Make money by hiding in the interstellar battlefield!

The two left the North Sixth Ring Road and rode all the way into the North Seventh Ring Road. This is the wildest and most diverse area of ​​the city, where official power is untouchable. There are no orderly streets or buildings, and various forces are carving up land for themselves. Twisted houses are crammed together, neon signs flash haphazardly, and shouts, arguments, and the clanging of metal are mixed together, making it a veritable lawless land that grows out of control.

Jian Sheng's core objective on this trip was to engage in black market transactions, but before that, he had to meet someone first—Lin Lan from the church.

In the heart of the North Seventh Ring Road stands a magnificent Church of the Mother Goddess, more like an impregnable military fortress than a religious site. When the beast tide attacks, the residents of the North Seventh Ring Road have nowhere to escape, and this church is their last refuge. Its walls are not made of ordinary bricks and stones, but reinforced concrete, with thick steel plates welded to key locations. The walls are pitted and scarred, covered with marks from beast claws and energy weapon bombardments, making it a veritable giant bunker, far more robust than the city walls of the North Seventh Ring Road.

The officials of Seven Rings City turned a blind eye to this, as they had never invested any resources in the Northern Seven Rings and therefore had no jurisdiction. Over time, the Mother Goddess Church became the power core of the Northern Seven Rings. Of the more than three million people in Seven Rings City, over two million were crammed into the Sixth and Seventh Rings, 70% of whom were followers of the Mother Goddess Church—this was the source of the church's confidence in rivaling the Nine Great Families. Even without a single S-class mecha warrior under its command, the Nine Great Families dared not underestimate it based solely on this massive popular support. The two sides maintained a balance of power: the Nine Great Families needed the church to appease the conflicts at the grassroots level, while the church needed the Nine Great Families' military strength to resist the beast tide and maintain humanity's survival.

Jiansheng led Lin Zhizhi into the church. The solemn sounds of prayer could be faintly heard, but they couldn't mask the faint smell of rust in the air. A priest silently led them through the main hall and into a small inner room. Lin Lan was already waiting there, dressed in a plain robe, her expression serene. She merely nodded slightly when she saw the two enter.

Lin Zhizhi immediately broke free from Jiansheng's hand, ran over and pounced on him, raising her little face and calling out excitedly, "Sister Lin!"

Lin Lan reached out and gently ruffled her hair, a rare tenderness appearing in her eyes. Jian Sheng then walked to the table and sat down opposite Lin Lan, getting straight to the point without a word of pleasantries. He had taken the initiative to meet today to clarify things and avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings later.

"The Church secured three captain positions in this selection, making them the biggest winner." Jian Sheng tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, his gaze sharp. "But the Church doesn't have its own military-industrial enterprises. Did you grab these three positions to make a deal with the three upper races?"

Lin Lan smiled slightly, her tone calm: "Our church's mission has always been to provide ordinary people with opportunities for advancement. Three captain positions mean that at least ninety ordinary people will have the chance to become mecha pilots, and that's enough."

"Ninety mech pilots require ninety mechs, which is an astronomical expense." Jian Sheng bluntly exposed the truth. "In the end, you still have to choose a military industrial enterprise to cooperate with. Don't tell me it's just empty talk about choosing the best one."

"You're right," Lin Lan readily admitted. "We'll compare the conditions offered by the three races, and choose the one with the most attractive offer."

"What are your bargaining chips?" Jian Sheng pressed.

Lin Lan looked up at him, her eyes filled with seriousness: "We hope that the three upper races can open up the quota for gene optimization for ordinary people, giving up at least ninety slots each year."

Jian Sheng frowned: "What exactly is gene optimization?"

"In Seven Ring City, the children of ordinary people are all conceived naturally, and their talents vary. The vast majority are not as good as the offspring of the nine great families." Lin Lan's voice deepened a bit. "Because the newborns of the nine great families are all selected and modified through the gene optimization and breeding room of the mothership—they are not born naturally, but are the best of the best from countless embryos."

"Didn't they say that the mothership's energy was exhausted and the industrial system of Seven Rings City was incomplete?" Jian Sheng's heart skipped a beat, and he suddenly remembered his patch system—wasn't that a kind of genetic modification and optimization?

"The mothership's energy is indeed running low, but the mothership's control core, the Mother Goddess System, has ultimately chosen bio-genetic technology from among the six technology trees," Lin Lan said slowly. "The existing energy can support the operation of the gene optimization project for more than 20 years, optimizing 1,000 newborns every year."

Jian Sheng fell silent. It turned out that the innate advantages of the nine great families were not innate, but rather built up through technology.

"Over the years, the upward mobility channels in society have been completely blocked." Lin Lan's tone carried a hint of pain, and her fingers tightened slightly. "The most talented children are basically from the nine great families; ordinary people are trapped in the outer city, relying on odd jobs and working for the families to earn a meager income. They lack water and electricity, and even food and clothing are a problem, let alone giving their children a good education and changing their fate."

"So the church wants to break this situation?" Jian Sheng looked at her.

"We hope to realize the original intention of the Mother Goddess System—that everyone in human society is equal and that everyone has the opportunity to stand out." Lin Lan's eyes were incredibly firm.

"But all of this is predicated on the Church completely seizing power, defeating the nine great families, and becoming the ruler of Seven Rings City and even humanity, right?" Jian Sheng pointed out incisively, "But when that day comes, who will be qualified for genetic optimization? Will it only be your believers? Will it be those you approve of? Or those who have contributed to the Church's great cause?"

Lin Lan was stunned. After a long silence, she said softly, "I believe that Mother Goddess will guide us in time."

Jian Sheng scoffed and said no more. Once you enter the realm of "divine guidance," all logic and reason become empty talk, and there's no point in arguing any further.

He abruptly changed the subject, his gaze falling on Lin Zhizhi, who was sitting obediently to the side. His tone suddenly became serious: "Lin Lan, there's something else I need to make clear to you today. Lin Zhizhi is my sworn sister, you could even call her my sister. If you want me to stand on the church's side in crucial moments in the future, then don't use her to do anything for me."

He paused, looking into Lin Zhizhi's clear eyes, a hint of tenderness flashing in his eyes: "This silly girl can't hide anything, let her live her life simply like this."

Lin Lan looked at him, then at Lin Zhizhi, who looked completely bewildered. The debate about power and equality that had just taken place still seemed to echo in her mind. She opened her mouth, but ultimately did not object, which was considered an admission of the request.

By the time the conversation ended, night had fallen over the North Seventh Ring Road. Jian Sheng's true purpose was finally about to begin—to find something on the black market.

The black market was even more bustling than the North Seventh Ring Road during the day. Under the dim yellow lights, all sorts of people thronged shoulder to shoulder, their cries of vendors rising and falling. Here you could find mecha parts of dubious origin, crystals obtained from hunting intelligent beasts, and even prohibited energy weapons. Jian Sheng weaved through the crowd, his sharp eyes scanning each stall. What he was looking for was a general-grade blue crystal, or even a king-grade blue crystal.

Upgrading the patch system from D-level to C-level was practically free, but from C-level upwards, the difficulty of each upgrade increased exponentially. His current dual-C talent might be considered impressive among ordinary people, but it was utterly insufficient against the inevitable B-level and A-level mechs of the future. His two brushes with death had taught him that strength was the foundation for survival in this world. Without sufficient strength, even if one became a captain, one was merely a pawn in someone else's game.

The black market sells general-grade blue crystals for a simple reason—the official exchange rate is too low.

According to the patch system data, the energy density and grade of General-grade Blue Crystals are more than ten times that of ordinary Soldier-grade Blue Crystals. Based on normal value, the exchange rate should be at least 1:10, and considering the application prospects of General-grade crystals in B-grade and A-grade mechs, the ratio could even reach 1:20. However, the official exchange rate is only 1:8, which is tantamount to legal robbery. Those who possess General-grade crystals are naturally unwilling to be at a disadvantage and will trade them through the black market. The black market exchange rate truly reflects the value of the crystals.

Jian Sheng, with Lin Zhizhi and Bai Sheng on his shoulder, wandered around the black market for most of the hour, but didn't even see a trace of a general-grade crystal. He quickly realized that such high-value items wouldn't be sold openly; a guide was needed to vouch for them.

In this black market, the only person he could trust to guide him was Old Man Elon.

The two men and one beast eventually arrived at a familiar recruitment counter in a corner of the black market. Behind the counter sat a burly, unfamiliar man. Jian Sheng stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "I'm looking for Old Man Elon."

The burly man sized him up, asked no further questions, and turned to go into the inner room. A moment later, he came out, beckoned to Jiansheng, and gestured for the two to follow him.

After passing through several narrow alleys, the burly man led them to a secluded house. The room was dimly lit, and Old Man Elon was sitting at the table smoking. When he saw Jian Sheng, he was taken aback at first, then slowly exhaled a smoke ring, a complex expression on his face, and sighed softly.

He knew better than anyone that back in the forest, to save his squad, he had unhesitatingly abandoned Jian Sheng, tricking him into waiting to die in a tree. He thought Jian Sheng was doomed, but to his surprise, the kid not only survived but also rose to become the captain of the mecha officer academy. These past few days, he had been living in constant fear, terrified that Jian Sheng would come looking for revenge, and now this day had finally come.

Jian Sheng showed no intention of accusing him. Instead, he grinned and said in a relaxed tone, "Old Man Elon, don't overthink it. I understand the choice you made back then."

He paused for a moment, then got straight to the point: "I'm here today to ask you for a favor—I need to buy a batch of general-grade blue crystals."

Old Man Elon paused for a moment, then breathed a sigh of relief, stroked his beard, and quickly said, "Yes, we do, but the price isn't low. The black market exchange rate is 1:20."

"How much stock do you have?" Jian Sheng pressed.

"I don't know about that." Old Man Elon shook his head. "I'll take you to see the seller, but remember, don't ask questions you shouldn't ask."

"no problem."

Jian Sheng followed Old Man Elon through the labyrinthine streets of the North Seventh Ring Road for a full half hour before finally arriving at another, more secluded house. The seller inside was masked, revealing only a pair of cold eyes. Upon seeing them enter, he didn't utter a single word.

How much do you want?

"Five hundred grams," Jian Sheng said.

"Ten thousand blue crystal coins."

Without haggling, Jian Sheng pulled out a thick wad of blue crystal coins from his backpack, counted them, and pushed them over. The seller verified the money, then took out a heavy metal box from a hidden compartment and handed it to Jian Sheng. Inside the box were several crystals, each a deep blue and radiating a faint energy fluctuation—the very general-grade blue crystals he was looking for.

Jian Sheng carefully put the box away, looked up at the seller, and said in a deep voice, "I need to make large purchases in the future. Can you provide a stable supply over the long term? What is the monthly limit?"

The seller stared at him silently, his eyes filled with wariness. Old Man Elon spoke up at the opportune moment, vouching for him: "Don't worry, this is one of my former teammates; he's absolutely reliable."

The seller pondered for a moment before finally speaking slowly, his voice hoarse: "General-grade crystals are scarce. At most, we can collect three kilograms per month, and currently we only have five kilograms in stock."

Jian Sheng's heart sank. He had roughly calculated that upgrading the system to Rank B would require at least the equivalent of one ton of General-grade blue crystals. At this rate, it would take him a full twenty-five years to gather enough—and he simply couldn't wait that long.

He didn't reveal anything, only saying calmly, "Starting next month, on the first of every month, I will come to collect all the general-level crystals, as many as you have. As for the price, give me a 10% discount."

The seller remained silent for a moment, then finally uttered only one word: "Okay."

Stepping out of the house, the night grew even darker. Jian Sheng looked at Bai Sheng, who was yawning on his shoulder, and suddenly asked, "Old Man Elon, what exactly happened in the forest back then?"

Old Man Elon lit a cigarette, and amidst the swirling smoke, he slowly recounted the truth of that day.

"That day you said on the walkie-talkie that there were high-level intelligent beasts lying in ambush, I knew that with our team's strength, a head-on confrontation would be certain death." Old Man Elon's voice carried a hint of weariness. "I could only keep you calm and tell you to stay in the tree and not come down. If you had moved rashly and alerted the intelligent beasts, they would have turned their ambush into a full-scale attack, and none of us would have escaped."

Jian Sheng nodded, saying nothing, but a chill ran through him: He could have chosen to trust me and remind me to climb down the tree beforehand; perhaps there would still be a glimmer of hope.

"After I gave the retreat order, the squad argued incessantly about the retreat route," Old Man Elon continued. "Big Jiba and King wanted to run east and go straight back to the fortress. But Old Dog said that since the intelligent beasts were able to ambush us, they must have already figured out our retreat route, and going east would be like walking into a trap. He suggested going west and taking a gamble. We didn't go to the watchtower because our lives were too cheap to be risked by S-class mech warriors to rescue us. As for those two researchers, they were just employees of the nine great families in the end, and no one would bother with them."

Jian Sheng remained silent. He simply didn't believe that Da Ji Ba and King were merely trying to escape—if they really wanted to flee, abandoning all their supplies and traveling light would have been the best option, so why carry heavy machine guns? In the end, their choice to self-destruct their energy source to attract the attention of the beast horde was, in a way, a heroic decision.

"We ran west, but Emma and Rhodes were too exhausted to keep up with the group," Elon's voice lowered. "I had to reluctantly abandon them... In the end, we lost all our equipment and barely managed to escape back to the fortress. When we got back, the Windsor Cartel arrested us and interrogated us in isolation for a whole week. After the mission, Dr. Caitlin and the others left, and now it's just Jerry and me in the team."

After listening, Jian Sheng stepped forward, patted him on the shoulder, and said in a calm tone, "It's all in the past."

Things were different now; their statuses were worlds apart. Jian Sheng didn't harbor much resentment towards Elon, after all, a kind heart doesn't command an army. But he also knew in his heart that this cold-blooded and ruthless man was not worth getting close to, much less trust. From now on, they would have no further contact.

After parting ways with Old Man Elon, Jian Sheng took Bai Sheng and turned into a narrower alley. At the end of the alley was a pet shop, the very place where he had bought Bai Sheng.

The pet shop owner was still the same as always, sitting behind the counter doing accounts with a cigarette dangling from his lips. Inside the cage, the white-haired mother was curled up, nursing a litter of newborn meerkats.

Bai Sheng jumped down from Jian Sheng's shoulder, approached the cage, tilted its head, and curiously examined the furry little creatures. It then looked up at the mother meerkat. Its little head swayed from side to side, as if trying to remember something. But after a while, it just flicked its tail, turned around, jumped back onto Jian Sheng's shoulder, and chirped a few times, as if trying to express something.

Jian Sheng couldn't help but laugh when he saw its bewildered look. He reached out and patted its head, saying softly, "It's okay if you don't recognize it."

He looked up at the night sky; the moonlight was hazy.

"Let's go, Bai Sheng, Lin Zhizhi, let's go home."