That evening, Chu Xuan booked a private room at a restaurant, and Zhao Chen arrived as scheduled.

"Actually, I really didn't want to talk to you about family matters here," Chu Xuan sighed. "But alas, my surname is Chu.

But as a friend, no matter what decision you make, I will strive for the best outcome for you with my grandfather.

I don't want us to become enemies."

Zhao Chen could tell that Chu Xuan's words were sincere.

Through their interactions during this time, he saw that Chu Xuan was a woman who admired Starships and had strong military beliefs.

But at the same time, she carried the responsibility of her family.

"I also don't want to stand against the Chu family, so I..." Just as Zhao Chen was about to continue, Chu Xuan's handheld terminal flashed red.

That indicated very important news.

Chu Xuan apologized to Zhao Chen, then checked the information on her handheld terminal. Upon seeing it, Chu Xuan's expression changed drastically.

"Did something happen?" Zhao Chen noticed the look in Chu Xuan's eyes.

Chu Xuan looked at Zhao Chen with a complicated expression: "Zhao Chen, if I remember correctly, you have a younger sister named Zhao Wan'er, right?"

Zhao Chen frowned: "Yes, what happened to her?"

"Come with me, we'll talk on the way."

Chu Xuan stood up and rushed out of the restaurant, leading Zhao Chen into a hovercar.

"Dean's Office!" Chu Xuan entered the destination.

"What exactly happened?" Zhao Chen asked in a deep voice.

During this time, he had completely assimilated into the identity of 'Zhao Chen.' He could no longer distinguish whether he was a transmigrator, but that didn't matter.

He only knew that Zhao Wan'er was his younger sister.

The Owl Dragon Star System was his territory, and the Zhao family was his family.

That was enough.

"Before I tell you this, I hope you can remain calm," Chu Xuan looked at Zhao Chen worriedly.

Zhao Chen nodded.

Chu Xuan took a deep breath and said seriously: "I just received the latest news. Approximately five hours ago, a T3 Cosmic Insectoid Hive and four T2 Cosmic Insectoid Hives appeared in the Water Lily Star System, located in the Azure Star Region of the Western Star Sector!

Now the entire Star System is in chaos!

And unfortunately, the joint interstellar mission organized by North Star Academy and Heaven's Glory Academy this time was in this Star System!

And an hour ago, the Two Academies Fleet completely lost contact..."

Zhao Chen felt like he had been struck by lightning.

He immediately said: "Quickly dispatch reinforcements! I remember there's a Star Gate in the Water Lily Star System!"

Chu Xuan shook her head: "Unfortunately, the first T3 Cosmic Insectoid Hive appeared around the Star Gate in the Water Lily Star System.

Almost immediately, the Water Lily Star System's Star Gate was breached and destroyed.

This also means that subsequent Imperial Army reinforcements cannot use the Star Gate to quickly support the Water Lily Star System.

They can only enter the Water Lily Star System from adjacent Star Systems, crossing the interstellar frontier space!"

The Star Gate was destroyed!

Zhao Chen's expression was somewhat stiff; this news was like adding fuel to the fire.

With the Star Gate destroyed, the rescue time would take several days.

And these few days would be enough for the Interstellar Insectoids to do many things.

But Zhao Chen knew that now was not the time to be anxious.

Zhao Chen was silent for a moment. He raised his hand to bring up the Star Map of the Azure Star Region, and while checking the data, he asked: "What about the Water Lily Star System's garrison?"

"According to the latest news, the Water Lily Star System's garrison consists of only 300 Lord Starships and 100 Imperial Army Starships.

And it's important to know that the Imperial Army is divided into three ranks.

The first rank is the small number of Imperial Army protecting the safety of the royal family in the Imperial Capital Star, equipped with a large number of T3 Starships and T4 Starships, belonging to the elite of the Imperial Army's elite.

The second rank is the Imperial Army on the war front, with T4 Starships and T3 Starships as the main fleet, supplemented by a small number of T2 Starships.

And the third rank is the Imperial Army garrisons in various territories, mainly T2 Starships. Often, a corps-level fleet of three hundred Starships would only have fewer than ten T3 Starships.

So... the combat power of the Water Lily Star System's Imperial Army garrison..." Zhao Chen already understood the unspoken meaning of Chu Xuan's words.

He clenched his fists, suppressing the anxiety in his heart.

Soon, the hovercar arrived at the building where the Dean's Office was located.

"Let's go to the Dean first. The ones trapped this time are elite students from North Star Academy and Heaven's Glory Academy. The Two Academies will definitely not stand by and do nothing.

Perhaps they can think of a rescue method," Chu Xuan comforted Zhao Chen.

Zhao Chen said nothing, just followed Chu Xuan into the Dean's Office.

At this moment, the Dean's Office, which was originally quite spacious, seemed crowded and narrow.

All the Vice-Deans and important mentors and professors were present. In the center, there was a Star Map of the Azure Star Region, along with a series of intelligence reports.

"Zhao Chen, why are you here...?" Vice-Dean Hong saw Zhao Chen and showed a surprised expression.

He knew that Zhao Chen's younger sister was among the students in distress, but normally, even an excellent student like Zhao Chen wouldn't be qualified to attend such a meeting.

But when he saw Chu Xuan beside Zhao Chen, he said no more.

Zhao Chen didn't have the qualification, but Chu Xuan did.

Moreover, there had been rumors in the academy recently that Chu Xuan was Zhao Chen's girlfriend. Although it was unknown if it was true, some rumors were not unfounded.

What's more, the Chu family's attitude towards Zhao Chen was indeed ambiguous.

"Dean Qin, my friend's younger sister is also in the academy fleet for this interstellar mission.

We want to know what the situation is like in the Water Lily Star System now?" Chu Xuan directly walked past the other Vice-Deans and professors to an elderly Dean.

This was the first time Zhao Chen had seen the Dean of the North Star Starship Military Academy in person, an old man over a hundred years old.

Don't underestimate this seemingly frail old man; it is said that he served as the chief designer for the research and manufacturing of the T4 Boreas-class Heavy Interstellar Battleship.

Among all Starship Designers in the Starlight Empire, he could definitely rank among the top five, a national treasure.

Dean Qin saw that the visitor was Chu Xuan, and he was also familiar with the Chu family, so he explained the current situation.

More than five hours had passed since the Interstellar Insectoid invasion. Currently, some contact could still be made with the unfallen areas of the Water Lily Star System, but because the Star Gate was destroyed, the fastest Imperial Army support would still take at least three days!

This was merely the time to cross the interstellar frontier space.

In three days, no one could guarantee what the Water Lily Star System would become.

"The Water Lily Star System has nearly a billion people. If even one-tenth of them become food for the Interstellar Insectoids, they can breed more Interstellar Insectoids in a very short time!

So, the Imperial Army will most likely not attack rashly. They will need to mobilize at least several times ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ the number of Interstellar Insectoid forces from surrounding areas before commencing cleanup work," Dean Qin said in a deep voice.

"Then during this time, are you just not going to save those trapped students?" Zhao Chen stepped forward and questioned.

"How can we save them? You must know that there is a T3 Cosmic Insectoid Hive and four T2 Cosmic Insectoid Hives! This means there are at least five or more T3 Insectoid Hive Motherships, nearly a hundred T2 Zerg Hive Motherships, and thousands of T1 Zerg Hive Motherships in the Water Lily Star System right now!" a mentor said helplessly.

"But those are the excellent talents of our academy! If... all... of them... are... gone... that would be a huge loss for our North Star Starship Military Academy!" a female mentor said heartbrokenly.

"Who would have thought that in such a Star System, four Cosmic Insectoid Hives would suddenly appear, and one of them is a T3 Cosmic Insectoid Hive?" Vice-Dean Hong sighed deeply.

Chu Xuan bit her red lip, looking at Zhao Chen with a complicated expression. She didn't know how to comfort Zhao Chen now.

Because from the looks of this situation, the trapped teachers and students from the Two Academies were basically doomed.