"The battle begins."
The chief referee's voice echoed simultaneously across both bridges.
Duel Arbitration Zone
Cheers erupted.
"Go, Young Master Zhang!"
"Crush that guy who doesn't know his place!"
"Don't end it too fast—let him struggle a bit first!"
Laughter followed.
Those voices all came from Zhang Haoran's circle. In their eyes, the outcome had been decided long before the duel began.
Among the spectators stood Jiang Shasha.
Her gaze was fixed on the battlefield footage transmitted by the patrol drones.
On-screen, the two starships departed their respective birth points, moving steadily toward one another. If their current courses remained unchanged, they would enter firing range in ten minutes.
"This time, you really overestimated yourself," Jiang Shasha thought coldly. "Being expelled is something you brought on yourself."
To her, there was no suspense.
Zhang Haoran's victory was inevitable.
Blizzard Zero — Bridge
"Maintain course," Charlotte reported calmly. "Star speed holding at forty knots."
"So you're planning to play the pig that eats the tiger," Zhao Chen said with a chuckle.
"I just don't want to waste time," Charlotte replied flatly.
Zhao Chen smiled and pulled up Blizzard Zero's system profile on the holographic display.
Blizzard Zero
Classification: Cruiser (Destroyer / Battleship hybrid)
Tech Tier: T2
Hull Strength: 210–270 units
Cruising Speed: 100 knots
Warp Engine: Level 3
Mass: 85,000 tons
Crew Capacity: 50
Weapons:
• 1 × T2 1200mm Devil Crocodile Heavy Cannon (300s cooldown)
• 5 × T2 Hyena Medium Laser Cannons (180s cooldown)
• 30 × T2 130mm Close-Defense Turrets (continuous)
The heavy cannon remained concealed beneath the hull—Zhao Chen's insurance.
He opened a second profile.
The T2 Bald Eagle–class Light Interstellar Cruiser.
"Its loadout is simple," Zhao Chen said calmly. "Five 180mm rapid-fire cannons, ten-second intervals. Twenty 150mm quad close-defense guns.
"And one laser main gun—two hundred and ten seconds between shots."
His eyes gleamed.
"Our advantage is information asymmetry. They don't know our limits.
"You ordered forty knots to make them believe that's our maximum.
"When their laser fires, we accelerate, pull distance, and evade. Laser trajectories are predictable.
"And once that gun enters cooldown…"
"…we bully them," Charlotte finished coolly.
She glanced at Zhao Chen. "Among T2 ships, I've never seen one capable of a hundred-knot star speed.
"That's why I said this ship is unbeatable within its tier."
Zhao Chen leaned back, waiting.
Soon, both vessels entered mutual radar range.
Charlotte checked the time.
"Ten forty-five."
She set a countdown between them.
[10:00]
Zhao Chen raised an eyebrow. "You're serious."
"I said ten minutes," Charlotte replied.
Bald Eagle — Bridge
"Target acquired," the radar officer reported. "Enemy approaching at approximately forty knots."
"Full speed," Zhang Haoran said eagerly. "Blast that wreck apart."
Wang Cheng hesitated briefly.
Charging blindly was risky—but the opponent was a student, and the enemy ship looked barely held together.
The Bald Eagle could reach sixty-five knots.
Even if something went wrong, speed alone guaranteed safety.
"Captain's order acknowledged," Wang Cheng said evenly. "Full speed. Weapons on standby."
"Use the laser main gun first," Zhang Haoran laughed. "Let him understand what a real ship looks like."
"Yes."
Both ships closed rapidly.
Suddenly—
"Warning! Incoming laser weapon detected!"
Alarms rang across Blizzard Zero's bridge.
Zhao Chen noticed it.
For the first time, Charlotte's lips curved upward.
"Hard starboard," she ordered sharply. "Full acceleration!"
The trap snapped shut.