Elder brother's garrison

Little White smiled at Hancock.

"By the way, how did you manage to get out of the office building?"

“We just showed Hancock around the dorms and were about to come back to find you, Admiral, but when we came in, we found only Lexington there,” said the Goddess of the Hearth, holding an apple. “Lexington said you came out for a walk and told us to look around outside so we might see you.”

"Oh...I see." Xiaobai nodded, then looked up at Hancock. "How was the dorm? Are you satisfied?"

“Hmm.” Hancock nodded, her expression somewhat unfocused. “It’s bigger than I expected… uncomfortably big, and there are a lot of unused pieces of furniture in the room, it feels a bit unfamiliar.”

"You'll get used to it. Although our dormitories are called dormitories, they're really no different from living quarters," Xiaobai said with a smile. "If it's really too big and you don't feel comfortable, you can find someone to share with. Many of our ship girls who are close friends live together in our naval base, just for the sake of liveliness and companionship."

"..." Hancock nodded silently.

"Admiral, Admiral, we ran into Gyoza and Mrs. Ran while we were looking at houses," Yubari said from the side.

"Hmm? Who are Dumpling and Mrs. Lan?" Xiaobai asked curiously.

"It's Essex and CV16."

"Oh..." Xiaobai smiled wryly, "So it was the nickname you gave me..."

“Essex and CV16 even came out and chatted with us for a while. Speaking of which, they are Hancock’s sister ships!” Yubari said to Shiro with a smile. “You have no idea how awkward that scene was, Admiral. All three of them are the kind of people who don’t like to talk and are usually very quiet. But they insisted on inviting us to their home. So we could only sit with them in the living room and quietly look at each other. It was only because Changchun and Essex kept trying their best to find topics that we didn’t awkwardly break out in a four-bedroom apartment on the spot.”

"Wow..." Shiro covered her mouth and chuckled as she listened to Yubari's story. "That scene must have been very interesting. It's a pity I wasn't there at the time."

“That’s right,” Yubari agreed.

"So, Hancock, you've met Essex and CV16, right? What did you think of them?" Xiaobai asked Hancock.

"……Um."

"What do you mean?"

"...It's quite nice." Hancock lowered his head. "...It's quite relaxing to be around them."

"Wow... the scene was so awkward back then, and you still think you got along well..." Yubari, standing to the side, was practically bursting with sarcasm. She covered her forehead with one hand and said as if she were having a nightmare, "We sat in Cherry's house for a full half hour, and the three of you just kept your heads down, eating sunflower seeds and drinking hot water, without saying a single word! The way you three sister ships get along is just too weird..."

"..." Hancock listened silently to Yubari's words.

Chapter 3450 What Ship Girls Should Do

Hancock listened silently to Yubari's words without offering any explanation, giving the impression that he was reflecting on his actions, yet also that he wasn't.

Little White, watching this scene from the side, nodded and smiled.

It seems Hancock is getting along well with the ship girls at the newbie naval base...

Lexington truly lives up to her reputation; she immediately discerned Hancock's personality and needs, arranging for him to be placed next to the dormitories of Essex and CV16. She's incredibly shrewd.

"Hancock, this is your home from now on. Aside from the occasional expedition missions the naval base assigns you and the daily training you can't refuse, most of the time is yours to do. You can do whatever you want," Little White said to Hancock. "So, is there anything you'd like to do later?"

"Is the expedition mission to the naval base very difficult?" Hancock asked Whitey in return, listening to Whitey's words.

"Don't worry, the expeditions to the naval base are all super easy. If we encounter any difficult expeditions, we'll send several powerful ship girls to help out!" Before Xiaobai could answer, the ship girls around her were already vying to reply. "However, Hancock, you've only just joined the naval base, and your strength hasn't reached the average level of the naval base yet, so you won't be getting any expedition missions in the short term!"

"..." Hancock listened silently to what the person beside her said. She nodded and looked at Little White, "Then I want to stay by your side."

"Huh?" Everyone was taken aback.

"Beside me?" Xiaobai pointed to himself.

“Hmm.” Hancock nodded, his gaze honest and calm. “It won’t be long, just a short while. I want to see what you usually do.”

"Wow... that's a straight shot." The ship girls nearby whispered among themselves.

Xiao Bai scratched his cheek and thought for a while.

Oh... Hancock did join the rookie naval base because she was interested in me or something, so from that perspective, it doesn't seem like there's anything wrong with her wanting to stay by my side and see me for herself.

That makes a lot of sense.

Thinking of this, Xiaobai lowered his hand and nodded to Hancock.

"Hmm, that's fine, but I need to talk to Lexington about it. After all, you're technically on a business trip with me, so she'll have to put you on hold when she's making up her training plans."

“Okay,” Hancock replied.

Xiaobai smiled at the ship girls, then turned and walked into the office building.

The ship girls didn't come in with Shiro; instead, they waited outside.

Xiao Bai also wanted to say goodbye to Lexington before leaving, and also tell her about Shropshire's plan to expand its orchards.

Entering the office building and arriving at the admiral's office, Xiaobai once again saw Lexington leisurely brewing tea.

When Lexington learned from Xiaobai that Hancock, who had just joined the naval base, wanted to go on a business trip with Xiaobai, she was first surprised, and then a knowing smile appeared on her face.

"I didn't expect Hancock to be so ambitious. That's great, consider it a chance to broaden her horizons."

Lexington readily agreed to Hancock's request, but at the cost of special training at the naval base for rookie girls. Until their strength was raised above the passing grade, Hancock's ship girl salaries would be at the lowest possible level, roughly equivalent to one-eighth of Abyssal Yamato's maid-era salary.

After telling her about Hancock, Xiaobai then told her about Shropshire.

Lexington agreed to Shropshire's request to build an orchard without hesitation. She even put down her teacup and clapped her hands happily, saying that Shropshire was finally willing to grow more fruit, her face full of expectant smiles.

……

After greeting Lexington properly, Xiaobai left the office building and returned to the ship girls.

"Admiral, what did Lexington say?" The ship girls asked curiously as soon as they saw Shiro appear.

“Lexington said it’s no problem.” Xiaobai smiled and looked at Hancock. “But Hancock, if you come with me on this business trip now, I’ll only be able to pay you the minimum wage during this period, is that okay?”

“No problem,” Hancock replied crisply.

“Alright, let’s head back to Kyoto then,” Shiro said with a smile, looking at Chao Yamato.

Upon hearing this, Chao Dahe raised his hand and released a teleportation vortex. One by one, everyone stepped into the teleportation vortex and disappeared into the newbie garrison.

There was a sudden spin.

A thousand miles away, the vortex of the Kyoto teleportation point opened.

People stretched and walked out one after another.

"Wow, the Anywhere Door is so awesome!" Yubari looked at the huge teleportation vortex and opened the door to the storage room, walking into the living room. "Once the Admiral's teleportation network is fully built, won't I be able to travel all over the world without any problems?"

"That's right, it's all thanks to Super Yamato," Shiro said with a smile.

"Hurry up and thank Super Yamato!"

"Thank you, Super Dahe—"

The ship girls chimed in one after another, and both the super-sized ship girl and the ship girl herself lowered their heads shyly, a faint blush spreading across their porcelain-white cheeks.

At the very back of the line, Hancock covered his head, shaking it slightly, his mind a little muddled.

"Are you feeling a little dizzy?" Xiaobai asked Hancock with a smile.

"...It's alright." Hancock lowered his hand and breathed a sigh of relief. "I feel more and more comfortable."

"It's good that you can adapt. Come on, Hancock, give me your hand." Little White reached out his hand to Hancock.

"?" Hancock looked at the hand that Little White was offering and subconsciously reached out to grasp it.

Just a second before Hancock was about to ask Xiaobai about the meaning of the handshake, Hancock suddenly felt an electric shock from Xiaobai's hand. Before Hancock could react, the current darted into his arm, like a nimble little eel, and ran up his arm into his torso, exploding into Hancock's body with a crackling sound.

Hancock subconsciously shrugged, then felt a warm sensation all over his body, a feeling of fullness as if he were being filled by something huge and warm.

“This is…” Hancock murmured, looking at Little White.

“This is the Admiral’s Mark. Only someone like me with an Admiral’s Network can do this.” Xiaobai released Hancock’s hand and said with a smile, “With this, I am now your true Admiral. Nice to meet you.”

"..." Hancock.

As everyone walked out of the storage room, Changchun, Yubari, and the Kitchen Goddess had already dragged Chaoda and run to the living room to turn on the TV and sit on the sofa to chat.

Upon seeing Xiaobai and Hancock appear at the living room door, the ship girls immediately patted the seats on the sofa and called out to them.

"Admiral, Admiral, Hancock, come quick! This recently popular TV series has reached the part where the main character, the Dragon King, has a crooked mouth!"

Hancock watched the ship girls cheering enthusiastically, and just as she was about to step into the living room, Shiro called out to her from behind.

"Hancock, wait a minute."

"...?" Hancock stopped and turned to look at Little White.

In Hancock's field of vision, Little White was all smiles, looking mysterious, and she waved at Hancock.

"Let's go to the living room later. Come to the bedroom with me first."

"?" Hancock.

After calling out to Hancock, Xiaobai turned her head and called out to Chaoda Kazuya in the living room.

"Super Yamato, come over here too."

The man in the living room, Chao Da, quickly got up and walked over.

Under Hancock's questioning gaze, Xiaobai led the two into the bedroom.

After entering the bedroom, Xiaobai immediately closed the door behind her.

This was Hancock's first time in Xiaobai's bedroom. She stood there, silently observing the surroundings.

Hancock's gaze first swept over Xiaobai's large and wide double bed, and the neatly folded and clean bedding on the bed. She smelled the faint scent of perfume wafting in the air, her lowered eyes flickering, and her right hand gently covered her left elbow.

"Hancock." Just then, Little White called her name again.

Hancock snapped out of his daze and looked at Little White.

"Now that you've joined the naval base, there are some things I need to tell you," Little White said with a smile to Hancock.

“…I…” Hancock seemed to have anticipated something, she hesitated, “I think I know…it’s when you sleep…”

“That’s right, it’s salary.” Xiaobai nodded with a smile.

"..." Hancock.

“Although Lexington said that you’ll be traveling with me before you start training and will only receive minimum wage during this time, we’re going to travel the world anyway, and you can’t get anywhere in human society without money.” As Xiaobai spoke, she opened her wallet, looked at the red banknotes inside, and handed them to Hancock, saying, “So I’m going to advance you a month’s salary. I can’t go against Lexington’s wishes in terms of amount, so this is all I can give you for now.”

Hancock looked at the thick wad of cash that Xiaobai handed him and remained silent.

"...What's wrong? Don't you feel it's enough?" Little White asked curiously when Hancock remained silent.

"..." Hancock shook her head silently, and reached out to take the salary that Xiaobai handed her. "...Is this all I deserve?"

"Yes."

"Is this the bare minimum wage?"

"Yes."

"..."

"what happened?"

"...When I worked for the mercenary group..." Hancock looked at his paycheck and spoke, a subtle emotion beginning to creep into his voice, "...even during the mercenary group's peak season, I could barely earn this much in a month."

Hancock's career as a ship girl has only lasted two and a half years so far.

In Hancock's world, life with the mercenary group almost filled her entire life.

Within the Pure White Wings mercenary group, Hancock's skill level is top-notch, therefore her salary is very high compared to the rest of the group.

Despite what should be a very high salary level, it is still so insignificant compared to the "lowest salary" of the newbie naval base.

Chapter 3451 The Biggest Loser!

Before taking his second job, Hancock gradually came to experience the ups and downs of life.

Is this the difference between the military-themed and civilian ship girl fandoms...?

Hancock wanted to sigh.

“As long as the pay isn’t lower than what your mercenary group pays,” Xiaobai said to Hancock with a smile. “You probably don’t have a bank card, right? We’re going to be sightseeing in Kyoto for the next few days. If we have time, we can go to the bank and open an account so that your salary won’t be paid in cash anymore, but will be deposited directly into your account.”

“…Hmm,” Hancock replied.

Xiaobai withdrew his gaze with satisfaction and looked at Chaodahe to the side.

Chao Da looked at Xiao Bai with curiosity, seemingly wanting to ask her why she had called him in.

"Super Yamato, speaking of which, how long have you been with our naval base?" Shiro asked.

"...about two years."

“That’s right, it’s been almost two years,” Xiaobai said. “When you joined the naval base, Yamato told me that she would cover all your expenses and that the naval base wouldn’t need to pay you a salary…”