Quarterly Mission
Content: Slay the Third Prince Qin Hu (Complete); annihilate ten of the Prince Faction's T4 interstellar warships (Complete); wholly annihilate this Third-Prince expeditionary fleet (Complete); kill three imperial nobles of the rank of Count or above (Complete).
Note: Complete the above four mission conditions to complete this quarterly mission.
Reward: one T4-grade interstellar-warship technical blueprint.
Mission complete — the mission reward may be claimed.
Snatching a spare moment, Zhao Chen claimed the quarterly mission he'd long since completed.
Claiming the quarterly-mission reward — congratulations, you've obtained the 'T4 Paladin-class Heavy Interstellar Missile Frigate.'
It was, of all things, a T4-grade interstellar frigate.
Only, the name was somewhat special — 'Interstellar Missile Frigate' — this was an interstellar frigate Zhao Chen hadn't seen before.
Zhao Chen began looking over the detailed data.
Paladin-class Heavy Interstellar Missile Frigate
Ship-class: Interstellar Frigate
Technology grade: T4
Hull-armor strength: 80,000–87,000 units
Star-shield energy: 6,000,000 units
Cruising speed: 380 star-knots
Warp drive: Grade-8 warp drive
Length: 2,900 meters
Mass: 1,200,000 tons
Crew complement: 500
Ship weapons: 300 T4-grade eight-barrel 800mm-caliber heavy close-in defense energy cannons (one round at a time, no interval between shots); 3,000 Paladin-class short-range interception-defense interstellar missiles (50 missile-launch units)
Special capabilities: full-coverage star-shield system; short-range assault mode; Paladin Star-Shield Matrix module (requires the coordinated cooperation of at least thirty T4 Paladins)
"This—!" Seeing this string of data, Zhao Chen was agape and tongue-tied.
This T4 Paladin-class Heavy Interstellar Missile Frigate was, in its very conception, different from the interstellar frigates of the past.
The earlier T2 Black-Rhino-class Interstellar Heavy Assault Frigate and T3 Triceratops-class Interstellar Heavy Assault Frigate had both taken high-strength hull armor as their main strength, paired with a formidable close-combat capability and a great abundance of close-in defense cannons.
But this T4 Paladin added two concepts.
First was the 'short-range defensive interstellar missile.' As the name suggests, this sort of interstellar missile was used for defense.
Never mind that it was labeled short-range — its range was in fact a good deal longer than the close-in defense cannons'.
Its function was to defend against that sort of high-strength energy weapon — for instance, the main-cannon series of ship cannons.
When a laser beam of that magnitude was fired out, it would first swiftly compute its line of travel, and then fire off a corresponding number of short-range defensive interstellar missiles.
These defensive interstellar missiles would detonate ahead of time along the enemy ship's line of attack, releasing an energy force-field, and thereby blocking or reducing the strength of the enemy ship's attack — achieving, in this way, a defensive purpose.
Another point worth mentioning: this T4 Paladin-class Heavy Interstellar Missile Frigate employed a downright terrifying star-shield defense system, its star-shield energy value more than 10 times that of the same-grade T4 Vermilion Bird-class Medium Interstellar Cruiser!
And apart from using T4-grade technology's full-coverage star-shield defense technology, the T4 Paladin was itself fitted, besides, with a set of special defensive-technology weaponry.
Paladin Star-Shield Matrix module
Its principle was this: when upward of 30 T4 Paladin-class Heavy Interstellar Missile Frigates appeared within a single area, they could link one to another.
In the end, a still larger star-shield matrix would form!
It could wrap up an interstellar fleet within a certain range; and because it was a star-shield matrix formed of 30 T4 Paladins, the expenditure, too, was very nearly spread evenly across the 30 T4 Paladins' star-shield energy reserves.
In this way, the defensive capability could be greatly increased.
Just imagine — a giant star-shield shrouding a stretch of interstellar missile ships and carrier starships, and the coordination of these two together.
It was simply too gratifying for words!
The addition of the above two technological functions didn't mean this T4 Paladin-class Heavy Interstellar Missile Frigate had lost its close-combat capability; the strength of its hull armor was still, beyond all doubt, formidable.
At the same time, at the bow position there was, besides, a ram called the 'Paladin's Lance.' The ram was a platinum-white color — thicker, longer, and sharper; and it was, besides, fitted with several modes — for instance, the high-strength vibration mode that the T3 Triceratops-class Interstellar Heavy Assault Frigate had.
There was, besides, an electromagnetic mode: an exceedingly strong electric current would be charged into it, so that when it rammed an enemy ship, the current would work its effect upon the enemy ship's hull.
And a high-speed rotation mode: the whole 'Paladin's Lance' would spin at high speed, increasing its penetrating power.
And, besides, this 'Paladin's Lance' could be discarded.
Before this, though the T2 Black Rhino and the T3 Triceratops had both put on outstanding showings in close-quarters combat, they'd both run into one problem: once the big black horn was rammed in, it couldn't be pulled back out.
And because its might wasn't enough, it was unable to deal destructive damage to the enemy ship, while at the same time it hampered the ship's own navigation, which led to its becoming a target of the surrounding enemy ships, and taking their attacks.
Of the T2 Black Rhinos and T3 Triceratopses that had fallen before this, a full third had been destroyed for just this reason.
But the T4 Paladin-class Heavy Interstellar Missile Frigate was another matter: its bow was fitted with 10 'Paladin's Lances'; when necessary, it could discard the 'Paladin's Lance' presently equipped, and then fit on a new 'Paladin's Lance.' The time needed, front to back, would not exceed three minutes.
"This T4-grade interstellar frigate is a very fine thing indeed." Zhao Chen thought to himself, rubbing at his chin in satisfaction.
"Commander, Commander?" At this point a call came from the side, bringing Zhao Chen back to himself.
It was Lilith who, on Zhao Chen's instruction, had brought Annie and Nana over.
Annie and Nana were now both top chief engineers of the Owl Dragon Legion.
Zhao Chen looked at the two of them; their expressions and bearing were diametrically opposite.
Annie stood without any sort of standing-posture, her gaze somewhat listless, wearing a look of having no zest for life left in her.
Nana, on the other hand, was brimming with vigor, her eyes bright — she even looked at Zhao Chen with a hopeful air; if she'd had a tail, Zhao Chen would have guaranteed it'd be wagging like mad.
"Newcomers really are the easier to manage." Zhao Chen sighed inwardly, shooting Annie a sidelong glance.
Annie sensed Zhao Chen's gaze, and deliberately kept her eyes off the Commander.
She still didn't know the little scheme in Zhao Chen's mind for summoning her here — but which of her visits here had ever not ended with a load stuffed full on her?
Every time she went back from his place, Annie would go months without a proper rest.
At the thought of all this, Annie looked at Zhao Chen resentfully, the very picture of a grievance-nursing wife.
"This past half year, Annie, your showing has been very good. I've seen it all. As I promised at the outset, the right to use that T2 Bronze Eden-class ship is now yours; and the cost of the later refitting, too, will be borne by the Owl Dragon Legion's side," Zhao Chen said.
The next second, Annie stood bolt upright, her gaze like a torch, her whole bearing gone solemn: "For the Lord Commander, for the Owl Dragon Legion — what Annie gives is not worth the mentioning!"
So she said with her mouth — but in Annie's eyes there was only a single line of words.
The Annie! The Annie! The Annie!