A giant dragon.
To be precise, a massive mechanical dragon made of metal suddenly emerged from the water in front of the ship.
With its black and red color scheme and sharp fangs, it looked like a terrifying beast, yet it was doing something entirely unexpected for such a creature.
It was... saving people!
Lin Lan watched in awe as the enormous mechanical dragon lifted several people who had fallen into the water onto its neck.
The dragon's massive body even propped up the tilting ship, preventing it from sinking further.
Its metal claws gripped the ship's hull, slowly lifting it from the brink of sinking and pulling it back to safety.
"This thing has to weigh thousands of tons! This isn't some toy boat..." Lin Lan murmured, his eyes wide with disbelief as he watched the seemingly mythological scene unfold.
Only the shipgirls from the Northern Parliament and Ironblood factions had mechanical dragon equipment, and that black and red paint could only belong to an Ironblood shipgirl.
In this world, the factions of the shipgirls were identical to those in the game Lin Lan used to play, which is why he thought he'd been transported into the game world.
But who could this shipgirl be, with such a massive mechanical dragon?
Lin Lan quickly searched his memory. So far, he hadn't heard of any shipgirl in this world possessing such a terrifying weapon.
If every port's shipgirls were this powerful, the Sirens wouldn't stand a chance; they would have been defeated long ago.
As Lin Lan watched the people on the dragon's neck return safely to the ship—some of them even carrying two unconscious little girls—he finally felt a sense of relief.
The Saint Bernard and the little Beagle were safe, thank goodness.
Although Lin Lan didn't yet know which port's Ironblood shipgirl had come to their rescue, he had already decided he must thank them personally someday.
Only by experiencing such desperate situations can one truly appreciate the value of life.
After stabilizing the ship, the steel dragon didn't disappear but remained in place, holding the ship steady.
At that moment, a calm, unfamiliar female voice came over the ship's radio.
"Hello, is the captain of this ship available?"
The voice had a certain magnetic quality, almost magical, that could easily draw someone in.
Lin Lan glanced around the chaotic, empty captain's cabin and smiled wryly.
The ship's captain and core crew had fled long ago, leaving no trace behind.
He had no choice but to pick up the radio and respond, "Hello, the situation is a bit unusual. I'm the acting captain of this ship, and I really appreciate your help."
"Acting captain?"
The other side paused for a moment before replying, "In that case, let's discuss the matter of the rescue reward in person."
Soon after, Lin Lan saw six shipgirls in typical Ironblood-style uniforms appear on the deck.
Leading them was a tall woman with black dragon horns on either side of her head, long gray-purple hair, and a black uniform with stockings.
A black and red cape billowed behind her in the wind, along with her hair.
Noble, composed, and exuding absolute confidence—these were Lin Lan's first impressions of this Ironblood shipgirl.
As she noticed Lin Lan, she looked up, and their eyes met.
For a brief moment, Lin Lan felt an inexplicably familiar sensation, as if he'd seen her before. He quickly shook his head and returned to the captain's cabin.
He had no idea where this deep sense of familiarity came from. He was sure this was the first time he had seen her.
What Lin Lan didn't see was the slight shock on the usually stoic shipgirl's face as she slightly parted her lips in surprise.
"August, what's wrong?"
Standing next to her was another tall woman with white hair, wearing a uniform that was predominantly white and red, different from the usual Ironblood colors.
She looked at August with concern.
"I just felt, for a moment, that I sensed my familiar's presence from a human…"
August's eyes dimmed slightly as she spoke.
"Maybe it was just my imagination," she added with a bitter laugh before leading the group toward the captain's cabin.
"Your familiar... August, are you talking about the Commander? Where is the Commander?"
One of the girls in the group, with red eyes and black hair tipped with white, looked up quickly, scanning the area.
"Z16, stop it. The Commander wouldn't be here."
Next to her, a short-haired silver-haired girl with purple eyes pulled her back and, rubbing her black military cap, sighed like an adult, signaling Z16 to calm down.
"Ugh, Z1, don't be a buzzkill…"
Z16's enthusiasm waned a little at the silver-haired girl's words, but she still muttered under her breath, "But what if…"
Z16 didn't notice the brief look of sadness in Z1's eyes after she spoke.
The other two destroyer shipgirls also had expressions of disappointment on their faces.
"Alright, Z16, don't be so down. Let's all follow August to the captain's cabin."
The tall white-haired woman, who had been flooded with memories of the man she once knew when she heard the word "commander," also felt a deep pang of longing.
It was painful, but as a battleship, she was expected to be the adult, second only to August in rank.
So, she forced herself to put on a brave face to comfort the Z-class destroyers and mustered the strength to head toward the ship's interior.
Where has that man, the one who holds a special place in everyone's heart, gone?
Lin Lan sat in the captain's cabin, where he had tidied up a bit after the recent chaos.
Using the ship's intercom, he had instructed the crew to maintain order and help those who had fallen into the sea and were still recovering.
Lin Lan drummed his fingers on the metal table, thinking about how he should explain the situation to the shipgirls.
He was just a temporary worker; the reward should go to the original captain.
Of course, that is, if the cowardly captain who abandoned the ship survived the storm.
His only hope was that the commander of these Ironblood shipgirls wouldn't just leave when he couldn't provide a reward.
That would be tough for his heart to handle.
After all, the passenger ship was still afloat only because of the steel dragon belonging to these Ironblood shipgirls.
The fate of everyone on board depended entirely on their commander's decision.
Meanwhile, the torpedo hole in the ship's hull was taking on a lot of water. Lin Lan guessed there might even be fish swimming through the cabin by now.
"Knock, knock."
Even though the door to the captain's cabin was open, the visitor still knocked.
"Come in, the door's open," Lin Lan said nervously, standing up and looking toward the entrance.
The door swung open, and a graceful woman with dark purple hair walked in.
As she approached, Lin Lan instantly recognized the beautiful shipgirl.
She was August von Parseval, an Ironblood Graf Zeppelin-class aircraft carrier.
In history, the August-class aircraft carrier was never actually built; it existed only as a research project on paper.
In that old game, the August-class carrier was one of the fourth-generation research ships players could build.
These research ships were all designs that had never been constructed in real life, existing only in blueprints.
Players could spend time and resources to bring these never-seen-before research shipgirls to life, just like any other shipgirl.
As August drew closer, Lin Lan's mind raced.
As a seasoned player, he had worked hard to acquire all the research ships, including August.
He had been captivated by her proud, cool, and mysterious aura the moment he saw her in the game.
August was also one of the strongest carriers in the game, and Lin Lan had made her the flagship of his carrier fleet.
It dawned on Lin Lan that the steel dragon holding up the passenger ship belonged to this powerful Ironblood research ship, August.
But as he looked at the elegant smile on August's face, he was surprised.
In this world, research ships existed too? He hadn't heard of anything like this in the past year.
Lin Lan studied August as she stood before him. Her scent filled his senses, bringing an unexpected sense of calm.
"Acting Captain, if I'm not mistaken, this should be our first meeting."
"Then why do you look at me like a lost lamb, unable to tear your eyes away?"
"Could it be that there's something... dirty on me?"
August, already tall, seemed even taller in her high heels, standing over Lin Lan.
With a smile that could make anyone fall for her, she stopped in front of Lin Lan, leaned in, and whispered close to his ear.
Feeling her warm breath on his earlobe, Lin Lan found himself holding his breath.
He hadn't expected such a bold and intimate move from her. He wanted to step back, but August had already reached out and wrapped her arm around his shoulder.
As her slender fingers in their black leather gloves gently stroked his back and her subtle fragrance surrounded him, Lin Lan swallowed nervously.
"Au... August…"
He had just started to say something when she suddenly pulled him into a tight embrace, as if she had found the answer she was looking for.
Lin Lan's mind went blank.
August was hugging him tightly, pressing him against her soft body as if she feared he might vanish at any moment.
The powerful witch leaned against him, her warm body gradually going limp as if the embrace had drained all her strength.
Though she was a noble Ironblood aircraft carrier with the power to destroy worlds, she now buried her head in Lin Lan's chest like a woman who had finally found her lost love.
Lin Lan watched this unfold in amazement, wondering if he was dreaming.
He had considered many possible outcomes, but nothing like this.
Instinctively, he raised his hands and gently patted August's back, covered by her black cloak.
Just as he was about to say something, he felt her body trembling in his arms, and soft sobs reached his ears.
"My familiar, my dear familiar…"
"Where have you been? Why did it take you so long to find me?"
(4/13)
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In the game, the witch August affectionately referred to the commander as her "familiar."
"Familiar, do you know? I've been searching for you for so long... so long..."
"Your appearance has changed a lot, and your voice too, but you are still you. I recognized you at first glance."
Lin Lan listened to August's tearful confession, finding it hard to believe that the proud and elegant August from the game could be crying like this, her face wet with tears.
"Are you really my August?" Lin Lan still couldn't believe it, fearing that there was some huge misunderstanding.
Ever since he came to this world, no one had ever told him he would encounter such a powerful shipgirl.
"There's no mistake, no mistake at all. You are my familiar and the first person I saw when I opened my eyes in this world."
August pulled away from Lin Lan's chest but kept her arms around his waist.
They stood there, so close, looking into each other's eyes.
August's face still bore traces of tears, her pale cheeks tinged with a blush, and her tear-filled grayish-purple eyes filled with endless tenderness.
It was then that Lin Lan noticed a crystal-clear ring pendant hidden behind the Iron Cross medal on August's neck.
Gathering his courage, Lin Lan reached out with a trembling hand, gently brushing aside her grayish-purple hair to hold the ring.
"Familiar, you haven't forgotten that day, have you?"
Instead of being upset by Lin Lan's bold action, August slowly began to tell the story behind the ring.
"That day, you were drunk. When you returned to the port, you were mumbling something about 'white stockings witch maid being the best,' and without a word, you took me to the chapel."
"You suddenly made a vow with me."
"Back then, I had just finished a part-time shift at the new Ironblood café, and I had just returned to my dorm, still in my maid outfit, ready to rest."
"Now that I think about it, what was it about you that attracted me? What kind of wicked magic did you use to make me fall in love with you so completely?"
Even though her words were full of complaints, as she spoke, August's tears once again began to fall in large, uncontrollable drops.
Lin Lan, who had been examining the ring, froze as he listened to August's recollection, feeling as if he had been struck by lightning.
The vow was an option in the game where, after reaching a high level of affection with a shipgirl, players could spend money to marry them, often referred to by players as "giving the ring."
Shipgirls' affection levels could be raised through regular missions and setting them as the secretary ship.
After the vow, not only would the shipgirl's abilities receive a slight boost, but it would also unlock special vow-related dialogue, and some shipgirls would even get a free wedding dress illustration.
Lin Lan clearly remembered giving August a ring during an in-game event where Ironblood and the Royal Navy competed by opening cafés.
During that event, August had a new white-stocking maid outfit available for purchase.
(August Von Parseval)
(August Maid Skin)
The transformation of the proud and elegant witch into a shy maid who addressed you as "Master" in every sentence caused many players to have nosebleeds.
As a dedicated player, Lin Lan had instantly spent money on the outfit as soon as it was released without a second thought.
Not buying it would have felt like a betrayal of his conscience.
As for the vow with August, it was a moment that Lin Lan remembered vividly, though he himself found it hard to believe.
One night, after being dragged to a company party and drinking heavily, he completely blacked out and was sent home.
When he woke up, he found his phone still open to the game, and August, whom he hadn't had time to marry yet, was already wearing the ring.
When he shared this in the game chat, his friends jokingly said that August had used her mind-control powers to forcefully marry him, as she had a skill in the game that allowed her to control the minds of enemies.
This was why Lin Lan had such a strong memory of the event and always reminded himself of the dangers of drinking whenever he saw August.
Now that August had recounted the event, Lin Lan was 100% certain that this was undoubtedly his August—his and his alone.
Seeing the witch August in front of him, sobbing uncontrollably and heart-wrenchingly, Lin Lan found a sudden surge of courage and pulled her into his embrace.
Yes, hugging his own married shipgirl like this was definitely not a problem.
To think that such a powerful and confident noble aircraft carrier would break down like this upon seeing him, Lin Lan couldn't imagine how much despair and longing she had endured while searching for him.
After all, every research ship required a player to invest a lot of time and effort to accumulate research points before they could be built and brought into the world.
The first person these shipgirls saw when they opened their eyes was their commander.
It could be said that the commander was everything to them, the very reason for their existence.
Remembering the vow he had made with no memory of it, Lin Lan felt a deep sense of guilt towards the soft, grayish-purple-haired witch in his arms.
The only thing he could do at this moment was to offer her this long-overdue embrace to make up for his shortcomings.
"August, I'm sorry. It seems I've been away from you all for a very long time."
"This time, I won't disappear again."
As Lin Lan spoke, he realized that his voice had also taken on a tearful tone.
After spending an entire year at the Crimson Maple Naval Academy in this unfamiliar world, constantly forced into endless escape and humiliation by the consortium, he had been pushed to the brink of collapse.
As a transmigrant, he had felt like a rootless person drifting in a strange world.
But now, he had finally found someone familiar, someone he could rely on.
He had never seen the characters in the game as mere data.
In his heart, he had always treated every shipgirl in the game as a living being.
Even though he knew full well that they were just products created by a game company, meant to be enjoyed by the players.
But as a gamer, shouldn't he love the characters who had accompanied him through countless hours of gameplay?
"I won't leave you all again either. I... promise."
Lin Lan spoke with a determined voice, tightly holding the warm body in his arms.
The witch in his embrace gently hugged him back once again.
The two of them stayed like that, holding each other close, as if time had frozen in that moment, making it eternal.
The beautiful moment was interrupted by a soft cough from outside the captain's cabin.
"August, August, you still haven't discussed the payment with the person in charge of this passenger ship…"
A white-haired woman from Ironblood, holding an Ironblood flag, walked to the doorway of the captain's cabin.
She arrived just in time to see Lin Lan and August blushing as they reluctantly let go of each other.
Lin Lan froze as he saw her.
This was someone even more important!
The Northern Queen… No, it was the battleship Tirpitz, the second ship of the Bismarck-class battleships!
(Tirpitz)
Lin Lan watched as the flag dropped to the ground and the Northern Queen, Tirpitz, covered her mouth in shock. Suddenly, he remembered something crucial.
As a player focused on power and ranking, he had... apparently, more or less... given a ring to every shipgirl he could remember who had reached full affection.
This didn't even include the numerous research ships that were both powerful and beautiful.
Tirpitz, as one of the super-rare Ironblood battleships available during the game's early events, was a cold, proud goddess with white hair who made many players who loved white-haired mature women ecstatic.
At that time, Ironblood only had three major ships: Bismarck, Tirpitz, and the aircraft carrier Graf Zeppelin.
Due to the name of her skill and her historical background, Tirpitz was dubbed the "Lonely Northern Queen" by players.
She had been with him through almost his entire gaming journey as a crucial ship.
Naturally, Lin Lan had married Tirpitz early on.
However, as the game continued to update and new shipgirls joined the port, with their increasing strength, the early shipgirls were gradually pushed to secondary and even tertiary fleets, eventually becoming "warehouse keepers."
As an early shipgirl, Tirpitz couldn't escape this fate either, quickly becoming a warehouse keeper after reaching max level, rarely having the chance to see action again.
Moreover, due to being implemented so early in the game, Tirpitz's artwork, along with her sister Bismarck, the Ironblood flagship, never received the mighty dragon ship riggings that later Ironblood ships were known for.
Especially her sister Bismarck, as the Ironblood flagship, was constantly mocked by players for not having her own impressive dragon ship rigging.
"Bismarck, as the flagship of Ironblood, your dragon ship rigging must be really cool, right?"
But Tirpitz herself, due to her declining power ranking, went from being the "Lonely Northern Queen" to gradually being known among players as the "Lonely Northern Shut-In."
Later, this nickname was shortened to two words that became iconic and widely spread, originating from another shipgirl game: "Northern Shut-In."
This slightly mocking nickname perfectly captured Tirpitz's status in the later stages of the game.
But many players still found the nickname "Northern Shut-In" quite endearing. The idea of a once-proud mature woman becoming a shut-in had a certain charming contrast to it.
Giving shipgirls nicknames or alternate titles was a tradition that players in the community had to master.
As it happened, before Lin Lan crossed over, he was an avid internet user, a level 16 water monster who spent years surfing forums… and a long-time Dragon King in several large gaming QQ groups with over a thousand members.
(5/13)
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