Chapter 53

Chapter 53

Amidst the roaring blasts, the warship trembled.

Without the energy membrane for protection, the hull of the warship was not much stronger than an eggshell under continuous attack.

Lin Fu and his companion leaned against the door outside, waiting for the people inside the cockpit to emerge.

It was a question with only one option; no one wanted to die. With the bow about to be breached, the people inside the cockpit would surely come out.

Perhaps, in the eyes of those inside the cockpit, the two of them were still enticing prey.

Time passed quietly, a few seconds seemed to elapse.

The cockpit door swung open, and several people surged out, launching an attack without hesitation towards the individuals on either side, determined to incapacitate them with a single strike!

The two had anticipated the encounter, entangling with their opponents in combat.

Lin Fu delivered an elbow strike, disarming one and impaling another's abdomen with his katana, rendering them incapacitated on the ground.

His actions were decisively swift; despite prior knowledge, the deceptive nature of the term "Guide" still led the enemy to underestimate him.

Albert's movements were even faster!

Uninjured and ranking above all sentinels present, his ferocious combat strength allowed him to neutralize an opponent with each move.

There weren't many in the cockpit; the situation would be resolved quickly.

The enemies hesitated, hoping to capture them for commendation, but Lin Fu and his companion had no such concerns.

Everyone except the commander was expendable.

They swiftly gained control of the situation. The high-ranking commander, seeing the tides turn, abandoned the two and attempted to escape alone.

Lin Fu commanded, "Leave this to me, go after him!"

Without waiting for Albert's response, the commander, who hadn't gotten far, was suddenly flung back, his feet scraping faint red trails of blood on the ground.

Lin Fu looked up and saw a short-haired woman approaching with calm steps, exclaiming in surprise, "Auntie!?"

Perhaps pleased by the address, Lin Sizhen's cold face softened with a faint smile: "My people are handling the cleanup. Don't worry about the outside."

Lin Fu couldn't help but exhale a long breath of relief.

The few following Lin Sizhen curiously examined Lin Fu. Stepping forward, Lin Sizhen lifted the commander with one hand and handed him to Albert, "Hold him tight. Find a place to keep watch, and bring him back to the Fourth Army. You should be able to extract quite a bit from him."

After speaking, she patted Lin Fu's shoulder, "Since you've successfully commandeered the ship, it's yours now. You'll lead the Fourth Army back. We'll follow alongside you until you reach safety."

Lin Fu frowned subconsciously, "Auntie, if it weren't for you, this warship..."

Lin Sizhen looked at him, and the rest of his words were swallowed.

The Fourth Army's warship was mostly destroyed; it could have been repaired and reused, but that was no longer an option. This warship temporarily assumed the functions of the Fourth Army's vessel.

Members of the Uzstamon star pirate group flooded into the warship, swiftly handling the aftermath of the battle. They ushered those from the Fourth Army aboard, who had no place on the flyers, and then returned to their own warship. Continuing along the previous route, they set off towards the Fourth Army's home planet.

The Fourth Army's decapitated warship was towed behind the two warships, resembling undignified cosmic debris.

The colonel and captain of the ship, upon seeing Lin Fu safe and sound, sighed in relief and turned to express his gratitude to Lin Sizhen.

It was his first encounter with the legendary star pirate leader. He had not anticipated fear, but standing face-to-face with her, he found himself sweating nervously, a realization that dawned only after leaving the cockpit.

A subordinate officer, following behind, voiced his concerns: "Colonel, how will we explain this to the general upon our return? The warship's destruction will incur hefty repair costs, and we'll surely be penalized... Perhaps, we could negotiate with the leader of Uzstamon for control of this warship?"

The colonel slapped the back of the officer's head, retorting, "Our lives were saved by these people, and you have the audacity to make demands?"

The officer shrank back, remaining mute.

Inside the cockpit, only a few remained.

Lin Fu focused on the virtual screen displaying the interrogation of an officer aboard the warship.

Seated in an electric chair, shaking uncontrollably, the officer spilled all he knew before even being asked, his face smeared with tears and snot: "That's all I know! People like me can't meet those high-ups in the council. Apart from the target, the commander wouldn't tell us anything extra!"

Massaging his temples, Lin Fu murmured, "Aunt, I've detected and blocked a remote surveillance system on the warship, but they're now aware of Uzstamon's role in this affair. Besides the commander, we should detain a few others and bring them back to Uzstamon, just to be safe."

This would prevent any unilateral accusations, leaving no room for rebuttal.

After all, Lin Fu currently had no say in the Fourth Army's stance.

Lin Sizhen nodded in agreement.

With her arms crossed over her abdomen, her cold demeanor softened, revealing a gentler visage: "Are you feeling unwell?"

Rubbing his temples, Lin Fu replied, "I'm alright."

Lin Sizhen didn't quite believe his claim of "alrightness" and turned to Albert: "Take him to rest. He needn't worry about the rest."

"We have a few days' journey to the Fourth Army's home planet. Rest well. Once there, even if you beg for my assistance, I won't be able to help."

Lin Fu couldn't resist Lin Sizhen's insistence.

He followed Albert out.

He was indeed exhausted.

Counting today, it was his first real battle since arriving in this world.

It's neither training nor a competition, yet the slightest misstep could mean the loss of countless lives.

Battles between humans and the insect race are not frightening; it's the wars among humans that are the most dangerous and deadly.

He walked step by step, his military boots clinking crisply along the lengthy metal corridor. The voices of survivors expressing their gratitude in the distance, and the system's announcements counting the numbers in his mind, all seemed to morph into tangible twisted characters, swirling around him, spiraling and dancing.

System: [Number of people directly rescued this time...]

"Lin Fu!"

Darkness consumed his vision, and all sounds by his ear vanished without a trace, sinking into the mire.