Chapter 915: Surging Undercurrents (Revised)

Chapter 915: Surging Dark Tides (Revision)

In the clandestine chamber of a Blood Gold Organization outpost, the remote projections of over a dozen executives flickered to life one after another—beings of disparate species, some with black eyepatches obscuring their right eyes, their left eyes lined with beards resembling cosmic pirates; others with obsidian skin and gaunt faces, their pupils twin yellow crystals like those of Andorean waspfolk; still others clad in sleek, iridescent blue-violet exoskeletons, the Void Hunters.

None of those gathered were mere lackeys. Each had left a trail of atrocities across distant sectors, most bearing hefty bounties from their own civilizations. Their combat prowess in catastrophe-class scenarios was no ordinary feat. Now embedded within the Blood Gold hierarchy, they commanded distinct factions, rarely venturing into the fray themselves, content to linger in semi-retirement.

“The situation we’ve encountered lately is known to all of you, I trust,” the Blood Gold leader began, his hands folded beneath his chin in a posture as familiar as a well-worn cloak. His gaze, hypnotic and weary, swept over the assembly. “The Crimson Empire and the Black Star Legion have imposed sanctions upon us. Our own—Marco, Vassena, and Didier—were slain in cold blood.”

The leader, a male human construct of the Radiant Federation, stood tall in his prime, his form honed by genetic refinement. Unlike the others before him, his past was unmarred by infamy; he was no fugitive, but the chosen heir of his predecessor, groomed since youth to inherit the mantle. Thirty-odd years had passed since he ascended, making him the twelfth sovereign of an organization steeped in centuries.

The interstellar black market, older than many galaxy-spanning or even cluster-born civilizations, had seen its stewards shift like sands. The Blood Gold had clawed their way into legitimacy over two centuries past, securing their place among the market’s elite.

“Poor Marco,” sniffed a high-ranking octopoid, his tentacle brushing his eye as he dabbed at a tear. “I still owe him seven hundred twenty thousand, three hundred five points of Ina’l. Such a kind soul—he perished with such… *convenience*.”

“This is no time for levity,” interjected the Andorean’s high-pitched, deliberate voice. “The Crimson Empire’s execution of our leaders is a clear message—a warning against our seizure of their allies’ wares. They seek to dissuade us from pursuing the Evolutionary Totem… Yet how did our inner circle’s secrets leak?”

The Radiant leader’s tone darkened. “Recently, K’rann’s forces clashed with the Black Star’s mechanized legions. They’ve tracked our leadership’s movements with their own precision. Normally, we are the ones who instill fear—but now, they’ve turned their gaze skyward. The Crimson Empire and Black Star are not to be trifled with. We must devise countermeasures.”

“Hmph. The Black Star Legion remains distant in the Shattered Halo, their reach limited. They wield power only there, nowhere else. Their scale pales beside ours. Only the Black Star herself poses a true threat—for now, let them brood in their broken realm. The Crimson Empire, however…” The pirate-bristled alien’s grin was grim. “They’re the ones demanding our attention.”

“Agreed,” the leader nodded.

The Blood Gold’s dominion sprawled across three star domains, their influence dwarfing the Black Star’s. To them, the Legion was but a footnote; the true menace lay in the Crimson Empire’s relentless fury.

“The Radiant and Voidseekers have come to us. If we press onward with the Totem, they’ll unleash further retribution. If we halt… they’ll cast us aside.”

“Aye,” growled another executive. “I opposed this venture from the start. We’re pawns in a grand game of three civilizations. Once entangled, we’re no longer masters of our fate. Better to remain unseen.”

“Pah. When the Radiant and Voidseekers seek us out, do you think they’ll offer us grace? We must cling to their skirts—perhaps we’ll carve out a future. Refuse their olive branch, and we lose everything. The interstellar black market’s steward… they’ll grind us into a joke of a mercenary outfit, until some day they erase us entirely. When they knocked, we’d already be beyond redemption.”

The leader’s voice turned glacial.

The black market was a vast confederation of interests, its stewards the tyrants of shadowed trades. Among them, the Haggler’s Guild wielded the greatest sway, weaving alliances across species, their influence a labyrinth of dependencies. To offend the Radiant and Voidseekers risked not just their wrath, but the collapse of other stewards’ enterprises. If the Blood Gold invited such displeasure, they might find themselves cast out, abandoned to the void.

After all, they’d chosen *them*—a faction untethered from the laws of the stars. What chance did they have of remaining neutral?

“Cosmic civilizations—and their endless tyranny. This is the sorrow of those who dwell in the shadows, unshielded by order.”

A Void Hunter muttered, his form flickering like a dying star.

“Then what path remains? Will they simply watch us be slaughtered?”

Before anyone could answer, two new projections materialized in the chamber—clad in the Radiant and Voidseeker uniforms.

“We’ve spoken with their leadership,” the Blood Gold leader rose, gesturing to the newcomers. “Allow me to introduce…”

But the Radiant envoy raised a hand, dismissing the need for names. “We speak plainly. The Radiant and Voidseekers sympathize with your losses. Thus, we grant sanctuary to your leaders—secretly. We’ll facilitate your agents’ movements to the Abyssal Expanse and Bright Silver Arm. Within our territory, the Crimson Empire and Black Star Legion may not lay a finger on you. Continue accumulating the Totems at will. We’ll also provide resources to sustain your endeavors.”

The Evolutionary Totem’s custody was a point of contention between the Radiant and Voidseekers, yet cooperation flowed like a river of necessity. The Totem’s genetic refinement potential spanned quadrillions of lives—its strategic weight eclipsed all else. Still, mutual distrust simmered beneath the surface.

A collective sigh escaped the Blood Gold executives. Safety, at last, meant they could play their part as pawns.

“I must ask,” interjected the Andorean, his voice sharp. “Seizing the Totems from other civilizations is… inefficient. We risk repeating past failures—the Black Star’s guardians, after all, cannot permit endless thefts.”

The Radiant envoy smiled. “Indeed. This is no eternal solution. Pure plunder cannot satiate our hunger. What say you?”

“The secret of the Totems’ forging has long since leaked. The only true answer lies in wresting the Evolutionary Core from the Black Star himself—the energy source powering the Totems!” The octopoid’s eyes blazed with cold fury.

“A sound theory… but one we cannot yet enact.”

The Voidseeker envoy’s voice cut through like a blade. “For the Totems’ existence has magnified the Core’s strategic value. Should we seize it, there’d be no respite—no *Lighthouse Campaign* to cushion the blow. Once the Core is taken, war commences. The three great civilizations will not fight until the final hour, lest they let others profit.

And you dare question the Black Star’s defeatability? Had we not known of the Totems beforehand, would we not have struck first at the Lighthouse Campaign? We tested our might once—how many A-Tier beings remain trapped in temporal amber? Go test your luck against him, if you dare!”

The octopoid fell silent, coughing into his tentacles.

A god-tier entity like the Black Star… how could a mere catastrophe-class being hope to match him?

The Radiant envoy inclined his head. “He speaks truth. At present, we harbor no intent to assault the Core. It remains our final option. There is another path—persuading the Crimson Empire to open the Totems to sale.”

“Is that… truly feasible?” the Blood Gold leader doubted.

“The Empire’s stance is clear. The Black Star cares little for public sales, yet their oversight binds him. He cannot risk alienating allies by privatizing the Totems. The key lies not in the Black Star’s forces, but in the Crimson Empire. Only if they relent can we hope to acquire the Totems en masse.”

“And to make them relent?”

“Three avenues: force, bargaining, or collective pressure. Their nature you know well—force is fantasy. Bargaining demands our core technologies and resources. Without that, they’ll never agree. So we pursue the third path: economic, trade, political, and security pressure. You, Blood Gold, are but one cog in this machine.”

A executive trembled. “Such secrets… are we fit to be told?”

“Nonsense. It’s a plan they’ve long anticipated. When the Empire chose secrecy, they foresaw this day. You are our ally—sharing this knowledge changes nothing.”

The leader furrowed his brow. “And if the pressure fails?”

The envoy’s smile was a blade’s edge. “Then we’ll strike at the root.”

—

In the opulent private chamber of the Infinite Conglomerate’s headquarters, four figures gathered around a table, its surface adorned with four cups of verdant, steaming nectar.

“Word reaches me the Blood Gold’s leadership was assassinated,” said Solar Khan, his fingers tracing the rim of his cup. “The Radiant and Voidseekers sacrificed them—how callous.”

Millennium, the mechanical titan of the “Machine Nation,” replied without hesitation. Gru’than, the colossal beast-ancestral guardian of the Conglomerate, let out a low rumble, his massive hand lifting the cup to his lips.

“Confirmed,” he rumbled. “The Blood Gold have reached accord with the Radiant and Voidseeker emissaries.”

The interstellar black market’s vastness required the presence of A-Tier beings to sustain its shadowed realm. The Conglomerate’s shareholders, too, were among them—all were titans whose influence shook the stars.

Solar Khan narrowed his eyes. “So, the three powers—Radiant, Voidseeker, and Blood Gold—intend to unite?”

“Aye,” echoed the Voidseekers’ avatar, his voice ethereal and unnerving. “We came not as foes, but as heralds of a shared purpose.”

Solar Khan set his cup down, his tone cool. “Truth be told, I’d rather not meddle in this game.”

"Are you uninterested in the Evolver Totem?" Gorunt's voice boomed like thunder.

"I do not, for no faction in the universe would disregard the Evolver Totem." Saron Kin's face remained impassive. "However, based on my understanding of the Black Star Legion, intervening would yield risks exceeding rewards. I dislike making a losing proposition."

Menison nodded. "I understand. You not only engage in commercial dealings with the Radiant Ethereals but also maintain business ties with the Empire. You do not wish to offend any party. Your Infinite Corporation and gray factions differ; you are a legally protected entity, qualified to remain neutral with capital."

"Indeed, precisely so," Saron Kin spread his hands.

"Ha! Rest assured, we will not push you into anything extreme," Menison's mechanical chassis smiled, though the electronic tone held no warmth.

"Oh? I wonder if there is anything I might assist with?"

"We desire the Infinite Corporation to step in, investing in the Broken Stellar Ring, leveraging legitimate competition to squeeze the Black Star Legion's market and status. With your capital, this is but trifling. You need not lay a hand on the Evolver Totem, nor should the Empire interfere with your normal business dealings."

Saron Kin raised an eyebrow. "Why must I do this?"

"This is one tactic to pressure the Crimson Empire. The Legion's opinions, to some extent, shape the Empire's stance on the Evolver Totem. Such a grand venture must make the Black Star Legion realize they cannot manage it alone. And, besides these official reasons, there is also a personal rivalry between you and him," Menison said calmly.

Saron Kin smiled lightly. "In truth, Lord Mechanist and the Black Star have conflicts I need not detail, but I assure you, I too harbor some private grudges."

"So you agree?"

"The opinions of the three shareholders must be respected, naturally. Yet—ah—the Black Star's ventures are not so easily seized."

Saron Kin's face cleared, his voice earnest:

"I have studied the Black Star Legion thoroughly. They have grown swiftly, branching into dozens of fields, with core operations spanning four domains: armed mercenaries, resource mining from cooperative worlds, Shining World development, and Evolver Totem trade. Frankly, the latter three are niche enterprises beyond outsiders' reach. Their core business is hard to disrupt; the Infinite Corporation can only approach from another angle.

Luckily, the Legion has existed barely two decades. Even the most steadfast foundations cannot remain unshaken forever, though this still demands considerable cost…

So, in the end, what benefit do I gain from this?"

Upon hearing this, Menison waved a finger, and a virtual screen materialized above the table, displaying a lengthy list itemized slowly:

"Resource support, political capital, deeper collaboration projects, expanded industry access… all detailed here. The risks you face amount to the Crimson Empire reducing your cooperative ventures. Yet in this stellar age, the Empire cannot wholly terminate all your normal business dealings. What you gain, however, is commercial ties with two cosmic civilizations, more profound than before…

You believe in weighing profit against peril, confident in your judgment. I grant you a month to deliberate, after which I await your reply."

"No time needed. I can inform you now."

Saron Kin smiled broadly.

"Seems this is a sound investment."

————

(The "Ding Niang" seems to have glitched; it took me a moment to post it from the backend.)