Marvel: The other side of the double-passing door is Devouring the Stars

Chapter 341 The Pirates' Base

From these conversations with ordinary people, he gleaned a great deal of valuable information. First, his public image was indeed problematic; he was perceived as overly conservative and stubborn. Second, Sack and Lei Ming had drastically different public images—one seen as a radical, the other as a moderate. Finally, news about the Blue Crystal Star incident had begun to circulate among the public, accompanied by various speculations and rumors.

"Shouldn't we get ready to leave?" Rowan checked the time. "If we're any later, we might miss the next civilian flight."

“Yes, it’s time to go,” Emperor Yan agreed.

"Are the two bosses leaving already?" Li Qiang asked, sounding a little reluctant. "They had a very pleasant chat."

“Yes, business is the priority,” Emperor Yan said politely. “We can talk again if there’s another opportunity in the future.”

"Then I'll see you off," Li Qiang said warmly.

The three left the teahouse together and headed towards the harbor. Along the way, they encountered other merchants and ordinary people, and through brief conversations, Emperor Yan gained a deeper understanding of public opinion.

In a small restaurant, they overheard the waiters discussing the management policies of the Giant Axe Arena: "I think the tax policy for the Giant Axe Arena is too harsh; small vendors simply can't afford it."

At a freight depot, they overheard porters complaining, "The inspections at the Giant Axe Arena are too strict; they fine you for even the smallest problem. It's nothing like the Black Dragon Mountain Empire, which is so much more humane."

On a news-on-demand website, they saw people following the latest news about the Blue Crystal Star incident: "We hope Elder Yan is safe and sound; he is one of the few high-ranking officials who truly cares about ordinary people."

These fragmented pieces of information, pieced together, presented Emperor Yan with a complex and realistic picture of the people's sentiments. There was criticism, praise, concern, and expectation.

"It seems I need to re-examine my policies," Emperor Yan thought to himself.

They finally arrived at the port and found a civilian route to the territory controlled by the Giant Axe Arena. It was a large passenger ship, with most of the passengers being merchants, tourists, and ordinary citizens.

"Have a safe journey, gentlemen," Li Qiang said goodbye before boarding the ship. "I hope your business thrives at the Giant Axe Arena."

"Thank you, Mr. Li, and I wish you a prosperous business," Emperor Yan replied politely.

After boarding the spaceship, they found their seats. It was economy class, which, while not as comfortable as their usual private jets, was perfectly suited to their status as businessmen.

"How are you feeling?" Rowan asked in a low voice.

“Very insightful,” Emperor Yan replied in a low voice, “I have never understood the people’s views from this perspective before.”

"Any thoughts?"

"I have many thoughts, but now is not the time to discuss them in detail," Emperor Yan glanced at the surrounding passengers, "Let's talk about it when we get to a safe place."

The spaceship started up and left the port of Black Dragon's capital planet. Through the porthole, one could see the bustling planet gradually receding into the distance.

The civilian passenger spaceship "Trade Star" sailed smoothly through space. Passengers inside were either resting or chatting, creating a relaxed atmosphere. Emperor Yan and Luo Wen sat in the middle of the economy class, surrounded by ordinary businessmen and travelers. No one would suspect that one of these two seemingly ordinary businessmen was an Immortal-level powerhouse from the Giant Axe Arena.

Rowan was flipping through a magazine about interstellar trade, a necessary disguise to maintain his identity as a businessman. Meanwhile, Emperor Yan leaned back in his chair, ostensibly resting with his eyes closed, but actually pondering the public opinions he had overheard on Black Dragon Capital Star.

"Are you still thinking about what you just said?" Rowan asked in a low voice.

“Yes,” Emperor Yan replied, also lowering his voice, “I never realized that my image among the people was like that.”

“This isn’t necessarily a bad thing,” Rowan comforted him. “At least it lets you understand the true public opinion, so you can make targeted improvements in the future.”

“That’s right,” Emperor Yan nodded, “I’ve indeed learned a lot from this experience.”

Just as the two were talking in hushed tones, the captain's voice suddenly came through the spaceship's public address system, but he sounded somewhat nervous:

"Attention passengers, our flight may be slightly delayed. Please remain calm and fasten your seatbelts."

The announcement instantly created a tense atmosphere in the cabin. Experienced passengers know that during space travel, a sudden "delay" usually means trouble.

"What's going on?" a passenger asked nervously.

"Could it be that we've encountered an asteroid belt?" another person speculated.

“Unlikely. This route is well-established and there shouldn’t be that kind of problem,” a seemingly experienced old businessman said, shaking his head.

Emperor Yan and Luo Wen exchanged a glance, both seeing wariness in each other's eyes. As an experienced and powerful being, Emperor Yan keenly sensed the abnormal energy fluctuations outside the spaceship.

“Other ships are approaching,” Emperor Yan said in a voice only Rowan could hear, “and more than one.”

"Are they the pursuers?" Rowan asked nervously.

“Not quite,” Emperor Yan carefully sensed, “the energy characteristics of these spaceships are rather chaotic, more like…”

Before he could finish speaking, the spaceship suddenly began to shake violently. The passengers inside screamed, and some even fell from their seats.

"Warning! Warning!" The ship's automatic alarm system sounded. "External attack detected. Initiating emergency protection procedures!"

Through the portholes, several crudely designed, brightly painted small warships could be seen flying around the "Trade Star." The design of these warships clearly did not conform to the standards of any legitimate power, and their hulls were painted with various skulls and strange symbols.

“Space pirates!” a passenger cried out in terror.

Those two words acted like a curse, instantly plunging the entire cabin into panic. Passengers began screaming and crying; some tried to hide under their seats, while others desperately searched for life-saving equipment.

"Don't panic, everyone!" a man who looked like a security guard shouted as he stood up. "The spaceship has protective shields; they might not be able to..."

Before he could finish speaking, the spaceship was attacked again, this time with even greater ferocity. The tremors were more intense, the lights inside the cabin began to flicker, and the protective systems had clearly been severely damaged.

"The shield's energy has dropped to 60%!" came the crew's tense report over the loudspeaker.

"Damn pirates!" a merchant cursed angrily. "This route is perfectly safe!"

“Safety? What safety is there in this godforsaken place!” another man said desperately. “We’re doomed!”

Emperor Yan clenched his fists, his inner power surging. With his strength, dealing with these pirates would be a piece of cake, but the problem was he couldn't reveal his identity now. If he intervened, not only would their whereabouts be exposed, but it could also create huge problems for his subsequent plans.

"You want to take action?" Luo Wen sensed the inner struggle of the Yan Emperor.

“Of course I want to,” Emperor Yan said through gritted teeth. “It’s too painful to see these innocent people threatened while I’m powerless to help.”

“But we can’t reveal our identities,” Rowan cautioned. “The situation is too dangerous right now; any unusual activity could provide clues to our pursuers.”

“I know, but…” Emperor Yan looked at the panicked passengers around him, his heart filled with conflict. Just then, the pirate's voice came through the forced communication channel:

"Crew members of the Trade Star, listen up! We are the Blood Raven Pirates! Cease resistance immediately, deactivate your protective shields, and submit to our boarding inspection! If you dare to resist, we will send you all to the embrace of space!"

This threat brought panic to a fever pitch in the cabin. A young female passenger began to cry hysterically, an elderly businessman prayed incessantly, and several others began writing so-called "wills."

"Captain, give in to their demands!" a passenger shouted into the intercom. "We don't want to die!"

“Yes, it’s just money anyway, life is more important than anything!” another voice chimed in.

But the captain was clearly still hesitant, because a heated argument was coming over the loudspeaker:
"We cannot surrender like this!"

"But passenger safety is the most important thing!"

"The protective shield is about to give way!"

"Those pirates won't let us go easily!"

In this chaotic situation, the pirates grew increasingly impatient. They began to intensify their attacks, unleashing wave after wave of energy projectiles that struck the ship's shields.

"The protective shield's energy has dropped to 30%!"

"Engine system damaged!"

"Life support system malfunction!"

Alarms blared incessantly, and the entire spaceship shook violently. Loosely secured objects began to fly through the cabin, injuring several passengers.

"I can't take it anymore!" Emperor Yan finally stood up. "I must stop them!"

"No!" Rowan grabbed him. "Calm down! If you act now, all our previous efforts will have been wasted!"

"But these innocent people..."

“I understand your feelings, but we must consider the bigger picture,” Rowan urged urgently. “If our identities are exposed, not only will we be in danger, but the interests of Blue Crystal Star and the Giant Axe Arena will also be harmed!”

Looking into Luo Wen's resolute eyes, and then at the terrified passengers around him, Emperor Yan was engaged in a fierce internal struggle. As a powerful being, to watch the weak being bullied without doing anything was a feeling worse than death.

"Damn it!" Emperor Yan slumped back into his seat, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked.

Just then, the captain's voice came over the loudspeaker again, this time filled with helplessness and despair:

"Dear passengers, we regret to inform you that our security system is about to collapse. For your safety, we have no choice but to comply with the pirates' request to board. Please remain calm, cooperate with the pirates' inspection, and refrain from any violent resistance to avoid unnecessary casualties."

The announcement plunged the cabin into even deeper despair. Some began to weep, some prayed, and some had already fainted from fright.

"Shield is closing."

"Traction beam locked."

"Transfer of spacecraft control"

As a series of system notification sounds rang out, the "Trade Star" lost its autonomous control and began to be dragged and changed course by the pirate ship's tractor beam.

"Where are we being taken?" a passenger asked, trembling.

"It's definitely a pirate stronghold," the experienced old merchant said with a wry smile. "Hopefully, they only want the loot, not our lives."

Through the porthole, one could see the Trade Star being escorted by several pirate ships, flying towards an unfamiliar direction. In the distance, a massive space structure could be vaguely seen; that must be the pirates' base.

"It looks like a modified space station," Emperor Yan observed the building. "It's quite large; it should be able to accommodate quite a few people."

“What do you think we’ll encounter?” Rowan asked.

"Generally speaking, pirates hijack merchant ships primarily for ransom and plunder," Emperor Yan analyzed. "They usually don't kill hostages without reason, because living hostages are more valuable than dead ones."

"Then what about our plan?"

"We'll have to improvise," Emperor Yan said helplessly. "Hopefully, these pirates won't be too greedy and will let us go as soon as possible."

Half an hour later, the Trade Star was towed into the pirate base's harbor. It was a huge space station, pieced together from multiple abandoned ships and space facilities, and looked chaotic and dangerous.

"Attention passengers," an unfamiliar voice, clearly that of a pirate, came over the loudspeaker, "Welcome to Bloodraven's Lair! We will be conducting a thorough check and registration of every passenger. Your cooperation is appreciated! Any attempt to resist or escape will be considered hostile action!"

The hatch was forced open, and a group of pirates dressed in various colors and carrying all sorts of weapons rushed in. Their leader was a tall, bearded middle-aged man with a blood-red raven with outstretched wings tattooed on his chest.

"Listen up, everyone!" the pirate leader shouted. "I am Scarface Jack, the vice-captain of the Blood Raven Pirate Crew! Registration is now beginning! Everyone must truthfully report their identity, assets, and background! Any lying or concealment will be severely punished!"

The pirates began forcing passengers to line up for registration, and everyone was subjected to a thorough physical search and property inspection. Cries, pleas for mercy, and threats mingled together, creating chaos throughout the cabin.

"Your turn!" a pirate said, pointing at Emperor Yan and Rowan. "Come and register!"

The two had no choice but to stand up and walk towards the registration desk. Luo Wen prayed that their prepared false identities would pass the check, while Yan Di struggled to suppress his inner rage.

"Name?" the pirate in charge of registration asked mechanically.

"My name is Li Ming, and this is my partner, Wang Qiang," Yan Di replied, using the identity he had prepared beforehand.

"Profession?"

"Merchants, we engage in interstellar trade."

"Goods and property?"

"It's mainly some specialties from the Black Dragon Mountain Empire, and some cash," Emperor Yan answered truthfully, because these things are easy to detect.

The pirates carefully checked their documents and cargo manifests, and then conducted a body search. Fortunately, Emperor Yan's disguise was excellent, and the pirates found nothing unusual.

(End of this chapter)