29: Wanted throughout the region? Then we'll treat you to a spectacular fireworks display!

Captains Quarters.

The afternoon sun shone in through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, landing on the goblet in Gu Pingsheng's hand and refracting into tiny, fragmented spots of light.

He had just finished his afternoon nap.

An An was curled up in the corner of the sofa like a lazy little kitten, wrapped in that black shadow cloak, sleeping soundly.

Gu Nian sat at the desk opposite, her fingers tapping rapidly on the holographic keyboard as she organized today's resource report.

Everything seemed very calm.

Until—

"Beep, beep, beep—!!!"

A burst of urgent notification sounds broke this tranquility.

It was not a normal private message notification.

It was a special attention notification from the regional channel.

Gu Pingsheng frowned.

He had set it so that this notification would only be triggered when someone mentioned his name in the regional channel or when major keywords appeared.

"What's going on?"

He put down his wine glass and asked indifferently.

Gu Nian stopped what she was doing, looked up at the screen, and her expression sank instantly.

"Captain."

She pushed up her glasses, her tone somewhat cold.

"Someone is courting death."

As she spoke, she swiped her finger, projecting the regional channel interface into mid-air.

On the huge light screen, lines of glaring text were scrolling frantically.

【Regional Chat Channel (No. 9527)】

【Lin Yun (brotherhood leader): @Gu Pingsheng, come out and chat? I heard your crappy spaceship is full of Campus Belles? Brother, hogging all the good stuff isn't good.】

【Lin Yun (brotherhood leader): I know you have some skills, you got the first kill and managed to get a lot of good stuff. However, in this world, having luck alone is not enough.】

【Lin Yun (brotherhood leader): I'm not going to bully you either. Hand over Lin Qinghan and Su Ruan, and send over ten obedient girls. I'll give you 1000 units of energy blocks, plus the protection of the brotherhood. How about it? This is a good deal, right?】

【Lin Yun (brotherhood leader): Don't be ungrateful. My brotherhood fleet is nearby, fifty spaceships, we could drown you with just one spit each. By this time tomorrow, I want to see the people. Otherwise... hmph!】

As soon as this message appeared, the entire regional channel instantly exploded.

"Damn! Big Boss Lin Yun has spoken!"

"This is the brotherhood! The second largest force in this region! I heard their leader awakened an A-rank talent [Money Power], and started with a warehouse full of supplies!"

"1000 units of energy blocks? A huge deal! If I had that kind of luck, I would have sent the people over long ago!"

"The guy above has no backbone. But having said that, although Gu Pingsheng is powerful, he is fighting alone after all. Facing a fleet of fifty spaceships, he'll probably have to kneel, right?"

"Exactly, exactly! A wise man submits to circumstances. Trading a few women for your life isn't a loss!"

"@Gu Pingsheng, say something! Are you scared shitless?"

"Hahahaha! He's probably hiding under his covers crying!"

All kinds of jeering, mockery, and onlookers' comments poured out like a tide.

In this apocalypse, the evil in human nature was infinitely magnified.

Seeing a newly risen big shot being suppressed by a stronger force, many people felt a twisted sense of pleasure in their hearts.

Gu Pingsheng looked at those words.

There was no expression on his face.

Not even his eyes fluctuated.

It was as if he were watching a group of clowns performing.

"Lin Yun?"

He softly read the name once.

He searched his memories from his previous life.

He had a slight impression.

Someone who relied on having a bit of money from home, gathered a bunch of fair-weather friends at the beginning of the apocalypse, and formed a so-called "brotherhood".

They did indeed enjoy some glory in the early stages.

But later...

It seemed because they provoked someone they shouldn't have, they were wiped out directly.

He didn't expect that in this life, that "someone they shouldn't have provoked" had become himself.

"Captain, do you want to block him?"

Gu Nian looked at Gu Pingsheng's calm profile and asked cautiously.

Although she knew Gu Pingsheng was very strong.

But the opponent had fifty spaceships, after all.

And Lin Yun's talent [Money Power] was indeed a major weapon in the early stages.

As long as one had money, one could buy all kinds of powerful items and equipment in the store.

"Block?"

Gu Pingsheng smiled.

He swirled the wine glass in his hand, watching the crimson liquid inside slowly rotate.

"Why should I block him?"

"Since someone is actively offering their face to be slapped, wouldn't it be too impolite if I didn't fulfill his wish?"

He put down the wine glass.

He tapped his finger lightly in the void.

He opened the input box.

He only entered one word.

Then, he clicked send.

【Gu Pingsheng: Scram.】

A simple word.

No explanation.

No begging for mercy.

And no harsh threats.

Just this one word.

Yet it was like a loud slap, striking viciously across Lin Yun's face.

The regional channel went silent for a second.

Immediately after, it completely boiled over.

"Holy shit! Awesome!"

"This reply... is too domineering!"

"One word, brilliant!"

"Big Boss Gu is going to fight this to the end!"

"There's a good show to watch! Selling sunflower seeds, drinks, and mineral water in the front row!"

Meanwhile, in another luxuriously decorated spaceship.

Lin Yun looked at the glaring "Scram" on the screen, his face turning green with anger.

"Bang!"

He smashed the red wine glass in his hand viciously.

Glass shards splattered, cutting the thigh of a scantily clad woman beside him.

The woman screamed in fright, but was kicked away by Lin Yun.

"Get out! All of you, get out!"

He roared like an enraged boar.

"You ungrateful piece of trash!"

"I'm only negotiating with you because I think highly of you! Who the hell do you think you are!"

"Do you really think you're invincible just because you got a first kill?"

"I can crush you to death with money!"

He reopened the chat channel, his fingers trembling as he typed a line of text.

【Lin Yun (brotherhood leader): Good! Very good! You refuse to drink the toast, so you shall drink the forfeit!】

【Lin Yun (brotherhood leader): Region-wide wanted for Gu Pingsheng! Whoever can provide his coordinates gets a bounty of 10,000 energy blocks! Whoever kills him gets a bounty of 100,000! Plus a piece of purple equipment!】

【Lin Yun (brotherhood leader): All members of the brotherhood, assemble! Target: Gu Pingsheng! Blow his crappy spaceship to smithereens for me! Kill all the men, keep the women!】

Once the bounty order was issued.

The atmosphere of the entire region instantly became murderous.

10,000 energy blocks!

100,000 bounty!

purple equipment!

For most players at this stage, this was simply an astronomical figure!

Enough to drive people crazy!

"It's over... Gu Pingsheng is really finished now..."

"There must be brave men under heavy rewards! Now everyone in the region is going to look for him!"

"Sigh, what a pity. Just risen and already falling."

"This is the price of showing off!"

Inside the Captains Quarters.

Gu Nian looked at that bounty order, her face somewhat pale.

"Captain... we're in trouble now."

"Although our spaceship is very strong, if everyone in the region comes to look for us..."

Many ants can kill an elephant.

What's more, they weren't elephants yet.

Gu Pingsheng, however, was still very calm.

He even had the leisure to pick up a slice of apple and put it in his mouth.

"Crunch."

The crisp chewing sound was exceptionally clear in the quiet room.

"Trouble?"

He swallowed the apple, a cold smile curling at the corners of his mouth.

"No."

"This is an opportunity."

"An opportunity?" Gu Nian was stunned.

"An opportunity to establish authority."

Gu Pingsheng stood up and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window.

Looking at the deep starry sky outside.

"Since he wants to play, then I'll play big with him."

"Gu Nian."

"Yes!" Gu Nian stood up straight subconsciously.

"Open the black market."

Gu Pingsheng's voice carried a chilling coldness.

"I want to buy something."

"Buy what?"

"Big fireworks."

Gu Pingsheng turned around and looked at Gu Nian, the light in his eyes brighter than the stars.

"Since he wants to give me a big gift, I must return the favor."

"I want to give him a... grand fireworks display."