C25 Enemy Attack

Yang Chuxia looked on with sheer admiration as Sean masterfully navigated the myriad of dashboard data. It was nothing short of impressive how he managed the controls with such ease. She couldn't help but wonder how long he had been practicing and how long it would take her to reach his level of proficiency.

Her admiration for him deepened as she sneaked a peek at Edi, who was serenely resting with his eyes closed. She mused, "This is his personal battleship. How graceful must he be when piloting it?" Even with his eyes closed, Edi exuded a handsome aura.

"Attention, attention! An enemy light battleship has been spotted at 10 o'clock!" The Alarm Sound blared suddenly, jolting Yang Chuxia from her daydreams.

A thunderous explosion followed, and through the cockpit screen, Yang Chuxia saw a fiery cannonball streaking across space at 10 o'clock, trailing a long tail of flames.

In a moment of urgency, Sean executed a swift sidestep maneuver, narrowly evading the projectile. The abrupt shift in flight and the surge in speed left Yang Chuxia feeling disoriented and dizzy.

Once the ship stabilized, Edi had sprung from his seat and taken over the controls in the cockpit, with Sean moving to the co-pilot's position to make way for him.

The Secure System continuously updated them on the enemy's position, while the screen flickered with the visuals of incoming cannon fire.

For Yang Chuxia, it was her first experience under cannon fire, and she clutched the armrests tightly, her nerves on edge as she watched Edi confidently take charge of the battleship. His demeanor was stern, yet there was not a hint of panic. His composure likely stemmed from his extensive battle-hardened experience, which allowed him to remain cool under pressure.

Feeling slightly reassured, Yang Chuxia refrained from speaking, not wanting to distract Edi or Sean. She kept as quiet as possible, her understanding of aviation and the sudden appearance of the attackers both mysteries to her.

Meanwhile, Sean, now in the co-pilot's seat, was busy sending a distress signal to the main satellite receiver.

Edi retaliated against the pursuing battleship, the screen alive with the fierce exchange of cannon fire, and the booming sounds of battle echoing continuously. The enemy ships kept up their assault. The Secure System's verbal updates couldn't keep pace and switched to the visual feed from the Sky Eye.

Yang Chuxia counted on the screen—there were about seven small battleships in hot pursuit of their own. She surmised that the enemy Mothership must be stationed somewhere close, possibly on a nearby planet.

Edi's piloting skills were exceptional. The battleship weaved through the barrage of cannon fire, darting left and right, soaring and plummeting, spinning and flipping with astonishing speed.

At times, Yang Chuxia felt as though the battleship was narrowly grazing the cannon fire. It was an impossible feat, yet the illusion persisted.

While on the run, Edi managed to take down three enemy battleships. Far from being deterred, the enemy grew more relentless. They scattered their formation and pursued with unyielding fervor, the barrage of cannon fire never ceasing.

Twenty minutes had elapsed, and given the battleship's velocity, they were now a considerable distance from their original location. Yet, the enemy's small battleships doggedly continued the chase.

Yang Chuxia was drenched in cold sweat, anxiety gripping her. She wondered if there was a space station nearby, and if so, when the stationed troops might come to their aid.

Following another successful takedown, the Secure System blared a piercing Alarm Sound: "Attention, attention! Five enemy battleships have been detected at six o'clock, closing in rapidly."

Even seated, Yang Chuxia's legs turned to jelly, devoid of strength. It seemed proximity to General Edi was ill-fated; danger was a constant companion.

Edi ceased returning fire and put all energy into accelerating forward, desperate to shake off the enemy's pursuit. Sean continuously broadcasted distress signals, pleading for a course change.

Suddenly, the battleship shuddered violently, the Secure System emitting a brief, static-filled noise before falling silent. Moments later, a thunderous vibration rocked the ship again.

A few seconds passed, and Yang Chuxia deduced that they had been struck—not by turbulence, but by enemy fire.

The backup Secure System then issued a devastating alert: "The warship's aft has been compromised, the propeller is destroyed, the warship is...," the voice trailed off, listing further damages.

Yang Chuxia's mind went blank. As she regained her composure, the Secure System's urgent tone cut through the chaos, "Immediate evacuation required. Abandon ship, abandon ship. Time remaining: four minutes, fifty-one seconds. Countdown to battleship destruction initiated..."

Edi and Sean simultaneously leapt from the cockpit. Edi swiftly moved to a white cabinet, retrieving a space suit, and instructed Yang Chuxia, "Get dressed and into the Life Saving Ship within one minute!"

Yang Chuxia fumbled to don the space suit.

Meanwhile, Edi and Sean quickly slipped into their Mecha undergarments and opened the doors on either side of the ship, revealing two sets of light Mecha. Edi's was a sleek black, while Sean's was pristine white.

They pressed a button on the side of the light Mecha, which opened up like a humanoid shell at the back. They jumped in, and the Mecha sealed automatically.

Edi, gripping Yang Chuxia's arm, dashed toward the Life Saving Ship that the Intelligence System had deployed, shoved her into the cabin, and then sprinted to the pilot's seat.

Sean and Yang Chuxia barely had time to sit down before Edi propelled the Life Saving Ship off the Mothership's launch deck and into the vastness of space.

Yang Chuxia was jolted upright, but Sean, with quick reflexes, caught her, his voice raspy as he asked, "Chuxia, are you okay?" He then leaned in to fasten her safety belt.

Terror-stricken, Yang Chuxia shook her head and managed to say, "Thank you, Sean," her voice rough and strained.

A thunderous boom erupted behind them as Edi's warship disintegrated into cosmic dust. The force of the explosion nearly sent the Life Saving Ship tumbling out of control.

This also caused the eight small battleships in pursuit to fall back, giving them a momentary respite.

Yang Chuxia was still reeling from the destruction of Edi's warship when he announced, "The Life Saving Ship can't outrun them. I'll set a course for automatic flight! Then we'll eject onto a nearby asteroid to await rescue."

A chill ran through Yang Chuxia at the thought of leaping onto an asteroid without a Mecha, vulnerable to being swept away into the void.

Sensing her fear, Sean took her hand and reassured her in a soft tone, "Don't worry, the General and I will keep hold of you!" Though this made them an easier target, leaving her behind was not an option.

Is fear of any use? Yang Chuxia nodded, her face ashen. Being with Edi seemed to be a recipe for misfortune, with one calamity barely subsiding before another arose.

If she made it back alive, Yang Chuxia vowed to seize the first opportunity to leave the Flying Eagle Combat Group. For the sake of her safety—keep your distance from General Edi!

After dodging the explosion's shockwave, the small battleships behind them quickly resumed their pursuit.

Edi's fingers danced over the controls as he programmed the flight path. Stepping out of the cockpit, he announced, "Get ready to jump onto Niya Planet."