But that was all in the past. After learning that Blade Warrior and Jade Clear Sect had grown close, there was no way John would come to help. On the contrary, he hated Blade Warrior, he hated Jade Clear Sect, and even Hugo—Feng Yi's death had changed too much.

Back when Feng Yi was alive, who would dare cause trouble here? The saying goes, if you don't respect the monk, at least respect the Buddha. Simply because of Feng Yi's ties to Blade Warrior, even the space pirates had to think twice before plundering this place.

It wasn't Blade Warrior that the space pirates feared, but Feng Yi. Of course, if Blade Warrior had been here, she could have discussed things with the Federal Army. But now she was gone for a year, and Yita truly had no other options.

As for why the Free Bounty Tribe didn't step in? There was a shortage of manpower. Most bounty hunters had already been forcibly drafted by the Federation. Under the hardline policies of the leftist leadership, it was clear that transitioning into the Stellar Migration Plan had become the top priority for various nations. Even if Francis had significant influence, he was, at the end of the day, just a businessman. The upper echelons of the Federation could pay respects to Francis, and even to Amelia, but they wouldn't care about Sky City—not to mention that Sky City was outside Federation territory.

The story Yita relayed was painfully bitter and unbearably difficult. Thankfully, Zhang Xiaobo was a man—a spirited one at that—or else his tears would have long run dry.

At this moment, Zhang Xiaobo had only one thought in his mind: Damn it, with the economy in this state, will money even hold value in the future? He didn't know how to spend the 40 million he had fought so hard to earn. He wasn't crying for anyone else; he was crying for himself. Of course, he made sure to say things like "Yita has it tough" out loud.

Blade Warrior sighed helplessly. Indeed, their departure had been far too long. Initially, they had assumed that given the dimensions of time, perhaps the next instant, or a few days at most, would see their return. Who could've expected this delay to stretch into a full year?

Fortunately, Sky City still stood. It was her greatest hope. A space city must rely on class-M planets to avoid isolation; if the lone city drifted through the universe for too long, trouble was inevitable.

This place wasn't truly perpetual. It required regular maintenance and the replenishment of resources. Hence, choosing which power to align with became especially critical.

Zana? Considering Jade Clear Sect, relocating to Zana wouldn't be difficult. But that wasn't the crux of the issue. You can't rely on Jade Clear Sect for everything. People might help you once, but that doesn't mean they'll help forever. Blade Warrior had no connections with Zana's military, so clearly, that wouldn't work.

Hell's Gate? Its advanced technology certainly made it the best option, especially with Roland as a key player there. If Roland were involved, just about anything might be smoothly resolved. But both Hell's Gate and Jade Clear Sect shared the same issue—Blade Warrior lacked contacts in their upper ranks.

After weighing all the possibilities, the only viable choice was the Federation. Thanks to Feng Yi's introductions, Blade Warrior still knew some officials in the Military Department. Financially, Francis could provide strong support, coupled with Sky Shadow on the side. Though not entirely dependable, compared to the other options, the Federation seemed the closest thing to a "friend"—not family, per se—but given the collaboration over the years, their relationship wasn't insignificant.

After much contemplation, Blade Warrior decided to align Sky City with Federation territory.

Of course, attaching to the Federation wasn't as simple as saying it and making it so. This would require official application, going through numerous levels of review, screening, voting, and the enlistment of influential figures in both the military and political spheres.

Counting on Francis was out of the question. If she could rely on anyone, it would have to be Amelia and Sky Shadow.

But would Sky Shadow help? That was uncertain. And as for Amelia, her connection with Blade Warrior was somewhat distant.

As her thoughts churned, Blade Warrior fell into silence. She thought of Feng Yi. If Feng Yi were here, perhaps all this would simply take one sentence.

A flash of lightning suddenly streaked through Blade Warrior's mind! That's right—why hadn't she considered asking Eggy or Noah for help? They were acquaintances, after all!

With this realization, Blade Warrior snapped her fingers in decisive flair: "Iman, locate Mardis's coordinates. Prepare to move the city in that direction."

"As you wish."

"So quick to decide, huh? Isn't Sena also great? Wouldn't you reconsider?"

"No need. This is the closest route to Federation territory; we'll arrive in a few months. Besides, I feel more at ease there." As Blade Warrior spoke, her gaze swept across the group. "Will everyone stay together?"

For a moment, Zhang Xiaobo was stunned, dazed, at a loss for what to do…

Indeed, this journey seemed to be drawing to a close, marking an imperfect ending. Compared to their gathering a year ago, Zhang Xiaobo realized suddenly that the group no longer had any further actions to take. In other words, it was their struggle against the Bizarre that had brought them together during these months—they'd shared food and shelter, spending their days as a team. But once the matter was resolved—or rendered unsolvable—they'd have no reason to stay.

For a moment, Zhang Xiaobo didn't even know where he should go. What was next for him? Compared to the passionate and trial-filled past few months, the days ahead seemed poised to return to dull monotony.

Would he spend that 40 million on dates, marriage, and having kids? Zhang Xiaobo was lost in thought, tears of sorrow trickling down his cheeks…

"Where do I go now? Should I go home?"

"Haha, you can stay here. If you're worried about your family, you can always head back anytime. This place will always welcome you." Blade Warrior's face lit with a warm smile.

"Really? You said it—aren't you afraid I might drag my whole family back here?"

"You're absolutely welcome. With you here, things wouldn't feel lonely at all."

Zhang Xiaobo broke down in tears, sobbing and sniffling, as he pressed close to Blade Warrior. In a rare moment, Blade Warrior didn't push him away this time.

"Don't forget, if you two get married, you better invite me!" At that moment, Roland suddenly chimed in, reminding Zhang Xiaobo of her earlier promise. If he got married, she'd prepare a special gift.

The chubby man abruptly burst into laughter. Truth be told, Roland's figure and looks were impeccable. Playfully, he asked, "Wh-what special gift? Don't tell me… it's you?"

As soon as he spoke, a round of laughter swept through the group. Even Sky Shadow, who typically wore a cold expression, couldn't help but smirk slightly…

"How much did Xiao Bo drink last night? Not sober yet, huh?" Roland's playful answer triggered another wave of chuckles.

Sky Shadow coolly folded his arms and said in a detached tone, "See you all later."

Blade Warrior swiftly called out to Sky Shadow, who moved fast as ever. "Wait, what are your plans for the future?"

"Plans…?"

"Yes."

"Of course, I'll keep training and reclaim today's setback. I have no reason to sit still. Besides…" Sky Shadow's mind filled with the image of Feng Yi. Perhaps Feng Yi was no longer here, but the combat power Feng Yi had demonstrated at the end—a staggering breakthrough into tens of millions—had become an unsurpassed benchmark. He resolved to exceed that figure.

Another fight? Yet that was exactly how Sky Shadow operated—unyielding at every turn. "Do you have a solid plan in mind?" Blade Warrior asked.

"Not yet, but I will eventually." To be honest, Sky Shadow had no immediate countermeasure against the Bizarre's immense power. However, Feng Yi's achievement of breaking through ten million combat power—and an alternate-dimension Feng Yi shattering a lower limit of one hundred million—proved that human potential was boundless. Instead of disheartening him, it invigorated his fighting spirit.

"Take this." Blade Warrior handed him a Light Transmission Device.

"What's this for?" Sky Shadow glanced at it and took it into his hands.

"If things happen in the future, this device makes it easier for everyone to regroup. Even if there are no further missions, having it with you can act as something to remember us by."

"Hm, pointless." Though Sky Shadow seemed unimpressed by Blade Warrior's sentimentality, he didn't refuse the device, saying instead, "Still, this thing is convenient. Fine, I'll take it."

With that, Sky Shadow glanced coldly at everyone before leaving without hesitation. He soared high into the sky, activated the Light Transmission, and vanished in an instant…

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