The faint smell of disinfectant lingered in the air. The room's decor suggested it was a hospital infirmary.
Commander Wang Yu lay quietly on the bed, as if asleep, with an IV drip in his right hand. Transparent medication slowly dripped from the IV bag, entering his body drop by drop through the tube.
A young girl in a white dress sat by his bedside. She had long white hair, delicate features, and a graceful figure. Simply sitting there quietly, she seemed to draw all eyes, making one unable to help but be captivated.
Her slender brows were slightly furrowed. Her sky-blue eyes were filled with anxiety and worry, staring unblinkingly at the man on the bed, who appeared to be peacefully sleeping.
Her expression was filled with unconcealable urgency and concern. The faint sorrow did not diminish her beauty in the slightest; instead, it made people's hearts ache and stirred an impulse to share her worries.
"Don't worry, Glorious. Your Commander's body is perfectly fine. He hasn't woken up yet simply because of physical exhaustion and overwork. He's already been given nutrient solution, and I believe he'll wake up very soon. After a few days of good rest, he'll be back to his lively self." Nvzaoshen, dressed in a pristine white coat, pushed the door open and walked to Wang Yu's bedside.
She leaned over to carefully check on Wang Yu's condition, then picked up a notebook and jotted down a few notes. Seeing Glorious's anxious expression, she gently reassured her.
"You don't need to worry too much about your Commander, but Essex and the others seem to be looking for you." Nvzaoshen subtly pointed to the transparent glass window on the infirmary door. Glorious turned her head and saw a blonde head wearing a hat peeking in, seemingly hesitant about whether to enter.
Glorious recognized this Ship Girls; it was 'Hornet', whom she had met once before. Because she had been so worried about the Commander's condition, although they had greeted her, she hadn't had time for much interaction.
However, they were very friendly to her, and they had helped bring the Commander to the infirmary. They seemed like friends of the Commander. Glorious looked back at the quietly sleeping figure on the bed, feeling a bit conflicted.
Although the doctor had said there was nothing serious, the Commander remained in a deep sleep. She still felt very worried. Even the joy of finally truly embracing the Commander had completely vanished. She had longed for the Commander for so long, yet she never expected their reunion to be in such a state.
Despite her lingering concern for the Commander, she saw 'Hornet' outside the room looking eager to come in. She also worried that too many people would disturb the Commander's rest. After a brief thought, she nodded to Nvzaoshen and said,
"Then I'll trouble you to look after the Commander for me. I'll go out and chat with them first."
"Don't worry, I'm a professional at taking care of people." Nvzaoshen smiled gently, signaling to Glorious that she had nothing to worry about.
Glorious gently rose, exited the room, and softly closed the door. Only then did she look at Essex, 'Hornet', and York waiting outside the door. She subtly pointed towards the end of the corridor, indicating that they should talk further away if they had something to discuss.
Everyone understood, silently nodded, and followed. Even the most mischievous York knew that one should remain quiet in the infirmary. She had lost her usual flightiness and appeared much more well-behaved.
Once Glorious stopped by the window at the end of the corridor, Essex finally asked, "Your Commander should be fine, right?"
"He's fine. The doctor said he's exhausted, and he'll wake up soon after receiving nutrient injections." Everyone breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.
It felt like Commander Wang Yu hadn't been here long, yet he had already visited the infirmary twice. It made one wonder if he had some kind of easily injured constitution.
"Heh, as expected of the supreme King of Judgement, even his construction must be so earth-shattering." York's face once again broke into a happy smile, and she joyfully said, "I knew King of Judgement would be fine. This level of trial is no problem for him at all. Only you mortals would worry about such a small matter. How could a fated companion fall at a time like this..."
Glorious looked at little York with confusion. She guessed that the King of Judgement she spoke of probably referred to the Commander. Although she was very puzzled about when the Commander started using that name, now was clearly not the time to delve into such matters, so she no longer paid attention to York.
She recognized York's identity at a glance; she was very familiar with Royal Ship Girls. She could ask the Commander about his relationship with York once he woke up.
She turned her gaze to Essex and 'Hornet'. She likely knew that Essex and 'Hornet' held significant positions in this Headquarters. Coming to her at this time, they must have something important to tell her.
"Is there something you need?" Glorious asked directly. Although being too eager might seem unladylike, at this moment, she only wanted to clarify things quickly and return to the Commander's side.
The Commander was still unconscious. She wasn't in the mood for too many pleasantries right now; it was better to get straight to the point, deal with things quickly, and return to the Commander's side sooner. The Commander would surely want to see her by his side the first thing he woke up.
Essex and 'Hornet' – one appeared calm and serious, the other impetuous. Although their personalities differed greatly, they understood Glorious's current feelings and spoke directly:
"The reason for Commander Wang Yu's unconsciousness has basically been confirmed. We detected that during his construction process, he consumed approximately 20 Wisdom Cube and nearly 20,000 material coins. Considering your situation, it's likely because your level is too high and your power is too great, so summoning you consumed excessive resources, as well as his physical and mental energy."
"This is why his construction consumed more than other Commanders. The reason he consumed so many resources when he was summoned before was probably also due to this." Essex paused slightly, waiting for Glorious to fully understand what she had said. Seeing Glorious nod gently, she continued,
"In fact, such a major event cannot be kept secret at all. Headquarters has also been keeping an eye on things here. How to better arrange for Commander Wang Yu is a problem. So, we would like to confirm your strength through an exercise. After all, as his Ship Girls, you represent his strength. Although we can feel your power from your aura, how strong you truly are needs to be confirmed through actual exercises."
Glorious hesitated upon hearing this. Honestly, this request was not unreasonable. Even if the Commander were awake, he probably wouldn't refuse such a reasonable request. Moreover, it seemed the Commander had been well-cared for by them these past few days. She was actually very grateful to them.
After all, if they hadn't been willing to help the Commander with his construction, she wouldn't have been able to reunite with him so quickly. And unlike before in the port, where she could see the Commander but not fully touch him, this time she truly made physical contact with the Commander.
However, the Commander was still unconscious, and as his Ship Girls, she should obey his orders. Furthermore, she wasn't particularly keen on fighting. She couldn't help but hesitate whether it was truly necessary to accept an exercise challenge now to prove herself.
As if noticing Glorious's hesitation, 'Hornet' gently said, "Although we know you are strong, and we know your former port was powerful, we can only make proper arrangements for you once we truly understand your strength. After all, if your strength is sufficient, you can apply to establish a port. And only with sufficient strength can you apply for a better port. We believe Commander Wang Yu would also want to get his own port sooner."
"This is a necessary process, and it's a win-win."