Lin Fan

Federation Year 58.

Near the Lunar Headquarters of the Space Force stood the Interstellar Military Academy.

At noon, inside one of the academy's artificial ecological domes, Lin Fan lay lazily on the grass with his eyes closed, as though he were enjoying his daily nap.

Speaking of Lin Fan, he was quite famous throughout the academy. He was hailed as a once-in-a-century prodigy in the Battleship Command Department, while also being called a once-in-a-millennium problem student for the entire academy.

He was called a once-in-a-century prodigy in Battleship Command because, shortly after enrolling, he had defeated every instructor in fleet simulation battles.

By all logic, someone as gifted as Lin Fan should have been the academy's pride.

But reality was somewhat different. Whenever the instructors mentioned Lin Fan, they had only two words for him: headache.

Because whenever he had free time, the guy would slack off and sleep. He was always thinking of ways to find an opportunity to nap.

He gave people the impression that he had no ambition whatsoever, yet he took first place in every simulation exam.

To correct his lazy personality, the academy dean had once specifically gone to the neighboring Lunar Headquarters of the Space Force and invited twenty-nine-year-old Federal Colonel Wood Scott to fight Lin Fan in a simulated fleet battle.

Wood had become a Federal colonel at the age of twenty-nine and commanded a small fleet. He had been riding high and was known in the military as the most dazzling rising general of the new era.

The dean's original intention had been to take down Lin Fan's arrogance and let him know that, although he was a monstrous talent, he was still young and had much to learn. He should not keep being so lazy.

But the result exceeded everyone's expectations. Lin Fan crushed Wood outright, beating him so badly that he began to doubt his life.

One hundred warships versus one hundred warships. Lin Fan had wiped out the opposing fleet at the cost of only light damage to a single warship.

It was said that after Wood returned, he had even undergone three months of psychological counseling before recovering.

It had led several Space Force higher-ups to believe that the academy dean had deliberately arranged the match to humiliate them. The atmosphere had been incredibly awkward for a time.

After that incident, the academy had no choice but to leave Lin Fan alone. What else could they do?

After all, when it came to fleet command, no one in the entire academy, instructors included, was a match for him. It made every attempt to lecture Lin Fan seem pale and powerless.

After lying on the grass for an hour, Lin Fan slowly opened his eyes.

"Ding! Congratulations, Host. Your Artillery Command ability has improved. Current level: B. Reward granted: 1% brain development."

In an instant, Lin Fan felt as if his mind had become much clearer.

"Open the status panel!"

Host: Lin Fan

IQ: 380

Brain Development: 18% (17% before reward)

Command Abilities: Artillery Command (B), Evasion Command (C), Formation Command (B), Mech Command (C)

Mission 1: Become a true Fleet Commander and command at least ten warships. (Reward upon completion: Warp Engine Technology)

Mission 2: Raise military rank to colonel. (Reward upon completion: Gene Enhancement Serum, and unlock the physical attributes panel)

"Artillery Command has finally reached B. If I face Wood again now, I'm confident I can defeat him without damaging a single warship."

Looking at the B beside Artillery Command and the two Cs beside the other abilities on the command panel, Lin Fan nodded in satisfaction.

The truth was, humanity had entered the Interstellar Era too recently. Its experience in interstellar warfare was still too shallow. Thus, although Wood was famous in the Federal Fleet, he would still seem extremely immature in the eyes of older civilizations.

Take the simulated opponents Lin Fan fought in the system every day. Even the beginner-level ones were far stronger than Wood.

So although Lin Fan's abilities were only rated B and C, they were not evaluated by Human Federation standards. In fact, reaching A already counted as the current Federation's highest level.

Yet in the system's rating system, there were still S, SS, SSS, and EX above A.

"Sigh, I've already been in this world for ten years. In another year, I'll be graduating."

Looking through the transparent hemispherical shell of the ecological dome at the starry sky, Lin Fan felt deeply moved. It had already been ten years since he had transmigrated here.

That was right. Lin Fan had not originally belonged to this world. He had accidentally transmigrated here and entered the body of someone who shared his name.

Along with that, he had obtained a system called the Strongest Interstellar Commander System, which could help Lin Fan master all the abilities an interstellar fleet commander needed.

Thus, while everyone believed Lin Fan spent every free moment slacking off, he was actually studying desperately in the system's virtual space, even conducting simulated battles against fleets of various races generated by the system.

In a one-hundred-percent virtual environment, there was no difference from real war, except that he would not truly die in the end.

"Lin Fan, why are you sleeping here again? The instructors have been looking for you for ages!"

A crisp, pleasant voice suddenly rang out beside him. Lin Fan knew it was Emma, his class monitor.

Emma had been born into a wealthy North American family. Ever since childhood, she had always come first in everything she did, as proud as a swan, until she entered the Interstellar Military Academy and met Lin Fan.

Looking at Emma's peerless face and curvaceous figure, Lin Fan honestly felt a little embarrassed.

After all, by relying on his cheat, he had cast the academy's most outstanding genius of the century, Emma, beneath his shadow and forced her into being the eternal runner-up.

Seeing the slight apology in Lin Fan's gaze, Emma found it very strange. What did that mean?

Emma had always felt an indescribable emotion toward Lin Fan. There was a little resentment, a great deal of curiosity, and even something else.

In any case, even she could not quite figure out what was wrong with herself.

"Why is the instructor looking for me?"

"I don't know. He only said that if anyone found you, you were to go to the dean's office. Did you do something again?"

"You know me. What can I do besides sleep?"

What do you mean, what did I do again? You make it sound like I'm always doing something. Clearly, I'm the least troublesome person in the entire academy. Other than attending class, all I do is sleep—enter the system to study.

Lin Fan looked at Emma with a face full of black lines. This girl needed some educating. She really did not know how to talk.

"Alright, Lin the Great Prodigy, hurry up and go. The dean is probably getting impatient!"

"Fine!"

Lin Fan reluctantly got to his feet, straightened his slightly wrinkled clothes, and headed outside.

"Wait!"

Watching Lin Fan prepare to leave the ecological dome, Emma called out to stop him. She walked over, raised her hand, and gently brushed at his clothes a few times.

"You're such a grown man, yet you're still so sloppy. Can't you see there's dust on your clothes?"

"Uh..."

The scene looked exactly like a wife tidying her husband's clothes before he went out, leaving Lin Fan utterly stunned.

"Done!"

After cleaning several smudges of dirt from Lin Fan's clothes, Emma lifted her head to look at him, only to find that his gaze was a little strange.

The next moment, remembering what she had just done, Emma's face instantly turned red.

Feeling the atmosphere become increasingly awkward, Emma immediately turned and hurried out of the ecological dome without looking back.

"Strange. Why is she blushing? It's my first time seeing that. I have to admit, she looks pretty good that way."

Watching Emma quickly leave the ecological dome, Lin Fan could not help muttering to himself.

Five minutes later, Lin Fan arrived outside the dean's office on the academy's top floor and knocked on the door.

"Come in!"

The voice was somewhat aged, yet still full of vigor.

Lin Fan pushed open the door and entered the office.

At that moment, besides Dean Li Fulai, there was also a middle-aged man in military uniform inside the office. Lin Fan glanced at the man's rank and was stunned. Five-star general.

To become a five-star general at such an age, Lin Fan had already vaguely guessed the man's identity.

"Dean, may I ask why you wanted to see me?"

"No rush. Let me introduce you first. This is General Liang Xingchen, commander of the Mars Base of the Federal Space Force."

"Lin Fan, cadet of the 55th Command Department class of the Federal Interstellar Military Academy, greets Commander Liang!"

In an instant, Lin Fan shed his lazy demeanor, snapped into a standard military stance, and saluted Liang Xingchen!

This was a major figure repeatedly mentioned in textbooks, the greatest contributor to the Defense of the Solar System and humanity's most outstanding interstellar fleet commander.

However, Liang Xingchen's information had been classified as the Federation's highest secret. Public records only mentioned his name and past achievements.

As for his age and appearance? Sorry, those were classified at the 3S level and were not publicly disclosed.

Even so, Liang Xingchen was still one of the people Lin Fan respected most after transmigrating here.

Now that he was seeing the real man, Lin Fan could not help feeling a little excited.

According to Federation records, during the Defense of the Solar System, three of the Federation's four major fleets had already collapsed. Liang Xingchen had led the last remaining fleet to turn the tide, defeating an Oakes Empire fleet ten times his size in the Asteroid Belt and preserving human civilization from destruction.

It could be said that Liang Xingchen was the hero of the entire Human Federation, without equal.

The dean stood to the side with his mouth hanging open, staring at Lin Fan in disbelief. This guy could actually make such a serious expression and perform such precise movements?

"Hehe, Old Li, this is nothing like what you told me!"

"I..."

Li Fulai opened his mouth, but for a moment, he did not know what to say. Was he supposed to say that this was also his first time seeing the brat act like this? Wouldn't that be slapping himself in the face?

"Lin Fan, I called you here to ask whether you intend to graduate early. Given your actual abilities, there's nothing more for you to learn by staying at the academy."

"Yes. If possible, I hope to graduate as soon as possible and join the Federal Fleet."

Lin Fan had not forgotten the two missions in his system. He naturally would not give up such a good opportunity.

Besides, Liang Xingchen was right. There truly was nothing more for him to learn at the academy.

"Very good. I will personally conduct your graduation assessment, a simulated fleet battle. Do you understand?"

"Yes! I will not disappoint Commander Liang's expectations!"

"Alright, you may go now. Report to the academy's simulation battle building at eight tomorrow morning!"

"Yes!"

After saluting Liang Xingchen once more, Lin Fan turned and left the dean's office.

"You're really going to personally assess Lin Fan?"

"Yes. After all, easily defeating Wood proves nothing. I want to force out his true strength and see how far he can go!"

"Fine, whatever makes you happy. But let me be clear: he's the most monstrous talent I've ever seen in all my years of teaching. If I hand him over to you, you must be responsible for his future."

"Don't worry. As long as he can impress me tomorrow, I can grant him a rank according to the highest promotion standard and let him independently command a mixed fleet."

Li Fulai sucked in a breath. He had not expected Liang Xingchen to go this far. Lin Fan was only nineteen years old. Military academy students normally graduated at twenty, and even the best graduates could only become captains and serve as deputy captains of a warship.

Of course, as the commander of Mars Base, Liang Xingchen had the authority to make special promotions. At most, he could directly promote someone to colonel.

But that carried risks as well. If someone promoted through special authority was later found not to possess matching abilities, Liang Xingchen would also face severe punishment.

As expected of Liang Xingchen, Li Fulai thought to himself.

"Of course, that's assuming he can impress me tomorrow!"

"Alright, you have the final say. I'll go make the arrangements!"

At that moment, Lin Fan had just left the academy's instructor zone when he saw Emma standing not far away, looking anxiously in his direction. He immediately walked over.

"What are you doing?"

"Just taking a walk! Is that any of your business?"

"Alright, then. Carry on. I'll be going."

Seeing how unwilling Emma was to be honest, Lin Fan curled his lips and turned to leave.

Emma angrily stomped the floor hard, only to tragically discover that she had used too much force and stepped awkwardly. She ended up twisting her ankle.

Damn Lin Fan! He's infuriating me! Hiss... it hurts...

Emma sat on the ground, rubbing her right ankle with a pained expression.

"Are you alright?"

Hearing the voice, Emma looked up in surprise and saw Lin Fan crouching in front of her, smiling at her.

"None of your business!"

"You really are stubborn. Come on, I'll take you to the infirmary."

Without waiting for Emma's response, Lin Fan turned around and crouched down again.

Emma naturally understood the gesture. Lin Fan intended to carry her on his back, but she could not bring herself to accept it. After all, she was the ice queen goddess in everyone's eyes.

"Hurry up. Be careful not to let a minor injury turn into a serious one!"

"Mind your own business!"

Hearing Emma still stubbornly putting up a front, Lin Fan felt like teaching this girl a lesson about her arrogant temperament. But before he could make another move, he felt a soft body lean against his back, with two arms gently wrapping around his neck.

For a moment, Lin Fan froze. What happened to that pride? Why is she suddenly so tsundere? Are you an impostor pretending to be Emma?

"Are you leaving or not?"

Seeing Lin Fan space out, Emma leaned against him and softly called out, her face red.

Under the envious gazes of countless people around them, Lin Fan stood up and carried Emma toward the academy infirmary.