1308 No Honor Among Thieves (1/2)
”Humility speaks volumes of one's strength. As such, Mr. Jiang Fei, I've conceded to this match. You are strong. Naive, but strong.” Dawan laughed as he praised Jiang Fei. With that, Dawan completed what he had come to do, to test Jiang Fei's character. That was not the end of his training because Domingo still had one last mission for Jiang Fei to participate in. Since it was going to be the last one, he wanted to let Jiang Fei earn as many available achievements as possible. Therefore, the mission he had prepared Jiang Fei for was going to be a little dangerous.
After Dawan left, Jiang Fei rested for an entire day before he continued his training in the training room. The results of his training were satisfying, but there was still room for Jiang Fei to grow. Jiang Fei recognized that and refused to stop training. Although he would not be able to grow much with the time he had left until his next mission, he could at least still grow stronger, no matter by how much, before he faced another powerful foe.
Three days later, in the real world, Jiang Fei finally exited the training room, and he was greeted by Domingo. Unlike previously, Domingo was not looking too happy. Grief would be the suitable word for what he was feeling right then as he was looking through the cost that Jiang Fei had been raking up for the past twenty-three months.
”Come, it is time for a mission,” said Domingo, slightly dejected as he put away the report of the training room's operation costs.
”Understood,” said Jiang Fei simply. He packed up his stuff and left the training grounds with Domingo, who was still trying to hide his pain.
…
”All green across the board. We are ready for the warp jump on your command, Lieutenant,” said the same captain when Jiang Fei boarded the Corvette class ship.
”Take off,” said Domingo. Everyone had been ready and on standby for the past several hours. All that was left was Jiang Fei.
As the ships' engines roared and left the planet's atmosphere, Jiang Fei approached Domingo and asked, ”Where are we heading to now?”
”I'll brief you about that in a minute. This is going to be the last mission where I get to be your chauffeur. So, I had the thought to make things a little grander this time,” said Domingo.
The current mission's destination was farther than they had ever been before. Even with faster-than-light traveling speeds, they took almost a day and a half to reach their destination. By noon of the next day, the fleet exited hyperspace and stopped at a binary-star planetary system.
”You see those two stars? They are actually in orbit with each other,” said Domingo while he pointed at the binary star system. Such an event was not unheard of as Jiang Fei had read about it when he was on Earth.
”Is that our target destination?” Jiang Fei asked.
”Correct. See the fourth planet from the stars, that is our target. We are going to raid a pirate base!” said Domingo.
”A pirate base, Sir?” said Jiang Fei.
The Valsalrian Army was already the strongest band of bandits in the known universe. Why would they need to attack another of their kind?
”Where is the wrong in that? They are pirates as well! No harm in stealing what has already been stolen!” said Domingo with a proud smile. To be honest, smaller pirate bases had always been a favourite target of the Valsalrian Army. Not only would they be eliminating potential rivals, but they would also be looting all their plundered goods. It was a logical target since looting a pirate's lair would always be rewarding. As long as there were goods to steal, be it any thing or any person, the Valsalrians would always come knocking!
”Understood,” Jiang Fei acknowledged. He was unfamiliar with such an operation. Even though he would be killing people, he was more comfortable killing other criminals than innocents. At the very least, he would be making the universe a better place to live in by eliminating a few other pirates.
”Lieutenant! We are being targeted by the enemy on the planet's surface! Brace! Brace!” the captain roared. Not two seconds later, the ship started to shake violently as they were showered with bombardments from the planet's pirate base. Domingo was not having it. This ship of his had only just finished its regular maintenance. The paint on the ship's hull had not yet set in and was already being scraped!
”Return fire! Now!” he roared.
”Aye, Lieutenant!” said the captain. With the order to attack laid out, the captain then took command of the other ships in the fleet.
”Focus fire on my target. Target Area A3 and B4. You may use the Mega Particle Beam Cannons.”
”Incoming fleets of drones, Sir!”
”Engage Anti-Missile turrets and focus the Mega Particle Beam Cannons on the planet's surface.