Super Mothership
“Damn it! Those damned pirates! I'll have them hanged! Every last one of them!”
Jinlock furiously waved his chubby little fists. Most of the objects in the room had already been reduced to scattered fragments, giving a clear indication of the storm of destruction that had just swept through it.
“Such-and-such star system has been invaded. Such-and-such planet has fallen. Such-and-such warehouse has been looted...”
Every day lately had brought nothing but bad news like this.
Each report felt like another knife viciously carving away at his flesh. He had lost his appetite entirely and had even shed several pounds from the stress.
The painstaking efforts of several generations of the Jin family, along with the wealth Jinlock had accumulated over his lifetime, had effectively shrunk by nearly a third in this pirate disaster.
Even worse, the joint plundering campaign by the five major pirate groups had only been the beginning.
They had taken the lead in tearing open the Locke Consortium's outer defenses and begun looting its territory on a massive scale. As soon as the other pirates in the Shattered Star Domain caught wind of the situation, they swarmed toward the Locke Consortium like sharks that had smelled blood.
If the five major pirate groups were a pride of lions, then these small and medium-sized pirate groups were hyenas.
Their strength varied considerably, and they possessed relatively few warships. Some had no more than a dozen armed merchant vessels. However, they made up for their weakness with sheer numbers. Combined, they numbered two or three thousand ships.
They prowled around the outer reaches of the Locke Consortium's territory, swarming any suitable target they discovered.
Some star systems belonging to the Locke Consortium had only just breathed a sigh of relief after the plundering fleets of the five major pirate groups departed, only to suffer the misfortune of being hit a second or even third time by these smaller pirate groups operating together.
The five major pirate groups had ignored plenty of targets that these smaller groups were more than happy to seize. As a result, those star systems were stripped even more thoroughly...
Naturally, the current situation wouldn't have developed without the tacit approval, and even deliberate encouragement, of the five major pirate groups.
As the major groups fled with their spoils, these smaller pirates who lingered behind became convenient scapegoats, taking a considerable amount of pressure off the main forces.
Their presence successfully delayed the pursuing fleets, allowing the forces of Black Sails, the Twin Dragons, and the others to withdraw from Locke Consortium territory at their leisure, carrying their plunder with them.
These smaller pirate factions, which had joined the fray hoping to grab some easy loot, lacked the sharp battlefield instincts of the major groups. They were also reluctant to abandon the profits already within their grasp.
As the saying went, people died for wealth just as birds died for food.
Burdened by their stolen goods and moving at their own limited speed, these smaller groups would have virtually no chance of escaping annihilation if they encountered the returning Locke Consortium fleets.
Yet even after wiping out some of these insignificant nuisances, the Locke Consortium couldn't recover the enormous losses it had already suffered.
To make matters worse, news of the pirates' rampage had spread far and wide, triggering violent fluctuations in the Locke Consortium's stock price. The resulting economic losses were almost impossible to quantify.
“Where the hell is Chloros?”
The furious Jinlock had nowhere to vent his anger.
“I've heard that Lord Chloros just returned from the wormhole, but the wormhole has already fallen,” one of his subordinates reported cautiously.
“Useless! Absolutely useless! He knew the enemy was coming, yet he still couldn't hold the position! So much for being a promising future general! Pass on my orders! Relieve Chloros of his command immediately and tell him to go home and grow sweet potatoes!”
After suffering repeated major losses and strategic failures, along with Chloros's several previous acts of disobedience, Jinlock's patience had clearly reached its limit.
“Uh... Well, Lord Chloros was short on manpower and was attacked from both sides. The loss of the wormhole wasn't really his fault. Besides, I've heard that Lord Chloros still has a backup plan...”
“Shut up! You're defending him this much. Has he bought you off?”
Jinlock rudely interrupted his subordinate, fixing him with a dangerously suspicious stare.
“N-No! Absolutely not!” The subordinate hurriedly waved his hands, his forehead covered in cold sweat. “It's just that Lord Chloros has powerful aristocrats from the home star systems backing him. If we dismiss him like this, we might offend some very influential people!”
“Hmph! Influential people?” Jinlock sneered.
“Do you think I don't know that Chloros belongs to the Second Prince's faction? If he didn't have some genuine ability, and if I weren't interested in drawing closer to the Second Prince, do you think I'd have stood by while he used his position in the First Fleet to cultivate his own following?”
Nobody was a fool. Although Jinlock was a businessman, he had spent many years navigating the political landscape of the empire. He had also personally developed his family's enterprise into the formidable business it was today. He certainly wasn't lacking in either political acumen or ability.
The Second Prince held shares in the Locke Consortium and had planted his own people around Jinlock. He had even established a presence in the Shattered Star Domain. His intentions were obvious: when the time came, these forces would serve as leverage to help him secure the imperial throne.
In an era when the empire was declining from its former glory and the royal family's control had weakened considerably, every prince aspiring to the throne—and every powerful aristocrat with sufficient resources—was cultivating a regional power base, openly or in secret.
There was nothing unusual about that.
As for why Jinlock had turned a blind eye to the Second Prince's infiltration of his organization, it was simply an early investment. He believed in the Second Prince's future prospects and wanted to secure his position in advance.
If the Second Prince eventually ascended the throne, Jinlock could pledge his allegiance at the opportune moment, allowing the Locke Consortium to rise along with him.
However, believing in someone's future was one thing. Chloros's desperate attempt to seize the secret treasure and earn credit for himself, disregarding Jinlock's safety and orders in the process, had crossed the line.
Hearing Jinlock speak so openly about such sensitive matters, the subordinate began sweating even more profusely. He lowered his head and didn't dare utter another word.
After venting his anger, Jinlock finally began to calm down.
The Locke Consortium was now weathering a severe crisis. Its power had been badly weakened, and it desperately needed outside support. Under these circumstances, dismissing Chloros really wasn't the best move.
After thinking it over, Jinlock could only let out a helpless sigh.
“Tell Chloros this: I don't care what methods he uses, but he must make up for the losses we've suffered this time. Otherwise, he can pack his bags and get out!”
...
Meanwhile, aboard the returning fleet, Nie Yun received a piece of news that wasn't entirely unexpected...
“You're saying they want to force us to sell our warriors?”
“Yes! Messiah of the Dragon Riders practically shoved a shipload of rare minerals into our hands, then detained three of our transport ships. Those ships are carrying more than a hundred thousand of our people! I beg you, Captain, please uphold justice for the Ryan people!”
Spartacus spoke with unconcealed fury.
Just moments earlier, another detachment had sent word that their people were about to be forcibly “purchased.” Upon hearing this, Spartacus had been consumed with anxiety.
The old clan leader of the Ryan people was also present beside him.
He carefully observed the legendary Ghost Captain but didn't immediately comment on what had happened to his people.
He was waiting to see how this nominal “liberator” of the Ryan people would handle the situation.
The earlier battle at the wormhole had finally made him understand why the Ryan warriors were so friendly toward a group of robots.
It was obvious: if someone was willing to take bullets for you on the battlefield, then even if that someone were nothing more than a hammer, you'd better treat it like a lucky charm and keep it somewhere safe!
Originally, the old clan leader had worried that the other party's recruitment offer was merely a way to turn the Ryan people into cannon fodder on the battlefield. If so, they would simply be jumping from one pit of fire into another.
However, after seeing the casualty report from the previous battle, he had finally put those concerns to rest.
To reduce the Ryan people's casualties, Nie Yun had been willing to use his own Mechanical Race “main force” to support them as wingmen. Even if this had merely been a tactic to win the Ryan people's loyalty, the old clan leader still owed him a debt of gratitude.
A foundation of trust had already been established. That was also why, upon hearing that his people had been detained, the old clan leader hadn't immediately confronted the Ghost Captain.
Of course, preliminary approval didn't mean the Ryan people would blindly devote themselves to serving him. The old clan leader still needed to judge the man by his words and actions...
“Mm! I'm aware of the situation.”
To everyone's surprise, Nie Yun merely smiled meaningfully, showing no sign of anger whatsoever.
The old clan leader's heart sank, and his expression immediately darkened.
Of course. Why would he offend two of his most important allies over a mere shipment of spoils? From any perspective, that would be a terrible deal.
So... we're nothing more than bargaining chips to him after all?
“Captain!” Spartacus grew anxious.
“All right! Don't worry. I guarantee that your people will be returned very soon. Anyone the Ghost Captain has set his sights on is coming back in one piece. Not a single one will be left behind!”
Hearing Nie Yun's forceful promise, Spartacus immediately broke into a broad grin. He had absolutely no doubt that every one of his people would return safely.
Ding! Your subordinate Spartacus's loyalty has increased by 2!
The old clan leader was equally moved.
After a long moment, he placed one hand against his chest, bowed his head slightly, and slowly performed the highest gesture of respect in the Ryan people's traditions...
Ding...
Watching the two men walk away, Nie Yun imagined the accompanying system notifications before finally smiling and opening his communicator.
You dare steal my people? It's time to show you what baiting someone into committing an offense so you can punish them really means!
It was too awkward to make a move when we were on friendly terms. Now, I can do whatever I want without the slightest hesitation...
TL Note- Revenge....
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