Counterfeit Hero

All of this is thanks to Fatty.

When the communication was connected, Audrey didn’t recognize Fatty. After all, when Fatty disguised himself as Zhang Yuan back then, his appearance was indeed very different from now. At this moment, as soon as Fatty spoke, Audrey immediately realized that the Fatty, who had been imprinted in her mind for over a year, was right in front of her.

”Damn Fatty...” Fatty got a headful of black lines.

Audrey excitedly said, ”That’s great, I didn’t expect you to be here... How have you been lately? Wow, you’ve changed quite a bit. So, this is what you actually look like. Damn Fatty, how did you disguise yourself back then? I heard you’re a Federation Hero now!...”

In the main control room, everyone was a bit dumbfounded.

How could the mature and graceful female captain just now turn into an excited, chirping little girl in an instant? Everyone looked at the Fatty with twitching facial muscles and couldn’t help but admire, ”No wonder he’s a Federation Hero, the legendary miracle creator, turning a mature woman into a loli— that’s some impressive skill!”

”Hold it!” Fatty rolled his eyes, ”First, let’s talk about the pirates!”

”Oh...” The singing bird-like Audrey immediately quieted down, obediently responding, ”Well, the Redbeard Pirate Group ambushed us when we passed through the IE-1404 Public Star System. They somehow acquired two high-speed raiders modified from civilian escort ships, very fast. Now, our main propulsion has some issues, so we haven’t been able to shake them off.”

”Only two raiders?” Fatty sighed in relief. At this moment, with only the two side secondary cannons and a dozen rotary turrets left on the Blue Rose, it couldn’t withstand much trouble. If there’s any paper tiger here, it’s us.

”Yes.” Audrey nodded, ”Only two raiders. The main force of the Redbeard Pirate Group seems to be pillaging in the Public Star System two jumps away from the Saleria Longbow Star Domain.”

”Redbeard Pirates...” Chekov frowned, interrupting, ”Aren’t they normally active in the Triangle Star Domain between the Tatania Free Commerce Alliance, Desic, and Gazalin? Why have these scoundrel shifted to Saleria Federation?”

”Recently, the situation in the Saleria Federation has shown signs of chaos. Due to resource exhaustion, processing export trades affected by the war, the financial system has also encountered problems, leading to an economic recession. Every day, people from various industries march in protests, and public order has become very bad. Moreover, some people are deliberately causing disturbances, and the Saleria Government is struggling to control the situation...” Audrey said, embarrassed, ”Smuggling ships and pirate groups have recently flocked here, trying to exploit the chaos.”

Chekov and Tian Xingjian exchanged glances, feeling worried. As federal soldiers of the Leray Federation Army, they naturally knew about the problems in the Saleria Federation. They just didn’t realize that the situation had gotten this bad. Generally speaking, pirates don’t dare to get too close to a sovereign state; their activity areas are usually at least five jumps away from these countries.

But now, the Redbeard Pirate Group dares to commit crimes openly within two jumps of the Saleria Longbow Star Domain, indicating that the chaos in the Saleria Federation has certainly affected its military. Otherwise, pirates and smuggling ships wouldn’t be so rampant.

With the chaos in the Saleria Federation, Leray Federation’s situation becomes even more precarious.

Thinking about the series of chain reactions predicted by Russell, Fatty wanted to rush to Saleria Federation, capture all the Pro-Western Alliance guys, beat them up, and imprison them. No change of stance, no food!

Upon hearing Audrey’s news, the officers and soldiers in the main control room of the Blue Rose all furrowed their brows. Despite being another country, though an ally, Leray has neither the reason nor the capability to influence Saleria Federation’s political situation.

They could only watch! Watch this neighboring country fall into chaos, possibly even fall towards the Western Alliance. This deep feeling of helplessness made everyone feel a bit depressed!

”How could this happen?” Helen murmured, ”Doesn’t Saleria Federation still have General Tolstoy? How could he possibly let Saleria Federation become like this?”

Their response was silence.

The Tolstoy Helen mentioned is the Saleria citizen most familiar to the Leray people.

This septuagenarian general was the former Chief Admiral of the Saleria Federation Army, one of Leray Federation’s staunchest allies.

During his youth, Tolstoy studied at the Federation Steel Military Academy, and later pursued further education at Feiyang Republic’s Capital Hydefield Military University.

After returning to his country, Tolstoy served successively as the military chief of the 8th Armored Division, regimental, and divisional military chiefs, later becoming the Deputy Chief of Staff, Deputy Chief of the Army Group, Commander of the Army Group, Deputy Commander of Longbow Command, Commander of Longbow Command, eventually earning success after thirty years of experience. Twenty years ago, he was appointed Deputy Commander of the Joint Command of the two services in Saleria Federation, and four years later, he was promoted to Commander-in-Chief.

Tolstoy is a fair, resolute yet pragmatic person. In terms of military command, he may not have any exceptional talent, but in recognizing and employing individuals, and in military construction, he has an unusually discerning eye. It was during his ten years of leadership in the Saleria Federation Army that the originally third-rate military force was completely transformed, becoming the mainstay of the Fei Alliance in stabilizing the Southeast Star Domain.