Revisit Azur Lane

Feeling a bit silly for sulking with the system, Zhou He exited the mission and switched to the construction page. It's worth mentioning that the system didn't separate light, heavy, and special ships, but integrated them into one big pool, where all the ship girls only needed one cube.

This means he can pull out an aircraft carrier or battleship with a single Rubik's Cube, but it also means the card pool is extremely deep, and he might not be able to get the older sister he wants even if he builds like crazy.

"Never mind, let's see how it goes."

He glanced at the system's options of 'manifest the construction equipment in reality' and 'build directly', and decisively chose the second option. He wasn't a mechanical master; he wouldn't even know how to maintain the machine he built. He could worry about the sense of ritual later.

'Choose to build'

'Confirm construction once'

'Sure'

Zhou He tapped three times in a row, and cold-colored metal doors appeared on both sides of the screen and closed. A line of text with a golden glow appeared in the center: The ship has been completed. Please take it in person.

"what?"

Zhou He thought it would be the construction time, but he didn't expect it to be this line of text. Before he could react, the open door of the command center slammed shut with a loud bang without any wind, the sound echoing in the empty hall, startling Zhou He.

"System, are you deliberately trying to mess with the door?"

Recalling the scene of Yuudachi's appearance yesterday, Zhou He instantly understood. After making a sarcastic remark, he got up, tugged at his collar, approached the door, and with a hint of anticipation in his heart, reopened the door.

Bright sunlight streamed into the command center hall, and along with the beam of light came Zhou He's view a tall, beautiful woman with long, snow-white hair and cute little braids. Her attire was quite unusual; the black, ruffled hem of her long dress fell just below her knees, revealing her calves encased in stockings and black high heels. Above that was a white apron with a lotus leaf pattern, and a snow-white headdress, like a crown, blended seamlessly with her long hair, making her elegant and glamorous.

Zhou He recognized the ship girl as Hermione, a maid from the Royal Navy and a Dido-class ship.

"Greetings~ I'm Hermione, a Dido-class cruiser. I hope we can get along well in the future, Commander~"

Hermione took a small step back, lifted the sides of her skirt with her fingers, and bowed slightly. Her platinum-gold eyes, filled with curiosity and longing, fell on Zhou He, and her smile was as warm as the winter sun.

She's a maid!?

Zhou He's heart was churning with turmoil, but he remained calm on the surface. He stepped aside to make way for Hermione and replied, "That's what I was looking forward to too. Welcome to our port area, although right now we only have this command post and not many people."

"Everything has a beginning. With the Commander's leadership, the port will surely become prosperous and bustling in the future."

Hermione loosened her skirt, clasped her hands in front of her, and naturally stepped into the command center, ignoring the empty hall and immediately talking about the future.

“I think so too, well, although it might be a bit sudden for you, Hermione, actually—”

Zhou He shamelessly agreed, then coughed lightly and explained to Hermione that Yuudachi was still waiting for her support outside. Hermione's relaxed smile faded slightly upon hearing this, and she looked at Zhou He seriously: "Commander, please give the order. I am very happy to contribute my humble efforts to you and the future of the port."

"Well, then I'm not welcome."

Yesterday, Yuudachi said that Zhou He spoke nicely, and now Zhou He thinks Hermione speaks really nicely. He turned around and walked out of the command center, focusing his attention on the system interface and switching to the attack map—just one glance, and he almost stunned everyone else.

Upon entering the sortie interface, the first thing you see is the large map, followed by the switchable mini-map. He hadn't looked at the map for a while because he was building Hermione with the mission reward. Now, besides the 3D figure of Yuudachi in the west, another 3D figure has appeared in the southeast, which is the direction where the light cruiser sank. It is a figure with sleeves like crane wings, a carrier runway beside it, and a long, brown, waterfall-like single ponytail.

We lost an aircraft carrier while fighting the Sirens... Wait, that's not the point.

Zhou He quickly switched to the minimap where 'Zuikaku' was located. Sure enough, the map that Yuudachi hadn't explored was now fully revealed. The four Siren destroyers and one light cruiser were about to encounter Zuikaku. He wondered what the specific battle situation would be.

He switched back to Yuudachi's side, where she was still kiting the Sirens. Judging from the distance on the map, Yuudachi was in a safe range, which made him very relieved.

"Commander?"

Hermione stepped forward, somewhat puzzled, while Zhou He, having recovered, also made a judgment, pondering as he pointed southeast and said, "Hermione, go in that direction first. Once you get close, you should be able to see the carrier-based aircraft in the sky. Those are carrier-based aircraft launched by a Sakura Empire carrier named Zuikaku. She is currently engaging the Sirens. Go and support her."

"learn!"

Having received the order, Hermione pursed her lips, took two steps past Zhou He, then bowed to him before quickly leaving.

"..."

Zhou He watched Hermione's departing figure, raised his hand to rub his temples, hesitated for a moment, and then focused his gaze on the miniature image of Ruihe.

He felt it necessary to explain the battle plan to Zuikaku.

Hermione.jpg

Chapter Eleven: Honesty and Frankness

The main reason Zhou He didn't dare to send Yuudachi out to attack the Sirens was that he was outnumbered and at a disadvantage. This also included the fact that Yuudachi was just a destroyer and was powerless against the heavily armored Sirens, so he needed to proceed with caution.

Now, although it's unclear how the Sirens light cruiser took down an aircraft carrier, the fact is that he now has the support of a full-fledged carrier, while the Sirens have no capital ships, only weak destroyers and light cruisers—as long as Zuikaku keeps its distance, any more ships that come will be easily kited to death.

So after he and Zuikaku gave unilateral instructions, Zuikaku and Hermione met up more than ten nautical miles southeast of the command post. In less than an hour, they left the second Siren fleet that had come after hearing the commotion in the stormy sea. Meanwhile, Yuudachi also received air support and cut down the three Siren destroyers that were chasing her.

Thus, this impromptu skirmish, which resulted in a chaotic and disorganized battle line, came to a perfect end.

"Is this luck? Is it my luck or Yuudachi's luck?"

In the kitchen, Zhou He chopped down on the steak he had redeemed from the Home Mall with a knife, making a crisp thud.

He was in a great mood. To celebrate his victory and the new recruits, he received 3 Home Coins and spent one to buy 10 kilograms of steak. This was a treat for everyone and also a way to test whether the ingredients exchanged in the store would provide more energy. It was a win-win situation.

The battlefield was not far from the command post. Zhou He used his rudimentary skills learned online to prepare the steak and some side dishes before washing his hands and leaving the command post to the bay. Using binoculars, he could clearly see Yuudachi, Hermione, and Zuikaku, who had already reunited in the distance.

He never paid attention to the details of the ship equipment on the ship girls' illustrations when he played the game, but the three ship girls in front of him, including the aircraft carrier Zuikaku, had ship equipment that extended and wrapped around their vital parts and joints in a similar way to an exoskeleton. It looked very high-tech, and the colors and styles matched the user, making them quite cool.

Especially Zuikaku, who has a gorgeous samurai sword with a black scabbard hanging at her waist. It is unsurprisingly an extended weapon made of ship equipment material. In the Azur Lane third anniversary PV, Zuikaku used this sword to cut through the artillery fire (missile?) from the Sirens. In short, it is very outrageous.

His gaze shifted upwards, and he noticed Zuikaku's sharp, scrutinizing eyes. He instantly realized that he was being observed as well, so he put down his binoculars, calmly looked at the sea, and mentally rehearsed his lines.

"Commander~"

The first to arrive was Yuudachi, who accelerated. After approaching the shore, she deactivated her ship rigging and skipped and hopped through the water, splashing up waves as she reached Zhou He. With a swift dive, she crashed into his arms, wrapping her arms around his waist and slumping down, letting out a cute whimper: "So hungry, I'm starving~"

"..."

Zhou He was speechless. He raised his hand, hesitated for a moment, then placed it on Yuudachi's shoulder and softened his voice: "You've had a hard fight. I've prepared the ingredients. You can eat as soon as you get back and wash up."

"Okay! I'm going back to take a bath now."

Upon hearing this, Xili immediately became motivated. She glanced at the command post, thinking that she could finish her shower sooner and start eating sooner. Excitedly, she let go of Zhou He and ran over with a "whoosh," leaving Zhou He standing there stunned for a moment. He smiled helplessly and said, "Such a childish personality."

After seeing off the obedient dog, Hermione and Zuikaku arrived at the shore. The elegant maid lifted her black skirt, which was wet with seawater, more dramatically than when she greeted Zhou He earlier. The skirt, which had been closed, was now split in the middle, revealing her snow-white thighs encased in black lace stockings through the black mesh connecting the two sides of the skirt. The white apron hanging from her waist created a barely visible area of ​​her private territory.

"A generous gift of crabs—"

Zhou He had never seen such a method of testing cadres before. He didn't even have time to think about Hermione's character design in the game. He forcibly shifted his gaze to Miss Zuikaku, whose sword at her waist hadn't disappeared with her ship equipment. She had stopped looking at him and instead turned her gaze to the empty area with only a command post. Without thinking, she gave her evaluation: "What a shabby port area."

"Ahem, it's still under development after all."

This remark immediately stumped Zhou He, but it was the truth, and he could only defend the port area, which was so shabby that it only had one command post.

"That's right."

Zuikaku nodded in agreement, then turned her gaze to Zhou He, a bright smile spreading across her face that completely dispelled her previous aloof demeanor: "Commander, you're quite impressive. You managed to make me understand the battle situation with just a few words. To be honest, even I was a little lost when I was suddenly thrown into the sea."

"you flatter me."

This praise relieved Zhou He, who smiled and spread his hands towards Ruihe: "I didn't expect you to be there, Ruihe. You've really been a great help. Without you, Hermione and Yuudachi would probably have had to fight for several more hours."

"After all, I am considered an elite soldier."

Zuikaku accepted the praise readily, then straightened up and placed her left hand on the hilt of her katana, looking at Zhou He: "I am Zuikaku, Zuikaku of the Fifth Carrier Division of the Sakura Empire. I will be stationed in Guigang from today. I hope the Commander will invite Sister Shoukaku over soon. Without Sister Shoukaku, I can only barely exert 40% of my combat power. That's enough small talk. Please feel free to ask me for advice in the future."

After saying that, she let out an "Ah" and added a few more words with a smile: "Besides Shokaku-nee, I also want to meet the seniors known as the First and Second Carrier Divisions. Commander, you know, Shokaku-nee and I suffered a lot because of them. I really want to see how they will react when they see us."

"Haha, I'll try my best."

Looking at the dashing smile of Zuikaku, Zhou He chuckled twice. Leaving aside Zuikaku's true thoughts for the moment—based on the information he knew, Hiryu and Soryu of the Second Carrier Division would most likely apologize honestly, while the two from the First Carrier Division would definitely be locked in a war of words and a physical fight on the spot.

His family temple is still small; I really hope these deities don't arrive too early.

After a brief conversation, Zuikaku smoothly checked into the port area, while Hermione blushed slightly because Zhou He's eyes kept drifting over to her. After Zhou He mentioned that she could choose any room, she went upstairs somewhat hastily.

"meat!"

Hermione brushed past Yuudachi, whose cheeks were also flushed after her bath, and raised her hands to Zhou He, demanding something.

"Too fast, the rice isn't even cooked yet. Let's have some fruit first."

This time, Zhou He couldn't control himself. He raised his right hand and gently pressed it on Xi Li's undried hair: "Eating only meat can cause internal heat. If you have a toothache, you won't be able to eat meat."

"Shocked! I'm a ship girl, I should be alright, right?"

Yuudachi covered her mouth with both hands, her expression a mixture of worry and fear.

"We are ship girls, but a balanced diet is also very important. Look, I'm taller than you, Yuudachi, thanks to Shoukaku-nee's good care."

As she returned from outside, Zuikaku, carrying the bedding she had aired out that day, passed by. She freed one hand to compare her height with Yuudachi's, and her earnest and kind expression made anyone believe she was telling the truth. If Zhou He hadn't played the game, he almost would have believed her.

"That's right!"

Yuudachi believed her and immediately changed her mind: "Commander, I want to drink milk!"

"I'll go look for it."

In short, having found a way to stall for time, Zhou He secretly gave Ruihe a thumbs up, turned around and went into the kitchen, with Xili following him.

"That's great, when will Shoukaku-nee come back~"

Zuikaku looked at the two of them, then went upstairs muttering to herself while carrying her bedding.

Chapter Twelve: The Convenient Commander

Zhou He's cooking skills were self-taught by watching videos before he transmigrated. At best, they could only be described as so-so, just meeting his own taste. He used the function of electrical equipment when processing the roasted meat yesterday, but he was somewhat powerless when faced with the more difficult beef today.

After much effort, I originally planned to organize a large event like a grilled steak, but then I realized I didn't know how to control the heat. So I switched to a soup-making event and turned the grilled steak into a big pot of beef hot pot—I also added in all the ingredients I had prepared beforehand.

"I kept you waiting."

Zhou He, carrying a large pot, was a little too weak. He was already drenched in sweat just from moving the pot from the kitchen to the table outside. Yuudachi, who was waiting outside, couldn't wait to get off the table and go into the kitchen to find cooking utensils. Zuikaku, on the other hand, looked at Zhou He and the large pot on the table with a thoughtful expression: "Commander, it seems like you're the only normal person in our command post. Does that mean you're in charge of all the work by yourself?"

"Is such that."

Zhou He wiped his forehead with a towel. He did hope that the system could provide him with a group of hardworking barbarian chicks to help, but it seemed unlikely at the moment. So he smiled and said, "You've already seen it, right? There's really nothing for me to do here. Just take care of your logistics."

"It is indeed very clean here."

Zuikaku nodded, sat upright in his chair, and spread his hands towards Zhou He: "But it's too clean. Not to mention a complete industrial line, there isn't even a single machine. How are we supposed to maintain the ship's equipment and resupply ammunition?"

"what?"

Zhou He opened his eyes slightly. Damn it, he really hadn't considered these things. In the game, ship girls automatically regenerate health and ammunition when they return to the port. His command center doesn't have this kind of advanced technology.

Zuikaku keenly noticed the change in his expression, and he himself widened his eyes in disbelief: "Commander, before you took office, you didn't understand... no, rather, why would anyone choose such a deep location for the port? Although the terrain is indeed very good, shouldn't the supply lines also be taken into consideration? I just looked, and it's surrounded by Siren fleets. Commander, you—you haven't been tricked, have you?"

He was indeed deceived, or even kidnapped.