As they traveled through the void, the protective layer around the Hall of Valor shielded them from the harsh environment, but it offered no protection against the primal forces of the void or the extreme cold of outer space.
For a void beast, the omnipresent primal forces of the void were like the air they breathed, and thus required no defense. The bitter cold, too, was nothing to them, given their immense and naturally formidable forms.
However, for ordinary humans, survival in such an environment necessitated constant manipulation of primal forces to protect themselves. Without reaching the rank of a Warlord, their endurance would be severely limited. Even as a Warlord, they could only last a bit longer.
Qian Ye glanced at the navigation chart, then ordered all the crew, except those tending to the engines, to rest and take turns overseeing the two engines.
The two powerful engines, capable of propelling a destroyer, had little effect on the Hall of Valor. They only increased the speed by a few kilometers per hour and required a gradual acceleration process. In comparison, the already-constructed power sail was more effective.
Seeing most of the crew return to the protective chambers, Qian Ye wandered alone in the vast Hall of Valor. He flew up to the top of Di Ming’s head, standing silently there, gazing at the magnificent expanse of the void, lost in thought.
Without the sun and moon, two days had passed in the blink of an eye.
In the depths of the void, a fleet was rapidly sailing. This fleet consisted mainly of two high-speed transport ships, escorted by a fast battleship. The markings on both the transport ships and the battleship had been painted over, and the reflective components were now matte. All portholes were covered with thick curtains, ensuring no light leaked out. The only visible activity was the occasional spurt of flames from the engines.
From afar, the fleet seemed to blend into the void, invisible and formless, swiftly disappearing into the vast darkness.
In the command cabin of the leading fast battleship, the captain, with his full beard, was scanning the void with a telescope. The first mate, lowering his own telescope, said, “Old Ma, what are you looking for day and night? We’re traveling so covertly that even I didn’t know the destination until boarding. What could go wrong?”
The bearded captain, in a deep voice, replied, “Anything can happen in a place like this.”
The first mate laughed, “We can’t be that unlucky…”
Before he finished, a shiver ran through him, and a chilling sensation swept through the command cabin!
The cabin erupted into chaos. The bearded captain shouted, “It’s the demon race! We’ve been discovered. Send a signal to the transport ships behind us to return. Sound the alarm, prepare for battle!”
The crew quickly executed the orders, busy but not in disarray. As the communication lights flickered, the two high-speed transport ships began to accelerate and turn, drawing a wide arc to break off from the route.
The first mate watched the transport ships gradually move away through the porthole and sighed, “They won’t escape. The demon race’s ships are too fast. Damn it, weren’t we told that the neutral zone is unsuitable for the demon race? What are they doing here?”
The captain opened a drawer, took out two short guns, and handed one to the first mate, saying, “Take this, you’ll need it.”
The first mate smiled bitterly, “Do you think we’ll have a chance to use these?”
The captain’s face was grim, but his eyes were filled with fighting spirit, “Even if we can only take one down, it will be worth it.”
“Let’s hope so,” the first mate said pessimistically.
Both knew that being detected without seeing the enemy fleet meant only a duke-level powerhouse could do so. This time, their opponent was overwhelmingly powerful.
The camouflage on the battleship’s surface was removed, and it was quickly prepared for combat. The ballistae on the forward deck rose, their arrows glowing with a cold, deadly light, pointing straight into the void. The entire ship was filled with fighting spirit; they knew that in a void battle, defeat meant death. But the ordinary crew members did not realize how powerful their enemy was.
The bearded captain remained silent, staring intently ahead.
Finally, a sleek demon warship emerged from the depths of the void, approaching like a swift fish. It was entirely black, with dark gold lines that seemed to be in motion. Every time people saw a demon warship, they were struck by its elegance and splendor. However, to the eyes of the empire’s soldiers, this elegance was a synonym for certain death.
With the appearance of the first demon warship, more and more followed, seemingly endless.
“So many!” The first mate, even after many battles, couldn’t help but gasp.
Over a dozen demon warships of various sizes appeared, and the situation momentarily stabilized. However, the command cabin did not relax; instead, everyone held their breath, staring at the seemingly empty darkness, awaiting the final moment.
After an unbearable silence, a colossal ship slowly emerged from the void, surrounded by numerous demon warships, looking down arrogantly at the tiny imperial battleship.
Seeing the 300-meter-long behemoth, the atmosphere in the command cabin turned to despair. The occupant of this ship must be at least a vice-duke. A demon vice-duke, with their innate strange abilities and speed, could easily destroy this imperial battleship even without their ship. After all, this was just a frigate, where speed and agility were its greatest strengths. When those were overwhelmed, there was no way to fight back.
All the demon warships remained motionless. A cold voice sounded in the command cabin, “I am Lin Jia’er of the Mesfeld family. Surrender, and don’t make things difficult for me.”
The first mate and the captain exchanged glances, both smiling bitterly.
Lin Jia’er, from the Mesfeld family, known as the Everblooming Flower, was a genius from the previous two generations. Recently, she had crossed the biggest threshold and become a vice-duke. Despite her recent promotion, she was ranked in the mid-range among all the demon vice-dukes in the empire.
This was quite an impressive achievement. Breaking through to become a duke was no less difficult than a human breaking through to become a divine general. Many who achieved this breakthrough had exhausted their talents, and further improvement often required years of accumulation. Lin Jia’er’s ability to stand out among many geniuses suggested her future was not limited to being a vice-duke, and even becoming a duke might not be the end.
Over the years, the Everblooming Flower had a glorious record, rarely losing, causing great trouble for the empire. She had only been defeated several times under Lin Xi Tang’s hand, and Lin Xi Tang had never been able to completely eliminate her, highlighting her tenacity.
The captain, with a grave expression, said, “Why is Lin Jia’er here, leading such a large fleet? No, this is a significant matter. We must find a way to inform the Seventh Young Master and the empire.”
The first mate, smiling bitterly, said, “Do you think we have a chance to inform the Seventh Young Master right now?”
At that moment, a scene in the distance enraged the captain, and he slammed his fist onto the control panel, leaving a deep dent in the steel surface.
The two high-speed transport ships, which had already turned and could have accelerated to escape, stopped instead, clearly preparing to surrender.
The captain roared, “These bastards!”
The first mate said, “Could they have escaped anyway?”
The captain knew this was true. The transport ships, no matter how fast, could not outrun the demon warships. Not to mention them, even this fast frigate could not outrun Lin Jia’er’s ship. That’s why the captain decided to fight to the death.
But even knowing this, the captain was extremely angry, shouting, “Those two ships are the result of the Seventh Young Master’s efforts. Even if they can’t escape, how can they fall into the enemy’s hands? Why didn’t they scuttle the ships?”
The first mate sighed, “Old Ma, you haven’t changed. You may not fear death, but others want to live. What can we do?”
“Should we just watch as the cargo falls into the hands of the demon race?” The captain’s eyes flashed with anger, and he suddenly shouted, “Turn the ship around, target those bastards, and sink them!”
The first mate quickly grabbed the captain, shouting, “Absolutely not! Those two ships are carrying brothers who have been with the Seventh Young Master for years!”
“Brothers? Would brothers surrender at a time like this?”
The first mate, not letting go, said, “Fight the demons first!”
“Fine!” The captain still seethed with anger.
At that moment, Lin Jia’er’s cold voice echoed again in the command cabin, “Little ones, do you plan to surrender?”
As she spoke, the main cannons of several demon warships began to glow, indicating they were ready to fire. Two other ships accelerated, flanking the rear.
The captain pointed at the demon warship ahead, shouting, “That one! Brothers, if you aren’t afraid of death, blast it! Even if we die, we must give these demonic beasts a taste of our fury!”
The ballistae on the ship responded, turning towards the target, showing the warriors were unafraid of death.
The captain raised his right hand, about to strike and issue the firing command, when suddenly, a giant arrow shot out from the void, piercing the tail of the farthest demon warship. A bright fireball instantly engulfed the rear of the demon warship, spreading rapidly and consuming half the ship within moments.
This sudden change shocked both sides. The burning demon warship cast a blinding light, making the surroundings even darker and confusing everyone.
The imperial battleship, due to its position, had a better view. The first mate, pointing at the distant void, stuttered, “Wh-what is that!”
At the same time, in the massive demon ship, Lin Jia’er, in her elegant military uniform, stood up abruptly, gazing at the monstrous figure emerging from the void, her shock evident: “A void beast? No, a warship? Impossible! What is this?”
In the distant void, a massive void beast emerged silently, over a kilometer long, with a head over a hundred meters. Compared to it, Lin Jia’er’s ship looked like a child’s toy.
It didn’t look alive, clearly a skeleton, but it moved as if it still had life.
When it fired a ballista, hitting another demon warship, Lin Jia’er finally confirmed it was a warship.
“All ships, counterattack!” Lin Jia’er’s cold voice resounded in the void, and all the demon warships surged forward, like sharks drawn to blood, eager to attack this mysterious and gigantic creature.
Qian Ye, standing inside Di Ming’s mouth, peered through the towering teeth, locking onto the leading demon warship. Firmly targeting it, he stomped, and the massive ballista beneath him quaked, launching a four-meter-long arrow towards the incoming demon warship.
Almost simultaneously, the lead demon warship’s bow glowed with primal force, and two arrows shot out. After firing, it immediately turned, trying to avoid the incoming arrow.
This demon warship was well-trained, fast, and ferocious. Its arrows, though slightly shorter than Qian Ye’s, were fired in pairs. In terms of firepower, it surpassed the empire’s main destroyer. Unlike the balanced vampire warships, demon warships were known for their speed, powerful weapons, and many strange abilities.
The demon warship became almost translucent, like it was shrouded in a mist, and its flight path became unpredictable. This was the famous “Mist Concealment” of demon warships, which, once activated, caused the ballistae to lose their targets. This ability had saved many demon warships from fatal blows and was one of the most hated by imperial captains.
With the Mist Concealment, the flying arrow lost its target, and its trajectory deviated. However, the Mist Concealment was ineffective against Qian Ye, who could see through the mist with his true sight, clearly perceiving the demon warship’s movements.
Qian Ye’s senses remained linked to the arrow, and with a thought, the arrow’s primal force arrays glowed, and it suddenly turned, speeding towards the rear of the demon warship!
The demon warship, thinking it had avoided the strike, was caught off guard, and its vulnerable rear was hit solidly!
The arrow pierced the exhaust channel, deeply embedding itself in the engine before exploding. The intense shockwave also detonated the warship’s main engine, and in a series of deafening explosions, the entire rear half of the demon warship was blown away, while the front half tumbled into the void.
Simultaneously, two arrows struck the Hall of Valor, but they exploded harmlessly against Di Ming’s teeth.
Qian Ye protected himself with his arms, easily weathering the shockwave, and then began to inspect the damage.
The outside of Di Ming’s teeth showed only a charred mark. Qian Ye used an invisible blade of primal force to scrape off the charred remains, finding the tooth unscathed, without even the tiniest crack. The full-force attack of the demon warship had no effect on Di Ming’s remains.
Relieved, Qian Ye targeted another demon warship. This ship, however, was smarter, avoiding direct confrontation and ascending to a blind spot of the ballista. The other demon warships followed suit, circling the massive Hall of Valor like a pack of sharks, launching a barrage of arrows.
For a while, the massive Hall of Valor was constantly hit by explosions, shaking violently.
Qian Ye struggled to maneuver the Hall of Valor, but its size and the incomplete power system, relying only on the energy from the heart and the remains’ instinctual flight, made it cumbersome, like a true beast, clumsily evading the swarm of sharks.
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