For humanity, burn the stars.

Chapter 19 A Sudden Turn of Events

The spaceship landed smoothly, emitting a barely perceptible hum.

Qin Heling looked out the porthole and saw an equally magnificent manor before her.

However, everything here seems to exude a rigorous and restrained style, appearing quite austere.

The hatch slid open, and Luke floated out first, followed by Qin Heling. They observed their surroundings discreetly.

Varian was already waiting in front of the spaceship, his whiskers slightly raised in welcome.

"Luke, Qin Heling."

"Welcome."

Luke floated forward and waved his tentacles a few times towards his friend, their tentacles lightly touching.

This is a gesture of closeness among the Villa nobles, indicating that the two sides are indeed very close.

"Let's skip the formalities, Varian, let's go straight to the spaceship."

Varian's fiber optic organ trembled slightly, and he immediately agreed.

"Of course, we were already prepared."

"After the inspection, the 'Starmark' is ready to be boarded and checked at any time."

It turned and led the two onto the manor's internal aircraft, heading towards the collection room where the "Starmark" was kept.

It took them only about three minutes to arrive at a huge hangar.

After Varian used biometrics to open the heavy alloy door, the group officially entered the enclosed hangar.

Inside the hangar, seven or eight escort ships of the human alliance fleet were neatly parked.

Then, Qin Heling quickly spotted it—the Starmark.

The small frigate sat quietly on its special support, its silver-gray hull gleaming with a matte finish from the passage of time under the light.

The ship is about 65 meters long, and its streamlined hull is covered with fine scratches. There is a noticeable repair mark on the port wing, which was made of an alloy that is slightly different in color from the original material.

Below the bow, the emblem of the Earth Alliance Fleet is slightly faded, but the olive branches and swords surrounding the blue planet are still clearly visible.

As Qin Heling gazed at the light frigate, his heart pounded in his chest.

That's right, it looks exactly like the Starscar in the database.

He took a very slight breath and then slowly exhaled, trying his best not to show any abnormality.

Varian slid to the side of the spaceship, a tentacle gently brushing against the surface of the hull.

"This is it."

"Rest assured, it has been preserved quite well."

"My father left it behind on purpose when he was on the battlefield, saying it had a unique design."

Luke hovered to the bow of the ship, his fiber optic organ swaying curiously as he examined the frigate.

Qin Heling turned to look at Varian and asked calmly:

"Can I go in and take a look?"

"I need to confirm whether the internal condition is suitable for the exhibition."

Varian immediately agreed.

"Of course, isn't that why you came here?"

"Please."

The hatch slid open as Varian opened it, revealing the internal passageway.

One person and two Vera entered the interior of the Starmark one after another, going deep into the command room.

"It's really... primitive."

Luke's synthesized voice carried an undisguised glint, a tendril pointing towards the control panel not far away.

"Look at these—the buttons, the knobs, the screen."

"The input command efficiency is pitifully low, and the size of the device is also problematic."

Varian's fiber optic organ swayed peacefully as he took over the conversation:

"But isn't that also one of the characteristics of human civilization?"

"I think interacting with machines through limited and indirect interfaces is actually a good way to showcase our differences."

Qin Heling did not participate in their discussion, his gaze quickly sweeping across the main control room.

According to the database, the module disguised as an imaginary transition device should be located in the main control room.

However, when her gaze swept over where it should have been, Qin Heling's heart skipped a beat.

Having used the imaginary jump device several times in the game, he knew exactly what it looked like.

However, this spaceship only contained a later-installed, truly conventional instrument.

Qin Heling's expression froze for a moment.

The imaginary jump mechanism here has been removed...

His uneasy premonition seemed to have come true, and what made him even more silent at this moment was the message it represented.

If the other party knew the function of the imaginary number transition device and that's why they moved it...

Does that mean my scheme will be discovered?

Qin Heling calmed down and silently pondered all the possibilities.

But soon, he felt a little more relaxed.

It doesn't matter, the worst that can happen is death.

It's actually a bit easier now that I don't have to continue being a humiliating exhibit.

However, things haven't completely reached that worst point yet, so he might still have a chance.

Qin Heling remained silent, calmly responding to Luke and Varian's idea and finalizing the decision to use the warship as an exhibit.

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Inside the manor, Vera quietly observes the scene before her.

In the footage, Qin Heling's subtle expression when he realized the device had been removed was precisely captured and magnified before our eyes.

Vera's purple skin was deeper than Varian's, almost dark purple, and her skin had fine lines left by the passage of time.

Three of the four whiskers hang down naturally, but the one on the far right is nowhere to be seen.

That was a memorial left from many years ago in a battle against humanity.

It was Varian's father, Oshido, the renowned Grand Inspector of the Valar.

It silently observed Qin Heling's expression, and as if it had discovered something, its whiskers twitched slightly.

Oshido's gaze lingered on Qin Heling's dark eyes, scrutinizing the subtle emotions revealed within them.

Soon, it sent out a message, and the recipient was naturally Varian.

"After this is over, please have Major General Qin Heling come to the study alone."

"I need to speak with him alone; Luke should not be involved."

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Luke was excitedly discussing the venue plans for the traveling exhibition with Varian, his beard gesturing famously, his fiber optic organs shimmering.

Qin Heling stood in the shadow of the Starmark, listening quietly and occasionally nodding in agreement.

At that moment, Varian received a private message from his father.

It received the content with some surprise, then quickly turned to Luke.

"Rook, Father wishes to speak with Major General Qin alone for a few minutes."

"It seems that it is quite interested in the exhibition as well."

Luke was slightly displeased by this.

"Alone? But..."

After all, Qin Heling is a precious exhibit, and I always feel uneasy if I don't look at it myself.

Varian thought for a moment, then softly reassured him:

"It's probably about the family collection and the process of transferring control of the spaceship."

"You know, my father is always meticulous in his work."

"And what else could you possibly worry about while we're on our estate?"