Chapter 82: No Man's Land System

Under Li Yu's murderous glare, Hunter finally realized the ordeal was over. It seemed he had lost a chunk of time once again.

"When your Gene Chain was extracted, did they extract your brain along with it?" Li Yu snapped, glancing at Mo Duo, who looked as if nothing had happened.

Hunter lowered his head, feeling somewhat troubled. 'Damn it, could it really be Senile Dementia?'

"Thank you for this time..." Hel expressed her gratitude to Li Yu, her attitude far more respectful than before.

"No need for thanks... just give me some... ahem," Li Yu replied instinctively before coughing twice in embarrassment. He quickly explained, "I also heard about the epic love story between you two Highnesses. I simply couldn't bear to let you remain worlds apart."

Xia En's eyes widened in disbelief. 'Weren't you the one who called me stupid just a moment ago?'

'How can you even have the nerve to say such things...'

Hel chuckled softly, pretending not to understand what Li Yu had almost slipped out, and continued to ask, "What are your plans now?"

"Why not return to the Radiant Council with me? If my guess is right, the Star Glory Empire won't let you off easily from now on."

Seeing Xia En glaring at him like a tiger, Li Yu immediately shot down the idea...

'Hel is definitely coveting the master-level figure behind me, which is why she invited me.'

Others might not know, but Li Yu was perfectly aware that there was absolutely no master-level figure backing him.

'Given enough time, the truth will inevitably come out... and once Xia En starts whispering some Pillow Talk to her, wouldn't I end up as nothing but a Sex Toy?'

"No, Your Highness Hel... I cannot go there for the time being," Li Yu said, showing an apologetic expression.

Hel looked slightly disappointed but did not force the issue. She changed the subject, "In that case, where do you plan to go? I can drop you off at the nearest Life Planet."

"To the No Man's Land System..." Hunter said in a low voice, but Hel did not even glance at him, keeping her eyes fixed solely on Li Yu.

Li Yu pondered for a moment. Going to the No Man's Land System was indeed a good choice. There was no telling how the Star Glory Empire would react next.

A lawless place like the No Man's Land System, where mixed dragons and snakes mingled, was the perfect place to lay low.

"Then please take us to the No Man's Land System..." Li Yu said.

"No problem," Hel nodded. To return to the Radiant Council, they had to pass through the No Man's Land System anyway, so it was perfectly on the way.

The No Man's Land System... Although it was called a Star System, it was actually a massive Asteroid Belt. Due to its sheer, incomprehensible scale, it was simply referred to as a system.

However, some claimed that it used to be a proper Star System before it was shattered into its current state.

This place was overrun by Marauders, Slave Traders, Arms Dealers, and Mercenaries... All kinds of people could be found here, engaging in every conceivable type of business.

Compared to this place, the Black Market on Heavenly Desolation Star was completely insignificant in comparison.

The cruising speed of the HMS Silence was truly terrifying. As expected of a Councilor's daughter's personal vessel, through continuous Space Warps, it arrived at the No Man's Land System in just a single day.

During this time, the System Log refreshed once. Clone One had died, and the newly refreshed one was the Second Clone.

[Day Six: Dune World. House Atreides once again came hunting you. You fought fiercely, cooperating with the Sand Worm, and your terrifying combat power stunned everyone.

The Fremen regarded you as the Savior and offered several young women to serve you. You had no interest in this, as you are simply a nameless passing Hero.]

[Obtained Special Item – Sandworm Skin? Extract?]

Sandworm Skin? Li Yu was somewhat astonished. The Sand Worm was a crucial creature that ran through the entire Dune World's lore. It seemed that only the God Emperor had ever merged with a Sand Worm, evolving into an entity capable of predicting the future.

'Just what exactly is this Sandworm Skin?'

Since there were too many people around, it wasn't convenient for Li Yu to take it out for observation, so he could only suppress the curiosity in his heart.

Outside the porthole, a city floating in the Starry Sky emerged before Li Yu's eyes. It was a city of steel built upon a massive planetary fragment.

The light of the stars flickered around it. The overall hue was a dark, gloomy black, radiating an eerie atmosphere. Countless Spaceships flew in and out, their thrusters spewing brilliantly dazzling exhaust flames.

As the HMS Silence approached, the city gradually grew larger in their vision. Giant flags were planted in various locations—some depicting a Black Skull, others a crimson rose.

Each banner represented a powerful faction of Marauders...

[Pale Land]

This was the name of the settlement, occupied by the Pale Marauder Legion. Other Marauders would also partake in Planting a Flag here to display their might.

"Planting a Flag..." Li Yu muttered, his expression incredibly odd. 'Do they think this is Causeway Bay, you Street Thugs!'

"Unaffiliated Spaceships, dock at Port 7. Please pay the docking fee in advance on the Black Hole Network."

The automated guidance voice of Pale Land echoed through the comms...

Planting a Flag naturally came with benefits. The loot plundered by the Marauders always needed a place to be fenced, and Pale Land was one such hub.

Across the entirety of the No Man's Land System, there were quite a few places like this.

Various commercial guilds and organizations had branches here, and every single docking required a hefty fee. However, after Planting a Flag, one no longer had to pay and would be granted their own dedicated port.

They could even collect docking fees from other Spaceships...

The Pale Legion had also engaged in Planting a Flag at other settlements...

As the HMS Silence drew nearer, Pale Land loomed ever larger, comparable in size to a small Life Planet.

This was Li Yu's first time witnessing such a spectacle with his own eyes, and a thrill coursed through his heart. However, looking at the calm and unbothered expressions of the others around him, he had to suppress his excitement to maintain his cool persona.

"Send my regards to that person..." Hel told Li Yu as she escorted the trio off the ship.

"Understood..." Li Yu nodded, waving at the grief-stricken and indignant Xia En.

Hel did not linger; she immediately commanded the HMS Silence to depart.

On the dark platform, a massive number of Spaceships were docked. Many Interstellar Races cast covert glances at the trio.

After all, compared to the battered, junk-like Spaceships around them, the aesthetic appeal of the HMS Silence was simply too high. It couldn't help but attract attention.

And those who disembarked from such a ship were generally considered one thing—Fat Sheep!

Fat Sheep... always drew attention...

Some interstellar creatures even flashed sinister grins at them. Carrying rusted heavy Guns and covered in scars, these were the Marauders.

These were individuals accustomed to Living on the Edge. They had even less of a Bottom Line than Slave Traders, were more vicious than Arms Dealers, and greedier than Mercenaries. They were an absolutely notorious bunch.

Boom!

An explosion echoed from not far away, kicking up clouds of dust. A large number of people from various Interstellar Races scattered in panic. A purple-skinned Lizard-Person hoisted a Psionic Cannon, aiming it directly at a green Goblin frantically running for its life.

He fired repeatedly, laughing sadistically. He missed on purpose, yet the stray blasts injured many innocent bystanders. Some were even blown to pieces by the Psionic Energy, but no one here dared to fight back. All because of the Black Skull emblem emblazoned on his chest.

"Take it... I'll give it to you... just let me go!" the green Goblin wailed ahead, tossing a crystalline purple cylinder behind him.

Meanwhile, he himself dove into the crowd to escape...

"An Amethyst Core!" The eyes of several onlookers instantly changed.

The Lizard-Person scooped up the purple cylinder and sneered, glancing around. At this moment, however, no one dared to meet his gaze.

After paying a brief damage compensation fee, he swaggered away...

"Are the local customs here always this pure and honest?" Li Yu remarked dryly, calmly surveying his surroundings. Already, several groups of people had begun trailing behind them.