Wow! The item-dropping rate is really high!-Chapter 949: Xu Ruoguang

Two days after setting sail, Bai E's transport ship also arrived at the periphery of the Reef Star Domain.

The view through the porthole was unnerving.

An expansive, gray asteroid belt stretched out like a scar across the universe ahead, with rocks of various sizes reflecting a cold sheen under the faint starlight.

They were not stationary but slowly rolling and shifting through complex gravitational interactions.

The gaps between them fluctuated in width, occasionally ejecting tiny fragments that traced silent paths in the vacuum.

Deeper inside, distorted light refractions were faintly visible, caused by gravitational anomalies creating visual distortions, a nightmare for spacecraft navigation systems.

"The terrain here is more complicated than the data described," Catherine stared at the scanner screen, slightly furrowing her brows.

On the screen, the green line representing safe passage was as thin as a thread, winding intermittently through the red blocks representing dangerous areas.

Just as they were preparing to find an entrance, the scanner captured several fast-moving signals.

"There's a ship," Catherine whispered.

Bai E looked at the screen, spotting a few ruggedly designed ships, each with different paint jobs, emerging from the asteroid belt's shadows.

They too had obviously noticed Bai E's transport ship but didn't immediately approach, instead maintaining distance, prowling around like sharks.

The models of these ships were varied; some were clearly modified decommissioned military vessels, while others were civilian ships equipped with weapon modules, painted with terrifying skulls, bloody claws, or other abstract horror motifs—classic space pirate style.

"It's the Black Flag and Star Breaker people," Catherine judged based on the ship characteristics and intelligence obtained from Boss Claw, "Many are eyeing this legacy. They might be patrolling here to intercept 'latecomer' competitors like us."

Bai E's transport ship was seized from the Blood Claw Mine, and it bore some features of the Blood Claw Pirate Group, which were crudely modified but still detectable by experts.

Perhaps that was precisely why the pirates didn't immediately attack but watched vigilantly.

"Ignore them, proceed as planned to contact the Blood Claw main forces," Bai E said calmly.

Their objective was clear—they didn't come to tangle with these small pirate groups.

Catherine nodded and moved to the communications console.

A surrendered small leader of the Blood Claw pirates was onboard, currently guarded by two mining volunteer soldiers, his face pale.

Following prior instructions and threats or inducements, he nervously took the communicator, tuning to the encrypted channel used internally by the Blood Claw Pirate Group.

After a burst of static, the communication connected.

"This is... Gray Mouse," the surrender pirate reported his code name, his voice trembling, "There's a situation in the mine.... Boss Claw told me to find a way to contact the captain, there's an emergency to report."

The channel was silent for a moment before an impatient voice responded: "Gray Mouse? What could happen at the mine? Boss Claw can't even manage a mine? The captain's busy, doesn't have time for your nonsense! At this crucial point in the legacy struggle, don't come causing trouble!"

"Wait!" Seeing the other side about to disconnect, Catherine signaled for Gray Mouse to speak according to plan.

Gray Mouse swallowed nervously, quickly saying: "It's not trivial! It's... it's a batch of top-grade Black Crystal Ore, freshly extracted, of extremely high purity! Boss Claw said this stuff might assist the captain's legacy struggle, and I must deliver it! And... there's something else strange found at the mine, might be related to Salvador's treasure clues, need to report to the captain in person!"

Black Crystal Ore is a highly valuable rare energy ore in this Stellar District, and Catherine did find some inventory while checking the pirate warehouse, now used as bait.

As for the "strange clues"... during such sensitive treasure hunts, any potentially relevant information would grab attention, even if fabricated.

Indeed, the channel was silent again for a few seconds, seemingly weighing the options.

Finally, the voice said: "Report your position. The captain is near the Broken Rock Area, close to the outer edge of the legacy treasure point. We'll send a reception ship over... your news better be useful."

"Useful, useful!" Gray Mouse assured eagerly.

The communication cut off.

Soon, a coordinate location was sent over, situated in a relatively spacious area deep within the asteroid belt, surrounded by a few iconic giant rock fragments.

"Broken Rock Area... looks like Blood Claw's main forces have already penetrated near the legacy treasure point."

Catherine entered the coordinates into the navigation system, "We have to proceed carefully, many forces have probably gathered there."

The transport ship activated its engines, cautiously entering the asteroid belt.

The hull occasionally vibrated slightly, avoiding incoming debris or navigating through weak energy turbulence.

Along the way, they sporadically spotted silhouettes of pirate ships, some hidden in large rock shadows, others flashing by in the distance, seemingly maintaining a fragile balance and standoff, all waiting for the final treasure to be located, or for others to break the stalemate.

Following the coordinate guide, they gradually approached the "Broken Rock Area."

The asteroids here were evidently larger, like suspended rock mountains, forming relatively stable spaces between them.

Under the shadow of one huge rock, seven or eight anchored ships of varying sizes could be seen, among them the largest—a medium-sized assault ship painted with a conspicuous blood-red claw design—the flagship of the Blood Claw Pirate Group's main forces.