The Almighty Ring

 A galaxy had a large range, especially an elliptical galaxy like the Domini System. Its diameter was more than four hundred thousand light-years. Even a sub-light speed engine would need four or five hundred thousand years to pass through the Domini System, so space-jumping became an essential means of interstellar travel.

The pirate base that Jiang Fei and the others were heading to was about seventeen hundred thousand light-seconds away from the Alpha Sector. Without Warp Core Engines, it would take the players about two days to get there.

Turandot, where Jiang Fei was located, was even further away from the pirate base. But with the help of the Phase Warp, they arrived at a position that was less than thirty light-seconds away from the pirate base in only half a minute.

After completing the warp, the adjutant reported to Aurelia, the ice queen who had become the commander of the fleet, “Ma’am, we have arrived at the predetermined position, the observation dronecarriers have been dispatched, and the Quantum Shield Device has been activated!”

 “Advance at a constant speed and wait for intelligence from the dronecarriers!”

Aurelia’s order was systematic. The 5th Fleet may just be a mixed transport fleet, but they were still a regular army alright!

Once the Quantum Shield was turned on, the entire fleet disappeared instantly. Only a high-power radar would be able to detect the position of the fleet. When it came to assaulting a military fortress or a confrontation between fleets, then high-powered radars were almost always a means of detection for major civilizations. But don’t forget who Jiang Fei and the others were currently going up against.

How could the equipment of a pirate base that survived between the gaps of major cosmic forces compare with that of an army’s? The 5th Fleet had arrived at their doorstep, and the pirates were still unaware!

“Ma’am, the dronecarrier in front has sent back a message. There are a lot of airmines around the pirate base!” said the adjutant, reporting to Aurelia again.

Aurelia nodded. “Okay.”

She was not surprised at this point. For the pirates, something as cheap as airmines was definitely their best defensive means. And counting on the pirates to set up a Photon Orbital Cannon or an Orbital Defense Facility like an Interstellar Hangar was unrealistic. First, they couldn’t afford the cost. And second, they did not have such technological capabilities.

“Ma’am, are we going to let the observation dronecarriers clear the mines?” asked the adjutant.

“No, we don’t have time to clear the mines. Order the Bombardier Class Corvettes to use cluster warheads in order to carry out blanket bombings on the airmine area!” Aurelia ordered.

Although the 5th Fleet used its space-jump mode to arrive at the pirate base early, it would take a longer time to destroy the pirate base and clean up the battlefield. According to the standards set by Jiang Fei, they could not leave even a single screw behind. This would take quite a while, so Aurelia could not afford to waste any time.

“Yes, ma’am!”

 Although the adjutant didn’t quite understand Aurelia’s extravagant and wasteful behavior, he still executed the order.

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh, swoosh…

The group of Bombardier Class Corvettes fired a massive rain of missiles. These cluster warhead-equipped missiles hit the airmine area.

Boom, boom, boom, boom…

The exploding missiles triggered the martyrdom of the airmines. In an instant, the area was completely cleared of airmines, but the 5th Fleet had also spent a huge amount of cluster missiles to achieve this. The cost of this was not a small sum.

Seeing that they were less than fifteen light-seconds away from the pirate base, Aurelia issued a charge order, “Keep advancing! Grizzly Bear Class Hypercruisers forward! Target pirate base, charge!”

In an instant, a large number of Grizzly Bear Class Hypercruisers took the lead as the entire fleet rushed towards the pirate base.

“Damn it! How come there’s a regular army coming over?!”

“We’re done for! Boss, let’s skedaddle!”

“Yeah, there’s no way we can beat them…”

 ***

In a flash, the pirate base blew up from within. The pirates may plunder others all day long and live an extremely dangerous life, but after all, no one wanted to die. Facing a fleet that they could not resist at all, the pirates’ first instinct was to run away!

Germoff, the pirate leader, sighed. “Aw! I’ve painstakingly worked for so many years, but I never thought that it would still be destroyed in the end!”

“Boss, where there’s life, there’s hope. We gotta go, these guys are way too cruel!” shouted a young pirate. The 5th Fleet’s earlier mine-clearing method had really scared him.

Generally, a fleet depended on dronecarriers to demolish airmines and clear them away. Why would anyone use cluster missiles to blanket bomb them? Such a violent mine-clearing method only showed one’s cruelty and determination to kill the enemy.

Although Germoff was unwilling to give up his base, he had to evacuate right now. After all, his life was still important.

“Okay, everyone on the boat! Let’s go!”

***

At the same time, Aurelia issued an order that left the pirates with nowhere to run, “Throw a Phase Jammer and a Warp Suppressor!”

Swoosh, swoosh!

Two ball-shaped devices were thrown out. In an instant, the instruments turned on, and two different spatial energies radiated out, causing interference to the sector where the pirate base was located.

Under the influence of both the Warp Suppressor and Phase Jammer, the entire sector near the pirate base entered an extremely unusual state, in which the space there became very stable and solid. Without a super powerful Warp Core Engine, there was no way to blast open the space barrier and enter hyperspace.

***

The second Germoff’s spacecraft left the base, he immediately gave orders, “Warp immediately!”

“Oh sh*t! Boss, the other party brought space jamming equipment, they’re trying to annihilate us!” a young pirate cried out in an out-of-tune voice.

“Damn! Since you don’t want to let me live, then let’s all die together!” said Germoff with fierce eyes.

After all, he was an extremely dangerous pirate boss. Once forced into a dead end, that fortitude of his could not be compared with that of an average person.

“Tell everyone to gather around. Since they won’t let us live, we’ll let them die with us!” shouted Germoff.

“Yes, boss!”

Although the little pirates were afraid of dying just a little while ago, at the end of the day, they were still in the business of killing and robbing people. Knowing that their deaths were inevitable, they, reluctantly, were not so scared anymore.

 Soon, their battleships were assembled, and the group of fierce pirates actually launched a counterattack on Jiang Fei’s 5th Fleet!

 Aurelia sneered disdainfully. “Hmph! A group of mobs!” She then immediately ordered the fleet to start dispatching battleships to prepare for battle.

“Bombardier Class Corvettes, carry out the first round of salvo!”

“Grizzly Bear Class Hypercruisers, head up there and intercept the enemy spaceships!”

“Lightweight Stallion-Class Dronecarriers, release all Galactic Ultralisks and destroy the enemy long-range battleships!”

 Aurelia’s orders were given in a systematic manner, and the fleet quickly deployed a formation.