Revisit Azur Lane

The only problem is that he didn't collect enough steel before the Sirens besieged the city. Some of it was taken by Akashi and the others for research. If he wants to build an aircraft carrier by hand, he has to collect enough resources by recovering the Sirens' corpses first.

"In the end, it still comes down to combat, and the difficulty of starting it is actually higher."

His trembling fingers caused the pen tip to repeatedly rise and fall on the paper, leaving small black dots. Zhou He felt a long-lost sense of irritation. He realized that the difficulty of his 'game' was always higher than the speed of his own development. He had finally managed to get things going a while ago, but in the blink of an eye, he was completely suppressed.

But getting frustrated and complaining won't help; we have to take action first to find a solution.

"I don't know how well Yukikaze is powered."

He was considering whether Xuefeng's power was sufficient to pull the floating Siren corpses, in which case the others would provide cover for her; if she couldn't pull them, then she would have to act as a human shield to draw the Siren's fire, while the others would be assigned to retrieve them.

The sun rose silently, and the light streamed into the room through the window, touching Zhou He's chair. He felt the temperature rising and couldn't help but click his tongue. Too much natural light wasn't a good thing; even drawing the curtains in the summer couldn't necessarily keep out the heat when working here.

But now, he put the pen in the middle of the notebook, clipped it shut, grabbed the armrest, kicked his feet, and spun the chair 180 degrees. The sunlight coming his way was very warm, and he immediately decided to rest for ten minutes before working again.

'The weather at sea is unpredictable. I wonder if Akashi and the others could create some weather observation equipment so they can know in advance whether it will be cold or hot, hmm?'

Zhou He reminisced about the technological conveniences of the country he had traveled to before, but here he had to climb the technology tree on his own.

Thinking of this, he opened the Home Mall and browsed around. He actually found the Climate Observation Tower. The price wasn't too expensive, 150 Home Mall coins. The picture showed a circular building with something that looked like a rocket in the center. Notably, there was a familiar yellow figure next to the rocket frame.

"Send a wild chick?"

Zhou He immediately perked up. The Manju in the restaurant was a catering professional, so the Manju in this weather tower must be a meteorological observation master. Perhaps it would also be equipped with Manju repairmen who could repair and adjust some delicate and complex electronic devices.

Looking left and right, it finally came down to three words:

I'm so poor.

……

Without any special instructions, everyone in the port spent the day according to their own preferences. As night fell, Zhou He sat in the lobby of the command building and took the initiative to ask the ship girls nearby about their opinions on their 'mission assignments'.

The previous incidents were relatively minor, and he was quite confident in his ability to assign tasks. However, this time, being blocked at his home was clearly a more serious situation, and he was still 'unmoved'. He couldn't help but start to worry that his ship girls might question or disagree with his arrangements.

However, the answer he received made him very happy:

“Sometimes the commander’s orders come very suddenly, but you can tell during the execution that it’s the right judgment—but it would be better if I could have more rest and personal space.”

This was Long Island's answer; she even expressed her expectations, revealing that she didn't enjoy frequent combat missions.

"Since it's the commander's order, there must be a reason why it must be done this way. I will resolutely carry out the commander's orders!"

This was Z23's answer, and Count Spee, who was traveling with him, chimed in, "Me too."

Both of them are staunch supporters of Zhou He, or rather, this is the style of all the ship girls in the Ironblood faction. Even Ms. Hu Teng, who has only joined a few days ago, said that she is not interested in these things and is only responsible for completing the tasks assigned to her.

"Compared to this, the Sirens outside are getting so arrogant. Commander, you need to think of something quickly. I can't stand being looked down upon by these Sirens!"

He asked Shoukaku, but she answered Kaga. She was practically poking Zhou He's forehead with her finger. She was so fierce. Shoukaku, who was pushed aside, was muttering to herself, but she still smiled and agreed with Kaga's statement in the end.

Sakura Empire has many warmongers, but there are also some who are not so warmongers. For example, Ayanami and Haguro, who recently joined the port, seem very calm, and there is Akashi Koneko, who would rather die than go to the battlefield.

Jean Bart hoped for more opportunities to show himself, while Mrs. Hude, as always, did not express her opinion, but simply watched the show with a smile. Javelin, on the other hand, showed loyalty to Zhou He, and the maids smiled without saying a word.

In short, Zhou He found himself unexpectedly trusted, and the slight anxiety in his heart dissipated. He turned his last gaze to Xuefeng, who had brought more threats but possessed superhuman combat power and experience: "We are currently besieged by the Sirens, and the situation is not ideal. Xuefeng, you have been fighting the Sirens the longest among us. Do you have any good solutions?"

"This is a common tactic of the Sirens, using their massive fleet size to keep the resisting fleets busy. I have pondered more than once why the Sirens' fleet mobilization efficiency is so high, and I found the answer to this question during my journey here."

Sitting on the plain chair, Xuefeng, who was neither hip-hop nor arrogant, was extremely unfamiliar to Zhou He. However, the words she spoke were very attractive, drawing the attention of Jintsu and even Bismarck.

Can you tell us about it?

Zhou He then posed a question, which further encouraged Xuefeng to speak. She did not disappoint, pausing briefly before continuing: "It's a crucial point. The Sirens used various technologies to establish numerous military bases and mirror sea areas, both overt and covert. Within these bases, they continuously produced mass-produced warships in multiple mirror sea areas. Some of these were left in the mirror sea areas for subsequent experiments, while the majority were deployed to a larger testing ground, 'The World Through Our Eyes,' to assist the experimental agencies in conducting numerous experiments and tests."

"In other words, the reason why the Sirens fleet is so efficient in maneuvering is that they can use technology to directly deploy fleets from countless mirror-like sea areas near their base?"

Zhou He's brain had been trained, and in addition, he had many fragmented game plot scenes in his memory. When he heard what Xuefeng said, he recalled the impactful plot scenes about multiple Mirror Seas: Yorktown Meta, under the cover of Helena Meta, used carrier-based aircraft to bomb open the Mirror Sea, revealing the second layer of Mirror Sea.

This scene was tantamount to blasting open the world's barriers at the time, and it became very famous.

However, this also reveals a terrifying fact: the Sirens can open up the Mirror Sea again in the Mirror World. If you fall into a trap and don't have a guide, you are very likely to get lost and unable to return to your own world.

"Yes, such nodes are only a small fraction of the Sirens' bases in the world, but even this small fraction is enough to satisfy the Sirens' unlimited expansion. Moreover, the Sirens' technology for material conversion has reached a very high level. They can even convert readily available things like rocks, sand, and even seawater into resources such as steel for shipbuilding."

Even Yukikaze, who had experienced the ups and downs of life, frowned deeply when talking about this topic.

Initially, after she had allowed her other corrupted companions to rest in peace, she wanted to find the Sirens and die. However, she was filled with resentment and yearned for the power to defeat the Sirens. Subsequently, her corrupted spirit miraculously stabilized, and her ship equipment changed as a result.

After that, she realized that the world she was in was actually a test field fabricated by the Sirens. She found the weak point, destroyed the node connecting other test fields, and entered them. She walked through test worlds that were different from her own but were all controlled by the Sirens. She encountered many unimaginable things, and even after seeing them with her own eyes, she still could not believe them.

Having witnessed too much, her determination to defeat the Sirens began to waver, and the mental corruption reappeared. The more eager she was to find a way to defeat the Sirens, the more severe the corruption became. At that time, she was on the verge of despair and had entered a state of alternating between lucidity and berserk behavior.

Seeing Zhou He's port, around that time, a 'key' connecting to this world suddenly appeared within the Sakura Empire of her current world. She rushed into the Sakura Empire's territory, found Akagi holding the key, and hurriedly broke through the barrier between the two worlds to arrive here.

Even now, she can still recall how she felt when she saw Zhou He. With just one glance, she was certain that the power she had been searching for was right here in this port area.

"..."

"Really? I was wondering why the Sirens had so many construction resources. It turns out they have such technology."

Zhou He's confusion was resolved, but his mood immediately became heavy—the Sirens practically had unlimited resources, and he had been so confident that he would definitely profit from a war of attrition against them.

"So, to get out of our current predicament, we must destroy the Sirens' node near the port?"

Seeing that everyone else was thinking and didn't seem to have any particular feelings, Cleveland spoke up and asked a summary-like question.

"Yes, based on my judgment, the node is located to the northwest of where I appeared."

Xuefeng's brows relaxed: "I noticed it when I came here, but unfortunately I lost consciousness after arriving in this world, and when I woke up I was already here."

"Northwest direction."

Zhou He silently counted the cardinal directions in his mind and quickly locked onto the northwest direction that Xue Feng had mentioned, which was the West Fourth District, the Siren base that currently housed four Siren cadres.

How do I fight this?

Zhou He really wanted to complain like that, but such thoughts were useless. So after pondering for a moment, he smiled at everyone and said, "Now that you know this, it's easier to talk. I've already thought of a solution. Everyone, get a good rest tonight and be well-rested to deal with the Sirens tomorrow."

"Wow, so fast! Commander, you didn't already know that, did you?"

Before the onlookers could even digest the gossip about Long Island, they heard that Zhou He had an idea, and couldn't help but complain.

"How could that be? It's just that I've had my eye on that Siren base for a long time, so I had a backup plan in mind."

Zhou He glanced at her. If he had known that the base was actually a spawn point for Sirens, he would have led his men to conquer it long ago.

"As expected of a commander."

Shentong sincerely praised her, though it was embarrassing. Based on the available intelligence, she could only devise a plan to achieve a minor victory for her side. She really had no way to break through the Sirens' defenses and launch a surprise attack on the Sirens' base more than a hundred nautical miles away.

"Thanks to Yukikaze's timely intelligence. Alright, I'm going to rest now. Don't stay out too late."

Zhou He stood up with a smile, skillfully went upstairs, took two sets of clothes from his room, and returned to the first floor. The crowd hadn't even had time to disperse and were exchanging their opinions when they saw Zhou He return and all looked at him. He quickly waved his hand and said, "Don't mind me, I'm staying in the new dormitory for the next few days."

"what!"

Someone remembered that Zhou He had come out through the back door today.

Zhou He also left quickly, put the clothes he brought in the closet of his new dormitory, and sat on the bed with a long sigh. What ideas could he have? He would still test the waters according to the plan to increase the number of aircraft carriers, but with the addition of a plan to 'attract' and 'deal with' the Sirens' executives. Then, with the Sirens fleet leaderless, he would send Yukikaze to strike at the heart of the enemy and shut down the so-called teleportation node.

If things go smoothly, everything will be fine; if not, well, then Yukikaze will have to suffer.

"No tactical planning is as effective as a powerful brick flying in."

Zhou He realized that his family members didn't seem to quite understand just how strong Xuefeng was; they would understand tomorrow.

With a clue to the problem, Zhou He felt much better. After deliberately waiting in the room for a long time, he got up, took his bathing tools and a change of pajamas, and headed straight for the hot spring resort next door, where the lights were still on.

He hadn't enjoyed a bath with Yuudachi since it was first built.

I need to treat myself well today.

"At this hour, surely no one would still be out soaking in a hot spring, right?"

That's what he thought.

Chapter 118 Emotional Value

There aren't that many coincidences in the world. Lying in the hot spring, looking at the sliver of night sky peeking through the small courtyard, and smelling the faint sulfurous scent in the pool, Zhou He felt healed both physically and mentally. Since no one was around, he even got carried away and started playing in the water.

Feeling refreshed, I returned to my new room and slept soundly until the next day.

"Yes, soaking in hot springs is good for both body and mind."

Rubbing his wildly messy hair from sleeping with wet hair, Zhou He went to the mirror outside the bathroom, looked at himself, made a peace sign, snapped a couple of times on his head, and then smiled as he washed up.

After changing clothes and going out, Zhou He found that the first-floor dining and living space, which was separated by glass and bookshelves, was not very bright because the sun had not yet risen. The floor was covered with beige square tiles, and the overall atmosphere was even somewhat cold and gloomy. It gave Zhou He a feeling very similar to the command building when he first arrived, so quiet that it was as if he was the only person in the world.

"How should I put it today?"

Zhou He's room was only about ten steps away from the main entrance, around the corner. He stroked his stubble, which was starting to sprout, with one hand. He had acted quite dashing last night, but it was time to pay the bill today. However, as soon as he turned the corner at the door, he was startled by the silent white figure standing outside. He almost took a small step back. When he came to his senses, he realized it was Xue Feng. He secretly breathed a sigh of relief and went up to greet him: "Xue Feng, good morning."

"morning."

Xuefeng tilted her head slightly, her delicate and aloof face swaying with the strands of hair on her forehead, her eyes revealing a hint of conflicted emotions. After a moment of silence, she spoke: "I have traveled through many experimental worlds, but I have never met anyone like you who can command different factions... How should I address you?"

"call?"

Zhou He felt a little uncomfortable under her gaze, thinking it was something serious. But when the last question came out, he couldn't help but laugh. It seemed that Yukikaze's true nature hadn't been completely forgotten; a little bit of her tsundere element still remained. However, this question was indeed worth considering. Unlike the ship girls he had built and those dropped by the Sirens, it was a bit much to ask ship girls like Yukikaze and even Akagi, who had come into contact with him from the outside world, to call him "Commander."

He remembered that the Sakura Empire seemed to have quite a few honorific titles.

For example, he liked the voice of Yamashiro calling "Your Highness" the most. Even through the screen, he felt a tickle in his heart and wanted to keep Yamashiro by his side. So he spread his hands to Yukikaze and suggested: "Yukikaze, you can call me Your Highness, with my name in front of it, preferably using the pronunciation of Sakura Empire."

Because he can now understand multiple languages, he sometimes takes advantage of this to experience different cultures.

"...Your interests are quite peculiar."

Xuefeng was somewhat emotionally conflicted by the additional conditions Zhou He had set out to impose. She found it difficult to understand why Zhou He, a native of Donghuang, would want to hear someone address him in the language of Sakura Empire.

"I'm aligning myself with international standards! I need to learn from and refer to the excellent aspects of other countries."

Zhou He is now very good at defending himself, a skill he learned unintentionally after arriving here. Before transmigrating, he was a well-known honest man in the surrounding villages, and his arguments with his family were always because he was too honest.

"understood."

Xuefeng could also sense that Zhou He was different from the high-ranking humans she had met before. He wasn't exactly simple and honest, but she couldn't sense any malice or evil intentions towards them. He was a very pure guy.

She took a slight breath, lowered her head, turned around, and walked out: "So, Your Highness Zhou He, I've heard Ruihe and the others mention that you also come from another world and know a lot about us and the Sirens. Do you know the reason for the changes in me?"

"I'm not entirely sure, but based on my deduction, Yukikaze and the others must have broken through their own safety barriers and stepped into unknown territory."

Zhou He didn't know the exact reason for the meta-transformation, but judging from their superior strength and the energy dissipation that occurred when the system treated Yukikaze the day before yesterday, the meta-transformed ship girls were caused by a massive energy explosion or even mutation within their bodies. Maintaining the balance between energy and body can ensure mental stability, while one-sided energy excess will lead to berserk behavior.