Starting from the Planetary Governor

Chapter 1258: 53_2

Five years later, the Interstellar Warrior’s body will be basically mature, and a new genetic seed will be generated inside, which can be extracted for the development of the next recruit; the second seed will mature in ten years, but it can only be extracted after the warrior’s death.

Each Interstellar Warrior can only produce these two seeds in a lifetime. This also means that genetic seeds are incredibly precious.

If we solely rely on the fifty seeds we have on hand, and want to slowly bring the battle group back to its peak, reaching a scale of a thousand warriors, it would take at least a hundred years even under the most ideal circumstances.

Moreover, such ideal circumstances are fundamentally impossible. Not to mention, the battle group has to pay a genetic seed tax, and 5% of the new genetic seeds from the group need to be handed over to the Empire.

The remaining factors include the failure probability of genetic surgeries, the inability to timely recover genetic seeds after a warrior’s death… all these would cause losses.

However, these are things to consider later. The reconstruction of the battle group still needs to be done one step at a time. The most urgent task now is to complete the F.2 task, earn another hundred points, refresh the reward exchange, and see if there are any good things available.

Twelve surgeries, all successful.

And during the subsequent most dangerous month, one recruit exhibited genetic collapse and died on the nineteenth day. The remaining eleven all smoothly passed the transformation period.

The transformation surgery experience from the Gray Fog task reward, along with its sharp detection capability, demonstrated strong reliability.

Even the unfortunate one who faced genetic collapse didn’t essentially die due to low genetic compatibility or unreliable surgery, but because of poor physical condition and inadequate mental fortitude, unable to withstand the pain of transformation.

This is something beyond control.

In fact, only one genetic seed out of twelve was wasted, this ratio already exceeds the peak situation of the battle group.

Given the poor quality of the recruits, achieving such results is already considered a miracle.

This matter, he didn’t even dare to publicize externally, fearing that if the Tribunal found out, he couldn’t explain.

Of course, although the recruits have successfully passed the dangerous period, forming combat power is still a long way off.

According to the previous tradition of the battle group, after the recruits completed their transformation, they would need several years of training before undergoing the ceremonial armor granting and being incorporated into the formal company to become a real Interstellar Warrior.

But Russell doesn’t intend to follow the tradition. He plans to compress the related training content as much as possible, completing the first phase of training in three months, and then hold the armor granting ceremony for the new recruits.

This is mainly for two considerations.

First, he hopes to establish a squad early, which will directly aid his subsequent plans.

Secondly, it’s to complete the F.2 task.

The F.2 task requires expanding the battle group’s formal members to ten people. Now that ten recruits have completed the transformation surgery, yet the task hasn’t shown completion. Apparently, the definition of ’formal member’ isn’t just about transforming a recruit, likely a complete granting of the power armor is needed.

Or, if it’s stricter, they might need to complete all their training, reaching a certain level before being considered formal members.

Russell hopes it’s not the latter, otherwise the time to complete the task would be too long, perhaps taking several years.

On the upper deck of Burn Feather, Russell cleared out and configured a training ground. From Russell’s perspective, this training ground is quite simple, and many core focused training projects can’t be conducted here.

But basic training is enough.

According to Russell’s plan, the recruits will spend three months undergoing basic training here before being granted their power armor.

Before this, Burn Feather won’t remain in orbit over Wuji Star.

When Simpco Pedro, the ship captain and chief mechanical priest of Burn Feather, found Russell to inquire about the next destination of the ship, Russell gave the answer he’d long planned:

“Dragonhawk Sector, Rage Owl Star, we’re going home.”

…

A hundred years ago, Rage Owl Star was once the mother planet of the Phoenix Battle Group, the Recruitment World.

According to the Empire’s policy on Starfighter Battle Groups, although the administrative power of the recruitment planet belongs to the Empire’s Administrative Department, all taxes should be transferred to the battle group, and theoretically, the battle group has jurisdiction over all affairs of the recruitment planet.

In short, a planet supporting a battle group.

After the battle group was found guilty, the mother planet was naturally reclaimed.

Although now the Phoenix has washed away its punishment, the Empire naturally wouldn’t return Rage Owl 1 to a battle group with only one member. If Russell wants to regain the Recruitment World, he must complete the battle group’s reconstruction and achieve new feats before applying to the Imperial Capital – Holy Terra to reclaim the recruitment planet.

Legally speaking, Rage Owl Star is no longer the mother planet of the Phoenix, with no obligation to Phoenix. Phoenix cannot conduct large-scale recruitment there, nor can it demand the Rage Owl Star government to provide reconstruction resources for the battle group.

But this is only in theory.

In reality, before the penitential expedition, Rage Owl Star was always the recruitment planet for the Phoenix. Their separation from the battle group was only a hundred years ago, a short time compared to the thousands of years of history as a mother planet of a Starfighter Battle Group.

Presumably, the legend of Phoenix still circulates locally. The influence, network left by the battle group on the mother planet may still have some lingering effects.

Under this premise, whether in terms of manpower or resources, Russell hopes to gain some support on the mother planet.

…

Three months later, within the National Church on the upper deck of Burn Feather, an armor granting ceremony is underway.

Ten new recruits stand in succession under the magnificent statue of The Emperor, while a ship-bound Priest leads the choir, softly chanting songs of praise for The Emperor.

Ten sets of Mechanical Servants, carrying complete equipment, assisting ten new recruits in donning power armor.

The steps to don power armor are quite complicated. First, the naked recruits must wear a layer of black ’underwear.’ This is actually a combat suit woven with numerous strands of metallic muscle bundles, connected to nerve interfaces, making the already far-superior-to-mortal Interstellar Warriors even stronger.

Next, the inner armor is fitted over the metallic muscles. Here, systems like automatic sensing, vision, life support, energy… these numerous auxiliary functions are integrated, becoming extremely important means for Interstellar Warriors to fight as usual in various harsh environments.

Then the outer armor follows. A modular armor made of ceramic steel is mounted outside the inner layer, forming the finest protection.

“From today, I will inherit the unyielding will, reshaping flesh and bone.”

“I am the iron wing in the universe, I am the wrath of The Emperor.”

“I will bring despairing destruction to all enemies of mankind!”

“I am The Emperor’s Angel, I am the Phoenix!”

As the ten new recruits vow in unison, the Phoenix Battle Group welcomes ten new members.

Russell watches it all, exhaling a long breath.

The great revival of Phoenix begins with this first step.

Before his eyes, gray mist swirls, forming mysterious characters:

[Task Code F.2: Completed, point rewards issued]

[Current Points: 200]

[You can spend points to exchange rewards from the following three options.]

[1. Sergeant-level item: Genetic Seed ×1 (50 points)]

[Obtain one genetic seed from the Phoenix Legion.]

[2. Sergeant-level item: Blast Bomb Gun ×1 (1 point)]

[Obtain a B4-standard Bomb Gun.]

[3. Sergeant-level skill: Battle Experience ×2 (100 points)]

[Designate a battle group member to receive full battle experience due to a sergeant.]

[All exchange tokens will refresh after the next task completion, please exchange the needed rewards promptly. You can also reserve exchange tokens, each reservation will consume one-tenth of the price of the exchange token.]