133: Chapter 133 Evening

"Ohhh! A6 is awesome! She just insta-killed them!"

"Whoa! Help me! ...Wow, A6, thank you so much..."

Before even entering, Li Ming heard Finn and Ronan's voices, sounding like a chorus of wailing ghosts.

Exchanging a glance with Alert, Li Ming opened the door and led her inside.

Loni and Olena were chatting behind the front desk and greeted him when they saw him.

Z23 was preparing ingredients for dinner; looking at the current situation, it seemed no one would be heading back or going to the cafeteria to eat.

Anshan and A6 were sitting with Finn and Ronan, while on the other side was Cliff, who had just been team-killed by Finn's "god-tier" play.

Linde watched from behind Cliff, her expression somewhat complicated.

Li Ming took a look at what they were playing.

Hmm... a shooter game, and it looked like they were using the Federation's standard-issue firearms.

A local game?

"Starting another round?" Alert leaned in; it was clear that whatever ideals she had were once again temporarily tossed aside.

Li Ming stood behind A6, watching her gameplay.

With matchless reflexes and precision, along with unparalleled positioning and lead-aiming, she was practically a superhuman.

The next second, the system displayed that she had been kicked from the game for suspected cheating.

"Gah! Why did A6 get kicked?"

"System Message: You have been kicked from the game. Reason: Suspected use of cheating methods," A6 replied emphatically, clearly in a bad mood.

"How can this be..." Finn was about to start cursing, but then he suddenly remembered something and sat back down. "Well, if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, A6's combat power really is scarier than cheating..."

Li Ming shook his head. Seeing A6 turn to look at him, he reached out and patted her head.

She instinctively reached for her hairclip, but then realized she had taken it off because of the headphones. So, she took off the headphones, craned her neck for him to pet her, and closed her eyes.

Li Ming petted her for a long time; it wouldn't be appropriate to say how good this little fox's head felt to the touch.

It wasn't until Anshan, who was nearby, put down her headphones and looked at him with disdain that Li Ming realized he had gone a bit too far. His face flushed as he pulled his hand back...

Anshan leaned her head over.

So that's what you meant?!

Li Ming irritably gave her head a vigorous rubbing; he had to admit, it felt pretty good too.

Anshan punched him in the stomach. He let out a wail and sat on the floor, clutching his belly.

Anshan withdrew her hand expressionlessly. What was this guy doing, pressing so hard?

Li Ming gave an awkward smile.

"Whoa, Li Ming got beat up by his own Ship Girl," Ronan whispered in awe.

"Ronan, tell me, is this what they call... masochism?"

Just as Finn finished speaking, Li Ming's foot flew into Finn's chair, sending him flying off it.

"Masochism my foot! Finn, just you wait, I'm about to turn you into a masochist!"

Li Ming rolled up his sleeves, looking like he was actually going to commit a murder.

"Whoa! Li Ming, calm down!" Ronan hurriedly intervened, though Li Ming didn't actually plan on doing anything.

With a snort, Li Ming burst out laughing. "Alright, alright..."

Helping Finn up, he asked, "Have you guys been playing games all afternoon?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Okay... have you seen Kano?"

"She hasn't come back since you had Z23 call her away earlier."

"Huh? Where could that girl have gone?"

Li Ming scratched his head. "Never mind, you guys keep playing. I'm going to check on Z23."

"Whoa, is Li planning to cook dinner too?"

Li Ming shrugged, tossed his jacket onto a nearby chair, and headed into the kitchen.

"I'm back!" Kano ran in, drenched in sweat and carrying plastic bags, with Teacher Lenella following slowly behind. "I brought back milk tea and pastries for everyone! Who wants to try some?"

"Hooray!"

Seeing that the current match was almost over, Finn and Ronan stopped playing and lunged toward Kano.

Cliff went over, swiped two cups of milk tea, gave one to Linde, and then glanced at the others. "See? This is why I agreed to come here."

"I think I'm starting to understand..." Linde nodded tentatively, looking at the rowdy room.

Teacher Lenella placed her bag on the table; what she had gone to buy were... game discs.

It was exactly as expected.

After handing over the pastries and milk tea to Loni and Olena at the front desk, Kano ducked into the kitchen carrying the bags of fresh meat and vegetables.

"Li Ming, you're back? Is the talk over?"

"Pretty much," Li Ming replied. "Andelin told me she's aware of it. Tomorrow, she'll report to the Patent Office, and the rest is just waiting for the school to give me my cut... though I'm not exactly hurting for money anyway."

"Are you really not short on cash?"

Kano placed the bags at Li Ming's feet.

"Because I basically don't spend money," Li Ming shrugged. "Besides meals, snacks, and drinks, where else would I spend money?"

"Your life is... really simple..." Kano teased. "At least I go out to have fun; you basically never leave the house..."

"Unless it's necessary, I generally don't go out," Li Ming replied.

"Fine..." Kano wiped away some sweat. "It's so hot..."

"Then go out and enjoy the air conditioning."

Li Ming was naturally sweating as well, and Z23 beside him wasn't much better.

"No." Kano pulled a whole slab of meat from the bag, found another cutting board, and tossed the meat onto it. "Do you really think I don't know how to cook?"

Li Ming glanced over. "I thought you were truly someone who never lifted a finger in the kitchen."

"I don't understand that old saying."

"It means someone who doesn't know how to cook."

"Oh... well, it actually has been a long time since I've cooked." Kano tied her hair back into a ponytail. "My cooking was actually taught to me by the Minister."

"Verres? She seems like the type who knows how to do everything."

"That's true," Kano laughed. "Back then, there was constant fighting. Coming back to a hot meal was more comforting than anything, wasn't it?"

"Indeed. Rations are a vital component in maintaining an army's combat effectiveness," Li Ming agreed.

Z23 glanced at him out of the corner of her eye; she didn't recall herself or Fujian ever teaching him that.

"Even though I'm a Super Large Cruiser, I was actually quite weak back then, so everyone put me in the rear to handle logistics." Kano's gaze drifted, seemingly reminiscing about those days.

"And now?" Li Ming asked half-jokingly.

"I'm terrifyingly strong!" Kano snapped back to reality, swinging the kitchen knife forward before pulling it back just before it hit the wall.

"I believe you," Li Ming said flatly.

"Yeah, right." Kano looked at him with disdain. "You didn't believe a word of that, did you?"

"Believe it or not," Li Ming shrugged, but then the phone in his pocket suddenly rang.

Putting down his work, Li Ming picked up the phone and answered; the voice was transmitted to his earpiece via Bluetooth.

"Hello?" Li Ming tilted his head, just about to continue swirling the oil in the pan, when he suddenly set it back down. "What did you say?"

Kano looked over curiously, while Li Ming continued, "Where? ...Okay, I'll be right there."

Li Ming hung up. "Z23, I'm heading out for a bit. Kano, keep an eye on this pan. We might have an extra guest for dinner today."

With that, Li Ming hurriedly left the kitchen.

Kano took over the pan, looking at an equally bewildered Z23.

Outside, Finn was still chatting with Ronan. Seeing Li Ming rushing out, not even stopping to wipe his sweat as he grabbed his jacket, he couldn't help but ask, "Where are you going?!"

"Something's come up."

A6 turned her head. Seeing his hurried pace, she put her milk tea back on the table and jogged after him.

Li Ming rushed all the way back to the dormitory area and looked toward the beach.

A few Ship Girls were still training in the distance. Some Commanders were lying on the beach, sunbathing.

Not over there... so where is she?

Turning around, he saw a girl dressed quite elegantly.

She wore white clothing and a matching white flat-top hat. The black stockings above her leg armor seemed to be part of a bodysuit, as evidenced by the inner lining of her upper garment.

The cross-shaped patch over her left eye couldn't hide her unique sense of modesty, but the expression on her face was complex and touched with a hint of playfulness.

"Long time no see, the culprit who makes me restless day after day... my dear Commander."

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