From the moment the pirates were on the verge of boarding the passenger ship, Ha Long had already driven the flagship forward like a raging beast cutting through the waves.
At their current speed, they would reach within a thousand meters of the passenger vessel in less than a quarter of an hour.
Beidou barked orders as she moved across the deck, instructing the sailors and crew to prepare—checking weapons and equipment to ensure nothing went wrong once combat began.
"Alright, everyone, stay sharp! Today's the last day of patrol. After this, we head back to Liyue Harbor for three days of rest. I'll have Xiangling cook for us—big chunks of meat, big bowls of wine! So get fired up!"
The moment Xiangling's name came up, morale instantly soared.
The Crux Fleet was very close to her. Thanks to her extraordinary cooking skills, Beidou had long insisted the crew respectfully call her 'Elder Sister Xiangling'. Whenever they set sail, Xiangling often came along.
"I'm definitely ordering dry-fried Jueyun chili peppers! That aroma—just thinking about it makes my mouth water!"
The navigator Hui Xing joked with a grin.
The ship's doctor, Ginkgo, shot him a glare.
"Focus on the battle first. Stop thinking about food."
Despite the banter, no one showed any real nervousness.
They had been through situations like this countless times already.
However, as the Alcor drew closer, everyone's expressions slowly grew serious.
The pirates had gathered all the passengers onto the deck. It was obvious what they intended to do.
"Using hostages to force negotiations, huh?"
Beidou's expression turned cold as she immediately saw through the pirates' plan.
With Xu Liushi's observation, the situation on the passenger ship became clear.
"Kaedehara, you and a few others go underwater and approach from below."
Though troublesome, it wasn't an unsolvable situation. Beidou quickly formed a plan and issued precise instructions.
A sudden strike with overwhelming force—then a direct boarding assault.
She trusted her crew completely and had full confidence they wouldn't fail.
But just as they were about to move—
Something felt wrong.
Out of nowhere, a massive ice fortress erupted across the passenger ship's deck, completely sealing the civilians inside.
Then came chaotic shouting.
The pirates suddenly fell into disarray.
Looking closer, they realized the pirates were engaged in combat with two figures, bodies dropping one after another.
Moments later, the sea between the two ships froze solid, jagged ice spears erupting upward.
Several pirates who had leapt into the water in panic now hung from the ice like torn rags, blood pouring freely.
"…Damn. That's ruthless."
Beidou muttered under her breath and immediately ordered Ha Long to stop.
If the Alcor crashed directly into that ice, the outcome would not be pretty.
As expected of a top-tier helmsman, Ha Long's ship-handling skills were extraordinary. Even at that distance, through coordination alone, he brought the Alcor to a precise halt.
The moment the ship gently touched the ice, the hull shuddered slightly—but no damage followed.
Soon, iron drills and mechanical ice-breaking devices extended from the ship's bow, forcibly carving a passage forward.
Only after closing to within a hundred meters did the Alcor finally come to a full stop.
"Everyone—prepare to board!"
Beidou was the first to act.
Carrying her greatsword, she hurled a grappling hook, yanked it tight, and swung herself straight toward the passenger ship.
Seeing how recklessly their captain charged ahead, Kaedehara Kazuha sighed and quickly followed.
In an instant, it looked like dumplings being tossed into boiling water—crew members flew toward the ship en masse.
Beidou landed heavily on the deck, releasing the rope midair. The impact alone cracked the wooden planks beneath her feet.
Holding her greatsword, she stared wide-eyed as two young women calmly slaughtered dozens of pirates on their own.
"Those girls are incredible!"
With a shout of praise, she jumped straight into the fray, cleaving through several pirates who were attempting to retreat.
Her blade crackled with lightning, sweeping out in a fan-shaped arc of electricity.
The surging lightning leapt and danced, instantly killing over ten pirates.
Seeing this, Eula snorted softly—clearly stirred by a sense of competition.
Her greatsword suddenly extended into a razor-sharp ice blade dozens of meters long, transforming into a colossal weapon that came crashing down.
Calling it a slash was generous—it was more like a smash.
The last remaining pirates were filled with terror and regret. They didn't even have time to beg before being crushed beneath the massive blade.
By the time Kazuha and the rest of the Crux crew reached the deck, the battle was already over.
"I am Eula, Reconnaissance Captain of the Knights of Favonius. A pleasure to meet you, Captain Beidou."
With her killing intent withdrawn, Eula greeted the bold Liyue captain.
Strictly speaking, Eula held official status—though Beidou herself rarely thought of it that way.
But anyone could see how close Beidou was to the Liyue Qixing. Between the granted navigation rights and the three newly built ports dedicated exclusively to the Crux Fleet, their relationship was practically inseparable.
"I know you—the Spindrift Knight of the Knights of Favonius. We've met once before. My memory's not that bad yet."
Beidou's grin carried an easy confidence that made people instinctively trust her.
Eula nodded and briefly explained what had happened, also introducing Noelle.
After listening, Beidou fell silent for a moment, then sighed in relief.
"Good thing you Knights were here. Otherwise, this mess could've dragged on a lot longer."
Just then
"Boss, you guys were way too fast! By the time we got here, the fight was already over!"
The later-arriving crew members were dumbfounded. They had expected a fierce battle—only to find everything already resolved.
Among them, only Kazuha moved methodically, checking for pirates playing dead. Whether alive or not, he gave each one a decisive stab through the chest.
Sure enough, he found a few survivors. They were captured on the spot.
Once everyone regrouped, Beidou laughed loudly as she explained the situation and ordered the crew to clean up.
Kazuha asked calmly,
"The passengers… they're all safe, right?"
"They're unharmed. I'll release the ice barrier once the bodies are cleared."
Eula understood well—such a bloody scene wasn't something ordinary people should see.
Beidou nodded in agreement.
After a short while, Eula noticed Kazuha's attire and spoke up.
"Judging by your clothes… you're a wandering samurai from Inazuma?"
"That's right."
The handsome young man nodded.
Eula remembered that Luo Li and Raiden Makoto were originally from Inazuma. She was just about to ask about conditions there—
When she suddenly saw Luo Li and Raiden Makoto emerge from the damaged cabin doorway.
In the next instant, she witnessed something shocking.
The young man who had remained calm and indifferent to everything moments ago went pale.
"Th-The Shogun…?!"