super battleship

Chapter 16: The New Sea Wolf

“Nie Yun, can’t you be a little more ambitious? Even if you put that ten million in the bank and just live off the interest, you could still afford to eat beef noodles every day!” Chu Xiaoxiao was clearly exasperated.

“Alright, I’ll put it in the bank!” Nie Yun immediately agreed to the investment plan.

“Beep beep!” The call ended abruptly.

Ten minutes later…

“Hey, Xiaoxiao, don’t be mad. I was just joking,” Nie Yun said with a fawning smile. He had no choice—he hadn’t received the money yet. If she got angry and decided to buy him millions of bowls of beef noodles instead, who would he cry to?

“Hmph!” The other end of the line was still fuming.

“By the way, Xiaoxiao, if I wanted to buy a large fishing vessel…”

“Beep beep!”

Nie Yun stared at the phone, a black line appearing on his forehead. What’s wrong with buying a fishing boat? It’s not like I’m trying to buy a pirate ship!

But then again, with the money in her hands, I’ll endure it!

Nie Yun had considered that even though he had found a large ship, modifying the Sea Wolf to resemble it would likely get him globally wanted the next day—for smuggling arms, no less!

Moreover, the ship wouldn’t have any papers, making it a “black” vessel, which was absolutely unfeasible!

A ship’s registration is like a car’s license; if you don’t have one and get caught, you’re not just facing a fine—they’ll confiscate the ship at the very least.

You can’t exactly say, “Oh, officer, sorry, I was in a rush today and forgot to bring my ship’s registration!”

In short, without proper papers, you can’t even dock at a port!

After much thought, the easiest solution was to buy a large ship that could pass inspection!

Ten minutes later…

“Um, Xiaoxiao, I was wondering if you had any suggestions for buying a ship?” Nie Yun asked cautiously, relieved that the call hadn’t been cut off again.

“Hmm! What kind of ship are you planning to buy?” Chu Xiaoxiao asked, pretending to be angry while stifling a laugh.

“Whatever you suggest, I’ll buy!” Nie Yun was quick to adapt.

“Alright! What are your specific requirements? Let’s hear them!” Chu Xiaoxiao finally decided to go easy on him.

“Well, preferably a second-hand steel ship over a thousand tons. I know a friend—oh right, the one who builds aircraft carriers—who can help refurbish and modify it at a low cost. It would be best if the ship is modern, with complete electronic equipment like GPS, sonar radar, and seawater purification systems. Load it up with everything. Other than that, I don’t have many requirements.”

Nie Yun ultimately decided to modernize, taking a big step forward toward electrification!

“Got it. I’ll help you look into it, but operating a large ship requires a crew. Our company is connected with several headhunting firms. Need help finding some sailors?”

*Cough cough*, no need for that. I know plenty of sailors myself. No need to trouble yourself.” Nie Yun hurriedly declined. Just kidding—Sea Wolf has too many secrets to let others onboard.

“Alright then, but since I’m helping you so much, how are you going to thank me?” Chu Xiaoxiao asked shyly.

“After selling the silver coin, all the money left after buying the ship is yours!” Nie Yun generously declared with a wave of his hand.

“Beep beep!”

Nie Yun: “...”

What did I say wrong this time?

Mechanical Bug: “...” (Foolish master!)

The following night, at midnight, in the waters of Nanao, South China Sea.

*Blub blub!* Large bubbles began rising on the calm sea surface, and the shadow below grew larger and larger, as if a monstrous beast from the deep was about to emerge!

Not far away, on the bare Sea Wolf, Nie Yun held the fishing rod in both hands as the line rapidly reeled itself in.

“Come forth! The new Sea Wolf!” Nie Yun roared as he yanked the rod.

*Boom!* The ship’s bow, covered in seaweed, burst through the surface, a colossal relic of centuries past reemerging into the world!

*Boom!* The bow crashed back into the sea, sending waves crashing several meters high, causing a violent swell that rocked the Sea Wolf beneath Nie Yun’s feet.

“Hahaha! Hahaha! Roar!” Nie Yun gripped the ship’s bow tightly, soaking wet but laughing and shouting wildly into the stormy winds and waves.

He loved this feeling!

…

As the sea gradually calmed, Nie Yun maneuvered the Sea Wolf alongside the still-draining New Sea Wolf.

This dilapidated warship, which he had christened the New Sea Wolf, was about a hundred meters long, over twenty meters high, and several meters wide. In comparison, the Sea Wolf looked like a baby next to a giant.

The large holes in the ship had already been patched by the mechanical bugs, with the patchwork of silvery-white spots looking quite conspicuous!

Each side of the ship featured twenty-five cannon ports arranged in two layers, now sealed by the mechanical bugs. In some places, seawater still trickled out.

Naturally, Nie Yun hadn’t actually “fished” this battleship out of the sea. The method was simple: the mechanical bugs dug out the sand, inflated countless small balloons, and expelled most of the water from the ship’s hold. The ship naturally floated to the surface.

But before that, the mechanical bugs had also reinforced the ship’s structure. Otherwise, the rotted wood couldn’t have withstood such buoyancy and would have simply broken apart. Luckily, there was no shortage of shipwrecks on the seabed, so materials were abundant.

Using the ladder constructed by the mechanical bugs, Nie Yun climbed onto the ancient battleship.

The mechanical bugs, forming various tools, continued tirelessly cleaning the hull, repairing and reinforcing the damage. After consuming more than fifty cannons, their numbers had multiplied, enough to fill the Sea Wolf. But even dispersed on the New Sea Wolf, they still seemed sparse.

“Not enough workers, not enough power!” Nie Yun muttered, eyeing the hard-working mechanical bugs with the look of a capitalist.

Soon, the Sea Wolf was disassembled by the mechanical bugs, its parts joining the effort to repair the New Sea Wolf.

Watching the Sea Wolf vanish from the surface, Nie Yun clumsily made the sign of the cross over his chest.

“From now on, my children will be with you! The Sea Wolf and the New Sea Wolf are now one, inseparable. I hereby name you—the Sea Wolf!”

Mechanical Bug: “...” (What’s the difference?!)

The mechanical bugs, caught off guard by this dramatic gesture, paused momentarily before resuming their work.

From this moment on, whenever Nie Yun needed it, the mechanical bugs could quickly reassemble into a complete Sea Wolf. The fully alloyed fishing boat Sea Wolf was, in some sense, already a reality! That is, assuming it doesn’t sink…

But men, after all, love things in larger sizes!

Nie Yun, in high spirits, went off to explore his new ride, while the mechanical bugs, ever diligent, sailed the ship further into the deep sea...