Chapter 35: A Furore

Huh, isn't this Mikasa's house? You're Royal's Banrenma? the white-clothed woman said, looking somewhat puzzled after seeing the Banrenma.

Yes, hello, I am Royal's Banrenma. Sanli Xianbei is cooking, so I came to open the door, and I haven't yet asked, senior, who are you? the Banrenma said, while stepping aside to let the white-clothed woman in, and smiling at her.

Hehe, hello, I am Northern Union's A Furore, and also the Instructor of the Azure Lane Commander Academy's cruiser. The white-clothed woman answered the Banrenma's question while smiling, and walked into the room.

Qin Ge, who had been paying attention to the door, naturally heard the white-clothed woman's answer, and instantly information about A Furore flashed through his mind.

A Furore, the third ship of the Parada-class protected cruiser, originally a warship of the Russian Imperial Baltic Fleet, her name meaning "goddess of dawn." Because she fired the first shot at the Winter Palace, she unveiled the opening of the great October Socialist Revolution, and this shot was also called the gunshot that changed the era.

To this day, it still serves as a memorial of the October Revolution and a branch of the Central Military Museum, permanently moored on the banks of the Neva River for people to visit and pay respects.

Then Qin Ge immediately stood up and said to the approaching A Furore, "A Furore Instructor, good afternoon, I am Qin Ge, a new commander who just joined the Commander Academy this year, and also the Assistant Teacher of the Strategy and Tactics Course; Banrenma and Nengdai are also my shipgirls, and I am very pleased to meet you."

Oh, Commander Qin Ge? I know you; Prince of Wales mentioned you when we spoke earlier, saying you are an exceptionally outstanding strategic and tactical theory-type commander. I didn't expect to meet you so soon, and I am also very pleased. A Furore enthusiastically said to Qin Ge, and also nodded in return to his shipgirls.

Well... the Dean thinks highly of me, but I will do my utmost to contribute my share to the Commander Academy's Strategy and Tactics Course. Qin Ge said with a smile.

Well said, but I also have great faith in Prince of Wales's judgment; since she appointed you as Assistant Teacher of the Strategy and Tactics Course, you must have exceptional abilities. A Furore smiled.

Just as Qin Ge was about to continue speaking, a half-body emerged from the kitchen—it was Mikasa, who was cooking.

Oh, it's A Furore; I was wondering why there was such a loud noise outside. Please sit there for a while and chat with Commander Qin Ge; my food will be ready soon, and we can eat together then. Mikasa said with a smile.

Good, coincidentally, on my return to the Northern Union this time I brought back some new vodka from there; let's have a good drink later. A Furore said generously.

All right. Mikasa replied, then ran off to cook.

Meanwhile, A Furore smiled and sat down, taking out several bottles of vodka from her Jia Zhuang Kong Jian, and said to Qin Ge, "Commander Qin Ge, can you drink alcohol?"

I can drink a bit, but I've never had vodka... Qin Ge looked at the three bottles of vodka on the table, his scalp tingling, "I don't know how much I can handle..."

Hehe, vodka isn't as strong as you imagine; the few bottles I brought back are basically around 60 degrees, so for Donghuang folks who often drink over 50-degree alcohol, it shouldn't be difficult. A Furore said with a smile.

Hearing that the vodka he had always been wary of was actually only around 60 degrees, Qin Ge asked in surprise, "Wasn't I told before that vodka is around 95 degrees?"

What you're referring to is the raw vodka concentrate; the kind I drink is made by diluting that concentrate with distilled water to 60 degrees and then filtering it, making the liquor clearer and more translucent. Saying this, A Furore picked up a bottle of vodka and let Qin Ge have a look.

Indeed, as A Furore said, the vodka inside the bottle looks very clear, just like baijiu—colorless and transparent.

Want to give it a try? A Furore said with a smile.

Qin Ge swallowed, looking at A Furore's expectant gaze, and involuntarily nodded, "Let's try, then we'll try."

Haha, indeed not bad. A Furore said excitedly, then casually twisted open the cap of the vodka bottle in her hand and directly handed it to Qin Ge, "Come on!"

Qin Ge looked at the heroic A Furore, naturally not willing to back down—he wasn't one to shy away easily. So he took the opened vodka from A Furore's hand and brought it to his lips; at that moment, a strong alcohol aroma rushed straight into his nose, lacking the gentleness of Donghuang baijiu, instead filled with a wild flavor.

He tilted his head back and took a gulp; instantly it was like a ferocious beast entering his mouth, surging violently inside, extremely fierce. After swallowing, a flame-like sensation ignited directly from his stomach and burned up to his throat.

"Hiss..." Qin Ge inhaled a breath of cold air, his eyes flashing sharply, looking at the vodka in his hand he couldn't help but exclaim, "Stimulating!"

"Haha, right!" A Furore said happily, then also picked up a bottle of vodka on the table, opened the cap, and took a big swig straight from the bottle; after swallowing, with a refreshed expression she said to Qin Ge, "Refreshing!"

"Commander, is it really that good to drink?" Banrenma and Nengdai looked at Qin Ge and A Furore with somewhat incredulous expressions and asked. After all, is the stimulating flavor of the vodka something only Qin Ge can smell? The Banrenma and Nengdai sitting beside him can also smell that stimulating aroma.

"Well..." Qin Ge hesitated a bit, "This taste is very stimulating for me, but still within an acceptable range; for you two, it might be a bit unpleasant. Or you could try a small sip?"

"Then let's try." Banrenma said, eyes shining, after all, drinking the same alcohol as the senior is also a way to learn from them.

However, Nengdai furrowed her brows; being disciplined, she doesn't like drinking much, and even if she drinks, she only has Sakura Empire's clear sake. For vodka with such a strong alcohol taste, she still has an instinctive rejection.

But Qin Ge didn't notice this expression, so he took two unused cups from the table, poured a small amount for Banrenma and Nengdai each, and then handed them over, saying, "You can try, but don't drink too much."

"Mm-hmm." Banrenma nodded, and in A Furore's interested gaze, she took the cup with both hands from Qin Ge, brought it to her nose to sniff; her little face instantly twisted a bit, but how could she, determined to learn from her senior, be defeated by this?

So, without further ado, she tilted her head back and drank it down; instantly, Banrenma's face flushed as if congested, and she kept saying, "So spicy, so spicy..."

Watching Banrenma like that, Qin Ge, amidst A Furore's laughter, handed her a teacup, and only after Banrenma took a sip of tea did she gradually recover…