Chapter Thirty-Eight: Another Bargain
“Damn... Damn Edward Teach!”
“Damn Kobayashi... He’s completely blocked our communications…”
“We can’t get the message out about the mutant approaching!”
“Zella! Danger is coming.”
“I can’t just stand here and watch my fiancé die. Relay my command—”
“Queen Undercurrent and Cannon Duke, break through and land in the irradiated zone of Zombie Star. I must take Zella away!”
Seeing Zella in peril, Ze Xi’s eyes burned with rage… She issued a mad order that left everyone stunned.
When the others didn’t move, Ze Xi turned, her gaze icy and sharp, fixing on the signal officer.
The terrified signal officer looked pitifully at the adjutant.
The adjutant sighed softly, shaking his head as he spoke, “Miss, General Talan can indulge your whims only so far…”
“He doesn’t wish to hinder your pursuit of true love… Even when you secretly brought his Cannon Duke to Zombie Star, he didn’t get angry!”
“But, Miss, you’re grown now. You must weigh every action with the mind of an adult, considering gains and losses!”
Ze Xi stared coldly at the adjutant, saying, “Are you lecturing me on how to act?”
He shook his head again, taking a ring from his breast pocket. The gentle attitude he’d shown Ze Xi vanished in an instant.
His brows furrowed, sweeping his gaze over the crowd, and a commanding presence erupted from him.
He spoke with steely resolve: “On behalf of General Talan, I declare a state of highest alert…”
“According to Talan Military wartime regulations, under highest alert, all Talan forces—including the entire Undercurrent organization—are subject to the command of the highest-ranking military officer in the vicinity!”
“I, Nangong Yi Xiao, Chief of Staff of the Talan Army, am the highest-ranking officer in the sector near Zombie Star.”
“From now on, Cannon Duke and Queen Undercurrent are under my full authority.”
“Signal officer, initiate communication with Progen Starship—I want to speak with Teach!”
“Guards, escort Miss Ze Xi to her quarters and keep her under strict watch…”
When Ze Xi saw her father’s ring, fear truly struck her.
She struggled desperately against the guards, rushing to Nangong Yi Xiao and shouting, “Nangong Yi Xiao, you can’t do this!”
Nangong Yi Xiao simply gave Ze Xi a cold glance and replied, “Miss, do you take Talan military regulations as a child’s game?!”
At once, Ze Xi collapsed in defeat. “Please, Nangong! Save Zella…”
---
Even as the guards dragged Ze Xi from the command room, Nangong Yi Xiao never turned.
Only when the doors closed did he sigh, “Love makes people lose all sense…”
Soon, the communications screen changed.
Nangong Yi Xiao turned, took the captain’s seat, and smiled faintly. “Commander Teach, it’s been a long time… You look as vigorous as ever! It seems the years have left no trace on your face!”
A hearty laugh sounded from the screen—a man with grizzled hair and beard, his face scarred, wearing a pirate’s hat, spoke: “But gunfire has left plenty of marks on my face!”
“I always thought a strategist like Nangong Yi Xiao wouldn’t stoop to the tricks and schemes of an old rogue like me…”
“But I still haven’t figured out when you installed the communications jamming devices that block my contact with the surface?”
“It’s meant we spotted the mutants early, but couldn’t warn the ground… Poor Javier is suffering terribly now!”
Expressionless, Nangong Yi Xiao replied, “Teach, release your encirclement. I will withdraw with two fleets, and you’ll be free to rescue your Second Corps Commander.”
Teach snorted with derision, mocking, “Well, well! Is the future prince of Undercurrent so casually abandoned by you lot?”
“Isn’t Talan’s eldest daughter madly in love with him?”
“Looks like the Talan family is even more ruthless than us lowly pirates!”
Ignoring Teach’s taunts, Nangong Yi Xiao spoke slowly:
“I don’t know what purpose Mr. Zella had in deceiving Miss into bringing two flagships for his firepower support.”
“But surely the First Defense Army of Tree Star wouldn’t dispatch two main fleets to Zombie Star just for some diet pills?”
“The Talan family has always dealt honestly and refuses deception.”
“Mr. Zella would do well to pray he dies in the irradiated zone. Otherwise, the Talan family will make him wish for death.”
After a round of banter, Teach kept smiling, but his gaze grew ever more dangerous.
The fewer who know about the Bloodborne Virus, the better.
Seeing Teach’s eyes turn dangerous, Nangong Yi Xiao smiled faintly.
“The Bloodborne Virus may be highly valuable, but if the other four planets find out…”
“No matter who we are, in the end, we’re just sewing clothes for others to wear…”
“The sudden visit of Tree Star’s Defense Army has already stirred many nerves.”
“The four planets will never allow Tree Star to enter the habitable zone, just as they won’t let Chaos Star unify under one rule!”
“At least, when facing them, our interests align!”
---
“I’d rather the rival on Zombie Star be Tree Star, not the people from the four major planets.”
“I believe Marshal Teach feels the same…”
Hearing this, Teach’s face darkened.
Nangong Yi Xiao’s meaning was clear—news of the Bloodborne Virus must have already been reported to the Talan family.
If Tree Star strikes at the Talan fleet, the Bloodborne Virus will be exposed to the four planets.
In the end, war between Tree Star and the Talan family would be a farcical disaster.
Neither side would gain, and deadly enmity would result.
But if both kept the secret from the four planets, the spoils of Zombie Star would be a contest between Tree Star and the Talan family of Chaos Star.
Teach considered briefly, then laughed aloud.
“You truly deserve your reputation as the master of open strategy! I can’t refuse your proposal…”
He then ordered his signal officer, “Release the encirclement—let them leave.”
And cut the communication.
Soon, all interference devices in space were withdrawn by the ships, and a passage was opened.
Nangong Yi Xiao led the two flagships away at a stately pace.
“Marshal Teach, contact has been established with Commander Javier!”
“The situation is dire—ground support is urgently requested…”
“Queen Scarlet and Progen Starship are both on standby…”
Teach nodded and said, “Order Javier to approach the Bloodborne Virus’s creator. If necessary, abandon everyone else to save him!”
“Further, order Queen Scarlet to switch precision strikes to area bombardment!”
The signal officer was startled—area bombardment would increase the destructive power dozens of times, wiping out everything within several kilometers.
Commander Javier himself might not survive, so how could anyone be rescued?
But on Progen Starship, Teach’s orders were never questioned…
Thus, the command was swiftly relayed to Queen Scarlet…