Shipgirls and Salted Fish Commander, Port Survival Guide

The continuous stream of messages in the group chat quickly rose to 99+ within seconds.

The messages were still increasing rapidly, jumping around so fast that even Jing Su, who considered herself a seasoned internet surfer, was finding it a bit overwhelming.

'That's the truth; at least the network in the port area is pretty good.'

The administrator has enabled a full mute.

'Changchun's cutest person in the world becomes an administrator'

'Yo, you've become a dog manager now?'

It was clear that this barrage of messages in the group chat had alarmed quite a few people, even the group admin had come out. However, regarding this ID, Jing Su glanced sideways at Changchun, who was scratching his head. The latter sensed Jing Su's gaze and knew what it meant, quickly turning his head away and grinning foolishly, "Hehe, Commander, isn't Changchun the cutest person in the world?"

Her voice was soft and lingering, so tender that Jing Su felt as if she had been electrocuted.

"How could that be? My Changchun is the cutest person in the world!"

Supporting Changchun under his armpits, Jing Su let Changchun experience a three-and-a-half-turn spin in the air. Throughout the process, Changchun stretched out his arms straight and giggled.

After a while, the tablet beeped a few times.

Jing Su picked up the tablet, and after this period of reflection, several people in the group spoke up.

Enterprise: Commander, is it really you?

Secretary ship - Illustrious: Commander, where are you now? I'm coming to find you.

"Commander, they're all looking for you. Can you say a few words?"

Changchun glanced at the tablet and chuckled, his eyes darting around as if he were deep in thought.

Seeing the topic shift to him, Jing Su knew he couldn't delay any longer. He forced himself to open the input field, typed a few words, and then quickly deleted them. At that moment, he really didn't know what to say.

"Commander, it's not very polite to make a girl wait." Seeing Jing Su hesitate, Chang Chun urged her immediately.

"Okay, I understand." Jing Su nodded, trying to calm herself down, and started typing.

Changchun's most adorable person: I'm Jing Su, and I guess I'm back.

Afterwards, Jing Su found a good angle, took a selfie, and posted it in the group chat.

#picture#

Since the group was currently muted, there wasn't much of a disturbance. However, Jing Su could see through the system's little helper that the image had been viewed hundreds of times the moment it was posted, and its downloads and reposts were countless.

Then, without waiting for anyone else to speak, Jing Su continued typing.

Changchun, the cutest in the world: The specific situation is a bit complicated. There are many things that I myself don't know what happened. However, this time, I shouldn't suddenly disappear like before. But please don't announce my return to the outside world. Just continue as before. For specific information, you can ask Hu Teng. She was the first person to know that I'm back.

I'm currently on a ship heading to the Eastern Huang base, where I'll likely stay for a while. After that, I'll visit each base, and I'm really looking forward to reuniting with everyone.

After typing and sending the message, Jing Su immediately turned off the tablet and refused to check the message again.

Jing Su knew that what he said was particularly poor, but he couldn't think of a better way to write it. The main reason was that he didn't know how to face this group of girls.

After spending time together, Jing Su realized that the ship girls had deep feelings for her, but she also knew that she was not worthy of those feelings.

As the saying goes, a person should know himself, and Jing Su knows very well just how much he is capable of right now.

Right now, he's like someone who's been hit by a huge windfall, completely stunned and at a loss.

Feelings are something that always require mutual effort and joint management from both parties; feelings that are only given by one party will not last.

Therefore, what he just said was very official and seemed like a lame excuse, but it was indeed the best excuse Jing Su could come up with.

"哐~"

The room door was suddenly pulled open.

"Commander, did you say those words in the group chat?" Yi Xian walked in, her face full of anxiety.

But then she saw Changchun leaning against Jing Su's chest, swinging her legs which were clad in white stockings, and fiddling with a tablet in her hand.

"Oh, Sister Yixian, you're here?" Upon hearing the voice, Changchun almost jumped out of Jingsu's arms, her little head nearly making intimate contact with Jingsu's chin.

"Changchun, was that you who was talking in the group just now?" Yixian asked anxiously.

"No, it was my commander who said it." Changchun immediately jumped up from Jing Su's arms and sat obediently to the side.

Then Yixian looked at Jingsu and saw Jingsu nod, indicating that Changchun was right.

"Since it was written by the commander, there's nothing we can do about it." Yi Xian sighed, leaning against the doorway.

"What's wrong, Yixian? Did I say something wrong?" Seeing Yixian's condition, Jing Su was a little worried, thinking that she had said something wrong.

"If you really want to say something, there's nothing wrong with it. It's a very official statement that seems to cover everything, but if you look closely, it's just empty promises." Faced with Jing Su's question, Yi Xian quickly changed the subject.

Was there anything wrong with what Jing Su said?

Of course there's a problem. By doing this, isn't it the same as letting all the ship girls know that Jing Su is going to the Eastern Empire's base? If some ship girls with more extreme personalities, like Taihou and Akagi, were to do this, who knows what kind of trouble they might cause?

Of course, this wasn't the most upsetting thing for Yi Xian. After all, Jing Su ultimately gave a clear order to proceed according to the original plan. Although Da Chi Cheng was rather extreme, he wasn't so extreme as to disobey orders.

What upset her the most was that her arrangements might have been completely wasted. She had originally thought that the girls in her camp wouldn't know the specifics and would still comply with her requests even if they didn't understand. But now that they knew Jing Su was coming to her camp's base, and considering her arrangements over the past few days, they could easily figure out her purpose.

The most dangerous thing is that it will alert the other guy.

'Thank goodness, we'll be at the base tonight. Even if she finds out and wants to make arrangements, it shouldn't be too late.'

Yi Xian sighed inwardly.

"Yixian, are you alright? You don't look well." Jing Su asked with some concern, noticing the rapid changes in Yixian's expression.

"It's nothing, it's nothing, I was just thinking about some plans." Yi Xian hurriedly waved his hand.

"That's good." Jing Su breathed a sigh of relief, but at the same time felt helpless. The faction matter? They couldn't tell her for the time being. It seems that she still has a lot to learn.

"Commander, I'm so pleased!"

"?"

Yi Xian's sudden words startled Jing Su. Just a moment ago, his expression was unpredictable, so why did he suddenly beam with joy?

"Although it's unclear exactly what happened, it's highly likely that Commander was dragged into doing something unexpected by that little girl, Changchun. But this also shows that Commander, you are indeed starting to get involved in port affairs. In fact, judging from everyone's reactions, everyone cares about you a lot."

Seeing the dejected look in Jing Su's expression, and after briefly recalling what she had said, Yi Xian quickly realized what Jing Su was troubled about.

Yi Xian stepped forward, first picking up Chang Chun and tossing him aside. With the latter's eyes wide open, she slowly put her arm around Jing Su, resting her chin on Jing Su's shoulder and speaking softly.

"Commander, don't put so much pressure on yourself. Back then, you had nothing, but you started from scratch and built our homeland from scratch. Now we've grown up and can stand on our own. Commander, no matter what you've become, no matter what you're hesitating about, you'll always be my commander."

You once sheltered us from the storm; now, it's our turn to protect you from the wind and rain.

Commander, Yi Xian, I like you~

Chapter Twenty-Three: Untying the Knot

Caught off guard by Yi Xian's hug, Jing Su was even more shocked by Yi Xian's words.

"I..." Jing Su opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but was stopped by Yi Xian.

Yi Xian placed her right index finger between Jing Su's lips and smiled gently: "Commander, don't say anything. It's fine as it is now. We still have plenty of time. Take it slow. Yi Xian will be with you."

After saying this, Yi Xian smiled and slowly left the room, leaving Jing Su standing there in a daze.

"Hehe, Commander, Changchun likes you too~" Not long after Yixian left, Changchun popped his head out from under the sofa, grabbed Jingsu's waist, and said with a grin.

"The Commander also likes Changchun very much." Changchun's interruption brought Jing Su back to her senses.

'Has this been a confession of love?'

Looking at Changchun's blissful expression, Jing Su thought to herself, 'My lovely little Changchun, perhaps your preferences are a little different from your sister Yixian's.'

With this in mind, Jing Su could naturally stroke Chang Chun's little head and give her response.

Regardless of her personality or what she was given, Jing Su really liked this quirky little girl. With her by her side, the depression in her heart eased a lot after she transmigrated.

At the same time, Jing Su was also quite emotional. For more than 24 years, he had never even held his own mother's hand, yet he had a moment when he was confessed to.

Recalling the feeling of being hugged by Yi Xian just now, Jing Su examined herself and found that she was more surprised than moved. But that was normal. Anyone who was suddenly hugged and confessed to by someone they didn't know well would be more shocked than anything else.

"Commander, you don't seem to be in a good mood." Changchun asked worriedly, noticing Jing Su's unusual expression.

"Is it so obvious?"

"Yes, her brows are furrowed, it's unpleasant to look at. Changchun is very familiar with this expression. After Sister Yixian led us away from the port, we often saw it on her face. Changchun doesn't like this expression, it makes her very uncomfortable. Commander, is there something wrong? It will make you feel much better if you talk about it."

"I see." Jing Su felt a warmth in his heart, but also hesitated. What worried him most was how to face the ship girls. In the end, for him, the girls he knew he could get along with happily, including Changchun, had all been with him for no more than three days.

It's not easy to figure out the other person's preferences in three days, let alone open up to them.

The ship girls' affection left him bewildered, and his own weakness made him feel lost and dejected.

Jing Su was worried that if they spent too much time together, the ship girls would think he knew nothing and was a fraud. As the saying goes, those who are not worthy of their position will surely suffer disaster. Jing Su did not think he could withstand the ship girls' anger.

"Actually, it's quite simple. I just don't know how to face you all, and I'm very concerned about your attitude towards me."

"Huh? You don't know how to face us? And you care about our attitude? We don't have any attitude, everyone likes the Commander." Changchun said, puzzled.

"How should I put it? You all come together and immediately say you have a deep connection with me, reminiscing about the past, saying that I started a huge port from scratch. But what's troubling me is that I don't have any related memories."

You saw the various matters concerning the port area today, and I don't know how to handle them. I feel like I've let you down.

After much deliberation, Jing Su decided to be honest. After all, these things had to be faced sooner or later. Rather than dragging it out and deepening the ship girls' disappointment, it was better to be upfront from the beginning, so as to save herself from mental anguish.

"How could that be?" Changchun held Jingsu close, her tone gentle yet earnest. "We like the Commander not because of what he has done, but because the Commander is the Commander. Your sister Yixian just said that no matter what the Commander becomes, she will stay by his side, and so will Changchun."

Commander, you don't need to worry.

Commander, you said you have no memories of the past. Well, if you don't, then so be it. Although it's a pity that those beautiful memories are gone, we have to live in the present and always look forward.

If the beautiful memories of the past are gone, then let's work together to create new ones, shall we?

Commander, you are Changchun's commander, you were, you are, and you will always be. Changchun will always be by your side.

Commander, you said you feel you'll let us down, so try your best not to. Look ahead!

Sister Yixian always says that Changchun is a child, naughty, and will never grow up, but sometimes she also says that Changchun is very sensible. Commander, you are like that too. It's so complicated.

However, Commander, Changchun is very happy today.

Because, well, the commander finally spoke his mind. These past few days, the commander has been feeling down whenever he's alone, which has been very distressing for Changchun, but he didn't know how to handle it. Now that he's spoken out, although Changchun doesn't quite understand why this is a problem, there must be an answer to every problem. Let's work together to find it, shall we?

Commander, Changchun will always be with you~

“You~” Jing Su pinched Changchun’s little face, feeling touched. “The adult world is indeed very complicated. They always overthink all sorts of messy things, and many things are not as clear to them as Changchun does.”

Indeed, I overcomplicated things. I was worried about this and afraid of that, hesitating and not taking any action. I knew there was a problem but kept dragging my feet. I was such a fool.

I'm sorry for causing Changchun worry.

"Hehe, it's good that it can help the commander." Changchun's eyes curved into crescents. She could feel the change in Jing Su's mentality. Although she didn't know what effect her words had, she could feel that the commander she knew had really returned.

"From now on, I'll have to rely on Changchun to walk this path with me."

Jing Su has finally come to terms with it.

Yes, why worry about how the ship girls perceive you? If you're timid and hesitant, the ship girls will be disappointed.

"Commander, Commander, I have a secret to tell you."

Just as Jing Su was secretly deciding to change himself and improve himself to live up to the expectations of the ship girls, Chang Chun suddenly grabbed his hand and shook it back and forth.

"what's up?"

Turning my head, I saw Changchun with her little head down, supporting herself on one foot, and drawing circles with her other cute little leg, which was dressed in white. Her little body twisted and turned, looking adorable, like an elf.

"Actually, Changchun, I've grown up too. There are many things that I understand, Commander. You can't treat me like a child. Commander, I've been in the port for a long time now. I'm a little adult now, hehe."

"?"

Jing Su suddenly felt that Chang Chun's affection for her might, perhaps, be the same as what Yi Xian had said.

Regarding Chapter Twenty-Four, could you please lend a hand with the resources?

"You've got results so quickly? Looks like you weren't just indulging in a sweet romance."

Hu Teng's cold voice came from within the light screen.

After resolving her inner conflict, Jing Su began to actively engage with matters related to ship girls, and with Yi Xian's help, she managed to produce a few plausible documents.

"These are just some logistical documents that aren't too difficult." Jing Su scratched her head. She originally wanted to say that Yi Xian had helped her a lot, but she swallowed the words back. Looking into Hu Teng's cold eyes, she felt that if she said those words, something bad would happen.

"I'll handle the rest. Have fun with the Eastern Huang camp." Hu Teng's lips curled up slightly, but so slightly that Jing Su didn't notice.