The assault launched by the twenty-four Phantom fighters against the pirate fleet was devastating. Two medium warships and six small vessels detonated their engine reactors, promptly exploding from within into great fireballs, their wreckage dissolving into cosmic dust.

In the command bridge, the observer noted the complete disappearance of the enemy signals from the radar. He raised both fists and announced with exhilaration, "Confirmed! The enemy has been entirely sunk!"

Lilia nodded once, then turned to the communications officer. "Stand down from combat alert. Tend to the wounded and commence repairs on damaged sections."

The communications officer acknowledged the order and broadcast the message across the entire fleet. While the order was general, only the flagship had sustained injuries and damage, having been positioned at the very front of the formation and taking a heavy cannon hit. The other two Valkyries had merely taken a few glancing blows from the pirates' secondary batteries and didn't even require immediate repair.

As for the escorting Phantom fighter Third Squadron, they hadn't displayed any particularly outstanding performance during the battle, nor had they suffered any losses, but their role as a reserve force remained irreplaceable.

Clap... clap... clap...

Yang Ying stood behind Lilia and began to applaud slowly. "Well done. Our small fleet has defeated a medium-sized enemy force—a classic case of the few prevailing over the many. A battle worth remembering."

However, Lilia glanced at him, her voice delicate as she countered, "When did you start sounding like Baal, Commander? The Valkyries' offensive and defensive capabilities are no less than those of medium warships. Our laser beams are more focused and have greater range; we were superior to the pirate medium warships to begin with. Coupled with the advantage of the Phantom fighters, the strength comparison between us was nothing more than the strong bullying the weak. Victory was the inevitable and logical outcome, not something that warrants such elation from you, Commander."

"But I believe you performed admirably," Yang Ying spread his hands in a gesture of resignation.

With the battle concluded, Lilia dropped her iceberg demeanor. "We could have done better. The damage this vessel sustained was entirely avoidable. We could have slowed our fleet’s speed even more, waited for both squadrons of Phantom fighters to catch up before engaging the pirates. That would have prevented the flagship from taking damage. Underestimating the pirates' accuracy was my oversight."

"That is normal. Real combat experience is the ladder to progress. If you were born incapable of error, sweeping all before you, would I need to send you into the real world for training?" Yang Ying did not believe minor mistakes warranted self-recrimination.

"This... it seems I was being overly critical of myself," Lilia considered for a moment, then smiled.

At that moment, the communications officer called out, "The wounded have been transferred to the medical bay, and mechanical repair crews are working on the vessel's structural damage."

The medical personnel aboard the warships were all designated combat medics, and the repair crews inherited the same lineage as the Terran Dominion’s (CV) units, possessing formidable aptitude in both medicine and mechanics.

"Inform the repair crews not to fix the exterior hull; we don't want the Bluebird to grow suspicious," Yang Ying stated, believing that since they had started the pretense, they should see it through without leaving any flaws.

As long as the internal wiring was mended, it was sufficient. The external scratches weren't severe anyway and could be left as they were; at worst, the ship would just be missing one secondary cannon during combat.

The communications officer relayed Yang Ying’s instruction to the repair personnel, then turned back. "Commander, the Bluebird is attempting to establish contact."

"Bring it up on the main screen." Yang Ying thought to himself, Speak of the devil.

The Bluebird’s holographic bust appeared on the screen, his tone laced with surprise. "This engagement has certainly left an impression on me."

"Thank you for the compliment," Yang Ying nodded slightly.

"Because you successfully broke the Shark Pirate Group's encirclement, entirely due to the efforts of your mercenary corps, I wish to offer double the contracted fee as compensation for any losses your side incurred during this operation." Bluebird concluded the statement with a slight bow, demonstrating sufficient sincerity.

"I appreciate your generosity, Sir. It would seem pretentious of me not to accept," Yang Ying understood in his heart that this was Bluebird’s attempt to curry favor after witnessing the formidable strength of the Terran Mercenary Corps.

Yang Ying and his team hadn't expected any great reward from this mission; it was merely a pretext to legitimately seek out trouble with the Ancient Legion warships. The size of the commission wasn't important, but Yang Ying wouldn't refuse a voluntary increase from Bluebird.

Bluebird continued, "Your corps took action in a moment of crisis, accepting this mission despite the known threat of the Shark Pirate Group. I should have increased the fee long ago. I must apologize for my previous suspicions regarding your group, Commander." This statement hit the nail on the head, carrying the undertone of wishing to reconcile past grievances.

"Let bygones be bygones; we still have a long road ahead of us," Yang Ying said outwardly, though inwardly he mused on what Bluebird’s reaction would be if he knew the route the mercenary corps had chosen led directly toward the harassment vessel dispatched by the Ancient Legion.

"Though I have already said it, I wish to reiterate: our safety for the remainder of the journey relies on you." With that, Bluebird terminated the communication.

"Resume speed at sixty-V. We’ve wasted enough time already; it’s time to get moving. The later we arrive, the closer that warship will be to its departure. If it maneuvers outside our projected course, we’ll be in trouble. We must hurry while it remains stationary," Yang Ying worried that delaying would lead to complications, allowing the Ancient Legion harassment vessel to escape.

Fifteen minutes later, the communications officer received a report from the Protoss Observer. "Commander, the Shark Pirate Group has sent a recall signal for their second wave of forces. They must have received news of the complete annihilation of the Thompson Pirate Group."

"Very good. Maintain observation."

Yang Ying had already decided to keep this Observer trailing the Shark Pirate Group. Such a large fleet appearing near their base required careful attention, even if they weren't openly hostile. Given their existing animosity, extreme caution was necessary.

Subsequently, thanks to the dedicated efforts of the onboard repair crews, all the necessary wiring was reconnected in just half a day. The spare parts used were manufactured from common resources, achieving a level of conservation regarding Silicon Ore—only the most essential, irreplaceable components were fabricated using Silicon Ore. Possessing the Terran Asteroid Base made the Terrans the most economical users of Silicon Ore among the three races.

Yang Ying completed the construction of another Protoss Observer and immediately dispatched it ahead of the fleet for reconnaissance, extending the detection range to a million kilometers.

With the Observer's assistance, the fleet could preemptively avoid dense asteroid fields, and if any suspicious warships appeared, they would receive an early warning, significantly boosting the fleet's overall security.