On the video screen opposite, Uncle Zheng Xiong was enthusiastically embracing a young male crew member from Shen Bing's subordinates: "Young man, don't you worry.
We'll take good care of these crew members!"
Behind the video window, several of Shen Bing's male crew members could be seen standing together, surrounded by male crew members from Zheng Xiong's starship.
The atmosphere between the two groups had a distinct wolf-and-lamb dynamic, completely incompatible.
The male crew member being hugged by Uncle Zheng Xiong looked bewildered but dared not move.
"Thank you, Captain Zheng Xiong," Shen Bing said gratefully.
"What's there to thank? You two are like family to me, Zheng Xiong—we've been through life and death together, that makes us brothers!" Zheng Xiong laughed heartily.
Family? Shen Bing's cheeks flushed red, and she was about to explain when the communication ended.
Shen Bing stood somewhat awkwardly beside Zhao Chen. She glanced around the bridge of Zhao Chen's starship. After she and her female crew members were brought aboard this carrier starship, she had been invited to Zhao Chen's bridge.
Looking at the spacious, clean, and highly technological bridge before her, it was hard to believe this was the bridge of a T2 starship. Compared to her own starship's bridge, it was like the difference between a single room and a presidential suite!
"According to the person in charge of the interstellar transport ship fleet, we'll wait here for twenty hours until reinforcements arrive before setting off again.
This is to prevent any other accidents along the way," Zhao Chen said, looking at Shen Bing.
Shen Bing, meanwhile, was staring blankly through the bridge's display at her own battered T2 Hyena-class medium interstellar destroyer.
Zhao Chen could guess what Shen Bing was thinking.
Judging by the situation, that T2 Hyena-class medium interstellar destroyer was severely damaged. It would take tens of thousands of Star Coins in repair costs to fix it.
Once this mission was completed, Shen Bing would receive a large bounty. But if she used the bounty to treat her grandmother's illness, there would be no way to repair the T2 Hyena-class medium interstellar destroyer.
Perhaps sensing Zhao Chen noticing her unusual demeanor, Shen Bing looked at him and said with feigned calm, "Thanks to you this time, otherwise all our starships would have been lost here."
"Actually, a large part of it was luck. That T3 Black Iron-class medium interstellar destroyer from the Mechanical Race didn't join the battle from the start, giving us a great opportunity.
Perhaps in their view, the initial thirty T2 interstellar warships were enough to handle us, and the T3 interstellar warship only needed to encircle us from the outside.
Who would have thought they'd end up capsizing in a ditch?" Zhao Chen chuckled.
Shen Bing nodded; that was indeed part of the reason.
"Speaking of which, these Mechanical Race interstellar warships are exactly as described in the Academy textbooks—fearless of life and death.
They fought to the very end, giving their all in battle.
If it were our fleet, even a professional one like the Imperial Army, if losses exceeded 50%, it could affect their fighting spirit. If losses exceeded 70%, they might choose to flee or even surrender," Shen Bing remarked with admiration.
Zhao Chen nodded, staring at the wreckage of the T2 Mechanoid interstellar warships on the screen. He said solemnly, "This is the terrifying aspect of intelligent mechanical life. For the sake of the programming principles in their minds, they will carry out combat orders at any cost."
This is likely why, after the Galactic Alliance came into contact with the Mechanical Race, they issued a comprehensive ban on all research related to high-level artificial intelligence technology.
Any technological field related to artificial intelligence is strictly regulated!
They fear that what happened with the Mechanical Race might replay within our Galactic Alliance."
Shen Bing nodded; this was knowledge taught in the Academy.
If not for this restriction, the crew configuration on starships could be even smaller.
A T2 Starship could operate with just a few people paired with a few intelligent robots or programs.
It must be admitted that the efficiency of artificial intelligence far surpasses that of the Human Race and other interstellar races.
To this day, the military is only allowed to equip mid-tier artificial intelligence programs and related devices, while civilians are only permitted low-tier artificial intelligence programs and related equipment.
All of this is due to the cautionary example of the Mechanical Race!
"Alright, let's not dwell on such heavy topics. Since we're both waiting for the Imperial Fleet to arrive, let's head to our dining hall for a meal.
For the next few days, your crew will have the same Food Allowance Standard as mine.
Don't be polite; consider it my treat." Zhao Chen invited.
Earlier, Zhao Chen had witnessed Shen Bing's heroic command of her starship in battle, which made him admire her even more.
If not for Shen Bing's courageous combat, the Interstellar Transport Ship Fleet might have suffered greater losses, and the number of surviving interstellar transport ships might have been less than 90%.
In that case, the system's additional reward for him might not have been the T2 Lion King-class Heavy Interstellar Missile Ship.
Of course, Zhao Chen also had a small ulterior motive.
"Then I'll trouble you." Shen Bing thanked him.
Afterward, Zhao Chen and Shen Bing, along with the dozen or so female crew members under Shen Bing's command, headed to the Starship Dining Hall.
Shen Bing's female crew members looked around at the ship's interior, which was on a completely different level from their original starship.
Spacious, clean, and beautiful!
It was truly nothing like their dim and dreary working environment.
And when they entered the Starship Dining Hall, all of Shen Bing's female crew members were stunned.
The air was filled with the aroma of food, completely unlike artificial nutrient meals!
At this time, some crew members from the T2 Queen Bee-class Heavy Carrier Starship had come to dine during their rotation breaks.
Egg-fried rice, noodles, bread, steamed buns, and even... a large platter of fish and some fruits.
"Have I somehow ended up in the Academy's high-end dining hall?" Liu Lili wiped the drool threatening to spill from the corner of her mouth.
Shen Bing also showed an expression of surprise.
"That area over there is our serving counter. You can order there, and then service robots will deliver the meals to your seats.
You have the same Food Allowance Standard for ordering as our regular crew members, as long as you don't waste food.
You can choose the individual meal system or the shared meal system." Zhao Chen explained from the side, simultaneously granting each of them ordering authority at the same standard as the regular female soldiers.
The individual meal system meant everyone ordered their own food, like a bowl of noodles or a serving of fried rice.
The shared meal system was mainly for when several crew members wanted to order a substantial dish, but ordering it alone would exceed their allowance or be too much to finish.
In that case, several female soldiers would order one substantial dish together and share it.
"We... can order food here?" Liu Lili swallowed her saliva, looking at Zhao Chen in disbelief.
Zhao Chen smiled and said, "Of course."
After a brief moment of quiet, Liu Lili rushed over with a group of female crew members, crowding around the counter to look at the holographic projection of the menu.
Shen Bing was also observing the food. In her eyes, she wasn't just seeing the food itself, but also the value behind it!
The egg fried rice was marked with a 0.1 Star Coin meal standard.
But outside, its selling price would definitely exceed 30 Star Coins, or even more!
The prices in the Starship Dining Hall were completely at cost price, or even lower!
She found it hard to believe that the crew members on Zhao Chen's starship could actually eat such food.
"Um… excuse me… could you move aside a little? I can't see… today's menu…" A timid voice came from behind Shen Bing.
Shen Bing turned around to look behind her.
No one was there?
When she looked down, she finally spotted the speaker.
It was a little girl whose height only reached her waist, with a round, chubby face and big eyes—utterly adorable!
Especially the way she kept tiptoeing because she was too short to see the counter—it was enough to melt anyone's heart.
However, there were also marks on her neck from what seemed like a long-term collar.
"Why does your starship have not only female demi-humans but also an underage little girl?" Shen Bing looked suspiciously at Zhao Chen beside her.
It was as if she were looking at some suspicious, creepy uncle.
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