Of course, those outlaws conducting transactions in Knowhere not only boost its popularity, but also provide the Collector with extra business, allowing his wealth to accumulate to a terrifying degree over the centuries. Without this, even though the Collector is an ancient, immortal elder of the universe, his assets wouldn't be nearly as vast. After all, the Collector not only holds many rare and extinct species from across the universe but can also offer the astronomical sum of 4 billion units to purchase the Orb, showing just how wealthy he truly is.
If possible, wouldn't Thanos prefer to offer a bounty for the Orb using money alone? Even just offering a reward for clues related to the Infinity Stones would suffice. Unfortunately, despite wiping out half of the life on numerous planets, Thanos' personal wealth isn't that immense.
Even Ronan, the Accuser of the Kree Empire, one of the three major empires in the universe, doesn't possess the same level of wealth as the Collector. The Collector is easily one of the wealthiest beings in the universe. Otherwise, he wouldn't be interested in the Infinity Stones. After all, there are few things left in the universe that can still catch his eye, aside from the Infinity Stones.
Meanwhile, Korath, who was pursuing Star-Lord and his companions, received a message from Ronan. Ronan had heard that Korath had attacked the Nova Corps' space prison, nearly starting a battle with the Nova Corps, and was asking for details.
"My lord, we are currently chasing that kid Star-Lord. He managed to escape from the space prison and now seems to be heading towards Knowhere," Korath explained, relieved that Ronan wasn't angry.
"Knowhere, huh? That's an interesting place. If they're headed there, they're probably trying to sell the Orb to the Collector. That old man could be troublesome—he's not someone you can handle easily," Ronan responded after a brief silence.
"Send me the coordinates and guide me using the star-tracking system. I'll get there as quickly as possible to join you. Once we're together, we'll surround all of Knowhere. I've heard the Collector has earned an unfathomable amount of money over the past few centuries and hasn't paid a single tribute to the three major empires."
"My lord, the Elders of the Universe are not simple beings!" Korath's face changed slightly, nervously reminding Ronan.
"Hmph, the so-called Elders of the Universe? A group of pathetic remnants of civilizations that have already been destroyed, barely clinging to life. If their civilizations were as strong as the Kree Empire, they wouldn't have been wiped out in the first place," Ronan scoffed with deep disdain in his voice.
"Today, I'll make them realize that their era is long over. Now is the age of the Kree Empire. This era's treasures and wealth are beyond their reach. After all, the Kree Empire's military expenses are enormous!"
"Yes, my lord!" Korath, seeing that Ronan had made up his mind, could say nothing more. He obediently sent the coordinates to Ronan, ensuring Ronan would arrive as soon as possible.
"Where's the Collector? This place doesn't seem very friendly," Star-Lord muttered softly to Gamora as their ship landed on Knowhere, surrounded by the hostile stares of outlaws who seemed to eye them like prey.
Star-Lord was all too familiar with these kinds of looks. It reminded him of how the Ravagers had looked at him when they considered eating him. Every time there was a major conflict or interest involved, the Ravagers would have the same look in their eyes when they were about to lose control.
But it seemed the Collector, like Yondu, had managed to maintain control over these outlaws. Even in a place like Knowhere, there were special rules and laws that couldn't easily be broken.
"Don't worry, it's just ahead. The most extravagant, newest, and largest building is the Collector's. Inside, there are countless treasures that he's collected," Gamora nodded, pointing to the massive structure in the distance. "Once we sell the Orb, we'll split the money and leave."
"Leave? Aren't we supposed to deal with Ronan and Thanos?" Drax frowned. He wasn't particularly interested in the 4 billion units, as he couldn't think of any way to enhance his strength using money.
As a brute-force fighter, Drax was decent in close combat, but asking him to use advanced tech in battle was too much. Being able to fire an energy weapon was already the limit for him.
At this point, Drax was like a weaker version of the Hulk or a gamma warrior. His strength didn't surpass that of pre-Mjolnir Peter Parker, making him a superhuman but far from a top-tier one. However, Drax's fearless spirit still stood out. He was like a grown-up version of the Hulk with more intelligence but the same headstrong nature, ready to charge into any fight.
"Even if we plan to fight Ronan and Thanos, now is not the time to discuss it!" Gamora warned, lowering her voice cautiously. "We're in a mixed crowd here, and there could be information brokers listening. If any of our plans get leaked, it would be a disaster for us."
"Also, once we sell the Orb, word might get out that we have a huge sum of money. Then, they might not just be looking at us with greedy eyes..." Gamora added.
"I get it—don't flaunt your wealth! We can't rush into dealing with those two. Let's get the money first and leave quickly. I've had a bad feeling since we got here, like Yondu might be on his way," Star-Lord quickly agreed, also lowering his voice.
"Honestly, even though we're a pretty decent team, avoiding conflict with Yondu is still the better choice. After all, I did steal the Orb from under their noses—it was a bit of a dirty move," Star-Lord admitted.
"Welcome!" As they continued talking, a female attendant greeted them respectfully as they entered the Collector's lair.
"I have an appointment with the Collector to sell the Orb," Gamora stepped forward, confirming her identity. She had indeed been the one in contact with the Collector, and the transaction for the Orb was not just about the 4 billion unit reward but also involved a way for her to escape Thanos' control.
"So, it's you, Gamora! Looks like you've succeeded. Congratulations... Hm?!" The Collector came out to greet them but stopped mid-sentence, his eyes lighting up as he noticed Groot. "A Flora Colossus?! What a perfect specimen! I've never seen one so flawless..."
"This is truly a great day! Will you promise me something? When you die, please sell me your body. I'll pay any price!" the Collector said excitedly.
"I am Groot..." Groot, not being very articulate and struggling with complex language, was utterly confused by the Collector's offer. He looked blankly at the Collector, then at Rocket, unsure how to respond.
"Hey! Don't you even think about Groot! We're here to sell the Orb, and Groot is not for sale!" Rocket stepped forward protectively, like a parent guarding their child.
"Oh, a talking raccoon? Interesting, but not of much collectible value," the Collector commented indifferently, unable to see past Rocket's appearance to appreciate his scientific genius. Otherwise, he might have been very interested in Rocket's brain.
"Ahem, let's focus on the Orb. You're offering 4 billion, right?" Star-Lord, sensing Rocket was about to explode, quickly stepped in, taking out the Orb and smiling at the Collector.
"Yes, 4 billion units, and I'll also help Gamora escape Thanos' control," the Collector nodded, showing no signs of bargaining. Even with the Orb right in front of him, he had no intention of forcing a sale. Nor was he angered when Groot declined his offer to sell his corpse. The Collector led them deeper into his lair.
Inside, Star-Lord and the others were amazed. They saw many items and species they had never encountered before. However, Star-Lord was particularly puzzled by a duck in a suit and a dog in a spacesuit. He couldn't figure out why such ordinary animals were part of the Collector's collection—did they have some hidden value?
But the Collector had no intention of explaining his collection. He simply led them to a machine and gestured for Star-Lord to place the Orb on it. After a moment of hesitation, Star-Lord glanced at the others, received their nods, and placed the Orb on the machine.
Ignoring the group's exchanged glances, the Collector calmly said, "This machine is for opening the Orb. The Orb itself isn't of much use—the true value lies in the treasure inside."
"A treasure inside? What's worth 4 billion?" Star-Lord asked, already guessing that the contents must be extremely valuable, though he wasn't sure exactly what.
"An Infinity Stone! It's either the Power Stone or the Soul Stone!" Gamora and Nebula declared firmly.
"Infinity Stone? Wait, you knew all along the Orb contained an Infinity Stone?!" Star-Lord's eyes widened in shock. Had he known this, he never would have brought the Orb here!
"Indeed, as expected of Thanos' daughters—both knowledgeable and sharp!" The Collector's eyes gleamed with approval as he praised Nebula and Gamora, ignoring Star-Lord's surprise. He then conjured a holographic display and began explaining the origins of the six Infinity Stones.
While most of the group listened intently, Star-Lord remained relatively unfazed. He had already
learned a lot about the Infinity Stones during his time assisting Earth's Avengers.
But despite his outward calm, Star-Lord wasn't entirely at ease: "I really was an idiot. I already knew Thanos was after the Infinity Stones to complete his plan. Knowing he was after the Orb, I should've guessed it contained one."
"Still, it's not too late. Even if the Avengers can't come right away, we can leave the Infinity Stone here with the Collector. Once the Avengers and Saiyans arrive, they can retrieve it. The Collector's influence and power are considerable—he should be able to keep the Stone safe from Ronan and Thanos. I just wonder which Infinity Stone this is," Star-Lord mused.
With that thought, he quickly contacted the Avengers, sending them the coordinates for Knowhere and the news of the Infinity Stone's presence. In matters of great importance, Star-Lord wasn't one to hesitate, especially when it didn't involve his own interests. Besides, he was still going to collect the Collector's 4 billion reward, so there was no way he could lose out.
"You mentioned earlier that the Orb contains either the Power Stone or the Soul Stone. It seems Thanos is still missing those two Stones," the Collector remarked, continuing his conversation with Nebula and Gamora. "As for the Orb, it contains the Power Stone. As for the Soul Stone, no one in the universe seems to know its whereabouts."
Gamora's expression briefly changed upon hearing this but quickly returned to normal, as if nothing had happened.
"The Power Stone! Sounds impressive!" Meanwhile, the female attendant's eyes began to gleam with greed.
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