Chapter 90 Luan Bird

Chen Weiguo turned around abruptly.

His gaze pierced through the crowd, locking onto the somewhat thin figure standing in the corner.

Lin Yuan.

The near-death experience from three days ago didn't seem to have left much of a mark on this young man. On the contrary, under the nourishment of the special potion from the "box of miracles," his entire being was like a blade that had been polished of its rust—restrained yet sharp.

Although his muscles didn't have any exaggerated bulges, Chen Weiguo could feel that beneath this seemingly ordinary body lay the explosive power of a cheetah.

Even more terrifying was his gaze.

The old Lin Yuan always had a hint of street-smart cunning and transparency in his eyes. Now, those eyes had become deeper, as if hiding a starry sky. A massive flow of information surged through his mind; those once obscure and difficult laws of physics might now just be individual components waiting to be disassembled in his eyes.

A true "super brain" adapted for the interstellar era.

Chen Weiguo strode over to Lin Yuan, his military boots striking the metal floor with a clanging sound.

“Comrade Lin Yuan.”

Chen Weiguo's voice was deep, carrying the expectations of an elder for a junior and the tacit understanding between comrades-in-arms: “Seeing it, what are your thoughts?”

Lin Yuan looked up.

His gaze bypassed Chen Weiguo's shoulder, staring fixedly at the behemoth that was frantically "growing." The massive shadow cast over his face, but it couldn't hide the smile at the corners of his mouth.

He scratched his head, and that familiar, slightly roguish smile surfaced once again.

“Thoughts?” Lin Yuan chuckled, revealing a row of white teeth. “Chief, I just think... this thing is so damn big, and so damn cool!”

Vulgar.

Direct.

But it was the most genuine reaction.

Chen Weiguo froze for a moment, then couldn't help but laugh out loud. His laughter vibrated through his chest.

That was it.

This was the real Lin Yuan. No matter how much alien technology was packed into his head, no matter how many life-and-death situations he had experienced, at his core, he was still that small-time boss from the scrap yard who dared to think and act, whose authenticity brought peace of mind.

In this interstellar era full of the unknown and fear, this "authenticity" was perhaps more precious than any high technology.

“It still lacks a name.”

Chen Weiguo reined in his laughter and looked back at the warship, his tone becoming solemn.

“A name?” Lin Yuan was taken aback.

“Yes.” Chen Weiguo nodded, his eyes burning bright. “This is the first interstellar warship of human civilization. It is our sword and our shield. It carries the hopes of 1.4 billion people, even all of humanity.”

“It must have a resounding name that belongs to our Great Xia.”

Chen Weiguo turned his head, staring at Lin Yuan with eyes like torches: “You brought it back at the cost of your life. Do you have any suggestions?”

Lin Yuan was stunned.

He hadn't expected the Chief to give him the naming rights, an honor that would surely be recorded in history.

He instinctively looked at the warship.

The black hull was like an abyss, and the streamlined armor plates reflected a cold, sharp light under the lamps. The deployed engine nacelles were like a pair of folded wings, ready to strike.

What should it be called?

“Pangu”? Too heavy; this ship was an assault ship, it needed to be fast and fierce.

“Nüwa”? Too soft; it was destined to tear enemies apart.

“Zhurong”? Too much fire, not mysterious enough.

Lin Yuan's mind raced. Suddenly, a fragment of a blurred memory surfaced. It was a story told to him long ago by an old blind man smoking dry tobacco at the threshing floor in his hometown.

In that ancient mythological sky, there was a bird.

It wasn't as gorgeous as a Phoenix, nor as arrogant as a Roc. But wherever it appeared, war would cease and calamity would retreat.

It was an auspicious omen and a deterrent.

“When the luan bird appears, the world finds peace.”

Lin Yuan murmured to himself.

He looked up, his eyes growing brighter and brighter. He pointed at the black warship, at those side wings as sharp as feathers.

“Chief,” Lin Yuan's voice carried an indescribable excitement, “let's call it... 'luan bird'.”

“luan bird?” Chen Weiguo mulled over the two words, his eyebrows arching slightly.

“Yes.”

Lin Yuan nodded vigorously, his voice gradually rising: “The luan bird is a divine bird. Legend says that where it appears, it represents peace and tranquility.”

He paused, putting away his playful grin, his expression becoming more serious than ever before.

“We didn't build this ship to be space pirates, nor for some interstellar colonization.”

“We were forced into this. It's to protect our own little plot of land at home, to stop those alien bastards from treating our Earth like a trash dump to be cleared at will.”

“What we want is to fight for a place in this pitch-black universe where our civilization can sleep soundly.”

Lin Yuan looked into Chen Weiguo's eyes and said word by word:

“When the luan bird appears, the world finds peace.”

“Whoever dares to deny us peace, the luan bird will send them to their 'eternal peace'!”

His voice wasn't loud, but it was like metal striking stone, resonant and forceful.

Chen Weiguo looked at the young man before him.

He looked at those clear, firm eyes that held a hint of ruthlessness. After a long while, he slapped his thigh hard.

“Good!”

“A fine 'world finds peace'!”

Chen Weiguo turned around, facing the thousands of researchers and soldiers present, facing that growing steel behemoth, and let out a thunderous roar with all his might:

“I hereby announce!”

“This warship is officially named—'luan bird one'!”

The roar of the machinery seemed to give way at this moment.

Chen Weiguo looked at Lin Yuan again. This time, his gaze was no longer just one of admiration, but one of entrustment. A heavy entrustment, placing the future of the entire nation on a young man's shoulders.

“Comrade Lin Yuan!”

“Present!” Lin Yuan instinctively snapped to attention.

“From today on, you are no longer the boss of a scrap yard, nor are you some special liaison officer.”

Chen Weiguo took a deep breath, his words like iron:

“I officially appoint you as the—Reserve Captain of 'luan bird one'!”

“Simultaneously, the military will assemble a top-tier instructor team to conduct hellish, all-encompassing military command training for you!”

“Strategy, tactics, star map identification, fire coordination... even if it's through rote memorization, you must carve these things into your bones!”

Chen Weiguo reached out his large hand and slapped it heavily on Lin Yuan's shoulder, nearly making him stumble.

“I hope that on the day 'luan bird one' is officially commissioned.”

“The one standing on the bridge isn't some amateur who only knows how to fly drones.”

“But a truly prepared Great Xia Starship Commander who can lead it out of the atmosphere to conquer, to trample, and to carve out a path of blood in that sea of stars!”

“Great Xia Starship Commander!”

Lin Yuan felt as if his shoulder was carrying a mountain.

Hot blood rushed to his head at this moment.

He straightened his back, raised his head, and with all his strength, gave Chen Weiguo and the black "luan bird" the most standard, forceful, and determined military salute of his life!

“Yes!”

“Mission guaranteed to be completed!”