I Am a Salted Fish in the Interstellar Era - Chapter 13

The silver-blue mecha swept across the battlefield with the force of thunder, the video freezing at the moment the mecha retracted its beam sword.

In the highest combat command room of the Sea Blue Star space station, officers in blue and white uniforms filled the seats along a long table.

As the video ended, an aide-de-camp stood up next to a major general at the end of the table, saying, “This is the current situation on Sea Blue Star captured just now by the orbital satellites.”

Since the sudden outbreak of unknown species on Sea Blue Star a few days ago, after part of the vanguard troops were sent to the surface following a distress call, all communications were jammed by the invasion, leaving the space station unable to contact the surface of Sea Blue Star.

Hours after the outbreak on Sea Blue Star, unknown species also invaded the other six planets in the Deep Blue Star System, cutting off all communications between the space stations and the planets’ surfaces. This was the first time in many days that the orbital satellite captured a signal from the surface.

The room filled with murmured discussions, which ceased when Lin Xie tapped the table with his fingers.

Scanning the room, Lin Xie said, “Sea Blue Star was the first planet to experience the invasion. From this brief video, the situation seems more severe than we imagined, but the surface has not fallen so quickly.”

“The primary issue now is that our rescue efforts cannot break through the atmosphere to reach the surface.”

After losing contact with the surface, Lin Xie attempted to send troops to Sea Blue Star, but the airspace was blockaded by the monsters. Forced entries resulted in heavy losses, leading to a withdrawal and a request for support from the capital planet.

The Deep Blue Star System, known for its commerce and tourism but lacking in resources, had its garrison considered second-tier among the federal armies. Thus, both the planetary garrisons and the permanent space stations struggled to cope with the invasion.

The officers fell silent, all aware of Lin Xie’s points.

Not only was entry to Sea Blue Star impossible, but the same was true for other planets in the system. Despite their efforts over the days, the blockade on Sea Blue Star halted all rescue plans.

The room fell silent again, with Lin Xie feeling the headache of their predicament. At that moment, a virtual screen popped up in front of him, with the Sea Blue Star space station harbor master calling in from an emergency channel: “General, Major General Xie Jiangsa of the Judgment Legion has arrived!”

The mention of the Judgment Legion and Xie Jiangsa prompted everyone in the room to stand up.

A silver-red vessel, like a streak of light, approached from afar and hovered outside the Sea Blue Star defense line. After system authorization, the vessel crossed the line, slowed down, and docked at the space station harbor, transforming into a mecha.

Everyone at the harbor stopped their work, watching in astonishment and surprise as the mecha entered.

“It’s ‘Chasing Wind’! It’s Major General Xie Jiangsa!” someone shouted out loud.

The silence was broken, and the port instantly became noisy as the mecha landed. Everyone saw a person clad in a silver-red exoskeleton stepping down from the cockpit.

He touched down on the ground and disengaged his exoskeleton. The first thing to be revealed to the crowd was his neat black hair, followed gradually by his face, making everyone present unable to help but exclaim in surprise.

Xie Jiangsa, a Major General, the Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff of the Judgment Legion, had participated in fifty-eight battles large and small, with countless military achievements…

Someone mentally recounted his military career spanning over a decade.

It’s Major General Xie Jiangsa! Does his presence mean that Commander Xie is also…

Someone held their breath, their gaze following him.

With the exoskeleton fully disengaged, a dark red military uniform enveloped the man’s slender and powerful body. A red tear mole below his right eye quivered with his smile.

Xie Jiangsa waved to everyone looking his way, his smile growing broader: “Hello, everyone!”

The already excited crowd responded warmly: “Major General Xie Jiangsa!”

Feng Zhuo hurried over just in time to witness this scene.

The influence of the Judgment Legion…

He frowned but quickly masked his reaction, walking up to Xie Jiangsa to salute him. The people in the port, feeling the solemnity later, also saluted.

Though both held the rank of Major General, Xie Jiangsa was part of the expeditionary force’s most special unit, the Judgment Legion, possessing both greater power and merits than Feng Zhuo.

Xie Jiangsa returned the salute, asking, “Immediately resupply the ‘Chasing Wind’. What’s the situation on Sea Blue Star now?”

Feng Zhuo immediately had his aide arrange for the supplies, then started to describe the situation on Sea Blue Star.

After that, Feng Zhuo asked, “Major General Xie, why did you come? Hasn’t Marshal Feng already dispatched…”

Xie Jiangsa glanced at him, then at the officers behind him, all ears perked up, and dropped a bombshell with a smile: “Major General Xie Yuyan, the Chief Commander and Commander of the Judgment Legion, is currently stranded on Sea Blue Star.”

Just as Feng Zhuo was pondering if the First Marshal would take matters into his own hands again, this revelation left him completely flabbergasted, exclaiming, “What did you say?”

Even using honorifics in his shock.

Tsk.

Xie Jiangsa didn’t respond to his question but looked back at the ‘Chasing Wind’ being refueled and asked, “How long will the resupply take?”

“About ten minutes. You are…” Feng Zhuo wiped the sweat from his brow, probing.

“Marshal Feng’s reinforcements are too slow, taking an estimated day to arrive. Marshal Xie is concerned about Commander Xie, hence my dispatch here.”

“Will I enter Sea Blue Star first? Do you have any objections, Major General Feng?” Xie Jiangsa asked, tilting his head.

Feng Zhuo wiped more sweat away, quickly responding, “No! No! It’s just that the atmosphere of Sea Blue Star is difficult to breach, you…”

“You don’t need to worry about that.”

Hearing this, Feng Zhuo had no choice but to keep quiet.

The Judgment Legion, though small in number, consists entirely of mecha elites capable of fighting thousands single-handedly. To say Xie Jiangsa alone driving the ‘Chasing Wind’ could tear through Sea Blue Star’s defenses was no exaggeration, and whether he could breach its atmosphere was certainly not Feng Zhuo’s concern.

After a moment of silence, the refueling of the ‘Chasing Wind’ was completed. Xie Jiangsa donned his exoskeleton, and just as he was about to leave, he suddenly turned around: “The matter of Commander Xie being on Sea Blue Star is a federal secret. Please do not spread it.”

Feng Zhuo’s forehead beaded with even more sweat. A federal secret mentioned here! Was it because it wasn’t spreading fast enough?

Xie Jiangsa, seeing Feng Zhuo’s distressed face, laughed, jumped into his mecha, and before leaving, threw another bombshell at the constantly sweating Feng Zhuo: “Marshal Feng’s only son seems to be on Sea Blue Star too.”

After dropping the bombshell, he didn’t wait for Feng Zhuo’s reaction, piloting the mecha away as a streak of light.

–

Shi Yu was eating a small pudding on the hospital bed, with Lu Dongyan next to her on another bed, his arm injury seeming to have worsened. Doctor Feng Xiao was checking their health.

Regarding Captain Lin Xie’s call, Shi Yu did not hesitate to hang up, grateful for discovering that the War God mecha had a particle virtualization function, which allowed for a disappearing act that surely facilitated their escape.

She just wanted to be a salted fish, uninterested in other matters.

Coincidentally, the two mechas that appeared with her, one black and one white, also performed a disappearing act.

“You’re not seriously harmed, just overexerted. Your rib injury will probably need a shot of physiological repair fluid,” Feng Xiao told Shi Yu, then moved to Lu Dongyan: “Your arm is a bit more serious. Take care in the next few days, avoid injuring it three times, or you might need to replace it.”

“How are things outside?” Lu Dongyan asked, frowning as he pinched the fixator reattached to his arm.

Seeing he was still concerned about the outside, Feng Xiao, albeit speechless, informed: “The highest commander of the shelter has perished.”

After a pause, both knew he referred to the person from the recent broadcast and fell silent.

“Now, Captain Lin Xie has taken full control of the shelter. I’m not clear on the specifics, but there are quite a few injuries this time. Your conditions are not severe, just come daily for physiological repair fluid shots. Later, you can register at the military station, and they will arrange a new place for you.”

Shi Yu nodded obediently, intending to sneak away alone after finishing her pudding, but Lu Dongyan followed her.

Shi Yu threw a questioning look at him. Lu Dongyan, awkwardly covering his mouth to cough lightly, said awkwardly: “Do you have any more nutrient solution?”