Chapter 2474: A Welcome Barrage!
The only outcome of trespa.s.sing on the Big Bai Pirate Gang’s territory was death!
Boss Bai’s roars were the most intense excitants for the s.p.a.ce pirates from the federation. Even though they had run out of their strength and spiritual energy in the previous battle, when the horns of a new battle were blown again, they were still unleas.h.i.+ng the most fervent enthusiasm, as if they were devoting their lives to the furnaces of the stars.h.i.+ps.
The stars.h.i.+ps that looked like arrows suddenly accelerated, leaving trails behind that looked like sharp claws, while they went to the flanks and the rear of the Flying Rainbow Fleet.
The distance between the two parties was so close that the Big Bai Pirate Gang and the Cultivators’ fleet were unable to continue their disguise. Even the most inert commander could tell that their transformation, which looked like a blooming, man-eating flower, was not meant for the few carriers; they were planning to swallow the Flying Rainbow Fleet that was almost their size!
“What… are they doing?”
On the flags.h.i.+p of the Flying Rainbow Fleet, the leaders.h.i.+p made of dozens of warlords and local bigshots from the peripheral worlds of the Imperium had been gloating under the illusion that the carrier Li Yao was at would be captured in no time. They were even thinking about how they should relax and enjoy themselves in the Blue Sky Market after the battle.
Little did they antic.i.p.ate that “Li Wuji’s fleet” on their opposite side would suddenly transform into a highly-malicious battle formation of siege and annihilation!
They tried to transform, stay away, or even retreat, but there was no time.
The Flying Rainbow Fleet and the Big Bai Pirate Gang had been moving toward each other in the beginning, like two crystal trains running on the same rail at the highest speed that would collide very soon.
In such a gargantuan fleet, a safety distance must be guaranteed between every two stars.h.i.+ps in case of the conflicts of the spiritual s.h.i.+elds or the exhaust flames. It was like a piece of precise but delicate artwork, and turning the fleet around quickly was certainly not an easy job. Also, turning around against the enemy’s fire was suicide.
The Flying Rainbow Fleet had no choice but to keep their speed and charge into the siege of the Big Bai Pirate Gang and the Cultivators’ fleet.
For a moment, the leaders of the Flying Rainbow Fleet were indeed overwhelmed.
Naturally, they did not know the drastic changes in the Blue Sky Market, or who their enemy was. They thought that Li Wuji had somehow lost his mind and decided to swallow them. It was anything but unusual for the four families’ troops to swallow the miscellaneous troops from the edge of the Imperium.
However, after they calmed themselves down and scanned the exhaust flames on the opposite side, thereby determining the number and combat ability of the Big Bai Pirate Gang and the fleet of Cultivators, they were amused and more or less relieved.
It was too far-fetched.
Judging from the lackl.u.s.ter and messy exhaust flames, it was not hard to tell that the hostile stars.h.i.+ps were either of low levels or just been through a fierce battle. They were heavily damaged but not repaired yet, which significantly reduced their combat ability.
Such a small army had changed into such a ferocious battle formation, trying to surround them from all directions and swallow all of their stars.h.i.+ps? It was too far-fetched!
“d.a.m.n it. What is Li Wuji up to exactly? Does he think he can blatantly exploit the magnates from the edge of the Imperium because he is a marquess and a powerful person in the Li family?”
“We have pledged loyalty to the Council of Elders sincerely and have our own supporters in the Council of Elders. Li Wuji has chosen the wrong target!”
“Even if he is dissatisfied with us drafting civilians as soldiers, there is no need for a battle. Which family in the entire Imperium does not fight a war in such a way? Is he really trying to accuse us with such a lousy excuse and swallow us to increase his own strength?”
“Hehe. Those grand n.o.bles are always like this. They think that they are the best and everything is theirs. But why?”
“Let’s crush Li Wuji’s fleet first and report the matter to the four families. A great war is coming. Let’s see how he can be the ‘Marquess Yongchun’ after he makes such a horrible mistake!”
Thinking that they had seen through the weakness of Li Wuji and the siege, the leaders.h.i.+p of the Flying Rainbow Fleet reached the consensus to move forward at full speed and rip the enemy’s battle formation from the front.
By common sense, it was the absolutely correct strategy.
No matter whether the enemy was Li Wuji’s fleet or the Business Alliance of Ten Thousand Sectors’, their weakness was apparent. Whatever their purpose was, it would only fall out after their siege was shattered.
The Flying Rainbow Fleet that was moving at full speed did not have the time to stop and release the remote communication units or unfold the antennae that could be dozens of kilometers long, which meant that they could not send any signal to an external world lightyears away. Faced with a hostile army whose combat ability had been compromised and which was in a wrong battle formation, it was unnecessary for them to ask for help or send alarms.
Besides, the fierce firepower from the Big Bai Pirate Gang and the Cultivators’ fleet had exploded around the Flying Rainbow Fleet. The first round of fire was not very destructive, but the surging spiritual waves and s.p.a.ce ripples it spread out prevented the Flying Rainbow Fleet from jumping and blocked their super-remote communication functions.
“They are scared that we may run away?”
The leaders of the Flying Rainbow Fleet were amused. “Those great n.o.bles truly have infinite confidence. They think that they can trap us with such a thin siege.
“Forward! Forward! Forward! Pierce out from the enemy’s front that is the weakest spot. It should be them who are running!”
The two fleets, one as round as a s.h.i.+eld and the other as sharp as a dagger, approached each other rapidly. The most dazzling spears of light protruded from their front ends, and a short but brutal s.p.a.ce battle was about to begin!
…
“Do you see it? Have you seen it?”
On the ragged carrier, faced with the starry light that was more and more brilliant, Li Yao danced in wild joy. “What did I say? Check it out! Just like what I said—even a man as formidable as Boss Bai has to show some respect for Vulture Li Yao!
“The Flying Rainbow Fleet has been stalled by Boss Bai. Those idiots are not even trying to escape. Haha. They are asking to be killed!
“Boss Bai has released the most intense interferential firepower at the earliest chance, stopping the Flying Rainbow Fleet from jumping away or sending out distress calls. It seems that we are truly appreciative of each other, and he understood the profound content hidden in ‘Boss Bai, help’ easily!
“The two parties are engaged. The Flying Rainbow Fleet has been attracted tightly without any hope of getting away. Now, it’s our showtime to return what we have suffered in the past days to those sc.u.mbags!”
Li Yao licked his lips, which were blistering because of his burning fighting will, with a wildest and exhilarant smile.
“But…”
Li Jialing said next to him hesitatingly, “Why do I feel that the violent fire from the Big Bai Pirate Gang is aimed at us?”
“Huh?”
Li Yao’s pupils constricted violently. Deep inside his eyes, the brilliant barrage from the dozens of a.r.s.enal wars.h.i.+ps of the Big Bai Pirate Gang on his opposite side expanded to the maximum in only one moment, almost setting his eyeb.a.l.l.s on fire.
As it turned out, thousands of pillars of light were rus.h.i.+ng at the ragged carrier Li Yao was in straightforwardly.
Behind the pillars of light were the magnetic tides that were slower, and behind the magnetic tides were the crystal bombs that were even slower. It seemed that Boss Bai was going to kill him in the bombardment!
Li Yao’s back was soaked in a cold sweat. “Seriously?”
The overwhelming barrage almost drowned Li Yao’s ragged carrier, but it brushed past him with an error of several kilometers or even several hundred meters, dispersing and shooting at the pursuers of the Flying Rainbow Fleet behind him, blowing them into a mess.
In a s.p.a.ce battle, a distance of several kilometers was really shorter than the width of a hair. The barrage demonstrated Boss Bai’s incredible control of firepower. But still, it seemed unnecessary to make the barrage so close to Li Yao’s stars.h.i.+p.
“Well…”
Li Jialing was silent for a while. “I don’t know if it is my illusion, but why do I feel that Boss Bai seems very dissatisfied about us and does not welcome us, and he was venting his fury through a barrage just now?
“Right, I was right. He does not know that Sister Long, Xiaoming, Wenwen, and I are here. So, he is only dissatisfied with and does not welcome Brother Yao, right?”
“You… You must be kidding.”
Li Yao swallowed hard and wiped the cold sweat on his forehead. “Boss Bai and I are the closest friends. This is just the way s.p.a.ce pirates greet each other. The more intimidating a brother is, the fiercer barrage you will use to welcome him. That was just salvo! You must know what salvo is, don’t you?”
“Is that so?”
Li Jialing narrowed his eyes in great suspicion. “But when the overwhelming barrage almost drowned us a moment ago, Brother Yao obviously shrank your neck and was sweating hard with a gloomy face. Was it really a normal reaction when you were faced with a salvo?”
Li Yao: “… We are in the middle of an emergency. Let’s seize every second instead of talking about the irrelevant stuff. Now, it’s time for us to make a grand entrance with the most spectacular sound and visual effects! Long Yangjun, are you ready?”
“I’m always ready.”
Long Yangjun, who had been leaning against the wall with her eyebrows furrowed, as if she were trying to hold something back, said casually, “But regarding the current situation, in order not to let any remnant of the Flying Rainbow Fleet run loose, I suddenly have a new idea. Why don’t we split apart?”
“Split apart?”
Li Yao was slightly dazed. “How are we going to split?”
“I, Li Jialing, Xiaoming, and Wenwen will fight on one side.”
Long Yangjun said, “And you will fight on the other side. In such a way, you will have n.o.body to hinder you when you are on a killing spree, and your unparalleled, terrifying combat ability can be fully unleashed.”
“Huh?”
Li Yao blinked. “Is that so?”
“Yes, of course.”
Long Yangjun nodded her head. “And I believe Li Jialing, Xiaoming, and Wenwen all agree with such a plan.”