"So this T3 Phantom Assassin-class Light Interstellar Stealth Bomber has T4-grade all-around star-shield defense!" Zhao Wan'er confirmed with Zhao Chen again, excited.
Zhao Chen nodded, and added, "And its firepower loadout — its short-range output can annihilate any T3-grade warship you please with no trouble at all. Rely then on its high speed and the shield's protection, and after carrying out a 'decapitation' it can make a clean, sweeping getaway!"
Zhao Wan'er's eyes shone, as if she already saw the scene of it.
"Big brother, you'd really let me be captain of this ship?" Zhao Wan'er gulped, finding it a little hard to believe.
"Truth be told, I'm not entirely willing." Zhao Chen rubbed his chin.
Zhao Wan'er at once put on the most pitiful, pleading look.
Zhao Chen's tone shifted. "Mainly because you know well enough the role of an interstellar stealth bomber — it carries a certain risk factor, and so I'm not entirely willing to have you captain this ship."
Hearing this, Zhao Wan'er bridled at once, chin up, chest out. "Hey! Big brother, aren't you looking down on me too much? I grant you're excellent now, but I'm no slouch either — I'm a genius cadet of Northstar Academy, I'll have you know! If I feared danger, I'd never have sat the Northstar Academy exam in the first place; I'd have stayed nice and safe in the domain being a noble young lady, wouldn't I!"
In fact, those last words of Zhao Wan'er's were exactly the reason for Zhao Chen's decision. Zhao Wan'er was his sister; he could protect her — but could he manage 24-hour-a-day protection? Compared with Zhao Chen's protection, making Zhao Wan'er someone who could stand on her own — that was the true protection of her. And Zhao Chen believed the former was absolutely not what Zhao Wan'er wanted. And then again, thinking it over — the special combat style of a stealth bomber, was that not itself a swift path to seasoning a person? Risk there was, but so long as it stayed within Zhao Chen's control, that risk could naturally be lowered to the smallest degree.
"Let me lay down some ground rules with you first. Though you may captain this T3 Phantom Assassin-class Light Interstellar Stealth Bomber, without my order, without my leave, you are not to act on your own. And should any sudden situation arise, you must obey my word unconditionally!" Zhao Chen said gravely.
"Yes, Commander!" Zhao Wan'er struck the posture of a crew subordinate and saluted Zhao Chen.
In fact Zhao Chen had made a second preparation too: in time he'd arrange a suitable deputy captain at Wan'er's side to keep watch over her, which could serve as protection as well.
"There's one more thing I want to discuss with you — and it's the precondition of your captaining this T3 Phantom Assassin," Zhao Chen said.
"What?" Zhao Wan'er asked, curious.
"I want you to withdraw from the academy." Zhao Chen put forth his thought.
At her big brother's words, Zhao Wan'er showed little surprise. She said, thinking it over, "You want me to throw myself wholly into the Owl Dragon Fleet?"
"Yes. You're a genius; you've done superbly at the academy; the theoretical knowledge, you could say you've mastered it all. What's left is combat experience — and rather than staying at the academy, I think following our Owl Dragon Fleet suits you better. Besides, I'm badly short of talent at my side just now," Zhao Chen said. He truly needed people to assist him now; relying on Charlotte and the rest alone could no longer meet his needs. Zhao Chen had always had a mind to cultivate Zhao Wan'er, so rather than leave her at the academy, better to have her follow him.
"No problem at all — life at the academy's boring anyway." Zhao Wan'er agreed outright. Studying at the academy — what was it for, if not to be able one day to captain a ship, to pilot the starship of one's heart? Now her big brother had arranged it all in a single stroke; it spared her the bother. As for a diploma — she had her big brother's fleet to be part of; she needn't inherit any title, so an academy diploma and the like weren't so important.
"Then it's settled. Once this term ends, you'll formally join the Owl Dragon Fleet. Now's a good time to first familiarize yourself with the T3 Phantom Assassin. As for crew, I've arranged all that for you," Zhao Chen said.
"Right!" Zhao Wan'er, overjoyed, couldn't wait to take a shuttle over to the "next-door" T3 Phantom Assassin.
Just then Zhao Chen received a message too. The person had been picked up.
Zhao Chen at once had the T3 Blizzard-class Light Interstellar Battlecruiser return to Northstar Academy, waiting in the outer hovering zone. A shuttle flew out from within the starport and set down in the hangar. Then Shen Yan came down from the shuttle, pushing the wheelchair, bringing Grandma Shen. Shen Yan looked around her in curiosity — this was her first time aboard so beautiful a ship. She was a little nervous.
"Yanzi." Zhao Chen came over and greeted Shen Yan.
"Brother Zhao Chen!" Seeing Zhao Chen, Shen Yan relaxed a little at last.
"We're going to a certain place; it'll take a few minutes' wait. Once we get there, I may have a way to treat your grandmother's illness," Zhao Chen said.
"Mm-hm." Shen Yan nodded obediently, though in truth she held out little hope at Zhao Chen's words. After all, her sister had tried many times.
Soon the T3 Blizzard returned once more to the Owl Dragon base. This time Zhao Chen and Shen Yan took a shuttle together to one of the "next-door" warships.
"What a beautiful warship!" Through the shuttle's viewport, Shen Yan cried out at the sight of the pink-painted warship outside.
"That warship is where we're going," Zhao Chen said.
"Is that warship also yours, Brother Zhao Chen?"
"Mm, it is."
"What's it called?"
"The Andromeda — the Fairy Maiden."
"A fairy? When my grandmother used to tell me stories, she said a fairy is a very beautiful being — they can grant people's wishes."
Zhao Chen looked at the innocent Shen Yan and stroked her head. "That's right — and it will grant Shen Yan's wish for Grandma to recover, too."
Soon the shuttle set down in the hangar of the T3 Andromeda-class Interstellar Medical Ship. As Zhao Chen and the others came down from the shuttle, several crewwomen in white medical uniforms were waiting there.
"Commander." A mature woman full of charm appeared before Zhao Chen — small, neat horns atop her head, her hair a fluff of white curls. This was a beast-folk with the features of a sheep, of the White Ram clan. The White Ram clan were innately gifted at healing, so Zhao Chen had specially arranged for her to serve as captain of the T3 Andromeda — a captaincy that amounted, in fact, to "hospital director."
"Sis Ram, this is our patient." Zhao Chen pointed at Grandma Shen in the wheelchair. At this moment Grandma Shen had sunk again into her clouded state.
Sis Ram came before Grandma Shen, and looked at the somewhat nervous Shen Yan. She raised a hand and stroked Shen Yan's head. "Hello — my name is Yang Ni. I'm this ship's physician, and we'll be responsible for treating your grandmother. Would you entrust her to us for now? I promise you: we'll do everything in our power to cure your grandmother."
Faced with the gentle Sis Ram, Shen Yan let go of her grip on the wheelchair. After that, Sis Ram had the nurses wheel the chair away; they needed first to run some examinations on Grandma Shen, then arrange a suitable treatment plan.
"Commander, little sister — shall I show you around this ship?" Sis Ram wore a smile like a warm spring breeze. It had to be said, Captain Yang Ni made one relax without meaning to.
And at this very moment, within Northstar Academy, Shen Bing — having only just finished tutoring a freshman, dark circles under her eyes, somewhat worn out from overwork — arrived at the hospital ward where her grandmother had been placed.
"Yanzi?"
Shen Bing called several times. Her little sister, who ought to have come out early with a smiling face to greet her, made no answer today. Shen Bing looked, a little nervous, at the empty ward before her, and at that empty hospital bed. In an instant, Shen Bing's whole mind snapped clear.
And just then, a beast-folk woman had come to the doorway — as though waiting for Shen Bing.