Zhang Lian stood calmly in front of the main screen, his posture radiating unwavering confidence.
"Captain!"
"The security team is already engaging in combat with the star pirates who attacked us."
"How many are they? What's the scale?"
"So far, we've identified two modified 'Qingniao' fighters. The chips on their ships are intact, and their computational capacity is extraordinary. If this turns into a prolonged battle, I fear that even the fourteen Qingniao fighters in our security team won't last."
"Hmph!"
One of the vice-captains gritted his teeth, his voice dripping with disdain. "They're clearly trying to use these two small fry to bait us into wasting our main ship's firepower. Captain, we can't fall for that trick."
"Exactly," the female vice-captain added with a grim expression. "Our fire control system is the only weapon we have against their main ship. All of us combined can only make three strikes at most, and every single one of those strikes must hit the pirate flagship. If we use up our fire control power too early, the pirates will be able to charge in without fear, board our ship, and end us."
Zhang Lian wasn't unaware of these risks.
Despite the ease with which he could destroy the two modified Qingniao ships, he had to resist the temptation. He could only watch as the pirates dodged the fire from the two security personnel and evaded their every move, trying to exhaust their biological energy.
Luo Fei was closely monitoring the situation.
When he saw the drones get wiped out and the pirates began using their superior computational power to maneuver through space, a sense of dread quickly settled in his chest.
"This is bad."
"No wonder these star pirates dared to go after the Feiying 3. This isn't a simple raid."
Luo Fei's face darkened.
Liu Xuesong and Qiao Dazhi had already gotten tangled up with the pirates. Without a solid computational foundation, they had to rely on experience, executing evasive maneuvers to avoid enemy fire and prevent their craft from being shredded.
But the physical toll was enormous.
Their biological energy was depleting rapidly.
In just half a minute, their biological energy had dropped by a third.
"Boss!"
"Liu Xuesong and Qiao Dazhi are struggling."
"I'm going in to assist them!"
Chen Wuling volunteered eagerly.
"What good will you do? Your biological energy is lower than theirs. How will you help them?"
"Calm down! Just watch closely. When they can't hold on anymore, I'll step in and take care of the situation." Luo Fei snapped sharply, his gaze cold.
"Old Lu, Zhu Xiaotian, prep the drones for a second round of reconnaissance."
"These cowardly rats are trying to hide? I'll flush them out!"
Luo Fei didn't lose his composure, which helped steady everyone else's nerves.
Old Lu and Zhu Xiaotian quickly followed his orders.
Luo Fei then reached out to the other six Qingniao pilots. "I've never cared for you all before, not because I fear your backers, but because I didn't need to. Now the situation's different. Anyone who doesn't fall in line, I'll personally take you out with my own cannon!"
"Get ready, form up behind me. When Liu Xuesong and Qiao Dazhi can't hold up anymore, we'll launch a joint attack!"
"…"
There was a brief silence from the other end.
Three seconds passed.
Suddenly, Luo Fei's Qingniao fighter surged into the air, its cannon barrel extending toward the other six fighters. "Anyone who disobeys orders during this mission, I'll shoot you down!"
"Captain Luo, we didn't mean to—!"
"We'll follow your lead!"
The six pilots quickly fell into formation, surrendering their control authority.
Tian Xiao, who had been observing the situation, stood there, dumbfounded.
He hadn't expected to witness this side of Luo Fei.
These people likely had some connections in the headquarters.
It was impressive that Luo Fei had managed to secure the position of Security Team Leader despite having made enemies with these individuals. He had evidently made a strong impression on the higher-ups.
It was clear that the position required someone ruthless, someone unafraid of making difficult decisions.
As Tian Xiao reflected on this, Liu Xuesong and Qiao Dazhi were already doing everything in their power to survive. But despite their best efforts, they couldn't even locate the enemy fighters to fire at. They were being overwhelmed, their biological energy quickly dropping below fifty, and their bodies were being pushed to the limit.
"We can't last much longer!"
As their Qingniao fighters became less responsive, Luo Fei led a small group of seven to rush out from the transport ship.
Just before they left, Luo Fei's command reached Tian Xiao, Chen Wuling, Old Lu, and Zhu Xiaotian:
"Old Lu, take charge of the drone deployment!"
"Chen Wuling, you and Tian Xiao move around to the other side of the transport ship. Stick close to the hull, find an opportunity, lock onto those two modified Qingniao fighters, and take them out!"
Despite their lower biological energy, both Tian Xiao and Chen Wuling were the most combat-capable members of the team.
Especially Tian Xiao.
With a sharp, determined expression, he activated the comms. "All units, launch!"
Nine Qingniao fighters surged into the air, their firepower coordinated under Luo Fei's precise control. In the blink of an eye, a dazzling web of death surrounded the two pirates.
The modified Qingniao fighters, now feeling the heat of battle, had no choice but to abandon their prior evasions. They darted left and right, desperately attempting to break free from the barrage of fire.
Far away, a strange vessel, barely a hundred meters long, was slowly closing in on Feiying 3.
Onboard, a massive radar-like device aimed directly at the transport ship.
"Heh heh," a pirate chuckled, his voice low with satisfaction. "It's working."
"The high-frequency particle emitter was expensive, but it's worth every penny. One shot will disable Feiying 3, rendering it vulnerable. It's a perfect weapon for this kind of mission."
In the command center of the pirate ship, five star pirates were grinning as they watched the screen.
On the display, two modified Qingniao fighters were still evading the incoming fire, looking desperate, but they had yet to be destroyed.
"The modified Qingniaos cost about a million each, but being able to dance circles around these security fighters makes it well worth it. In another two minutes, their biological energy will be exhausted."
"Heh!"
"Feiying 3's security personnel are only fourteen in total. I'm eager to see how Zhang Lian handles this."
From the way the pirates spoke, it was clear they had no intention of letting the modified Qingniao fighters fail. They were using them as distractions, confident that the security team would be completely worn out in the process.
"As long as one of those modified Qingniao fighters manages to board Feiying 3, all its cargo will be ours."
"Hahaha…"
The pirates roared in laughter.
"That modified Qingniao is carrying a special high-explosive graphite bomb. Once we hit the transport ship's core, we can disable all of Feiying 3's power systems and blow open its storage holds."
"When that happens, no matter how hard Zhang Lian struggles, he'll just have to watch as we take everything and leave, waiting for the Earth Alliance to rescue him."
The laughter grew louder, filling the air with a dark sense of impending triumph.
"Keep advancing toward Feiying 3. Everyone, prepare for the boarding operation!"
"Everyone, listen up!" The pirate captain's voice was filled with authority. "Once this job is done, everyone gets at least two million! So, get your heads in the game!"
A loud cheer erupted from the ship's crew as they donned their combat gear. The atmosphere was heavy, charged with the anticipation of a high-stakes battle.