Anis and Neon were whispering to each other on the side.
"Hey, no way, the Captain's figure is that big?"
"Ugh, she's so tall and still that curvaceous? That's not fair."
Helm seemed to catch wind of their muttering and cleared her throat twice before speaking seriously.
"Regarding the mission, I want to make one thing clear. The sea is different from land: unexpected situations and dangers may arise. So once we've set sail, I ask everyone to follow signal instructions, including you, Commander."
"Wow, really? She's already showing off right after walking in?"
"Talking like the Admire's actually gone out to sea before."
"Follow orders? Tsk, does that mean we're supposed to wash her feet or something?"
"I don't have a foot-fetish."
"Neither do I."
"Well, someone might."
Anis and Neon giggled beside them, occasionally bursting into chuckles.
Helm didn't get angry in the slightest. She'd heard worse than this plenty of times. For her, as long as she got to set sail, she could put up with anything.
Rapi immediately stepped in and scolded them sternly.
"Anis, Neon!"
Anis and Neon instantly put on sweet smiles and said cheerfully:
"We were just saying, we'll definitely follow orders."
"Yeah, for sure."
"A warship with decades of service must be very experienced."
"Totally."
Mo Chen walked up and flicked both of them on the forehead, giving them a sharp look.
"Stop spouting nonsense. Apologize."
Then he lowered his voice and added, "That's her ship. Careful, she might leave you behind."
Anis and Neon were shocked.
Right!
If she held a grudge and refused to let them board, what would they do? Their beach BBQs, their grand ocean tour, their surfing dreams… they'd all be ruined!
Helm hadn't actually intended to make them apologize. If she insisted on it, it might've just stirred up unnecessary drama, so she was planning to let it go.
What she didn't expect was for Anis and Neon to actually come over and sincerely apologize, standing before her and bowing.
"Sorry."
"Apologies, we shouldn't have said that about you."
Helm, caught off guard, blushed slightly and turned her head, clearly not used to being spoken to like that.
"I-It's nothing… My words earlier may have been poorly phrased. I didn't mean anything by them. The fleet's ultimate command authority lies with the Commander. I'm just offering suggestions, for reference only."
Then Mo Chen walked over and smiled at Helm.
"You're too polite. Letting professionals handle professional matters is only right." He gestured at Anis and the others. "When it comes to sailing, I'm just as clueless as they are. If we let them run things, I bet the ship would be at the bottom of the ocean in ten days."
His words instantly sparked protest from Anis and Neon, but when they thought about how they'd be relying on someone else's ship for the next ten days or more—possibly ending up as fish food—they had no choice but to swallow their anger.
Helm was quite surprised by Mo Chen's attitude.
In her eyes, Mo Chen was a high-ranking figure in the Ark, someone who had seized power at a young age and earned the jealousy of many. Even if he were arrogant or domineering, it would've been perfectly understandable.
Especially after witnessing Mo Chen's ruthlessness at the fundraising banquet, Helm had become even more certain of that impression.
Not that she held any particular grudge: after all, that was just how most high-ranking officers operated.
What she hadn't expected was for Mo Chen to be so humble and polite, which made her develop a genuine sense of admiration for him.
Mo Chen joked with her, "Once we're out at sea, the lives of everyone on this ship will be in your hands. Just don't make us swim back, alright? But with a captain like you, I'm sure a mission like this is nothing at all, right?"
Helm was a bit flustered by his words.
She couldn't help but recall the time she was summoned to Burningum's office.
"This mission is critical. It concerns the Admire, and possibly the future of the entire Navy. It's the time to show the value of the Admire and the strength of the Aegis Squad," Burningum said—somehow no longer stuttering and speaking in a more composed tone.
"This opportunity was earned by the Commander. A significant portion of the funding for this mission also came from him. Don't ever forget that."
"You should know how many people were against this operation. The Commander took on enormous pressure. If this mission fails, it won't just damage the Navy's reputation—it'll shatter the Commander's authority."
"What's more, the Commander has pinned great hopes on this voyage," Burningum said earnestly. "You must not let him down."
Thinking back on it now, Helm couldn't help but feel deeply moved and grateful.
The Commander was under such immense pressure: she absolutely couldn't let him down. She wouldn't let the Navy lose face either.
Helm's sapphire-blue eyes gleamed with determination. She stood at attention and gave Mo Chen a sharp salute, her voice firm and serious: "Please rest assured, I will do my utmost. I will complete the mission."
Just imagining the Admire finally setting sail and entering the sea—Helm felt a surge of excitement. The time had come for the Aegis Squad and the Admire to prove themselves.
She would make sure the Admire unleashed its full firepower and overwhelming strength, enough to crush even Tyrant-class Raptures.
Let the power of the Admire showcase humanity's pride.
A few days later, aboard the Admire.
Helm stood frozen in place, practically turned to stone.
She looked like a statue, lifeless and pale.
On the deck that was supposed to represent strength and authority… there were BBQ grills, skewered food, beach umbrellas, juice drinks, and sunscreen. Most outrageous of all—someone had set up a portable fridge and an inflatable pool mattress!
The crew were laughing and playing, having fun like it was a vacation.
But this—this wasn't how she imagined things at all!!
Helm couldn't hold it in any longer. She marched straight over to where Mo Chen was lounging on a beach chair, sunbathing.
"Commander!"
Mo Chen lifted the hat covering his face, squinting at the beautiful woman standing in front of him.
"Oh, Helm. What's up? Something wrong?"
Helm took a moment to steady her emotions, then said seriously, "Commander, we're… we're on a mission, aren't we?"
Mo Chen didn't expect that question. He blinked, confused. "Yeah, we are. What about it?"
"If we're on a mission, then we should…"