Starship Duel Zone No. 3 — Arbitration Hub.
This small space station served as both the command center and the closest observation platform for the duel. It could hold fewer than a hundred spectators, but today it hosted a rare lineup.
Three of the Top Ten Beauties of North Star Academy were present.
"Your brother really showed up?"
The speaker was a petite girl under one and a half meters tall, twin ponytails bouncing as she covered her mouth in surprise.
Zhao Wan'er's expression was complicated. "He doesn't have many virtues… but he's stubborn to the bone."
"That's the ship you said he assembled himself?" the girl asked, peering at the projection. "It actually flies."
A tall woman with waist-length black hair stood nearby, arms crossed, her expression icy and composed.
"In one month," she said calmly, "assembling three obsolete starships into one and launching it smoothly… your brother's starship engineering talent is not bad."
Zhao Wan'er bit her lip and looked at her. "Senior Sister Su Lan… if my brother really loses… could you talk to Zhang Haoran and take back the bet?"
The two beside her were her closest friends.
The lively twin-tailed girl was Xue Xiaoxiao, her classmate.
The ice-cold beauty was Su Lan, her senior—a woman whose influence reportedly reached even the academy's upper administration.
"If it were before the duel, it'd be easy," Su Lan said slowly. "After the duel… I can probably keep him from being expelled. But humiliation will be unavoidable."
"As long as he stays!" Zhao Wan'er grabbed Su Lan's arm, relief flooding her face. "That's enough."
Xue Xiaoxiao pouted. "Wan'er, the fight hasn't even started. What if your brother wins?"
Zhao Wan'er shook her head bitterly. "Win? With what?
"Zhang Haoran's ship is a T2 Bald Eagle–class light interstellar cruiser, worth seven million star coins. Among student-owned ships, it ranks in the top ten for dueling capability."
She looked toward the patchwork vessel on the screen.
She wanted to believe.
But reason wouldn't allow it.
The referee team completed system checks.
Two holographic video windows appeared.
On one side—the bridge of the Bald Eagle.
Zhang Haoran sat in the captain's chair wearing an ornate, non-standard military uniform, clearly custom-made. Beside him stood a middle-aged man with the bearing of a veteran officer.
On the other—the bridge of Blizzard Zero.
Old consoles. Worn metal.
Zhao Chen sat casually in the captain's chair, faint smile on his face.
Behind him stood a white-haired half-orc woman, scars crisscrossing her face, eyes cold and steady.
"A half-orc?" Xue Xiaoxiao gasped.
Zhao Wan'er sighed. "After assembling the ship, my brother had no money left. He bought a group of half-orc slaves as crew."
Su Lan frowned. Her confidence in Zhao Chen dropped another notch.
"The duelists are Zhang Haoran, Class Two, Grade Three; and Zhao Chen, Class Eight, Grade Three," the chief referee announced.
"Except for leaving the battlefield, all actions are permitted.
"Victory will be determined by surrender, loss of combat capability, or referee judgment.
"Once the verdict is declared, all attacks must cease. Do you understand?"
"I do," Zhang Haoran replied, sneering at Zhao Chen through the screen.
"I do," Zhao Chen said calmly—and yawned.
The referee continued. "Birth points will be randomly assigned. Both starships must arrive within ten minutes.
"The battle will begin twenty-four hours after arrival."
With a press of a button, a star map appeared. A blue and a red circle marked the starting points.
Both starships altered course.
Zhang Haoran applauded mockingly. "Zhao Chen, I admire your courage.
"Where did you dig up that scrap heap? One cannon hit and it'll fall apart.
"Don't worry—I won't feel guilty. Killing an opponent in a duel isn't against the rules."
Zhao Chen picked at his ear lazily. "Are you done?
"If so, you might want to book your return trip."
Zhang Haoran's face twitched. "You won't cry until you see the coffin.
"You're a useless baron. I'll be a viscount—maybe even an earl."
The referee cut the connection.
Zhang Haoran turned to the man beside him. "Deputy Captain Wang, I want you to toy with his ship like a mouse."
Wang Cheng—once an Imperial starship captain—smiled confidently. "Young Master Zhang, rest assured.
"That ship won't make it back to port."
With the Bald Eagle's speed, he had countless ways to dismantle a college student's ship.
On Blizzard Zero's bridge.
Zhao Chen looked at Charlotte. "Confident?"
Charlotte replied flatly, eyes on the tactical display. "Ten minutes.
"One minute longer, and I'll take your surname."
She looked utterly uninterested.
Zhao Chen's heart pounded.
He rested his hand on the worn armrest of the captain's chair.
This was it.
His first starship battle.
And the storm was about to break.