"Let's go, Commander." Glorious gently tugged Wang Yu's arm, "The supply ship is about to depart."
Wang Yu suppressed the emptiness in his heart, waved to those seeing him off, and then followed Glorious onto the supply ship.
Not seeing the familiar figure made him a bit sad, but they still had to set sail. He would just consider it a beautiful memory.
Shangri-La stood by the window, silently watching the supply fleet sail away, gradually disappearing at the edge of the horizon.
"Heh." A smile suddenly bloomed on her face, sweet as saffron, mirroring her mood at that moment.
Above the sea, a small figure rushed from the shore, chasing after the disappearing supply fleet...
On the deck of the supply fleet, the refreshing sea breeze blew, dispelling the sorrow of parting, but it couldn't bring the joy of a long voyage.
He had been looking forward to this moment for a long time, but he couldn't find the happiness he imagined. He knew why, but some things truly couldn't be forced. Just like now, he could only stare blankly at the empty sea, not knowing what to think.
No, he couldn't be like this. Once his port district was on the right track, he needed to find more excuses to come back and visit.
Yes, gratitude! Shangri-La and the others had taken such good care of him; he needed to come back often to thank them.
He took a deep breath. Although he still felt a sense of melancholy, he felt a little better inside.
As the sea breeze brushed past, Wang Yu felt something touch his face. He turned his head and saw Glorious had come to his side at some point. Her lustrous white hair flew in the wind, and a faint fragrance filled his nostrils.
Wang Yu pulled himself together. No matter what the situation was now, he still had people he wanted to protect by his side, and he also bore unfulfilled promises. He had no time to be dejected.
"Commander..."
"No need to comfort me, I'm not that fragile."
Glorious looked at Wang Yu seriously and found that although he was still gazing into the distance, his eyes were no longer as lost as before; instead, they were filled with determination. He truly wasn't using a few words to brush her off.
She then relaxed. "Hmph, Commander has indeed grown significantly. All my efforts haven't been in vain."
"Eh!" Glorious let out a soft sound, then suddenly smiled and said, "Commander, are you feeling particularly sad right now? The taste of unfulfilled desire isn't pleasant, is it?"
Unfulfilled desire...
He had certainly experienced that feeling, but in his previous life, he had never been stuck on a Ship Girls. Failing to acquire a Ship Girls was a first for him, both in his past and present lives.
"It's not like there's no chance. York should still be there for a few years, and besides, the Royal, we can go there in a few years. My military rank is recognized by all allied nations, so a visit wouldn't be a problem."
"Heh heh." Glorious chuckled softly, then suddenly said, "If Ship Girls are the daughters of the Sea of Hope, then Commanders are the darlings of the sea."
Whether he was a darling of the sea or not, he didn't know. There were also many Commanders who sacrificed themselves at sea. However, he had never heard of any Commander getting seasick at sea, which was a fact. This was his first time at sea, and he felt no discomfort at all.
"Legend has it that as long as a Commander sincerely makes a wish to the Sea of Hope, their wish will surely come true."
If wishing worked, there wouldn't be so many Commanders stuck with no Ship Girls, toiling for most of their lives without even a port district.
I'm not stupid, Glorious, don't always try to fool me like a child...
"Commander, why don't you try it? I heard the first wish is especially effective."
I'll believe you when pigs fly.
Despite his thoughts, Wang Yu still closed his eyes and silently prayed to the Sea of Hope.
But nothing happened...
Bang!
It was like a cannonball hitting the sea, sending up surging waves.
The boiling seawater shot into the sky, and scattered splashes soaked Wang Yu completely. The seawater rushed over his cheeks, past the corners of his mouth, and Wang Yu could feel the salty taste of the sea...
He opened his eyes and saw a small figure burst from the sea, falling from the air with the waves, landing on the deck in front of him.
"Commander..."
The small figure lunged at him. Before he could react, he instinctively opened his arms and held the figure from the air tightly.
"W-woo, Commander, I can't break free from my destiny..."
Wang Yu's grip tightened, as if he was holding his most cherished treasure.
"It's alright, it's alright. I'll be with you, to sever all destiny and crush all nightmares."
"Mm, it's a promise."
"It's a promise."
Thank you, Sea of Hope. Fate will reunite those who truly care, and being able to meet each other is people's best expectation...
......
Deep within an unknown sea area.
"The singularity has fluctuated again. To fluctuate twice within a month is currently unexplainable for the cause of this special situation."
"Do we need to awaken Carrier Zero?"
"Not for now. Until the ultimate cause is clarified or a greater change occurs, it is not recommended to awaken Carrier Zero."
"Current intelligence analysis indicates that all sources point to White Eagle."
In the dark space, a holographic projection instantly unfolded, the image freezing on a sea area.
"This is the Xianggua Island combat zone. The combat strategy for this sea area has always been very conservative. Among all White Eagle combat zones, our attention to it has always been the least."
"Have any results been found from the investigation?"
"Yes, an unexpected individual has appeared."
Click. Wang Yu's figure was projected directly above the sea area projection.
The surroundings once again fell silent, with only rustling sounds remaining. Several light screens flashed rapidly, and some words like 'Otherworld Commander,' 'Glorious,' 'Construction,' and 'Flower Port' could vaguely be seen.
After a long while.
"We need to readjust the combat strategy for Azure Lane."
"Increase observation? Do we need to activate more combat units?"
"Not for now. Reducing the oversight measures for Northern Parliament and Iron Blood will suffice."
"Targeting the Xianggua Island combat zone, or targeting him?"
"The entire White Eagle."
"Understood. Combat strategy has been adjusted. Northern Parliament and Iron Blood combat levels are lowered by one, White Eagle combat level is raised by two, and strategies for other factions remain unchanged. Command confirmed, execute immediately!"
Brand new combat orders were transmitted across the sea, and the routes of various fleets quietly changed, like migrating fish, converging towards the same combat location.
Silently, the Siren's combat strategy had already changed. Without anyone knowing, the future of this sea had already begun to move in another unknown direction.