April 12th, with spring in full bloom and all things revitalized, was quite a pleasant day. Of course, in a massive domed city like Guanghan City, there were no distinct four seasons.
Members of both Hong Fang (Red Team) and Blue Faction gathered at a guard fleet Starport in Guanghan City, awaiting their captains and their ships.
Yu Lian, for once, arrived nearly ten minutes later than everyone else. Before this, he had sent his completed thesis, titled "On the Tactical Application of Psionic Assault," to the school. This morning, he spent additional time confirming that the preliminary review of the thesis had passed and that it had entered the defense process before rushing to the assembly point.
Although he felt that Brigadier General Robnan probably couldn't do anything to him, he still estimated that fellow's character with the greatest malice. Since both sides had already torn off their masks, it was perfectly reasonable for them to resort to small tricks to disgust him.
Fortunately, this time they didn't play any tricks, and the preliminary review passed normally. When it came to the formal defense stage, it would no longer be within their control.
As for the thesis, it was basically settled.
Guanghan City was the largest domed city in the Solar System in terms of scale and population, but the size of its Starport was not large. It had always only provided maintenance and auxiliary functions for support vessels and small to medium-sized combat ships. Light cruisers like the Touring Censor Level were the largest warships it could maintain.
Two Touring Censor were docked in adjacent hangars, with Hong Fang (Red Team) and Blue Faction facing each other across a aisle. However, both sides were well-mannered and disciplined young people; not only did they not fight, but they even nodded in greeting across the gangway.
Yu Lian, who arrived late, had just emerged from the elevator into the aisle when everyone on both sides gave him a salute of attention. The hundreds of people from the Blue Faction opposite seemed to stir slightly when he appeared; some whispered, and some scrutinized him from head to toe.
Most of the Blue Faction were fresh graduates from other military academies, and it was their first time seeing Yu Lian. More than three months had passed since the Battle of Xishou, and public opinion on the matter had cooled considerably. Yu Lian, the first to break through and slay a general, was gradually mentioned less; however, military cadets were considered reserve officers, so they would naturally be curious about a peer who had caused such a stir.
Yu Lian walked Past with a calm and steady stride under everyone's gaze, and he even saluted them in passing.
At that moment, he was like a general inspecting his troops.
It wasn't until he walked through the corridor and reached the Hong Fang (Red Team) camp that Wien reacted, grinding his teeth in anger. Fortunately, he managed to maintain his composure. When he turned to face the crowd, his expression had already calmed, and he said very calmly, "Go for it! You are all the most outstanding young people on Blue Star. If you work hard and stay positive, you might not necessarily lose to him!"
On the other side, Yu Lian also stood before the Hong Fang (Red Team) group. He didn't give a speech or try to pump them up; he got straight to the point.
"Today's training plan is to take off from the Moon, pass through friendship Space Station and Colorful Space Station, and patrol the celebration venue that is being set up! Afterward, Li Baolu and his teammates will pilot fighter jets for a standard tactical formation training. We will conduct a shelling training. Finally, we will orbit the Earth-Moon system once before returning. All of these tasks must be completed today. Can you do it?"
Everyone had no objections; they had never served officially on a warship, so how would they know if this training standard was difficult or easy?
Yu Lian first led the department heads and the waiting supervisory and coaching team in a salute and exchange of pleasantries. This was a team of twenty experienced naval crew members, whose role was probably like that of a driving instructor sitting in the passenger seat when a novice driver is on the road.
Apart from this, they would not object to any orders from the student captain, unless the captain was crazy and planning to commit suicide.
The ship's startup process greatly satisfied the supervising coaches. The student crew members' actions were very standard, and the ship's startup was very smooth, quickly sailing out of the Starport.
The view outside the windows, which had not yet had their light-blocking armor closed, quickly transformed from the steel bulkheads and iron walls inside the space city into the dark starry sky and scattered stars.
Everyone on the ship was extremely excited. They had been on many ships before, and many even had piloting experience, but this was truly their first time sailing out of port on such a large warship.
Yu Lian, however, found it quite normal. The training intensity during this period had been quite high, and everyone had performed well. They had also done various piloting operations in the simulator many times. If there was even a slight error or non-standard behavior, he would not hesitate to use "Captain Yu Lian's Love Whiplash," which was a very subtle, very slight, and absolutely harmless psychological whiplash that would leave no sequelae. Just this kind of manipulation had long since instilled muscle memory in everyone.
Everything comes with practice; it's not that mysterious.
Yu Lian adjusted his collar and sat calmly in the captain's chair. Seeing that everyone was in position, he began to issue commands: "Maintain normal cruising speed, left rotation scale 12!"
"Normal cruising speed, left rotation scale 12!"
The supervisor team leader, a major named Kardier Shao Xiao, who was over fifty years old, nodded imperceptibly.
"Captain, the Blue Faction's ship next to us has also left port."
"From now on, we'll just call it the Blue Ship. Signal them and wish them a smooth journey!" Yu Lian said.
The Blue Ship, where Wien and his team were, seemed to have quickly received the light signal from their side, but only after a minute of hesitation did they return a "good luck" signal.
Both Touring Censor were slowly deviating their courses, sailing in opposite directions. From startup to turning, to entering cruise, plus the directly interspersed signal exchange, all tasks were completed almost perfectly. The supervisory team on board found no faults, secretly sighing that these were indeed the chosen darlings of heaven.
Not only them, but the two engineering and medical ships waiting outside the Starport also breathed a huge sigh of relief.
The mission of these two ships was to monitor the navigation of both Hong Fang (Red Team) and Blue Faction ships throughout the journey. All communication and remote control channels within the two cruisers were also under their control. In case of any danger, if the supervisory team on board could not stop it, they would immediately take electronic control of the ship and prepare for rescue.
Furthermore, if these fearless student youngsters on board wanted to perform any reckless and exciting dangerous maneuvers with the cruisers, they would also (forcibly) stop them.
After all, it's sailing, not driving, so it's reasonable to have a coach by your side and a rescue vehicle following behind, right?
Of course, as long as the student youngsters on these two ships maintained their current state until the exercise, the work of the supervisory and rescue teams would merely be a formality.
The Hong Fang (Red Team) ship, where Yu Lian and his companions were, continued to maintain a normal cruising speed, sailing through the Earth-Moon orbit for nearly ten minutes. During this time, they "passed by" at least twenty or more various types of ships without any emergency evasions, forced stops, scrapes, or even collisions. The veterans of the supervisory team also raised no objections.
Everyone on the ship was like a novice driver on a busy highway. After overcoming the initial trepidation, their confidence naturally grew stronger and stronger.
After some more time, Yu Lian ordered acceleration. Kardier Shao Xiao glanced at Yu Lian and did not object. Thus, the Hong Fang (Red Team) ship entered its second cruising speed, instantly becoming the fastest vessel in that part of the sky, yet it passed through several "check-in" points on the orbital space station without any alarm or danger.
Then, what came into view in front of the ship was a brightly lit, colorful convergence of lights.
There, several massive luxury cruise ships gathered together like flowers, seemingly forming a magnificent aerial palace.
"This is the main venue for this celebration," Zhi Xia said.
"It really has to be on a ship!" Yu Lian recalled carefully, but indeed, he had no memory of this in his previous life. He wasn't a robot; how could he have the time to collect information about a festival celebration!
"Since it's Navy Day, of course, it has to be in space. Some people suggested temporarily building a domed performance platform, but the budget was a bit high," Zhi Xia said with a smile.
It was indeed a bit high, and although they called it a platform, it was basically a temporary space station with a stage and a dome added on top, and it would likely be scrapped after one use. Even if the Commonwealth Government was rich, they couldn't spend money like that.
The Commonwealth Government was indeed quite wealthy; otherwise, orders for Dreadnoughts could not have gone directly to eight, and the shipbuilding plans for battlecruisers and Aircraft Carriers would not have started directly in double digits.
Of course, a wealthy government and a powerful nation have never been synonymous.
"So, the blue star princess will be the main venue, and five luxury cruise ships will be chosen as individual sub-venues. The ships will undergo some minor renovations, adding observation decks and seating. By then, the guests attending the event in person will likely exceed 400,000."
The largest of these cruise ships, the blue star princess, which had the volume and mass of a battlecruisers, was surrounded by other luxury cruise ships like stars guarding the moon. Beneath the transparent dome at the front of the ship, a massive circular stage appeared. Various staff members, small as ants, busied themselves around the stage.
"Look, it's Serena! Serena Mao!" someone on the ship shouted loudly.
"Your eyes are so sharp, what rank of psionic master are you?" someone scoffed.
"Hmph, I saw her first mate's holographic poster!"
Yu Lian knew Feifei must be among that crowd. However, even with his eyesight, he couldn't see that clearly.
But at this moment, the blue star princess's large projection directly cast a huge welcome banner across the night sky. Then, the screen flashed, revealing a large group of dancing girls rehearsing on the stage, smiling and making heart gestures to everyone, then bursting into laughter.
Everyone on the ship was a little stunned, but at this moment, an external communication suddenly came through, and Liuli connected the message.
"Everyone has worked hard." This was Feifei's voice. Then, Feifei, dressed in casual clothes, appeared on the large screen opposite.
"Fina, this is..."
"This is everyone rehearsing on the blue star princess, a welcome ceremony for the brave warriors on board! Serena, you also come and say something to everyone." Feifei seemed to operate the machine, and the screen turned to a young woman standing on the stage, communicating with two staff members.
She was a beautiful woman with fair skin, also wearing simple practice clothes, her waist-length golden hair tied into a ponytail. Although she wore no makeup, her stunning beauty was undeniable. Seeing the camera focused on her, she showed a quiet, even slightly shy smile, and waved to everyone.
"Everyone has worked hard, keep it up!"
Yu Lian looked at Feifei, completely impressed by her social skills. It was clear that in less than two months, she had befriended these girls in the entertainment industry and even seemed to have a bit of a big sister vibe again.
Hmm? Why did I say "again"?
Now, dressed only in casual clothes, she showed no signs of timidity next to a large group of performers, even Serena Mao, who was known as the Blue Star Fairy.
When Navy Day arrived, and she put on her military dress uniform, how dazzling would she be?
As soon as Yu Lian thought of that scene, he suddenly became a little impatient for that day, and he couldn't help but grin.
But at this moment, a clear, high-pitched cry seemed to ring in everyone's ears. Everyone was slightly startled, then saw a blue, Rolling head, which had somehow pressed against the ship's side, its large eyes peering through the porthole, curiously looking at everyone inside the cabin.
"Haha, Snowflake is also welcoming everyone," Feifei said with a smile.
Yu Lian looked at the cute, Rolling head outside the window, feeling a moment of trance, and his nose tingled with emotion.