Chapter 1054: Chapter 576, Blood Shark? Cute!
Silently retrieving his axe, Yeerma Youyinâs gaze couldnât help but drift to the side.
Fighting alongside him were not only the Grey Armor Warriors of the Blood Sharks but also some Interstellar Warriors clad in red helmets and red armor.
To be honest, this wasnât their first encounter.
Back during the âPurple Flower Rebellion,â it was the Blood Shark Battle Groupâs return to the Empire.
That decision was made by Youyin.
The battle groupâs campaign in the outer regions had lasted for an exceedingly long time. Most of the warriors in the battle group, including Youyin himself, only knew they belonged to the Empire and fought for The Emperor through the historical scriptures of the battle group or the oral accounts passed down by the older generation.
But what was the Empire?
All they had were historical records and occasional ventures into Imperial Territory to collaborate with a few Founding Worlds for resources, before quickly retreating back to the outer regions.
After such a lengthy passage of time, when Youyin had been a Blood Shark for four hundred years and a Battle Group Leader for eighty years, he made a decision that defied ancestral tradition: he boldly led the Blood Sharks into the Empire to announce their return.
He wasnât trying to overturn the survival doctrine that the battle group had upheld since its inception; he merely wanted to lead his brothers-in-arms to take a proper look at the Empire they fought for. He sought to bring the battle group back into the public eye, reminding people of the sharks who prowled silently beyond the borders of Imperial Territory, fighting for the Empire.
Thus, he chose the moment of the Purple Flower Rebellion, 130 years ago, as his opportunity.
Upon hearing the Empireâs call to suppress the rebellion, he led the Blood Sharks into Imperial Territory, answering the summons and participating in the counter-insurgency.
It was during that war that they encountered the Phoenix.
To be frank, Youyin and his sharks didnât care whether the Phoenix or the other two battle groups involved were truly traitors. If the Central Empire declared them traitors, then so be itâfight first, worry later.
But at the same time, to be honest, he didnât find any of the battle groups he encountered within the Empire particularly impressive.
They didnât even compare to the genuine renegades heâd occasionally stumbled upon in the dark outer regions.
From the Blood Sharksâ perspective, these Interstellar Warriors who grew up in âgreenhousesâ couldnât compare to them. Whether it was the Ironclads and Furyflame who fought alongside the Sharks at the time or the Purple Flower Battle Group on the opposing side, each looked more polished and meticulous in their tactical precision. But when things got down to the grit, how could they ever match the bite of the sharksâ teeth?
The Phoenix was no exception.
That was their impression of the Phoenix.
But now, he had no choice but to update his view of this group of red-armored warriors.
In the Alliance combat roster, the Blood Sharks were considered ally forces. They acknowledged Imperial authority and naturally recognized Gu Hang, whom the Empire had appointed as Southern Commander, and were willing to cooperate in battle.
Still, they strictly adhered to their identity as âallies,â not subordinates.
Combat orders were followed, recorded quietly for future recompense; unreasonable orders were subject to their discretion to comply or disregard.
Helping the Allianceâs three battlecruisers escape peril while dealing a blow to the Fury Flame Battle Group was something they were glad to do, and so they did.
However, they were opposed to this fleet-wide decisive battle.
Although their objections were overruled, and they ultimately joined the fray, in reality, they remained on the edges of the battlefield, ready to retreat immediately once the Allianceâs gamble inevitably failed.
But when they heard the Phoenix Battle Group was heading for jump boarding onto the Sect of Mechanicsâ flagship War Ark, it only added to their sense of impracticality.
Youyinâs perception of the Phoenix remained rooted in the past. Judging others by his own standards, even the Blood Sharks had no confidence in carrying out Gu Hangâs orders, especially attempting a boarding assault of a core Sect of Mechanics flagship that housed millions of elite personnel.
To Youyin, it was a suicidal move.
If the Blood Sharks couldnât achieve it, how could the Phoenix possibly manage?
Jump boarding via Spiritual Energy teleportation? That was a foolâs errand.
But then, the course of battle far exceeded Youyinâs expectations.
He didnât know what had transpired aboard Alfonso II, but the end result was clear: the War Ark was destroyed from within, losing most of its combat capabilities before it was annihilated, becoming paralyzed in the process.
Youyin was all too familiar with a ship in this condition. From his combat experience, every vessel boarded and dismantled from within by the Blood Sharks ended up in this exact state.
For this reason, Youyin was astonished.
Could those Phoenix warriors actually pull it off?
A feat beyond what the Blood Sharks themselves could achieve, accomplished by the Phoenix?
Youyin was skeptical.
Belief stemmed from undeniable facts, for it was impossible to ignore the evidence laid bare before his eyes.
But doubt came from wondering if there were hidden truths behind this episodeâperhaps internal strife among the Sect of Mechanics personnel aboard the War Ark?
Unable to figure it out, he soon had an opportunity to witness firsthand.
As the enemy fleet scattered and broke apart, this particular battleship, now targeted by the Alliance Fleet, was certain to be seized.
It seemed that the Phoenix had suffered some losses during the earlier boarding operation, resulting in fewer personnel available for this boarding assault.