Counterfeit Hero

Chapter 573: Revised: Volume 6 Chapter 43 Ship Retrofitting

After passing the Space Jump Point, the ”Blue Rose” had entered normal cruising mode. Before reaching the next Jump Point, the fleet was traversing through a zone filled with nebulae, dust, asteroids, and massive rocks, with complex gravitational and radiation environments, at a fourth cosmic speed of 120 kilometers per second.

Only by crossing the obstacle zone and reaching the safe jump channel marked in the navigation device’s database could the spaceship initiate a gravity jump for jump navigation. In the obstacle zone or unknown space domain, using gravitational acceleration for high-speed jumps usually resulted in the ship and crew’s destruction.

Moreover, even when navigating in a jump channel, traveling in the Public Star Domain was different from navigating in a well-managed interstellar channel that is regularly cleaned, routes measured, and navigation data updated.

Here, no one monitored the route, no one informed you of any comets or other objects that might block your path in this ever-moving universe. No one cleared these threats or designed safer, more reasonable interstellar navigation routes. Everything relied solely on oneself.

However, with modern interstellar navigation technology, as long as you don’t encounter a newly formed black hole or a close collision with planets leading to explosions, most small obstacles can be avoided using the ship’s radar, the interstellar jump channel map, and unmanned pathfinding machines.

Thirty hours after entering the first jump, the fleet crossed three obstacle zones consecutively, traversed two jump channels, and finally arrived at the Jump Point from this numbered BQ-2011 Public Star System to the next public star system. After several more days of trek, the fleet reached the entrance of the third public star system’s Jump Point.

The fleet still had to pass through eleven more such Jump Points.

For many, long interstellar journeys trapped on a ship were undeniably boring. However, for Tian Xingjian, it was full of interest.

Especially during the first few days, Fatty found himself the brightest star on this ship. The students sent for the exchange at the same time and the officers and soldiers on the ship did not hide their excitement upon seeing their idol.

Fatty was excited too. Was he really an idol?! This was incredibly amazing! The endlessly satisfied Fatty diligently signed autographs for everyone until his hands went numb.

Aside from giving autographs, Fatty’s favorite activity was strutting around in front of people to accept compliments. Even at night, he would have Carl, who shared his rest cabin, sing his praises several times.

After enjoying himself for several days, as people’s enthusiasm started to wane, especially after Fatty forced Big Head Karl to continuously flatter him until Karl felt nauseous and foamed at the mouth, Fatty himself began to feel bored.

The monotonous voyage seemed to consume everyone’s spirit, and over time, most people on the ship appeared somewhat lethargic, disinterested in anything. But Fatty was different; he was naturally adept at finding things that interested him in such environments. He quickly became fascinated with the latest destroyer he was aboard.

Previously, Fatty had also ridden on warships, but they were mostly old vessels with no research value. Moreover, he was usually packed in a transport cabin and airdropped here and there, with very short durations.

This time, getting up close with a new destroyer over the long journey of nearly a month was a perfect learning opportunity for someone studying Casper’s Work Journal.

If anything could represent the space age, it was undoubtedly these vessels navigating the vast cosmos.

During the Age of Great Exploration, humans used various types of space fleets to leap out of the Milky Way, extending the footprint of human civilization into the depths of the universe.

In that great period of history, explorers drove their ships into one unpredictable interstellar jump point after another. Some succeeded, returning with their scarred ships and discoveries, to become rich and famous overnight. Others, however, were forever lost with their vessels in the vast universe, becoming part of the celestial bodies.

Even now, in many remote public star systems, one can occasionally encounter some shipwrecks. Some of these wrecks drift quietly, becoming landmarks and watched by passing ships, while others wander the universe, becoming the legendary ghost ships. Every few years or decades, people would see them appear momentarily, only to vanish again into the depths of the universe.

Becoming a ship captain navigating the universe was a childhood dream for many in this era. For the curious humans, the profound universe, the vast space, and the legends of famous explorers throughout history always held a strong allure.

In the context of these war years, the strikingly beautiful uniforms of the Space Forces, the enormous warships gliding silently through the cosmos, the brilliant main gun salvos in battle, and the elite teams rigorously selected and trained, all symbolized status and glory.

Initially, Fatty had also wanted to apply for the Space Fleet, motivated by the impressive uniform and the benefits far superior to those of the Army. Because of this, he nearly memorized all the structural diagrams of military and civilian ships he could see in the Mechanical Training Camp. He had a thorough understanding of the structures, power systems, weapons, and radars of the vessels.