46: Chapter 46 Stream of Consciousness Examination Method

"Finished, Commander?"

"Not yet..." Li Ming hung his coat on the wall. "I mean, the sample has been extracted, and the Research Center is currently performing component testing. I hope nothing strange turns up..."

"Relax, Commander." Fujian closed her notebook and rubbed her forehead. "Considering she was modified using Wisdom Cube technology, I went to the Research Center yesterday to provide a blood sample of my own... Eh?"

Fujian was stunned for a moment; after all, anyone would be surprised to open their eyes and find their Commander's face suddenly right in front of theirs.

"Is it okay?" Li Ming sat back down.

"It's just a blood sample..." Fujian came to her senses, caught between laughter and tears. "A real Ship Girl wouldn't die even if her blood ran dry... Ow..."

Li Ming withdrew his hand. Watching her cover her forehead, he thought to himself that he hadn't flicked her that hard.

Fujian gave him a light kick, then lowered her head to continue working.

Before the last battle, she had always left the development planning of the Industrial Zone and the front line to her Commander, while she only issued production orders based on regional needs. However, as of now, the development speed of the industrial facilities far exceeded her imagination. The industrial facilities that originally occupied only a corner of the island now spanned 7.8 square kilometers and were even looking for ways to expand.

Wait a minute...

"Commander, where does your power supply come from? Didn't you only build one medium-sized thermal power station in the Industrial Zone?"

"Power?" Li Ming tilted his head and put back the phone he had just picked up. "Does throwing a Yellow Chicken into a hamster basket count?"

"...Commander, you'll be sent to prison."

"Then you'll have to bail me out... Just kidding." Li Ming pinched his nose. "Do you remember how our resource reserves came about?"

"Minerals, the surface, and stones found everywhere on the mountain."

"Then do you remember what the core of our industrial facilities is?"

"Is it... the Molecular Assembler?"

"Bingo. I used part of the assembler's production capacity to produce coal, waiting for the time of peak power usage."

Fujian thought for a moment. "But isn't that a net loss?"

"That's the core of it." Li Ming patted his stomach. "Before you arrived, I was even using firewood for a while, but I thought that wasn't sustainable, so I tried to allocate some assembler capacity to produce fuel. But I still found it to be a loss, so from then on, I started researching wind power and tidal power. Although... well, the research priority was low, so you might have overlooked it."

Li Ming paused. "This energy is used to produce necessary fuel, while some surplus goes into super batteries as backup."

"I see." Fujian understood. She had indeed seen wind power and tidal power when checking information before, but she had regarded them as technical preparations rather than projects currently receiving full research investment.

"Alright, let's not talk about that." Li Ming slumped down again. "I originally thought that maybe other Ship Girls would find their way back this time, but clearly it's still a bit... well."

"Mm..." Fujian saved the information and uploaded it back to the database. "There will be opportunities. If the Observer didn't lie to us, they can protect themselves."

"I can already imagine appearing before Roon; she'd probably slice me up..." Li Ming gave a bitter smile. Thinking of Roon's personality, he couldn't help but shrink his neck.

"I understand, Commander." Fujian closed her notebook. "But that's impossible. I believe she wouldn't do that."

"Maybe?" Li Ming felt a bit guilty. Okay, he still hadn't adapted to his role as Commander. "Mainly, I still..."

"The Commander has already done very well; everyone will understand." Fujian interrupted him, something she rarely did.

"...Thank you." Li Ming closed his eyes.

"I don't want thanks, Commander. Neither does everyone else."

"Mm..." Li Ming didn't know what to say.

"Alright, Commander, don't think too much..." Realizing she had put a bit of pressure on her Commander again, Fujian softened her tone. "Is there anything you want to do today?"

"Not for now." Li Ming sat up straight again. "You know, when there's no schedule, I usually just do whatever comes to mind."

"What time is it now?"

"About ten-thirty." Li Ming glanced at the closed notebook. Fujian's efficiency was truly high; if it were him, he'd probably be struggling all night.

Fujian thought for a moment. "It seems I've already taught you all the basic knowledge. Next... mm."

Fujian was dazed for a moment.

A Ship Girl's tactics are completely different from conventional warship tactics; she couldn't just teach him haphazardly.

What she had learned back then...

Fujian's expression became strange. Although she really didn't want to let go, the Commander needed a new teacher...

Unwilling, unwilling, unwilling, unwilling...

"Hey, hey, what's wrong with you?"

"Ah..." Fujian snapped out of it. "It's nothing, I just suddenly thought of something. I'll give you some exam questions today."

Li Ming's expression froze instantly.

——————

Looking at Li Ming's indescribable expression, Z23 fell into deep thought.

Such... stream-of-consciousness drafting, it was truly her first time seeing it.

Obviously, Li Ming himself knew what kind of thing he had made, but he had done it anyway.

...Well, it's not the Commander's fault. From a normal person's perspective, relying on less than half a year of study... even being responsible for other matters in the morning and evening, while also being responsible for part of the Port's operations...

It's understandable; the Commander did his best.

Moreover, although the Commander improvises a bit much, his thinking is quite clear.

Scouting, dispatching, vanguard—in a theoretically interference-free environment, Z23 was certain the Commander might not achieve great feats, but at least he wouldn't make mistakes. For Z23, that was already enough.

Once everyone returns, the Commander won't have to be so exhausted every day.

In a way, he might be even more exhausted? Z23 suddenly felt a bit ashamed; the percentage of Ship Girls in their Port who were interested in the Commander was... 100%.

I hope the Commander can hold out in the future. Z23 made the sign of the cross in her heart, then looked at the Commander, who had a puzzled expression, and archived his simulation records.

Although Fujian temporarily kept her position as his teacher, she clearly just wanted to monopolize the Commander for a little longer...

She never told us about her past, whether it was when Javelin talked about the Port's past at the dining table or when she herself told the Commander about things in the Port.

The Commander doesn't intend to ask either; he always says, "She'll tell me when she wants to."

Commander... remember to learn how to read a girl's heart.

Big dummy.

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