Kedoba, who had originally planned to personally enter the fray, stopped in his tracks.
As a three-hundred-year-old warrior, was it not too disgraceful to bully a newcor of fourteen years?
It was excessively humiliating.
He didn't need to speak; soone from Furyfla stepped forward. This thirty-year veteran, although less experienced than the Phoenix competitor, Anat, took the stage simply because there were no younger challengers.
As a result, during the battle, this Furyfla warrior was defeated once again.
Anat, this fourteen-year veteran, had already pierced through three from Furyfla and finally t defeat at the hands of the fourth.
Then, the Phoenix sent out their next combatant...
The battles continued, one after another.
In the end, nearly a hundred people from the Furyfla Battle Group's company were broken through.
The Phoenix, on the other hand, had paid a price of just over thirty warriors.
This was hugely embarrassing. Especially after another old warrior from Kalduce fought seven or eight people before Kedoba personally stepped in and won.
But imdiately after, Kedoba himself was defeated.
He lost to a veteran Phoenix fighter nad Simon Brains.
From the mont Brains stepped in, Kedoba felt sothing was off. From his gaze, Kedoba could tell this was a true veteran of a hundred battles.
He took it very seriously; he too was a three-hundred-year-old warrior, a proper Company Commander. Among the Fury Fla Battle Group, his strength was among the top, with very few who could surely best him.
Yet today, of all days, he t his match.
And he lost.
It was even more disgraceful.
A bruised and battered Kedoba caught his breath and asked Brains, who had also paid a certain price, "What's your rank?"
Brains pulled an ugly smile across his face, "? Just a soldier."
He wasn't lying. This forr turncoat, burdened with sins upon his return to the Battle Group, was indeed nothing more than a soldier.
In fact, before that, he didn't even count as an ordinary warrior, but belonged to a redemption company. It was just two years ago, during the fight against the true traitors, the Chaotic Starry Warriors Gang made up of ashen dead, that Brains and his few redemption company peers undertook several assaults. Of the old veterans that followed him, including himself, four were lost in that battle.
A fifty percent casualty rate was much higher than the overall battle's rate.
Martins considered their sins redeed because of this and reported to the Governor; with the Governor's approval, the four surviving turncoats were readmitted into the conventional combat sequence of the Phoenix Battle Group.
Starting from zero, but after all as a two-hundred-year-old warrior who had undergone a redemption expedition, his level of skill, command ability and such remained intact. As long as there were no extra restrictions, it was normal for him to stand out.
Now he was about to be promoted to squad leader.
But as long as he hadn't been promoted yet, calling himself 'just a soldier' was not incorrect.
Kedoba didn't believe it, but what could he say?
Defeat was defeat.
Now, every mber of this company of the Furyfla Battle Group, from top to bottom, had been challenged and defeated in one-on-one duels.
It was an unprecedented humiliation in their lives.
Wait for it, this disgrace, Furyfla will surely return it!
"Wait a minute!" Kalduce spoke up, "You think you're leaving just like that?"
Kedoba held back his rage, "What else do you want to do?"
"We still have people who haven't fought yet."
"Don't go too far!"
The sound of a bombardnt gun being loaded resonated.
Kalduce sneered, "So, do you want to fight in the arena, or outside? Do you want us to fight in powered armor, or shall we take it off and fight then?"
Killing these Furyflas, Kalduce would not do it—unless they went mad themselves, giving an excuse and an opportunity.
But to beat soone, as long as one doesn't beat the life out of them, there's no problem.
Anyway, Interstellar Warriors have thick skin; ordinary punches and kicks aren't likely going to kill anyone.
By now, Kedoba finally understood the aning behind the Phoenix Battle Group's actions.
Was that just now called humiliation?
No, no, no.
That was a proper 'spar', where everyone used their skill, one on one, the winners continued to stand, the losers rolled off the stage, and with just thirty people, they beat a hundred from the Furyfla.
How could that be called humiliation? It was a fair fight.
What ca next, that was real humiliation.
We've only fought thirty people, how could that possibly be enough?
There were fifty Phoenixes on duty here, and behind them, countless more Phoenixes were lining up, waiting for their turn.
What if you can't fight anymore?
Too bad, you still have to get up on stage and take a beating!
That was a 'rotation battle', and that was the true humiliation!
...
Gu Hang, of course, knew about the farce the Phoenix had stirred up, but he didn't want to interfere.
What was there to manage?
He knew the Phoenix had a vendetta against Furyfla. They were on a mission for vengeance.
The old soldiers who had experienced the conflict a hundred years ago, the redemption expedition, didn't need any explanation, the hatred was their personal experience, etched into their bones.
And for those new recruits, while they were all Alliance People, only recently having beco Phoenixes, and hadn't experienced that hatred, their growth process after joining the Phoenix inevitably brought them into contact with the history of the Battle Group. Thus, they naturally took on that sa hatred, ingraining it into their hearts.
Though not as intense as the old soldiers, they possessed the recklessness of the young calf not fearing the tiger. They might even be more ruthless and careless than the old soldiers when it ca to fighting.
Let them handle it.
Gu Hang had only declared once to Matins to keep his soldiers in check, to avoid any casualties, and that would be enough.
Gu Hang himself had more important things to do.
Cleaning a warship.
The Firebath Nova Battleship had already been in the docks of Flying Wing Star for two years, being cleaned.
The effects were very clear.
At first, those working on the ship who stayed aboard for more than an hour would experience hallucinations, a burning sensation throughout their body, and symptoms of distress; staying more than six hours greatly increased the risk of losing control and attacking their companions indiscriminately.
Therefore, the Alliance's ship maintenance workers, engineers, and clergy who built chapels and sprinkled holy water aboard the ships were all under strict regulations that they could not work more than three hours at a ti. There were multiple shifts a day, and workers rotated for rest.
At the sa ti, priests and psychiatrists were on standby in the Starport, ready to soothe their agitated emotions and ensure that they didn't succumb to serious corruption.
However, as Gu Hang 'cleaned' the warship repeatedly, and as both State Religion and Sect of chanics clergy carried out their respective actions, building churches in their own styles, and the statues of The Emperor were erected one by one inside the warship, the issues began to gradually ease.
During this process, the continuous work ti limit was extended from three hours to six, then to nine... Over the past six months, the workers were able to work onboard the warship continuously for fifteen days.
Of course, it wasn't fifteen days without rest; it's just that the Battleship was too large—asuring thirty kiloters in length, with width and height also in the range of kiloters. Its scale was similar to a three-dinsional fortress city, transplanted into space, and the internal structure was incredibly complex. Three hours might have just been enough to reach the workplace before having to head out again.
Long-term work inside the ship was necessary, especially for the deep repair and cleansing tasks.
As of now, the cleansing and repair work on the Firebath Nova was essentially complete. If Gu Hang wished, he could now order the Navy forces to board the ship and take it out to join the battle.
However, the Firebath Nova was currently the Alliance's most expensive single asset, and it also played the most important role in Gu Hang's upcoming war plans; there was no room for error.
Gu Hang preferred to delay its deploynt in battle, to clean it a few more tis, to perform additional maintenance, to ensure that the entire warship was in perfect condition before it engaged.
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4k
Although the update ti is still rather erratic, it's a bit earlier than usual, not so erratic...
It's the start of the month! The first day! Comrades with monthly passes, feel free to cast two votes now!
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