Chapter 1365: 447. Hook bait straight_2
“`
For a moment, doubts clouded the team, and their movement speed plummeted.
Just when everyone was puzzled and could not figure out the reason, someone spoke up in the encrypted communication channel:
“Captain, could it be that the souls of these Undying pilots have entered the Black Hole Magic Academy? That’s why there are no souls in their bodies, making their eyes look lifeless.”
Hiss.
Right.
...
The moment Akjaso heard this, the uncertainties in his mind lessened considerably.
The extraordinary entity within the Black Hole Magic Academy could definitely draw souls near the black hole into it.
It seemed that if this extraordinary entity targeted the Undying pilots in the team, none of them would escape, and their souls would surely be sucked into the black hole.
But now the question arose.
Why were the native pilots from the Alliance unaffected?
Akjaso voiced this question in the communication channel.
People started to discuss it.
Before long, they reached a preliminary conclusion.
It must be due to some inherent quality of the Undying, which allowed their souls to be extracted by the entity within the Black Hole Magic Academy.
This mysterious quality, the native pilots of the Angel Enterprises Alliance did not possess, and therefore their souls could not be controlled by the Black Hole Magic Academy.
As for whether the souls of the Undying pilots would reveal the plans of the Plundering Team after entering the black hole…
Well…
From the current situation, such a thing had not happened.
If the entity within the Academy had learned of the existence of the Plundering Team from the mouths of the Undying pilots, by now, the team should have already been surrounded.
Thus, the Undying pilots simply lost their souls due to their proximity to the black hole—it was an instinctual reaction, not a sign of the situation worsening.
Whether these speculations were correct or not was, for the time being, impossible to judge.
Akjaso and the others had no choice but to press on with hardened resolve and continue the mission.
The escort ship previously controlled by players was now piloted by the native pilots aboard.
After a phase of secretive and swift flight, the Plundering Team successfully reached the docking area of the escort ships.
The Drone Battleship in the team opened its cabin doors, releasing a large number of lightweight reconnaissance drones.
The drones scattered in all directions like a swarm of bees, rapidly circling each escort ship.
Through the multifunctional reconnaissance devices on the drones, the Plundering Team essentially figured out the situation in this docking area.
Yes!
Yes!
All the Undying pilots were immobile.
Without exception, their souls had entered the Academy, leaving only their bodies in the ships.
It appeared that the information provided by the Undying who had defected to the Alliance was true!
The vicinity of this black hole was flush with gold, bodies ripe for the taking everywhere.
Akjaso immediately ordered the plunder to begin.
The Drone Mother Ship, upon receiving the command, retrieved the lightweight reconnaissance drones and deployed medium-sized drones equipped with laser cutting capabilities.
The laser buzzed, and red beams swiftly sliced through the players’ escort ships.
A large number of heavy-duty drones, capable of carrying people, waited outside the players’ escort ships, ready to transport the players’ bodies to the transport ships in the team at any moment.
While everyone was eagerly engaging in the plunder, a voice came through the encrypted communication channel:
“Captain, should we report the situation here to the Group’s command center?”
“This…” Akjaso hesitated.
He hadn’t overlooked this matter, but he was indecisive for the time being.
After their successful raid, the black hole side would certainly become alert.
Another raid would be much more difficult, and there might even be a firefight.
The advantage was the greatest now; why not call for reinforcements while the black hole side was unprepared, allowing more Plundering Teams to come and take resources?
Akjaso’s hesitation lay in that the Plundering Team was presently stealthy, with all external communications shut down.
Once they opened communication channels to the outside and sent a cross-star-territory message, the existence of the Plundering Team would be very likely discovered.
Under such circumstances, how could the success rate of the plunder be guaranteed?
On one hand was securing the current benefits for stability’s sake, and on the other was expanding the advantage by calling for reinforcements.
“`
Akas struggled with a dilemma.
He did not want to risk the Task’s failure by seeking greater benefits, but deep down a voice kept telling him:
“Akas, Akas, you’ve been an Artificial Angel pilot for eight years now, and you have only two years left to live. If you can’t earn enough contribution value for the Group to replace your entire body and brain, you will surely die in two years.
“Now, a chance to extend your life is right in front of you. Are you really going to just watch it slip away?
“Think of your lover, then look at your teammates around you, they’re waiting for your response.”
Akas looked thoughtfully around in a circle.
Through the connected neuro-electronic brain, he saw the scenes inside the various ships.
The pilots flying the ships were gazing at Akas, their eyes filled with hope and longing.
Their inner desire for Group contribution values was more than evident.
As long as Akas made a decision, everyone would definitely cast their votes in favor, and immediately report to the Group’s headquarters.
Was it to while away his time until death due to the exhaustion of his lifespan in a few years, or to become legendary within the Alliance, possessing even more life?
Akas clenched his teeth, exchanged a look with his companion beside him, and growled:
“By pulling off this Task, we’ll all be set for life! Everyone, follow my command—continue with the plundering plan. I’ll open the communication channel and report the situation here to the Group!”
“Oh~~~”
Cheers came from within the encrypted communication channel.
Akas’s gaze was intense, his spirit lifted, as he activated the Star Territory Communicator with his electronic brain.
Before the commencement of this mission, the Group’s headquarters had issued an order that Akas could only make contact with the Group if he was certain that the Group’s benefits absolutely outweighed the losses.
Otherwise, at any time, he must maintain silence.
Now was the perfect opportunity to contact the Group, and Akas was utterly certain of it.
He used his electronic brain to compose a short, highly encrypted message, accessed a top-secret communication channel, and sent it out.
What followed was an agonizing wait.
The encrypted message would pass through more than twenty secretive Star Gates, traverse tens of millions of light years, and reach the Redemption Group in the Akas Star Field.
This journey would take about 6 minutes.
Likewise, the message would need another 6 minutes to come back.
The 12th minute after the message was sent would be the most critical moment.
As time passed, Akas’s heartbeat accelerated.
The rest of the team tried to remain calm, struggling to suppress the turmoil within.
What would the message from the Group’s headquarters be?
Would it be a furious scolding, or a request for Akas to reconfirm the situation on the ground, or would it be radio silence.
The tension peaked as a large expanse of White Light suddenly lit up near the team!
Damn it!
The worst-case scenario had occurred!
Akas stared at the White Light that indicated ships were warping into the area, his heart in his throat.
The encrypted message he sent must have been cracked by the United Bureau!
Those White Lights were most likely the Security Guard of the United Bureau!
“Quick…” noveldrama
Just as Akas was about to order a “quick retreat,” he suddenly saw that the first ship to complete warping was a silver-white, luxurious Battleship.
“That is…”
Everyone’s eyes widened, hearts pounding.
That was a high-ranking Special Duty Battleship from the Redemption Angel Group!
A special ship that could provide a comprehensive Invisibility service for a large Raider fleet.
The moment it completed the warp, an Invisible Field with a radius of ten kilometers was immediately deployed, concealing all warp fluctuations and ship signals.
Following it was a massive Plundering Team.
No fewer than 20 Artificial Angels and over a hundred Warships and engineering ships were escorting a Heavy Transport Ship with a capacity of over a hundred thousand cubic meters to appear here.
Looking at the Heavy Transport Ship’s mountain-like hull and then at the numerous engineering ships in the team,
An idea suddenly flashed in Akas’s mind:
The Group is planning to take away all the Players on the escort ships!
Akas’s body trembled with excitement as if he could see his own bright and glorious future.