With a crew of 97 added to the existing four on the destroyers and one temporary commander, this might be the most understaffed entity that ever existed. Even losing one person could make it impossible for a destroyer to operate. Bruce certainly knew how to stretch resources thin.

Inside the command room of the Meteor, Feng Yi continually swept his gaze over the 97 individuals present. He said, "I am Feng Yi, commander of the Flame Legion, and the highest authority aboard this battleship. Regardless of your past lives, even if you were burglars, murderers, or arsonists, from now on, you are members of the Meteor. Forget your pasts and start anew as soldiers of the Federal Army. Here, there is no violence or hierarchy, no intrigue, only the duty of fulfilling your designated roles."

The 97 space pirates kept silent. Looking at each other in silence, they lowered their heads. In reality, the hierarchy within a space pirate crew is even more rigorous than in an army, so simply surviving was already a luxury.

Life among such groups commonly meant death. You could be beaten to death by your boss, executed with a single command, killed by a stray missile from a sovereign nation, or assassinated by a vengeful enemy. Even during sleep, one had to be wary of being jettisoned into deep space by competitors. Climbing up from the bottom typically took years.

Yet now, simply by working diligently, one could enjoy peaceful sleep and receive the basic benefits of the Flame Legion, luxuries that they hadn't even dared to dream of before.

Irrespective of whether the space pirates agreed, Feng Yi simply outlined their current circumstances, assigned John to allocate roles, and then left. As for the required knowledge of space navigation, Noah was there to provide whatever instruction was needed.

Seeing Feng Yi depart, John revealed a humble smile. "We're all brothers now. If there's anything about space flight you don't understand, I'll be relying on you. Has everyone had dinner yet?"

The space pirates revealed smug smiles upon hearing his words. They might be subpar in other areas, but they were experts in space navigation. At that, some even boasting about their stomachs being empty, scoffing, "I heard the Free Frontline, the predecessor of the Flame Legion, often went without food. What good meals could be here?"

John shook his head helplessly, smiling bitterly, "There weren't any before, but now there's plenty of good food. What does everyone feel like eating?"

The crowd did not respond at first, but when one crew member requested a meat dish, John noted it down and the others also began loosening up.

Perhaps this was the difference between professional soldiers and strictly hierarchal space pirates. They were given rewards first to motivate them. Huh, who would pass up such a great deal?

"I want black fish, roasted."

"I'll have roast chicken, and a bottle of zero-degree beer."

Everyone made requests, leaving John rather busy. Naturally, some didn't make any requests. But those who did failed to notice John's smile gradually cooling. He said, "Brothers, we of the Free Frontline never had a full meal. Do you think it's now time to experience the excellent traditions of the Flame Legion?"

"Brother, you just said..."

John finally revealed his fierce side, his icy laughter revealing white teeth as his knuckles cracked ominously. He roared, "Correction, the Flame Legion doesn't have brothers. Speak with respect, stand to attention!"

"Hey, hey, you just said..."

Thud! His words were cut short as his body was powerfully flung against a wall by John, blood pooling from his mouth. John declared, "I will not repeat myself."

Man, his mood swings faster than flipping a book. Who couldn't see how frighteningly powerful that blow was? It seemed he was even more violent than these desperate men.

In reality, as a seasoned soldier who's tasted blood on the battlefield, John's exposure to brutality surpasses that of any space pirate. Was he not a desperate man himself? Or one could say, soldiers from the Free Frontline were all the same. John was drawing a line for them.

"Reporting, sir."

"Go ahead."

"Commander John, just now, Commander Feng Yi mentioned that there should be no violence in the Flame Legion."

John nodded, his grin taking on a devilish quality. "Correct. But you broke the rules first. Remember, on this battleship, aside from the Commander and senior officials, I, John, represent the rules. The soldiers who ordered the meal just now, would you prefer to eat immediately or would you like to experience life in the Free Frontline first?"

The dazed space pirates collectively hung their heads. John was going to train this ragtag group into a well-trained combat unit. "Scum, follow me."

What followed was two days of tedious training. However, the space pirates discovered they weren't treated any differently from the other soldiers. Although John seemed stern, he was quite approachable in private.

Every weekend, they had holidays where they could visit the bar and drink, albeit at their own expense. Out of consideration, Feng Yi had advanced them two months' stipends.

You could also visit the gym, play a local area network game or play basketball in the recreation area. One major change was that they no longer lived in fear. They did not need to worry about offending their boss or being harmed by enemies, everything could be dealt with openly. The arena was a recognized fighting area where any disagreements could be resolved. Even if they had past beef, after a fight, they might even become friends. The army was this kind of place where it was easier to make friends through a good fight.

After a few rounds, everyone was rather satisfied with the status quo.

Especially the space pirates who realized that whenever they talked about their experiences with space navigation, a bunch of people, including pretty female soldiers, would gather around to listen, giving them a sense of accomplishment.

Initially, they were too lazy to share their experiences, be it about routes, technical repairs or dealing with emergencies. But when the Free Frontline veterans asked them with admiration, the space pirates were more than happy to help. While they happily answered the questions, the resistant fighters would occasionally bribe them with a few bottles of wine bought with their stipends.

Everyone has a tough row to hoe, they are dreaming big while risking their lives. John turned a blind eye to this. He was focused on studying Mecha piloting. After a day's work, John would always run to Feng Yi's room with a happy smile seeking guidance on Mecha operation, and Feng Yi was always ready to teach.

It wasn't until he heard about John kicking a space pirate so hard that they vomited blood did Feng Yi asked him to be more careful next time. It was fine to hit someone; just don't hit them too hard. In any case, he owed him three cups of penalty wine as a one-time exception.

The soldiers had a wealth of combat experience, but unfortunately, knowledge about Mecha within the Flame Legion was quite lacking. Therefore, they currently focused on training with a virtual Mecha combat simulator.

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