Elder brother's garrison

Page 1719

"..." Yu Gan stopped.

The kettle boiled, and bubbling bubbles rose to the surface.

“Once I recover, I’ll find a job. I’ll start from the bottom and work hard to earn money to support our family and pay off all our debts. You won’t have to work as a tour guide anymore. You can go to school, make your own friends, have enough to eat, and live in a house that doesn’t leak or let the rain in. There won’t be any thugs harassing you at your door…” the man said, head bowed. “Before, I ignored you because I was afraid of being a burden. I thought that if I made you feel cold, you might leave me one day. Now I finally see hope for recovery. I shouldn’t be a burden to you anymore. We can start over and live our own lives again. Although it might be a little harder and poorer than before, but…”

The man's words were cut short, and they didn't reach Yu Gan's ears.

Because Yu Gan's crying had drowned out the man's weak voice.

In front of the bubbling kettle, Yu Gan sat on the ground, hugging her legs, her thin shoulders trembling like a leaf, and she was sobbing uncontrollably.

Chapter 2355 The Hidden Location of the Deep Sea Dean

"Admiral, what are you planning to do with that loan shark organization?" York asked Xiaobai curiously on the way away from Yu Gan's house.

“Hmm… It just so happens that the Governor’s Office is also in this city. Since we need the phone number anyway, let’s give this number to Z31 and let them handle it.” Xiaobai took out a piece of paper with the phone number written on it from his pocket, thought for a while and said, “Although our systems are different, the Governor’s Office should be more convenient to do these things than I am. They should be able to eradicate this loan shark organization soon.”

"Oh, the Governor's House!" York exclaimed in sudden realization.

"Just tell Z31 and the others when we get back to the hotel." Xiaobai thought for a while, then said to York and Baltimore, "More important than this, we need to continue dealing with Dean Deepsea's matter today."

“Dean of the Deep Sea…” York and Baltimore exchanged glances upon hearing Xiaobai’s words.

"Admiral, if those two Deep Sea Deans didn't leave, where could they have gone?"

"Yes, Peicheng should have been thoroughly searched by the ship girls and admirals long ago. Where exactly did they hide to avoid being searched by so many ship girls?"

The two ship girls expressed their questions to Xiaobai.

“Yes, that’s why I say they’re amazing.” Xiaobai tapped her lips with her finger and said thoughtfully, “Actually, even my Admiral Network couldn’t find those two Deep Sea Deans here. If Yu Gan’s father hadn’t said they hadn’t left, I would have thought they had left long ago.”

Xiaobai's admiral network is not in the same dimension as the admiral network of ordinary admirals.

When Xiaobai first arrived in Peicheng, she used the Admiral's Network to search the nearby sea area, and the results were indeed fruitless. This was why Xiaobai was so convinced that the Deep Sea Dean had left. But since Yu Gan's father said that they hadn't left, this completely overturned Xiaobai's argument, which couldn't help but surprise her.

"So what do we do now?" York asked.

"It seems the trail has gone cold again..." Baltimore looked at Xiaobai with concern.

"Hmm... indeed, we've gathered almost all the information." Xiaobai nodded. "I feel it's time to give Lianlian a call."

Xiao Bai and his two companions returned to the inn.

After greeting the front desk clerk and explaining Yu Gan's situation to him, who was slightly worried, Xiao Bai and the other two returned to their hotel room under his relieved and grateful gaze.

Back in her room, Xiaobai took out her phone and dialed Luo Lian's private number.

Beep, beep, beep—)

Click.

The phone rang three times as usual before being answered.

"Hello? This is the Second Chapter Admiral's Guild." A clear, spring-like voice came from the other end of the phone.

"Huh? Des Moines?" Xiao Bai recognized the voice on the other end of the phone; slightly surprised, "Isn't this Lianlian's private phone?"

Besides her initial ship Warspite, Luo Lian also has Des Moines as a ship girl. Xiao Bai had met Des Moines a few times before; she was an exaggeratedly large blonde beauty by all accounts. Since Luo Lian helped Xiao Bai take over the second chapter, she moved her own naval base there as well. The two ship girls in the naval base don't fight much anymore; instead, they assist Luo Lian with various matters in the second chapter. For example, Des Moines is now doing the work that Helena, the former president of the Er Gou Guild, used to do.

"Judging from that voice, could it be Admiral Lu Lin?" On the other end of the phone, Desmond's voice sounded slightly surprised, then he explained to Xiaobai with a smile, "Sorry, I've gotten into a habit while handling business lately, and I even subconsciously said that when answering the phone for the admiral—yes, this is the admiral's private phone. It's been a long time, Admiral Lu Lin. How is Warspite doing with you?"

“Long time no see.” Xiaobai smiled. “Warspite is still on vacation at our naval base. At this time, she should be attending Hood’s tea party.”

“I see,” Desmond replied politely. “Admiral Lu Lin, would you like me to hand the phone to you?”

"Oh, this is troublesome. Is it convenient for Lianlian?"

"The admiral is watching TV."

"Oh? Lianlian has this hobby?"

“Yes, lately, for some reason, the admiral has become obsessed with television programs. She not only bought a huge LCD monitor for her studio, but also a sound system worth hundreds of thousands. Every time I go in, she’s watching it.” As Desmond spoke, the crisp sound of high heels came from the other end of the phone. Soon, with the sound of a door opening, Desmond entered Luo Lian’s room. “Admiral, there’s a call for you. It’s from Admiral Lu Lin.”

Along with Des Moines's voice, the sound of a very clear television program also came through the microphone.

Xiao Bai listened carefully and realized that it sounded like a variety show was playing, with a familiar host reciting lines.

Hmm... it's "Happy Base".

What a coincidence, I was on this show just recently.

I wonder which episode Lianlian watched?

Just as Xiaobai was about to listen carefully to the sound inside, the TV was turned off, and a hurried voice answered the phone.

"Hello? Xiaobai?"

It was Luo Lian's panting voice.

"Lianlian, it's me." As soon as Xiaobai heard Luo Lian's voice, she couldn't help but smile. "How are you doing over there?"

"It's...it's alright..." Luo Lian's breathing was a little rapid, but she quickly calmed down. "Did you encounter any difficulties on your end?"

"Mm." Xiaobai nodded.

It's so great that I can skip the small talk and get straight to the point when I call Luo Lian.

"Let me think..." Luo Lian hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Did you encounter trouble while searching for those two Deep Sea Deans?"

"Yes, I found... wait?" Xiaobai paused halfway through her answer, then asked in surprise, "Lianlian, how did you know I was looking for Dean Shenhai?"

"It's not hard to deduce..." Luo Lian was silent for a while.

"Oh, oh..." Xiaobai nodded dazedly, "Then, let's get straight to the point... Lianlian, I need your help here, I can't find Dean Shenhai."

Should I go to your place?

“No need for that,” Xiao Bai replied, then asked Luo Lian, “I’ve gathered some information here. Let me tell you about it and see if you can guess anything over the phone.”

"Okay, go ahead and tell me."

"Then I'll start telling you..." Xiao Bai took a deep breath and began to tell Luo Lian about her experiences in Peicheng during this period, sharing all her discoveries with Luo Lian.

Luo Lian listened quietly to what Xiao Bai had to say.

"I see." After hearing the last piece of information, Luo Lian exclaimed, "Very interesting."

"Lianlian, what are your thoughts?" Xiaobai asked.

"Hmm... I have many thoughts. The twin Deep Sea Deans... and one of them was injured, right?" Footsteps came from Luo Lian's side, followed quickly by the clatter of keyboards. "Based on human observations and the Deep Sea Deans I saw at your house, Xiao Bai, most Deep Sea Deans lurk in deep-sea areas inaccessible to humans, rarely venturing into human territory. Those who not only approach human territory but also haven't launched an attack are even rarer... As for rescuing a human who fell into the water... that's an unprecedented and unparalleled example. Found it."

"Found what?" Little White tilted his head.

“Akagi from the Deep Sea, and Kaga from the Deep Sea,” Luo Lian replied. “According to your information, Xiao Bai, these two Deep Sea Deans act with extreme maturity. If they hadn’t received mental training later in life, Deep Sea Deans with such intelligent behavior must have existed for a very long time. I just checked the Admiral’s database. Based on human observations over the past five hundred years, a total of sixteen pairs of twin Deans have been discovered on the sea. I eliminated most of the incorrect answers and considered their birth time and discovery location. Finally, I concluded that the pair of twin Deans with the highest probability should be Akagi from the Deep Sea and Kaga from the Deep Sea.”

“Akagi from the Deep Sea, Kaga from the Deep Sea…” Xiaobai mused, “So these are the two…”

"I still don't know why one of them was injured. But I can guess that they don't seem to harbor pure malice towards humans, and may even be relying on them," Luo Lian said. "I feel that when you meet them, Xiao Bai, you can talk to them a little. Although they may not be the easy type to talk to, they are not completely unapproachable."

"Yes, I understand." Xiaobai nodded. "Does Lianlian know where these two Deep Sea Deans are?"

“They might leave one day, but if they haven’t left Peicheng by now… Xiaobai, you can check the weather forecast, preferably for the sea,” Luo Lian said.

"Weather forecast? What's wrong?"

“If I’m not mistaken, a storm will likely linger in the waters near Pei City for some time. This storm will either subside or move away over time, sometimes approaching Pei City and sometimes moving away,” Luo Lian said. “The two Deans of the Deep Sea Academy should be hiding in the eye of the storm.”

"Huh?!" Little White's eyes widened in surprise upon hearing this. "That's right! Storm!"

Xiao Bai then realized what Yu Gan's father meant by "they disappeared in the storm."

In other words, it wasn't that the Deep Sea Dean disappeared in the storm at all, but rather that the storm was a weather phenomenon created by the Deep Sea Deans to hide in!

Chapter 2356 Luo Lian's Phone Call

After thanking Luo Lian, Xiao Bai hung up the phone with her.

After hanging up the phone, Xiaobai selected the weather forecast option in her mobile app and changed her location to Peicheng.

A map of Peicheng appeared on the screen, and Xiaobai gently swiped his finger to search the surrounding sea.

"Storm, storm... Ah, found it."

Sure enough, Xiao Bai found a storm warning on a stretch of sea some distance from Pei City. The weather forecast also showed the storm's formation time and path. Xiao Bai carefully pulled up and analyzed the past few days to several months. Indeed, as Luo Lian said, the storm had been forming for quite some time and was moving around the sea far from Pei City in an elusive pattern.

Xiao Bai stared at his phone screen, exhaled a breath of stale air, and collapsed onto the bed.

"I never expected there would be a Deep Sea Dean who manipulates the weather... No wonder it's Lianlian, she even thought of this."

While investigating this storm, Xiaobai felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders, leaving him feeling light and carefree.

"Admiral! Have you found Dean Deepsea yet?" York and Baltimore, who were waiting for the results, couldn't help but ask.

"Hmm, it should have been found." Xiaobai stood up and handed the two ship girls a picture of the storm's movement path marked on her phone screen. She then explained, "After hearing my information, Lianlian quickly told me that the Deep Sea Dean did not leave Peicheng, but instead transformed into a storm around Peicheng to avoid the ship girls' search."

"A storm?" York and Baltimore stared at Xiaobai's phone in surprise. "Does the Deep Sea Dean have this kind of ability?"

"The world is full of wonders... Look, Pachina can also release cold air, Yamato can generate electricity, and Super Yamato can teleport."

"Oh, the admiral is right."

The two ship girls nodded humbly, acknowledging that humanity still knew far too little about such wondrous beings as the Deep Sea Dean.

"Then, Admiral, shall we set off to find them now?"

"Let's wait until tonight." Xiaobai glanced at the time. "Although the stormy sea area is some distance from Peicheng, we don't have to worry about being seen if a battle takes place there. However, if we leave Peicheng without the cover of darkness, it will be too easy for the tourists here to spot us. Although the Deep Sea Dean occasionally gets a little closer to Peicheng, it doesn't seem like he has any plans to land there in the near future. Delaying a day shouldn't have any impact."

"Understood." The two ship girls exchanged a glance.

"So now we..." York blinked, cautiously crawling towards Little White, his face full of hope, "...play poker?"

"Okay." Little White smiled slightly as she watched York slowly crawling towards her. "Anyway, I have nothing else to do."

"Great!"

York's face lit up with joy at the mention of playing cards. Like a graceful Suzuka, she couldn't help but rush towards Little White and pounce on her.

……

Within Chapter 2357.

Luo Lian listened to the hanging-up sound from the other end of the phone, and then stood there for a while listening to the "beep—" "beep—" sound of no one answering before finally turning off the phone screen with a long sigh of relief.

Luo Lian lowered her arm holding the phone and glanced back at her studio.

Originally, Luo Lian's studio was very simple, with only an experimental table where she could write experimental records and rest, and an experimental platform of more than ten square meters. On the platform were scattered machines that were only half-assembled, as well as parts neatly stacked together. Apart from that, there were experimental tools scattered around. There was nothing else in the laboratory.

But after that short period of time, the laboratory was different.

At this moment, in the very center of the laboratory, there was a huge LCD screen that could divide the laboratory into two areas. On both sides of the LCD screen, there were stacks of high-end speakers, and a long row of sofas were neatly arranged in front of the screen, making it look as luxurious as a man-made mini cinema.

"We can't let Xiaobai see this." Luo Lian muttered to herself, then handed the phone to Des Moines beside her. "Des Moines, here's the phone, same as always."

"Received." Desmond took the phone, gently placing it into her ample cleavage until it was completely submerged, before saying to Luo Lian, "Apart from Admiral Lu Lin, everyone who contacts you will have Desmond relay their message that you're temporarily busy, right?"

"Mm." A look of gratitude appeared on Lu Lin's face. She bent down to pick up the remote control from the sofa and turned the TV screen back on.

The TV screen was turned on.

On the screen appeared a beautifully dressed white-haired girl. Even under the photographer's incredibly direct close-up shots, her face was flawless, as exquisite and captivating as a masterpiece of sculpture. Every move she made exuded an extreme purity, a strange charm that could even lead people astray.

This is Xiaobai.

This is the latest episode of "Happy Base".

What an adorable girl! How can there be such a cute person in this world?

Luo Lian gripped the remote control tightly, holding it close with both hands as if she were hugging Xiao Bai herself.

The light and shadow on the television screen were projected onto Luo Lian, making her figure appear mottled.

Des Moines sighed softly as he watched his admiral's eccentric behavior.

"Admiral, you could have gone directly to Admiral Lu Lin's office to meet her in person, so why are you so interested in her video?" Desmond asked.

“The atmosphere is different, the atmosphere.” Luo Lian’s shoulders trembled, then she put down the remote control and answered seriously, “When I’m with Xiao Bai, I’m often too excited to look at her face for long, but if there’s a screen in between, I can stare at her face for as long as I want without feeling dizzy.”

Is there such a saying?

“You certainly wouldn’t understand, Des Moines.”

“I see.” Des Moines shook his head, but then, as if remembering something, he asked curiously, “But speaking of which, Admiral, there is something else I don’t understand.”

"Huh? What's the matter?"

“I overheard part of your conversation with Admiral Lu Lin just now. It seems you immediately figured out Admiral Lu Lin’s purpose, right?” Desmond stared at Lu Lin with clear eyes. “Admiral Lu Lin hadn’t explained anything when she called. How did you know she was looking for those two Deep Sea Deans?”

Chapter 2358 The Storm, at its Center!