An intraplanetary transport vessel? Fang Yu was quietly startled.
In this era, communication between Blue Star and the New Moon was frequent, but most travel was conducted via stargates.
Yet stargates were few in number. The initial landings on the New Moon, as well as various deep-space explorations and voyages to Mars, Neptune, and beyond, still relied on spacecraft... Consequently, aerospace technology was exceptionally advanced.
Even so, that advancement was relative.
Many wealthy individuals on Blue Star owned private spacecraft capable of hovering, flying at multiple times the speed of sound, and even briefly entering outer space.
However, ships capable of deep-space voyages that could directly traverse the distance between the old lands and the New Moon were all colossal behemoths, built at astronomical costs.
Even within the old lands, coming across a fully cloaked vessel like this was exceedingly rare.
Fang Yu had assumed they would be traveling by ground vehicle, never expecting Huguang Martial University to directly deploy a spacecraft.
The vessel descended slowly, and its hatch slid open.
"Those whose names I call, step forward first," another instructor said in a low voice. "Fan Xing, Fang Yu, Yan Hezhou..."
This time, only twenty-three names were called, yet Fang Yu and the others stepped forward.
"The twenty-three of you possess solid strength and are being assigned directly to martial artist squads. You are preparing to engage in genuine combat rather than playing house in a safe zone." Associate Professor Tang stepped down from the platform and walked over to them.
Her gaze swept across Fang Yu and those in the front row. "Fan Xing, Fang Yu, Yan Hezhou... the six of you even managed to secure Elite Contracts directly.
"Therefore, the university's expectations of you are very high."
Almost every student turned to look at the six of them.
"In accordance with university tradition," Associate Professor Tang said slowly, "among the new Junior-College-to-Undergraduate students, whoever achieves the highest coefficient score above 1.4 upon completing their initial combat mission will receive an additional bonus of one million Star Coins. Those ranked in the top ten for coefficient scores will each receive a reward of three hundred thousand Star Coins."
One million?
Three hundred thousand?
Those two figures caused a shift in the expressions of every student present. To these upgraded students, one million was considered a fortune, and even three hundred thousand was no small sum.
Even for elite students, their annual training stipend was only one million.
Fang Yu's heart stirred as well.
The highest coefficient score, and no lower than 1.4, just to have a chance at taking home one million?
"Naturally, the rest of you aren't without opportunities," Associate Professor Tang continued, her gaze sweeping over the remaining hundred-plus students. "Many of you possess sufficient strength as well... Once we arrive at the Trainee Base, you may attempt to join some of the martial artist squads.
"The bonus distribution does not consider total score—only the coefficient score."
Her words ignited ambitions in Zhang Tao and a number of other capable students.
"Board the ship."
...
The spacecraft flew at blistering speed. In just over an hour, it traversed thousands of kilometers and arrived at the site of a stargate within Xia Country.
This stargate was built by Xia Country specifically to connect to the Primordial Star.
"A stargate."
"It's massive."
"Is that height really a thousand meters?"
"No idea." Seated inside the ship, Fang Yu, Wang Mo, and the other students looked through the windows and could easily see the immense, ring-shaped, sci-fi-like stargate spanning a vast expanse of land.
It towered between heaven and earth, rising taller than most of the surrounding mountains.
Near the stargate stood colossal metal towers, accompanied by numerous battleships hovering on patrol.
"Just how was this stargate built?" Zhang Tao could not help saying. "Allowing people from different planets to travel between them so quickly—it's simply incredible."
"Who knows?" Wang Mo chuckled. "Aren't there rumors all over the net about prehistoric civilization ruins on the New Moon? They left behind countless high-tech advancements, which is how we managed to construct stargates.
"Besides," Wang Mo continued, "the Primordial Star is inhabited by civilized beings from other planets deep in the cosmos... Either way, it all proves one thing: our Blue Moon Alliance isn't the only civilization in the universe."
Fang Yu and the others could not help nodding.
Before the Great Sky-Burning Era, whether humanity was the universe's sole cradle of life had sparked intense debates in the scientific community that lasted for ages.
Yet the emergence of stargates and the exploration of the Primordial Star had brought an end to all those disputes.
Out in the cosmos, many other alien civilizations truly existed.
"Who knows what the exact truth is?" Wang Mo sighed in admiration. "Regardless, stargates are humanity's greatest technological creation since the New Calendar began."
Fang Yu was quietly marveling as well.
Stargates were indeed miraculous.
Without them, never mind traveling to the unimaginably distant Primordial Star—even traveling between the old lands of Blue Star and the New Moon spanned hundreds of thousands of kilometers. Relying solely on spaceships to communicate and travel would have been an immense ordeal.
"Stargate transit will commence shortly.
"Spacecraft windows will now be sealed.
"All passengers, please open your mouths slightly and prepare for the impact of stargate transit." A cold, synthesized announcement echoed through the cabin.
*Hum—*
Before the gargantuan stargate, the spacecraft seemed like a mere speck of dust as it slowly submerged into the vast, shimmering curtain of rippling light. Aside from this transport ship, vessels continually entered and exited the gate.
...
*Rumble—* Accompanied by the diffusion of a strange force, Fang Yu and Wang Mo felt waves of discomfort wash over their bodies, which quickly returned to normal.
Barely ten minutes later.
*Rumble—*
The spacecraft touched down smoothly, and the hatch opened. Fang Yu, Wang Mo, and the others stepped off one by one, greeted by the sight of a base steeped in futuristic science fiction.
Battleships hovered in the air.
Metal buildings towered hundreds of meters tall.
Massive spacecraft, robots shuttling between the buildings, and towering hundred-meter steel ramparts in the distance—these were sights unseen on Blue Star.
"This is a space base on the Primordial Star?" Zhang Tao's eyes widened.
Even though they had seen glimpses in university course materials and leaked internet videos, actually standing in the middle of it was still awe-inspiring.
Once everyone had disembarked from the ship, Associate Professor Tang, who had traveled with them, spoke in a cool voice:
"This place is Secondary Base No. 12 of Iron Wall Base, one of the seven space bases belonging to our Blue Moon Alliance. It is also known as the Trainee Base.
"It is designated specifically for martial artists below Level 30. Most students from our Huguang Province come here when participating in actual combat.
"Each of you will be assigned a dedicated guidance robot."
Chapter 40