After The Mission Failed, The Scumbag Alpha Ran Away - Chapter 55
55: Execution Day (3)
Chi Ruo cried for a few minutes before wiping her face: “I won’t cry anymore. Today isn’t the time for tears of joy.”
Lou Chuxue stood behind her, craning her neck to ask, “We’re going to find the boss. Do you two want to put on bulletproof vests and bring weapons along?”
The Omega commander from earlier had reported the location as the imperial palace. Jiang Youbai glanced outside and could already see the massive outline of the palace against the night sky.
Jiang Youbai asked first, “How do we get to the palace?”
Then she added, “I’m definitely going. Is there still time to change?”
“There’s time,” Lou Chuxue handed them two thin black outfits. “Going to the palace is for energy recovery.”
“You call stealing energy ‘energy recovery’?”
Jiang Youbai took the clothes. They were heavy in her hands, as if woven with some highly flexible metallic material.
The bulletproof vests were one-piece, with excellent elasticity and flexibility—just slip them on.
Lou Chuxue gave them two small cylindrical devices and whispered, “These are lightsabers. Very handy. Press the second button to switch to a gun, but they consume a lot of energy, so use them sparingly! Don’t play around with them like swords.”
Jiang Youbai: “But no one can resist a lightsaber.”
Lou Chuxue thought for a moment and sighed, “Forget it. The energy cores were provided by you two anyway. Tonight’s consumption is equivalent to half a year’s worth.”
“That much?”
“Mostly because converting energy into something portable, high-powered, and long-lasting is difficult. Plus, the conversion process itself consumes energy. For fighters and aircraft, we use the empire’s energy cores directly whenever possible.”
In just a few sentences, the palace was already within reach.
The imperial palace was the only place in the empire entirely covered by an energy shield, housing half the empire’s wealth, rare treasures, and various mineral resources.
The palace’s energy reserves must be substantial—otherwise, given the empire’s technology, maintaining the energy shield year-round would be nearly impossible.
Coming to the palace made sense. Seizing as many resources as possible was crucial. The Federation needed vast amounts of supplies, but why was Lou Huaiche also at the palace?
Jiang Youbai frowned: “Lou Huaiche went to find Ning Yunze. Why would she be here?”
Lou Chuxue shook her head: “I don’t know.”
The fighter hovered above the palace. The commander activated the comms and asked Lou Huaiche, “Boss, we’re detecting the locations of the palace’s energy storage facilities.”
The holographic screen on her left displayed several markers: “We’ve found at least seven. We estimate recovering five within half an hour.”
Lou Huaiche’s voice came through the speaker: “Coordinates (A44, 0). Requesting backup.”
Her words were rapid, but her tone was steady: “The palace guards are twice the expected number. C-001 and C-002 are low on energy. We need at least two squads for support.”
The commander tapped the panel with one hand while pressing the comms with the other: “Adjusting the battle plan. C-003 and C-004, provide backup. C-005, proceed with the original plan to recover palace energy. Aim to recover at least three storage sites within half an hour.”
Three elevators extended from the bottom of the fighter, and three squads quickly descended. One squad remained aboard as guards.
Jiang Qingxian’s patrol team had already caught up. Lou Chuxue took over command and ordered, “At 8:50, ascend to 2,300 meters. A-1 will split into Aa-1 and Ab-1. Aa-1 will climb to 4,000 meters and standby. Ab-1 will descend to 1,000 meters and hover above the battlefield for immediate support.”
She turned to the commander: “Aa-1 is yours.”
The commander saluted her: “Yes, ma’am.”
With that, she headed to the internal elevator and ascended to the upper half of the fighter.
The fighter quickly gained altitude, its shape morphing from a straight line to the number “8,” then splitting in two.
The interior transformation was swift. Aside from the holographic screen shrinking by nearly half, there were no other noticeable visual changes.
Jiang Youbai looked up. The separated fighter climbed higher, soon becoming a barely visible speck.
Lou Chuxue tapped the panel. The holographic screen displayed the coordinates of the five squads. She issued orders: “Ab-1, engage the imperial patrol at coordinates (A43, 0).”
She stood straight, commanding with precision. The playful innocence on her face had vanished, replaced by a sharp, decisive aura. The holographic screen reflected in her eyes, casting a cold gleam.
Lou Chuxue was focused, every move and order carrying an air of ruthless efficiency.
Jiang Youbai glanced at Chi Ruo out of the corner of her eye.
Chi Ruo was staring intently at Lou Chuxue.
Jiang Youbai understood—she’d have to find Lou Huaiche alone. Chi Ruo was useless now.
Everyone returns to their own, everyone finds their own partner.
The two fighters had only one squad’s worth of troops combined, but Ab-1, which joined the battle, seemed to have more firepower, giving it the upper hand against the imperial patrol.
Everything was ready. The Federation’s fighters had already dismantled two imperial patrol ships.
Lou Chuxue pressed the speaker button, her tone triumphant: “Everyone! The empire’s guards have been complacent for a century. Let’s show them what a well-trained army looks like!”
Rain began to fall over the imperial capital.
Flames soared into the sky. The empire’s energy shield was easily torn apart. The capital’s pampered patrols and ships, unused to real combat, were powerless against the Federation’s military and weapons, retreating step by step to the inner perimeter.
Jiang Youbai’s brow twitched.
She checked the holographic screen displaying the squads’ coordinates.
Of the three squads backing up Lou Huaiche, two were outside the empire’s defensive line, while one was inside, steadily advancing toward the palace’s central point.
As the former Alpha royal heir and former crown prince, Jiang Youbai had long heard rumors of the palace’s interior housing weapons from centuries past and the legendary energy shield that had briefly appeared during that era.
With the thought of someday committing regicide, she and Chi Ruo had spent years mapping the palace’s patrol routes, gradually piecing together the approximate location of this defensive line.
Now, judging by Jiang Qingxian’s retreat, they were falling back behind the defensive line—a position roughly matching Jiang Youbai’s long-held suspicions.
Jiang Youbai approached Lou Chuxue and quickly explained. She added, “Lou Huaiche is inside the defensive line. The energy shield from that era is said to be indestructible, capable of withstanding cosmic energy storms… Can the Federation’s weapons break through?”
A shadow crossed Lou Chuxue’s face. She shook her head: “No. The technology was lost when the researchers were infected by an unknown cosmic virus at the end of that era. No one else could solve the technical challenges.”
“If that’s the case, the empire is just buying time to counterattack. C-005, what’s the energy recovery progress?”
A few seconds later, the squad leader replied over the comms: “Reporting, ma’am. This is C-005. We’re on schedule, about ten minutes left. We might even recover an extra energy storage site.”
The squad leader’s voice was brimming with excitement: “Ma’am, this place is rich! I’ve never seen so many resources in my life! We can’t even carry it all! Good thing we brought extra gear—just dismantle and transport directly.”
Lou Chuxue replied, “Recover one extra site, then retreat to Ab-1 as planned.”
She then tried contacting Lou Huaiche but found the signal cut off. Jiang Youbai and Lou Chuxue looked up simultaneously to see a thin golden energy shield enveloping the palace, leaving only a small gap.
Lou Chuxue spoke rapidly: “We can wait at most another half-hour. Full retreat is mandatory. Proceed to the satellite as planned.”
Jiang Youbai asked, “Can we still provide backup?”
“No. We’ve already lost 23 people. Without contact with the boss, minimizing casualties is our priority.”
Jiang Youbai gripped the lightsaber hilt Lou Chuxue had given her: “I’ll go in. I know this place. I can find Lou Huaiche quickly.”
Lou Chuxue studied her intently, then detached a piece of armor from her wrist and handed it to Jiang Youbai: “This was covered in the manual. You should know how to use it. This is the last concession I can make.”
The armor swiftly encased Jiang Youbai’s left hand, linking to her personal terminal and projecting a holographic window with various data.
As the second-in-command of this operation, Lou Chuxue had to prioritize the bigger picture and results over personal feelings.
This armor was expensive. Losing it in battle could mean disciplinary action for Lou Chuxue.
“Go! Bring the boss back no matter what.”
Jiang Youbai nodded. Following the Federation combat manual she’d studied earlier, she sprinted to the elevator, grabbed a mechanical glider, and strapped it on.
Chi Ruo followed: “I’m coming with you.”
“No. We need to minimize losses. If Lou Huaiche and I both die in there, at least one person familiar with the empire must survive.”
Jiang Youbai stepped into the elevator. She paused, giving Chi Ruo a deep look: “Chi Ruo, I wanted to apologize properly, but there’s no time now.”
“I’m sorry. For everything I’ve done in the past.”
The elevator descended. Jiang Youbai reached the fighter’s lower level, opened the hatch, activated the glider, and leaped out without hesitation.
Just before she exited, she heard Chi Ruo roar at the top of her lungs: “I forgive you—”
The mechanical glider emitted a burst of gas, propelling Jiang Youbai into a rapid dive.
Outside, a light rain fell, pattering softly. Jiang Youbai wore goggles, the wind and rain whistling in her ears.
The sensation of accelerating freefall made her bl00d surge. The misty air and cold raindrops felt just like the day of the fireworks festival when she’d leaped off the cliff, the sea breeze brushing her face.
Everything overlapped with that day. Just before landing, an image flashed in her mind.
A holographic window floated before her, the churning waves below. A line of text appeared:
[Lou Huaiche’s Corruption Value: 100]
Jiang Youbai wasn’t entirely proficient with the glider. She nearly stumbled upon landing but managed to roll and quickly stow the device before darting through a narrow gap in the energy shield.
Guards nearby shouted: “Escapee spotted—”
“It’s Bai Mu!”
“Report to His Highness!”
Trouble. Jiang Youbai glanced around and bolted toward the least guarded area.
Guards blocked her path, and pursuers closed in from behind.
Jiang Youbai halted. Gripping the lightsaber hilt, she flicked her wrist, and a meter-long blade of light flashed into existence. With a twist, she sliced through the surrounding guards.
The guards recoiled in terror.
One screamed in panic: “What the hell is this! Where did these things come from—”
The empire had kept the Federation’s existence tightly under wraps. Civilians only knew the Federation lived on the harsh planet of Fawon, but specifics were scarce.
These palace guards, selected for their Alpha nobility, were utterly unprepared for life-or-death situations.
The rain grew heavier, soaking Jiang Youbai’s hair and streaming down her face.
A reddish mist rose from the ground.
Jiang Youbai steadied her breathing and charged toward the thinnest line of guards, cutting down every Alpha in her path with the lightsaber.
Many of them were faces she’d seen before.
Many had records of embezzlement or abuse against Betas and Omegas that she’d reviewed.
This was also Jiang Youbai’s first time facing such carnage.
She seemed born for danger and adrenaline, every move effortless and elegant even in combat.
Her heart pounded, connecting with every part of her body. The metallic scent of bl00d filled the air, and her brain trembled with exhilaration from the precarious thrill.
Jiang Youbai was a natural-born demon.
Bl00d splattered across her fair, peach-blossom cheeks, radiating terrifying intimidation.
The demon’s mind kept replaying the moment she’d jumped off the cliff during the fireworks festival.
[Lou Huaiche’s Corruption Value: 100]
The scene twisted and morphed into Lou Huaiche’s cold yet affectionate peach-blossom eyes, then rewound again and again, flashing through fragments of that day.
The stench of bl00d and charred flesh filled her nostrils. Under the rainy night, the golden energy shield shrank until only a gap half a person’s height remained.
As the gap was about to seal entirely—
Jiang Youbai stepped over scattered corpses and suddenly sprinted forward. The armor on her wrist linked to her personal terminal and nerve endings. In desperation, she focused all her attention on the point where the terminal connected to her wrist.
The armor transformed instantly, extending a grappling hook that yanked her forward. She rolled, retracted the hook, and tumbled inside the energy shield.
Jiang Youbai raised her hand, flicked the lightsaber, and cut down the nearest guards.
The remaining guards reacted, some contacting Jiang Qingxian while others lunged at Jiang Youbai.
Bullets struck her occasionally, failing to pierce her bulletproof vest but leaving dull aches from the impact.
Jiang Youbai dodged and fought, calmly assessing the situation.
She couldn’t waste time here. Her mind raced for solutions.
She knew every inch of the palace’s layout. Lou Huaiche was most likely at the very center.
She could scale the rooftops to evade most guards.
Jiang Youbai scanned her surroundings. The armor on her arm morphed, firing a grappling hook that latched onto a nearby palace roof.
With a tug, the hook retracted rapidly, pulling her upward.
She stood atop the roof, gazing down expressionlessly.
Dozens of guards aimed their weapons at her through the rain. Jiang Youbai blinked. The armor emitted a molten beam, sweeping across the guards below.
Without looking at the carnage, Jiang Youbai used the grappling hook to swing swiftly between palace rooftops.
Flames and smoke spread across the palace grounds, lighting up the sky like the fireworks from that fateful festival.
She had to find Lou Huaiche first.
She had questions for Lou Huaiche.
That day at the festival, what had Lou Huaiche said that Jiang Youbai hadn’t heard clearly? She needed to hear it again, straight from Lou Huaiche’s lips.