I really don't have money for the ship girls.

"I can't afford this. Even if your company is trying to fleece you, at least find a fat sheep to fleece. Leave this kind of service to the rich guys."

One "Prince of Wales" is already enough to squeeze every last penny out of someone as stingy as myself. If another "Belfast" were to appear, Ying Tian simply couldn't imagine what would happen. The cutthroat competition among anime-style mobile game companies is terrifying.

The two bought two bottles of water at the supermarket. Just outside was Ziping Mountain, a famous scenic spot in the eastern part of Binjiang City, which has many historical sites. Climbing to the top of the mountain, you can overlook the city center of Binjiang City. Most importantly, it is free to enter.

The Prince of Wales followed Ying Tian up the steps. Looking at the beautiful scenery and the bustling crowd, he couldn't help but exclaim, "It's wonderful. The scenery is beautiful. Although there are many people, peace is truly precious."

Ying Tian took a breath and said, "I've heard there are a lot of people here, and there are indeed quite a lot of people."

"You've never been here before?"

"No, I don't have time."

"So what do you usually do?"

“Studying, doing part-time jobs, and playing games occasionally.” Ying Tian glanced at the Prince of Wales, who was wearing a mask, and said, “You should know that I’ve been playing your company’s games for quite a while.”

"Of course I know."

"To be honest, your company is quite ethical. Even someone like me who doesn't spend money can keep playing."

"Yes, it's just that you didn't play very well at the beginning." The Prince of Wales smiled as he thought of the past.

"Really? I remember I always checked guides."

"Have."

"for example?"

"For example, the BTD1 Destroyer was given to Saratoga, while the more powerful SB2C was given to Long Island, which led to a poor start to the operation."

Ying Tian retorted, "It's because your game's balance is poor. How was I supposed to know that the golden BTD1 Destroyer's damage was less than the purple SB2C?"

"Then why did you equip Helena and my wife with Type 93 pure oxygen torpedoes? They can't be torpedoed." Seeing that Ying Tian didn't speak, the Prince of Wales began to criticize one by one, "You equipped Perseus with Meteor and Shinano with Barracuda, the equipment is completely opposite, you really know how to do it."

"What's so useful about an eight-barreled 40mm sniper rifle?"

"Why are they not using so many capable people in the naval base, instead sending destroyers out on missions day and night?"

"New clothes are only worn for one day; we never buy them."

"They've been appointing secretaries haphazardly. First it was Yukikaze, then Noshiro, Eiryu, and Laffey, and now even Vioki. Can Vioki be a secretary? No, she doesn't have the ability, you know that?"

The Prince of Wales remembered each and every incident clearly, and he was still talking about it even when they reached the top of the mountain.

Ying Tian had no way to refute this, and could only say, "I suspect your company is monitoring users, and you know all this so clearly."

Prince of Wales brushed a strand of blonde hair behind his ear and said matter-of-factly, "I am your ship girl, and I have lived in the port with you all the way. Of course I know."

Ying Tian was too lazy to complain about the blonde beauty's dedication to adhering to her ship girl setting, so she simply said, "What do you know?"

"I know everything."

"Putting everything else aside, you don't even understand the importance of treating the symptoms." Ying Tian reached out and pushed aside a branch blocking the road, signaling the Prince of Wales to be careful, but retorted, "The Prince of Wales isn't a very popular character. Why not replace him with someone like New Jersey, Cheshire, or Egil? That would be more effective at getting people to spend money. If all else fails, Saratoga could even take the stage herself. She'd be unique and have a huge following."

The Prince of Wales' eyes drooped, and he said irritably, "It is truly a pity that I, as the Prince of Wales, do not receive the Commander's favor."

"Exactly, why not let..."

"Why don't we have Guanghui and Yixian come over?"

Even with a mask on, it was clear that the Prince of Wales did not look well.

Chapter Fifteen: Willing to Do It for the Commander

Some people might struggle with what to consider when playing a game: gameplay, game genre, whether the operation is ethical, whether there are enough events, whether the player base is large enough, and so on.

But Ying Tian never dwells on it, because growing up in an orphanage, he finds any game fun.

As for the idea of ​​tricking players into spending money, that's simply not the case. As long as I don't have money, no game can possibly make me spend any money on it.

So Ying Tian was quite happy when he first played this game. It was just a pity that the phone that the orphanage director gave him as a free gift with a phone plan was a bit low-spec. After playing for more than a year, his phone was filled with too much space by "AAA games" like WeChat. In addition, after indulging in the initial period of college, he had to spend more and more time on part-time jobs and studying, so he had to reluctantly uninstall the game.

As for why Yingtian chose Azur Lane among so many games back then, the reason is quite simple.

That is, it is big enough, and the full secondary sexual characteristics are suitable for breastfeeding, symbolizing motherhood, so the game was chosen by instinct.

Yingtian doesn't want a mother, but he's completely powerless against maternal characters, and he finds any game quite fun anyway.

If I had to say there were any other reasons, it would be that Yingtian is more interested in historical and military matters, although after playing Magical Navigation, he has been watching anime and manga, and seems to have almost nothing to do with historical and military matters.

"Guanghui is good, but Yixian is even better."

These past two days, Ying Tian has been unconsciously drawn to the Prince of Wales's captivating charm, his breathing quickening and his heart racing. For a young man who prides himself on living alone from beginning to end, this is rather embarrassing. In addition, the two have become quite familiar with each other over the past few days, so Ying Tian said sarcastically, "If it were the two of them coming to me, I might actually spend money on the spot."

"It is I, the Prince of Wales, who has come instead of your two wedding ships, Commander. I am truly sorry." The Prince of Wales said calmly, without showing any emotion, but his long legs quickened their pace, and he walked faster and faster on the mountain path.

Seeing her reaction, Ying Tian couldn't help but think to himself that she was getting too into character. Surely she wasn't really acting like the Prince of Wales.

However, since this person was his benefactor, Ying Tian immediately softened his tone and tried his best to catch up, saying, "It shouldn't be you who says it, but me who should say sorry."

The Prince of Wales said, "What did you say you were sorry for?"

Ying Tian walked alongside her and said sincerely, "From childhood to adulthood, I have received help from many people, some financially, and many with spiritual support like you. Although I promised to spend money on your company's games as payment, I know that compared to what you have given, this reward is nothing. Whether it's because of your kindness or your sympathy, I remember it all. So I want to say I'm sorry. Besides spending the money as promised, the only way I can repay you is with a thank you."

"I truly feel that it's so wonderful that you came."

thump—

The Prince of Wales felt as if his mental cube had been struck hard by the Commander's words. A tingling sensation, like the Cold War, quickly spread throughout his body. Whether it was just polite talk or genuine words, the Prince of Wales couldn't help but smile under his mask, unable to suppress the feeling of happiness.

"Hmph, wouldn't it have been better if it weren't for Guanghui and Yixian?" The Prince of Wales snorted softly, seemingly expressing his dissatisfaction, but he slowed down.

Ying Tian said, "You are still better."

We were almost at the summit. Through the gaps in the trees, we could see the towering buildings of the metropolis in the distance. There were only a few people around us, much fewer than at the mountainside.

The Prince of Wales snorted again and said, "Don't try to fool me. There are so many sisters in the entire garrison, and you only married Guanghui and Yixian. It's obvious who you prefer."

"There's no way around it, the character of Lady Guanghui is too gentle, while Yixian is both strong and gentle." Yingtian took a sip of water and explained, "Of course, the main reason is that your game doesn't give out enough Oath Rings, otherwise I would definitely marry a few more."

"Oh? Who else do you want to marry?"

“There are many: Amagi, Shinano, Azuma, New Jersey, St. Louis, Taihou, Victory, Formidable, Ron, Chapaev, Richelieu, Hood, Veneto, Eugen…” Ying Tian counted on his fingers, listing dozens of names in one go. Finally, he glanced at the beautiful woman beside him with her arms crossed and said, “Of course, there’s also the Prince of Wales, that’s right.”

The Prince of Wales said irritably, "Thank you for remembering me, Commander."

"You're the grand finale, the most important one."

"Heh, I wonder who it was that said just a few days ago that they weren't planning on finding a girlfriend."

"What does marrying a two-dimensional anime girl in a mobile game have to do with me being single for life in the real world?" Ying Tian looked at the Prince of Wales's brilliant blond hair and said, "Speaking of which, I've always been curious. It's one thing for Radiance to be good, but it's hard to find someone with white hair. At least you should get a white wig. Why doesn't your company hire someone to dress up as Yi Xian to trick people into spending money? He has black hair and is Chinese, which would resonate with people. It should be cheaper, right?"

The Prince of Wales took a sip of water and said, "They are not suitable to come because they have too high a level of affection for the Commander."

"What do you mean?" Ying Tian felt as if the Prince of Wales and he were on completely different levels.

“I’ve said it before, Commander, you are the only bridge connecting our naval base to this world. I’m here on a mission. I not only need to explain the situation to you, but also to assess whether you are capable of serving as this bridge. Yi Xian and the others are completely obedient to you, so how can they make a rational judgment? Therefore, they will not be coming for the time being.”

Ying Tian was speechless. Even at this point, they were still sticking to this setting. In the end, all the words he wanted to say could be summed up in one sentence: "You are really too dedicated."

The Prince of Wales understood Ying Tian's meaning, but he still smiled and said, "Of course, for everyone in the garrison and for the commander, it is my duty."

The two climbed to the top of the mountain, where it was much more lively than on the mountain path, especially near the viewing platform. It was noisy, with children running around and vendors selling water and various goods hawking their wares.

Without communicating, the two of them walked towards a less crowded area and finally found a place where they could not be in the sun. Even though there was a low communication tower in front of them, they could still get a good view of the concrete jungle of Binjiang City.

Ying Tian took a deep breath of the fresh mountain air, which carried a faint, indescribable fragrance. He felt as if the gloom of the past few weeks had been swept away. He looked at the Prince of Wales beside him, who was looking down at the city scenery with his head held high, as if he were a real royal prince looking down at him with disdain.

"Your setup is indeed good, but I think there's still a fatal flaw."

The Prince of Wales raised an eyebrow and asked, "Where?"

“Cognition.” Ying Tian looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar city in the distance and said, “Knowing that you are being controlled by someone in another world, and that even your personality and character are set up by someone else, even a real ship girl would start to doubt her own self-awareness, right?”

The Prince of Wales chuckled and said, "You know they're ship girls, so don't try to apply human thinking to them."

"You don't really think that you, Commander, can influence and command our world as easily as playing a game, do you? Ship girls are beings born with the skeleton of the Mind Cube and the soul of history. Those warships in history were originally made by humans, and the history of warships is the history of humankind. Perhaps there was some hesitation and doubt when we first learned about this, but soon our naval base united to formulate a plan for the future of the port, which is why I am here."

The Prince of Wales paused, her beautiful red eyes fixed on Ying Tian, ​​and said, "Of course, there is an even more important reason."

Ying Tian swallowed hard and asked instinctively, "What is it?"

The Prince of Wales' blond hair fluttered in the mountain breeze. She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and said gently yet firmly, "Of course it's you. We are willing to do it for the Commander."

After Chapter Sixteen, Commander, you'll have some concerns.

The Prince of Wales' words seemed to have a penetrating power. At least for this moment, Ying Tian was affected by her and temporarily accepted the fact that he was her commander. He turned his head and said, "Then you must be very disappointed when you see me."

"Not disappointed."

"I don't have any special talents, I have no money or power, and I've never even bought you any skins."

“I told you, I’m not disappointed.” The Prince of Wales took Ying Tian’s hand, her slender white fingers radiating a comforting warmth. She removed her mask, revealing her beautiful face, and said with a slight smile, “You just said it was so good that I came. I also want to say that it’s so good that the Commander is such an upright and unconventional person.”

Ying Tian felt the smooth texture and warmth in his hands. The Prince of Wales's tolerant feminine charm was hard for him to resist. He muttered, "Where am I being upright?"

"Following one's own heart is naturally being upright."

"Isn't it hypocritical of me to act pitiful in interviews?" Ying Tian said self-deprecatingly. "Children who grow up in orphanages are proficient in at least this skill. No matter what their personality is like normally, when leaders or philanthropists come to inspect, or when people who want to adopt children come to the orphanage, they are all more obedient and well-behaved than the last. In short, they are two-faced."

The Prince of Wales smiled and said, "You're definitely not like that."

Ying Tian felt somewhat helpless about the Prince of Wales' trust, saying, "Don't be so sure. You've only known me for a few days."

"That's for sure."

"why?"

"It's simple, you weren't adopted, were you?"

"That's because times have changed, and the system has been updated. Now, most couples who want to adopt a child only want a girl, so I, as a man, am really not competitive."

“I don’t care,” the Prince of Wales said, raising his head. “I’m not some old-fashioned person. As long as one’s interests are protected by reasonable means, I see no problem with it. This is a judgment on those who are unclean.”

Ying Tian shook his head and said, "How could I be qualified to judge them?"

"So you want society to judge them, especially to judge themselves, right?"

"I never said that..."

“No need to say anything,” the Prince of Wales smiled. “I understand you.”

Ying Tian pursed his lips and said with relief, "Yes, you're so smart, how could you not understand?"

“I understand you not just because you’re smart,” the Prince of Wales said, standing side by side with Ying Tian on the edge of the cliff. “But I’m a little curious, what do you plan to do without me?”

"Jump off a building."

"?"

"Of course it's not a real jump. It's just about using some extreme behavior to attract attention," Ying Tian explained. "Anyway, I don't have any concerns. The barefoot aren't afraid of those wearing shoes."

Upon hearing this, the Prince of Wales instinctively squeezed Yingtian's hand and said, "You will have it in the future."

"what?"

"nothing."

The Prince of Wales smiled, tilted his head to look at Ying Tian's profile, and thought to himself, "From now on, Commander, you will have an entire naval base of sisters to worry about. We will also remove all obstacles in your way and will never let you have such extreme thoughts again."

Ying Tian touched his nose, feeling somewhat bewildered by the beautiful woman's gaze.

The reason why Ying Tian disappeared with the Prince of Wales is actually quite simple. Although the matter was exposed to the public, the real focus was on the Prince of Wales, with only a slight connection to Ying Tian. As for the fact that Ying Tian was framed, most media outlets and independent media were not very interested.

With neither of these two key figures able to find their way, the immense pressure will continue, and the school, Fu Ya, and Zhang Ze will become the three parties bearing the heaviest burden of stress.

Fu Ya and Zhang Ze are capable of doing things that harm others without benefiting themselves, revealing their selfish side. They also find it difficult to discuss such shameful matters with others.

What would they do under such high pressure?

Ying Tian had long suspected that the orphanage was a microcosm of society, and he was no ordinary student who had just entered the ivory tower and had no contact with society.

The Prince of Wales had guessed as well; his elder brother's abilities and intelligence were beyond question.

As they had expected, just a day and a half later, Fu Ya and Zhang Ze each expressed their opinions in their respective forums.

Fu Ya stated that while she was initially agitated after losing money from her bank card, she explained that as a young, delicate college student nearing nineteen, her immaturity made her impulsive actions understandable. However, she asserted that Zhang Ze had instigated her actions, from posting Ying Tian's name on the confession wall to manipulating public opinion and reporting his part-time job. She admitted that her naiveté led her astray, highlighting his malicious intentions, and therefore, she considered herself a victim as well.

Zhang Ze stated that he had always secretly loved Fu Ya and had tried to win her favor several times when they worked together in the student council. Fu Ya knew this, which is why she used him to frame Ying Tian. Otherwise, why would he frame Ying Tian when he had no grudge against him? He blamed himself for being blinded by lust and not understanding that a woman's heart is the most treacherous. Now that the truth is out, he is filled with regret, deep regret.

"These two... are indeed quite a good match." Even though the Prince of Wales had already guessed, he still couldn't help but sigh when he saw this dog-eat-dog scene.

“Indeed, these two should be locked up and prevented from harming others.” Ying Tian thought for a moment and said, “No, after this incident, they probably won’t have the chance to harm others anymore.”

"So it's our turn to step in."

"Yes, the time has come."