Starsea Fleet: Age of the Lord

Six days had passed since Feng Mo's last video call with Gu Jun. Suddenly, he received another communication from him.

"Xiao Mo, how would you like a tour of the insectoid brood's nest?" Gu Jun asked bluntly.

Feng Mo's excitement was barely containable. The past six days had only brought small insectoid skirmishes with little gain, and he'd been mentally consumed by thoughts of the Federation's impending "Scorched Earth" operation.

He had never been to the insectoid brood's home before. The opportunity to see their hive structure, learn more about the brood, and perhaps glimpse the mysterious Mother Nest was too intriguing to pass up. And as soon as Gu Jun mentioned it, his Spark System displayed a new temporary mission.

"Yes, Uncle Gu, I'd love to go," Feng Mo replied eagerly.

Seeing Feng Mo's genuine excitement was rare. Gu Jun couldn't help but feel a touch of sentiment. Feng Mo had grown up too quickly, maintaining a composed, calculating demeanor to project authority, forcing himself to be cold and rational. This brief, unguarded reaction revealed a spark of youthful passion he had long suppressed.

"The rest of the Storm Fleet will stay here to guard Planet Z043. You'll travel to Xuanwu Star Fortress aboard the Hurricane alone," Gu Jun instructed.

Ending the call, Feng Mo turned to his Spark System's mission panel.

[Temporary Mission: Collaborate with the Federation's "Scorched Earth" operation against the insectoid brood. Reward: 1,000 points and T5 Slave Chip Design Blueprint.]

The mission reward made Feng Mo even more excited. A T5-grade slave chip was precisely what he needed. He'd often imagined if he could somehow subjugate the Mother Nest or enslave the worm-like insectoids, and now the system had delivered a blueprint for a T5 slave chip.

Slave chips were common in the Federation, mainly used by nobles and slavers, but they rarely exceeded T3 in grade. For example, Ai Er and the half-beast slaves Feng Mo had acquired came with T3 slave chips, which deactivated when they were emancipated and became free citizens.

The T5-grade slave chip, however, was designed to control any entity below the level of a sixth-order gene warrior. This chip was capable of altering a creature's thoughts in a remarkably short time, and Feng Mo had once searched for such a design in the Spark System's store, only to find it unavailable—likely because he lacked the necessary permissions to access it.

Still, he had no clue how to unlock those higher permissions, probably through more missions. But when and how that might happen remained unknown.

"Ai Er, I'm leaving you in command of the Storm Fleet to guard Planet Z043. Once I return, we'll be able to head back to the Hurricane System," Feng Mo informed her.

When Feng Mo was speaking with Gu Jun earlier, Han Peipei had politely stepped out of the office. Ai Er, however, had been ready to leave but was held back by Feng Mo. She had heard everything.

Ai Er looked at him with concern. "Commander, I'd like to go with you." She wrapped her tail around his wrist as she spoke.

Of course, Ai Er knew she couldn't go. As the Storm Fleet's commander, she couldn't leave the fleet on a mission without a designated officer in charge. One of them needed to stay. If a large-scale invasion took place while both she and Feng Mo were away, the fleet would be defenseless.

So she was simply expressing her feelings, hoping he'd notice her concern. Seeing Ai Er's flushed face and hearing her gentle voice, Feng Mo felt a surge of warmth. But he kept it contained—this wasn't the place for anything romantic.

"Don't worry. Just keep things secure here until I get back. After that, we'll head home together," Feng Mo reassured her.

Ai Er nodded obediently. The two lingered in the office for a while, until Feng Mo finally stepped out, leaving Ai Er with a faint blush.

Accompanied by Han Peipei, Feng Mo headed toward the starport. The Hurricane could reach Xuanwu Star Fortress in a day at full speed.

This was his second time at the fortress; the last time had been to receive mission rewards and compensation.

"Scan complete. Quasi-T5 warship detected entering military-controlled space. Please submit identification, ship details, and reason for arrival," announced a mechanized voice in the Hurricane's control room.

Han Peipei submitted the information, and two minutes later came the reply.

"Identification confirmed. Vessel: Hurricane from the Yunshan Empire, under Duke Feng Mo, with a fleet size of one quasi-T5 warship. Welcome to Xuanwu Star Fortress, Duke Feng. Please dock at Bay 3."

"Flight path to Bay 3 has been designated. Please remain on the marked course."

Following the designated course, the Hurricane docked smoothly in Bay 3, where numerous other vessels, many on par with the Hurricane, were also stationed. The T5 ships likely occupied Bays 1 and 2.

A team of officers awaited on the ground, led by a colonel with the same rank as Wang Xuefeng. As Feng Mo disembarked, the lead officer stepped forward, saluted, and spoke with respectful warmth.

"Welcome, Duke Feng Mo. Please accompany us to Command; Minister Gu is expecting you."

Feng Mo appreciated the polite treatment. The officer's tone had a friendly familiarity—another sign that he was from the same faction. Good, Feng Mo thought. Less chance of friction.

"Thank you," Feng Mo replied courteously. It was always simpler dealing with allies; if it had been another faction, the reception might have included snide comments or veiled attempts to probe for information. 

The colonel escorted Feng Mo and Han Peipei out of the starport, and they took a starcar toward the second-tallest building in the fortress—the Command Center, the heart of the entire operation.

In any military installation, the fleet's command center was always the primary facility—an undeniable fact.

They arrived on the top floor, which was entirely dedicated to Gu Jun's office, decorated luxuriously. Feng Mo looked around, comparing it mentally to his office on Planet Z043. The difference was stark.

Seeing this high-end environment, Feng Mo couldn't help but shake his head. He hadn't realized until now just how much of a downgrade his setup was—it felt like comparing a palace to a doghouse.

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