Qingyang stood on the bridge of the Taiyi flagship, surveying the seven massive warships around him.
His heart surged with excitement—this was his fleet!
The Eternal Truth Fleet!
What had happened today felt somewhat surreal, and Qingyang still had not fully calmed down.
He had also examined that Star Master Artisan title. Its effects were impressive.
It reduced the resources required to manufacture starships by 20%, regardless of grade!!
The limitation was that it only worked when he manufactured starships for himself. Manufacturing them for others only reduced resource costs by 5%.
It completely eliminated any possibility of profiting from the price difference.
"Fleet."
Guxing suddenly said, "Wait, Commander. Please take a look at these two new crew members."
Oh?
Crew members personally recommended by Guxing?
That was rare.
Qingyang turned around and noticed the two figures outside the control room doors.
Facing the approaching Qingyang, the Valen siblings were extremely nervous. Just as Qingyang stopped before them and was about to speak, he cut them off.
"It's fine. Don't be nervous. Let me take a look."
Qingyang used the Star of Truth's scanning function on them.
[Valen Selvath] [Talent (Anomalous): Offense Master (Pending Activation)] [Ability: Upon joining a Starfleet, the user becomes datafied. When commanding the fleet in an offensive battle— Ship Cannon Damage +1%, Optimal Range +1% (Under normal circumstances, accuracy within optimal range is 100%)] [Preference: Reading] [Evaluation: Pure-hearted, may require guidance] [Mia Selvath] [Talent (Anomalous): Defense Master (Pending Activation)] [Ability: Upon joining a Starfleet, the user becomes datafied. When commanding the fleet in a defensive battle— Shields +1%, Ship Cannon Initial Projectile Velocity +1%] [Preference: Traveling] [Evaluation: Pure-hearted, may require guidance]
Qingyang froze. This did not seem like an ability?
He looked at Guxing and asked, "Brother Guxing, why are their talents anomalous, and why can they only be activated after joining a Starfleet?"
Understanding flashed through Guxing's eyes, and he smiled. "The Alliance isn't the only one with abilities. They are the foundational supernatural rules of the entire Great Universe.
They can only be obtained once a civilization reaches a certain level. Every ability manifests differently in different civilizations, usually changing according to that civilization's unique system.
In the Alliance, the change is what Valen has. They are called—Star Adjuncts.
Because the Starfleet system is somewhat special, abilities are extremely difficult to alter as well. The number of Star Adjuncts is far lower than the total number of commanders.
However, the bonuses adjuncts provide to a Starfleet grow stronger as their rank rises. Their value is beyond question!
At present, this information only circulates among powerful nations and superpowers. Only powerful nations and superpowers possess methods of detection, and the system has not yet been fully established.
Our family has a small number of adjuncts as well."
The truly outrageous ones were Fortune talents like yours, right?
Qingyang roughly understood why Guxing had found these two.
He then happily and formally appointed them as crew members, signing an agreement with them as well.
Valen and Mia were overjoyed. They had heard Qingyang and Guxing's conversation just now, and knew they could be of considerable use to a Starfleet.
But actually joining this fleet, which looked powerful at a glance, still thrilled them beyond measure.
"Someone will arrange the resources. What you two need to do now is raise your ranks as quickly as possible."
Qingyang had a crew member take the siblings to the Residential Area to improve their abilities, then swept his gaze over everyone. "Nothing else, right?"
"Reporting, Commander! Nothing!" everyone replied in unison.
Qingyang turned around and faced the vast starsea ahead.
"Fleet! Set sail!"
Changxi immediately said, "Dark Space Engine activated! Traveling at eight times light speed. Destination set—K901 Star Ring Route!"
In an instant, the eight starships that had drawn so much attention suddenly broke away from the Starport and leaped directly into the Dark Space current!
The Dark Space current was filled with magnificent, vast, mysterious Energy Torrents. Brilliantly colored, any random mass of them was enough to cover a star system.
Compared to them, the Eternal Truth Fleet speeding past nearby seemed as tiny as microorganisms.
Many crew members admired the scenery of Dark Space through virtual projections.
It was difficult to imagine that Dark Space, with such a somber name, possessed splendor far surpassing the starry universe!
Qingyang studied the star map and said with interest, "The third Star Ring Route we'll reach seems to have a Star Lake several million light-years across, spanning quite a few galactic rivers."
This was the next target!
Qingyang had crossed into this incomparably wondrous Great Cosmic Era, a time filled with endless miracles.
He did not possess any grand ambition of leading civilization to rise, and the Alliance did not need him to lead it forward.
Qingyang only wanted to witness the countless miracles and wonders of this Great Universe—whether those inexplicably powerful Dimensional Worlds, the various Supreme Dimensions rumored to contain terrifying beings, or the countless strange and unusual civilizations.
He wanted to witness them all with his own eyes!
He even had a dream that others would find unbelievable: to face the will and origin of the Great Universe itself!
Even if danger and death accompanied that journey!
He had been that kind of person in his previous life. If not for an accident during an expedition, he would never have come to this era.
But his short-term goal was still to see his mother. Recently, he had keenly sensed that something was wrong with her.
As for exactly what was wrong, perhaps he was still too weak. His father and mother had both been vague about it.
At that thought, a shadow passed through Qingyang's eyes.
Ooooh~
Suddenly, an ethereal cry like that of a whale rang beside his ears.
At first, Qingyang did not react. The next moment, he abruptly looked up. This was Dark Space!
Where would a whale come from?
At that sight, Qingyang immediately went blank. The others, including Guxing, also found it unbelievable.
Within a colorful cloud of energy at an unknown distance from the fleet, a vast being was breaching.
It resembled a whale, yet possessed six pairs of flowing-light wings!
Countless streams of light wound across its body, as though the stars and rivers of the universe were reflected upon it.
Divinity permeated the area, and an indescribable serenity spread through their hearts.
How large was this Divine Whale?
A light-day? A light-year? Or...
Dreamlike particles of light circled the Divine Whale, while its clear, ethereal cries echoed without end.
[Your Mental Threshold quality +1, an increase of approximately 25%, T8 (Perfect +1)] [Your genetic structure has gained +1 optimization due to the influence of High-Dimensional Power. Optimization direction unknown (Incomplete)]
It was not just Qingyang. Guxing, Guxue, and every crew member seemed to have been sublimated, their auras strengthening to varying degrees!
Qingyang ignored the Star Network notifications ringing in his ears.
His gaze remained fixed on the enormous figure surrounded by hundreds of millions of dazzling rivers of light.
The Divine Whale gradually moved away. Before vanishing, its enormous eye, as if reflecting the universe itself, glanced at the Eternal Fleet.
Qingyang and the others stood there blankly, only coming back to their senses several minutes later.
"What was that?" Qingyang asked with difficulty.
Guxing shook his head. Feeling that he had already broken through to Rank Four, countless thoughts filled his mind.
Qingyang's mind was a complete mess.
He had only just spoken of his dream, and the Great Universe had shown him a scene resembling a miracle.
The Divine Whale, which blanketed the starry river and radiated divinity, made him revere and anticipate the Great Universe even more.
At that moment, Bellia and the other researchers were even more shaken.
"What kind of lifeform was that?!!"
"So beautiful, so beautiful! A work of art crafted by the Great Universe itself!"
"Just a natural cry was enough to sublimate abilities."
"There was no biological response whatsoever. It definitely possesses the traits of a dimensional lifeform! It may even be a legendary High-Dimensional Divinity."
"..."
Qingyang lowered his head, and a photograph appeared in his hand.
He carefully put away the photograph, his resolve growing firmer.
After taking one last look at where the Divine Whale had disappeared, he turned around. "Destination unchanged. Travel at maximum speed!"
"Yes!"
Tsk, why did this chapter suddenly feel like the opening plot of a traditional adventure novel?
He suddenly realized it was pretty similar to how that idiot from Pokémon started out.
Before you continue