Although Lin Lan still had a belly full of questions he wanted to ask, the delicious aroma of fish soup reached his nose, and his stomach began to growl uncontrollably.
The four oilfield workers were very hospitable and told him to just eat straight from the basin—no need to stand on ceremony with them.
While drinking the soup and eating the fish, Lin Lan roughly learned about the identities of the four men.
The man who had rescued him from the beach was Old Li.
The other two older men were Old Zhao and Old Qian, and the young fellow who brought him the fish soup was Little Wu.
Old Li had been working there for over twenty years, while the other three had been tricked into joining as dispatch workers by the Noah Deshin Consortium.
Originally, Old Zhao, Old Qian, and Little Wu were filled with despair about working in such a dangerous seaside environment.
Old Li, on the other hand, was worried that he could be laid off at any time due to his age.
All of them were resentful toward the two big consortiums but didn't dare to speak out.
But the recent appearance of the shipgirls had changed everything.
"Little Wu, your contract's been changed too, right? You're not a dispatch worker anymore?"
As Lin Lan wolfed down his food, he perked up his ears to continue listening to their conversation.
"Hey, you bet! The shipgirls act fast and decisively. Do you think those cowardly dogs who only bully the weak dared say a word of protest?"
"Exactly! A few of my buddies had their contracts upgraded too.
Not only did they receive all the benefits they should have had in the first place, but they also don't have to worry about unfair pay deductions anymore."
"You guys are too easily satisfied. You're only focused on the benefits and the removal of random deductions.
Did you not notice that your wages now increase with seniority? Or that workplace injuries are treated for free?"
Hearing Old Li's reminder, the three immediately burst into cheers:
"Long live the shipgirls! They're amazing!"
At that moment, Lin Lan also finished off the large basin of fish soup and meat.
Letting out a satisfied sigh, he smiled and joined in their cheerful conversation:
"Congratulations, everyone. Looks like the good days have finally arrived. That Goilia and Noah Deshin are absolute scum. They deserved to be dealt with long ago."
"By the way, have you ever seen the shipgirls who stood up for you?"
Having their happiness acknowledged and congratulated by someone else was clearly something to be proud of.
These honest oilfield workers now considered Lin Lan one of their own.
Old Li responded cheerfully:
"Of course we've seen them! The shipgirls have already taken over Goilia's base—the New Ocean artificial island—and they've even built their own base nearby."
"Every morning we can see them patrolling the nearby waters, and sometimes carrier-based aircraft fly overhead. It's a real sense of security."
Lin Lan had originally been unsure whether the shipgirls they referred to were the Eagle Union shipgirls from his own port.
But upon hearing they had taken over Goilia's artificial island and built a base, he was almost certain they were indeed his Eagle Union shipgirls.
Which meant his next move was clear—he had to head to the nearest Eagle Union base and inform the Ironblood faction that he had escaped from the Sirens.
"I think I'll have to head to their base in a bit. How far is it from here?"
"Oh right, you're a commander. You must have important intel to report right away. No time to waste..."
Old Li was quick to understand and, after thinking for a moment, said to Lin Lan:
"In that case, Commander, if you're in good health, I'll have Little Wu take you to the outskirts of the base by speedboat. It'll only take about ten minutes."
"You can enter the base on your own then—we won't hold you up any longer."
Little Wu proudly puffed out his chest, took off his jacket to reveal his sun-darkened, muscular torso, and said:
"Commander, I may be about your age, but I once won first place in the Anna City speedboat race. Don't worry!"
"Excellent. Thank you, comrades!"
Seeing how warm-hearted these workers were, even Lin Lan was deeply moved by their kindness.
He wanted to express his gratitude, but he had nothing to offer—not even a phone, which he had long lost.
So in the end, he could only thank them with words and prepare to depart.
After formally bidding farewell to Old Li, Old Zhao, and Old Qian, Lin Lan followed Little Wu out of the dormitory and walked toward the shore.
On the way, Lin Lan took the chance to observe the full layout of the oilfield.
The mechanical buzzing he had heard upon waking came from dozens of "nodding donkeys" on the beach—machines used to extract crude oil from underground.
Many Goilia workers, wearing yellow jackets and safety helmets, were monitoring the machines. Several tanker trucks were continuously loading crude oil.
At the dock, three or four large cargo ships—clearly oil tankers for long-distance transport—were moored.
Lin Lan noticed that the workers all seemed to be full of energy and wore genuine smiles, a stark contrast to the oppressed laborers he had heard about on the Eastern Continent.
It must have been the result of the Eagle Union shipgirls ordering reforms to their contracts and wages.
The full picture could only become clear once he reunited with the shipgirls at the base.
For now, it was evident that these workers were living well—even in such grueling jobs, they had no complaints.
Soon, Lin Lan and Little Wu boarded a small speedboat at the dock. As they set off, Little Wu steered the boat while smiling and saying to Lin Lan:
"Commander, once you get to the base and meet the shipgirls, be sure to tell them how grateful we all are!"
"Of course, I will."
Lin Lan replied with a smile, though his mind was already wondering which Eagle Union shipgirls he would see.
Everyone knew that the Eagle Union shipgirls in his port vastly outnumbered the Ironblood ones—nearly double.
Shipgirls like Saratoga and New Jersey were probably still stationed on the New Ocean artificial island, which was likely far from here.
No matter what, he was filled with anticipation.
Lin Lan asked Little Wu for the time—it was just past 3 p.m.
The sun overhead was warm, and the sea breeze that brushed his face as the boat sped along was anything but chilly.
This was the difference in climate between the Western and Eastern Continents of the Oran United States.
In the Western Continent, winter brought heavy snowfall, even freezing the sea and halting voyages.
The Eastern Continent, although it also snowed in deep winter, was much warmer—this was only early winter.
It was said that the Nine Islands of Liaozhou were spring-like year-round, with no clear seasonal changes. But he'd have to visit to find out for himself.
Their speedboat wasn't far from shore—it essentially followed the coastline. Before long, Lin Lan saw a flat stretch of land jutting out ahead.
From a distance, he could see that this area had perimeter walls, several three-to-four-story buildings, and coastal defense turrets.
It truly resembled the Eagle Union military bases he had seen in Blue Star photos.
"Commander, I'm docking now. Beyond this point is a restricted zone."
Under Little Wu's direction, the boat neared the shore.
Lin Lan was the first to jump off, landing in shallow water.
"Thank you again. I really don't have anything to repay you... sigh."
Standing in the water, Lin Lan looked up at Little Wu with a grateful smile.
"Hey, Commander, don't worry about it! Just having the Navy Department and the shipgirls protecting us is more than enough. I'll head back now!"
Waving goodbye to the young oilfield worker, Lin Lan turned and walked through the shallows toward the beach—alone.
It would only take a dozen minutes to reach the military base ahead, but Lin Lan found himself filled with anticipation.
"I wonder who will be the first Eagle Union shipgirl I meet?"
"Are they doing well here? Are they worried about me?"
"How should I explain how I got here?"
...
One question after another popped into Lin Lan's mind, spurring him to walk faster toward the Eagle Union military base.
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50 advanced chapters on p@t re on (.) com/SenatusTheta
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