Super Mothership
After the Battle
The underlings were responsible for cleaning up the battlefield, while the five pirate flagships belonging to the two major factions gathered together in a circular formation.
Black Sails, the Maniacs, the Dragon Riders, Red Dragon, and the newly risen Ghost Pirates.
As the side that had emerged victorious from this chaotic battle in the Shattered Star Domain, the five giants represented by these five flagships had already become the new top of the food chain in the Shattered Star Domain, with a status almost equivalent to the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.
As for the sole surviving member of the opposition, the Dark Temple had temporarily escaped annihilation and still retained most of its overall strength. However, like Germany after its defeat in a war, it was not only isolated and outnumbered, but its international standing had also plummeted. It had effectively lost its voice in the Shattered Star Domain.
“Lord Ghost, you really have been hiding your abilities. You actually managed to take down Karon!”
Flint glanced at the Karon Beast being dragged behind someone's ship, clearly carrying an unmistakable hint of intimidation.
Among the five flagships, Nie Yun's vessel was by far the most shabby. Not only was it the smallest in tonnage, but it was covered in scars from top to bottom, looking even worse than a second-hand ship on the verge of being scrapped.
Yet somehow, the smoke of battle covering it, combined with the Karon Beast hanging behind it like captured prey, gave it an aura that inexplicably suppressed everyone else present.
“Hehe! It was just luck, just luck!”
Nie Yun smiled modestly.
“Is Karon dead or alive?”
Messiah suddenly spoke.
Everyone present immediately narrowed their eyes.
No one cared whether Karon was alive or dead. However, if Karon was still alive, then the Ghost Captain might be able to extract intelligence about the people behind him.
That information was what they cared about most.
“Karon? Sorry, I didn't manage to hold back. He's indeed dead.”
After saying this, Nie Yun glanced meaningfully at Messiah.
Upon hearing that Karon was dead, Messiah quietly breathed a sigh of relief, though it was unclear whether he was disappointed or relieved. He failed to notice the unusual look in Nie Yun's eyes.
“Hey, Brother Ghost, how exactly did you defeat that Karon guy all by yourself?”
Red Dragon couldn't suppress his curiosity any longer.
“Hmm... Actually, it's not really a secret.
This is a secret weapon I purchased from within the organization. It's specifically designed to deal with war beasts like the Leviathan. Unfortunately, it's a one-time-use weapon, and it wasn't cheap.
I'd say I really spent a fortune this time. I don't even know whether I made a profit or took a loss.”
Nie Yun deliberately put on a pained expression while taking the opportunity to raise the profile of the mysterious “organization.”
Organization? Purchased from within?
This was already the second time Flint had heard Nie Yun mention an organization. This time, he couldn't resist probing further.
“So, the organization Lord Ghost belongs to must also possess extraordinary influence among the mechanical race's factions, right? May I ask which Mechanical Duke you serve under?”
Hearing this, Nie Yun secretly exclaimed:
You finally asked the right question!
Ennn... It was time to advertise the “organization” a little!
Everyone present was a major figure in the Shattered Star Domain. One advertisement here could save him at least several hundred million in promotional expenses!
“Hmm... This was originally confidential, but since all of you are allies and we'll need to work together closely from now on, I suppose I can reveal a little.”
He pretended to hesitate for a moment.
Everyone pricked up their ears.
“To tell you the truth, I actually don't belong to any faction of the mechanical race.”
“What?”
Nie Yun had spoken the absolute truth, but his words left everyone stunned.
Not affiliated with the mechanical race?
Could he possibly belong to the Woolf Empire instead?
Since when had the Woolf Empire gained the ability to recruit mechanical nobles?
“The organization I belong to is called... the One-For All Society!”
Nie Yun spoke with a solemn expression.
“It's a secret membership-based alliance with extremely strict admission requirements (laughs). Its members span hundreds of civilizations in the surrounding region, with forces of various sizes scattered across several nearby spiral arms.
Not only does it include the mechanical race and the Wolf Empire, but even the Ant Empire in more distant star regions has members. There are even people from the Gemini on the other side of the wormhole.”
What?
Everyone was completely dumbfounded.
As small-time pirates who only operated within their own little corner of the Shattered Star Domain, hearing about such a massive organization was like someone from a rural suburb suddenly encountering a multinational corporation boasting, “We have branches in more than 200 countries around the world.”
Flint and the others were naturally skeptical of Nie Yun's claims.
After all, anyone who had risen to their current position wasn't some gullible fool.
However, the fact that the other party had still managed to obtain news of the Locke Consortium's crushing defeat despite the wormhole being sealed did, from another perspective, corroborate the possibility that he really had informants stationed on the Twin Stars.
Furthermore, the mystery and power created by the Ghost Captain's miraculous battle record made them unable to completely dismiss the possibility that his claims were genuine.
Selling crutches to an able-bodied person might look simple, but it was actually a technical skill.
Without knowledge involving peripheral nerves, lumbar compression, and blood circulation, how could you possibly convince someone that they were crippled?
Uncle Benshan was undoubtedly a physiological and psychological master whose talents had been tragically wasted on bicycles!
Likewise, when all was said and done, Nie Yun's boasts were built upon the foundation of his actual strength. Without the corresponding strength to back them up, what he was waving around wouldn't be a tiger's skin—it would just be cowhide.
Flint was about to probe further into the secrets of this One-World Society when Nie Yun proactively stopped the conversation.
“The organization has strict confidentiality rules. I can only reveal this much. Besides, I'm merely a Bronze-level junior member. My authority is limited!”
What?
Someone like him was only Bronze-level?
Then what kind of strength did the Silver, Gold, and even Diamond levels possess?
And what kind of existence was the president?
Seeing the respectful and awestruck expressions on everyone's faces, Nie Yun was completely satisfied.
Hmm! It seems this “everyone-is-Bronze” system could be promoted as one of the organization's fundamental principles in the future...
Just imagine it.
When others looked at you with the worshipful gaze reserved for a supreme expert, you casually told everyone:
“Actually... I'm just the weakest person on the team...”
That would be like placing a little stool beneath someone already sitting on a divine throne—the prestige factor would shoot straight through the roof!
“Ahem! Back to business. The fighting in the Shattered Star Domain has now subsided. Shouldn't we start discussing our plans for what comes next?”
Seeing that the atmosphere had become somewhat awkward, Messiah spoke up to ease the tension and once again redirected everyone's attention toward the Shattered Star Domain.
No matter how powerful an invading dragon might be, it couldn't affect these local snakes for the time being. However, their upcoming plans directly concerned the interests of every person present.
“Hmm... Although I agree to participate in this operation, are you certain they won't have time to deal with us right now?”
Flint cautiously looked toward Nie Yun.
He couldn't help it.
This guy simply loved setting traps for him.
“Don't worry. The intelligence is absolutely accurate. Don't forget, I have people over there!”
Nie Yun grinned.
“Besides, if you discover that something is wrong, you can retreat at any time. We're going there to fish for benefits. You always pick on the weak, right? Surely I don't need to teach you that?”
“Hmm... Fine. But what about the Dark Temple...?”
“Leave one-third of each fleet behind to keep an eye on them. They won't be able to cause much trouble.”
“Right! At a time like this, unless they're looking to get themselves killed, they won't take the initiative to provoke us.”
“Then how are we going to divide the spoils?”
“The usual rules. How much you can take depends on your own abilities.”
“Good! When do we make our move?”
Everyone once again looked toward Nie Yun.
The intelligence was in his hands, so naturally, the timing had to be decided by him.
“After such a major battle, we all need some time to recover. But the longer we wait, the more complications may arise. How about three days from now?”
“Works for me!”
“No objections!”
“Good. Then, to avoid any conflicts between us, let's divide up our respective areas of operation...”
TL Note- We are back with a Bang....
Next
Comments
Post a Comment