Mech: Shattering of the Galaxy Chapter 1516 32: Are You Going to Crawl Over Here Yourself?

Blocking the path forward were two colossal alloy doors, each spanning fifty meters in width and twenty meters in height, positioned before the main thoroughfare.

At this precise moment, they slammed shut, resembling the lethal descent of a guillotine!

The throng of travelers behind was instantly compressed, and the gust of wind generated by the closing gates whipped their hair and attire, even dislodging a few strands of hair from Mu Fan's forehead.

This action revealed a pair of eyes, deep and lustrous black, exuding an aura of calm indifference...

The collective momentum of over a thousand travelers aboard their hovering platforms halted abruptly. A moment of stunned silence was followed by waves of palpable dissatisfaction washing over their faces.

"What is the meaning of this!"

"Why are you blocking our way?"

However, as the murmurs of complaint and outright insults grew louder, and with the arrival of more people, a contingent of soldiers clad in light brown military uniforms, accompanied by dozens of Flame Star personnel in blue customs attire, emerged from either side of the checkpoint.

"We extend our sincerest apologies, as there have been some unforeseen circumstances. Please do not be alarmed, esteemed travelers."

The staff members addressed the crowd with an unnervingly gentle tone. Yet, the atmosphere escalated to a chilling standstill the instant the entourage led by Grove made their appearance.

"I am Major General Grove, serving with the Firmament Corps garrison. I offer my apologies for the inconvenience today; kindly utilize alternative routes."

Following this curt declaration, he fell into a conspicuous silence.

Instead, the portly Kim Sang-geun, positioned beside Grove, bustled nervously to the forefront of the crowd. He vociferously explained the current situation and personally guided the individuals at the very front to reroute their journey.

Gradually, section by section, under the soothing reassurances of the Flame Star staff, the crowd began to disperse rapidly.

Yet, Mu Fan and his companions remained rooted to their spot, unmoving.

Their initial expressions of bewilderment morphed into a growing sense of impassivity.

"It would appear they harbor malicious intent," White Hair commented softly.

Mu Fan's gaze swept coolly over the assembled individuals, and he offered a subtle nod.

Roughly seven groups ahead of them were all escorted away, and then...

Every single personnel stood in silent observation, their attention fixed upon Mu Fan and his group.

At this juncture, a collective unease permeated the air as onlookers grasped the reality: the factions from the Aohan Freedom Alliance and the Firmament Corps were present solely to make trouble for this specific small group.

"Retribution indeed arrives swiftly, haha."

The burly, bald man from earlier now sneered with evident schadenfreude from the rear.

A persistent ache throbbed within his chest, and each recollection of his recent humiliation intensified his desire to eliminate the troublesome white-haired individual on the spot.

"Firmament Corps business. Those not involved, please disperse," a stern voice commanded.

The sharp, metallic click of firearms being readied echoed through the space.

Simultaneously, the soldiers raised their weapons, aiming directly at Mu Fan and his companions!

The small group remained motionless. Only Mu Fan, after a quiet downward glance, slowly raised his eyelids. He fixed his gaze upon Kim Sang-geun, who stood ten meters away, shielded by the soldiers.

"Is this your standard procedure?"

A disingenuous smile spread across the corpulent face. "Of course not. You are considered an exception. I am Kim Sang-geun, a Level Four patrol officer of Flame Star, and I extend a welcome to our distinguished guests from the Galaxy Federation."

At this precise moment, the plump, middle-aged patrol officer narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing Mu Fan with an intensity that betrayed no hint of culpability, while inwardly seething.

It was precisely these individuals before him who had caused him to lose face in front of his peers. He reasoned that since the payment was already secured, he might as well let the Firmament Corps bear the brunt of the responsibility for handling the situation.

"Enough of this pointless charade."

A frigid voice cut through the air from the side.

Finally, Grove lifted his chin, a picture of arrogance, and spoke with uncharacteristic indifference. He then began to advance, unhurriedly.

Swish, swish...

The synchronized, rhythmic cadence of footsteps emanated from both flanks.

The surrounding crowd, who had not yet managed to disperse, instinctively recoiled further.

It was abundantly clear that these armed individuals harbored ill intentions.

Who could possibly fathom how these young travelers had managed to provoke the officers of the esteemed Firmament Corps?

Four exoskeleton-armored soldiers, each towering over two meters in height, their metallic footfalls echoing with each step, lent an air of grave seriousness to the scene.

Thud. Grove halted his advance, positioning himself precisely twenty meters away from Mu Fan and his group.

"I have reason to suspect you are concealing prohibited weaponry aboard your vessel and are involved in a conspiracy to cause disruption to Flame Star. Therefore, you will now accompany me. Once the investigation concludes, you will be permitted to depart."

Upon hearing this accusation, Mu Fan and his companions displayed no immediate reaction. However, the onlookers erupted in a chorus of disbelief.

How could this be possible!?

Since when did Flame Star begin to meddle in such affairs?

Weapons are merely weapons; does the Outer Domain Galaxy still adhere to the concept of 'prohibited weapons,' much like the rigidly controlled nations within the Galaxy Federation or the Gardot Empire?

Why were they adopting such a stringent approach? Many present understood the underlying reasons perfectly: passage fees were substantial, offering a coveted opportunity to mine for riches deep within the Outer Domain Galaxy. And regarding the nature of these 'riches'...

A significant portion of these travelers were, in essence, openly acknowledged "smugglers!"

By paying a transit fee, these individuals bypassed inspections from numerous factions.

Therefore, it would be preposterous to assume their ships were unarmed!

If they were truly empty-handed, it would be an absolute farce.

To the other travelers nearby, Grove's logic appeared completely nonsensical.

Kim Sang-geun, laughing heartily and clapping his hands, turned his attention to Mu Fan. "My dear friends, you would be wise to cooperate with us. This is the Aohan Freedom Alliance, so please abandon any other notions. Observe, your warship, and its armaments... they are all right there. Thus, cooperation is the most sensible course of action."

The smiling-faced tyrant, Kim Sang-geun, was utterly contemptible.

Several ordinary travelers inwardly cursed this moment, finding the blatant display of shamelessness almost unbearable.

"Isn't Flaming Star generally involved in this trade? They're really pushing their luck!"

A disgruntled voice emanated from the side, belonging to a lanky mercenary clad in a leather jacket.

"Did I give you permission to speak?"

Grove coldly fixed his gaze upon the speaker.

"You are being excessively overbearing; does this mean no one else will be using this route anymore? I'm not necessarily defending him, but don't blame us if we start thinking of our own interests!"

The tall, thin man's words quickly found favor with many onlookers.

"Indeed, from this point forward, we will..."

"Everyone benefits from this route."

A murmur of discussion swept through the crowd.

Grove let out a sneer, his emotionless eyes lifting to meet the tall, thin man's gaze, and he icily uttered three words:

"Take him away."

The tall, thin man immediately bristled, glaring at Grove. "You have no intention of continuing this route business anymore!?"

Thud!

A dull impact sound followed.

A soldier in an exoskeleton raised their right hand, and a flash of white streaked out. The tall, thin man was struck by this white blur, letting out a pained shriek as he was flung backward.

Upon landing ten meters away, his entire body was tightly constricted by ropes, his face visibly swollen and bruised.

As he attempted to struggle, the butt of a rifle descended, silencing the tall, thin man's protests.

"Even if I were to kill you right here, what would be the consequences?"

Grove's mocking voice echoed, each word deliberate, and his gaze shifted back towards the front.

Mu Fan and his companions met his stare with unblinking eyes.

"Will you come willingly... or must I drag you?"

At this moment, a mocking smile played across Grove's face.