She had finished all six years of her studies on scholarships alone.
After that she had had the good fortune to join the two academies' fleet on a training mission, and it was in what befell them on that mission that she had her first dealings with Zhao Chen.
After that she joined the Owl Dragon fleet while it was still in its early days of building up.
Because the Owl Dragon fleet then was short of senior officers of every kind,
Zhong Xiaoxia became a jack of all trades; put simply, she went wherever she was needed.
She had served as captain of a T2 Black Rhino-class Interstellar Heavy Assault Frigate, and had sat in the captain's chair of a T3 Blizzard-class Light Interstellar Battlecruiser too.
After that she became a captain of the Owl Dragon fleet's first batch of T3 Silver-Rat-class Light Interstellar Stealth Reconnaissance Ships.
And after that she served as captain on a good many interstellar warships of different types.
For she was, after all, a genuine top graduate of the North Star Starship Military Academy; in combat experience she could not match those who had come up crawling and tumbling on the battlefield, Marshal Chitong and her kind.
But in breadth of theoretical knowledge, Zhong Xiaoxia, an academy product, had mastered at least nearly every type of interstellar warship.
Even where she was not familiar, on the strength of her academy training, she could learn on the spot and put it to use at once.
Through this spirit of hard work, and the will to go wherever she was needed,
Zhong Xiaoxia had come all this way, and was now a three-star general, deputy commander of the Owl Dragon Fourth Legion Fleet Group, Marshal Xue Xiaoxiao's right hand.
That counted as reaching the very top of the Owl Dragon forces.
She was only a step away from the post of marshal.
"First, Zhong Xiaoxia's record is very good; she's followed the Owl Dragon fleet all the way from then to now, and her loyalty is beyond doubt. Second, her ability: she knows nearly every type of interstellar warship well; she may not be the strongest in any of them, but she knows something of them all. That's a help in gathering intelligence; she can quickly grasp every kind of information about the enemy's interstellar warships, and isn't an outsider to it. Then, she's had experience as captain of an interstellar stealth reconnaissance ship. And in her time as deputy commander of Xue Xiaoxiao's Owl Dragon Fourth Legion Fleet Group, all of the Owl Dragon Fourth Legion Fleet Group's interstellar stealth reconnaissance ships were given their tasks by her. The Owl Dragon Fourth Legion Fleet Group's battlefield intelligence gathering is the best of all the legion fleet groups."
Xue Xiaoxiao stepped up now too to speak for her comrade: "I can vouch for that. With Sister Xiaoxia… General Zhong in charge of intelligence, when I'm commanding in battle it's simply like giving a tiger wings. If an ace legion fleet group of interstellar stealth reconnaissance ships really is to be set up, I'm willing to stake my post that General Zhong is fit for the job!"
Looking at Xue Xiaoxiao's look of complete confidence, one could see well enough how much she trusted Zhong Xiaoxia!
Zhao Chen nodded and looked at Charlotte. "Since you all think Zhong Xiaoxia is fit for the job, this appointment is yours to see to."
A few simple words had settled the founding of one of the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire's ace fleet groups, and the appointment of its supreme commander.
That showed how efficient the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire was in such matters now; it could only happen in an interstellar empire in its early days like the Owl Dragon, and under the leadership of Zhao Chen's first generation of senior commanders.
"Since the general plan is settled, and the interstellar stealth reconnaissance legion fleet group it needs has been set up too: the later steps of the plan, as you say, must adapt as things change, so let's leave that part aside for now. Tell me first: how many interstellar legion fleets do you mean to commit, and how much time?" Zhao Chen looked at Charlotte and asked.
There were a great many things to consider in this war,
above all in a battle between interstellar civilizations across universes like this one.
Charlotte said seriously, "As for the interstellar legion fleets committed: since this is our first time fighting across universes, and against a T6 interstellar civilization opponent of the greatest threat, and by lightning war at that, I think we'd best commit all our front-line main forces!"
All the front-line main forces.
Zhao Chen narrowed his eyes. "You mean you need not only the Empire's regular legion fleet groups, but every ace fleet group too?"
"Yes," Charlotte answered.
"Only that way can we deal the enemy the greatest harm in the shortest time. As for the enemy counterattacking, I don't think it will happen, and even if it does, we're well able to deal with it. And the best defense is really attack. So long as our timing, our place and our force of attack are enough, the other side has no chance to think of anything else. As for time, I know how things stand with our Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire now, and our reserves of strategic resources. I can guarantee that this stage of lightning war will not last more than a month of fighting in all, and will never use more than eight-tenths of the war supplies we have ready now," Charlotte added.
Charlotte was interpreting perfectly what it meant that the best defense is attack.
Zhao Chen thought a moment, then looked at Charlotte and said, "I understand your thinking. I have no objection to committing all the front-line main combat fleets. And I agree to the month the war is to last. But you should know that before this, parts of three ace fleet groups' legion fleets were sent to other interstellar civilizations' universes, carrying out our task of opening new frontiers. If the fighting on your side holds up our plans over there……"
Before Zhao Chen could finish,
Charlotte said straight out, "Your Majesty needn't worry about that. We've thought about it on our side. We've made unified plans and arrangements in the three interstellar civilizations' universes where legion fleets are deployed. First, before the operation, the legion fleets in these three interstellar civilizations' universes don't need to hurry back to our Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire, and they'll get a chance to rest and resupply for a while. At the same time, we'll find a way to put these three interstellar civilizations' universes into a state of truce that can last at least a month. I can guarantee that our lightning-war operational plan will never get in the way of our Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire's plan to open new frontiers. Once the lightning-war operational plan is over, these three parts of the legion fleets will go back at once to the civilizations' universes where they were working before, and carry on with their original tasks."
Hearing Charlotte's guarantees and promises,
Zhao Chen felt deeply how much effort she had put into this operational plan, and her confidence in it.
Zhao Chen said nothing; he gazed at the interstellar war holo-table map of the Devourer Civilization's universe.
All the marshals and commanders present were watching the Owl Dragon Emperor, and Charlotte too was waiting for the Owl Dragon Emperor's final decision.
The air seemed to grow a good deal heavier in that moment.
At last Zhao Chen spoke.
"All senior commanders of the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire's military department, hear my order." At Zhao Chen's word,
every marshal and commander present rose to her feet, standing ready for the Owl Dragon Emperor's next order.
"As Owl Dragon Emperor, I approve the content of the operational plan just put by Imperial Grand Marshal Charlotte. In the specific deployments, the timing of the operation and the movement of legion fleets, all are to obey Imperial Grand Marshal Charlotte's orders entirely; when needed, she may move any legion fleet directly without my order. The Devourer Civilization has sent legion fleets again and again to invade our home universe, making our home star systems its battlefield. Many star systems have been left as war-torn systems needing repair, and far, far too many people have left their homes, perhaps never in this life able to go back to where they came from. And that debt I've kept in my heart all along. I've always been one to hold a grudge, but I don't want this debt to wait too long either. I want you to collect it back from those damned creatures, principal and interest, for me and for the subjects of the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire. Can you do it!"
Zhao Chen gave a fierce shout.
The commanders present said as one, "We can!"
"Good; I won't ask about anything else. This operational plan is now formally named and set up: we'll call it Operation Avenger." When Zhao Chen had said this, he stood up and walked to the door of the room.
Just as he was about to go out, he stopped. "I'll wait for your good news."
With that, Zhao Chen walked out of the door.
Lilith looked at Charlotte and the others. "Whatever you need, tell my Secretariat directly; they'll back your coming operations fully and without condition."
"Thank you." Charlotte looked at Lilith sincerely.
Lilith nodded slightly, then hurried after the departing Owl Dragon Emperor.
A grave expression came over Charlotte's face now too; she looked all around her, a fierce light in her eyes. "You all heard what His Majesty the Emperor said. His Majesty the Emperor has given us his fullest trust and power. Everyone here is a commander who has followed His Majesty the Emperor all the way; I believe you are all the finest Owl Dragon commanders. This counts as the first time our Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire has fought an all-out war across universes. It's only a lightning war. But it bears on the fortunes of our Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire. I hope this battle can be fought well, fought so that every interstellar civilization knows our Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire exists! Do you all understand!"
"Understood!" the commanders said as one.
They were all marshals, but everyone knew that Charlotte, the Grand Marshal, stood apart, above everyone present in rank.
After all, the power she held could stand wholly for the Owl Dragon Emperor.
That alone was something they could not surpass.
"The exact time of the operation is still to be discussed, but from now on every one of your legion fleets must be fully prepared for battle. Apart from the legion fleets sent to those three interstellar civilizations' universes, every other legion fleet is to be ready for battle within three days."