154: Chapter 154 Milestone

Friday afternoon.

"Phew—"

Lauren tossed her jacket aside and picked up a basin of cold water, pouring it over her face to cool down.

The cold water soaked her clothes through, but she didn't seem to mind much.

But the students minded!

Can't you think about how seductive your figure is, sister!

The students scattered, lest their gazes be sucked away by their dear devil instructor, otherwise their Ship Girls might give them a hard time...

Li Ming was looking at his phone. Although it wasn't intentional, perhaps due to an issue when the screen protector was applied, the screen had become like a privacy filter.

"Ah, Li Ming?"

Lauren threw her jacket over her shoulder and sat down beside him. "How did the formation training feel today?"

"Ah, it was alright..." Li Ming instantly turned off his screen and looked up, then dazed for a moment. "Teacher, what were you doing?"

"Oh, just cooling myself down." Lauren didn't care much. "You haven't answered me yet."

"I said it was alright." Li Ming shrugged. "...I mean, for me personally, it was nothing, but... everyone's coordination is indeed a bit lacking."

"That's not surprising; after all, everyone comes from different places."

"With all due respect, coming from different regions is no excuse." Li Ming shook his head. "As a country founded on martial prowess, discipline training should be quite universal."

"It used to be, but now..." Lauren smiled. "It's mostly just for show."

"Even if it's just for show, it shouldn't be this disorganized, right?"

"Then I wouldn't know."

Other passing students pointed and whispered, completely unable to believe that a first-year could chat and laugh with the academy's recognized devil.

"So what do you think should be done?" Lauren asked. "Although the Maritime Academy isn't a place where discipline is paramount, only by understanding discipline can one understand rules. Therefore, discipline training has always been quite important."

"Well, a benchmark?" Li Ming thought for a moment, his memories a bit fuzzy. "It's best to have a benchmark standing right among them."

"A benchmark... good idea."

"Buzz..."

"Hmm? What's that sound?" Lauren's train of thought was interrupted, and she looked toward the direction of the sound.

The next moment, an unidentified flying object flew over her head, giving her a fright.

"Enemy attack?!"

Lauren reflexively deployed her rigging, incidentally knocking Li Ming back several meters.

Fortunately, this thing flew over from the... direction of the Industrial Society?

"Ugh..."

Li Ming struggled to get up; the impact just now had come quite suddenly, hitting him right in the stomach.

Looking up—whoa, isn't that an I-15?

Aside from the engine noise being much quieter than the I-15s in his own inventory, there was almost no major difference.

"I thought the first test flight would take more time..."

Li Ming remarked emotionally, "So fast?"

During Thursday's club period, he was at the Summer History Society helping Zhou Hong organize materials. Seeing that man's silly grin, he knew the construction was a success.

What else could he do but offer congratulations.

Standing up and patting his backside, Li Ming watched Lauren retract her rigging before walking over.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine... I didn't expect Teacher Auglaya to be so fast. It's only been a week and it can already fly."

"I'm used to it, it's just that she drops the ball from time to time, which is hard to describe..."

Li Ming took another look at the biplane swaying in the sky. The reserve Ship Girls returning on the sea were watching the fellow flying overhead.

"Oh, it actually flew up." Anshan said expressionlessly.

"It flew up, huh." Alert agreed.

"Don't copy me."

"Oh, oh, don't copy you."

"..."

The plane circled the sky a few times and then flew back toward the Industrial Society.

"Teacher, I'm heading out."

Li Ming watched the plane fly away and immediately picked up his jacket and shoulder bag. He had to go to the Industrial Society to check it out.

"What, do you want to apply for a patent for this too?" Lauren tilted her head.

"You'd be a fool not to make money!"

Watching him run off, Lauren thought about his words and didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

——————

When Li Ming arrived at the Industrial Society, he happened to see Olena dragging away Finn, that unlucky guy with a crying face, from the entrance.

"Hi! Li Ming!"

Auglaya was checking the plane's condition. "How was it? How did the first test flight feel?"

"Very good... it's just that the engine noise seems a bit quieter than expected?"

"Yeah. After all, our independent fuel engine technology isn't very mature yet. The mainstream ones on the market right now are Magic Crystal Fire Element Fuel Engines?"

"Magic Crystal Fire Element Fuel? What's that?"

"It's about charging magic circuits through Magic Crystals to directly refine crude oil to provide kinetic energy for the engine. This way, it not only skips the tedious fuel processing but is also more efficient!"

"That's... that's great..."

Li Ming's mouth twitched. What the hell is this? I recognize every word, but why can't I understand it when they're put together?

"Hahaha, let's not mention those. Li Ming, now that this plane is made, what do you plan to do?"

Auglaya put down her work and tossed her tools back into the toolbox. "Still going for a patent?"

"Naturally." Li Ming replied, his brain starting to whirl. "But will it be a bit too hasty? After all..."

After all, the container patent is still under review.

"Aiya, you're worried about that?" Auglaya was amused. "Your connections are as solid as the Xia Great Wall, what are you afraid of?"

"The Great Wall, huh..." Li Ming didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Alright, looks like I'll have to trouble the Ship Girl Bureau again."

"How is that trouble? You're sending them money; they'll have to thank you!"

"Are they that poor?"

"What do you think?" Auglaya said helplessly. "Our Ship Girl Bureau and individual Ship Girls have plenty of industries in the Federation, but the Ship Girl Bureau has always been heavily taxed! It's only because they control the core coastal industries, otherwise who would do such thankless work..."

"...Impressive." Li Ming shook his head. "By the way, just now..."

"You mean Finn, right? He wanted to crawl on. Luckily Olena arrived quickly."

"Good job."

"The way you guys treat your friend..." Auglaya didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"He simply won't stop until he gets himself killed."

Li Ming took out his phone and sent a message. "I'm leaving first. I'll contact that side tonight."

"Sure."

Li Ming left the Industrial Society square, leaving Auglaya alone to look at this product that would change the era.

She had a premonition that this would be a milestone that changes the era.

Pushing the plane back into her personal warehouse, she looked at her workbench in the corner.

There were the blueprints provided by Li Ming, as well as the parts she had modified.

...Should she try to make a new one herself?

...

...