What Do You Mean I'm The Captain Of A Yandere Mercenary Company? Chapter 829: Coast Is Clear, Open Up

Yumiko jabbed her finger toward the turtle I was hoisting high above, "Mistress... Didn’t you say this thing is dangerous?"

"Hmm? As I mentioned before, simply avoid its mouth and you won’t have issues."

"You’re not concerned about this beast at all, Mistress?"

"Well... Like I told you, this is a creature I’ve encountered in my own universe, and it’s truly not that hazardous there. Provided you understand how to manage them, naturally."

Yumiko eyed the turtle hovering over my head, "You mean beasts like this, immune to gunfire, are commonplace where you’re from?"

I lowered the turtle back to its original spot, "Uh... No. That’s precisely why I was shocked... The turtles from my world aren’t bulletproof like this fellow... Nor do they reach such massive sizes..."

"So... It’s some kind of mutated breed?" Lea inquired over the comms.

I gave a shrug, "I’ve got no clue. After all... Dogs were meant to be adorable and affectionate in my previous universe, but here they’re apparently ruthless killers, so who knows what’s possible?"

Amber let out a giggle via the call, "Ehehe~ Perhaps like dogs, this turtle might take a liking to you too, Tera?"

I seriously doubted that, yet... curiosity got the better of me...

I faced the turtle once more, now sprawled with its jaws parted just wide enough for my arm to slip inside.

Should I try?

"Hey... Mara? Just hypothetically... If I shove my arm in there and it chomps it off..."

Mara sighed deeply, "Yes... I could regenerate it for you... But please don’t injure yourself, Captain."

Renata’s voice piped up from my chest then, "Ehehehe~ No worries, Daddy! I won’t allow it to harm you! Nothing’s getting lost on my watch!"

Well... With her so assured...

I approached the turtle and attempted to stroke its head from the side.

Assuming it’s similar to the dogs, it wouldn’t snap at me, correct?

My hand extended to the side of its head, palm pressing against its cheek.

Suddenly, the turtle whipped its head sideways and clamped down on my arm.

I yanked back instinctively, but Renata swelled up to jam its jaws apart, stopping them from fully shutting.

The turtle appeared unperturbed by this and simply parted its mouth again, letting me withdraw my arm from between its teeth to inspect it.

"Did that pain you, Renata?" I questioned.

"Ehehehe~ Not at all, Daddy~ I felt zero discomfort~"

Good to hear.

I chuckled lightly, "Hehe~ Looks like it sees me no differently than anyone else."

"Perhaps it’s merely an extraterrestrial beast resembling the one you’re familiar with, Mistress?" Lea proposed.

"I guess that could be. Anyway... Let’s leave it be for the moment and hunt down that smuggler captain. Oh! Reach out to the security chief too and update him on the situation. Let them know they can ease off now."

As the girls on my other vessel managed things, I made my way toward the Captain’s quarters, already pinpointed on my map.

The turtle stayed put without complaint, lounging atop a container while casting disdainful glances around.

Yumiko kept glancing back at it, as if anticipating a sudden pounce when our guard was down. Finding it adorable, I didn’t discourage her.

A brief stroll through the ship’s hallways brought us to the targeted door, marked by claw gashes suggesting creatures had attempted entry.

Fortunately for those within, this door had been heavily fortified, limiting the damage to mere surface scratches.

Currently locked from inside, I could override it via hack, but preferred they open it themselves.

I dialed the captain once more; this time, a terrified young man responded instead of the smuggler.

"He... Hello? Uh... The captain’s still out cold... So... Maybe call back later?"

I glared, "I’m right outside your door. Let me in."

"Ah... Ah... Um... Not sure... That’s wise..."

"Didn’t you catch my talk with your captain? Threats are handled. Ship’s secure."

"But... But... That monster’s still lurking, right? That... Thing unfazed by our full barrage..."

"Sure, it’s chilling in your cargo bay now. That’s what I need clarified—what’s your captain’s plan for it? Eject via airlock or keep shipping it to its destination?"

"Umm... I... No idea..."

"Exactly why I need your captain, damn it. Open up."

The scared man peeked aside, likely consulting his crew.

Incomprehensible murmurs sounded from behind, and he nodded in agreement before facing me again.

"Umm... Sorry... We won’t unlock while that beast roams free."

I frowned deeply, "What? You want me to eliminate it? I can vent it out immediately if that’s the call."

He started to nod eagerly until a frantic shout from off-screen halted him.

After some hushed debate, he returned to the feed, "Umm... Please don’t kill it... Captain must decide."

"Then damn well open the door."

"No way with that thing loose! Wait for captain to rouse!"

Oh, for fuck’s sake... As if I’d loiter here awaiting your captain’s revival when I could rejoin my girls for some fun.

I could hack it open again, but that might spark suspicions about my security skills.

Instead... I stepped away and summoned my halberd.

"Get clear of the door," I cautioned, twirling the weapon deftly.

The man’s eyes bulged in shock, "Wha... What’re you planning?"

"Getting this door open, duh. What’s it seem like?"

Ignoring his reply, I stabbed the halberd into the door’s upper right corner, the blade slicing through reinforced steel effortlessly.

Dragging my arm down at an angle, I carved a gash splitting the door in half.

Next, I plunged it into the opposite corner and repeated, quartering the door entirely.

Finished, I retreated as the door creaked ominously and crumbled into the four segments I’d severed, exposing the captain’s quarters.

Within, terrified folks clustered in one corner amid scattered food and water packs in the other.

They’d evidently been holed up for a while.

The captain lay sprawled on the bed, so I bypassed the stunned onlookers, grabbed him by the collar, and reared back my hand.

"Wake up!!" I bellowed, slapping his cheek hard.

He jolted upright; I released him, sending him tumbling off the bed to the floor.

"Wah... What?! What happened?! What’s going on?!" He yelped.

Spotting me looming with halberd in grip, he mistook me for death incarnate and crawled away frantically.

"Don’t kill me! Don’t kill me!! I don’t wanna die yet!!"

Sheesh... Breaking through their panic might take time...

Fine then, let’s deliver some motivational slaps~