Chapter 9 - A Date with No Second Thoughts

Chapter 9: A Date with No Second ThoughtsThis large turret could only be installed on destroyers equipped with a giant ship cannon bow. It sacrificed one medium turret and two small turret weapon slots to replace them with a single large main cannon, opting for extreme firepower.

Being hit by such a large cannon would make even a cruiser cry out in pain.

Of course, for Lin Zhichen, the most important aspect was its high value. The market price of a large turret was typically four times that of a small turret, costing 36 units of universal alloy, which was nearly 180 energy credits—almost a third of the cost of a frigate.

“Feng Shui treasure land!” At this moment, Lin Zhichen was no longer considering the increased difficulty and danger brought by the pirate fleet; he was already enticed by the abundant rewards.

With a ship full of expert-level crew members, the combat power of this frigate had already surpassed that of a standard military destroyer. If a Federal destroyer were to engage this pirate patrol fleet, poor tactical execution could still lead to a defeat, and even a victory would not come without damage.

“How much ammunition do we have left?” Lin Zhichen asked.

“Captain, we have 63% of our ammunition reserves remaining, but our fuel is running low, with only 43% left!” the pilot glanced at the gauges and replied.

Lin Zhichen frowned slightly, feeling a bit troubled.

His standard frigate had a relatively low configuration, still using a first-generation nuclear fission reactor.

With this setup, pure electric propulsion wasn’t quite feasible; it required some krypton gas or similar material to be accelerated by an electric field and expelled at high speed to generate thrust, thereby propelling the starship.

Once the propellant was exhausted, the ship wouldn’t move regardless of how much energy it had, and they would have to wait for rescue.

The nuclear fission reactor had a long service life, but the frigate’s onboard supply of krypton propellant was limited and now clearly insufficient.

“Returning to base requires 15% of the fuel, leaving us with a 20% reserve. We still have 23% of our reserves available for use, which should be enough!”

Gritting his teeth, Lin Zhichen commanded, “10%! As long as we find the next pirate patrol within a 10% propellant consumption, we won’t have to spend over 20 days returning to Earth. Let’s push a bit harder, everyone!”

“Yes, Captain!”

The crew immediately sprang into action. The engines roared to life, and the frigate headed deeper into the asteroid belt.

Three days later, while still commanding the frigate, Lin Zhichen suddenly received an unfamiliar communication.

“Hello, is this Mr. Lin Zhichen?” A Federal Government official appeared on the holographic communicator.

“It’s me. And you are?” Lin Zhichen asked, puzzled.

“Hello, Mr. Lin. I am a staff member of the Earth Autonomous Government. May I take a moment of your time to verify something?” the other party asked politely.

“Of course, go ahead,” Lin Zhichen replied, glancing at the identity verification displayed on his holographic wristband and confirming that the person was indeed a government official.

“May I ask if you completed your psionic awakening and became a Psionic three days ago?” the official inquired.

“Yes, that’s correct,” Lin Zhichen nodded.

“Congratulations, Mr. Lin! Please forgive our efficiency. Due to a shortage of personnel and the high number of individuals active in the asteroid belt, we only just confirmed your identity through the Federal Academy,” the official apologized.

“As a newly awakened Psionic, you are required to undergo a routine examination by the Federal Psionic Academy. Please be prepared to receive the relevant communications.”

The status of being a Psionic is highly valuable, and there are always those who try to take shortcuts and falsify their abilities. Such routine examinations are necessary.

“Understood, I will comply,” Lin Zhichen nodded slightly.

“Thank you for your cooperation. Goodbye!”

The communication ended, and Lin Zhichen took a moment to calm his emotions. Completing the Psionic identity verification would be immensely beneficial for his future.

Before he could think further, a second communication suddenly came through, causing Lin Zhichen to frown as he answered it.

“We meet again…” A holographic projection of a strikingly confident woman appeared.

Her jet-black hair was tied into a ponytail, and her charming face couldn’t hide the heroic spirit in her eyes. The crimson military uniform did little to conceal her explosive figure. Her phoenix eyes swept over him, seemingly sparking with electricity, making Lin Zhichen’s heart race.

“Liu Manjun, is that you? How did you get my communication signal?” Lin Zhichen’s right eyelid twitched.

“I told you long ago, I would find you sooner or later!” Liu Manjun’s face held a faint smile, but her eyes were sharp, clearly indicating her strong-willed nature.

“What? Not happy to see me?”

“Of course not. According to the ‘No Second Date’ principle, the essence of fleeting love is to be heartless once you succeed. How could I be a sentimental person?” Lin Zhichen lounged in the captain’s chair, speaking lazily, completely unaware that her expression had turned icy.

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“No need to guess. I just saw the verification task posted by the Federal Psionic Association and took it when I saw it was you,” Liu Manjun regained her composure, looking at Lin Zhichen with a peculiar gaze.

“I always wondered how an ordinary person could defeat a Psionic. Even though the opponent was just a newly awakened rookie, you, a country bumpkin, managed to pull it off. It doesn’t add up~”

Lin Zhichen was exasperated: “Are you done talking nonsense? If so, hurry up and get lost!”

“Heh~ I hope you’re still this tough when I find you!” Liu Manjun sneered coldly. “Don’t worry, I’ll be there soon!”

The communication ended, and Lin Zhichen fell into complete silence.

He never expected that showing off a bit in a virtual bar would lead to a romantic encounter, which in turn would become a major headache.

Wasn’t the virtual world supposed to be just an exchange of electrical signals?

“Beep beep~”

A message came through on his holographic wristband: his Psionic identity had been verified and approved. From now on, he was a registered Psionic with the Federation!

“This is serious!” Lin Zhichen felt a bit uneasy. This kind of verification carried responsibilities, and if any falsification was discovered, the verifier would also be punished.

Liu Manjun’s move was a clear message that he couldn’t escape.

“I’ll have to see who you really are,” he thought with a hint of anticipation. Although the Federation’s virtual world wouldn’t create absurd situations like cross-dressing men, it was still possible to slightly alter one’s appearance. After all, a person’s real looks could still affect their success rate in virtual encounters.

“Beep beep~”

Three hours later, the communication alert sounded again. Lin Zhichen looked down with a grim expression. It was an unknown holographic call, and the caller ID indicated it was from the Earth Autonomous Government.

“Hello, esteemed Mr. Lin Zhichen. Congratulations on your awakening as a Psionic, bringing honor to Earth and to the Central State District! On behalf of the Earth Autonomous Government, I extend our sincere gratitude to you!”

In the holographic image, a middle-aged man greeted him with a smile.

Lin Zhichen’s eyes flickered. This was Governor Pikan, currently the head of the Earth Autonomous Government. He had come from the Federal Government three months ago to coordinate the formation of the autonomous government with various nations.

According to Federal tradition, for the first five terms after a new administrative planet joins the Federation, the position of the planet’s leader must be appointed by the Federal Government.