In low orbit, Kassia's hand rested on the viewport glass, looking down at the star station where she had lived for many years... As a tiny spark suddenly appeared in the center of the star station, it then exploded, everything happening in silence.
Theobald didn't realize that the reason he chose to perish with the star station at the end of his life was because he needed to take the secrets within the station with him to his grave.
As for this secret, Li Feng also roughly knew it: Kassia was an artificially cultivated successor, the Othello Family using Dark Age of Technology methods to nurture the most talented descendants.
Kassia's hand on the viewport gradually clenched.
She would not fail Theobald's expectations; she would surely lead the Othello Family to glory once more as its successor.
She thought of that man, Lord Li Feng, this mysterious man whose secrets might be able to change the Othello Family's long-standing genetic mutation problem.
She once again recalled falling into Lord Li Feng's arms, her mutations gradually disappearing, the whispers from the Warp vanishing, and at the same time... that sense of peace and comfort.
"Navigator, your room is ready." At this moment, a red-haired young cadet, Siegfried, came before her.
Reinhard, Siegfried, and Yang Weili were not only naval cadets but also served as Lord Li Feng's secretaries.
"Please lead the way, sir," Kassia said, and her personal valet, Uwe, pushed the luggage cart behind them as they proceeded.
As they walked through the ship's corridor, a suitcase fell to the ground.
The kind-hearted Siegfried immediately stepped forward to help the valet pick it up and place it back on the luggage cart, but the valet merely nodded, making muffled sounds of thanks.
Siegfried then realized that the valet couldn't speak... No! The valet's vocal cords had been cut...
The thought sent a chill down Siegfried's spine; a young man from old Terra had never seen anything like this.
At most, he had seen people on pilgrimages to Terra, smashing their heads.
Soon, Siegfried led Kassia to the room Lord Li Feng had arranged for her, which was very close to the battleship's Navigators' Sanctum.
The door opened to a one-bedroom, one-living room suite.
Opposite the door, there was a dedicated nanny room.
From the moment she boarded this ship, Kassia had been very curious; its design was vastly different from Imperial vessels.
Typically, Imperial warships resembled flying Gothic cathedrals, but this battleship had an unusually smooth exterior.
Although it retained some Gothic external styling, fundamentally, this ship was purely built for combat, removing everything unrelated to tactical and strategic advantage as much as possible.
The interior of the battleship was even more distinctly different from Imperial warships.
Imperial warships usually had dim lighting and a very rough decorative style, with many sacred Gothic ornaments inside, such as pipe organs, statues of the Holy Emperor, and even chapels.
None of that was present here.
The battleship's corridors, ceilings, and floors were covered with large LED panels and light strips, illuminating the entire interior without any dark spots.
The floors were made of epoxy self-leveling and various insulating, anti-slip materials.
Additionally, the battleship had many control terminals and map boards; statues of the Holy Emperor were crafted into small, hidden shrine-like designs, and as for chapels... she hadn't found any yet.
Even the officers, crew, and Soldiers on the ship had very simple uniforms.
Especially the naval officers; all the useless tassels, sashes, and decorations were gone, replaced by black naval officer uniforms, black ties, and white shirts.
Those decorative accessories were replaced by rank insignia on the sleeves and medal ribbons on the chest.
The furnishings in the room were even stranger; it looked like a hotel suite on some Garden World, even equipped with a kitchen and a living room with a large-screen TV and sofa set.
The bathroom had strange electric toilets, a wet-dry separated shower, and a bathtub.
"This ship is... unique," Kassia murmured.
Siegfried, who was helping the valet unload luggage nearby, heard her and introduced her to Kassia:
"This battleship was personally designed by Lord Li Feng and supervised by the Fabricator-General of the Mars Forge World.
This battleship possesses combat power within the Imperium that rivals or even far surpasses the Imperium's two flagship, 'Mountain Array' and 'glory of macragge.'
Furthermore, all the technology on this battleship is a crystallization of new Imperial scientific technology and the Dark Age of Technology."
"You mean, this ship was personally designed by Lord Li Feng? How could he, as a Colonel of the Astra Militarum..."
"Yes, Navigator.
You probably don't know that Lord Li Feng is a friend of the emperor, fox of the imperium, hero of frax, archmagos of the adeptus mechanicus, venerable of the ecclesiarchy, prime minister of the badab sector, and the overall Commander of the Terra Household Fleet and Regimental Hero Brigade."
Hearing this long string of titles, Kassia's eyes widened... In fact, like everyone else, she was already stunned when she heard the title "friend of the emperor."
"You... you mean? He is a friend of the Holy Emperor?"
Siegfried nodded: "This has been personally certified by the Imperial Palace.
It is said that Lord Li Feng is the second oldest person in the entire Imperium, besides the Emperor.
Moreover, the Adeptus Mechanicus reveres him as a Grand Master... Although the Adeptus Mechanicus keeps matters related to Lord Li Feng under strict secrecy, rumor has it that he is the omnissiah himself."
...Bridge command console.
At this moment, Lord Li Feng, First Mate Barbosa, Reinhard, and Yang Weili were looking at the massive digital star map before them.
Lord Li Feng looked for a long time but understood nothing.
First Mate Barbosa then said: "Lord Li Feng, the Navigator has taken her position.
We can now proceed to the capital of the Cronus Sector.
After delivering the lady to the Governor, we can ask the Governor to assign us a better Navigator."
In truth, Lord Li Feng really wanted to keep Kassia, but there was no way.
After all, her old man had made such a dying request with his life; he couldn't truly be heartless.
Worst case, once Kassia returned to her family, he would just use a Terra transfer order to move Kassia's Othello Family directly!
Just then, Siegfried brought Kassia to the bridge.
"Lord Li Feng, the Navigator wishes to see you."
After speaking, Siegfried stepped aside.
Upon seeing Lord Li Feng, Kassia stepped forward two paces and performed an elegant noble bow.
"Lord Li Feng, before the navigation ceremony, I wish to express my gratitude for saving me and my family's servants.
Please also forgive any disrespectful actions I may have made towards you previously."
Lord Li Feng looked at the noble young lady before him and smiled, waving his hand: "It was nothing.
Your willingness to temporarily serve as our Navigator makes us even."
"Your virtues and reputation will endure throughout the history of the Othello Family.
I know you have many other matters to attend to, but I hope to discuss some issues concerning the Othello Family with you privately.
However, for now, I will not disturb you, as you are a man with a heart of iron."
Hearing Kassia say he was "a man with a heart of iron," Lord Li Feng instinctively replied:
"That's right! I bought the Marshal Edition! (Proudly)"
This statement caused the atmosphere on the bridge to chill.
First Mate Barbosa, Reinhard, Siegfried, and Yang Weili exchanged glances, shrugging helplessly.
After all, having spent this time with Lord Li Feng, it was normal for strange words to constantly come out of his mouth, as he was a man from the Dark Age of Technology.
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