Twenty-twenty.

Yuan Hanshuang had no idea that her offhand remark had been interpreted as a provocation, drawing the attention of the Imperial Academy's Chief Group and the entire Student Council.

After a brief discussion via her optical computer, she convinced Ke Junda of her plan. Upon grasping her intent, he wasted no time; he immediately booked a ticket and set off for the Central Galaxy.

"Alright, I'll wait for you at Silver Star."

After ending the call, Yuan Hanshuang felt exceptionally good. Her protégé was worth the investment; the moment she mentioned diving into the underworld, he followed without hesitation. She knew well that while ancient martial arts were on the decline in the interstellar era, their secret manuals weren't exactly priceless treasures—what mattered more was the bond they shared. Otherwise, no one would decide the life-altering matter of choosing a school based on a few words. This willingness to help without hesitation reminded her of her past life in the ancient martial arts world, where loyalty and vengeance were the codes to live by. Ke Junda, this protégé of hers—she was going to look after him!

After confirming the location of the cafeteria, Yuan Hanshuang swiped her student card to exhaust her daily quota of nutrient solution. She then opened her navigation app, intending to wander over to the Black Street of the Central Galaxy. She was a formally registered fighter in the Black Street, a status recognized across the entire galaxy. As long as she registered at a local Black Street fighting arena, she could enter matches at any time.

Naturally, the area surrounding the school was a commercial hub. As soon as Yuan Hanshuang stepped out of the campus gate, she saw many people on the street across the way soliciting part-time workers, waving enthusiastically at the Silver Star students.

"Silver Star students! Interested in a part-time job?"

It wasn't that Silver Star students were poor; it was just that the Imperial Academy not only enforced a fully closed management system on weekdays but was also so incredibly wealthy that they provided monthly subsidies to their students. Under such conditions, it was hard to recruit from the military academy, so they had to focus on the other school.

Generally, you couldn't get into the Black Street without the right connections. Yuan Hanshuang hadn't been in the Central Galaxy for long and hadn't had the chance to scout the Black Street's location. However, she wasn't in a hurry. She bought a fragrant grilled sausage from a stall on the snack street and ate while she strolled.

As the saying goes, hard work pays off. She actually found a Black Street informant. The man stood at a street corner, holding a small megaphone.

"Students, would you consider working for us? Up to one thousand star coins a day, with excellent benefits."

On this street, where the average daily wage was only one or two hundred, one thousand star coins was a crushing, dimensionality-reducing offer. The informant had only been shouting for a short while before attracting a crowd of curious students.

"One thousand star coins? What kind of part-time job is this?"

The informant replied, "Mainly as a waiter."

"A waiter?" The students frowned. "Don't kid me. The waiter at the luxury boutique next door only makes two hundred for a full day's work. You aren't trying to trick us into going to the Dark Star to get our kidneys harvested, are you?"

At this, the people around them cast suspicious looks. One thousand star coins a day was great, but if they ended up on a dark transport to the Dark Star, they would be in serious trouble.

"I'm wronged! Students, please use your heads." The informant said helplessly, "What era is this? The laws of the Empire and the Federation are right here. How could we trick you into going to the Dark Star in broad daylight? Besides, do you think the Dark Star is that easy to get to? The ticket alone costs thousands of star coins; I can't even afford to go there myself!"

After finishing her sausage, Yuan Hanshuang tossed the bamboo skewer into the trash can, feeling that made sense. The Dark Star was the headquarters of the Black Street's 'Black Tower,' a massive planet with a diameter equal to that of the Federation's main star or the Empire's capital. Because it was located in the peripheral galaxy, outside the jurisdiction of the Federation and the Empire, it was truly a lawless land. Since it was lawless, the ticket price was naturally exorbitant. Those who went to the Dark Star weren't necessarily all heinous criminals, but they certainly weren't clean either; no one would go to that hellhole without a reason.

"Although our pay is high, we have a legitimate business license, so students can rest assured." As he spoke, the informant displayed his optical computer screen. In recent years, after reaching a tacit understanding with the Empire and the Federation, the Black Street had indeed moved some of its businesses into the light, bowing to the two major powers.

"It really does have a business license..." Seeing the document, the students finally believed him and began asking about the requirements.

Such a high-paying job naturally had strict requirements. The list the informant reeled off wasn't simple—it included demands for appearance, height, calculation ability, and cultivation level, among other things. After this long list of conditions, half the students gathered around were immediately weeded out.

Yuan Hanshuang listened in from the edge of the crowd. As a seasoned Black Street employee, she could tell at a glance that this was the Black Street casino hiring temporary staff. The Black Street's business scope was vast; besides fighting arenas, it had casinos, horse racing tracks, and more, providing many jobs each year. Some of these roles required talents that ordinary people couldn't handle. Undoubtedly, students from prestigious academies were the most suitable and cheapest combat resources.

Seeing so many students signing up, the informant’s face lit up with a wide grin. "Don't rush, don't rush! Those who meet the requirements, come here to scan the code and fill out a resume. Our shuttle is parked on the star rail nearby. One person gets on for every one who passes. We're only hiring ten! All three meals included, plus transportation!"

He was busy shouting when he turned his head and saw a black-haired girl in pigtails walking toward the vehicle door as if no one else existed. He immediately flared up: "Hey, you, the Silver Star student, what are you doing?"

"Everyone here is an elite who made it into a prestigious academy; we don't do this kind of sneaking on board—"

Halfway through his sentence, the informant went silent. He saw the black-haired girl turn around, wearing a pair of cool molecular sunglasses. The glasses themselves weren't a big deal; what was a big deal was the diamond emblem on the frame. That was the exclusive status symbol of a Diamond-ranked fighter stationed at the Black Street.

Yuan Hanshuang raised an eyebrow: "Catching a ride. You don't mind, do you?"

"I don't mind, I don't mind at all! Please, go ahead!" The informant finally snapped out of his shock, his attitude doing a complete one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turn. He wished he could personally escort her onto the vehicle. The fighting arena was the core symbol of the Black Street, and stationed fighters were few and far between, but they were undoubtedly all big shots. The informant was just a small-time broker; he wouldn't dare offend such a person.

Many students filling out their resumes watched the scene with curiosity. "Who is that?" "Don't know, probably someone with connections."

About ten minutes later, the hovercar started. The vehicle twisted and turned, taking them to the city center and flying directly into the middle of a steel skyscraper. The Central Galaxy did not disappoint; a brilliant, shimmering silver passage split open from the center of the building, which was the entrance to the Black Street. Looking ahead, the interior was a world of its own, essentially a small base. This alone was enough to outperform Star 1999.

After parking at the entrance of the casino, the informant took the students off the vehicle, instructed the driver to head to the fighting arena, and bowed repeatedly to see her off. Soon, the hovercar arrived at Yuan Hanshuang's destination—the Central Fighting Arena.

After getting off, she paused to admire the high-tech building constructed with holographic projection before looking around and strolling toward the service desk. Since Yuan Hanshuang was already a stationed fighter in the Black Street, the transfer process was swift. In less than ten minutes, she completed the paperwork.

The staff member smiled: "Hello, SpongeBob. This is your transfer certificate. Welcome to the Central Fighting Arena. Stationed fighters are required to complete at least three matches per week, or your commission will be reduced."

As the words fell, the massive screens around them displayed the message: "WELCOME DIAMOND FIGHTER SPONGEBOB TO THE CENTRAL FIGHTING ARENA!!!" It was colorful and flashy.

Caught off guard by this welcoming ceremony, Yuan Hanshuang remained silent. Because it was too embarrassing, she silently adjusted the edge of her sunglasses and chose to hide her ID from public view for the time being.

The Central Galaxy was full of experts. A Diamond-ranked fighter, rare on peripheral planets, was not uncommon here. There were even higher Master ranks, and it was rumored there was a hidden Grandmaster. Thanks to this, the announcement of a new Diamond-ranked fighter didn't draw much attention, which made Yuan Hanshuang breathe a sigh of relief.

The higher the rank, the harder it was to fight, let alone for someone who had just entered the Diamond tier. By tradition, this rank was mostly occupied by Fifth-tier fighters. It was undoubtedly difficult for a low-tier player to climb the ranks; one mistake could lead to a demotion back to Platinum.

Just as she was preparing to check out the arena and think of a strategy, a hesitant voice came from behind her: "SpongeBob?"

Yuan Hanshuang turned around sharply. A boy a head shorter than her stood timidly behind her. Seeing her turn, the boy immediately stood at attention: "Senior, hello! I'm from Silver Star too!"

Yuan Hanshuang: "?"

"You've been following me?" She remembered someone like that on the hovercar.

The boy was stunned for a moment, realized the misunderstanding, and waved his hands in defense: "No, no! I fell asleep on the car earlier, and the guide left me behind, so I had no choice but to follow you off the bus."

Yuan Hanshuang narrowed her eyes. Someone so big had been behind her, and she had only just noticed. Seeing the senior not speaking for a long time, Wu Haoxuan became increasingly anxious. Looking at his near-empty balance after paying tuition, he had gone straight out to look for a part-time job without even resting after finishing his enrollment. He had finally found a high-paying job, but because he had been washing dishes until too late the night before, he had fallen asleep on the hovercar and was only woken up by the driver. Looking at the empty vehicle after waking up, Wu Haoxuan was stunned. He had been sleeping the whole way, didn't know where he was, and was completely lost.

However, based on the attitude of the informant and the staff earlier, it wasn't hard to guess that the senior in front of him was a big shot. In a strange place like this, meeting a big shot from the same school meant he had to cling to her!

"I promise I didn't see anything, and I definitely won't say anything I shouldn't!" Wu Haoxuan raised his right hand, swearing and pledging repeatedly. Seeing the other party's expression soften slightly, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't exaggerating; this senior's aura was just too strong. Standing there, she looked like a giant.

"Um, Senior, may I ask, where is this?"

"Black Street," Yuan Hanshuang replied.

"What? Black Street?" Wu Haoxuan's pupils dilated. He finally realized something was wrong: "Wait, this part-time job is being a waiter on the Black Street?" As a law-abiding citizen, his biggest impression of the Black Street was that it was a lawless land. Let alone visiting it, even the name alone was enough to scare children into silence.

Seeing his reaction wasn't fake, Yuan Hanshuang dropped her suspicions: "Yeah, is this your first time here?"

Wu Haoxuan’s mouth tasted bitter: "Senior, can I still go back now?" He had been secretly happy about finding a high-paying job, thinking his luck had turned around. He never expected his "unlucky guy" persona to hold strong. Who could have imagined this!

"Well, I'm afraid not. You've already signed a contract with the informant. Even if you don't go to the casino, you'll have to work on the Black Street for half a year."

The two looked at each other. The latter paused, then suddenly knelt down and hugged her shoes, weeping loudly: "Waaah, Senior, save me! I don't want to get my kidneys harvested!!!"

Yuan Hanshuang: "Get up first." How did the rumor about kidney harvesting on the Black Street get out? It really ruined the employees' image! "Did you not read the clauses carefully when you signed the contract?"

Wu Haoxuan shrank his neck: "I-I read them. But they paid so much!"

This answer had a bit of her own style from back in the day. Yuan Hanshuang choked, looking at Wu Haoxuan's plain, cheap outfit, and felt a sense of camaraderie between poor people. "Fine, since we're both students, it's fate that we met. I'll go help you talk to the casino."

Wu Haoxuan shook his head frantically: "No, no, no, Senior, I just want to leave here!!!"

"But you signed a contract with the Black Street, you little fool." Yuan Hanshuang looked at him with pity: "The Black Tower's legal team is ranked in the top three in the galaxy. Do you want to pay a two-million-star-coin breach-of-contract fee?"

Wu Haoxuan was horrified: "What? Two million star coins? Even if you sold me, I wouldn't have that much money!"

Yuan Hanshuang: "Working part-time on the Black Street isn't as dangerous as you think. As long as you don't look for trouble, the pay is much better than outside. If you don't want to be a waiter, you can consider getting a part-time job in the fighting arena."

The fastest way to make money on the entire Black Street was the casino and the fighting arena. Leaving the former aside, the latter offered not only a base prize for winning a match, but high-ranked fighters also got livestream tips. Yuan Hanshuang figured that since he managed to get into a prestigious academy, he had to be at least Third-tier. As long as he focused on climbing the ranks for a while and his combat level was decent, it wouldn't be hard to earn some pocket money. If he performed well and caught the eye of a supervisor, signing a long-term contract with the Black Street would allow him to maintain his school living expenses with the money earned from weekly fights.

Compared to other jobs, being a stationed fighter on the Black Street was much easier and didn't require too much cultivation time, at least not enough to interfere with his studies. Yuan Hanshuang had been poor herself, so she didn't mind pointing a way out for this little "junior."

"What are your mimicry level and cultivation level?"

"A-level, Third-tier intermediate."

"That's plenty." Yuan Hanshuang was surprised that she could run into an A-level student just by wandering around. It was true that prestigious academies were full of A-levels. "Go register and say you've already signed a contract with the Black Street; you'll be able to fight in the arena."

"Uh." Wu Haoxuan scratched his head: "But Senior, I'm a freshman in the Support Department this year." He added cautiously: "Can the Support Department participate in such violent duels?" Even though he was a support, Wu Haoxuan still had a heart for violent melee combat, and he felt a little expectant when he said it.

"..." Yuan Hanshuang went silent. Of all the departments, it had to be the Support Department!!!

The Support Department, as everyone knew, was a crucial, indispensable part of team matches, but their individual combat ability was extremely low. Support fighters hanging out in the Black Street fighting arena all relied on team matches—like 2v2, 3v3, and team battles—to climb the ranks; they almost never fought alone. It wasn't that there were no solo support fighters, but they had a nickname: "Free Points."

"Go do multi-player battles and random matchmaking." Yuan Hanshuang patted his shoulder. "As for solo duels, if you have extra entry fees, you can try it. Young people need to learn through practice. Good luck."

"Senior, don't!" Being an unlucky guy, Wu Haoxuan's sixth sense was very accurate. His intuition told him that after being dragged to the Black Street, he was like a little lamb wandering into a wolf pack, and if he didn't cling to the big shot's leg, he would soon be roasted.

"Senior!!!" Wu Haoxuan stood there, looking pitiful.

"I'd love to help, but I don't do multi-player battles." Yuan Hanshuang waved her hand without looking back. Because one never knew how infuriatingly bad teammates could be in multi-player matches, she always relied on solo duels to climb the ranks to avoid wanting to kill her teammates on the spot.

"I'm willing to treat you to a meal and offer thirty percent of my earnings from every match!"

Yuan Hanshuang stopped dead in her tracks and spun around. What, not only treating her to a meal but also offering a cut of the earnings!!!

"Oh, junior, you should have said so earlier! We're both from Silver Star; how could I not help you?" She loosened her wrists, her smile growing more intense: "Today is a good day. I think it's perfect for going into multi-player battles to crush some noobs. Come on, Senior will take you to the top."