276: Chapter 278 The Reaper's spaceship was transformed into an amusement park

In deep space, the dead silence of the void was broken by a cheerful melody.

That flagship mothership belonging to "The Sweepers," which once struck fear into countless civilizations in the Milky Way Galaxy and possessed a hull as thick as mountains, was now floating quietly within a rich nebula in Centaurus.

However, it had changed.

It was no longer a cold, unfeeling war fortress.

Its menacing gun barrels were now covered in colorful graffiti, and even plastered with cheap promotional stickers reading "Chenxing Technology, Cheap and Easy to Use."

Above the bridge, where the Commander once arrogantly looked down upon the universe, stood a massive carousel.

Those seats, forged from top-tier alien alloys, had been transformed into lifelike pony shapes, spinning round and round to dreamlike music.

"Wow! This is fun!"

An alien child with three eyes and a translucent body sat on the carousel, excitedly flapping its pair of vestigial wings.

The pony beneath it had originally been a turret mount for firing high-energy particles.

Now, it only spouted brilliant soap bubbles, decorating the surrounding void like a fairy tale world.

"Keep it down!"

Nearby, a Wasteland laborer—now an employee of the "Chenxing Logistics Department"—who was running an "Interstellar Cotton Candy" stall, reminded it with a serious face:

"This is a top-level civilization's mothership! Although it's our boss's warehouse now, if you shake this carousel until it falls apart, I don't have the money to compensate your parents!"

Jiang Chen leaned back in the command chair, holding an unfinished cup of cola, watching the absurd scenes outside the window with a slight upturn of his lips.

This was the universe in his eyes.

Not slaughter, not conquest.

But... a large-scale theme park.

"Boss, this thing was repaired quite quickly."

Zhao Gang stood before the console, looking at the entertainment facilities that had already been installed with an expression of disbelief, "We used that bunch of The Sweepers' mothership as a base and converted their energy pumps into the power source for a carousel; this plan... only you could come up with it."

"This isn't called waste."

Jiang Chen tossed the empty cola can into the void, and it was precisely captured by the warship's built-in gravity recovery system.

He looked at the group of alien creatures queuing up to buy tickets outside the window, his eyes filled with the detachment of someone viewing a landscape:

"This is recycling waste."

"The Sweepers used to build these ships to kill, to turn vibrant civilizations into graveyards. Look, the interior of their mothership was full of gloomy morgues and dissection tables."

"Now it's better."

"I turned them into an amusement park."

"Not only can this entertain the masses, but it also generates a steady stream of tourism economy. Isn't this the best ending for it?"

Academician Chen Shuyin was on the side organizing a logical report on "mothership power conversion," rolling her eyes as she listened.

Although this logic was absolutely bandit-like, she had to admit.

It was indeed much more cost-effective than blowing it into pieces.

"Currently, civilizations from three star systems have submitted applications through the star gate."

Academician Chen Shuyin put down the recorder in her hand, her tone carrying a hint of indescribable peculiarity:

"They all want to book this 'vacation mothership.' After all, who could refuse a vacation at the largest resort center in the Milky Way Galaxy? Especially when you tell them that every floor tile here once belonged to the most terrifying Sweeper Civilization."

"Those noble aliens are acting like they're crazy, desperate to stay overnight."

Jiang Chen smiled.

He stretched, looking at the resource planet gradually expanding in his field of vision, feeling exceptionally refreshed.

Once, these aliens were invincible gods to him.

Now, they were nothing more than "tourists" and "laborers" delivering money to him.

"This is the meaning of civilization progress."

He walked to the window, looking at the rows of neat spaceships outside preparing to enter to experience the games.

"Before, it was about struggling to survive."

"Now, we are the ones who make the rules."

"Since this place will be the resort area of the Milky Way Galaxy from now on, our rules need to change too."

He snapped his fingers, and Ikaros instantly appeared at his side, holding a megaphone.

"Make an announcement."

"Official notice from Chenxing Technology."

"Considering the mothership's load capacity."

"Effective immediately."

"Ticket prices for this amusement park are increasing."

"Admission fee: one high-purity spirit stone per person."

"For those who want to use the VIP lane and cut in line, add two tons of minerals."

"Also, tell that bunch of guys..."

Jiang Chen paused, revealing an extremely "friendly" smile:

"If anyone spits on my carousel."

"I'll throw them into a black hole."

"Let them experience... what real 'weightless spinning' is."

Zhao Gang shivered.

Only Jiang Chen could pull off selling top-tier black technology as amusement park tickets.

Those alien representatives who hadn't received news of the price hike were still queuing frantically in their ships, scrambling to take out their belongings.

They thought they were on vacation.

But they didn't know they were stepping, step by step, into a gentle trap tailor-made for them by this "interstellar village chief," one they could never escape.

"Boss, the situation over there is a bit off."

Zhao Gang, who was in charge of security, suddenly pointed to the radar screen, which was the distant interstellar port.

"A new fleet has arrived."

"Looking at the markings, it's... from the Galactic Federation headquarters, saying they're inviting you to attend some supreme meeting?"

"Another meeting?"

Jiang Chen rubbed his temples, feeling that being this "village chief" was more tiring than on Earth.

"Not going."

Jiang Chen waved his hand, "I'm busy maintaining the stability of the carousel. Tell them to discuss it via video if it's important. If it's not urgent, tell them to queue up and buy tickets."

"We, Chenxing Technology, are the face of the Milky Way Galaxy now; we don't have that much time to cater to these idlers."

Jiang Chen looked at the waves of ships swarming in, not feeling troubled at all, but rather viewing them all as walking KPIs.

After all, as long as these guys kept queuing, as long as they wanted to play.

He was one step closer to that ten-billion energy mark to "bring the Empress home."

This universe was indeed a dark forest.

But as long as you were strong enough.

Even a forest could be turned into a chain store by you.

Jiang Chen looked at the mothership, as lively as a park, his heart full of ambition.

What God-level Civilization?

What supreme existence?

Let them all go to hell.

He just wanted to be a stable, money-counting—super landlord—in this chaotic sea of stars.

Since these aliens were so happy to give gifts.

Shouldn't he show them next, just how far our Earthlings' "specialties"... could be developed?

He gently rotated the ring on his finger, which was left to him by Jiang Wanqiu, a medium for some kind of Wasteland secret technique.

Since that was the case.

The next big show.

Would start from this amusement park mothership!

"Prepare to depart."

Jiang Chen adjusted his sleeves, his eyes sharp.

"Since they like vacations so much, we'll arrange a... more surprising 'VIP package' for them."

"After all, only extreme fright can sell the best insurance."

"Set sail."

The mountain-like hull of the luan bird, amidst a blue light, let out a final roar towards the deeper reaches of the Milky Way Galaxy.