"Pimping?"
Upon hearing Cactus Sister's words, the Pioneers present were all astonished. The manpower was already prepared? Hadn't the preparations only just begun a year or two ago?
They had previously heard that Cactus Sister's target had shifted from the First Arm to the Fourth Arm, but the specific reasons were unclear. Most weren't particularly concerned about the details, only puzzled that a cross-arm expedition could be fully prepared and ready to launch after just one or two years of preparation. Wasn't this progress a bit too fast?
Facing the Pioneers' confusion, Cactus Sister offered no further explanation. Instead, as per tradition, she released a batch of cooperation applications for everyone to review. Then, accompanied by several others, she mingled into the venue, approaching various Pioneers to inquire if they were interested in joining the expedition.
As the primary domain of the Katon Civilization, the Fourth Arm had never been a favored destination for Pioneers. Resources were scarce, and Life Planets were particularly rare—to date, the number discovered remained in the single digits. Compared to its span of tens of thousands of light-years, it was simply too barren.
While the Pioneers gathered in groups to discuss potential collaborations, Liu Hai also found himself surrounded by a group of them—all individuals with whom he had Armament trade dealings.
By the time Cactus Sister and her entourage reached Liu Hai, he had already closed several more transactions. The nature of the traded goods made it clear that recent battles were becoming increasingly frequent. Every Pioneer was stockpiling combat supplies, fearing their inventories might deplete if transportation was cut off due to war.
"Liu Hai, how's your current production capacity?" Cactus Sister's first question upon finding him was about warship output.
"Producing three thousand ships a year shouldn't be a problem. I've been supplying the most suitable Armament for them. The first batch can be delivered by the end of this year," Liu Hai replied with a smile, clinking glasses with her.
"Oh! Excellent. I'll dispatch the necessary personnel to receive the warships." Hearing that three thousand ships could be produced annually, Cactus Sister couldn't help but smile.
While it was true that she had a good relationship with the Queen Mother of the West, the demand for warships among the various Lords was equally high. Moreover, most resources were concentrated on high-powered Armament like Fortresses, so the construction efficiency for Corvettes and Cruiser-class warships wasn't particularly impressive. Thus, procuring warships from the Queen Mother of the West was also challenging.
Now, with Liu Hai as a new Armament supplier, many of her plans could finally be set into motion.
"In the next few years, you'd better strengthen the defenses of the Brolly Starfield. The Stardust Star Region is already struggling to withstand the pressure from the Katon Civilization. The number of fleets we can divert to contain them is limited—I'm sure you're well aware of this."
No sooner had Cactus Sister expressed her joy at securing a steady supply of warships than she began worrying about the defensive situation in the Brolly Starfield.
"Although your large-scale destructive weapons have immense deterrent power, after their first deployment, the enemy won't give you another ideal opportunity to use them. In the next engagement, they'll undoubtedly come at you with overwhelming force."
Liu Hai nodded; this was expected. Although keeping the Space Oscillation Wave Bomb in reserve could deal a devastating blow to the Katon Civilization at a critical moment, it wasn't the only weapon of mass destruction at his disposal.
Using it now to secure a peaceful period for development was far better than being constantly bogged down in battles.
Just look at the progress in the Brolly Starfield and the Gemini Starfield—his choice had clearly been the right one. If he hadn't revealed such a weapon, the Katon Fleet would have already been flaunting its might outside the star system, preparing for an all-out assault. There would have been no time or space for gathering resources and large-scale construction.
So while trump cards were important, choices mattered more. What he lacked was time, not trump cards.
Even if everything was exposed, they couldn't replicate it—they could only rely on tactics to defend against such weapons. Meanwhile, his fleet grew stronger every day. The Angel Fleet, manned by Clone Soldiers, was now nearly on par with the Starsea Fleet in size.
In a few more years, once the fleet expanded and he finished upgrading and integrating the Fortress into both fleets, even if the Katon sent a dozen Legions, they wouldn't be able to breach the star system's defenses.
"There's one more thing—you need to brace yourself," Cactus Sister paused, then waved her hand to isolate the space around them before continuing, "A true all-out war is coming. You haven't experienced the Katon Civilization's madness, but you must be prepared to lose everything you've built."
"Prepare multiple fallback plans. You can dispatch fleets to establish Seed Bases at the tail ends of the Third Spiral Arm and the Fourth Arm."
"You must ensure that even if the Brolly Starfield is destroyed, you can still escape safely and rebuild—especially for the sake of your nearly ten million employees. They are your true foundation. Understand what's truly important, and don't cling to the Brolly Starfield's assets at a critical moment."
Liu Hai was puzzled by her warning. Her demeanor suggested she had witnessed something similar before, leaving her with lingering trauma—which was why she was so concerned about his choices.
"Don't worry, Sister. I know my priorities. The Seed Bases have already begun construction. Even if I abandon the factories in the Brolly Starfield, I can rebuild quickly."
Liu Hai always respected those who cared for him. Though he didn't understand the reason, it didn't stop him from holding her in high regard.
Hearing that Liu Hai was already prepared, Cactus Sister smiled warmly. "Don't mind my nagging. I've just seen too much. Over a thousand years, I've watched countless Pioneers, brilliant from the start, fall to the Katon Civilization's counterattacks. Many died on the battlefield, and those who survived were often broken in spirit."
"You're the one the Lords favor most—the most likely to rise as a Lord yourself, shielding the Federation and carving out new living space."
"I sincerely hope you'll make it to the end, not perish halfway."
Liu Hai gave a genuine smile. "Don't worry, Sister. I'm not so easily defeated. I take my safety very seriously—the Katon Civilization won't find me."
"As for the Lord Councilors, I also aspire to reach that level one day. However, over thousands of years, out of hundreds of millions of Pioneers, only a few dozen have ever attained that position. I wouldn't dare claim I'll definitely become a Lord, but that doesn't stop me from contributing to the Federation, does it?"
Cactus Sister smiled and lifted the shielding, then introduced Scalpel and the others to Liu Hai, even helping him secure a batch of orders through her connections.
With Cactus Sister mediating, Liu Hai's conversation with the group went smoothly. He also learned many private details from them—information that wouldn't appear on public communication channels—giving him a deeper understanding of the current situation in the Hera Star System.
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