"Look, the ship's here!"
Luo Lan raised his hand, pointing toward the ocean.
But everyone else just stared at the endless sea with confused faces.
Where was the ship?
There was nothing in sight—just waves stretching to the horizon.
Then, without warning, like a massive whale breaching the surface, a colossal black submarine burst out of the water. It was over 200 meters long, sleek and dark like a shadow from the deep.
With a thunderous crash, the vessel landed back on the sea, sending up a wall of spray.
"Let me introduce you—this is the flagship of Branch 157: Danaan, designation TDD-1. Fully loaded weight: over 30,000 tons!"
Everyone was stunned speechless.
What was this monster?
Even a full-sized naval warship doesn't come close to 200 meters—and those usually weigh just a few thousand tons!
But this thing? Over 200 meters long, 30,000 tons, and fully capable of underwater navigation?
Hina was at a loss for words.
Nami, on the other hand, looked absolutely thrilled.
"Luo Lan, can I drive it? Please?"
"No."
Luo Lan refused her without hesitation.
That made Nami furious.
"You said I'm the Chief Navigator of Branch 157! Why not?!"
"Because you don't know how to drive it!"
"Hmph! There's no ship in this world I can't sail!"
Nami crossed her arms with a proud snort.
Luo Lan just chuckled and shook his head.
This beast? You can't just hop in and steer like a sailboat.
Just last night, Luo Lan had a sudden realization: Can anyone on his team even operate the Danaan?
Forget the advanced features—just starting it up would be beyond them!
This wasn't some basic transport sub like those used in underwater prisons—it was a highly advanced warship with incredibly complex systems.
Just the control interface alone would probably fry everyone's brains.
So, Luo Lan checked with the system to see if there were any training programs available for his crew.
No luck.
But the system did offer an alternative—he could rent a temporary crew.
A professional team of 97 personnel could be hired to operate the Danaan and train Luo Lan's subordinates during the one-month rental period.
The cost? 1,500 points.
It was a great offer, but Luo Lan had a problem—he didn't even have 1,000 points left.
With no other choice, he went back to his old ways.
In the dead of night, he snuck into the treasury and "borrowed" the 9 million Nami had set aside for salaries and daily expenses.
And to make sure she didn't catch on, Luo Lan camped out in front of her villa at dawn and dragged her straight to the dock—no chance to check the vault.
Mission: Find treasure, return 9 million before Nami notices, and everything's fine.
Flawless plan!
"Nami, it's not that I don't want you to pilot it—it's just that you literally can't… yet."
"Hmph! Just wait. I'll prove you wrong."
Seeing how unconvinced she was, Luo Lan sighed.
No need to argue.
Once she stepped into the bridge, her bewildered expression would say it all.
---
There was no time to waste.
Over a hundred people boarded the Danaan in small boats, one group at a time.
Luo Lan and his core team followed the first officer into the command bridge.
Everyone else was left in the care of the bio-engineered crew.
"What… is all this?"
Nami was instantly overwhelmed.
Actually, not just her—everyone was overwhelmed.
The entire bridge was covered in blinking screens, complex instruments, and countless buttons. Each crew member sat before a dense control panel that looked more like a spaceship than a submarine.
"This… isn't how a ship works! You're supposed to raise sails and steer the rudder, right?!"
"So? Do you believe me now?" Luo Lan raised an eyebrow. "You're not quite ready for this ship."
"No worries. I'll learn!" Nami's eyes gleamed with determination.
Just a ship, huh?
How hard can it be?
No matter what, I'm going to master it—and make this beast submit to me!
"Fine. Teach her," Luo Lan waved.
"Yes, Boss!"
The first officer saluted and began explaining the bridge layout to Nami, console by console.
As for Luo Lan, he casually made his way toward the captain's seat.
But before he could sit—
Hina swooped in and plopped down ahead of him.
"Mmm, nice seat. Hina likes it very much."
She winked at Luo Lan.
…
…
"Like it," huh?
What exactly do you like about it?
Forget it. No way you're getting this ship.
"Hina just said—Hina likes this ship very much!" she repeated, this time biting off every word with extra weight.
Not a hint. A full-on threat.
"Hina, this is the flagship of Branch 157. And you…"
"…aren't part of Branch 157 yet."
She went quiet for a moment.
Then got up and gave him a look.
"One month from now, don't you dare go back on your word. Or Hina will be very upset!"
Huh?
Wait—what do you mean by that?
I just said you're not in the branch yet! I didn't say if you joined, the ship would be yours!
...Though, honestly, if Hina did join 157 permanently, letting her captain the Danaan wouldn't be too bad.
And Nami as her first officer? That might work too…
Only issue: if Nami spent all her time on the ship, who would handle the finance department?
Ugh. Headache incoming.
Luo Lan shook his head, brushing the chaotic thoughts aside.
Time to focus.
He took his seat as captain.
"Close the hatches. Prepare to submerge."
"Report: all hatches sealed. Full systems green. Ready to dive at your command."
"Descend to 300 meters."
"Aye, commencing submersion."
The crew had used submarines before—but those were tiny transport subs for prisoner transfers.
Now, experiencing the Danaan was an entirely different beast.
There was only one word for it:
Smooth.
---
In one of the Danaan's private chambers—
"This is amazing! A bath on board?! This is luxury!"
"Hina agrees completely!"
"Nami, you dragged me here while I was training! Seriously?"
"Just answer me—is it comfortable or not?"
"Well… yeah. It is."
"Then that's all that matters! Everything else can wait!"
Nami, Nojiko, and Hina were all soaking in a private onsen-style bath, looks of pure bliss on their faces.
If someone were to walk in now… they'd probably drop dead from blood loss—right through the nose.
---
A/N: If you're enjoying the story and want to read ahead, I post advanced chapters on my Ko-fi!
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