Shadows of the Deep Space
Chapter 262: Encrypted Communication (Additional Chapter for alliance leader Maple Night) (Third Release)

Chapter 262: Chapter 262: Encrypted Communication (Additional Chapter for alliance leader Maple Night) (Third Release)

"I’m glad you like it. We’re taking off now; you guys get some rest early."

Su Ming smiled as he patted her head.

"Okay."

Catherine nodded obediently.

Then Su Ming and the others turned and left the room.

...

The third day at noon, inside the training area.

Everything was back to as usual, the whole training field bustling with activity.

At this moment, Su Ming and his team were controlling the mechas, running through their drills in an orderly fashion.

Mia was sitting on a small stool, sipping on her drink, leisurely watching Su Ming and the others train; it was quite a relaxing scene.

Suddenly, Hai Lan and Catherine came over carrying two boxes of water.

Mia saw them and called out to Su Ming and the others.

"Break time!"

Upon hearing this, everyone controlling the mechas returned to their stations. They then opened their cockpits and jumped out one by one.

Hai Lan and Catherine opened the water boxes and, holding the bottles, went over to hand water to Su Ming and the others.

"Thanks."

Su Ming said with a smile as he accepted the bottle of water Catherine handed him.

"Brother Su Ming, you all are so amazing, being able to control such huge things," Catherine said with great admiration.

"It’s nothing much!" Su Ming replied with a smile.

Rhein and others couldn’t hide their joy and said,

"That’s not all; we’ll control even more impressive mechas in the future!"

"Really?" Catherine responded with childlike wonder.

"Of course."

Rhein and the others teased Catherine while they drank their water.

Su Ming watched Rhein and the others boast and couldn’t help but shake his head with a smile.

...

Red Teeth Command Room.

Xiao Ye walked in and made his way straight to the command chair.

Lieutenant An Jie stood up and greeted him respectfully.

"Colonel Xiao Ye, would you not like to rest a bit more?"

"No need; how much longer until we start the superluminal flight?"

Xiao Ye asked with an indifferent tone.

"In 5 hours and 21 minutes, everything is normal thus far."

Lieutenant An Jie checked the time and gave an exact response.

"Hmm."

Xiao Ye walked over and sat down in the command chair.

Just then, a notification popped up on the operation screen.

"Notice: Encrypted message received."

Lieutenant An Jie saw it and immediately began to decrypt it. The message was quickly displayed, and she looked at the content, her expression slightly changing as she reported to Xiao Ye.

"Colonel, we’ve received orders from the military. They’re directing us to immediately proceed to the coordinates 4215, 5121, 7141 in the Sand Flow Star Sea to mount a rescue for a level 4 Mother Ship named Nautilus. They said there’s an internal issue with the ship, and it contains important figures and items."

Upon hearing An Jie’s report, the many people in the command room were abuzz.

"What’s going on? They’re asking us for a rescue?"

"Who from the military gave the order?"

...

Xiao Ye’s eyes flickered slightly, his expression unchanged, as he simply said,

"Doesn’t matter, refuse the order; the spaceship moves on."

"Is that really okay?"

Lieutenant An Jie looked at Colonel Xiao Ye with some concern.

"Do as I said."

Colonel Xiao Ye didn’t want to conduct the rescue, as the ship was full of students. With such a vague rescue order, he knew all too well how dangerous it would be.

"Understood!"

Lieutenant An Jie immediately started to draft a reply.

However, shortly after Lieutenant An Jie sent the message, an alert popped up on the control screen.

"Alert: Incoming encrypted communication request. Accept?"

An Jie and the others all looked towards Colonel Xiao Ye, waiting for his command.

Colonel Xiao Ye spoke in a deep voice.

"Connect!"

"Yes!"

An Jie and the others immediately answered the call.

Following that, a man appeared on the screen, dressed in the uniform of a Major General. He had a stern and determined face, a straight nose, and graying temples.

Upon seeing the man, Colonel Xiao Ye immediately saluted the figure on the screen.

"Sir, I am Colonel Xiao Ye, captain of the Red Teeth, subordinate to the Imperial Court Academy."

The General saluted back and then asked sternly.

"I am General Jessa of the Federation’s Twelfth Night Shadow Corps. Why do you refuse to rescue?"

"General, aboard the Red Teeth are freshmen from Imperial Court Academy. I do not believe they are capable of undertaking this rescue mission; thus, I refuse to carry out this order,"

Colonel Xiao Ye replied firmly and straightforwardly.

That was Colonel Xiao Ye’s sincere answer—if the students on board had been from higher grades, he wouldn’t have refused so unequivocally.

General Jessa’s face turned even uglier upon hearing Colonel Xiao Ye’s response, and he retorted immediately.

"Don’t fob me off with such excuses. Even first-year students from Imperial Court Academy aren’t that lacking. Moreover, there must surely be teachers accompanying them. Are you prepared to stand by and let them perish?"

"Sir, I still refuse. You can order another ship to provide support."

Colonel Xiao Ye remained unmoved in his response.

"It’s too late for that. If there was time, would I be asking you? Currently, your ship is the closest to the Nautilus, and you are the only ones who can carry out the rescue. Let me be frank with you—the Nautilus has onboard personnel and items of great importance; we cannot afford the slightest mistake!"

General Jessa replied darkly.

"Sorry, we are truly unable to assist."

Colonel Xiao Ye, having heard this, firmly refused again.

General Jessa suddenly slammed his hand on the console, angrily confronting Colonel Xiao Ye.

"Xiao Ye, I’m not asking for your opinion. I am issuing an order as a superior officer—are you refusing to obey?"

"Sorry, sir, but I too am following orders from Imperial Court Academy, and I cannot disobey those orders. Moreover, you do not have higher authority than my superiors."

Colonel Xiao Ye replied without a hint of fear.

"You—you are refusing to follow orders. I will report this to the military headquarters, and you will not be able to shirk responsibility."

"Sorry sir, but I still refuse!"

"Fine, very well. It seems Imperial Court Academy really is something else, not even obeying orders from the military. You actually stand by and watch your own people meet disaster without lifting a finger. I will make this public online, and let everyone see what Imperial Court Academy is truly like."

General Jessa threatened directly after seeing that Xiao Ye was neither soft nor hard.

Hearing General Jessa’s words, Xiao Ye’s expression darkened completely. He was willing to disobey orders, and he wasn’t afraid of General Jessa reporting him to the military headquarters.

But Colonel Xiao Ye had to consider the potential massive negative publicity for Imperial Court Academy if General Jessa released this information, so he spoke with a grave tone.

"I am not in a position to decide this. I will have Vice Principal Fleck discuss this with you."

"Fine!"

General Jessa nodded in response.

Colonel Xiao Ye turned and spoke to An Jie.

"Go ask Vice Principal Fleck to come here."

"Understood!"

An Jie promptly messaged Vice Principal Fleck.

Minutes later, a flustered Vice Principal Fleck rushed into the command room and, with a stern face, asked the image on the screen.

"What happened?"

General Jessa, suppressing his irritation, spoke to Vice Principal Fleck.

"Vice Principal Fleck, I need your help now. You must proceed with the rescue of the Nautilus."

Although Vice Principal Fleck and General Jessa were not from the same system, unfortunately for Jessa, Fleck held a higher administrative rank.