Make money by hiding in the interstellar battlefield!

Before leaving, Paul specially sourced 10 kilograms of high-grade blue crystal for Jian Sheng. This time, Jian Sheng insisted on paying the full market price, down to the last penny. He knew in his heart that Paul's care during this period was not without purpose, but in this world, there is no such thing as purely pure emotion—family affection, friendship, and love are all like this; this was a truth he had understood in his past life. Relationships built on mutual value are more stable than empty warmth. He accepted this bond of mutual benefit with equanimity, while also adhering to the proper boundaries, neither owing favors nor allowing himself to be manipulated.

Over the past three months, Windsor Armory's new mechs have been gradually deployed to the team. Jian Sheng has also officially joined the team's collaborative training, but he still retains full command authority over Marcus. This is perfectly reasonable; all the team member slots were purchased by the Windsor family at great expense, and they rightfully have control over the team. It's likely that Windsor Louise's willingness to spend 2000 million to buy these team positions already included a requirement for Jian Sheng's control and cooperation. He's simply going with the flow, concealing his abilities, and not interfering much.

It must be said that the new generation of C-class mechs produced by Windsor Armory far surpasses the old standard mechs of the sergeant school in performance, with a qualitative leap in all parameters, which makes Jian Sheng quite satisfied.

The intensive training lasted for a whole month. On this day, Marcus made a special trip to find Jiansheng.

"Captain, the school has issued a training assignment for garrison duty outside the city."

The so-called garrison training is essentially an armed escort mission to assist the city's development company in carrying out resource development outside the city. The number of mech teams in Seven Rings City is already small, especially the C-level teams. The vast majority of them are stationed at resource points 200 to 300 kilometers away in the northern perimeter. As the top combat force, they are naturally the first to bear the brunt.

Jian Sheng took the notification document and carefully reviewed it. This mission was quite special. It was not a fixed-point deployment, but rather to follow the construction team to repair roads. Wherever the team advanced, the team would be stationed there to ensure the safety of the construction personnel throughout the process.

The mission's danger level wasn't particularly high; fixed fortifications were stationed along the road for early warning. Although the star beast horde was large in number, it lacked the ability to breach fortifications. The northern fortifications were constructed entirely of thickened reinforced concrete, with an outer layer of defensive steel plates, making them far stronger and taller than those in the southern valley, rendering them impenetrable to the star beasts. However, the fortifications in the southern valley had already formed a grid-like layout, with a much higher density than those in the north. This was the result of Seven Rings City's all-out reinforcement efforts after the last surprise attack.

It is said that after the roads to all fifty outposts in the south are connected, several new military outposts will be built, and a new city will eventually be built. The proletariat will be relocated from the Seventh Ring City and given free housing in order to attract more people to the south to reclaim wasteland.

"When do we depart?" Jian Sheng closed the document, his fingertips lightly stroking the paper, his tone flat and indifferent.

"The school informed me that I would be leaving the city with the construction team in three days."

"Understood. Go and arrange the preliminary preparations."

"By the way, Captain," Marcus paused, then added, "Miss Louise asked me to tell you to go to Mocha Restaurant on the Third Ring Road, Block 42, at 8 p.m. tonight. She'll be waiting for you there."

Jian Sheng raised an eyebrow slightly, a hint of surprise flashing across his eyes before returning to calm. Since the arms deal was finalized nine months ago, Windsor Louise had not contacted him again. This high-and-mighty young lady of the Windsor family would never make pointless invitations; this meeting must have a purpose.

"I understand, I will be on time."

As night fell, a light drizzle began to fall over the Seventh Ring Road. Even though the rainy season was over, the air remained damp and misty. Although the school had provided each team leader with a bus, Jian Sheng preferred to walk. Holding a black umbrella, he strolled through the rain, the cool raindrops pattering against the edge, making him increasingly clear-headed. He walked leisurely towards the Mocha Restaurant, following the address, each step deliberate, yet he had already anticipated the purpose of this dinner.

The Third Ring Road, as the core military and political area, has a completely different layout from the Sixth Ring Road. The Sixth Ring Road is constantly at risk of being breached by alien beasts, and its residences and shops are built in enclosed tower-like buildings, which are oppressive and cramped. In contrast, apart from military and political institutions and stationed troops, the Third Ring Road has a street layout that resembles the commercial districts of the old Blue Star. It has a small population, is less noisy and bustling, and has more tranquility and elegance, but it also exudes the alienation and coldness of the upper class.

Upon arriving at the restaurant, Jian Sheng handed his umbrella to the waiter and was then led to a private room. Windsor Louise was already seated there, her gaze sweeping over him with a hint of surprise in her eyes.

Nine months had passed, and the boy before her had not only grown taller and stronger, but his appearance had also changed drastically, almost unrecognizable. Louise wondered to herself, while growth in height was understandable, why had his face undergone such a dramatic transformation in just a few months?

She was naturally unaware that although the patching system failed to improve Jian Sheng's talent level, it was subtly modifying his body according to his subconscious during the continuous energy absorption process. Jian Sheng never wanted to live with the face of "Xiao" in his body. He wanted to take several years to slowly shed his original appearance and return to his original self—the handsome face given to him by his biological parents, a face that was both handsome and somewhat unruly, and that never wanted to be subordinate to anyone.

"I'm sorry, am I late?" Jian Sheng said, his tone polite but distant. When he raised his hand to sit down, there was no trace of humility in his demeanor; he adopted an attitude of equal dialogue.

"No, I just arrived too." Louise withdrew her gaze, her tone indifferent, her fingertips lightly tapping the table, already adopting the posture of a superior.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Louise gestured to the waiter to bring her the menu: "Order whatever you'd like."

The menu listed common ingredients from the old Blue Star, as well as species unique to the Mother Nest Star. The fusion of the two made Jian Sheng quite curious. He ordered a few dishes from different planets and then handed the menu back to Louise. She simply nodded slightly and did not order anything else, clearly having already made arrangements in advance, and not even bothering to test him or be polite.

"I've heard you've been in close contact with people in the city's business and political circles lately. What, are you interested in business?" Louise spoke first, her tone carrying a hint of casual probing, but her eyes were fixed on Jian Sheng, as if she were examining an item belonging to the Windsor family.

Jian Sheng chuckled lightly, the smile not reaching his eyes, his tone calm yet sharp: "It's not a matter of interest, just a chance encounter, a chance to make some connections. After all, in this Seven Rings City, strength alone isn't enough; having more options is never a bad thing."

Louise smiled faintly, offering a slightly condescending advice: "The best path for Seven Rings City to do business is to align itself with the nine major families and become part of their industrial chain. Of course, the business environment here is relatively fair; you don't necessarily have to rely on a major family to survive. However, without sufficient military protection, it's impossible to acquire core resources outside the city. After all, we're still in a state of war, and all economic activities ultimately revolve around military matters—without the backing of a major family, no matter how much you try, it'll just be small-scale operations."

These words, ostensibly a suggestion, were in reality a warning, reminding him not to forget his status as a vassal of the Windsor family. Jian Sheng understood, but his expression remained respectful, his tone calm: "Thank you for your reminder, Miss Louise. I've taken it to heart."

"How's the newly issued mech going?"

"It far exceeded expectations. Its performance is at least 50% better than the school's old standard mechs. Thank you for your kindness, family." He spoke politely, but deliberately kept his distance, neither humble nor arrogant.

"Your team is about to be deployed for a garrison mission. If you have any needs for supplies or equipment, you can just let me know. After all, you are the core fighting force of the Windsor family, and the family will provide you with extra support." Louise threw out the bait, her desire for control already evident in her tone.

Jian Sheng saw through her intentions at a glance and smoothly steered the conversation to the core issue. His tone was calm and even, yet carried a deliberate air of distance: "These trivial matters can be handled by Marcus. He's in charge of all the team's daily affairs, and I have no objections. But Miss invited me here today, surely it wasn't just for these small, inquisitive matters?"

Louise paused, no longer beating around the bush, and said bluntly, "I heard that you're getting close to Lin Zhizhi from the church."

Jian Sheng raised his eyes, his gaze calmly meeting hers without flinching, but a chill had already crept into his heart: "What do you want to say? Just say it."

"We've already conducted a thorough investigation into Lin Zhizhi. She's not a formal priest of the church; she simply has a close relationship with Lin Lan of the church," Louise slowly stated her purpose, her tone filled with confidence. "Her A+ Crystal Energy Sensing talent is extremely rare, and she's capable of piloting A-grade mechs in the future. If she can undergo genetic optimization, she might even have a chance to break through to S-grade. As you know, A-grade mech materials are scarce, and production capacity is limited, making it impossible to meet the needs of all A-grade talent warriors. The opportunity for A+ talents to advance to S-grade through genetic optimization is even more extremely rare."

"We previously mistakenly believed she was a core member of the church, which is why we didn't try to win her over. Now that she's your team member, spending every day with you, I hope you can find a way to bring her into the Windsor family."

Jian Sheng's hand, hanging under the table, slowly clenched, a cold smile playing on his lips, but his face remained impassive. This wasn't courting; it was clearly treating him as a henchman of the Windsor family, using him to bewitch and bind Lin Zhizhi, even going so far as to make him betray those around him, definitively solidifying his identity as a "Windsor loyal dog." A faint smile appeared on his face as he asked calmly, "What conditions can the family offer?"

"We promise her an exclusive A-grade mecha and priority access to genetic optimization resources in the future to help her reach S-grade." Louise's tone was firm, then she lowered her voice and threw out her final bargaining chip, "In addition, the data from the last physical test showed that her crystal energy perception is not just A+, but infinitely close to S-grade. If managed properly, she will become the family's top combat force—and you, as the one who made this happen, the family will naturally not treat you unfairly."

The implication was clear: using the lure of profit and the coercion of his position, he was being forced to act as the lobbyist. Suppressing his impatience and resistance, Jian Sheng lightly traced the rim of his glass with his fingertips, his face remaining calm, but his tone carried a hint of dismissive detachment: "I'll do my best, but I can't guarantee the outcome. She's stubborn; she might not listen to me."

He wouldn't actually pressure Lin Zhizhi, but he also wouldn't reject Louise outright. Right now, he wasn't fully capable and needed to be patient; playing along was the best option.

"Your willingness to do your best is enough." Louise thought he had agreed, and nodded with satisfaction, a hint of smugness in her eyes.

The dinner party proceeded in a lukewarm atmosphere throughout. The food was passable, and the woman opposite him was stunningly beautiful, but Jian Sheng felt extremely uncomfortable. Every second felt like being manipulated and controlled by someone in a superior position. He ate slowly and deliberately, maintaining a polite distance throughout, having already seen through this purely transactional dinner party devoid of any genuine affection.

Three days later, the team was fully assembled and equipped. After meeting up with the engineering team, they officially left the city and headed to the northern mountains. This was Jian Sheng's first time leaving the North Seventh Ring Road and stepping into the boundless primeval forest. He was finally able to temporarily escape the entanglements of interests within the city, and his mind and body felt much more relaxed.

The long convoy, carrying engineering machinery, military supplies, and all personnel, slowly drove into the depths of the dense forest, resembling a long dragon. The team was large, consisting of over four hundred ordinary engineering workers, one hundred regular city defense soldiers, and Jian Sheng's mecha combat team, with clear division of labor and orderly operations.

For the first fifty kilometers outside the city, the road was a well-maintained two-lane cement road, smooth and allowing the convoy to travel at a very fast speed. Ancient trees towered in the dense forest, and the roar of the massive convoy startled the smaller creatures in the woods, causing them to scatter. The journey proceeded without incident.

After driving fifty kilometers, the first giant fortress came into view. The fortress was thirty meters high and over fifty meters in diameter. Its thick reinforced concrete exterior was covered by a single piece of defensive steel plate. Gun barrels and machine guns were arranged in a staggered pattern on the walls. The fortifications were impregnable, demonstrating humanity's confidence in surviving on this wild planet.

Jian Sheng's team did not linger there. Their mission was to travel 200 kilometers to repair the road leading to a newly developed nickel mine. This nickel mine was not owned by the Windsor family, but Seven Rings City had its own rules: regardless of origin or background, as long as a new mineral is discovered, the city-state will fund the improvement of its infrastructure.

For Seven Rings City, the development of each new mineral resource is a supplement to the incomplete industrial system, which is related to the survival foundation of the entire clan. This fairness is also the reason why Seven Rings City can still give rise to many small and medium-sized families and interest groups under the dominance of the nine major families - everyone has the opportunity to explore, adventure and acquire resources, instead of being completely monopolized by the big families.

The convoy traveled through the dense forest, the intense sunlight piercing through the layers of giant ferns and cycads, casting dappled light and shadow on the reddish-brown ground. Dozens of meters tall conifers pierced the sky, their trunks entwined with emerald vines, the drooping tendrils and thick moss weaving into a natural carpet.

In the distance came the heavy footsteps of large star beasts, causing the earth to tremble slightly. They stretched their necks and gnawed at the tender branches at the top of the tree canopy, their long tails sweeping over shrubs and ferns. Beneath the layer of decaying leaves, beetles and small reptilian star beasts moved tirelessly, gnawing on decaying wood and fungi, forming the most primitive ecological cycle of this primeval forest.

A humid, hot wind, carrying the sound of the forest, swept past. Here, there was no scheming or backstabbing of human civilization, no machinations of powerful families; only the most savage and vibrant primal life force, surging freely between heaven and earth. Jian Sheng leaned against the car window, gazing at the dense forest outside, a hint of relief flashing in his eyes. He temporarily cast aside the gloom of the city and focused on preparing for the upcoming mission outside the city.