Chapter 4170

"You've been an interstellar pirate for so long, haven't you ever thought about retiring? You are also a founder of the original Guardians of the Galaxy, and you have a few friends in the Nova Corps; can't you stop doing this work?" Star-Lord said with a frown.

Unexpectedly, Yondu did not fiercely refute him this time. He just remained silent for a while, then sighed and said, "You were born on Earth and have always had high expectations, looking down on us bunch who rob and plunder to make a living. But what you don't understand is that not everyone is like those lunatics in the Nine Realms who don't take the three major empires seriously. You have to know that any one of these three empires could crush us tens of thousands of times over by just lifting a little finger. They don't bother with us simply because we are too weak to threaten them, and they can use us to maintain their own power, helping them shape the image of a great hero."

Yondu looked at Star-Lord and said, "I don't deny that interstellar pirates never have a good ending. From the day I entered this line of work, I knew that sooner or later I would be turned to ash under the muzzle of a cannon. But I also know that without me, interstellar pirates would still exist just the same. It's just that in that case, more people would be harmed, do you understand?"

"I'm not saying I'm a great philanthropist. It's just that not everyone can grasp the scale of this. A small bug can bore through a planet; bugs like us, if we resist to the death, we can't bite a piece of meat off others, but if we really cause trouble at a critical moment, the universe could also be overturned."

Star-Lord had never heard his adoptive father say such things. He looked at Yondu, somewhat stunned, and said, "What do you mean?"

Yondu suddenly laughed and said, "You really are a silly boy. Since you already know that I formed the original Guardians of the Galaxy and have a good relationship with the Nova Corps, haven't you ever thought about why I turned to banditry?"

"So you turned to banditry? But I heard you started out as a poacher..."

"That's ancient history," Yondu waved his hand and said, "When I was young, I was just like you; I also wanted to do something to change the world. So I formed the Guardians of the Galaxy and, together with the Nova Corps, maintained order in Centauri. But later I discovered that if there are only heroes, many things cannot be changed. So, rather than letting those fools play the villain, it's better for me to do it. Hasn't Centauri been peaceful until now?"

Star-Lord opened his mouth; he seemed to understand, yet he seemed not to. After thinking for a moment, he said, "The things you said couldn't be changed, are they the three major empires?"

"You're finally smart for once." Yondu slapped his gun on the table, began adjusting the parts, and said, "In the era I was born, the three major empires had already established interstellar order; we couldn't shake it, nor could we change it. To survive in the cracks, we had to find another way. This is also why Centauri is now the star system with the highest degree of freedom. I can't attribute all of this to myself, but at least the vision I and the Nova Corps had back then succeeded."

Star-Lord pursed his lips and said, "Do you know about Halfworld?"

"That cosmic mental hospital?"

"Yes, but it's actually an experimental base for the Kree Empire, and the Skrulls might have also meddled there; Rocket came from there. I heard it was originally a decent place, and then the three major empires destroyed everything."

"You have to admit that the three major empires have done some good things; the Ring District was built quite well by them. But that's about it."

Star-Lord couldn't help but start thinking. Is the prosperity he perceives in the interstellar space an illusion? Probably not; whether it's the Nine Realms or those civilizations on the Interstellar Internet, they all seem to be living well.

But is the situation on Halfworld fake? Probably not either; the raccoon is a living example. Although being an ordinary little animal might not be as free and easy as it is now, those evil and cruel transformation processes are painful experiences that cannot be erased. Even if Rocket acts very optimistic and strong, Star-Lord can feel that he has never forgotten those hatreds.

Star-Lord opposes interstellar war. The Guardians of the Galaxy he leads, although they have always been mercenaries, have never done that kind of war-profiteering work. They are indeed a bit biased toward Earth, but they have never participated in any war of aggression.

But judging from Yondu's attitude, such a stagnant interstellar order might not necessarily be a good thing. Too many people are dragged into it, unable to help themselves. From Star-Lord's selfish perspective, if the cosmic order were reshuffled and he could liberate his adoptive father from the profession of interstellar pirate, he could probably stand by and watch.

After all, he was never a great hero to begin with. He has his own bottom line, but he is better at "out of sight, out of mind." When fighting the multiverse war, he always hid on Earth; even when the Guardians of the Galaxy from other universes were running wild in the cosmos, he stubbornly dragged Rocket, Gamora, and Drax to vacation on Earth.

"The world is going to change." Yondu said, "The three major empires might think that letting a human be the Speaker is a delaying tactic, but they don't understand human greed. Looking at the history of this race's development, they are like a broken engine; they have never known how to slow down. They won't stop while they're ahead; they have even overcome their instinct for fear and just run forward blindly, eventually dragging everyone in."

Star-Lord took a deep breath and said, "If the three major empires can no longer control the universe, can you stop doing this work?"

Yondu laughed again and said, "Don't dream. Even if it can't control the universe, controlling a star system is still a breeze. Centauri developing into what it is today is a piece of fat in the eyes of the three major empires; the more they decline, the more they need to drain blood from such places. Your old man here won't be able to retire anytime soon!"

Yondu walked out with his gun. Star-Lord sighed deeply and followed him out. But just as they walked out of the tent, Centurion Rhomann of the Nova Corps flew over in a hurry.

"My God, Yondu, why are you still here?!!"

Yondu was stunned, then said, "If I'm not here, where am I? In your mother's intestines?!"

Star-Lord couldn't help but look away. But Rhomann had no intention of being polite with him; he walked over with a serious face and said, "Don't you ever go online?! Look at the hottest trending topic on the headlines!!"

Only then did Yondu take out his phone. After just one look, he let out a string of profanities. Star-Lord also picked up his phone and took a look; he only looked once, and his eyeballs almost fell out of their sockets.

"Major deficit in the Interstellar Council, 20 trillion in assets actually used to fund interstellar pirates?!"

"The truth behind why interstellar pirates are never eradicated! The source of cosmic cholera is actually this!"

"Exorbitant funding! The Interstellar Council colluding with external enemies, exorbitant tax revenue used to maintain power by fostering bandits!"

Star-Lord's brain couldn't comprehend these words for a moment. He recognized the words, but he didn't know what they meant when put together, so he looked at Yondu and said, "What's wrong? Who funded you?"

"I'd like to know that myself!" Yondu couldn't help but curse again, "I've been working diligently for so many years just to feed the hundreds of people under me, and now it turns out I'm being funded by the Interstellar Council?! And 20 trillion! That shitty Minister of Security didn't even shoot that much!"

Star-Lord continued reading and said, "This doesn't look fake. It's said that it was exposed by the Minister of Propaganda, who claimed that the three major empires deliberately modified the data to cover up the truth and make him the scapegoat, and he had no choice but to expose it."

"Whether I received funding or not, don't I know?! Besides, if I really got 20 trillion, would we be huddled in this shitty little planet living in tents?! Do you really think I'm one of those wastes in the Department of Armaments? If I were that rich, I could smash the entire Ring District!"

Star-Lord felt that Yondu was bragging, but there was some truth to it. The Ravagers weren't pretending to be poor; they were truly broke. Although interstellar piracy is a business with no capital, just robbing merchant fleets every day, the expenses are also high; they have to go to the black market to replenish weapons and equipment, and they have to pay pensions to those who died in battle. Yondu is also the kind of conscientious boss who pays out of his own pocket to give subsidies to members.

Precisely because of this, the Ravagers have been able to survive until now. Although Star-Lord has always hung out with a bunch of pirates, he feels more like the Ravagers are a big family. And after leading a team himself, he discovered that to build this kind of team atmosphere, spending money is definitely indispensable.

Right now, Star-Lord doesn't have much money in his own hands; repairing the spaceship costs money, buying weapons costs money, letting Rocket do research costs money, and even he and Gamora have to get some decent outfits to represent the Guardians of the Galaxy when socializing; it's simply a bottomless pit that eats money.

Star-Lord knows how good Yondu is at managing finances; if he weren't the kind of person who is very frugal, the Ravagers' life would be ten thousand times harder than it is now. But precisely because of this, if there really were that much money, Yondu would definitely spend it where it counts. The Ravagers team wouldn't say they dominate the universe, but at least they could occupy Centauri; which black market boss wouldn't have to look at their faces? Would they be reduced to being careful even when picking up some trash?

"So you didn't get the money? Then where did this money go?" Star-Lord asked.

"How the hell would I know!" Yondu took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, and said, "There must be something going on here; I have to find a way to contact a friend in the Council..."

"You have friends in the Council too?!"

"Nonsense, otherwise how could I escape every time the Department of Security cracks down on pirates?!" Yondu turned and walked back, picking up his communicator to contact an informant. Star-Lord was a bit curious, but he looked at Yondu, then at Rhomann, and ultimately chose to stay behind to ask Rhomann.

"Do you know what's going on here? Centurion?"

"Just like your dad said, there must be something going on here." Rhomann nodded and said, "Compared to politics, the robbing and plundering of interstellar pirates is as clean as a freshly washed towel. Whether it's the Ravagers or the Nova Corps, both have been political scapegoats more than once; we're all used to it."

Hearing him say this, Star-Lord felt a surge of anger. He walked into the tent and saw Yondu looking serious, speaking to someone in a language he couldn't understand. He came out of the tent again, looking at the somewhat sloppy tents in the base, and felt even more furious.

Although they are pirates, money not taken is money not taken; why should they be framed for it? And if you're going to give a little, that's fine; even when shooing away a dog, you have to throw a bone, right? Looking at the situation of the Ravagers, they probably didn't get a single cent, but they are carrying the blame firmly; these politicians are truly damned!

The more Star-Lord thought about it, the angrier he got, so he directly took out his communicator. However, he didn't send a message to the Guardians of the Galaxy, but directly contacted S. H. I. E. L. D. Don't look at the fact that he isn't a pure-blooded human; he grew up on Earth after all, and he has contributed to Earth, and the Guardians of the Galaxy have often run errands for Earth; S. H. I. E. L. D. has a very high favorability toward them, and he has a backer too!

He made a call directly to S. H. I. E. L. D. Director Nick Fury. And at this time, Nick, who was answering the phone in the Standing Office of the Security Committee under the Security Department of the Interstellar Council, was dressed in a suit and tie, his bald head shining black, and said in a loud voice to the other end of the phone:

"Oh, sorry, Sorcerer Supreme, I have a call coming in; it should be that kid Star-Lord. I will instruct him to cooperate, don't worry. Although he is a bit of a hothead, Yondu is a smart man; I guarantee there won't be any problems."

"If there is time, I will arrange to meet him to ensure everything is foolproof..." Nick smiled and continued, "Yes, Sorcerer Supreme."

?? A chain of nested funding schemes