Counterfeit Hero

Finally coming to his senses, he decided to change the topic: ”By the way, what about Demon’s Eye’s cruiser? Even though our [Magic Cube] is also a cruiser, its main cannon is just enhanced with a destroyer-level main gun, we can’t compare to them.”

”Having a ship and not knowing how to use it is still useless.” Fatty slumped back into the sofa, groaning comfortably: ”Once the Reconnaissance Ship finds Demon’s Eye’s base, you’ll see. The Staff Department has at least ten plans to make that ship ours!”

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In the DE-4541 Constant Star System, a Reconnaissance Escort Ship, with its propulsion systems shut down, silently drifted in the shadow of a kilometer-wide asteroid.

From its appearance, it was easy to identify this small vessel with its olive-shaped hull and twin circular main propulsion units as one of the main products of the Free Port Pegasus Shipyard — the [Flying Fish]-class Escort Ship.

Due to its low cost, rapid acceleration, and agile maneuverability, this type of Escort Ship is widely used in space exploration and merchant ship escorting. It can be said that you can find it in most fleets traveling through space.

However, if you spot a solitary [Flying Fish] Escort Ship in the edge lanes and Public Star Systems, it’s not a good sign, because it often means pirates are near.

In the silent universe, this Reconnaissance Ship hiding in the shadows was like a ghost, a lurking presence in the night. Its main propulsion and engines were completely shut down. The portholes were void of any light. Only the occasional flash from the micro steering propulsion units adjusting the ship’s floating position gave any indication that this wasn’t a ghost ship.

In the quiet, Carl sat in the main control room, which could only accommodate six people, focusing intently on the virtual screen on the control desk.

Two days ago, Carl was ordered to take this Reconnaissance Ship to conduct environmental mapping of the star domain where the Demon’s Eye Pirate Group frequently operated. The mapping went smoothly, with the interstellar map provided by the Redbeard Pirate Group being extremely detailed, encompassing obstacle zones, short-range jump zones, asteroid belts, and nebulae, with comprehensive notations on gravitational environments.

Originally, Carl was supposed to return the previous day. But unexpectedly, when passing through the DE-4541 Star System, he discovered traces of the Demon’s Eye Pirate Group.

The ship was navigated by Hake, the raid group leader of the Redbeard Pirate Group. Hake, now fifty, had been a pirate for over thirty years and was knowledgeable about all things piracy, especially interstellar plundering. He was familiar with every step of the plundering process.

Hake’s experience saved everyone’s lives. When the scanner detected unusual metal arrangements, Hake immediately led the ship into the asteroid belt.

Minutes later, several reconnaissance ships from the Demon’s Eye Pirate Group appeared in the bright halo of the DE-4541 Constant Star like small patrol ghosts.

This unexpected discovery exhilarated everyone. An even bigger surprise followed — after several hours of reconnaissance, four raiders and three Armed Merchant Ships also emerged from the Constant Star System and took up ambush positions along the route.

The appearance of these warships almost confirmed their judgment. The Demon’s Eye Pirate Group had indeed established a base in the main star system along the Mars Commerce Route.

Knowing they couldn’t leave anytime soon, the Reconnaissance Ship shut down its engines and hid to wait for an opportunity.

They waited for sixteen hours in total darkness, without entertainment, relying only on stored power to maintain the minimum supply level of the Life Support System.

Finally, when a Commerce Group fleet finished its short-range jump and prepared to enter the obstacle zone, the Demon’s Eye Pirate Group, which had been lying in wait, launched the attack.

At that moment, the virtual screen flickered with light, casting Carl and the crew’s faces into alternating light and shadow. The virtual screen, fed by data from the optical long-range viewer, displayed a gruesome scene.

The battle, which had lasted a full four hours, was nearing its end.

In the starlit universe, the chaotic energy cannon fire explosions and the debris of destroyed vessels set the main tone of the picture.

The Commerce Group fleet, which possessed two Escort Ships, one heavy Escort Ship, and one assault ship, had been completely crushed. Under the wolf pack-like attack of the pirates, the two Escort Ships and the assault ship had been destroyed, leaving only the heavily damaged heavy Escort Ship.

The two B-class large Transport Ships they were escorting had already been boarded by the pirates’ Space Mechas. Only one small passenger ship managed to escape the encirclement.

”We’ll leave once they finish cleaning up the mess,” Hake whispered to Carl. Then, looking at the screen again, he sighed: ”The Phantom Stream, it seems, is completely on the decline. Even Steelman dares to prey on them. Heh.”

”The Phantom Stream?” Carl turned to look at the old pirate Hake, suddenly feeling that the name sounded very familiar.

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.(To be continued. For more chapters and to support the author, please visit www.qidian.com, for more content and legitimate reading!)