This was clearly a move to build his own private army!
If Mo Chen wanted to, after hacking into the network and relying on his own Nikke units, the Navy under the Admire, and his own unfathomable strength, it would be a piece of cake to wipe out all the opposing forces within the Ark.
Just thinking about it made cold sweat pour down Burningum's forehead.
Meanwhile, Mo Chen, walking along the road to the banquet, had no idea that Burningum was still standing outside the meeting room, having mentally played out an entire scenario of him overthrowing the Ark.
But for now, Mo Chen didn't have such ambitions.
The reason he brought up the offshore mineral vein wasn't just for mining—more importantly, it was to use going out to sea as an excuse to mobilize the Admire in order to search for the Mother Whale in the ocean.
After all, the ocean was vast, and searching alone would be like finding a needle in a haystack. But with the Admire's high-powered radar and towed sonar, spotting the Mother Whale would be relatively easier.
See? Free ship.
And not just any ship—a ship girl.
Mo Chen was naturally pleased.
The only drawback was that the Admire was a bit worn down. The hull was outdated, the weapon systems aging. But that wasn't a big deal for him: a few repairs would do. As long as it didn't sink once it left port, it was good enough.
Right now, he was headed to the Navy's charity banquet.
"Shifty, how's the investigation going?"
Mo Chen contacted Shifty.
Since last time, she had become his dedicated liaison.
"Per—wait no, I mean…"
A mess of crashing noises came through the comm, like she'd knocked something over.
Mo Chen: "…"
A moment later, Shifty's voice returned.
"Commander, it's you."
"Who else would it be? Also, what was that you were saying about 'per' something?"
"Ah, I wasn't talking about you."
"Then what were you talking about? You're saying it wasn't about me?"
"No, nothing, really! I wasn't saying you weren't a perv—ah, no, I mean I wasn't saying you are a perv—I mean… I meant to say…"
Shifty stammered and fumbled through her words, getting herself more tangled by the second.
"…."
Mo Chen's mouth twitched.
"You ever heard of the phrase 'burying silver in a place and claiming there's no silver here'?"
"Huh?"
"That's exactly what this is."
Mo Chen was speechless.
"Alright, enough. Did you investigate what I asked you to look into?"
Hearing Mo Chen shift the topic, Shifty finally let out a small sigh of relief.
"No, I didn't look into it."
"…"
"Ah, no, I mean—I did!"
"What did you find?"
"At today's charity banquet, there are Heavenly Ascension infiltrators. They're planning something, and it's very likely they've already slipped in."
Once the topic turned to work, Shifty immediately got serious and said with a firm tone, "Commander, there's a high chance this banquet will be dangerous. If it's not absolutely necessary, I suggest you don't attend. They might be carrying high-yield bombs."
"Dangerous? More dangerous than Raptures?" Mo Chen chuckled. "What, are you worried about me?"
"Hmph! Not at all!"
"What's that snort? Are you a pig?"
"You're the pig!"
"Pig's talking about who?"
"You!"
"Mm, pig's talking about me."
"…?!"
Tossing out a joke that was outdated even before the Punishing Virus, Mo Chen couldn't help but marvel—young girls really were easy to fool.
Honestly, if he pushed hard enough, she might just climb into his bed on her own.
Checking the time, Mo Chen saw that it was evening already, so he didn't delay further and made his way directly to the banquet venue.
The charity banquet was held aboard the Admire. It had always been this way, year after year.
In the game, the Admire didn't leave a strong impression, but seeing it in person revealed its true scale.
The battleship was massive and majestic, with a sleek hull designed to glide smoothly through ocean waves.
The ship's frame was constructed from high-strength alloy steel and coated with a special anti-corrosion layer, ensuring durability even in harsh marine conditions. Mounted across its body were advanced radars and sensors, acting like the ship's eyes, constantly scanning the surroundings.
Its towering command bridge stood at the ship's center, the operational brain of the whole vessel. Inside was bright and spacious, filled with modern command systems and communications gear.
A massive display showed real-time updates on the ship's navigation, nearby marine intel, and the status of onboard aircraft and missiles.
The Admire's cannons and missile launchers were positioned at the bow and flanks. The cannons used advanced targeting systems to strike distant targets with precision. The missile systems could deploy a variety of armaments—anti-ship missiles, anti-air, cruise missiles—capable of handling complex combat scenarios.
It was once a symbol of humanity's military might. Yet now, the Admire had been reduced to… a banquet hall.
Mo Chen couldn't help but sigh.
Still too conservative.
If they'd just dismantle the propellers and slap on an anti-gravity engine, they'd have themselves a flying aircraft carrier.
No more pretending the Ark's kiddie pool was a real ocean.
"Hello!"
Just as he reached the outer deck, a Nikke trotted over to receive him.
"May I see your invitation… ah, it's you, Commander!"
The Nikke immediately recognized Mo Chen, her eyes lighting up, smile shifting from professional to delight.
Mo Chen smiled.
"What, I still need an invitation?"
"No, no!" she quickly waved her hands. "You don't need one at all. Please, come with me."
Mo Chen followed behind her, glancing at the hull of the ship. Suddenly, he thought he heard something by his ear. He turned, but there was nothing.
"Commander…?"
The Nikke noticed Mo Chen had stopped and looked confused.
Mo Chen smiled.
"It's nothing. Let's go."
They stepped into the main hall.
The lavish interior was packed with people. Aside from finely dressed men and women, there were military officers adorned with medals.
That's when Mo Chen spotted a familiar face—Andersen. He had come too, and gave him a nod in greeting.
"First time at one of these?" Andersen picked up two glasses of wine from a tray, handing one to Mo Chen.
Mo Chen accepted it.
"Yeah. First time."
But he didn't drink.
Andersen sipped his own, glancing around the hall.
"These days, soldiers aren't just meant for the battlefield anymore. But I thought you might actually enjoy this kind of place."
Mo Chen casually replied: "I've got social anxiety."
Plenty of people had noticed him by now, especially the girls. They swarmed over, asking for photos, autographs. Mo Chen didn't refuse anyone, even pinched one girl's cheek: she blushed and her face turned red, but she didn't shy away, on the contrary, she looked thrilled.
"Commander, after the banquet… would you join me for a drink?"
Mo Chen refused without hesitation: "No time."
Andersen was left speechless.
Social anxiety? Was that really how someone with social anxiety looked?!