What a useless skill!

Duge cursed inwardly and asked, "Have you awakened a second skill?"

"Peak Return," Feng Zhong gave a dry laugh. "Whenever I use this skill, the situation I'm currently experiencing will definitely take a turn. It might improve, or it might get worse."

"..." Duge.

"A luck-based skill," Feng Zhong explained. "The National Defense Bureau hasn't found you, there's not a single person from Qiyuan Star around, and there are escort ships blockading outside. It's not easy to escape. Then, I took a gamble with this skill in my room, and as a result, Brother Du, you showed up. I gambled right this time."

Duge was speechless. One dodging-type skill, and one luck-based skill.

It's bad that it's too easy for derivative skills to awaken; something random happens, and a skill might awaken. Once you get a useless skill awakened on the alien battlefield, you're finished.

His Spring Heart is Sprouting skill was awakened forcibly, fortunately, this skill was decent. If he had awakened a useless skill, he would have nowhere to cry...

"Brother Du, I know the two skills I've awakened are somewhat useless, so I was thinking about creating a derivative item to compensate," Feng Zhong picked up a piece of wire from the table and expertly began to bend and twist it with his fingers.

"Derivative items require a major event to trigger. You might increase some attributes this way, but you won't produce a derivative item," Duge glanced at him and said, "Stop messing with that wire. I'll figure out a way to boost your fame and create a real turn of events for a derivative item!"

"Thank you, Brother Du!" Feng Zhong threw away the wire in his hand and came over intending to hug Duge's arm.

But Duge was too quick to be caught, dodging away swiftly. He looked at Feng Zhong seriously and said: "Old Feng, hold back a bit. Do not make any overly intimate gestures with me; I can't stand it."

"Natural reflex," Feng Zhong chuckled with a red face. "I've been pretending to be a woman for so long, I almost forgot I'm still a man. It must be the hormones affecting me! Now, when I look at you, Brother Du, it's like you're surrounded by a halo, and I can't help but want to get close to you, and below... it feels a bit empty..."

Feng Zhong looked at Duge without even thinking in terms of skills, blushing as he said, "Damn random possession, it's such bullshit."

While he called it bullshit, his eyes couldn't help glancing a few times at Duge's lower half, his expression eager as if he truly wanted to turn that gesture into reality. Duge felt chills at the sight.

But Spring Heart is Sprouting doesn't cause one to lose rationality. Feng Zhong smacked his lips regretfully: "Right, Brother Du, why did you come to find me?"

"I plan to talk to everyone one by one, to clear up their keywords and skills, then form compatible teams based on those keywords, and send them out on missions to build up the reputation of the National Defense Bureau," Duge admitted openly.

Feng Zhong was stunned for a moment, then said, "Brother Du, Luo Yan is planning the same thing. Aren't you in communication with him?"

After Nalan Li split from Luo Yan, the communication between their two departments lessened, and a lot of information was not shared.

After all,

In a way, Nalan Li's Shadow Department was established to check the National Defense Bureau, and Duge, being a key force in the Shadow Department, naturally, Luo Yan couldn't rely too heavily on Duge if he wanted to make an impression with his achievements.

Therefore, the information that Nalan Li received from Luo Yan was probably intentionally vague.

You've got to admit, the guy had confidence.

Duge smiled and asked, "Actually, I'm from a different department, the Shadow Department. If any alien warrior from the National Defense Bureau makes a mistake, the Shadow Department is responsible for cleanup and aftermath. It's normal that I don't know about his actions. This time, I came because I was afraid he wouldn't manage to integrate the National Defense Bureau properly, so I've come to help him in secret. Old Feng, what's his plan exactly?"

Feng Zhong replied, "Tonight, he plans to hold a major competition among the alien warriors to assess each one's skills and keywords, and then establish a ranking and titles based on that. Afterward, he wants to conduct a targeted publicity campaign on the war net to boost everyone's strength. I don't want to participate in this competition and reveal my information, so I used Peak Return."

"Does everyone listen to him?" Duge asked.

"Using the tiger to devour the wolf," Feng Zhong sneered, "Xu Wan's side has the most people, and the warriors from other stars aren't united, unable to form an alliance. If they don't listen to him, they're afraid they'll become nothing but experience points for Xu Wan and the others. I even suspect that Luo Yan might already be under their control."

"He isn't controlled," Duge said, "It's his own idea."

"You're so certain?" Feng Zhong asked in surprise.

"Yes. If Luo Yan were controlled, I would have been exposed by now. I haven't been exposed, so he must be fine," Duge smiled. "From now on, you shouldn't call me Brother Du anymore. My name in this world is Lin Hong. The information I've given to Luo Yan and the others is that Duge isn't present on the alien battlefield this time. Of course, try not to reveal my existence to anyone as much as possible..."

"Understood," Feng Zhong nodded in agreement.

"And you'll continue to impersonate someone from Sirius." Duge took out his phone and swapped numbers with Feng Zhong, saying, "If you're going to impersonate, do it convincingly. I'll send you the contact codes for Sirius later."

"Brother Du, you know the contact codes for Sirius?" Feng Zhong looked astounded. "Just what have you been up to in the shadows?"

"You'd know too if you had big data," Duge said with a smile. "Listen to my arrangements, we're brothers. I won't let you suffer."

...

Feng Zhong's goal was too conspicuous, it wasn't appropriate to take him along to find others.

Leaving Feng Zhong in his room, Duge turned towards the area belonging to Purple Hero Star.

Purple Hero Star had an alien warrior here too, and Duge was familiar with his name---Zhang Xueqi, the one who had used Duge's identity to farm attributes on the war net, questioning reality.

Zhang Xueqi was a man, so Duge obviously couldn't use the same approach he used with women on him.

Using the same method to deceive the door open, Duge was about to speak when his gaze fell on the small flag in Zhang Xueqi's hand.

All of a sudden,

A wave of unwarranted admiration for the person before him arose in Duge's heart. He wanted nothing more than to follow and trust him, pushing all his previous thoughts aside.

Zhang Xueqi didn't notice any difference between Duge and the others. He sighed and asked, "Lin Hong, what exactly did Luo Yan send you here for? I want the truth."

"I'm not sent by Luo Yan," Duge felt compelled to be completely honest with this great person before him. "I am Duge, and I've come to recruit you, to have you join the National Defense Bureau's Shadow Department..."