Today's tutelary fort remains peaceful.

No matter how complete the equipment is, a fisherman's creed is never to come up empty-handed. Her results obviously bring shame to the word "fishing".

This was certainly not because her fishing skills were not proficient enough, nor was it because she dozed off during fishing that she missed the opportunity, but...

"Go away!" A little girl, about the same height as the sleeping girl and also wearing a large military cap, stood on the shore, waving a device that looked a bit like a spear with a rope at the end. She threatened a group of little girls in swimsuits playing in the water in front of her, "If you want to play, go somewhere else! Don't make trouble here!"

"Odin, the water's so comfortable. Come down and play with us." A girl with long golden hair, slightly red eyes, and a swimsuit in the colors of a certain country's flag lay on her back in the water, waving toward the shore. "You're wearing so much, aren't you hot?"

"It's not hot! Big bluefin tuna, I told you not to bring anyone to disturb us when we are fishing!" Odin said in a ferocious manner, but it was a pity that her chubby face was so difficult to make a ferocious expression that the group of little girls didn't take her seriously at all.

"Lululu." The girl with short blue hair put her hands on either side of her head to make horns and made a face at Odin. "No way! You're actually chasing us away? I even helped you put a fish on your hook to prevent you from going empty-handed."

"U-47, who asked you to meddle in our business? We don't even bother to cheat!" Odin leaned on a spear-like device with one hand and put his other hand on his waist. "Besides, if you hadn't scared the fish away, how would Lord Su and I have an empty air force?"

"Odin, don't you like apples?" U-96, wearing a sawfish hairpin, tilted her head in confusion. She was holding an apple and about to hang it on the hook. After hearing this, she hesitated, bit the apple with her mouth, and took out an orange from her bosom. "Or is this better?"

"That's not the problem!" Odin cried, a little overwhelmed. "We just want to fish in peace! We don't need any of that weird stuff!"

Seeing Odin's tearful expression, Archerfish, the younger sister of the Albacore, a girl wearing the same swimsuit as Odin and looking similar, but with a bust much larger than hers, whispered, "Sister, Odin seems really angry. Let's go."

"No, Odin isn't that stingy." The white-haired girl, U-1405, circled the fishing float as nimbly as a little mermaid. "Odin might just be shy because she can't swim. We need to help her overcome her fear of the water and explore the beautiful underwater world together."

"I told you there's no such thing. We just want to fish!" Odin shouted, then raised his gear and threw it at the big bluefin tuna. "Go through her! Look at my magic spear, Gungnir!"

The big bluefin tuna nimbly dived into the water, and with a splash, the device called "Gungnir" hit the sea surface, splashing a huge splash of water, and then sank rapidly. Just as Odin pulled the rope on Gungnir, trying to pull it back, a huge force came from the rope.

The big bluefin tuna surfaced, holding Gungnir in her hand, and wrestled with Odin: "Haha, Odin, let's have a contest of strength. If you win, I'll give Gungnir back to you!"

"Ouch..." Odin's cheeks flushed red. The force in her hands made it almost impossible for her to hold on to the rope. Watching the rope being dragged into the sea, Odin stamped her feet in anger. Then she quickly took out something in a sealed plastic bag from a sealed foam box beside her. "Big bluefin tuna! If you don't let go, I'll throw this overboard!"

"What is that?" Big Bluefish relaxed his grip and looked over curiously.

"I don't know." U-505, wearing goggles, squinted his eyes and carefully examined the bag in Odin's hand: "That seems to be..."

"It's...Natto!" Nautilus with short golden hair changed his expression.

"And more!" Surgeonfish exclaimed as he saw what Odin had pulled out. "That bottle... I know it! It's London's secret juice!"

U-96 said nothing, turned around and dived into the sea, swimming away quickly. The other little girls also screamed and ran away, even the big bluefin tuna was no exception. Soon, as the girls playing in the water disappeared without a trace, the dock returned to peace again.

The victor Odin raised his head proudly, put the tactical weapon in his hand aside, and put Gungnir away while humming a song.

"It's Odin and Sukhbaatar," a voice called out. Odin, who was about to put his tactical weapons into the cooler, looked up. The Admiral and Lexington were standing arm in arm not far away. Saratoga, who had just spoken, was peering into the fish basket. "You're out of luck again?"

"That's not the case!" Odin stamped his foot and retorted angrily, "It's all the fault of the albacore. We finally set up the bait, but before we could even get a bite, they came over and messed things up. As a result, we didn't catch a single fish that afternoon."

"Are Odin and Sukhbaatar good at fishing?" Xue Cheng walked over, looked at the little girl who was dozing with her head down, and asked curiously.

Odin puffed out his chest and said proudly, "We're really good at this! As long as no one messes up, no one in the Fishing Tutelary Fort can beat us!"

Lexington pursed her lips and smiled softly. She patted Odin's head and said to Xue Cheng, "Admiral, Odin and Sukhbaatar are great fishermen. The garrison held a fishing competition before, and they tied for first place."

"But it looks like we're going to come up empty-handed today." Odin looked at the sea surface that had finally returned to calm with some regret. After the commotion caused by the bluefin tuna and the others, all the nearby fish were scared away, and there was no telling whether they would come back in the short term.

"Next time we catch fish, let the Admiral try my fish soup." Odin quickly recovered and said, "There are also grilled fish, fried fish fillets, and..."

"Fish fillet?" Sukhbaatar, who had been snoring soundly and hadn't been awakened even by the arrival of Xue Cheng and the other two, suddenly raised her head. Her sleepy eyes were half-open, with a trace of crystal tears hanging from the corner of her mouth. She looked around and asked, "Odin, where are the fish fillets? I'm hungry..."

54. The King of Fishing Never Comes Empty-Handed

"There are no fish fillets!" Odin's tone was a little stiff. Who made this guy sleep soundly beside him when he was protecting the fishing spot alone just now?

"Oh." Sukhbaatar didn't notice Odin's mood. She rubbed her eyes and saw that the fishing float on the water was motionless. She yawned and prepared to sleep for a while. Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of Xue Cheng beside her. Her half-open eyes suddenly widened. "Admiral? And Sister Lexington and Sister Gaga, why are you here? Are you here to watch me fishing?"

"I went to the Navy branch to do some things today. When I came back, I saw you here, so I came to see you." Xue Cheng said. The combat effectiveness of Odin and Sukhbaatar in the game is almost zero, but their inherent skills can still come in handy when salvaging ship girls, and their portraits are very cute, so they are often incorporated into the fleet.

When Xue Cheng saw them from afar on the yacht just now, he recognized them at a glance, so he had the idea of ​​coming over to see them.

Sukhbaatar chuckled. The little girl was very simple-minded. She felt very happy that the Admiral remembered her and came to visit. She bent down and took out a bottle of iced drink covered with water droplets from the insulated box beside her. She handed it to Xue Cheng like a treasure. "Admiral, it's very hot. Have some water. Oh, Sister Lexington and Sister Gaga should also have some."

Seeing Sukhbaatar staring at Xue Cheng eagerly, Lexington took the drink, opened it, and took a sip. Then he bent down and took out his and Saratoga's share, jokingly saying, "Although Lord Su didn't forget our share, Gaga and I are just here by the way, right?"

Sukhbaatar blinked and said seriously, "That's not the case. It's just that the admiral is the most powerful in the garrison, so of course the good things should be given to the admiral first."

Lexington crossed his arms and deliberately gave a wicked smile. "Oh? Is that so? I guess I'll have to think carefully about it next time Lord Su applies for a new fishing gear."

"Huh?!" Sukhbaatar and Odin screamed at the same time. For avid fishing enthusiasts like them, it is not enough to have enough fishing gear. The pain of not being able to update the equipment in time is like a player in a card drawing game who does not get the card he wants. The feeling of being able to see but not be able to touch is enough to drive people crazy.

Seeing Lexington's words frightening the two little girls to the point of being at a loss, Saratoga turned her back and laughed secretly. Xue Cheng also touched her with his arm helplessly and whispered, "Don't tease them. Look how scared you are. Be careful they won't take it seriously."

Lexington smiled and leaned close to Xue Cheng's ear, whispering softly, "Then the Admiral underestimated them. They are both very naughty. If you don't believe me, just look..."

Sure enough, just as Lexington finished speaking, after a brief moment of shock, Sukhbaatar and Odin looked at each other, as if they had reached some consensus. Then, without even caring about their fishing rods, they both rushed to Lexington, hugged her thighs on both sides, and started to act coquettishly: "My dear wife, you are the best. You wouldn't do that, right?"

"Yeah, Sister Lexington is the best to us! How could she do something like that? She's the cutest Sister Gaga, right?"

Xue Cheng shook his head speechlessly, silently watching the two little flatterers complimenting Lexington one after another, and not forgetting to please Saratoga and speak well of them. He was worried that they would be scared before, but now it seems that he was overthinking it.

Come to think of it, while Odin's character in the game is a soft and cute little girl, his dialogue still has a tough side. Sukhbaatar is even more so; even her normal dialogue clearly shows she's not the sweetheart type. In her Star Destroyer form, she's got a blade of grass in her mouth and a smug grin on her face, looking cool yet a bit rogue. How could she be so frightened by Lexington's joke, like a little girl?

"Okay, since you have a good attitude in admitting your mistakes, I won't punish you this time." Lexington crossed his arms and watched them with a smile as they cheered and high-fived, celebrating another victory.

Xue Cheng brought a stool and went fishing with the two little girls. When he was at home, he was the older brother among his peers and had rich experience in dealing with children. He easily made Odin and Sukhbaatar smile. As time passed, the sun in the sky gradually set, and a hint of coolness appeared in the hot air.

"Isn't it almost time for dinner?" Saratoga looked up at the magnificent sunset clouds and said to the two little girls who were still guarding their fishing rods, "Aren't you going home yet?"

Odin looked hesitant, while Sukhbaatar shook his head vigorously, a look of determination flashing across his round face: "No, I haven't caught any fish today, so I can't go back yet."

"Fishing is okay, isn't it?" Xue Cheng advised. "It's not work. It doesn't matter if you can't achieve your goal."

"No," Sukhbaatar insisted. "We are the fishing champions of the garrison. How can we go back empty-handed? It would be so shameful to go back like this!"

"Empty air?" Xue Cheng remembered the jokes about anglers on the Internet. It seemed that returning empty-handed was a great shame for these avid fishing enthusiasts. So even if they didn't catch any fish, they would try their best to bring something back, from small wild vegetables and fruits to large poultry and livestock. In short, they would never return home empty-handed and in disgrace.

If it was just an ordinary fisherman, it would be easy to deal with. If he wanted to get some results, he could still pick up some small crabs or shells on the beach of the garrison. However, Sukhbaatar's determined expression made it clear that she would not give up until she caught some fish. It might not be so easy to convince her.

How should he persuade her? Xue Cheng frowned as he pondered. In fact, he knew that as an adult and her superior, if he showed a tough attitude, Sukhbaatar would definitely obey. However, he felt that there was no need to be so harsh about such a small matter. Moreover, facing such a lovely little sister, he really couldn't bear to say harsh words.

Xue Cheng also had a childhood, and he knew very well that children's minds were fragile and sensitive, so he was reluctant to act like an elder.

Lexington seemed to see Xue Cheng's embarrassment. She touched Sukhbaatar's head through her thick military cap and said softly, "Actually, Lord Su doesn't have any air force today. Didn't you catch a big fish?"

"Big fish?" Sukhbaatar habitually looked into the fish basket. It was still empty, with only some sea water. She pouted and said, "Sister Lexington is lying. There's nothing at all."

Lexington winked at his sister, and Saratoga understood. She nudged Xue Cheng from behind, pushing him in front of the two little girls and said, "Isn't that it? Compared to your usual catches, today's catch is huge. I wonder how many people will envy you when you go back."

"Sister Gaga, you're talking nonsense. How could the Admiral be a fish?" Although Odin also wanted to end this exhausting day, her dignity as a fishing expert did not allow her to deceive herself.

"Why not?" Xue Cheng came to his senses and quickly explained, "Do you know the story of Jiang Taigong fishing with a straight hook? Wasn't King Wen of Zhou the big fish Jiang Taigong caught? Although I'm not as great as King Wen of Zhou, I'm still your superior. I'm a small fish to you, right? Isn't it true that Lord Su is not satisfied with catching me?"

"This..." Sukhbaatar hesitated. Although she was a ship girl and did not need to study, take exams and get a job step by step like human children, there was still a school specially set up for submarines and destroyers in the garrison to teach them some knowledge. Yixian once told the story of Jiang Taigong fishing.

"Okay then." Sukhbaatar nodded helplessly. Since the admiral had said so, they would just stop here today. Thinking of this, she stood up and packed up the fishing gear with Odin.

55. The Shipgirl Who Ran Away from Home

Lanterns emitting dim light swayed gently in the night breeze. The small shop with an izakaya sign seemed a little deserted in the silent night. There was a special large cafeteria in the naval base. Only the best cooks in each department could cook there. People like London, Veneto, and Houston didn't even have the chance to get close to the kitchen.

The high-quality food provided free of charge in the cafeteria has directly led to the sluggish catering industry in the garrison. However, the purpose of these small shops is not to make money. Many times they are the product of the whims of these bored ship girls. Therefore, except for some guys with ulterior motives, no one cares much about the performance of the business.

Inside the izakaya, Shinano, dressed as the proprietress, wearing a dark blue kimono and with her long hair tied up at the back of her head, lazily lay on the wooden bar. At this time, there were only a few customers in the izakaya. With nothing to do, she simply took a break and teased a toy-like carrier-based aircraft in front of her with her fingers.

"Tianhe, do you think the admiral has encountered something recently?" Shinano muttered softly. According to the news in the chat group, the admiral has stayed in the naval base for two consecutive days, and there is no sign of leaving today. This abnormal behavior has caused many ship girls to discuss it privately.

"..." Of course, carrier-based aircraft cannot speak. Although they also have the ability to think, they are neither advanced mechanical life forms nor strange ship-mounted creatures like Bell McCann. Although they have intelligence, they cannot express themselves through language.

Fortunately, the carrier girl had the ability to communicate with the carrier-based aircraft. Tianhe's thoughts were received by Shinano through telepathy. The girl was stunned for a moment and said to herself: "Should I go ask it myself? Or maybe not. The admiral is very busy. Would it be rude for me to go to him casually?"

"..." Tianhe let out a heavy engine roar, seeming a little dissatisfied.

"Eh?" Shinano's face flushed slightly. She looked at the diamond ring on her finger and waved her hand: "No, no! Sneaking away or something, that doesn't seem like a good idea, right?"

As if sensing the girl's intention in her words, the roar of the Tianhe engine became more rapid.

"Okay... okay." Shinano's eyes dodged, the blush on her cheeks getting deeper. She stumbled over her words, "Since Tianhedu has said so, then I'll give it a try reluctantly. No, not now! Wait until it's a little later. I don't want to be seen..."

"What do you mean you don't want to be seen?" A voice rang out. Shinano, who was lost in some strange fantasy, was so scared that she almost jumped up. She looked around in panic and saw a blonde girl in long clothes and trousers walking towards the bar while untying the backpack behind her.

"New Jersey?!" Shinano rubbed her eyes, staring wide-eyed as she tried to confirm what she was seeing. It wasn't until the girl walked up to her that she suddenly woke up and said, "Where have you been all this time? Miss Iowa couldn't find you anywhere and she was furious."

New Jersey casually tossed the large, heavy backpack onto the bar, nearly crushing the carrier-based Tianhe underneath with a loud bang. She watched as Shinano frantically scooped up the Tianhe, and with a flick of her wrist, the carrier-based aircraft vanished. She offered a halfhearted apology and said, "Well, I didn't go anywhere. I just found an uninhabited island nearby and camped. I even sneaked back to see the Admiral the other day when he was having a fit. How's he doing? Is he feeling better?"

Shinano hesitated for a moment and whispered, "Well, I don't know if it's getting better or worse."

New Jersey asked curiously, "What do you mean?"

Shinano poked his head out the door and saw that no one had come and the other guests were seated farther away, so he felt relieved. He hooked his finger at New Jersey, and the two of them put their heads together and explained what had happened in the garrison over the past two days.

"Ah, so that's how it is." New Jersey, who had thought something major had happened after hearing Shinano's explanation, curled his lips in disdain and said, "That lazy guy is just a flash in the pan. It's happened before. Shinano, you're a veteran of the tutelary fort, even older than me. Why are you making such a fuss over such a small thing?"

"I'm not old!" Shinano retorted instinctively, then hesitantly said, "But... I think this admiral is a little different. He seems to be really serious."

New Jersey leaned his arm on the bar, chin in one hand, and asked with interest, "Is there any basis for what Shinano said?"

Shinano shook her head. "I don't have any evidence, but have you ever seen the admiral stay at the tutelary fort before? And the cafeteria? Miss Yixian's food is so delicious, yet I've never seen him go there once."

New Jersey raised his eyebrows and said thoughtfully, "Now that you put it that way, it seems to be true. I..."

As he was speaking, a strange and unladylike sound suddenly came from New Jersey's abdomen. New Jersey's face turned red immediately. He avoided looking at Shinano, but he was too embarrassed to run away. He just stood there, feeling extremely embarrassed.

Shinano coughed lightly, considerately ignoring what had just happened. She took New Jersey's backpack and put it away, then took her to a seat and said, "New Jersey, wait a moment, I'll go get some food."

"Okay." New Jersey responded naturally.

The izakaya is not too big and there are not many customers on a normal day, so it is not very difficult to run. Only a few people are needed to run it.

For customers, such a store can not only guarantee the quality of service but also won't make them wait too long. As long as the quality of the food and drinks is not too bad, it has a natural advantage.

After a while, Shinano came back with a large tray full of food. When New Jersey saw the food in Shinano's hand, his eyes almost lit up.

"New Jersey... you've been having a hard time lately." Shinano looked at New Jersey wolfing down his food and said softly, "So, why did you run away from home? You must be very happy to be able to live with your sister, right?"

"That's not the case," New Jersey muttered, his mouth full. "The sisters from Shinano haven't come to our tutelary fort yet, so you don't understand. I've always envied you, the shipgirls, for not having any sisters."

New Jersey took a big gulp of the drink, swallowed the food in his mouth, and continued, "You have to get up early every morning, and you are forced to eat three meals a day that you don't even like. The reason is to ensure balanced nutrition, but why should we, the ship girls, care about that?"

"Clothes must be washed immediately after they are taken off. They can't be left there for even a minute longer. Snacks are not allowed in the house. If you eat a bag of chips, I'll nag you for a long time. You can only drink one can of Coke a day. Even when you go to bed at night, you can't lock the door because my sister will sneak over to see if you're covered properly."

"Miss Iowa is just concerned about you, right?" Shinano's eyes flickered, and she looked as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.

"Maybe, but that kind of excessive worrying, spoiling someone like a child, is really a bit unbearable. It's like..." New Jersey thought for a moment and searched his mind for a description he thought was appropriate: "A nagging old grandmother who's worried that you don't have enough to eat or wear warm clothes?"

"Oh? If that's the case, why did you come back? Aren't you afraid of bumping into your sister?"

"The supplies in the ship's space have been used up, so of course we have to come back to replenish them." New Jersey said as a matter of course: "As for running into my sister? Don't be silly, I have already scouted. Your Japanese settlement is far away from where we are. My sister and the others would not come here for no reason... Hmm? Shinano, what's wrong with your face? Are you cramping? Ugh!"