162: Chapter 162 Rehabilitation

Everything was ready.

Zhou An put on his battle armor. Behind him, Ivy, Sheila, and Grace—who had just donned the Tier 5 custom battle armor that Luo Ning had worked through the night to craft—lined up.

Grace's new armor was a deep, dark cyan. The streamlined surface was engraved with wind-attribute augmentation matrices, perfectly accentuating her imposing, queenly aura.

"Let's go. It's time to take back what belongs to you."

Zhou An led the way toward a shuttle-shaped vehicle parked in the center of the hangar. It was Sheila's personal craft, the form it took when not transformed into a mecha.

The four boarded the craft. As the engines hummed silently, the vehicle slipped into the sea of clouds like a ghost hidden in the night, without making a sound.

More than half an hour later, the vehicle stopped at a high altitude about fifty kilometers outside the defensive perimeter of the White Feather Guild fleet.

"Boss, we're exactly fifty kilometers out. Any closer and we'll trigger the over-the-horizon radar warning of the 'wind chaser'."

Sheila took her hands off the console and pressed the button for autopilot hovering.

"Fifty kilometers. Just right."

Zhou An stood up and cracked his neck. The deep starlight of the Void Star Arm began to surge violently. He reached out his hands: "Hold on tight to me. The turbulence ahead might be a bit intense."

Grace, Ivy, and Sheila didn't hesitate for a second, immediately stepping forward to grab Zhou An's arms and shoulders.

"Warp!"

"Hum—!"

Five consecutive, non-stop, extreme spatial tears! Zhou An carried the three Tier 5 Winged Ones as they shuttled wildly. The distant fifty kilometers were forcibly folded before the laws of space.

"Swish!"

The final spatial ripple dissipated. The four figures did not appear inside the flagship but instead abruptly landed directly on the external armor deck at the very top of the wind chaser!

They were at an altitude of ten thousand meters, where violent gales howled.

"Beep—! Beep—! Beep—!"

Almost as soon as their feet touched the deck, the LV6 flagship's hypersensitive radar instantly triggered a top-level alarm.

Around the deck, dozens of dark purple close-in high-energy laser cannons instantly swiveled, their cold killing intent locking tightly onto these four "intruders."

"Alert! Illegal lifeform detected! Locked on!"

The cold, mechanical AI voice echoed over the deck, and the energy in the cannons began to charge frantically.

At this critical moment, Grace stepped forward.

She didn't activate a shield or assume any defensive posture. She simply tilted her head back slightly, and a brilliant light of source psionic energy ignited in her deep cyan eyes. That wavelength, completely identical to the flagship's underlying core, instantly spread out.

"wind chaser, I'm back. Disengage lock."

The dozens of laser cannons that were about to fire suddenly froze.

The next second, the alarm cut off abruptly. The cold, mechanical AI voice actually produced, for the first time, a faint fluctuation like that of a human:

"Soul wavelength compatibility one hundred percent... Highest authority user, Captain Grace, welcome back. wind chaser awaits your command."

"Click—"

Accompanied by a dull mechanical clatter, the heavy deck beneath their feet slid open to the sides, revealing a secret elevator channel leading directly into the interior of the flagship.

The four leaped into the channel.

"Where is Cormac likely to be right now?"

Zhou An asked.

"At a time like this, he wouldn't dare leave the main command hall."

Grace's eyes were cold, her killing intent boiling.

"That place is not only the command hub for the entire fleet but also the area with the highest level of defense."

Zhou An curled his lips into a cold smile: "Let's go. I'll take you straight in."

At this moment, the atmosphere inside the command hall was plunged into a strange chaos.

"What's going on?! Why is my main console locked?!"

A senior operator was frantically typing on the holographic keyboard, turning around to report, covered in sweat.

"Grand Elder! The system shows no errors, and energy is at full capacity. The warship is operating as normal, but... but it's refusing to accept any operation commands we issue! It's been forcibly locked!"

"What nonsense are you spouting!"

Cormac stood up abruptly from the command seat, strode to the console, pushed the operator aside, and personally swiped his secondary authority card.

"Ding—Insufficient authority. Access denied."

The blinding red light hit Cormac's face, making his aged features appear somewhat twisted.

"This is impossible!"

Cormac's eyes widened.

"The LV6 main brain couldn't possibly have such a low-level malfunction! Who on earth is attacking our network? Restart the backup neural system immediately!"

The officers and operators throughout the hall were as anxious as ants on a hot pan. Although the alarms hadn't sounded, this sense of helplessness as they watched the massive warship lose control was even more terrifying than enemy fire.

Just as Cormac was filled with suspicion and unable to fathom the cause.

In the center of the hall, the space less than ten meters from the command seat suddenly rippled violently like boiling water.

"Swish—"

Four figures appeared out of thin air in the heavily guarded command hall.

Before Cormac and the dozens of internal guards in the hall could react, a cold, clear voice that made Cormac's soul tremble echoed eerily through the deathly silent hall.

"Logically speaking, this vehicle of mine shouldn't have such minor malfunctions, wouldn't you agree?"

Grace walked slowly forward from beside Zhou An, her gaze fixed firmly on that tall figure, a cold smile curling at the corner of her lips:

"Long time no see, Grand Elder Cormac."

"Clang."

The authority card Cormac was clutching tightly dropped onto the metal floor, making a crisp sound.

He spun around abruptly, staring intently at the woman before him, clad in battle armor, her wings radiating a holy luster. He would recognize that face even if it turned to ashes!

"Grace... You... This is impossible!"

Extreme shock caused this deeply scheming Grand Elder to lose all composure. He staggered back three or four steps in disbelief, as if he had seen a ghost, almost falling back into the command seat.

A few days ago, she was still a broken shell without limbs or wings, clinging to life on nutrient solution. How could she be standing here, completely intact, in such a short time, and with her aura restored to its peak?!

But Cormac was, after all, an old fox who had experienced countless power struggles. After just two seconds of panic, the terror in his eyes was replaced by a crazed viciousness.

"She is not the Guild Leader! She is an illusion disguised by the enemy!"

Cormac pointed at Grace and roared hysterically.

"Flynn! Internal Guard! Do it! Hack them all into mincemeat!"

Everyone in the hall was a loyal confidant promoted by Cormac himself. Hearing the order, after a brief moment of astonishment, dozens of Tier 5 and Tier 4 elite internal guards immediately drew their weapons and pounced like a pack of wolves.

"Your opponent is me!"

Accompanied by a sharp cry filled with deep-seated hatred, the wings behind Ivy suddenly flapped. Her armor erupted with a blinding tail flame, and she transformed into a pitch-black streak of lightning, heading straight to meet Flynn, who was charging at the front with a giant axe.

"Bitch! I should have chopped your head off with one axe back then!"

Flynn roared, his Tier 5 power pouring out without reservation, the giant axe swinging down fiercely with the force to cleave a mountain.

"Now, you won't have the chance!"

Cold light flashed in Ivy's eyes. Instead of retreating, she advanced, the two short blades in her hands carving a deadly cross in mid-air as they collided heavily with Flynn.

On the other side, Zhou An and Sheila also moved at the same time.

"Finish this quickly. Don't let them interfere with Grace."

Zhou An's tone was calm, but his strikes were ruthless to the extreme.

He couldn't even be bothered to draw his blade, the Void Star Arm glowing. Just as an internal guard raised an energy gun, Zhou An's figure instantly appeared behind him, one hand gripping the opponent's helmet, and twisted it sharply. With a tooth-achingly crisp sound of bone cracking, the internal guard collapsed limply.

Sheila, meanwhile, wielded her long spear like a dragon. Coordinating with Zhou An's spatial suppression, she stirred up a bloody storm among the crowd, firmly blocking all guards attempting to approach Grace on the perimeter.

In the very center of the hall, the battlefield was tacitly left to the two highest authorities of the White Feather Guild.

"Cormac, your era is over."

Grace took a step with her long, slender legs, walking toward Cormac step by step.

"Don't be so arrogant! Even if you have recovered, so what? Do you really think I am one of those pieces of trash who can only rely on warship cannons!"

Cormac laughed in extreme anger. Accompanied by a blinding burst of blood-red psionic energy, a set of heavy, thick armor instantly covered his entire body.

At the same time, a heavy warhammer exuding a thick, bloody stench appeared in his hand.

To be able to sit in the position of Grand Elder, Cormac's own physical strength had also reached the high Tier 5!

"Boom—!"

The alloy floor beneath Cormac's feet shattered with a roar. He leaped up like a cannonball out of the chamber, the blood-red warhammer in his hand bringing with it a suffocating, foul wind as it smashed down fiercely toward the top of Grace's head!

"Gale, heed my command."

There was not a ripple in Grace's deep cyan eyes. She didn't even dodge, simply raising her right hand slowly.

The [Storm Sovereign] talent, combined with the terrifying amplification of the LV6 flagship home-field, activated instantly!

"Hum—"

The air in the hall seemed to be sucked dry in an instant, and countless green wind blades, visible to the naked eye, converged frantically in front of Grace, forming a high-speed rotating storm shield.

"Clang!!!"

The blood-colored warhammer smashed heavily onto the storm shield, erupting with a deafening metallic clang. The violent recoil made Cormac's arm go numb, and the warhammer nearly flew out of his hand.

"With only this much power, you dare to covet the throne?"

Grace sneered, gripping her right hand tight. The storm shield instantly disintegrated, turning into countless razor-sharp green air blades, engulfing Cormac like a violent storm.

"Ding-ding-dang-dang—"

The dense sound of cutting was hair-raising. Cormac's pride and joy, his heavy armor, was as fragile as paper in the face of the wind blades, which carried a 50% final damage bonus. Sparks flew everywhere, and countless deep gashes were cut into the armor's surface, blood instantly staining his entire body red.

"Ah!!!"

Cormac roared in pain, struggling to swing his warhammer to break out.

However, Grace did not give him any chance to catch her breath. The wings behind her unfolded abruptly, and she appeared in front of Cormac as if she had teleported. The surrounding violent wind elements compressed and condensed frantically in her right hand, finally turning into a materialized spear radiating dazzling green light!

"This spear is for those brothers and sisters you sold off like cargo!"

"Puchi—!"

Without any hesitation, the green storm spear pierced through Cormac's chest with an unstoppable, violent force! The rotating wind elements directly shredded his heart and lungs.

"Ugh..."

Cormac's eyes widened, and the warhammer in his hand fell to the ground with a "clatter." He clutched the spear shaft piercing his chest, large amounts of blood mixed with organ fragments gushing from his mouth, his eyes filled with unwillingness and despair.

"Bang!"

Grace kicked Cormac's knee hard, forcing this once arrogant Great Elder to kneel heavily before her. Then, she stepped on Cormac's chest, pinning him firmly under her foot, looking at him as if he were a lowly ant.

"Cormac, take your ambition and go to hell."

With a flick of Grace's wrist, the storm spear exploded, completely destroying Cormac's last sliver of life.

Meanwhile, the battle on the other side had also reached its conclusion.

"Die!"

Ivy, risking a deep, bone-visible gash on her left arm, forcibly blocked Flynn's giant axe. Then, the short blade in her right hand turned into a black lightning bolt, piercing precisely through the gap in Flynn's helmet and into his throat!

"Gurgle... You..."

Flynn clutched his spurting neck, his massive body collapsing with a boom.

"This is the price for ripping off my wings."

Ivy pulled out the short blade, kicked Flynn's corpse away, and gasped for air, her eyes filled with the satisfaction of revenge.

Within just two minutes, Cormac's loyal guards in the hall were slaughtered by Zhou An and Sheila.

Amidst the blood and limbs covering the floor, Grace stepped over Cormac's corpse, like a goddess of war reborn in blood. She turned her head and looked at the main control console.

"wind chaser, broadcast to the entire fleet."

"All White Feather Guild warships, attention. This is Grace."

Her voice, majestic and possessing an unquestionable absolute authority, instantly spread to every corner of the fifty-plus warships docked in the sea of clouds through the highest authority network of the Level 6 flagship.

"Great Elder Cormac and his accomplices have attempted treason and have now been executed. All captains of Level 5 and above, and formation leaders, are ordered to report to the flagship's first conference room within half an hour. Defiance will be treated as treason!"

A few short sentences instantly stirred up a storm within the entire White Feather Guild.

After the broadcast, Grace immediately arranged for the highest-spec internal guards to respectfully invite Zhou An, Shen Xingyue, and their party to the flagship's most luxurious VIP lounge. As for the subsequent internal power transfer and cleaning up of family scandals, Zhou An and his group were happy to be idle, sitting in the lounge drinking tea and resting.

Less than half an hour later, the doors to the conference room were pushed open one after another.

Because Cormac's death was so sudden, and the flagship's radar matrix had been completely taken over by Grace, the outer fleet could not react in time. Except for two friendly formations that had been absolutely planted by Cormac, who saw the situation was bad and forcibly cut off communication to flee, the remaining thirty-six Level 5 captains all obediently rushed to the conference room.

The Second Elder, Ronan, and the Third Elder, Amelia, were also among them.

Ronan's warm smile was gone, replaced by deep awe; while Amelia stood tall and proud, her eyes filled with fanaticism and pride.

When these thirty-six captains stepped into the conference room and saw Grace sitting at the head of the table, not only unscathed but radiating an even more terrifying aura, as well as the unsightly pool of Cormac's blood in the corner that hadn't been fully cleaned up yet, everyone couldn't help but shiver.

"Guild Master! You're really okay! That's great, we all thought you..."

A few loyal old captains' voices trembled with excitement.

"May the Guild Master live forever!"

Ronan also immediately took the lead in showing loyalty.

"Enough, put away these empty pleasantries."

Grace raised her hand, her deep green eyes sweeping across the room, getting straight to the point.

"I know what Cormac did; as for the choices some of you were forced to make, I can let them pass. But now, the White Feather Guild is in ruins, and I need to know the most realistic status of each formation."

Grace curled her finger and tapped the table lightly: "Report one by one."

Silence fell for two seconds, then the captain of the first formation stood up, biting the bullet, his face extremely ugly: "Guild Master... what our formation lacks most now is supplies. The warship's energy cartridges have less than ten percent left, and maintenance of the weapon systems has completely stalled. Also..."

He glanced at Grace's expression, stammering as he swallowed: "Also... we have dozens of brothers who were seriously injured in the last battle hidden in the bottom deck. Because the wounded reported previously were... were handled by the Great Elder, we didn't dare report them, and could only keep them alive with rations we scraped together. They can't hold on much longer."

With the first person taking the lead, the remaining captains also poured out their grievances. The situation was much the same: extreme lack of supplies and hidden seriously wounded personnel.

Listening to these reports, Grace was not angry; instead, her eyes softened a bit.

"You did well, not abandoning your comrades."

Grace nodded, giving her affirmation.

"As for supplies... Cormac emptied the guild, and now there are only over twenty million units of Level 5 supplies left in the treasury that can be used."

Hearing this number, the captains present all showed bitter expressions. These supplies were pitifully small for a huge fleet.

"However, there are ways to survive even when poor." Grace waved her hand and made the decision directly, "The thirty-six captains present, everyone go to the logistics department now and collect 500,000 units of supplies, first to recharge the warships and maintain the most basic shields and circulation systems!"

"500,000?!"

Although it wasn't much, in this desperate situation where they couldn't make ends meet, these 500,000 units of supplies were like rain after a long drought. The captains breathed a collective sigh of relief, their tightly wound nerves finally relaxing.

"The Guild Master is wise."

The Second Elder, Ronan, frowned slightly at this moment, raising a realistic question.

"But... if these thirty-six 500,000s are handed out, the treasury will be completely bottomed out. These supplies are just a drop in the bucket, enough to maintain the fleet's basic consumption for half a month at most. After half a month, what will we use to fill this hole?"

"I understand."

Grace rubbed her brow; this was indeed the trickiest problem facing her.

"Tomorrow morning, send out all reconnaissance planes and collection ships to explore surrounding undeveloped floating islands and meteor belts, and carry out basic resource collection as much as possible. As for the subsequent high-level supply gaps and development issues..."

Grace's mind flashed with Zhou An's unfathomable figure, and she took a deep breath: "I will find a way to solve it."

She stood up, resting her hands on the table, and issued the final instruction for the meeting:

"There are only two top priorities now: First, Amelia, you take people to fully inspect the fleet and thoroughly root out those remnants and spies left by Cormac, not a single one left! Second, Ronan, you are responsible for coordinating logistics and concentrating all hidden wounded to the flagship's medical department. Spare no cost to treat them!"

"The White Feather Guild has shed enough blood; I don't want to see any more brothers die from internal strife. Meeting dismissed!"