In the ruins of Fukuoka, a makeshift "purification and recuperation center" is brightly lit.

Yufuin Onsen District, once famous for its hot springs and scenery, has now been transformed into a transit point for the empire to select and "optimize" women.

The air was filled with a mixture of disinfectant and perfume, but it couldn't mask the smell of gunpowder coming from afar.

Hundreds of young women were gathered here, dressed in uniform white silk dresses, with exquisite makeup on their faces and their hair meticulously combed, as if they were commodities for sale.

"Hurry up! Don't dawdle!" An imperial female overseer in a black uniform stood on a high platform, holding an electric whip, and swept her cold gaze across the crowd.

Her voice echoed throughout the hall through the loudspeaker, "You are the Empire's valuable assets. Don't force me to downgrade you to C-rank and send you to the mines to dig for stones!"

In the hall, young women, heads bowed, lined up in neat rows and walked toward a large scanner.

The scanners record their biometrics—height, weight, bust, waist, hip measurements, skin condition, and even their genetic sequence. Every piece of data is uploaded to the Empire's database, ultimately determining their "value."

A woman named Sato Mizuki, twenty-two years old, slender and fair-skinned, was standing in the queue, her hands tightly gripping the hem of her skirt, her knuckles white.

Her eyes were red and swollen, clearly from crying. The girl beside her whispered comfortingly, "Mizuki, don't be afraid. They said as long as you behave, you won't be sent to the mine."

"Obey?" Mizuki's voice trembled, tinged with despair. "What good will it do to obey? Where will we be sent? I heard... I heard we're going to be sent to the homeland of the Star Kingdom to become those men's... playthings."

"Stop talking!" another girl, named Reina Takahashi, whispered, glancing nervously around. "Do you want to get whipped? They can hear you!"

Just then, the female supervisor's gaze swept over and precisely locked onto Mizuki. "You, Sato Mizuki, number A-3741, come here!"

Meiyue shuddered in fright and staggered forward.

The female supervisor looked her up and down, a cold smile playing on her lips: "Crying like a little cat? Don't waste your A-grade rating. Wipe your tears clean and get ready to board the ship. Your buyer is already waiting."

"Buyer?" Mizuki's voice was almost choked with emotion. "I...I'm not merchandise!"

"Goods?" The female overseer burst into laughter, her voice shrill and piercing. "You think you're human? Wake up, A-3741. You're now Imperial property. Being delivered to the mainland is already a blessing. I heard your buyer is a mining company owner, over fifty years old, and very wealthy. You'd better learn how to ingratiate yourself with him, or else..."

She brandished the electric whip in her hand, the threat unmistakable.

Meiyue gritted her teeth, tears welling up in her eyes, but she dared not resist any longer.

She was shoved and pushed toward a large transport ship to the side. The ship's hatch was open, and it was already crowded with other women, their faces filled with fear and numbness.

The interior of the transport spacecraft was like a giant metal can, and the air was filled with the smell of engine oil and sweat.

The women were separated into transparent cubicles, each only able to accommodate one person, so narrow that it was almost impossible to turn around.

Mizuki was pushed into a compartment, and the hatch clicked shut behind her. She leaned against the cold metal wall, hugged herself, and sobbed softly.

"Why...why did it turn out like this?" she murmured to herself, the image of the day Kyushu fell flashing through her mind: the flames of the explosion, her loved ones lying in pools of blood, and Yamamoto Shingen's despairing eyes.

The vibrations of the spaceship taking off interrupted her thoughts. Through the small window of her compartment, she watched the land of Kyushu gradually shrink in her field of vision, eventually disappearing beneath the clouds. She knew that this departure might be her last.

Three days later, the transport ship arrived at the Star Kingdom.

The spaceship landed at the central trading post, a place known as the "Star Market".

The place was bustling with noise, filled with shouts in various languages ​​and the clamor of transactions. On a huge holographic screen, information about the women who had been brought in was displayed: name, age, appearance rating, skills, and even a detailed analysis of their genetic sequences.

Mizuki was led to a transparent display platform, surrounded by a crowd—mostly male citizens of the Star Kingdom, including elegantly dressed merchants and bearded old miners. They stared at her with greedy eyes.

"Sato Mizuki, A-3741, Grade A, score 92, starting bid 500,000 Dragon Dollars!" Li Yunfeng, the Imperial official in charge of the auction, stood to the side, holding a tablet, and announced the price expressionlessly. His voice, amplified through a loudspeaker, reverberated throughout the market, eliciting whispers and laughter.

"500,000? That's a bit expensive!" A fat businessman named Wang Fugui stroked his chin, his eyes never leaving Meiyue. "But her skin, her figure, it's worth it! I'll take her!"

"Boss Wang is really generous!" Another buyer, Zhao Tiezhu, a mining company manager, patted Wang Fugui on the shoulder with a smile. "But I've got my eye on that B-grade one over there. 300,000 is enough for it. Cheap and affordable!"

Mizuki stood on the stage, her body trembling slightly.

She could hear the whispers from below the stage, and every word felt like a needle piercing her heart.

She wanted to resist, to scream, but the electric shock collar around her neck prevented her from making any sudden movements. She could only lower her head, forcing back tears, her hands tightly gripping the hem of her skirt, her knuckles turning white.

Ultimately, Meiyue was "bought" by Wang Fugui for 550,000 dragon coins.

She was led to a luxurious hovercar, its interior lavishly decorated and filled with the scent of expensive perfume. Wang Fugui sat opposite her, looking her over with satisfaction, a smug smile playing on his lips.

"Don't look so sad, little beauty." Wang Fugui's voice was greasy and frivolous. "Follow me, you'll live a life of luxury, much better than those women sent to the mines. You need to learn to be grateful, understand?"

Mizuki gritted her teeth and remained silent. Her mother's dying words echoed in her mind: "Mizuki, no matter what happens, you must live on."

She knew she had to survive, not only for herself, but also for her younger brother and sister far away in Kyushu. They were still alive, hiding in the ruins, surviving on the money she sent back. And this money could only be obtained from her "master."