Once the mission rewards and compensation had been deposited, Feng Mo turned to Cui Zhihua and said, "Old Cui, the four dark energy crystals are ours to keep. As for the remaining merits, points, and Starcoins, we'll split them 50/50 as we agreed."
He then used his smart terminal to transfer 5,000 military merits, 5,000 points, and 800,000 Starcoins to Cui Zhihua's account. Following the original agreement, he also transferred 1,000 merits, 1,000 points, and 160,000 Starcoins to each of Wang Chongsheng, Mo Xue, and Yue Xiaomeng.
Feng Mo's account now held 2,400 merits, 2,670 points, 320,000 Starcoins, and 47 million Yunshan Coins. This mission had been a significant gain, and it was time to start planning the construction of a T3 Interstellar Industrial Ship.
For a standard interstellar fleet, having a battleship or a carrier as the flagship, two to four destroyers, and several escort ships was essential. Moreover, having specialized ships like industrial ships for repairs and construction and transport ships for carrying supplies and fuel was crucial.
Feng Mo had aspirations of venturing into the Wild Star Sea for interstellar exploration after graduation, making these specialized ships indispensable. He was also eyeing the T3 battle armor that cost a staggering 4,000 points.
With the distribution of spoils completed, the group returned to their ships to prepare for the journey home. Feng Mo and his fleet were headed to Z139, while Old Cui's fleet was returning to the Bas star system. Before parting ways, Cui Zhihua once again expressed his gratitude to Feng Mo and the others.
The rewards he had received were enough to expand his fleet's size significantly, making the escort mission well worth the risk. He could now accept more challenging missions in the future.
After bidding farewell, Feng Mo ordered the crew of the two heavily damaged T2 Black Bear ships to transfer to the Storm. With everyone ready, they set off. The return journey was uneventful, and the military's patrols along the route from the Xuanwu Fortress to the North Gate Space Station ensured their safety.
It took another six days to reach the North Gate Space Station, where they could resume warp-speed travel. An hour and thirty minutes later, the fleet successfully arrived at Z139, docking at the planet's No. 7 Spaceport.
It was already November 2nd, so Feng Mo contacted Director Liu.
The call connected quickly, and Director Liu's hearty laughter filled the air. "Well done, kid! You made the academy proud by taking down 17 insectoid motherships! The academy knows about it and is following up with the military for more compensation. Now that you're back, take a few days to rest."
Feng Mo wasn't surprised that the academy had found out. As the premier military academy of the Yunshan Empire, its extensive network and influence were unparalleled. The academy's support for its exceptional students was unmatched, and Feng Mo's talent for designing and building starships only increased their investment in him.
True to Director Liu's word, two days later, each of the four received a transfer of 10 million Yunshan Coins, courtesy of the academy's reward fund. In a world where connections mattered, having a solid backer made all the difference, provided you had the power to negotiate as equals.
Feng Mo sent all the fleet's ships to the logistics department for repairs and finally took a well-deserved day off.
On November 4th, he headed to the logistics department early in the morning.
"Good morning, Captain. I'm here to purchase ship materials," Feng Mo said to the officer at the front desk, handing over a list through his smart terminal. "I'll also need a large dock and some personnel on loan from the military. I'm planning to build a T3 Interstellar Industrial Ship."
The officer quickly called Yu Minghao over.
"Feng Mo, my junior! Why didn't you tell me in advance you were going to build a ship? I could have arranged for some ship engineers to learn from you."
"Thank you, Senior, but this was a sudden decision. Just send over the engineers and builders stationed on Planet 139," Feng Mo replied, hoping to avoid a crowd of onlookers like last time.
"Alright then. Head to Dock No. 1, and I'll have the team report to you there," Yu Minghao said.
"Thanks, Senior," Feng Mo responded, then left the logistics department and boarded a maglev car bound for Dock No. 1.
Compared to building the Storm, which had taken two months, the construction of the T3 Copper Hammer Interstellar Industrial Ship, even with ample manpower, still took a month and a half.
This was the largest starship Feng Mo had built to date, stretching 2 kilometers long. The ship's green-hued hull gleamed in the dock, dwarfing the Storm at 2.5 times its length.
Once the final hull inspections were complete, Feng Mo's excitement was uncontainable. Building this industrial ship meant he no longer had to worry about pushing himself to the brink of exhaustion.
This ship would be handed over to Alisa, the star dwarf engineer. During their time together, Feng Mo discovered that Alisa only had two hobbies: working on starships and eating. She would snack continuously while working on ships, and it was a mystery how someone less than 1.4 meters tall could eat so much.
Since Alisa loved starship engineering, Feng Mo decided to let her manage the Copper Hammer. He would also give her all his design schematics and recruit a team of builders to support her, entrusting her with future ship construction.
On April 3rd, Federation Year 7491, it had been over six months since Feng Mo and his crew arrived on Z139. Their internship had officially come to an end.
Time had flown by. In those six months, Feng Mo had completed a mid-level escort mission and participated in 33 insectoid defense battles on Z139. The system quest on his XH Panel had been completed by the 17th battle.
The once-calm teenager had transformed into a fierce and seasoned interstellar commander. The experience of warfare had left an unmistakable mark on him.
His fleet had also grown from a single battleship to a formidable force of 11 starships. This expansion was all thanks to Alisa's hard work. Since moving onto the Copper Hammer, Alisa had immersed herself in her work, alternating between schematics and snacks.
In just five months, Alisa had developed a bit of baby fat on her adorable face, but she had also accomplished a lot. While Feng Mo and the others fought on the frontlines, she not only repaired damaged ships but also built six new T2 Black Bear escort ships and two T3 Mantis-class destroyers.
These destroyers were not just ordinary ships. Feng Mo had used 500 points from the XH Store to acquire their schematics. As the phrase goes, destroyers are the armed guards of any fleet, and the T3 Mantis-class were elite specialists.
These destroyers broke past the 200-knot speed limit of typical T3 ships, reaching 220 knots. They were equipped with four weapon systems: laser cannons, close-in defense guns, T3 shockwave missiles, and proton torpedoes—both of which were renowned as "carrier .killers" in space combat.
Knots =Star Speed
Xh Store=.Xihuo Store