Although it was only once, that meeting was deeply etched into Wang Dong's mind.
A middle-aged man wearing a black combat uniform lay slumped in the commander's seat.
A silver, wheel-shaped, miniaturized intelligent medical device hovered in mid-air, performing life support.
The green indicator light signifying operational status and the red indicator light signifying emergency were both blinking rapidly.
Hearing the footsteps, the man remained motionless.
Only a weak voice sounded, "Excuse me, my current condition makes it inconvenient to move. Please come closer."
Wang Dong complied and walked to the commander's seat.
The middle-aged man's left eye was completely a bloody socket, and above his right eye was a long gash, revealing the underlying bone. His eye was narrowed into a slit, unable to open.
More seriously, a black dagger was embedded in the man's left chest, hiltless. The several surgical arms of the intelligent medical device were focused on this wound.
"It's a miracle that you're still alive and conscious."
Wang Dong could tell at a glance that the dagger in the man's chest, even if it didn't pierce directly through the heart, had definitely damaged at least half of the heart tissue.
"While I'm not sure what your purpose is in inviting me in this way, I suggest you get to the point."
Wang Dong bowed slightly, with a hint of resentment in his voice.
The man grinned, revealing a hideous smile. "Leviestan civilization's military stimulant. After injection, you can remain conscious for an hour unless you have your head chopped off."
"If you can find a reliable hospital immediately and lie down, maybe there's still hope."
Wang Dong turned his head and glanced at the condition of the command cabin.
Except for the injured man, there was no other figure in the command cabin.
Oh, and two armed robots.
"Don't bother looking. There's no one else on board except me. Also, the Heart-Piercing Dagger of the Jin family, not even a hospital in this small place can do anything about it."
The middle-aged man's head moved slightly, and he whispered.
"If you need someone to witness your death, then I think you can begin."
Wang Dong turned his head, staring at the middle-aged man, and said seriously.
"I just hope that after your purpose is accomplished, you can let me leave. I'm just an ordinary interstellar miner. Although I don't need to support a family, I also have my own ideals and goals."
"You're an interesting young man, but unfortunately, it's useless. You'll likely never be able to return to your previous life."
"There's a fellow nearby, from the Jin family of the Dingyuan star system."
"I killed three of their family's collateral branches. I'm on the Jin family's kill list."
"Once they find out you've been on this ship, you'll also be considered an accomplice and killed without question."
"The Jin family of the Dingyuan star system... the Jin family of Dingyuan, known for their vindictiveness?" Wang Dong asked uncertainly.
"This kid, you still have some knowledge. Yes, it's the Dingyuan Jin, who is known as 'if you touch a blade of grass, I'll wipe out your entire household.'"
The middle-aged man's voice, when he mentioned the three words "Dingyuan Jin," was filled with intense hatred.
The Jin family of the Dingyuan star system, this existence, Wang Dong had actually heard of.
Although the mining star region where Wang Dong lived belonged to the Purple Jasmine Kingdom, and the Dingyuan star system where the Jin family resided belonged to the Goldfinch Federation.
They are neighboring countries.
The two countries have different political structures, but in essence, they are not very different.
The privileged class in the Purple Jasmine Kingdom is referred to by titles, such as baron, viscount, etc.
The privileged class in the Goldfinch Federation, on the other hand, is often referred to as "families," also divided into several ranks.
The Jin family is a top-ranked family in the Goldfinch Federation.
His reputation, or rather, his infamy, is indeed known throughout the surrounding countries.
There was once an incident.
A collateral branch of the Jin family was caught drugging a student at a girls' school. The student's companion, knowing that the perpetrator was a collateral branch of the Jin family, dared not offend them.
They said nothing, just took the person away.
However, this collateral branch of the Jin family felt that he had lost face and that night, he gathered a group of thugs and forcibly broke into the girls' dormitory building, abducting all four of the girls in that dormitory.
These four girls have since disappeared without a trace.
The girls' school turned the matter over to the Federal Education Department, and the news spread widely throughout the education sector, sparking the anger of countless students and educators. The incident became extremely widespread, even reaching the ears of the Federal Parliament.
The Jin family collateral branch who committed the crime was severely punished.
But afterwards, the principal and three vice principals of the girls' school were arrested and imprisoned for various reasons.
The families of the victimized girls from other star systems, within three generations, also suffered various "misfortunes," becoming paralyzed, disabled, even a niece who was just one year old was disfigured.
The whole process was carried out without any concealment, and under the pressure of public opinion, the perpetrator, who was a mercenary, was quickly arrested.
Everyone knew who was behind it, but without evidence, there was nothing they could do to this top-ranked family.
It is terrifying.
Even though Wang Dong grew up in a remote mining star region, he had heard of the Jin family of the Goldfinch Federation.
"Understood. It seems I have no choice."
Wang Dong's pupils constricted slightly, and he nodded.