10. Calculated Chaos

"He stole a light combat ship with enough nutrient supply to last three days. It's been over six hours since he left. We're still uncertain if he infiltrated the war room to steal the activation key and disable the ship's alarm systems. I've blocked the ship's main entrance and exit and activated the advanced alert mode," Hall reported methodically.

Loulay listened quietly, his deep eyes narrowing slightly. His slender fingers tapped rhythmically on the table, making it hard to discern his true thoughts.

Two minutes later, as Hall finished his report, he looked up, a little nervous. He hesitated before asking tentatively, "Shall I send a destroyer? We can intercept him…"

Loulay raised his hand in a silent gesture, cutting Hall off.

Hall immediately fell silent, his back straightening as tension filled the air.

He knew he was sent to assist and monitor Ge Xiu, but the fact that Ge Xiu had slipped away under his watch—and for more than six hours—was a significant failure. Desperately, he wanted to redeem himself by chasing Ge Xiu down.

Loulay glanced at him, as if reading his mind. "If he truly intends to leave, neither you nor I could stop him."

Hall's shoulders tensed. His head lowered even further. "I've failed, Captain."

But in the next moment, he caught the underlying implication of Loulay's words. With shock, he raised his head, eyes wide. "You knew...?"

Loulay didn't answer. Instead, he turned to the large porthole, staring out into the vast, starry expanse of space.

A brilliant shimmer reflected off his broad shoulders.

Hall couldn't see his expression, but he heard Loulay's calm voice give the next command: "There's no need to pursue. Switch the protection level to combat readiness mode, manual control. Deploy the warships around the main ship."

Hall, surprised, asked, "Aren't we leaving?"

Despite Ge Xiu's brief time on the main ship, Hall didn't dare to say for sure whether the elusive young man had discovered the ship's weak points. If Ge Xiu had betrayed them to the Alliance, their position could soon be overrun by enemy forces.

But Loulay shook his head. "Issue the order. Everyone is to remain on standby."

He gave no further explanation, simply waving Hall away. 

"Understood, Captain," Hall saluted and left.

For the next week, Loulay remained calm, as if nothing had happened. He continued his strict routine, working on strategy formulation while the rest of the Leviathan crew went about their usual duties. The only noticeable changes were the increased patrols and defenses. However, among the higher-ups, tensions simmered. They discreetly probed Loulay's thoughts, but their questions were met with polite, indifferent responses.

Finally, someone couldn't hold back any longer.

A tall man in uniform burst into the captain's quarters, impatience evident in his movements despite his respectful salute. "Captain, we need to leave! I've surveyed a nearby B-class galaxy, about fifteen light-years away. There's a meteorite belt for protection…"

Before he could finish, Loulay's calm voice interrupted. "Brook."

Brook lowered his head. "Yes, Captain."

Loulay's face was bathed in the soft glow of the star map, his icy blue eyes locking onto Brook. "Are all your destroyers in order?"

Brook stiffened, his words caught in his throat. "But—"

Loulay raised a hand, silencing him again.

Frustrated but obedient, Brook fell silent, his back rigid as he stood before the captain.

Suddenly, a shrill alarm echoed through the ship.

The star map on Loulay's desk was suddenly stained red, warning of an unidentified ship approaching.

"Bring up the exterior view," Loulay ordered, striding toward the table.

A virtual projection materialized instantly. A medium-sized ship, clearly part of the Alliance fleet, was rapidly approaching, accompanied by several smaller battleships. The screen displayed the ship's request for the main vessel to lower its shields and allow docking.

Brook's voice was panicked. "The main ship's in combat readiness! The Alliance must've learned our location from that traitor! We should fire immediately before they—"

At the same time, Hall's signal cut in from the nearby light combat fleet he was leading. "Captain, do we engage?"

His dark eyes flickered with restrained anticipation of battle.

Loulay narrowed his eyes as he gazed at the red warning flashing on the screen.

Meanwhile, aboard the medium-sized ship, Ge Xiu casually peeled open another piece of candy. The citrusy sweetness filled his mouth as he gazed lazily out the window.

"Send the request again," he said, voice muffled by the candy in his mouth.

Xiaoyi, the nervous young officer accompanying him, anxiously gnawed at his thumbnail. He'd been terrified ever since Ge Xiu dragged him onto this stolen ship and embarked on their wild escape. Over the past few days, he'd oscillated between begging Ge Xiu to return and suggesting they run far away instead.

Ge Xiu seemed unfazed. Smiling, he opened the ship's scanning screen, tapping several locations with his thin fingers.

"Not bad," he muttered.

If Hall had seen this, he would've been horrified. The areas Ge Xiu pointed out were precisely where Hall had deployed ambush units. Ships equipped with the most advanced cloaking technologies were positioned in those very spots—yet Ge Xiu had identified them effortlessly.

Xiaoyi, sensing something sinister, stammered, "W-What did you just mark?"

Ge Xiu shrugged. "Ambush spots."

Xiaoyi went pale. He glanced nervously out the window at the seemingly empty star field, unable to see any trace of the ambush Ge Xiu spoke of. His voice trembling, he asked, "Are we really going in? We could still turn around…"

Ge Xiu ignored him. Instead, he asked, "Has there been a response to the docking request?"

Xiaoyi shook his head.

"Then send it again."

Xiaoyi, his fingers trembling, pressed the request button once more.

In the captain's quarters of the Leviathan, Brook and Hall awaited Loulay's command in tense silence. The warning lights bathed the room in a crimson glow as the mechanical voice repeated the request for docking clearance.

Loulay's face remained impassive as he issued his command: "Grant the request."

Brook took a sharp breath. "But, Captain—"

Loulay shot him a cold glance. "Are you questioning my command?"

Though his voice was calm, the weight behind it was unmistakable. Brook felt as though he were standing before a beast, one that could tear him apart with a single blow.

"I-I wouldn't dare!" Brook stammered.

Loulay returned his gaze to the screen. "Prepare the ambush units for immediate action, but remain on standby for now."

Hall's image flickered away from the screen as the ship's camouflage energy layer was deactivated. The massive black starship emerged from the void, its sleek body radiating a sense of foreboding power.

Xiaoyi, staring wide-eyed at the ominous ship, swallowed nervously. His hands shook as he maneuvered the medium-sized ship closer to the docking bay.

To his surprise—and everyone else's—the docking sequence proceeded without incident. The ship landed.

Xiaoyi collapsed into his chair in relief. Ge Xiu, seemingly unconcerned, peeled another piece of candy and strolled toward the exit.

Ten minutes later, as Ge Xiu descended the ship's ramp, Loulay approached, his adjutants in tow.

Ge Xiu grinned, waving at Loulay as though they were old friends. "Loot!" he called, pointing toward the ship behind him.

Loulay stared down at the young man before him in silence.

One of his adjutants, however, couldn't contain his fury. "Do you have any idea how many regulations you've violated? You left without permission and endangered the entire crew. You should be court-martialed!"

Ge Xiu ignored him, stepping closer to Loulay. His dark eyes sparkled mischievously as he spoke, his voice soft but filled with certainty, "Now we're true allies."

Loulay's pupils contracted.

Ge Xiu's reckless gamble had forced their hands. They could no longer feign peace; their bond had been solidified in the most chaotic and dangerous way possible.

Loulay's lips curved slightly as he met Ge Xiu's gaze. "And what did you prepare for your end of the bargain?"

Ge Xiu's smile widened. "Don't worry. I'll disarm the ship's interior later. After all, we're allies now, right?"

The tension between them snapped as both burst into quiet laughter. 

Ge Xiu leaned in, whispering playfully, "People say I'm crazy, but I don't think you're any saner."

Loulay's cold blue eyes twinkled, and his mouth quirked into a smile. "Happy cooperation."

Ge Xiu's grin deepened. But before he could savor the moment, Loulay calmly added, "However, leaving the ship without authorization still requires punishment."

Ge Xiu blinked in confusion. "What?"

Loulay's smile grew faint. "No candy for a month."

Ge Xiu's face fell. "Wait, what?!"