Chapter 19: Tyron Tower

Third Fatty's eyes darted around. Before Taotie could even question him, he leaped forward with a miserable expression. "Second Brother, I know I brought him here, but... but..."

His voice cracked with a sob, acting as though he had suffered a massive injustice.

"But it really has nothing to do with me! I had no idea he was this powerful. You have to believe me, Second Brother..."

That part was the honest truth. He genuinely never expected Li Yu's strength to reach such an absurd level.

"Who exactly is he?!" Taotie glared at Third Fatty with sinister eyes. The rolls of fat on his body quivered, making him look as if he were trembling in fear.

"Second Brother, he... he..." Third Fatty's gaze shifted evasively, hesitating to speak. It was obvious he had a guilty conscience.

The Pale-Faced Middle-Aged Man said casually, "Third Brother, just spit out what you know. It's not like your Second Brother is going to kill you, right?"

Third Fatty took a half-step back, forcing a stiff smile that perfectly demonstrated his profound anxiety and unease.

"Actually... he..."

Since there were many things the Scavengers didn't know—and since those scavengers couldn't keep their mouths shut anyway—he decided it was better if he controlled the narrative.

However, he kept the annihilation of the Ghost Squad and the exact grade of the sniper rifle a secret.

"Useless trash!" Taotie spat through gritted teeth. His heavy coat billowed and snapped loudly without any wind.

The smile on Third Fatty's face completely froze, though he didn't dare react to the insult.

"Third Brother, you are far too cautious," the Pale-Faced Middle-Aged Man said with a shake of his head.

"It's just a gun. You know exactly what kind of place Heavenly Desolate Star is. Even a mighty dragon can't overpower a local snake. Even a great noble of the Star Glory Empire wouldn't be able to swagger around here."

"Yes... yes... of course." Third Fatty nodded incessantly, though he was muttering curses in his head. 'It's easy to talk when you're standing. You talk a big game, but that's only because this didn't happen on your turf.'

'A great noble of the Star Glory Empire? If one of them actually showed up, you cowards would be begging to lick their boots.'

"Send this guy's portrait to the entire organization. Activate all our informants and find him!" Taotie's expression was grim. His sharp, jagged teeth looked ready to tear into any prey.

"Understood." The Pale-Faced Middle-Aged Man nodded. This concerned Taotie's authority; if the situation wasn't handled properly, it would severely damage his reputation.

......

The Underground Black Market was a chaotic mix of dragons and snakes. Things had been relatively tame on the outskirts, but as they ventured deeper into the central sector, they began to witness all sorts of bizarre sights.

Various species with wildly different appearances bustled through the streets. A feathered humanoid strolled by, its metallic-plated wings folded neatly against its back.

It walked arm-in-arm with a creature sporting the head of a tiger. The tiger-man possessed a yellow mechanical prosthesis for a left arm, its interwoven cables and exposed gears exuding a raw, explosive power.

Towering skyscrapers stood closely packed together, bathed in the glow of flashing neon lights, while the incessant chatter of virtual advertisements assaulted their ears.

In the air, countless flying vehicles zipped back and forth. On the ground, sports cars with exaggerated designs roared past, carrying faint shouts and sultry giggles in their wake.

The local branch of the Tyron Chamber of Commerce was housed within the tallest building in the Black Market. Standing at its base, one could barely even see the summit. The exterior walls were plastered with massive, colorful advertisements.

"Roarer Gore is aiming for his one-hundredth victory today!"

The dramatic poster was projected against Tyron Tower's metallic surface. It featured a man covered from head to toe in grisly scars, his muscles bulging aggressively. His eyes carried a dead silence; just a single glance at him was enough to send shivers down one's spine.

A short highlight reel played overhead, showcasing him using overwhelming force to shatter his opponents' skulls in a display of unmatched brutality.

"Every fighter is considered a precious commodity by the Tyron Chamber of Commerce. Their matches are incredibly popular on the Black Hole Network."

Hunter explained.

The Black Hole Network was the dark underbelly of the Interstellar Network. Ever since the AI Catastrophe, the Interstellar Federation had strictly forbidden any true Sentient AI from taking control of the mainstream networks.

Everything was overseen by standard Artificial Intelligence...

This limitation allowed the hidden side of the web—the Black Hole Network—to resurface. Still, it was a compromise the Federation was willing to swallow, as it was vastly preferable to a total interstellar communications blackout.

Tyron Tower had entrances on all four sides. At any given moment, a massive tide of diverse species flowed in and out, though humans still made up the vast majority of the crowd.

Mo Duo gazed up at the building with a complex look in her eyes. The three of them were dressed in shabby clothes, but nobody looked down on them for it.

More accurately, the fanatic-looking beings around them just wanted to squeeze their way inside as quickly as possible. Nobody had the time or energy to pay them any mind.

This place was a bottomless pit for money. When it came to entertainment, if you could imagine it, they could provide it.

"I am already looking forward to this," Li Yu remarked, stretching his limbs as he stared at the skyscraper.

"Me too..." Hunter pulled down the brim of his hat, trying to act mysterious and profound.

"Why are you purposely lowering your voice?" Li Yu asked in confusion.

Hunter immediately denied it. "I didn't do that!"

Mo Duo: "??"

"Let's just go inside," he grumbled, visibly annoyed.

Stepping inside Tyron Tower, it was immediately clear this was no ordinary building. The vaulted ceiling stretched incredibly high.

Each floor functioned as a massive, open terrace packed with endless facilities and venues.

Pedestrian bridges connected the different levels, crisscrossing through the midair in a dizzying, maze-like network of steel and glass.

Beings from countless races chatted amongst themselves, creating a bustling, deafening atmosphere. Every now and then, someone would step onto a white Round Disc Transporter and zip away through the air.

These flying vehicles served as standard transport within the tower. Shaped like miniature flying saucers, they were incredibly easy to steer and glowed with a faint purple light from the anti-gravity mechanisms on their undersides.

Their only flaw was how easy it was to fall off, considering the platforms only had a waist-high glass railing for protection.

"Welcome to Tyron Tower! We feature specialty restaurants from diverse civilizations, offering an array of exotic and wonderful delicacies."

"You will find shops selling luxury apparel and top-tier equipment, as well as recreational venues offering nude performances, bars, and gambling."

"We also host state-of-the-art training facilities including gravity chambers and combat simulators, alongside clinics for bodily augmentations and mercenary employment agencies."

An ethereal female voice echoed through Tyron Tower, broadcasting an endless loop of introductions to the building's amenities.

"Which floor is the fighter registration on?" Li Yu asked Hunter, who seemed relatively familiar with the place.

"Floor 56," Hunter replied. The three of them stepped onto a transport disc and shot straight upward.

"Ah!"

Not far away, a man tumbled over the glass railing of his white disc. His face was flushed red, making it obvious he had had too much to drink. He plummeted straight down, releasing a terrified wail as he fell.

Splat!

A bloody mess resembling exploded ketchup painted the ground below. A few unfortunate bystanders were caught in the crossfire, sustaining minor injuries from the shattered bone fragments before they stormed off, muttering curses under their breath.

Everyone else treated it as an everyday occurrence, completely unfazed by the gruesome sight. Li Yu, on the other hand, couldn't help but steal a few extra glances.

The fighter registration area wasn't completely deserted as Li Yu had initially imagined. In fact, there was a massive line trailing out the door.

"Are all these people really that brave?" Li Yu asked in astonishment.

Hunter spread his hands. "With such a massive population, there are always bound to be people desperate enough to gamble their lives for a chance at greatness. If they manage to join the Star Glory Empire and earn Citizenship, they'll be showered with incredible benefits."

"At the very least, flashing that identity in certain sectors is enough to deter Space Pirates from even thinking about attacking you."

"Hmph." Mo Duo let out a cold sneer. "What a joke. Imperial Citizenship is nothing but useless scrap paper."

Mo Duo harbored a deep-seated, everyday hatred for the Star Glory Empire, so neither Li Yu nor Hunter paid her hostility much mind.