Elder brother's garrison

"I understand. I will definitely put you through ten times the hardship tomorrow."

"I'll die! Even if I'm a ship girl, I'll still die!"

"It's alright. Since she's my sister, she should at least know how to be reborn from the ashes."

"What kind of weird movie is that?!"

"In the end, the reason you can't avoid the enemy's attacks is because you have too much excess fat!"

"Please improve my training level on this point!"

At that table, Rome and Veneto were practically staging a comedy sketch.

Watching the conversation between the two sisters, Xiaobai felt a warm feeling welling up inside her.

"Veneto looks like she's drunk," Fubuki remarked, looking at Veneto's face.

Veneto's current behavior is just like when he got drunk and acted crazy in Changchun back then.

Xiaobai nodded.

Well, this somewhat self-deprecating Veneto actually looks quite refreshing.

Shiro's gaze passed through Fubuki and landed on Pachina behind them.

The conversation between Roma and Veneto was so lively and interesting that everyone couldn't help but stop eating to watch their performance, while Pachina became the only person at the table who focused on eating.

She skillfully wielded her chopsticks, deftly picking up food from the dishes in front of her and constantly putting it into her mouth.

The little mouth chewed like a hamster, and although the eating speed was fast, it looked subtly elegant and serene.

Pachina chewed her food with a satisfied smile on her face.

As the imprisoned director of the Deep Sea, one would expect her to have some emotions, right? Back then, Deep Sea Yamato caused quite a stir at the naval base. However, Pachina showed no disappointment at being a prisoner, not even a hint of resistance. She displayed a kind of carefree detachment, as if she had seen through everything and accepted things as they came.

Just like how she didn't care at all about her ship equipment being destroyed and becoming the Deep Sea Dean who was at the mercy of others.

It's really strange.

Pachina's skill with chopsticks is truly masterful; in just a short while, she had already picked out all the dishes in front of her.

Xiao Bai watched Pachina's rapid movements and thought to himself.

The dinner ended in the cheerful atmosphere created by Veneto and Rome.

After everyone had finished eating, Xie Yun finally came over.

"Ms. Lu, are you satisfied with the food at our restaurant?"

"Yes, it's delicious," Xiaobai nodded.

"That's good. Miss Lu, would you like to exchange merit points later?" Xie Yun finished the polite words before revealing her purpose.

"The deep-sea metal is with Nia's ship girl, you can ask her for it." Xiaobai smiled.

Xie Yun turned her surprised gaze to Nia: "Nia, would you like to use the service to exchange merit points?"

Xie Yun's mind was in turmoil.

Xie Yun, as Nia's colleague and superior, knew perfectly well how poor Nia was.

Nia didn't even have much cash on her, let alone deep-sea metals.

But unexpectedly, Nia only followed Xiaobai for a few days and instantly went from Cinderella to a little rich girl.

I am so envious.

Xie Yun made no attempt to hide the envy in her eyes.

"Okay, let's change." Nia looked at Xie Yun and could only answer shyly with her head down.

These deep-sea metals were all obtained by Xiaobai. Even though Xiaobai is generous, I wouldn't dare take too much. So, in fact, Nia's Cleveland is helping Xiaobai guard these deep-sea metals.

"That's wonderful. The Admiral's Guild will always remember your contributions," Xie Yun said to Xiaobai and Nia.

Xiaobai led the ship girls and followed Xie Yun toward the guild's stairs.

Veneto followed behind Iniesta, clutching his head, while Roma hunched over and massaged Veneto's back as they walked.

"Veneto, are you feeling unwell?"

"It's nothing, I just felt a little dizzy for some reason, but I'm fine now." Veneto let go of his hand covering his forehead and shook his head at Xiaobai.

—The liquor I just drank was baijiu (Chinese white liquor).

Veneto then realized that he had been drunk.

As a ship girl, even if she gets drunk, it only lasts for a dozen minutes. Even without deploying her ship equipment, the state that is detrimental to combat will be quickly eliminated by her body.

Veneto recalled his previous self-destructive words and actions, and now felt that he had completely disgraced himself.

Who put that glass of wine there?

Veneto's gaze shifted to Sukhbaatar beside him, who was crouching behind his head, looking around furtively but refusing to look at him.

Sukhbaatar felt Veneto's gaze and tensed up.

It’s you after all…

Veneto glared at Sukhbaatar with hatred.

The group made their way up to the third floor of the guild building.

The third floor of the guild hall is much smaller, and the only area open to admirals is the place where merit points can be exchanged.

Now, on the third floor, the familiar, ball-shaped Barbatos is waiting for Xiaobai and his group at the top of the stairs, hands clenched.

"Oh, my beautiful lady, it is my honor to see you again, Barbatos." Barbatos took off his hat and bowed to Little White.

Although to Xiaobai, this movement looked like a ball bouncing up and down.

"Hello, Mr. Barbatos." Xiaobai remembered this person who had always spoken up for him. The conflict between Veneto and Roin last time was resolved peacefully because of Barbatos.

So Xiaobai had a good impression of him.

"It is my great honor to hear you speak my name with those lovely lips, Miss," Mr. Barbatos said with great humility.

"...Mr. Barbatos, are you here to exchange merit points?" Xiaobai asked.

"Yes."

"Does the manager need to come in person to redeem the merit points?"

“No, it’s just that, dear lady, the amount you’ve exchanged is far too large. To show my respect for you, I would like to personally accept the deep-sea metal that you have entrusted to our Admiral’s Guild,” Mr. Barbatos said.

Barbatos led everyone into a small room.

The room had no special facilities, just a table that four people couldn't even sit around.

"Please place the deep-sea metals you wish to exchange here, and I will count them for you." Barbatos took out a pair of white gloves from inside his suit, put them on, and said to Little White.

Cleveland stepped forward and released the deep-sea metal from the ship's equipment.

After two days of accumulating deep-sea metal, the quantity is almost two hundred.

With a clattering sound, a large amount of black metal appeared on the table like grains of rice from a bountiful harvest, piling up into a small mountain.

Barbatos looked at the dark, metallic mountain in front of him, and his eyes immediately filled with tears of emotion.

Great.

There must be over a hundred of them.

I've met my target for this month.

"I'll count them for you right away!" Barbatos was afraid that Little White would take them back, so he quickly and skillfully counted the deep-sea metals on the table.

Although Barbatos was fat, he was very agile. He muttered to himself while his hands moved like acrobats, quickly grabbing at the deep-sea metal.

Barbatos neatly stacked the deep-sea metals he had counted on the other side of the table.

A massive metal mountain gradually transformed into two black mountains, one tall and one short. The left peak continued to shrink rapidly, shifting its height to the right peak.

Within minutes, Barbatos had finished counting the deep-sea metal in front of him.

“One hundred and ninety-six pieces in total,” Barbatos replied, taking off his gloves and wiping the sweat from his face with a smile.

"Then please exchange them all for Medals of Honor." Xiaobai nodded.

Generally, admirals don't exchange all their deep-sea metal for merit points; they usually keep some, since they also need it for building ship girls and developing equipment.

"Okay, okay." Barbatos finally felt relieved after hearing Little White's words.

The quantities of those with poor performance indicators are sufficient.

What Xiaobai did today helped the Admiral's Guild overcome a difficult situation.

"By the way, for the merit points, let's give them to Nia," Xiaobai said to Barbatos.

"Okay." Barbatos nodded in agreement to Xiaobai's suggestion after only a short pause.

He knew that Xiaobai didn't lack these merit points at all. Xiaobai had at least seven or eight figures in his account, so he wouldn't care about a few tens of thousands.

But Nia didn't know.

Nia covered her mouth, her almond-shaped eyes staring at Xiaobai with confusion and helplessness. She quickly shook her head: "How can this be? I can't accept this, it's too much. I only need twenty, no, just ten!"

Nia felt she shouldn't have taken so much; she was the type who, instead of being happy, would worry if she received a windfall.

“Nia, this is not the time to be modest.” Little White recalled Veneto’s words that persuaded Nia earlier and quoted them as well: “These merits are the guarantee that will make Cleveland’s expeditions safer.”

“I…” Sure enough, Nia was speechless when Cleveland was mentioned.

But her eyes reddened, and a sense of grievance and helpless sadness filled Nia's entire chest.

Nia felt that if she accepted the merits from Xiaobai, her relationship with her might change.

Nia didn't want this to happen.

Xiao Bai took Nia's hand and smiled at her, saying, "Nia, you can return these merits to me later, okay? Consider it a loan from me."

Chapter 258 Hot Springs and Destroyers

With tears in her eyes, Nia finally agreed.

"Thank you, Xiaobai." Nia grasped Xiaobai's hand in return and nodded. "I will return it to you as soon as possible."

Although Nia appears to be as naive as a child, she is actually quite stubborn. She can tolerate a meal or two, but she absolutely cannot accept this huge sum of money for nothing.

"Okay." Xiaobai naturally wouldn't say anything that would spoil the mood, like "This is a testament to our friendship, and you don't need to repay it."

As Lexington said, everyone needs a small goal. A person without goals becomes a useless person.

Giving Nia a goal to repay the money is a good idea.

Barbatos stayed in the small room to enjoy his life with a bunch of deep-sea metal, while Xiaobai and his group followed Xie Yun out of the third floor and back to the entrance of the dining area.

Xie Yun inserted Nia's admiral's certificate into the machine and transferred more than 19,000 merit points to her card.

"Nia, congratulations on becoming a little rich girl in the Admiral's Guild." Xie Yun returned Nia's card to Nia, jokingly saying this.

Nia is a staff member of the Admiral's Guild, and Xie Yun is quite familiar with her, so she can joke around with her.

Nia blushed as she accepted the admiral's certificate from Xie Yun.

"By the way, Nia, is your admiral's certificate still valid?" Xiaobai asked, looking at the admiral's certificate in Nia's hand.

Nia's admiral position had been revoked, so the fact that this certificate was still valid surprised Xiaobai.

"Oh, this? Well, besides the function of transferring merit points, it doesn't have any other functions. Just use it as a credit card for storing merit points," Nia explained somewhat shyly.

Xiaobai nodded.

Xiao Bai was also secretly thinking of ways to reinstate Nia to her original position.

After leaving the Admiral's Guild, the group returned to the inn.

A day of battle is exhausting for ship girls. Even if they are physically fit, they will accumulate mental fatigue. If they don't take care of themselves, they will eventually collapse from exhaustion.

For Si Xue, the best way to recuperate was to sleep with Xiao Bai. A large group of ship girls flooded into Xiao Bai's room, and the four destroyers draped their slender bodies over Xiao Bai and pounced on her on the soft bed.

"Admiral! Admiral!" Fubuki rubbed against Shiro's chest.

Ah, that's the scent of a destroyer.

Feeling the four destroyers hanging on his body without feeling heavy at all, Xiaobai felt relieved.

Destroyers are fantastic.