Shipgirls and Salted Fish Commander, Port Survival Guide

Many times, Jing Su knew it was time to stop, but the moment the thought crossed her mind, Plymouth's scream of "Commander!" would extinguish her reason, reigniting her anger. Stopping, of course, became an illusion.

"Oh, Commander, let me take you to the kitchen to get something to eat. It's getting late, and the porridge and milk should be cold by now. I'll have Little Yellow Chicken heat them up for you." With that, Javelin skipped and hopped into the room.

Jing Su slowly walked to the side of Perseus and the others, and asked, "Vanguard, what's going on?"

"Ahem, Commander, I, I'm fine. But you, you should at least take care of yourself. If Illustrious sees you like this, who knows what she'll say about us. And Plymouth, really, she went too far the first time. Is she trying to drain you dry, Commander? She has no self-control at all."

Qianwei stood up, pretending nothing was wrong, but her tone was anything but polite. Among the people present, she was the most qualified to say that. Yesterday, Plymouth had tormented more than just Jing Su. Qianwei had suffered just as much, both physically and mentally.

Thankfully, Plymouth eventually ran out of energy and stopped, otherwise the midfielders would have felt like they were about to become meta-ized.

"Ah, well, you all already knew?" Jing Su scratched his head, a little embarrassed. But it was actually quite easy to guess. After having barbecue outside last night, Warspite and Perseus found an excuse to drag Sirius and Javelin away with them. Now, only Jing Su and Plymouth were left at the scene.

Later, Plymouth naturally became very frustrated, and Jing Su comforted her in various ways. As they comforted each other, the two of them unknowingly ended up in the same room.

At this point, the large bathtub that Plymouth had carefully prepared came in handy.

Jing Su initially said she was going to take a shower, but with the atmosphere already built up to this point, Plymouth finally decided to be brave and pulled Jing Su into the large bathtub. The two of them bathed together, a truly dreamlike experience.

In the misty fog and hazy moonlight, the two poured out their hearts to each other and expressed their feelings. As for the rest, Plymouth had never experienced it before. When she got to the videos that Akashi had asked for, she was too shy to watch them at the crucial moment and could only stand there, blushing and stunned.

At this moment, Jing Su stepped forward. Or rather, things had come to this point, and if he didn't do something, he would be too unmanly!

And so, at that moment, the moonlight was hazy, and at that moment, spring filled the garden.

Chapter 177 Encounter

Actually, when Jing Su woke up, Plymouth had been awake for quite some time. When Jing Su opened her eyes, she saw Plymouth blinking her big eyes and looking at her with a smile. Jing Su was so startled that she almost jumped out of bed.

Jing Su asked Plymouth how long she had been awake, and Plymouth said it had been almost an hour. Then Jing Su pressed further, asking why she hadn't woken herself up and why Plymouth had been staring at her for so long. Didn't she get tired of it?

Plymouth's answer was very straightforward.

'Plymouth, I could look at Commander forever and never get tired of him. I wish I could stay nestled in his arms like this forever.'

That's what they say, but now that I'm awake, I should get ready to go out. After all, I can't stay in bed forever; I have to do some things eventually.

Especially for Jing Su, he was actually still very sleepy and physically exhausted, but how should I put it, his body was much more effective than a timed alarm clock, and it naturally woke him up at the appointed time.

The unusual feeling in her abdomen told Jing Su that if she didn't want her stomach to cramp, she should get up and eat something quickly.

Plymouth noticed Jing Su's discomfort, so she got up, stretched, and displayed her beautiful figure to Jing Su. Jing Su almost reacted to her gaze—well, not almost, she did react. However, Plymouth smiled and quickly got up, deciding not to bother Jing Su any further. She had already done enough last night, and if she did it again now, the big shots outside would probably be unhappy.

After a quick wash, Jing Su yawned and went out, while Plymouth stayed at the dressing table, busy with various tasks.

Jing Su also said that with Plymouth's looks, she didn't need makeup at all, but Plymouth objected, saying that today was her rebirth and she had to present herself to others with a perfect appearance and demeanor.

That's what they say, but after all that effort, Plymouth didn't really do much. Well, I don't know if she's not good at makeup or if she doesn't know how to do it. But Jing Su couldn't help with this, so she had to leave Plymouth to handle it all by herself.

Before leaving, looking at Plymouth sitting in front of the mirror, lost in thought, Jing Su sighed inwardly, "So there are things in this world that Plymouth isn't good at."

Finally, Plymouth only wore light makeup and applied some powder to her face. Just as Jing Su said, Plymouth's appearance was quite perfect, basically able to outshine a bunch of so-called celebrities and divas even without makeup.

To be precise, the appearance of the ship girls in the port area is basically like this: they have fair skin, bright eyes, and different but perfect figures.

Jing Su didn't wait for Plymouth after all. It wasn't that she didn't want to wait, but she was really hungry. If she didn't eat something soon, she was afraid her stomach would hurt. Besides, Plymouth had been busy for a long time, but was still sitting in front of the mirror in a daze.

Jing Su figured it out: Plymouth wasn't unwilling to put on makeup, but most likely nervous because she was there. So she simply left the room, letting Plymouth do as she pleased.

"Come on, Commander, try this. It's delicious. This egg tart is durian flavored. It's my favorite." As soon as Jing Su sat down at the table, Javelin ran around and soon brought over a huge pile of snacks, piling them all on the table.

"Ah..." Looking at the mountain of pastries on the table, Jing Su fell into deep thought, feeling as if she had seen this scene before.

"That's enough, that's enough. We can't possibly finish all of this. Don't take any more." Seeing that Javelin was still about to take more food, Jing Su quickly stopped her. The small mountain of food in front of her was enough to keep her busy for half a day. If she took any more, she might not even be able to eat lunch.

"Hey, is this enough? Commander, you're eating so little~" Javelin was a little annoyed when she heard Jing Su's words. She had been looking forward to this day for so long. Ever since she was confirmed to be able to go to the front lines, she had been thinking about feeding Jing Su. But now that she finally had the chance, it was over as soon as she finished her task~

"Javelin eats so much? Be careful you don't become a big fatso." Seeing Javelin's gloomy expression, Jing Su suddenly had a whim and teased.

"No way, I'm the type who can eat whatever I want and never gain weight," Javelin said proudly, hands on her hips.

"Haha, if you say that out loud, you'll probably get a lot of angry stares." Jing Su patted Javelin's head lightly, then picked up a piece of cake and started eating it with milk.

"I'm not good at gaining weight anyway. No matter how much I eat, it's all burned off once my ship equipment is activated." Javelin muttered to herself. Theoretically, ship girls can go without food and drink as long as they have the resources. However, the desire for food is a spiritual enjoyment for any intelligent being. Who would refuse to eat delicious food? Even Belfast, who strictly requires her head maid to accept a cup of fragrant black tea during afternoon tea time.

Compared to the resources consumed during sorties, the energy contained in food is just a bonus. Once the ship equipment completes a rotation, it's all used up. So theoretically, every ship girl is naturally thin—literally thin, meaning she can eat whatever she wants and not gain weight.

"Really? That's a physique that many people would envy." Jing Su swallowed a piece of egg tart and showed a happy expression. The egg tart tasted pretty good. It was really hard for the little yellow chickens on the cruise ship to make food that tasted like this. But speaking of which, it seems that the royal camp is quite skilled in desserts. However, when it comes to things like home cooking, it's not that they have no talent, but it's completely the opposite.

I still vividly remember everything that happened in the castle building when I first arrived at the Royal Army's base.

"Commander, you should eat more too. It's normal for us ship girls not to be fat. Commander, you're too thin!" After saying that, Javelin brought Jing Su a bowl of bacon and was preparing it for her according to her memory.

Well, when it comes to foods like ham and eggs, the ladies of the royal camp adhere to the fine European tradition that they must be made and eaten fresh. Javelin even brought over the oven at one point.

Jing Su didn't have much to say about this, so she let it be. Anyway, if she mentioned it, Javelin would unconsciously run off to move the equipment. Judging from her expression, she'd been looking forward to this day for a long time. Since it was something the young girl had always wanted to do, Jing Su naturally had no reason to refuse. In short, 'Let her be, as long as she's happy.'

"Hmm, this fried egg is cooked very tenderly. Javelin's skills are quite good." It wasn't that Jing Su was deliberately flattering her. It was clear that Javelin had indeed put a lot of effort into training her breakfast. Not to mention those that were automatically baked by the bread machine, just the fried egg that Jing Su was eating now was cooked to perfection.

Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, golden and translucent, with a golden-brown outer ring, but that's the texture of a fried egg. The interplay of crispness and tenderness, the perfect combination of salt and soy sauce, and with one bite, the scalding juices dance in your mouth, stimulating your taste buds from every angle, making Jing Su want to give a comment.

'This tastes like mom's cooking~'

"Eh!? Mom, it tastes like Mom's cooking!?" Javelin was initially happy to hear Jing Su's evaluation, but after hearing it, she felt like she had been struck by lightning.

'Commander, is she treating me like a mother? How could this be!?'

Javelin was on the verge of tears. She had hoped to impress Jing Su with her cooking skills, but now that she saw the praise, it seemed strange.

"Haha, Javelin, you little dummy, I lived in Guangdong Province for a long time before. This is the highest praise for a chef's skills~ I don't really want you to be my mom." Seeing Javelin's bewildered expression, Jing Su laughed and realized how powerful her words were to a young girl, especially one who had feelings for her.

So Jing Su put down the fork, gently stroked the head of the javelin, and explained with a smile.

"Oh, I see! That's how it is!" Javelin realized she had misunderstood, her face immediately turning bright red, which made Jing Su laugh even louder. "Commander!"

Seeing Jing Su laughing heartily, Javelin stomped her foot, looking sullen. However, as if she had just thought of something, Javelin whispered, "If the Commander wants, Javelin, I'm not incapable of being a mother!"

"?"

"??"

"??!"

Girl, the reason I'm making this face isn't because I have a problem, but because I think you have a problem!

What the hell?

Javelin as a mother? That's not chaotic, but it doesn't seem like it's impossible.

No, things are bound to get chaotic eventually!

"Cough cough cough~" Jing Su almost choked to death on a mouthful of milk.

"Hey, Commander, are you alright?" Javelin rushed to Jing Su's back and patted him gently, asking anxiously.

"Cough cough, I, I'm fine." After a long while, Jing Su finally recovered. It was obvious that she had choked quite badly just now, and her face was really red.

"It's good that the commander is alright." Javelin breathed a sigh of relief.

"Haha, as expected, it has to be you, Javelin." At this moment, Jing Su burst into laughter again.

"Huh?" Javelin was stunned, not knowing what Jing Su meant for a moment.

"Well, Javelin really knows how to take care of people." Jing Su gently stroked Javelin's soft hair and said, "Having Javelin by my side and having breakfast together is really great. Or rather, Javelin's existence means something wonderful. Indeed, I must say, Javelin, it's really great to have you by my side."

"Hey, Commander~" Javelin was a little embarrassed by Jing Su's words, her face turned slightly red, her hands were crossed below her navel, and her body swayed.

"I'm telling the truth."

Looking at the shy Javelin, Jing Su felt quite emotional. It seemed that among the four little ones, Javelin was the most caring. Z23 was also quite caring to some extent, but compared to Javelin's lively girl persona, Z23 was more like a top student. After a costume change, she was immediately made a teacher.

Javelin is a vibrant young girl, and liveliness is her defining characteristic. Z23 is very serious, meticulous, and takes everything she does very seriously. Laffey is adorable, soft and cute, and it's very comfortable to be around her. Ayanami is a quiet girl, but she has a very delicate and gentle heart, and being with her feels like being in a passionate relationship.

"Okay, I'm done eating. It was a perfect breakfast experience. Thanks for your hard work, Javelin." Jing Su patted Javelin's head again, then clutched her stomach, making an exaggerated gesture to indicate that her stomach was about to explode.

"Hey, is this enough? Commander, would you like to eat some more? I'll make lots more delicious food for you to try." Javelin danced with joy upon hearing that Jing Su had finished eating.

"Haha, maybe next time. I really can't eat anymore, even if I make it again, I still can't eat. Eating too much for breakfast isn't good for your health. Let's leave it at that for today. I feel like it's about time to go to the captain's cabin. Warspite just sent a message asking us to come over. There must be something going on."

Jing Su took out her phone, which showed that Yan Zhan had indeed just sent a message.

Because of the disappearance of Jing Su and the inability to contact her, Warspite launched a satellite today to obtain a signal. The process was a bit complicated. First, a satellite was launched into space, and then it collided with one of its own satellites. Through this, the Royal Navy headquarters was informed that they needed help. Then, headquarters would send a dedicated communications satellite to provide the cruise ship with a network signal.

When Jing Su learned how the current network signal came about, she exclaimed, "As expected of the Royal Camp, they are truly wealthy and powerful. It seems only their camp could pull off such a bizarre thing."

Ah, why didn't they just send a satellite to follow it from the beginning?

Don't ask, the answer is I've forgotten.

"Oh, I see. Okay then~" Although she was reluctant, Javelin was not unreasonable. Since there was something to do, she should prioritize the important matter. There would be plenty of opportunities to cook for Jing Su in the future. Today, she could test her skills and see if they could satisfy Jing Su. That was enough.

Or, to be precise, Javelin already knows everything she wanted to know today. She roughly knows Jing Su's tastes and roughly knows that her cooking skills are not bad. That's enough.

So Javelin hurriedly called over Little Yellow Chicken to clean up the dining table. It has to be said that Little Yellow Chicken is very important for the port to maintain normal operations. Daily cleaning, clothing organization, and even the outfits of many ship girls when they go out all require the assistance of Little Yellow Chicken.

"Warspite, what's wrong? Why did you call me over so urgently?" Rushing to the captain's cabin, Warspite didn't explain what was wrong in the communication, only telling Jing Su to come over immediately.

Upon entering the room, I saw Warspite frowning and staring at the radar.

"Commander, you've arrived." Hearing Jing Su's voice, Warspite breathed a slight sigh of relief and then explained what had happened.

"Oh, you said there's a cargo ship speeding towards us?"

Upon hearing War Exhaustion's statement, Jing Su was stunned. Wasn't it said that the main shipping lanes controlled by the Royal Navy had been suspended due to the summer offensive?

"I don't know what's going on with them. Oh no, at this speed, we're about to encounter them. Javelin, notify Perseus and Vanguard, prepare for battle!"

Chapter 178 Friendly Forces, They Are Friendly Forces

"Attention ships ahead! Attention ships ahead! You have entered our defensive zone. Please report your identity. Repeat, please report your identity. Otherwise, we will attack in three minutes."

In the captain's cabin, Warspite shouted loudly through the loudspeaker.

Every ship that enters the ship girl's controlled route through legitimate means, whether military or civilian, is required to be equipped with a broadcasting system. This allows two ships to make brief contact when they encounter each other, since there is no network signal on the main route.

Incidentally, the lack of signal on the main shipping route is partly due to the Maritime Safety Administration's questionable practices. The port area had originally proposed establishing a supply station along the shipping route, along with a signal station, so that there would be a signal even on the high seas. However, the Maritime Safety Administration refused, preferring to use satellite phones rather than allow the ship girls to establish a base station.

What can this ship girl say? If the Maritime Safety Administration doesn't want it, then so be it. The port area should be built, but it just won't be used by the Maritime Safety Administration after it's built.

The Maritime Safety Administration is concerned that, in the eyes of the Sirens, a signal station is a sitting duck. Once it is built, it will be like lighting a lamp in the dark for the Sirens, making it extremely obvious. Therefore, maintenance will be a major problem.

Actually, the port area also has this problem. Signal stations are indeed vulnerable to Sirens attacks. The base stations on the main shipping route need to be overhauled every few days. For example, with the summer offensive approaching, the frequency of Sirens appearing has increased dramatically. Currently, the base stations along the entire main shipping route are basically in a state of disuse. This is the key reason why Jing Su has had no signal since its departure.

In order to deal with emergencies, the Maritime Safety Administration and the port area reached an agreement that every ship going to the front line must be equipped with communication devices. The port area provides the technology and the Maritime Safety Administration provides the hardware. In fact, the Maritime Safety Administration was reluctant to install them at first, saying that it was worried that the port area would eavesdrop on them.

The ship girls in the port area are saying, "Take it or leave it."

After several major accidents, and under pressure from public opinion, the Maritime Safety Administration sheepishly returned to the ship girls for technical assistance. However, this time, the port authorities announced that they would be charging a fee.

Surprisingly, the Maritime Safety Administration readily agreed upon hearing that a fee would be charged.

Jing Su said she didn't understand. "You don't want it if it's free, but you get excited when you hear you have to pay for it. What do you call that?"

Warspite just used this device to confirm the other party's identity. According to Warspite, this ship was originally on another route, but for some reason it came here, and its target was clear: it was coming this way.

The Vanguard and Perseus are already on deck, their ship equipment deployed, ready to attack the ship charging towards them at any moment. It can be said that as soon as Warspite gives the order, this cruise ship will immediately turn into a dazzling firework on the sea.

"Heh, judging from the sound, is it war-weariness? Why didn't that little Queen Elizabeth come out? Is she insecure about her figure? Or does she think there's no hope at the front? Heh."

"You bastard! Don't you dare insult Her Majesty the Queen!" Upon hearing the voice, Warspite immediately flew into a rage and roared into the walkie-talkie.

The other party's walkie-talkie seemed to be malfunctioning, with a strong static noise in the voice. Jing Su couldn't tell who was speaking, only that it was a woman's voice. However, Yan Zhan seemed to recognize who it was, because normally, Yan Zhan wouldn't behave like this if he didn't know them.

"Heh, I'm just stating the facts, and you're getting so angry. How boring. Alright, alright, I surrender. Quickly tell Miss Vanguard and the others to stop. My dear Miss Warwear, you don't want to be accused of attacking your comrades, do you?"

Then the voice call ended, leaving only a buzzing electrical sound in the communicator.

"Warspite, who are they?" From the tone, Jing Su could roughly tell that the other party was also a ship girl from the port, but since he had always played the Silent Route, he couldn't tell who the other party was for the time being.

"Heh, a bunch of annoying guys." It was clear that Warspite was really angry. He almost crushed the walkie-talkie with his hand, but considering that Jing Su was right next to him, Warspite held back. He took out his phone, dialed a number, and said, "It's friendly forces. We're done."

Warspite then began maneuvering the cruise ship to slow down. The radar showed that the other side also slowed down accordingly. At the current pace, they should be able to meet in about half an hour.

"Is the other party Weifa?" Jing Su asked, seeing the war-weary behavior.

"Hey, Commander, you guessed it? Or did you hear it?" Warspite pouted when she heard Jing Su's voice, clearly unhappy.

"Well, strictly speaking, I guessed it. In the entire port area, the only person I can imagine who would elicit this expression from Warspite just by hearing his voice is Veefa. I just don't know which one it is." Jing Su ruffled Warspite's hair and said with a smile.

"Because they are really annoying. Every time we meet, they either complain about Her Majesty the Queen or say that the Royal Family's cooking is terrible. Commander, tell me, what kind of people are like that? Humph, these homeless wretches, annoying ghosts who are keen to raise the white flag." Warspite muttered to himself.

"Oh, this." When Jing Su heard Yan Zhan say this, she thought to herself, "You've been criticizing others just as much, you're just rubbing salt into the wound. No one is much better than anyone else."

For the entire port area, the past can only be described as bygone days, and has become a topic of conversation in daily life. After all, if history were to be rewritten, many ship girls in the port area would not exist. The most direct example is various research ships, which never actually existed in history.