Inside the massive battleship, Chen Fan stepped into the cockpit.
Despite being the command hub of a warship, the room was surprisingly compact—barely larger than his own bedroom back on Mars. Compared to the behemoth he had just boarded, this chamber was merely a tiny nerve center, a grain of sand within a star.
Still, the moment he entered, his breath caught.
Holographic projectors hovered in midair, light weaving into shifting tactical displays, streams of data cascading like waterfalls of luminescence. Technology far beyond anything he had ever seen shimmered around him—clean, silent, perfectly precise.
But even the dazzling machinery wasn't the thing distracting him most.
His gaze drifted—once again—to the captain of the Iceforce Squad.
Zhao Ling.
Judging from her appearance, she couldn't be much older than he was. Yet she was already the commander of one of the top special squads in the Mars Division.
Meanwhile, he had only just earned his second star.
The gap between them… was like the gap between a starship cannon and a toy blaster.
"Ying," Chen Fan finally said, "there's no way this mission is just about tracking down a distress signal on Inkstar, right? With a warship like this, and a squad like that… it's way too much."
Zhao Ying's expression darkened instantly.
"Of course it's not that simple," she said quietly. "Because of confidentiality, I still can't tell you the details. But remember this: this mission is… extremely difficult."
Her tone carried a weight Chen Fan had never heard from her before—Not just seriousness.But sorrow.
Seeing that, he swallowed his questions. If she wasn't allowed to reveal anything yet, it meant the time wasn't right.When the moment came, she would tell him—even without him asking.
But what Chen Fan didn't expect…
Was that he wasn't the only one kept in the dark.
The Iceforce Squad's captain clearly knew the mission details.And clearly wasn't happy about his presence.
"Ying," Zhao Ling said coolly, "what on earth was headquarters thinking? Assigning a mere Level-2 Esper to this mission? It's absurd."
Her words struck like ice.
Chen Fan's face hardened immediately.
"And now," she continued, her voice colder still, "not only do I have to stay alert for the enemy, I've also been forced to babysit you—and now yet another burden: him."
Zhao Ying winced, shooting Chen Fan an apologetic glance.
"Jiejie, Chen Fan is actually very capable. Don't underestimate him because he's Level 2—his talent and abilities are stronger than you think."
"Stronger? A Level-2 Esper is a Level-2 Esper," Zhao Ling said flatly. "Anyone in my squad could defeat him without breaking a sweat."
The cockpit fell silent for a beat.
Then Chen Fan's eyes narrowed.Deep within them, flames flickered.
"Captain Zhao," he said coldly, "you may doubt my strength. But mind your tone. I may be a Two-Star Detective, but I'm hardly someone you can belittle. If your squad is so confident, feel free to request a replacement from headquarters."
His voice was calm—But beneath the calm was pride sharp enough to cut metal.
"So my words offend you?" Zhao Ling asked, expression unreadable. But in her eyes, a cutting mockery shimmered—echoed by the pilot at the control seat and a young man standing beside him, both of whom wore nearly identical smirks.
"I've already filed the request with headquarters," Zhao Ling said. "Their response should be coming shortly. And when it does, it will confirm what everyone here already knows—you are not qualified to be on this mission."
The pilot snorted.
"Kid, don't refuse a toast only to drink the penalty wine. This mission is no playground. Out of respect as fellow detectives, let me give you a piece of advice: Inkstar isn't a place for a Two-Star rookie. Get off the ship yourself before you embarrass everyone."
The young man beside him chimed in, arrogance dripping from every syllable.
"Yeah. You're a Level-2 Esper. One hand is all I'd need to take you down. As for our captain? She could crush you with a single technique. Don't overestimate yourself."
Their disdain-filled words crackled in the air like sparks feeding a blaze.
Anger surged inside Chen Fan—hot and violent.This was the first time he had ever encountered such blatant humiliation.
He exhaled slowly, forcing control back into his voice.
"Once headquarters gives their order, I'll abide by it," he said coolly. "But until then, none of you have the right to order me around. Not even her."
"You arrogant brat!"The young man exploded, taking a step forward."Captain, let me teach him some manners!"
"Shut up," Zhao Ling said sharply, her voice slicing through the cockpit like a blade of ice.
"Even if he's a Two-Star Detective, he's not under our squad. You don't have the authority to lay a hand on him. Not you—Not even me."
Her words made the young man flinch back instantly, fury fading into embarrassed fear.
Chen Fan raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.
So much for their bravado.
The young man's face reddened."How dare you look at me like that? Our captain won't allow me to teach you a lesson here—but once you step off the ship? I'll show you what real power looks like!"
Chen Fan sneered.
"If you're itching for a fight, we can do it now. Level-3 or not, you're nothing special in my eyes."
The young man stiffened—Because Chen Fan meant it.His confidence was not the swagger of the weak, but the quiet certainty of someone dangerous.
Even Zhao Ying—who knew him far better—found her opinion of Chen Fan shifting.
"You—!"
"Enough!"Zhao Ling barked, her voice echoing through the chamber.
"Yan Yong, any update from headquarters?"
The pilot swallowed and checked his console.
"…Captain, our request has been rejected."
Zhao Ling's eyes narrowed.
"Rejected?"
"Yes." Yan Yong's lips twisted bitterly. "Headquarters says that no matter what, Chen Fan must accompany us. And…"
He hesitated.
"And what?" Zhao Ling demanded.
"And headquarters said… if our squad chooses to withdraw, they will assign another squad in our place. But Chen Fan will still go. He is… mandatory."
Silence fell—Heavy, suffocating.
Then Chen Fan smiled.
Not smugly.But confidently.
It was now obvious:
To headquarters, his presence was more important than the entire Iceforce Squad.
Even Zhao Ling froze, her breathing briefly halting as she stared at him—truly stared—as if trying to see through him entirely.
But then—
A flash of lightning flickered across Chen Fan's body.
Just a ripple.A pulse.
Yet the moment that pale-blue arc shivered through the air, Zhao Ling's eyes snapped shut.
A brief moment of blindness—caused by the sheer intensity of his elemental energy.
She opened her eyes slowly.Her expression had changed.
"…Prepare for takeoff," she said quietly.
Yan Yong immediately began activating systems.
"Engines online. Ascending."
The Tiger Shark Battleship roared to life.Within minutes, it pierced through Mars' atmosphere and shot into the starry void.
"Destination: Inkstar," Zhao Ling commanded."Plot route. Engage sub-light acceleration. Prepare for wormhole entry after one hour."
Systems responded with rapid beeps as Yan Yong carried out her orders.
Zhao Ling turned to Chen Fan, expression still icy but more measured.
"Your quarters are down that corridor—third room on the right. During the journey, stay in your room. Keep the peace. I don't want unnecessary friction between you and my squad."
Chen Fan met her gaze, eyes cold.
"Control your subordinates. If they come looking for trouble, I won't hold back."
He stepped closer, his voice low and precise.
"I don't plan to spend this mission watching my own back instead of the enemy's."