1551 Attack! Skywings’ Trump Card!
Xia Fan was brought to the deepest part of the s.h.i.+p. In a huge round cabin there, over twenty stern-faced instructors were waiting to instruct Xia Fan in the Law of Speed.
As the saying went, famous teachers would lead to greater apprentices, but having more than twenty of the most outstanding Skywing warriors just to instruct Xia Fan was a bit of a shocking sight.
First was his seventh brain region’s width and physical const.i.tution tests. Those two tests were the basis of being a speedster; the former dictated Xia Fan’s future, while the latter decided Xia Fan’s present.
The results of the tests left everyone flabbergasted. He had a seventh brain region that was 100% open, which was not exactly surprising. The hereditary genes of the Skywings were outstanding, so on average they achieved a 97% open rate. Every single Skywing member had the potential to become peak speedsters.
Instead, it was Xia Fan’s physical const.i.tution that shocked everyone, as he had broken the historical records of the clan! The previous holder had been the clan founder himself, the famed carpenter and speedster madman, Xia Gucheng! As someone with a genetic mutation, Xia Gucheng’s muscles and bones were extremely developed, and even though he had lived for many epochs and was an old man, his explosive power was still unrivaled.
!!
“A body const.i.tution rating of 17,000!”
The Skywing warriors gasped in shock. Xia Fan’s physical const.i.tution rating was actually 170% of Xia Gucheng’s, practically twice that of his father’s! It was an unimaginable rating!
“I ate Grade Nine energy crystals when growing up,” Xia Fan explained to his fellow clansmen. When everyone heard Xia Fan’s story, every one of them sighed in awe, holding every Disaster in high regard for what they had done.
“Don’t worry, the Skywing Clan is one that clearly differentiates between grat.i.tude and grudges. There will come a day when we will find and save this group of benefactors that raised you, as they are not just your benefactors, but that of the Skywings!” Xia Yu categorically a.s.sured him.
There was no time for emotions, and Xia Fan’s hard work promptly began. The warriors of Skywing split into three small groups, taking turns on instructing Xia Fan. His daily leisure time was strictly limited to just two hours, enough to take a bath and have a nap, before he would be brought to the cargo hold below again.
——
Several days later, Traveling Buddha began to complain that Xia Fan was always nowhere to be found. The two had been partners for a very long time and had not spent much time away from one another. He was very uncomfortable with the current situation they found themselves in, as he preferred staying together with Xia Fan, even if they were doing nothing.
“Come with me. I’ll bring you to see the results of Xia Fan’s training.”
It was a week later, and the seven year old Xia Di went looking for Traveling Buddha and brought everyone to the location where Xia Fan was receiving secret training. Here at this roundabout circuit, Xia Fan had already changed into the specialized training attire of the Skywings, and was in the middle of limbering up, warming up before he accelerated.
The Skywing Clan had their own equipment department, a group of skilled craftsmen whom they had met during their travels across the Great Chiliocosm. Xia Fan was wearing the attire known as Broken Light, created by a Moor who went by the moniker of Heavenly Craftsman. Moors had brownish skin and light green eyes, and were adept at weaving and energy coating, while also having done research on chemistry.
Broken Light was a soft armor, while the hard alloy armor was made by crafters from the Fey Artisan race. They were an offshoot of the Fey, and during the years when the Fey ruled the Great Chiliocosm, they had earned many t.i.tles of excellence. After the Fey were eradicated, one of their Artisan clans followed the Skywings, continuing their own traditions, and the Skywings continued to search for the best materials out there for them, helping them continue innovating.
“How touching. Xia Fan is finally being trained, becoming a true Skywing.”
The emotional Water Elemental was crying, while the others were loudly cheering Xia Fan on.
They watched as Xia Geng gave a command, and Xia Fan bent his back, adopting the strange posture of the Flying Bird style that his father had invented. The Soloist Flying Bird Style and the Grand Scale Wolfpack Formation: Xia Fan’s father had contributed greatly to the tactical innovations of the clan!
*Whoos.h.!.+*
Xia Fan’s speed soared, instantly turning into a beam of light. Those watching could hardly make out his figure, only stare at the numbers displayed on the screen above. The speedometer showed that Xia Fan’s speed had already surpa.s.sed five thousand meters per second, and in the blink of an eye, reached twelve thousand meters per second, an approximately fifty percent increase from before he had received any special training from the Skywings!
Truly, the Skywings lived up to their names as the experts of speed and the best teachers. In but seven days’ time, his speed had broken past the ten thousand mark, a crazy increase that no normal person could even imagine. Yet in that short span of time, they had managed to bring Xia Fan’s speed to new heights!
“Hurrah!” Everyone was cheering. Xia Geng personally pinned the Skywing’s badge onto Xia Fan, and the kitchen prepared a great feast as celebration. There was plenty of Earth foods; Xia Fan was particularly fond of the hamburgers, while Traveling Buddha favored the sweetened beancurd and spicy crayfish.
Xia Geng raised his wine gla.s.s and loudly announced, “This feast is to celebrate Xia Fan officially obtaining the Skywing badge, as well as a preparatory banquet before battle. Tomorrow, we shall be arriving at the occupied area!”
Even though it was highly possible that war would break out the next day, every single Skywing comrade partied wildly for the entire night. They would drink the stiffest drinks and eat the most delectable food, using the automated music box that the Klingar had created to play the most magnificent music in the world.
Every one of them was forced to get on stage and demonstrate their talents, also a common practice at Skywing gatherings. Many even believed that the Skywings were essentially a group of artisans and artists who would dabble in fights in their spare time!
This was especially true for Xia Fan and the others who had just returned or joined the Skywings, who became the object of even more attention. Tamu was the first to get on stage, summoning his guardian G.o.d of Light to present a blessing and gospel for everyone, only to end up being jeered off the stage by the Skywing Wolfpack. Though the Skywings vowed to protect the freedom of Tamu to believe in his G.o.d, they were ultimately all atheists, and Tamu’s display was laughingly dubbed as the historically most boring opener.
Traveling Buddha demonstrated his tea ceremony skills, producing his precious tea set and brewing a wonderful pot of tea that left everyone praising him endlessly.
Bright Pearl sang an ancient ballad of the dragons, and halfway through, the fire dragon Flame Swallow stepped up to harmonize with her. It was a tune that demonstrated great vicissitude and moving emotions, a tale about how dragons lived proudly and alone. After the song ended, everyone applauded, calling the duet of these two dragons the Song of Frost and Flames, cheering them on to sing three more songs before they finished.
Xia Fan was the last among the four to take to the stage. He danced the Battle Dance of the Canary Islands that the Dancer Couple had taught him, demonstrated the Beast Taming skills that he learned from Hunter Grandpa by successfully controlling a group of one-eyed red lipped fish in the fish tank, and even constructed sobering pills on the spot to distribute to the drunken warriors among them.
“He’s the most multi-talented person I’ve ever seen!” Xia Leng shouted, jumping to his feet.
Of all the nights that Xia Fan had spent, tonight was no doubt the happiest. His clansmen were not excited because of how outstanding his combat strength was, but that they cared more about just how talented Xia Fan was in other avenues!
Bright Pearl drank till her cheeks were red, leaning against Xia Fan’s shoulder and saying, “I already told you that mixing around with the Skywings, you’d need at least some talent. Here, no one cares how strong you are, because they are all very strong. This is also why we dragons like the Skywings. Not only can they defeat their foes, they can also live their lives so happily!”
“I like the Skywings as well!” Traveling Buddha had also drunk a lot, and made that loud declaration while standing on the table.
This nonsense continued for the rest of the night, but the next morning, when the Skywing Clan’s final two wars.h.i.+ps arrived before the Cold Night Cosmic Gate, all the casualness and wanton impudence from the day before was gone.
All Xia Fan saw was a group of the most serious warriors, with Xia Geng standing on the command deck, staring at the countdown. His eyes were as sharp as knives. It was hard to imagine that he had been dressed in drag last night, playing his harmonica and dancing ballet. It was so hilarious that it made him appear to be two completely different people. Life was life, and war was war: this was probably the true meaning behind the spirit of the Skywings!
“Charge!”
When the countdown ended, Xia Geng waved his arm and the two wars.h.i.+ps equipped with shockwave engines suddenly accelerated, turning into glaring beams of light that broke past the barrier of the Cosmic Gate, heading into a universe that was completely shrouded in darkness. Xia Geng’s Fellblade was at the front, while Xia Fan’s Skydome was behind. In terms of combat strength and size, the Fellblade was more majestic, as it was a Dauntless-cla.s.s wars.h.i.+p.
The two s.h.i.+ps shuttled into the dark backdrop of the Cold Night Universe. The first twenty-four hours was a smooth flight, but as the Skywings began to approach the enemy’s lair, they began to be hara.s.sed.
At first there were only three to four wars.h.i.+ps that formed small squadrons, using s.p.a.ce shock bombs to repeatedly interfere with the Skywings’ jump route. By the second day, even more s.h.i.+ps joined in the hara.s.sment, and the situation was going from bad to worse.
*Boom*
A severe tremor rumbled across the s.h.i.+p, and the power of the s.h.i.+p flickered momentarily. Items fell from the shelves, as the wars.h.i.+p had been struck by the spatial bomb and forced out of its wormhole, resuming normal spatial travel.
“How many times was that? Are they still going?” Traveling Buddha complained as he stared at the plate of crayfish that had dropped on the floor of the mess hall, his heart aching.
In front of the two s.h.i.+ps was an entire fleet of enemy s.h.i.+ps. The sapient beasts possessed both intelligence and technology after evolving. The s.h.i.+ps they had constructed were on the large side, appearing savage with their ornamental fangs and claws, looking very c.u.mbersome.
Including the two capital s.h.i.+ps, this was an a.s.sault force with over a hundred wars.h.i.+ps, and was probably the main fleet of the enemy. At present, both sides were over eighty standard galaxy units apart, neither side in the other’s firing range. However, the fleet was closing in fast, accelerating toward the Skywings.
Xia Fei felt pressured. A s.p.a.ce battle was unlike a battle on land. When the enemy had an absolute superiority in firepower, it was quite unfavorable to the Skywings. If he was in command, he would have ordered the s.h.i.+ps to accelerate and escape, avoiding the confrontation.
But Xia Geng remained as calm as ever. Everyone acted as if they did not consider the fleet in front of them posed any threat toward them, big smiles on all their faces. This puzzled Xia Fan greatly, as he had no idea where that confidence stemmed from.
The number of enemy wars.h.i.+ps accelerated even more, over a hundred wars.h.i.+ps surrounding the two lone wars.h.i.+ps of the Skywings. All of them were fierce, aiming their fire control systems at the Skywing wars.h.i.+ps, their weapon ports all open and missile launchers unveiled from within their s.h.i.+ps. The moment the s.h.i.+ps entered firing range, the lethal weapons would surely be unloaded without hesitation!
The Skywings were undeniably at the disadvantage here. Nevertheless, just as the enemy was almost thirty standard cosmic distance units away, something unimaginable happened.
Behind him, bright halos slowly rose up, one by one, like bright white suns. Next, there was a powerful fluctuation in spatial signatures as s.h.i.+p after s.h.i.+p with a blue wave logo appeared from behind the Skywings, numbering well over five hundred s.h.i.+ps, with a good 10% of them being immensely powerful capital s.h.i.+ps.
The battlefield situation was turned on its head. This blue fleet seemed to be the Skywing’s steadfast rearguard. Red flames shot out from their thrusters, swiftly surpa.s.sing the Skywings as they made a beeline toward the enemy. What ensued was violent cannon fire that lit up half the s.p.a.ce sky.
“A friendly army?” Xia Fan was bewildered, finding it hard to believe his eyes.
Communication was very quickly established. A strange alien with a row of parotid glands under their ears appeared on the screen. They were tall and the whites of their eyes took up the majority of their eyes, which protruded slightly. They could not be considered handsome by human standards, but they did give off a sensation of strangeness and strength!
This strange man gave a military salute to Xia Geng, saying, “The Sea Race Seventh Fleet, ready for orders!”
“Very good. Kill them all!”
“Understood!”
The conversation between Xia Geng and the Sea Race was clear and concise. Xia Fan proceeded to watch as the fleet of blue wars.h.i.+ps leapt swiftly into combat, unleas.h.i.+ng countless unmanned drones and all sorts of weapons and cannons to bombard the enemy. There was no hesitation, only a relentless ferocity directed toward the enemy.
“Your father often said that we must always keep our cards close to ourselves at all times,” Xia Geng patted Xia Fan on his shoulder. “What you’ve just witnessed is only the beginning!”