Alex adjusted the console to disy a 3D scan of the system.


    Hundreds of red blips crowded the screen, marking ships clustered arounds and moons.


    Each one represented a pirate vessel, smuggler, or scavenger — criminals from every corner of the gxy, converging like vultures on the crippled system.


    "They''re everywhere…"


    Mira muttered, scanning the holographic map.


    Her eyes flickered from one red icon to the next, assessing their formation.


    "I''m counting dozens of clusters, each one with enough firepower to overrun the Federation''s defences… Not that the Federation''s presence here would make much difference."


    Alex nodded, taking in the hologram.


    Each dot of red indicated trouble, but none of them worried him — these were opportunists.


    They weren''t soldiers bound by allegiance or principle.


    They were here for blood, bounty, and whatever plunder the fractured world beneath them offered.


    "They''re bold."


    He remarked.


    "No doubt, word''s spread about the fractured Federation''s new stance on us — public enemy number one."


    He gave a bitterugh, looking at Mira with a raised eyebrow.


    "Do you think they''d swarm the ce if they knew we were here?"


    Mira smirked.


    "If they knew you were here, they''d probably double the bounty on you. Some of these lowlifes are so desperate they''d throw themselves at your feet for the chance of a payout."


    As the hologram continued to zoom in, it disyed a cluster of threes under siege.


    They scrolled through names and codes, searching for one that would make a suitablending zone.


    "Setal."


    Mira read, gesturing to thergest in the cluster.


    "Federation tech hubs, some trade cities, and a lot of energy infrastructure. If these pirates keep tearing the ce apart, it''ll take years to rebuild."


    Alex locked onto Setal and engaged the ship''s stealthnding systems.


    He ran a scan of the''s surface, zeroing in on specific hot zones where criminal activity was highest.


    The readouts returned quickly — energy facilities under attack, civilian colonies gutted, and the central city block reduced to rubble by roaming gangs.


    More than anything, this ce needed order.


    "Perfect!"


    Alex said, a glint of steely condemnation in his eyes.


    "Setal it is. If they''re looking for easy prey, they''re about to be very disappointed."


    Mira''s fingers flew across the control board, setting coordinates for an entry vector that would bypass therger clusters of criminal ships.


    "We''llnd south of their main base, near the industrial zone. Should be close enough to intercept their ground forces but far enough to avoid drawing the entire swarm right away."


    They felt the rumble as the ship initiated descent, plunging through Setal''s thin atmosphere.


    Through the cockpit''s viewport, they saw the''s surface stretch out below them — a scarred, tumultuousndscape, with dense clusters of factories, crumbling buildings, and patches of smoldering ruin.


    Above, the sky was clouded with soot and smoke, casting a dark, oppressive haze over the city below.


    Alex adjusted his harness and checked his gear, his face set with grim resolve.


    This wasn''t going to be a quick hit-and-run mission.


    They were here to root out the criminals, cut through the dens of thieves, and send a clear message: as long as they were around, there would be no safe refuge for pirates.


    Though, he doubted they''d be able to draw their attention away from him the moment word spread of his presence on this ce…


    Hell, even criminals from all across the system would stop what they were doing and head over to Setal immediately after finding out Alex was there!


    ***


    The pair disembarked from the ship, stepping into the industrial district.


    Massive, rusting pipelines stretched overhead, and towers billowed thick plumes of smoke that darkened the sky.


    The silence was punctuated by distant metal shing, screams, and the constant low hum of engines overhead.


    They moved through a maze of abandoned cargo crates and broken machinery, their footsteps echoing off the metal underfoot.


    Experience exclusive tales on empire


    "Keep an eye out."


    Mira murmured, her hand on her de.


    "These ces are crawling with lookouts."


    With how huge this was, it was only natural that the cities littered across it mimicked its size.


    The industrial district they settled down in was so big that not even Alex''s spatial perception covered the whole thing!


    Just then, a faint metallic clink caught their attention.


    Ahead of them, a group of five thugs emerged from behind a massive steel storage container.


    They wore mismatched armour pieces and sported an assortment of weapons, all aimed in Alex and Mira''s direction.


    The lead thug sneered, raising his ster.


    "Looks like we''ve got ourselves some fresh meat. And not just any meat."


    He eyed Alex with a glint of recognition, the gleam of greed in his eyes.


    "Heard there''s a bounty on your head. Traitor or not, that''s a price too tempting to pass up."


    Alex didn''t flinch, his eyes cold and steady as he stared down the gang members.


    "You''ve got one chance."


    He announced, his voice like steel.


    "Walk away now, and I won''t have to put you down like the dogs you are."


    The thugughed, hisrades joining in, clearly not taking Alex''s warning seriously.


    "Listen, buddy, there are a hundred ships in orbit, all lookin'' to get a piece of this ce. If you think we''re scared of one man, you''re dead wrong."


    Mira rolled her eyes, crossing her arms and leaning against a nearby stack of crates.


    "Honestly, Alex, I think they want you to make an example out of them."


    ''She has a point…''


    Alex thought to himself.


    The moment he saw the thug''s brazenness and clearck of regard for his and Mira''s presence there, he thought they were just bluffing to get away.


    But when he saw them pulling their weapons out one by one, he couldn''t help butugh out of confusion.


    Did they forget that before he was a so called ''traitor'', he was the strongest Prodigy in the entire Federation?


    Such a status wasn''t to be taken lightly, like these thugs seemed to think.


    Just by scanning them, Alex could see that they were all weaklings.


    The highest ranked, who happened to be the leader of the five thugs, was only a D+ rank, and not even any higher than Ordinary ss.


    He may as well be an annoying fly in front of Mira and Alex!


    Without another word, Alex surged forward, his movements a blur.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    In the blink of an eye, he had closed the gap, his fist driving into the lead thug''s gut with a bone-crunching force.