Chapter 346: Parting Ways (Five-in-One)
by SunflowerInside the Starlight City · City Lord’s Office.
Gakels was wearily processing the tax reduction applications reported from various places. Although the Federation was going to reduce taxes for everyone, it wasn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. Approvals were based on the economic situation of each area; places with better economies wouldn’t see too much of a reduction.
While this might cause some dissatisfaction, it at least ensured that this year’s tax revenue wouldn’t plummet too much.
Just then, the partially open door was pushed open, and Cloud Soft hurried in.
Gakels heard the movement, immediately stopped approving, and looked up at Cloud Soft.
“What’s wrong?”
“Sir, there’s news from the Thirteenth Corps!”
“Speak quickly!”
Gakels immediately put down his pen and asked anxiously.
“Someone uploaded the latest news from the Imperial Army on the Star Cluster Forum. The Federation’s Thirteenth Corps has broken through the Dark Star Empire’s defenses and entered the Dark Star Empire’s territory. Now the Dark Star Empire is in an uproar!”
“When did this happen? Is the news reliable?”
“It was just uploaded. The reliability of the news is still being verified. But from the looks of it, it should be true.”
Cloud Soft explained methodically.
Gakels immediately opened the Star Cluster Forum, and hot posts about the Thirteenth Corps immediately popped up, with soaring click rates and comment counts.
Although the news had just come back, it instantly caused a sensation.
Gakels clicked on a post and saw a striking photo uploaded to it.
The photo captured the moment the Curvature Interference Device of Cardle Fortress was destroyed.
The messages in the post were also quite explosive.
“Startled awake from a deathbed illness, I realize I am the great power!”
“It’s too shocking. The Thirteenth Corps actually fought its way into the Imperial Army’s territory. I feel like the whole world isn’t real.”
“Awesome! So satisfying, haha!”
“If those Imperial Army lackeys dare to make noise again, I’ll definitely spray them to death. What are they being arrogant about? Their lair has been stabbed by us!”
“The offense and defense have swapped! The troops trapped in Sky Dome City are truly saved!”
Gakels looked at these comments, took a deep breath, and showed a very complex expression.
“Lord Gakels, isn’t the Thirteenth Corps’s invasion of the Dark Star Empire a good thing? Why do you seem so worried?”
Cloud Soft looked at Gakels’s complex expression and asked softly.
“It is a good thing, but this move is too risky, so risky that no one expected it! The Dark Star Empire has been slapped hard, and they will definitely not let it go. Once they give up besieging the trapped Sky Dome City forces, they will frantically surround the Thirteenth Corps, and then the Thirteenth Corps will be in danger!”
“What do we do now?”
“Let me think.”
Gakels rubbed his temples, replying with a headache.
— —
Dark Star Empire · Star Destroyer · Grudge.
In a dim room.
Commander Hodeska sat on a chair with a very grim expression.
Deputy Legion Commander Teddyra and Vice Army Commander Nowis stood in front of Commander Hodeska.
“Commander Hodeska, what should we do next?”
Teddyra asked very nervously, his legs still trembling, and the Emperor’s words constantly replaying in his mind.
He had no confidence at all now; the Emperor’s reaction was simply too abnormal.
Meanwhile, Vice Army Commander Nowis stood there silently, his eyes constantly flickering.
Hodeska gave Teddyra a cold glance, then spoke to the two of them.
“I don’t need to say more about the current situation. Although the Emperor didn’t punish us, he has been enraged. Surrounding and annihilating the Thirteenth Corps is our last chance. If we mess it up again, it won’t be as simple as a death sentence.”
“Lord Hodeska, isn’t Lord Roglian mobilizing the forces of the 36 Star Lords to help us search and encircle them? There shouldn’t be any problem, right?”
Teddyra said with a glimmer of hope.
“Idiot, still relying on those irregular troops now? You won’t even know how you died then.”
Hodeska directly cursed at Teddyra.
“Then what do you mean, Lord Hodeska?”
Teddyra swallowed hard and said.
“Listen carefully, my troops are all guarding the front line and cannot be moved! Now, you two must find a way to mobilize the Fifth Black Crow Legion and the Eleventh Dream Nightmare Corps’s defense forces stationed in the homeland to form a new fleet with the Star Destroyer · Grudge. Only then, with the cooperation of those Star Lords’ irregular troops, can we be absolutely sure of success!”
Hodeska didn’t waste words with them and laid it all out.
“Lord Hodeska, the remaining troops are used for guarding our homes, it’s not easy to mobilize them!”
Teddyra’s face turned green after hearing Hodeska’s words.
The troops left behind by each corps in their homeland were used to guard their own assets. Moreover, these remaining troops were the corps’ seeds; once a corps was damaged and needed to expand and recover, they would be mobilized.
Under normal circumstances, they couldn’t be moved without the Legion Commander’s order.
“This is unrealistic, they can’t be mobilized at all.”
Nowis replied with a gloomy face.
“This is your last chance. I don’t care what method you use; you must find a way to persuade your respective Legion Commanders to mobilize the troops, otherwise, in the end, you’ll all be finished together!”
Hodeska replied to the two with a ferocious expression.
Teddyra gritted his teeth and replied after hearing Hodeska’s words.
“I’ll try!”
Nowis saw Teddyra express his stance, remained silent for a few seconds, then replied.
“I understand.”
“It’s settled then, and be quick!”
Hodeska said unceremoniously.
— —
Star Radiance Fortress · Central Control Room.
The Purple-haired girl sat in the command chair, resting her cheek on one hand, her purple eyes flickering.
Just then, Lieutenant General Feilong hurried over, reporting to the Purple-haired girl with a solemn expression.
“Legion Commander, the Dark Star Empire’s homeland forces have moved. They’ve dispatched a massive number of troops, frantically searching for us everywhere.”
“Very good, I know about this.”
The Purple-haired girl showed no change in emotion upon hearing Feilong’s report.
“Then what should we do next? The enemy has dispatched so many troops. Once we’re discovered, we’ll surely die.”
Feilong asked worriedly, after all, this was the Dark Star Empire’s home base, not a place for jokes.
“How could I not know?”
The Purple-haired girl sighed, slowly got up, and walked gracefully to the observation deck, looking at the twinkling starry sky before her, lost in thought.
The forces she had at hand were simply too few; a direct confrontation was definitely impossible. As for guerrilla warfare, that was also very unrealistic.
Firstly, the enemy’s troops were simply too numerous, and they were fighting on home ground, giving them too many advantages.
Secondly, Star Radiance Fortress didn’t have much of an advantage in speed, so there was no chance to hit and run.
In other words, it was a dead end no matter what.
The only way out was to escape the Dark Star Empire, but that would also mean declaring the mission a failure.
To be honest, she really hadn’t expected Aus to be so unyielding, stubbornly refusing to retreat and fighting her to the death.
“Alas~”
The Purple-haired girl sighed helplessly, then said faintly: “You may go now.”
“Yes!”
Lieutenant General Feilong respectfully withdrew upon hearing this.
No. 3 Training Ground.
The members of the third regiment were gathered together, discussing with confusion.
“We’ve been fighting for how many days now? Why is there still no movement?”
“I don’t know, I’m also very puzzled.”
“I’m still waiting for a big fight.”
Just then, Su Ming walked over from not far away. Lan Yue and the other girls immediately saw Su Ming approaching.
They were about to go up and greet Su Ming, but suddenly remembered something, stopping immediately, each of them showing an unnatural expression.
After all, Su Ming was their Commander now, and their status difference was not small.
However, Su Ming took the initiative to smile and greet Lan Yue and the others.
“Hi, everyone!”
“Hello, Commander.”
Lan Yue and the others shouted happily.
Just then, Timmy walked over and greeted Su Ming.
“Major Su Ming, you’re here.”
“Mm, Timmy.”
Su Ming carefully examined Timmy.
Long pink hair, skin like snow, eyebrows as slender as crescent moons, bright and clear eyes, a very outstanding appearance, and an uncommon temperament revealed in her demeanor.
This was the first time Su Ming had seen her appearance up close.
“Thank you for what happened last time.”
Timmy thanked Su Ming very politely.
Su Ming was slightly startled upon hearing Timmy’s words, then reacted and said.
“You’re talking about the battlefield incident, right? There’s nothing to thank for that. Anyone would have done the same.”
“That’s true, but I still want to thank you.”
Timmy shook her head and replied.
“Alright, then I won’t be overly modest. I accept your thanks. I’ll go organize the team first.”
Su Ming replied with a smile.
“Okay!”
Timmy nodded.
Su Ming then walked to where Ryan and the others were.
Just then, Ryan excitedly said.
“Squad leader, we saw you chatting so happily with those girls. Are you guys very close?”
“What are you doing? What do you want to do?”
Su Ming asked with a smile.
“Nothing, aren’t we just caring for our new companions? We’re really lucky this time, the ones who joined us are from the Eighteenth Regiment, and there are so many girls among them! And many are from Rainy City, with very high Appearance (face value)!”
Ryan and the others said with winks and nudges.
“Although you’re in the same regiment, they are all led by Major Timmy. I warn you not to mess around!”
Su Ming reminded Ryan and the others with a smile.
“Don’t worry!”
Ryan and the others replied with chuckles.
Just then, Anqi and the other girls looked at Ryan and the others with disdain and said.
“Look at you guys, acting like our team doesn’t have girls.”
“You don’t understand this. The flowers at home are never as fragrant as the wild ones.”
Ankajia said excitedly.
“Cough cough! Ankajia, don’t talk nonsense, what kind of twisted logic is that?!”
Su Ming reprimanded Ankajia with a stern face.
“Hehe, I didn’t mean that.”
Ankajia scratched her head and replied awkwardly.
Just then, Su Ming’s wristband suddenly vibrated, displaying a message.
“Urgent notification: The Legion Commander will be giving a temporary speech. Please put down everything you are doing and listen to the Legion Commander’s speech.”
After seeing the message, Su Ming immediately shouted.
“Everyone, sit down and remain silent. The Legion Commander will be giving a general speech.”
Although Ryan and the others were a bit surprised, they all quietly sat down.
A few minutes later, a huge holographic projection appeared in front of Su Ming and the others. The image of the Purple-haired girl appeared before everyone, and the Star Radiance Fortress’s broadcast also simultaneously turned on.
“Hello everyone, I am the Legion Commander of the Thirteenth Corps. I now officially announce our withdrawal from the Dark Star Empire and our return to the Federation!”
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the entire Star Radiance Fortress was stunned.
“What’s going on? We finally fought our way in, and now we’re just retreating?”
“How could this be?”
“Is the Legion Commander joking with us?”
“Right, I feel like it’s definitely like last time, the Legion Commander is messing with us again!”
Everyone discussed amongst themselves.
Just then, the Purple-haired girl continued to speak.
“I know you are very unwilling about this retreat decision, but there is nothing we can do. The Dark Star Empire has assembled a massive number of troops to search for and encircle us. Our forces are limited, and we are unable to resist such a large-scale force. Moreover, all planets in the Dark Star Empire have entered a state of combat readiness, and even a forced attack would not yield good results! If we don’t retreat and choose to fight head-on, then we will ultimately suffer a complete defeat.”
“Of course, you shouldn’t be disheartened. You’ve already done very well. You broke through the Imperial Army’s defenses, created a miracle, and did your utmost to save your comrades. You are already heroes of the Federation. Sometimes, retreating isn’t shameful; it’s for the sake of creating greater glory in the future.”
After hearing the Purple-haired girl’s words, everyone began to discuss.
“I think the Legion Commander makes sense. We really did our best, and continuing to fight doesn’t seem like it would lead to a good outcome.”
“That’s right. Only 12 out of 26 squadrons are left.”
At this point, the Purple-haired girl continued.
“I will now announce the specific evacuation measures. Since too many Imperial Army units have been dispatched to encircle us, I have decided to split into two routes for evacuation. All commercial personnel, regular combat squadrons, and supporting logistics personnel within Star Radiance Fortress will be transferred to the Tsar mothership for evacuation. The Twin Battleship and the 4th Class Battleship · Chameleon Tiger will also escort and protect the mothership. Star Radiance Fortress will remain behind to cover our retreat, drawing fire for a period to ensure the mothership’s safe departure.”
“Also, because the situation is becoming increasingly grim, you only have 12 hours to transfer. Some larger cargo and difficult-to-move items can be stored in Star Radiance Fortress. I now declare that the evacuation plan officially begins.”
As her words fell, the holographic projection and broadcast were all cut off.
After a brief moment of stunned, everyone immediately came to their senses.
In an instant, the entire fortress erupted, and everyone anxiously began to pack their belongings, preparing to evacuate.
At this moment, Rhein and others looked at Su Ming with some confusion, asking.
“Squad Leader, can we really go back to the Federation?”
“That’s right. Hurry back and pack your luggage. Don’t have too much psychological burden. Everyone really did their best. Sometimes, when things are impossible, you have to know how to adapt.”
Su Ming said to Rhein and the others.
“Understood!”
Rhein and the others nodded in response.
“Everyone, disperse!”
Su Ming waved his hand and turned to leave. He also needed to go back and pack his luggage.
To be honest, Su Ming felt that the Legion Commander’s decision was flawless, very rational and correct.
But for some reason, Su Ming always felt that something was not quite right; it wasn’t like her style. However, the order had already been given, and he couldn’t speculate too much, so he could only take it one step at a time.
Not long after, Su Ming returned home with a large bag of grapes.
As soon as he entered the door, Xiao Hui happily ran over and rubbed against Su Ming’s leg.
Su Ming crouched down, reached out and stroked Xiao Hui’s head, saying to it with a sigh.
“Xiao Hui, these grapes are for you. I’m going to be away for a while, so take good care of yourself during this time.”
After hearing Su Ming’s words, Xiao Hui tilted its head and looked at Su Ming with its big, innocent eyes, looking very adorable.
Su Ming didn’t know if it understood, so he stood up, placed the grapes on the table, and then opened his suitcase to pack clothes and daily necessities.
At this moment, Xiao Hui saw Su Ming packing his luggage, so it went to the side of the suitcase and looked at him pitifully.
Su Ming looked at Xiao Hui’s appearance and laughed, saying.
“I’ll wash some grapes for you to eat!”
Su Ming then got up, walked to the table, picked up the grapes, and went into the kitchen.
When Su Ming finished washing the grapes and came out, preparing to call Xiao Hui to eat them, he found Xiao Hui had jumped into his suitcase.
He walked to the side of the suitcase and said helplessly.
“Xiao Hui, stop fooling around, come out.”
Xiao Hui shook its head like a rattle-drum, refusing to come out. If it were usual, it would have already run off to eat the grapes.
“You want to come with me?”
Su Ming hesitated and asked.
“Mmm-hmm!”
Xiao Hui nodded pitifully and continuously.
“Alright!”
Su Ming let out a long breath and said.
Seeing Su Ming agree, Xiao Hui happily bounced in the suitcase.
“Stop jumping, I just folded the clothes. Come out and eat grapes!”
Su Ming said with a smile to Xiao Hui.
Xiao Hui then happily jumped out and went to the side to eat grapes.
More than an hour later, after Su Ming finished packing his luggage, he rushed to Star Radiance Fortress’s No. 2 dock.
He wanted to see how the repairs on his 4th Class Battleship · Wind Motion were progressing.
Soon, he took the mobile platform and arrived in front of the Wind Motion, where he saw Master Acala and his subordinates.
At this time, Master Acala was directing his subordinates to dismantle the external scaffolding of the Wind Motion.
“Hurry up!”
Su Ming then walked up to Master Acala and called out.
“Master Acala!”
“Commander Su Ming, you’ve arrived.”
Master Acala asked in a very good mood.
“Yes, Master, is my ship repaired?”
“Just finished!”
Master Acala replied with a smile.
“That’s great, then I’ll pay you the money!”
Su Ming then took out his phone and paid Master Acala.
“Commander Su Ming is indeed straightforward. If you need anything in the future, just come to me, and I’ll definitely give you a discount!”
Acala said very happily.
Although the commanders who sought their services were all high-ranking, those who paid as generously as Su Ming were rare. Many negotiated installment payments, and some even defaulted on the final payment.
“Okay. By the way, Master Acala, can I ask you something?”
Su Ming asked politely.
“Of course you can.”
“I want to move the Wind Motion to the Tsar to take it away. How do I do that?”
“That’s troublesome. You can apply on your wristband, as for whether it will be approved or not, it depends on whether Major General Vickers approves it and the availability of berths on the Tsar. I don’t have any particularly good methods.”
Master Acala explained to Su Ming.
“I understand, thank you.”
“However, I must warn you not to have too much hope, as the probability of approval is very slim. After all, a 4th Class Battleship occupies a lot of space, and there are many people applying for this hasty evacuation.”
“Okay, I’ll give it a try.”
After hearing Master Acala’s words, Su Ming, with a ‘just try it’ attitude, raised his wristband and entered the application information for the Wind Motion’s transfer.
No more than three seconds after he sent his message, a notification popped up immediately.
“Dear Major Su Ming, your application for the Wind Motion transfer has been received and approved.”
“Master, it passed!”
Su Ming was a little surprised to see this message, not expecting it to be so easy to apply, and quickly said to Master Acala.
“What? How is that possible?”
Master Acala was instantly dumbfounded.
“It really passed! Master Acala, do you move ships? Can you help me move the ship over?”
Su Ming asked with a smile.
Acala took a deep breath, then said to Su Ming.
“No problem!”
Soon, the twelve-hour transfer period ended, and all the Thirteenth Corps’s mech squadrons entered the Tsar.
Inside the Tsar’s central control room.
Vickers sat in the command chair, and Zhou Yuelin, Lieutenant respectfully reported.
“General, all personnel are accounted for.”
“Very good. Connect to Star Radiance Fortress’s central control room.”
Vickers then issued the order.
“Yes!”
Zhou Yuelin, Lieutenant immediately carried out the operation.
Soon, the communication was successfully connected, and the image of Lieutenant General Feilong appeared on the operation screen.
“Reporting, Commander, everything is ready. Request permission to depart!”
Vickers reported in a deep voice.
“Very good, approved! I wish you a smooth journey!”
Lieutenant General Feilong nodded in response.
“Thank you, Commander. Tsar, depart!”
Vickers issued the order with a stern voice.
As the order was given, the entire Tsar disengaged its mooring devices, activated its anti-gravity systems, and then flew towards the dock’s exit.
After the Tsar detached from Star Radiance Fortress, the 4th Class Battleship · Chameleon Tiger and the 4th Class Battleship · Wind Motion flew beneath the mothership, and the Tsar took both ships into its hangar.
On the Tsar’s large observation deck.
Su Ming and the others stood on the observation deck, quietly observing the situation outside.
The moment the Tsar passed through Star Radiance Fortress, everyone was astonished by the sight before them.
They saw Star Radiance Fortress suspended in space, with countless Mechanical Octopuses surrounding it, forming a camouflage barrier that enveloped the massive Star Radiance Fortress.
“Wow, Squad Leader, what kind of technology is this? It looks so awesome!”
Rhein asked in amazement.
“I’m not sure either.”
Su Ming shook his head.
At this moment, Timmy walked over and explained to Su Ming.
“This is mechanical camouflage, a capability the Mechanical Clan takes pride in. In our long conflict with the Mechanical Clan, we’ve suffered quite a bit from this mechanical camouflage! This should be the latest technology cracked by Xiguang Laboratory.”
“So that’s it.”
Su Ming suddenly understood.
At this moment, Rhein and the others suddenly exclaimed.
“Look, so many Mechanical Octopuses are flying towards us!”
Su Ming and Timmy heard this and both looked up.
They saw dense swarms of Mechanical Octopuses emerging from Star Radiance Fortress, flying towards the Tsar and the Twin Battleship. These Mechanical Octopuses all adhered to the ships’ hulls, deploying their protective coloration.
“It looks like the Legion Commander has prepared everything for us. With these Mechanical Octopuses, the ships won’t be as easily detected when they cool down after warp flight.”
Timmy immediately saw the purpose of these Mechanical Octopuses.
“Mmm.”
Su Ming nodded in agreement.
Inside Star Radiance Fortress’s central control room.
The Purple-haired girl sat quietly in the command chair. The large operation screen displayed images of the Tsar and other ships moving away from Star Radiance Fortress.
After the Tsar and the Twin Battleship departed, Lieutenant General Feilong walked over and said in a low voice.
“Legion Commander, they have departed.”
“I know.”
The Purple-haired girl slowly raised her head, her purple eyes flickering slightly, and replied faintly.
Tsar.
Su Ming and the others arrived at the living quarters with their luggage.
A young logistics man in a sergeant’s uniform spoke to Su Ming and his team very quickly.
“Commanders, the rooms in this area are all for your team. You can arrange and use them freely. Toothpaste, towels, and other daily necessities are in the storage room up ahead; just take them, they’re not locked! I still need to brief others, so I won’t talk to you anymore.”
“Thank you! You go ahead and be busy.”
After receiving permission, the man immediately jogged away.
“That guy talks so fast, I didn’t catch everything.”
Rhein said in confusion.
“What’s so strange? With so many people crowding onto the Tsar, the logistics staff must be going crazy. They don’t have time to notify everyone slowly. Let’s choose our own rooms!”
Su Ming explained calmly.
“Uh, what’s there to choose? The Tsar’s living quarters are in terrible condition; they’ve barely been maintained.”
Rhein said, pushing open a room door. Inside, it was empty, with only iron beds and no bedding. The worst part was that only the floor was clean; there was still a lot of dust on the walls.
However, this was also normal. During peacetime, when there were no combat missions, everyone lived in Star Radiance Fortress, not on the Tsar.
Su Ming looked at the simple dormitory conditions, pondered for a moment, and said.
“Forget it, we’re not staying here.”
“Ah? Then where do we stay?”
Rhein and the others looked at Su Ming with great confusion.
“You forgot, we have the Wind Motion.”
Su Ming said with a smile to Rhein and the others.
“That’s right, we still have the Wind Motion! The facilities inside are all brand new!”
Rhein suddenly remembered and said excitedly.
“Not only are the facilities brand new, I remember the supplies on the Wind Motion haven’t been touched. There’s food, drinks, everything inside!”
Ankajia immediately added.
“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go!”
Upon hearing this, Su Ming immediately led all his subordinates away.
Not long after, Su Ming and the others took the mobile platform to the dock.
They disembarked from the mobile platform and walked towards the Wind Motion’s entrance.
“Wow!”
“This is Squad Leader’s ship, it’s so new!”
“It looks very high-end!”
Song Hui and the others looked at the Wind Motion before them, each uttering exclamations of awe.
“Let’s go, board the ship!”
Su Ming led them onto the ship.
Soon, they entered the Wind Motion and arrived at the living quarters.
“Elu, distribute the rooms to everyone. Everyone, put your luggage in your rooms. After that, gather in the dining hall.”
Su Ming said to the crowd.
“Okay!”
Elu and the others responded in unison.
Soon, everyone was assigned a room.
Su Ming’s room was NO.1, the best room on the Wind Motion, and also the room Vickank used to live in.
The moment he opened his door and stepped into the room, all the sensor lights automatically turned on.
The entire house was a suite, equipped with a living room, a study, a separate bathroom, a private kitchen, and a bedroom.
All the furniture and electronic facilities displayed here were very high-end and tastefully arranged, with fluffy carpets laid on the floor.
Su Ming walked to the living room sofa and tried it out; it was very comfortable, and the sofa was made of genuine leather.
“Not bad, Vickank certainly knows how to enjoy himself.”
Su Ming praised with satisfaction.
Then he got up and walked into the study, only to find it empty, with only a bookshelf, desk, and chairs. All books and documents had been cleared out, likely moved by the people who came to inspect.
Su Ming took a quick look and then turned to leave.
Soon he arrived at the bedroom, and the situation was similar; all personal items had been removed, but the rest was largely untouched.
Su Ming put down his suitcase and then opened it.
At this moment, Little Gray jumped out from inside. It turned its head to look at the entire room, its eyes immediately lit up, and it excitedly scurried around the room.
“Stop running around, we’re going to the dining hall.”
Su Ming called out to Little Gray.
However, Little Gray showed no intention of stopping, instead having a great time playing.
“Sigh, never mind. If you’re not going, I’ll go by myself.”
Seeing Little Gray having so much fun, Su Ming didn’t insist and turned to open the room.
A moment later, over a thousand people with Su Ming arrived at the dining hall.
“Squad Leader, are we getting special treatment?”
“That’s right, let’s celebrate! Let’s go check out the kitchen!”
Su Ming replied with a smile.
“Alright!”
Upon hearing this, Rhein and the others showed expressions of joy.
Soon they arrived at the kitchen behind the dining hall. The entire kitchen was very spacious, with all sorts of cooking equipment available.
“Everyone, listen to my command. Who knows how to cook, step forward?”
Su Ming asked.
Upon hearing Su Ming’s words, over a hundred people immediately stepped forward.
“Good, you all will be my assistants!”
Su Ming said to them.
“Alright!”
Song Hui and the others responded in unison.
“Rhein, you lead a team to the freezer to move ingredients. Elu, you all are responsible for washing and preparing the ingredients. We’ll make the meal as quickly as possible. Tonight, we’ll have a good gathering.”
Su Ming said to the crowd.
“Yay!” Rhein and the others shouted excitedly.
“Alright, let’s get moving!”
Su Ming shouted to everyone with a smile.
Over an hour later.
Plates of steaming hot dishes were brought to the dining hall. Su Ming had made braised pork ribs, steamed spare ribs, diced spicy meat, stir-fried dried vegetables, and more.
The aroma immediately filled the entire dining hall.
“It smells so good!”
“I didn’t expect the Squad Leader to be such a good cook.”
Rhein and the others said happily.
“Everyone, quiet down and listen to me!”
Su Ming called out to the crowd.
Rhein and the others all quieted down, and everyone looked at Su Ming.
“It’s rare for everyone to gather together. Tonight, we’ll have a small party. Everyone can eat to their heart’s content. As for alcohol, each person is limited to one can of beer. No more than that. Drinks are unlimited! After all, it’s an extraordinary period, and we could encounter war at any time. Please understand!”
Su Ming said to everyone.
“Oh yeah! That’s great!”
Upon hearing Su Ming’s words, everyone cheered.
“I declare the party officially started. Let’s all raise a toast!”
Su Ming picked up a can of beer, opened it, and raised it.
“Cheers!”
Everyone picked up their cans of beer and shouted happily.
Over half an hour later, Rhein and a few others gathered around Su Ming, eating meat and drinking beverages while chatting with Su Ming.
“Boss, I just thought of a question.”
“What question? Tell me.”
Su Ming replied with a smile.
“We do have our own battleship now, but none of us know how to operate it. What should we do?”
Rhein asked, scratching his head.
Upon hearing Rhein’s question, Su Ming also felt a bit of a headache.
“That is indeed a bit troublesome, but you don’t need to worry. I will figure out a solution, but it won’t be immediate.”
A 4th Class Battleship is a behemoth; it cannot be operated by just a few people. To be precise, they not only lack personnel to operate the ship but also lack a team.
This team includes the Captain, Operators, logistics personnel, and maintenance personnel.
These personnel are not easy to find. First, they must be highly skilled, and they must also be trustworthy.
More importantly, the cost of daily maintenance is not low!
“That’s great! Let’s continue eating!”
Seeing Su Ming say this, Rhein and the others responded very happily.
In their hearts, as long as Su Ming said something was fine, then it was absolutely fine. Even if there was a problem, he would find a way to solve it.
Late at night.
Su Ming returned to his room, washed up, and came out of the bathroom.
At this moment, Su Ming suddenly noticed that he hadn’t seen Little Gray since he came back. Usually, it would dart over as soon as he opened the door.
“Little Gray?”
Su Ming immediately called out.
There was no sound. Su Ming, puzzled, searched around, wondering where the fellow had gone.
As he walked to the side of the bed, he heard a rustling sound coming from under the bed.
Su Ming immediately squatted down and peered under the bed.
He saw Little Gray, who had somehow gotten under the bed, constantly scratching at the metal wall.
“Stop scratching, Little Gray. That’s a metal wall; you can’t scratch a hole in it. Come out quickly.”
Su Ming chuckled and said to Little Gray.
However, Little Gray shook its head, unwilling to come out, and continued scratching at the metal wall.
Su Ming helplessly reached out and grabbed Little Gray, then said to it,
“If you don’t want to sleep on the bed with me, there’s a sofa chair over there; you can sleep there.”
After Su Ming finished speaking, he picked up Little Gray and placed it on the sofa chair.
The next second, Little Gray jumped off the sofa chair, directly tugged at Su Ming’s pajama pant leg, and pulled him towards the bed.
Seeing this, Su Ming’s brows furrowed, and he immediately felt something was off, then asked,
“You want me to scratch it for you?”
Little Gray nodded repeatedly.
Su Ming pondered for a few seconds, then walked to the bed and pushed it away with force.
Then he walked to the spot where Little Gray was scratching the wall and squatted down. He carefully observed this metal wall; it was very smooth with no gaps.
However, Su Ming still reached out and touched it, then knocked on it!
Soon he discovered a slight anomaly: the sound of tapping the metal wall where Little Gray was scratching was off.
“Hollow!”
Su Ming blurted out instinctively.
He tried pressing hard on this metal wall, and indeed, a concealed metal storage compartment popped out.
Inside this concealed metal storage compartment, a black mechanical box was placed.
When Su Ming saw this black mechanical box, his eyelids suddenly twitched, and he quickly reached out to take the black mechanical box out from inside the bed frame.
He carefully examined the black mechanical box and immediately gasped.
He had seen this black mechanical box before.
Back on the nautilus, Dr. Li Mengqi and Dr. Tingli were also carrying one of these black mechanical boxes. Su Ming was certain that the two boxes were identical in style, which meant this black mechanical box belonged to Xiguang Laboratory.
Su Ming suddenly thought of something: Vickank had recently made a great contribution; could it be that he obtained this box?
The more Su Ming thought about it, the more he felt this guess was correct. If he hadn’t stirred up trouble with Xiguang Laboratory, he certainly wouldn’t have been put on the Federation’s list so quickly.
He carefully checked the mechanical box and found that it wasn’t locked. It should have been cracked by Vickank and his team.
Su Ming’s expression changed for a moment. He took a deep breath and carefully opened the black mechanical box.
The moment the box opened, a blast of cold air rushed out.
Through the cold air, a special metal glass tube could be seen inside the freezer, containing a very beautiful purple liquid.
Su Ming’s eyelids twitched, and he instinctively blurted out,
“Genetic agent!”
Su Ming picked up the genetic agent and examined it carefully.
The more he looked, the more surprised he became. Although this genetic agent had no information labeled on it, Su Ming was certain that its grade was very high.
Its value was immeasurable. One had to know that he couldn’t even obtain Type II genetic agents right now.
Moreover, this genetic agent was definitely the most core secret research product of Xiguang Laboratory. This could be seen from the reactions of Dr. Li Mengqi and Dr. Tingli back then.
Su Ming quickly put the genetic agent back into the freezer and then closed the mechanical box.
He looked at the black mechanical box, his expression constantly changing. Although the item was very good, it was also very hot to handle.
First, he hadn’t figured out the grade of this genetic agent. If the grade was too high, he wouldn’t be able to use it directly, because injecting a genetic agent beyond one’s grade was suicidal. Su Ming would not rashly joke with his life.
Therefore, he could only temporarily hold onto this item and use it under appropriate circumstances once he understood the situation of this genetic agent.
However, besides that, there was also a very serious problem. This item was a top-secret lost item of the Federation. If he kept it instead of handing it over and it was discovered, there could be big trouble.
And the most troublesome point was that Vickank was still alive. Others didn’t know where the genetic agent was hidden. He definitely knew, and once he couldn’t withstand the Federation’s interrogation, he might confess.
However, from the current situation, Vickank should be extremely tight-lipped and hasn’t revealed anything about the genetic agent. Otherwise, the Corps should have sent people to retrieve it and send it to Xiguang Laboratory long ago.
Su Ming looked at the black mechanical box, his expression constantly changing, continuously weighing the pros and cons.
Finally, Su Ming made a decision. He wiped off all the fingerprints on the black mechanical box, then put it back into the concealed metal storage compartment. Immediately after, he pushed the bed back to its original position and then lay down on the bed.
Su Ming gazed at the crystal lamp above his head, lost in thought.
He decided to take a gamble, betting that Vickank would never speak, even to his death. And he kept the black mechanical box here, so if the Federation ever found out and sent someone to retrieve it, he would just pretend he knew nothing.
If the day came when he could use it, he would take it out and use it.
If the matter came to light after using it, he would use the excuse that the Legion Commander had already bestowed the battleship upon him, and everything on it should be his, to feign ignorance and defend himself.
Su Ming believed that by then, he should have grown stronger and would have nothing to fear.
Of course, Su Ming also held a glimmer of hope that Xiguang Laboratory might have many such genetic agents and wouldn’t attach too much importance to this one.
In fact, due to the extreme preciousness of the raw materials, Xiguang Laboratory had only produced two such agents in total.
One was sent back, and the other was the one in Su Ming’s hands.
As Su Ming thought about it, he gradually closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.
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