Chapter 75

Zhou Xingyu: …

The high-definition cameras in the live broadcast room captured him from every angle, leaving no detail unexposed.

The netizens couldn’t hold back and burst into laughter.

【Alright, alright, so that’s how it is, using the youngest commander in the interstellar federation for an advertisement】

【This is hilarious. I’ve watched Zhou Xingyu dominate the joint exam for so long, and this is the first time I’ve seen him make this expression】

【Honestly, she’s really something else】

Zhou Xingyu wasn’t the only one affected.

The Shen family was on the verge of exploding with anger.

“What? Who invited her to the auction?” In the main residence of the Shen family on the Imperial Star, the auction organizer’s communicator was almost being blown up with calls. He paced back and forth in the living room, fuming with rage.

After being eliminated, the Shen siblings, Shen Qinglan and Shen Qingxue, had immediately boarded the starship to return home.

Both were injured, with Shen Qingxue suffering more due to the side effects of talent sharing.

However, upon hearing the news, they couldn’t hold back and immediately went downstairs to find Shen Qinglan.

“Is she really going to participate in the auction?” Shen Qingxue asked coldly.

Since joining the alliance, the Shen family had never been this humiliated.

Shen Qinglan sat quietly in the living room, his expression dark.

A holographic screen in front of him was replaying his fight with Ji Fu.

“Brother?”

Shen Qinglan snapped out of his thoughts and said coldly, “The auction is run by the Shen family. If she wants to come, let her come.”

He knew that Ji Fu dared to make such a statement because she was sure he wouldn’t miss the huge attention it would bring.

Shen Qinglan always prioritized profit.

But…

Did she think that with a bit of cleverness, she could play the entire Shen family, Shen Qinglan included, for fools?

On their territory, everything would proceed according to his rules.

The Shen family’s auction house operated on a consignment basis, meaning that Ji Fu, by provoking Zhou Xingyu in the live broadcast, was essentially creating a massive buzz.

In essence, she was providing free publicity for the Shen family.

No matter how much the Half-Moon Jing Tian Blade sold for, the proceeds would first go into the Shen family’s account.

Moreover, her actions also helped promote their auction amidst the ongoing resistance on the star network due to recent events.

She thought she was using the Shen family, but in reality, she was solving a major problem for them.

Shen Qinglan smirked coldly. In this regard, she had correctly assessed his priorities.

He was a businessman, and when choosing between a momentary spat and real profit, he would always choose profit.

Meanwhile, the joint exam had concluded.

As soon as Ji Fu left the exam venue, she was intercepted by a Shen family representative.

“The auction will be held on the Imperial Star. To ensure safety, all sellers must board the starship in advance.”

Zhou Lu Hai’s eyes darkened. “Why haven’t I heard of such a rule before?”

“Young Master Zhou,” the representative treated Zhou Lu Hai with great respect, “You are a distinguished guest at the auction. Naturally, guests are exempt from this requirement.”

But Ji Fu was a seller.

Zhou Lu Hai’s face fell, and he wanted to argue further, but Ji Fu simply nodded. “Fine.”

With the auction about to take place, even if the Shen family had any plans, they wouldn’t act against her at this time.

Shen Qinglan’s action was primarily intended to monitor her.

So she complied with their wishes.

Ji Fu followed the Shen family representative and boarded their exclusive starship in front of everyone at the joint exam rest area.

As Ji Fu expected, the starship was heavily monitored and guarded.

The starship’s overall head was a super-star-level mecha soldier.

The Shen family didn’t mistreat her, providing a luxurious VIP room with a 24-hour dedicated butler.

It was quite considerate.

… If you ignored the many hidden surveillance devices in the room.

【Beep, multiple monitoring devices detected. Do you want to block the surveillance?】The supercomputer prompted.

Ji Fu chose no.

She calmly sat on the large bed in the middle of the guest room.

As if noticing nothing unusual, she took out the severely damaged Yan Yan from the computer and began repairing it slowly.

Not long after she became engrossed in her work, Shen Qinglan expressionlessly walked out of the starship’s main control room.

“Remember to check the monitoring devices daily and keep a close eye on her. Report any unusual movements to the main residence immediately.” Shen Qinglan’s face was somewhat pale.

He was injured and had many auction-related matters to attend to, so he entrusted everything to the starship’s head.

The Shen family had invested a lot in this auction.

To ensure overall safety, Shen Qinglan even borrowed five super-star-level and one super-star-plus mecha soldiers from the alliance to secure the entire venue.

After the last incident, he would not give the abattoir people any opportunity.

This defense was the most stringent ever, ensuring the auction would proceed without a hitch.

What Shen Qinglan didn’t know was that half an hour after he left, Ji Fu had already hacked into the Shen family’s internal network.

This starship was heavily guarded, but super-star-level mecha soldiers could sense any unusual fluctuations around them, yet they couldn’t combat higher-level systems.

Keeping Ji Fu on the Shen family’s turf made it easier for her to infiltrate their network.

The intelligent system subtly covered all the surveillance in the room.

Almost immediately after the coverage, a message from Weilan arrived: 【Not coming back?】

【No】

There was a long pause on the other end before the reply: 【I’ve found the nearest Black Sea. I left Canglan with Qin Chu Yue. Be careful.】

Ji Fu paused and reminded him: 【Don’t get hurt.】

Weilan directly connected the video call, meeting her eyes, and said softly, “Okay.”

【Why did you open the video call?】 Although the surveillance was covered, Ji Fu still didn’t speak and continued to send messages with her head down.

Weilan was advancing under the scorching sun, the sunlight turning his ears red. He said softly, “To confirm the state of the seawater.”

What Ji Fu had sent him to find was very important and didn’t grow in every Black Sea.

Indeed, it required her personal verification.

The view shifted to the lifeless Black Sea ahead. Weilan wasn’t piloting a mecha; instead, he wore a diving suit and quickly submerged under Ji Fu’s watchful gaze.

After comparing the values and the state of the seawater and Weilan himself, Ji Fu shared a location: 【This is the best area.】

The view returned to Weilan. As of today, his injuries had healed up to 50%, and he was in better condition than before.

The dark seawater glided over his pale face, his deep blue hair damp. He looked at her with clear eyes and said, “Okay.”

【Ending call】 Ji Fu couldn’t help but smile at his beautiful eyes, which couldn’t hide the disappointment.

Still the same as before.

Unable to see her, he was like a puppy who couldn’t find its owner.

Shortly after the video call ended, good news came from Weilan: 【Found it.】

After receiving the message, Ji Fu didn’t reply.

She used the intelligent system to switch back and forth, ensuring those monitoring her wouldn’t detect anything unusual.

During surveillance coverage, she worked on the remaining parts of the super-star-level mecha.

When switching back, she repaired Yan Yan and Jiao Yue.

The timing on both sides was perfect, ensuring the mecha’s production progress, evading surveillance, and allowing her to rest occasionally.

For her, repairing mecha was a form of rest, a kind of buffer.

Making super-star-level mechas was indeed not easy.

Three days later, the starship carrying Ji Fu arrived at the Shen family’s auction site in the Sirius Star System.

This star system was the most commercially developed and prosperous in the entire interstellar space.

As the auction approached, the main star was crowded with various super-starships.

Everyone coming and going was richly dressed, holding specially made Shen family invitations.

As they approached the main venue, the scene became even more lively.

Everywhere was filled with elegance and luxury, even the security checkpoints were shaped like flower arches, showcasing the distinctiveness of the aristocracy.

Ji Fu was led into the venue by the Shen family personnel.

When passing through security, she was stopped by the staff for a routine check.

Everyone attending the auction today had to go through this, so no one thought it unusual.

The staff wore uniform attire with badges on their chests.

Ji Fu raised an eyebrow and looked down, seeing the “staff member” in front of her wink at her.

She couldn’t help but laugh.

Qin Chu Yue was getting better at stealth. Now, she had even become one of the Shen family’s security personnel.

Of course, her smooth infiltration was also due to Ji Fu hacking the network and altering the staff information.

These details were rigorously checked again this morning.

Ji Fu had timed it perfectly to swap Qin Chu Yue in.

Qin Chu Yue’s boldness and understanding of the principle of hiding in plain sight allowed her to infiltrate the venue smoothly.

Behind everyone’s back, Qin Chu Yue carefully searched Ji Fu. As her hand inadvertently brushed against Qin Chu Yue, the computer in Ji Fu’s hand was discreetly swapped under the cover of their movements.

【Security Check Passed】

Ji Fu stepped away, noticing out of the corner of her eye that the computer in Qin Chu Yue’s hand had vanished. Qin Chu Yue nonchalantly adjusted the hairpins on her head.

Qin Chu Yue had excellent makeup skills and had specifically changed her style today to appear as a charming beauty.

Unless someone was very familiar with her, they wouldn’t recognize her at first glance.

Ji Fu: …

Honestly, it was a waste for Qin Chu Yue not to become a con artist.

Although being a wanted criminal wasn’t much better.

Not long after Ji Fu left the security check,   switched shifts with someone else.

Shen Qinglan, to prevent any accidents, had arranged for five shifts of security personnel at the entrance.

Ji Fu had timed it so Qin Chu Yue could check her and then leave the venue immediately, avoiding staying too long and being recognized by someone familiar with her.

At 8 PM Empire Star time, the Shen family auction officially began.

Simultaneously, the auction’s online live broadcast started.

Shen Qinglan had given Ji Fu a very good seat, so good that…

With a smile on her face, Ji Fu noted that on her left sat Zhou Xingyu, whom she had just used, and on her right was even more interesting.

As soon as the person appeared in the venue, she heard the surrounding people exclaim in hushed tones.

Zhou Xingyu was slightly startled and stood up, nodding towards the person across Ji Fu: “Director.”

Ji Fu’s smile deepened as Shen Qinglan had placed Fang Yanli right next to her.

The top executive director, who usually showed no interest in such events, had surprisingly shed his uniform and was sitting beside her in a well-tailored suit.

Adding to the amusement, Shen Qinglan had placed Zhou Lu Hai, Fang Yunan, and Han Siyu behind her.

And right in front of her sat today’s host, Shen Qinglan himself.

Ji Fu activated her supercomputer and heard Qin Chu Yue burst out laughing:

“Is this a prisoner escort? Surrounded from all sides. You didn’t get this treatment even in the highest security prison, did you?”

“Pfft, a netizen even said they wanted to sit in your seat, saying this is the prime spot of the event.”

Ji Fu raised an eyebrow without speaking, uninterestedly scrolling through the screen in front of her, displaying most of the important auction items.

Her Half-Moon Sky Blade was among them. Additionally, there were three final auction items labeled with question marks without any direct information.

The stage lights illuminated the large stage in front of her.

Under the crystal chandelier, the first auction item was lifted by an elevator.

It was a top-tier super-star-level material, rotating gently inside a semi-transparent super-star-plus protective cover on the stage, displaying to everyone present.

Each person had a screen in front of them showing the item’s specific details, weight, and characteristics.

All they needed to do was press a button to participate in the bidding.

The mechanical voice announced: 【First auction item: Super-star-level Fury Beast Core】

【Starting bid: 47 million interstellar credits】

The first item was already a million-level premium material.

The live chat was filled with exclamations.

【The auction begins, 1 minute and 30 seconds, highest bid wins】

As the first premium material appeared, the auction gradually got into full swing.

The nobles’ bids were indeed extraordinary, with a single super-star-level material easily reaching over a hundred million.

Halfway through the auction, Ji Fu noticed Shen Qinglan’s posture becoming more relaxed, and his smile becoming genuine.

It seemed the results were better than he had expected.

As the auction entered its latter half, it became more intense.

A few famous pieces from top artists had fetched extremely high prices.

With only four items left, Ji Fu’s Half-Moon Sky Blade had yet to appear.

【Item 43】 the mechanical voice announced again. The livestream audience, already immune to various premium materials, weapons, and mechas, regained interest.

【Is it finally time for the Half-Moon Sky Blade?】

Just as the comment appeared, the central stage began to rise.

【Super-star-plus weapon, Mohe Katana】

It was indeed a weapon, but not the Half-Moon Sky Blade.

Moreover, its appearance instantly heated up the atmosphere in the venue.

Super-star-plus weapons were rare, let alone such a premium one.

This Mohe Katana was made by the third-ranked mechanic on the Mechanic List.

Its strength is even higher than the Azure Dragon Mysterious Cannon used by Shen Qinglan, making it a truly exceptional weapon.

This has been one of the key auction items whose information was kept hidden until now.

The Shen family’s auction has gone through many difficulties, even being interrupted by the slaughterhouse once. Despite that, they still managed to bring out such a remarkable item to conclude the event.

The depth of resources that noble families possess is indeed beyond the imagination of ordinary people.

The entire venue was in an uproar due to the appearance of the Mohe Katana Saber, with its bidding price soaring rapidly.

The atmosphere grew increasingly heated.

Yet, amidst this excitement, many people glanced towards Ji Fu.

The order of the auction items is determined by the organizers.

Everyone witnessed the performance of Ji Fu’s Half-Moon Jingtian Blade during the unified exams.

If the Half-Moon Jingtian Blade had been auctioned earlier, it would have fetched a significantly higher price.

Even if it wasn’t in the first half, it would have been better if it had been placed before the Mohe Katana Saber.

Compared to the Mohe Katana Saber, people here would certainly prefer the Super Star+ Mohe Katana Saber.

“Without any surprise, the price of the Half-Moon Jingtian Blade will likely drop significantly,” Fang Yuan said calmly.

Zhou Xingyu in the front row just smiled silently.

But that’s not all. As far as he knew, Shen Qinglan still had another exceptional item.

Sure enough, after the Mohe Katana Saber was auctioned for an exorbitant price, the 44th auction item was a top-grade Super Star+ beast core.

This too attracted intense attention.

By the 45th item, the auction hall’s lights suddenly dimmed.

At the same time, the light screen in front of Ji Fu lit up.

Surrounded by many noble families, Ji Fu nonchalantly typed two words: 【Act now】

【The 45th auction item, Black Mecha Engine】

The entire venue fell silent.

After a brief pause, the live chat exploded with countless question marks.

【What is this!?】

【Ah, is it that Black Mecha I know?】

As soon as this name appeared, almost everyone, including Fang Yanli, who had maintained a stoic expression throughout, showed a change in their expressions.

Compared to the unified exams and the slaughterhouse, the weight of the words “Black Mecha” was significantly greater.

Especially after Yun Chi’s death so long ago, the reappearance of the Black Mecha brought an indescribable shock.

Amidst the numerous exclamations, Ji Fu also raised her head.

Fang Yanli, seated beside her, could hear her clearly.

He heard Ji Fu say indifferently, “I didn’t expect the Shen family to have the habit of selling things stripped from the dead.”

Fang Yanli’s face turned grim, and he remained silent.

Three years ago, after Yun Chi was captured and imprisoned, a few Black Mechas had indeed been intercepted by him.

However, Black Mechas were programmed to self-destruct if they lost Yun Chi’s control.

Fang Yanli had suffered severe injuries trying to disarm the self-destruct mechanism of a Black Mecha.

After he was severely injured, the remaining Black Mecha remnants were taken by the Alliance as important evidence.

As high-intensity, high-lethality unmanned mechas, Black Mechas had immense research value.

Over the years, the Alliance had continually researched these mechas.

Researching and using them could be considered normal.

But bringing the remnants to an auction was going too far.

The fire that had been simmering in Fang Yanli’s heart was finally ignited when he saw the preserved Black Mecha engine.

With a cold, solemn face, he listened to the surrounding exclamations and closed his eyes briefly.

In terms of achievements, fame, and methods, no one could match Yun Chi, who had once destroyed 33 large stars in a row and was utterly lawless.

Over the years, anything related to Yun Chi, let alone the Black Mecha, had sparked huge debates.

The appearance of this item here was destined to dominate all headlines.

Even the viewers in the live stream momentarily forgot about Ji Fu.

At that moment, Ji Fu suddenly heard a thunderous explosion.

Boom——

A massive roar with a world-shaking momentum.

She sat quietly in her seat.

The Super Star-level mecha she made during the unified exams was finally equipped with the best replacement material after extensive calculations.

Top-grade materials are not exclusive to noble families; they can also be found on remote, dangerous stars.

Due to her unique physique, Wei Lan had dived into the Black Sea several times, battling the giant beasts there, and finally obtained the perfect replacement material—the Heart of the Phantom Sea.

This material must be awakened in the most suitable Black Sea region.

Before entering the auction, Ji Fu had handed the completed Super Star-level mecha on the Shen family’s starship to Qin Chu Yue.

Qin Chu Yue took it to the Black Sea, where Wei Lan personally installed the material onto the mecha.

Having assisted her for many years since childhood, Wei Lan might not be able to create a complete mecha, but installing a component was no problem.

In the vast, endless Black Sea, they created the first Super Star-level mecha.

Ji Fu named this mecha—Endless.

Now, Wei Lan piloted Endless, landing in the Shen family’s largest experimental base.

With only 51% of his body recovered, Wei Lan  logged into the remote star and, within fifteen minutes, annihilated one Super Star-level mecha soldier, fifteen Star+ soldiers, and twenty-three Star-level mecha soldiers stationed at the Shen family’s experimental base.

The thunderous sound Ji Fu heard was caused by Wei Lan in a berserk state, not using any Super Star-level weapon, but rather smashing the engine of that Super Star-level mecha soldier with his fist, causing a massive explosion.

Boom!

Fireworks burst into the sky before her eyes.

Simultaneously, the light-brain communications of all the surrounding noble families began to ring.

【The base has been seriously breached】

【Super Star-level mecha soldier Zhou Yi has been killed】

【An unidentified Super Star-level mecha is invading】

The jubilant cheers in the room were abruptly interrupted by these urgent communications, followed by a series of shocking news updates.

But that wasn’t all.

Qin Chu Yue spoke calmly, “All the evidence has been found. We can start the live broadcast.”

A window popped up in front of Ji Fu again.

【Start live broadcast?】

She lifted her hand and clicked 【Yes】.

In the next moment, a giant light screen popped up on the huge stage used for displaying auction items.

In the darkened auction hall, the light screen became even more striking in the night.

As soon as it turned on, the words “Slaughterhouse” appeared before everyone’s eyes.

【Good evening, friends】

【The Slaughterhouse brings you a new round of live broadcasts】

【Following up on our last episode where we destroyed the Qionghai Huashi star system, this time, the Slaughterhouse has located the Qionghai Huashi experimental base for all citizens】

Ji Fu tilted her head, raising her eyelids slightly.

The live broadcast from the Slaughterhouse showed several large planets.

That place was the experimental base where the Shen family mass-produced special-grade nutrient solutions.

Boom—

With a massive explosion, three giant bases were completely blown up by Wei Lan.

Ji Fu looked up, her gaze sweeping toward Shen Qinglan.

If she remembered correctly, the Shen family’s operations on the Imperial Star were just a temporary office.

All of the Shen family’s foundations were at that experimental base.

He used her Black Mecha as a gimmick, so she destroyed his base.

Fair enough, right?