Taihou's calm face turned fierce the moment she heard Illustrious's whisper. She stared into Illustrious's eyes, searching for deceit.
"Every word true? You're not lying?"
Seeing Taihou hooked, Illustrious doubled down. "Absolutely true—my life on it. With your fame and might, how would I dare?"
Taihou nodded; a Gold-Plated Ship Girl had zero power to trick her. "Then I must leave at once—can't let anyone beat me to it."
"Exactly! Hurry, or it might be gone," Illustrious urged.
"You're right. I'm off. I'll remember you, Illustrious. If your info proves true, you'll have my thanks—however…" Taihou's tone turned sinister.
"However what?"
"If it's false, you'll join those two Mosaics down there," she hissed.
"Heaven and earth, I swear I'm honest—my reputation for truth is known across the entire Pacific!" Illustrious declared without batting an eye.
"Better be." Taihou glanced eastward. "That location… day and a half's flight. That way?"
She stowed her ornate western chair into rigging space, then erupted with a boom. A crimson aura burst from her body, so heavy everyone could barely breathe.
Wrapped in red Ship Qi, Taihou shot east as a streak of light, the recoil carving a four-metre crater where she'd stood.
"Whew! Good thing I've got the moves—another inch and I'd have been in that crater!" When Taihou's power erupted, Illustrious nimbly leapt back; the crater halted a hair's breadth from her boots.
Watching Taihou fly off, Illustrious exhaled. She's finally gone. All this fuss over a mere blue-grade Azure Island—and it drew a Legendary Ship Girl.
This won't do. With a powerhouse like her around we'd be scooping water with a sieve, and I can't let everyone scatter. Azure Island is deadly; soloing it is suicide. So Illustrious had to bait Taihou away with a juicy piece of news.
The crowd gaped as Taihou, who'd been blocking their path, suddenly soared away. Illustrious had defused the threat with a few casual sentences.
After all, even the Five-Star Epic Ship Girl Dragon—flagship of Admiral Wang Xianyu of the East Pacific's big three Naval Bases—couldn't handle Taihou.
"I thought you'd go toe-to-toe with your Gold-Plated Ship Girl strength, but you just whispered in her ear and off she went. Respect!"
"Right? When I saw that crimson Ship Qi burst out I nearly jumped. A real Legendary Ship Girl…and you still talked to her like it was tea time. I'm in awe."
"You saved the run, Illustrious. Without you we'd be heading home with our tails between our legs."
Everyone admired her. Whatever she'd whispered didn't matter; the expedition to Azure Island was back on.
"All right, settle down. We've still got business," Illustrious said, clapping for quiet.
"What business?" the crowd asked.
"We need a leader. Once we're inside the ruins it's chaos without command. We'll fall apart and get slaughtered." She put on her most responsible face.
"She's right," declared the handsome Li Zifei, smoothing his jacket. "A leader needs ice-cool nerves, a razor mind, unmatched command, and—naturally—drop-dead looks." He gave a pointed smile.
With a thud Wu Goudan kicked Li Zifei face-first into the dirt. "He's describing me, obviously. Sorry—I'm so awesome people can't stop praising me. I'll do the job splendidly."
"You bastard pig! I'll beat you senseless!" Li Zifei scrambled up, swinging at his old friend.
Wu flailed back. "Jealous of my good looks? Bring it on—three hundred rounds!"
The crowd cleared a ring and the two happily punched each other silly.
Illustrious's smile froze. These idiots were wrecking her plan—she wanted the leader slot for the biggest share of glory.
Through gritted teeth she said, "Such good friends. Ignore them—let's pick our commander. Any ideas?"
Admiral Yang Xue, who'd chatted with Illustrious earlier, spoke up. "Let Illustrious lead—she just sent a Legendary packing."
"No," someone objected. "She's only a Gold-Plated Ship Girl; that's not enough firepower."
"Exactly. For real leadership and strength, Dragon—the Five-Star Epic under Admiral Wang Xianyu—would be perfect.
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