Shipgirls and Salted Fish Commander, Port Survival Guide

Z46 is somewhat withdrawn and emotionally deficient, but that doesn't mean she doesn't yearn for emotions. According to her, she has nothing: no family, no enemies, no preferences, no name, not even her life.

She's always dwelling on the past, but she always overlooks one thing: everything she cares about has actually always been there, silently watching over her.

Jing Su believed that many people had noticed the problem with Z46, but didn't know how to tell her or how to save Z46.

There are many things an autistic girl can't understand. For a mental patient like Z46, simply trying to reason with her is meaningless. In the human world, perhaps some medication or other treatments could be offered, but Z46 is a ship girl. Ordinary medications have no effect on her. Even when she seeks out psychologists, they all refuse to treat a ship girl, fearing that they might accidentally anger her and get blown away by a cannon.

Jing Su spent some time in the hospital for some special reasons. During that time, he talked with some patients who had suffered from depression and asked them what it felt like when they had an attack.

The answer surprised Jing Su. They said they didn't seem to feel anything, just very tired, unable to muster any enthusiasm for anything, feeling that everything was meaningless, not knowing what they should do or why they existed, their minds were always blank, and sometimes they would suddenly feel very anxious, their heart would race, and they would panic, but they didn't know why they were panicking and couldn't explain it.

They always feel that when others are around them, it's as if they want to do something or say something to them, but they can't listen to what the other person is saying. It's as if they are separated from the things around them by a membrane, like watching a pantomime. The other side is all bared teeth and claws, very blurry. Whenever this happens, they feel very irritable.

They know it's wrong, but they can't control it. When they think back on it afterwards, they regret it, which further intensifies their inner pain.

The above only applies to milder symptoms, or those that have improved after treatment.

Jing Suzhen had seen people who seemed perfectly fine, chatted happily, and were no different from normal people. They didn't even know about the illness, and when they first met them, they would think the other person was a very cheerful person.

Then, as they were chatting, he suddenly jumped out of the window without any warning.

Now, he feels the same way about Z46.

As ship girls, most diseases that humans get are irrelevant to them, except for mental illnesses. In fact, it can be said that most ship girls have some mental problems, some of which they can suppress, while others are visibly extreme.

For example, Ron, and Z46 lying in his arms right now.

Jing Su was initially worried about the severity of Z46's symptoms, but seeing the other person's reaction, she breathed a sigh of relief. The fact that the other person could react to external stimuli meant that the symptoms were not particularly severe and could perhaps be cured through simple talk therapy.

"Could you tell me how you feel about this environment?" Jing Su wasn't a professional psychologist, so she could only go by feeling.

"A gentle breeze caresses the sea, and the chirping of cicadas echoes through the clouds. Their chattering laughter leaves footprints of varying depths on the beach, and the dazzling summer sun blurs the returning boats near and far... The scenery here is truly enchanting." To be honest, she's a true literary girl; no matter the situation, her words are always elegant and refined.

"The scenery is beautiful, but it's too lonely to enjoy it alone. I really need someone to accompany me to appreciate this beautiful scenery. Can you give me some suggestions?"

"..." This time, the literary girl didn't answer, or rather, she didn't know how to answer. She recommended herself highly, but she couldn't speak up, afraid that if she did, she wouldn't be able to stay in Jing Su's warm embrace. She severely lacked self-confidence, and she couldn't find the meaning of her existence.

Without a name, without a past, and not even having truly existed in history, this Z46 could not believe that he would be needed by anyone, needed by the people he loved so deeply!

Chapter 263 Xilu's Decision

"I don't know~" Z46 really wanted to speak for herself, really wanted to recommend herself, but she didn't dare. She really couldn't believe that someone with no name and no past would be recognized by Jing Su.

For a time, she even thought that Jing Su chose to leave the port area because of her.

In fact, a considerable number of ship girls fell into a similar state of doubt after Jing Su went missing. Ship girls with poor self-regulation abilities easily entered a state of self-isolation.

Z46 didn't simply enter a state of autism; she was already somewhat autistic, and then it worsened.

As the commander, it is Jing Su's job to regulate the mood of the ship girls. She has not had much time before, and of course, she was unaware of Z46's situation, so she has not dealt with it. Now that she has seen it, she will naturally not ignore it.

"Silly girl, why wouldn't you know? The answer is obvious~" Jing Su whispered in Z46's ear, "How about this, if you can answer it, I'll grant you a wish, okay~"

"Really?" Z46 suddenly perked up. If what Jing Su said was true, then, could she, perhaps, obtain her own name?

What Z46 has always been associated with is actually her past. In history, she never really existed. Although Jing Su has always been curious about the connection between ship girls and ships, based on past experience, they inherited some of the past experience and the so-called soul of the warship, combined with the Mind Cube, and were born.

Because they inherited the names of past warships, they are influenced by some of the history of the past. For example, the somewhat crazy armored aircraft carrier Taiho is terrified when it sees the Bluefin Tuna, as if it has seen its nemesis.

And then there's Akagi, who's fearless and doesn't listen to anyone in Sakura Empire, but she really respects Amagi and acts like a good boy in front of him.

Some were less affected, like the garden, who openly discussed the past and expressed her desire to compare herself with her past self to see who achieved more.

Some are deeply affected, like Taihou, Akagi, and Z46 in Jing Su's arms. Those who are deeply influenced by historical factors have likely experienced a rather unpleasant past. Taihou is afraid of the mackerel because she was sunk by it in history.

The love-hate relationship between Hood and Bismarck stemmed from this, but Hood's open-minded nature meant that her relationship with Bismarck was surprisingly good, and the two often drank tea and chatted together.

When asked why he was so happy, Hu De's answer made Jing Su's vision go black. At first, it seemed relatively normal. Hu De said that fighting for different masters and engaging in mutual warfare was normal, and that he was still alive and well. The past was the past, the present was the present, and people had to move forward.

Then, Hood changed the subject, saying that, in any case, both in history and here, her companions had avenged her!

Historically, Bismarck was surrounded and sunk by the Royal Navy's Royal Fleet and due to the Ironblood's careless actions.

When Jing Su heard these words, she was speechless and didn't know what to say. She could only say that she was indeed from the royal camp. Even though she was a noble lady and a graceful lady on the outside, she was still a fun-loving person at heart.

It's truly remarkable that Bismarck and Hood could get along so well despite this perception.

However, what Jing Su didn't know was that Hu De's so-called 'revenge' not only originated from history, but also existed in this world after they became ship girls.

Just like she said, history is history, and ship girls are ship girls. What's the point of being too concerned about what happened in history? Does everyone have to fight to the death like in history? It's meaningless.

However, while a life-or-death battle is no longer necessary, it doesn't mean there's no more conflict between the ship girls.

After becoming a ship girl, there are naturally things that ship girls need to fight for. As for what those things are, of course, it's sticking close to Jing Su!

As for Hood, the time she spent with Jing Su far surpassed that of Bismarck. In fact, not counting herself, the entire Royal Navy camp spent far more time with Jing Su than the Ironbloods. It was a win-win situation!

Given such a significant advantage, why was Hood angry with Bismarck?

Returning to Z46, Jing Su, based on the file provided by navigator TB and her recent performance, roughly deduced her problem: Z46 was simply in a state of self-isolation due to historical reasons and had been unable to break free from it.

Curing this kind of problem isn't exactly difficult, but it's not particularly easy either. Since Z46 has been immersed in the grief of not having a name, then just give her a name.

However, Z46's situation is relatively special. To get her to step out of the situation, it's not as simple as just giving her a name. Ship girls are proud beings, and they must be given a name that Z46 herself approves of.

According to Ironblood, or rather, their historical tradition, only parents and popes can give names to their descendants. Ship girls, in theory, do not have parents. Furthermore, Ironblood is not like the two French factions, and its acceptance of religion is not particularly high (for ship girls). Therefore, Ironblood cannot find a bishop like Richelieu to bestow a name upon Z46.

But Jing Su can do it!

For the ship girls, Jing Su is no longer just a simple parent or pope; she is someone they will spend their entire lives with. To take it to an extreme, even if Z46 doesn't think Jing Su can give them a name, Jing Su has a way, or rather, she can exploit a bug in Ironblood's tradition.

According to the Ironblood tradition, after a woman marries, she should change her surname to her father's. Jing Su gave Z46 a ring, and that was it.

"Then, may I become the one the commander speaks of who wants to enjoy the scenery?"

Following the name, I arrived here and saw the Commander. I think this must be fate.

At this moment, Z46 realized that Jing Su wanted to do something. He hesitated, pretending to refuse, blushing, and mustered his courage to recommend himself to Jing Su.

At this moment, Z46 was quite scared. She was really afraid that Jing Su would reveal another person's name. If that happened, she was afraid she would find a place to drown herself.

"Why not, darling? I've treated you so well, why not you?"

Among millions of people, you and I met, and that's how we became each other.

I wanted to give you the best things in the world, but after searching for a long time, I found that the best thing in the world is you.

From now on, please continue to move forward with me~

Z46 is an artsy girl; she won't listen to ordinary words, or if she does, she'll embellish them in a rather magical way. So Jing Su decided to use an artsy style of conversation with her as well.

What he just said was something he read in some so-called "love quotes manuals." He originally thought it would be awkward to say it, but when he actually opened his mouth, he found that it sounded incredibly natural.

Because, the feelings between him and the ship girls are genuine. The emotions revealed in those words are a true reflection of Jing Su's inner self. Although he has no past memories, Jing Su finds that the deep-seated emotions he feels when he is with the ship girls are incredibly real and sincere.

The ship girls liked him, and after spending so much time together, Jing Su also realized that he really did like the ship girls.

I spoke softly and had a pleasant time with the ship girls.

"Commander!" Upon hearing Jing Su's words, Z46's face flushed red. This was the first time she had felt the trembling of the Mind Cube. Her rapidly rising body temperature and the accelerated beating of the Mind Cube all told her what she was feeling at this moment!

Confusion, anticipation, excitement, disbelief.

"I need you, I look forward to our future together, I trust you, I love everything about you~ From now on, don't be so insecure! Silly girl, it's not just me, it's everyone, everyone cares about you~"

Jing Su, with the Z46 on her delicate nose, spoke softly but earnestly.

This is his true inner thought. When faced with an autistic girl who lacks self-confidence and seriously doubts her own value, the best way to heal her is to have someone she recognizes and believes in, to tell her that she is important, that she is loved, that she is needed by many people, and that her existence has value.

Jing Su believes that similar words must have been repeatedly said to Z46 by more than one person over the past few years, but the autistic girl still doubts life. This is not because others did not try, but because Z46 does not agree with the people who said them.

It's not that Z46 doesn't care about what her friends say—if she really didn't care, she wouldn't have become withdrawn. Rather, she simply thinks that her friends are just trying to comfort her, which, frankly, is a sign of their lack of acceptance of her.

What if the person who said this was Jing Su?

What if you said this in such a setting?

If these words can truly penetrate Z46's heart, even the most withdrawn girl will try to take a step forward.

However, it's clear that Jing Su went a bit too far. As mentioned before, the words he just said were taken from a book of love quotes. In other words, saying such things in this kind of setting could easily be misunderstood!

Clearly, one of the autistic girls misunderstood.

"Being needed, expected, trusted, and loved... After going through all sorts of ups and downs, my blank slate has been stained with your color. Please think carefully about my name, my beloved." Z46 slowly stood up, knelt down in front of Jing Su, looked into Jing Su's eyes, and said earnestly.

"?" Jing Su was a little confused. What? This process was not quite what she had imagined. The autistic girl did show signs of emerging from her gloom, but was the direction she was heading in a bit wrong?

Afterwards, Jing Su reviewed what she had just said and was immediately devastated, almost fainting from anger.

'Oops, I misspoke!'

Jing Su was on the verge of tears. He had been thinking that Z46 was in a state of withdrawal and he wanted to help her out of her gloom. However, given that Z46 was an artistic girl, it was difficult for her to listen to ordinary words. Under these circumstances, Jing Su could only use equally artistic language to try to communicate with Z46.

After racking his brains, all Jing Su could think of was the collection of love quotes he had been diligently memorizing recently. In that situation, he had no choice but to say it, even if it was just love quotes, as long as he could pry open Z46's little head. To save the girl, there was no other way, right?

After all, Jing Su thought that an autistic girl probably wouldn't understand the deeper meaning of these words.

Unexpectedly, Z46 not only understood what was said, but also reacted extremely quickly, so quickly that Jing Su had to turn around to realize what she had just said.

"Hey, no, sis, do you really have autism?" Jing Su had a feeling that she might have been deceived.

'Damn it, I feel like I've been tricked out of my rings by Kantai Collection!?'

"My beloved, I have been looking forward to this day for a long time. What name have you prepared for me?" Seeing that Jing Su was a little confused, Z46 simply stopped pretending, leaned close to Jing Su's ear, licked his earlobe, and whispered.

"Cough cough cough, is that so?" At this point, what else could Jing Su do? In this situation, if she said anything else, Z46 would really be finished. Even if she was wrong, she could only make the best of a bad situation.

"Oh well, so be it if the military police are talking to me. I heard there's a really glamorous fellow inmate there. Hey, fellow inmate, I'll keep you company!"

Recalling the rumors circulating on the forum, Jing Su sighed inwardly.

In fact, the level of mental maturity of ship girls cannot be judged by their physique. Some ship girls have great and mature figures, but their mental age may be very young, or to put it bluntly, very immature. On the other hand, some ship girls are petite and look like children, but their minds can be very mature. These little adults are more mature than many adults.

Based on their previous conversation, Jing Su had initially thought that Z46 was the kind of ship girl whose body and mind were in harmony. Little did she expect that she had made a fool of herself. The other party was not only very mature, but also very good at seizing opportunities and turning the tables on her.

So what can I do?

Since I've already said that, I wouldn't be human to refuse.

"My dearest, what name do you like? I think it's best if you decide such an important matter yourself." No more pretense, the truth is out. So be it. Whether it's going with the flow or following your heart, so be it. Jing Su's heart screamed, 'Fellow inmate, save me a bed, I'll come keep you company right away!'

"Hilu." Her voice was so soft it was almost inaudible. If Jing Su hadn't seen Z46 speak, she would have doubted whether she had misheard.

"Huh?" I asked instinctively.

"I... I hope my name is Hilu!" This time, Z46 was going all out, shouting out the name she had thought about for a long time.

"Haha, okay, from now on, your name will be Xilu, Xilu Xilu, Xilu! Cheer for your name, it's your own name, a name that belongs only to you, a symbol of your existence in the world!" Jing Su picked up Z46 and spun her around in the air several times.

Yes, Z46 cares so much about her name, how could she not have imagined what her name would be? In fact, no matter what name Jing Su prepared for her, she would be a little frustrated because it was different from what she had imagined. She would still easily fall into a state of self-isolation and self-doubt. Therefore, Jing Su let her decide for herself.

"My beloved, from now on, only you are allowed to call me that name!" In the air, Z46 mustered up her courage and shouted these words.

"Eh!?"

"This is a testament between you and me, proof of my rebirth. From now on, I will exist in the world with my true identity. To the outside world, I will call myself Z46, but to you, I am Hil!"

"Okay, this is Hilu's decision, and I fully support it!"

Chapter 264 New Ship Equipment

After getting its name, Z46 ran off to show off to its friends.

All I can say is that once an autistic girl comes out of her shell, she can still be very lively.

Of course, it's not that Z46 doesn't want to stay by Jing Su's side, but rather that there's an agreement within each faction for today's event: if someone succeeds in taking the top spot, they should voluntarily withdraw and let Jing Su go to other ship girls who are still watching with bated breath.

This is good for everyone.

So, although she was very reluctant, Z46 still got up and left expressionlessly. Her reason was that she wanted to show her comrades that she had a name now, a name personally given to her by the Commander, but she didn't want to say what it was.

Jing Su was also helpless about this. After sitting for a while, she got up, patted the dust off her body, and prepared to continue wandering around.

At this point, Antonioto and Nicoloso Dareco had disappeared somewhere. Jing Su, who had originally planned to chat with them, didn't have any good ideas and could only look around.

Let's see what kind of thing the Royal Army has come up with after working together across Hong Kong.

Not far away is a large water slide, which was just transported from the Royal Army's base by a super-large transport plane. It can be easily placed on the ground and fixed in place before you can play on it.

Looking up now, you can see quite a few little ones playing happily in twos and threes. The most eye-catching one is Changchun. Even from this distance, Jing Su can see her long white hair and the thick cotton-padded coat that she refuses to change even when playing on the water slide!

Yes, that's the key reason why Jing Su was able to recognize Chang Chun at a glance among so many ship girls. Chang Chun is a girl with personality. No matter the weather or the occasion, she always wears a big cotton-padded coat. According to her, being wrapped in a thick cotton-padded coat gives her a unique sense of security.

When asked what to do in different seasons, Changchun said: Wear breathable clothes in summer, it's normal to wear them in winter, wearing cotton-padded coats in spring and autumn is fine, and if you want to swim, then wear waterproof ones!