Crash!
A large bundle of wood materialized out of thin air and landed heavily on the deck.
Followed by plastic.
Rope.
Like magic, the previously empty corner of the raft was instantly piled high with supplies.
Qin Yu looked at his system panel.
He had just listed all one hundred bottles of water for sale, but not all at once.
He had split them into three batches.
Each batch sold out in seconds the moment it was listed.
Some people even offered higher prices in private messages, willing to pay two extra metal pieces just to secure one bottle of water.
This was the power of a monopoly.
Yao Qian, holding a rotten plank she had just fished up, stared at the "mountain of supplies" before her, her mouth agape in an 'O' shape.
The plank in her hand clattered to the floor.
"This... this is the purchasing power of one hundred bottles of water?"
She felt her worldview shatter.
Just moments ago, she had been struggling desperately on the sea surface, fishing for half the day only to retrieve three wooden planks and one broken plastic bottle.
Yet Qin Yu had merely moved his fingers a few times.
The resources he obtained in return were enough to bury her.
"What are you staring at?"
Qin Yu didn't even look up as he continued taking inventory.
"Pick that up. Don't waste it."
"Oh... right!"
Yao Qian hurriedly bent down to retrieve the rotten plank, obedient as a dutiful wife.
This was the joy of controlling core resources in this damned world.
"Wood: 320, Plastic: 140, Rope: 80, Metal Pieces: 25..."
Qin Yu calculated silently in his mind.
It was enough.
"System, open the Crafting interface."
With a thought from Qin Yu, a blue screen visible only to him popped up before his eyes.
[Basic Pontoon: Wood x2, Plastic x2, Rope x1]
[Solid Floor: Wood x4, Rope x2]
"Craft all."
Qin Yu didn't hesitate in the slightest.
His fingers moved swiftly through the air.
Hum—
A flash of white light.
Instantly, more than half of the supply mountain piled on the ground vanished.
In its place were stacks of neatly finished components now stored in his inventory.
Qin Yu walked to the edge of the raft.
He looked down at the lonely 9-square-meter plank beneath his feet, adrift on the vast ocean.
Too small.
It was even difficult to turn around.
And without railings, the constant fear of potentially falling into the sea at any moment was a torment to the nerves.
"Yao Xue, Yao Qian."
Qin Yu called out to the sisters.
"Brace yourselves."
The two sisters, who were in the middle of handling dried fish, froze in confusion.
"What?"
Before they could react—
Qin Yu focused his intent.
"Expand!"
Clank, clank, clank—
A series of grating mechanical sounds echoed.
The entire raft shook violently.
"Ah!"
Yao Qian screamed in fright, nearly dropping the fish in her hand.
Instinctively seeking something to hold onto, she wrapped her arms around her older sister's waist.
Yao Xue's face also paled; she instantly tightened her grip on her scalpel, scanning their surroundings warily.
"Don't panic."
Qin Yu's voice was steady as a rock.
Around the raft, the seawater churned violently.
Brand new pontoons materialized out of nowhere, automatically attaching themselves to the original base.
Immediately after.
Thick wooden planks, as if alive, fitted together seamlessly, laying down new flooring.
9 square meters.
15 square meters.
20 square meters.
…
The raft was expanding outward at a visibly rapid pace!
The once cramped space instantly became spacious.
That feeling of standing on solid ground multiplied exponentially.
The vibrations only stopped when the expansion reached 30 square meters.
If you have no concept of 30 square meters—
It's roughly the size of a standard hotel room with a queen-sized bed.
On land, this would be nothing special.
But on the ocean surface, this was practically an aircraft carrier!
"Is this... it?" Yao Qian released her sister's waist and tentatively took a few steps forward.
The wooden planks beneath her feet were fresh, emitting a pleasant pine scent.
And they were stable—far more stable than the previous small raft.
When waves hit, the raft only swayed slightly, no longer giving that terrifying sensation of capsizing.
"Not quite finished yet." Qin Yu walked to the edge.
There were still some materials left.
Without some protective measures, he wouldn't be able to sleep soundly.
"Crafting Simple Fence."
"Consumed Wood x50, Rope x50."
"Installing."
"Thud! Thud! Thud!"
A series of dull thumps followed.
A row of half-meter-high wooden fences rose along the raft's perimeter.
Though they looked crude and roughly made,
they securely enclosed the entire 30-square-meter space.
A sense of security.
At this moment, they felt overwhelmingly safe!
Yao Xue looked at the circle of fencing and finally let out a sigh of relief, her nerves that had been tense for a full day and night finally relaxing.
She walked to the fence and shook it with her hand.
It was sturdy.
Nailed down firmly.
"With this..." Yao Xue turned to look at Qin Yu, her eyes shimmering.
"Even if we encounter big waves, we won't have to worry about being swept overboard."
No one knew how terrified she had been last night, afraid that a single turn in her sleep would send her rolling into the sea.
That fear was more torturous than hunger.
Qin Yu brushed the wood dust off his hands.
"This is just the first step."
"In the future, we'll live in a proper house with real beds."
Qin Yu walked to the corner and moved the S-grade water purifier to the center.
Then he set up the grill.
The 30-square-meter space now appeared more than sufficient.
They could even delineate a "work area" and a "rest area."
"Alright, stop marveling at life over there." Qin Yu glanced at Yao Qian, who was still touching the fence.
"Time to work."
"My water is sold out, and the materials are used up."
"If we want to live better, we need to earn more."
"Yao Xue, process all the remaining fish. Keep the entrails—I'll use them for chumming."
"Yao Qian, take the hook to that side of the fence. Hook anything you see, and don't slack off."
After assigning tasks, Qin Yu returned to his exclusive fishing spot.
With the fence, he could even lean his back against it.
Much more comfortable.
"Aye aye, Captain!" Yao Qian playfully saluted, her ponytail swishing.
With a "big house" (the raft), the girl's mood had visibly improved.
She even hummed while working.
Yao Xue didn't waste words either, picking up the scalpel to continue her previous task.
Only this time,
her movements were much livelier.
Because she saw hope.
In this man's hands, this pile of broken wood was truly turning into a "home," bit by bit.
Time passed.
The sun began to set.
The wind and waves on the sea grew slightly stronger.
But sitting on the 30-square-meter large raft, these minor waves were completely negligible.
Qin Yu held the fishing rod, his expression focused.
The entire afternoon.
He fished up quite a few more items.
Three sea fish, two crabs.
And a Grade E Broken Chest containing a roll of bandages and a bottle of Red Potion.
Though these were still valuable commodities, compared to yesterday's haul, they seemed rather meager.
"Is the law of conservation of luck really in effect?"
Qin Yu frowned.
He refused to accept it.
"Yao Xue, fish entrails."
"Coming."
Yao Xue walked over carrying a basin full of bloody fish entrails.
Even though she was accustomed to performing surgeries, the pungent smell made her wrinkle her nose involuntarily.
Qin Yu grabbed a handful of the entrails and scattered them directly into the sea.
Splash.
The blood spread out.
The fishy scent drifted with the sea breeze.
It was the most primitive, yet most effective, method of attracting fish.
Assuming one wasn't afraid of attracting sharks.
Of course, during this novice protection period, Qin Yu was betting that such sea monsters were unlikely to appear.
Even if they did.
The SSS-grade fishing rod in his hand was not just for show.
One minute.
Two minutes.
The fishing float suddenly twitched.
Not a gentle, testing nibble.
But a sharp, heavy tug!
"It's here!"
A gleam of intense focus flashed in Qin Yu's eyes.
This feeling…
Heavy!
Extremely heavy!
Heavier than that Grade B chest!
Even… approaching the weight of that S-grade water purifier!
"Come up!"
Qin Yu growled, the muscles in his arms bulging instantly, veins coiling like small snakes.
The fishing rod bent into a full-moon arc.
Creak—
The fishing line emitted a taut, mournful whine in the wind.
"What's going on?!"
Yao Qian, hearing the commotion, dropped her hook and rushed over.
Startled by Qin Yu's strained expression, she froze.
"Stay back!"
Qin Yu gritted his teeth, forcing out the words.
"It's a big one!"
The thing below the water was immensely powerful.
If not for the inherent toughness bonus of the God-Tier Poseidon Fishing Rod, an ordinary rod would have snapped long ago.
A tug-of-war began.
Qin Yu braced his feet firmly against the railing he had just secured.
Without that railing, he would likely have been dragged into the water by now.
"Damn!"
"Get up here!"
With a furious roar, Qin Yu unleashed all his strength.
Splash!!!
The water surface erupted.
A massive black shadow burst out of the water.
Under the fading sunset, it reflected a chilling silver gleam.
It wasn't a fish.
It was a chest!
A large chest, half a meter tall, gleaming with a silvery metallic luster!
The edges of the chest were trimmed with a band of bright silver.
Thud!
The chest landed heavily in the center of the raft.
The entire 30-square-meter raft sank sharply, sending waves splashing around.
Qin Yu collapsed onto the floor, gasping for breath.
His hands were trembling.
He was completely drained.
But this aching exhaustion… felt incredibly satisfying!
"What… what kind of chest is this?"
Yao Qian approached, wanting to touch it but not daring to.
The silvery sheen looked far more advanced than the previous wooden or iron chests.
"Grade A."
Qin Yu steadied his breathing and stood up.
At that moment, his eyes were fixed solely on the letter on the chest.
A large, hollowed-out silver [A].
Yesterday it was an S, today an A.
Though it was a grade lower, in this early apocalyptic environment, Grade A supplies were still a game-changing presence!
"Open it!"
Without another word, Qin Yu pressed his palm against the chest.
Ding!
Grade A Supply Chest successfully opened.
"Congratulations, Host, for obtaining: [Grade A Field Four-Person Tent (with full bedding set)] x1."
A tent?!
Qin Yu froze for a moment.
Then, wild joy surged through him.
Compared to weapons or blueprints, this thing was exactly what they desperately needed right now!
He didn't want to spend another day like last night—being whipped by the sea wind like a dog, three people huddled together shivering uncontrollably.
Though having beauties in his arms was nice, the feeling of freezing into an icicle was truly unbearable.
"What is it? What is it?" Yao Qian stomped her feet impatiently, curious as a child.
Qin Yu didn't answer. He directly reached into the crate and gave a hard tug.
"Whoosh—"
A large bundle of military-green canvas was pulled out.
Printed on the packaging was a line of small text:
[All-Weather Field Survival Tent · Grade A]
"A tent?!" Yao Xue exclaimed, her usually cool voice trembling slightly. "Is it really a tent?!"
She understood all too well what this meant.
It meant privacy.
It meant dignity.
It meant they finally had a place to shelter from wind and rain... a home in this desperate expanse of sea.
"Don't just stand there," Qin Yu tossed the packaging aside. "Give me a hand. Tonight, we're living in a mansion."
The tent featured foolproof design with fully automatic hydraulic frames.
They just needed to pull open the four corners and press a button.
"Thump!"
With a muffled sound, a sturdy military-green tent spanning ten square meters instantly erected itself at the center of the raft.
Durable windproof fabric.
Heavy-duty ground stakes (Qin Yu directly hammered them into the raft).
Double-layer insulation structure.
It looked like an impregnable little fortress.
"WOW!!!" Yao Qian screamed, throwing herself at it. She unzipped the entrance and scrambled inside.
Immediately, her voice emerged from within, shrill with excitement:
"Sis! Get in here! There's no wind! Not a single gust!"
"It's so warm!"
"And... there are sleeping bags too!"
Qin Yu and Yao Xue quickly followed her inside.
The tent's interior was spacious, with four black sleeping bags placed at each corner.
Qin Yu reached out and touched one.
It was down-filled—the thick, expedition-grade kind meant for extreme cold.
It felt soft and faintly warm.
The floor came with a built-in moisture-proof mat, blocking the dampness rising from the wooden planks below.
Inside this enclosed space, the howling wind outside faded to a murmur.
That bone-chilling cold was completely shut out.
"My god..." Yao Xue knelt on the moisture-proof mat, caressing a sleeping bag.
Her eyes suddenly reddened.
She was a strong woman.
She wasn't afraid of zombies (if there were any), nor was she afraid of blood.
But this sudden warmth instantly shattered her defenses.
"We... won't freeze anymore?" Yao Xue looked up at Qin Yu, her eyes filled with gratitude and even a hint of admiration.
Just yesterday they were struggling on the brink of death.
Today, they were living on a 30-square-meter raft, with railings, a tent, and down sleeping bags.
All of this was brought by the man before her.
"Why the tears?" Qin Yu sat cross-legged in the innermost spot, patting the sleeping bag beneath him, his mood excellent. "This is just the beginning. This is only Grade A. In the future, I'm going to make you live on a yacht with air conditioning."
Yao Qian had already cocooned herself inside a sleeping bag, leaving only her small head poking out.
Rolling around on the ground like a silkworm cocoon.
"Long live Brother Qin Yu!"
"This place is so comfortable! I'm going to sleep here until I die tonight!"
"Don't anyone call me!"
Watching the two sisters' hopeless antics.
Qin Yu smiled.
He lay down.
Resting his hands behind his head.
Through the transparent skylight at the top of the tent, he could see the gradually darkening sky outside.
Stars emerged.
Very bright.
At this moment.
Qin Yu didn't think about the survival pressure of tomorrow.
Nor did he think about that mysterious system.
He simply enjoyed this moment of peace.
In this collapsing world.
To have a night where he didn't have to worry about being blown away by the wind or waking up from the cold.
It felt wonderful.
"Qin Yu..."
Yao Xue's soft voice came from beside him.
"Hmm?"
"Thank you."
"If it weren't for you... Qianqian and I... would probably have..."
"Enough."
Qin Yu interrupted her sentimental words.
"We're grasshoppers tied to the same rope."
"If you two stay alive, things will be easier for me too."
"After all, I could use a couple of obedient laborers."
Yao Xue couldn't help but laugh.
That laugh was like melting ice and snow.
In this cramped tent, it felt especially moving.
She knew Qin Yu was tough on the outside but soft on the inside.
Laborers?
What kind of laborers get to eat grilled fish, live in a tent, and sleep in a down sleeping bag?
"Um..."
Yao Qian poked her head out of her sleeping bag and asked timidly.
"Brother Qin Yu..."
"Can that grill... still be used?"
"I... I'm hungry again..."
Qin Yu rolled his eyes.
The warm atmosphere from just a moment ago was instantly ruined by this foodie.
"Eat, eat, eat, all you ever think about is eating."
"Are you a pig?"
Even as he scolded her.
Qin Yu still sat up.
"Bring in the biggest sea fish."
"Tonight, we're celebrating our move."
"We'll have a good meal."
"Yay!"
Yao Qian cheered, launching herself out of her sleeping bag and rushing out of the tent.
Night fell.
The sea wind howled.
But inside that faintly glowing tent.
The aroma of grilled fish.
The warm glow of the fire (actually the red light from the solar grill).
And those bursts of uncontrollable laughter.