Chapter Two: The First Battle of Blood (Part One)

Wild Feast walked with an uncanny calmness toward the warship docked at the spaceport, bound for the Third Legion of the Carro Empire.

Perhaps because the dispute between Wild Feast and Bir had caused such a scandal, when the matter was reported to His Imperial Majesty of the Carro Empire, the emperor personally decreed that Wild Feast must serve in the military for ten years.

Although officially declared as military service, in reality it was little different from exile, and the Third Legion of the Carro Empire, where Wild Feast was sent, was now at the front lines, stationed at the Solon Space Fortress, which was currently embroiled in war.

The neighboring rival, the Gil Empire, had amassed two full legions to launch a fierce assault against the Solon Space Fortress defended by the Carro Empire’s Third Legion.

This war had already lasted nearly twenty years, and as the Carro Empire’s elite unit, the Third Legion had relied on Solon Fortress to maintain its superiority for two decades.

Zi Xia and the four sisters of the You family did not come to see Wild Feast off—not because they were unwilling, but because Wild Feast had not permitted it. Only five elders of the Wild family, stationed in the imperial capital, came to bid him farewell.

Seeing Wild Feast stride silently into the imperial warship, the five Wild family elders could only sigh deeply from afar.

Upon arriving at Solon Fortress, Wild Feast did not become an ordinary soldier; after all, he was the heir to the venerable Wild family, a noble house with considerable influence in the military.

As soon as he reached Solon Fortress, Wild Feast donned a lieutenant’s uniform and was appointed captain of a medium-sized logistics supply ship. Though the title of captain sounded grand, in truth he was little more than a solitary commander.

His supply ship, the latest medium-sized logistics vessel of the Carro Empire, stretched nearly a hundred meters—smaller than some warship models, but not by much. Lacking combat equipment, it had only seven automatic defense cannons. Its fully automated control system required just a single pilot to occasionally update the control program as ordered. Hundreds of robots aboard were more than sufficient to carry out supply missions perfectly.

Wild Feast sat bored in the command chair of the supply ship’s bridge, letting it move automatically across the surface of the planet-sized fortress, delivering essential supplies to various combat units.

The fortress itself had complete supply channels; Wild Feast’s task was to deliver supplies to those units whose channels had been damaged and could not be resupplied in time.

Most days, Wild Feast remained in his supply ship, docked in the bays, cultivating his skills. With the fortress’s formidable firepower and the presence of the Third Legion stationed outside, the likelihood of enemy fire breaching the fortress’s shields was exceedingly low, and the chances of supply channels being destroyed were almost negligible.

Naturally, the Wild family would never let their heir charge into battle—should anything happen to Wild Feast, what then? This was the reality of the Carro Empire.

Though Wild Feast had been sent to the war-torn Solon Fortress by imperial decree—a move the Wild family had opposed but failed to prevent—they managed to arrange for him a safe position that would not anger the emperor.

While the Wild family hoped Wild Feast could safely endure these ten years, Wild Feast himself thought otherwise. Each time he gazed into space at the fleets locked in fierce combat, his blood would inexplicably surge with excitement, as if a voice was calling him from afar.

To get onto the battlefield, Wild Feast submitted requests to his superiors more than once, but the answer was always the same: he was too young and not yet qualified to command a warship.

He then proposed to serve as a common fighter, but this request was denied on grounds that he was a noble and a lieutenant of the empire.

For an entire year, Wild Feast remained aboard his supply ship, spending his days in cultivation.

From time to time, members of the Wild family serving in the Third Legion would come to visit him.

Everyone in the Wild family knew Wild Feast was destined to be the next patriarch. No Wild family member in the Third Legion dared not pay their respects. Even those from Wild Battle Star serving in the legion, if their rank permitted, would find an opportunity to greet him. Such was the aristocratic system of the Carro Empire: though they served in the military and seemed detached from family affairs, upon retirement, they would inevitably return. Not seizing the chance to curry favor with the next patriarch now would be foolish.

After a year, for reasons unknown, the high command of the Third Legion finally granted Wild Feast’s request and allowed him to captain a medium-sized warship.

When Wild Feast boarded the warship he would now command, he was distinctly displeased by the sight before him.

The entire crew of Ship 78456 stood below the vessel to greet him, but their expressions were anything but friendly.

Having completed nearly twenty supply missions with excellence over the past year, Wild Feast had been promoted to captain ahead of schedule. Yet as he looked at the lineup of senior officers before him, his own expression became somewhat awkward.

A tall, rugged colonel stepped forward, saluted, and proclaimed loudly, “Captain Wild Feast, the crew of Ship 78456 reports to you.”

Wild Feast was not inexperienced—though he had not attended boot camp, he had thoroughly studied military protocols. With a solemn face, he returned a salute, only to be met with a ripple of laughter from the crew.

Annoyed, Wild Feast glared fiercely at the source of the laughter.

Just moments earlier, the colonel who had escorted Wild Feast had warned him about potential difficulties upon assuming command, being himself a member of the Wild family and duty-bound to inform Wild Feast of any likely issues.

He had also told Wild Feast that the first officer of Ship 784569 was from Wild Battle Star and that dozens of Wild family members and soldiers from Wild Battle Star had been assigned to the crew. Wild Feast need only manage them with confidence.

Wild Feast’s youthful face, attempting a mature demeanor, was indeed somewhat comical. Not only did the crew find it amusing, but even the first officer who had just saluted nearly burst out laughing.

Wild Feast was angry but self-aware enough not to throw his weight around just after becoming captain—it wouldn’t suit him anyway.

Once on the bridge, Wild Feast said little, only turning to the first officer and speaking softly: “You—I’ve heard about you before I came; you’re from Wild Battle Star, so we’re family. There’s no need for formalities between us. I know nothing of warfare, nor do I care. From today, I’ll be joining the fighter squad. You take command of the ship.”

The first officer was alarmed; just days before, a high-ranking Wild family member in the Third Legion had instructed him personally to ensure the young master’s safety. Wild Feast was made captain precisely because his first officer was deemed suitable. The Wild family had even transferred nearly a hundred elites from the Third Legion or Wild Battle Star to ensure Wild Feast’s safety.

Wild Feast’s insistence on joining the fighter squad was unacceptable; should anything happen to him, the first officer’s family on Wild Battle Star would never see another sunrise.

The first officer regained his composure and said hurriedly, “Young master, you mustn’t go to the fighter squad—it’s far too dangerous.”

Wild Feast snorted coldly. “If others can go, why can’t I? Do you look down on me?”

Seeing Wild Feast’s retort, the first officer began to sweat.

At that moment, a nearby colonel interjected, “Young master, you can’t compare yourself to others. Your status is unique. We believe you should remain captain of Ship 784569. According to regulations, only the captain has the authority to command the ship. If you let the first officer take over, and the higher-ups find out, it’ll be no small trouble.”

Wild Feast paid no heed—his mind was set on the battlefield. He was no stranger to hardship; he had once hunted top-tier beasts in the Death Star Sea alongside space pirates.

Knowing he could not win a war of words with these officers, Wild Feast simply said nothing, turned to leave, and asked a sentry outside the bridge, “How do I get to the fighter squad?”

The officers on the bridge realized Wild Feast was determined. The first officer’s brow was furrowed deeply. In the end, he had no choice but to lead Wild Feast to the fighter squad area.

Many say my portrayal of Phoebe is a failure, but who can truly fathom the human heart? Take me, for instance—I’ve always thought those who die for love are fools, and those who kill for love are idiots. Yet such people do exist in this vast world. Well, enough said.

If you have votes to spare, please give me some.