Chapter 179 [Part 2]

Star Rank Hunter

Original and most up to date translations are posted at volaretranslations.

Translator's Notes: I was pleasantly surprised to find something that has the words stay-at-home-dead at all, so I just put it here.

Chapter 179: Stay-at-home Dad Cary [Part 2]

At the researching building of the Sixth B Squadron’s base.

Cillin and Rikulab were conducting a research. Cillin had brought back a lot of good stuff from his journey this time. The alien bacteria he brought back from another planet had already undergone a colony expansion, and there was also the bacterial strain he brought back from the grade one prison planet. Although they had perished extremely quickly in that prison’s environment, Cillin had frozen and preserved them through a special method and brought them back to the B Squadron’s research lab.

Ever since they discovered the special energy ores at Sector Z, Shawton had gained some confidence when standing among other squadron commanders. However, that merit alone wasn’t enough. Right now, the only person whose good news could give him a pleasant surprise was Cillin. The recruitment of both Rikulab and Udoze greatly pleased Shawton, and now Scarlet Wind had joined the party as well. That little mixed blood fellow had unusually strong attack power.

The duo roughly discussed about the squadron’s situation, and Cillin also learned some news about Sector S from Shawton.

“It’s not just Sector S. The undercurrents of several other Sectors are turbulent as well. Just the day before a top ten hitman organisation on the ranking board had been taken out without leaving a single man alive. Vanguard had sent someone to confirm the news, but no one knows what the real situation is. This was a wake-up call to everyone, reminding them that they had gotten too used to the easy and comfortable days for the past dozens or so years. It was mortifying for the new forces to realise that they did not even have the ability to retaliate when the veterans show up. While Vanguard didn’t fare that badly, it is necessary for us to preserve a level of caution.”

“So it is chaotic outside now?” Cillin asked.

“No, not really. Only a certain number of forces - a few small hunter regiments and hitman organisations - were struck by calamity. The great four are still doing okay.”

Cillin suddenly recalled something and said, “The men at Dias’ side have almost fully recovered, but don’t you think we should send someone to get them looking at the current situation? The major treatments had already been completed, and they would be spending the rest of their time on recuperation. Considering the situation is somewhat complicated right now, it may be better if we take them back into the squad.”

Dias and the others were just treated not long ago, and they had not fully recovered just yet. No one knows if an enemy of Vanguard would attack them where they were.

Shawton thought for a moment and replied, “That’s fine. Discuss this with the rest of the lieutenant commanders and just report the results to me later.”

“Got it.”

After breaking off the connection, Cillin stood at the corridor and watched the faraway sceneries instead of returning immediately to his house.

They had failed to set a ‘fire’ at Sector S, and had returned after just wandering around for a bit. The fact that he was unresigned with this result was a matter of course. The combined strength of Lung and him was just too weak, and their thoughts were far too simple compared to the two veteran hitman organisations ‘Mist’ and Merciless’, and that special organisation that was a headache even to the government, ‘Grim Reaper’. It was only when they had actually visited Sector S that they realised the places they could interfere with were far too few. When they had visited the grade one prison planet they nearly threw their insignificant lives away, and when they had gone to the grade three prison planet they were told to leave quickly before they managed to do much at all.

Both the development of the veteran forces’ overall combat strength and new technology were at an incredibly rapid state. More often than not they would stun the world in a single brilliant feat.

Now, he was back at Vanguard’s base, resting and recuperating. Going by the squadron’s plan, some of the inessential distant voyage missions were stopped temporarily until the situation stabilises.

However…

Practice was necessary if he were to grow strong as soon as possible.

Cillin sought out the other lieutenant commanders and explained the situation over Dias’ side briefly. Although the lieutenant commanders all agreed to his plan, they were hesitant when the topic of who to send to pick them up were brought up. Moreover, this matter was considered an issue within the Sixth B Squadron themselves, and going by the rules, the A Squadrons would not lend them a hand. This meant that they had lost the big protective umbrella that was the A Squadrons, and the situation had become a lot more dangerous.

Every commander had some elite units of their own, but no one wanted to head out and test the waters themselves knowing how messy the situation outside was right now. They had spent a lot of effort to preserve this group of ‘elite units’, and they were reluctant to set them loose and risk losing them.

Cillin had predicted the lieutenant commanders’ reaction from the start. He tapped the table with his finger and said, “Actually, I already have a list of candidates in mind. All that’s left is to pass the decision.”

“Cillin, who are you going to send to pick them up?” Zaya Kasa asked.

Zaya Kasa was more on the conservative side in regards to this matter. Although she also wanted Asiya and the others to return safely as soon as possible, she was hesitant when it came to appointing someone specifically for this task. After all, she hadn’t been appointed as a lieutenant commander for too long, and some of the decisions she made in some matters just could not be considered bold.

“I will be leading a team myself personally. A big number of personnel isn’t necessary; my team alone will be enough. There aren’t many people who are still in treatment at Sector E right now, and they number about fifty or so people. A middle sized spaceplane will be sufficient for the task. That being said, the armaments and the allocation of fighters of this spaceplane must be high level.”

“Of course the spaceplane must be given high level equipment.” Akayi said, “However, don’t you think that just the few of you are…”

“It won’t be a problem. If even we can’t handle it, then it won’t matter even if we add more people into the mission.” after a pause, Cillin smiled and said, “The truth is I find my team a little too idle these days, and I plan to take them out to get some fresh air. We may not necessary run into trouble if we head out either. The news brought back by the A Squadrons came from many different Sectors, and they appear extremely serious only because they are gathered together. There shouldn’t be a problem if we are just picking up our men from Sector E.”

Judging from the current information they possessed, Cillin thought that ‘Mist’ and ‘Merciless’ were mainly targeting a number of hitman organizations, and ‘Grim Reaper’ so far had continued to maintain radio silence. As long as these three organisations didn’t pop up, he did not believe that the situation would become too dangerous for Vanguard.

Besides that, Cillin thought that this was an opportunity to train his team members even if they did run into some trouble. In this era where the strong come and go constantly, they would only be left farther and farther back if they could not catch up with the times. This was not what Cary and the others wanted as well.

In fact, Cillin had noticed that Cary and the others weren’t doing too well these days. Tang Qiuqiu would fall asleep at the shooting range, whereas Udoze would habitually put his finger on the attack buttons multiple times while piloting a fighter. These were all reflections of their true thoughts.

Fledglings had to leave their nests eventually.

After the lieutenant commander meeting was done, Cillin summoned the combat personnel in his team and confirmed the list of participants on a mainly voluntary basis.

Cillin would be leading the 10 man team consisting of Cary, Beaver, Eudy, Xiao Shang, Ba Dao, Tang Qiuqiu, Udoze, Rikulab and Scarlet Wind.

Dough would absolutely appear where Eudy was, Snowball would absolutely appear where Tang Qiuqiu was, and the gray cat would absolutely appear where Cillin was. Cary thought on the inside: at least the food I’ve recently stocked up in the base’s storage cabinet would not be emptied out this time.

Inside a building within the domain of the A Squadrons’ base.

“I knew it. It is that kid.”

“He is the only one who has some drive in him out of everyone else in the Sixth B Squadron now.”