266: Chapter 266 Casual Chat

Li Ming's Checklist:

1. Ask Pamir about Ushakov's preferences

2. Ask Ushakov about Pamir's preferences

3. Ask Ushakov and Pamir about Kuznetsov's preferences

4. Find out Mercury's preferences

——————

"...Sigh, like I said, I'm really not some big shot," Li Ming explained earnestly. "Even though I'm a transmigrator, it really doesn't mean I'm the boss of some faction."

"Really?" Pamir had also regained her composure, and she pushed a glass of hot milk in front of Li Ming with a smile.

This was Pamir's bar. Since Kuznetsov needed a long talk with Peter the Great and told them to pick her up later, the three of them had come here.

"For real." Li Ming raised his right hand and held up three fingers. "I swear."

"Then why are you so anxious to explain?" Pamir folded her hands. "You could have just brushed it off lightly, couldn't you?"

Because I actually am the boss of a certain faction.

"Then what if I say I'm the Imperial Führer... Ow, don't hit me, Sis, I was wrong..." Li Ming shrunk his neck as he saw her pull out a hammer and then put it back. "They've been finished for eighty years; it's not worth it."

"Hmph, hmph." Pamir let out two dissatisfied soft snorts. "Hey, Commander Li Ming... do you have any plans for this Christmas Eve?"

"I'm considering getting some gifts for Ushakov and the Marshal," Li Ming said.

"Oh? Is it some specialty from another world?"

"How could that be possible, hey!"

"Haha, just a joke... So you're going to ask me what they like, right?"

"Please do me this favor."

"And what do I get in return?" Pamir looked at him with a smile.

"I don't have any great abilities, so it wouldn't hurt to be a generation lower than you."

"Pfft! No, no, no, I don't want to get beaten up..."

Pamir hurriedly waved her hands. "I really give up on you. You can't just say things like that recklessly."

Li Ming spread his hands.

"Ushakov looks very uninhibited, but she actually likes those cute little dolls. As for the Marshal..." Pamir thought for a moment. "I'm not quite sure what objects she likes. If I had to say, she... well, she seems to really like children."

"I can still understand the one about Ushakov..." Li Ming was silent for a while before answering with difficulty, "But what about the Marshal? Should I go to the headquarters and kidnap a Subchaser?"

"...Commander Li Ming, kidnapping children is illegal."

"I know, I know, just a joke..." Li Ming quickly made a surrendering gesture. "But I really do have to consider what she likes."

"Ha, then good luck to you?" Pamir took away Li Ming's empty glass and turned to leave her seat.

Li Ming looked at her back; her light brown medium-length hair was tied into a ponytail, with the upper part firmly pressed under a hair clip.

She's a good girl, Li Ming thought to himself.

"Yo, taken a liking to her?"

Ushakov returned smelling of alcohol and gave Li Ming a light pat on the back.

"What do you think?"

Li Ming turned back to look at her. "How much did you drink?"

"Two bottles of vodka."

"Are you okay?"

"Psh, this is nothing..."

Li Ming pulled her down to sit. "Is your rigging boiler still working?"

"Guh..."

"You can't even use your rigging to properly filter alcohol anymore, yet you're still drinking like there's no tomorrow. Do you want to die?"

"Ugh..."

Li Ming hesitated for a moment, then reached out and pinched her cheek.

Hmm, very soft.

"Li Ming...?"

"Pamir, can I get some sobering tea?" Li Ming shouted.

"Wait a moment——"

"Okay!"

Li Ming turned back to look at Ushakov. "Alright, now it's just the two of us."

"Eh?"

"Let me ask you something."

"What is it...?"

"What do you think the Marshal and Pamir like?"

"Eh? Why are you asking this?"

"Isn't Christmas coming up soon? There has to be Christmas gifts, right?"

"That's true... Christmas is coming soon..."

Ushakov sat up straight. "Let me think... Kuzna doesn't have many things she likes, but she does have some."

"How so?"

"She likes anything cute, but for the sake of her reputation, she's always been... restrained. It mostly manifests as her really liking children."

"Children... cute things..."

Li Ming fell into a brainstorm, then he gave up thinking. "Then what about Pamir?"

"She's much simpler... On one hand, she manages a group of kids, and on the other... she likes sweets just as much as those kids do."

"That is indeed... easy to guess." Li Ming nodded in agreement.

"What are you two talking about?" Pamir walked over and placed the sobering tea on the table. "Usha, you've drunk too much again."

"Aiyoh, I'm in very good spirits right now!" Ushakov retorted.

"Then pay back your tab!"

"Fine, fine, I'll pay..."

Ushakov took her wallet out of her clothes, but Pamir pressed it back. "Forget it, Commander Li Ming already paid for you. Just be better to him in the future."

"Eh?..."

Seeing her gaze, Li Ming spread his hands.

She just wanted a promise from me.

Ushakov rubbed her nose and lowered her head, not daring to make a sound.

Li Ming looked at Pamir; she nodded slightly to him and retreated again.

"Um... Li Ming, let me ask you a question..."

"What's wrong?"

"What you said earlier... about taking me away with you and all..." Ushakov didn't dare look into his eyes. "Were you serious?"

"I have the ability to do it, so now I'm waiting for your answer."

"...Let me... think about it some more, okay?"

"Yeah, there's no rush now." Li Ming glanced at his phone. "Ah, the Marshal is calling for us. Let's go quickly."

——————

"The Commander asked if Mercury has anything she likes... Glorious, do you have any ideas?"

"No. If anything, Helena, you should know better than me." Glorious closed her eyes to rest. "Gangut might know, right?"

"True, I'll go ask... By the way, Glorious. What do you like?"

Glorious opened her eyes and glanced at her, looking somewhat speechless.

"Just a joke..." Helena shook her head. "Then I'll get back to work."

Helena turned and left, and only then did Glorious look back at the console. "Vestal, is there any result regarding what the Commander asked us to check earlier?"

"To be honest, I have some guesses." Vestal's voice came through the communication. "But without seeing her in person, I can only give some superficial deductions."

"Let's hear them."

"First are the accidents that occurred during the construction of the Wisdom Cube, which made its output unstable; secondly, the subsequent condition of the rigging will also put pressure on the state of the Wisdom Cube," Vestal replied. "Additionally, according to the information provided by the Commander, she should have internal injuries. Combining this with the previous treatment data of Lady Amagi, Lady Lexington, and Lady Yorktown, I believe that if it's just to stabilize her state, I won't have any pressure."

"Then get ready... Tell me if you need anything."

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