I really don't have money for the ship girls.

The hotel staff skillfully brought out a kerosene lamp that Yingtian had only seen as a child from somewhere, without any further reaction from him. This is understandable, as it's unlikely that the power supply would be fully guaranteed in a place where even 2G network coverage is not yet available.

"Sir, please show your identification."

The dark-skinned receptionist spoke a language completely different from Richelieu and the others, but it did seem to be French, since Richelieu translated for Yingtian.

Ying Tian didn't move, but said directly, "We'll book the entire top floor of the hotel."

The waitress remained unmoved: "Sir, I meant please show me your identification."

Yorktown.

Yorktown, whose name was called by Yingtian, placed two US dollars on the table.

"This is the best hotel in Bangui, this amount of money is nothing..."

"This is a tip."

The waitress fell silent. She quickly put the US dollars on the counter into her pocket, forced what she thought was her best professional smile, and said, "Some of our rooms on the top floor are booked."

"I'll cancel the contract, but I'll pay three times the penalty."

At that moment, a Black man who looked like the store manager walked over. His French was much more fluent than the staff's: "I'm sorry, sir, this isn't about the money, it's about our reputation..."

Yorktown.

Yorktown placed another stack of US dollars on the table, and the store manager fell silent.

"Louis IX, Joan of Arc".

The two ship girls who were called out by Yingtian this time did not take out US dollars, but instead opened their coats, revealing the dual pistols hidden under their trench coats.

Dual-gun Saintess, 6.3 caliber, six-round magazine, genuine.

What era are we living in? Still acting like traditional saintesses and knights-in-arms?

The store manager felt a cold sweat running down his body. He had attended a local church school, which was why he spoke French so fluently. The Asian youth in front of him, accompanied by a group of white women and a fluent French translator, was rich and armed. Even with his experience, he couldn't guess who these people were. Based on his experience, he shouldn't be reckless, or he might really die.

"I'll arrange a room for you right away. Please show your ID... Ah, you can show it when it's convenient for you. Please come with me, the room key will be delivered to you shortly."

As it turns out, money works in Africa, but guns work even more.

However, subsequent events further demonstrate that this rule is only effective for people with a certain level of self-understanding, and has no effect on people who are mentally challenged or self-righteous.

She instructed the waiters and others not to come up unless necessary. The company also planned to send people to stand guard at the stairwells and fire exits. She didn't quite believe in the safety here. Along the way, this country, which had suffered from war and coups, was not without security, but it was more like a defense. Would a normal country have armored vehicles of the security forces constantly driving on the streets?

As for the room itself, it completely exceeded some people's expectations.

"Cough cough cough..."

Upon entering the room, Ryufeng couldn't resist taking off her hood, revealing her long, black hair tied in a high ponytail. The Sakura Empire's aircraft carrier, eager to turn on the air conditioner after receiving the call, frantically searched for the remote, only to be choked by the strange smell emanating from the air conditioner, whose casing had turned yellowish from smoke.

"What's wrong?" The woman who came in from outside was a mature woman with glasses. She hadn't taken off her hood yet, because she had long black hair that reached her waist, which was all tucked into her trench coat.

"The air conditioner seems to be broken."

"That's normal. I just went around and there were almost no air conditioners that could be turned on. Some rooms couldn't even have their fans turned on."

"..."

Longfeng took a breath and thought to himself that he had already prepared to camp in the wilderness, so the current accommodation was a pleasant surprise. As long as it was clean, that was fine. He would take it all in stride. This was the style of us Sakura Empire!

Then Longfeng discovered that not only was the TV in the room unable to receive a signal and the electric fan creaking, but the Wi-Fi signal was practically nonexistent. Even the cleanliness of the room was merely superficial—the curtains were stained with oil, there were cobwebs on the exhaust fan, and there were two aluminum cans under the bed, all of which indicated the level of hygiene of the best hotel in the country.

Longfeng pursed her lips and silently tied her hair back up. Since she didn't plan to use the bathroom towel anyway, she would just use it as a rag for a thorough cleaning.

Feilong lay down on the bed and said, "Longfeng, why bother with all this? We're not staying at this hotel for long anyway."

"Even if you're not staying long, you should still keep it clean. That's the proper etiquette of the Wu family," Longfeng said after thinking for a moment. "This is probably the best hotel in the country. You don't think you can find a decent place to rent, do you?"

"At worst, we can stay in a tent."

"The tent has no water or electricity, and it's even more troublesome when it's windy and rainy."

"At least there's a commander."

"That's true, at least there's a commander."

Ship girls are a kind of idealistic life form. They draw nourishment from history and power from their commanders. Without a commander, they feel as if they have lost their backbone. On the contrary, as long as they are by the side of their commander, they feel inexplicably at ease.

Canglong joined Longfeng in cleaning the room. She looked at her younger sister Feilong and said, "Aren't you going to help?"

"Me? I'm alright in combat, but I'll only cause trouble in this kind of situation." Feilong jumped out of bed, pulled back the curtains, and looked outside. It was almost pitch black, with only a few places lit up, which made her feel a little uncomfortable.

"By the way, who is the Commander sharing a room with tonight?"

Feilong's words startled Longfeng, who involuntarily gripped the rag in her hand. She feigned composure and said, "I don't know. Canglong, do you know?"

"I don't know. I checked all the rooms on the top floor with the Commander, and then Akagi told me to go back to my room and take care of others. She also said to eat something and go to bed early because we might have to move tomorrow..."

As Canglong spoke, she sensed something was wrong, and her speech slowed down. She exchanged a glance with Longfeng.

"So, Akagi is sharing a room with the Commander?"

"It seems so." Longfeng put down the rag in her hand and walked outside anxiously. "No, I have to go and see."

Canglong also put down his broom and said, "We're not going to take a look. We're here to show our appreciation for Chicheng's hard work in planning this operation, and also to ask the commander if there are any new instructions."

"Hmm?...Yes, that's right."

"Huh? Huh? Then I'll go too."

Feilong was a little confused, but she didn't want to stay in the room alone, so she got up and followed her.

"Hey, Dragon and Phoenix, Azure Dragon, what are you doing?"

"Your Majesty, let's go ask the commander if he has any instructions. What about you?"

"I brought some tamagoyaki with me in my ship's equipment. It'll spoil if we don't eat it soon. Let the commander have a taste."

The group exchanged glances and nodded to each other.

"That's on our way, let's go together."

Then the group encountered Zuikaku, followed by the five Essex-class sisters, and then the three Yorktown-class members...

It just goes to show that we are all sisters from the same naval base, and we are in perfect sync.

Chapter Twelve: All the scheming and plotting ultimately came to naught.

"Kaga, please go and help arrange accommodations for everyone in the Sakura Empire."

"elder sister……"

"You know I'm your older sister."

Seeing Akagi narrow her eyes, Kaga pursed her lips. Akagi and Kaga were not sister ships of the same class, but as members of the First Carrier Division, their bond was stronger than that of sisters.

"Okay, I'll go check on the others."

The sisters can give in to each other about anything except men. The commander is Kaga's ideal prey. If it weren't for Amagi's instructions before they set off, Kaga would never have made such a concession.

"Enterprise, I'm leaving the White Eagle team in your care."

"Trouble? It's something I should be doing anyway."

Compared to Kaga, Enterprise was much easier to deal with. Although she was also puzzled as to why Akagi had suddenly changed her personality and started using honorifics with her, and that she and Essex combined were not as good as Yorktown in arranging their companions' lives, it was indeed her responsibility.

So the White Eagle aircraft carrier, who had always been completely covered by a hood, called Yorktown and Essex and left the room.

“We in Sakura Empire can also handle the security escort, but I think it’s more suitable for the Iris sisters to do it, since none of us understand French and have no way to communicate with the waiters and other people.”

Akagi didn't even need to say a word; Richelieu knew what she meant. Perhaps he was a little clumsy in daily life, but how could Richelieu, who inherited the name of that cardinal cardinal with the iris, be a political novice?

The two exchanged glances and each received a satisfactory answer: you do the first day of the month, I'll do the fifteenth; we both have a bright future.

“Indeed, it is most appropriate for our Iris ship girls to be in charge of safety. I will go and check if there are any other entrances or exits besides the stairs and fire escape.”

With that, Richelieu led Louis IX and the others out.

Akagi skillfully maneuvered and eliminated one opponent after another. Her gaze sharpened, and only two of the most troublesome opponents remained: the head maid Belfast and the culprit Taihou. One was too intelligent and the other too brainless, but both extremes were equally difficult to deal with.

"It feels unrealistic to spend three or four months in a place like this."

Ying Tian experienced the facilities of this top-notch hotel in Central Africa. To be fair, it was much better than the dormitories in those rudimentary assembly line factories. Apart from the intermittent Wi-Fi, the unreliable power, the air conditioning being just for show, and the hot water depending on the mood, it had almost all the amenities that a standard room should have.

"Don't worry, Master, I'll figure something out." Belfast wrapped her hair up. Even Ying Tian could see a lot. In the eyes of a professional like the head maid, this place was full of problems.

"I don't really care, I even think the conditions are pretty good." Ying Tian looked out the almost pitch-black window, still feeling a little uneasy. "But this place is never good. Putting aside the conditions, if you can achieve your goal with money and guns, then others can do the same."

"It's alright, as long as I can be with Commander, I can endure anything!" Taihou looked at Yingtian with a charming gaze. Unlike the alluring charm of Saint Louis and Prinz Eugen, which was full of older sisterly tension, Taihou's eyes seemed to be able to drip water. She couldn't wait to pounce on him and hug him from behind. "As long as Taihou is here, I will fulfill all of Commander's requests."

"How dare you say that?" Ying Tian felt Da Feng's passion and tight pressure as he struggled to break free and turned around, saying, "Don't think this matter is over. I haven't punished you yet."

"Sure." Taihou said nonchalantly, stretching out her hands sweetly, "Please, Commander, punish Taihou's body as you see fit."

Akagi clenched her fists, trying hard to suppress the twitching at the corner of her mouth. In her heart, she cried out, "Commander, please don't do this! It's a reward, not a punishment!"

"There are priorities. We'll punish you after things have settled down, so that everyone can brainstorm and serve as a warning to others."

Ying Tian isn't stupid. Bismarck's willingness to be punished shows his sense of responsibility, but Taihou's expectant look suggests it's hardly a punishment. Although Taihou is undeniably beautiful, alluring, and possesses a curvaceous figure, if it's about that lustful body...

Thinking of this, Ying Tian quickly stopped. Ever since he had tasted the sweetness of the Prince of Wales, he felt that some of his emotions and desires, which had been suppressed for a long time, were beginning to be released. It is normal for people to have emotions and desires, but one must be mindful of the occasion.

“Commander, everyone is almost settled.” Akagi walked over, pretending to have just heard Yingtian’s words. She said, “Although Taihou is our Sakura Empire’s ship girl, this matter has really caused a very bad impact. If she were in the naval base, she would at least have to be sent to the Northern Alliance for a few months of confinement.”

Ying Tian nodded and said, "That's right. Let's lock Da Feng in a room for a couple of days. We can't just do nothing, or everyone will have complaints."

"Commander, don't lock up Taihou. If you're going to lock someone up, lock me up with you." Taihou's face instantly darkened. She looked at Akagi with some resentment. "Are you going to interfere with me and the Commander? Even if you are Akagi, I won't let you get away with it."

Akagi's fox ears twitched slightly beneath her hood, but her face wore a helpless expression: "To say something like that, it seems you, Taihou, haven't repented at all."

Ying Tian was also having a headache. Da Feng definitely needed to be punished, but the method of punishment couldn't be determined for the time being. Beating and scolding her was meaningless; they needed to use a method that could touch her heart and that everyone would accept.

However, confinement is definitely necessary. If everyone knew that they could stay with the Commander even after making a mistake, wouldn't everyone want to follow in Taihou's footsteps?

When Taihou was pulled outside by Belfast, this ship girl, whose body was mature but whose personality was no different from that of a child, struggled violently. Then, when Yingtian said, "Be obedient, or you'll have to stay locked up for a few more days," she suddenly turned into a pitiful figure.

"Taihou has caused the Commander far too much trouble." Akagi's heart pounded. She had finally managed to get rid of all these people and had the opportunity to be alone with the Commander. It was precisely at times like this that she needed to remain calm and not let her efforts go to waste.

She gracefully stood beside Yingtian, slowly pulling down her hood to reveal her beautiful, smooth brown hair and fluffy fox ears. Akagi said, "It's my fault for not managing everyone well and for not being able to share the commander's burdens. I'm truly useless."

"I can't blame you. If you insist on saying it that way, I also bear some responsibility."

Ying Tian turned his head and was immediately drawn to the fox ears on Chi Cheng's head, especially the tuft of brown fur in the middle of the ears, which was so fluffy that it made one want to reach out and touch it.

Akagi twitched her ears at the opportune moment, then raised her bright and pretty face and suddenly said in a low voice, "Commander, am I beautiful?"

Ying Tian felt that his gaze had been noticed, so he said, "Very beautiful."

"That's good. I was worried that I would disappoint the Commander." Akagi took a step closer to Yingtian without making it obvious, so that their bodies were lightly pressed together through their clothes. "Every time I write to the Commander, I want to show more of myself, and I also want to meet the Commander, but I am afraid of disappointing the Commander. I wonder if I am the same as the Commander imagined me to be."

Chicheng had a meek and obedient demeanor, so even when they were close together, Yingtian didn't feel awkward. After looking away, he continued to think about other things and casually said, "It doesn't matter if we're different or not. Just be yourself. I think everyone here has a strong personality."

What was said in jest was taken to heart by the listener. Akagi was startled and said, "Does the Commander prefer genuine emotions?"

"Of course. How could I possibly guess the personality of so many people one by one? If others are honest with me, I will be honest with them in return. Isn't that how communication between people works?"

Akagi clenched her fists. Had she been too clever for her own good, trying to make a good impression on the Commander and then smoothly advance the process...? What should she do? Or would it be better to just push the Commander to the top directly?

"Commander, I..."

"Commander, is there anything else you need to do?" Akagi's anxious words were interrupted as Ryuho and Soryu filed into the room.

"Do you want some tamagoyaki?"

"Is there hot water in the Commander's room? Yes? That's great, Lucky."

"I was asking the Commander if we wanted to go to the rooftop to see the stars together? An excuse? Bumblebee, don't make false accusations."

More and more people entered the room, and Akagi's fingernails dug into her flesh.

Damn it, why are these pests bothering me!

Finally, Kaga came in. She looked at Akagi, who was forcing a smile, and said, "Everyone's here, so one more won't make a difference."

Akagi loosened his grip, then clenched it again.

Come on, all of you, let me show you my love for the Commander!

Chapter Thirteen: Who is the other lucky one?

"To be honest, this place is even worse than I imagined. I went to the front desk to look at the restaurant's menu, and the weird shapes and the finished product-like appearance would make even the Royal Navy ship girls think it's torture for prisoners of war."

Bumblebee pushed herself up on the bed with both hands, her golden twin ponytails cascading down, and the zipper of her long trench coat was already open, boldly displaying her deep and alluring cleavage.

Belfast weaved through the crowd, glanced at Bumblebee, and said, "I just happened to have prepared a lot of canned food for this operation, so you can have it all, Bumblebee."