204: Chapter 204 Game Time

"Excuse me, Commander Li Ming."

"What is it, Teacher Axiom?"

"Mm~ Teacher. I like that title."

"Uh..."

"Alright, just kidding. I'm here to inform you of something. Starting tomorrow, it's National Day for the Auronia Knight Kingdom, so there's a week-long holiday. I was worried you might not know and would run to the classroom early tomorrow morning."

"A holiday?... I really didn't know. Thank you, Teacher."

"Oh my, what a sweet talker. Well then, I won't disturb you! Bye~"

The call was disconnected.

Li Ming put down his phone and continued looking at the computer in front of him.

It was the 2D version of 'Overcooked' published by the same publisher that released contra. This made Li Ming absolutely certain that the publisher was one of his Ship Girls.

But the problem was that due to the Federation's network mechanisms, and the fact that the other party seemed to be using some means to hide their coordinates, Logic—who was already fighting on foreign ground with insufficient computing power—had no chance of determining the other party's accurate identity information.

According to Logic, the other party also had a corresponding network countermeasure system, which was definitely not a simple local Federation security mechanism.

"It's possible that your Port's Navigator-TB, also known as Zero, is helping them encrypt the information. However, it's obvious I can't leave them a message for now, so I can only think of another way," was Logic's answer. "If necessary, I can try to provoke them into counterattacking through repeated raids, forcing them to actively provide some of our information."

This plan was crudely rejected by Anshan.

"How can you be sure it's not someone else?" That was Anshan's attitude.

"That is why I am seeking the Commander's opinion," Logic replied.

"But I reject it," Anshan said firmly.

And so, the matter was dropped.

So now, Li Ming was simply playing Overcooked.

From the look of it, the five of them were really about to end their friendship.

A6 was the only one performing normally; the others were...

How much Sanity do you think Kano has left when she has the guts to point at Anshan and curse at her?

That was pretty much the situation.

Watching the two of them curse while playing, Li Ming very decisively pulled Alert and A6 aside to play Minecraft.

Who could win a shouting match against those two?

"Commander, they are like this..." Alert was still a bit worried, but Li Ming didn't feel much about it.

"Do you think we can even get a word in?" Li Ming spread his hands, holding Laffey—who had no interest in gaming—in his arms while operating the keyboard.

As expected, an elderly person like him was better suited for this slow-paced game. "Logic, help me enchant this. I want Mending."

"Got it."

Since they were building a sandbox on the computer, Logic could naturally participate through a simulation program, so Li Ming summoned her to be his 'tool person.'

She not only knew how to play all the mods but could also help Li Ming with machinery; she was truly the number one general under Li Ming's command.

"Oh right, Commander," Logic said. "Since it's a holiday, the adjustment work on the The Governing Body's side is complete. What do you think about this holiday?"

"I think it's fine, but I'll have to tell everyone."

"Of course. And we need to move you to a safer place... I mean, you'll need a glucose drip to maintain your bodily functions, won't you?"

"Then how about the Hurricane Chamber of Commerce? She should have the facilities there."

"Feasible. I'll send the notification now... Additionally, I must send one to Plata Port."

"Good."

"I'm not playing anymore, I'm not playing! Commander Li Ming, what are you playing? I want to join too!"

Kano flopped onto Li Ming's back, only to be kicked away by Anshan, who then leaned against him herself.

"Minecraft? You're actually still playing this?"

"What's wrong with me playing this?"

"It's not fun, it's boring, it's meaningless."

"Then you can go to sleep."

"I'm not sleepy."

"Then what do you want to do?"

"I don't know."

"Then I don't know either." Li Ming shrugged.

"Let me see, let me see, Minecraft... what kind of game is this?"

"A home-grown game. If you want to play, I'll install it for you."

"Yay!"

Kano ran off to grab a computer, while Anshan shook her head and boredly lay down on Li Ming's bed to scroll through videos.

"How do you play this game?"

"There's no fixed way to play," Li Ming replied. "Play however you want."

"Wow, that powerful?"

"It's called a sandbox game."

"I don't get it, never heard of it."

"You'll understand once you play."

"Alright then..."

"Play, play, play, all you know is play, play, play. Sigh," Anshan mocked.

"Shut up, you play shooter games every day and you're still terrible at them." Li Ming rolled his eyes at her.

"Is it because I'm bad? It's clearly because the gun is no good! Besides, I've only played a few times!"

"Then change your gun?"

"No!"

"Fine, I give up on you."

"Hmph..."

If she were a boy, Li Ming would have kicked her long ago.

But since she was his Ship Girl, Li Ming could only let her be.

The minute hand turned round and round. After Li Ming finished building the house, he looked back.

A6 was already lying on the small sofa in the room, with an IV drip hanging on her back to sustain her life; she was fast asleep.

Alert had been settled onto Li Ming's bed by Anshan, and Laffey had long since fallen asleep in his arms.

Kano had already returned to her own room. Now, only Li Ming and Anshan were still awake.

"Anshan."

"Hmm?"

"Tomorrow I'm going to the Hurricane Chamber of Commerce. I'll be unconscious for about a week."

"You're going there?"

"No, to another world."

"Uh-huh? For that long?"

"Roughly. Maybe even longer. I might need you to help me ask for leave when the time comes."

"I got it."

"It's just Laffey..."

Li Ming gently shook the girl in his arms. "I hope she can understand, I didn't mean to... well..."

"Just do what you have to do, Commander." Anshan rolled over and lay on her back on the bed. "Since you know you have things to do tomorrow, why aren't you sleeping yet?"

"Fine, I'm sleeping." Carrying Laffey back to the bed, Li Ming slowly closed his eyes.

——————

"Countless versions of me, acting as different sources of information, for the sake of this plan..."

"It seems you are still within my observation, Commander... but your occasional disappearances are truly making me feel uneasy..."

"For certain reasons, I cannot actively come to find you, but I hope you can understand, I ■■■..."

"...Has it been blocked?"

Observer Zero... or rather, Navigator-TB, looked up at the large screen. The red strike warning was so conspicuous.

This was already the 1,735th cross-world physical strike.

"I do not know if you carry hostility, Great Existence. But please be sure to believe that I will never give up..."

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