219: The most expensive "product demonstration" in history

At this moment, entertainment channels across the universe suffered an unprecedented violent hijacking.

There was no warning, no buffer.

The holographic stage broadcasting an interstellar diva's concert suddenly collapsed, and the footage of a mecha combat match instantly tore apart. Whether in the prosperous core districts of the Alliance or the chaotic fringe systems, hundreds of billions of screens flickered in the same second, finally freezing on the same face.

Chen Feng sat in that signature high-backed chair, with the busily operating Hanhai Base behind him.

He held a glass of amber synthetic wine, raising it slightly toward the camera. His expression didn't look like a wanted criminal about to be surrounded; instead, he looked like a tech giant standing in the spotlight, about to release an epoch-making new product.

"I'm sorry to interrupt everyone's entertainment time."

Chen Feng's voice rang out directly in every viewer's auditory nerves via bone conduction technology, carrying an uncomfortable yet irresistible magnetism.

"I am Chen Feng. You may have heard my name—it's 'madman', 'dead man', or 'a number on a bounty'."

He set down his glass and leaned forward, his pitch-black eyes seemingly piercing through the screen to stare directly at everyone's greed.

"But today, I am simply a salesman."

The screen image changed abruptly.

A massive, eye-searing red K-line chart replaced Chen Feng's face. It wasn't a stock price, but a profit curve climbing frantically.

"Hanhai Trade's first phase of war bonds, codenamed 'Whale Hunt'."

Chen Feng's voice accompanied data of the Black Water Conglomerate's fleet flashing across the screen, his speaking pace steady and seductive. "The underlying assets are anchored to the complete wreckage of the Black Water Conglomerate's Third Joint Fleet. Expected return: 3000%."

"As long as we win, every armor plate of a Blackwater warship, every engine core, and even the ransom for every prisoner will be distributed proportionally as dividends to all shareholders."

"This is not just a war."

The camera zoomed out, and Chen Feng spread his arms. Behind him was the Vast Sea Fleet, ready to deploy. "This is a feast of division. And the tickets are now on sale."

...Tartarus Free Port, underground black market.

The air was thick with the smell of low-grade tobacco and machine oil. The originally boisterous gambling den was deathly silent, with only Chen Feng's voice echoing from the holographic screens.

Those outlaws, smugglers, and information brokers who usually lived life on the edge were all looking up now, staring fixedly at that red "3000%".

The sound of swallowing could be heard everywhere.

"Three thousand times..."

A one-eyed man with a face full of scars muttered to himself, the chips in his hand crushed to powder. "Those Blackwater bastards stole two ships of my cargo last time. If I could watch them get torn into scrap metal and make money from it..."

"This is a fucking Ponzi scheme!" someone screamed. "How is he going to win? By ramming his head into Blackwater's antimatter cannons?"

"If it's a scam, why would the Mechanical Divine Court invest?"

In a corner, a hooded information broker threw out a cold remark. He pointed to the inconspicuous but awe-inspiring golden gear emblem in the bottom right corner of the screen—the certification mark of the Mechanical Divine Court.

This one sentence was like a ladle of cold water poured into boiling oil.

The flames of greed instantly detonated all reason.

"I'm buying!" the one-eyed man slammed the table. "All my life savings, all in! Even if I lose, seeing Augustus suffer a setback is worth the price of admission!"

"Count me in!"

"And me!"

Countless encrypted capital flows, like a school of sharks smelling blood, surged frantically toward Hanhai Trade's accounts through the decentralized network Eve had built... Cloud City, Omni-Dimensional Trade Alliance Headquarters.

A crystal glass was smashed violently onto the floor, expensive red wine spreading across the carpet like blood.

Augustus stood before a massive floor-to-ceiling window, looking at the giant billboards outside that were supposed to be playing Alliance promotional videos, now all occupied by Chen Feng's hateful smiling face.

This wasn't just a provocation.

This was digging at the Alliance's roots.

Chen Feng was turning "resisting the Alliance" into a profitable business model. Once the entire universe realized that challenging authority could not only save one's life but also make them rich, the ruling order the Alliance had maintained for thousands of years would collapse in an instant.

"He is seeking death."

Augustus's voice was squeezed through his teeth, carrying a bone-chilling coldness. "Does he think he can rest easy just because he pulled in the Mechanical Divine Court? Naive."

He turned abruptly to look at Valerius, who had been waiting in the shadows.

"That 'roadshow' location, has it been localized?"

"Locked in." Valerius stepped forward, his dark red power armor making a dull metallic grinding sound. "It's in the abandoned Starship Graveyard of Sector 7. The magnetic field there is turbulent, making it a natural signal-shielding zone—and the perfect cemetery."

"Very good."

Killing intent surged in Augustus's eyes. "No need to wait for Blackwater's main force. I want you to take the Phantom Fleet and jump there immediately. No matter the cost, I want his head twisted off in front of the entire universe's live broadcast."

"I want everyone to see that there is only one outcome for those who bought Hanhai bonds—a total loss."

"As you wish, my Lord."

Valerius gave a standard military salute and turned to leave. A cruel arc curved at the corner of his mouth, the excitement of a hunter about to strangle his prey... Sector 7, Starship Graveyard.

This was the universe's junk pile. Tens of thousands of scrapped warships floated in the void like massive metallic skeletons. Rusted armor plates, broken cannon barrels, and shattered engines exuded a desolate air of death under the pale light of the stars.

But today, it was as busy as a marketplace.

Multicolored private ships, modified armed merchant vessels, and even ramshackle assault ships flying pirate flags were densely moored at the periphery of the graveyard.

They were here to watch the show.

Some were "shareholders" who had invested money, coming to oversee their investment; more were idle spectators, waiting to see how this arrogant Chen Feng would die.

In the center of the graveyard, a modified destroyer floated quietly.

That was Chen Feng's flagship, the vengeance.

Inside the bridge, the atmosphere was strained to the limit.

"Boss, I've received an anonymous message on an encrypted frequency."

Eve's fingers flew across the keyboard as she spoke without looking back. "The source code has gone through twelve layers of disguise, but the signature points to... 'Scavenger' K."

Chen Feng raised an eyebrow. "Read it."

"Only four words." Eve paused, her voice turning heavy. "'The Phantoms have arrived'."

Chen Feng's expression didn't change at all, as if he had been waiting for this news all along. He turned his head to look at Reno, who was standing by the porthole.

"Did you hear that? The guests have entered the venue."

Reno was wiping that massive kinetic hand cannon. Hearing this, he grinned, revealing a row of white teeth. "I've been waiting for ages. These rats who only know how to hide in the gutters—I'm going to skin them alive this time."

"Don't be in such a hurry."

Chen Feng walked to the command console and cast his gaze toward an independent compartment below the bridge.

There, Chimera stood quietly.

But he was no longer that youth in tattered hospital scrubs.

A set of pitch-black, coldly glinting full-coverage heavy armor covered his entire body. The armor's lines were both ferocious and sleek, with several tactical interfaces reserved on the shoulders and back—it was the "Executioner" prototype that Eve had rushed to complete overnight.

Chimera raised his hand, his alloy-armored fingers gently stroking his chest.

There, the emblem of Hanhai Trade was printed—a golden sail standing firm amidst turbulent waves.

"Is this... for me?"

The youth's voice came through the helmet's speaker, carrying a hint of disbelieving trembling.

Back at the Titan Laboratory, they only gave him drug injections and implanted bombs. No one had ever given him "armor".

"This isn't a shackle, Chimera."

Eve's voice rang out in the communication channel, carrying a rare hint of tenderness. "This is protection. Put it on, and you are no longer a weapon; you are Hanhai's shield."

"Shield..."

Chimera repeated the word in a low voice.

Through the tactical visor of his helmet, he saw Chen Feng on the bridge, saw Su Li busy at work, and saw Reno debugging the fire control system.

An unfamiliar, warm emotion spread through his chest.

He clenched his fists, and the armor's servo motors emitted a low hum.

"I will... hold the line."

...At the roadshow site, the clamor grew louder and louder.

"Why hasn't it started yet?"

"Where's Chen Feng? He didn't take the money and run, did he?"

"I think he's just a coward; he's probably scared shitless by now!"

The public channel was filled with all sorts of mockery and abuse. Those waiting to see a joke were already becoming impatient.

Just then.

*Beep—*

Ear-piercing alarms suddenly erupted on the radar screens of all the ships.

It wasn't just one red dot.

It was hundreds, thousands of red dots lighting up without warning in every corner of the Starship Graveyard.

Space shattered like a mirror.

One by one, pitch-black warships painted in stealth mode tore through their cloaking fields like venomous snakes emerging from the void. They flew no flags, but their signature streamlined hulls and ferocious phase cannon ports were recognizable to anyone who had spent time on a battlefield.

The Alliance Special Forces, the Phantom Fleet.

"My god! It's Valerius's fleet!"

"Run! Run fast! This is a trap!"

The crowd that was originally waiting to watch the show instantly panicked. Those private ships scrambled in all directions like startled flies, attempting to flee this death zone.

But it was already too late.

The Phantom Fleet had already completed its encirclement. Hundreds of main cannons were charging, their blue radiance condensing at the muzzles like the eyes of the Grim Reaper, dead-locked onto the solitary vengeance in the center.

Despair instantly enveloped the entire area.

It's over.

This was the only thought in everyone's mind. Before the Alliance's most elite special fleet, Chen Feng's broken ship was like a withered leaf in a storm, destined to be torn to shreds in an instant... vengeance bridge.

The piercing lock-on alarms blared in unison, and red warning lights dyed everyone's faces blood-red.

Reno's finger was already on the trigger, veins bulging on his forehead. Su Li gripped the handrail tightly, her knuckles turning white.

Only Chen Feng remained calm.

He still sat in that high-backed chair, even unhurriedly straightening his collar.

The live broadcast camera in front of him was still on. The entire universe was watching this scene—watching the moment he was about to be destroyed.

The corners of Chen Feng's mouth curled up slightly, revealing a smile so composed it was almost insane.

He raised the wine glass in his hand, giving a slight toast to the camera and the Phantom Fleet surrounding him.

"Shareholders, do not panic."

His voice was terrifyingly steady, clearly reaching every corner.

"This is not an accident."

Chen Feng tilted his head back and drained the wine in his glass.

As the glass hit the table with a crisp clatter, he snapped his head up, the cold glint in his eyes sharper than the starlight outside.

"This is a... product demonstration segment I specially prepared for you."

"Now, let the demonstration begin."

In that very instant.

Valerius's flagship opened fire.

A thick beam of destructive light pierced the darkness, heading straight for the space between Chen Feng's eyebrows.

The frame froze.

It froze at the second the light beam was about to swallow the bridge, and on Chen Feng's hair-raising smile.

The live broadcast signal cut out abruptly.