CHAPTER 23

c23: Bedbug Qiu Yi

"Li Xu, there are several spaceships trailing us,"

Bulma said, her fingers tapping rapidly across the control panel. The monitor blinked to life, showing multiple incoming spacecraft, their hulls decorated with the unmistakable crest of the Frieza Force.

Not long after they departed Planet Fidar, the scanners detected the pursuit.

"That's the design of Frieza's army ships!"

Li Xu narrowed his eyes. He immediately recognized the model similar to the ones Vegeta and Nappa used in Dragon Ball Z when they traveled to Earth, small spherical crafts optimized for high-speed travel.

"Frieza… that's the Universe demon you told me about, right?"

Bulma asked. During their long space journey, Li Xu had explained the broader cosmic powers, including King Cold's empire and Frieza's ruthless conquests.

"Yeah,"

Li Xu nodded grimly.

"But why are they following us?"

Bulma questioned, confused.

"They probably want the Capsule technology,"

Li Xu guessed. "When we took out our spaceship back on Planet Fidar, they must have recognized it was beyond normal tech."

He hadn't anticipated that agents of Frieza's Force would be lurking on Fidar. Though Frieza controlled a significant portion of the North Galaxy, plenty of planets remained outside his domain.

"So what should we do now?"

Bulma asked, her voice tinged with worry.

"Can you outrun them?"

Li Xu asked, hoping to avoid confrontation for now.

"No,"

Bulma frowned, rapidly checking the navigation console.

"Their ships are faster. Our ship is based on Goku's old Saiyan pod model from years ago it's way outdated compared to Frieza's latest cruisers."

Their ship, based on Saiyan technology from before Planet Vegeta's destruction, couldn't compete with the current generation Frieza Force crafts designs possibly improved after the Namek saga.

"Is there any nearby planet we can land on?"

Li Xu asked. "We can settle this face-to-face."

He wasn't eager to fight Frieza's forces yet, but he wasn't scared of them either. His current combat power of 20,000 made him stronger than the average elite soldier but still cautious.

Bulma quickly pulled up a star chart.

"There's Planet Carodi nearby. It's a barren rock no life readings, no atmosphere suitable for colonization."

"Perfect. We'll lure them there,"

Li Xu said coldly.

"Got it."

Bulma's fingers flew across the controls, adjusting their course toward Carodi.

——

Meanwhile, aboard the ships trailing them

"How long until we catch them?"

asked a bulky alien with purplish skin, cylinder-shaped ears sticking out the sides of his head, and a wide toad-like mouth. It was Qiu Yi, a low-level officer of Frieza's Force once seen during flashback scenes in Dragon Ball Z, eager to climb ranks by seizing new tech or valuable planets.

"Lord Qiu Yi,"

replied a scrawny, green-skinned underling,

"we'll intercept them in less than an hour. They seem to be heading toward Planet Carodi."

"Landing, huh?"

Qiu Yi sneered, baring sharp teeth.

"Even better. I won't have to risk damaging their ship once I capture them, that Capsule tech will be ours."

He already envisioned his promotion within Frieza's organization.

——

Planet Carodi

The planet's surface stretched out in endless dark-yellow wastelands, scattered with massive stone formations. No greenery, no water just barren, cracked ground under a dim sun. It resembled barren worlds like Namek's desolated sections after Frieza's assaults.

Li Xu and Bulma's spacecraft touched down lightly. They immediately exited and sealed the ship back into a storage capsule.

"Bulma, after the battle starts, I'll move you somewhere safe first,"

Li Xu said seriously.

"These guys have battle power close to 18,000. I'm stronger, but I can't risk you getting caught up in the crossfire."

"You promised you'd take me wherever you go,"

Bulma said stubbornly, puffing out her cheeks.

"But..."

Li Xu hesitated, genuinely worried. Even the shockwaves from ki blasts at this level could be lethal to a non-combatant.

"I have this,"

Bulma grinned mischievously, holding up her wrist to show off a silver bracelet with blue circuitry etched into its surface — one of her latest inventions, inspired by shrinking technology used in Capsule Corp devices.

Under Li Xu's puzzled gaze, Bulma pressed a hidden button on the bracelet.

With a soft 'whir', she shrank at a speed visible to the naked eye, transforming into a miniature Bulma barely six inches tall!

Li Xu carefully placed mini Bulma in the palm of his hand, smiling faintly.

In the original Dragon Ball manga, Bulma had indeed invented all sorts of shrinking gadgets including a shrinking watch she once joked about during Capsule Corp experiments though it was originally just for fun.

Bulma pressed a second button on her wristband, and a semi-transparent energy shield expanded around her tiny form.

Then, using a magnetic field mechanism, the shield adhered snugly against Li Xu's chest like a lightweight armor attachment.

"This way, I'll be completely safe!"

Bulma grinned proudly.

"Looks like you thought this through in advance,"

Li Xu chuckled. Bulma had clearly developed this miniaturization device specifically so she could stay by Li Xu's side during battles.

"Of course! The energy shield can withstand attacks from anyone with under 10,000 battle power,"

Bulma said, puffing out her chest in pride.

Li Xu nodded slightly.

Although the shield wouldn't survive a direct blow from someone as strong as the Ginyu Force elites, it would easily resist stray energy blasts or battle shockwaves. As long as Li Xu fought carefully, Bulma would be fine.

About twenty minutes later, five small Frieza Force attack pods descended noisily onto Planet Carodi.

More than two dozen Frieza Force soldiers, wearing standard issue battle armor similar to what Vegeta, Nappa, and the Ginyu Force wore, marched out in a line.

"Oh? You're just standing there waiting for us?"

Qiu Yi, the alien with purple skin and cylinder-like ears, sneered arrogantly.

"Have you realized you can't run, so you're surrendering without a fight?"

He didn't take Li Xu seriously at all.

"Beep beep! Combat power: 1,200,"

reported a soldier, his scouter flashing green as it analyzed Li Xu's energy.

Seeing the low reading, the grunt curled his lips in disdain.

"Lord Qiu Yi, there's no need for you to personally handle someone this weak. I can take him out easily,"

the minion said, cracking his knuckles.

"Fine. Just make sure you don't wreck that spaceship of his,"

Qiu Yi said coldly. In his eyes, Li Xu was already a dead man.

"Kid, it'll be over quick! Won't hurt much!"

the Frieza Force soldier sneered, vanishing in a blur as he charged.

Whoosh!

In a flash, the minion swung a brutal punch straight at Li Xu's head.

He could already envision Li Xu's skull being crushed.

But his fist sailed straight through Li Xu's form, striking nothing but thin air.

"Agh!"

Before he could even process what happened, a gut-wrenching pain exploded through his body.

Li Xu's real fist had already smashed into his stomach with devastating precision, crumpling his insides.

The minion's body spasmed, his ki vanishing instantly as he collapsed lifelessly.

"Agh!"

Qiu Yi's eyes widened in shock, staring at the corpse of his subordinate.

"Beep beep! Combat power: 1,200,"

chirped the scouter again.

Seeing the reading unchanged, Qiu Yi's startled expression faded.

He gave a disdainful smirk once more.

"Tch, must have been a fluke."

Qiu Yi thought dismissively.

He, like many Frieza Force officers, placed blind faith in the reliability of their scouter readings a fatal flaw that had cost many lives during the Saiyan and Namek arcs.

---