"Dean, an unidentified T3 starship has appeared outside our Academy's starport! According to the fleet insignia information on the starship, database scanning results identify it as the fleet insignia of the Fierce Dragon Star System!" An assistant teacher rushed into the dean's office, nervously reporting the news.
"Fierce Dragon Star System? Isn't that Zhao Chen's territory?" Vice Dean Hong exclaimed in surprise.
Dean Qin raised his hand and called up the scene outside the Academy's starport, which happened to holographically project the starship.
"What a beautiful starship!"
"The overall streamline is excellent; under conventional engine navigation, it can greatly increase speed!"
"Judging by the ship hull structure, it should be a stellar battlecruiser."
The teachers and professors present quickly began analyzing the starship.
"Everyone, now is not the time to study the starship. This should be Cadet Zhao Chen's starship. Judging by his earlier intention, he must be planning to pilot this starship to the Water Lily Star System to rescue people!" Vice Dean Hong said anxiously.
"Even if this is a T3 starship, what does it matter? There are large numbers of interstellar zergs there. A mere starship, once it charges in, will be utterly destroyed!
This Zhao Chen has some talent, but he is far too reckless." A mentor snorted coldly.
"But he is, after all, a promising seedling. In this crisis, the elite students of the Two-Academy Fleet have suffered heavy losses. We cannot just stand by and watch another promising seedling go to his death." A female mentor said worriedly.
Dean Qin nodded and said, "Find a way to intercept this starship. As for rescuing the Two-Academy Fleet, we need to deliberate carefully."
"Yes." Inside the office, the teachers and professors continued to discuss solutions regarding this incident.
Meanwhile, Zhao Chen and the others boarded a shuttle and entered the hangar of the T3 Blizzard-class Light Interstellar Battlecruiser.
"Hurry, let's go to the bridge!" Zhao Chen disembarked from the shuttle and immediately walked out of the hangar.
Although this was his first time aboard the T3 Blizzard-class Light Interstellar Battlecruiser, he was already thoroughly familiar with many of its areas and functions.
Walking into the corridor outside the hangar, Zhao Chen immediately used his authority to summon a maglev elevator.
Although the T3 Blizzard-class Light Interstellar Battlecruiser was less than a kilometer in length, its interior was winding and twisting. Walking from the stern to the bow would take at least over ten minutes.
During critical moments, this could cause significant delays.
Therefore, the starship was equipped with dedicated 'maglev elevators' for transportation. They resembled crystal-clear, transparent crystal elevators. Once inside, one could state the desired department or location, ensuring arrival within one minute!
"What a beautiful interior space!" Stepping into the maglev elevator and looking at the interior scenery outside through the transparent glass window, Chu Xuan was once again amazed by the ship's interior space.
It was hard to imagine this was a combat-type starship; it felt more like a work of art.
But when Chu Xuan stepped onto the bridge, she was even more astonished.
The entire bridge was an oval-shaped structure, surrounded by holographically projected external images, giving the sensation of being right in the midst of space.
The bridge could be viewed as having five levels, with each bridge department performing its own duties to ensure the starship's operation.
The captain's position was located at the center of the bridge, offering a direct view of every department.
Like the paint on the ship's hull, the interior and bridge were styled primarily in white and blue, creating a very comfortable atmosphere.
"Commander, the T3 Blizzard-class Light Interstellar Battlecruiser, Ship One, is ready. Please issue your orders," Charlotte stood before Zhao Chen.
Before arriving, Zhao Chen had transmitted the full details of this mission to her.
Although this mission was risky, as a qualified subordinate, she understood well that a soldier's duty is to obey orders.
"You will serve as Deputy Captain, and Lilith will serve as Secretary Officer.
Immediately plot a course. Destination: the nearest Star System Stargate from the Water Lily Star System, and then proceed to the outer perimeter of the Stellar Zerg Controlled Zone within the Water Lily Star System!" Zhao Chen walked straight to the captain's position and took his seat in the captain's chair.
Charlotte and Lilith stood on either side of Zhao Chen.
Lilith began her assigned tasks, quickly plotting the optimal route.
Charlotte, meanwhile, reported to Zhao Chen on the status of the T3 Blizzard: "Ship One of the Blizzard-class has currently only completed 30% of its sea trials, but all ship systems are operating normally.
The entire crew consists of the original crew from the Zero Blizzard, along with a number of beastman veterans with many years of starship service history.
For starship combat, there are absolutely no issues.
All combat readiness supplies aboard the starship are fully stocked. There are no problems whatsoever for conducting a major campaign."
Because many of the combat systems and modules on the Zero Blizzard were similar to those on the T3 Blizzard, Charlotte had previously trained a batch of reserve crew on the Zero Blizzard in advance. Once the T3 Blizzard-class Light Interstellar Battlecruiser was commissioned into service, these crew members could immediately begin work aboard!
Zhao Chen nodded with satisfaction. With Charlotte handling these matters, it truly saved him a great deal of worry.
"Excellent!"
Zhao Chen opened the data interface for the T3 Blizzard-class Light Interstellar Battlecruiser.
[Blizzard-class Light Interstellar Battlecruiser
Starship Type: Stellar Battlecruiser
Technology Level: T3
Hull Armor Strength: 1500 units - 1800 units
Stellar Shield Energy Value: 13,000 units
Cruising Speed: 210 knots stellar speed
Warp Drive: Level Six Warp Drive
Length: 998 meters
Mass: 300,000 tons
Crew Complement: 200 personnel
Starship Weapons: One Blizzard-class Heavy Cluster Laser Bow Cannon, four 2500mm Caliber Medium Electromagnetic Cannon Main Guns, sixteen Medium Pulse Laser Secondary Guns, seventy-two Medium Close-in Defense Guns, four-unit Stellar Missile Launch Silo (50 Blizzard Light Stellar Missiles), fifty Blizzard Stellar Drones
Special Capability: Blizzard Extreme Cruise Mode]
Zhao Chen glanced over it, feeling quite pleased.
Although the Blizzard was nominally classified as a light stellar warship, the weapon modules it was equipped with were comparable to those of a heavy stellar warship.
Furthermore, its weapon types were highly diversified, making it very suitable for comprehensive combat.
For example, this solo rescue operation was practically tailor-made for it.
Most importantly was the 'Blizzard Extreme Cruise Mode' of the T3 Blizzard-class Light Interstellar Battlecruiser, a special function of this ship class.
It could increase the ship's speed by three to five times while using conventional engines.
Its speed can even rival that of a current T4 Stellar Cruiser!
This is precisely why Zhao Chen is confident in carrying out this rescue mission.
"Reporting, Commander. It will take us thirty-five hours to traverse nineteen Cosmic Stellar Gates and arrive at the Lantian Star System located in the Azure Star Domain.
The Lantian Star System is currently the closest star system to the Water Lily Star System.
After reaching the Lantian Star System, we can use warp navigation to arrive at the outer regions currently controlled by the Interstellar Zergs in the Water Lily Star System within a day and a half.
Subsequently, we will use conventional engines to proceed to the last known coordinates of the Two-Academy Fleet.
The estimated minimum duration for this journey is three days!" Lilith quickly marked the detailed route she had planned on the Star Map and reported to Commander Zhao Chen.
Zhao Chen glanced at it; it largely aligned with the general direction he had previously considered.
Three days meant seventy-two hours.
With one hundred hours as the deadline, Zhao Chen still had twenty-eight hours remaining.
"Proceed according to this route. Depart!" Zhao Chen issued the navigation order.
Deputy Captain Charlotte and Secretary Officer Lilith immediately began executing the command.
"Warp Drive Course Pre-programming complete. We will now enter the acceleration phase. In ten minutes, we will enter the Warp Navigation Phase.
All Starship Crew must enter deep-sea mode within ten minutes!
I repeat, all Starship Crew must enter deep-sea mode within ten minutes!"
On the bridge, hibernation pods in a pearly white color emerged one by one.
Thus began a journey of adventure!
Destination: the Swarm!