At first, when he heard that preposterous proposal, Chen Jianhong's instinct was to refuse.
The reason was simple.
The submarine *Dolphin* was the property of the residents of Coral City, not his personal possession.
Whether by law or by duty, he had no justification, no authority, and no business taking this vessel to join the Alliance.
And yet...
Be that as it may.
The moment he thought of Sun Yuechi living in the lap of luxury in Dawn City right now, that ironclad will of his began to waver.
Why shouldn't he?
He couldn't help asking himself.
Even their dear Administrator—the man who had the least right to cast off his duties and responsibilities—had surrendered everything he held without a moment's hesitation, not even knitting his brows.
Whereas he was merely the captain of a cargo submarine. He wasn't a soldier, nor was he obligated to look after the daily survival of these several hundred people. What reason did he have to drag out a war doomed to yield nothing?
What was more, this couldn't even be called a war.
The submarine carried no weapons capable of dealing real damage to Federation warships. From start to finish, they had merely been taking a one-sided beating, scurrying and hiding wherever they could.
He was sick to death of this miserable existence and the responsibilities forced onto his shoulders.
If anything, accepting the olive branch extended by the Alliance was the right choice.
After all, according to these two, administrative authority over Shelter 70 had already been transferred to the Alliance. What was wrong with turning over the *Dolphin*, designed and built by the residents of Shelter 70, for the Alliance to use?
It wasn't as though he was surrendering to the thugs of the Southern Archipelago Federation.
And for the more than five hundred survivors and fifty-odd crew members aboard the submarine, this was undoubtedly the best way out.
The moment his mindset shifted, clarity washed over him. The resentment he had harbored upon learning of the Administrator's current circumstances vanished like smoke.
If you can surrender, so can I. Now we're all in the same boat.
With a bright smile on his face, he extended his right hand toward Tail without hesitation.
"That idea... doesn't sound half bad."
"Like you said, since our Administrator is already with you guys, we might as well head over too... assuming you don't mind having us."
The two soldiers flanking him stared at him in unison, their eyes wide with disbelief, as if looking at a man who had taken the wrong medication.
Defect to the Alliance?!
This...
This was truly an unimaginable path.
Tail, however, saw nothing wrong with it at all. Delighted, she grasped his outstretched hand.
"Oh! So glad you chose us! Our Administrator says the Alliance welcomes all survivors, and of course that includes you! Port French Fries will throw a grand welcoming banquet to wash away the dust of your journey! I promise!"
Chen Jianhong chuckled faintly, gave Tail's hand a shake, and let go.
"Ceremonies don't matter. It's enough if you can provide us with the necessary food, fresh water, shelter, and other supplies. There are some Coral City engineers aboard, as well as engineering equipment we brought out with us... They can help you with some complex jobs within their capabilities."
"Oh! Don't you worry! Whether it's welcoming flowers, water, food, or shelter, you'll have it all!" Her eyes sparkling, Tail patted her chest and swore.
Lose one submersible, gain one nuclear submarine!
Talk about a massive profit!
Watching this sudden turn of events from the side, Sisi was utterly flabbergasted.
She had never imagined for a second that this guy would agree. She had even prepared herself to smooth over Tail's embarrassment, yet he had actually said yes?!
Even if they were all shelter residents and communication wasn't an issue...
They had known each other for less than an hour, hadn't they?!
It took her a long time to snap out of her stupor. Her lips parted, and she muttered under her breath, "Holy crap..."
How absurd could this get?!
...
What happened next was even more absurd than Sisi could have imagined.
Having agreed to join the Alliance, the captain decided to go all the way. He led the two straight to his office and used the public address system to announce to the entire crew that the submarine *Dolphin* was officially joining the Alliance.
Most of the survivors showed little reaction upon hearing the broadcast. Some even let out quiet sighs of relief, their expressions softening into sheer release.
This war had left them completely bewildered; many had been swept into it without understanding what was happening.
They didn't even care who won or lost.
Whether it was the Federation or business as usual, it didn't matter.
All they wanted was an early end to this deprived, stifling existence, and a return to some semblance of normal life.
Having announced their accession to the Alliance, Captain Chen Jianhong promptly embraced his new role. On one hand, he ordered a course change toward the Baiyue Strait; on the other, he took the initiative to guide the two curious visitors on a tour of the vessel.
"...The *Dolphin* was completed ten years ago. It has the largest displacement among active nuclear submarines in the Southern Sea, and it also boasts the greatest cargo capacity! Its primary purpose is ferrying freight between islands and settlements, as well as undertaking underwater construction tasks for seabed facilities."
"If I recall, its maximum diving depth reaches negative one thousand meters, though there's rarely a need to go that deep. As far as I know, the deepest facility around here is at roughly negative six hundred meters—a deep-sea research station—while Coral City's average depth is only about negative two to three hundred meters."
Tail's eyes sparkled. "An underwater settlement! I want to see it so badly!"
Chen Jianhong gave a wistful smile. "I'm afraid you can't right now. With the power cut, it's become a dead city. We'll have to see after the war ends. Hopefully it won't drag on too long, or visiting it will just be an archaeological expedition."
A trace of sorrow crept into his voice as he spoke.
That city was a marvel created by the survivors of this sea over nearly a century of sweat and toil.
Yet ruining it had taken nothing more than a foolish war.
Tail stroked her chin thoughtfully and nodded. "Like how a house becomes unlivable if nobody lives in it for too long, right?"
Chen Jianhong nodded with a quiet sigh. "That's about the size of it."
Even though they were occasionally on completely different wavelengths, the two hit it off surprisingly well.
Walking beside them, Sisi rested her hand on the railing and gazed out over the central area stacked with shipping containers, murmuring with admiration, "This submarine really is enormous... Setting everything else aside, its length alone surpasses both the Ohio class and the *Belgorod* by quite a margin."
To say nothing of its beam.
To accommodate a cargo bay in the middle, this thing was practically an aircraft carrier sailing beneath the waves.
At her remark, Chen Jianhong blinked, puzzled. "Ohio... What's that?"
Sisi paused as well, then smiled. "Nothing, not worth mentioning."
Indeed, it wasn't worth mentioning.
This vessel was powered by nuclear fusion, so how could it compare to relics that boiled water with fission reactors?
In terms of both materials and energy sources, they operated on entirely different dimensions.
Chen Jianhong looked at her with utter confusion, but didn't pry. After all, this wasn't the first time he had failed to follow what these two were saying.
Pausing briefly, he continued explaining the layout of the submarine.
"...I've divided the interior into three sections. Section One is living quarters, Section Two is logistics warehousing, and Section Three is the work area... that space up ahead, which mainly houses production facilities."
Tail asked eagerly, "Producing what?"
"Everything we can produce," Chen Jianhong answered. "With nearly six hundred people aboard, this vessel is severely overloaded. We have to do everything possible to meet everyone's daily needs."
Sisi pondered for a moment, then chimed in, "Actually, I've been wondering: how did you manage food for over two months? Fishing?"
"We mainly relied on artificially cultivating fast-growing algae suitable for nutrient extraction," Chen Jianhong explained. "It also helps freshen the air in the compartments. Fortunately, the one thing we don't lack here is electricity and lighting, so as long as we rationed carefully, it was enough. Aside from that, we'd occasionally encounter schools of fish. If luck was on our side and we managed to net a haul, that would improve the survivors' meals a bit."
Their primary threat was not underwater mutants, but Federation destroyers.
Massive as the *Dolphin* appeared, a few depth charges would be all it took to sink her.
Tail looked at him in surprise. "Huh? Hearing that, your meals actually sounded pretty good!"
"Good? Ha."
Chen Jianhong's mouth twitched into a grim scowl, his expression turning complex. "Feel free to try it if you're interested: eating that slimy green nutrient paste and violently fishy, foul-smelling fish for two months straight... The only seasoning available here was salt. Maybe it would've been better with spices from Bolo Province. Later, having no other choice, we tried brewing vinegar and soy sauce, but the flavor was honestly worse than having none at all."
Imagining the scene, Tail pulled her neck in, nodding in profound sympathy. "Yeah, that really is rough..."
Sisi shifted her gaze to the shipping containers stacked in the cargo hold and asked, "Then what's inside these containers?"
"Mostly manufactured industrial goods," Chen Jianhong said. "Connectors for maintaining Coral City's underwater facilities, along with some automated tools. We opened a few containers and repurposed what was inside, but quite a few remain unopened. If you're interested, feel free to rummage through them. You might find something useful."
At those words, Tail's eyes lit up with excitement. "Oh! Then Tail won't be polite!"
Scavenging junk was her greatest specialty!
"Suit yourself. The order can't be fulfilled anyway."
Glancing at the none-too-bright girl, Chen Jianhong checked the wrist-mounted computer on his left forearm, then looked back at the two blue-jackets from the Alliance.
"...We're a little over fifty kilometers from the Baiyue Strait. Do you want to notify the people on shore first? Do they have a dedicated radio channel?"
Sisi offered a faint smile. "Of course they do, but we've already notified them."
Chen Jianhong blinked. "You've... already notified them?"
"We have a special method of communication. In short, we can just head straight over." Sisi didn't elaborate, keeping her explanation concise.
While stepping away earlier under the guise of using the restroom, Tail had already logged off to post on the forum.
Upon hearing that Ah Wei had coaxed an entire nuclear submarine back with her, the forum erupted in disbelief.
To be frank, forget the players waiting on shore—even Sisi, standing aboard this submarine right now, hadn't expected things to go so smoothly. Even now, it felt like a dream.
Chen Jianhong gave the woman named Sisi a dubious look, but said nothing more.
He would take her word for it...
...
At that very moment.
On the shore of Port French Fries, a dense crowd of players stood packed together, craning their necks with wide-eyed curiosity like country bumpkins, gazing out across the rolling waves.
To put it plainly:
They had all come to see the nuclear submarine.
According to a certain Tail's boasting on the forum, this submarine not only ran on second-generation controlled nuclear fusion, but was also large enough to carry freight in its hold, making it practically an aircraft carrier navigating underwater!
Just how massive had that thing got to be?!
It was already past five in the morning. A hazy band of pale dawn had unrolled across the distant sea, yet there was still no sign of the vessel.
The crowd had been waiting here for nearly half an hour.
Remembering the maid outfit incident from last time, quite a few people began muttering with skepticism.
"Why do I feel like that girl is bragging again?"
"+1, you're not the only one."
"Let's skip the maid outfit this time and try something new."
"How about a bikini?"
"Holy crap, that spicy?"
Listening to the murmurs around him, Spare the Blade crossed his arms and watched the distant sea, harboring an inkling of doubt himself.
He was no expert in naval architecture or materials science, so he wouldn't pass judgment on whether a submarine as big as an aircraft carrier that carried cargo was plausible, but he knew Ah Guang!
Would Ah Guang be generous enough to hand them a submarine for free?
He wouldn't believe that for a second!
"If it doesn't show up soon, I'm heading into the forest to grind mobs," Killing Dagger said, stretching lazily.
Standing nearby, Model Prone Crawler glanced at him. "Not on guard duty today?"
"How can I stand guard every day? Today is Old Kidn—holy crap!" Halfway through his sentence, Killing Dagger's eyes suddenly went round, his mouth dropping into an O-shape.
Startled by his sudden outburst, Model Prone Crawler asked, "What is it?"
"Ahead! In the water!" Killing Dagger pointed forward, shouting in excitement.
The warning was entirely unnecessary.
Across the sunlit sea, a towering iron beast parted the rolling waves from below, revealing a broad prow and hull.
Waves crashed against the bow, throwing up sheets of white foam. Glistening beads of water rolled down its pitch-black silhouette, sparkling like pearls in the morning light.
The dawn glow cast across the water behind the submarine stretched into an orange ribbon that reached to the horizon.
Inside the bridge, Chen Jianhong looked at Tail beside him and asked, confused, "Why did we have to surface at this exact moment? Is there some special meaning to it?"
They had arrived half an hour ago.
Yet at someone's insistence, they had waited a full thirty minutes before surfacing.
Gazing through the viewport at the sun-drenched sea, Tail's eyes shone brightly. "Don't you think it looks super cool?!"
Chen Jianhong: "...?"
Fair enough, the sight was undeniably magnificent.
While the people inside couldn't see the spectacle, the players standing on shore were completely spellbound.
"Holy shit?!"
"For real?!"
"That's a submarine?!"
"That is so damn awesome!"
A chorus of commotion erupted across the beach, virtually every face painted with shock and disbelief.
Aside from those shouting and excitedly snapping screenshots, someone even collapsed on the spot.
It wasn't a genuine fainting spell, of course, but logging off to share the excitement and joy with the netizens on the forum.
The players were long accustomed to this sort of thing, but it startled the gentle Moon Clan girls, who mistook it for heatstroke and rushed over intending to administer artificial respiration—only to be held back by warmhearted players.
Meanwhile, on the golden, shimmering sea, the pitch-black prow and deck broke fully through the surface.
Crew members clad in exoskeletons filed onto the deck under the lead of Captain Chen Jianhong.
Seeing the solitary, ramshackle wooden pier ahead, he froze, his parted lips caught somewhere between astonishment and bewilderment.
After a long pause, he turned toward Sisi. "This is your... port?"
Sisi wore a nuanced expression. Lacking Tail's thick skin, she let out an awkward cough. "The facilities are slightly rudimentary, but please don't mind that. Everything will gradually improve."
Tail nodded eagerly, puffing out her chest. "Oh! We're still in the early startup phase. Everything will get better!"
"..."
Chen Jianhong's brow twitched violently, though he held his tongue.
Come to think of it, the situation wasn't as dire as he had imagined.
At least there was a pier extending into deep water. They wouldn't have to row rubber dinghies back and forth to shore; laying a pontoon bridge between the pier and the deck would suffice.
Besides, port facilities were secondary. The crucial point was that they had secured the Alliance's protection!
Unless the Southern Archipelago Federation was prepared to go to war with the Alliance, they shouldn't attack them any further. They could even remain aboard the submarine without stepping foot on land if they wished.
Yet while he reasoned this way, the residents gathering on the deck thought quite differently.
Gazing at the golden sandy beach and the village standing beside it, their malnourished faces were filled with longing.
They didn't care in the slightest how crude the living conditions were. All they wanted was to escape that cursed deep sea and return to living on land beneath the warm sun.
"...Speaking of which, I almost forgot to ask: are you certain building a settlement here is safe? This is Baiyue Province after all," Chen Jianhong asked, checking again with Sisi.
Understanding his concern, Sisi gave him a reassuring look. "Rest assured, our people handle security. We won't let any mutants here harm you. As you can see, people are already living on shore."
Chen Jianhong nodded, his furrowed brow relaxing slightly. "I'd like to meet the person in charge here."
Glancing toward the nearby sea, Sisi offered a faint smile. "He's already on his way."
Just as her words fell, a small boat pulled up alongside the submarine.
Climbing the ladder onto the deck, Fang Chang brushed the slick seaweed from his hands, strode forward with a broad smile, and extended his right hand toward Chen Jianhong.
"Welcome! Captain Chen! I'm Fang Chang, the person in charge of Port French Fries!"
Chen Jianhong shook his hand, glanced at the crowd ashore, and then looked back at him.
"Thank you for the warm reception... My crew, the survivors aboard, and I have joined you in good faith. In return, I hope we can receive the status and treatment of Alliance citizens."
Fang Chang replied with a bright smile, "Rest assured, I've already informed the Administrator about you, and he welcomes your choice! He specifically instructed me to let you know that, starting today, you are citizens of the Alliance, protected by Alliance law, while also bearing the obligation to obey and actively uphold it."
Relief washed over Chen Jianhong. "Thank you."
"You're welcome. It is we who should be thanking you. On this path of rebuilding civilization and order, we've gained another dependable ally!"
Releasing the captain's hand, Fang Chang smiled and continued, "Since the Alliance doesn't currently have a naval command and lacks experts in this field, we'll need you to continue serving as captain of the *Dolphin*. For now, we will pay you and your entire crew according to army standards!"
Chen Jianhong blinked in surprise. "Wait, navy? The *Dolphin* isn't a combat vessel, and I'm not a military man—"
Seeing his anxious explanation, Fang Chang was quick to reassure him. "I understand. Don't worry, you won't be tasked with combat missions. We have no enemies to attack in these waters."
Hearing that, Chen Jianhong finally let out a full sigh of relief.
Reflecting on his previous words, however, he felt a bit embarrassed by his defensiveness, so he offered an awkward explanation.
"It's not that I'm afraid of fighting. If the enemy were the Federation Navy, I wouldn't hesitate to give them a thrashing. But unfortunately, there isn't a single decent weapon aboard this boat. Moreover, it's far too large to serve as an offensive craft. I hope you understand."
After a brief pause, he added, "Also, we've been drifting underwater for quite a while. Many systems on the submarine require maintenance and overhauls. Could you build a port here... not a wooden one like this, but something a bit more substantial?"
Just as Fang Chang was about to say he was already in talks with companies in Ideal City, a man pushed his way out of the crowd of survivors on the deck, raising his right hand.
"If you plan on building a port, I can help!"
Dressed in a faded brown shirt, he looked somewhat haggard, but his eyes were bright with vigor.
Surprised by this enthusiastic volunteer, Fang Chang looked at him with curiosity. "And you are...?"
Chen Jianhong glanced at the man and introduced him. "His name is Li Shihao, an engineer from Coral City. He used to work at the submarine berthing station. Some sort of engineer, though I forget his exact specialty—"
"Port and waterway engineering!" the man blurted out, interrupting to take over. Looking at the surprised Fang Chang, he spoke rapidly. "I took part in the port renovation projects on Ring Island and Anle Island, as well as the design of Coral City's submarine berths... Give me enough manpower and materials, and I can help you build a universal port capable of berthing this submarine!"
At those final words, Fang Chang's eyes instantly ignited. He declared on the spot, "Fantastic! You're hired! Not only will I give you enough manpower and materials, but I can also offer you a base salary of ten thousand silver coins a month! That's just the base; there will be performance bonuses and commissions on top! As long as you do good work, I promise your life in the Alliance will be even more comfortable than your old shelter overseer's! Ah, right, the choice to accept the offer is entirely yours—"
"I accept!" the man nodded eagerly, sheer excitement written across his face.
Though he had no idea what the purchasing power of ten thousand silver coins was, securing a job first could never be wrong.
Seeing that someone had landed a job before even stepping ashore, envious looks rippled through the survivors on the deck.
With someone leading the way, several others raised their hands and stepped forward eagerly.
"I'm his colleague!"
"I can do that work too, let me help!"
"Do you need fish farmers? I know fish farming! I ran a great operation in Coral City!"
"I'm a prospector, mainly subsea mineral exploration... though land works too!"
"I'm a miner!"
"Wait, are you interested in automated underwater construction gear? I helped design the Electric Ray unmanned craft! The one that does automated underwater welding!"
"Look at me too, I research waterproof and anti-corrosion materials..."
Fang Chang was beside himself with joy.
The way he looked at these people was like staring at walking gold mines!
Sisi and Tail exchanged stunned glances.
On one hand, they were amazed that so many talented individuals were hidden among the survivors; on the other, they were dumbfounded that this old fox Fang Chang was conducting on-site recruitment right then and there.
"Holy crap..."
"This guy is way too shameless..."
Looking at the agitated crowd, Fang Chang quickly raised his hands, shouting to calm everyone down.
"Everyone, don't get agitated! Don't rush! What we lack most right now is people, especially talented individuals like you with knowledge and professional skills!"
"When we issue identity cards later, I'll register everyone's professions and specialties! I promise you will all find respectable jobs you love, and begin a new life on this sunlit land!"
"Furthermore, we've prepared fine wine and delicacies from Dawn City for you! Before we start anew, let's bid a complete farewell to all the troubles of the past!"
Food!
Wine!
As his ringing cadence settled, the deck erupted into passionate cheers and whistles.
Joy and excitement shone from every sallow face.
Filled with hope and longing for their new life, the crowd's spirits soared, every single one of them fired up as if injected with adrenaline. Tail in particular joined in the fun, howling and cheering along at the top of her lungs.
Watching the jubilant crew and survivors, Captain Chen Jianhong felt a gratified smile touch his lips.
To conclude two and a half months of wandering and hardship in such a manner made all the torment worthwhile...
With the assistance of the players ashore, a simple pontoon bridge was quickly erected between the pier and the submarine. The survivors and crew members filed off the deck and stepped onto the beach.
Yiren Tavern, which usually didn't open until evening, was already bustling in the early morning.
Tables and chairs were set out across the sand, the atmosphere as lively as a festival.
At this moment, across the distant sea, a speedboat belonging to the Southern Archipelago Federation was speeding toward Port French Fries.
It was Muda's speedboat.
Having finally dealt with the Federation Navy's questioning, he hadn't returned to Ring Island to hand over his shift, but had steered directly here instead.
All he wanted now was to deliver the scalding-hot roasted jellyfish tied beneath his hull to the Alliance as quickly as possible, and then inform them that the two girls had vanished near the wreckage of the ocean-current generator.
Yet what Muda never could have anticipated was that, the moment he entered the eastern Baiyue Strait, he spotted the colossal silhouette floating on the water.
The *Dolphin*!
The underwater phantom that had sunk twelve Federation cargo ships!
The most wanted target of the Federation Navy!
Standing at the bow of the speedboat, Muda stared dumbly at the ocean behemoth resting upon the waves, struck completely speechless.
The sailor standing behind him swallowed hard, his voice trembling. "Captain?"
Muda's gaze wrestled with inner turmoil for several seconds before he finally gritted his teeth and ordered in a low voice, "...Pull alongside."
The sailor exchanged a glance with the helmsman inside the cabin, both seeing deep unease and bewilderment in the other's eyes.
It really felt as though this road was getting darker and darker by the minute...
Chapter 687