Space pirates.
Qianlong's mind reeled. Of all the things to go wrong, now they had space pirates to deal with.
But no one's expression was darker than Jiawei's. The general looked like he wanted to strangle someone as he pressed his gun against the captain's temple in the command center.
"Tell them we surrender. Let them board."
It was the only move. A civilian ship stood no chance against a pirate vessel's firepower. But if the pirates came aboard—well, that was a different game.
Jiawei wasn't about to roll over. Being captured by pirates meant a fate worse than death.
The captain obeyed, transmitting the surrender signal.
"We yield! Cease fire!"
The pirate's response was immediate.
"No tricks. Open your ship's control permissions."
These weren't amateurs. They'd done this before.
The captain glanced at Jiawei.
"Do it," Jiawei growled.
The captain complied, unlocking the T231's systems.
Jiawei holstered his gun and stormed out with his men.
The refugees could only cower as the pirate ship loomed closer.
Qianlong knew bloodshed was inevitable. The only question was who'd win—and neither outcome boded well for the passengers. The best scenario was mutual annihilation.
Jiawei had other plans.
His soldiers hid in the docking corridor's blind spots, waiting. The strategy was simple: the moment the ships connected, they'd storm the pirate vessel and seize control.
A heavy clang echoed through the hull as the airlocks locked. The passageway pressurized.
The doors slid open—
And pirates poured in, grinning like this was payday.
Jiawei's arm slashed down. "Now!"
Gunfire erupted. Pirates screamed as ambushing soldiers cut them down.
"Shit! It's a trap—"
Jiawei led the charge toward the pirate ship. The T231 was already compromised. Their only hope was stealing the enemy's vessel.
But something was wrong.
The pirates weren't retreating.
Instead, they fought back—hard.
Then the corridor shook.
Heavy footsteps thudded closer.
A light mech stomped into view, its customized armor bristling with gun barrels.
The pirates whooped. "Boss is here!"
Jiawei's face paled. "Fall ba—"
The mech's weapons spun up.
Gunfire shredded his men like paper.
Jiawei dove for cover—
The mech's forearm launcher flipped open.
An explosion hurled Jiawei's bisected corpse against the wall.
When Qianlong saw the pirates flooding in, he knew Jiawei had lost. And lost fast.
The refugees' despair thickened like smoke.
A bald, heavily bearded man in light combat armor swaggered in, his gaze raking over the crowd like a butcher sizing up cattle.
"Women—take 'em. Men stay here. We'll sell 'em later."
The pirates cheered.
Qianlong kept his head down, calculating.
The boss wasn't wearing a full helmet. His armor had gaps.
Opportunity.
As pirates dragged women away and kicked men aside, Qianlong moved—silent, unseen.
A little girl caught his eye. He pressed a finger to his lips.
The pirate boss chuckled at the chaos, relishing the screams.
Then—
Qianlong struck.
He blurred forward, snatching the boss's sidearm before the man could react.
The cold barrel pressed against the pirate's temple.
"Move, and you die."
Pirates froze, weapons swinging toward them.
The boss smirked. "Kid, you really think this'll work?"
Qianlong ignored him. "Strip the armor. Five seconds."
A beat. The boss laughed—then stopped when he saw Qianlong's eyes.
"Tch. Ruthless little shit."
With a growl, he disengaged his armor. The plates clattered to the floor.
The standoff held.
Neither side could back down.
Qianlong knew the truth: even with the boss hostage, they were still trapped. The pirates controlled the ship. Escape pods were death traps.
Then—
A beeping sound came from the boss's wrist comm. He ignored it.
Qianlong reached over and tapped it.
A panicked voice crackled through:
"Boss! We've got a problem—"