Staying Alive Cautiously in the Celestial Realm and Becoming the Strongest

A blue-green planet appeared in Wang Chen's line of sight.

Standing on the observation deck at the highest level of the Distant Star cruise ship, Wang Chen gazed downward through the unobstructed celestial window, overlooking Taiwu Star located at the lower-left quadrant of the spaceport.

Taiwu Star served as the principal planet of the Taiwu Star Cluster, which consisted of thirty-seven habitable planets spanning a distance of over one hundred light-years, ranking among the top three star clusters in the Holy Light Empire.

It was said that Taiwu Star was named by the Great Ancestor Emperor of the Holy Light Empire, who personally inscribed the name of the Imperial First Military Academy there with his own hand.

For hundreds of years, the Imperial First Military Academy had shared fates with the Empire, nurturing countless military talents for its cause.

The academy was known far and wide for producing an unmatched number of military stars!

Unlike Azure Star, where oceans covered more than 70% of its surface, Taiwu Star's land and oceans were nearly evenly distributed, with vast stretches of its landscape covered by expansive primeval forests, rich in natural resources.

The beauty of this planet could not be described with mere words!

A few minutes later, the Distant Star cruise ship docked within the spaceport.

As the site of the Imperial First Military Academy, Taiwu Star naturally boasted formidable military strength. Its spaceport was housed within a massive Space Fortress, surrounded by densely packed defense satellites, an awe-inspiring sight to behold.

However, the even more powerful Taiwu Firmament Fleet, renowned across the galaxy, was not currently stationed in the spaceport area.

This was a regret for Wang Chen, who had been keen to witness it with his own eyes.

The Taiwu Firmament Fleet was one of the Empire's most formidable fleets, equipped with three Titan-class Battleships, seven Fearless-class Battle Cruisers, and thousands of other large and small warships.

In wars against the Alliance and the Heterogenous races, the Taiwu Firmament Fleet had earned countless accolades of valor. It could be said to be one of the most crucial guardians of the Empire.

If Wang Chen had not already signed a contract with the Azure Star Cluster Garrison Legion, joining the Taiwu Firmament Fleet after graduation would undoubtedly have been his optimal choice.

Shaking off the various thoughts crowding his mind, Wang Chen followed the bustling crowd as they disembarked the Distant Star cruise ship together.

At the spaceport's exit, he saw many passengers tightly embracing their welcoming family members, tears streaming down their faces.

For the passengers of the Distant Star cruise ship, the piracy incident that had occurred just days earlier was nothing short of a nightmare.

Some had tragically lost their lives, some were injured, and still others were robbed of significant amounts of wealth.

Though the Empire's rescue operation was prompt and its aftermath management commendable,

the scars left by the tragedy were impossible to erase!

Referring to the electronic handbook for admissions, Wang Chen easily located the reception area outside the spaceport, and from there, he boarded an air-ground transport ship to the Imperial First Military Academy, located in the northern hemisphere of Taiwu Star.

The First Military Academy held a supreme status on Taiwu Star; one could even say that the planet's development and prosperity were deeply intertwined with the Academy itself.

Covering a land area of over 50,000 square kilometers, the Academy also boasted a 700,000-square-kilometer exclusive zone, as well as a colossal city built around it.

Compared to Long Sea Third Middle School, which Wang Chen had previously attended, the First Military Academy was practically a semi-autonomous state. Its colossal scale and science fiction-like facilities could only be described as breathtaking!

Reportedly, the Academy had a combined faculty and student population of one million, with over ten million personnel providing direct or indirect services to its operations. The Academy even possessed its own armed forces.

These included an Interstellar Marine Corps and a small training fleet!

Honestly, as a newcomer, Wang Chen felt a bit like Granny Liu entering the Grand View Garden.

However, he was no ordinary person. Even if the heavens crumbled, he could still maintain his composure.

That said, the other freshmen sharing the shuttle with Wang Chen could hardly be as calm. Exclamations of awe echoed endlessly!

The magnetic levitation train carrying thousands of new students smoothly entered a towering sail-shaped building.

After disembarking, Wang Chen quickly completed his identity verification and admissions registration under the guidance of the staff. He then received his student Identity Plaque and a tablet computer.

This tablet could connect with his personal terminal and contained the entire curriculum of Wang Chen's chosen specialization, allowing him to access and study the material anytime.

Since the Empire had long adhered to an ancient educational tradition, refusing to implement fully virtualized digital teaching, such a compromise tool was made available.

Of course, while traditional methods prevailed in academics, the ubiquitous presence of advanced technology was felt in almost every other aspect!

After completing all required formalities, Wang Chen, on the advice of Academy staff, rented an anti-gravity hovercar to explore and familiarize himself with the campus.

Due to the sheer size of the Imperial First Military Academy, various regions and buildings within the campus were interconnected by magnetic levitation rails, allowing students to commute via train to these destinations.

However, as the commuter trains followed fixed routes, they were far less convenient compared to hovercars, which functioned somewhat like flying motorcycles.

Aside from Wang Chen, most of the freshmen also rented hovercars, zipping around the campus with eager enthusiasm.

Of course, these hovercars were restricted by programming controls, with certain areas off-limits, and both their flight altitudes and trajectories subject to traffic regulations, eliminating the possibility of complete freedom.

Yet, piloting the hovercar gave Wang Chen an oddly nostalgic feeling, akin to Sword Flight!

After making a circuit around the Academy's core area, he arrived at the dormitory district and used his Identity Plaque to check into his room.

As one of the Seven Great of Empire, the First Military Academy featured top-tier educational environments and supporting facilities.

Wang Chen's dormitory was a single-occupancy room, boasting over 100 square meters of space. It included a bedroom, study, living room, bathroom, and even a kitchen, all equipped with a variety of automated appliances.

The living room and bedroom also opened onto a large balcony, where, by retracting the glass canopy, one could gaze upon the boundless and dazzling starry skies.

Just familiarizing himself with the dormitory's facilities took Wang Chen over an hour.

Finally, with his stomach growling, he used the holographic screen in his room to order a dinner.

That simple, unremarkable meal cost Wang Chen a full five hundred Star Currency—proof of the astonishingly high cost of living within the Academy.

Though simple or even free meals were available, their appearance was enough to turn one's appetite away.

Just after finishing his dinner, Wang Chen received a call on his personal terminal.

He answered, projecting the image onto the room's holographic display.

The figure of Zhou Jun, the Fifth Fleet Commander of the Azure Star Cluster Garrison Legion, materialized before him.

With a smile, the major asked, "Junior Wang Chen, how's your enrollment going?"

"Good evening, Senior."

Wang Chen nodded. "Everything went smoothly, aside from some complications during the journey."

It was clear Zhou Jun was well aware of the situation, yet he had waited until now to call—truly a man of admirable patience.

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The second update is delivered.