Yang Ying faced Old Barrow across a cramped compartment. "You are Yang Ying? You look younger than your photographs." Old Barrow had clearly investigated Yang Ying long ago.

"Old Barrow, the Bloody Bone-Scraper, Captain of the Blood Skull Pirates. A pleasure, long time no see," Yang Ying greeted the renowned captive in turn. Old Barrow glanced around, sneering, "So this is the Valkyrie frigate.

Hmph, I once had Herman demand two of your ships for me. But I still underestimated that faction. Incompetent fools, full of arrogance, conceit, and short-sighted bluster.

He was useless except for his ability to flatter; all talk, promising he’d secure them for me, yet you ended up killing him." "You're not much different, truly," Yang Ying remarked. Old Barrow’s eyes instantly blazed with furious heat. However, he was not an Awakened, so he couldn't kill with a mere glare.

"In a way, it was your demand for the Valkyrie warship that caused my feud with Herman, leading to his death, which in turn brought you here demanding the Nucleon Key, culminating in your capture. The whole affair started with the Valkyrie and ends here within the Valkyrie. Truly, full circle," Yang Ying recalled the scene where Herman had aggressively burst into his party, demanding the Valkyrie under Old Barrow's authority.

Old Barrow lowered his head and murmured, "Yes, yes, full circle. I'll return it!" Old Barrow’s fingers suddenly exploded open, and the sheer force projected the silver scalpel hidden in his sleeve into a streak of silver light, shooting straight for Yang Ying’s neck! Yet, the blade halted bizarrely mid-air.

It was as if an invisible palm had seized it. Then the invisible grip vanished, and the scalpel dropped to the floor with a sharp clatter. The Ghost Agent behind Yang Ying instantly raised his weapon toward Old Barrow, but Yang Ying waved a hand to stop him.

"He's out of tricks. Don't bother with him." Old Barrow stated, "Indeed." He showed no sign of awareness regarding his failed assassination attempt, looking at Yang Ying haughtily, as if the knife had never originated from his hand. "So, you truly are a Mental Power Awakened.

When I investigated you, I learned you were the civilian hero who saved the Titan's Light colony on Saturn’s moon. Some speculated you were an Awakened. Others claimed it was luck, advanced weaponry, the help of a mysterious benefactor...

Shall I continue listing other possibilities?" Old Barrow’s tone remained defiant despite his status as a prisoner. Yang Ying was unhurried, replying calmly, "Those were all my subordinates' ideas—a smokescreen to conceal the fact that I am an Awakened. Suppressing one rumor can be difficult, but offering several conflicting theories is an excellent way to divert attention.

Believe whatever you wish." After throwing the scalpel, Old Barrow expected immediate execution. He was surprised Yang Ying reacted not with violence, but with explanation. This only made Old Barrow more tense, unable to discern Yang Ying's ultimate goal.

"I saw your stealth technology. You ought to silence me now. I’ve met you, and even in death, I won't be a fool.

Just kill me; what’s your scheme for keeping me alive?" Old Barrow shouted. "I never intended for you to live, originally. It was your stealth ship that piqued my interest, which is why I brought you here.

But don't worry, I still don't intend to let you walk away. Your bodyguards have likely been neutralized. Several high-ranking members of your Blood Skull Pirates are in another room cataloging their assets.

They will be dealt with once they finish." Yang Ying pointed at Old Barrow. "As for you, I expect you to disclose your bank accounts and all other assets before I finish you. You’ve been a pirate for years, Old Barrow; you must have quite the hoard.

Instead of letting others inherit it after you die, why not tell me?" "Hahahaha!" Old Barrow roared, then his face hardened. "Not a chance." "That’s fine; I expected you to say that. But do you know what?

Ordinary people absolutely cannot refuse the demands of a Psionicist," Yang Ying inquired. Old Barrow’s eyes tightened. As the leader of one of the top ten pirate fleets in the Asteroid Belt, he understood Psionicists well enough to retort, "Are you talking about Suggestion?

Impossible. Only Psionicists use Suggestion. You cannot be one; all Psionicists are on the front lines fighting those ape-men!" "How else would I come to question you?

Shall we begin? Come on, tell me your bank accounts first." Yang Ying employed Suggestion, coaxing Old Barrow into revealing all his wealth. He then produced a computer terminal and had Old Barrow transfer all his deposits to the Trane Mercenary Group's account.

As a pirate, Old Barrow invested little in real estate. Most of his assets were liquid deposits and physical goods. Among the physical assets, aside from the Nucleon deposits stored in Herman’s vault, the rest were minor acquisitions, totaling less than ten billion.

Fortunately, the one hundred and twenty billion in his accounts brought Yang Ying considerable satisfaction. As humanity entered the Space Age, the various resources on other planets in the solar system were exploited, Wealth rapidly expanded alongside development. Of course, most of this money ended up in the pockets of the wealthy.

Currently, the unified currency used across the solar system was the World Unit, whose purchasing power was equivalent to the US Dollar from five centuries prior. Yet, in this era, anyone worth less than a hundred billion couldn't even make the major rich lists. Someone like Old Barrow was merely a regional magnate.

Yang Ying used language to systematically strip Old Barrow of his fortune bit by bit. After all, it was all illicit wealth, plundered from ordinary people through robbery and extortion. Yang Ying taking it back from Old Barrow caused him absolutely no psychological burden.

When finished, Yang Ying extended his hand, positioning his hand in a grasping gesture toward Old Barrow’s throat using his thumb and forefinger. Old Barrow’s face instantly flushed crimson. He struggled to force a sound from his throat, reaching up to support his own neck, as if suffocating.

Yang Ying slowly raised his hand, and Old Barrow rose with it, his feet dangling, kicking in the air. Soon, his eyes rolled back, and white foam appeared at his lips. With a sudden kick of his legs, he went still.

Yang Ying released his hand, and Old Barrow’s corpse dropped. Yang Ying spoke to the Ghost Agent behind him. "Dispose of him.

Toss him into space." "Yes, Officer!" The Ghost Agent swung his rifle to his back, stepped forward, bent down, grabbed the body, slung it over his shoulder, and walked out of the room. Yang Ying also left the compartment and returned to the bridge. "How is the towing operation for the three cruisers proceeding?" he asked immediately upon entering.

"Twenty-four Valkyrie frigates have reached this location and are in the process of connecting with the heavy cruisers. Furthermore, the sweeping of the interiors of the three salvaged ships is complete, and the infantry units have withdrawn," Lilya reported. "Very good.

Eight Valkyrie frigates per heavy cruiser. At full engine capacity, we should return to base within twenty-four hours." Yang Ying was quite satisfied with the progress. He then inquired, "What about the destruction of the other nine cruisers?" "They're scrap metal.

Quentin just sent a transmission asking for the next orders," Philea shrugged. "Mmm, I know," Yang Ying nodded. "After today's battle, only eight of the original ten pirate fleets remain; that’s a major development.

A lot of attention will soon turn toward Gray Harbor, so we need to finalize our cleanup quickly. Have the Ghost fighter squadron escort the three heavy cruisers back to base." The communications officer transmitted Yang Ying’s orders to Quentin. "Any news from Robin in Gray Harbor?" Yang Ying asked next.

"Yes, he sent a communication ten minutes ago. He says the four major corporations have all made moves, dispatching their private forces toward the port. It looks like they are trying to open a passage to let pirates or mercenaries in," Lilya said, sporting an expression of schadenfreude.

"Gray Harbor's external armor has already sealed. They can't see the battle outside, so they don't know their landing troops were annihilated the moment they arrived. Coupled with the communication blackout, this foolish action is predictable," Yang Ying stated calmly.

"Judging by their movements, they likely established contact with pirates or mercenaries even before the fighting started," Lilya speculated. "Contact is normal. Those four corporations alone couldn't swallow the Gray Harbor territory.

Robin’s troops are like sick men compared to their private armies; there’s no contest. If they don't secure outside help, how would they dare to move?" Yang Ying countered. At this moment, all traffic in and out of Gray Harbor was completely severed; the entire port district was sealed off.

However, in what used to be the pirate sector, near the entrance to Port District 19 leading to Port District 20, several armored personnel carriers pulled up. Thousands of troops in standardized uniforms, armed with Hammer-Rifles and wearing thick blast-resistant vests capable of deflecting depleted uranium slugs, disembarked. More than ten infantry support tanks followed, dragging their treads.

They were armed with a Mark I insertion cannon and a Hammer-R machine gun, their armor rated to withstand two or three direct hits from a Mark I depleted uranium cannon. While the infantry formed ranks, the tanks took the lead, charging into the port. The infantry followed closely behind.

But as soon as they rushed into the plaza, several half-meter-tall mechanical devices, resembling spiders, instantly erupted from the ground and rapidly scuttled toward the tanks. Before any infantryman could react, the devices slammed into the tanks and detonated. The blast flipped the tanks over, causing heavy casualties among the infantry following closely behind.

Then, dozens of tanks emerged from five different port sectors. With mechanical whirring, they deployed stabilizing frames, raised their gun mounts, and unleashed devastating firepower. The searing shells struck the ground, blasting fireballs twenty meters high—a single shell could clear a ten-meter-wide swath!

The forces attacking the port suffered horrific losses! Please vote for me!