Chapter 22

After the three finished their meal, they said goodbye to Yixian. Originally, when they were about to leave, Qin Ge was preparing to return 200 units of supplies to Yixian, but Yixian refused him.

Her reason was also very simple: "As a ship girl, I've worked at the academy for so long that I definitely have some savings. But you just became a commander, so supplies and such are extremely scarce for you, and I imagine your ship girls don't even have their initial equipment fully equipped. Therefore, you need supplies more than I do, and because we belong to the same academy, I'll say it outright—this meal is on me."

On the way to the dean's office, Qin Ge said to his two ship girls, "Miss Yixian is truly a gentle person; she invited us this time for her own reasons, but we must never forget her kindness. When we have the chance in the future, we must repay her."

"Okay, understood, commander." Banrenma and Nengdai nodded at Qin Ge while feeling their strength gradually increase. Later, just as they said, they would repay this meal's favor; as for why, that's a story for later…

The three arrived outside the dean's office, and Qin Ge knocked on the door. From inside came the Prince of Wales's hearty voice: "Please come in."

After Qin Ge opened the door and entered with his ship girls, he saw the Prince of Wales writing something at his desk. Hearing the approaching footsteps, she looked up and said to Qin Ge, "I figured you'd definitely come today given your personality, but I didn't expect you to arrive earlier than I imagined."

"Oh, Dean, did you guess why I'm here this time?" Qin Ge said in surprise.

The Prince of Wales lightly smiled and said, "Besides your ship girls' equipment, what other reason could there be for you to come over?"

"Exactly, it's because of their equipment." Qin Ge nodded in astonishment and said to the Prince of Wales.

"I recall that Nengdai's initial equipment is complete except for lacking anti-aircraft guns, while Banrenma only has a torpedo bomber squadron and is missing two fighters, right?" the Prince of Wales asked.

Qin Ge nodded, "The dean is correct, so I came this time to resolve the issue of those two fighters, and if we could replace their equipment with something better, that would be ideal."

"You've thought well of it." The Prince of Wales laughed, "I can indeed solve Banrenma's two-fighter problem for you now, but if you want to buy better ship equipment, you'll have to wait a while."

"Why?" Qin Ge wondered.

"Because our school's convenience store isn't open." The Prince of Wales smiled, "Our school's convenience store is run by the repair ship Mingshi, but since the academy's students are on break, she went elsewhere to sell goods, and she'll return when the semester starts again."

There, you can find everything the ship girls need, including various training materials for ship girl offense, support, and defense, equipment boxes, parts for strengthening ship gear, crystals needed for ship girl breakthroughs, Wisdom Cubes, Rapid Construction Tools, supplies, special ship girl food, modification blueprints, Oath Rings, and so on—all for sale.

Qin Ge nodded, "Then what will we need to purchase there when the time comes? Supplies? Or oil?"

"Most things can be bought with supplies, but some special items require something like a red diamond to purchase, which ordinary commanders call a red pointy."

"Then how does one obtain red pointy?" Qin Ge asked.

"Through commissions, exchanging military merits, or clearing Siren outposts." The Prince of Wales said, "Because only powerful Sirens drop red pointy, it's especially precious."

Qin Ge nodded, "I can understand exchanging military merits or clearing Siren gathering points, but why can commissions from ordinary merchants also yield it?"

"Because Azure Lane needs the support of ordinary society, so it also requires the currency you normally use. But since combat only yields red pointy or supplies and such, the early commanders and merchants reached an agreement."

"They can use ordinary currency to buy supplies or red pointy, then use them as rewards to commission tasks. This way Azure Lane also gains ordinary society's currency as support, while the merchants' trade routes also gain security guarantees."

"I see. After those merchants exchange for supplies and red pointy, they can't use them outside; they can only return them to the navy for processing, thus reforming a closed loop." Qin Ge nodded, "But I still have one question."

"Oh, what's your question?" the Prince of Wales looked at Qin Ge.

"For example, if a merchant exchanged a large amount of supplies and red pointy, and his son or relative happened to become a commander, couldn't his son or relative use those red pointy and supplies to produce more ship girls? With many ship girls, he could completely break free from reliance on Azure Lane, and might even pose a threat to it." Qin Ge said to the Prince of Wales.

The Prince of Wales smiled faintly, "You being able to think of this shows you're stronger than most people. But you forgot: the most important point here is the ship girls—everything presupposes the ship girls. You could ask your ship girls what they fight for."

Qin Ge nodded, "In other words, if someone aims artillery fire at humanity or Azure Lane, then the ship girls would actively break away from their commander?"

Prince of Wales nodded, "That's right. However, to prevent this situation from occurring, we will not allow merchants to possess that many supplies, and also the red pointed. Each time merchants post tasks they must go to the Maritime Affairs Bureau to register, then from there exchange for the red pointed and supplies, then have the local Maritime Affairs Bureau register, then the Maritime Affairs Bureau issues to all commanders and shipgirls. This not only can eliminate what you said earlier, but also can avoid disagreements with humanity."

"I see." Qin Ge nodded.

Prince of Wales smiled, "If there's no problem, then here is a certificate; you can take this certificate to the drill registration office to find Anshan. After seeing the certificate, she will first give you two white fighter jets and anti-aircraft guns for you to let your shipgirls use. After you later purchase your own ship equipment at Mingshi, you can return the carrier aircraft and anti-aircraft guns to her."

Qin Ge reached out and took the certificate she mentioned from the Prince of Wales's hand, then said to her, "Thank you, Dean."

The Prince of Wales waved his hand, "No need to thank me; as an Assistant Teacher of the school, you inherently have the right to temporarily borrow ship equipment, and I merely issued you a certificate."

"In any case, I still thank you very much, Dean." Qin Ge said.

"If you really want to thank me, then work hard; strive to do well in the later tactical theory course, and that will be the greatest thanks to me, to the school, and to the entire Azure Lane." The Prince of Wales smiled.

"Certainly!"