MPWATMBC Chapter 96

Ryan adjusted himself, his thoughts filled with Auston and Tuantuan. Deep in his heart, there was no desire to seize power or ascend to high status, no antisocial or misanthropic malice, and no greed for wealth. In the softest part of his heart, he had placed the people most important to him. It was as if he could see Auston holding Tuantuan, smiling at him, and Tuantuan waving their tiny hand, calling out, “Daddy…” A faint smile curved Ryan’s lips.

Once this mission was completed, he and Auston could finally go home. How he missed Tuantuan. The child was growing so quickly, changing almost daily. By the time he and Auston returned, Tuantuan would surely have grown taller and stronger. The child had a great memory—surely they wouldn’t feel unfamiliar with their daddy and papa, would they? A sudden wave of anxiety washed over Ryan. He was almost tempted to raise his hand right then, activate his personal terminal, and send a video request to his mother to talk to Tuantuan and see what the child was doing.

“Hello?”

Ryan felt his arm being nudged and heard Bandner’s voice beside him. Ryan asked, “What is it?”

“You were spacing out,” Bandner said, a bit speechless. Spacing out at such a critical, tense, and pivotal moment? Truly, as expected of a master—so different from ordinary people. Bandner couldn’t help but feel a sense of admiration.

Ryan chuckled lightly. “Just thinking about something.”

“Oh, I see. Your expression softened and became so gentle just now. Must have been something wonderful, huh?” Bandner was curious, as he thought Ryan’s earlier smile looked warm and content.

Ryan nodded. “Very wonderful.” Nothing in life could compare to meeting Auston and having Tuantuan.

Bandner sighed with a tinge of envy. “That’s nice. I have nothing to feel happy about. The place you’re looking for is remote and backward. None of the children there have a childhood—just endless training and brainwashing, pledging loyalty, over and over again, in a life of eternal darkness. That person is our only faith in the darkness. My grandfather taught my father, and my father taught me. The spirit passed down from generation to generation is our goal to strive for.”

The “person” he referred to was Emperor Qin Feng Anderson. To them, in their bleak and sunless lives, he was the only light, their god.

Ryan fell silent for a moment. “Everything will be fine.”

“Yeah, I feel like meeting you all is a turning point,” Bandner said, genuinely feeling this from the depths of his heart.

“Congratulations to Her Majesty the Queen in Seat 262 for winning the auction item!” The auctioneer on stage struck the gavel, and a server immediately shouted at the top of their lungs.

Ryan instinctively glanced at the low, round table in front of him. On it was a numbered card, displaying “262”—a nice number, all even, just the way he liked. But what was all the stuff beside the card? A beast’s horn? A wilted cauliflower? An ancient beast’s tooth? A gemstone riddled with spots? What kind of assortment was this?

Ryan cast a subtle glance at Harriet. A bit more restraint, please.

Harriet shrugged. Carefree and unbothered—it was that simple. She was staying true to her character.

Ryan: “…” And what have we ended up with this time? He looked over at the latest delivery. Well, it was… somewhat useful—a bowl of natural yeast. Bread, puff pastries, steamed buns, stuffed buns, flower rolls… It could make all of these. The taste was bound to be good. Just thinking about it made his stomach rumble.

“Hehe, I knew you’d like this,” Harriet said smugly, waving her hand with an air of triumph. Her expression was just a little too punchable.

Ryan: “…”

Bandner whispered hesitantly, “I just have a question.”

“What is it?” Ryan encouraged him to speak. Bandner was far too tense, and tension often led to mistakes. Whatever one did, maintaining a good mindset was key. Ryan looked at Bandner with the demeanor of a mentor addressing the descendant of a subordinate from centuries past. That subordinate had been Tyrell’s deputy—a man of integrity, honesty, and unwavering loyalty, with exceptional operational abilities and mental resilience. He had been an excellent choice for undercover work. Centuries later, Ryan hadn’t expected that the still-unfinished undercover mission would persist, upheld by this family with a spirit akin to the Foolish Old Man moving mountains, steadfast and resolute.

Bandner asked, “Do you still have any money left?” He was genuinely worried that by the time they needed to pay a ransom for Rennie, they’d have no money left at all. Selling organs on the spot probably wouldn’t cover the cost.

Ryan smiled mysteriously. “Sometimes, money isn’t the most important thing.”

Bandner shrugged. “I think money is pretty important here.” He sighed deeply, thinking about the group he left behind—people with no water, no food, lacking vitamins, and without weapons to defend themselves. The pirates didn’t see the lives of those in the ground outposts as anything more than expendable free labor. He had risked his life to come out and gather supplies, scraping together every last bit of money to secure even a slim chance of survival for his people.

Ryan patted Bandner on the shoulder. “Since we’re here, we will take your companions with us.” It was a soldier’s promise.

As they spoke, a commotion erupted in the trading hall. Harriet, Fan Lanting, and the others, who had been keeping their eyes glued to the stage, suddenly stood up. Their actions didn’t stand out much, as most of the attendees were doing the same. The only difference was the fury hidden in Harriet and her team’s eyes, while the rest of the crowd’s eyes burned with unbridled madness.

Ryan turned his gaze toward the stage. What he saw filled him with seething rage. He quickly looked down, refusing to take a second glance.

“Damn it! The pirates on Cranberry are utterly inhumane!” Bandner cursed viciously, but no amount of swearing could change the situation.

The stage did not showcase tangible items but rather a holographic projection. The images displayed were a grotesque collection of bodies, as if suspended in formaldehyde—various sizes, genders, and ages. It resembled a tour through the laboratory of some deranged medical scientist. The half-flayed corpses were a horrific spectacle, testing the limits of human sanity. Yet, upon closer inspection, these “corpses” were alive. They were alive.

It was utterly horrifying.

Bandner forced himself to stare at the holographic display. No, no, no… not here. He scanned the faces, searching desperately. Rennei wasn’t among them. A faint sense of relief flickered within him, but the hollow, numb gazes of those trapped individuals sent an even deeper chill down his spine.

The holographic display soon disappeared, but its brief appearance had already ignited the crowd’s fervor. Before the auction officially began, shouts of bids erupted one after another, pushing the atmosphere in the trading hall to a fever pitch.

The auctioneer on stage was a strikingly beautiful woman with an arresting presence. Her tall, elegant figure, flawless curves, and cascading golden waves of hair made her impossible to ignore. The shimmering, star-studded blue gown she wore accentuated her beauty further, making her the focus of every gaze. She was not just the auctioneer but also the lord of Cranberry—the mistress of this place and the target of Ryan and his team’s mission.

The auctioneer, who was also the Lord of Cranberry, smiled with a graceful elegance. “This is a new batch of goods, guaranteed to still be alive. If the one you choose happens to die, we will compensate you at the same price. As decorations, they’ll adorn your home; as toys, they’re yours to play with anytime; as research specimens, you can explore and experiment as you wish… Interested? Each one starts at the equivalent of eight pounds of gold. Let’s begin the bidding—increments of one pound of gold per bid. Do you like it?”

The crowd erupted in cheers, their enthusiasm palpable. Among them, however, Ryan and his team wore grim expressions.

The Lord raised her hands, signaling for the crowd to quiet down. Still smiling, she said, “Let the auction begin, then.”

“Wait.”

The voice wasn’t loud enough to overpower the excited crowd, but what Harriet revealed was more than enough to catch the Lord’s attention. Once the Lord’s attention was hooked, everything that followed would become much easier.

The breathtakingly beautiful Lord smiled gracefully, exuding poise. “I’m quite interested in what our guest has brought. May I have a private word with you?”

The Lord’s voice immediately drew the attention of the bloodshot, twisted-faced pirates, who now noticed Harriet. But by then, she had already put the item away, leaving everyone else in confusion—what could possibly attract the Lord of Cranberry?

Harriet smiled as well. Their gazes clashed in the air, neither yielding an inch. Finally, Harriet nodded. “Of course.”

It hadn’t been the earlier extravagant spending that earned the Lord’s notice. And just because a trump card was played didn’t mean it would instantly seal the deal. Things in life were never that simple. Achieving one’s goals required going through a certain process—this was how the adult world worked.

The Lord smiled gracefully and bid farewell to the crowd, elegantly lifting the hem of her starry gown as she descended from the stage. A new auctioneer would continue the event in her place. As she stepped off the stage, the Lord maintained a composed smile, her voice turning cold as she asked her subordinate, “The information on that person?”

“Lord, that person just arrived today—she’s a newcomer, the first time on Cranberry. The woman in charge calls herself Witch Hart, a new name we haven’t heard of before,” the prepared subordinate kept pace with her, detailing everything they had discovered. “We couldn’t find any trace of her on the StarNet through facial recognition searches. She’s an undocumented person. She arrived with four men—one is a male lover, one a jester for amusement, and the other two are bodyguards.”

If Derrick knew the pirates thought so little of his position, he would surely argue loudly—I’m the steward! I’m the steward!

The subordinate continued, “Witch Hart and her group are acquainted with Bandner’s team. They brought a 3-element injection, which must be for Rennie.” The subordinate cautiously stole a glance at the Lord’s expression and, seeing that she wasn’t particularly angry at the mention of Rennie, felt somewhat relieved.

The Lord nodded. “Understood.”

The subordinate bowed low. “Lord, should we… deal with them?”

The Lord cast a fleeting glance at her subordinate, who instantly realized his mistake. He quickly corrected himself, saying, “Cranberry is a place where one can indulge and release their true self, but it’s also a hub for fair transactions.” Following the Lord’s principles, this was not a place for indiscriminate slaughter—blood had such an unpleasant stench. If something needed resolving, why not handle it through negotiation?

The subordinate couldn’t help but shudder slightly. Very few things could capture the Lord’s attention or satisfy her desires, making the current situation all the more notable.

Satisfied, the Lord withdrew her gaze and smiled, exuding confidence and authority. “Our goal is to build the universe’s foremost platform for fair trade. Understood?”

“Yes, I understand. I’ll remember your teachings,” the subordinate replied, nodding emphatically, his loyalty unwavering.

Adjacent to the trading hall were numerous private chambers for conducting discreet transactions. By the time the Lord stepped into one of these rooms, Witch Hart and her entourage were already there. They occupied the main seat on a seven-seat wooden sofa that directly faced the entrance. Witch Hart lounged lazily, her posture exuding nonchalance. Beside her, a diminutive man carefully served tea, only to be waved off. Obediently, he descended from the sofa to the floor, where he began gently massaging her legs with his fists.

This display of “gentle” service caused the smile on Harriet’s face to grow even more “radiant.”

The Lord’s gaze swept over Fan Lanting briefly. The delicate, soft-featured young man was clearly not her type. Instead, her attention lingered on the three men standing behind the sofa, each with his own unique charm. Bandner, on the other hand, was subconsciously overlooked. Compared to these striking figures, Bandner seemed utterly nondescript, blending into the background without a trace of presence. He instinctively stepped back, positioning himself behind Ryan.

Bandner had previously confided in Ryan that they had crossed paths with the Lord two years prior in another pirate haven. Pirate territories were rarely peaceful, with conflicts and skirmishes breaking out constantly. At the time, while procuring weapons, Bandner and his team had been inadvertently caught up in a fight between two rival factions. Rennie’s ear injury had been sustained during that chaos, and one of the factions involved was led by none other than the Lord of Cranberry, whose forces had fired the iron projectiles that caused the injury.

Back then, the Lord had acted with restraint and composure. Upon realizing that Bandner’s group had been inadvertently caught in the fray and injured, she had arranged for their treatment and even compensate them for medical expenses. That positive impression, however faint, had influenced their decision to take the risk of visiting the unfamiliar Cranberry planet in their urgent search for fuel and supplies.

Initially, the Lord had shown goodwill, and it seemed like everything was progressing in a favorable direction. Desperate for resources, Bandner and his companions had cautiously let their guard down. But soon after agreeing to the trade, the Lord had ruthlessly reneged. Not only had she captured Rennie, but she had also injured the only female member of their team, Carrie.

Bandner’s evaluation of the city lord was that she was unpredictable, ruthless, and someone who could never be trusted. What was seen on the surface was most likely a facade, and caution was essential.

Bandner’s instincts were quite accurate, and his evaluation of the city lord was fair.

The seated city lord didn’t care at all that her rightful spot had been occupied. She sat down on a single sofa, smiling gracefully as she looked at everyone. “I’m very interested in the element injectors you’ve brought out. What do you need in exchange?”

Ryan raised an eyebrow as he observed the city lord. Her straightforwardness, without any unnecessary formalities or beating around the bush, was quite refreshing. Getting straight to the point saved a lot of time and avoided unnecessary talk—too many words could easily expose hidden doubts.

Harriet, smiling like a seasoned pirate, replied lightly, “Before entering this room, the city lord must have already known our purpose. To be honest, one of my subordinate’s friends is in your hands. In exchange for such a valuable injector, I’m asking for this person.”

The city lord also gave a knowing smile, her gaze briefly flicking over Bandner. “Hart certainly treats her subordinates well.” Her tone was like that of an old friend.

Harriet shrugged helplessly. “They’re all my mates, who’ve been with me through thick and thin. How could I not cherish them? Besides…” Harriet winked at the city lord. “I’m pursuing him, so I have to show some genuine intentions.”

The city lord laughed heartily. “They’re all your subordinates, what talk of pursuing? Just go for it directly.” The words, coming from her, didn’t sound crude at all. In fact, due to her beauty, they carried a unique charm.

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