LOWKEY INTERSTELLER CAPTAIN

A Land in Ruin

Chen Bo stood atop the command balcony of Starfall Fortress, overseeing what remained of his once-glorious domain. His return had been met with mixed reactions—some welcomed their rightful lord with hope, while others whispered treasonous doubts.

The once-proud cities of Yunhai, Feiyan, and Korrus were now struggling industrial hubs, their shipyards rusted and barely operational. The defensive outposts, once a network of impenetrable bastions, were crumbling. Even his planetary defense grid was incomplete half of the orbital cannons remained deactivated due to lack of maintenance and power shortages.

His forces were scattered remnants, mainly composed of old war veterans, ship engineers, and the few noble families that had not turned traitor. But despite their loyalty, they were ill-equipped to defend against external threats. To survive, Chen Bo needed to stabilize his dominion before his enemies moved to strike.

Assessing His Forces

Captain Orin, his most trusted ally, brought him a sobering report.

• Remaining Fleet Strength:
• 10 old destroyers (minimal firepower, outdated shield systems)
• 6 cruisers (medium range, but slow due to aging engines)
• 2 battleships (barely functional, missing key components)
• Countless broken hulls—remnants of a once-mighty Starfall fleet.
• Planetary Defenses:
• 40% of planetary cannons operational.
• 2 out of 8 orbital defense stations are active.
• Shield generators only covering the capital city.
• Ground Forces:
• 50,000 standing troops (mostly undertrained militia, with only 10,000 experienced veterans)
• Mechs and tanks in disrepair.
• Scattered Special Forces units from his father’s era, operating in secrecy.

Chen Bo took a deep breath. His military strength was abysmal.

Yet, he had one advantage no one knew about—the Void Sovereign.

The Hidden Power: Void Sovereign

Unknown to his enemies, the Void Sovereign had already begun regenerating. Each time Chen Bo retrieved a missing fragment, the ship stealthily teleported it into its concealed repair bay. While still dormant, its framework was now at 35% operational capacity.

Even in its weakened state, Void Sovereign’s destructive potential dwarfed anything the Empire had. Its primary void cannon, when restored, could annihilate a Death Star-class battleship in a single strike. Its dimensional shielding and stealth cloaking technology made it undetectable, even by the Empire’s most advanced sensors.

Once fully reactivated, it would change the balance of power forever.

The Strategy for Survival

Chen Bo devised a three-phase plan:

1. Purge Internal Corruption:

• Hunt down the traitors within his ranks who had sold information to his enemies.
• Eliminate pirate leaders conspiring with the neighboring warlords.
• Establish a secure intelligence network within his territory.

2. Strengthen His Military and Economy:

• Reactivate old shipyards and begin constructing new warships.
• Secure key resources like Void Crystals, Titanium-X, and Neural Silver to fuel the industry.
• Recruit fresh talent from the civilian population and secretly train an elite force.

3. Sabotage His Enemies While Remaining in the Shadows:

• Manipulate the surrounding noble houses into infighting.
• Launch covert attacks on enemy supply chains.
• Slowly but surely, prepare for all-out war.

The First Move: A Warning to His Enemies

The time had come to make his presence known.

Chen Bo ordered Captain Orin to dispatch a small black ops team to intercept a pirate convoy that had been raiding his supply lines. The mission: capture their flagship and broadcast a message.

Two days later, the broadcast went live across the Empire’s communication networks.

[Transmission Begins]

A hooded figure appeared on the screen. His face was partially hidden in the shadows, but his voice carried unshakable authority.

“To the enemies of Starfall Dominion… you have mistaken my silence for weakness.”

The video cut to footage of the captured pirate flagship, now drifting in the void—its entire crew executed, its war insignias burned away.

“This is what awaits all who stand against me.”

The transmission ended abruptly.

The Empire was watching. The warlords were watching. The enemies of his house were watching.

Chen Bo smirked. Now, the real game begins.