Chapter 3: Do You Want to Become a Commander?

Are you interested in becoming a commander?

When Xu Xin posed this question to Qin Ge, who was reading a book, he was dumbfounded—especially since Xu Xin was smiling, Qin Ge instinctively felt he seemed like someone doing multi-level marketing.

"What do you mean?" Qin Ge set down the book in his hands and said to Xu Xin.

"Are you from a military background, Qin Ge?" Xu Xin didn't directly answer Qin Ge's question, but instead switched to another question, not giving him a chance to reply: "No need to deny it; from your posture and bearing, your speech and conduct are quite obvious—especially this thing that I find hard to read after studying it, you actually read it with relish." As he spoke, he picked up the book Qin Ge had just put down, *On the Decisive Role of Commanders in Naval Battles*.

"Cough..." Qin Ge coughed, feeling helpless; indeed, he hadn't shaken off the academy's study atmosphere—whenever he encountered an interesting topic, he couldn't help but dive into it.

"So I'm curious: someone like you, why aren't you a commander? Although I know many talented people fail to become commanders because their compatibility with the Wisdom Cube is insufficient, they still work at headquarters. But you clearly aren't one of them, and I don't think you're the type to cling to life and fear death—so can you tell me why?" Xu Xin looked at Qin Ge solemnly and said.

"I don't even know; I haven't figured out the basic situation yet." Qin Ge spoke frankly, realizing that if he lied now, he'd have to pile lie upon lie later—better to be direct now, avoid the main issues, and just tell the truth.

"It seems what I just said was correct—under the barrage of that Siren destroyer, you must have sustained aftereffects." Xu Xin said solemnly.

"Perhaps." Qin Ge gave a helpless laugh.

"So, do you want to become a commander?" Xu Xin asked the original question again.

Seeing him raise the question again, Qin Ge spoke up: "Could you tell me what a commander needs to do?"

Hearing Qin Ge ask that, Xu Xin immediately sat up straight: "Being a commander is a great profession; its duty is to protect—to protect the coastline, to protect humanity's future. Every commander is a hero of humanity, and all their actions are aimed at letting humanity reclaim the shore and return to the sea!"

"Why? Is it because of those Siren warships?" Qin Ge looked at Xu Xin's solemn tone and also asked seriously.

"Yes." Xu Xin's tone grew heavy: "Long ago, when humanity was still in civil war, the ocean was humanity's domain—but when the Sirens appeared, everything changed. They descended from the heavens, and with their powerful firepower they destroyed the entire human fleet, forcing humanity to retreat from the coast back inland. From that point on, humanity lost the ocean and lost its coastal shoreline."

"Yet in those dire times there were those unwilling to accept defeat; they roamed the coastline, trying to strike the Sirens with whatever means they had, but all failed. In that despair, they discovered at sea girls fighting the Sirens—and those girls are what we now call shipgirls."

"Thus they allied with those girls, forming an effective force against the Sirens, becoming the first generation of shipgirls and commanders. Step by step, this developed into today, when humanity can return to live in coastal cities—although they sometimes face Siren sneak attacks, it's far better than the days when they could only huddle inland."

"The account was plain, yet it weighed heavily on Qin Ge's heart; he couldn't imagine how it felt for humanity to be driven by the Sirens to merely huddle inland. But his own nation's navy had also experienced the tragic resolve of breaking their pots and sinking their boats to keep invaders out of the interior. The commanders Xu Xin just spoke of, like his predecessors, are all respectable tough guys."

"But 'Please excuse me for not being able to answer you for now, as I have more important things to do.' Qin Ge said thus; even though those commanders are highly respectable, his foremost task right now is to go home, return to the world that originally belonged to him."

"Indeed, everyone has their own ideals; we cannot impose on everyone what they should do—this is merely my hope. I only wish more people would join our ranks to jointly safeguard humanity's future." Xu Xin nodded; regarding Qin Ge's refusal, he had prepared himself beforehand, after all he cannot compel others to do something, and besides, Qin Ge is still a stranger he just met.

"Sorry, you're a brave bunch." Qin Ge said that, then lowered his head and fell silent. Though they are all hot-blooded men and he couldn't help being moved by their deeds, he also has his own duty and mission: to return to his own world, apply what he has learned, and serve his own nation.

Xu Xin shrugged and smiled at Qin Ge: "No problem; the ship will arrive soon, and then you can return to land. If you need help, go to the local Maritime Affairs Bureau—they'll do their best to assist you."

"Thank you." Qin Ge raised his head and nodded at Xu Xin; in his eyes, Xu Xin now bore a magnificent aura, shining brightly.

"You're welcome; protecting every human is what we commanders ought to do!" Having said that, Xu Xin turned and walked back inside the hatch with Tang Si.

Outside, the yacht's engine still hummed; Qin Ge rested his head against the wall, his heart filled with a faint bewilderment—could he really make it home? Classmates, instructors, those familiar faces flashed one by one before his eyes, and Qin Ge murmured, "They probably think I'm dead by now—could crossing over to this world and continuing to live be a case of virtue rewarded? … If virtue truly is rewarded… then let me go home…"

But no one answered him; he suddenly felt a chill, desperately curling himself into a ball, though it felt futile. Qin Ge helplessly stretched out his body again, placing a hand on his head and wondering, "What should I do…?" As he dwelt in his sorrow, the engine noise outside slowed, and he knew they were nearing the shore.

"We've arrived." Xu Xin's cheerful voice rang out; Qin Ge quickly rose and headed toward the hatch. Stepping out, he jumped onto the dock in the lantern light, where Xu Xin already stood with his shipgirls Tang Si and A Ruo Tuo Sha.

Seeing Qin Ge approach, Xu Xin fished out a slightly larger envelope from his pocket and handed it to him: "Inside are this city's map, some money, and a recommendation letter I personally wrote for the Azure Lane Command Academy. Don't rush to refuse—you look like this and you're still wounded; if you don't rest and heal properly, you'll likely end up disabled according to my estimate. I don't have much money on me, so once this runs out you'll have to figure things out yourself. Keep this letter with you; the academy starts in September, giving you two months to decide whether to go."

Qin Ge looked at Xu Xin's smiling gaze, nodded heavily, and solemnly took from his hand the envelope that, to him, felt as weighty as a thousand jin.

"Thank you!"

"No need to thank me—this is what commanders ought to do!" Xu Xin said proudly, then waved at Qin Ge: "All right, then we'll meet again if fate allows. I'm leaving."

After Xu Xin said that, he turned away smartly, taking his two shipgirls and leaving the dock. Qin Ge stood straight where he was, watching the trio's backs until they vanished from sight, only then did he hold the envelope before his eyes.

"Fate willing, we'll meet again…?"