Shipgirls and Salted Fish Commander, Port Survival Guide

If this commission is truly a rescue order, then there's nothing to say; I can just consider it extra money. But if it's a trap, well, then I'll have room to maneuver.

What she wants to do most is naturally to announce her existence to the world, to tell the Maritime Bureau that the person the ship girls are looking for has returned, so they can stop worrying and stop these guys from always finding opportunities to annoy the port.

Another very important reason is, of course, to get away and relax. For ship girls, especially large ships, there are often two different faces when they are at the base and when they are outside. For example, when Yi Xian was at the Donghuang base, Jing Su always felt that she was not in a good mood and would sulk from time to time.

Jing Su guessed that this was the helplessness of someone in charge of a faction, since only by maintaining authority could they gain the trust of others.

So when Yixian suggested going to the royal residence with Jingsu to handle some matters, Jingsu readily agreed, thinking it would be a good way to relax. Now that he was back, the girls didn't need to bear so much pressure.

This is why Jing Su is so eager to improve herself as quickly as possible; the faster she improves, the happier the ship girls will be.

"Speaking of which, I wonder what Yixian is doing now. How about this, let's keep a backup plan."

. . . . . .

meeting room.

"With that, the handover of supplies is almost complete," a gentle voice said.

"Hey, hey, don't interrupt! We haven't finished telling you the stories from the ship yet. So this is what the Commander is like in private."

"Hehe, Miss Vanguard, I've already told you everything that should and shouldn't be said. If you really want to know more, just find a way to take down the Commander, and you'll know everything."

"I was thinking, the Commander is like a block of wood. No matter how I hint at it, he doesn't react at all. It's driving me crazy. By the way, Miss Yixian, you've spent so much time with the Commander on the ship, how come you didn't manage to win him over?" Vanguard grinned, leaning on the table, and said in a disjointed manner.

"It's intentional, this guy definitely did it on purpose!" Yi Xian thought, her fists clenched, ready to punch someone!

"Hehe, Miss, you don't need to worry about that. This is a kind of subtlety that belongs to the Donghuang camp, like the gentle and melodious Jiangnan water towns."

"Pretentious, that's the right word. If you really like someone, just go for it. I don't understand your weird attitude."

“Being too direct will get you ostracized, you know. Miss Avant-garde, you've been here with me, you should know what I'm talking about, right?” Yi Xian retorted sharply.

Since you said you wanted to be unrestrained, how come you didn't succeed? Yesterday you spent quite a long time alone with the Commander, and Changchun told me everything. Heh, all talk and no action.

We're both in the same boat, travelers on the road, so neither of us should laugh at the other.

"Speaking of which, Miss Yixian, since the Commander wants to handle political affairs, why not just give it to him? Why refuse? Even if the Commander lacks experience, wouldn't he never grow if he doesn't get training? According to you, isn't the Commander quite adept at handling logistical matters?" Seeing that Yixian was trying to steer the conversation toward him, Qianwei immediately changed the subject and brought up other topics.

In their previous conversation, Qianwei learned that Yixian had rejected Jingsu's offer to do some work, which surprised Qianwei, who disliked political affairs. For her, she would have readily agreed to anyone offering to share the burden of political affairs.

“If it were anyone else, I would naturally agree, but if it’s the Commander.” Yi Xian had a ‘Are you serious?’ look on her face. “The Commander, he built the port from scratch, from weak to strong. He’s been working so hard for so long, it’s time for him to enjoy some peaceful time.”

We're not incapable of doing anything, so why are we burdening the Commander? Are we supposed to continue his old life of working from morning till night, without even time to eat or drink? What are we then? What if we exhaust the Commander and then he disappears? Miss Vanguard, do you want to experience that kind of chaos again?

Besides, if the Commander is too busy, won't he have no time to spend with us? Miss Vanguard, do you want the Commander to always be busy with work and have no time to spend with us?

After Yi Xian finished speaking, she rolled her eyes at Qian Wei. She finally understood that the tall blonde girl in front of her had a rather unconventional way of speaking, and she often didn't know whether to say she was carefree or naive.

“Yes, ah, I was thinking wrong. That’s definitely the point.” Qianwei agreed with Yixian’s words. She had previously thought that if someone helped her, she could slack off. She really hated paperwork and the like. Now that she’s been reminded, if Jingsu gets bogged down in things, then the already scarce time they have to spend with her will be even less.

'No, we can't let the commander do more work. We must find a way to get him to give up this terrible idea of ​​doing more work!'

Chapter Seventy-Eight: Confiding

"Warspite, there's no need to be so tense. Your pacing back and forth is making me dizzy." Jing Su rubbed her temples and advised, watching Warspite pace back and forth on the deck.

"How can that be? Commander, your safety is the most important thing. We can't be too careful. We're about to enter international waters. Further ahead is the no-signal zone. If something happens, we won't be able to contact our rear." Warspite replied seriously.

"Hehe, so let's take advantage of the signal now and get things set up quickly." With that, Jing Su took out his tablet and started typing.

"?" Warspite looked puzzled.

"Judging from the reception location they released, it's basically confirmed that this rescue request is a trap. Since it's a trap, then don't blame me for preparing in advance." Jing Su pulled up the information on the reception location. This was an area that could only be found using military satellite cloud images. Conventional civilian satellites couldn't locate this place at all. In other words, this was a restricted area.

"Should we still go? Wouldn't it be better to turn back?" Upon hearing Jing Su's words, Warspite immediately panicked and made a move to return to the cockpit, preparing to return to base.

"No need for that. Although it's a trap, nothing too serious should happen," Jing Su stopped him, offering her analysis.

"First of all, if it were ship girls going, the person who set the trap would definitely not make a move. After all, any person or force with a brain should know that even the Maritime Bureau has to rely on us to fight the Sirens on the front line."

Even if they're brainless, it's not a problem. They can't beat us anyway. If the ship girls attack, even if there's an ambush, they can escape. Although the meeting area is in international waters, it's very close to the inland sea. If they make a little noise, we'll be able to see it.

Therefore, there shouldn't be any safety issues when the ship girls are deployed. At most, there might be some hidden problems in the contract. That's why I came along. With me watching over things, at least we can avoid a lot of contractual issues and avoid suffering losses later.

"But, isn't Commander, you're coming with us this time? What if they attack you?" Warspite naturally knew that there would be no risks or problems if a pure ship girl team went on an attack, but now Jing Su was with them. Ship girls have steel bodies and are not afraid of anything happening to their teachers, but the Commander is not. He is made of flesh and blood. If a fight really broke out, she was not sure she could protect him.

"Don't worry about that. I have my reasons for daring to go. I cherish my life very much." Jing Su laughed and explained, "From the time I came ashore until I was picked up, I was contacted by two so-called family forces. If I'm not mistaken, the investigation into my identity has been ongoing."

There is indeed too little intelligence, and I have been staying in the castle all this time, so even if those people wanted to investigate, they wouldn't be able to find anything. However, one thing can be confirmed—I did enter the Royal Castle. A quick look at the surveillance footage would show who I got into that day. So, the person who orchestrated this might not know my identity, but they would definitely know that I am from the port area. Based on that alone, they wouldn't dare to make a move against me. Not only would they not dare to make a move, but the more arrogant I act, the safer I would be.

"Then we'll need your cooperation, Warspite."

"Cooperating with what?"

"I might have to get physical with you." Jing Su organized her thoughts for a moment before finally blurting out this word, and then blushed as she finished speaking.

If the goal is to prove one's status, what action could better demonstrate one's power than directly confronting the arrogant ship girls?

Warspite blushed instantly; it turned out the real ambush was waiting there.

"Well, if you think it's too much, there are other options." Seeing the war-weary expression, Jing Su realized she had been too smug and had perhaps elevated her own status too much.

"Physical contact...I don't dislike it~" Warspite quickly explained, excitedly shouting out her thoughts.

But how can this be considered an ambush?

This is such a blessing! So many days and nights of longing, so many sleepless nights, are about to become a reality. I'm so excited, how could I possibly refuse?

"Really? That's great." Jing Su breathed a sigh of relief and said in an apologetic voice, "I feel like I still have to apologize."

"Ok?"

“I made the decision without your consent, and it seems I’ve gotten a little carried away,” Jing Su explained.

"How could this be?" Warspite hurriedly stood up and shouted, "Commander, you are the commander of the port, leading us to a powerful banner, you are the sun in our hearts. You don't need anyone's consent to make any decisions. We are your most loyal knights..."

Before he could finish speaking about war, Jing Su interrupted him with a gesture.

"It's because I've heard these kinds of words so many times that I'm starting to feel a bit smug," Jing Su explained. "If I were still the commander who could lead you to strength, I wouldn't deny what you're saying, because it's my achievement."

But now, I am unworthy of these honors. If one's virtue does not match one's position, disaster will surely follow. Amidst your constant praise, I have lost sight of myself and become overly complacent.

This is a harbinger of destruction. There's a saying I have: "Whom the gods would destroy, they first make mad."

Excessive pride and complacency will lead to trouble.

"Commander." Seeing Jing Su's serious expression, Warspite didn't know what to say.

"Actually, I was anxious for a while, feeling that I was not good enough for you. Yixian told me that if I felt unworthy, then I should work hard to improve myself. Self-pity is just wasting time. It is only when you have wasted your precious time that you should regret it."

So, I've always been proactive in participating in all sorts of things. Whether it was the hotpot dinner last night, or helping Yixian manage the logistics of the Donghuang camp on the way here, or this morning, although I was a bit confused, I was forced by Queen Elizabeth to stay in the office to handle government affairs. You have no idea how nervous I was sitting in that position, afraid that if I didn't handle things properly, I would cause trouble.

Thankfully, it was a close call. Yingyong's abilities are quite good; she's already handled the important tasks. The remaining ones aren't difficult, just a bit tedious, which is perfect for a newbie like me to practice on.

Jing Su chatted on and on, rambling on about this and that, actually releasing the pressure in her heart, while Yan Zhan stood silently to the side, saying nothing and acting as a listener.

Chapter Seventy-Nine: Unraveling the Knot

“Commander, you don’t need to be so fearful or worried.” Jing Su said casually. Suddenly, Warspite seized an opportunity and hugged Jing Su from behind. “Commander, I believe more than one person has said this to you. You are the commander, our commander.”

Perhaps we are too preoccupied with the past and have neglected your feelings; we have become too immersed in the past.

Commander, we have grown up now and don't need you to work as hard as before. You may not remember, but most of us ship girls are also clueless about the years of battle we spent fighting.

Take me for example. I, Warspite, am considered a veteran of the port, but I can't remember anything from the past. There are many things that I, Her Majesty the Queen, and even Miss Illusion only have a vague impression of.

This is also the root cause of the panic and great disagreement that arose after you disappeared, Commander—everyone was afraid that all of this was fake, that I was fake, that she was fake, and that you, Commander, were fake too.

Commander, do you know? My impression of most battles is just about aiming, charging, firing, and occasionally taking out suicide ships that sneak up from the front lines in an inconspicuous place on the battlefield.

Can you spot the problem with this passage?

Is there any battle that remains unchanged?

I was able to stay in a safe place, which can be attributed to your brilliant strategy, your ability to plan the battlefield, your ability to always catch people off guard, and your perfect tactical arrangements.

But what about the Sirens? Are they all idiots? They just watch us aim, fire, aim again, and fire again with an almost clockwork-like rhythm.

Such an unchanging pattern is impossible for the Sirens to miss unless they are all fools. To see it and not take corresponding countermeasures would be the height of stupidity.

Based on my understanding of the Sirens in this world, they are shrewd, cunning, and highly skilled in planning and tactics. They are nothing like they used to be, like a program that never changed.

Moreover, as far as I can remember, I've fought the Sirens many times. Why is it that their hosts seem to be able to resurrect and never be completely killed? This is obviously illogical.

If I defeated the Sirens, then what are we fighting now?

So, some of our comrades have actually wondered if it was all a lie. Because when you first disappeared, Commander, and we sought help from the Maritime Bureau, we were horrified to find that we had no photos of you. In fact, in the vast port area, we couldn't find any information about you—no photos, no audio recordings, nothing at all. Someone wanted to draw you, but when it came time to put pen to paper, we couldn't remember anything.

This is the real reason for the division in Hong Kong. We are all scared. What if it's all a lie? What should we do then? What is the meaning of our existence?

So, Commander, when you finally appeared, when Secretary Hutten personally confirmed your existence, when we could clearly remember your appearance and figure, Commander, do you know how excited we were?

It turns out that everything in the past was not an illusion, but real. Some comrades have speculated that you, Commander, and we are not from the same world. The commands you gave us were carried out through some kind of consciousness projection. Otherwise, there is no way to explain why, in such a large port area, we cannot find any trace of you, Commander.

Some of our comrades were indeed frustrated by this speculation, but we quickly came to terms with it. As long as you, Commander, are real, and we are real too, what does it matter if we're in the same world? Aren't we together now?

Isn't this more important than anything else?

So, Commander, it doesn't matter to us that you don't have any memories of fighting alongside us, as long as you're here.

You once led us through thick and thin, overcoming countless obstacles to reach where we are today. Now, we have grown up, and at least in this world, our port's strength is unmatched.

So, Commander, you don't need to worry, just enjoy your life.

"Those words you said earlier about destruction and madness—if praising them would bring down the heavens, then we'd just send them flying! Anyone who dares to harm our commander, whoever they are, will have to take a hit from me first."

Feeling the softness on her back, Jing Su was deeply moved. "So, this is how you think of me?"

"Otherwise what?" Warspite rolled her eyes at Jing Su. "Commander, really, you never say anything out loud, you keep everything to yourself. Everyone is waiting for you to tell us yourself, but we still have to be the ones to break it off first. What's that saying again?"

Commander, you shrimp head~

"Uh, haha." Jing Su scratched his head awkwardly and replied, "Isn't it because I was afraid you wouldn't accept it? Uh, well, okay, I was just overthinking things, worrying unnecessarily, and being too anxious."

Actually, I still care about you all too much. I'm afraid of losing you, afraid that you won't acknowledge me. How should I put it? The commander in your territory is too dazzling. I know myself. Well, I can't say I can't do it in the future, but I'm not that great right now.

This stark contrast makes me feel insecure.

In short, it's because I care about you too much that I become so anxious and insecure.

"Oh, so in the end it became our problem? Commander, where did you learn this skill of distorting the facts? With that tongue, you're going to mess with a lot of the sisters in the future." Warspite lightly punched Jing Su, but her eyes were full of joy.

Many things, if left unsaid, will lead to anxiety and misunderstandings, just as Jing Su said, and eventually end in a mess. But once they are spoken out and the knots are untied, the relationship becomes easy and pleasant.

"I didn't say that, you're the one who thought it that way," Jing Su quickly tried to shift the blame.

"Hehe~" Warspite ran back to her room, brought over a fishing rod. It was almost noon, and she planned to catch some sea fish to eat. "So, Commander, what are your plans for coming here? You know it will make us worry, yet you still insist on coming here. Can you tell me your plan?"

Taking the fish food from Warspite, Jing Su prepared bait for Warspite in tacit agreement, and replied, "There is indeed a plan of our own, but it's hard to say what the specific situation will be. It depends on what the force that designed this situation is thinking."

If nothing goes wrong, that's best. But if there really is a problem, then we'll have to rely entirely on you, Warspite.

"That's natural~"

Chapter 80: Ship girls are coming to our area!

"Commander, we're almost at the no-signal zone." After clearing up her mind, Jing Su chatted with Warspite for a while. As they got closer to their destination, Warspite couldn't help but start to feel nervous.

"Okay, I understand." Jing Su nodded, made a few gestures on the tablet in her hand, then stood up and walked to Warspite's side. "I'll be counting on you for now."

"I will protect the Commander~" Warspite's gaze was resolute.

After the two had a heart-to-heart talk, Jing Su took the opportunity to reveal her plan.

If I had to put it into words, they would only be some contingency plans for emergencies, to prevent being at a loss after an accident.

Jing Su believed in Warspite's strength. In every aspect, she was an absolute Valkyrie. Although the port's current strength wasn't top-tier, it was still among the top-tier colored forces.

. . . . . .

Reception location.

"Ha~"

Two men, one fat and one thin, who looked like security guards, were patrolling.

"So sleepy? Who did you go out with last night?" the fat man said to the thin man.

"Get lost, you're the one having fun. Everyone in the base knows you're the only one with a Fiji Cup, hehe, how many hands did you get it from?" the skinny guy retorted, trying to sound cheerful.

"Hey kid, you're slacking off at work. What's wrong? Are you jealous that I have something to be comfortable with, while you only have five fingers?"