"You want to build a carrier starship?" Zhao Wan'er looked at Zhao Chen in astonishment, while Charlotte also cast a surprised glance.
"To be precise, a T2 Queen Bee-class Heavy Carrier Starship, and it's based on starship technology I developed myself." Zhao Chen unapologetically claimed this honor for himself.
After all, it came from the system, so no one would contest him for it.
"You developed it?" Zhao Wan'er exclaimed, looking at Zhao Chen with both surprise and disbelief.
As a top student at the North Star Starship Military Academy, she understood perfectly well the importance of T2 carrier starship technology.
Although T2 starships couldn't compare to T3 starships equipped with star shields, for many lord fleets, private fleets, and stellar adventurers, T2 starships represented the best value for money currently available.
As one of the Twin Pillars of Starships, the value of a carrier starship was self-evident!
Zhao Chen shrugged. He didn't dwell on the matter with Zhao Wan'er any further, as he now had many urgent tasks to attend to.
"Charlotte, I'll provide you with some funds. During this period, you can purchase up to five hundred beastman slaves through that female supervisor. My only requirement is that they must be female beastman slaves." Captain Zhao Chen issued the order to Deputy Captain Charlotte.
Deputy Captain Charlotte's heart trembled. Saving those beastman warriors—her former comrades—who had been sold into the Stellar Glory Empire was something she had dreamed of day and night.
As for Zhao Chen's final stipulation that they must be female beastman slaves, although she was still puzzled by his purpose, as long as she could save beastman slaves, nothing else mattered.
"Wan'er, for the next while, unless Jiang Hong has intelligence to report, don't let anyone disturb me." After saying this, Zhao Chen left the Zero Blizzard.
He walked toward the control console on the other side of the large starship workshop, where there were stellar containers filled with various raw materials he had purchased for 1.5 million Star Coins!
And a starship manufacturing platform!
"He... is he really going to build a T2 carrier starship all by himself?" Zhao Wan'er muttered.
"Alone? That... doesn't seem possible." Deputy Captain Charlotte also found it hard to believe.
But as the days passed, they began to believe that Zhao Chen truly intended to do just that!
He operated mechanical arms and various equipment day and night, embarking on the starship construction project.
And the progress was remarkably fast!
By the fifth day, Zhao Wan'er could already see the carrier starship's keel fully assembled!
Standing on the platform, Zhao Wan'er looked at her brother, who appeared somewhat disheveled and was still working tirelessly.
She felt that this brother was now incredibly distant from her—more distant than ever before.
Relying solely on himself, he had completed the keel construction of a T2 carrier starship in just five days. Even at a professional starship manufacturer, this step would take at least half a month!
Yet Zhao Chen had shortened the time by threefold, and he had accomplished it entirely on his own.
During these five days, Zhao Wan'er had personally witnessed Zhao Chen working step by step. He operated like a machine, only resting briefly at the console during certain processes that didn't require his operation and when there were no other tasks to handle.
In five days, he had slept less than ten hours. Although he consumed nutrient concentrate daily, the physical toll was immense.
Zhao Wan'er clenched her fists, quickly walking up to Zhao Chen, whose face was smeared with grease, and pulling him aside.
"Are you trying to kill yourself?"
Zhao Chen opened his eyes and looked at his sister. "Did Jiang Hong contact you?"
Zhao Wan'er was taken aback. She hadn't expected his first question to be about this.
"N-no... she didn't."
Zhao Chen frowned slightly and continued toward his workstation. "I told you not to disturb me unless Jiang Hong contacted me."
Zhao Wan'er bit her lip and shouted, "Why have you suddenly changed like this? Is it really necessary to work so desperately just to build a starship? We can do as Jiang Hong suggested—return to the North Star Starship Military Academy and wait until Eldest Sister arrives..."
"So we should just dump everything on Eldest Sister, is that it?" Zhao Chen's hands didn't stop moving, his voice low.
"Eldest Sister is now a member of the Imperial Army and serves as a starship captain in the Princess's Royal Guard Fleet. As long as she steps in, this matter can easily be resolved!" Zhao Wan'er argued.
Zhao Chen didn't even look up. "So we should just dump everything on Eldest Sister, is that it."
Zhao Wan'er paused, feeling as though Zhao Chen's words had stabbed her like a thorn, leaving her deeply uncomfortable.
"I know you and Eldest Sister have a good relationship. She never liked me since childhood because I took what should have been hers." Zhao Chen spoke with a bitter smile, but his hands never stopped moving.
"Eldest Sister is smart, just like you. She was directly recruited by the Imperial Military Starship Academy and could pilot starships in combat by the age of twenty! Before she turned thirty, she became the captain of a T3 starship. In our Stellar Glory Empire, few have achieved such accomplishments through their own abilities.
Moreover, while Father was still alive, she managed the territory meticulously. The Fierce Dragon Star System, which was on the verge of collapse at the time, was barely kept afloat by Eldest Sister's efforts and has been maintained to this day.
I was only two years old then.
When Father passed away, I had no memory of it, so honestly, I don't have much emotional attachment to them.
Later, I heard that after Father's death, she applied to remain in the Stellar Glory Empire's Imperial Army.
Originally, she had wanted to return to the Fierce Dragon Star System. Her return application was submitted, but her superiors rejected it three times, hoping she would reconsider.
What made her suddenly abandon her three return applications and choose to stay in the Imperial Army?
It was because of what Father said to Eldest Sister before he passed away.
I don't know the exact details, but the gist of it was: the future nobility title of the Fierce Dragon Star System would be given to me, and he hoped Eldest Sister would protect the Fierce Dragon Star System and assist me."
At this point, Zhao Chen's gaze dimmed. "How unfair was this demand to Eldest Sister? Although I haven't interacted much with her, I heard from the servants..."
Eldest Sister's lifelong wish has been to become the Lord of Fierce Dragon, to transform the Fierce Dragon Star System into a prosperous and thriving Stellar Territory!
Because of Father's selfish demand, that wish was shattered, and she was even cruelly asked to assist the very person who took it away from her.
If it were me, I might not be able to do it.
Even if it were my own younger brother!
Why? Clearly, I am more capable, more talented, and I've done so much more! Why should everything go to him?
Why!
But she… our Eldest Sister, she didn't utter a word of complaint. She agreed to Father's request."
At some point, Zhao Chen felt himself gradually merging with the memories of this body. The emotions and feelings from the past began to affect him. He had tried to control them before, but he found that these emotions were like a flood—the more he tried to block them, the more fiercely they surged.
So, Zhao Chen decided to accept them openly. It didn't matter who Zhao Chen would ultimately be—the ordinary Zhao Chen from his previous life or the Second Young Master of the Fierce Dragon Star System. None of that mattered.
He only wanted to act according to his own will.
"Over the years, Eldest Sister has only reported good news and hidden the difficulties while serving in the Imperial Army. Not only does she have to advance her own career, but she also has to support the development of the Fierce Dragon Star System.
Do you really think these are small matters?
Even though we can't see it, I can imagine the loneliness Eldest Sister must endure, bearing all of this alone."
Zhao Chen turned his head and looked at Zhao Wan'er. "I don't want to see Eldest Sister like this anymore. She has already sacrificed enough!
I am a man. I am the Lord of Fierce Dragon!
These responsibilities should fall on me. Now that I have the ability, I will do everything in my power to fulfill them!
I won't hide behind Eldest Sister as a timid and weak Second Young Master."
At that moment, as Zhao Wan'er looked at her brother, she noticed for the first time that there was a light in his eyes—a light she had never seen before.
An indescribable emotion began to spread within her heart.