I Pick Up Talents on the Interstellar Battlefield-Chapter 545 - 434: The Dilemma

Disappeared?

Qin Tian’s eyes flashed and he immediately spread his Spiritual Power to cover the area ahead.

However, under his perception, there was just an ordinary plain in front of him, devoid of any vitality and without any Energy fluctuations, as if everything he had experienced just now was merely a dream.

But the Ice Marrow Ointment in the Spirit Space could prove that the ice chasm did indeed exist.

"How on earth was this done?"

Qin Tian was baffled. Such a large ice chasm had disappeared under his nose, neither due to an illusion nor space transfer. He really couldn’t think of any other method that could achieve this.

"Forget it, let’s not dwell on it for now."

Qin Tian shook his head, no longer obsessed. If the ice chasm vanished, then so be it. Anyway, he had already gained enough benefits from within it.

Such a massive amount of Ice Marrow Ointment could not only help him break through to Tier Seven but also assist his subordinates in making rapid progress.

He raised his hand to activate the locator on his wrist, and the light screen instantly displayed the current coordinates and the direction of the Ice Extreme Pass.

After confirming the route, a silver light flashed around Qin Tian, and his figure instantly melded into thin air, disappearing from the spot.

...

Swish!

With a sudden flash of silver light, Qin Tian’s figure suddenly appeared on the walls of the Ice Extreme Pass.

The surrounding soldiers who were patrolling were caught off guard, collectively stepping back in surprise. Upon seeing that it was Qin Tian, they immediately straightened up and respectfully saluted:

"Military Lord!"

"Hmm."

Qin Tian nodded, his gaze sweeping over the ice field below.

At this moment, the battlefield cleanup work had been completed. New, gentle snowflakes fell, covering the ground, almost erasing the craters, bloodstains, and wreckage marks left by the previous battle. Without background knowledge, it would be hard to imagine that a fierce beast tide battle had erupted on this tranquil ice field a few hours ago.

"Military Lord!"

Just then, Squadron Leader Zhang Hao rushed over from the tower direction, his leather shoes making crunching sounds on the snowy wall.

He stopped in front of Qin Tian and solemnly saluted. The tension in his shoulders finally relaxed.

The Military Lord had been missing for several hours with no news, putting him on edge with worries of potential troubles. Now seeing the Military Lord return safely, the stone in his heart finally settled.

"Military Lord, the battlefield cleanup work is completely finished. Here’s the just-tabulated list of spoils. Please review it."

Zhang Hao handed over a document with both hands, listing the types, quantities, estimated value, and total amount of spoils. It even clearly denoted the net amount the Ice Extreme Pass could retain after deducting a ten percent Empire tax.

"Good work," Qin Tian nodded in approval after glancing at the list.

In truth, with his current wealth, these spoils were not significant to him. But this was the Ice Extreme Pass’s legitimate income, which held a distinct meaning.

He could use this money to improve the soldiers’ welfare, purchase new Spiritual Ability Weapons and defense equipment, and advance the base expansion plan of the Ice Extreme Pass.

As a general of the Empire, using personal assets to subsidize the army was a big taboo, often leading to accusations of "cultivating a private army." If reported, one could face anything from a warning to direct dismissal.

Even generals from prominent families would only discreetly foster loyalty among troops and never overstep openly.

"Organize a detailed list distinguishing materials for personal use and those for external sale. Once it’s ready, proceed with the necessary steps," Qin Tian instructed.

"Yes!"

Zhang Hao saluted, but just as he finished speaking, a hint of difficulty appeared on his face, as if he had something unspeakable to say.

"What’s wrong?" Qin Tian noticed his unease and asked.

Zhang Hao took a deep breath and, bracing himself, said, "Military Lord, you might not know that in the past, our Ice Extreme Pass would send spoils to the trading market at Rift Soul Ice Valley for processing. It’s the only channel around here to handle large-scale materials. But now..."

Before he finished speaking, Qin Tian already understood the crux of the issue.

Now, the warriors of the Ice Extreme Pass were aware of the discord between him and Duan Guangtai, along with the Luoho Clan behind Duan Guangtai.

Currently, Rift Soul Ice Valley was controlled by the Luoho Clan. Given their ways, once these spoils reached Rift Soul Ice Valley, they’d surely cause trouble during the trade. At a minimum, they’d depress the prices and delay settlement, or even cite "contraband materials" as a reason to confiscate the spoils.

Moreover, the remote and barren nature of the Ice Extreme Pass left it without an independent material processing channel.

If unable to sell smoothly, apart from some materials that could go into reactors or assist in Cultivation as energy crystals, the rest would just gather dust in warehouses.

Zhang Hao apparently realized this layer, hence the troubled look on his face.

"Alright, I’ll handle this," Qin Tian said calmly, dispelling Zhang Hao’s worries with just a sentence.

In the Azure Wood Star Realm, processing these spoils would merely be a matter of commanding his trade team, easily engaging a channel and turning the materials into cash in less than half an hour.

But now, newly arrived at Mingwang Planet with no established foundation, every aspect from military-political relations to commercial networks was still a blank slate, leading to current impediments.

"Looks like it’s time for Lingfeng Trading Company to open a branch on Mingwang Planet," Qin Tian quickly decided.

He knew full well that for the Ice Extreme Pass to truly rise, relying solely on superior-issued funds was far from sufficient.

Expanding the army required money, updating equipment required money, and modifying the base environment required money. Subsequent talent acquisition and resource point exploration also demanded continuing support from funds and supplies.

Therefore, attracting external funds was imperative.

Positioning his Lingfeng Trading Company early in the Ice Extreme Pass would initially entail investing manpower and material resources to establish relations, potentially incurring short-term losses.

However, once the Ice Extreme Pass, under his leadership, stabilized and grew robust, Lingfeng Trading Company, as the earliest local trading force, could not only preferentially secure procurement and sales business for the Ice Extreme Pass but also capitalize on its growth, expanding operations and reaping substantial profits, with future earnings far exceeding initial investments.

Of course, this was all for later consideration. Presently, he needed to find someone to deal with this batch of spoils and give the soldiers their bonuses.

As for who to approach, he already had someone in mind.

"By the way, report the incident of Duan Guangtai and his subordinates deserting mid-battle truthfully in the combat report," Qin Tian said with a glint of coldness in his eyes. Desertion was a grave breach on the battlefield. Once this matter reached higher-ups, he believed those soldiers under Duan Guangtai wouldn’t escape military justice.

As for Duan Guangtai himself, although not holding a military position, as the nominal second-in-command of the Ice Extreme Pass, fleeing amid crisis was inexcusable. Had the entire Ice Extreme Pass been wiped out, he might have found an excuse. But now, with the Ice Extreme Pass victorious and him absent, this sharp contrast likely marked the end of his administrative career.

"Yes!"

Zhang Hao nodded vigorously, recalling all that Duan Guangtai had done to everyone previously, a cold smile appearing on his lips.

He intended to "craft" this report with particular care.