I Picked Up Talents in the Interstellar Battlefield

Clang!
The rusty iron gate slowly opened with a creak, and four figures walked out in a line.
The morning sun was particularly dazzling, and Sa Qi, Wu Hou, Luo Ya, and Suo Ao instinctively squinted their eyes, their chapped lips pressed into a thin line. Their stomachs felt like they were on fire, so hungry that their vision was tinged with a faint green light.
"Sa Qi, Wu Hou, Luo Ya, Suo Ao!"
A rough voice called out. The tall barbarian warrior, Ji Ta, carrying four two-liter bottles of mineral water, hurried forward. The bottles were still covered in cold water droplets.
Seeing the mineral water, the four didn't even bother to greet him. They lunged forward, snatched the water bottles, unscrewed the caps, and poured the water into their mouths.
Gulping sounds echoed in the open space. Their hazy eyes held only a desperate longing for water. For ten whole days, they had been tightly bound by body-restricting ropes, unable to drink a single drop or even move a finger.
Barbarian warriors were naturally stronger than ordinary people. They could endure four or five days without food. In the past, to hunt giant ice beasts, they had also gone through such days, at least able to grab some snow to moisten their throats.
But this time, not only were their limbs bound, but they couldn't even touch a drop of water. Now, their throats were so dry they felt like they were smoking, and their stomachs were empty, with only stomach acid burning their mucous membranes.
In just a few seconds, one bottle of water was empty.
Luo Ya wiped the water from the corners of his mouth, his voice hoarse as if rubbed with sandpaper. His eyes were fixed on Ji Ta: "Ji Ta, do you have anything to eat? I want to eat—"
He looked like a wild wolf on the verge of collapse from hunger.
"Food is already prepared." Ji Ta smiled and moved his foot, revealing a half-human-tall insulated box beside him.
He lifted the lid, and the rich aroma of meat instantly filled the air. Inside were golden-roasted beast meats, still steaming.
The four's eyes instantly lit up. They rushed over like hungry tigers pouncing on their prey, grabbing the beast meat and stuffing it into their mouths, wishing they could chew and swallow even the bones. The scorching meat juice numbed their tongues, but they didn't care, only focusing on gulping it down, as if the food would disappear if they slowed down for even a second.
"Eat slowly, no one's fighting you for it." Ji Ta smiled helplessly.
But the four had no time to respond to him, only burying their heads in the meat.
Only after they had eaten all the beast meat in the insulated box and each chugged half a bucket of water did they collapse onto the ground, clutching their bulging stomachs, and let out a long sigh of relief. Finally, they felt a sense of "coming back to life."
"Ji Ta, thanks." Sa Qi leaned against the wall, his voice carrying a subtle hint of resentment. "Among so many people, only you came to see us."
He felt a surge of anger inside: he had suffered this for the freedom and revenge of his tribe, but the other tribesmen hadn't even offered a greeting, which was truly disheartening.
Ji Ta quickly explained: "Sa Qi, it's not that everyone doesn't care about you. Mu Ya just assigned me to pick you up. It's just that the tribe is currently distributing new houses, and everyone is busy waiting for their arrangements, so they really can't leave."
"Distributing houses?" Wu Hou frowned, asking in confusion, "Are we not living in the old wooden houses anymore?"
"Hey, those broken wooden houses before couldn't even be called houses!" Ji Ta waved his hand, his tone full of excitement. "What we're living in now are new houses built by the boss. They were built quickly, and they're ten times more comfortable than the old wooden houses! I even got one. Do you want me to take you to see it?"
Sa Qi and the other three exchanged glances, seeing curiosity in each other's eyes, and silently nodded.
"Let's go!" Ji Ta excitedly led them towards the new residential area. In a short while, they stopped in front of a two-story house with its own courtyard. Pushing open the door, a bright living room instantly came into view. The pure white floor tiles were so reflective you could see your reflection, exquisite chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and even the walls were painted pure white. It was a world of difference from the dark, damp wooden houses they had lived in before.
What captivated the four the most were the black armor and steel battle axe hanging on the living room wall.
The armor gleamed with a cold, hard metallic luster, and the axe's edge was so sharp it reflected light. It was clear at a glance that these were no ordinary items.
"Ji Ta, this armor and battle axe are—" Luo Ya's eyes widened slightly, his voice trembling a little.
"These were custom-made by the boss specifically for each of us!" Ji Ta patted the battle axe, his tone full of pride. "You know I'm best at using an axe, so the boss custom-made this steel axe for me. It chops through stone like it's chopping through snow, in one swing! This armor is also incredibly sturdy. Even our chieftain's ancestral old armor isn't as good as mine!"
One set for each person, custom-made?

Sa Qi looked at the exquisite equipment and listened to Ji Ta's words, feeling a strange pang of bitterness. It was as if something important had been missed by him.
But he quickly shook his head, his eyes hardening: These are all tactics used by the imperial people to win over hearts. I cannot be swayed!
"Come, I'll show you around my new home!"
Ji Ta didn't notice his abnormality. He excitedly pulled the four towards the kitchen. "Look at this, it's for cooking. Just press it, and there's fire!"
He twisted the knob of the gas stove, and a blue flame instantly shot out, radiating warm heat.
"How much effort did it used to take to start a fire in the tribe? It would go out with a gust of wind. Now it's so simple!" Ji Ta grinned from ear to ear.
Sa Qi and the other three looked at the flickering flame, their expressions growing increasingly complex. They remembered the days on the ice plains, when they had to guard a bonfire, their hands and feet frozen numb.
"And this!" Ji Ta then led them to the bathroom, pointing at the toilet and saying, "This is for pooping. After you're done, press this button." He pressed the flush button, and a gushing stream of water swirled, washing away the waste completely. "See how clean and convenient it is! No more freezing your butt in the snow and having to bury it with snow!"
Sa Qi and the other three fell completely silent. They looked at the white toilet, at the water heater on the wall, at the clean water flowing in the sink, their hearts feeling as if something was blocked, unable to speak.
"And look at my bedroom!" Ji Ta pulled them upstairs again, pointing at the soft, large bed and saying, "This bed is especially comfortable to sleep on, much softer than beast skin mats! My house is also big. Even our chief's house isn't as spacious as mine!"
"How about it? Why don't you say something?" Ji Ta asked, a little puzzled when he saw them remain silent.
Sa Qi looked at Ji Ta's excited expression, and a strange fire inexplicably flared up in his heart. He couldn't tell if it was anger or jealousy.
He suppressed his emotions and asked coldly, "Besides these, what else have the imperial people given you?"
"Oh, that's right!" Ji Ta slapped his head and said, "The boss also gave some people a few round pills, I think they're called 'Qi and Blood Pills'? I don't remember clearly, but after taking them, your qi and blood increase significantly, and you get stronger! Unfortunately, I'm not strong enough, so I didn't get any, but the boss said that as long as I train hard, I'll definitely get my share in the future!"
Qi and Blood Pills?
Sa Qi's heart sank sharply. Food, housing, weapons, elixirs—the imperial people had invested more effort in his tribesmen than he had imagined. From Ji Ta's demeanor, it was clear that the tribesmen were living very well, even happier than when they were in the ice plain tribe.
But there's no such thing as a free lunch. Do these truly not come with a price?
Sa Qi still didn't believe it. How could the imperial people kindly cultivate barbarian warriors? He must have a deeper plan, he must!
"My home is pretty much like this." Ji Ta looked at the sky and suggested, "Others are still distributing houses. Do you want to go see?"
Sa Qi instinctively resisted, but his body seemed to nod uncontrollably: "Let's go."
The four followed Ji Ta to the square of the new residential area, and the sight before them completely stunned them. The originally desolate forest had been completely cleared, turning into a vast plain, with rows of independent small houses neatly arranged, like a white ocean.
The square was crowded with barbarian tribesmen, each with an excited smile on their face, gathered around the registration desk, waiting for their numbers to be called. "Building 45! Who drew number 45? Come get your key!" The barbarian warrior behind the registration desk shouted loudly.
"Me! It's me!" An old barbarian excitedly raised his hand, his hand trembling as he took the key. "Thank you! Thank you, boss!"
"Number 32! Is number 32 here?"
"Here! Here!"
"Take your key, just go straight down this road!"
Watching the tribesmen's joyful expressions, as if they had received a rare treasure, Sa Qi's lips tightened more and more, and a wave of confusion suddenly welled up in his heart. Why did they forget their hatred so quickly? Did they no longer want to go home and avenge their relatives?
Was everything he had done right or wrong?
Wu Hou, Luo Ya, and Suo Ao were also distraught, their eyes dimming, losing their previous ferocity.
Boom!
Just then, two pillars of vital energy suddenly rose from the distant mountains and forests—one golden, one blood-red. The immense aura surged into the sky, making the ground tremble slightly and the leaves in the forest rustle.
"What is that?" Sa Qi suddenly looked up, feeling a strong sense of ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) pressure from the vital energy even from afar, his heart constricting sharply.
"That should be Commander Terrida and Mr. Xiong breaking through!" Ji Ta explained. "I heard this morning that the boss prepared treasures for them to help them break through their bottlenecks. Now it seems they're about to succeed!"
Sa Qi's eyes suddenly narrowed: "Let's go, let's take a look!"
The four started running, sprinting towards the mountains and forests. After a hearty meal, they had finally regained some strength.
They hadn't run long before they saw Terrida and Xiong in the clearing of the forest.
The two were a hundred meters apart, golden and red pillars of vital energy soaring into the sky from their bodies. Intense heat waves spread outwards, causing the surrounding trees to bend slightly.
Sa Qi stood tens of meters away, feeling an invisible pressure wash over him, making it difficult to even breathe. His eyes were filled with horror. Terrida and that burly man were actually so strong!
He wasn't sure about Xiong's strength, but Terrida himself had said that he was just a high-level warrior from an ordinary tribe before. Yet, the vital energy he was now unleashing could rival that of chieftains from large tribes, or even the legendary warriors of legend!
Connecting this with the Superman Potion they had taken earlier, and the Qi and Blood Pills Ji Ta mentioned, Sa Qi and the other three's expressions grew heavier and heavier, silent like four stones.
"Let's go back." Sa Qi waved his hand, disheartened. He dared not look any further. If he did, the ideals he had always held might completely collapse.
"Okay." Ji Ta noticed their low spirits and didn't ask further. He led the four back to the old residential area, finally stopping in front of a secluded wooden house. "You'll stay here for now. Mu Ya arranged it."
"We're staying here?" Luo Ya frowned, looking at the dilapidated wooden house, feeling very uneasy.
"There's no other way. New houses are very scarce right now. Many people waited for several days to get one." Ji Ta said, a little embarrassed. "You guys make do for a while. Maybe you'll get a new house later."
Sa Qi remained silent. He knew these were comforting words.
He had just committed the error of assassinating an imperial person. It was good enough that he kept his life; how could he still hope for a new house?
Pushing open the wooden house door, a damp smell wafted out. Inside, there was only a large communal bed, covered with worn-out animal skins, and a few insects could be seen crawling in the corner.
He hadn't felt anything when he lived there before, but having just seen Ji Ta's new house, looking at this wooden house now, he only felt oppressed and dilapidated.
The four silently walked in and sat on the communal bed. No one spoke. The air was filled with awkwardness and confusion, with only the laughter of the tribesmen from outside the window sounding particularly jarring.
"Hmph, you see the difference now, don't you?"
By the window of the cultivation room, Qin Tian watched the entire process in real-time through "bug vision"—Sa Qi and the others' confusion in Ji Ta's home, their silence in the new residential area; not a single subtle expression escaped his eyes.
That barbarian warrior named Ji Ta was precisely the "guide" he had specially chosen: outgoing, unable to keep secrets, and full of gratitude for his new life. Having him demonstrate the benefits was more effective than any lecture.
"Not worrying about scarcity but about uneven distribution; this saying applies everywhere." Qin Tian's lips curved into a knowing smile.
The obsession of Sa Qi and the others stemmed from their hatred for the "imperial people." But when they personally saw their compatriots living in warm houses, using spiritual tools, and wielding divine weapons, and then compared them to their own dilapidated wooden house and cold stone axe, their inner defenses would melt away like ice in warm water, little by little.
This method wasn't particularly clever, but it was the most effective. Those entertainment venues used the same tactic to corrupt respectable women. The key to this method was to make the other party clearly see the chasm between "what they want" and "what they have."
However, he didn't plan to spend too much energy on Sa Qi and the others; he would leave the follow-up to Feng Mocheng.
With Feng Mocheng's many years of mercenary experience and his grasp of human psychology, dealing with a few wavering barbarian warriors would be a piece of cake.
"Terrida and Xiong have also broken through. Now my core team has taken shape."
Qin Tian's eyes were deep. He had purchased a batch of elixirs at a high price from the Oriental Family, two of which were Dragon Blood Transformation Pills given to Terrida and Xiong.
The Dragon Blood Transformation Pill was refined from the essence blood of an eighth-tier giant dragon, combined with various spiritual plant medicinal ingredients, primarily used to enhance vital energy and temper the body.
After Terrida and Xiong took it, they successfully broke through their bottlenecks and crossed the threshold of sixth-tier combat power.
Now, his subordinates Feng Mocheng, Xiong, Terrida, and Old Ghost were all sixth-tier masters. Zyra, Kha'Zix, and Karthus, the three great spirit beasts, also possessed sixth-tier combat power, with Zyra's combat power even approaching seventh-tier.
Li Qi, with his Night Demon King bloodline, was only a matter of time before reaching sixth-tier. Poison Widow's talent was slightly weaker, but with the massive infusion of resources, breaking through to sixth-tier was not difficult.
Compared to those Silver and Golden Bloodline families, his current strength was still very weak; even some medium-sized financial groups were much stronger than him. But don't forget, this was only his second year in this world.
In two years, he was already a major general with an imperial glory medal, with elite private armies, a commercial empire, and a secret dark department under his command.
This growth rate, looking across the entire empire, would probably be unrivaled.
Qin Tian walked to the window, gazing at the distant spaceport, his eyes seemingly piercing through the atmosphere, looking towards the vast starry sea.
One step at a time. One day, he would stand on the highest stage, looking down upon all beings.