Her sleep interrupted time and time again, Liang He opened her eyes. For a fleeting moment, an icy, piercing glint flashed in her gaze, unnoticed by anyone.
"An unidentified spaceship attack?"
Hoder had been standing in the aisle closest to Liang He, maintaining a protective stance and keeping a vigilant eye on their surroundings.
"Yes. I’m afraid someone doesn’t want you to save the Mengji Snow Leopard." Having been briefed in advance, Hoder similarly didn’t expose the fact that Admiral Kuang Ye was the Mengji Snow Leopard.
"It’s just a snow leopard. Is all this really necessary?" Liang He was a little confused. Xu Yi had urgently requested her to go to Star D139 in the middle of the night to save an animal, and now someone was deliberately trying to stop her. Could there be something special about this Mengji Snow Leopard?
Noticing Liang He’s suspicion, Hoder’s eyes darted around as he began to spin a cover story. "You don’t know this, but this Mengji Snow Leopard is extremely rare. It’s a top-tier protected animal in the Federation, and its adopter is Duke Kuang Lin of the Empire."
The Duke Kuang Lin that Hoder mentioned was actually Kuang Ye’s father. This so-called adoption was just an excuse he deliberately fabricated. After all, given Kuang Ye’s current condition, Duke Kuang Lin was probably already rushing to Star D139. Since they would inevitably cross paths, it was better to arrange a fake identity in advance to prevent Liang He from getting suspicious.
"So, this attack is most likely orchestrated by the Rebel Army," Hoder added.
"I see. Are they trying to drive a wedge between the Empire and the Federation?" Following Hoder’s logic, Liang He’s thoughts expanded on the idea. Such underhanded tactics were indeed quite common. However, whether she actually believed him or not was another matter entirely.
"...Exactly! The Rebel Army is absolutely disgusting!" Hoder hadn’t expected Liang He to be so easily fooled. He immediately went along with her, joining in to condemn the Rebel Army’s inhumanity.
While they were chatting away enthusiastically in the cabin, the pilots in the cockpit were facing extreme peril.
The unidentified spaceship attacked aggressively, continuously and violently ramming into the private jet. The pilot had to maintain a steady flight while simultaneously dodging the enemy vessel.
"Damn it! The Rebel Army came prepared this time!"
Because the mission was urgent, headquarters had specifically dispatched two pilots to take turns on duty, aiming to reach Star D139 at top speed.
"If worse comes to worst, we’ll have to initiate the backup plan! You take Miss Liang He and the others and evacuate first!" Since this was an official mission, they naturally wouldn’t rely on a single plan. Headquarters had anticipated potential ambushes along the way and prepared a contingency.
"What about you?" He knew he shouldn’t ask, but as comrades-in-arms, the co-pilot couldn’t help himself.
"I’ll fight these bastards to the death!" The chief pilot’s eyes were bloodshot and blazing with anger. The Rebel Army was downright inhumane, and he had been itching to teach them a lesson for a long time! "Hurry up and go!"
Just as the chief pilot was trying to shoo away his dawdling comrade and close the cabin door, he suddenly noticed a large, broad hand blocking the gap. Behind that hand stood a petite Blue Star native.
"Why are you..." Seeing Hoder and Liang He, the chief pilot felt they were just messing around. In a situation like this, they should be staying put in the cabin and waiting for instructions!
"Alright, cut the crap. I’ll pilot the ship, and you’ll assist me."
Hoder squeezed through the gap and into the cockpit. Swiftly taking control, he sat down in the captain’s seat and relegated the original chief pilot to the role of his assistant.
"What are you trying to do?" Seeing Hoder’s proficient maneuvers, the chief pilot was both deeply confused and profoundly shocked. Wasn’t he Miss Liang He’s bodyguard? How could he pilot the ship even more skillfully than him?
"What, did your instructor never tell you that this jet has a secondary mode?" Since it was a specialized jet, it was naturally designed to handle surprise attacks and similar emergencies. Otherwise, the Federation’s so-called special transport would be far too useless.
"A secondary mode?" The chief pilot was genuinely dumbfounded. Nobody had ever told him that!
"Oh. Your instructor probably didn’t have time to teach you." Glancing at the young faces of the two pilots, Hoder could more or less guess the reason. Most likely, whoever assigned them was unaware of Liang He’s true importance, which was why they had dispatched two rookies.
Hoder didn’t say anything more and focused entirely on flying the ship. Realizing they had missed out on some crucial training, the two young men silently began to assist him, secretly picking up a few skills along the way.
"I’m going to fire the Energy Cannon, and it has to be a one-shot kill. Which of you will assist me?" They only had one chance to fire the Energy Cannon. Since the jet was currently under heavy fire, aiming it would be no small feat.
"I will!" The chief pilot, who had just been ready to fight the enemy to the death, eagerly volunteered, seizing the opportunity.
"Good. Get ready!"
While Hoder and the others focused entirely on the enemy, Liang He—who had been unconsciously ignored—was also observing their every move. She had always known that Hoder was sent to be more than just her bodyguard. With his abilities, there was absolutely no need for him to protect an ordinary Breeder. Therefore, his so-called protection was actually surveillance. Or perhaps there were hidden circumstances that even she was unaware of?
BOOM!
While she was lost in thought, Hoder successfully fired the Energy Cannon at the enemy. The Energy Cannon’s sheer power was devastating. The spaceship that had been threatening them was instantly annihilated in the sea of stars, leaving only fragments silently drifting in the void.
"That was amazing..."
The deadly crisis had been effortlessly resolved by Hoder. The admiration in the two young pilots’ eyes was almost palpable.
"Alright, I’ll leave the rest to you." Hoder wasn’t in the habit of working for free. Without hesitation, he led Liang He out of the cockpit and returned to their seats in the cabin.
Meanwhile, completely unaware of the surprise attack, Huo An was accompanying the recently arrived Duke Kuang Lin to the medical bay to check on Kuang Ye.
"Duke Kuang Lin, Kuang Ye is still unconscious. After such a long journey, would you like to rest and freshen up first?" As far as he knew, Xu Yi had immediately administered emergency treatment, and the effects of Kuang Ye’s anesthesia hadn’t worn off yet.
"No need. Ever since that boy first went to the battlefield, I’ve always followed him, waiting on a nearby planet for his triumphant return." Because of this, Duke Kuang Lin had been able to rush to Star D139 immediately after Kuang Ye’s accident.
Duke Kuang Lin was deeply concerned for his son. From the moment their aircraft landed at the entrance of the medical bay, his pace never once slowed. He hurried to Kuang Ye’s treatment room. Seeing his son groggily squinting, curled up in a corner and biting his own tail in a desperate attempt to find a sense of security, Duke Kuang Lin’s heart ached terribly.
"Doctor, how are his injuries?" Seeing Xu Yi come over to greet them, Duke Kuang Lin immediately grabbed him and asked about Kuang Ye’s condition.
"Duke Kuang Lin?" Xu Yi hadn’t expected Duke Kuang Lin to arrive so quickly. With a heavy frown and a solemn expression, he gave a detailed report of Kuang Ye’s injuries. "Kuang Ye’s current condition is extremely critical. Once the anesthesia wears off, I’m afraid he won’t be as cooperative with the treatment as he is now."
Duke Kuang Lin was well aware of how an SSS-level Beastman behaved during their Evolutionary Stage. Especially since his own son was one of them, he understood the situation all too well.
"Doctor, just give it to me straight. What should I do?" Ever since Kuang Ye reached adulthood, Duke Kuang Lin had anticipated that this day would come. Thus, even though his heart was fraught with anxiety and worry, he managed to retain his rationality.
Xu Yi and Huo An exchanged a silent glance. Since they had already decided to ask Liang He for help, some things had to be explained in advance.
"Duke Kuang Lin, right now, there might be only one person who can soothe Admiral Kuang Ye and get him to cooperate with the treatment."
"Who?!" Duke Kuang Lin grew a bit agitated. He was already prepared; no matter who the person was or how difficult they might be to invite, he would do everything in his power for the sake of his son!
"Liang He, a Breeder from Blue Star."