Chapter 5: Vice-Captain: Elplan

"Hello, General El!"

The succubus looked at Feng Mo in surprise. Not only had he pronounced her name correctly, but he had also addressed her as General.

"Elplan of the Demon Star System, of the Succubus Clan. You rebelled against the oppressive rule of the local warlords and founded the Anti-Demon Legion."

"Unfortunately, your resistance lasted only two or three years. After the final battle, you disappeared, only to end up in the slave market."

"During those two years, you led over a hundred battles, commanding a fleet of a hundred starships, with a T3 flagship at the helm. You have extensive combat experience."

Feng Mo recounted her history, word for word. Elplan seemed lost in thought, as if reliving those past events.

"So, General, how about having a chat?" Feng Mo invited.

Elplan's lips curled into a smile, her voice husky but composed. "If you know my past, why would you choose me? Aren't you afraid I'll betray you?"

"Afraid? Of course, I am," Feng Mo admitted. "But I'd like to propose a deal."

Her curiosity piqued, Elplan asked, "What kind of deal?"

"My name is Feng Mo. My main profession is starship commander, and on the side, I'm a starship engineer. I'm capable of 'hand-building' T3-class battleships. I'm only twenty-one. What do you think, General? Do you want revenge? Do you want to rebuild the Succubus Kingdom?"

Seeing Elplan deep in thought, Feng Mo pressed on, "Take a gamble on me. The Demon Star System's overall strength isn't that great. Three fleets, each composed of a hundred T4-class starships, would be enough to sweep through them. Do you have faith in me?"

"I know words alone mean nothing. General, bring the crew and follow me," Feng Mo said, scanning his identity to open the starship dock. He led the group inside.

Elplan's eyes widened as she took in the massive ship before her.

"You built this? On your own? Without any help?" Her voice was filled with disbelief.

"Absolutely. That's one of my secrets. So, General, are you willing to take a chance on me? I promise that once we have the power, our first mission will be to destroy the Demon Star System. How about it?"

"Deal. From now on, I am your subordinate, Commander!" Elplan declared, without hesitation.

In the dock, over a hundred crew members sat on the ground, devouring the meals before them. The artificially cultivated food was delicious, a luxury they hadn't tasted since becoming slaves. Even before their enslavement, eating such meals had been rare; they had subsisted on flavorless synthetic nutrition packs.

Despite her past as a fleet commander, Elplan ate gracefully, savoring each bite. Her composure and elegance set her apart from the others.

"Captain El, once you finish eating, I want you to organize the crew. Get everyone familiar with this T3-class battleship. It's brand new and hasn't undergone any test flights," Feng Mo instructed.

"I came across records of your battles while studying at the academy library and analyzed your combat strategies. That's how I recognized you. I hope we can work well together," Feng Mo added.

Elplan nodded, realizing Feng Mo was not just a paper-pusher. She had spent two years in the slave market, never bought because potential owners feared her past as a rebel leader and her audacious battle tactics. Conservative aristocrats preferred predictable and stable subordinates, and she was anything but.

After the meal, Elplan efficiently organized the crew, leading them aboard the Storm. She selected the twenty Level 2 Gene Warriors to join her and Feng Mo in the control room.

Seated in the captain's chair, Feng Mo handed Elplan a box of smart terminals.

"I've registered your information. On this ship, you have the highest command authority next to me. From now on, you are the vice-captain of the Storm. Distribute these terminals to the crew," he said.

Elplan placed a terminal on her slender wrist, a beautiful smile playing on her lips.

"Thank you for your trust, Commander. I won't let you down," she vowed.

Pleased, Feng Mo nodded. "Here are the crew assignments. Operating the Storm requires only a hundred crew members. The remaining fifty will serve as reserves and familiarize themselves with the ship."

He transferred one million Cloud Mountain Credits to Elplan's account.

"I've already requested clearance from the interstellar port and rented a dock space for a year. Use these funds to buy supplies after the shakedown cruise. From today on, you are no longer slaves but members of my crew. Meals will be served three times a day, and each crew member will receive a monthly food allowance of 100 Credits."

The crew members murmured in disbelief. One hundred Credits per month was a generous amount. During their time as slaves, they had only received one meal per day, and a monthly food allowance of 5 Credits would have been considered decent. Now, their rations had increased twentyfold.

"All right, Vice-Captain El, let's begin the shakedown cruise!" Feng Mo ordered, cutting off the murmurs.

"Yes, Commander!" Elplan responded.

The shipyard's flight corridor opened, and a mechanical voice announced,

"Storm is cleared to enter C-Line 3."

Feng Mo sat in his captain's chair, watching the crew take their positions. Calmly, he commanded, "Let's go!"

Elplan relayed his order. "Engage Storm's engines. Proceed into C-Line 3!"

The crew members, though slightly inexperienced, operated the Storm with determination. Minutes later, the massive battleship exited the shipyard and entered the designated flight path.

Since the bridge was fully enclosed, the ship relied on radar imagery to project the external view onto the control room screens. Seeing the vast expanse of space from the captain's seat, Feng Mo felt a surge of excitement.

The Storm followed the flight path away from Cloud Mountain, accelerating to 100 knots. Ten minutes later, they arrived at a rocky asteroid field within academy territory, the perfect place for performance tests.

"Commander, we're ready to commence the shakedown drills," Elplan reported.

"Proceed, Vice-Captain El," Feng Mo instructed.

Having a seasoned second-in-command was a relief. Elplan took over smoothly, leaving Feng Mo free from worry.

"Maintain this course. Engines at full power, speed up to 200 knots. All compartments, monitor ship data closely and

report any anomalies immediately!"

The shakedown cruise had officially begun!