Chapter 2454: A Donkey in a Tiger’s Skin
In fact, the half fleet that Li Wuji left in the Blue Sky Market could’ve stopped Boss Bai from the massacre—with at least a 5% chance.
They were too proud of themselves to join the carnival of the space pirates. Naturally, they drank far less wine, and they were still rather vigilant and organized. If they had realized what was going on, they could’ve caused great trouble to the Big Bai Pirate Gang, which was, in fact, terribly outnumbered.
However, they were stalled by another bunch of ferocious lunatics, who were the members of the Business Alliance of Ten Thousand Sectors and the reformists that were unfortunately captured in the battle previously.
The important captives, such as the deacons of the Business Alliance and Zuo Tianying, the market manager, were naturally tied up and delivered to Li Wuji’s starship, ready to be escorted to the four families’ territory.
But for the general warriors and members of the Business Alliance and the reformists, it was neither necessary nor possible to bring all of them away. Resources were highly precious in space voyages. Every one additional person on board would mean more fuel consumption during space jumps. Their daily needs could be quite costly too. Even if they were to enter the hibernation state, they would still consume freezing drugs!
After all, the most important culprits had been taken away, so the unimportant captives were simply locked in the Blue Sky Market, to be either executed or sold to mines and farms as slaves. In such a way, they could yield more value and more or less make up the cost to capture them!
The captives were caged not far away from Li Wuji’s half fleet, which was also perfectly reasonable, because it would be easier for them to watch over the captives.
However, when the space pirates were partying passionately, and when Li Wuji’s soldiers were tipsy and letting down their wariness, undercurrents were flowing among the captives.
“Let’s fight them!”
“I was told that we are the first ‘rebels’ that have been caught in the peripheral worlds of the Imperium. We will certainly be killed to set an example for other people!”
“Let’s fight them!”
“I was told that when the new emperor ascends to the throne, he will cut us apart and offer our blood to his royal robe!”
“No, we can’t live to see the new emperor being crowned. I was told that we will be executed as offerings to the flag before the coalition fleet of the four Kurfürsten attack the Seven Seas Grand Market. It-It won’t be long!”
The anxious roars of the captives congregated into a torrent of fury.
However, even if they intended to fight anyone, they couldn’t do so when they were imprisoned.
Every one of them was carrying manacles and shackles weighing dozens of kilograms, which would release extremely powerful electric arcs when pulled by force.
The bars on their cage had been connected to high-voltage electricity too, and blueish sparks were spluttering nonstop.
Outside, tough-looking space pirates and regular soldiers were defending the place at the same time and would summon Li Wuji’s fleet if anything went wrong.
Theoretically, the defense was flawless.
It was also the reason why the space pirates and the regular soldiers were relaxed and enjoying themselves.
However, even the strongest fortress could be breached from within, particularly when some sleazy “rats” had snuck in when the fortress was built.
When the captives were all panicked and helpless, an astonishing change suddenly took place.
The few pirates from the Big Bai Pirate Gang who were watching over them outside of the prison floated to the back of the regular soldiers like white ghosts, covering their mouths, cutting their throats, and stabbing the poisoned daggers into their chests by the way.
A lot of people of unknown identities walked in with dozens of Cosmos Rings and a few boxes of magical equipment. Opening the doors of the prison cells, they threw the keys to the manacles and shackles to the captives.
“Fellow Cultivators, don’t panic. We’re all spies that General Deacon Jin Yuyan sent to the Big Bai Pirate Gang for fear that the Bai-surnamed scoundrel would betray us.
“As it turns out, he is truly a treacherous man. After taking so many benefits from the Business Alliance of Ten Thousand Sectors, he has sold us to the enemy so quickly!
“Right now, Boss Bai has possibly grasped the list of the spies. We have nowhere to run to now. So, let’s simply go big with the brothers here before we die!
“Brothers of the Business Alliance of Ten Thousand Sectors and reformists, we are all supposed to be hopeless. One moment of hesitation, we may even end up more miserable than death. What’s there to think about? Let’s do it! If you kill one person, it will be worth your life; if you kill two, you will be making a profit!”
Huala! Huala! Huala!
The captives were freed, and the chainswords, vibration sabers, and storm bolters were distributed to the hands that were shuddering in fury.
To be honest, the mysterious persons’ claim that they were spies that Jin Yuyan sent to Boss Bai had obvious loopholes.
However, the loopholes could’ve only been noticed with enough time in a peaceful environment, where one could be focused on thinking.
But right now, the captives were already dead for sure and had nothing to lose now.
Now that the leadership such as Zuo Tianying had been taken away by Li Wuji, the remaining captives were mostly middle- and low-level members who did not have enough information or wisdom.
When they were about to be killed, somebody had offered them a chance for the last attempt. How could they calm themselves down to think?
“Let’s go! Kill them all!”
The captives congregated into a violent tide and leaped out of the prison cells, charging at the closest garrison of Li Wuji’s fleet under the leadership of the few “spies”.
Ten seconds ago, the cannonballs from the starships in the ports just passed by their heads and landed on the garrison of the regular army in earsplitting shrieks, which was almost a perfect coordination of soldiers and cannons that Boss Bai had practiced for hundreds of years.
It must be admitted that although Li Yuanzhen was not famous in the Imperium’s army and had been killed by Boss Bai in one attack, he was truly an experienced general.
Even the temporary garrison of his troops had been constructed among a few underground fortresses and firing points that were in the Blue Sky Market in the beginning. Even the defense arrays had been repaired. Watch towers had been deployed too.
Therefore, the first round of barrages from the Big Bai Pirate Gang dealt limited damage to the garrison of the regular army. They did not end as miserably as the space pirates in the central square.
The regular army who escaped into the underground fortresses in time maintained most of their combat ability.
The attack that the captives launched at them without armor couldn’t destroy them at all. The best it could achieve was to create some minor interferences.
Of course, due to the lack of leadership from Li Yuanzhen, the minor interferences might escalate into the turmoil of half to one hour.
For Boss Bai, the turmoil of one hour was enough.
While Li Wuji’s fleet was stalled by the captives, Boss Bai destroyed all the pirate heads who participated in the celebration dinner. Having no time to wipe the bloodstains on his crystal suit, he had pointed his saber at the middle- and low-level sailors of the twenty-eight pirate gangs that were ten times larger than the Big Bai Pirate Gang.
“Everybody, listen up. By the order of the lord, General Li Yuanzhen and I will regroup the National Protection Army together!”
Boss Bai waved his saber aggressively and walked together with the spiritual puppet that had been disguised into the appearance of Li Yuanzhen as he spoke to the dumbfounded and panicked space pirates.
“The lord and I have been treating you fairly and sincerely meaning to recruit you into the glorious army of the Imperium! However, a few voracious and treacherous men were bold enough to keep their connection with the rebels and even instigate the captives to rise up, hoping to kick me out of my place.
“Those shameless scoundrels have been suppressed by General Li and I together. Here are their heads!”
“If you are devoted to the country, lay down your magical equipment and weapons obediently, squat where you are, and raise your hands. I know that this is none of your business, and you will not be punished. After the regrouping, your positions and your military ranks will be no lower than they are right now. There will also be tremendous awards tomorrow morning.
“Whoever is dogged enough to resist, just follow those dead pirates and eat crap in hell!”
Boss Bai’s cries, as well as the bleeding, deformed heads, scared all the space pirates out of their wits. They felt that their bones had been softened.
Nobody knew that a celebration dinner could end up like this. Why were the two parties fighting each other uncannily?
However, it was anything but unusual for the regular army to perform bloody regrouping thunderously through iron and blood after they suppressed the bandits and the rebels.
Boss Bai said that it was Li Wuji’s intention, which was not—not entirely impossible.
Even the bloodiest “regrouping”, or to be more straightforward, “factional fight”, often only involved the leadership of the pirate gangs. For the sailors, artillerymen, and other workers at the bottom level, they would not be greatly affected. After all, the starships had to be maneuvered by them, and they were the ones who did the actual work during the killing and looting outside. If they were all killed, the pirate gangs would only be empty shells, and Boss Bai would be a commander who could only command himself. Then, why would he bother to launch a factional fight at all?
What Boss Bai said befitted the tradition of the circle of space pirates. Many space pirates were thirty-percent convinced the moment they heard it.
As space pirates, they had long fed their loyalty and devotion to dogs, and they always followed whoever had bigger fists. It didn’t matter if their bosses were slain by other people, because they could always seek a new boss who was stronger and tougher. What’s the big deal?
Besides, it was chaos right now. Their starships were waiting to be maintained in the docks, unorganized. The space pirates around them were mostly from other places, and they never knew the strangers until half a day ago. Also, they were mostly half drunk and could barely grab their sabers. Even if they meant to avenge their bosses, how were they capable of it?
Charging forward to slay Boss Bai first and then Li Wuji later?
That was certainly a joke!
Clang! Clang!
Many veterans who had been space pirates for decades, having been through a dozen factional fights and changed multiple bosses, immediately tossed their chainswords and storm bolters far away. Holding the wine containers, they squatted and smiled at the rookie space pirates who were less experienced. “It’s alright, it’s alright. The bosses are fighting, which is none of our business. Everything will be fine as long as you squat and do not do anything!”