Chapter 163: Understanding, Thoughts, and Actions

"...A violent incident has just occurred in the East Twelve Block of the Inuit Hub..."

Simpson was a reporter for the Inuit Express. He was an Amethystian, but a Non-Homeworld Amethystian, lacking the prominent purple crystal on his forehead.

He stood amidst the ruins of the battle, surrounded by burning buildings and unidentified objects frozen solid into blocks of ice.

A hovering video drone orbited him, continuously scanning the vicinity to render a miniature 3D virtual model. This feed was projected synchronously into the homes of premium subscribers, offering them a deeply immersive experience.

Naturally, many non-paying users hijacked the synchronous broadcast to enjoy the same perk, much to the bitter frustration of Simpson, whose income relied on a revenue-sharing contract.

As he paced around the debris, he continued his report:

"...This was the result of a massive clash between several mid-to-high-level lifeforms. The ensuing chaos caused the smart flight trajectory systems of the Inuit Hub to crash, resulting in the deaths of nearly a thousand interstellar travelers..."

"...The exact number of injured interstellar travelers has yet to be determined. According to our latest reports, these thugs are still roaming the Inuit Hub..."

"...It remains unknown whether the state of emergency abruptly declared in the Inuit Hub a short while ago is connected to today's battle..."

However, Simpson's ability to stand out from the crowd and secure a revenue-sharing contract with the Inuit Express was certainly not just because of these generic platitudes.

Dressed in a well-tailored black suit, Simpson wore a solemn expression:

"Regarding the battle that just transpired, we have reached out to the Inuit Hub Administration for comment. However, they were evasive and refused to provide a direct answer."

"The exorbitant taxes levied annually by the Inuit Hub on passing interstellar travelers are astronomical. Yet, even such high tariffs cannot guarantee the safety of its passengers."

"I imagine that once word of today's incident spreads, many people will seriously question whether they should continue using the Inuit Hub for transit."

Simpson spoke with impassioned eloquence, his face a mask of profound grief, while inwardly he rejoiced, anticipating the hefty hush money he was bound to receive.

Li Yu happened to be passing by and listened to the reporter pontificating with such indignant fervor.

The man seamlessly pivoted from the battle in the Inuit Hub to the various missteps of the Amethyst Civilization in recent years, his tone carrying the rebellious undertone of a rhetorical question challenging the notion of inherited nobility: "Are kings and generals born into their positions?"

He then vaguely alluded to the Star Glory Empire's support for the Amethyst Civilization, his words laced with admiration. This gave Li Yu an inexplicable sense of familiarity.

"Public intellectuals are everywhere..." Li Yu muttered, shaking his head as he walked away. The incident had already sparked a massive uproar on the Amethyst Civilization's interstellar network.

The Inuit Hub possessed distinct Amethyst characteristics and was jointly constructed with the Tyron Chamber of Commerce, making it a source of pride for many Amethystians.

Now that such a vicious incident had occurred, countless Amethystians were taking to the interstellar network to demand severe punishment for the culprits.

The combat footage did not circulate for long before it was blocked and taken down internally by the Amethyst Civilization. Someone had recognized a fleeting glimpse of Kansa in the video, which once again caused public opinion within the Amethyst Civilization to escalate.

However, the footage continued to spread across the Black Hole Network, with some users even claiming to have seen a few of the individuals involved.

Some had even heavily processed the audio, filtering out the background noise and the sounds of battle, allowing them to clearly discern the conversation between the fighters.

"...We Prismatic Yellow-Eyed Remnants will never be slaves!" This phrase was replayed repeatedly across the Black Hole Network, its view count and viral spread far exceeding that of the original combat video.

"The Prismatic Yellow-Eyed Remnants... if I hadn't looked it up just now, I wouldn't have even known where this race came from."

"They are basically a remnant race now. Rumor has it that a high echelon official from a major civilization was inspecting their homeworld and almost got feces thrown at him. After that, they became a remnant race..."

"Truly brave. No wonder they will never be slaves, haha..."

Amidst these wildly circulating stories, an inconspicuous piece of news failed to attract much attention—a minor explosion had occurred in the East Eight District of the Inuit Hub, resulting in several Prismatic Yellow-Eyed Remnants burning to death in the flames.

Li Yu skimmed through the interstellar network and the Black Hole Network. Virtually no one had exposed the origins of the Sun Hunter. Perhaps someone recognized them, but chose to remain silent.

Many were discussing Kansa. This royal descendant of the Amethyst Civilization was clearly caught in the center of the whirlpool.

By alternating between the Black Hole Network and the interstellar network, coupled with Claptrap organizing the data, Li Yu gained a general understanding of the situation's trajectory.

The Amethyst High Command had chosen cold treatment, which essentially meant ignoring the issue entirely. Since it involved Kansa and Saster, it was deemed a royal scandal.

"Hello, sir, please present your proof of identity..." A staff member at the entrance of the Tyron Tower intercepted Li Yu with a polite smile.

"Since when do you check IDs?" Li Yu raised an eyebrow, discreetly pulling out a microchip. It was the temporary ID proof Mangu had provided him.

"Temporary ID - AF11267 - Sand Core Civilization." The staff member verified the data and returned the chip to Li Yu with a smile. "Everything is in order. Please, come in."

Li Yu did not even know if this Sand Core Civilization actually existed in interstellar society.

He navigated his way up to the 75th floor with practiced ease. Since he was already a familiar face, it did not take much talking before he was led to see the Card Master.

The man was hard at work in his laboratory, clad in a custom-built white hazmat suit as he meticulously operated several precise machines.

On the dissection table rested a massive, cyan-colored blood clot that had already been thawed. Dense pores and bone cavities were clearly visible within the chunk of flesh.

Several robotic arms were busy applying some sort of chemical solution to it. With every pat, the fleshy mass trembled, spewing scorching hurricanes from its pores and bone cavities.

However, these blasts were easily dispersed by the laboratory's protective measures, causing no damage whatsoever.

Through the thick pane of reinforced glass, Li Yu had a clear view of the Card Master's workflow. The man was holding a test tube as thick as a thumb, the murky liquid inside boiling vigorously before he placed it into a complex device.

Once the machine whirred to life, his task seemed to reach a stopping point. He glanced at Li Yu through the glass, then exited through a rigorous decontamination airlock.

The interior was a sterile environment; even the slightest bacterial contamination could trigger unpredictable mutations in the modulated gene chain.

"Flesh of a Blue Bird Beast. This client is a mutated evolutionary lifeform requesting a gene chain modulation with a ninety percent retention rate. The process is rather troublesome."

The Card Master mentioned casually as he took a seat on the sofa. Several beast slaves immediately knelt beside him, massaging his aching muscles.

"Only such demanding requests can truly showcase your expertise," Li Yu offered some casual flattery. The two exchanged a bit of idle banter before getting down to business.

"I have already acquired the biological flesh of a Thunder Flame Fighting Ape on my end. Does Your Excellency Card Master require any other materials?"

The Card Master paused upon hearing this, giving Li Yu a surprised look. "A Thunder Flame Fighting Ape? That would indeed be highly compatible with your gene chain. You have good luck to have actually found a seller."

Li Yu just smiled and said nothing. Luck had absolutely nothing to do with it; he had relied on Peyton's vast knowledge base to pinpoint exactly what he needed.

"However, the technique required to modulate a dual-attribute genetic chain is quite complex, so..." The Card Master trailed off.

"So it is going to cost extra?" Li Yu probed, frowning slightly. If that was the case, his budget was completely insufficient.

There was currently no good opportunity to offload the Amethyst Core, and he had managed to freeload the evolutionary flesh of the Thunder Flame Fighting Ape, so he had not spent a dime on that.

The Star Coins currently on his person were not enough to fund this gene chain modulation—he only had around five hundred million Star Coins.

He figured that by fishing in troubled waters during this chaotic situation, he should be able to rake in a hefty sum. If all else failed, he could always ask Kansa for some financial support.

A little brother chipping in for his big boss was perfectly natural. However... after this whole ordeal blew over, he needed to find a way to fence the Amethyst Core. Holding onto it endlessly was useless.

Paying for the base gene chain modulation should not have been an issue. But if the Card Master decided to hike up the price at the last minute, he would have to recalculate everything.

Still, given that modulating a dual-attribute genetic chain involved complex techniques and high difficulty, an impromptu price increase was something Li Yu could understand.

He could not help but recall the words Mangu had told him—

"The Card Master himself is a B-Class Lifeform, and he has amassed a massive fortune over the years. In interstellar society, Star Coins are practically synonymous with strength."

"So, whatever you do, do not attempt to use force to coerce him."

Li Yu believed Mangu's advice was highly logical, which was why he could understand the Card Master's sudden price hike.

"I am simply not confident in my ability to modulate a dual-attribute genetic chain..." The Card Master finally finished his sentence at a leisurely pace.

Li Yu had just finished an entire brainstorming session only for the Card Master to hit him with an inability to perform the task? This left him utterly speechless.

But soon after, his eyes lit up slightly. "In that case, could I rent your laboratory?"

"Why..." The Card Master's gaze swept over Li Yu before he asked sluggishly, "Are you planning to modulate it yourself?"

His tone carried a faint, dismissive chuckle. It was not specifically directed at Li Yu; he just genuinely found the notion amusing.

The inherent unpredictability of gene chains was the exact reason modulators like them existed. If any random person could just suddenly appear and successfully modulate a gene chain, what would be the point of their profession?

"It is not me, but a friend of mine..." Li Yu started to explain, though he was cut off before he could finish.

"Say no more. You may leave," the Card Master said bluntly. "Were it not for the respect I have for Mangu, that insult you just threw my way would ensure you never walked out of here alive."

Li Yu narrowed his eyes slightly. He did not argue further, simply standing up and making his exit.

"...Utter nonsense..." Right as the elevator doors closed, Li Yu vaguely caught the muttered insult.

It made sense. Even if the guy admitted he lacked the skill, you could not just self-righteously demand to use his own laboratory. How was that any different from outright disrespect to his face?

No normal person would ever agree to that... Er... well, maybe not everyone.

Thinking it over carefully, Li Yu could understand the Card Master's thought process.

However... understanding was one thing, having thoughts was another, and taking action was yet another. There was absolutely no conflict among the three.

On the other side of town, Kansa, having parted ways with Li Yu, initiated a call to a contact that had sat dormant in his address book for years—a number he had never once dialed.

His expression fluctuated rapidly. Gritting his teeth, he finally hit connect.

"The other party has rejected your communication request."

Almost the exact instant the call went through, Kansa received this automated reply. A wave of dumbfounded amusement washed over him.

This was his father. Truly, a blatant display of 'paternal love'.

In that moment, Kansa seemed to solidify his resolve. His expression hardened into a stoic, emotionless mask.

"Do you want to know what Saster's purpose is on Molcasar?"

He typed out the message and hit send. It was not long before his smart terminal began vibrating frantically—the other party was calling him back.

A sneer flashed across Kansa's face. He did not answer immediately. Instead, he waited silently until the call automatically disconnected.

The very next second, his smart terminal began vibrating again as the other party dialed a second time.

This time, Kansa did not reject it. He accepted the video call, and a holographic screen immediately projected from the smart terminal.

The feed displayed a sprawling, opulently decorated room that looked like the interior of a grand mansion.

A man sat on a sofa with his back to the camera. Kansa could only see the back of his head.

On the wall directly facing the man, multiple virtual screens were displaying various feeds of the recent battle.

Unlike the blurry footage shot on civilian smart terminals currently circulating online, these videos were crystal clear and captured from multiple, comprehensive angles.

"The Tyron Chamber of Commerce has demanded that we compensate them for the battle's damages, purely because you made a brief appearance during the conflict."

His voice was deep, exuding a commanding aura. The man slowly turned around. He looked quite old but exceptionally well-maintained. The purple crystal embedded in his forehead sparkled with dazzling brilliance.

"What terribly unfortunate news..." Kansa replied with sheer indifference.

"I hope the information you possess is enough to offset this loss..." The Amethyst Emperor sharply sensed that this son he had so long neglected had undergone some sort of transformation.

It was a change that made him deeply uncomfortable, giving him the distinct feeling that Kansa was slipping out of his control.

"This information is not meant to compensate for your losses." Kansa shook his head. Back in his days as a reckless playboy, he had been absolutely terrified of this father of his.

But back then, the Amethyst Emperor would not even deign to look him in the eye. While natural-born royal descendants were not overly abundant, there were still enough of them. Lacking any outstanding talents, it was naturally difficult for him to attract the Emperor's attention.

Now, however, he felt remarkably at ease. Somehow, that lingering fear had completely vanished.

"You wish to negotiate terms with me?!" The Amethyst Emperor easily caught the underlying implication in Kansa's tone, his voice growing cold.

"Heh..." Kansa let out a hollow chuckle. He was this man's flesh and blood, actively being hunted down, yet the person before him only cared about profit and loss.

Kansa could understand it; after all, sitting on that throne, the Amethyst Emperor had to think that way.

Therefore... he sincerely hoped his father would also understand his own desperate mindset in striving to survive.

Kansa's sudden laughter heavily displeased the Amethyst Emperor, but Saster's abrupt arrival on Molcasar had indeed left the entire Amethyst High Command completely perplexed.

None of their intelligence channels had been able to provide a definitive answer. This forced him to suppress his rising impatience and wait quietly for Kansa's response.

"The Amethyst Core."

Kansa spat out those three words, instantly causing the Amethyst Emperor to turn pale in shock. The Emperor abruptly stood up, the crystal on his forehead erupting with a blinding, iridescent light.