Global Crossing: Empire of Stars

Psionicist Red: Effect 1: Awaken Psionic Energy; Effect 2: Skill Learning Speed +10%;

Sublight Assault Red: Effect 1: Sublight Cannon Accuracy +21%*5; Effect 2: Sublight Cannon Damage +24%*5;

Profession: Captain Elite Red, Apprentice

Skills: 1-Psionic Cultivation Red, Warrior 15.23%

-Sublight Assault Red, Master 13.21%: Effect 1: Sublight Cannon Accuracy +21%; Effect 2: Sublight Cannon Damage +23%

-Fatal Strike Red, Beginner 13.27%: Critical Hit Rate +2%

Psionic Combat Skill: Ship Command Elite Red: Effect 1: Ship Evasion +25%*10; Effect 2: Sublight Cruising Speed +25%*10 Psionic Energy Consumption: 50 Duration: 30min

Psionic Energy: 267

Commentary: "Watch me soar like a celestial being!"

"Ship Command has completed its transformation!" Lin Zhichen exhaled, filled with joy.

Although the "Ship Command" skill now required psionic energy to activate after transforming into a Psionic Combat Skill, its true potential would be unleashed if it advanced further into Heroic Domain. At that point, the buffs wouldn't apply to just the "Qin Yuan" alone, but to all warships under Lin Zhichen's command!

Imagine a heroic commander leading a fleet, their Heroic Domain activated, with various skills boosting combat power to the skies, while the enemy has no hero. What would their fate be?

This was why heroes were the backbone of the Galactic Nations, and why, despite monsters and NPCs respawning over and over in the Starry Sky, they had never managed to conquer the Civilized Nations. Under certain abnormal circumstances, gathered monsters could indeed launch attacks on civilized worlds!

"From this day forward, I am an elite of Humanity!" He looked at his transformed status panel, his joy growing with each glance.

This was just the beginning. With the Diligence Repays the Heavens skill, his future was bound to be that of a Superhero spanning multiple fields!

While he was reveling in his success, the communication signal suddenly chimed.

"Big Brother, you're amazing!"

The holographic communication activated, and Wei Peng appeared, shouting excitedly, "Our Meteor Mercenary Group has become famous overnight! We've gone from a third-rate small team to a top-twenty high-end group. Absolutely incredible!"

"Big Brother, with this batch of pirate ships joining us, our Meteor Mercenary Group will no longer be a small, ragtag bunch," Wu Tianyi said with a smile.

"If you could subdue a few more batches with your mighty power, Big Brother, our team would grow exponentially!"

"You're thinking too much. This was due to multiple factors. These NPCs are single-minded; they don't surrender that easily," Lin Zhichen shook his head, remaining clear-headed.

If monsters were so easy to recruit, would the Federal Government still be troubled by the constantly respawning NPC monsters?

"It's not that, Big Brother. I saw discussions on the Star Net saying that those who like to charge in alone and defeat enemies are more likely to gain the 'Subdue and Recruit' skill," Link said earnestly.

"Those with this skill are prone to absolutely crushing monsters through sheer force when fighting one-on-one!"

Lin Zhichen's brow twitched. This was important information. His ambitions were grand, and developing at a normal pace would take countless years. Recruited monsters might be cannon fodder, but in large numbers, they could be useful, especially in the early stages. It was quite a valuable skill.

Lost in thought, he said, "I'll escort these pirates to the rendezvous point. You all spread out. Tianyi and Ake, maintain vigilance. Dapeng, you lead the ground troops to board and secure these pirate crew members!"

"Understood, Big Brother!" Wei Peng nodded.

Generally, surrendered pirates, with their simple minds, rarely rebelled, especially after a period of coexistence. As long as they weren't mistreated, they could easily be assimilated.

However, caution was necessary. It would be best to secure them before putting them to use.

He ordered the surrendering pirates to turn their cannons towards the uninhabited zone, form a simple formation, and proceed at a steady pace towards the agreed-upon rendezvous point. The "Qin Yuan" followed behind, occasionally weaving back and forth to prevent the pirates from changing their minds.

Everything proceeded smoothly. When Clone Troopers were stationed on all twenty-three pirate ships, everyone finally relaxed.

This was a success!

Meanwhile, online, the impact of this event was just beginning to spread.

"God! Pirate NPCs surrendered? Can you believe these blockheads are actually scared?"

"Does anyone know the origin of this mysterious warship?"

"According to my second aunt's neighbor's third aunt's cousin's second uncle's family's eldest son, the Earth Autonomous Government recently registered a Psionic Warship with the Federal military. It's a frigate model!"

"What the hell, who is this big shot? Does anyone have inside information?"

"Speaking of NPCs surrendering, does that mean we can capture a batch and use them to fight against monsters [clever]"

"Stupid! Don't you think the Federation understands such a simple principle? They just can't do it!"

"It's out, it's out! The Meteor Mercenary Group has released an official announcement. This is the flagship of the mercenary group's leader, Lin Zhichen, the Qin Yuan! Holy crap, the big shot is from our Eastern Continent!"

"Hooray! Nobody can stop me, I'm joining the Meteor Mercenary Group!"

"This name sounds familiar~凸(艹皿艹) This big shot is the newly appointed commander of the Fifth Fleet~"

"There's inside information. It's said that this big shot's battle was highly praised by government higher-ups. A certain military bigwig believes the growth rate of this new commander is astonishing and that he might become the Federation's next hero!"

"666~ Bow down to the future big shot!"

"..."

Casually browsing the internet, Lin Zhichen's upturned lips revealed his current pleasant mood, until he received another communication.

"Beep beep~"

The holographic communication activated again, and Kadir Rockefeller appeared, beaming. "Congratulations, my friend, your flawless performance has completely won me over!"

"A minor victory," Lin Zhichen smiled.

Kadir Rockefeller clearly didn't think so. "No, this is not simple. According to my military staff's analysis, the combat power of the Qin Yuan is not inferior to a battleship, and its value on the battlefield is far beyond what a battleship can measure!"

Lin Zhichen maintained a reserved smile. "When will you be ready? Around when will you start?"

"Don't worry, friend. You've already gnawed off the toughest bones. Leave the rest to me, and I won't disappoint you!" Kadir Rockefeller said confidently. "What's owed to you, won't be a single cent short!"

"I'm looking forward to it," Lin Zhichen nodded.

The communication ended, and he looked at his companions. "Let's go, we'll head back to Earth first."

"Aren't we waiting?" Wei Peng asked in surprise.

"There's no need. When they start, it won't be too late for me to come back. The most important thing now is to train this batch of pirates. I have something good that will come in handy," Lin Zhichen said casually. "Next is a period of rest. We'll need some time to digest our gains."

"Understood."

The journey back was longer than the one coming. Fortunately, all the pirate ships had already been brought under control by the clone army. Lin Zhichen was able to pilot the "Qinyuan" ahead of them to return, preparing to handle the affairs of over twenty pirate ships.

The personnel weren't many; twenty-three ships only had a little over a hundred people, less than even the number of clone soldiers under Wei Peng's command.

In the Interstellar Era, ordinary farm products like grain, meat, eggs, and milk were abundant and cheap, making it easy to feed hundreds or even thousands of people.

There was no need to worry about housing either. Long before Wei Peng and the others set out, the mercenary group's base had already been chosen, and the headquarters building was under construction.

The construction efficiency of the Interstellar Era could shock even a construction maniac. In just over twenty days, a headquarters covering several hundred acres had been completed, including an office building, dormitories, a mess hall, and even a virtual military training ground. All the buildings were finished and ready for occupancy.

The base was located in a rural area a hundred kilometers from a major city. In the Interstellar Era, personal anti-gravity vehicles were common, so transportation wasn't an issue.

Earth had only recently joined the Federation, and flying cars were not yet widespread. Therefore, urbanization was still evident, and the population remained concentrated.

However, on a significant portion of the Federation's inhabited planets, residents were distributed more sparsely, and the phenomenon of clustering was less pronounced.

For Lin Zhichen now, the cost of purchasing a flying car was negligible. Naturally, he preferred to choose a location far from the hustle and bustle of the city.

"Commander!" Led by a few base managers, dozens of management personnel saluted Lin Zhichen for the first time upon his arrival at the base's parking lot.

This was a military salute. The Meteor Mercenary Group was, after all, a military force, and its internal management was quite similar to that of the army.

Lin Zhichen returned the salute. "The person in charge should stay behind; the rest of you can get back to work."

"Yes, Commander!" The management personnel saluted and left in an orderly fashion.

"Commander, my name is Wei Chenglin. I am the general manager of the base, responsible for its normal operations." A middle-aged man stepped forward and saluted. He was burly, and his green military uniform gave him a commanding presence.

"I heard Dapeng mention you. He said you came from the army? A retired officer?" Lin Zhichen asked with a smile.

"Yes, Commander!" Wei Chenglin replied, but he didn't disclose his specific military rank.

Lin Zhichen nodded understandingly. With Earth joining the Federation and over two hundred countries suddenly merging into one, some changes were inevitable. Looking at their demeanor, they were likely all in similar situations to Wei Chenglin.

"Commander, I am the head of the base's industrial department. My name is Xu Wen." A man in his thirties stepped forward. His style was slightly different; his gold-rimmed glasses made him appear refined.

"We don't have many industries yet, do we?" Lin Zhichen nodded in greeting. "Manager Xu, do you have any plans?"

"That depends on your intentions, Commander. Are you planning some side businesses, or will everything serve the military?" Xu Wen asked in return.

"Initially, we'll focus on the military. If opportunities arise, we can develop some trade and commerce. In the mid to late stages, we'll establish industries," Lin Zhichen replied.

This was actually the development experience of various private legions in the Federation. Military strength was difficult to maintain indefinitely. Without economic support, a single defeat could cripple the entire legion, leading to its eventual disintegration.

In the past, the Federation had accumulated much experience. Therefore, legions that could exist long-term now balanced both military and commercial aspects. If they had spare capacity, they would also invest in the industrial sector, effectively becoming a state within a state. In fact, legions that followed this path would eventually choose to establish their own nations, breaking away from the Federation to become new human countries.

The Federation welcomed such developments, as it ultimately strengthened the power of civilized society and increased the overall strength to resist the darkness.

"I'll venture a guess, Commander, you have aspirations of establishing a nation!?" Upon hearing this, Xu Wen's eyes lit up, and he asked.

If this were the Old Era, such an idea would be considered treasonous and laughable. But in this era, people would only consider whether you had the potential, and then offer praise or ridicule.

Lin Zhichen smiled without answering, but the others found their answer. Immediately, the demeanor of the several managers changed noticeably. Lin Zhichen's performance in the asteroid belt had already proven his potential.

In this dark era where the future was uncertain, discerning individuals were chasing hope. And the only hope in the universe was heroes!

"Sir, if that's the case, our industries cannot solely pursue profit. We must consider some investments in the early stages," Xu Wen's tone clearly changed, becoming more respectful.

"For example, we need a shipyard. In the short term, it must at least be able to maintain our warships. To achieve this goal, a complete production base, including food production, small-scale Universal Alloy steel, and a group of ship engineers, is necessary. All of this requires more Energy Coins to support!"