The Highest Bounty

Dockett had never expected to be crushed so badly in defeat. He had thought Gu Ding’s overnight enhancement in abilities would end up with both of them being on the same level at most. It did not cross his mind that Gu Ding’s domain was able to suppress his ability to only 10%, which ended up in the fight lasting for less than ten seconds before he was completely defeated. It was somehow lucky that both Gu Ding and Dockett had a short conversation before the fight started, which gave outsiders the impression that they had gone through a brutal battle. It was only now that he realized that there is always someone better out there. Dockett had truly overestimated himself when he immediately decided to challenge Malcolm.

“I’ve lost…” Dockett had completely accepted his defeat when faced with Malcolm’s question.

He turned towards Gu Ding, “Gu Ding, I’d like to join your crew.”

“Welcome. We do need a doctor right now,” Gu Ding had been thinking up of various ways to invite Dockett because of Dockett’s unique ability to transfer negative states. It would not have mattered if Dockett had no medical expertise as the ability alone would have been good enough to solve most problems. Moreover, Dockett had pretty powerful abilities. If it was not for Gu Ding’s domain suppressing Dockett, Gu Ding would not have won that easily.

“I have two requests I hope the captain will be able to fulfill. First, if I were to be your ship’s doctor, I need a pharmacologist who is able to refine medicine of high quality and above in order to help me refine medicine that I need. Second, I would need opponents strong enough to challenge me whenever I need to upgrade my abilities.”

Gu Ding nodded. “I can fulfill both these requests. I’m a pharmacologist that is capable of refining medicine of high quality and above. Even though I’m currently able to refine D-grade medicine at most, but I will find time to enhance my pharmacologist grade. As for opponents, you would not be lack of them. You can challenge me or Biggie, or even any enemies you meet. You should be aware that our crew tends to create a lot of trouble. There will be no shortage of enemies.”

Malcolm walked over at this moment as he gave Gu Ding a thumbs up. He took out five golden bottles from his inventory and passed them to Gu Ding. “Here are five Golden Combat Armors since you now have Dockett joining your team. It’s no issue to gift you an extra one. It’s all thanks to you, Gu Ding, that I’m finally able to rid myself of this sticky melted candy.”

“I’ll return to challenge you once I’ve defeated Gu Ding and Biggie,” Dockett was still brimming for a good fight.

“Let’s see what happens then. The Cosmic Sea is wide and there are many more powerful than I am. If there aren’t any special alterations, the Demigod Monster Ranking would be updated every hundred years. Normally, only the names of the fallen will disappear from it and the ranking would be moved upwards. Our ranking was announced a hundred years ago and no one knows how many new powerhouses have appeared within these hundred years. Besides the powerhouses that have fallen, powerhouses who are missing without any news would also be moved out of the ranking by members of the Star Chambers. That is why there are many unknown powerhouses out there.”

“Besides the Demigod Monster Ranking, there is also a Power Ranking in the Cosmic Sea. The Power Ranking consists of powerhouses with gene levels that have not attained demigod level. There are one hundred and eight people on the ranking. Twenty-six of them have the capability of killing a 1-Star Lower Ranking Deity. This ranking is updated every three years with one person staying at the top spot for ninety-nine times because he had slaughtered two 5-Star Lower Ranking Deity. He has a very strange sounding name called Stupa. No one knows if that is his nickname or something else.”

“Stupa…” Gu Ding immediately memorized the name. Currently, Neptune had limited access to only Faye Cosmic Nation and a few other Cosmic Nations sharing the Skynet with Faye Cosmic Nation. Besides these Cosmic Nations, the Skynet access of other Cosmic Nations was sealed off and could only be accessed when they arrive at that Cosmic Nation. That is why Neptune was unable to find out more information about the Cosmic Sea, much less know about the Power Ranking. Neptune had found out about the Demigod Ranking because someone from Faye Cosmic Nation had shared the Demigod Ranking on Skynet. It must have been from someone who had previously visited the Cosmic Sea.

“I’ll give you a copy of the list from three years ago. There is also the personal information of twenty-six of those powerhouses who are able to slaughter deities,” Malcolm sent the list and information to Gu Ding as he said this.

“Many thanks!” Even though Gu Ding would be able to obtain information on these people after entering the Cosmic Sea, but it would be good motivation to learn about them earlier.

Dockett returned to his Grey-faced Buzzard to pack up after saying goodbye to Malcolm. He was preparing to move into Golden Eagle and selling off his Grey-faced Buzzard for some extra money.

However, Gu Ding disagreed with the idea. “Keep it with you. This spaceship is not worth much and we might be able to make use of it sometime.”

“My inventory does not have enough room…” Dockett pointed at his intelligent wristwatch. His wristwatch was a common commercial grade. It was evident that he did not live a comfortable life after becoming an Interstellar Pirate.

“I have ample space in my inventory,” every time Gu Ding obtained an intelligent wristwatch or intelligent ring, the inventory space would be immediately absorbed by Neptune, including the intelligent ring he got from Potie.

Speaking about Potie’s intelligent ring, Gu Ding had scanned it roughly. It already contained more than thirty billion with just only Universe Credits, which more six or seven times more than what Gu Ding ad. There were also more than a hundred Energy Stones, three demigod weapons, and a bunch of other extra stuff.

Gu Ding immediately kept Dockett’s spaceship into his inventory ring after Dockett was done packing. After that, they returned to the Golden Eagle.

“Lili, Elsa, we have a new member joining us,” Gu Ding introduced him to the two girls when they returned to the spaceship.

Lilliath and Elsa had been staying guard by Biggie all these while and did not know about Gu Ding’s battle with Dockett. They greeted him politely when they found out Gu Ding had recruited a doctor, which was what the crew needed.

“Dockett, is it true that Biggie can only live for a month? Are there any other doctors out there who are able to treat him?” Lilliath did not want to give up.

“Biggie’s wound is not an ordinary one. Maybe you haven’t fought with a demigod before, but God Source is a truly strange and special energy. The God Source of a true deity has a marking that is difficult to eradicate. However, with my ability, I can continue transferring the wound from Biggie’s body to someplace else and help him continue surviving, but that is all I can do. He would never wake up if the God Source is not eradicated from within his body and the damage within him would continue to worsen every day. Only a deity with a true Deity Position would be able to erase the marking on the God Source and eradicate the God Source from Biggie’s body,” Dockett gave another detailed explanation of Biggie’s wound condition.

“Neptune, let’s head directly to the Royal Capital Star Sector and get Elizabeth’s help,” Gu Ding decided.

“Although, will she help us? She’s the lord of Faye Cosmic Nation and we’re Interstellar Pirates,” Lilliath did not think that this would be a simple task. Their opposing identities had decided there was no chance they would be friends with Elizabeth.

Gu Ding was well-aware of Lilliath’s concern. “She’s the only deity we know in the entire Faye Cosmic Nation. We don’t have any other choice. Neptune, you can dock the spaceship somewhere two or three star sectors away from Royal Capital Star Sector. I’ll take Dockett’s Grey-faced Buzzard and sneak in then.”

“Are you sure you want to do this? Even though you will be able to shield Lili and Elsa from danger, but the chances of you getting caught is quite high, and Biggie might very well fall into the hands of the Federation Army. Biggie is very fragile now and if he falls into their hands, he might be brainwashed by the people in the Federal Government using illusions and reawakened. By then, it would be impossible to hide from the Federal Government regarding him having an imperial projection. The Federal Government will do everything they can to snare a potential future extreme powerhouse such as him. As for you, there would be a high possibility that you would be sentenced to a few hundred years of imprisonment,” Neptune informed him of the result of its prediction.

“What you are telling me is the worst-case scenario. Biggie won’t be controlled so easily and I won’t be captured that easily as well. We need to give it a try, even if there is a very small chance it would work. Besides, my combat effectiveness will be further enhanced with the Golden Combat Armor. My highest combat effectiveness was the power of a 1-Star Deity, but after enhancing it by fifty times, I can reach the strength of a 3-Star. If I use the effects of my domain, I can suppress those demigods except for Elizabeth,” Gu Ding was quite confident of himself.

“Don’t forget there is another deity keeping watch over Faye Cosmic Nation besides Elizabeth. That guy lives on a long-term basis at the Royal Capital Star Sector,” Neptune reminded him.

“That is why I would need your help in guiding me on God Abilities and God Power to make me stronger. We would need quite a while to get to the Royal Capital Star Sector, won’t we?” Gu Ding said with a wide smile.

“We would need to conduct at least nineteen space leaps. The spaceship’s usual auto energy recharge is not enough after a space leap and it would need to replenish energy. If the spaceship repair shops conduct high-speed recharge, it would normally take around one day to be fully charged. However, after every high-speed recharge, the ship would need to go through two sessions of normal charging before the next high-speed recharge can be conducted. A normal recharge would require two days. That is why we would need around thirty days to reach our destination.”

“Thirty days would be enough!” Gu Ding believed he would be able to pick up at least one God Ability or God Power in thirty days.

“I’m actually quite hesitant about this because you’re still made out of flesh and blood. Most of the God Ability and God Power used by deities won’t apply to you. However, abilities that are of non-deity based won’t be able to help your combat effectiveness create any enhancements,” Neptune had not expected Gu Ding to form a God Source. This had actually messed up the original cultivating plans he had made for Gu Ding.

“I do have a set of Divine Forbidden Tome that would be able to help you enhance combat effectiveness greatly in your current status, but it does have one side effect. Your body would forever be unable to go through materialization…