127: Chapter 127 Game Club

"Good news, brothers! Great news! The top chef is making lunch for us today!"

Early in the morning, Finn was already spamming the Game Club's group chat, so much so that no one knew what was going on. Finn was just bossily ordering everyone to prepare ingredients today.

Our clueless Commander Li Ming only found out after class that Finn was serious about this.

Watching them carry large and small bags of ingredients, Li Ming knew he was in for a busy time.

"...Alright then, roughly how many people?"

"Including you, eight."

"..." Li Ming did a quick count. Including his own household, and adding Kano as an extra.

Thirteen mouths, one lunch.

"Then you'll have to help," Li Ming said, hands on his hips. "Otherwise, I can't manage it alone."

"Sure thing!" Finn readily agreed, but Li Ming suddenly felt they'd be doing well if they didn't just get in the way.

Then Li Ming suddenly realized something.

'Including me, eight'—he probably hadn't counted Li Ming's own Ship Girls.

"Finn, besides the two of us, who else?"

"My Olena, Ronan and Cliff and their Ship Girls, and our Game Club's teacher, Lenella."

"..."

Li Ming finally understood. No wonder Finn had agreed so readily when he had a request. It turned out there were only two Commander members in the club. Including himself and Cliff, they barely had four!

If he remembered correctly, Olena was from the Knights' Patrol Division, meaning that excluding himself and Cliff, the actual club members were probably...

Three. Loni might not be one either. Possibly only two.

Li Ming shook his head. "I get it. Then I'll bring my whole family over in a bit. I'll leave the club class to you all."

"OK!"

——————

Thirty minutes later.

Li Ming stared at the vast but empty clubroom, deep in thought.

"Back in my first year, this place was always bustling," Finn said, turning on the lights. "Too bad everyone graduated, and our club just declined."

"...Actually, its reputation is just too poor, Commander Li Ming," Olena said, putting down the plastic bags stuffed with ingredients. "After all, you know about the 'Land of the Gods' series..."

"Alright, I understand," Li Ming said, amused and exasperated, waving his hand to cut her off. "Where's the kitchen? Everyone's hungry. I'll get started right away."

Olena nodded, pointed towards the kitchen, then looked back at the crowd following Li Ming.

Without exception, they were heading into the kitchen.

"Alert, can you cook?"

"Don't underestimate me, Comrade Commander!"

"Then help A6 with picking vegetables. Anshan?"

"I can."

"Good, you work with Z23 then. A6, do you remember what I taught you?"

A6 pulled out a kitchen knife.

Li Ming gave a thumbs-up, then rummaged through a plastic bag for eggs, found a bowl, and cracked them in.

Loni tugged on Ronan's sleeve. Ronan nodded, and then Loni went in to help.

Olena dragged in a gas canister, ready to connect it to the stove.

A Ship Girl emerged from a corner, her light brown hair messy, her black eyes looking bewildered at the scene. "Finn, who are they..."

"They're our new club members, Teacher!"

Cliff stood at the doorway, feeling awkward and out of place.

There were a bit too many people in the kitchen; it looked full already.

"Commander... let's sit down," Linde said, pulling him to sit by a game console. "Since they didn't ask for us, we don't need to force our way in, right?"

"It's not like that, Linde..." Cliff felt a headache coming on, unsure how to explain social nuances to her.

As for Kano, she was loitering in the kitchen until Li Ming shooed her out.

The kitchen was bustling. Li Ming was busy stir-frying tomatoes and eggs. The vegetables A6 had chopped were piling up like a mountain, and she stood on tiptoe watching him.

Z23's spatula was moving so fast sparks were practically flying. Alert, who hadn't managed to get a wok, was dutifully making soup. No one knew what she had put in it, but there was a distinct sense of foreboding.

Namely, Li Ming hadn't noticed at all what she was stewing in that pot!

Forget it. As long as she didn't put batteries in, it should be fine... a messy stew would suppress the horror.

He poured the simplest stir-fried tomatoes and eggs onto a plate, then cleaned the spatula to prepare for the next dish.

Lunch for over a dozen people was no joke.

He wiped his sweat. Who knew when the weather would cool down.

Loni skillfully chopped vegetables, a far cry from her usual reserved demeanor. Looking at this, one could guess Ronan wasn't much of a cook either.

After confirming there was no wok station or task for her, Olena retreated from the kitchen to avoid causing trouble. Turning around, she saw Finn and Ronan already sitting in front of a computer, and Ms. Kano had also opened a computer, eager to try...

He'd let it slide today, wouldn't comment on them.

Teacher Lenella sat down. "What shall we play today?"

"Ronan, didn't we leave our contra game unfinished last time?"

"That's a two-player game, right? We have... four of us?"

"Then what should we play?" Kano fiddled with the mouse.

"We'll have to play a team battle game," Finn said, starting to look for team-based games.

Olena stood behind them. Cliff and Linde glanced sideways at them.

"Commander, your friends..."

"And that's precisely why they're my friends," Cliff said with a smile. "Even though we've only known each other a few days."

Linde touched her short red hair, clearly not fully understanding, but she didn't question further.

She still needed more time to understand this world.

As for this Ship Girl, Cliff was quite... fond of her.

Because no matter what, she was his Ship Girl.

"Beep— Beep—"

"What's that sound?"

Cliff looked around and found Li Ming's phone on the front counter. He picked it up and saw an unknown number calling.

After a moment's thought, he took it into the kitchen. "Li Ming! Your phone!"

"Give it here!"

Li Ming stretched out his hand, took the phone, and held it to his shoulder to answer.

"Hi— Li Ming, classmate~ Can you come this afternoon?... From the sounds, are you making lunch?"

Li Ming immediately recalled that Ship Girl lady with the dark blue hair and open personality.

"Ah, yes. I'm at the Game Club... Is there something you need my help with?"

"Ah, no, no. I was just asking when you might be able to come? There are some technical details I'd like to discuss with you~"

"How about... around 2:30 PM? I should be able to make it by then," Li Ming thought for a moment and asked.

"No problem~"

After hanging up, Li Ming freed a hand to stuff the phone back into his pocket. Well, today he'd also drop by the Summer History Society and the Rights Society. Maybe he'd find some new leads.

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