Staying Alive Cautiously in the Celestial Realm and Becoming the Strongest

That night, Meng Liangao, the commander of the First Mechanized Infantry Regiment of Senhai, held a banquet at the Wantai Hotel in the Silver Forest Underground City to welcome Wang Chen.

As the Empire's last stronghold on Senhai Star, the Silver Forest Base is divided into two parts: the surface is a military base, while below is a city home to hundreds of thousands of people.

The first impression the underground city gave Wang Chen was that it was ancient.

Not that its history is particularly long, but the city felt like it had either traveled through time from centuries ago or hadn't been updated for hundreds of years.

All kinds of buildings, public facilities, including transportation, were things Wang Chen had only seen in historical documentaries.

For example, the cars running on the streets were all fuel-powered!

And the most luxurious hotel where Meng Liangao hosted him gave Wang Chen the feeling of a dream from a past life.

Not a trace of the Empire's advanced technology could be found here.

"You'll get used to it."

Meng Liangao seemed concerned that Wang Chen wouldn't adapt and comforted him by saying, "When I first arrived here, I felt like I'd been exiled to a barbaric planet. It took me a long time to barely get used to it."

The reason for the appearance of the Silver Forest Base is entirely due to the severe interference and attacks of geomagnetic storms and energy tides on high-tech products.

In fact, this underground city has been built for less than a century, and although it has various defense and shielding measures, it cannot completely withstand external influences.

Those expensive tech products often break down after a few weeks, and no one can afford such losses for long.

That's why the things in the Silver Forest Underground City appear so old — simple and durable!

The situation on the surface base is slightly better, but still not much improved. Large equipment like transport ships normally stays stationed on space stations in synchronous orbit and only lands on the planet when a safe window appears.

This also means that the people on Senhai Star cannot access or use the star network, making it an isolated existence among the Empire's hundreds of life planets. Being sent here is as good as an exile.

The officers of the mechanized infantry regiment present all showed expressions of empathy.

Wang Chen nodded, "It's okay, I can get used to it."

Though backward, for him, he can live comfortably even on a truly barbaric planet, so why would he care!

The most important thing is, the Seventh Rapid Response Fleet has given Wang Chen a very short mission deadline, whether completed or not, he has to return to the TK043 Space Fortress by then.

"That's good then."

Meng Liangao said with a cheerful smile, "Come, drink, this is the unique Pure Fruit Wine on Senhai Star!"

The mechanized infantry regiment commander used a green-colored wine for the banquet that night, with a fruity aroma that tantalized the nose. The taste was excellent, making one feel refreshed immediately.

Wang Chen downed a glass and couldn't help but nod, "Good wine."

"If you like it, drink more!"

There was a hint of suggestiveness in Meng Liangao's smile, "Enjoy drinking first, more entertainment later."

Wang Chen twirled the empty glass in his hand, smiling without replying.

This Pure Fruit Wine wasn't a tech product, yet it had a mild hallucinogenic effect, cleverly hidden by its unique taste, making it indistinguishable for ordinary people.

The more you drink, the more you get high.

The more you drink, the more intoxicated you become!

Eager to drag me down with them, huh?

Wang Chen could guess with his toes what the later entertainment was, nothing but the usual debauchery.

But as he was new here, he said nothing about it, just drinking glass after glass with Meng Liangao and other mechanized infantry officers, having a grand time.

After finishing over a dozen bottles of Pure Fruit Wine, Meng Liangao and several officers had flushed faces and blurred eyes, speaking with a slurred tongue, at least six or seven-tenths drunk.

Yet, the one who drank the most, Wang Chen, sat steadily with an unchanged expression, his eyes growing brighter.

"Wang, you hold your liquor well!"

Meng Liangao realized it was impossible to get Wang Chen drunk, so he exclaimed, "I have to admit I'm getting too old for this. Let's call it a night, shall we move on to the next event?"

His tone carried a hint of solemnity.

Wang Chen readily responded, "Sure."

This Wantai Hotel not only had a restaurant but also housed a large casino and nightclub, offering varied entertainment.

Under Meng Liangao's warm invitation, Wang Chen, after eating and drinking to his heart's content, first went for a round in the casino, winning over a hundred thousand Star Currency, and then spent it all in the nightclub.

As the top military administrative officer of the Silver Forest Base, Meng Liangao was like the supreme ruler of this underground city, providing Wang Chen with the best wine and the prettiest women, without spending a single star currency!

Wang Chen did not refuse the hospitality, yet in the end, he didn't stay in the hotel.

The first day on Senhai Star was indeed quite fulfilling for him.

The next day, Wang Chen met his subordinates at the surface base.

He came here in the capacity of a staff officer and Military Police Captain for the First Mechanized Infantry Battalion of Senhai.

Though the former was his main duty, this regiment's sequence in the Imperial Army was quite low, belonging to third or fourth-tier local garrison forces. Furthermore, Senhai Star was far from the front lines, so the staff officer role was basically nominal.

Even if Meng Liangao suddenly perished, there were deputy commanders and sergeants to take over, leaving no room for Wang Chen to advance.

Instead, the role of Military Police Captain was a substantive position.

The Military Police unit of the First Mechanized Infantry Battalion of Senhai was supposed to have a strength of 100 but only 74 reported to Wang Chen, including civilian personnel.

The other 26 were either killed or injured in the prior internal conflict, and the vacancies had yet to be filled.

As for Wang Chen, the young captain who was parachuted in, the military police sergeants did not show much welcome or respect. Most eyes conveyed suspicion and caution, as if the former was an opponent rather than a commander.

Such a situation was evidently abnormal.

Wang Chen didn't mind and didn't try to assert any authority, merely saying a few words and then dispersing everyone to their respective duties.

In the following days, Wang Chen wasn't in a hurry to investigate the rebel forces lurking on Senhai Star. He followed procedures, familiarizing himself with his duties and gradually understanding and grasping the internal situation of the First Mechanized Infantry Battalion of Senhai.

The soldiers and officers of the First Mechanized Infantry Battalion also gradually got to know this new Major Staff Officer.

Only, aside from the surface courtesies, they did not have much respect for Wang Chen. Some hid contempt and hostility in their hearts and tacitly kept a distance from him.

The vibe was very much one of respectful distance.

As a result, even after half a month, Wang Chen did not succeed in integrating into the army but was faintly rejected and isolated.

-------------

The first update is here.

PS: A new year begins, wishing everyone vigor and good luck in the Year of the Dragon!