Northstar Starship Military Academy.
"We've arrived." The shuttle set down in the starport.
Shen Bing gave a nudge to Shen Yan, who'd grown drowsy on the way back after eating and drinking her fill. Shen Yan rubbed her eyes and, in a daze, followed her sister and Brother Zhao Chen down from the shuttle.
"If you don't mind, Grandma Shen can stay aboard my interstellar medical ship for the time being and receive long-term treatment. I won't charge any fee," Zhao Chen said.
"Thank you…" Shen Bing hesitated a long while, and found that, apart from these two thin words, she truly had nothing better to say.
"You'll be graduating and leaving the academy this month, won't you?" Shen Bing looked at Zhao Chen; she knew of his skipping grade after grade to become a sixth-year.
Zhao Chen nodded.
"So after this, you won't be coming back to the academy?" As Shen Bing asked it, she felt a certain hollowness in her heart.
Zhao Chen answered, "My sister's about to take a leave of absence, so I probably won't be coming back to the academy much after this. If you want to see your grandmother, you can go to the Owl Dragon Star System. Besides, a year and more isn't long; by then Grandma Shen will be back before you two sisters, hale and well."
Soon Zhao Chen had walked Shen Bing and Shen Yan to the foot of Shen Bing's dormitory building.
"This is far enough to see you off, then." Zhao Chen waved a hand and turned to go.
"Wait!"
Suddenly, Shen Bing called Zhao Chen back.
Zhao Chen turned to look at her. "Is there something else?"
"That… that matter from before — does it still stand?" Shen Bing asked in a low voice.
"What matter?" Zhao Chen was puzzled.
Shen Bing looked at him, a touch reproachful. "The matter of your having me join your fleet."
Zhao Chen blinked, then laughed. "It stands."
"Then I'd have to bring my sister along…"
"No problem — I'm rather fond of that girl too; a good deal more adorable than that sister of mine. But your studies…"
"I can take a leave of absence as well."
"Very well. Once you've settled things on your end, I'll send someone to fetch you in time — a matter of a day or two, most likely," Zhao Chen said with a smile.
"All right."
Shen Bing watched Zhao Chen's departing back, a hand pressed to her chest; she found herself, unexpectedly, a little excited.
"Sis… what were you and Brother Zhao Chen talking about just now?" Shen Yan, who hadn't seen her sister catch up and had come walking back, looked at her sister standing there in a daze at the foot of the building.
"Nothing." Shen Bing went upstairs and led her sister back to her single dormitory of a few dozen square meters.
"Yanzi, pack up — we're moving."
"Moving? Moving where?"
"To your Brother Zhao Chen's ship."
"Really! Wonderful!"
"You like that Brother Zhao Chen so much?"
"Of course I do — Brother Zhao Chen's handsome and gentle, and he's got such beautiful warships besides!"
"You wicked girl — such a little thing, and already turning these things over in your head?"
"Heh heh heh — Sis, be honest: is Brother Zhao Chen my future brother-in-law?"
"You— you wretched girl… what nonsense are you talking!"
"If he's not, then he's not. Just as well — when this young lady grows up, I'll marry Brother Zhao Chen myself; when we were eating before, Brother Zhao Chen promised me!"
"You shameless little lass!"
The next several days were the graduation ceremonies and related events. The academy had originally wanted Zhao Chen, that outstanding student, to speak as a representative, but Zhao Chen declined; in the end it was Su Lan who spoke on behalf of this graduating class.
Annual Mission: The Host is to graduate normally from Northstar Academy within one year.
Mission complete — please claim your reward.
The system prompt sounded in Zhao Chen's mind, but in the present setting he had no time to look at the reward.
"Zhao Chen." Dean Qin, Vice-Dean Hong, and Instructor Qin came before Zhao Chen. Zhao Chen greeted the three teachers.
"You're one of the finest students in the history of our Northstar Academy; this little temple of ours can no longer meet your needs. You need a broader sky! But I hope that, however far you fly out there, you'll never forget you're a student of our Northstar Academy. Come back to visit when you have the time. I still owe you one great favor." Dean Qin patted Zhao Chen's shoulder.
Zhao Chen nodded. "I will always be a student of Northstar Academy." This was the starting point of this stretch of his life; it held a special meaning for him — how could he ever forget it?
"If you meet with any hardship out there, come back," Vice-Dean Hong said heartily.
Instructor Qin looked at Zhao Chen with a smile. "I'll always keep the memory of that time we fought shoulder to shoulder. Thank you."
Having said his farewells to the teachers—
A familiar figure appeared before Zhao Chen. Zhao Chen looked at Li Wei, whose eyes were somewhat red and swollen.
"Hey — you great grown man, is there any need for this?" Zhao Chen gave Li Wei a punch; he held back his strength, though, for a punch of his now, against Li Wei's slight frame, might truly be more than he could take.
"You… I thought the two of us would go through all six years of the academy together. Never thought you'd graduate in the blink of an eye." Li Wei's voice was a little choked, but he soon laughed. "Still — rest easy, you. I, Li Wei, won't turn out any worse than you; sooner or later I too will become a great hero!"
"Then I'll be waiting for our great hero." Zhao Chen stepped up and gave this brother of his an embrace. Once parted from the academy, there was no knowing when or where they'd meet again.
The graduation ceremony soon ended; there were still many small events to follow, but Zhao Chen slipped away in a hurry. He had no love of such crowded occasions. And besides, he had more important matters.
When he returned to the T3 Blizzard, he saw Shen Bing and Shen Yan, laden with bags large and small.
"How are you two up here so soon? Won't you stay a few more days at the academy?" Zhao Chen looked at Shen Bing, a little surprised. Zhao Wan'er was still off saying her farewells to Su Lan, Xue Xiaoxiao, and the others.
"I never had many friends at the academy to begin with," Shen Bing explained. Come to think of it, it was true; when Shen Bing was at the academy, she was either studying or finding ways to earn money — naturally she'd had few friends.
"Then I'll have Lilith help you get familiar with our Owl Dragon Fleet first; as for your post… let me think it over," Zhao Chen said.
"Mm." Shen Bing didn't mind what post she'd be given. Zhao Chen had done so much for her already; even serving as a mere footsoldier in his fleet would make her glad.
Zhao Chen returned to his captain's quarters and opened the System interface. In the most conspicuous spot was the annual mission reward, waiting to be claimed.
"Since it's the annual mission reward, it must surely be something fine!" Bearing that hope, Zhao Chen claimed the annual mission reward.
Annual mission reward successfully claimed: "T4 Reviver-class Clone Ship" — technical blueprint.