Staying Alive Cautiously in the Celestial Realm and Becoming the Strongest

The Black Flag Squad belongs to the 35th Mech Squadron of the Seventh Rapid Response Fleet, numbered 001.

The 35th Mech Squadron oversees three mecha teams, with the Black Flag Squad being the core main force, always taking on the squadron's vanguard role, therefore suffering the highest casualty rate.

And Wang Chen, newly joining this squad, is taking over the role of the Raider Cavalry in the Black Flag Squad.

In a mecha squad, a Raider Cavalry is a very special existence, akin to a libero in a sports team and a field operative on the battlefield, belonging to an independent entity not fully under the command of the team leader.

In terms of authority, a Raider Cavalry is just half a level below the squad leader, equal to the deputy leader, and above regular team members.

In the tactical system, a Raider Cavalry has a lot of freedom and can decide their position based on the combat situation.

They can either support and assist or charge into battle, with their movements being largely self-controlled.

Due to the unique nature of the role, a Raider Cavalry must be served by an elite pilot, so as to truly become an asset to the team instead of a drag.

That's why Lieutenant Carter was infuriated when he first saw Wang Chen.

It's not the godlike enemies that scare him, but the pig-like teammates. If the Raider Cavalry were to act like a pig, it could potentially lead to the downfall of the Black Flag Squad.

But when he learned that Wang Chen was an A-level War Professional, his attitude immediately took a complete 180-degree turn.

After the simple welcoming procedures were completed, Lieutenant Carter first introduced Wang Chen to the other nine members of the Black Flag Squad.

To Wang Chen's surprise, there were actually two female pilots in this mecha squad!

Of course, women can serve as combat pilots, but due to physical factors, there are very few female combat pilots; they mostly take on roles such as sniping or commanding.

Among the two female pilots in the Black Flag Squad, one is a sniper, and the other is a heavy assault warrior. The latter is tall and burly, with muscles that outdo any male teammates.

In contrast, the sniper appears much more petite and cute.

However, Wang Chen never looks down on others, because the battle rate of the Seventh Rapid Response Fleet is quite high, and no pilot joining the Black Flag Squad would be weak!

On the flip side, the members of the Black Flag Squad were mostly curious about Wang Chen, the new addition as a Raider Cavalry.

It was hard for everyone to imagine that such a young Wang Chen had actually passed the A-level War Professional certification.

And he wasn't even a nobleman.

Such a genius was unparalleled throughout the Seventh Rapid Response Fleet!

Of course, since there hadn't been any battle tests yet, the members of the Black Flag Squad didn't feel reverence for Wang Chen.

His prestige within the team awaited its timing to be established.

Afterward, Lieutenant Carter personally took Wang Chen on a tour of the various facilities in the camp and arranged his dormitory.

The conditions of the military dormitory can't compare to the academy, but since pilots start from a non-commissioned officer level, the benefits they enjoy are certainly far better than ordinary soldiers.

Wang Chen's dormitory is about forty square meters, with a layout of one bedroom, one living room, and one bathroom. The equipment inside can't be described as luxurious, but everything necessary is there, although most of it looks rather old.

But considering this is within a Space Fortress, such conditions are already quite good.

"Sergeant Wang Chen, according to the regulations, you have three days of rest time,"

Lieutenant Carter told him: "Familiarize yourself with the internal situation of TK043 first, after all, this is now your new home."

Wang Chen nodded: "Thank you, Sir."

"You're welcome,"

Lieutenant Carter waved his hand and said: "From now on, we're comrades. On the battlefield, rank isn't important."

Wang Chen understood his intentions but did not probe further.

After Lieutenant Carter left, Wang Chen logged into the Star Sea network and sent messages to Ming Mei and Tang Mo from his dormitory.

The three had their private group, and exchanging through the network was quite convenient.

In fact, if Wang Chen were just an ordinary soldier or even a non-commissioned officer-level pilot, he wouldn't have access to the external network in the military camp and could only operate within the Space Fortress intranet.

But his identity as an A-level War Professional granted him such access!

And since he could use the Star Sea network normally, even though Wang Chen and his two girlfriends were hundreds of light-years apart, there was no issue with their communication.

They could even play the most intimate full-simulation games.

In the next two days, Wang Chen explored around TK043 and gained a direct understanding of this Space Fortress.

Although TK043 is a military facility, it is actually also a large space city, accommodating many military dependents, as well as personnel providing services for the stationed army and fleet.

Hotels, shopping malls, and other buildings are all available, including sports halls and amusement parks, appearing no different from a city on the ground, save for its location floating in space.

The three days passed swiftly, and Wang Chen officially began his military life.

He obtained a combat mech that truly belonged to him.

Codenamed 'Phoenix', the SPB17 model mech.

The SPB17 is a standard medium mech, equipped with two PC5600 engines, with a total mass close to ten tons, armed with a 150mm high-energy particle cannon and two 70mm caliber close-defense laser cannons.

As well as a Super Wave Slasher.

The Phoenix mech's characteristics lie in high attack, weak defense, and fast speed, classifying it as a nimble combat mech model that is widely equipped in the Imperial Army, having been tested through numerous battles and being highly mature.

Wang Chen had driven this model at the combat training base, so the process of getting familiar with it was swift, and in just a few days, he began participating in the Black Flag Squad's routine training.

He quickly integrated into the team.

As he mastered the mech, Wang Chen also grew familiar with the members of the Black Flag Squad.

Then, everyone discovered that despite being a genius pilot, he had no airs, never flaunted his A-level War Professional status, and was quite obedient to Lieutenant Carter's commands during training.

This earned Wang Chen a good impression, and after training, they invited him to the base's pub for a drink.

The Seventh Rapid Response Fleet has a total of over a hundred thousand combat personnel and logistical staff, and to provide channels for relaxation and leisure, the base houses more than a dozen various bars.

Each with its own unique flair.

The Black Flag Squad members frequently visited a pub called "Old Sailor," run by a retired crew member. Despite its small scale, its decor and atmosphere are quite commendable.

The drinks served there are good too, with the owner personally acting as the bartender.

"Give me a Starry Sky Blaze."

After finishing training that day, Wang Chen, along with a few team members, went to the Old Sailor pub as usual.

He sat at the counter and ordered the most popular cocktail there.

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First update delivered.