A system task has arrived!
Zhao Chen found an excuse to leave the banquet venue and went to a quiet place.
Two system pop-up windows immediately appeared before his eyes.
[Annual Mission: Please graduate normally from the North Star Starship Military Academy within one year.]
Zhao Chen was taken aback.
Graduate from the North Star Starship Military Academy within one year?
He was currently only a fourth-year student; normally, graduation would still take over two more years.
At most, he would only become a fifth-year student by the end of this year.
However, since the rewards for the quarterly missions were so generous, the reward for this annual mission definitely wouldn't be bad. It would be a shame to waste it.
It seemed he had to find a way to graduate early from the North Star Starship Military Academy. Coincidentally, he also wanted to fully develop the Fierce Dragon Star System once he had laid a certain foundation.
He then looked at the other task pop-up window.
[Quarterly Mission: Possess five different models of T2 or higher-level starships (3/5)
Build an interstellar fleet with a total of thirty starships. Note: All must be T2 or higher-level starships (12/30)
Possess one T3-level starship (0/1) (System Product starship)]
The requirements for this mission were indeed numerous.
However, the first two requirements weren't particularly difficult to fulfill.
For the five different models of T2 or higher-level starships, Zhao Chen had already completed the construction of three T2 starships: the T2 Queen Bee-class Heavy Carrier Starship, the T2 Black Rhinoceros-class interstellar heavy assault frigate, and the T2 Hammer-class Heavy Interstellar Industrial Ship.
Additionally, in his system warehouse, he had the technical blueprint for a T2 Bronze Eden-class Starship and the technical blueprint for a T3 Blizzard-class Light Interstellar Battlecruiser.
If necessary, exchanging for a T2 starship from the T2 store would be effortless for Zhao Chen at this point.
As for the second requirement of thirty starships, just the T2 Black Rhinoceros-class interstellar heavy assault frigate alone would allow Zhao Chen to meet this requirement within two months.
The most critical requirement was the third one.
A T3-level starship.
Zhao Chen opened the T3 Blizzard-class Light Interstellar Battlecruiser technical blueprint that had been lying in his system warehouse for a long time.
To complete the construction of this T3 Blizzard-class Light Interstellar Battlecruiser, the construction cost alone amounted to 13 million Star Coins!
This was equivalent to the construction cost of 130 T2 Black Rhinoceros-class interstellar heavy assault frigates or nearly ten T2 Queen Bee-class Heavy Carrier Starships.
However, Zhao Chen only had less than 1.2 million Star Coins left.
There was a tenfold gap.
Making up this tenfold gap within three months would be no small challenge.
Additionally, if the T2 Hammer-class Heavy Interstellar Industrial Ship were used to construct the T3 Blizzard-class Light Interstellar Battlecruiser, it would require dedicating all production capacity for a construction period of two months.
Only then could the construction be completed.
Even if he went to the best starport dockyard, the time required would be roughly the same.
However, this T3 Blizzard-class Light Interstellar Battlecruiser could not be built in the Starport's Starship Workshop. Once completed and launched from the Starport, its hull design would clearly identify it as a T3 Starship—and an unregistered T3 model at that!
If anyone later checked the Starport's Starship Workshop rental records, Zhao Chen would be exposed.
Building T2 Starships might not raise too many eyebrows, but constructing a never-before-seen T3 Starship would inevitably draw unwanted attention to Zhao Chen.
While exposure might be inevitable sooner or later, delaying it as long as possible would give Zhao Chen more time to prepare.
Construction cost and construction time—these were the two major challenges facing Zhao Chen.
"This Quarterly Mission is quite demanding," Zhao Chen muttered to himself. Yet, failing to complete it and missing out on the mission rewards would be a real shame.
Zhao Chen closed his eyes, his mind racing as he began planning and strategizing.
A few seconds later, he opened his eyes.
He had formulated a detailed construction plan.
First, the T2 Iron Hammer-class Heavy Interstellar Industrial Ship No. 1 would spend one month expanding to build another T2 Iron Hammer-class Heavy Interstellar Industrial Ship.
In the second month, T2 Iron Hammer No. 1 would begin the construction of the T3 Blizzard-class Light Interstellar Battlecruiser, a project estimated to take two months to complete.
Simultaneously in the second month, T2 Iron Hammer No. 2 would start building a T2 Eden-class Starship. Preliminary estimates suggested it could be completed in less than a month. Although this Support-type Starship had a high construction cost, its build time was relatively short.
In the third month, T2 Iron Hammer No. 2 would operate at full capacity to produce a large number of T2 Black Rhinoceros-class interstellar heavy assault frigates, or other T2 Starships that could be completed within the timeframe, meeting the Quarterly Mission requirement of thirty starships.
"Timing-wise, there shouldn't be much of an issue.
The real problem lies in the raw material resource shortfall. Factoring in the construction costs of all these starships, the total comes to a staggering twenty million Star Coins." Zhao Chen buried his face in his hands.
Calculating it this way, the funding gap was even larger.
Where could he get the money?
His territory?
Forget it. The Fierce Dragon Star System was still a mess.
That left only external sources.
Zhao Chen thought of Li Yaqi. Arms trading was the fastest way to make money!
In his previous urgent need for funds, he had undersold the Technical Blueprint for the T1 Wolf Louse-class Medium Interstellar Destroyer, opting for a one-time Buyout—a decision made out of necessity.
If he had chosen to sell a Technology License or Agency Rights instead, the immediate funds would have been lower, and it wouldn't have provided a lump sum. The Buyout was the only way to secure quick cash.
But this time, Zhao Chen had no such intention.
With the trust established through the T1 Wolf Louse-class Medium Interstellar Destroyer Starship Technology sold to Li Yaqi, he now planned to collaborate with Li Wei's sister on something much bigger!
His mind was already set on the plan.
Afterward, Zhao Chen returned to the banquet hall, enjoying the rare leisure time at the New Year's Eve Banquet.
...
On the first day of the Galactic Stellar Calendar year 3031, the Fierce Dragon Fleet officially set sail. A total of thirteen starships majestically departed from the Arctic Fox Starport, heading into the distant star sector.
Zhao Chen looked at the fleet sailing in a carrier combat formation and thought to himself: Now this is what a fleet with a carrier starship should look like.
Before, with one Neither Fish nor Fowl assembled starship paired with one T2 Queen Bee-class heavy carrier starship, it hardly resembled a proper fleet.
Now, ten T2 Black Rhinoceros-class interstellar heavy assault frigates were escorting them, while Zero Blizzard was positioned alongside the T2 Queen Bee-class heavy carrier starship.
This way, they could respond to any potential threats at any time!
"Report, we have exited the area around Arctic Fox Starport where warp navigation is prohibited," Secretary Officer Lilith reported.
Sitting in the captain's chair, Zhao Chen issued the order: "Command the entire fleet to prepare to enter warp navigation state.
Destination, the Arctic Fox Star System Stargate!"
Using the Arctic Fox Star System Stargate to reach the North Star System, then returning to the North Star Starship Military Academy.
After six months, Zhao Chen was finally returning to the academy.