Bab 33: Chapter 33: The Flame Raiders
T2-class battleship, bridge.
This was a patched-together T2-class battleship, its model unrecognizable. The hull bore clear signs of heavy wear and repeated repairs, revealing its long and troubled history.
In the control room, a bald man with a flame tattoo sprawled lazily on a large bed, with two scantily clad women on either side. His hands roamed freely as he gleefully watched the video feed showing the pirate fleet chasing down a convoy of merchant ships.
Nearby, a young man in a blue combat uniform frowned slightly at the sight of the man's debauchery. He cleared his throat and said, "Sixth Master, you've had enough fun. We should wrap this up before something goes wrong. We're not on our turf here."
"Relax!" The bald man laughed, unbothered. "We've been staking out this place for a month, and we finally caught a big fish. What's the hurry? This is a backwater area—no one's coming."
The young officer merely suggested caution, but he didn't really believe the five T2-class ships they were chasing stood a chance of escape.
Suddenly, a robotic voice blared throughout the control room: "Alert! Alert! Unidentified warships entering radar range. Energy levels: Tier 3!"
The bald man's hands froze. Pulling them hastily from the women, he jumped up, shouting, "Quick! Bring up the radar display!"
The screen lit up, revealing ten starships hurtling toward the ongoing battle. Two T3-class destroyers were already charging their primary and secondary cannons, the beams glowing ominously.
Cold sweat beaded on the bald man's flame-tattooed scalp. His gaze fixed on the three insignias painted on the incoming ships: one matching that of the merchant convoy they were attacking, a second symbol of a mountain piercing the clouds, and a third—a blue tornado with the word "Wind" in the center.
"Turn around! Retreat to headquarters! Now!" he yelled, panicked.
"Sixth Master, it's too late," the young officer replied calmly. "They've requested a video link, and... you should check the radar again."
The bald man glanced back at the radar. Six additional starships had appeared at the edge of the screen, bearing the same insignias as the first wave. One of them was a T3-class battleship, the undisputed heavyweight of space warfare. His little patchwork warship stood no chance.
Resigned, the bald man sighed, "Answer the call."
His voice trembled as the link connected. The screen displayed a young man in a black combat suit, seated commandingly. It was Feng Mo.
Feng Mo's brow creased at the sight of the bald man lounging in what used to be the command center, now turned into a bedroom. The captain's chair had been replaced with a bed, and two women lounged on it. The scene disgusted Feng Mo. He glanced at Ai Er and, suppressing his irritation, addressed the man icily:
"Make one wrong move, and I won't hesitate to turn you into space debris. Open your airlock—my men are coming to pick you up."
Turning to Ai Er, Feng Mo ordered, "Deploy the mech squad. Secure the T2-class battleship and bring their leader back. If they resist, fire the turbo laser cannons."
"Yes, sir!" Ai Er replied.
Feng Mo rotated his command chair to watch the unfolding action. On the screen, Hua Qin and Silia led their T3-class Mantis destroyers, effortlessly blasting the pirate ships one by one. Meanwhile, the escort frigates surrounded the Chen family's fleet, forcing them to halt.
---
Inside the T3 Copper Hammer Industrial Ship, ten Zircon-class mechs were lined up at the airlock. The mech squad was led by Feng Tianyi, a seasoned mech commander and Feng Mo's distant cousin, recently reassigned from the Lion King Fleet. His loyalty to the Feng family was unshakeable.
"Listen up!" Feng Tianyi barked. "This is our first mission as Feng family soldiers. We must succeed. Any mistakes will be punished harshly. Do you all understand?"
"Yes, sir!" the squad chorused.
"Good. Open the airlock. Move out!"
The mech bay doors slid open, and the ten T3-class mechs launched, racing toward the T2-class battleship. With a speed of 30 knots, they reached the target quickly.
The bald man, now dressed in a combat suit, stood nervously at the airlock, flanked by his underlings.
"By order of the Commander, you are under arrest. Resist, and you will be shot," Feng Tianyi announced. He stepped out of his mech, laser gun raised, and cuffed the bald man and his men before leading them away. The remaining mechs kept their weapons trained, ready to fire at any hint of trouble.
Back on the Storm, Feng Mo watched as Ai Er directed the cleanup operation. The pirate fleet had been easily defeated, and the salvaged wreckage would be valuable for future construction projects.
"Commander, the Chen family fleet's leader is waiting outside," Ai Er reported.
"Send them in," Feng Mo said.
A stunning woman entered. Genetic optimization had made beauty common among those of status, and this woman was no exception.
"Commander, I am Chen Qian of the Snow Eagle Empire's Chen family fleet. Thank you for saving us," she said, offering a formal salute.
Feng Mo nodded indifferently, his focus on the bald pirate.
"Watch closely," he said. "Ever seen the art of explosions?" A hologram of the pirate's T2-class battleship appeared.
Four beams of light struck the ship. The largest obliterated the bridge, leaving a gaping hole. The entire vessel had been skewered by the Storm's cannons.
The bald man's legs gave out, and he would have collapsed if not for the guards holding him up.
Satisfied, Feng Mo turned to him. "Now, talk. Where are you from, what are you doing here, and who sent you? Speak, or I'll eject you into space
."
"T-they call me the Sixth Boss of the Flame Raiders," the man stammered.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone