Chapter 9: New Forces Section 10

Still the silent universe, still the quiet asteroid.
“Boom!!”
A violent explosion erupted, and under the glow of flames, a huge hole appeared on the asteroid. A red mech, like a demon from hell, rushed out from the hole and flew straight into the distance without pause.
It was fortunate for Blood-Pupil that the passage where he and Black-Hair were located happened to be on the edge of the asteroid’s internal structure, functioning like a beltway. Behind them was a biological warfare storage facility, clearly designed for equipping mechs before battle. Thus, he only needed to open one layer of armor defense.
Indeed, the demon mech’s ammunition was depleted, but breaking through an armor layer just over three meters thick from the inside was sufficient. Moreover, the asteroid itself was a self-sustaining biological system, with its strength lying in its powerful vitality. In terms of defense, it was likely inferior even to Li Feng’s composite armor. It was extremely simple.
However, this meant Blood-Pupil would have to drift through space for some time. Without the asteroid’s support, his demon mech’s energy, even at its maximum, would only last three days. To conserve energy, he had to shut down all external devices, keeping only essential sensors and engine power. Even then, the engine could only operate at less than half capacity, making the mech’s speed surprisingly slow.
But space had its advantages—due to the vacuum, there was almost no resistance. Any amount of power applied to the mech would make it faster. Given enough time, it could eventually reach its top speed. Plus, the mech’s built-in distress signal meant there was still a chance of being rescued in the vast universe.
Blood-Pupil, of course, didn’t know that right after he left the asteroid, the once slow-moving asteroid suddenly became active like a frightened rabbit, disappearing into the depths of space in an instant. At the same time, a positioning coordinate emitting a strong signal appeared at its former location, flashing a beautiful blue light like a lighthouse.
A long journey was boring. Black-Hair remained asleep. With no other choice, Blood-Pupil began to explore his own body.
Since leaving the training nest, he had never thoroughly checked his physical condition. Upon inspection now, he was shocked.
Muscle strength: Grade A, Power: Grade A, Speed: Grade B, Reaction: Grade A, Agility: Grade B.

A series of numbers made Xue Tong almost believe he was no longer human. In the currently universal ability assessment system in the universe, even possessing just one of these numbers would make one the focus of attention and be treasured by various factions. To have so many numbers approaching the limit at once was something even those at the pinnacle of the warrior hierarchy might not dare to hope for.

Yet these were not the reasons for Xue Tong’s restlessness. The real reason was a line of very small text at the end of this list, indicated by the demon mech: Mental Strength… Grade A!!

If the previous numbers were terrifying, then this line of text was enough to drive one mad. As is well known, the strength of magic mechs lies in their flexibility, while their weakness is insufficient power. Their inability to carry large auxiliary equipment and heavy weapons has always been their fatal flaw. Even a DIY genius like Hei Fa struggled greatly when assembling a mech for Xue Tong, having to reduce the armor by nearly half just to fit a moderate level of firepower.

So why couldn’t magic mechs make breakthroughs in terms of power? Mental pressure! The engines of magic mechs originated from an ancient magical civilization, with no inherent limitations in terms of power. The only obstacle to unleashing their full power was this curse-like factor. And mental strength was the only metric that determined one’s ability to resist mental pressure.

An ordinary person needed the help of fairies to operate a magic mech, while someone with warrior strength could do it on their own. Ultimately, it came down to the difference in mental strength.

Therefore, Grade A mental strength carried immense significance—so great that Xue Tong thought he must be dreaming. Laughing foolishly, he immersed himself in his dreams, drifting deeper into the universe…

A long journey is boring. Even the most beautiful scenery becomes tedious after repeated exposure. But tedious waiting eventually pays off. After a month of drifting, one day Xue Tong finally received a small green dot from the demon mech’s sensing device. The dot pulsed very slowly but was extremely clear. To Xue Tong, it was undoubtedly the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Overjoyed, he almost jumped up.

“A floating ship!” With a cry, Xue Tong’s focus sharpened instantly, and the demon mech, which had been dormant for nearly a month, seemed to regain its vitality. Its body stretched out significantly, and the engine hatch at its back opened neatly. Streams of purplish-red energy gushed out violently, propelling it forward at once!

From the sensor readings, the green dot seemed to be very far away, but it wasn’t really a matter of seconds. Soon, Blood Pupil saw the savior he had been eagerly awaiting.
It was a type of passenger airship that was quite common in interstellar space, only a little over 400 meters long. Its shape was a beautiful streamlined design, very elegant. Entirely dark blue in color, from afar it looked like a tiny droplet floating in the vast universe.
Unfortunately, that droplet seemed on the verge of disintegrating… Before Blood Pupil could reach it, another similarly small, swordfish-shaped airship had already attached itself to it.
“You guys again, Scavengers!!” Blood Pupil spat out these words through gritted teeth. In his eyes, these pirates, who he had never cared about before, now seemed utterly detestable. If his Demon Mech hadn’t run out of ammunition completely, he would have undoubtedly torn them to pieces with his powerful firepower!!
Why? Why do I keep running into you wherever I go?
And why, why do I always encounter you attacking defenseless passenger ships?
The worst of all—why do you have to attack the savior that Lord Blood Pupil has worked so hard to bring here?
Gritting his teeth and with blood-red eyes, Blood Pupil stared at that swordfish-like small figure and the mechs speeding around it, his emotions mixed. He glanced back at Black Hair, who was still asleep, then suddenly closed his eyes.
Never mind. Although this airship was the savior he had longed for, after all, one must have a chance to survive to be rescued, right? With his Demon Mech out of ammunition, it was impossible for it to fight off so many pirates. It was better to protect oneself than to send oneself into danger. He should leave this place quietly.
But now, even this tiny glimmer of hope seemed faint.
In just a few moments, that blue droplet-like airship was already surrounded by pirate mechs. At a glance, the area was packed with mechs—there was no possibility of resistance. Soon, a universal surrender signal was sent. At the same time, another group of about three pirate mechs suddenly changed direction and flew straight toward the Demon Mech.
It’s over! Blood Pupil thought to himself in despair, realizing he had been discovered by these pirates.
Unlike regular armies, these pirates, adapted to life of plundering in space, might not be outstanding in firepower or defense, but they were experts at searching and hiding their presence. Since the Demon Mech didn’t have stealth capabilities, it was no wonder it had attracted their attention.

In the cockpit, the blood-red eyes narrowed slightly. The three mechs approaching from the opposite side were firmly locked in his gaze. The muscles on his face twitched slightly, as if he were hesitating—whether to attack or not. Blood-Red Eyes really couldn’t make up his mind.

“This is the work area of the Scavengers. Intruders, state your origin and lay down your weapons.” Just as Blood-Red Eyes was hesitating, a voice suddenly came through the public channel.

Huh? They’re not attacking?

A look of surprise appeared on Blood-Red Eyes’ face. But the next moment, it turned to realization. These pirates hadn’t attacked right away, probably because of the appearance of the Demon Mech. After all, those huge hands holding heavy machine guns were unmistakable features. Even if they were empty, who could tell? The Scavengers might be minor pirates in the universe, but that didn’t mean they could act recklessly. Facing such a intimidating appearance as the Demon Mech, these pirates clearly showed a sense of reason.

There was no need to create a formidable enemy for a battle whose outcome was uncertain. That must be what the pirate leader was thinking at that moment.

Realizing this, a faint smile suddenly appeared on Blood-Red Eyes’ face. A bold idea suddenly surged uncontrollably in his mind.

“Answer him,” a voice interjected suddenly behind him.

“Boss, you’re finally awake!!” Blood-Red Eyes was overjoyed. At this critical moment, he no longer had to fight alone. Could there be better news? For a moment, even the pirates outside seemed unimportant.

“Stop talking. I already know everything. Answer them right now—say we’re wandering mercenaries who want to join!” The dark-haired man’s tone left no room for refusal.

“Okay!” Without hesitation, Blood-Red Eyes relayed the dark-haired man’s words exactly as spoken.

With the dark-haired man by his side, his courage soared. He even mistakenly believed that even if attacked now, the dark-haired man could turn the situation around. This almost blind trust came from nowhere.

Perhaps this was what was meant by charisma?

Watching the Pike Pirate Ship rapidly approaching, Blood-Red Eyes couldn’t help but smile.

Become a pirate?

That’s not a bad idea either…