After parting ways with the Chu Family Fleet, Zhao Chen's T3 Blizzard traveled through the Lantian Star System Star Gate and, after several days of journeying, finally returned to the North Star System.

Zhao Chen did not return to the North Star Academy; instead, he went directly to the Xiaolong Fleet base.

This rescue mission for the teachers and students of the Two Academies took nearly ten days.

During this period, the two T2 Iron Hammer-class Heavy Interstellar Industrial Ships at the Xiaolong Fleet base did not rest for a single moment.

According to Zhao Chen's original production plan, if the current production schedule was completed, they were to continue producing T2 Iron Hammers.

As for this type of interstellar auxiliary ship, Zhao Chen could never have too many!

At this moment, on the expansion platforms of the two existing T2 Iron Hammers, the keels for two more T2 Iron Hammer hulls had already been laid!

They are expected to be completed and enter service by mid-April.

Zhao Chen and Lilith left the T3 Blizzard and took a shuttle to the T2 Iron Hammer No. 1.

"Commander." A female Minotaur Half-Beastman, over two meters tall and capable of lifting Zhao Chen with one hand, stood before him wearing a work uniform.

This female Minotaur Half-Beastman had a pair of horns on her head, well-defined and graceful muscle curves on her limbs, healthy wheat-colored skin, drooping ears, and a short tail behind her.

If she were in Zhao Chen's previous life, she would definitely be at the level of a fitness model!

Zhao Chen glanced at a certain area, wondering if such a large obstruction would hinder her work. And... could her race be the dairy cow clan? Ahem.

Zhao Chen pulled back his wandering thoughts. "You are Jenny, right?"

"You actually remember my name!" Jenny looked at Zhao Chen with excitement.

Jenny was the captain and Chief Engineer of the T2 Iron Hammer. She was a subordinate from Charlotte's former fleet, primarily responsible for Starship maintenance and construction.

She was hardworking and capable, with never a complaint about any assignment.

Although she might lack some talent, she was definitely a 'good employee'!

This also made her the first captain and Chief Engineer of the T2 Iron Hammer-class Heavy Interstellar Industrial Ship.

"Of course. After all, Jenny, you are working here for our Xiaolong Fleet, and all the Starships we pilot owe a part of their success to you. How could I not remember you? Tell me, is there any reward you want?" Zhao Chen placed his hand on Jenny's shoulder.

"Then... could I hug you, Commander?" Jenny looked at Zhao Chen with eager eyes, then quickly waved her hands, saying self-deprecatingly, "Maybe this request is too rude. If you don't want to, forget it."

"No, I don't mind. I'm just surprised why you would make such a request." Zhao Chen was between laughter and tears.

Jenny chuckled and rubbed the horns on her head. "I used to work under General Charlotte. Because I was the one who ate the most in our tribe, my parents couldn't afford to feed me anymore, so they gave me to General Charlotte when she passed by. General Charlotte treated me well; following her... although I couldn't eat my fill, at least I wouldn't starve. Later, General Charlotte brought us to work for you. At first, I was a bit scared, but then I realized General Charlotte's decision was absolutely right. Commander, you are simply our god. Here... we don't have to be oppressed anymore, and we can eat our fill every day. I can eat a big basin of rice every day. From the time I was born until now, this is the first time I've known what it feels like to be full. So, I have always admired you, Commander. If... if I could hug you... then I would be satisfied. I don't want any other reward..."

What a simple, honest girl.

"Alright then." Zhao Chen smiled and opened his arms.

But soon, Zhao Chen regretted it.

Zhao Chen was now 1.8 meters tall, but Jenny, this Minotaur girl, was over two meters tall.

The main issue was that this simpleton didn't know how to bend down to hug Zhao Chen; she just came right up and wrapped her arms around him.

This made Zhao Chen experience a feeling called suffocation.

"Mmmph, mmmph..." Zhao Chen struggled.

It was Lilith, standing to the side, who noticed something was wrong and quickly called out to stop Jenny, who had forgotten the time in her excitement.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I was too excited just now!" Jenny quickly let go, looking at the Commander in a panic.

"I... I'm fine." Zhao Chen squeezed ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ out a smile.

Jenny's strength was truly immense. Zhao Chen finally understood why there were rumors that some special beings among the Beastfolk could shatter the hull armor of a T1 Interstellar Warship with a single punch.

Even Zhao Chen, who had injected the T3 Super Soldier Serum, couldn't break free from Jenny's arms for a moment; that strength was truly astonishing.

If it had been an ordinary person, they probably would have fallen apart from that hug.

"Anyway, Jenny, I came to talk to you about some serious business. It's about the Starship construction plan for the next few months." As Zhao Chen said this, he raised his hand and opened a construction plan list he had already edited.

When Jenny saw the electronic document, she looked completely confused, then scratched her head embarrassedly. "Commander, to be honest, this stuff... I get confused as soon as I look at it. Before, it was always General Charlotte telling me step-by-step what to do... Actually, if you let me be a craftsman, a Starship engineer, or a repairman, that's all fine. But letting me be this captain, I really can't do it... If you hadn't arranged for Annie to be on the No. 2 ship a while ago, and if I hadn't borrowed her for a few days, I really wouldn't have known how to arrange the work during the days when you, General Charlotte, and Lilith were away."

Annie? "Annie is here?" Zhao Chen asked.

"Yes, right there at the No. 4 operation console. That child is not only good with her hands, but also smart. The things I don't understand, she understands as soon as she looks at them. And for some of the original Starship construction steps, after her adjustments, the efficiency has greatly increased!" Jenny started praising Annie as soon as she brought her up.

Zhao Chen didn't expect Annie to have become so familiar with the work tasks inside the T2 Iron Hammer-class Heavy Interstellar Industrial Ship so quickly.

Actually, he had previously thought that this first batch of incoming Half-Beastman craftsmen might not be able to meet future construction needs. They might be hardworking, but most Half-Beastmen were single-minded; if you asked one to do a task, she might handle it well, but if you asked her to manage and coordinate, she would make a mess of it. Those with exceptional talent like Charlotte were only a very small minority among the Half-Beastmen.

"Take me to see Annie." Zhao Chen said.

"Alright, Commander, please follow me this way." Jenny walked into a rectangular corridor nearby. This rectangular corridor could connect to any workstation on the T2 Iron Hammer-class Heavy Interstellar Industrial Ship, making it very convenient.