At this time, Red Tiger and Blue Monarch had already stopped in the airspace about 100,000 kilometers away from Azure Princess. Two engineering ships and medical ships had already docked, beginning to repair the damaged hull and treat the crew.
The people who boarded also brought invitations from Azure Princess. The two Captains, as student representatives, would board that luxury cruise ship to receive congratulations from various dignitaries.
If it were anyone else, realizing their path had widened from then on, they would naturally be ecstatic. However, Yu Lian found it amusing, while Wien's face immediately darkened.
Yu Lian, a ranger and history enthusiast from a later generation, wasn't too familiar with President Nockham; he had no impression of his life, ideals, or accomplishments, which indicated how mediocre this person was. By now, Yu Lian probably understood the reason for this guy's "mediocrity."
Take the handling of this matter, for example. The President should either have maintained his aloofness to the end, acting the part of a big shot, merely offering a few words of encouragement remotely online. If he wanted to invite people onto the ship for a show to win over hearts, then he should have simply invited all 500-plus crew members from both ships.
Anyway, Azure Princess currently had nearly 20,000 people, so even if there were seven or eight hundred more, it wouldn't be any more crowded.
This way, even if these crew members, who were surely destined for great futures, spent an uneasy and unpleasant night being gawked at like monkeys by a group of important figures usually only seen on TV, in an environment of extreme luxury akin to a palace, they would still be full of gratitude towards you, Mr. President, for inviting them.
What is this? This is political capital!
Doing everything half-heartedly, it would be a miracle if he succeeded.
"Yu Lian should still go. You are our Captain after all, and everyone can accept you representing us," Zhi Xia said.
"Yes, and at such an occasion, everyone would probably be very nervous even if they went, and wouldn't be able to celebrate. So, Yu Lian, you go suffer on our behalf," Liu Li also said.
On the other side, Wien's companions probably said similar things. He finally reluctantly nodded, although his face remained very grim, but at least he didn't flare up.
Although he was in the late stages of chuunibyou, he still had basic self-control.
A few minutes later, Yu Lian and Wien, both in military dress uniforms, boarded the shuttle and headed towards the distant Azure Princess.
Yu Lian's military dress uniform was prepared by the student council girls; it was as if they had anticipated this moment. As for Wien's military dress uniform, considering that all members of their Lionheart Society were big men, a closer look... was truly terrifying! Anyway, Yu Lian instantly got goosebumps.
Thus, once on the shuttle, in the spacious passenger area that could accommodate over twenty people, only two people sat, separated by more than a dozen seats, and neither spoke. For a moment, the atmosphere became somewhat awkward.
Wien seemed a bit restless. After standing up three times and sitting down three times, he finally seemed to have made some strange decision and walked directly over.
Yu Lian watched him expressionlessly, observing his awkward expression, thinking that if this guy sat directly in the seat next to him, he would definitely slap him with a Mind Lash infused slap.
Fortunately, after hesitating for a few seconds, Wien still sat down, separated from Yu Lian by an aisle and two chairs.
"I, I want to review..." he said loudly again.
Yu Lian blinked, feeling like he had heard this setting somewhere before.
Of course, while the warship duel was exciting, if they were to review it, there would be far less to discuss than their previous fleet simulation battle. Moreover, as Captains, Yu Lian and Wien had done everything they could, and the performance of both their crews was almost perfect.
Finding fault was too difficult, but if they talked about what was right, wouldn't it just become self-promotion and mutual flattery? While neither of them was a proper person, they weren't so thick-skinned as to reach that point.
So, after struggling for a long time, Wien sighed and said, "That Yahata would betray us, I really hadn't thought of that."
"Oh, you figured that out too?" Yu Lian looked at him with interest.
"During the final standoff, he saw him raise his gun. But I was already too late to stop him. Tsk, otherwise, why do you think I would have conceded?" Wien pondered for a moment, then suddenly said solemnly and seriously, "Thank you."
"Huh?" Yu Lian was confused.
"You stopped him, didn't you? If Yahata had really done that, although it's part of tactics and perfectly justifiable... not all comrades are rational, and they would definitely see him as a traitor. The media would also fuel the fire. His life would be very difficult from then on."
Yu Lian felt like scratching his head. He really just wanted to see if his "Mind Lash" could affect someone as strong-willed as Kent; he hadn't thought much beyond that. Anyway, even if it failed, at worst it would be a "mutual destruction," and he could completely escape with the Pamino Ring. In that case, Wien's bridge would be completely destroyed, and although his own personnel losses would be significant, the Captain would survive, so he would definitely win the exercise points.
As for Autumn Mountain Yawata... since he's a gangster, he probably doesn't have too many expectations for his reputation, right?
Yu Lian was still hesitating whether to explain, when he heard Wien say again, "Indeed, our victory and defeat still need to be determined by leading an army of thousands!"
...Horatio, my young friend, you are still young, please don't embark on the path of rebellion!
Horatio Wien took almost five seconds to realize what the other party meant. Although he knew the other party was teasing him, he was still almost angered enough to punch him, and if he hadn't considered that he really couldn't win, he might have actually done it. He gritted his teeth and patiently said, "I'm talking about the future. We will sooner or later become true Captains, true Fleet Commanders! How about we compete to see who becomes a General first?"
...I'm a spiritual energy user. My starting military rank is Captain!
...I can definitely get the tiger amulet, graduate as a Lieutenant, and be promoted within six months at most!
I'm already at the second ring. At most, I'll be a Major in three months.
..." Wien was depressed for almost half a minute before he said sullenly, "Then let's see who becomes a Fleet Commander first, and who commands an army of thousands. You shouldn't be content with just being a brave man who flaunts his strength, right?"
That's a bit interesting.
Yu Lian glanced at him and smiled, "Horatio, my young friend, you are indeed still young!"
If I were truly a young man who hadn't graduated from chuunibyou, perhaps I would have bet with you. But what constructive meaning does that have?
"You!" Horatio Wien was indeed enraged. "I'm more than a year older than you, don't take advantage of me!"
Of course, despite his anger, he was more puzzled. He had always believed that Yu Lian and he were actually the same kind of people, both very concerned with honor, otherwise they wouldn't have become mortal enemies.
"Of course we can compete to see who becomes Commander first, or even who becomes Marshal first, who can lead the Blue Star fleet to wreak havoc on the galactic battlefield, adorning our battle flags with the heads of our enemies... But, Horatio, what's the difference between flaunting such military achievements and a brave man flaunting brute force?"
Wien was stunned, seemingly having taken it in a little, but still asked doubtfully, "What exactly are you trying to say?"
How about we bet on who can make Earthlings great again? Yu Lian was about to say this when he heard a piercing alarm go off on the shuttle. This was a normal reaction when a ship encountered a high-energy reaction at close range.
Yu Lian's heart tightened, and through the porthole, he immediately saw the aerial combat happening next to Azure Princess.
...No, perhaps it was an ambush, or rather, a one-sided massacre.
Feixue 48, a destroyer also escorting Azure Princess, suddenly twisted its hull and fired a three-round burst at its sister ship, Yangyan 4, which was not far away.
At this time, Yangyan 4 was completely unprepared; neither its engines nor its shields were active.
The railgun shells directly penetrated her hull armor at close range, immediately causing a large explosion inside the ship. Immediately after, Feixue 48 directly injected high-energy beams from its ion cannons into the ship's interior through the cracked armor seams.
Nearly half a minute of relentless bombardment completely sent this advanced destroyer, modified for escort, and its more than three hundred crew members, to their demise.
More than half of Yangyan 4's exploding debris struck the nearby Rafke 16, and it wasn't until those seemingly still burning fragments had scratched its armor that the crew inside the ship belatedly reacted.
Rafke 16's engines went full throttle, beginning an emergency evasive maneuver, attempting to move away from the battlefield. Her shields began to slowly activate, and her main guns also began to charge.
But at this moment, more than a dozen Gale missiles "boomed" down. Before the warship's newly activated shields had covered the entire ship, they had already penetrated its vulnerable waist, and the antimatter warheads tore open its armor, plunging into the ship and exploding.
Rafke 16's hull immediately developed a noticeable list, and the energy beams that had just fired off drifted off to who knows where.
At this time, Feixue 48 once again tilted its hull with a graceful, almost dancing movement, and its main guns unleashed another precise and continuous barrage.
Just with that one warship maneuver, the Captain and helmsman on Feixue 48 were qualified to serve in the Imperial Royal Guard Fleet.
In a minute-long Artillery Battle, Feixue 48's 10 Bombardment hit the target seven times, but Rafke 16 did not hit once. The result of such a huge difference in attack efficiency was naturally predetermined.
Rafke 16 soon followed in Yangyan 4's footsteps, completely turning into a pile of metal fragments.
This development was so incredible that even with Yu Lian's extensive experience and composure, he only recovered after the shelling ended, while Horatio Wien beside him was still in a daze.
It was definitely not an accident, but someone causing trouble! Yu Lian quickly made his judgment.
However, did such an incident occur during Navy Day in his previous life? Yu Lian recalled, but he truly had no information regarding this.
At this moment, Feixue 48, which had sunk its two sister ships, became Azure Princess's sole "bodyguard," but she directly aimed her main guns at the bridge of her escort target, scaring Yu Lian so much that his heart leaped into his throat.
Fortunately, the other party did not fire immediately, clearly only showing a threatening posture.
Yu Lian then slightly breathed a sigh of relief and quickly opened his information terminal, only to find that neither Uncle Wang's nor Feifei's communications could be connected.
"Something really happened..." Yu Lian reconfirmed his judgment.
And at this moment, Feixue 48's broadside secondary guns and all missile bays opened, revealing their ferocious fangs in all directions.
"All aircraft, stop immediately! Do not approach Azure Princess any further! This is the only warning! If disregarded, we will open fire without hesitation!" The communication from Feixue 48 instantly reached all aircraft in the surrounding airspace.
The shuttle carrying Yu Lian and Wien was naturally one of them, and could only shut down its engines and stop, awkwardly suspended in the airspace still a considerable distance from Azure Princess.
And almost at the same moment, the "little" Qiong Whale, which had been led by the engineering ship to the far side of the Earth, millions of kilometers away, and was feasting, suddenly seemed to sense something, raising its round, Rolling head, its gaze seemingly penetrating the entire Earth, looking towards the scene of the incident.
"Woo-ga..."
Snowflake let out a suppressed low growl, hesitated for a moment, and then slowly swam in that direction. Immediately after, to the shock of the crew on the nearby engineering ship, it simply disappeared.