"Okay!"
Hearing Beidou's call, Furong, Huixing, and Qianyan lit up with excitement.
They scrambled to follow her onto the deck of the Steam Battleship.
"Incredible... this is completely beyond my imagination."
As the three officers boarded the ship and began to explore its interior, they realized it was a whole new world inside.
The living quarters, the mess hall, the amenities—everything was there. And not only was it fully stocked, but the decor was also luxuriously modern and beautiful. Just looking at it made them want to move in immediately.
"I suddenly realized... compared to this, The Alcor is a doghouse," Furong muttered, stroking the soft bedding in one of the cabins with excitement. "It's so luxurious! Just living here would be bliss."
"I agree," Huixing nodded, her eyes wide. "Look at this radar system! It's so high-tech!"
The trio followed Beidou deeper into the ship, gasping in awe at every turn. Their shock never faded as they encountered machine after machine they couldn't name.
"Even the instruction manual is bound and ready right here."
In the control room, Beidou gazed at the rows of complex buttons and levers with admiration.
She didn't recognize a single control.
But resting on the console was a thick book.
On the cover, bold characters read: "Steam Battleship Operation Manual".
Beidou picked it up and flipped through the pages. It contained detailed blueprints of the ship, with every component labeled and explained. From the engine room to the navigation systems, everything was documented.
Even someone who knew nothing about steam technology could pilot this ship perfectly after reading this manual.
Beidou, the Uncrowned Lord of the Ocean, had an exceptional memory.
She flipped through the manual rapidly, absorbing the information like a sponge.
Moments ago, the ship was alien to her. Now, the buttons and levers began to make sense.
After a long while, Beidou closed the book and opened her eyes.
The knowledge was now hers.
She looked around the control room again. The once-confusing array of switches now looked familiar. She knew what every single one did.
"You three need to read this," Beidou said, handing the manual to Qianyan. "If you don't, this ship will remain a mystery to you."
"Just now, you didn't recognize anything, right? Read this, and you'll understand."
"Yes, Captain!"
Qianyan took the book with reverence.
To them, this manual was the key to unlocking the future of their fleet.
"This is great," Qianyan whispered, her eyes shining as she looked at the cover.
Having finished her study session, Beidou walked out of the bridge and onto the main deck.
She had toured most of the interior. Now she needed to inspect the exterior systems properly.
As for the crowd of stunned Liyue citizens gathering on the docks, she didn't have time to deal with them yet.
Understanding her new ship was the priority.
She doubted anyone would dare to board uninvited anyway.
"Holy sh*t, what IS that thing?"
"It's definitely a ship."
"Does your family own a ship that looks like that?"
"If it's not a ship, what is it? You tell me!"
"I don't know! I'm just shocked!"
"If you don't know, shut up."
"..."
"It has to be a ship. Or rather, a ship far more advanced than anything we know. I saw The Alcoronce from a distance. Compared to this... The Alcor looks like a toy."
"Let me put it simply: If you compare a rotting fishing boat to a majestic galleon, The Alcor is the rotting fishing boat in this scenario."
"Hiss... okay, I get it now."
"That's insane. The Alcor is the biggest ship in Liyue's waters! It's the overlord of the sea! And now there's something better?"
"Where did Captain Beidou get this? If the Crux had this, why hide it until today?"
"Who knows? I want to ask her, but I'm too scared to go up there."
...
The harbor was buzzing. The crowd grew larger by the minute as people stared at the steel leviathan floating effortlessly on the water.
It was too advanced. Too alien. Too cool.
"Damn, I'm going to get my wife. She needs to see this."
"Me too! Me too!"
"The craziest part is how it appeared! Captain Beidou pulled it out of her pocket!"
"Yeah, I saw it! She threw a tiny toy, and boom! Giant ship! And then she cut a tsunami in half with lightning!"
"My Archons, Captain Beidou is terrifyingly powerful."
...
People were scrambling to capture the moment. Some pulled out Kameras, snapping photos frantically. Others ran home to fetch friends and family.
A steel ship appearing out of thin air was the event of the year.
"Quick! Report this to Lady Ningguang!"
A Millelith sergeant scribbled a message on a paper crane and sent it flying toward the Jade Chamber.
The sensation was spreading throughout the entire city.
"Everyone! Go to the harbor! Captain Beidou has a new ship! It's made of steel and looks cooler than The Alcor!"
"What? A new ship? Better than The Alcor? You're lying. The Alcor is the king of the sea."
"I'm not lying! The whole harbor is there! Go now or you won't even get a spot to look!"
"Holy crap, that exaggerated? I'm going!"
"I was gonna go watch Director Hu knock souls out, but a steel ship sounds way cooler. I'm in!"
...
Crowds streamed through the streets of Liyue, abandoning their dinners and evening plans to witness the spectacle.
At the Jar Shop.
Doyle and Wenqi looked at each other.
"Captain Beidou has a new ship?"
"Do you think... it's related to the shop?"
They had seen Beidou pull a giant sword earlier. Now a giant ship appeared after she left? It was the only logical explanation.
Inside the shop.
Felix lay on his recliner, listening to the commotion outside. He smiled as he heard people running toward the harbor.
As expected.
The Steam Battleship was a game-changer. Even if it wasn't a Star Destroyer, in a world of wooden junks, an ironclad battleship was an alien artifact.
It wasn't just the citizens who were shocked. Beidou herself was probably still reeling from the upgrade.
Nearby, Hu Tao sat at the table, chin resting on her hand. Her plum-blossom eyes sparkled with interest as she listened to the shouts.
"So Beidou actually deployed it..." she murmured. She had seen the capsule, but hearing about the full-scale ship was different.
"Director Hu," Felix sighed, looking at the girl who hadn't moved for hours.
"Are you planning to squat here forever?"
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