— — The Next Day — —
The salty, humid ocean breeze from the depths of the Pacific Ocean swept across the deck of the Asgard.
The battleship glided silently in stealth mode beneath the dark blue sea, with only its lookout tower and some sensors exposed above the water, like a giant, lurking whale.
Captain Kael stood on the open observation platform outside the bridge, holding a data pad and checking the final mission parameters. The Honkai Energy signal in the target area for this reconnaissance mission was weak but unusually persistent, requiring precise operations with no room for error.
"Captain, all detection units have been calibrated and are ready for deployment," the voice from the technical department came through the communicator.
"Received. Maintain current speed; we will reach the designated location and begin operations in one hour."
Captain Kael issued the order, his gaze sweeping across the calm sea, his brow slightly furrowed. For some reason, he had a subtle, unsettling feeling that this mission wouldn't go smoothly, as if something sinister was watching him.
"Kael!"
A clear, cheerful voice broke his contemplation. Captain Kael knew who it was without needing to turn around.
He sighed and turned, indeed seeing Theresa, dressed in an ill-fitting research lab coat, bouncing over, holding a... Haxxor Bunny-shaped waterproof clipboard?
Heaven knew where she got all these things.
"Theresa?" Captain Kael looked at her attire, a faint ache beginning in his temple. "How did you get up here? This isn't a civilian cruise ship."
He distinctly remembered checking the personnel list before departure; she wasn't on it!
Theresa proudly lifted her chin slightly: "I'm an S-Rank Valkyrie! Going to 'visit and study' any battleship I want is just a matter of a word, isn't it? I reported it to Grandma; I told her I was coming to be your 'special technical consultant'!"
She specifically emphasized the word "special" and even shook the Haxxor Bunny clipboard in her hand, proving her "professionalism."
Captain Kael: "..." Otto would actually approve of this nonsense?
He understood the Archbishop's mind less and less.
"It's very busy here, and potentially dangerous. This isn't a place for playing," Captain Kael tried to dissuade her.
"I'm not here to play!" Theresa puffed out her cheeks. "I'm here to help! More people mean more strength, right? And..." She took a step closer, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Captain Kael, "It's so boring out here on the vast ocean, isn't it nice to have me accompany you?"
Captain Kael looked at her face so close to his, and those eyes that openly showed concern, and was momentarily speechless.
The words of refusal reached his lips but were difficult to utter. In the end, he could only wave his hand helplessly: "Do as you please. But you must obey orders, no touching equipment without permission, and no interfering with operations."
"Got it! I promise to be obedient!" Theresa immediately beamed with joy, like a child who had received candy.
An hour later, the Asgard arrived at the target sea area and began deploying underwater detection units.
The bridge and associated data monitoring room were bustling with activity. Captain Kael presided over the command center, his attention fully focused on the various data streams.
Theresa, as expected, was much quieter. She pulled up a stool and sat behind Captain Kael's command chair, pretending to write and draw on her Haxxor Bunny clipboard, but most of the time, her gaze was fixed on Captain Kael's focused profile.
Just then, the door to the data monitoring room slid open, and a young female staff member, dressed in a standard research department uniform, walked in, holding a thick stack of documents.
She had dazzling long golden hair, tied into a neat ponytail, and emerald green eyes like the finest jade. Her face was exquisitely beautiful, almost impossibly so, but her expression was a little too serious and... young? She seemed to have only recently come of age.
"Captain Kael," the female staff member's voice was clear, with a businesslike tone, but if one listened carefully, there seemed to be a subtle hint of nervousness, "Research Department's supplementary data analysis report; it requires your review and signature."
She handed over the documents, her gaze quickly scanning Captain Kael's face before immediately dropping, as if she dared not look longer.
Captain Kael was coordinating the diving depth of the detection units and didn't even look up, casually saying, "Leave it there; I'll deal with it later."
"Yes."
The female staff member placed the documents on the nearby table as instructed but did not leave immediately. Instead, she stood quietly to the side, seemingly waiting for further instructions, her peripheral vision stealthily observing Captain Kael.
And... Theresa, who was behind him, staring at her with wary eyes.
Theresa's intuition immediately sounded an alarm.
This woman... Although she was wearing a research department uniform and seemed very professional, something about her felt off.
Especially those green eyes, which gave her a strange sense of... familiarity and annoyance.
Captain Kael finished handling the immediate commands, then picked up the report and quickly scanned it. The report was extremely detailed and professional, even highlighting some detailed connections he hadn't noticed.
"The analysis is very insightful," Captain Kael said, looking up at the female staff member with some surprise. "What's your name? Which team are you on? I haven't seen you before."
He should have had an impression if the research department had such a talent.
The female staff member's body seemed to stiffen imperceptibly, then she replied in a steady tone: "Reporting, Captain, my name is Olivia, and I am... I was recently transferred to the Pacific Observation Project team. I'm glad my analysis could be of help to you."
As she spoke, her gaze quickly swept across Captain Kael's face again, and her fingertips curled slightly.
"Olivia..." Captain Kael repeated the name, not thinking much of it. He signed the report. "Well done, keep it up."
"Thank you for the compliment, Captain." Olivia took the signed document, bowed slightly, then turned and left the monitoring room with somewhat hurried steps.
As soon as she left, Theresa immediately jumped off her chair and leaned closer to Captain Kael, whispering, "Kael, don't you think that female staff member is a bit strange?"
"Strange how? Wasn't the report well-written?" Captain Kael's attention had already returned to the main screen.
"It's just... I can't quite put my finger on it!" Theresa frowned. "I feel like the way she looked at you was weird! And she's too good-looking, isn't she? She doesn't seem like an ordinary staff member!" Her female intuition made her sense something was amiss.
Captain Kael chuckled, reaching out to flick her forehead: "Theresa, what are you thinking about all day? Focus on your 'consultant' work." He simply thought Theresa was overthinking things again.
Theresa covered her forehead, pouting as she sat back in her chair, but the lingering doubts and sense of crisis in her heart wouldn't go away.
She decided she would keep a close eye on that woman named Olivia!
Meanwhile, "Olivia," who had quickly walked out of the monitoring room, curved her lips into an imperceptible smile.
"Kael... Even with a different appearance, being close to you still makes my heart restless."
She murmured to herself, a hint of intoxication and obsession flashing in her emerald eyes, "Don't worry, this time I will 'assist' you well, and I will never let anyone... disturb us."
She looked back in the direction of the monitoring room, her gaze seemingly able to penetrate the wall, seeing the figure that haunted her dreams, and that annoying little white speck that always clung to Captain Kael.
"Theresa... my dear granddaughter..." Otto's eyes grew cold. "It seems my approval for you was too hasty after all."
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