Chapter Six: Miss Wang from Libra

This conversation with Master Wang had granted Liu Shaoyu a fleet—thirty-six starships in total, with the largest, a "Luosheng" class carrier, serving as his command flagship. The Luosheng class carrier stretched thirteen kilometers along its axis, its hull sleek and elongated; near the front was a hollow ring, while the very tip featured a multi-layered protruding slope, beneath which extended two rectangular decks. The vessel’s silhouette resembled a hammerhead shark.

As a flagship, its defining trait was the heavy armor plating, complemented by the apocalyptic-grade shipboard weapon, the "Light of Judgment." The fleet also included four Tyrant class battleships, each three kilometers long. The remaining thirty ships comprised battlecruisers, reconnaissance ships, logistics vessels, interceptors, strike vessels, and assault frigates. There was even a solitary Titan class strategic freighter. Though small, the fleet was fully equipped, its composition designed for sustained operations in the depths of space. This was a mainstream configuration for medium-to-large attack fleets; for example, Miss Dong’s fleet, led by a Dreadnought class flagship, represented another common arrangement. Compared to Liu Shaoyu’s new fleet, his was better suited for prolonged engagements deep in enemy territory.

Ordinarily, bounty hunter fleets did not employ carriers as command flagships—costs aside, their massive size hindered agility during pursuit or encounters, which was crucial for such groups. Military carriers, tens of kilometers long, were beyond the means of any private armed organization. Only in large-scale, frontal battles would carriers of such immense proportions appear, often as symbols rather than practical war machines. This also underscored the formidable resources of the Federation’s interstellar fleet.

Liu Shaoyu was thoroughly satisfied; this was likely the largest fleet Master Wang could personally muster, highlighting the importance he placed on the mission. Even more gratifying, the entire fleet was docked at this very space station, ready for departure once Liu Shaoyu finished preparations—though at the very least, he would have to wait for Master Wang’s granddaughter. Besides, Liu Shaoyu was presently a solitary commander; it would hardly do to charge into the insect hive alone, waving a carrier as a banner.

Outside the military, no other power had clone crews to man their ships. Gathering a crew of this size required time, and Liu Shaoyu needed to assemble a command team for his flagship. Apart from himself as captain, the bounty fleet had no other personnel yet, leaving Liu Shaoyu somewhat vexed—where could he find a temporary command squad? Was he to simultaneously command the fleet, the squadron, and the wing? This led him to recall his old compatriots from the Wandering Dragon team. "I wonder how you all are now?" Suddenly, Liu Shaoyu realized he hadn’t asked after Wang Weifu and the others during this journey. As Wang Weifu had still been in his quarters when Liu Shaoyu left, he might know something, including how he met Master Wang. Liu Shaoyu resolved to ask him after registering the bounty fleet tomorrow.

He gazed out the window at the dazzling river of stars, timeless and unchanging, as if suspended forever in the heavens. Shaking his head, Liu Shaoyu approached his bed, preparing for sleep. Perhaps no one noticed when, amidst the countless shining stars, a single point of light quietly dimmed, then vanished.

At space time 7 a.m., Liu Shaoyu awoke from his dreams. In the universe, there was no distinction between day and night, but the crimson planet outside gave an impression reminiscent of Earth’s sunrise, which put him in a good mood. Years of habit had him rise at this hour, and after practicing a set of martial exercises, it was nearly eight o’clock.

Entering the living room, Liu Shaoyu was surprised to find someone there—a young woman in a white dress, nearly one point nine meters tall, her hair tied in a ponytail, gazing up at the oil painting on the wall.

She happened to be blocking his way.

"Miss, could you step aside? You’re in my way," Liu Shaoyu said.

Hearing his voice, the woman turned, smiled apologetically, and moved aside. Not bad, Liu Shaoyu thought to himself upon seeing her face. Perhaps because her hair was tied back, her features appeared slender, and most striking was a delicate beauty mark on her nose. Far from detracting from her looks, it lent her a unique charm.

She was probably here to see Master Wang, Liu Shaoyu mused as he prepared to head downstairs for the registration process. Though he was well acquainted with Master Wang, such minor matters were best handled personally.

The administration center was located near the middle of the station. Following the guidance lines, Liu Shaoyu easily found his way. In the corridor, a flash of red caught his eye—he never expected to encounter the red-haired woman, Miss Dong, here. His first instinct was to feign ignorance and slip away, but the voice that followed foiled his plan.

"Well, if it isn’t the little miner! What brings you here? Miss me after just one day?" Clearly, Miss Dong had no intention of letting Liu Shaoyu pass unnoticed. Seeing a familiar face so suddenly made her quite excited.

He wished he could pretend not to see her, but the wish was futile. The corridor had no bends or exits; for some reason, it was just the two of them.

Liu Shaoyu could only brace himself, raise a hand in greeting.

"Oh my, you’re shy! What’s wrong? Mining not working out, so you’ve come to join your big sister?" Miss Dong continued teasing, thinking him genuinely bashful.

"Uh, I’m here to register a bounty group," Liu Shaoyu replied honestly.

Miss Dong was caught off guard by this answer, then resumed her usual smile. "Why bother registering a bounty group? Just join my fleet—I’ll make you a squadron leader! Pick any of the cruisers you like! How’s that? I’m generous—most people don’t get this treatment!"

Whether joking or serious, her bold offer delighted Liu Shaoyu, but he politely declined. "Thanks, but I already have a fleet. I’m just here to file the paperwork."

Seeing Liu Shaoyu so forthright in his refusal, Miss Dong felt somewhat slighted. After all, a one-kilometer battleship cost three hundred million universal credits. For Liu Shaoyu, whom she knew as a miner, three hundred million could buy a coveted Extractor class mining ship. Despite her casual tone, gifting a battleship was no small matter; her own fleet had been painstakingly assembled, not conjured from thin air.

While she was lost in thought, Liu Shaoyu headed into the registration office. Miss Dong turned, determined to follow this audacious young man and see what kind of fleet he was registering, since he wasn’t even tempted by a free battleship.

The so-called registration office was run entirely by artificial intelligence; establishing a bounty fleet required strict procedures, including biometric sample collection in person. Even Master Wang would need to come in person for this.

Noticing Miss Dong had followed him inside, Liu Shaoyu made no effort to avoid her. If she meant him harm, she could have dealt with him yesterday. Besides, core data wouldn’t be displayed during sample collection, preventing information leaks during simultaneous registration—a precaution long established by bounty organizations.

Following the voice prompts, Liu Shaoyu completed each step, entering "Whelp Fleet" as the name. After submitting his biometric sample, he was ready to inspect his ships. Miss Dong, having only seen the fleet name, remained unsatisfied and insisted on accompanying him.

Unable to shake her off, Liu Shaoyu led his shadow to the spaceport. The immense port would be exhausting to traverse on foot, so dedicated transport cars ran along fixed routes. In less than five minutes, Liu Shaoyu arrived at the carrier he’d seen last night during the handover from Master Wang.

It wasn’t that Liu Shaoyu hadn’t seen grand vessels before, but previously he’d only commanded starships—this carrier was truly his first ship in every sense, and it was a carrier no less.

Standing outside the captain’s lounge at the spaceport, Liu Shaoyu gazed up from the platform at his ship. Like a slumbering beast, it hovered in midair. Its dark golden armor radiated a sacred brilliance.

It was then Liu Shaoyu began to understand why the carrier’s apocalyptic-grade weapon was called the Light of Judgment. The ship seemed a heavenly guardian—holy, solemn, and inviolable, defending the celestial realm. And he, through this ship, would defend his own heaven, and those he loved and who loved him. Yet, he hadn’t fully grasped the meaning of this guardianship.

Compared to Liu Shaoyu’s reverent thoughts, Miss Dong’s reaction was more practical. She pinched herself multiple times to check she wasn’t dreaming. He...he...he... wasn’t he just a miner? What was this carrier about? If she hadn’t seen him standing in the captain’s lounge—reserved for captains only—she would never have believed that this novice miner could overnight become the captain of a flagship. If she knew Liu Shaoyu’s fleet had thirty-six ships, none inferior to her own, Miss Dong’s composure would likely be exhausted for the day. Still, she was a seasoned hand, and merely mocked him for not piloting the carrier, instead mining with a ship—such peculiar interests.

Faced with her doubts, Liu Shaoyu could only smile sheepishly and explain, "As you can see, the fleet was registered just today." That explanation satisfied Miss Dong, for they were not truly acquainted.

After exchanging contact information, they each went their separate ways.

Receiving a message from Master Kang, Liu Shaoyu hurried back. Stepping out of the elevator, he found Master Wang seated on the living room sofa, beside him the white-clad young woman from this morning.

Seeing Liu Shaoyu enter, Master Wang warmly invited him to sit and introduced his companion.

"You must have met already. This is my granddaughter, just arrived from the Libra system. Her name is Wang Yuyan—get to know each other."

Meeting again, Liu Shaoyu recalled the morning scene. Her hair was now let down, reaching just to her shoulders, with bangs framing her face. Compared to her earlier appearance, she now exhibited an entirely different style, and for some reason, Liu Shaoyu found himself a little entranced.

"Hello, I’m Liu Shaoyu. Pleased to meet you."