Chapter 361: Guanghui's Shock

Qin Ge took the tea Guanghui handed over, drank a sip, and placed it on the table in front of him.

"Commander, you've worked hard." Guanghui said while sitting opposite Qin Ge.

"It's not that hard; compared to you facing the Siren Fleet's gunfire, I'm just doing a combat report, nothing too tiring." Qin Ge said with a smile.

"By the way, Guanghui, how have you been feeling lately? Anything different from usual?"

"Feeling? How did you suddenly think to ask this?" Guanghui said, somewhat puzzled.

"In other words, you're the same as before, with no special feeling, right?" Qin Ge asked.

"Any special feeling?" Guanghui thought, then shook his head: "Everything's the same as before; if there's any change, it's that I hope the Siren Tide passes quickly so I can go on missions with the Commander again."

As Guanghui said this, Qin Ge suddenly froze, not because of Guanghui's gentle words and anticipation, but because he noticed some problems he had never paid attention to before.

"Do missions together?" Qin Ge murmured, repeating those words.

When Qin Ge chatted with Akagi, Akagi told Qin Ge that she had noticed Guanghui's awakening traces, which was just these past few days.

That is, when they went together to the Sakura Empire before, Guanghui had not touched any awakening traces; it was only after returning to Donghuang during this period.

If anything different happened during this period, it was because after obtaining the Cube of the Project Ship, Qin Ge organized a fleet composed of Royal main-force shipgirls, going on missions every day.

"Yeah, after returning from the Sakura Empire, I've been doing missions and commissions with the Commander every day, being able to stay together—this feeling is wonderful." Guanghui said, seemingly unaware of Qin Ge's oddness, still smiling.

"I think I understand." Qin Ge murmured.

"Understood?" At this point Guanghui finally noticed Qin Ge's oddness, somewhat puzzled, asking Qin Ge: "Commander, what did you understand?"

Qin Ge lifted his head and said to Guanghui: "I now understand why you have awakening traces."

"I have awakening traces?" Guanghui said doubtfully: "What does 'awakening traces' mean? …Wait!"

Guanghui originally had a doubtful expression, but at this moment her gaze changed. She hurriedly asked Qin Ge: "Commander, did you just say awakening traces? You mean I……"

Qin Ge looked at the excited Guanghui, nodded firmly: "That's right, awakening traces have already appeared on your body; that's why I came to see you tonight."

"Is this true? But why do you, the Commander, know while I don't?" Guanghui shifted from excitement to doubt, wondering why Qin Ge would know something she herself didn't.

"Actually, I didn't know either originally, but someone told me, and I trust what they say, so it shouldn't be wrong." Qin Ge said.

"Them? Who are they?" Seeing Qin Ge's certainty, Guanghui asked doubtfully.

"Akagi and Kaga; they are leader-level shipgirls, so what they say should be reliable." Qin Ge smiled.

"So it's those two." Guanghui suddenly realized; no wonder Qin Ge spoke so confidently—it was Akagi and Kaga who told him.

If we were to ask which shipgirl Guanghui has seen is the strongest, she wouldn't dare guarantee it. But if there were a ranking, Akagi and Kaga would definitely be among the top.

"But why can Akagi and Kaga detect it while I feel nothing myself?" Guanghui asked.

"I asked Akagi and Kaga this before; they said you now have the opportunity for awakening, but you haven't awakened yet, so you won't feel any change."

"And when you begin to awaken, you'll recall some special memories; at that point your ability, appearance, or demeanor will also change." Qin Ge said.

"The Commander sure knows a lot." Guanghui said to Qin Ge.

Qin Ge smiled: "Actually, regarding awakening, I once asked Senior Mikasa, and I believe you also saw her collection house when you were in the Sakura Empire."

"Oh, I remember—you mean the warship models Senior Mikasa personally made?" Guanghui said.

"Exactly, those warship models are based on Senior Mikasa's own memories and handcrafted by her." Qin Ge said. "And the awakening-related memories I told you about—recalling one's past as a warship—come from Senior Mikasa."

"I see." Guanghui nodded. "Then, Commander, since I now have the opportunity for awakening, how can I turn this opportunity into actual awakening? Do you have any method? Or do other awakened shipgirls have a way?"

Qin Ge shook his head: "No, whether it's Senior Mikasa or Akagi and Kaga, they all call awakening a mysterious and profound state. Entering this state brings no sensation; only when you sense change are you already in the awakening process."

"Therefore, guiding shipgirls into awakening is uncontrollable; otherwise the Nine Major Factions wouldn't have so few awakened shipgirls."

"Hmm, that's true. From the perspective of a major faction, of course it's better to have more awakened shipgirls in one's own faction."

"But so far, each faction has only a few or dozens of awakened shipgirls, which is indeed an uncontrollable problem." Guanghui said, nodding.

"That's exactly why this is an opportunity." Qin Ge's eyes shone.

"An opportunity?" Guanghui said doubtfully.

"Right, you yourself don't feel any awakening, but Akagi and Kaga have confirmed that you already possess awakening traces."

"So, during the period since returning from the Sakura Empire, there must have been some opportunity that gave you awakening traces. During this time, the thing you've done most is form a Royal faction team and go on commissions and missions with me."

"If these are the opportunities that gave you awakening traces?" Qin Ge asked Guanghui.

"Guanghui is naturally not stupid; a little prompting from Qin Ge made her realize: 'So, doing missions and fighting together with the Commander before—is that the prompt for my awakening?'"

"I think that's the case, because aside from that, during this period we haven't experienced any other abnormalities." Qin Ge said, giving a slight nod.