Chapter 426: Venoscorpion Swamp Base
“The object that Uti ordered General Tanini to search for in the Pan-Human Alliance’s capital has been found. It’s currently on its way back to the insectoid capital!” Qingliu sternly said.
Everyone was flabbergasted, and there was even a little fear on their faces. Halleh asked, “Is that object really that important to him?”
Qingliu replied, “Only Uti and his brother Tanini know what that object actually is, but it’s not hard to see from how determined they are that the item is extremely important. There is no doubt about that.
“Uti fears death the most. Is it perhaps some sort of medicinal plant that can prolong or safeguard his life?” An elder stroked his beard and suggested.
Everyone glanced at Xia Fei, for he had been the one to steal the divine herb, Blood Demon Claw, and they were all aware of it. Xia Fei was unperturbed. Once the Blood Demon Claw ripened, he could use it to repair his seventh brain region. He would not so easily give up that plant.
“Could it be some sort of weapon? The object was excavated from Venal Galaxy, the capital of the Pan-Human Alliance. That place was where ancient humans had once thrived and lived, and they’re incredibly strong. Perhaps they left some kind of superweapon, but how did Uti find out about it? That’s what I don’t understand,” another elder said.
Qingliu shook his head. “All we know is that Uti secretly gave Tanini this mission, nothing else. At present, our spy on the frontlines has sent word that Tanini really did find that object, and he sent a fleet back to the capital to escort it. We need to consider how we will deal with this. There’s no time for speculation.”
Everyone nodded, but they still could not help but wonder what sort of object Uti would want. Xia Fei smiled and said, “Gentlemen, I don’t know what that object is, nor do I want to know, but I do understand one thing. Since Uti has gone to such length just to get his hands on it, we can’t let him get his way. If he wants that object, we can’t let him get it.
“It doesn’t matter whether it’s a superweapon or some life-replenis.h.i.+ng divine herb. All we need to understand is that, once Uti gets his hands on it, he’ll probably get much stronger and become even more difficult to a.s.sa.s.sinate. Thus, we can’t let that object reach Uti.”
Halleh was taken aback. “You’re talking about robbery?!”
Xia Fei nodded. “Precisely.”
Halleh asked Qingliu, “Who is commanding the escort fleet?”
Qingliu replied, “Uti’s nephew by blood, the mite warrior Yigman, and also the deputy commander of the expedition army, Bliznan of the blood slug species.”
Halleh bitterly smiled and shook his head. “Yigman is just a useless young master, and it’s only because of his blood relation to Uti that he got his important post in the army, but Bliznan isn’t that simple. He’s ranked seventh on the Sacred Warrior Leaderboard!”
Xia Fei indifferently said,” I know. Admiral Bliznan, a grade 6 stagnation ability user. He is able to produce obstructive waves around his body, which can greatly reduce the speed of those around him.”
Halleh said, “That insectoid’s ability specifically counters your speed. If we’re talking about a robbery, we absolutely couldn’t intervene. You would have to rely on yourself.”
Xia Fei lit a cigarette, and after a few moments of silence, he asked, “Is there a way of getting me aboard the escort fleet?”
“This…” On the screen, Qingliu frowned. “Please wait a moment. I will go and research their route in detail.”
Qingliu turned off the screen, temporarily ending communication with Black Peak Ridge.
“You had better understand that the stagnation ability is a natural counter to your speed. Once your speed is greatly reduced, you lose your greatest layer of protection. Moreover, infiltrating deep into the enemy fleet is in itself a very risky course of action,” Phantom said.
Xia Fei replied, “An Eternal rank stagnation ability user is only one rank higher than I am. If we extrapolate using some common sense, even at his highest level, my speed should still be able to maintain five hundred meters per second. That speed is enough to deal with him. What’s key is the opportunity.”
“Opportunity?”
“Yes, an opportunity to face him alone. If he has many other ability users by his side, my chances of victory will truly be slim, but if I fight him while he’s by himself, then I’m rather confident that I won’t lose.”
Phantom laughed. “It’s a fleet made of several dozen wars.h.i.+ps. How could he be alone? I think you should do some more research before making your decision.”
Xia Fei nodded and said no more.
Qingliu would need some time to gather information on the fleet, so Halleh invited Xia Fei to a meal. Xia Fei had already been recognized as one of the G.o.d of Night’s children, so their att.i.tude toward him had naturally improved.
Xia Fei had relied on fruits like White Dew to fill his stomach during his three days in the virtual world, and his hunger was almost unbearable. Thus, he accepted the invitation and had a large meal together with them in their dining room. Insectoid food could not be described as exquisite, mostly simple dishes like roasted meat, but it was very filling. Xia Fei had never been a picky eater and had only ever sought a full belly.
The others could not help but question him about the G.o.d of Night, and Xia Fei answered them indifferently. The more enigmatic his tone, the more these insectoids believed.
Qingliu finally got back to them at sunset. Xia Fei did not immediately make his decision, instead asking Qingliu to give him the information so that he could take it back to his room and carefully review it.
…
The room the Guild of the Wise had arranged for Xia Fei was bright and s.p.a.cious, but that exquisitely furnished room had been completely transformed by Xia Fei. The walls were covered in star maps, the schematics for the s.h.i.+ps of the escort fleet, the navigation map, with a photo and combat info of stagnation ability user Bliznan.
Xia Fei sat in a chair, a cigarette in his hand, staring at the information on the wall through a cloud of smoke, reviewing it again and again.
Displaying all the information like this was Xia Fei’s habit. It was said that this method could reinforce the impression this information had on the mind and allow one to make the most correct judgment. However, Xia Fei did it purely out of convenience. He could not be bothered to flip through page after page.
“It’s not easy. Of the fourteen days of journey, three of them are in the Pan-Human Alliance, half will be within wormholes, and two days will be in the heavily guarded defensive perimeter around the capital. You will only have eight days and twelve hours. In those eight days, you must infiltrate the escort fleet, kill the stagnation ability user Bliznan, and steal or destroy that object that Uti so direly needs,” Phantom said.
Xia Fei nodded. Several hours had been enough for him to a.n.a.lyze the data and make his conclusion on the mission. Standing up, Xia Fei pointed at the starmap on the wall. “The escort fleet consists of one capital s.h.i.+p, twelve battles.h.i.+ps, thirty-six cruisers, and thirty-six scout frigates. It’s a very powerful force.
“Even so, Uti still lacks confidence in that fleet. Before it arrives at the capital, he is having two security fleets join it. The first one will meet the escort fleet as soon as it enters the insectoid territory. The second one will set off from the Venoscorpion Swamp Base and join the escort fleet.
“Other than that, the fleet will not stop at any other place for even one minute, so I will have only two chances of getting close to it. Time won’t permit us to get from Black Peak Ridge to the stealth wormhole in time, so the only option we have is to go with the Venoscorpion Swamp Base.”
Phantom frowned. “Venoscorpion Swamp Base is an important military base which has to be pa.s.sed before entering the imperial capital. Tens of thousands of wars.h.i.+ps are anch.o.r.ed there. Isn’t robbing the escort fleet there a bit too dangerous?”
Xia Fei shrugged. “Each time it pa.s.ses through a wormhole, the escort fleet only needs ten minutes to readjust before setting off again. Trying to find out where they stop is far too difficult, but at Venoscorpion Swamp Base, the escort fleet will wait in s.p.a.ce for an entire hour so that the protection fleet can join it. There’s plenty of things that could be done in that one hour.
“More importantly, Qingliu can get me the coordinates for the rendezvous point. We simply need to get there before they do and bide our time.”
Phantom was a little lacking in confidence, pensively saying, “But have you considered this? Venoscorpion Swamp is not even twenty-four hours from the insectoid capital. The closer to the capital’s defense ring you are, the more dangerous it is. After all, that area is heavily guarded. If you can’t quickly complete your robbery, you’ll be in for a very hard time.”
Xia Fei calmly took out a Star of Ruin from his spatial ring and smiled. “It would be great if I could get my hands on the treasure that Tanini had dug up for Uti. Something that Uti has gone to such great lengths to get can’t be some low-quality item. Besides, it was dug up from Venal Galaxy, so it originally belonged to mankind. In my hands, it can be considered as having returned to its original owner.
“At worst, I’ll use this thing to just destroy the escort fleet. If we can’t get it, then neither can Uti!”
Phantom creased his brows. “Hurry up and put the Star of Ruin away! Its effects are just too shocking. It’s not going to just be a joke if there’s an accident.”
Once Xia Fei put away the Star of Ruin, Phantom let out a sigh of relief. “Since you understand the pros and cons, I have no objection. If we can steal it, steal it, and if we can’t, destroy it. I trust in your ability to respond according to the situation.”
…
*Whoosh~*
Vampire set off for this most important military base of the insectoid race, Venoscorpion Swamp.
Halleh and Mingjing were also aboard. Qingliu had already conceded and agreed to make Xia Fei a collaborator, sharing with him his side’s intelligence and resources. His only demand was that he took Halleh with him. He said that this was for the sake of Xia Fei’s safety.
Halleh was a darkness ability user, and if something happened to Xia Fei, Halleh could sweep him up in the darkness and escape with him while remaining undiscovered. In the entire Guild of the Wise, only he could work with Xia Fei.
Qingliu had spoken so sincerely, as if he truly was concerned about Xia Fei. Of course, Xia Fei understood that this was simply a manner of check and balance they share, and it existed because they did not trust him enough.
Therefore, Xia Fei did not object. Even he would have found it absurd if the insectoids had let him stand with them without condition, so he agreed. As for Mingjing, as Halleh’s ability was the only way of stopping her from communicating with High Priest Ryun, so they had been no other choice but to bring her along.
Once the route was set, Vampire silently began making its way through s.p.a.ce. Xia Fei placed his feet on the command deck and muttered, “What could have possibly been dug out from Venal Galaxy?”