章 13: Chapter 13: The Frenzied Starship Construction
Currently, Feng Mo only had two starship blueprints: the T2 Black Bear-class Interstellar Frigate and the T3 Storm-class Interstellar Battleship. It was nowhere near enough. To build a full-fledged fleet, he needed additional blueprints for destroyers, carriers, and even Titan-class warships. However, acquiring these blueprints required points—lots of them.
The higher the starship class, the more points were needed: T1 to T4 blueprints cost 10, 100, 500, and 2,500 points, respectively. As for T5 or higher, including starships and gene serums, they were currently out of his reach. The store interface indicated that higher permissions would be required, which likely meant that future missions would unlock these capabilities.
The current mission's rewards suited Feng Mo perfectly, but time was short—he needed to finish the fleet upgrades within 20 days. He recalled the fleet list that Uncle Yang had provided earlier. The Feng family's fleet currently had 36 active starships.
This fleet included one T2 Interstellar Battleship, eight T2 Destroyers, and eight T2 Frigates. The remaining 19 vessels were outdated T1-class ships. Feng Mo's plan was to keep the 17 T2 ships and retire the 19 T1-class ships, converting them for civilian use.
He intended to build 22 new T2 Frigates and one T3-class Battleship, rounding out the fleet to 40 starships. With two battleships serving as flagships, he would organize the fleet into two divisions for cross-sector patrols, greatly enhancing territorial security.
For the next few days, Feng Mo stayed at home, enjoying a rare period of relaxation. The tension that had built up over the previous months finally eased.
---
September 7th, 9:40 a.m.
Feng Mo, accompanied by Uncle Yang and Vice-Captain Elpan, left the ancestral estate and took a hovercar to the space dock. This shipyard was originally constructed by Feng Mo's great-grandfather. It began with just one dock, but after expansions by his grandfather and father, it now featured five docks capable of simultaneously building five starships.
Feng Mo entered Dock One, which was slightly smaller than the academy's shipyard but still sufficient for constructing T3-class ships. At the dock entrance, nearly 200 people were waiting. Uncle Yang checked his terminal and approached Feng Mo.
"Your Lordship, 287 of the 304 people on the list are present. Twelve are on deep-space exploration missions and have taken leave, while five refused to return," Uncle Yang reported.
In public, Uncle Yang always addressed Feng Mo as "Your Lordship," a habit he had maintained since Feng Mo inherited the title at the age of eight. Only in private would he refer to him as "young master."
Feng Mo nodded and addressed the gathered group.
"You've all been supported by the Feng family, which gave your parents jobs and funded your education. Now, it's time to repay that debt. This is your opportunity to gain practical experience by participating in the construction of starships. Seize it and learn well," Feng Mo declared.
"As for the five who refused to return," he added quietly to Uncle Yang, "cut off their sponsorships, investigate their families for five generations, and place all relatives under discreet surveillance. If any of them commit crimes, punish them severely."
Uncle Yang nodded and left. He noticed that Feng Mo had become much sterner since his return, which was for the best. Only a shrewd and decisive leader could secure the future prosperity of their domain.
In the interstellar age, only the strong survived. Feng Mo didn't care about the reasons behind the five absentees' refusal to return. Results were all that mattered.
---
Feng Mo then organized the workforce, distributing fifty people each to Docks Two, Three, Four, and Five. The rest stayed with him at Dock One. He uploaded the starship blueprints into the control systems of each dock and then led the group at Dock One in beginning the construction.
---
The starship construction began in earnest, with materials Uncle Yang had ordered arriving in steady shipments. With nearly a hundred helpers, progress was swift. Within just three days, the keel of the new Storm-class Battleship was complete.
Feng Mo also found time to visit the other docks, correcting any errors he found. The workers, who had initially grumbled about being called back, soon became enthralled by the project and came to admire Feng Mo's dedication.
---
By September 28th, after over 20 grueling days, each of the five docks held a newly built T2 Black Bear-class Interstellar Frigate. Exhausted, Feng Mo made his final inspections, ensuring everything was in perfect condition.
"Everyone, we've done an incredible job," Feng Mo announced, voice heavy with fatigue. "Each of you will receive a 10,000 Yunshan credit bonus. Now, go get some well-deserved rest."
He waved them off, and Vice-Captain Elpan oversaw the frigates being moved to the spaceport. Feng Mo boarded a hovercar, barely making it inside before collapsing into a deep sleep.
---
When he awoke, it was already the afternoon of September 29th. The smell of a delicious meal wafted through the air, making his stomach growl. Rubbing his groggy eyes, he stumbled out of bed and found a table laden with eight sumptuous dishes: chicken, beef, lamb, and fresh seafood.
As he dug in, there was a knock at the door.
"Come in," he called.
Uncle Yang entered, followed by a service droid holding a pristine set of combat gear.
"Uncle Yang, good timing," Feng Mo said, swallowing a mouthful of food. "I've set the permissions on the new fleet. You have the highest authority. Without your approval, no ship captain can activate the vessels."
"I trust you to keep everything secure," Feng Mo continued, his tone serious. "Our territory has doubled in size, and the two fleets must patrol it without fail."
Uncle Yang bowed solemnly. "Rest assured, young master. I will defend this home with my life. During your construction efforts, I began preliminary surveys of the new resource planets. They're rich in minerals and have numerous medicinal plants."
"With these new resources, our annual income will double," Uncle Yang reported.
Feng Mo nodded, satisfied. The development of his domain was critical to his future.
"On October 1st, the academy starts combat training exercises," he said. "I'l
l leave tomorrow to return to the academy. Take care of our home, Uncle Yang."
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