On Qin Yu's Ironclad Raft.
The [Everlasting Day Lamp] hung from the top of the mast. Although Qin Yu had set it to "dim" mode to save energy, the soft circle of white light still maintained an absolute safe zone in this despairing darkness.
Outside the ring of light was suffocating blackness and raging waves.
Inside the ring of light was warmth, dryness, and the reassuring touch of steel.
"Boom—"
Another muffled sound came from the distant sea.
The [Deep Sea Specter] water cannon faithfully performed its guard duty, blasting a mutated shellfish that tried to approach into pieces.
The sound that reached the tent was no longer a heart-pounding death knell, but rather a peculiar lullaby.
Inside the tent.
The air was somewhat stuffy and hot.
This wasn't just because of the lamp's built-in temperature control function, but also because the several pounds of mutated boar meat in their stomachs was taking effect.
Qin Yu leaned against the thick pillow, holding the faintly glowing tablet terminal in his hand.
The Yao sisters, Yao Xue and Yao Qian, curled up on either side of him.
They were no longer wearing the foul-smelling black and white stockings, but silk nightgowns obtained from a B-grade chest.
"The player count... is dropping quite fast."
Qin Yu blew out a smoke ring, his eyes indifferent as he watched the number in the upper right corner of the screen.
[Current regional survivors: 18241/33333]
In just a few days.
Over half of the thirty thousand people were gone.
There were still over twenty thousand yesterday, but tonight's wave of "dark tide" had directly claimed several thousand more lives.
"How could so many people die?"
Yao Xue leaned closer, looking at the constantly jumping crimson number, her voice somewhat tense.
She had originally thought that with Qin Yu as their support, survival wouldn't be too difficult.
But looking at these cold statistics, she realized just how cruel the outside world was.
"Nothing strange about it."
Qin Yu swiped his finger across the screen, his tone as calm as if he were discussing the weather.
"The wind and waves tonight are stronger than the past two days."
"Plus those sea monsters have started actively attacking rafts."
"Those people still clinging to a few rotten pieces of wood—when the waves hit them, when the monsters crash into them, their rafts break apart, they fall into the water, and that's the end."
He opened the [Regional Chat Channel].
The channel was now filled with desperate hostility.
Every message that popped up carried fresh blood.
"Help! My raft fell apart! I don't want to die! Someone save me! I have money, I'll give you ten million when we get out!"
"Money? All I want now is a hot meal! Whoever gives me something to eat, I'll call them dad!"
"That's... a shark! Such a big shark! It's biting my wood! Ah—!"
A voice message abruptly cut off, ending with a blood-curdling scream and the sound of crushing bones.
Then, that avatar turned completely gray.
The entire channel fell silent for three seconds.
Immediately after, an even more frantic outburst followed.
"Another one dead... I'll be next soon, I'm so cold, why is this damned weather so cold!"
"I'm so hungry, I even boiled and ate my shoe soles, but I'm still hungry."
"It's too dark, I want to go home... Mom, I want to go home..."
Yao Qian trembled uncontrollably as she read those words.
She instinctively burrowed deeper into Qin Yu's embrace.
If not for Qin Yu...
If not for being on this ironclad vessel...
She would likely be among those wailing in despair, perhaps already turned into fish waste.
"Stop looking."
Qin Yu closed the chat page and tapped a new icon beside it – the [Raft Leaderboard], a function that had just activated tonight.
"Look at this instead. This is what truly brings clarity."
A playful smirk tugged at Qin Yu's lips.
The ranking list unfolded.
No flashy special effects, just cold, hard data comparisons.
[First Place: Anonymous]
[Raft Level: Steel Fortress (Prototype)]
[Area: 100 square meters]
[Defense Rating: SSS-grade (Ironclad Coverage/Heavy Firepower/S-grade Individual Weapons)]
[Comprehensive Score: 9999]
...
A massive gap.
On this leaderboard, the first-place data stood like a towering mountain, stinging everyone's eyes.
And below it...
[Second Place: Zhao Lei]
[Raft Level: Reinforced Raft]
[Area: 18 square meters]
[Defense Rating: D-grade (Wooden Spikes/Stone Axe)]
[Comprehensive Score: 158]
[Third Place: Li Ruobing]
[Raft Level: Two-story Raft]
[Area: 15 square meters]
[Defense Rating: E-grade (None)]
[Comprehensive Score: 120]
...
Starting from second place, the scores plummeted to triple digits.
This disparity couldn't even be described as a "wealth gap."
It was the difference between a "god" and an "ant."
"Is... is that first place us?"
Yao Qian's eyes widened into circles, her small mouth forming an "O" as she stared at the dazzling "9999."
"Who else could it be?"
Qin Yu chuckled lightly.
"Besides me, who else could gather this much iron at this stage?"
"Who else could blast wild boars with S-grade weapons?"
"Who else could sleep with a 'sun' lit?"
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an aura of unrivaled arrogance.
Meanwhile...
People in the Chat Channel had noticed the newly activated leaderboard.
The atmosphere of despair and wailing instantly shifted.
It transformed into shock, jealousy, and unbelievable frenzy.
"Holy shit! Check the leaderboard!"
"What kind of monster is first place? 9999 points? Is the system bugged?"
"Steel Fortress? I'm still tying logs with ropes, and someone's already living in a fortress?"
"100 square meters? And it's iron? How is that possible! It's only the third day! Did he sail an aircraft carrier in here?"
"Heavy firepower? SSS-grade defense? This has to be fake!"Anonymous Boss!" First place must be that anonymous big shot selling shark meat!"Boss, I beg to be your accessory!" Let me cling to your thigh! I can warm your bed! I can go nyaa~!"
"This isn't fair! How can he develop so fast? He must be cheating! I'm reporting him!"
Watching the mix of groveling and cursing on the screen,
Qin Yu's face remained utterly calm.
The strong never need to heed the clamor of ants.
"Pathetic worms."
Yao Xue coldly commented.
She adjusted her glasses, her gaze settling on Qin Yu's profile.
The screen's glow illuminated his resolute features.
This man.
Not only had he saved their lives, but in this hellish world, he had forcefully carved out a paradise.
Those people trembled in the darkness, selling their dignity for half a moldy piece of bread.
While they...
Ate grilled meat that boosted their attributes, slept under temperature-controlled blankets, and watched others suffer.
The sense of superiority born from such contrast was addictive.
"Alright, get some sleep early."
Qin Yu casually tossed the tablet aside and yawned.
"We need to expand tomorrow."
"We still have hundreds of iron blocks left. Tomorrow we'll build the second floor."
He said it lightly.
As if he weren't constructing an apocalypse fortress, but playing with Lego bricks.
The lights went out completely.
Only the steady breathing of the three people remained in the tent.
But none of them were asleep.
The restless heat from the wild boar meat still coursed through their bodies.
Qin Yu closed his eyes, feeling the surging power within.
The tingling sensation of muscle fibers constantly tearing and rebuilding kept his spirit exceptionally exhilarated.
The two women beside him felt the same.
Yao Qian turned over.
Facing Qin Yu.
By the faint white light seeping through the tent seams, she gazed dreamily at Qin Yu's face.
He was her high school classmate.
Back in school, Qin Yu was just a sports student—good-looking but otherwise unremarkable.
But now.
In this world where order had collapsed.
He was the king.
Her only god.
A young girl's heart is always sensitive and passionate.
Especially after narrowly escaping death and consuming that "tonifying" meat.
Hormones fermented in the confined space.
Yao Qian felt her face burning.
Her heart beat so fast it felt like it would leap out of her throat.
She quietly reached out her hand.
Her fingers lightly brushed against Qin Yu's arm.
His muscles were hard as iron and frighteningly hot.
Qin Yu didn't move.
His breathing remained steady.
Yao Qian grew bolder.
Slowly, bit by bit, she shifted her body closer.
Until her entire form was pressed against Qin Yu.
The softness of the young girl's body, separated only by thin clothing, transmitted astonishing heat.
Her long legs, clad in white silk stockings, intentionally or unintentionally rubbed against Qin Yu's calves.
"Brother Qin Yu..."
She called out in a voice only mosquitoes could hear.
Qin Yu still didn't react.
Was he asleep?
Yao Qian bit her lip.
The relief of surviving a life-threatening situation, combined with her worship of the strong, instantly shattered the last of her reserve.
She propped up her upper body.
Leaned closer to Qin Yu's face.
So close she could smell the masculine scent of tobacco and sea breeze on him.
It wasn't a pleasant smell.
But to Yao Qian's nose at this moment, it was the best fragrance in the world.
It was the scent of security.
She closed her eyes.
Steeling her heart.
Her rosy lips pressed against him.
Right beside Qin Yu's cheek.
A light touch.
Soft, moist.
Carrying the unique sweetness of a young girl.
Qin Yu's eyelids trembled slightly.
Of course he wasn't asleep.
His enhanced body possessed terrifyingly sharp senses.
Every move this girl made was within his perception.
But he didn't avoid it.
Nor did he push her away.
In this era where lives hung by a thread, there was no need to refuse such offered affection.
This was the law of the apocalypse.
The strong had the right to dominate everything.
Including women.
Seeing that Qin Yu didn't resist, Yao Qian felt a secret joy.
Emboldened, she wanted to go further, moving her lips toward the center.
"Ahem."
At that moment.
An extremely soft yet bone-chilling cough echoed in the darkness.
Like a bucket of ice water poured over one's head.
It instantly extinguished the fire in Yao Qian's heart.
She shuddered violently, retracting as if electrocuted, burying her head beneath the blanket without daring to make a sound.
It was her sister.
On the other side of Qin Yu.
Yao Xue lay with her back to the pair.
Her figure graceful, curves undulating.
She wasn't asleep.
Those usually cool eyes were wide open, fixed on the tent fabric.
Though she hadn't turned around, she had heard everything clearly.
She could even sense her sister's frantic heartbeat and movements.
An indescribable emotion churned in her chest.
Was it anger?
Anger at her sister's shamelessness?
No.
In this godforsaken place where tomorrow was never guaranteed, concepts like shame had long lost their value.
Then... was it jealousy?
Yao Xue startled herself with the thought.
She was the elder sister.
She was the aloof chief surgeon.
How could she be jealous of her own sister?
Yet.
That sour sensation felt like an overturned vat of aged vinegar, clogging her heart with panic.
Why?
This man was everyone's savior.
Why should a little girl like you get to cling to him so brazenly?
Yao Xue bit her lip, fingers clutching desperately at the blanket beneath her.
She could feel the heat radiating from Qin Yu.
That powerful, masculine warmth.
In this frigid ocean, it was the only source of fire.
Who wouldn't want to draw near to warmth?
Who wouldn't seek protection from strength?
She was a woman too.
She also feared darkness, feared death, yearned for solace in those broad shoulders.
"Damn this wild boar meat..."
Yao Xue cursed inwardly.
Her body burned with restless heat.
Certain desires usually suppressed by reason began quietly surfacing in this feverish state.
She quietly turned over.
By the faint light, she studied Qin Yu's face, still carrying traces of sternness in slumber.
Then she glanced at her sister cocooned like a silkworm, pretending to be dead.
Yao Xue's gaze grew complicated.
On this deserted island with only three people.
Certain boundaries seemed to be gradually blurring.
Qin Yu remained with closed eyes.
But the corner of his mouth lifted almost imperceptibly.
Sisters.
An ice queen and a soft moe girl.
This life.
Seemed far more interesting than anticipated.
"Boom—"
Another water cannon roared outside.
Drowning the ambiguous undercurrents swirling within the tent.
This night.
Was destined to grant no one true rest.
...
The next day.
Dawn's first light tinged the horizon.
The sea gleamed with the pale hue of fish belly.
The storm finally showed signs of abating.
Qin Yu was the first to emerge from the tent.
Drawing a deep breath of the salty, fishy air.
Feeling refreshed and clear-headed.
After a night of absorption, the wild boar's energy had fully transformed into physical enhancement.
He clenched his fist.
Knuckles crackling sharply.
His strength had increased by at least twenty percent.
Now even without firearms, he could match ordinary beasts through pure physical power.
"Time to get up."
Qin Yu nudged the tent with his foot.
"No lazing about."
"Today's a big day."
The tent zipper slid open.
Yao Qian poked out her head, hair disheveled like a bird's nest, cheeks flushed, eyes darting nervously, unable to meet Qin Yu's gaze.
Clearly still mortified by last night's bold advance.
Yao Xue, however.
Stepped out with complete composure.
Apart from slightly dark circles under her eyes, that cool, mature charm had returned.
Only when passing by Qin Yu did her long legs clad in Black Silk Stockings seem to pause briefly, whether intentionally or not.
"What's for breakfast?"
Yao Xue smoothed her slightly disheveled
hair, her voice calm.
As if the woman whose heart had been in turmoil last night wasn't her at all.
"First, we'll slice some of the jerky we smoked last night to cook with porridge."
Qin Yu pointed at the rows of crimson meat strips hanging beneath the mast.
After a night of smoking and sea breeze, these meat strips had formed a hard crust on the surface, sealing in the oils within.
"Then."
Qin Yu's gaze turned toward the distance.
There, the sea was as calm as a mirror.
"After we eat our fill, we'll start expanding."
With a wave of his hand, Qin Yu opened the system construction panel.
The piles of accumulated resources were already eagerly waiting.
"Today, we're going to turn this single-story house."
"Into a two-story western-style building!"