Shipgirls and Salted Fish Commander, Port Survival Guide

How complicated is this problem? Even a girl from Northeast China would rather go out on patrol than stay in her room, which shows how terrifying the situation must be.

In short, if you can't afford to offend them, can't you at least avoid them?

So Binjiang ran away first. It wasn't that Jingsu was slow to react, but rather that she had been watched by Yixian and Yorktown ever since she woke up, so she really couldn't escape.

I almost ran away while the two of them were arguing, but I was so excited that I ran in a panic and didn't know where to go. When I came to my senses, I found myself in a corridor.

'This scene looks familiar~' Looking around, Jing Su felt that she had seen this corridor somewhere before, and it was quite familiar, but she couldn't remember where.

Since I can't remember, I might as well take a walk first; maybe I'll remember.

"Oh, right, by now, Yixian and Yorktown should be done arguing, right? I should send them a message so they don't get anxious from not being able to reach me. Having internet is really a wonderful thing."

As Jing Su walked, he suddenly remembered something. Since he had sneaked away without telling Yi Xian or York City, only Chang Chun saw him. However, Jing Su had specifically told Chang Chun not to say that he had run away, so he could ignore it for now.

The restoration of the network was the key reason why Jing Su dared to make a quick getaway.

Given his current state, if he disappears without a trace, Yi Xian and Yorktown will search frantically everywhere. They'll literally turn the entire base upside down and dig every inch of the ground to find him.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa~"

"Da da da~"

"Boom~"

Just after Jing Su finished composing and sending the message, she heard a strange sound. Following the sound, she soon stopped in front of a room.

'Judging from the sound, it's here. Is something wrong?'

Huh? The door's not closed?

After a moment's thought, Jing Su decided to push open the door and go inside to take a look. According to York City, this base was a temporary base. Although it used the most advanced technology of the Eastern Empire camp and was built quite luxuriously, it was a one-to-one replica of the port's war room.

But it was ultimately a temporary facility, built not long ago. If it weren't for the Yorktown fighters' strong response this time, it would have been abandoned immediately after the mission ended.

Under these circumstances, Jing Su was somewhat worried that something might go wrong at the base.

"Longwu, warriors shouldn't be at the very front during boss battles!"

As soon as I entered, a voice that was not very emotional, with obvious pauses but sounded very gentle came from inside.

"Hmm? Is that Laffey? No, Laffey should be sleeping at this hour, so is it Javelin?"

Ah… Commander, welcome. Excuse me, this is a crucial moment in the boss battle… Please find a seat and make yourself comfortable.

The room was bright, and Jing Su didn't have much trouble seeing the girl sitting on the ergonomic chair, wearing safety shorts, with her legs raised and braced against the chair, wearing an eye mask, and holding a handle in her hand, pressing the buttons intensely.

The girl was expressionless and seemed listless, but the movements of her hands contrasted sharply with her eyes.

However, what caught Jing Su's eye even more was the mechanical-like protrusion that stood high on the girl's head.

Those were mechanical ears.

"Ayanami, is this your room?"

Jing Su looked around and her eyes lit up. The room wasn't particularly big; a chair, a table, and a bookshelf filled the entire space, but it was very cozy, with green plants, books, and a huge pile of game consoles that Jing Su couldn't take her eyes off!

"Are these...the latest game consoles?" As a seasoned otaku, Jing Su naturally loves all kinds of game consoles. He loves games, but due to his limited budget, he can only admire them from afar and can't afford to play them.

Money wasn't a big problem for him when he came into this world, but other things kept hindering him, preventing this game enthusiast from having the opportunity to unleash his true nature.

"Yes, these are all the latest game consoles. The bookshelf contains the latest game discs. If the Commander wants to play, well, there's not much space here, only enough for one computer. You can play in my room."

While saying this, Ayanami kept her eyes fixed on the screen and showed no other reaction, but where Jing Su couldn't see, Ayanami's pretty face flushed slightly, her eyes flickered, and the mechanical pointed ears on her head twitched slightly.

"Ahem, well, let's talk after you're done playing. I'll take a look first..." Jing Su saw that Ayanami was having a great time and didn't want to disturb her. When she entered the room, Jing Su heard clearly that Ayanami called out the name of another ship girl, obviously they were playing together.

Jing Su hates being disturbed when she's playing games. She didn't know that when she came in. If she had known that Ling Bo was playing games with her friends, she definitely wouldn't have come in.

"Just looking?" Not getting the answer she wanted, Ayanami was a little disappointed, so much so that her hands were a bit distorted and she was almost killed by the BOSS. Fortunately, she quickly recovered. "If the Commander doesn't know what to play, you can look at the top ones in the cabinet. I've played all of those. The quality is pretty good and they're worth playing repeatedly."

Having missed her first attack, Ayanami quickly launched a second wave of attacks.

As she said before, this room is not very big. It was a temporary game room that she converted. Her original room was filled with all kinds of games, and there was no room for the newly bought machine, so she moved it here.

However, the room isn't big, but that doesn't mean we can't play games together. There are still enough seats for two people in the room. If all else fails, Ayanami says she can sit in Jing Su's seat and play games together.

At this moment, Ayanami was quite glad that when she was playing, she had put all the two-player games that couldn't be played by one person together, so that it would be easier to choose.

As for the games I haven't played, what should I do if Jing Su asks me about them later?

Haha, for a gaming expert, isn't it only natural that they can perfectly complete a game even on their first try?

Chapter 349 Let's Play Mobile Games Together

What does it feel like to be alive, according to AI?

Previously, Su didn't quite understand, but now she knows the specifics.

Just look at Ayanami.

The port has a large number of ship girls of all types. The types mentioned here do not only refer to personality. In terms of personality, there are all kinds, from the sweet and gentle girl to the domineering one, from the girl next door who calls her "brother this, brother that" to the yandere CEO who won't let you take your eyes off her. The port has everything.

But these are all within the normal range. After all, similar things can be found in the human world, and in the port area, apart from personality, there is also the species aspect.

Yes, there are actually quite a few ship girls in the port area. Judging from their species, they can only be described as having humanoid forms. It is easy to see from their appearance that they are different from humans.

The hardest hit area is Sakura Empire, where almost all members are non-human girls. From the horns on their heads to their cat ears and tails, their various features are clearly visible. Combined with their cute and beautiful appearance, they often add to their charm.

Among the many non-human girls in the Sakura Empire faction, Ayanami is considered to be in a very special category. Most of the non-human girls in Sakura Empire are either various animals with beast ears and tails, or they are oni or ghosts like Shiranui, but overall they are still considered to be in the category of living beings.

Ayanami, she's a cyborg!

The part that stands up on her head is a real mechanical ear!

Even if a ship girl is a biological being with intellectual disabilities and lacks common sense, after spending some time with her, you'll at most think that she has a mild form of intellectual disability, but is just able to take care of herself and survive on her own.

But mechanical girls are different. Mechanical girls are real; you can clearly sense that the other person is a mechanical girl.

When Jing Su asked how to distinguish between mechanical girls and normal ship girls, the answer she received was, "You'll know once you actually spend time with her."

“I know the maze’s structure very well. Ayanami’s sense of direction has been honed to perfection with Ms. Li in the game, so you can rely on me without worry.”

"...Ha! Commander, there was a trap! I'm so glad we were able to avoid it."

"Ultimate move, Dynamic Kick! ...Ah, I got the target wrong...Sorry, can I try again?"

"Waaah, I lost, I lost!"

As the large 'GAME OVER' appeared on the screen, Jing Su heard a very crisp sound.

It turned out that in her distress, Ayanami squeezed the handle so hard that she crushed it.

"Ahem, well, Ayanami, it's alright. It was just a small mistake by the BOSS. We've only met once, so we're not familiar with the BOSS's combos. Getting killed instantly isn't a big deal. Just practice your skills in the training ground, and you should be able to pass next time we meet." Faced with this situation, Jing Su quickly reassured her.

Where's the promised mechanical girl? Ayanami is clearly getting carried away.

“It’s not…the first time we met…!” Ayanami stared intently at the screen, her eyes glistening with tears.

"Hmm?" Ayanami's voice was a little soft, and Jing Su didn't hear her very clearly.

"I used to play with Laffey and the others..." After struggling for a long time, Rei resignedly shouted out this sentence.

It turns out that, worried that she wouldn't be able to complete the game perfectly, Ayanami ultimately chose a game she had played before. It was a game similar to Dragon Quest, which could support up to four players.

Ayanami really liked this game, and even played the live-action version offline at one point.

As a result, despite playing a game she knew so well, Ayanami failed to defeat the first boss and made many mistakes along the way. Without Jing Su's help, she would have failed at several levels.

Judging from Jing Su's initial actions and the details of her skill releases, Ayanami can confirm that Jing Su is truly seeing the game for the first time. There are some skills that Jing Su doesn't understand even without Ayanami's explanation, and even if she explains them, Jing Su often forgets that she has such a skill.

'Ugh, I was hoping to show off in front of the Commander, but damn it, why? Why did the controls go awry? I'm so annoyed!' Ayanami was so frustrated. She had let her beloved see her make a fool of herself. If Jing Su hadn't been in the room, Ayanami would have wanted to find a place to bury herself.

"Well, I think I know where Ayanami's problem lies." Jing Su looked embarrassed, but quickly organized her thoughts, "It's precisely because you're so familiar with this game, Ayanami, that you made a mistake."

"Huh?" Ayanami looked puzzled. What did she mean by "making mistakes because you're too familiar with something"? Shouldn't familiarity make it less likely to make mistakes?

Although Ayanami knows that even the most familiar person can make mistakes, isn't this explanation a bit illogical?

"Simply put, judging from your familiarity with the routes and skills, you must have completed this game many times, but because of this, the difficulty level you've always played is high, or rather, it's a game you've played multiple times."

I noticed earlier that in some places, even though no monsters were spawning, you still made dodging movements, and even looked puzzled when you realized that no monsters were spawning.

If I'm not mistaken, Ayanami, when faced with this situation, you would subconsciously think that you've misremembered. When your memory differs from your habits, you become insecure and naturally more prone to making mistakes.

Furthermore, the techniques used in multiple playthroughs of this type of game may not be applicable to lower playthroughs.

Our save file is newly created, and many skills and equipment haven't been unlocked yet. It's like Ayanami, you've been fighting with skills and techniques that you're not used to at all. Strictly speaking, it's not that different from my first encounter with Ayanami.

Making mistakes is perfectly normal.

"So, is that how it is?" Regardless of whether Jing Su's explanation was reasonable or not, Ling Bo was very happy to hear it and deeply agreed with it.

"Of course. You can tell from many details that you are a gaming expert, Ayanami. But even the best players are not omnipotent. In the real world, when we face familiar things, we can make mistakes if our brains freeze. Is it strange that problems occur in games?"

"Hmm... since the Commander has said so, then... how about we switch to another game?" Having accepted Jing Su's explanation, Ayanami immediately changed her tone and offered a new suggestion.

"Change games?"

"Yes, Commander's explanation makes a lot of sense. Since the probability of making mistakes while playing this game is very high at this stage, it's natural to switch to a new game," Ayanami said seriously.

That's what she thought, and that's what she did.

"Well... okay then." Jing Su scratched his head, a little confused as to why he should switch games just because he made a mistake. Isn't one of the great joys of these level-based games the chance to try again after failing?

However, since Ayanami had spoken, Jing Su naturally wouldn't deny it and nodded in agreement.

"A new game... How about this one, 'Two People Together'? I heard it's really fun." Ayanami pulled out a disc. On the disc, a boy and a girl were showing terrified expressions. The reason they were terrified was that they were holding onto a dandelion seed, which was falling down.

"This... I've heard of it. It's supposedly a lot of fun, but I still need to ask..." Before Jing Su could finish speaking, Ling Bo immediately put down the disc and started picking out a new one.

"..." Seeing this scene, Jing Su was stunned. She didn't seem to have said she didn't want to play...

"What about this? Commander, Resident Evil 6 can be played online." A short while later, Ayanami pulled out a disc, with Leon prominently displayed in the center.

"Um... this one doesn't support dual controllers, does it...?" Jing Su thought this was not bad either. Her head was feeling dizzy right now, and a stimulating scene would help her clear her mind.

Before she could finish speaking, Rei threw the disc aside again and happily started selecting new ones.

"..." Jing Su was truly dumbfounded. Once could be explained by dislike, but twice in a row, there was clearly a problem.

"Island survival, a simulation management game, supports two-player online co-op, Commander, would you like to give it a try?" This time, the disc interface shows a girl holding a fork, sitting on a raft, floating on the sea, with a large shark baring its teeth and gleaming in its eyes next to the raft.

"Can this game be played in split-screen mode?" Jing Su asked after a moment of silence.

"Huh...!?"

"Bang~"

The disc fell to the ground with a crisp sound. Ayanami stood there, stunned, her pupils slightly red. She realized that she seemed to have been doing something very foolish.

There was only one screen in the entire room, but the games she chose either required split-screen mode or were too small to play on a single screen, making them uncomfortable to watch.

"So, is this why the Commander doesn't want to play?" Ayanami asked in a trembling voice.

"Huh...?" Jing Su was taken aback. "I didn't say I didn't want to play. It's just that every time before I finished speaking, Ayanami, you would throw away the disc. I thought you didn't want to play."

"..."

The room fell into complete silence; you could hear a pin drop.

"Haha, so that's how it is?" After a while, Jing Su broke the silence and burst into laughter. He now understood why Ling Bo kept changing games: she thought he didn't like them because he could find fault with every disc she took out.

In reality, it was Rei who was overthinking things and had a mental lapse. Jing Su's words weren't meant to be critical, but rather to ask about some details.

For example, in the very first game, "Two-Player Game," Jing Su wanted to ask if the game was very shaky, as he gets motion sickness from 3D games. If it was very shaky, he probably wouldn't be able to play for very long. The same applies to the later game, "Resident Evil 6."

However, before he could explain the reason in any of the games, Ayanami switched games on her own initiative.

After a brief conversation, Jing Su said, "So, Ayanami is a single-threaded person?"

'Now I understand what it means to know what an AI-type ship girl is like after spending time with her.' Jing Su thought to herself while smiling.

"Please turn the air conditioning up a bit..." After laughing for a while, Ayanami suddenly called out.

"Ok?"

"Please turn the air conditioner up a bit... If this keeps up, Ayanami will evaporate..." Ayanami clenched her fists, her pretty face flushed, her pink cheeks complementing her red eyes, and she shouted with all her might.

An awkward change of topic!

But Jing Su didn't expose it. In a way, Ayanami was worthy of his shout now.

'Ayanami...so cute!'