"Admire is a warship built specifically to combat Raptures. It possesses the firepower to take on dozens of Tyrant-class Raptures on its own. And its stability is so remarkable that you'd hardly believe you're floating on the ocean. It's an invincible warship that no attack can sink."
"As you can see, on the open sea, our Aegis Squad and the Admire are unmatched. So please, enjoy the banquet with peace of mind. Thank you all for coming…"
As Helm spoke onstage, Mo Chen watched the beautiful Nikke from below, muttering to himself—"With all the flag-raising you're doing, if something doesn't go wrong on this trip, it'd be a waste."
He also knew Helm was definitely exaggerating.
The moment he stepped aboard the ship, Mo Chen already understood its true state. Calling it "worn out" would've been generous.
Just then, a jarring voice rose from below.
"But there's no ocean in the Ark! Why do we need such a big ship?"
Though not loud, the voice pierced the banquet like a sharp needle.
Helm had expected such heckling and was fully prepared.
"One day, we will reclaim the surface. When that day comes, Admire will rule the open seas! Everything we do now is in preparation for that. I ask for your understanding."
The finely dressed guest replied with a mocking tone, "Oh my, then you'd better work hard."
Another guest chimed in with a laugh, "Hahahaha, anyone can make grand speeches. If the ship wasn't sitting in a swimming pool but actually at sea, maybe I'd be more convinced."
"Hahahahaha—!"
A wave of laughter followed from the crowd.
Helm pressed her lips together, her pretty face flashing red and pale.
Such words stung, mostly because they were true: she couldn't even argue back.
Lies don't hurt. Truth cuts like a knife.
Burningum came up to the stage and coughed twice.
"Please rest assured, everyone. Onboard Admire, you are absolutely safe. So relax and enjoy the evening."
Clap clap clap—
Sparse, perfunctory applause followed.
It was clear the guests had no real interest in retaking the surface or ruling the seas. They were here simply to socialize.
Mo Chen mingled with them for a while, mostly to gather intel. But once he'd heard enough, he stopped humoring them. He didn't even need to say "get lost"—they were seasoned enough to catch the hint and politely excuse themselves.
"Not bad," Mo Chen thought. "These slimy bastards are pretty good at reading the room."
The noise in the banquet hall was giving him a headache, like a hundred flies buzzing by his ear. So he left the hall and stepped onto the deck, gazing out at the Ark cityscape in the distance—it looked like a harbor, and was somewhat scenic.
Still, it was just a man-made lake. Not large, just barely big enough to hold the Admire. It felt like watching a toy boat floating in a bathtub.
Mo Chen walked to the railing, resting his hand on it and letting the wind blow across his face.
That's when he noticed someone else was already there.
It was Helm, the same Nikke who'd given the speech earlier.
She stood at the edge of the deck, staring at the harbor in the distance. Her lips were pressed into a faint line, one hand resting on the railing. She seemed downcast, not even noticing that her military jacket had slipped halfway off her shoulder.
Mo Chen walked toward her.
The sound of footsteps snapped Helm out of her daze. She turned around, surprised to see Mo Chen.
"Commander… it's you? What are you doing here?"
Mo Chen joked lightly.
"Just out to get some air—and maybe check in on the captain of Admire."
But unexpectedly, that offhand remark seemed to upset Helm.
"There's no need for such perfunctory flattery," she said, her cheeks faintly red, brows furrowed, and her voice suddenly cold. "Or… have you already sunk so low you spout the same lines to every woman you see?"
She'd heard plenty of rumors about this Commander.
The most popular ones involved his dozen or so Nikke companions—and his "unique" preferences. He was said to have a thing for beautiful Nikkes, collecting them like trophies. Not just ordinary units, but even those from Elysion, Missilis, and the Pilgrims had apparently fallen into his hands.
While many Nikkes dreamed of catching the Commander's eye, Helm was far too proud to be like those others. Even if she did admire him, she would never use her body as a stepping stone.
Mo Chen was stunned.
He was pretty sure he hadn't said anything out of line… And yet Helm's reaction was so intense.
Helm quickly realized her own slip, pressing a hand to her forehead and apologizing.
"Sorry… I was a little too sensitive. I always get like this after public speaking."
"It's fine," Mo Chen smiled. "Honestly, I respect you. You've stubbornly stuck with this all these years. If it were someone else, they'd have given up a long time ago."
"This warship looks impressive, but unless it's deployed in real combat, it's worthless—no different from a scrapped rust bucket waiting to be dismantled in some shipyard."
"To stick to something so seemingly meaningless for years on end… not even an idiot would do that. So yeah, I respect you."
Admire's existence was a tragedy of timing: all that firepower and armor, yet it could only float in a man-made pond.
A warship wasn't just built and done—it needed constant maintenance. Funding from the Ark had dried up years ago, forcing them to rely entirely on donations.
And getting those sponsors? Brutal.
The cruel jabs from the guests at the banquet were proof enough—it wasn't the first time she'd been mocked like this.
"This is my duty," Helm said coldly, reverting back to the proud, unshakable woman she usually was. "But if you're just trying to ridicule me, then please show some respect."
"…?"
Mo Chen was baffled.
What the fuck?!
He had literally been praising her.
Why was she angry again?
He scratched his head, genuinely confused.
He thought his emotional intelligence was pretty decent.
Helm turned to leave, clearly pissed off—but thinking of Mo Chen's identity, she forcefully swallowed her frustration and said coldly:
"…The banquet is nearly over. If you're uncomfortable on this 'rust bucket,' I can arrange a hotel for you. You might find it more… suitable."
With that, she walked off without even waiting for his reply.
Mo Chen let out a helpless sigh.
No wonder she hadn't managed to secure any real funding over the years.
That attitude was awful.