Chapter 100.10: Iron Blood's First Aircraft Carrier (Part 6)

"Being brought here, you probably won't be able to find me no matter what."

Count Zeppelin already knew that she was brought here as a top-secret matter by the enemy.

No longer naive, she also understood that this place was her place of death.

Watching the enemy ships slowly turning and firing torpedoes that cut through the cold waves, trailing white foam, Count Zeppelin tiredly closed her eyes.

"I will. I definitely will. I will find you in the future and bring you back to the port!"

The intense pain from the torpedo explosion surged through her body, causing Count Zeppelin to lose her balance.

Having held on for so long, it was time to say goodbye.

Or perhaps, don't come looking for me in this cold place.

Meeting you has already been the greatest redemption of my life.

Thank you, and... goodbye.

Count Zeppelin's face wore her final smile.

The "Ironblood's first aircraft carrier" finally sank slowly into the cold, bone-chilling depths of the ice sea under the relentless torpedo attacks.

"Finally sunk, it wasn't easy."

On the deck of the destroyer, a few Red Army soldiers who had just witnessed the stubborn Ironblood warship slowly capsizing and sinking expressed their sentiments.

"By the way, Comrade Andrei, have you heard of a rumor? I think it might answer your earlier question."

As Andrei gripped the railing, watching the Ironblood warship sink with a satisfied vengeful smile, an older Red Army officer holding a pipe approached him.

"General!"

Including Andrei, several Red Army soldiers standing on the deck immediately stood upright and saluted the officer respectfully.

"No need to be so formal, comrades. You've worked hard on such a cold day."

The elderly Red Army officer smiled and waved at the soldiers, then slowly walked over to Andrei.

With a complex look in his eyes, he watched the Count Zeppelin completely swallowed by the ice ocean, put the pipe in his mouth, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled a puff of smoke before saying:

"Before we towed this ship here, I boarded it one night during a patrol. The soldier responsible for cleaning the ship told me he found a ring on board."

"A ring?"

A few Red Army soldiers gathered around, curious to hear the general's story about this previously unknown rumor.

"Yes, a ring. Who would have thought, hehe."

The elderly general smiled and continued:

"Other countries have long treated their ships as women, you should already be aware of that."

"That soldier showed me the ring. It was such a finely crafted ring, more beautiful than any piece of art I've ever seen."

"When the ring fell into my hands, I felt as if the whole ship was trembling and humming, as if the ring belonged to the ship."

After the general finished, Andrei couldn't help but speculate:

"General, could it be that the ring belonged to some Ironblood officer who died before they could take it with them?"

The general smiled, his expression reminiscent, and continued:

"Who knows? Looking at that flawless ring, I suddenly thought of the worn-out ring I once gave to my wife in my youth."

"To see a ring representing loyalty and pure love on such a weapon of mass destruction, it's... quite thought-provoking."

The other Red Army soldiers fell silent, each lost in their own pleasant memories.

Even Andrei was silent, turning his head to look at the recently sunk Ironblood warship, his expression complex.

"So, what happened later?"

After a long pause, one of the younger Red Army soldiers broke the silence.

"Well, later, I handed the ring over to the motherland, hahaha."

The general laughed heartily, and the other soldiers around him were also amused by the humorous general.

"So, everyone might have their own beautiful thing to protect. Perhaps Count Zeppelin did too."

The general smiled, holding his pipe, walked over to Andrei, and gently patted his shoulder.

"The snow is getting heavier. Comrades, work a bit longer and then head back to the cabin. I'll have the logistics to prepare some vodka to warm you up."

"Yes, thank you, General!"

The elderly general, hands behind his back, slowly walked back in the direction he came from.

In truth, he hadn't told the whole story.

When he left the sunken Ironblood warship, the ring he had held in his hand suddenly disintegrated into dust and vanished.

This strange sight deeply moved the battle-hardened general, making him question whether it was just his imagination.

Perhaps, that exquisitely crafted ring belonged to someone who gave it to the Ironblood warship.

The general shook his head with a smile, deciding to consider it a curious anecdote to include in his memoirs after retirement.

However, decades later, with the dissolution of the Northern Alliance, the general's memoirs, which had once safeguarded the country, were burned in a fire.

Since then, no one in the world knew of the extraordinary event that had occurred on the Count Zeppelin.

…

In the cold darkness and chill, after an unknown amount of time had passed, Count Zeppelin slowly opened her eyes.

She discovered that she could move and her body had taken on a human form.

"Heh, how interesting. What is this all about?"

The battle-worn Ironblood aircraft carrier looked disdainfully at her human form.

She had lost all affection for this uninteresting world.

Even with such power to revive the Ironblood, Count Zeppelin could not muster any interest.

Deprived of everything, even the vow ring, she had lost interest in everything.

Perhaps, destroying this disgusting world was a good choice.

In the darkness again, after an indeterminate amount of time, suddenly, Count Zeppelin heard a strange yet familiar voice.

"Damn! It's Count Zeppelin! You drained all my oil, but I finally got you out!"

The darkness in front of Count Zeppelin gradually receded, and she appeared in front of that man she had been yearning for countless times.

Surrounding her was the familiar, nostalgic port, that warm and beautiful port.

She stared blankly at everything before her, this delayed beauty felt like a knife, stabbing deeply into her chest.

This man appeared noticeably more youthful than before, but why... did he not seem to recognize her?

How could this be? Why didn't you recognize me? Why don't you know who I am!

Count Zeppelin wanted to speak up, but found that without the vow ring, she no longer had any right to reintroduce herself to this man.

Perhaps, this was fine.

If this was fate's punishment for her, it was too lenient.

Being able to return to the presence of this man was already the greatest reward for her.

Any punishment would be insignificant in comparison.

Finally, after a long silence, Count Zeppelin slowly spoke:

"I am Count Zeppelin... Though it's better if you don't use this name, for convenience, please call me that."

The familiar big boy from her memories cheered with joy. 

Seeing his delighted expression, despite the thousand words she wanted to say, Count Zeppelin still did not dare to express them.

You rascal, you finally kept your promise and found me.

But I have lost your vow ring, and my hands are stained with the sins and blood of countless innocent people. I... am no longer worthy of your love.

"By the way, Count Zeppelin, hehe, do you have any wishes? You can tell me anything. Though you probably can't hear me, you're my first SSR ship girl, so I have to ask!"

The newly hooked Lin Lan, holding his phone, looked at the high-cool white-haired Ironblood lady on the screen and let out a silly laugh.

He really treated the characters in this game as if they were living beings, so he asked Count Zeppelin questions with a silly grin.

"My wish?"

Count Zeppelin looked at the big boy before her in surprise, feeling a hint of bitterness.

That would certainly be to get back the vow ring.

But thinking of the dirty world that took her ring, Count Zeppelin sighed deeply, looking at the big boy before her with a tone full of resentment, and said coldly:

"My wish... should be to destroy the world."

"I won't ask for your help, you know? Because... you are already a part of it."

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