The Mastermind

Landing Pad 6 was on the sixth level of Kor Port Prison.

From Yang Ming's cell, he only had to pass through two security corridors to reach the adjoining deck.

To anyone looking at it, without guards getting in the way, this escape route was nearly perfect.

The only apparent obstacles Yang Ming and the others needed to overcome were a Small Shuttle they could fly and the Guard Cannons surrounding the prison.

Two figures hurried along the wall of a long, empty corridor, cameras in each section tracking them one after another.

Kolev followed Yang Ming. The old man, wearing a jacket over his prison uniform and leather boots on his feet, kept trying to persuade Yang Ming in a barely audible voice:

"Young First Mate, I've given this serious thought. We should be trying to seize their control room—the control room! Not knowingly walking into a tiger's den!"

"We should take it slow," Yang Ming said. "That'll give the Mastermind time to prepare, old First Mate."

"My old scoundrel! You're in on it with them, aren't you?" Kolev glared at Yang Ming's back. "The landing pad is just ahead. There are bound to be several powerful Mechanical Guards waiting to shoot us. We can't fight the Mechanical Guards. We should go find the easy-to-knock-down guards who are probably dozing off right now."

"Keep your voice down!" Yang Ming snapped. "If you don't follow their script, they'll sound the alarm!"

"Their script is to make us die on Landing Pad 6!" Kolev argued.

"We can only find a chance in what looks like a dead end!"

"But—"

"Shh!"

Yang Ming gestured for him to duck, and they both crouched down.

Through the narrow window in the corridor, Yang Ming quietly observed the landing pad.

"Did you notice?" Yang Ming asked. "The two cameras above us are turned off."

"Oh, right," Kolev murmured. "They've watched us the whole way, but here they've decided to stop. This has to be where they execute us."

The landing pad was about the size of a soccer field. A two-person Small Shuttle stood there, and all around it was quiet, with nothing seemingly out of the ordinary.

The several cameras installed on the landing pad were turned off as well.

Yang Ming considered this for a moment.

Assuming it was a trap, their entire journey from their cells had been monitored. Their actions along the way were already enough to prove they had tried to escape. Leaving video of the "execution ground" would only make it easier to expose a flaw in the story.

"There's definitely an ambush ahead. We should find a way to sneak into the control room," the old man muttered.

Yang Ming smiled. "First Mate, put your vast experience to work and analyze the situation."

"Analyze what?"

"Three factions have their eyes on me right now. The only thing I know for sure is that one of them wants me alive. The other two have unclear goals."

Yang Ming asked, "In this situation, what are the odds this escape will get us out safely?"

"Zero."

Kolev's mustache trembled. "Believe me, the odds are absolutely zero."

"Fine," Yang Ming said. "Stay here for now. It's safe for the moment. All right?"

"We need a plan! We need a plan! I'm not going with you to get myself killed!"

"Don't worry. I know what I'm doing."

Before Kolev could say another word, Yang Ming ducked and darted out.

He moved as nimbly as a black cat, heading straight for the Shuttle in the middle of the landing pad.

"Hey! Oh, no!"

Kolev hadn't expected the young man to suddenly make a run for it.

The old man was just about to stand up when a flash of light from a Laser Gun firing appeared in the corner. A glint of red flashed around the young man charging forward, and he fell face down onto the ground.

Kolev hurriedly crouched down, breathing hard, his brows knitted tight.

That interesting young man had paid for his recklessness, and now Kolev was trapped in a dead end along with him. This was really...

Wait, something wasn't quite right.

Kolev was about to sneak away, but through the narrow window, he kept watching Yang Ming closely.

Several Mechanical Guards emerged from the corner, with two balding old men behind them.

Chief Guard Gulipa, leaning on a Walking Stick;

and Old Bailin, who followed beside him, his face full of obsequiousness as he bobbed and bowed.

Kolev couldn't make out what they were saying, but Chief Guard Gulipa was already looking toward the small window. Two Mechanical Guards turned and headed in Kolev's direction.

Kolev frowned. He knew the young man had messed things up, but his own odds had only ever been a sliver anyway. He couldn't blame the young man entirely. The Chief Guard was simply too cunning.

Kolev didn't move, quietly waiting for the Mechanical Guards to arrive as he kept his eyes on Yang Ming.

Kolev's premonition grew stronger and stronger.

Something might happen next... No, something was definitely going to happen next!

Suddenly!

Yang Ming, lying on the ground, practically flew sideways. His fist and foot slammed into the two Mechanical Guards beside him at the same time!

Two blue-painted mechanical heads went flying.

What incredible muscular strength!

What astounding coordination!

Kolev stared wide-eyed at the sight, his mouth hanging open.

Kolev wasn't the only one shocked. Gulipa and Old Bailin were horrified too. Before Gulipa could even draw his gun, all four Mechanical Guards had been disabled, their heads smashed clean off!

An iron-grip hand clamped around Chief Guard Gulipa's throat and lifted him off the ground.

There wasn't a single mark on Yang Ming's forehead. He calmly stared at Gulipa, whose left hand had been reaching for his breast pocket. Yang Ming gently seized it with his other hand.

There was an Emergency Alarm in the pocket. Yang Ming pulled it out before Gulipa could, then looked him up and down. Gulipa and Old Bailin, standing beside him, shakily raised their hands.

"H-How is this possible..." Gulipa growled with difficulty.

"Hahaha! Hahahaha! It's a miracle!"

Kolev came rushing out, dancing around with excitement, unable to find the right words.

Yang Ming ignored the mad old man.

He tossed the alarm aside, pulled the gold-etched pistol from Gulipa's arms, threw the Chief Guard to the ground, and planted a foot on his chest. Then he pressed the muzzle against Old Bailin's forehead.

"Tell me what I want to know," Yang Ming said. "Ten seconds. Whoever speaks can live. Ten, nine, eight, seven..."

Old Bailin shouted in a trembling voice, "Chief Guard Gulipa arranged it! I don't know anything! Chief Guard Gulipa came to see me out of the blue after you first spoke to me, and ordered me to help kill you and Kolev!"

Whoosh!

The pistol, which had no biometric lock, fired a beam. A bloody hole appeared in Old Bailin's forehead, and his body crumpled to the ground.

"No information, no value."

Yang Ming murmured softly, then looked down at Gulipa.

Kolev looked at Yang Ming with a hint of surprise.

The Chief Guard had lost his earlier elegance. His eyes reflected the charred, blackened hole in Old Bailin's forehead.

"Six, five, four..."

Yang Ming's voice rang out like a funeral bell in a midnight church.

"Oh, don't do this! Hanton! I have information!"

Gulipa cried out in a trembling voice. "K-Killing you was an order from the New Federation Intelligence Bureau. They didn't want you to testify again. They came up with the escape, too."

Yang Ming asked, "Why bring First Mate Kolev into it?"

"Kolev... Someone offered me a price I couldn't refuse to get him killed in prison as soon as possible. I thought I could put you two together and pin the blame on the Sherman Empire... Their soldiers working with notorious pirates..."

Yang Ming frowned. "You tried to kill me just to pin the blame on the Sherman Empire?"

"Oh?" Kolev's brow furrowed even more. "So I'm the dirt they're using to smear this young man?"

Gulipa's voice kept trembling. The foot pressing on his chest made it almost impossible to breathe. "Y-Yes, that's right. I've told you everything. Don't kill me. I can get you out of here! Please, Mr. Hanton!"

"Who wants Kolev dead?" Yang Ming asked softly.

Kolev shrugged beside him. "I have more enemies than I can count."

Gulipa's Adam's apple bobbed. He lowered his voice. "I don't know. Someone found me... They always manage to find me."

It seemed like this kind of job came up often.

"Chief Guard, you turned off the security cameras around here, and you didn't bring any hidden communication devices, right?" Yang Ming asked with a pleasant smile.

Gulipa hurriedly replied, "Yes. This wasn't exactly an honorable job. Spare me, and I'll get you out of here right away."

Yang Ming curled his lip. "Hypocritical Federation."

Whoosh!

A hole appeared in Gulipa's head. His eyes were wide, filled with unwillingness.

Kolev frowned. "Hey, didn't you say whoever spoke could live?"

"Why should I stick to principles when dealing with enemies?"

Yang Ming asked calmly.

Kolev blinked, then shrugged and chuckled. He crouched down alongside Yang Ming.

Yang Ming searched Gulipa's body and found a wallet. He opened it and looked through it, but there was nothing valuable, just a few cards that were no use to them.

Kolev found a square glass device on Gulipa's body: a Personal Network Terminal.

The pirate chief began his performance.

First, he rummaged through his fluffy beard and pulled out a metal whisker. Then he stuck it to the glass. Next, he dug two false teeth out of his mouth. A few tiny discs were hidden inside them. He stuck those discs onto the metal whisker.

The square glass device started up on its own, and a simple interface appeared at once.

Yang Ming's eyes held a trace of surprise.

"Can't leave home without my tools. Thanks to the influence of the Humanity Association, they never check prisoners very thoroughly."

Kolev shrugged as his fingers flew across the interface, unable to resist voicing his admiration.

"Wonderful. Gulipa's terminal is powerful, and it's connected to the control room. That makes things much easier. I'll upload a little virus for them first. Oh, this prison is still using the control system from its previous life—as a Transport Ship. Taking over a ship is child's play for me, but we'll have to wait for the right moment."

Yang Ming asked, "Can we use this Shuttle to get out?"

Kolev immediately shook his head. "Military equipment usually has a remote-control backdoor. Besides, we can't get past the protective shield around Kor Port this way. Gulipa's terminal can only hack into the prison from the inside. There are plenty of Firewalls outside."

Yang Ming nodded. This old pirate was definitely a professional.

"You're a bioengineered human, right? One of the Sherman Empire's powerful Gene Modification soldiers?" Kolev asked, his eyes shining. "I've never seen a soldier take down four Mechanical Guards with his bare hands!"

Yang Ming had already stripped Gulipa's clothes off and tossed them to Kolev along with the wallet.

"Can you contact your daughter now, First Mate Kolev?"

"I need to get to their control room, First Mate Hanton!"

Kolev replied defiantly:

"We need a ship that can evade pursuit. It has to be able to make a jump. We can get out of the prison first and hide in Kor Port. Then I'll contact my ship. It'll take about four hours for them to jump over here!"

"Four hours?" Yang Ming rubbed his forehead.

That was far too long.

Kolev spoke quickly:

"Yes, at least three hours. I've already worked out a plan.

"We need a Riot to buy time. A prison Riot will draw the attention of the Kor Port Defense Force.

"Young First Mate, you'll have to help me take out a few more guards. We need to seize the control room on the fourth level. Once we take it, I can handle everything else. You've proved what you can do. Now it's time for me, the captain, to prove my worth!"

Yang Ming was just about to correct Kolev's choice of title when Kolev continued:

"Oh, and First Mate, we'll have to destroy every video recording device in here. If we can keep your identity hidden, it'll be our trump card.

"I can't wait to see you roam the stars without a care!"

Yang Ming glanced at Kolev. "You'll keep my secret, right, First Mate?"

What was going on? He'd only shown a little of his strength, but he still hadn't managed to intimidate the old man.

"Of course," Kolev said, his voice trembling with excitement. "You'll become a legendary pirate! And I'll be the one who made you one! Hahaha! Let's do something big! Oh, First Mate, I haven't asked yet—what's your name?"

"You can call me Captain Hanton."

"That's an awfully ordinary name."

"Yang Ming."

"All right, First Mate Hanton."

The little old man casually draped Gulipa's tailcoat over himself, then picked up the Walking Stick. He looked rather convincing holding it.

"Rise and shine, you little brats."