When Zhao Chen had finished searching out the material on this Star Alliance Leader,
he noticed something not quite right.
Namely, that it was all too familiar.
This Leader's course of development was truly too familiar.
From utter obscurity to the highest standing in the universe.
And to have developed so many interstellar warships in so short a time.
Was all of this not very like what Zhao Chen himself had been through?
If so,
then one might infer that this Star Alliance Leader was in fact a 'crosser' too.
That he had a System like Zhao Chen's, which was why he could go from strength to strength in this universe and rise as he had.
If so,
then perhaps the chance of Zhao Chen's own return lay with him.
But it was not wholly safe.
For Zhao Chen could not be sure this Leader bore him no ill will, or how he would take it on learning that Zhao Chen came from another universe as an intruder.
He might well see Zhao Chen as an enemy, and wish nothing better than to be rid of him.
If so,
then to go knocking at his door rashly would be to court death.
So whether to make contact with this Leader was a matter to be weighed at length.
Zhao Chen set the thought aside for now.
At least until he had met and come to know this Leader in the flesh, it would not do to lay his cards on the table and tell his story.
Not without some measure of certainty, at least.
Zhao Chen turned to other information about this universe.
This information too was very recent.
Namely, that in these past six months,
these aliens had appeared.
They came into this world along with tears in space.
And most often within some planet; in a few cases they appeared out in space.
And a rift in space out in the open generally meant what came through might be alien interstellar warships, a far greater threat.
Faced with this,
the Star Alliance's upper ranks had issued certain measures.
If the alien threat could be contained, contain it as far as possible.
If not, then destroy the threatened planet outright,
just as had happened to the planet Zhao Chen had been on.
When such a resolution was first promulgated in the Star Alliance Council, there were in fact no few voices against it.
But later those voices grew fewer and fewer.
Leaving only the common people affected by the policy.
This had set words attacking this Leader springing up among the public.
And besides the alien threat, there was one more piece of information from these six months.
Namely, that the Star Alliance had apparently found a passage to another universe.
And there was evidence that the interstellar civilization of that other universe had a strong will to invade.
So in these six months the Alliance had begun deploying great numbers of interstellar fleets at that so-called entrance to the other universe,
nominally to guard against an invasion from the other world.
But as the interstellar fleets gathered there grew more numerous, and the strategic resources massed there greater.
Anyone with eyes could see.
That the Leader's intention was likely not merely to prevent an invasion by the other world's civilization; rather he might mean to launch an invasion of that other world first.
Indeed, the earlier claim that the other world's civilization had a strong will to invade might well be a tale made up to reach this very point.
It was after reading this that Zhao Chen decided this Leader would bear watching.
These arrangements of his over the past six months were far too odd.
"I wonder how Charlotte and the children are." Zhao Chen lay on the bed, one hand pressed over his eyes.
If he could never return for the rest of his life,
then it meant he would never see his loves and his children again.
He would not even know when their universe might be destroyed by Order's invasion.
Zhao Chen clenched his fists.
"I must go back! That is what I promised them. Whatever it takes, I will go back. And as soon as I can!" Zhao Chen said, flat and final.
With a little talking to himself, weariness swept over Zhao Chen's mind too.
Though this body of Zhao Chen's was evolving steadily toward a grade-six super soldier, the strain of this period had been too great,
so that Zhao Chen could not help falling asleep.
When he woke, it was to a video window popping up on his handheld terminal.
Zhao Chen opened his eyes and looked at the call request that had appeared.
He sat up and first glanced around the room.
Then looked at the request.
He accepted.
A middle-aged man appeared on the other side.
"Hello, my name is Zhang Da'an. I'm deputy leader of this carrier starship's Third Flight Group. I've been ordered to bring you your new uniform, and to handle your training and orientation from here. To get you into your new post as quickly as possible. I'm outside your quarters now. If it's convenient, please open the door."
Zhao Chen looked at the kindly expression on this middle-aged man's face.
Not the least airs about him.
By his rank, he was a second lieutenant.
"One moment." Zhao Chen got up at once and went to the door.
And opened it.
Sure enough, a middle-aged man stood there, a brand-new uniform in his hands.
"Good day, sir. Sergeant Zhao Chen." Zhao Chen stood straight.
This was who he was now, and he naturally had to play the part.
"Master Sergeant Zhao Chen, it should be." Lieutenant Zhang raised his hand a little.
Zhao Chen saw that on the neatly folded uniform lay a rank badge.
A brand-new master sergeant's badge.
"We must be quick. So change now. I'll wait outside," Lieutenant Zhang said, handing the clothes straight to Zhao Chen.
Zhao Chen took them and did not dawdle.
He went back into the room and had them on in short order.
Zhao Chen stood before Lieutenant Zhang in his new uniform.
Lieutenant Zhang looked at the man before him, and his eyes brightened; he looked him carefully up and down.
"I'd never have guessed it: change your clothes and your whole bearing is different."
Zhao Chen smiled shyly for show.
In truth it was not only the uniform.
It had to do with the quiet changes in Zhao Chen's body in this time.
For the grade-six super-soldier serum's remaking of him was still going on.
Because it was not a direct injection but a gradual conversion of this body through Zhao Chen's consciousness and spirit, it did not work very fast.
But in a single day there had already been a great change.
"You flatter me, Lieutenant," Zhao Chen said with a modest smile.
"I'm not talking nonsense. You don't look like a simple soldier, lad. Come. I'll take you to get familiar with the post you'll be fighting from." Lieutenant Zhang laid a hand on Zhao Chen's shoulder, easy and familiar.