For now, I’ll put aside the matter of the T3 Phantom Assassin-class Light Interstellar Stealth Bomber. After all, if the current situation cannot be handled properly, building any Starship would be empty talk.

Zhao Chen glanced at his data panel again. He had tens of thousands of System Points, but because he didn’t have sufficient construction resources, he hadn’t exchanged for any Starship technology.

“I wonder if it’s enough to upgrade ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) the T4 Starship Mall,” Zhao Chen muttered to himself.

If he could exchange for a T4-class interstellar warship, then after overcoming the current difficulty, he could quickly establish an Interstellar force strong enough to protect himself!

“t3 level System Mall Upgrade Conditions:

First: Exchange for three t3 level-level items (0/3)

Second: Complete three B-level System Missions (2/3)

Third: Spend 60,000 System Points to upgrade the Mall (14720/60000)”

Zhao Chen...

Aside from the B-level System Mission requirement which Zhao Chen had completed two of, the remaining two conditions had a significant gap.

The first condition was because Zhao Chen had never found the time to exchange for suitable t3 level items.

And the third option was quite outrageous—a full 60,000 System Points!

Zhao Chen didn't know when he would accumulate that much.

It seemed that upgrading to a T4 System Mall in a short time was impossible.

Beep, beep, beep.

Just as Zhao Chen was pondering, a message came through his handheld terminal.

It was from an unfamiliar account, but the line of text made Zhao Chen’s pupils contract.

‘My granddaughter told me you wanted to talk to me?’

After this sentence, there was also a room link.

Zhao Chen knew that the long-awaited event was about to happen.

“Huu... huu...” Zhao Chen took a deep breath. He sat in his office chair in his bedroom, and in the next second, the surrounding scenery changed.

Zhao Chen’s bedroom transformed into an ancient meeting room, with a two-meter diameter round table in front of him, and four bare walls around it.

There was no lighting, but the entire room was very bright.

The desk in Zhao Chen’s bedroom on the T3 Blizzard-class Light Interstellar Battlecruiser had the capability for holographic projection video, which was a more advanced communication technology than regular video calls.

Zhao Chen sat in the chair, waiting.

Waiting for the person who sent him the room invitation to enter this room.

One minute... three minutes... five minutes... ten minutes...

Zhao Chen didn’t know how much time had passed, but he remained sitting in that posture.

Finally, a figure appeared out of thin air in the chair opposite him.

It was an elderly man dressed in ancient attire, with white hair and a kindly smile on his face.

If Zhao Chen hadn’t known the identity of the person in front of him, he would have thought this was just an ordinary old man.

“Baron Lord of Xiaolong Galaxy, Zhao Chen. Greetings, Governor of Chu River Star Region, Duke.” Zhao Chen placed his hand on his chest and bowed.

That’s right!

The person Zhao Chen was meeting at this moment was none other than Chu Xuan’s grandfather, Governor Chu River, Imperial Duke, Five-Star Marshal, Chu Changhe!

Governor Chu scrutinized Zhao Chen, smiling faintly and nodding: “The younger generation is formidable, formidable indeed. Actually, I quite admire you.

However, there is one thing you did that I am very dissatisfied with; originally, I intended to hold you accountable.

But that girl of mine guessed my thoughts. She adamantly said that she went with you willingly, and it had nothing to do with you. If I blamed you for this matter, she would fall out with me.

Tsk tsk tsk... This girl, it’s truly that saying, a daughter grows up and can’t be kept.”

“It was my rashness at the time, I shouldn’t have taken Miss Chu on an adventure.” That woman jumped on board herself, what did it have to do with him?

Although Zhao Chen thought so in his heart, in this situation, only an honest person would speak their mind.

“Let’s not discuss this matter for now. I heard that before you departed for Water Lily Galaxy, you told my granddaughter that you were willing to cooperate with my Chu family? 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

This I don’t understand. When did I ever tell you that our Chu family wanted to cooperate with you?” Governor Chu looked puzzled.

Sly old fox, still unwilling to lay his cards on the table at this point.

But then again, he was Governor Chu River, Imperial Duke, Five-Star Marshal.

Any one of these titles could crush someone.

Zhao Chen smiled and said: “Governor, let’s be frank. You brought your beloved granddaughter, whom you painstakingly brought back from North Wind Star Sector, back to North Star Starship Military Academy.

What is this for? Why should you and I pretend to be ignorant when we both know the truth?

Since I am willing to have a heart-to-heart talk with the Governor here today, I come with sincerity.”

“Then you must first let me see your sincerity.” Governor Chu looked at Zhao Chen with a benevolent expression, waiting for Zhao Chen’s next words.

Zhao Chen stared at the other party. He couldn't outwit the old man in front of him; he could only be direct with him!

“Governor, I know you have always doted on Miss Chu so much because your only son and daughter-in-law perished in a battle with the Mechanical Race in the early years.

In fact, not only your son and daughter-in-law, but even your father and your two biological brothers all died under the Mechanical Race’s Mechanical Starship!

Am I wrong?” Zhao Chen spoke.

At this moment, although the surroundings were just a virtual holographic projection environment, Zhao Chen could feel the coldness in the air.

“I don’t like people mentioning my son, daughter-in-law, or the Chu family’s private matters in front of me. Young man, you have three minutes left to speak.

You’d better say something that interests me, otherwise... there are many ways for our Chu family to cooperate with someone!” Governor Chu narrowed his eyes, staring at Zhao Chen.

Zhao Chen shivered, feeling as if he had fallen into an ice cave.

This was even more terrifying than facing three T3 Insectoid Hive Motherships and a massive Zerg Fleet on the T3 Blizzard previously.

Zhao Chen remained expressionless and continued: “Chu River Star Region was personally named by your grandfather when the Chu family was enfeoffed.

And the Chu family also has a family rule.

As long as there is one person from the Chu family, no Mechanical Starship shall be allowed to cross Chu He by half a step!”

Your father named you Chu Changhe, which seems to have this meaning.”

Governor Chu said nothing, instead closing his eyes.

Zhao Chen continued: “But I know that these years, you haven’t just wanted to defend Chu River Star Region, this frontier of the Starlight Empire; you also want to avenge those Chu family children who died in the war against the Mechanical Race, as well as your son and daughter-in-law.

However, the Starlight Empire’s only two T4 starships have always been types that cannot be mass-produced on a large scale.

For example, the T4 Boreas-class Heavy Interstellar Battleship is expensive to build, and its construction raw materials include several rare mineral ores, which leads to the T4 Boreas being unable to be mass-produced.

This also leads to the Starlight Empire currently being sufficient in defense but lacking in counter-attack.”

“Time is almost up,” Governor Chu said.

Zhao Chen calmly said: “But what if I can research and manufacture a T4 starship that can be mass-produced on a large scale and has an extremely high cost-performance ratio?!”

Governor Chu opened his eyes. At this moment, his eyes were like candles, as if they wanted to devour Zhao Chen!