The Spider Queen

(Unova Syndicate- Planet Xerciam Prime)

(King's Island- Central Square)

This was the first time that Sophie had felt such a contrasting mix of emotions.

On one hand as a member of the Earth Federation it was good news that the Imperial Army had managed to soundly defeat the Unova Syndicate government-led forces.

But on the other hand….

Did it have to happen so quickly?!

Sophie narrowed her eyes as several thoughts flashed across her mind one after the next.

What was the best course of action?

Steal a ship or hire a private crew to escort her?

Did she even have enough money?

The mercenary corps who were so eager to leave the planet just this morning were now content to stay on planet Xerciam Prime and develop safely.

Hold on.

Sophie smiled lightly as she remembered an important fact that had slipped her mind after hearing about the shocking news.

The mercenary groups were not a united faction.

Sure, the majority would not be reckless enough to join a losing side in war but there were always insane bastards willing to hurl themselves into the flames.

Where there was chaos…. there were always opportunities.

The Unova Syndicate may be defeated temporarily but the war was far from over.

Now more than anytime they would be desperate for fresh blood and soldiers so the rewards paid to mercenary crews would increase.

"Hey…." Sophie leaned close and whispered to the female recruiter.

"Do you happen to know any organizations crazy enough to still go to the border region?"

The female recruiter blinked her ten eyes in shock as she stared at the humanoid alien standing across from her.

Did this scary-looking warrior not understand what she had just said?

"No," the female recruiter shook her head firmly and gestured for Sophie to leave.

Sophie continued to smile but hidden deep within her eyes was a strange glint.

Suddenly the female recruiter could not help but shiver slightly as cold beads of sweat dripped down her back.

It felt as though a terrible monster was staring at her from the darkness.

Sophie's expression was unchanged, but her golden eyes briefly flashed a crimson red colour as she allowed her madness to briefly surface.

The tense atmosphere grew until Sophie broke the mood with an unexpected offer.

"Perhaps this can help you remember," Sophie winked slyly as a thick bundle of dollar notes were slipped into the hands of the recruiter.

The female recruiter felt the weight of the money in her hand and made a decision.

If this warrior did not want to heed her warning, then what happened next would not be her concern.

"Um…. there is one group…" she began hesitantly.

"Do you see the pale-skinned creature with long limbs in the corner of the square? He belongs to a religious and mercenary group calling themselves 'The Sun's Glory'."

"I heard whispers that they still plan to send a squad to join the military, but no one has confirmed the rumor as factual."

Sophie nodded in appreciation and placed an extra bundle on the counter before leaving in the direction of the pale-skinned creature.

It did not take long to reach the stall where the alien was standing silently but Sophie did not have a good first impression.

The stall was made from cheap wooden materials with a plain sign that had the words 'The Sun's Glory' written across in silver paint.

It should be noted that this sign looked as though it was about to fall off the rickety pole it was placed on.

There was an unpleasant smell of cheap booze and heavy perfume that made Sophie's nose wrinkle up in disgust.

No other warrior could be seen, and the entire area looked deserted and lifeless.

"Can I help you?" the recruiter behind the stall didn't even bother to look at them as he casually stared at the holographic screen floating above the central square.

Two aliens were fighting fiercely in the pit fighting ring and one was currently missing both his legs as his opponent chopped off his limbs with one fierce strike.

"Does your organization plan on joining the war against the Earth Federation?" Sophie repeated the question she had asked numerous times before.

There was a brief moment of silence as the recruiter turned his head away from the holographic screen and watched Sophie and Lily.

Sophie stared back without losing momentum and could not help but note the odd physiological features of the alien.

His complexion was as pale as snow with long slender limbs that drooped down to the floor due to their sheer size.

The alien was about nine feet tall and towered above Sophie in height.

It was not often that Sophie met someone who was taller than her and it was not a pleasant feeling.

There were no facial features on the alien's face and only two small holes were present on the sides of his cheek.

He wore a large yellow cloak that covered most of his body but there were brief flashes of exposed skin whenever he moved.

Sophie could not tell how the recruiter was talking but somehow a sound was being produced from the area that should be his belly.

"Yes. We will leave in two days," the recruiter slowly replied after some time had passed.

"If you would like to join the expedition squad then arrive at hangar 21 at the spaceport. The shuttle will be leaving two hours after the crack of dawn."

So easy?

Sophie was a bit dumbfounded and now felt vaguely suspicious.

The recruiter had not asked about the duo's identities nor had he inquired about their combat strength or abilities.

Simply show up at the hangar and that was all she needed to do to join the squad?

"Are there any exams or tests I need to undergo in order to prove my combat strength?" Sophie asked curiously.

"I don't care," the recruiter bluntly responded.

Perhaps he noticed Sophie's mistrustful eyes as he sighed in frustration before explaining the reason behind the relaxed recruitment.

"Look if you wanted to join the main team then I would be forced to test you but if I'm being frank…. the lives of those going to the border region are expendable."

"The Unova Syndicate government is desperate enough to just pay a flat rate for every able-bodied creature willing to fight at least… when dealing with our group."

"No matter who we pick… the money will come in, so the standards have been lowered to bring us the most profit."

That was it.

Sophie understood the reasoning and a portion of the suspicions in her heart disappeared, but she remained on guard.

This flat rate was new information, so she was going to inquire around the central square and confirm its validity.

The recruiter hinting that this offer of a flat rate was only extended to their group was also an interesting fact.

Could this organization have hidden ties with the Unova Syndicate government?

In addition to her investigation on the background of 'The Sun's Glory', if everything seemed normal then she would take Lily to meet their new companions two days later.

This was the ideal scenario for both sides.

Mercenaries who wanted to make quick bucks and conceal their identities could join the squad travelling to the border region.

Regardless of whether they lived or died, the higher ups of the guild would receive a flat pay from the government.

Sophie knew that the mercenaries sent to fight in wars were often put on the front lines to act as cannon fodder.

But that was okay as Sophie had no plan to turn traitor and fight her own countrymen.

All she needed to do was to get as close to the border as possible and send a message from her communicator.

Nothing could go wrong.