Chapter 433: The Sound in the Sea Fog

The command ship sailed slowly, and Qin Ge did not let Belfast increase its speed to fast, but let it move forward slowly.

Although Guanghui and the others had just launched their carrier aircraft and surveyed this sea area, the boundless sense of emptiness left Qin Ge's heart continually shrouded in gloom.

Moreover, the sailing speed had slowed, so if any abnormality appeared around them, Qin Ge and the shipgirls could also react.

However, unbeknownst when it began, a light mist gradually rose on the sea surface.

This light mist did not draw much attention from Qin Ge; a light mist rising in the sea area is quite normal, especially on such a still sea surface.

But soon, the mist drew everyone's attention, because they discovered the mist was becoming thicker, to the point that they could no longer see the sea conditions ahead of the command ship.

"When did such thick sea fog appear?" Qin Ge exclaimed, looking at the sea ahead.

"Not clear, just when I noticed the mist it was still light, but in the blink of an eye it became this thick." Hao stood beside Qin Ge, also saying in great surprise.

"Have you ever encountered such thick sea fog before?" Qin Ge asked.

The Counterattack beside him shook his head, "Never encountered it before, and the Royal's combat records also have no mention."

Qin Ge instantly became very solemn, "Then we can be certain—this must be the Sirens' doing."

After saying that, he walked to the communicator and said via it, "Everyone pay attention, form a ring formation around the command ship, ensure everyone stays within visual range, do not stray too far from the command ship, stay vigilant at all times, beware of the Sirens appearing."

"Yes!"

After hearing the response, Qin Ge lowered the communicator, turned to look at Hao and said, "Hao, Counterattack, the two of you stay with me on the ship; if a situation arises that my shipgirls cannot handle, you will sortie."

Hao nodded, "No problem."

Qin Ge turned his head to look at Belfast, "Belfast, you also go out to sea; remember to stay vigilant at all times."

Belfast released the helm and gave Qin Ge a salute, "Yes, my master."

As Belfast left, Qin Ge took over the helm, continuing forward along the route Belfast had previously set.

In the dense sea fog, nothing ahead could be seen clearly; everyone simply focused their attention and slowly proceeded forward.

Guanghui and several other aircraft carriers also tried to launch their own aircraft, but those aircraft, once in the sky, no matter how high they flew, could not leave the fog's range, making reconnaissance impossible.

So they could only recall their carrier aircraft, tightly encircling the command ship and slowly moving forward.

After an unknown amount of time sailing, a bewitching voice suddenly sounded in the sea fog, "Welcome to my mirror sea, Commander Qin Ge."

The people sailing in the sea fog were startled and immediately stopped, then looked toward the direction of the sound. Inside the command ship, Hao and Counterattack both looked at Qin Ge; now several people clearly realized this was indeed a trap set by the Sirens for Qin Ge.

Moreover, that familiar voice just now, Hao could clearly feel it, "Testers!"

Qin Ge also felt a jolt in his heart; he had previously encountered the Purifiers, and he had heard of this Tester countless times from books and conversations with other factions' shipgirls. Now, at last, could he finally catch a glimpse of her?

Qin Ge stopped the command ship, turned to Hao and Counterattack and nodded repeatedly; the three of them went up the stairs beside the command room to the topmost deck of the command ship.

Although the sea fog still lingered, Qin Ge could clearly feel a pair of eyes watching him.

Looking at the sea fog ahead, Qin Ge loudly said, "Are you the Tester?"

"That's right, I am the Sirens' advanced humanoid, the Tester, you speak of." The distant bewitching voice continued.

Qin Ge continued to shout, "Given your strength, couldn't you easily annihilate us? Why bring us into this mirror sea?"

"Annihilate you? Hehe, that has never been our purpose." the distant bewitching voice said.

Qin Ge furrowed his brows, recalling his earlier judgment, and he raised his head to say to the Tester, "Before I thought, if we regarded this world as a school, then we commanders and shipgirls would be students, while you would be teachers."

"You have always strictly taught, giving us a series of difficult assignments; the ultimate goal is to let us pass the exam, but what kind of exam that is, I cannot now speculate, though I believe passing that exam is also your aim."

When Qin Ge finished saying that, the bewitching voice in the thick fog paused for a moment, then followed by a burst of laughter.

"Hehe, I must say, Commander Qin Ge, you are indeed an interesting person to think of that, but I can clearly tell you that we have never been in a teacher-student relationship; you are merely experimental subjects." The bewitching voice in the thick fog said, with a frivolous tone.

Upon hearing the Tester's response, Qin Ge furrowed his brows, wondering if he had guessed wrong? However, experimental subjects…

Qin Ge suddenly lifted his head, gazing at the sea fog ahead, "Experimental subjects, if you consider us experimental subjects, then you are the ones conducting the experiment, perhaps called the recorders of the experiment."

So everything actually makes sense. Your experiment's purpose is to let us evolve through these repeated difficulties, to let all shipgirls undergo Awakening through these repeated difficulties, thereby allowing you to collect data on how these shipgirls can become stronger.

But you are ultimately the ones conducting the experiment, so surely there must be other people behind you supporting you, because an experimental lab cannot exist without the backing of some force.

"Hehe, that really is a terrifying method, capable of using an entire world as an experiment. Yet such an existence must record our evolutionary data; could you explain to me exactly what it is for?"

"Such keen judgment; it seems we still underestimated you." The bewitching voice in the thick fog said, "But do you want to know the answer? If you want to know the answer, there are six stages before you; as long as you pass these stages, I can then tell you the answer to this question."

Qin Ge grinned, "If you tell me the answer, aren't you afraid that the person behind you will find out?"

"Commander Qin Ge, are you really that confident? These six stages are extremely difficult, and if you fail, then you will die. So wanting to know whether I'm afraid, wanting to know the answer to this question, you will find out in the end." the bewitching voice said.