Just then, another small skiff still under pirate control zipped back, narrowly missing Yang Ying’s own boat. A complaint crackled over the comms from the opposing pilot, clearly someone who hadn't yet grasped the situation—or his own predicament.
The Ghost Agent in the pilot seat offered a few terse replies to brush it off; as for the other skiff, the machine gunners would naturally take care of it.
Yang Ying contacted the Ghost Agents left aboard the passenger liner to get the latest update on the situation inside.
About half an hour had passed since he left the liner. The raid had officially begun, but since Yang Ying had annihilated the second wave of boarders, his manpower was stretched thin, causing the operation to crawl forward sluggishly.
Half-Life had demanded via broadcast twenty minutes prior that all passengers assemble in the mess hall for easier control. However, a handful of audacious passengers were hiding, refusing to comply. They feared the pirates would slaughter them, molest the womenfolk, or confiscate all their worldly assets.
They were tucked beneath cabin bunks, in overhead elevator shafts, and in every conceivable hiding spot, displaying an extreme mastery of hide-and-seek.
Because of this, Half-Life had dispatched more than half of his contingent to search. The initial landing party comprised only thirty pirates, meaning he now had barely ten men left in the mess hall watching the hostages, further diluting his already thin force.
How easy could it be for a search party of nineteen to locate over a hundred hiding passengers? Even now, the search was incomplete; according to the Ghost Agent onboard, they had only covered seventy percent of the ship.
His energy reserves were still robust, allowing him to stroll through the vessel. Ghost Agents possessed two hundred and fifty units of energy, with one unit consumed per minute of cloaking. Furthermore, activating stealth cost no energy (the writer genuinely couldn’t fathom why activation would be so draining, so it cost nothing; this allowed for far greater tactical flexibility). This meant a fully energized Ghost Agent could remain invisible for over four continuous hours!
Intelligence suggested Half-Life had been fuming in the mess hall for over ten minutes, vocally lambasting the inefficiency of the second boarding crew.
Yang Ying’s operation was also feeling the pressure. Since the beginning, he received contact from Half-Life every minute, urging them to hurry aboard or face a twenty percent reduction in their cut.
The disguised Ghost Agent played his part perfectly, adopting a tone of abject fear to placate Half-Life, promising they were moments away.
The skiff docked at the main entrance of the passenger liner. A collapsible gangway extended and fastened onto the doorframe. The pirate guarding the door muttered something about finally arriving, then swung the hatch open, only to find the threshold empty—not a soul in sight.
As he puzzled over this, a hand clamped over his mouth and nose, while the other grasped the back of his skull. The world spun violently 180 degrees. A sharp crack echoed in his ears, and the last thing his eyes registered was the wall behind him.
The Ghost Agent had acted. Such a minor piece didn't warrant Yang Ying dirtying his own hands.
A group of invisible figures gathered in the corridor. Yang Ying spoke, “We need to neutralize every pirate on this ship now, while ensuring no passengers ever see invisible operatives moving about. What plans do you have? Let’s discuss.”
“To block the passengers’ view, nothing beats shutting off all the ship’s lights. We’re in deep space, far from the sun, illumination is minimal. If the ship goes pitch black, who cares about cloaking?” one Ghost suggested. “And we have sensors; we don’t need visible light. Darkness poses no issue for us.”
“The pirates should have their own illumination tools.”
“That doesn’t matter. Our primary goal is deceiving the passengers; even if they shine lights, they won’t reveal our invisibility.”
“Let’s herd these pirates together to avoid chasing them individually; delays favor the enemy.”
Ghost Agents represented the pinnacle of clone quality; their minds were as exceptional as their bodies. As they spoke, one idea after another, a coherent plan began to crystallize.
Finally, Yang Ying clapped his hands once. “That’s it. Let’s move!”
The group immediately sprang into action.
Via communicator, Yang Ying assigned tasks to the Ghost Agent inside: shut down all lights on the vessel, and send three operatives to assist. Then, he led ten men toward the mess hall.
The mess hall on the liner was clean, twenty meters long and seventy meters wide. Though seemingly spacious, most of the area was choked with tables and chairs, leaving limited room for people.
The crew and passengers were crammed into the center of the dining area, packed tightly. Most passengers sat on the floor, looking dejected. Three corpses lay near the front of the hall—clearly, this pirate group had killed to establish dominance.
The short, lean figure of Half-Life paced back and forth, awaiting the arrival of the second wave planned for the raid. His ten pirates were spread around the periphery of the hall, their eyes constantly sweeping the passengers. Whenever a passenger dared to look up, they were met with fierce glares until they lowered their heads again.
These passengers were the source of the pirates’ future comfort; they certainly needed vigilant watching.
Yang Ying waved his hand, and the ten operatives immediately fanned out, each taking position behind a pirate. They had placed sound-dampening material under their boots, ensuring their steps were nearly inaudible; no one in the hall noticed their presence.
Yang Ying himself positioned himself directly behind Half-Life.
A moment later, the scheduled time for the blackout arrived.
Instantly, the surroundings plunged into absolute blackness. Some passengers let out screams.
The pirates did not silence them; they were incapable of doing so now.
The instant the lights died, Yang Ying and the ten Ghost Agents moved in unison. The necks of the ten pirates snapped instantly, while Yang Ying struck Half-Life into unconsciousness, sparing him—he had plans for the squat leader.
One Ghost Agent grabbed Half-Life and slung him over his shoulder. The group then bolted from the mess hall and retreated some distance away.
Step one of the plan was complete. They moved to step two: a Ghost Agent, using Half-Life’s voice over the pirate comms, declared, “Attention all hands! We have massive passenger resistance onboard! They have heavy weapons, we can’t hold them! Fall back, retreat now!”
A pirate questioned, “Boss, what about the money?”
The Ghost Agent roared into the comms, “The jewels and cash we already seized are worth a billion—that’s enough for us to split! Get out of there, you hear me? If you defy me, you get no share!”
“Yes, Boss!”
“Understood, Boss!”
“On our way, Boss!” the pirates replied rapidly.
Yang Ying chuckled upon hearing this. “Now, the scattered pirates on this ship will undoubtedly race toward the main exit points. We’ll wait for them there. The passengers in the mess hall will discover their leaders are dead soon enough, and pandemonium will erupt. We need to move quickly.”
“Yes!” the Ghosts responded.
Indeed, the pirates’ greed had clouded their judgment. One by one, they activated their personal illumination tools and swarmed toward the exits without a second thought.
When Yang Ying and his team arrived at that location, nearly ten pirates had already congregated. After observing for a moment, the remaining few arrived within minutes.
Counting them: nineteen pirates—a perfect number. Yang Ying gave the signal.
“Open fire!”
The staccato burst of C-10 rifles immediately ripped through the air. After a flurry of chaos, all nineteen pirates lay sprawled on the deck.