Global Crossing: Empire of Stars

"Ready, aim, fire!"

At Lin Zhichen's command, three sublight alloy warheads shot out. Every four seconds, they charged up and fired another volley.

An urgent communication suddenly came through. Kadir Rockefeller's furious figure appeared above the holographic device as he roared frantically:

"Damn it! I told you to stop them, not hide far away like a coward! Don't forget we signed a contract. If I'm finished, don't think you'll get off easy either!"

"Calm down, buddy. The world is so wonderful, yet you're so irritable." Lin Zhichen said calmly, "You'll soon discover that this world never lacks miracles!"

In fact, there was no need to wait. A Pirate Raider was soon struck by an Electromagnetic Projectile and exploded into a ball of fire.

That unlucky pirate ship had taken no evasive measures at all. It was hit directly by nearly ten projectiles in five successive volleys, exploding on the spot in a burst of flames.

Clearly, after their previous live-combat training, Lin Zhichen's gunners had made tremendous progress. Even this kind of ultra-long-range artillery fire had reached a sniper's standard.

"Oh my God!" Kadir Rockefeller froze where he stood, staring dumbfoundedly at the radar.

After the first Pirate Raider was Destroyed, the second and third Raider Boats were damaged and slowed down. Soon, a second and third blaze lit up among the stars.

That was the light of nuclear fusion reactors exploding, illuminating a vast stretch of starfield.

Lin Zhichen looked delightedly at the panel. In an extremely short time, the three gunners had grown even further.

Name: Gunner DQXJ

Gender: Male

Age: 19

Class: Senior Gunner

Talent: Artillery Fire: Kinetic Weapon range +7%;

Precision: Kinetic Weapon accuracy +6%

Skills: 1—Artillery White, Advanced 12.14%: firing speed +20%, artillery damage +20%

—Ultra-long Range Shelling, Advanced 7.28%: range +200%

—Precision, Intermediate 84.15%: artillery accuracy +30%

Evaluation: Believe me, he definitely won't cop a feel when he goes for the chest!

In such a short time, not only had his two key skills improved, but they had also driven an evolution in his talents.

More importantly, he had gained an additional Precision skill that directly increased artillery accuracy. No wonder the hit rate had improved so dramatically!

Within moments, three Raider Boats had been Destroyed in succession. The remaining two pirate ships seemed terrified. They actually curved through space and prepared to flee outright.

"Trying to run?" Lin Zhichen was even less willing to let them go now. The Frigate set sail and gave chase after the pirate ships.

By then, Kadir Rockefeller had recovered and was looking at Lin Zhichen with an odd expression.

"Why are you still here? What are you staying for?" Feeling uncomfortable under his gaze, Lin Zhichen asked with a frown.

Kadir Rockefeller's Frigate had suffered extensive damage from the pirate ships' attacks. If Lin Zhichen had arrived ten minutes later, he would likely have seen a free fireworks display.

"Mr. Lin Zhichen, I have to admit that I underestimated you." Kadir Rockefeller regained his poise, a smile befitting a noble heir appearing on his face.

"No matter how outstanding a person may be, they are insignificant in the vast universe. We need unity to survive. In fact, humanity only made its way into the stars through organization."

"What are you trying to say?" Lin Zhichen chuckled.

"You needn't worry about the terms. Rockefeller has never treated its friends poorly!"

"No need. I'm used to being on my own." Lin Zhichen waved a hand. "If there's nothing else, I'll get back to work."

Perhaps seeing that Lin Zhichen's attitude was firm, Kadir Rockefeller did not press the matter. He still maintained his flawless smile.

"Then I look forward to our next meeting!"

The Holographic Communication device shut down. The damaged Frigate turned around without hesitation and flew toward the asteroid belt's outskirts.

Meanwhile, the two fleeing pirate ships were also blasted into burning wrecks. Their shattered hulls collided with meteors, making the starry void increasingly chaotic.

"A noble heir?" Lin Zhichen fell into thought. To be honest, he bore Kadir Rockefeller no ill will. People like him were far better than ordinary people at dealing with others.

But their interests conflicted. The Solar System was only so large. If one person took a bigger share, someone else would get less—or even starve.

Don't think that the stars were so vast that one could simply go anywhere. In fact, every truly safe region was already overcrowded, while the threshold for exploring uninhabited starfields was far too high for Earthlings to even dream of right now.

If not for the Federation's protection policy barring nonmilitary combat vessels from other star systems from entering for ten years, Earthlings would have had no room to rise at all.

"Let me see what secret you've been hiding!"

While cleaning up the battlefield and collecting the spoils, he reviewed the video. Before long, Lin Zhichen finished watching the fast-forwarded footage and fell silent.

No wonder Kadir had sent over the navigation log so readily. It involved a Mini Pirate Base!

When wild NPCs spawned, there was a small chance that a Pirate Base—or even a more powerful Rebel Army base—would spawn directly.

Alternatively, when the number of monster ships increased to a certain level, they could establish a base.

Generally speaking, such bases were mostly located in unexplored outer starfields. Only through long periods of spawning and gathering did their numbers become so large.

Once a Monster Base was established, it became a fixed Spawn Point, spawning starships belonging to the corresponding faction at regular intervals.

If no one dealt with it, the number of those starships would grow larger and larger. The base would gradually expand outward and steadily upgrade. In other words, the Spawn Point would grow bigger.

Once they reached a certain scale, they would wage war against every non-allied force within the stellar system, wave after wave, utterly fearless of death.

There were rumors On the Star Net that in the Dark Star Domain beyond Federation rule, some Monster Bases even controlled entire stellar systems and attacked every ship passing through them.

"I can't take it down!" Lin Zhichen assessed the Pirate Base in the video, the towering turrets stabbing at his eyes.

The mounted batteries on this sort of base vastly surpassed ships in both power and range. At the very least, they were not something a Frigate could confront head-on.

The base's radar also far exceeded shipborne radar. With the same model, its observation range was much greater. Even with pirate-level technology, it was not something a small gunboat like a Frigate could covet.

At the end of the video, swarms of pirate ships had charged over and begun encircling the Frigate.

"I can only go after the Patrol Fleet!"

A Mini Pirate Base would at most have several Pirate Gunboats comparable to Destroyers. These stripped-down warships were far slower than a Frigate. If he could not beat them, he could still escape.

By then, the spoils had been collected. Lin Zhichen took a look. There were no surprises this time, only a Small Electromagnetic Railgun of the same model as the three turrets on his warship.

"Not bad. That's another few dozen Energy Points in hand!"

Lin Zhichen grinned and directed the warship toward the Pirate Base.

Then he entered seclusion once more. This time, he intended to break through the most crucial barrier.

Just two days later, Yin God Transformation had reached its final stage, and the progress of Qi Refining to Godhood gradually approached 100%.

Suddenly, as though he had reached a certain threshold, the Yin God trembled violently and nearly scattered apart. Yet inside the dim room, whose doors and windows had been tightly shut, it was as if a sun had abruptly risen. Warm Golden Light poured down, illuminating the entire Command Cabin.

At this strange sight, even the emotionally detached NPC Crew could not help turning back again and again.

"After cultivating through two lifetimes, I have finally achieved the Yang God!"

A wondrous sight appeared inside the ship. Two "Lin Zhichens" appeared at once. One sat cross-legged on the deformed captain's chair, while the other stood In the Air. An ordinary person would likely be unable to tell which was real and which was false.

With the Yang God achieved, he had officially stepped onto the path of immortality. In ancient myths, cultivators at this level cultivated merit externally. Once they repaid Heaven and Earth's blessings and completed their cultivation, a celestial decree from the Heavenly Court would guide them upward to ascend as immortals.

In other words, the Yang God was a half-immortal. Even after abandoning the fleshly body, one could still remain in the world for a long time.

Before Lin Zhichen could feel any further emotion, the instant he achieved the Yang God, his personal panel changed.

Name: Lin Zhichen 6

Gender: Male 0

Age: 217

Talent: Heaven Rewards Diligence: Effect 1: effort brings rewards; skill practice leads to improvement. Effect 2: members within the faction are affected by this talent 3

Psionicist: Awakening Rate 100.0%, awakening initiated 8

Class: Ship Command, Expert: Effect 1: ship evasion +14%; Effect 2: Sublight Speed +12%; 0

Skills: 1—Cultivation*Qi Refining to Godhood, Red, 100.0%; 4

—Ship Command, White, Expert 12.54% 5

Evaluation: The fighting cock among roosters!

"Whew~"

Though there was no wind, it seemed as though invisible flames were scorching Lin Zhichen. The Yang God standing In the Air fell and merged with his body.

At that moment, the great presence he had once vaguely sensed broke through the barrier. He finally touched that mighty will and truly came into contact with the realm of Psionics.

The Yang God mana that had already completed its transformation changed once more. Psionics surged in from the void, pouring into his body and merging with his mana.

Like pig iron being forged into steel through countless refinements, the Yang God mana advanced another step, transforming into pure Psionics—the most incredible mysterious power in this New Universe.

A vague, indescribable feeling suddenly welled up within him. It seemed he had sensed something. Just as he was about to extend his Primordial Spirit to touch it, that marvelous sensation vanished in an instant, leaving Lin Zhichen with a sense of loss.

The transformation was swift. In barely a dozen breaths, the faint mana leaking out during the process was drawn back and dispersed. Lin Zhichen, whose Whole Body had been radiating Golden Light, finally returned to normal.

But by then, his personal panel had already evolved. His formerly milky-white name had completely turned crimson. This represented his personal ascension and the universe's acknowledgment.

And on the panel, the talent entry for Psionicist had already been replaced.