Chapter Summaries

Lin Fan, a lazy but unmatched Battleship Command prodigy, was summoned by General Liang Xingchen and agreed to take an early graduation assessment. After leaving the dean’s office, he found Emma waiting nearby, and carried her to the infirmary after she twisted her ankle.

• Lin Fan’s system raised his Artillery Command ability to B and increased his brain development to 18%.
• Emma summoned Lin Fan to the dean’s office, where he met General Liang Xingchen and agreed to graduate early.
• Liang Xingchen arranged to personally assess Lin Fan in a simulated fleet battle at eight the next morning and considered granting him command of a mixed fleet if he impressed.
• Emma tidied Lin Fan’s clothes, then waited for him outside the instructor zone after his meeting.
• Emma twisted her ankle while angrily stomping the floor, and Lin Fan carried her toward the academy infirmary.

Lin Fan trained through twenty-nine virtual battles to improve his command ability before his graduation assessment against Liang Xingchen. He arrived at the simulated battle building with Emma, who had obtained permission to watch, and surprised her with his flawless military posture.

• Lin Fan told Emma he would likely join Mars Base after graduating and asked her to find him there when she graduated; Emma agreed.
• Lin Fan trained in a Level 5 encounter simulation for fifteen hours, losing twenty-nine battles but destroying nearly forty enemy ships in the last one.
• The system raised Lin Fan's Formation Command to A rank and rewarded him with 2% Brain Development.
• Emma met Lin Fan outside the dormitory and said Dean Li Fulai had allowed her to observe his assessment against Liang Xingchen.
• Lin Fan reported to Liang Xingchen with a flawless salute, leaving Emma stunned.

Lin Fan faced Liang Xingchen in a simulated fleet assessment in an asteroid belt and used mechs and drones to disguise his forces as a fleet of warships. Liang Xingchen took the decoy for Lin Fan’s real fleet and moved into position to attack it, while Lin Fan watched his approach with a smile.

• Commander Liang Xingchen began the assessment, setting a battle between two standard fleets of one hundred warships in an asteroid belt.
• Lin Fan recognized the challenging terrain but relied on his extensive asteroid-belt combat training and quickly devised a plan.
• Lin Fan deployed mechs and drones from his five carriers in one hundred formations shaped like warships, creating a false fleet on radar.
• Li Fulai explained Lin Fan’s deception to Emma and anticipated that Liang Xingchen might be caught by the decoy.
• Lin Fan split his real fleet into three groups hidden in asteroid fields while the disguised fleet moved to the right.
• Liang Xingchen spotted the decoy fleet, advanced under cover, and positioned his forces behind it as Lin Fan watched the radar and smiled.

Lin Fan’s fleet lost a simulated battle after Liang Xingchen lured it into an ambush, and Liang invited Lin Fan to join him at Mars Base. Lin Fan passed his graduation assessment with perfect results.

• Liang Xingchen recognized Lin Fan’s decoy fleet and accelerated forward, drawing Lin Fan into a pursuit while hidden mechs waited behind asteroids.
• Lin Fan’s fleet pursued Liang Xingchen and was ambushed at close range by three thousand mechs, resulting in Lin Fan’s defeat.
• Liang Xingchen praised Lin Fan and invited him to join Mars Base, and Lin Fan accepted.
• Liang Xingchen told Lin Fan he would be commissioned that afternoon and then return with him to Mars Base.
• Li Fulai revealed that Liang Xingchen had been his student and announced that Lin Fan had passed his graduation assessment with perfect results.

Lin Fan learned the truth about humanity’s desperate war with the Oakes Empire before leaving the academy to join Liang Xingchen at Mars Base. After saying goodbye to Emma and speaking with his father, Lin Zhen, he attended a surprise commissioning ceremony that left the academy in an uproar.

• Lin Fan told Emma he knew about the secret front-line situation, while the chapter revealed that the Federation’s public claim of victory concealed the Oakes Empire’s remaining 120,000 warships near Jupiter.
• Lin Fan teased Emma with a bet that he would become a Major General before she reached Mars Base, and she blushed and fled.
• Lin Fan called his father, Lin Zhen, to say he was leaving for Mars Base; Lin Zhen warned him to be careful, while the chapter revealed that Lin Fan’s identity as the Federation President’s son was concealed.
• Lin Fan packed, then slept until the academy’s afternoon commissioning ceremony.
• Li Fulai began addressing the assembled students and instructors, who were shocked to learn that another commissioning ceremony was being held so soon.

Lin Fan graduated early, received the rank of colonel from Liang Xingchen, and was appointed commander of the Fourth Fleet’s 101st Mixed Fleet at Mars Base. He arrived at the base and learned that his fleet’s exclusive starport was a former warship testing facility with production workshops.

• Liang Xingchen personally promoted nineteen-year-old Lin Fan to colonel at his graduation ceremony, and Lin Fan received a gene enhancement serum from the system for completing Mission 2.
• Emma watched Lin Fan’s ceremony and promised to visit him at Mars Base the following year.
• Lin Fan traveled with Liang Xingchen to Mars Base, where he saw the vast orbital city and its many starports and warships.
• Liang Xingchen appointed Lin Fan commander of the 101st Mixed Fleet, an experimental fleet of 144 warships, and assigned it an exclusive medium-sized starport.
• Liang Xingchen explained that the starport had once been a warship testing port and contained production workshops, hinting at its other purpose.

Lin Fan took command of the 101st Task Force Fleet, gained Warp Engine and Industrial Robot technologies, and met his cold new adjutant, Liang Xue. At Orbital Starport No. 27, his inaugural address began with the assembled personnel doubting that a nineteen-year-old could command them.

• Lin Fan accepted Liang Xingchen’s warning to use his abilities when humanity needed them, and Liang Xue arrived to serve as his adjutant.
• Lin Fan received Warp Engine Technology and the hidden reward of Industrial Robot Technology, then learned that research experts had already been assigned to his base.
• Liang Xue answered Lin Fan’s questions tersely and led him to Orbital Starport No. 27, where 144 warships were docked.
• Liang Xue ordered the 101st Task Force Fleet to assemble and reported all 32,900 personnel present after seven minutes.
• Lin Fan introduced himself as the fleet’s new commander, and the officers and soldiers reacted with suspicion to his age and rank.

Lin Fan introduced himself to the 101st Task Force Fleet by offering command to anyone who could defeat him in a fleet simulation, then revealed his military and scientific accomplishments. He gave Elder Bai Zixuan plans for a Warp Drive Engine, prompting Bai to demand far more staff as he began work on the technology.

• Lin Fan offered to surrender command of the 101st Task Force Fleet to anyone who defeated him in a fleet simulation, and officers recognized him as the prodigy who had defeated Wood Scott.
• Lin Fan confirmed that he had designed the Artificial Gravity Generator, winning the officers' admiration.
• Lin Fan and Liang Xue visited the research team, where Lin Fan met Elder Bai Zixuan and handed him a storage card containing new technical materials.
• Bai Zixuan examined Lin Fan's Warp Drive Engine plans and declared that they could make Lin Fan the Federation's greatest scientist.
• Bai Zixuan contacted Liang Xingchen and demanded at least ten times as many research personnel to handle Lin Fan's technology.

Liang Xingchen learned that Lin Fan had provided complete technical documentation for a Warp Drive Engine, prompting him to mobilize researchers and notify President Lin Zhen. The president ordered all information about Lin Fan classified and issued a gag order, which Bai Zixuan accepted after realizing the order was meant to protect Lin Fan; Lin Fan then gave Bai Zixuan plans for Industrial Robots.

• Bai Zixuan told Liang Xingchen that Lin Fan had delivered complete Warp Drive Engine documentation, and Liang Xingchen grasped its military significance.
• Liang Xingchen contacted President Lin Zhen, then ordered Mars Base engine and materials researchers to report to Medium Orbital Starport No. 27.
• Liang Xingchen told Bai Zixuan that President Lin Zhen had classified information related to Lin Fan and ordered a gag order on the technology's source.
• Bai Zixuan complained to Lin Fan that the gag order deprived him of recognition, but Lin Fan explained that the president was protecting him.
• Bai Zixuan agreed to issue the gag order, and Lin Fan gave him technical documentation for Industrial Robots.

After taking command of the 101st Task Force Fleet, Lin Fan used the gene enhancement serum and received an urgent order to rescue thirty resource extraction ships trapped in Area 279. Suspecting the Oakes Empire fleet was waiting to ambush reinforcements, he redirected his fleet toward Area 280.

• Bai Zixuan was impressed by the system’s industrial robot technology and asked Liang Xingchen for more research personnel.
• Lin Fan drank the gene enhancement serum, checked his status, and discovered his lifespan had increased to five hundred years.
• Liang Xue accidentally walked in on Lin Fan in his underwear, and he tried to explain the embarrassing misunderstanding.
• Liang Xingchen ordered Lin Fan’s 101st Task Force Fleet to rescue thirty resource extraction ships hiding from an Oakes Empire fleet in Area 279.
• Lin Fan reviewed the asteroid-field terrain, concluded the enemy’s two hundred warships were lying in wait for reinforcements, and ordered the fleet toward Area 280.

Lin Fan led the 101st Task Force Fleet to flank the Oakes Empire ambush in Area 279 and prepared a counterattack with concealed mechs. As his fleet closed in, Ninth Prince Duran Oakes dismissed Rex’s warnings, while Lin Fan ordered Liang Xue to assign targets and prioritize the enemy carrier.

• Lin Fan explained to Liang Xue that the Oakes fleet had lured relief forces toward an ambush in Area 279, then identified Area 280 as a way to attack from the enemy’s flank and rear.
• Lin Fan sent a concealed reconnaissance ship into Area 279, which confirmed that the Oakes warships were hiding among the asteroids.
• Lin Fan ordered all 9,000 mechs to hide in Area X718 and directed the 101st Task Force Fleet to advance along a concealed route.
• Duran Oakes rejected Rex’s advice to withdraw, insisting that the Federation fleet might simply be slow and poorly disciplined.
• After Lin Fan’s fleet reached the limit of its concealed approach, Lin Fan ordered the attack and assigned Liang Xue to direct the fleet’s firepower, prioritizing the enemy carrier.

Lin Fan’s 101st Task Force ambushed the Oakes Empire fleet from behind and focused its fire on the carriers, while Rex struggled to lead the fleet out of range. After the last carrier was destroyed, the Oakes ships began an arcing turn that would take them toward the asteroid field where Lin Fan had planted Drill Bombs.

• Lin Fan’s fleet emerged from behind an asteroid cluster and opened fire, concentrating on the Oakes Empire carriers.
• Duolun Oakes ordered the fleet to attack, but Rex took command and ordered the ships to turn left to escape the bombardment.
• Rex’s fleet lost 52 warships and 11 of its 12 carriers before completing the turn; the remaining carrier was then destroyed on Lin Fan’s orders.
• Rex ordered the surviving Oakes ships to accelerate and arc left in an attempt to get behind the 101st Fleet.
• Lin Fan told his fleet to keep firing and confirmed that the mecha forces had planted Drill Bombs on asteroids along the Oakes fleet’s projected route.
• Liang Xue realized that Lin Fan’s plan had lured the Oakes fleet toward the asteroid bombs and stared at him in shock.

Lin Fan used buried Drill Bombs and a mecha ambush to destroy the Oakes Empire fleet without losing a warship and capture its Ninth Prince. Liang Xingchen received the battle report and praised Lin Fan’s command, leaving the prince’s fate to the President.

• Rex’s fleet escaped beyond the 101st Task Force Fleet’s firing range after losing ninety-eight warships, including all twelve carriers.
• Lin Fan detonated Drill Bombs inside asteroids, blocking the Oakes fleet’s route and forcing Rex to halt amid debris.
• Lin Fan sent nine thousand mechas into the immobilized enemy fleet, destroying two hundred and eight warships while losing five hundred and twenty-eight mechas.
• Rex ordered guards to evacuate Duolun, the Oakes Empire’s Ninth Prince, but the Federation captured his escape pod after the battle.
• Liang Xue reported the fleet’s casualties and recoveries, and Lin Fan ordered the Ninth Prince held as a prisoner of war before returning to Mars.
• Liang Xingchen read the battle report, praised Lin Fan’s victory, and said the President would decide how to use the captured prince.

After Lin Fan captured the Oakes Empire’s Ninth Prince and won a major battle, the Federation planned to use the prince as leverage, while Mars Base mourned its fallen. Lin Fan began training in a simulated escort mission, unaware that Liang Xue briefly visited his room, and his battle was sent to the Interstellar Military Academy as a classic case.

• Federation President Lin Zhen convened officials to discuss how to handle the captured Ninth Prince and the Oakes Empire.
• Lin Fan and Liang Xingchen led a solemn farewell for 343 fallen soldiers, whose coffins were launched into space.
• Liang Xingchen told Lin Fan to escort the negotiation team arriving at Mars Base to negotiate over the Ninth Prince.
• Lin Fan went to his room and entered a simulated Asteroid Belt escort mission against the Oakes Empire.
• Liang Xue quietly entered Lin Fan’s bedroom, smiled at him as he lay on the bed, then left without him noticing.
• Liang Xingchen confirmed to Li Fulai that Lin Fan had commanded the battle, and Li Fulai decided to teach it to the Command Department students.

Dean Li Fulai revealed to the Interstellar Military Academy that the Federation was still at war with the Oakes Empire and analyzed the 101st Task Force Fleet’s recent victory. The students learned that Lin Fan had commanded the battle, leaving them inspired by his accomplishments.

• After speaking with Liang Xingchen, Li Fulai prepared to present the details of Lin Fan’s first battle to the academy.
• Li Fulai told the gathered students that the Oakes Empire had remained near Jupiter after its defeat and that the Federation had kept the ongoing war secret.
• Li Fulai analyzed how the 101st Task Force Fleet rescued a resource vessel from an Oakes Empire fleet of 208 warships.
• When students assumed Liang Xingchen had commanded the victory, Li Fulai revealed that Federation Colonel Lin Fan had led the fleet on his first sortie at Mars Base.
• Emma recognized Lin Fan’s achievement and felt more distant from him, while the students cheered and vowed to follow his example.

Lin Fan welcomed Ed Campbell and led him to meet the captured Ninth Prince, Duolun, so Ed could assess his value for negotiations with the Oakes Empire. Ed concluded that Duolun was lying about being the least favored prince and was probably the Emperor’s favorite.

• Ed Campbell arrived with his negotiation team, greeted Lin Fan, and revealed that Emma was his daughter.
• Ed teased Lin Fan about telling Emma dirty jokes, then warned him that they would talk about it after the mission.
• Lin Fan, Ed, and Liang Xue visited Duolun in the detention area, where Ed asked whether he had a message for the Oakes Empire.
• Duolun claimed he was the least favored prince, but Ed noticed signs that he was lying and inferred that he was highly favored by the Emperor.

Lin Fan led the 101st Task Force Fleet toward Sector 498, planning to subdue an Oakes Empire fleet there so he could establish contact. During the journey, he unlocked Mech Piloting and returned to the bridge, where he found Liang Xue drawing something that darkened his expression.

• Lin Fan ordered the fleet to Sector 498, explaining to Liang Xue that they could use their strength to make an Oakes Empire fleet listen.
• Lin Fan left Liang Xue in charge while he rested and trained during the uneventful trip.
• The System raised Lin Fan's Evasion Command to rank B and Mech Command to rank A, then unlocked his Mech Piloting ability and the Personal Abilities panel.
• Lin Fan absorbed the Mech Piloting information and agreed with the System that the skill could be useful to a commander.
• Lin Fan returned to the bridge and saw Liang Xue smiling as she drew on a virtual panel, then darkened when he saw what she was drawing.

Lin Fan caught Liang Xue drawing him as a captive, then prepared an ambush for an Oakes Empire fleet searching for the Ninth Prince. The ambush disabled eighteen enemy warships, and the chapter ended with Lin Fan’s warning: “Don’t move. If you dare move, we’ll take you out!”

• Lin Fan saw Liang Xue’s drawing of him tied to a pillar and ordered her to rest, then told her she looked pretty when she smiled.
• Adams learned that the Rex Fleet had been destroyed and suspected the Ninth Prince’s escape pod had been captured by humans, so he ordered his fleet to prepare for deployment.
• Lin Fan’s 101st Task Force Fleet set Duolun’s escape pod’s distress signal and hid nearby; Liang Xue returned to the bridge as Lin Fan waited for an enemy fleet to respond.
• An eighteen-warship Oakes Empire fleet detected the signal and rushed to retrieve the escape pod, mistaking it for the Ninth Prince’s pod.
• Lin Fan’s fleet ambushed the Oakes ships and destroyed their weapons and engines without destroying the vessels.
• Lin Fan sent the disabled fleet a message warning them not to move or they would be taken out.

The Oakes Empire and the Federation prepared to negotiate over the captured Ninth Prince, with Adams deciding to attend in disguise. Lin Fan secured a place on the Federation’s negotiation team so he could meet Adams and complete his mission.

• The Oakes commander learned that the Ninth Prince was in human custody and sent the news to headquarters.
• Adams decided to travel to the negotiations himself after learning that the Fourth Imperial Guard Legion would take ten years to arrive.
• Lin Fan and Los agreed to hold negotiations at a temporary space station, with each side limited to six shuttle-borne representatives.
• Lin Fan’s fleet assembled the station, and Oakes personnel inspected it for threats.
• Adams arrived in civilian attire with five negotiation experts, while Ed led the Federation team with Lin Fan.

Lin Fan persuaded the Federation to replace its demand that the Oakes Empire leave the Solar System with a ceasefire, arguing that the Federation needed time to deploy new technology and rebuild its forces. Both sides agreed to a seven-year ceasefire, but an unexpected complication arose as they prepared to sign.

• Lin Fan identified Adams as the Oakes Empire military commander, and negotiations began with Ed demanding the Empire withdraw from the Solar System.
• Adams rejected the withdrawal demand, saying the Emperor would execute him whether he agreed or the Ninth Prince died.
• Lin Fan proposed a ten-year ceasefire and explained to Ed that the Federation needed time to deploy Warp Drive Engines and Industrial Robots.
• Ed resumed negotiations with the ceasefire proposal, and both sides haggled over when the Ninth Prince would be returned.
• The Federation and the Oakes Empire settled on a seven-year ceasefire, but an accident occurred as they prepared to sign the agreement.