Wang Jun also spoke up in the group chat. "That’s right, Master. Their four-carrier fleet will be difficult to deal with. You’d be safer coming to the Aircraft Carrier Base!"
Ren Yuanyang nodded slightly. "I understand. If I really can’t win, I’ll retreat immediately. I’m more scared of dying than you are!"
"Alright. Old Ji, arrange for a boat to be ready to receive Master!" Wang Jun said gravely.
"Right away!" Ji Yizhi responded at once.
While he was talking to them, Ren Yuanyang had already boarded the Peach Blossom Base’s supply ship.
This was the very supply ship he had seized from Xi’an Base. The hull measured one hundred and eighty meters long and twenty-five meters wide, with a displacement of nearly thirty thousand tons.
Although it was only a supply vessel, it had been fitted with a full forty naval cannons to deal with the complex situations that arose after the flood.
Once he was on board, Lu Jiamei spoke up. "Leader, our patrol has spotted Xi’an Base’s aircraft carrier. At their current speed, they’ll reach us in an hour at most. We should leave on the speedboats. This supply ship is too slow!"
Ren Yuanyang simply shook his head and called for Des.
"Leader, you were looking for me?" Des asked, walking up to Ren Yuanyang and clasping his hands in greeting.
He had been diligently learning the Dragon Language lately, along with traditional Dragon Country salutes.
Ren Yuanyang nodded. "Yes. You all have an opportunity right now to leave your status as prisoners behind and become official residents of Peach Blossom Base. Interested in trying?"
At these words, Des’s eyes lit up. This was what he had been dreaming of!
’Becoming an official resident of Peach Blossom Base would mean more freedom, and much better living conditions!’
’I could even get my own house in the Banyan Forest, instead of being stuck swaying back and forth on this supply ship!’
Des nodded without a hint of hesitation. "I’m willing. I’m sure all of us would be! Leader, what do you need us to do?"
"I want you to take this supply ship and repel the fleet from Xi’an Base," Ren Yuanyang stated calmly.
Des froze. It took him a long moment before he could speak. "Leader... are you sure you aren’t joking?"
"Do I look like I’m joking?" Ren Yuanyang asked in return.
"But a supply ship has virtually no combat power! It has no advantage in speed, maneuverability, or even defense. Forget an aircraft carrier fleet—we couldn’t even take on a single cruiser!" Des said, his brow deeply furrowed.
"So, do you still want to give it a try?" Ren Yuanyang pressed. Before Des could answer, he went on, "Let’s do this. I’ll give all of you a choice. Anyone willing to try stays on the supply ship. Anyone who isn’t can move to the other boats. Lu Jiamei, announce it to everyone!"
When they heard the announcement, all the prisoners were stunned.
"This is basically a suicide mission! I think I’ll just stick to being a prisoner."
"Yeah, using a supply ship to fight an entire fleet from Xi’an Base... that’s beyond absurd!"
"Maybe the Leader is just testing our courage. He can’t really expect us to fight an entire fleet, can he?"
"But what if he isn’t just testing us? If this is real, we’re as good as dead. I bet the Leader wants to use us to stall the Xi’an fleet so the others can escape!"
As soon as he said that, people started nodding in agreement. Right now, that seemed like the most plausible explanation.
"So we shouldn’t stay on the supply ship, then?"
"The Leader gave us a choice, and I’m choosing not to do it!"
"Wait for me! I’m not going either!"
A large portion of the prisoners left the supply ship.
"James, what’s your take on this?" Des asked, frowning.
"We’re staying. This is a real opportunity! I trust the Leader. He wouldn’t send us to die for nothing!" James declared with total conviction.
Des nodded. "I trust the Leader too, but..."
"No buts. Didn’t you see? The Leader himself is still on the supply ship," James said, pointing to where Ren Yuanyang stood on deck.
Des paused. "You mean... the Leader is going to fight the Xi’an fleet alongside us?"
"I’d say it’s highly likely," James said with a nod.
Ren Yuanyang only gave them five minutes. When the time was up, only fifty people remained on the supply ship. To everyone’s surprise, all the Evolvers, including James’s group, had chosen to stay.
Seeing the number, Des gave another bitter smile. This many people was barely enough to even run the ship.
"Jiamei, have our own people board as well. Prepare for battle!" Ren Yuanyang called out before walking toward the center of the ship.
Lu Jiamei froze for a second. She hadn’t expected Ren Yuanyang to actually be planning to take on the entire Xi’an fleet with this one supply ship.
As she hesitated, Qin Haonan spoke up with a grin. "Sister Mei, you still don’t trust the Leader? Hurry and get our people on board! I have a feeling he’s about to pull something big!"
With that, he hurried to catch up to Ren Yuanyang.
Lu Jiamei paused again, then hurried off the ship to summon Lin Mu, Si Youqin, and the others.
When Lin Mu and the others heard the Leader planned to fight an entire fleet with a single supply ship, they were all shocked.
"Minister Lu, didn’t you try to talk the Leader out of it? The difference in power is just too vast. There’s no way to win this fight!" Lin Mu couldn’t help but ask.
"Des already said as much, but the Leader’s mind is made up. If you’re not willing to follow him, you don’t have to get on the ship either," Lu Jiamei replied, her voice grave.
"We’re willing!" Lin Mu and the others replied in unison.
Even knowing it was a suicidal fight, they were still willing to follow Ren Yuanyang to the end.
Lu Jiamei nodded slightly. As she led them toward the supply ship, she began, "The Leader must have..."

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