"Just these. The rest of our clan perished."
"Good, good, good!" The leader of the Philia Pirate Group nodded repeatedly, tears welling in his eyes. "Surviving even this many is remarkable. Truly remarkable. You have no idea... on every quiet night, I've feared I might be the last goblin in the entire universe. That overwhelming loneliness... it's been crushing."
"But now... with so many of our kind..."
"The goblin civilization will surely endure!"
Just then, he paused, noticing a slightly pregnant goblin behind Doba. His voice trembled with disbelief. "That... that's..."
"She's pregnant. Mundo's child."
"Good, good, good!" PuruPuru couldn't contain his joy, bursting into tears again. "May the heavens bless the goblins! May they truly bless us!"
"I just knew it! Goblins are the greatest race in the entire universe. How could we possibly be wiped out so easily? Like wild grass, even if we're completely burned down, we'll sprout back up next spring, even stronger than before!"
"But what did you mean earlier about being led by a great human seer and 'Lord Mang'?"
"That's a long story. Why don't I show you our city instead?"
"Your city?"
"Yeah, a city unique to our Goblin Civilization!"
Doba tilted his head and looked at Chen Mang, his eyes pleading and hopeful, clearly not wanting to lose face in front of his old friend.
"Of course."
Chen Mang spread his hands and smiled. "Welcome to the goblin city of the goblin train."
Then, Doba grabbed PuruPuru by the hand and strode purposefully toward the Stellaris train, which had landed nearby.
They left their stunned subordinates behind, staring blankly at each other.
Their boss...
had been kidnapped?
Does that mean they're all out of jobs?
"How wonderful."
Inside Breeding Carriage 15 of the Stellaris train, Uncle Li sat by the window, watching the scene unfold with a chuckle. "There's nothing quite like watching others lose their jobs."
Ten minutes later.
"Um..."
The middle-aged man who had just gotten out of the off-road vehicle cautiously approached Chen Mang, who was still standing in place, and asked, "Can our boss return?"
"Of course," Chen Mang replied with a smile. "I definitely won't keep him imprisoned. He can return anytime he wants."
"That's a relief."
The man let out a long sigh. He'd been worried they'd all lose their jobs, and with the current job market being so tough, they had no idea what they'd do if they were unemployed. Switching careers was especially difficult for people in their line of work; trust was a major hurdle.
Just then—
"Hey!"
He saw his boss's head poke out of the window of the Stellaris train. The man shouted to them, "I'm quitting for good! The Philia Pirate Group is dissolved. You're all free to go."
"Find honest work and live decent lives from now on."
"I've found my home!"
As the words faded, the middle-aged man staggered, his body going limp as he collapsed to the ground. He howled desperately at his boss, "Boss Slayer, you can't leave! What will happen to us if you're gone?!"
"Brothers have always followed you!"
"Without you boss, we don't know what to do."
"Even if you want to stay here, you can bring us with you! Didn't women used to bring maids when they married into another family? Just think of us as your maids!"
Behind him, his subordinates knelt one after another, their eyes reddening as they stared at their boss, clearly unable to accept being abandoned.
"This..."
PuruPuru watched the scene from the window. These days, he had no friends or family; he had always seen his subordinates as friends. He was reluctant to leave, but he felt that reviving the Goblin Civilization with Doba was more important.
This was where his clansmen were.
This was his home.
But...
He hesitated, glancing sideways at Doba. "Doba, can Lord Mang allow pirates to join the Stellaris?"
"I'll ask."
The message quickly reached Chen Mang through Xiao Ai.
"Of course," Chen Mang replied cheerfully. "All are welcome aboard the Stellaris."
He then leaned in close to Xiao Ai and whispered, "PuruPuru's got experience. Ask around if there's any fat to be found. The war's about to start, and the Kasha Civilization Federation won't be able to focus on internal affairs anytime soon. Before we leave, let's grab some easy pickings."
"The kind of fat PuruPuru couldn't handle before, but we can devour completely."
With that, he looked out over the scene with a satisfied smile.
The only problem was:
To take away this high-tier goblin train, the best method would be to park it on a nearby planet and then stuff that planet into a Tier 200 Space Gate. He couldn't just shove the train directly into Aquablue Star.
For example, he could first spit out the mining star, park the train on it, and then swallow the star back up.
But...
If anyone noticed this, it would look rather strange.
Since it was going to be strange anyway, he might as well just have the Black Tortoise Star take it away. The Black Tortoise Star was his, and he could claim its Civilization Imprint whenever he wanted.
He'd wait for the war to truly begin.
By then, no one would care about the Kasha Civilization Federation's internal affairs.
He could devour the easy pickings inside first, then scavenge leftovers from the battlefield later.
(End of the Chapter)
📖Read [MAT] ahead on Pa.treon@AnubisTL upto c388. [+2/+4.4k]
🎁All [2] Novels can be accessed for just $6/mo.
🔥Translated [1k+] Chapters and [2.17M+] Words.