Chapter 36: The Dispute Among Star Pirates

A few days later, aboard the Swift Eagle’s starship.

Disguised, Shi Chan stood beside Xi Ming, both admiring the dazzling starry sky outside the window.

The blue fragments of stars reflected in their eyes.

This wasn’t Shi Chan’s first time aboard a starship, but every time he saw the brilliant starry sky with his own eyes, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe, amazed by the vastness of the universe and this domain that humans could never conquer.

At times, Shi Chan would unconsciously wonder where the powerful beings of his previous life went after their ascension. If his cultivation could allow him to fly higher on his sword, would the continents in the starry sky look the same as here?

Xi Ming, on the other hand, felt a surge of emotions when he saw the familiar boundless starry sky again.

He had once thought that he would never touch the starry sky again.

Xi Ming had fought countless battles in the starry skies of various star domains. Floating in space had become an instinct he could never forget—commanding in starships, battling under the stars… His short but brilliant career had almost entirely been spent in the starry skies.

And now, he was once again flying among the stars.

“We’re heading back.” After enjoying the view, Xi Ming called for Shi Chan to follow him.

Originally, Xi Ming planned to train Shi Chan in the star domain first, letting him get familiar with the skill before training him to pilot mechs in reality, which would be much easier, but because the people from the capital star came suddenly, Xi Ming had to start Shi Chan’s real-world mech training earlier than planned.

Fortunately, the room they were staying in was one of the best in the starship, which included a spacious living area and a small private mech training room. Xi Ming decided to let Shi Chan get used to the feel of piloting a real mech in this small training room.

After seeing Jin and his so-called omega leave, the other people in the hall immediately became lively.

“So Jin really has an omega by his side?”

“Is it true that Jin’s legs were damaged by cosmic radiation? They say radiation affects the brain, right? If he’s still this impressive after being irradiated, imagine how strong he was before!”

“Why’s Jin in such a hurry to leave? He hasn’t even had a chance to meet everyone properly.”

“He’s in a hurry because of his omega. Do you think Jin, like you, would be a lonely bachelor who’d rather drink for three days straight than go back to his room? Hahaha…”

“Shut up! What’s wrong with being a lonely bachelor? I just don’t have the time to settle down!”

“As if anyone would be interested in you.”

“Isn’t it? How do you know he’s an omega? He doesn’t even have any scent markers. Maybe he’s just a beta who looks pretty and delicate.”

“You really don’t know anything, do you? The first time Mr. Jin met with us on Swift Eagle, he had his gland checked. Betas don’t have glands. And besides, Jin’s such a powerful alpha, how could he not have an omega?”

“Exactly…”

“That’s nonsense! Which idiot spread the lie that betas don’t have glands?!”

In the training room, Xi Ming locked the room’s authority and sat in a corner, communicating with Shi Chan inside the mech via terminal in real-time.

Shi Chan was seated in the cockpit, not directly starting the training but familiarizing himself with the buttons around him.

Virtual training and real-world training are quite different.

In reality, piloting a mech requires higher physical fitness, has less room for error, and the consequences can be severe.

Any mistake made by the pilot can result in chaotic mech circuits, affecting the performance of the mech. And those errors can cause even bigger problems for the pilot, potentially leading to physical or mental harm.

Therefore, piloting a real-world mech is a dangerous activity.

People whose physical abilities don’t meet the required standards are not allowed to enter the cockpit—omega individuals are especially restricted in this regard. Almost all omega individuals are forbidden from coming into contact with mechs, and this is even written in textbooks.

Shi Chan was an exception. His S-grade physique allowed him to endure the consequences of a mistake while piloting a real-world mech. Xi Ming also understood that Shi Chan’s spiritual strength exceeded that of ordinary people. Therefore, Xi Ming felt relatively at ease with Shi Chan’s training.

The mech in the training room, however, wasn’t the backup mech Xi Ming brought from the capital star, but a basic balanced-performance mech that Swift Eagle had recently purchased. This is also the designated mech used for basic training in major mech academies.

Over the next few days, Xi Ming participated in Swift Eagle’s decision-making meetings and also spent time in the small training room teaching Shi Chan how to operate the mech while also strengthening his legs. He was aware of the gossip about the two of them on the starship, but after realizing it was nothing more than idle chatter, he didn’t pay much attention.

Shi Chan’s progress was impressive.

In theory, a person’s performance in virtual domains tends to be superior to that in reality, which is why many mech warriors perform better in virtual worlds than they do in real-world competitions. There are also many examples of people with insufficient physical abilities who excel in virtual mech battles due to their rapid spiritual responses.

Xi Ming had expected Shi Chan to take some time to adjust to the differences between virtual and real-world mech piloting, but after only a few days of real-world training, Shi Chan was already proficient at operating the mech and could flawlessly complete previously learned maneuvers.

After witnessing Shi Chan successfully execute a relatively complex move, Xi Ming spoke to him via the terminal in the mech, “Chan, you have an extraordinary talent for piloting.”

Shi Chan, who was sitting in the cockpit with his spiritual energy sealed during training, was already sweating. Despite his exhaustion, he smiled upon hearing Xi Ming’s praise.

Xi Ming, who could see Shi Chan through the external camera, noticed the way Shi Chan’s skin turned pale and flushed from the sweat and his smile, along with the resilient glint in his eyes. For a brief moment, Xi Ming was lost in thought.

Thinking of his own recovering legs, Xi Ming imagined a future where the two of them would always be together, piloting mechs through the stars, dominating the battlefield.

He glanced at his legs and felt a surge of emotions—he was getting close. He would soon be able to once again command the stars.

He left Shi Chan to continue practicing the moves he had already learned while Xi Ming stood up, enduring the pain and frustration, to begin training his legs.

The next day.

After the Swift Eagle decision-making meeting, the minor leaders slowly began to exit.

“Lei, we’re almost at Gesedou, aren’t you excited to see your little lover again?” One of them said with a vulgar laugh, slinging his arm around Lei’s shoulder.

“Of course. It’s been over three months since I’ve seen Xiao Huai. I’ve saved up a lot of money, time to enjoy myself, and check out some more expensive Ling Qiao. Who knows, I might even… Hehehe…” Lei, a bold and reckless person, not only had a lecherous expression but also made an obscene gesture.

Their conversation gradually became indecent, drawing the disapproval of another former Swift Eagle member who had just left the meeting room.

“Who cares about those prostitutes? You guys are all the same—throwing your earnings away in places like Gesedou’s brothels!”

“Gesedou” was a nickname for the small planet L3068. It earned this name because 83% of its industry was centered around entertainment, and with it located on the edge of the federation, it was poorly regulated, receiving a lot of shady characters every year.

Gesedou was a pleasure-seeking haven, a paradise for star pirates to indulge their desires. Many of the newly joined star pirates were not pleased either.

Lei, the leader of the group, directly retorted, “So what if we spend money in Gesedou? Where else could we find such beautiful, willing companions? Or should I just give you the money and let you sleep with me?”

Lei’s position in Swift Eagle was solid because he had brought three battle starships and nearly a hundred subordinates to join, making him one of the most powerful new members of Swift Eagle.

After mocking the other person, Lei and his group of subordinates burst into laughter.

The person who was mocked was a former member of Swift Eagle, a soldier who had defected from the federation along with the group leader, and they had always been disciplined, having previously carried out many missions to crack down on illegal activities, so they naturally looked down on places like Gesedou.

After being mocked by Lei, Li Gaojun’s face turned red with anger, “People like you are truly degenerate! You have no ambition!”

Before Li Gaojun could say more, Lei shot him a sharp look. “People like us? Don’t forget, Li Gaojun, we’re all star pirates now, just like you! Wanted criminals…”

More voices chimed in, “We star pirates earn money to enjoy ourselves, don’t we? Should we deposit it in your federation’s bank, or buy your federation’s houses?”

“Li, don’t forget, you’ve been kicked out of the federation. You’re like a stray dog now. If it weren’t for us star pirates taking you in, where would you be today?”

“Ha, not bad for a former federation soldier. Now that you’re a star pirate, you think you’re above everyone else. If you look down on us, just leave the Blue Gorge and stop accepting the protection of all star pirates.”

“Ha, I bet you wouldn’t dare return to the federation. If you did, you’d still be wanted, just like us. Maybe you’d end up in Gesedou, where we’d see you bent over, waiting for a turn.”

Li Gaojun couldn’t stand the mockery any longer. His subordinates, too, were enraged. As the shouting escalated, the two sides were on the verge of physical confrontation.

The internal power struggles in the pirate group were always present, and such disputes were common, but it was the first time that two leaders directly participated in such a heated argument. With the leaders involved, the conflict only grew fiercer, and soon, a full-blown brawl broke out.

When Xi Ming and the group leader of Swift Eagle saw this scene upon leaving the meeting room, the leader immediately turned serious and shouted to stop them, but the star pirates, as usual, didn’t care about commands, and even after the group leader yelled, Lei’s subordinates didn’t stop.

Li Gaojun, seeing his comrades being bullied, was even more furious, and the increasing number of onlookers quickly turned the chaos into a full brawl.

Shi Chan, hearing the commotion coming from the meeting room, rushed over to check on Xi Ming, concerned for him.