Sky-cracking Rider

Adam: "Eagle King" David Sid is visiting, he's right outside the ship.

As Chen Fei's AR visual assistance interface displayed Adam's notification, a screen popped up showing Old David standing outside the airship, scratching his head, unable to find a way in.

Currently, Chen Fei isn't the only person on the cooperative ship, so others can't just come in at will.

Chen Fei said to the seniors who were enjoying the "Dragon's Blood Wine": "Old David is here!"

"The 'Eagle King'? What's he here for?"

The Sky Knight "Light Asura" Ke Liang was puzzled, as a member of the judging group, his sudden arrival here must have a reason.

The other side naturally belongs to the "Americas Gang," so this position inevitably makes those of the First Sovereign a bit suspicious.

Everyone turned their gaze to Chen Fei, he was the master of this airship, whether to meet or not, others couldn't decide for him.

"You'll know once you see him."

Once Chen Fei finished speaking, everyone quickly downed the liquor in their cups, then hastily grabbed a few bites of appetizers, wiped their mouths, and conveniently pushed the glasses and snacks toward the S-Class Superpower User, pretending nothing happened, obviously shirking responsibility.

The freeloading Brown looked baffled: Can I really drink and eat all this by myself?

Thud! The remaining half-bottle of "Dragon's Blood Wine" was also placed by his side.

This scapegoat came at quite a cost!

Then everyone made a temporary retreat, determined not to be caught in the act.

The "Americas Gang" loves tattling the most.

"Rookie, congratulations, such an unexpected achievement!" As the cooperative ship's bridge door opened, Old David entered with a big smile, congratulating Chen Fei, but couldn't help sniffing, and soon found the direction with his gaze.

"Oh? Mr. Brown, you're drinking?"

He said this with a look of doubt.

Over thirty glasses, seven or eight large platters, a big bottle of wine, exuding extravagance.

Heseman Brown suddenly found the "Dragon's Blood Wine" in his hand not so appealing.

"Huh? Uh... yes!"

What else could he do?

Facing a group of fierce First Sovereign Sky Knights, he could only accept it!

"This wine smells good, can I have a glass?"

Old David looked at Chen Fei, that blood-colored wine was indeed rare.

How could Slan Dynasty's tribute be bad? Any decent connoisseur could recognize it, unless it's someone outrageous enough to pour antifreeze (main ingredients: methanol, ethylene glycol) into themselves instead of wine.

(The antidote to antifreeze is strong spirits, a huge irony!)

"Of course, why not take a bottle with you when you leave?"

Chen Fei swiftly poured a full glass for Old David, then took a full bottle of "Dragon's Blood Wine" from the Spatial Branding.

Clearly trying to bribe a member of the judging panel.

"How can I say no to that!"

Old David said, though he took it without hesitation, examining the thick frosted crystal glass bottle for a while, then picked up the glass to sniff, nodding, "The fragrance is enticing, should be good."

He took a small sip, his eyes squinted immediately, just like those First Sovereign combat pilots before, released a long breath, his wrinkles smoothed out, gaining a healthy glow!

"Good wine!"

This was a rare Dragon's Blood Wine, fortified with rare herbs, beneficial to the body if consumed moderately.

"With such good wine, why go to a bar?"

Old David teased Chen Xiao'er.

"No no no, it's different, going to a bar is for tasting, what if there's a surprise? When you discover good wine, you naturally want to stash it away, just like this!"

Chen Fei's gaze fell on the "Dragon's Blood Wine" bottle near the old man's hand, a 2.5L capacity, certainly not expected to be finished in one go, drink sparingly, and it can last a year at least.

With such strong spirits, once opened, the wine interacts with air, naturally starting to breathe and releasing an increasingly rich aroma. Over time, it becomes more flavorful, hence the large bottle design has its special purpose. (Red Sorghum Distillery's sorghum liquor is just like this, different aroma when opened immediately versus a day later, just like in the movie "Red Sorghum," the original site distillery is still in operation.)

"Oh, that makes sense!"

Old David nodded, this young person surely knew how to savor wine.

But ordinary families just don't have the means to cultivate a wine-tasting ability, isn't alcohol expensive? Good wine costs even more!

Who would have thought that after Chen Fei joined the company, he encountered a wealthy female boss who often treated him to good wine. The salary he received probably couldn't even buy a tenth of the wine.

The habit of collecting fine wine and sharing it with others was also learned from her. When poor, mooch off the boss; when rich, share with friends. If enemies come, there'll only be Element Annihilation Bombs.

"Old David, did you come this time to give me some tips?"

Chen Fei didn't believe that the combat pilots of the "Americas Gang" and "Europa Gang" didn't know he was receiving the most luxurious and top-tier pre-battle lessons on Blue Star.

Under normal circumstances, trying to get a Sky Knight to teach a civilian is as impossible as trying to catch the wind, let alone a group of them.

Chen Xiao'er surprising everyone's expectations by causing Manasseh Cheh, the "Arsonist," to falter dramatically, managed to break into the seventh round of the ranking battle. Even if he lost, he already secured a spot in the top 28.

Among a bunch of top Sky Knights, having someone like him is extremely conspicuous. And piloting a combat spaceship makes it even more so.

If it weren't for the recordable simulations of the "ranking battle," no one would know how this kid managed to sneak in.

Chen Fei guessed that Old David's open visit this time was likely to provide him an exclusive session, revealing some secret killer moves.

"Ha! Don't overthink it. After all, I'm one of the judges, can't be too blatant. I'm just here to congratulate you. Reaching this point is already the biggest victory. What can I help you with? Nothing, you've done as well as you possibly could!"

Seemingly reading Chen Fei's mind, Old David laughed and shook his head.

Even in his later years, he never became a Sky Knight. Yet Chen Fei, having undergone "Eagle Nest" training, also isn't a Sky Knight but managed to consistently defeat them. Even the top Sky Knight on the Yangzhou Continent, Manasseh Cheh, was unexpectedly defeated. The former "Eagle King," besides marveling at the young surpassing the old, couldn't help Chen Fei much, especially since this young man commanded a combat spaceship, and being a captain is a whole different arena than being a combat pilot.

"I thought, I thought... hahaha, I really was overthinking it!"

Chen Fei raised his glass and clinked it with the old man's.

Old David drained his glass of "Dragon's Blood Wine," placed the cup down, took the unopened bottle of "Dragon's Blood Wine," and got up to leave, saying, "Well, I've said what I needed to. I really like this gift, so I won't disturb your lessons anymore. Study hard, and aim to progress further."

As he walked towards the bridge hatch, he suddenly turned around and said meaningfully, "Shut down all personal communications with the outside, stay here honestly, don't go anywhere until dawn. Never underestimate the malice of the outside world, keep your kindness!"

"..."

Chen Fei watched speechlessly as the old man left.

That last sentence was probably the real reason for Old David's visit this time.

Never underestimate the deceptive nature of the human heart. The former "Eagle King" persisted in his pride, never compromising with filth, and remained true to his conscience till the end.

"What did the old man mean?"

"Mad Devil" Sun Ru, who had temporarily retreated with other combat pilots, returned to the bridge together.

After all, they still needed to continue the lessons. Even if it wasn't for tomorrow's "ranking battle," it was a rare opportunity for Chen Fei. Who says the captain can't drive the ship to compete? Today's achievements were exactly accomplished this way!

"At this critical juncture, there's no such thing as an unprompted visit!"

Sky Knight "Light Asura" Ke Liang sensed that there must be some unknown cause-and-effect here.

Being both a judging panel member and part of the "Americas Gang," David Sid's visit likely had some hidden reason.

"Probably a warning for me not to go out frivolously. Someone might be unwilling to lose and wants to use dirty tricks."

Having experienced corporate warfare, Chen Fei understood how dirty human hearts can be, and it wouldn't be surprising for someone to secretly use some dirty methods.

"He could have just called, no need to come in person, unless... damn! Even personal conversations might be monitored, so he had to inform in person. How dirty could it get?"

"Is it necessary for just one ranking simulation battle? It shouldn't be taken so seriously!"

"Not to be taken seriously? Personal honor might not matter, but you and I are Sky Knights, representing the face of sovereignty. Doesn't sovereignty care about its face? If it gets out publicly, it could very likely affect morale."

"Can't take a loss!"

"Everyone, be extra cautious. It might not just be targeting the 'rookie,' but us as well!"

"Ha! That intense!"

"As long as you can win, any means are acceptable."

"How about we all just stay here and spend the night? Safety first!"

"'Rookie,' can we borrow a space to bed down?"

Hearing the defensive measures concerning all of The First Sovereign people, Chen Fei smiled and said, "No need to sleep on the ground. The dormitories are ready with complete bathrooms and an independent kitchen."

In the still-spacious Cooperative Ship, creating a temporary area for The First Sovereign's combat pilots to stay overnight and providing independent food supply was a simple task.

After this discussion, Chen Fei gradually realized that Old David's intended reminder was not just for him, but also for The First Sovereign's veterans.

Wrapping up a potential threat, Light Asura Ke Liang, the leader of the combat pilots, looked at Chen Fei.

"That settles the problems, let's start the lessons now!"