Counterfeit Hero

The Blue Rose silently traveled through the universe at high speed. The silver drop-shaped hull with a long ion trail was particularly beautiful in the silent, deep space.

The Audrey merchant ship was at the forefront. Two high-speed raiders accompanied the Blue Rose on the left and right. Warships, pirate raiders, merchant ships... Four completely different styles of warships formed a peculiar fleet.

On the port side of the fleet, a Red Giant Star, eighteen astronomical units away, could be seen clearly, desperately pouring out its light and heat. For many years, this massive, dark-red elderly star has maintained the same state on this rarely traveled fringe route.

To this Red Giant Star that will eventually collapse into a white dwarf star, human civilization from its origin to now is just a blink of an eye in its life journey. Meanwhile, generations of heroes or villains plotting dynastic dominance are like phantom bubbles, fleeting and transient.

The light of the Red Giant Star reflected on the ships speeding away in curved trajectories, casting a flowing, mysterious hue. As the distance increased, the starlight grew dimmer, eventually becoming a small dark red dot on the ship’s hull.

After utilizing the gravitational jump generated by the Red Giant Star, and traveling through eleven jump points and switching six routes, the fleet had arrived at the DE-176 Public Star System, less than five jumps away from the Saleria Federation.

This was the final destination of their journey—the secret base of the Redbeard Pirate Group.

After unexpectedly capturing Barbarossa, Fatty and Chekov had a discussion and decided to change their original plan... Before fully understanding the current situation of the Saleria Federation, the Blue Rose is not suitable to be exposed to anyone.

Compared to the bustling and mixed Freedom Dock, a fully-equipped pirate base is more suitable for hiding their whereabouts. Besides, since Barbarossa was captured, not controlling his pirate group wouldn’t fit Master Fatty’s principle of exploiting every opportunity.

”Honestly speaking...” In the holding cell of the pirate base, Fatty warmly hooked his arm around Barbarossa’s shoulder: ”Where did you hide the treasures?”

Fatty was actually very annoyed.

He didn’t expect that after searching the entire base, he couldn’t find a trace of floating wealth.

This unexpectedly massive base had been constructed on the backside of a planet’s satellite. It is a fully metallic structure made up of an old space station and a giant transport ship.

The space station had been transformed into a ship port, and beneath the giant transport ship, the pirates had dug through soil and rock, building layer after layer downwards into a space city that could hold tens of thousands of people!

This was no mere pirate base; if several fortress cannons were added, the port expanded a bit, and a regular fleet stationed, it would practically be a small fortress!

The occupation of the base was simple... Two raiders escorted the Audrey loaded with Leray soldiers and entered the base using Barbarossa’s authorization. After controlling the passage between the port and the main base, with the appearance of the Blue Rose and Barbarossa’s command, the entire base changed owners.

Everything went so smoothly. Once Fatty controlled the base, he began his treasure hunt, but after searching and searching, he found nothing.

These dazed pirates were deliberately trying to upset Master Fatty!... Fatty decided to confront Barbarossa personally.

Sitting on the cold steel floor, Barbarossa said nothing. His face was swollen high, a few teeth had been knocked out, his eye sockets were bruised, his nose was crooked, and inhaling caused severe pain.

”Hm?” Fatty raised his eyebrow strangely.

Barbarossa shivered and, enduring the pain, opened his mouth: ”There’s really no money... Robbing just for subsistence, with a little money, either spent on ship maintenance and armament or wasted on reckless living... Today is uncertain, who would save money for the coffin?”

”Not honest!” Fatty’s face turned serious as he looked at Barbarossa: ”That’s not honest talk. Let’s say, we have a connection now, being on the same ship, we are friends... Do you think I didn’t hear stories as a child? Stories said pirates love to collect treasures!”

”Childhood stories...” Barbarossa felt a second wave of grief.

The pirates standing by turned their heads, occasionally glancing at each other with strange expressions. It was uncertain if it was fear or sorrow.

In interstellar space, pirates form a special group. Their speciality isn’t because they live by robbing but due to their organizational structure.

Due to the severe crackdown on pirates by various nations, once you become a pirate in human society, it means you can never have a normal life. You can only float through space, in some pirate group’s hideout or briefly stay at a Free Port.

This profession is lifelong. Even if you die of old age, you can only do so within the pirate group. If you attempt to enter mainstream society, the consequence is years of imprisonment, even the death penalty in some countries.

Thus, the organizational structure of pirate groups is far stricter and more stable than that of ordinary Black Society organizations. They have their bases and an entire system. Each pirate group can be seen as a micro-society... a strictly hierarchical society.