Zhao Chen shot upright, staring in disbelief at that number. It truly was a "4," not a "3." The System had actually given him a T4 warship? Only — why was the name so strange and clumsy on the tongue? The T4 Reviver-class Clone Ship.
Zhao Chen began to study this ship's information closely. And one look was staggering — the sheer weight of information was frankly terrifying!
The T4 Reviver-class Clone Ship was a functional warship; within it, clone bodies could be manufactured, and the life-data of the Host's crew loaded into them. Should any crew member die, they could be revived aboard the T4 Reviver-class Clone Ship. The crew member's consciousness could be wholly reawakened within a clone body identical in every way to their original one. One could describe them, quite simply, as "the reborn" — save that what was used was a "clone body" made from their own genes.
"Doesn't this mean I'll have a… deathless legion!" Zhao Chen found it a little hard to believe.
It was not that clone technology didn't exist in this cosmos. But, like advanced artificial-intelligence technology, it was a technology the Galactic Alliance strictly forbade the research of, because it violated the order of biological law. One had only to think about it: the resources of the various systems were insufficient to begin with. Turn out clones that could be reborn without end on top of that, and where would it lead? And how was one to tell a clone from the original — and, should the two exist at once, how to deal with that? These were a whole string of social problems. So it had become a technology forbidden to develop. But in Zhao Chen's hands, because of the System's black-tech, a crew member had to be in a state of death before a clone could be used to revive them. This avoided a good deal of trouble.
Still, Zhao Chen understood clearly: once the fact that he possessed this technology came to light, it would be nothing so simple as possessing a T3 warship, or having the ability to develop T4 ship tech. He would become a heretic to the whole Galactic Alliance — and even if Governor Chu of Chu River wished to protect him then, he might well not be able to! After all, no one wanted to face a man who possessed a "deathless legion."
Yet for Zhao Chen, this was an enormous temptation, too. Before this, Zhao Chen had already turned a certain question over in his mind. As the scale of the fighting expanded, the Owl Dragon Fleet would surely, in future, suffer combat attrition. Hundreds, thousands, even tens of thousands of crew, fallen — could Zhao Chen accept that? If it were crew like Charlotte, Annie, Lilith who fell — could Zhao Chen accept that? In his heart, Zhao Chen already had his answer.
The T4 Reviver-class Clone Ship!
However much this warship defied human ethics and the common order of things — even if only for Zhao Chen's own selfish sake — he would build it, whatever the cost. Of course, before that, Zhao Chen first had to possess strength enough. How strong? Strong enough, at the least, to stand against three empire-civilizations.
Zhao Chen began to look at this T4 Reviver-class Clone Ship's construction requirements. First, on construction resources: a full 10 billion star coins' worth of raw materials! The price was truly steep — several times over the rough build cost of any active T4-grade combat warship Zhao Chen knew of! Next, the construction conditions. It required, at the least, a T3-grade interstellar industrial ship, or a shipyard with T3-grade construction capacity, to build this T4 Reviver-class Clone Ship. Which was to say, Zhao Chen had no way to build this warship in the short term.
"I must make haste to redeem a T3-grade interstellar industrial ship, then find a way to amass enough raw-material supplies." Zhao Chen resolved inwardly. However things stood, this T4 Reviver-class Clone Ship had to be built. It was a safeguard for Zhao Chen's Owl Dragon Fleet.
One Day Later — T3 Blizzard, Bridge
"This is the list of crew we recruited from Northstar Academy this time — 593 in all. Over 95% are of commoner status; the rest are untitled, down-and-out nobles. After all, being women, even were they to return to their families, they'd only be arranged in future as objects of a marriage alliance." Zhao Wan'er reported the recruitment results from Northstar Academy to Zhao Chen.
Let no one make light of these 600-odd. They were all students who'd graduated from Northstar Academy; in talent alone, they far outstripped the beast-folk crew. What they lacked was merely combat experience.
"Very good — these near 600 students can all become seedlings of our Owl Dragon Fleet in future." Zhao Chen was well satisfied. As for whether these near 600 girls would leave the Owl Dragon Fleet in future? What a joke. Once these little darlings had entered Zhao Chen's hidden paradise, they were bound to be too happy ever to think of leaving — would they be willing to go?
"Have they all boarded?" Zhao Chen asked.
"They're boarding now, arranged for the time being in the T3 Blizzard's dormitories; a bit cramped, perhaps, but the lodging is quite good already. By tonight at the latest, they'll all be aboard," Zhao Wan'er said.
"Very well. Then we'll set out formally tomorrow to return to the Owl Dragon Star System," Zhao Chen said. This time he'd bring back the last four T2 Iron Hammer-class Heavy Interstellar Industrial Ships left here as well.
"Mm." Zhao Wan'er nodded, looking off toward Northstar Academy, some reluctance in her heart — and, at the same time, a thread of excited anticipation for the future.
Northstar Starship Military Academy.
"I can't believe Wan'er's actually taking a leave of absence! Now it's just me left at the academy, isn't it?" Xue Xiaoxiao pouted, looking unhappily at Su Lan, who was packing her luggage in the dormitory.
Sorting her things, Su Lan said, "Wan'er's leave of absence is a bit unexpected, but it's understandable. Her brother has such fine warships and resources over there, after all. Wan'er's already got quite enough of the theoretical knowledge from her studies at the academy; what she lacks is chances to practice. Rather than staying at the academy, she's better suited to being with her brother."
"With all this — I want to go find Wan'er's brother too… Say, if I went and registered now, joined Wan'er's brother's Owl Dragon Fleet, would there still be time!" Xue Xiaoxiao came out with the notion.
Su Lan threw Xue Xiaoxiao a roll of the eyes. "With your standing, could you just up and join someone else's fleet? Wouldn't your father go fighting Zhao Chen to the death over it? It'd only land Zhao Chen in a heap of trouble. My advice is you stay put nice and quiet at the academy. If you're lonely on your own, give us a video call; on holidays you can go find Wan'er, or come play with me."
Xue Xiaoxiao pouted, unhappy still.
Suddenly, Xue Xiaoxiao clapped her hands together hard.
"My dear girl, now what?" Su Lan looked at this little menace helplessly.
Xue Xiaoxiao said, the picture of grievance, "I nearly forgot — I still haven't gotten to touch Zhao Chen's big cannons! The T3 Blizzard… and that T2 Blizzard Zero… boo-hoo… I've been pining after them so long! Miss the chance this time, and who knows when I'll get another…"
Su Lan threw Xue Xiaoxiao a roll of the eyes and paid her no further mind.