In the office, Lin Fan felt a little uneasy under Liang Xingchen's stare.
"Commander, please don't look at me like that!"
"You brat, who are you trying to fool? I understand that everyone has their own secrets, but do you know what humanity is facing right now? Given your family background, you should have known long ago. There is a time and place for hiding your talents!"
"Uh, all right, Commander, I accept! I'll make good use of this base. Come to think of it, I've had some promising ideas lately. There should be good news before long."
"That's more like it. I won't pry into your secrets, but don't hide your talents at critical moments either. Understood?"
"Yes, Commander!"
Knock, knock... knock.
"Come in!"
"Reporting in, Liang Xue has arrived as ordered!"
Just after Lin Fan and Liang Xingchen had finished a conversation that ordinary people would never have understood, Liang Xue, whom the adjutant had been sent to notify earlier, arrived.
Lin Fan gave the newcomer a brief once-over. She looked to be just over twenty and was a beauty who did not lose to Emma in the slightest.
Then he looked at the rank on her shoulder: undeniably that of a major. Aside from himself, with his ability to cheat, becoming a major just past the age of twenty was enough to show that she was anything but ordinary.
It was just that her entire demeanor was too cold. While Lin Fan did like the icy beauty type, this one was definitely frozen solid.
Lin Fan even felt that the temperature in the entire room had dropped several degrees the moment Liang Xue entered. That was no exaggeration.
"Ahem. Lin Fan, let me introduce you. This is Major Liang Xue. From now on, she will be your adjutant. The two of you must work well together, understood?"
When Liang Xingchen saw Lin Fan frown after studying Liang Xue for a while, he more or less guessed what Lin Fan was thinking.
Sigh, daughter, when are you going to warm up a little? Liang Xingchen looked helplessly at his daughter.
"Yes, Commander!"
What else could Lin Fan say? Judging from Liang Xingchen's expression, she was most likely his daughter.
Having such an ice-cold daughter can't be easy for the Commander.
"Mm. The 101st Task Force Fleet is in your hands now. Don't disappoint me!"
"Yes, Commander!"
"Ding. Congratulations, Host, for completing Mission 1: Become a true Fleet Commander and command at least ten warships. Warp Engine Technology acquired."
"Ding. Due to the Host exceeding mission requirements, a hidden reward has been activated. Industrial Robot Technology acquired."
There was actually a hidden reward. This was the first time he had seen one. Lin Fan was delighted. He now had a fleet, a base capable of building warships, and the technology for Industrial Robots and the Warp Drive Engine. It was practically perfect.
No, it still fell a little short of perfect. It would be even better if he had some research experts. After all, he could not switch careers and become a researcher himself. He simply did not have the time.
"Reporting!"
"Speak!"
"Commander, could you assign some experts to my base? I don't want to become a full-time researcher."
"I arranged that for you long ago. They're already waiting at the base."
"Thank you, Commander!"
"All right, take your transfer orders and get going!"
Liang Xingchen waved his hand. Lin Fan saluted and left the office, with Liang Xue following behind him.
The journey was somewhat silent. Unable to bear it any longer, Lin Fan spoke first.
"Deputy Liang, we'll be working together for a long time. Could you tell me what you're good at?"
"Everything."
"Uh, let me put that another way. What are you especially good at?"
"Everything."
"...Fine, then could you lead the way? I'm not familiar with this place yet!"
As soon as Lin Fan finished speaking, Liang Xue took two quick strides forward and moved ahead of him.
Without saying a word, she simply walked onward.
"...#"
Miss, could you not be like this? This is way too much.
Lin Fan looked helplessly at Liang Xue's back. Changing her personality was apparently going to be much harder than changing Emma's.
Seeing that Liang Xue had already gone ten meters without even looking back, Lin Fan could only hurry after her.
Half an hour later, led by Liang Xue, he boarded a shuttle at the port and arrived at the 101st Task Force Fleet's base, Orbital Starport No. 27.
Throughout the entire trip, Liang Xue had not said a single word. Not even her expression had changed in the slightest. Lin Fan was on the verge of a breakdown.
He could only complain inwardly. Having a gorgeous super-beauty as an adjutant should have been a pleasure, yet it had turned into an unbearable torment.
Shaking his head, Lin Fan composed himself. They had arrived, after all. As the newly appointed Fleet Commander, he would soon have to give a speech before all the officers and soldiers. He could not mess this up, or things would become difficult afterward.
After stepping off the shuttle, Lin Fan looked at the 144 warships docked inside the starport with a satisfied expression. Perfect!
No, it was still short of perfect. If only the personality of the woman beside him could change too, then it would truly be perfect!
"Deputy Liang, order everyone in the fleet to assemble inside the starport."
"Yes!"
After replying, Liang Xue raised her right hand, tapped her portable computer a few times, and spoke.
"Attention, everyone. Assemble in the starport immediately. I repeat, everyone assemble in the starport immediately!"
Liang Xue's voice quickly echoed through every corner of the base. Lin Fan nodded, raised his right hand, and started a timer.
By the minimum standard, after an assembly order was issued, it should take no more than ten minutes for everyone to arrive.
Do not think ten minutes was slow. This was a medium-sized starport. Even running from one end to the other would take at least half an hour.
Fortunately, the crew quarters were all located near the starport. Otherwise, they would not have been able to assemble even in half an hour.
One minute later, everyone who had already been in the starport had assembled.
Five minutes later, large numbers of personnel ran into the starport from its inner sections.
Seven minutes later, Liang Xue spoke.
"Reporting, 101st Task Force Fleet, all personnel assembled. Expected attendance: 32,900. Actual attendance: 32,900."
Damn. Lin Fan looked at Liang Xue in mild shock. This girl was capable. How had she counted tens of thousands of people so clearly? She really had skills.
After seeing that everyone had assembled, Lin Fan stepped forward two paces, adjusted the portable computer on his right hand to amplify his voice, and began his inaugural address.
"Colleagues, my name is Lin Fan. I am nineteen years old, and I am also the new commander of the 101st Task Force Fleet."
The moment Lin Fan uttered those first words, the officers and soldiers below found them hard to accept.
Nineteen years old? A colonel? The new Fleet Commander?
Was this some kind of international joke? Which great family's young master had been sent here to pad his résumé?
What was the situation on the front lines now, and they were still pulling this? Wasn't this complete nonsense?
In truth, it was not their fault for letting their imaginations run wild. A nineteen-year-old colonel was simply too abnormal, and a nineteen-year-old commander of a task force fleet was even more so.
Normally, the commander of a fleet of this size should have been a Major General.
For a moment, everyone looked at Lin Fan with rather unfriendly eyes.
Before you continue