Chapter 1306: Entering the Shattered Star Belt (2)

The First Company Commander stood beside his Thunderhawk, checking his weapons.

The members of his Tactical Squad were making final preparations, checking their Power Armor, testing their Communication Devices, and loading their Bolters.

"Company Commander."

A young Lamenters Space Marine walked over.

"Are we really going to hijack an Alien ship?"

The First Company Commander looked at him.

"Why?"

The young warrior shook his head.

"Nothing, it's just... I feel a bit unaccustomed to it. We should fight head-on and let those Aliens know the Emperor's wrath."

The First Company Commander laughed.

"You think those pirates will fight us head-on? They won't. They will hide, they will run, they will ambush. If we want to catch them, we have to use their methods."

The young warrior nodded.

"Understood."

The First Company Commander patted his shoulder.

"Remember, once we go in, leave no Alien alive."

Midnight.

East side of the Shattered Star Belt, outside the "Iron Gate" entrance.

Ake stood on the Bridge, looking at the dense clusters of light points on the Holographic Star Map.

"All units, confirm positions."

Flavius's voice came through the Communication Device.

Ake gave the order.

"Begin."

The first wave of Thunderhawks detached from the fleet and headed toward the Shattered Star Belt.

They silently crossed the edge of the starry sky, approaching that dark red asteroid belt.

"First wave, entering the Shattered Star Belt."

The voice of the First Company Commander came through the Communication Device.

Ake stared at the Holographic Star Map, watching those light points disappear into the dense asteroid markers.

"Second wave, depart."

The second wave of Thunderhawks detached from the fleet and sailed into the Shattered Star Belt along different flight paths.

Third wave.

Fourth wave.

Fifth wave.

Eighty Thunderhawks entered the Shattered Star Belt in batches, slipping in through different gaps.

"My lord, all Thunderhawks have entered the Shattered Star Belt," Flavius said.

Ake nodded.

"Good. Search for the Alien pirate ships."

Inside the Shattered Star Belt.

The First Company Commander's Thunderhawk was weaving between asteroids.

Seen from the outside, the Shattered Star Belt was a dark red star region, filled with dense clusters of asteroids.

But upon entering the interior, one discovered that the space here was more complex than imagined.

The asteroids varied in size; some were only the size of a fist, while others were larger than a warship.

They rotated at different speeds, colliding with one another.

In the distance, a few light points could be vaguely seen; those were the pirates' scout ships.

They were hiding behind asteroids, attempting to conceal themselves, but the heat emitted by their engines was clearly visible on the sensor screen.

"Target acquired."

The pilot said.

"Four scout ships, distributed in different directions."

The First Company Commander looked at those light points.

"Do not alert them. Circle around and head to the designated coordinates."

The Thunderhawk changed course, circling around outside the field of vision of those scout ships.

The Second Company Commander's Thunderhawk was traveling along a different flight path.

The asteroids here were denser than on the First Company Commander's side, with almost no gaps.

The Thunderhawk's speed had to be reduced, moving cautiously between the asteroids.

"Boss, there's a situation ahead."

The pilot said suddenly.

The Second Company Commander stared at the sensor screen.

On the screen, a larger light point was moving.

It was not an asteroid; it was a ship.

A pirate ship, much larger than a scout ship; it should be some kind of Frigate-class vessel.

The Second Company Commander thought for a moment.

"Follow them. Do not get too close, keep your distance."

The Thunderhawk followed quietly behind the pirate ship; the pirate ship did not notice at all and continued to sail deeper into the Shattered Star Belt.

"Where is it going?"

The Second Company Commander asked.

The pilot looked at the navigation data.

"It is heading toward the core area of the Shattered Star Belt. That should be the pirates' lair."

A glimmer of light flashed in the eyes of the Second Company Commander.

"A lair. Interesting."

He pressed his Communication Device.

"Second Company calling flagship. Discovered a pirate ship, currently sailing toward the core area. Requesting to follow."

The voice of Ake came through the Communication Device.

"Approved. Do not expose yourselves."

The Second Company Commander released the communication button.

"Continue following."

The Thunderhawk followed the pirate ship silently, sailing toward the core area of the Shattered Star Belt.

The core area of the Shattered Star Belt, the Nest of the Faithless.

The interior of this hollowed-out asteroid was currently immersed in a frantic clamor.

The massive central hall had been transformed into a mixture of a marketplace, a tavern, and a Gladiator Arena.

Hundreds of glaring floodlights shone down from the dome, illuminating the entire space like daylight.

On one side of the hall, several huge Iron Gates were suspended in mid-air.

Inside the Iron Gates were slaves of various races.

In the center of the hall was a makeshift Gladiator Arena built from scrap armor plating.

The area around the Gladiator Arena was crowded with pirates; their races were all different, but the fanaticism in their eyes was identical.

Inside the Gladiator Arena, two slaves were fighting to the death.

One was a bulky Sota, holding a rusted Energy Blade in each of his four arms, his muscles bulging and veins throbbing.

The other was a thin Feilin, clutching a simple Spear in both hands, his eyes full of fear.

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

The shouts of the pirates were deafening.

The Sota brandished his four Energy Blades and lunged at the Feilin.

The Feilin barely dodged the first blade, but his arm was grazed by the second.

Fresh blood gushed out, staining his gray skin red.

The Feilin let out a scream and stumbled backward.

The Sota did not give him a chance to catch his breath.

The third and fourth blades slashed down in succession; the Spear in the Feilin's hands was knocked away, and he was knocked to the ground.

"Kill him! Kill him!"

The pirates roared frantically.

The Sota held his four Energy Blades high, preparing for the final blow.

The Feilin lay on the ground, his lips moving as if he wanted to say something, but no sound could come out.

The Energy Blades fell.

Blood splattered.

The Feilin's head rolled to one side, his eyes still open, his pupils already dilated.

A thunderous cheer erupted around the Gladiator Arena.

The pirates raised their glasses and clinked them together, spilling cheap alcohol all over the floor.

"Good! Well fought!"

"The Sota won! Made a fortune!"

"Another round! Another round!"

A Sota wearing a gaudy coat stood on a high platform, waving his four arms and shouting loudly.

"Next round! Next round! Mutant versus Lizardman! Odds are one to five! Place your bets!"

The pirates swarmed to the betting counter, pulling out various currencies, Energy Crystals, and even stolen loot, betting frantically.

"I bet on the mutant! One hundred Credit Points!"

"I bet on the Lizardman! Fifty grams of Energy Crystal!"

"Mutant! Mutant! Mutant!"

The bookie grinned, his four arms quickly recording every bet.

In the VIP area next to the Gladiator Arena, Waluoke sat on a large sofa, his table filled with various foods and drinks.

His deep gray-blue skin shone with an oily luster under the lights.

His deputy stood beside him, reporting something in a low voice.

"Waluoke, the scout ship at the eastern 'Iron Gate' entrance reports that there is still no movement. The fleet of the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance does not seem to really intend to attack."

Waluoke took a puff of his cigar and slowly exhaled the smoke.

"Not attacking? Impossible. They will definitely come. It is only a matter of time."

The deputy frowned.

"Then are we going to keep waiting like this?"

Waluoke looked at him.

"If we don't wait, what else can we do? Go out and find them? If we go out, our advantage will be gone."