Chapter 152: Vexor-cla.s.s Battlecruiser
Translator: Exodus Tales Editor: Exodus Tales
According to the tiers of wars.h.i.+ps, frigates were the lowest, followed by destroyers, next were battlecruisers, then battles.h.i.+ps, and, finally, the largest, the capital s.h.i.+ps.
Battlecruisers possessed incredible firepower and top-of-the-line, long-distance traveling capabilities. If someone planned to travel from Endaro Star Region to Black Abyss, which was tens of millions of lightyears away, cruisers were obviously better than frigates.
For example, if there was an unexpected meteor shower in the middle of the journey, the cruiser would be able to utilize its large energy s.h.i.+eld and proceed as usual, but the same situation would be a disaster for the smaller frigate.
The advantages of the frigate were its mobility and difficulty of detection, whereas battlecruisers did not have such bells or whistles. There was only one course of action when it encountered an enemy: blast them with its huge firepower.
Using its incredible firepower and heavy armor to defend itself was what these larger wars.h.i.+ps were built for.
As frigates and battlecruisers were characteristically different, their styles of combat were also different. Of course, Xia Fei understood that it was better to travel to the Death Trio Star Region, which was filled with danger, using a larger wars.h.i.+p. More importantly, Xia Fei was still an cadet Adjudicator, so he still was not allowed to own a destroyer of his own, much less the larger battlecruiser. Of course, the price of the battlecruisers, which was in the billions, was also a huge obstacle.
Traveling through endless galaxies, a good wars.h.i.+p was like a good pair of shoes, bringing one to anywhere they wanted to go. Every traveler of the universe would do their best to work toward better wars.h.i.+ps because their lives depended on it.
Xia Fei thought for a few moments. “I can’t even get a license, as I’m still only an apprentice Adjudicator, so I am unable to pilot one even if I receive a battlecruiser. Besides, I can’t pay for one either.”
Thuram let out a hearty laugh. “You don’t need to worry about that; I have my ways around that. You just need to pick one that catches your eyes—of course, only among those discarded by the Union.”
Thuram then turned on the projected screen as rows upon rows of battles.h.i.+ps appeared on it.
Because of how huge the Adjudicator Union was, it owned thousands of fleets, meaning that the number of s.h.i.+ps discarded each year was incredible. The vast majority of these were not because they were broken but because they had reached their expiry date.
Battles.h.i.+ps were made of alloy components; once used for a certain number of years, the chances of it breaking would dramatically increase. This however did not mean that they were unfit for use; they were still worthy of s.p.a.ce travel after a suitable amount of maintenance, though the performance might be lacking compared to a brand-new one.
Being able to obtain a second-hand battlecruiser was great news to Xia Fei, and he was not about to be picky. A skinny camel was bigger than a horse, or so they said, and a battlecruiser past its use by date was still better in firepower and defense than a small wars.h.i.+p.
“This won’t do… This won’t do, either… This one’s… alright. ” Thuram showed off the reason he was the head of weapons and equipment department as he knew the pros and cons of the s.h.i.+ps extremely well. With a wave of his hand, a majority of battlecruisers were removed from the screen, which left them with twenty or so to choose from.
“The performance index of these s.h.i.+ps are decent; Any one of them should be enough for you and your travels, so go ahead and pick one,” Thuram said pointing at the projected screen.
Xia Fei nodded, scanning through the s.h.i.+ps on the projected screen, paying great attention to even the inspection report.
A few moments later, Xia Fei pointed at a Gaian Vexor-cla.s.s battlecruiser. “I’ll take this one if possible.”
Thuram followed Xia Fei’s gaze and immediately started laughing. “Sixty-five percent new. Not bad. The s.h.i.+p was well maintained.”
Vexor battlecruisers were quite unique among cruisers. Xia Fei picked this s.h.i.+p not only because it was well-maintained but also because of its unique attack style.
Unlike other battlecruisers that used artillery and missiles, Vexor’s main weapon was the dozens of drones in the drone bay.
It could release twenty heavy drones to swarm their enemies, while the wars.h.i.+p could just watch the battle unfold far away, leaving the enemies to deal with the swarm of drones that did not have a concept of death.
This was not the most effective way of battle, but it was the most vicious one. It was like being able to eat an ice cream while watching the opponents be eradicated; what other way of combat could be safer than this?
Xia Fei always gravitated toward wars.h.i.+ps which had unique points. Be it Lunar Eclipse or Vampire, both had their unique features. Since Xia Fei had a chance to get a battlecruiser, he would of course pick the most unique one.
Moreover, using drones to torture the opponents was not all the Vexor could do. If it was possible to retrofit it, it possessed incredible potential, which was the biggest reason why Xia Fei had set his eyes on it.
With a few taps on the projected screen, the estimated price of the s.h.i.+p of 1.52 billion star coins became five hundred twenty million star coins.
“You can accept this price, right?” asked Thuram.
Xia Fei was rendered speechless. It was as if Thuram owned the s.h.i.+ps himself, being able to change the prices as he wished. Xia Fei thought that it was incredible that he could get a battlecruiser, but spending five hundred million for the Vexor battlecruiser was the best thing that could’ have happened.
“I can’t take this! Aren’t the others going to talk badly of you behind your back?”
“They wouldn’t dare! I’ve already been feeling incredibly angry to be demoted to this awful weapons and equipment department; if anyone else comes looking for trouble, they should worry about me strangling them to death!” Thuram said viciously.
Xia Fei was left speechless. Turned out Thuram got to where he was today through a demotion; what position did he hold before this?
Still in the middle of his thought, Thuram suddenly said slyly, “As long as you promise me this one condition, the Vexor battlecruiser will be all yours; I’ll even help you register it to the Alliance.”
Xia Fei had a bad feeling seeing how strange Thuram was acting. ‘So he’s still waiting for me.’
…
About three hours later, in a training room of the weapons and equipment department.
Thuram wiped the sweat off his satisfied face, giving Xia Fei a hand to help him off the ground. Turned out Thuram did not want anything else other than having Xia Fei spar with him.
Xia Fei felt a wave of soreness throughout his body as he tried to move around. He and Thuram were on completely different levels. In the last three hours, Xia Fei was dodging left and right using Crafty Approach and his speed ability, yet he still took ten or so solid hits from Thuram, feeling as if his skeleton was about to fall apart.
“I haven’t been active for some time. I’ve been so bored cooped up in the office every day. Where did you learn your dodging skills? It’s not often I face opponents who could dodge my hits for three hours,” Thuram asked with a smile.
Xia Fei lit a cigarette as he sat. Crafty Approach was the ultimate move of Phantom and his disciples.h.i.+p, but of course he could not reveal it, changing the topic, instead. “You’re a s.h.i.+ft ability user, right? I felt that you didn’t use your full strength as though you’re just trying to figure out my moves.”
“What? You want me to go all out?” Thuram let out an sinister smile as he turned the question around.
Xia Fei was shocked. The full strength of a diamond-rank Adjudicator was no joke. He did not think Thuram would take it seriously.
“I’m just kidding,” Thuram said, laughing. “That’s right; I am indeed a s.h.i.+ft ability user. I can freely move every bone in my body to s.h.i.+ft the appearance to my preference. The battle just then was a normal one, no abilities.
“No matter what, you’re still someone sent by the old psychopath Qin Mang. If I were to hurt you, that old man would try to take my life,” Thuram said with a trace of fear in his eyes. It appeared that he was still afraid of Qin Mang.
Xia Fei pursed his lips, thinking, ‘Diamond-rank are indeed insane, able to be at that level without using any abilities. If he really had gone all out, my insignificant life would have been snuffed out in an instant.’
After a few moments of resting, the two of them walked side by side out of the training room. The curly-haired secretary, who had been waiting outside, quickly handed Thuram a fresh set of uniform as they walked out before giving them drinks.
Xia Fei emptied the gla.s.s. The sweet and sour drink seemed to have an incredible effect on the pain on his body. Once the drink settled in his stomach, his pain was almost all gone.
“Could you come again before you leave? We’ll use weapons next time,” suggested Thuram.
Xia Fei waved his hands. “I really want to, but I’m short on time. I’m afraid there won’t be another opportunity.”
Thuram patted Xia Fei on the shoulder. “Alright, then; we’ll see when you make it out of Black Abyss—if you make it out that is. As far as I know, it’s been getting worse and worse there. The tenuous relations.h.i.+p between the local warlords has been becoming more and more strained, and it is likely for a large-scale battle to erupt within a year. Don’t think that Qin Mang asking you to come here is just something that he casually does. I’ve known that guy for dozens of years; although his temper is terrible, he is really clever.”
Xia Fei was stunned. “You said that the Death Trio Star Region is on the brink of war. How have I never seen any hint of that when I was doing my research?”
It would be terrible if the Death Trio Star Region entered war at this time, for it just had to be right when Xia Fei was traveling there.
Thuram laughed. “Heh, the truth will always only be in the hands of a few; it’s normal that you didn’t know. Qin Mang has quite a capable disciple in the Black Abyss; did he hand you a letter, asking you to find him as well?”
Xia Fei nodded.
“If I were you, I’d go search for Qin Mang’s disciple right after you reached the Black Abyss, get your bearings a bit before tending to your matters. Qin Mang has never been a simple guy, following what he advises can only do you good,” Thuram advised sincerely.
Xia Fei would have never thought that it only took Qin Mang a few hours to plan all this out after realizing that he was heading to Black Abyss, and every step was right on the dot.
He did not stop Xia Fei but used his powers to make as many arrangements as possible for him, instead. Such planning and strategizing was superhuman.
Xia Fei always felt that Qin Mang was not as simple as he led him to believe, yet he still surpa.s.sed his expectations. The power of the obesed old man was simply incredible.
If it were not for how talkative Thuram had been, Xia Fei might not have figured out that Qin Mang had done so much planning for him. With that in mind, Xia Fei muttered, “Old man, I’m really in your debt this time.”
Before even setting off, Xia Fei’s journey to Black Abyss was more depressing and difficult than he thought.
Shaking his head, Xia Fei bid farewell to Thuram before he headed to Venal 24. Who knew how the beautiful Avril was doing right now?