TCPUAAV Chapter 57

 

Hector carried the two little cubs straight to the lower-level hangar.

 

“Pick one.”

 

Rows of fighter jets and bombers were neatly parked, leaving the two cubs dazzled by the choices. After much deliberation, they finally settled on a sleek, black X-Wing fighter.

 

Hector lowered the protective shield, lifted the cubs into the cockpit, and fastened their seatbelts. “Ready? We’re heading out.”

 

The two cubs squeezed into the co-pilot’s seat, nodding excitedly.

 

The hangar doors slowly lifted, and the fighter jet powered up, gliding into the vast darkness of space.

 

The universe stretched endlessly before them. Compared to the cubs, the fighter jet was already enormous, yet in the grand scale of space, it was nothing more than a speck of dust. Through the viewport, all they could see were vague glimmers of light.

 

Operating a fighter jet was far simpler than piloting a warship. Hector first explained the functions of various controls and the basic flight techniques, then demonstrated each step in sequence. “Got it?”

 

The two cubs nodded furiously, eager to prove they had.

 

Satisfied, Hector turned the jet around and flew back to the hangar.

 

As they climbed out of the cockpit, the cubs looked a little disappointed. “That’s it?”

 

“This is just the beginning.” Hector smirked. “Who wants to go first?”

 

????

 

The cubs stared at him in confusion, not immediately grasping his meaning.

 

Leaning against the fighter jet, Hector patted its hull and raised an eyebrow. “I already taught you the key points of piloting. Don’t you want to try it for yourselves? Watching alone won’t make you learn.”

 

For dragons, theory was a waste of time. The fastest way to master something was to dive straight in.

 

Just go for it.

 

Besides, with him here, nothing could go wrong.

 

Nota was the first to raise a hand. “I’ll go!”

 

“Then you’re up first.” Hector slid into the co-pilot’s seat, then glanced at the waiting young dragon. “In your current form, you won’t be able to fly the jet. Remember to shift into your human form.”

 

The little dragon stood in place, his tail swaying hesitantly.

 

If he changed back… Nota would definitely find out.

 

But as the fighter jet prepared for launch again, the temptation was too strong.

 

Clenching his paws, the little dragon ultimately shifted into his human form. It’s fine… I’ll just make Nota promise to keep it a secret.

 

“Follow my instructions, one step at a time. Don’t panic.” Once they left the hangar, Hector disengaged the autopilot.

 

The little fox nodded, gripping the control stick tightly and pulling back. The fighter jet shot forward at high speed.

 

The acceleration threw her backward, pressing her into the seat under the force of gravity. Just as they were about to collide with an asteroid, Hector spoke calmly. “Don’t panic—go left.”

 

The little fox yanked the control stick left, and the jet swerved sharply, narrowly missing the asteroid before blasting forward again at sub-light speed.

 

The sleek black X-Wing fighter, like a disoriented black bird, twisted and tumbled wildly through the dark expanse of space.

 

The little fox had to use all her strength just to stabilize herself, while Hector, seated beside her, remained perfectly composed. “You’re still rushing it. Your reaction speed is good, but you need to control the pace—learn to anticipate. You’re the one piloting the ship, not the other way around.”

 

Glancing at the calm and unshaken man beside her, the little fox bit her lip. Her large fluffy tails stood on end in nervous tension. She adjusted her grip on the controls, loosening slightly, then took a deep breath, trying to follow his advice—to set her own rhythm.

 

After countless 360-degree and even 720-degree spins and sharp turns, the fighter jet finally began to steady. The little fox’s ears, which had been stiff and pointed straight ahead, gradually relaxed. She discreetly wiped the sweat from her palms.

 

“Not bad. Time to head back and switch to Heli.” Hector nodded approvingly, holding up two fingers. “You’re just a tiny bit worse than I was at your age.”

 

The little fox shot him a glance, her once-tense tails now swaying happily.

 

The fighter jet reentered the hangar, the protective shield lowering as they landed. The little fox leapt out, brimming with excitement, eager to share her experience with Heli—only to find a stranger standing there instead.

 

He was much taller than her, with tanned skin and a pair of golden eyes identical to Heli’s.

 

She looked up at him, silver eyes narrowing in suspicion as she instinctively dropped into a defensive stance. “Who are you? Where’s Heli?”

 

The newly transformed Heli pressed his lips together, nervously clasping his hands behind his back, too conflicted to speak.

 

Hector, however, simply raised an amused eyebrow. “Heli shifted into his human form, and you don’t recognize him?” He tugged playfully at the little fox’s ear. “Guess your nose isn’t as sharp as I thought.”

 

????

 

Ducking away from his hand, the little fox hesitated, then sniffed the air—sure enough, it was Heli’s scent.

 

Her eyes widened in shock. “You… You grew up in secret?!!”

 

Just a while ago, he was so much shorter than her!

 

The little fox was furious.

 

Now, aside from Snowball, she was the shortest in the family!

 

Heli, who had been a bundle of nerves just moments ago, suddenly brightened at her words. Maybe growing up wasn’t so bad after all—at least now, he looked like Nota’s older brother!

 

Grinning widely, he stepped up to her and gestured at their height difference. “You barely reach my thigh now.”

 

Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!

 

The little fox was so furious that her fur practically stood on end. She whipped her tails and ran to the top of the steps, planting her hands on her hips. “Just you wait! I’ll be taller than you in no time!”

 

“Alright, back to training.” Hector clapped his hands, cutting off the childish squabble and signaling for Heli to get into the cockpit.

 

Heli stuck his tongue out at Nota before climbing inside.

 

While the two cubs were learning how to pilot a fighter jet, inside the command bridge of the flagship, the little mermaid was also undergoing training under Rong Heng’s guidance.

 

Compared to a fighter jet, the flagship had far more operational modules and a vastly more complex control system. It wasn’t something you could just jump into and brute-force your way through. If the little mermaid wanted to pilot the flagship, he first needed to memorize its various functional divisions and modules. Only by understanding how to coordinate and utilize them could he maximize the flagship’s capabilities.

 

Piloting a flagship was all about strategy.

 

Sitting in his little cart, the mermaid curiously scanned the bridge. Everything here fascinated him.

 

“Have you learned all the characters?” Rong Heng walked over, carrying a thick stack of books.

 

The little mermaid nodded.

 

“Then start with these.” Rong Heng placed the stack in front of him. “Once you’ve understood everything in these books, you’ll be halfway there.”

 

The little mermaid blinked, looking at the pile of books before pursing his lips. Without complaint, he obediently picked one up and began reading.

 

Seeing how obedient he was, Rong Heng felt somewhat satisfied.

 

Finally, someone who’s actually willing to learn.

 

*

 

Two days flew by, and just as the cubs were beginning to settle into their training, it was temporarily put on hold.

 

—On the third day after reaching the Balham Star jump corridor, five transport ships arrived as scheduled at dawn.

 

Rong Heng took the little mermaid to the combat command room, allowing him to observe from the side.

 

Meanwhile, the little dragon and little fox followed Hector into the fighter jets, ready for battle.

 

The flagship activated its jamming devices, cutting off all external communications. Forty stealth-enabled fighter jets lay in ambush near the jump point.

 

One by one, the massive transport ships emerged from the jump corridor.

 

One ship… two… three… four… five.

 

Once all five had exited the jump corridor, Rong Heng gave the order: “Gunboat, block the jump exit—fire!”

 

A gunboat swiftly maneuvered into position, sealing off the corridor’s exit. Five turrets extended upward, locking onto the transport ships. Simultaneously, the forty fighter jets surged forward, unleashing a barrage of firepower.

 

Caught off guard, the transport ships faltered momentarily before regaining their composure.

 

One by one, laser cannons and ion turrets rose from their hulls, readying for counterattack.

 

“That’s a heavy-duty turbine laser cannon—it takes 1 second to charge, which is 0.3 seconds longer than a light laser cannon. But once fully charged, it only takes 0.08 seconds to hit its target.”

 

Inside his fighter jet, Hector deliberately made a taunting maneuver in front of one of the transport ships.

 

As expected, the slowly rising cannon locked onto him, its barrel glowing with energy buildup.

 

“That’s why reaction speed is everything.” Before he had even finished speaking, Hector yanked the control stick, executing a sharp side maneuver.

 

The powerful laser beam fired—but missed, slamming into the hull of another transport ship behind him.

 

“See? That’s how it’s done. There’s an old saying—‘Use their own spear to pierce their shield.’ As long as you time it right, you can make them attack themselves.” Hector snapped his fingers and moved toward another transport ship, baiting it into firing.

 

Using the same tactic, he tricked several ships into accidentally attacking each other.

 

After several instances of friendly fire, the transport ships finally wised up and stopped shooting recklessly.

 

Even though they had shields, no matter how strong those shields were, they couldn’t withstand sustained friendly fire.

 

With the enemy firepower suppressed, the fighter jets pressed the attack even harder.

 

Once the transport ships realized that their communications were down, they stopped waiting to be slaughtered and attempted to force their way out.

 

Almost as if they had planned it, the five transport ships split off in different directions to escape.

 

“They’re trying to run,” Hector’s voice came through the comms.

 

“Copy that. Gunboat, coordinate with me—push them back,” Rong Heng responded instantly, adjusting the main turret’s targeting system.

 

“Fire.”

 

The first two transport ships attempting to flee were met with a relentless barrage from the flagship and gunboat, forcing them to retreat.

 

The remaining three thought they saw an opportunity and attempted to slip away while the main firepower was focused elsewhere—only to be blocked by the fighter jets, which quickly formed a defensive line to cut off their escape routes.

 

That brief hesitation of just a few seconds was all Rong Heng needed.

 

He swiftly retargeted the remaining three ships.

 

“Fire.”

 

As he issued the command to redirect fire, the flagship and gunboat unleashed another devastating salvo.

 

Meanwhile, the retreating fighter jets seamlessly sealed off the two ships that had been pushed back earlier.

 

In perfect coordination, the flagship, gunboat, and fighter jets successfully herded all five transport ships back into the kill zone.

 

At that moment, a communication request came from the enemy side.

 

Rong Heng ignored it.

 

Turning to the wide-eyed little mermaid beside him, he tapped his temple and said, “A warship captain isn’t just someone who can pilot a ship. You need to be able to think strategically and outmaneuver your opponent. Understand?”

 

The little mermaid gazed up at him, his blue eyes sparkling with understanding, and nodded firmly.

 

The battle raged on for a full day and night.

 

Rong Heng held nothing back, unleashing relentless waves of attack.

 

The transport ships, their firepower neutralized, could do nothing but endure the bombardment.

 

Occasionally, they would desperately try to return fire—but each time, their shots missed and ended up hitting their own ships instead.

 

After several failed counterattacks, they finally gave up, continuously sending out surrender signals, hoping to establish communication with the flagship.

 

Rong Heng ignored all of them.

 

Instead, he gave a single order: “Gunboat, target the weakest shielded transport ship—fire at will.”

 

The ship’s shields, already teetering on the brink, finally collapsed under the barrage.

 

Rong Heng’s gaze sharpened. He tapped his fingers against the console and said, “Hector, prepare for boarding. Secure the ship’s control room.”

 

“Copy that.”

 

Hector piloted his fighter jet toward the now-exposed transport ship, using twin-linked laser cannons to blast open the enemy hangar doors before force-landing inside.

 

Behind him, several other fighter jets followed suit.

 

The commotion in the hangar alerted the transport ship’s security forces. Armed soldiers rushed toward the hangar, weapons ready.

 

Hector turned to the two cubs and sternly instructed them to stay inside the fighter jet.

 

Then, grabbing two laser rifles, he leapt out of the cockpit.

 

The hangar was instantly filled with the shrill alarm of combat sirens.

 

Through the monitor inside the fighter jet, the two cubs watched the battle unfold.

 

On the display, Hector moved like an unstoppable force, sweeping through enemy lines with precise, devastating shots.

 

The transport ship’s security forces were severely undermanned.

 

Usually, transport ships relied on traveling in fleets and their heavy weaponry to deter space pirates.

 

But this time, they had encountered something far worse than pirates.

 

Hector and his squad smashed through enemy resistance, storming straight into the control room.

 

Inside, the pilot immediately raised his hands in surrender, relinquishing control of the ship.

 

“Tie them all up. Strip them of their weapons and communication devices.”

 

Hector gave the order, signaling for the others to restrain the surrendering crew. With the transport ship secured, he took over the operations room, coordinating with Rong Heng to complete their mission.

 

Meanwhile, the remaining four transport ships were thrown into disarray, rattled by the friendly fire from their own side. Panic set in, and soon, two more ships attempted to retaliate—only to accidentally shatter their own ally’s shields.

 

One after another, the transport ships fell.

 

By the time all five were under Rong Heng’s control, another entire night had passed.

 

“Leave one transport ship behind. Transfer the hostages over. The rest, we take with us.”

 

A cheer erupted among the crew. They left behind a badly damaged, navigation- and communication-disabled transport ship, having stripped it of all valuable production equipment. Once the last of the captives were transferred over, they abandoned the ship to drift in the void.

 

Adrift in deep space, the crippled ship would float aimlessly.

 

If the captives were lucky, perhaps Balham Star’s search teams would find them soon.

 

If they were unlucky, they could be drifting for a month or longer before anyone even noticed.

 

With no navigation system, no communications, and insufficient fuel, all they could do was wait.

 

By the time anyone found them, Rong Heng would have long since covered his tracks.

 

“Return to base.”

 

Rong Heng adjusted the flagship’s course, setting off for B3024 Star.

 

Behind him, four fully loaded transport ships followed in perfect formation.

 

The little mermaid was beside him, eyes filled with admiration.

 

*

 

On the eighth night since the cubs had left home, Ruan Shiqing received a message from Mr. Rong, informing him that the mission was complete and they would soon return.

 

Then, a barrage of messages followed—clearly from the cubs.

 

[Dad! I learned how to fly a fighter jet!]

 

[Me too!]

 

These were obviously from Nota and Heli.

 

Ruan Shiqing chuckled but soon felt a tinge of concern.

 

They just started training, and they’re already flying fighter jets?

 

He hesitated, but the cubs’ excitement was evident, so he didn’t question it further.

 

[That’s amazing. Stay safe.]

 

The little mermaid’s message, however, was quite different.

 

He sent two photos: [Dad! I read so many books!]

 

In the pictures, the mermaid was bent over a desk, reading earnestly, with a towering stack of thick books beside him.

 

Ruan Shiqing zoomed in on the image.

 

The topmost book caught his eye—《Galactic Empire Military Warfare History》.

 

???????

 

Staring at the title, Ruan Shiqing was baffled.

 

Can he even understand a book like this?

 

[Isn’t that too advanced? Can you really understand it?]

 

[Some parts are hard, but Mr. Rong explains them to me.]

 

The little mermaid glanced up at Rong Heng and gave a small, shy smile.

 

After the Balham Star mission, the little mermaid had a new idol.

 

The first was Dad.

 

The second—was Snowball.

 

The cubs huddled together, taking turns using Rong Heng’s AI terminal to chat with Ruan Shiqing.

 

When he asked about Snowball’s whereabouts, the little mermaid glanced at Nota and Heli before quickly responding:

 

[Snowball is doing solo training!]

 

Ruan Shiqing didn’t suspect anything and continued chatting for a while.

 

After setting down the AI terminal, he turned his head and noticed the young cub sitting on the bed, staring intently at the device.

 

“This is an AI terminal.”

 

Ruan Shiqing placed it in the cub’s hands, letting him examine it as much as he wanted.

 

Watching the cub curiously lower his head to study it, Ruan Shiqing suddenly remembered—He had been so caught up chatting with the others that he forgot to tell them—There was a new family member at home.

 

Oh well, he’d just tell them when they returned.

 

Since they were already on their way back, it wouldn’t be long now.

 

Outside, the artificial moon slowly rose into the night sky.

 

Two moons, casting their cold, silvery light, pierced through the clouds, leaving dappled shadows on the ground.

 

At midnight, as some people slept soundly, others still roamed the night.

 

Where light and shadow met, darkness stirred—a breeding ground for crime and death.

 

In the bedroom, Ruan Shiqing was sound asleep.

 

Beside him, the young cub—who had always slept properly and quietly—suddenly opened his eyes.

 

The tendrils on his forehead twitched rapidly, as if sensing something unusual.

 

Slowly, he crawled out of bed, tiptoeing to the window and peering outside.

 

But the moonlight was hazy, and the night was too dark to see anything clearly.

 

Yet…

 

Something was there.

 

A vague, indistinct presence—a dangerous aura drifting in the air.

 

The cub’s delicate tendrils twitched rhythmically, faster and faster.

 

In the center of his deep red eyes, his pupils narrowed into thin slits.

 

After a long while, the tendrils—once restless and alert—finally slowed, then drooped weakly.

 

The cub’s wide-open eyes remained fixed on an unseen point in the distance, staring into the shadows beyond the window.

 

He watched for a long, long time.

 

At dawn, Ruan Shiqing woke up and went about his morning routine.

 

But today, the cub—who had always woken up alongside him—was still asleep.

 

Nestled under the blankets, his small form rose and fell with each breath, the delicate tendrils on his forehead softly drooping.

 

He looked absolutely adorable.

 

Ruan Shiqing couldn’t resist—he reached out and gently touched the soft tendrils.

 

The tiny tendrils on the cub’s forehead seemed to sense something—they curled up abruptly, avoiding his touch. But the moment Ruan Shiqing withdrew his fingers, they unfurled softly again.

 

What a cute little cub.

 

Ruan Shiqing chuckled, feeling amused, before heading off to the washroom in high spirits.

 

After washing up, he grabbed a nutrient stick and headed downstairs, only to find that the courtyard was empty.

 

The front gate was open, but the “Open for Business” sign hadn’t been put up.

 

The Xiong brothers and 09 were nowhere to be seen.

 

Puzzled, Ruan Shiqing wandered around the workshop and courtyard, but found no one. Just as he was about to step outside to check, he ran into the three of them returning together.

 

The Xiong brothers wore grim expressions.

 

“This is brutal. When was the last time something like this happened in the outer city?” Xiong Fangfang muttered, brows furrowed.

 

Even 09, the little robot, looked shaken.

 

“The way it was done… it’s way too cruel. It reminds me of those serial killers.”

 

Ruan Shiqing was completely lost. “What happened?”

 

“Three people were killed in the outer city last night.” Xiong Fangfang’s tone was heavy. “All of them were homeless drifters, torn apart and dumped in the scrapyard. It was a brutal scene.”

 

“The scrapyard just a few hundred meters from here. A scavenger found the bodies this morning,” Xiong Yuanyuan added. “The whole outer city is in an uproar.”

 

“It’s terrifying.”

 

Even though 09 didn’t have human skin, nor could he get goosebumps, he still rubbed his arms anxiously.

 

For the first time, the little robot, who loved life, had witnessed something so gruesome.

 

“Did they catch the killer?” Ruan Shiqing’s frown deepened.

 

B3024’s outer city had always been chaotic—robbery and murder weren’t exactly rare.

 

But the homeless in the scrapyard were destitute, owning nothing of value. While they often faced bullying, their lives were rarely at risk.

 

Everyone here was too busy trying to survive—unless there was some profit to be gained, most wouldn’t go as far as to kill someone.

 

When he first arrived on B3024, the lack of food and clothing had been a far greater threat than any human.

 

And in the months he had been here, there had never been a brutal dismemberment case like this.

 

No wonder the entire outer city was in shock.

 

“No,” Xiong Yuanyuan shook his head. “Everyone’s terrified now, wondering if some kind of serial killer has come to B3024.”

 

A lawless gray-zone planet like this was the perfect breeding ground for such monsters.

 

“To be safe, we should avoid going out after dark,” Xiong Fangfang advised.

 

The killer had taken out three Beastkin people in one night. Even though the victims were weak and homeless, the fact that the killer mutilated the bodies without making a sound proved how dangerous they were.

 

“Agreed. Let’s start closing the workshop earlier too,” Ruan Shiqing nodded.

 

The shock and fear from the killings rippled through the outer city for days.

 

But the victims were homeless drifters—they had no family, no connections.

 

And so, within just two days, the city’s interest faded.

 

With no new victims, the tense atmosphere gradually relaxed.

 

That evening, Xiong Yuanyuan saw off their last customer of the day and muttered, “Looks like the killer doesn’t plan on striking again.”

 

But the next morning—

 

A corpse was discovered in the scrapyard near the workshop.

 

The victim was the customer from the night before.

 

His body had been torn apart and scattered haphazardly in the scrapyard.

 

The hover bike he had just gotten repaired lay nearby, snapped in two.

 

Ruan Shiqing’s expression turned cold in an instant.

 

At home, the young cub sat under the eaves, his forehead tendrils twitching anxiously.

 

 

 

---

 

1.What the heck are Hector and Rong Heng teaching the cubs???? 2.What the heck is happening back home??? I hope the lil cub isn’t involved, he’s so cute ;_;

 

Thanks for reading!

For every three ko-fis, I will upload a bonus chapter~