There was no wind or swell on the sea. The Escort Ship cut across its calm surface like an arrow.
With permission, the two went onto the deck and stood by the warship's railing. One looked up into the distance; the other looked down at the lake-blue depths and pure white foam stirred up in the ship's wake.
The sea breeze was damp.
Chen Shu had slept for more than ten hours. By the time he woke, his excitement had finally faded a little.
Then he remembered how he had acted spoiled with Qingqing yesterday aboard the support aircraft, right in front of Colonel Song, Zuo You, and the others. He was so embarrassed he nearly scratched a hole through the deck.
They were clearly far from the mainland now. Not only was land out of sight, but the sun had appeared overhead, no longer obscured by the Ninth-Tier battle. Nothing lay around the ship in any direction but sky and sea, both blue. Looking into the distance, he could hardly tell where one met the other.
Chen Shu loved the sunlight, and he loved the vastness of the view.
"It's so beautiful."
"Mm." Ning Qing's voice was soft, her tone mild. "In half a day, you'll be tired of it."
"Not that fast!"
"How long, then?"
"Hmm... at least two days."
"You're overestimating how devoted you are."
"I'm very devoted. Look at me—I've always been true to you."
"..."
Ning Qing pressed her lips together and couldn't be bothered to answer.
Chen Shu stretched long and hard, then wandered off to look around.
It was his first time aboard a warship, and he was intensely curious.
This was a large oceangoing Escort Ship. Its outer hull was cast almost entirely from Special Spirit Power Alloy, making it formidable even