Chapter 10: Forcing a Duck onto a Shelf

"So, how much more money do I have to pay?" Qin Ge said speechlessly to the Prince of Wales. Although he was feeling depressed now, the best way to solve the problem was to stay at the Commander Academy, and when he later met Xu Xin, he would give him a good squeeze.

"Not much, just over 3 million Donghuang coins." The Prince of Wales said in a relaxed tone.

"Huh? Over 3 million Donghuang coins? It would be better to just kill me outright…… And why is some garden so expensive?" Qin Ge said, eyes wide. He finally understood why Xu Xin, after the graduation ceremony, just ran away—over 3 million Donghuang coins, what year would he have to pay it back by?

In this world, the Donghuang coin's value is basically the same as the currency of his original world; an ordinary person's monthly income is between 4,000 and 5,000 Donghuang coins. Although a commander's allowance can be a bit higher, it's not excessively high— a monthly allowance is only 10,000 Donghuang coins. For 3 million Donghuang coins, if he didn't eat or rely on the allowance, it would take 25 years to pay off; it would really be better to just kill him.

"That garden was cultivated from flower seeds I specially brought from the Royal when my friends from the Royal came to Donghuang to visit me, including the fish inside. You also know how difficult it is to go from the Royal to Donghuang now, so 3 million is absolutely not less, only more." The Prince of Wales explained to Qin Ge.

"…" Qin Ge was speechless.

"Young man, don't lack confidence like that—it's just 3 million Donghuang coins. Besides, you can choose not to pay it back; it's just that you won't be able to become a commander, which isn't a big deal—being an ordinary person is fine." The Prince of Wales said with a smile.

If he didn't become a commander, he couldn't come into contact with the warship girls, and then he wouldn't know why they possessed the historical memories and names from his own world; but this world had appeared, and he would have no way to return home. So making him give up being a commander is unacceptable to Qin Ge; then that money…

"I…" Qin Ge let out a long sigh and said to the Prince of Wales.

"Don't look so desperate; you were also sold out, you're a victim, I can understand. So, did Xu Xin really say in his letter that you have studied naval warfare theory?" The Prince of Wales shifted the topic and asked.

"I understand some, but I dare not say I'm proficient." Qin Ge replied. In his original world, he studied the theory of campaign tactics and methods; but now in this world, all warships have turned into girls, and the regular campaign tactics and methods theory is completely inapplicable to them, so he can only say he understands some, but cannot say he's proficient.

"Then I have a question for you: on the battlefield, what is most important for both sides?" The Prince of Wales asked.

"Intelligence!" Qin Ge blurted out. Knowing yourself and the enemy ensures victory in a hundred battles—this saying applies to any form of combat, so intelligence is absolutely the most important in any war. In an environment where intelligence is unequal, there are countless examples of the few defeating the many and the weak overcoming the strong.

The Prince of Wales nodded and then asked, "So among naval ship types, which one is the most important?"

Qin Ge hesitated a moment, then said to the Prince of Wales, "I think that in naval ship types, each ship type's mission is very crucial, but if we speak generally about which ship type is the most important, I believe it is the aircraft carrier."

"Oh, why?" the Prince of Wales asked.

Qin Ge really wanted to roll his eyes and say to the Prince of Wales, "You don't even know how you died yourself?" But he absolutely dared not say that, so he answered very seriously: "In a naval campaign, the most important thing is air superiority and sea control, and the aircraft carrier exists to gain air superiority in a campaign. The purpose of gaining air superiority in a campaign is to safeguard the air safety of our own forces' major deployments, important targets, and major combat operations of all branches and troop types, to protect our side from or reduce harm from enemy air threats, which plays a decisive role in a campaign. Moreover, having air superiority means having more intelligence on the enemy, thus possessing the decisive condition for victory."

After hearing Qin Ge's explanation, the Prince of Wales nodded and said, "What you said is not bad, but not entirely correct either; campaign sea control is equally important, and the battleship is the most decisive factor in obtaining campaign sea control. However, you did answer my question quite accurately and presented your own view, which is very good. It seems Xu Xin wasn't boasting in his letter; you indeed have a unique understanding of campaign tactics theory."

"Thank you." Qin Ge said humbly.

"No need to thank me; our Commander Academy is exactly lacking someone like you who is very proficient in campaign tactics theory." The Prince of Wales smiled, turned his head toward the somewhat dazed Fushun beside him, and said, "Fushun, go downstairs and bring up the Wisdom Cube applicability testing device."

"Yes!" Fushun replied eagerly, then turned and walked out of the office.

At this point, the Prince of Wales turned back to Qin Ge and said, "Actually, there is another way for you to quickly pay off this debt: stay at the school as an assistant teacher."

"Huh?" Qin Ge was speechless. "Dean, I didn't say before that I only have a rough grasp of campaign tactics theory, not yet proficient; if I were to be an assistant teacher, wouldn't that be harming people?"

"Actually, I don't want to do this either; the professor who taught campaign tactics theory went back to his hometown in the inland province for a visit, and he won't be back for a while, so I can only find someone to substitute for him. But after looking around, there's no one suitable—I certainly won't go up on stage myself to teach the freshmen campaign tactics theory, after all I still have other work to do." The Prince of Wales looked at Qin Ge helplessly.

"But you can't choose me either—I'm not even considered a member of the Commander Academy yet." Qin Ge said speechlessly.

"So I had Fushun get the Wisdom Cube adaptability rate testing device; you'll be tested later. If your adaptability rate passes, you'll become a new member of the Commander Academy, which means you'll be under my command. With your current theoretical level, you can completely teach a bunch of Commander Academy members who know nothing, and still have plenty to spare. If your adaptability rate fails, I can hire you as a temporary assistant teacher at the Commander Academy; when that professor returns, you can then transfer to the adjacent research area to continue your studies." The Prince of Wales smiled.

"Dean, you're really forcing a duck onto a shelf……" Qin Ge said, looking at the Prince of Wales.

"3 million." The Prince of Wales said, his eyes full of teasing smile.

"No, I'll do it, I'll do it, is that not okay?" Qin Ge quickly waved his hands in response.

Just as he finished saying that, Fushun walked in holding a machine……