Chapter Six: Special Assignment

After a fierce battle, the exhilaration of gorging himself was beyond words. The Azure Crystal Hammer proved invaluable; wielding that massive weapon in the vacuum of space, he was truly unstoppable. In zero gravity, the hammer, which weighed a ton, felt as light as a feather in his grasp. Yet, being forged from Azure Crystal, its swings were like meteors streaking through the void—anyone it struck would be lucky to escape with broken bones, while most would be obliterated into a bloody mess by the sheer force of impact.

If not for his formidable cultivation and the boundless divine strength in his left hand, not to mention the Eighteen Strikes of the Mountain-Shaking Hammer that his great-grandfather had painstakingly sought out for him, he would never have managed such feats. This hammer technique, renowned since ancient times on the ancestral star, combined elegance with the inherent might of hammerplay. In Kuangchi’s hands, blessed with innate divine power, it seemed as if this art had been tailored just for him.

Returning to the combat module, Kuangchi’s excitement rivaled the thrill of his first return from battle.

Kuang Qingshan followed close behind, disbanding his fusion with his Divine Beast as soon as he landed. He immediately complained, “Young Master, how could you pursue the enemy alone? That was far too dangerous—you nearly got hit by the main cannon just now!”

In his excitement, Kuangchi had chased too far ahead, straying from the main formation and almost becoming a target for the enemy’s primary cannon.

Back in his quarters, the hatch had barely closed before Xiaohua popped out. As soon as her head appeared, she scolded, “Master, you shouldn’t use that hammer. You smashed them all to bits—anyone left alive was finished off, and all the energy in their bodies went to waste. You’d be better off using the whip. Didn’t I tell you before? You can extract far more energy from live targets.”

Kuangchi thought this over and realized she had a point. He hadn’t killed any fewer people this time, yet the energy he’d absorbed was less than half of what he usually gained. He’d been too caught up in the thrill to notice this practical issue.

With a grin, he replied, “Xiaohua, the hammer just feels so much better. The whip can’t compare to the rush of swinging the hammer. I’ll try to leave you a survivor next time.”

Xiaohua snorted. “With that giant hammer and the way you swing it, it’s a miracle if anyone survives underneath it.”

Just then, Kuang Qingshan’s voice called from outside the door, “Young Master, we’ve received an assignment from above.”

Kuangchi opened the door and asked offhandedly, “An assignment? What kind? Are we being sent out again already? Don’t they want us alive? We just got off the battlefield, and some of the brothers haven’t even recovered from their wounds. Can’t we at least have a couple of days’ rest?”

Seeing Kuangchi’s complaints, Kuang Qingshan quickly interjected, “It’s not a combat mission. Headquarters has given us a special assignment.”

“A special assignment? What’s that supposed to mean?” Kuangchi had never heard of such a thing.

Kuang Qingshan smiled. “Here’s the deal: in the buffer zone near Solon Fortress, along the border between our Caro Empire and the Gil Empire, there are dozens of mineral planets rich in precious metals. During peacetime, some powerful conglomerates from both empires sent mining teams to these planets. When the war broke out, both sides recalled their mining teams officially, but in reality, those operations never stopped—they just replaced their workers with desperate outlaws.”

He paused, then continued, “Because the border is now a war zone, the minerals they extract aren’t subject to imperial oversight, allowing them to avoid taxes and reap massive profits. As a result, more and more of these mining teams have appeared, leading to skirmishes between rival groups from both empires. Most of these teams either have connections to our corps’ higher-ups or operate with our tacit approval. That’s where the special assignment comes in: at regular intervals, we secretly dispatch troops to eliminate the enemy’s mining teams and seize their spoils.”

Kuangchi was taken aback. After thinking it over, he said, “Isn’t that just banditry?”

Kuang Qingshan laughed. “You could call it that, but this isn’t a mission just any ship can accept. In fact, it’s a reward reserved for the warship with the greatest achievements during this period. We get to keep seventy percent of the loot and only need to turn over thirty percent to the corps.”

Kuangchi was stunned again. After a moment, he said, “Isn’t the corps just acting like a local crime boss, taking a cut?”

Kuang Qingshan laughed again. “Young Master, don’t worry about that. All that matters is that after a special assignment like this, every man on the ship can pocket a small fortune. Usually, one such mission is enough to ensure a comfortable retirement for everyone on board.”

“Really? That much for everyone?” Kuangchi exclaimed in amazement.

Kuang Qingshan nodded gravely. “Those mineral planets near Solon Fortress are rich in rare and precious metals. Otherwise, the two empires wouldn’t have fought over this tiny region for thousands of years. If we get this special assignment, it’s also a way to honor our fallen brothers. According to the tradition of our Third Corps, thirty percent of our take goes to the families of those killed in action.”

At this, even Kuangchi nodded solemnly. In just over a year, nearly a hundred men from the 78456 Combat Squadron had perished, many right before his eyes. Some had even laid down their lives to save him, their faint-hearted captain. Though he’d ensured their families were well cared for through the Kuang family, he still felt the pain keenly.

Steadying himself, Kuangchi said, “With an opportunity like this, how could we refuse? When do we set out? This time, let’s bring back as much as we can—anything less would be a disservice to our fallen brothers.”

Frustration... so few votes... truly too few...