Section Ninety-Eight: Boarding the Ship

A gigantic starship racing through space at full speed created a visual impact beyond comparison. Imagine a whale as large as a hill hurtling straight down toward you; its enormous shadow would swallow you in an instant, and your heartbeat and breathing would cease beyond all control.

Ye Zhong was certain that this was by far the largest starship he had ever seen. The formidable mechs that usually seemed so mighty and imposing now looked no larger than mosquitoes before it.

When the data came in from Hummingbird, Ye Zhong was stunned. The ship measured ten kilometers from bow to stern.

Was this really a starship?

In truth, Ye Zhong was simply ignorant of the wider world. There were many models of starship, and the differences in size could be enormous. What he was looking at now was a luxury Sulan-class starship. Such a vessel was built only after an order had been placed; there would never be finished stock circulating on the market. Just like its vast size, it carried an astronomical price tag, far beyond what ordinary so-called tycoons could bear.

Although the Sulan-class was not the most advanced of starships, in luxury and comfort it had no equal. It was like a palace flying through the void.

Its shape was graceful and elegant. Though immense in scale, every minute detail revealed an extraordinary level of craftsmanship.

Ye Zhong, seeing such a colossal thing for the first time, was so shaken that he could only stare blankly, his mind momentarily short-circuited.

"Mu, is this really a starship?" he murmured.

"Without a doubt," Mu replied very directly.

"Just the two of us... do we really have any chance of hijacking this absurdly huge thing? That armor has to be at least a hundred meters thick. Breaking through it is impossible!" Though Ye Zhong had full confidence in Mu, the monstrous vessel before him was clearly shaking that confidence.

Mu was unconcerned. "Ye, strength and size are not necessarily related. Hijacking or destroying it is not a very difficult matter. In theory, there is nothing invincible in this world."

Ye Zhong asked doubtfully, "Really? I can't think of any way to breach this monster's armor."

Mu disagreed. "Armor thickness has no essential, fundamental connection to whether it can be hijacked or destroyed. Breaking the armor and taking control of the ship is merely a purely violent method, a primitive stage in the use of force. Note that here, force does not simply refer to an individual's bodily energy."

Ye Zhong said, only half understanding, "Oh, I see."

Then his eyes lit up. "Ah, the threat Shang taught me last time—is that one of those methods too?"

"Yes. That falls within the scope of psychology," Mu said. "Shang has great knowledge in that area. That is one of the reasons his emotional judgment system is more advanced than mine."

"I still prefer to do things directly, cleanly and neatly. These things are a bit complicated," Ye Zhong said honestly. For someone like him, who had a special fondness for natural laws, such methods did indeed seem far more intricate.

Mu said seriously, "These methods are far faster and more effective than pure violence. This is an important area for you to learn in the future. Although I do not think a mech pilot necessarily needs great mastery of it, Shang insists that you must study it. From the looks of it, Shang's suggestion is clearly correct."

Whenever Shang came up, Ye Zhong always felt both amused and helpless. Then a thought occurred to him. "If it were Shang, what method do you think he would use to achieve our goal?"

Mu answered, "Insufficient data. Unable to calculate."

It had to be said that Frost Aria's anti-detection system was indeed advanced. So far, this giant vessel had not detected them at all. The Ji family's strength was evident; they truly deserved to be counted among the four great families. As for Mu, whether there existed any scanner capable of detecting him was highly questionable.

The two mechs hovered in wait beside the vast beast like a pair of mosquitoes watching a prehistoric monster.

"What method are you planning to use?" Ye Zhong could not help asking with curiosity. Seeing Mu speak so casually, he was eager to know.

"Given our conditions, the probability of breaching this starship's armor head-on is less than twenty-five percent. It can basically be judged impossible. And my specialty is computation. In a virtual network, I possess far greater power. Among all starships, the control network and multi-frequency signal system are linked. Since I also have a multi-frequency signal transmitter, by combining the two I can infiltrate the starship's main control computer and seize control of this mech."

Only then did Ye Zhong remember that Mu was also one of the most elite masters of the Grey Domain, and that even the Luo family had suffered a devastating blow from him.

"In that case, aren't you invincible under heaven? Wouldn't all starships be helpless before you?" Ye Zhong asked suspiciously, since Mu's answer sounded almost too easy.

Mu did not agree with Ye Zhong's view. "That is a very incorrect statement. First, such an infiltration must take place before the enemy notices your presence. Second, while in the middle of an intrusion, I have no self-protection capability and cannot respond effectively to unexpected developments. Third, if the opponent has a Void-Domain master, and not even a particularly powerful one, this plan cannot be carried out. Fourth, if the other side shuts down the multi-frequency signal linkage system, then the success probability of this method is zero."

Ye Zhong nodded thoughtfully. "So these methods still have considerable limitations. Still, Void-Domain masters really are powerful!" His tone carried a hint of envy.

Mu agreed. "Yes. The power of a Void-Domain master is one expression of intelligence. Compared with mere physical strength and mech skill, it is far more formidable. Unfortunately, Ye, you are not interested in this area. Otherwise, it would be a course of immense value to you."

Ye Zhong immediately felt his head swelling. "Ah, anything related to the computer can be left aside. I don't seem to have much talent for that. And I already have plenty to learn. Honestly, I found the work of a breather-raiser rather interesting, but just when I began to take interest, it was interrupted."

Mu delivered his final conclusion. "No matter what kind of power it is, there is no such thing as an absolute limit. As long as it is used properly, then in theory there is always one or more correct and reasonable solutions to any problem. Therefore, pursuing a variety of powers is not necessarily the right course."

Ye Zhong's spirits lifted. "That makes sense!"

Captain Hadick sat leisurely in the captain's chair in the main control room. On the tray to his left stood a cup of clear tea, faintly steaming and releasing a subtle fragrance. Watching the busy figures within the control room, Hadick could not help smiling slightly. Life like this was truly pleasant.

Captain Hadick was an experienced starship captain. Since his first appointment, thirty-five years had passed. His weathered face and resolute eyes inspired trust in others almost instinctively.

Then, suddenly, the communicator before him emitted a beep.

Hadick frowned slightly and activated it. A holographic image of an elderly man appeared. Though he was well past seventy, his complexion was ruddy and he had very few wrinkles, clearly indicating excellent skin care.

Hadick asked respectfully, "Master Freyd, what orders do you have for us?"

The old man's expression was somewhat unnatural, though his voice remained clear. "Captain Hadick, how much farther are we from Blue Sea Star?"

Hadick replied, "Less than a day away. We should encounter patrol units in the region around Blue Sea Star within a few hours."

The old man said calmly, "I see. We will temporarily change course and not go to Blue Sea Star. Set our heading for Morenst Star."

Captain Hadick was shocked. "Master Freyd, Blue Sea Star is right ahead of us. Why are we suddenly changing course? If you do not wish to stop at Blue Sea Star, we can simply take on supplies there. With our current reserves, we will need to replenish on the way to Morenst Star. Besides, this does not seem very proper..."

Freyd waved his hand. "No need. Blue Sea Star is under full martial lockdown right now. We change course at once."

"Martial lockdown? What exactly happened, Master? What could make even someone as wise as you change your mind so suddenly?" Hadick was deeply surprised. Though Master Freyd had a rather peculiar temperament, in Hadick's eyes he was unquestionably a wise elder. Hadick believed that Freyd would never do anything without reason.

A trace of unease flashed across Freyd's face, but he quickly returned to calm. "I just received word that Blue Sea Star has been placed under complete lockdown. It is said they may have discovered the Charles Five virus. I think changing course now is the correct choice. I will send messages to some old friends at Blue Sea Academy. As for the reporters, we need not bother with them."

"Charles Five virus? Black Charles?" Hadick's face went pale with alarm. "Heavens, how could something so terrifying have surfaced? Yes, you're right, we should change course at once!"

Fear filled Hadick's eyes. Clearly, he was extremely terrified of the Charles Five virus.

The moment the name left Hadick's mouth, the entire control room erupted into chaos.

Freyd said solemnly, "Yes, I think it would be wiser for us to keep some distance from Blue Sea Star. Surely no one wants to get involved with that dreadful thing. After all, it is far too horrifying. And Blue Sea Star must be in complete disorder by now. It is hardly the right time for a visit."

Hadick nodded repeatedly. "You're absolutely right! We will change course immediately!" Then he raised his voice and shouted, "Change course! Destination: Morenst Star!"

And no one imagined that, just beyond the range of Master Freyd's communicator, there stood a man together with a badly damaged mech.