23: Chapter 23: Mass Production of Frigates! Fleet Size Exceeds One Hundred Ships! Initial Interstellar Combat Capability!

The home planet of the Star River Empire—Grey Fire Planet—had completed an epic rebirth.

Blue skies and white clouds covered the firmament, while gentle breezes and fine rain moistened the earth. Lush green vegetation carpeted the once-crimson desert, and a complete atmosphere had thoroughly transformed this desolate exiled star into a galaxy-class habitable god-tier planet. Deep within the planet's core, the planetary heart pulsed slowly. The Star Essence Energy Central Center provided inexhaustible power, while nine Resource Origin Amplification Towers pierced the sky, pushing resource production to the terrifying level of 7.52 million units per hour.

The global super industrial zone roared twenty-four hours a day. The Equatorial Core Assembly Plant, the Mountain Heavy Industry Zone, the Desert Parts Factory, the Polar Low-Temperature Workshop, and the Southern Maintenance Base formed a perfect military-industrial closed loop. A pale golden planetary shield enveloped the globe, which even interstellar main cannons could not shake in the slightest. Orbital spaceports and space elevators operated day and night, allowing materials to flow freely between heaven and earth. The star river sovereign primary resource ship sat in synchronous orbit, like a needle pinning the sea, deterring the entire No. 7 Dead Zone.

On the top floor of the War Command Tower, on the holographic star map, the golden territory representing the Star River Empire covered the entire Dead Zone. The detection signals from the Federation border monitoring stations were like docile starlight; they were no longer surveillance, but rather more like a form of looking up in awe. Emperor Chen Fan stood at the main seat with his hands behind his back, his black sovereign cape fluttering slightly in the breeze. The pressure of his Tier 1 Gene Warrior status was restrained like an abyss, and his eyes were calm and deep, having long since crossed the No. 7 Dead Zone to gaze toward the vast galaxy territory beyond.

Fleet First Adjutant Major Hu Feng, dressed in the uniform of the Star River Fleet's supreme commander, stood as straight as a spear, his eyes burning like fire. On the screen in front of him, the mass production data for the frigates was jumping frantically at a speed visible to the naked eye—this was the most intuitive explosion of the empire's military power following the planet's transformation, full-scale industrial operation, infinite energy, and skyrocketing resources!

Administrative Director Guo Shouyi was steadily advancing population absorption and city expansion. As Grey Fire Planet became a habitable god-tier planet, refugees, drifters, and former Federation citizens from inside and outside the No. 7 Dead Zone flocked in. The empire's total population broke the 100,000 mark in just a few days, and a massive amount of young and able-bodied labor poured continuously into factories, mining areas, and the military, providing the most solid human support for the empire's expansion.

"Report, Sovereign!" Major Hu Feng stepped forward, his voice resonant and powerful, echoing throughout the command center. "The Equatorial Core Assembly Plant is operating on dual tracks at full capacity, the resource ship's onboard factories have started production simultaneously, and the Star Essence Energy is providing full power. The production speed of the Blade-class light frigates has stabilized at one ship per hour!

As of now, the fleet sequence is:

The star river sovereign resource ship: 1 ship (flagship)

Blade-class standard frigates: 92 ships

Galaxy-01 combat mechs: 48 units

Transport ships, engineering ships, and reconnaissance ships: 36 ships

Total ship count: 177 ships!"

As the numbers were announced, everyone in the command cabin held their breath, and then an uncontrollable frenzy of joy erupted!

A hundred-ship interstellar fleet!

In the entire Federation Star Sector, this was already the combat capability of a standard interstellar detachment!

Even for the Federation's regular border forces, a conventional patrol detachment only had fifty or sixty frigates, yet the Star River Empire had gone from zero to a hundred ships in just a few short days!

Emperor Chen Fan's gaze fell on the holographic map. The 92 frigates were organized into four standard interstellar brigades, forming a neat battle formation in the orbit of Grey Fire Planet. Their silver-white hulls shimmered with flowing light, main cannons were charging, and engines were on standby, resembling a forest of steel that radiated a terrifying pressure capable of suppressing the star sector.

"We are only 8 ships away from the hundred-ship milestone," Emperor Chen Fan said calmly, his tone quiet but carrying irrefutable determination. "Order all factories to operate at overload, allocate resources without limits, and within today, the fleet scale must surpass one hundred ships!

I want the Federation delegation to see the true interstellar combat power of the Star River Empire the moment they arrive at Grey Fire Planet!"

"Understood!" Major Hu Feng acknowledged the order with a boom, turned, and rushed to the command console. The order was instantly transmitted via the global communication network to every factory, every production line, and every robotic arm!

I. Military Industry Full Throttle! A Hundred-Ship Fleet, Built in a Day.

The moment the order was given, the Star River Empire's global industrial system entered a war-level, full-load state!

Equatorial Core Assembly Plant—Frigate Assembly Line.

Fully automated robotic arms spliced hulls, installed engines, calibrated weapons, embedded shields, and connected energy at extreme speeds. Processes that originally required an hour were compressed directly to 45 minutes under the conditions of full energy, worker shift rotations, and mechanical overclocking!

The hull exterior was crafted from superconducting alloy forged in the Mountain Heavy Industry Zone, making it sturdy and lightweight. The engines were driven by superluminal cores produced in the Polar Low-Temperature Workshop, offering astonishing speed. The weapon systems were equipped with Star Essence-enhanced particle cannons, with power comparable to the Federation's main frigates. The shield systems connected to the planetary energy technology, with defensive capabilities far exceeding warships of the same class.

Every Blade-class Frigate that rolled off the line was not a crudely made pirate ship, but a standard, balanced, powerful, long-range, combat-ready, and patrol-capable regular interstellar warship!

Desert Parts Industrial Zone—Chips and Weapon Modules.

Inside the clean workshops, robotic arms precisely welded Star Essence chips, completing one process per second. Massive quantities of high-precision parts reached the assembly plant within ten minutes via the global high-speed rail, achieving zero inventory, zero delays, and zero defects.

Polar Low-Temperature Industrial Zone—Engines and Cooling Systems.

The low-temperature workshops operated at full capacity, with superluminal engine cores rolling off the line continuously. They provided the strongest hearts for the frigates, giving every warship the capability to leave the Dead Zone and travel through the stars—this was the key for the Star River Empire to step beyond the border and march toward the galaxy!

Mountain Heavy Industry Zone—Armor and Structural Components.

The giant smelting furnaces burned fiercely, and superconducting alloys were cast into shape. Heavy components such as hull armor, turret mounts, and bridge frames were air-dropped directly to the assembly plant by space transport ships, achieving perfect coordination between heaven and earth and maximizing efficiency!

In the resource cabins, 7.52 million units of resources per hour flowed like a golden torrent, rushing frantically into the military-industrial system without shortages, bottlenecks, or stagnation!

The planetary shield diverted energy to provide infinite power to all factories, with no power outages, no frequency drops, and no cooling downtime!

The hundred thousand citizens performed their duties, with young adults working three shifts; the machines never stopped, and the people never rested, with no laziness, no fatigue, and no complaints!

Everyone understood—a hundred-ship fleet was the face of the empire, the backbone of the Star River, and the foundation of their confidence when facing the Federation!

On the holographic screens, the numbers jumped frantically: 93→94→95→96→97→98→99!

Only one last ship remained!

Inside the command tower, everyone held their breath, their eyes fixed tightly on the live broadcast of the assembly plant.

The last robotic arm descended, the last shield plate closed, and the final engine ignition test passed!

[Beep——!]

[The 100th Blade-class light frigate, construction complete!]

[Hull Number: Star River-0100!]

[Status: Fully equipped, fully powered, fully combat-ready, ready to deploy at any time!]

The moment the number "100" froze on the screen, the entire command center erupted in deafening cheers!

"We did it! Our fleet has surpassed one hundred ships!"

"A hundred standard frigates! We are a true interstellar power!"

"Even if the Federation comes, they can only look up at us!"

"The Sovereign is invincible! Star River is invincible!"

Major Hu Feng snapped to attention and saluted, tears welling up in his eyes, his voice trembling with excitement:

"Report, Sovereign! The Star River Interstellar Fleet has completed reorganization!

Flagship: 1 star river sovereign resource ship!

Main Force: 100 Blade-class Frigates!

Support: 48 mechs + 36 various support ships!

Total Scale: 185 ships!

Comprehensive Combat Power: Top-tier detachment level in the Federation Star Sector!

Initial complete interstellar combat capability achieved!"

Initial interstellar combat capability!

These words marked that the Star River Empire had thoroughly bid farewell to being a "planetary power" and stepped into the ranks of interstellar powers!

II. Fleet Formation! Interstellar Naval Review, Deterring the Federation.

Emperor Chen Fan nodded slightly, a flash of satisfaction in his eyes.

A hundred-ship fleet was only the first step, but this step was enough to allow him to stand firm, hold his head high, and be on equal footing before the Federation!

"Order the entire fleet to enter low orbit around Grey Fire Planet and hold an interstellar naval review. All warships are to have main cannons fully equipped, shields fully activated, and engines ignited, arranging into the Star River battle formation. Notify the Federation monitoring station and broadcast the entire process. I want the Federation, and the entire border star sector, to see clearly—the power of the Star River Empire!"

"Yes!"

Boom—!!! 100 Blade-class Frigates ignited their engines simultaneously, the ghostly blue engine flames illuminating the entire starry sky. The warships slowly ascended and arranged themselves into a giant Star River emblem battle formation in the orbit of Grey Fire Planet!

The flagship was in the center, the four major battle groups surrounded the perimeter, mech formations wove through them, and support ships guarded the flanks. The torrent of steel composed of 185 warships resembled a silver nebula—majestic, grand, terrifying, and shocking!

The pale golden planetary shield shimmered in harmony with the silver light of the warships. The azure home planet, the brilliant fleet, and the boundless starry sky composed an epic interstellar masterpiece!

This scene was broadcast in real-time to the Federation's 7th Border Fleet Command through the lens of the Federation's 739 Monitoring Station!

In the giant holographic conference room, the commander, chief of staff, intelligence minister, diplomatic director, and all other high-ranking officials stood up, staring dumbfounded at the steel formation on the screen that was crushing the border star sector!

"100 ships... standard frigates..." the intelligence minister's voice was dry, filled with disbelief.

"Three months... no, not even three months... from zero to one hundred ships... such military industrial speed is comparable to a medium-sized Federation military planet!"

The diplomatic director took a deep breath, his tone extremely grave: "Commander, the delegation has already departed and will arrive at Grey Fire Planet in three days. It seems now... the [condescending, pacify and incorporate] plan we previously drafted is completely unworkable. Emperor Chen Fan's Star River Empire possesses a hundred-ship fleet, a planetary shield, a habitable home planet, infinite resources, and black technology support. They already possess the qualifications to have an equal dialogue with the Federation!"

The commander stared at the young yet powerful interstellar fleet on the screen, remained silent for a long time, and then slowly nodded:

"Modify the delegation's instructions. This trip to Grey Fire Planet is not for pacification, not for surveillance, and not for incorporation, but rather—formal diplomacy, equal dialogue, and recognizing the Star River Empire's status in the star sector!

Tell the delegation members that when they meet Emperor Chen Fan, they must treat him with the etiquette of a leader of an equal power; there must be no slights!"

This was the first time the Federation Border Command had lowered its arrogant head to a "power established by exiles"!

And all of this stemmed from this invincible fleet in Emperor Chen Fan's hands, which had broken the hundred-ship mark and possessed initial interstellar combat capability!

III. Combat Capability Formed! The Empire's Interstellar Era, Officially Begins.

The naval review ended, and the fleet entered normalized combat readiness duty:

- 20 frigates cruised the entire Dead Zone, clearing remaining enemies and maintaining order;

- 30 frigates guarded the orbit of Grey Fire Planet, protecting the home planet and monitoring deep space;

- 50 frigates were organized into the main battle groups, ready to expedition into the stars and expand the territory at any time;

- 48 mechs were divided into four combined units, performing air-ground coordination and three-dimensional warfare;

The Star River Empire finally possessed complete interstellar combat capability, capable of both offense and defense, long-range operations, and full-spectrum deterrence!

Emperor Chen Fan boarded the star river sovereign flagship once again, standing before the observation window, overlooking his hundred-ship fleet and the azure home planet, his heart incomparably clear.

From drifting into the Dead Zone in an escape pod, to establishing a base, hunting exotic beasts, unifying humanity, developing the planet, transforming the god-tier planet, and mass-producing warships;

From having nothing, to having a hundred-ship army;

From an exiled fugitive, to an interstellar sovereign;

From a speck of dust, to a star.

He had walked a path no one dared to walk and created a miracle no one dared to believe.

Major Hu Feng and Administrative Director Guo Shouyi stood side by side, bowing respectfully:

"Sovereign, the fleet is complete, initial interstellar combat capability is achieved, and the Federation delegation is about to arrive. Our Star River Empire has officially entered the interstellar era!"

Emperor Chen Fan turned around, his gaze sweeping over his two key pillars of support. His voice was calm yet echoed throughout the entire command cabin, announcing the arrival of a brand-new era:

"A hundred-ship fleet is the starting point for the Star River, not the end.

Interstellar combat capability is the threshold of the empire, not the peak.

The arrival of the Federation delegation is our first step onto the interstellar stage, not the last.

From today on, we will no longer hide our strength, no longer be content with a corner of the Dead Zone, and no longer fear the Federation.

We will:

Explore the star sector, make allies, establish rules, and shake the galaxy with our might!

Anyone who offends the Star River, even if far away, must be punished;

Anyone who assists our empire shall share in our glory;

Wherever our fleet reaches, it shall be the territory of the Star River!"

[System Epic-Level Notification!]

[Achievement Unlocked: Hundred-Ship Army · Interstellar Power]

[Fleet Combat Rating: ★★★★★ (Five-Star Interstellar Fleet)]

[Permissions Unlocked: High-Tier Warship Blueprints, Interstellar Diplomatic Privileges, Federation Star Sector Navigation Rights]

[Next Stage Goal: Formal Meeting with Federation Delegation, Establish Hegemony in the Star Sector, Research Heavy Cruisers!]

Boom—!!! The star river sovereign engines operated at full capacity, and golden light soared into the sky!

A hundred frigates fired their cannons in salute simultaneously, the cannon light illuminating the No. 7 Dead Zone!

The planetary shield trembled slightly, transmitting the majesty of the empire!

Citizens across the globe looked up at the starry sky, cheering loudly, their faith burning like fire!

A hundred-ship interstellar fleet,

A supreme sovereign,

A reborn god-tier planet,

A rising empire,

Had officially stood at the center of the galaxy's stage!

Three days later, the Federation diplomatic delegation's warships would cross the starry sky and arrive at Grey Fire Planet.

And Emperor Chen Fan, along with his Star River Fleet, was ready to welcome the gaze of the entire galaxy!