49: Double-crossing, ruins in sight

"Close your eyes!"

Gu Pingsheng's voice was not loud, but in that narrow, enclosed lounge, it sounded like a thunderclap.

Lin Qinghan, Ye Hongyu, and An An executed the order almost subconsciously.

They closed their eyes, turned around simultaneously, and even raised their arms to shield their eyes.

This was the absolute trust cultivated through long-term training and actual combat.

As for those burly pirates who had just rushed out, they clearly lacked such awareness.

They watched the purple metal ball flying towards them, hideous smiles still hanging on their faces.

"What the hell is that?"

The bald leader even reached out to catch it.

The next second.

Boom—!!!

A dull, explosive sound rang out.

Immediately after, there was a blinding light that could not be described in words.

The light was so intense that it felt as if someone had detonated a miniature star in this small room.

Even with her eyes closed and her back to the explosion point, Lin Qinghan could still feel a scorching, stinging pain on her eyelids.

The entire world instantly turned into a pale white.

Accompanying the intense light was a high-frequency sound wave capable of shattering eardrums.

Hum—

The sound was not shrill, but it felt like a drill, ruthlessly boring into everyone's brain.

"Aaaaaah—!!!"

A shrill, miserable scream erupted instantly.

Those burly pirates, as if their bones had been extracted, clutched their eyes and rolled frantically on the ground.

Tears of blood flowed from their eyes, and blood seeped from their ears.

The fear of being instantly deprived of sight and hearing was enough to break any tough guy.

Even the bald man who had just wanted to catch the stun grenade was now curled up on the ground like a dead dog, emitting incoherent wails from his mouth.

"Do it."

Gu Pingsheng's voice sounded again.

Cold, calm, without a ripple.

He wore tactical goggles, and after the blinding light was filtered by the lenses, only a faint purple halo remained.

He looked at the pirates rolling on the ground as if he were looking at a group of pigs and sheep waiting to be slaughtered.

Clang—

Lin Qinghan opened her eyes first.

The high-frequency vibration dagger in her hand flashed with a cold, ghostly blue light.

Without any nonsense.

Her figure moved like lightning, instantly charging into the crowd.

Her hand rose and the blade fell.

Each swing brought up a spray of blood mist.

Those pirates had completely lost their ability to resist at this moment and could only wait to be slaughtered.

Snap!

The long whip in Ye Hongyu's hand also moved.

The long whip, covered in barbs, whipped out a beautiful arc in the air before striking fiercely against a pirate's neck.

The barbs sank into flesh, and with a sharp pull.

The pirate couldn't even scream before his throat was torn open with a large gash.

Blood gushed out, splattering Ye Hongyu all over.

But not only did she not dodge, she instead stuck out her tongue to lick the blood from the corner of her mouth, a morbid flush appearing on her face.

"Scream... scream louder..."

She whispered, her whip dancing even more joyfully in her hand.

As for An An.

She was like a ghost.

Weaving through the shadows after the intense light had faded.

Every time she appeared, a black dagger would plunge into a pirate's back or kidney.

Fast, accurate, ruthless.

This was a one-sided slaughter.

In less than a minute.

There was not a single pirate standing in the room anymore.

A thick, bloody smell permeated the air, nauseating.

Gu Pingsheng stepped over a corpse and walked up to the bald man.

This guy had quite the tenacious vitality, still twitching on the ground.

Gu Pingsheng raised his foot and stepped on his chest.

Applying a little force.

Crack.

The sound of the sternum shattering was clearly audible.

"In your next life, remember to keep your eyes open."

"Some people are not meant to be trifled with."

Bang!

A gunshot rang out.

A wisp of blue smoke rose from the muzzle of the infinite desert eagle.

The bald man's head exploded like a watermelon.

Gu Pingsheng put away his gun and swept his gaze across the chaotic room.

"Clean up the battlefield."

"Within ten minutes, I want to see everything of value."

"Yes!"

The three women replied in unison.

Ten minutes later.

The cargo hold of the pirate spaceship.

Gu Pingsheng looked at the mountain of supplies before him, and the corners of his mouth finally curled into a satisfied arc.

These pirates were truly filthy rich.

Besides a large amount of basic supplies (food, water, fuel), there were also quite a few rare metal materials and energy blocks.

He even discovered several boxes of low-level equipment robbed from other survivors.

Although most of them were white or grey trash, in Gu Pingsheng's eyes, these were all resources that could be used for synthesis or decomposition.

"Captain, look at this."

Lin Qinghan walked over holding a blue blueprint.

Her face carried a hint of excitement.

"This was found in the bald man's safe."

Gu Pingsheng took the blueprint.

【Camouflage Generator Blueprint (Blue · Fine)】

【Description: Manufactures a holographic camouflage device that can change a spaceship's appearance and signal characteristics. Can simulate a meteorite, wreckage, or other types of spaceships.】

"Good stuff."

Gu Pingsheng's eyes lit up.

This thing was practically tailor-made for dog-eat-dog situations.

With it, whether it's fishing for law enforcement or infiltrating enemy lines, it will be much more convenient.

"System."

He muttered to himself.

"Hand of God, activate."

Hum—

A flash of gold light.

The blue blueprint in his hand instantly turned purple.

【Optical Camouflage and Signal Simulation System Blueprint (purple · Rare)】

【Description: Not only can it perfectly simulate the appearance and signal of any object, but it can also achieve 'optical stealth' for a short time.】

"Not bad."

Gu Pingsheng put away the blueprint with satisfaction.

Just at this moment.

An An suddenly appeared from the shadows.

She held a black metal fragment in her hand and handed it to Gu Pingsheng.

"Captain... this..."

It was a triangular piece of metal.

It was engraved with ancient and complex patterns, emitting a faint energy fluctuation.

Gu Pingsheng's pupils shrank sharply.

He grabbed the fragment.

A familiar, scorching sensation came from his palm.

He quickly took out the 【Relic Core Key】 he had previously drawn from the gashapon machine from his space ring.

As soon as the two fragments got close.

They snapped together with a "pop".

Seamlessly.

The previously incomplete key finally had a corner restored.

【Relic Opening Key Fragment A (Special)】

【Description: One of the key items to open the mythic grade relic 'Mechanical Divine Court'. Collect all three fragments to synthesize the complete key.】

"So that's how it is..."

Gu Pingsheng looked at the fragment in his hand, a flash of brilliance in his eyes.

"These pirates were actually looking for that relic too."

"No wonder they appeared nearby."

"It was truly a case of finding something without any effort after searching high and low."

He gripped the key in his hand tightly.

The scorching temperature seemed to be foreshadowing something.

"Retreat!"

Gu Pingsheng waved his hand.

"Take everything that can be taken."

"As for what can't be taken..."

He glanced at this dilapidated pirate ship.

"Just send it on its way."

Half an hour later.

The silver-rank destroyer slowly sailed away.

Behind it.

The pirate ship turned to ashes in a huge fireball.

On the bridge.

Gu Pingsheng stood in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window, watching the magnificent fireworks.

His back was upright like a pine tree, his black tactical suit outlining perfect muscle lines.

The firelight reflected on his profile, light and shadow interwoven, revealing a heart-stopping, cold charm.

"So handsome..."

Liu Ruyan stood in the corner, holding her face in her hands, her eyes unfocused.

She looked at Gu Pingsheng as if she were looking at a god.

The moment Gu Pingsheng returned covered in smoke and trophies earlier, she felt her heart was about to jump out.

That powerful, arrogant aura.

That dominance of controlling life and death.

This is a real man!

This is the man who can survive to the end in the apocalypse!

In comparison, those so-called rich second generations and campus heartthrobs from school were simply a bunch of unweaned children.

She felt her legs go a bit weak, and some unspeakable desire spread through her body.

If...

If she could become his woman...

Even if it was just a plaything...

As long as she could stay by his side, what did a little grievance matter?

It wasn't just Liu Ruyan.

Even the usually aloof Lin Qinghan, looking at Gu Pingsheng's back at this moment, had a different look in her eyes.

That was the tacit understanding after fighting side-by-side, and also the submission to the strong.

She subconsciously touched her neck.

There, a drop of blood splashed during the battle earlier seemed to still remain.

It was hot.

Like a brand.

"Captain."

Gu Nian's voice broke the silence on the bridge.

She pushed up her glasses and pointed at the radar screen.

"We have arrived."

Gu Pingsheng withdrew his gaze and turned around.

Looking in the direction of Gu Nian's finger.

He saw that in the vast starry sky ahead.

A huge nebula vortex had appeared.

Colorful stardust swirled slowly in the vortex, like a giant eye watching this void.

And in the center of that vortex.

An ancient and magnificent metal pyramid was looming.

It was too big.

So big that even the silver-rank destroyer looked like a speck of dust in front of it.

Golden light flowed across the surface of the pyramid, and countless complex runes flickered on it.

An ancient, desolate, and sacred aura rushed towards them.

Even through the screen, everyone could feel the shock from the depths of their souls.

This is...

The mythic grade relic.

This is...

The destination pointed to by that orange coordinate.

Gu Pingsheng took the already scorching key fragment out of his pocket.

It was trembling.

Cheering.

As if sensing the call of its parent body.

"Everyone."

Gu Pingsheng gripped the key, a fanatical smile curling at the corners of his mouth.

His voice was low and powerful, echoing in everyone's ears.

"Are you ready?"

"The real game only begins now."