Galactic Star Calendar, year 3032, early January · the Owl Dragon System.
This surprise-strike campaign, a raid there and back over half a month, Zhao Chen's Owl Dragon Fleet declared it brought to a perfect and complete close.
"Home at last." Zhao Chen sat in the captain's chair, looking at the cosmic scene before him that was, in truth, no different from any other system. But once one knew that the coordinates already lay within the Owl Dragon System, there was still, of its own accord, a feeling of coming home.
"Commander, this is the detailed combat report for this campaign," Lilith reported to Zhao Chen.
Zhao Chen looked at the combat-report document panel before him. What had been consumed most was, naturally, the input of the T2 Lion King-class Heavy Interstellar Missile Ships — 2,500 Lion King-class interstellar missiles expended in all, worth 1.5 million star coins. Next were the costs required to replenish the fighters and drones the T3 Phoenix-class Heavy Carrier Starship had lost, along with the repair and resupply costs for the damaged warships. Reckoned all together, this campaign had cost the Owl Dragon Fleet close to 3 million star coins in all. And what had been brought back was 110,000 slaves, and 102 interstellar warships of various models — 62 T2 combat-type warships and 40 auxiliary-type T2 warships among them, the latter chiefly interstellar transports. Though this campaign hadn't seized a great deal of resources and materials, there was no problem whatsoever in the investment and the return breaking even. And the latent value of those 110,000 slaves could yet be mined without cease in the future.
"Settle all these slaves on Dragon Star One, and carry out data-collection work on them — investigate clearly their races, and their skills and abilities, and so forth. Those with professional skills can be arranged into corresponding work according to the needs of the posts; and any women fit to be crew may be assigned to join the Goddess Academy-class ship for advancement study. As for those captured T2 warships, send all of them to the Lion King System. And the prisoners of war from those slaver fleets — arrange them for labor reform, and give them the most basic of nutrient rations; those who perform excellently can gain their freedom, and get a better meal standard as well." Zhao Chen instructed.
Dragon Star One was precisely the planet where Zhao Chen had secretly settled the dwarf clan, and afterward the Bloody Mary Mercenary Company — which Zhao Chen had named "Dragon Star One."
As for why he'd send those captured T2 attack-ships to the Lion King System — it was chiefly out of worry that keeping these warships in the Owl Dragon System might leave the Prince Faction some clue. Though the odds of discovery were very low, a bit of care and caution never came amiss; and besides, under Zhao Chen's very nose, there was no need for the trifling combat power of these T2 warships anyway.
"Understood." Lilith at once went to arrange these matters.
"Then notify Annie — I want to discuss the future construction plan with her," Zhao Chen said in earnest. Those few warships in his hands had to be put into production as fast as possible!
"Yes."
Having laid out these matters, Zhao Chen let out a long breath and opened the System interface. It was a new year now, and both the quarterly mission and the annual mission had refreshed.
Quarterly Mission:
Requirement one: Redeem one each of a combat-type and an auxiliary-type T3 starship blueprint.
Requirement two: T3 warships reach fifty.
The second option was of no great difficulty; so long as the Owl Dragon Fleet's production tasks could proceed smoothly, it could basically be completed. The first requirement made some demands on Zhao Chen's System points and task points.
Annual Mission:
Requirement one: Possess a legion-grade interstellar fleet (3,000 warships), of which 300 must be T3-grade interstellar warships. (110/3,000) (incomplete)
Requirement two: Possess one T4 combat-type interstellar warship. (incomplete)
Requirement three: The Owl Dragon System's average living-standard value must reach '7' or above. (0.6/10)
Requirement four: Possess an Empire noble title of Marquis or above. (incomplete)
Requirement five: Possess 20 items of System-produced T3-grade technology. (11/20)
Note: Completing four of these counts as completing the annual mission; completing all five earns an additional reward — one "T5 starship technical blueprint."
Seeing the requirements of this annual mission, Zhao Chen was very nearly dumbstruck. The requirements truly were many!
But when he saw that line of reminder text, Zhao Chen was as though struck by a bolt of lightning!
A T5 starship?
It had actually laid before him the temptation of a T5-grade starship!
Mind you, as of now, the Galactic Alliance's three great powers had only just gained a firm foothold in the field of T4 technology; and though it was rumored that everyone had T5-grade technology in development, to this day not a single T5 starship had made an appearance out in the open. The other two powers he couldn't be sure of. But Zhao Chen could say for certain that the Starlight Empire had absolutely no great breakthrough in the matter of T5-tech starships — for the Starlight Empire had only two T4 starships to its name! Its technical foundation was far too thin; even had it the notion to develop a T5-grade starship, the will would outstrip the power.
And now, this reward had, of all things, been laid right before Zhao Chen's eyes.
"What's this 'four,' 'five'! I, Zhao Chen, have always seen a thing through from start to finish; since I've been given five tasks, then I, Zhao Chen, will absolutely complete every last one, with not a single one left over!" Zhao Chen said in his heart, firm and unshaken.
Analyzing these five task requirements carefully, they could basically be divided into three grades — high, medium, and low difficulty.
First was the low difficulty. "Requirement one," the establishment of 4,000-warship legion-grade interstellar fleet including 300 T3 warships, was of no difficulty at all. Indeed, leaving the overall combat power out of consideration, Zhao Chen could simply build all T3 Triceratops-class Interstellar Heavy Assault Frigates; a few months' time and the requirement of 300 T3 warships would be met.
Next was the medium difficulty. "Requirement three," the living standard reaching a value of 7; "Requirement four," possessing a title of Marquis or above; and "Requirement five," possessing 20 items of System-produced T3 technology. These three all belonged to the medium difficulty; though not easy to complete, with proper arrangement they were still doable.
The one high difficulty was "Requirement two." Requirement two's demand was to possess one T4 combat-type starship technical blueprint. On the face of it, this requirement didn't seem very difficult — for Zhao Chen already possessed several T4 technologies now. But the trouble lay precisely in the uncertainty of it. It was left entirely to luck — a thing Zhao Chen couldn't control. Unless Zhao Chen could upgrade the System store to the T4 grade.
"Whatever the case — where there's difficulty, go at it; where there's no difficulty, still go at it!" Zhao Chen clenched his fists; whatever it took, this annual mission had to be completed.
For it was a T5 starship, after all.
Just think — while others were still puffed up with pride over possessing a single T4 starship, to bring out a T5 starship outright and command the whole scene. What a sight that would be. By then, by all estimates, Zhao Chen would have a strength of pivotal weight even within the Starlight Empire. Who would still dare to provoke him, Zhao Chen — he'd simply drive a T5 starship over to pay them a little "house call."
Now tell me — is that grand, or is that grand?