Trash Talk May Be Optional, but It Must Be There

Just as Yang Ming and Kolev were preparing to face the Gimo Group head-on.

In the silent depths of space, a nearly kilometer-long Silver-White Warship streaked through the stars. Its droplet-shaped design and flawlessly smooth hull, almost entirely devoid of seams, displayed technological prowess far beyond the current average level of civilization in the Milky Way Galaxy.

On a sofa in the corner of the bridge, Lina, now dressed in a silver-gray Alliance military uniform, stared absently at the screen before her.

She was replaying the remote interrogation from moments ago.

"Level 1 Intelligence Officer Lina, we will activate the Brainwave Detection Device during the following interrogation. Any lie you tell has a ninety-five percent chance of being detected. Please do not overthink your answers. There is no need for embellishment or rhetoric when answering, as that may affect our assessment."

"Yes. I will answer all questions faithfully."

"During the Riot at Kor Port, you voluntarily sought out Target Number One, whom you had personally designated, only to be captured by him. Is that correct?"

"Yes."

"Explain."

"I misjudged the target's way of thinking. Because we had gone through hardships together, and because I provided the medication he needed, I assumed I had earned his trust."

"In other words, this was entirely your mistake."

"Yes."

The three flickering clusters of light on the screen before Lina changed shape, and an elderly woman's voice sounded.

"During the nine months you were embedded aboard Geglov's Experimental Ship, did you have intimate contact with Target Number One?"

"No."

"Do you currently experience any physiological impulses toward Target Number One?"

"Yes."

"To what extent?"

"I would not refuse intimate acts with him, including but not limited to kissing."

"Then do we have reason to suspect that you released a valuable experimental subject because of personal feelings?"

"I deny it."

"Your emotions have fluctuated slightly. Your brainwave patterns indicate that you care deeply about this question."

The elderly female supervisor paused before continuing.

"Lina, you are my student. For now, I am willing to believe that you made a choice aligned with the Alliance's interests. But when Number 3 Flank Ship of the 72nd Fleet locked onto the target airship, you failed to make a prompt decision.

"Your hesitation is what I find most unprofessional.

"Whether you temporarily released him to show goodwill, or destroyed him immediately to prevent him from falling into the hands of another major power and eliminate the possibility of a technological gap, you should not have hesitated for as long as twenty-five seconds."

"Officer, because I understood his value, I hesitated."

Lina answered calmly.

"The Ancient God Lifeforms whose traces had once been detected have already left the Milky Way Galaxy. Once we became capable of threatening them, we could no longer find any trace of them.

"The Ancient God Lifeform defeated by the Sherman Empire was already the final specimen.

"According to intelligence, over the past several centuries, the vast majority of Cellular Collectives have perished through unnatural causes. Only two Cellular Collectives have retained their activity, and they are aboard that Research Ship. Professor Gigrov made major progress after taking over the ship.

"The changes that appeared in Target Number One, especially the drastic changes in his intelligence and personality, gave me ample reason to suspect that he is Gigrov's final masterpiece.

"Based on this, my hesitation at the time was because I understood Target Number One's true value."

The three clusters of light in the Projection screen fell silent at once.

A deep, aged male voice asked, "Level 1 Intelligence Officer Lina, if you are allowed to continue this mission, what choice will you make?"

Lina immediately said, "There are only two options for this target's clone army: [it does not exist] or [it is under our nation's control]."

"Very good, Lina. This is your last chance."

A faint glimmer reflected off Lina's glasses. As her thoughts returned to the present, she was already standing before the viewport, looking down at the planet below.

Its name was Orhaifu, a name that seemed to originate from the religious beliefs of some remote place.

Lina's calm voice echoed through the bridge.

"Dispatch a task force. The target we are looking for is Kolev, former Group Leader of the Black Dragon Pirate Group. Prepare some currency. Avoid using force if possible."

"Yes!"

After deciding to negotiate directly with the pursuing Gimo, the atmosphere aboard Kolev's Pirate Ship immediately became somewhat oppressive.

More than a dozen elderly crew members put on their brightest, proudest clothes. Two old men whose teeth were nearly gone changed into suspenders, styled their hair in middle parts, and picked up Laser Guns.

Yang Ming, wearing a metal mask and a faded trench coat, watched it all and felt a trace of sadness for them.

After surviving to such an age in the brutal life of pirates, they should have been able to retire in peace. Yet in the end, that Gimo had driven them out.

That fat sheep had no sense of public decency at all!

Yes, the fat sheep Yang Ming had his sights set on was Gimo, the current Group Leader of the Black Dragon Pirate Group.

"Captain!"

The elderly navigator shouted, "They've sent a reply! We can establish communications!"

"That brat really dared."

Kolev cursed under his breath, lowering his head. Just as he was about to press the comm button, the vibration from his pocket caught his attention.

The old man took out his pocket-watch-shaped Network Terminal and studied it closely for several seconds. His expression suddenly changed.

"Hanton, we may need to leave earlier than expected."

"What happened?" Yang Ming asked, confused.

"A Dawn-class Battleship from the Guer Alliance has suddenly appeared above Orhaifu."

Kolev laughed heartily.

"Now we're even. Each of us has a troublesome problem to deal with!"

Yang Ming pondered. "Is there any chance your old companions would rather die than submit?"

"Absolutely not. Give them money, or threaten them with their children, and they'll sell you out without hesitation. The surveillance footage of you fighting there will definitely fall into the Guer Alliance's hands!"

Kolev raised his hand and pressed the comm button.

"Get moving, all of you! You little bastards... ah, my dear old friends! Prepare for a jump immediately! Looks like I can only reminisce with Gimo for a little while. What a pity."

Bzz. Bzz.

Ordinary long-range communications could not avoid two things: interference from cosmic background noise, and the distance delay caused by radio waves.

Thus, when a bald, burly man with a face full of flesh appeared on the Projection screen, neither side immediately started yelling. Instead, they engaged in a "gentle" exchange with over five seconds between each back-and-forth.

Yang Ming's first impression of Gimo was terrible.

He did not like judging people by their appearance, but the man's looks were truly repulsive. Dense tattoos covered the area from his neck to his chest, and as he spoke to Kolev—his former Group Leader, captain, and teacher—he kept using a sharp metal dagger to slice into the roasted beast leg before him.

That damned roast meat looked unbelievably delicious!

"Glad to see you, Teacher," Gimo said unhurriedly. "You escaped safely, so I brought the brothers over to congratulate you."

"No need, Gimo," Kolev said. "We both know what you want most right now. I can formally hand the Black Dragon Pirate Group over to you. I'm old. It's time for me to retire, Gimo."

The old man's words were filled with tactical weakness.

Gimo laughed happily.

"Teacher, what are you talking about? The brothers chose me. You didn't hand the pirate group over to me. Their dissatisfaction with you has long piled up enough to fill an entire ship.

"Even so, I still respect you very much... Hi, Milili. Long time no see.

"Teacher, I've found you a quiet and peaceful planet. It's a beautiful place where you can spend your remaining years in comfort."

"No need to trouble yourself, Gimo," Kolev said coldly.

He clearly had not expected Gimo to be so aggressive, unwilling even to preserve a shred of decency.

Kolev said, "If that's the case, then we have nothing to discuss. I'll make you pay for your betrayal."

"Is that so?"

Gimo picked up a napkin beside him and wiped his mouth, a faint vicious smile curling across his lips.

"Kolev, is this the newcomer you trained? What a pity. I'll personally rip his head off and place it before you, proving that I am your finest disciple—and far greater than you ever were, you old bastard!"

He had been called out.

Yang Ming calmly stepped forward two paces and stood before the Projection screen with his hands behind his back. The metal mask gave his voice a slightly magnetic quality.

"Great Group Leader Gimo."

Gimo narrowed his eyes at Yang Ming, seemingly quite pleased by that description.

Then Yang Ming's tone abruptly shifted. "Does your boyfriend have uremia? Is that why your mouth sounds so poisonous?"

Gimo froze for a moment, unable to make sense of the logic.

Yang Ming continued at a brisk pace.

"This old man Kolev fulfilled part of my fantasies about pirates: despicable, wise, possessed of superb skills and keen insight. Now that I've met you, the other part of my preconceived image has also been fulfilled: shameless, muscular, with developed muscles and a shriveled brain, chewing on undercooked meat full of parasites, with fresh intestines stuffed into the sunken grooves of your cerebral cortex. Where do you get the confidence to stand there, Gimo? How about a one-on-one fight? You're a warrior, and so am I. I'll use combat techniques Kolev never taught you to shove a Lightsaber into that toxin-stained mouth of yours... Look, you seem to be getting angry out of embarrassment. Is your neck getting thicker because your appendix is stuck? You dim-witted lackeys beside him, hurry up and pat the great Group Leader Gimo on the back! You have to make sure he stays alive until I come find him. Yes, just like that!"

"Get away from me!"

Gimo turned and roared at the subordinates patting his back.

Yang Ming had already leaned down beside the stunned Kolev.

"As long as I hang up fast enough, that trash won't have a chance to talk back. First Mate Kolev, you were far too polite to him."

Smack! Whoosh!

The Projection screen vanished. Yang Ming straightened up, swept a glance over the dumbstruck old pirates, and calmly headed toward the dining hall.

Back on Earth, anyone who wanted to become a true, confident player and earn the title of veteran had to undergo the trial of Zuan Star.

Previously, Yang Ming had no dealings with Gimo.

But now, Yang Ming had earned himself a chance for a one-on-one duel with Gimo.

That guy would definitely go for it.