Since it was already late when Lin Lan returned to the Ironblood fleet, and considering that Bismarck's accompanying fleet was overwhelmingly imposing—directly cutting off Dongyun City's shipping routes—he decided not to stay the night in the city.
Instead, he chose to return to his new port district overnight.
With Bismarck's presence here, he could easily deduce that she had already taken care of everything in Dongyun City. The capabilities of the Ironblood leader were no joke.
As they embarked on their return journey under the cover of night, Lin Lan transferred from his yacht to the Ironblood command ship, given that it was far faster than his civilian vessel.
As for Sui Qiong, she was temporarily under Ulrich's supervision and would be awakened the following day.
Bismarck had already informed him that she had brought a significant amount of META crystals, so there was no need to worry about running out.
Lin Lan trusted that Helena Mama would never harm her own offspring.
Since she said using META crystals would be fine, there was no reason to be overly concerned about Sui Qiong's META transformation.
That said, Lin Lan was still uncertain about how Sui Qiong would react to him and the shipgirls upon awakening. He would only find out tomorrow.
As he stepped onto the command ship, he suddenly spotted the green-haired little merchant, Akashi, tailing Ulrich under the bright spotlights of the Ironblood fleet, piloting her ship rigging as she followed along.
It seemed that the green-haired cat was looking to discuss something with Ulrich.
Seeing the sneaky Akashi, Lin Lan suddenly recalled that amidst being surrounded by the Ironblood shipgirls, he had completely forgotten to settle the score with this little swindler.
Back in the Mirror Sea, this rascal had quietly snuck into a Battleaxe Industries mecha to spy and ended up getting unceremoniously transported out alongside the enemy, making Lin Lan worry about her the entire time.
"…Forget it, I'll deal with her later."
Fortunately, Akashi still looked as energetic as ever and hadn't suffered any injuries. Lin Lan decided not to dwell on it.
Turning his gaze toward Dongyun City beneath the night sky, he observed the vast Ironblood fleet surrounding the city as it began to turn around.
A fleet of this scale couldn't be kept secret for long. He wouldn't be surprised if news of Dongyun City being blockaded by a mysterious fleet made headlines by morning.
But Lin Lan wasn't worried in the slightest.
He already understood the full extent of the Orland United Republic's naval capabilities.
Their reliance on mass-produced pawn shipgirls meant they could never stand against the Ironblood faction.
Furthermore, the Tianou Group—one of the five major conglomerates—was now under his command. Although loyalty was out of the question, Lin Lan didn't need their devotion.
As long as they delivered the oil and resources he required, why would their loyalty even matter?
The guns and cannons were in his hands—did they really think they could rebel?
Besides, Tianou Group depended on him for trade route protection. If they dared to get any funny ideas, did they really think he wouldn't wipe them out before the Sirens could?
This recent Mirror Sea incident left Lin Lan reflecting on how the once-mighty and unified Orland United Republic had fallen to such a state.
The five major conglomerates were each scheming for their own gain, never once considering how to restore the republic's former glory—only how to strengthen themselves and seize more power.
For now, the Tianou Group was a useful asset, but Battleaxe Industries? That had already been crossed out in his mind.
As for the Naval Department of the Western Continent…
Lin Lan planned to ask Bismarck in the coming days how she and Friedrich der Große evaluated their handling of affairs.
If they were neutral and cooperative, then he could coexist with them.
If not—he would first purge Battleaxe Industries and let the Tianou Group take full control of the Western Continent.
After that, he would lead the Ironblood forces eastward… to meet the Eagle Union.
Of course, the grudge against the Tianou Consortium was still something he had to settle. Lin Lan hadn't forgotten about that.
Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Lin Lan briskly stepped into the spacious command ship's resting quarters.
The moment he entered, he saw a somewhat fatigued Bismarck casually placing her military cap on the table.
The distinguished flagship of Ironblood showed no sign of treating Lin Lan as an outsider.
After placing the Ironblood flag in the stand by the wall, she ran her fingers through her long, golden hair, which had been slightly tousled by the sea breeze.
Lin Lan silently watched her movements.
He hadn't seen Bismarck in some time, but for some reason, he had a feeling she hadn't been getting enough rest lately.
Seeing that he remained standing at the doorway, staring at her instead of sitting on the sofa, Bismarck paused her actions and looked at him in confusion.
Her voice carried a slight hint of longing as she asked,
"Commander, why are you still standing? Just sit wherever you like. This is only a temporary command ship, so there's no tea. If you're thirsty, I'll have Prinz Eugen fetch some for you."
Hearing Bismarck's direct tone, Lin Lan chuckled.
An ordinary person might be intimidated by the aura of authority she exuded—too scared to casually start a conversation.
But Lin Lan knew that the high-and-mighty leader of Ironblood was nothing but a paper tiger in front of him.
He strolled leisurely toward her, meeting her deep blue eyes with a teasing smile.
"How could I dare sit before our esteemed Ironblood flagship takes her seat first?"
"Commander, you're joking. There's no such rule."
As Bismarck turned her face slightly to avoid his gaze, a faint blush crept onto her fair complexion.
Lin Lan's smile widened.
This contrast in Bismarck's demeanor was simply too adorable.
Truly, teasing Bismarck was one of the greatest joys in Ironblood.
Since she didn't resist his attempt to close the distance, Lin Lan took the opportunity to pull her delicate figure into his embrace.
As expected, Bismarck let out a soft gasp of surprise before protesting in a slightly exasperated tone.
"Commander, we're still outside… You can't be this intimate here."
"Bismarck, Bismarck… have you not been resting properly again?"
The question made her brain short-circuit.
How did he know?
She had been staying up late every night just to see him sooner, but how had he seen through it so easily?
The warmth of Lin Lan's breath against her ear sent her mind into further disarray, leaving her at a complete loss for words.
Sensing her body tense slightly, Lin Lan sighed softly.
It was as he suspected.
No one knew the signs of overwork better than him.
And this Ironblood flagship had clearly been exhausting herself just to see him again.
"I understand," he murmured gently. "I know how much you wanted to see me. I've seen all the effort you put in. You've done well, Bismarck."
Bismarck's eyes widened.
She had expected him to scold her for pushing herself too hard.
But instead, he acknowledged her efforts without a single complaint.
"But you've been working so hard… Once we return to the port, take a proper break. I'll be there with you."
Lin Lan lightly patted her back as he spoke in a soothing tone.
She had worked tirelessly just to reunite with him and the other Ironblood shipgirls.
How could he possibly blame her?
Having suffered through endless nights of overwork himself, he would never let his shipgirls go through the same thing.
With the new port district running smoothly, there were no urgent matters requiring immediate attention.
Lin Lan had already decided—he would ensure this flagship took a well-deserved rest.
And in the meantime, he would also start researching whether he could craft a new mechanical dragon ship rigging for her.
"…Alright, Commander. I understand."
To Lin Lan's surprise, Bismarck not only accepted his offer but also leaned in closer, wrapping her arms around him as if she were shyly seeking comfort.
Their bodies pressed even closer together.
For a moment, he could even feel the rhythm of her heartbeat.
Bismarck's rare display of affection stirred a pang of guilt in Lin Lan's heart.
Mocking her ship rigging? Whoever did that truly had no conscience.
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50 advanced chapters on p@t re on (.) com/SenatusTheta
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