This was the first time Lin Feng had been approached by a foreigner, let alone a noble lady who was the very picture of beauty, dignity, and splendor.

The young woman’s skin was as smooth as flawless white jade, and her features were exquisitely delicate. With her high-bridged nose and large, azure eyes, she looked like a goddess of beauty from a Western legend.

Looking at the jeweled necklace on her snowy neck and the diadem woven into her upswept golden hair, he figured she must have a powerful background.

"Uh..."

"Hello."

Lin Feng was a little flustered. He spat out the sucked-dry shrimp head from his mouth and offered a simple reply.

The elegant and poised noble girl before him gave a faint smile and continued to speak.

Her voice was as pleasant as a lark’s song—the result of professional training among the nobility. While it had no practical use, it could naturally earn her a bit of goodwill in conversation.

For example, at this moment, it was enough to make Lin Feng listen patiently:

"Mr. Lin, please allow me to introduce myself. I am the First Princess of the Rolle Kingdom, Betty Charmann."

Lin Feng raised an eyebrow. He knew she was a noble, but he hadn’t expected her status to be this lofty.

The princess of a nation. Although, from what he recalled, the Rolle Kingdom was just a small country in the Western Alliance, with a territory about the size of two Federation states.

But she was the princess of a country with a true monarchy, not the daughter of some fleeting politician. In terms of power or status, the two were completely incomparable.

In the past, Lin Feng would never have had the chance to be approached by a princess. Even now, it sounded fantastical.

So, besides his surprise, Lin Feng also grew secretly wary. He gave a polite nod and replied:

"Special Soldier, Lin Feng. Your Highness."

Betty maintained her smile and said self-deprecatingly:

"My nation is nearly gone. I’m just a Princess of the Fallen Nation. Please don’t call me ’Your Highness.’"

Lin Feng was a little surprised. Betty didn’t put on airs like other nobles; on the contrary, she seemed extremely approachable.

"Princess Betty, may I ask why you’ve sought me out? At a time like this, shouldn’t you be negotiating with politicians and seeking emergency asylum?"

Betty shook her head, a hint of melancholy in her eyes:

"What use would that be? This is a chaotic world where the strong prey on the weak. Besides the weapons in your hands and your own personal strength, no one can promise permanent safety and shelter."

Lin Feng nodded. It seemed nobles weren’t as foolish as they were in movies and TV shows; on the contrary, they were all exceptionally shrewd. However, this princess still hadn’t stated her purpose:

"So you came to this victory banquet hosted by the military. Unfortunately, my own strength is still too weak. I can only offer you some services related to the live Zerg trade."

"If you’re interested, you can discuss the details with my partner."

The corners of Betty’s lips curved upward. She tilted her head back slightly, looking at the handsome, powerfully built man before her:

"No, I came specifically for you, Mr. Lin."

Lin Feng’s brows furrowed slightly. He sized up the noble princess before him. She was only about 1.6 meters tall, a full head shorter than him.

But her proportions were perfect, and her petite frame, set off by her magnificent gown, was breathtakingly beautiful.

Like a priceless porcelain doll.

Combined with her innocent and flawless face, she gave the impression of being just in her late teens. Only the maturity and composure in her speech revealed that she was not some naive young girl.

Lin Feng retracted his gaze and pursed his lips:

"Looking for me? The Federation’s legal age is eighteen, so I’m not interested in young girls. Besides, I already have a perfect partner."

Princess Betty glanced sideways at the woman in the pale yellow gown amidst the crowd and said:

"In my country, the age is only sixteen, and I just had my coming-of-age ceremony this year. Besides, as an Awakener, you should know better than I how much longer the law will remain effective."

"As for the ’perfect partner’ you mentioned, your relationship with that lady is likely just a business partnership at most."

"There are no feelings between you, only interests."

Lin Feng nodded. He snapped open a king crab leg, squeezed some lemon juice on it, used a spoon to scoop out the entire strip of meat, and slurped it down in one go. Then he wiped his hands and mouth with a napkin and said while chewing:

"You’re right. But I don’t have the strength to provide you with protection. As a Federation citizen, I won’t accept any employment from you, nor will I pledge allegiance to you..."

"...even if you’re willing to offer yourself as bait to reel me in."

As he spoke, Lin Feng’s eyes swept up and down, brazenly sizing up the high-status princess before him:

"To be honest, aside from your age and status, you have no competitive edge over those hot-bodied, open-minded foreign girls downstairs."

Princess Betty’s smile froze. She clearly hadn’t expected such a direct rejection, and his crude words and actions were like those of an uncultured swine.

"What, is there something else? If not, go play somewhere else. Don’t bother me while I’m eating."

Lin Feng shrugged. After sounding her out, he had lost interest.

Princess Betty took a deep breath to compose herself, and her stiff expression was once again replaced by a smile:

"You’re right. That’s why we are seeking a new form of cooperation. We will do everything in our power to fund you and help you rapidly expand your influence in the early stages, asking only for your protection in the future."

"I have studied all the powerful Awakeners, and only in you have I detected a familiar quality."

Lin Feng’s eyes narrowed. He stopped in his tracks and turned to look at the fallen princess:

"Oh? And what is that?"

Betty’s smile vanished. Her tone was calm:

"Ambition. The scent of ambition."

"With the resources and foundation we bring, we can help you achieve what you want to do much faster."

Lin Feng let out a soft chuckle and asked in return:

"Ambition? Then tell me, what is my ambition? What is it that I want to do?"

Betty stared at the man before her as if she could see right through him. Then, she said, word by word:

"Absolute strength, and... defeating the Zerg Race."

Lin Feng shrugged, unconcerned:

"Every Awakener wants to improve their strength. And as for defeating the Zerg Race, the Federation can handle that."

"Look at that impenetrable defensive line in the distance. Flesh and blood can never defeat walls of bronze and iron."

A cold smile touched Betty’s lips as she spoke in a low voice:

"Do you really believe that? The more powerful an Awakener is, the more they understand the terror of the Alien Zerg Race."

"Those ’impenetrable’ concrete defense lines can’t stop their invasion at all."

"And the Federation, while seemingly powerful, is in fact fighting internally. Each state has its own considerations. Tied down by their own interests, they can never unite as one and act with a single purpose."

"It’s a pity. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Only then can the full potential for war be unleashed. This is a method that we, who are familiar with monarchies, are extremely adept at."

"What’s that term again? Something you in the Federation are fond of doing. Oh, right, angel investing."

"You can consider this my angel investment. And the one I’m investing in is you, Mr. Lin."

"We have no official standing here. If one day you need anything at all, please don’t hesitate to ask."

After speaking, Betty retrieved a solid gold card from her dress and handed it to the man before her.

Once Lin Feng took it, she lifted her skirt, curtsied, and departed.

Looking at the heavy card in his hand—it was only a third the size of his palm but weighed twenty grams, worth nearly ten thousand.

’The royal family certainly is generous.’

Engraved on the solid gold card were three lines of contact information, including Princess Betty’s private phone number.

Just then, Han Yuxin, having finished her conversation, walked up behind Lin Feng. She had long since noticed from afar that the First Princess of the Rolle Kingdom had actively approached Lin Feng to talk.

Now, seeing the card she had left behind, her Gossipy Heart instantly flared to life. She leaned in close to Lin Feng, her tone laced with sourness:

"So? A princess’s aura is really something else, isn’t it?"

"Feeling your heart flutter? Don’t forget I’m still here."

Lin Feng glanced back and rolled his eyes at her:

"What is there to be jealous about? Did you find any interested buyers? If not, you can try Betty. They have money to burn, anyway."

As long as the industrial system hadn’t collapsed, the value of gold would always be more stable than paper currency.

To be honest, Lin Feng didn’t feel comfortable entrusting the entire live Zerg business to one person. Perhaps Princess Betty would also be a good partner.

Lin Feng liked being friends with smart people.

Although the arrogance ingrained in the bones of these nobles displeased him, if he was the one being courted, Lin Feng was more than happy to oblige. Besides, she was the princess of a nation. With that status alone, countless other beauties would pale in comparison before her.

Han Yuxin noted down the contact information on the card, nodded, and said:

"Not bad. These royals are all willing to pay a high price for the Awakening package. Their foundations here are weak, and protection promised by others is far less reliable than their own strength."

"You should contact her more when you have time. Not just anyone can get a princess’s private number. A starved camel is still bigger than a horse. Getting their help can speed up our expansion."

Seeing Han Yuxin’s meaningful gaze, Lin Feng shrugged and politely refused:

"There’s no such thing as a free lunch. You should understand that better than I do."

As he spoke, Lin Feng put down his plate and looked into the distance.

At the entrance to the VIP area, a middle-aged man who looked to be in his thirties made a dazzling entrance with his wife and daughter.

He instantly attracted a wave of gazes and cheers.

And the newcomer was none other than the star of this victory banquet, Major Qin Hu.

Lin Feng’s gaze passed over him and quickly shifted to the other military officers following at his side.

Compared to Qin Hu, who was only Lv. 13, this group of low-key officers were all powerful individuals at Lv. 16 or higher, who had already Upgraded to the Tier One Late Stage!

There were even several at Lv. 19—powerhouses at the Tier One Top Level!

To be able to assemble such a team of Awakeners...

The strength of the Thirteenth Division was truly not to be underestimated!