Wood had already stepped one foot into the ship. He slowly turned around and saw that Liang Xue was the one questioning him.
"Deputy Liang, the research department asked for this to be sent to headquarters. I don't know what it is!"
"Nonsense. The research department has always been under 3S-level secrecy. How could they send something out without my knowing? And they certainly wouldn't have you deliver it!"
"Deputy Liang, I really don't know. Why don't you inspect it yourself and see what it is?"
Seeing Wood's aggrieved expression, Liang Xue was also puzzled. Could the research department really be sending something out? By all rights, I should have known about it.
Although Liang Xue was suspicious, Wood's expression was simply too convincing. Without much guard up, she walked into the Transport Ship.
"Wood, is this the crate?"
"Yes, this is it. As for what's inside, I really don't know. You'll have to ask the research institute."
Seeing that Wood did not seem to be lying, Liang Xue reached out to open the lid. Suddenly, pain exploded at the back of her neck, and she lost consciousness.
After knocking Liang Xue out, Wood immediately closed the hatch.
"Stupid woman, you brought this on yourself. You'll make a fine hostage, just in case."
"Prince Duolun, you can come out now. Sorry to trouble you!"
After opening the crate, Wood immediately put on a fawning expression.
"Why didn't you kill her?"
Duolun had heard everything from inside the crate just now. He had nearly thought their escape plan had failed.
The moment he came out, he wanted to kill this human woman who had made him worry.
"Please calm down, Prince Duolun. This woman is very useful. She is Liang Xingchen's daughter and can serve as our hostage along the way, just in case!"
"Hmm? Liang Xingchen's daughter?"
"That's right! She'll be very useful."
"Fine, keep her. Can we leave now?"
"We can. We'll depart now! Please follow me, Your Highness."
The group arrived at the bridge. There were nine people inside, but one of them lay in a pool of blood—the Transport Ship's original captain.
After dragging away the dead captain, Duolun took the captain's seat, while Wood stood beside him. Liang Xue, meanwhile, was tightly bound and tossed onto the floor to one side.
"This is Transport Ship 0287. We have completed our cargo transport mission and request permission to return."
"Transport Ship 0287, your return mission has been confirmed. You are cleared to depart!"
Everything went according to plan. This Transport Ship had been scheduled to return at this time anyway, so the control center did not suspect a thing and cleared it directly.
As the engines started, the Transport Ship slowly left the starport and headed toward Mars Base headquarters. However, after traveling some distance, it suddenly changed course and flew toward the Asteroid Belt.
At that moment, Lin Fan was handling documents in his office when alarms suddenly blared throughout the entire starport!
At the same time, Lin Fan's communicator rang. He glanced at it and saw that it was his chief of staff, Will.
"Will, what happened?"
"Reporting, Commander. Duolun has escaped from prison. Two guards were killed, and four personnel in the starport surveillance room were also murdered!"
"What? Have you checked the external surveillance footage?"
"Reporting, we have. The footage shows that twenty minutes ago, Staff Officer Wood and two others left the detention room carrying a crate. They ultimately boarded Transport Ship 0287 at the spaceport and have already departed."
"Get the fleet ready to move out!"
"Yes! Commander, there is one more matter I need to report!"
"Speak!"
"According to the port surveillance footage, when Wood and the others carried the crate onto the Transport Ship, Deputy Liang tried to stop them. After that, Deputy Liang entered the Transport Ship, and after that there was no more—"
"What?"
This time, Lin Fan was truly furious. Liang Xue was his one untouchable weakness now, yet Wood had actually dared to lay a hand on her!
"Will, assemble the fleet immediately. I want us ready to sortie in the shortest possible time."
"Yes!"
After cutting off the call, Lin Fan contacted Liang Xingchen as he headed outside.
"Lin Fan, what's going on over there? I received notice that your starport has sounded a Level One combat readiness alarm?"
"Commander, Duolun has escaped! Wood Scott assisted him. They are currently aboard Transport Ship 0287 and left the port less than ten minutes ago."
"What? Damn the Scott Family! I arranged for so many people to monitor them—how did this still happen?"
"Commander, there is one more thing. According to the surveillance footage, Liang Xue should have been taken aboard the ship as well!"
"Say that again. They captured who?"
"Commander, Liang Xue!"
"Listen to me, Lin Fan. No matter what it takes, you must bring Liang Xue back."
"Understood. I will definitely rescue her. But Commander, I hope the entire Fourth Fleet will prepare to sortie. Since the Scott Family is connected to the Oakes Empire and they rescued Duolun, I believe Adams must have arranged a force to receive them in the Asteroid Belt."
"Mm, you're right. I'll arrange for the entire fleet to prepare for deployment immediately. You pursue them first and stop them!"
"Yes!"
Three minutes later, Lin Fan had arrived at the port and boarded the Uranus.
"The fleet will depart immediately! Will, report the Transport Ship's current position."
"Reporting, the Transport Ship is currently heading toward Sector 016. This type of Transport Ship has a maximum speed of only 1,000 kilometers per second. At our fleet's speed, we can intercept it in half an hour."
"The Transport Ship is too slow. They can't possibly have no backup plan. Sector 016 lies on the edge of the Asteroid Belt. I suspect the Oakes Empire has definitely arranged a receiving force there. Change course and have the fleet head toward Sector 027."
"Commander, Sector 027 and Sector 016 aren't in the same direction."
"Give the order immediately!"
"Yes!"
Lin Fan knew very well that the fleet sent to receive Duolun would never consist of just a few hundred warships. If he charged directly toward Sector 016 and a large number of warships emerged from the Asteroid Belt, his force of just over a hundred warships would stand no chance. Even if his entire fleet was wiped out, he still would not be able to rescue Liang Xue.
Therefore, Lin Fan needed to take a detour—and he needed Liang Xingchen's cooperation.
Lin Fan did not directly contact Liang Xingchen to explain the plan, since he did not know whether the Scott Family still had informants. Instead, he drafted a plan and transmitted it to Liang Xingchen's private communicator.
At that moment, aboard Transport Ship 0287.
"Reporting, word from our inside source says the entire Fourth Fleet has mobilized. They are expected to intercept us in forty minutes!"
"Heh, forty minutes? Too late. We'll rendezvous with Lord Adams's fleet in thirty minutes. But I am curious—why didn't Lin Fan pursue us immediately? Or perhaps you simply aren't that important to him? What do you think, beautiful Liang?"
Wood looked mockingly at Liang Xue, who had awakened and was glaring at him with wide eyes, her hands and feet bound and her mouth stuffed shut.
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