In the vast expanse of the universe, all star systems seemed similar, composed of ordinary matter, dark matter, and dark energy. Ordinary matter included celestial bodies like galaxies, stars, satellites, and planets. As for dark matter and dark energy, Feng Mo didn't know much about them. However, he was aware that dark matter was linked to the armor of T5-class starships, while dark energy powered their engines—concepts far beyond his current reach.
"Commander, the Storm has arrived at Dock F001," Vice-Captain Elpan reported as she watched Feng Mo emerge from his hibernation pod.
Feng Mo gazed at the slightly run-down spaceport ahead, feeling a twinge of emotion. Ever since his parents had vanished, the entire territory had depended on his old steward, Feng Qingyang, to hold things together. Balancing the expenses of maintaining the territory, funding Feng Mo's education, and even setting aside profits to buy starships had been no easy task.
But now, he had returned. Things were going to change for the better.
The Feng family used to be the undisputed ruling family of the Xianyun System. However, after selling off much of their property, they had fallen into decline. The Xianyun System had always been a moderately resource-rich system within the Empire, consisting of one third-tier habitable planet, nine second-tier planets, and thirty-seven first-tier planets.
All habitable planets were classified into five tiers based on their livability index. The Feng family's ancestral land, F001, also known as the Xianyun Prime, was the only third-tier habitable planet in the system. It had breathable air, fertile land, and a stable climate, making it ideal for human settlement without the need for protective energy domes.
The Xianyun System was home to nearly one trillion people, with 80% of the population being humans and the rest made up of humanoids and beastfolk. Xianyun Prime was Feng Mo's dominion, although most of the land had been leased out to other noble families for centuries. Reclaiming it would be a monumental challenge.
Today, the Feng family's mansion was brightly decorated. Their young lord, Feng Mo, had returned. Rumors had spread that he had expanded their territory from one habitable planet and two resource planets to one habitable and five resource planets. Such an expansion meant an improved quality of life for everyone in his domain.
Feng Mo had deliberately asked his steward to spread this news to lift the spirits of the people. The Feng family had been in decline for too long, and it was time to give them something to celebrate.
---
At Dock Three of the Xianyun Spaceport, the Storm slowly came to a stop. Feng Mo led Vice-Captain Elpan off the starship, spotting his steward and a welcoming crowd from afar.
"Uncle Yang, you've worked so hard all these years!" Feng Mo hurried over, feeling a pang of guilt at the sight of Feng Qingyang's graying hair.
Feng Qingyang, once a guard for Feng Mo's grandfather and a third-tier gene warrior, had devoted his life to the Feng family. He had raised Feng Mo's father and, after his parents disappeared, raised Feng Mo himself. Now, at just over two hundred years old, the man's age was beginning to show, and Feng Mo felt his heart ache.
"It was no hardship, young master. Rest assured, as long as I am here, your domain will remain safe," Feng Qingyang declared with a resolute bow.
Uncle Yang was always like this—dignified and respectful. He never used his emotional bond with the family to overstep his boundaries but was fiercely loyal in his dedication. Despite their relationship, he insisted on maintaining the proper distance and authority between master and servant, so Feng Mo called him "Uncle Yang" instead of "Grandfather," as a sign of respect.
---
The Feng family's ancestral estate was a sprawling complex in the southern part of Xianyun Prime, taking up a tenth of the planet's surface and housing nearly a billion people. It was like a small kingdom, with the Feng family reigning over it as absolute monarchs—though Feng Mo's authority only extended to a fraction of the land.
---
In the study, Feng Mo listened intently to Uncle Yang's report on the territory's income and expenses over the past three years. The Feng family's finances were in dire straits, with only a little over three million Yunshan credits remaining in their accounts.
"Uncle Yang, I will inject ten million Yunshan credits into the territory's account. This money will go toward maintaining our fleet and upgrading the defense systems," Feng Mo instructed.
"We can't afford a T3-class planetary defense system right now, as it costs over a billion Yunshan credits. So, we'll start with the fleet instead," Feng Mo continued. "I'll send you a list of necessary raw materials and transfer another twenty million credits. Use it to purchase everything we need to build new starships. As for the old T1 ships, we'll decommission them and repurpose them for civilian use."
"And one more thing," Feng Mo added. "Send out a notice to all starship engineers and shipbuilders we've sponsored, especially those currently studying at universities. Tell them to drop everything and return to Xianyun Prime immediately. Have them report to the shipyard by ten o'clock the day after tomorrow. We've trained them for years, and it's time they put their skills to use. They'll thank me for the experience."
With that, Feng Mo transferred thirty million credits to the territory's account and sent Uncle Yang the list of materials. The steward nodded and left to carry out his orders.
Feng Mo slumped into a couch, bringing up his blue interface panel.
[Name: Feng Mo]
[Level: First-Tier Gene Warrior]
[Profession: Junior Starship Engineer]
[Special Ability: Half the Sky (When female and non-male humanoid crew outnumber male crew, fleet gains a luck bonus)]
[Starship: T3 Storm-Class Interstellar Battleship]
[Points: 0]
[Mission: Form a Starship Fleet. Requirements: One flagship, multiple auxiliary and escort ships, 0/30. Rewards: 500 points, Perfect Second-Tier Gene Serum Recipe]
[Inventory: T2 Black Bear-Class Interstellar Frigate Blueprint, T3 Storm-Class Interstellar Battleship Blueprint]
Building a fleet would not only secure his domain's defenses but also complete his mission, earning him valuable rewards. After reaching the first-tier gene warrior level at eighteen, he had trained diligently, but he had hit a bottleneck.
He could either grind it out over time or use a gene serum to advance to the second-tier. The standard gene serums had only a 75% compatibility rate for his genes, which would work but wouldn't yield optimal results. A serum with a 90% or higher compatibility would be far more effective.
Those 500 mission points would be crucial, as the newly unlocked points store offered a range of items, including perfect gene serums. A second-tier serum cost a steep three thousand points, far beyond his rea
ch, but at least the mission reward would provide what he needed.