After enjoying the food, Zhao Wan'er led Su Lan and the others out of the hangar.
Teacher Qin had initially refused.
But upon hearing they were going to take a bath,
Teacher Qin sniffed her own scent and, after a moment of dry heaving, chose to follow Zhao Wan'er out of the hangar.
Watching Zhao Wan'er lead some people away from the hangar,
the teachers and students from both academies present were no longer surprised.
After all, she was the commander's sister—being here was practically like being at home for her.
"What a beautiful and spacious starship," Teacher Qin remarked, her eyes lighting up as she looked at the starship corridor.
She had seen the interior designs of other T3 interstellar warships before. To enhance combat performance, such aspects were often compromised, though the living conditions were still much better than those on T2 interstellar warships.
But compared to the environment of this T3 interstellar warship before her, it was like the difference between a villa and a small apartment!
"The crew rooms in the dormitory area—even the worst ones are four-person rooms? And they come with their own bathrooms!" Teacher Qin exclaimed as Zhao Wan'er led her into the dormitory area and she saw the layout inside.
She marveled at the "luxury" of this starship's design.
Just imagine how much weaponry and ammunition could be stored if all this space were used for that instead!
"This is the starship's bathhouse. I've placed fresh clothes for everyone here. Over there, you can take a shower, and here, you can soak in a bath. There are also automatic massage chairs and sunbathing areas over there," a crew member guiding them explained to Zhao Wan'er and the others.
"This is even more complete than the T2 Queen Bee!" Zhao Wan'er said excitedly.
Behind her, everyone, including Chu Xuan, was stunned.
Su Lan pinched Xue Xiaoxiao's cheek.
"Ouch... Sister Su Lan, why did you pinch me!" Xue Xiaoxiao covered her face, complaining.
Su Lan explained, "I just wanted to see if I was hallucinating. Is this really a starship? And not a luxury star cruiser?"
Xue Xiaoxiao stomped her feet in frustration. "Then pinch your own cheek."
"It hurts."
Xue Xiaoxiao...
"I never imagined Zhao Chen's starship had such good conditions. I almost want to serve on his starship," Chu Xuan said, both amused and exasperated. It was her first time learning that a starship could offer such excellent living standards.
"This starship truly overturns many of our preconceptions," Teacher Qin sighed.
Afterward, the group of beauties began to enjoy their favorite moment.
Having not bathed for three days, coupled with the lingering smell of Zerg fluids on them—something they could ignore during the life-threatening crisis—now that they were aware of it, they felt goosebumps all over and were utterly uncomfortable!
It took a full hour of washing to completely mask the lingering odor.
Zhao Wan'er suggested they could rest in the temporary dormitory rooms.
But Teacher Qin and Su Lan refused, while Xue Xiaoxiao seemed a bit disappointed, and Chu Xuan was indifferent.
So, the group returned to the hangar.
When the teachers and students from both academies saw Zhao Wan'er and the others return, refreshed and clean, they couldn't help but feel envious. Their renewed appearance made it obvious what they had been doing.
Especially the women from both academies—they were beyond jealous!
They wanted to take a bath too!
The moment she stepped into the hangar, Zhao Wan'er frowned slightly.
She hadn't noticed it before, but now she could smell an indescribable odor in the hangar. She finally understood why her brother had said she smelled earlier.
Because... this smell was truly foul.
But seeing that Teacher Qin and Senior Su Lan still had to stay in the hangar, she could only endure the stench and wait there.
At this moment, the T3 Blizzard-class Light Interstellar Battlecruiser was met by the Imperial Fleet.
After Zhao Chen had brought the T3 Blizzard-class Light Interstellar Battlecruiser to a safe area and sent out the message that he had rescued the teachers and students from both academies, the Imperial Fleet urgently dispatched ships to rendezvous with him.
It had to be said, when they were asked to rescue people from the area controlled by the Interstellar Zerg, they had dragged their feet, offering all sorts of excuses to avoid it.
But now, when it came to picking up the survivors, their efficiency was remarkably fast.
After discussing with the opposing commander, Zhao Chen decided to first head to a starport located in a safe zone of the Water Lily Star System. There, the teachers and students from both academies would be transferred off the ship. Then, other starships would accompany the T3 Blizzard-class Light Interstellar Battlecruiser to the starport in the Lantian Star System.
Zhao Chen did not refuse this arrangement. In fact, he couldn't wait for these people to get off his starship as soon as possible.
Moreover, if he were to take them through interstellar border space, it would mean providing them with hibernation pods.
It wasn't that there weren't enough hibernation pods.
In addition to individual pods, there were also collective hibernation pods to accommodate situations with a large number of people.
But the thought of letting these people use the collective hibernation pods... Zhao Chen felt disgusted. The various odors they carried... his collective hibernation pods would be ruined.
Alternatively, he could have them freshen up and change into new clothes, just like Zhao Wan'er and the others.
But that was too troublesome, so this arrangement was the most appropriate.
On the way to the starport in the Water Lily Star System, news of the rescue of the teachers and students from both academies quickly spread.
The North Star Starship Military Academy, the Tianyao Noble Starship Military Academy, the Imperial Army, the Azure Star Domain, and even the Stellar Glory Empire's royal family—all related parties learned of the news almost immediately.
And with it, the relevant details were also conveyed.
A commander from the North Star Starship Military Academy named Zhao Chen had rescued the teachers and students from both academies.
With just a single blue-and-white T3 interstellar battlecruiser of an unknown model?
At this moment, everyone's attention was focused on this student commander named Zhao Chen and that T3 interstellar battlecruiser.
In fact, the attention even surpassed that given to the rescued teachers and students from both academies!
Azure Star Domain Governor's Mansion
"Zhao Chen? A T3 interstellar battlecruiser?" The Governor of the Azure Star Domain listened to the intelligence report and asked sternly, "Are you certain that when this person went in, he had only this one starship?"
"Indeed, it was just this one starship. Moreover, we have intelligence from the North Star Starship Military Academy. When he departed, he truly only took this one interstellar warship!" the subordinate reported.
The Governor of the Azure Star Domain narrowed his eyes. "With just a single T3 interstellar warship, he managed to rescue people from such a dangerous area! There must be more to this story."
"Could it just be luck?" the subordinate tentatively suggested.
"Luck?" The Governor snorted coldly. "Only a fool would believe it was luck. I'm certain that many factions within the Stellar Glory Empire are now keeping an eye on this young man named Zhao Chen."
And look at this report... a T2 Black Rhinoceros-class interstellar heavy assault frigate capable of taking on a T2 Purple Rose-class Medium Interstellar Battlecruiser single-handedly!
Assembling a starship from three old vessels that can reach a speed of one hundred knots stellar speed!
This kid definitely has big secrets!
It's even highly possible that he, or some organization or research lab behind him, developed this T3 interstellar battlecruiser!
Investigate!
After the students and faculty from the two academies disembark, send people to investigate thoroughly. I want to know every detail of how Zhao Chen rescued them—not a single discrepancy!
Then, once he arrives at the Lantian Star System, find a way to take him under control! Understood?!"
"Yes!" the subordinate nodded and went to carry out the order.
Similar situations were occurring among the leadership of many other factions.
Zhao Chen's appeal even surpassed the Zerg disaster that had occurred in the Water Lily Star System!
On the way to the Water Lily Star System's starport, Zhao Chen claimed warp drive failure and could only travel using conventional engines.
It took five days of travel before they finally arrived at the Water Lily Star System's starport.
As the hangar doors opened, the students and faculty from the two academies looked at the reception staff waiting for them outside in the starport as if they were seeing their own family.
The reception staff saw many of the students and faculty from the two academies running out in tears, assuming it was the emotional aftermath of surviving a great disaster.
Little did they know, they were actually mourning their wallets!
During those five days, many of them couldn't resist ordering a few more meals—how could they not feel the pinch!
Bridge
Zhao Chen watched the students and faculty from the two academies leaving his starship on the screen, his expression impassive.
He knew that these students and faculty would soon be secretly approached and questioned by many people. The entire rescue operation involving the T3 Blizzard-class Light Interstellar Battlecruiser would reach the ears of those important figures.
Including the glorious battle where the T3 Blizzard-class Light Interstellar Battlecruiser destroyed one T3 Hive Mothership, severely damaged another, and broke through the Swarm!
A storm centered around him, Zhao Chen, was brewing.
"All the pieces are in place. Now it's time to see the outcome," Zhao Chen thought to himself.
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