Looking at the jumping numbers on the terminal, Qin Yu couldn't suppress the smile on his face.
He had struck gold.
This wasn't just striking gold—this was hitting the jackpot.
Fifty thousand units of wood, twenty thousand units of stone.
What did that mean?
If three grown men were to chop with axes and dig with pickaxes, even working nonstop until they dropped dead, it would take them a full year.
Yet the T-X Harvester had accomplished it in less than twenty hours.
This was the power of technology.
This was the overwhelming advantage of a high-dimensional civilization over primitive survival.
"Bzzz—"
A low hum came from the sea surface.
The silver-gray steel beast was cutting through the waves, speeding toward him.
The island behind it had completely changed.
The once lush jungle had vanished.
The jagged rocks were gone.
All that remained was a barren mound of earth, standing lonely on the sea like a peeled egg.
And it was sinking.
Without the core energy support of the guardian beast, and with the topsoil scraped away, the geological structure had completely collapsed.
"Crash—"
Huge chunks of earth slid into the sea, stirring up waves several meters high.
Qin Yu felt no attachment.
With a wave of his hand.
"Retrieve."
The T-X Harvester rushed onto the deck and, upon touching Qin Yu's finger, folded and transformed once again into that palm-sized metal cube, disappearing into the system space.
"Well done."
Qin Yu patted his pocket.
Now came the main event.
Expansion.
This hundred-square-meter iron raft had been considered sizable just yesterday, but with so many resources now, it seemed far too shabby.
Qin Yu opened the system's construction interface.
His eyes scanned the five thousand units of iron ore in the inventory.
He frowned slightly.
"Unrefined."
This was a major problem.
Although the iron ore had an extremely high iron content, it was still raw ore and couldn't be used directly as steel plates.
To turn them into indestructible armor, he would need a smelting furnace.
"It looks like I'll have to put defense on hold for now."
Qin Yu was decisive.
Since he couldn't build an ironclad ship, he would focus on increasing the tonnage first.
On the sea, tonnage meant justice.
The larger the ship, the better it could withstand storms and waves.
"System."
"Consume all hard wood, consume all granite."
"Expand!"
Qin Yu's finger tapped firmly in the void.
"Boom—!!"
The deck beneath him shook violently.
Followed by a grating sound of friction and splicing as wood grew wildly and rocks stacked together.
The original hundred-square-meter platform began to spread rapidly in all directions at a visible pace.
Two hundred square meters.
Three hundred square meters.
Five hundred square meters!
And it wasn't over.
Large amounts of granite were automatically cut into long foundation stones by the system, deeply embedded into the bottom of the raft to increase weight and stability.
Meanwhile, more high-quality wood began to grow upward.
"Crack! Crack!"
The once flimsy single-story wooden cabin was lifted upward.
The original deck had become a bottom hold.
Four thick support pillars rose from the ground, holding up a brand new second-floor platform.
The commotion was immense.
It felt like a magnitude ten earthquake.
"Ahhh!!!"
"An earthquake?! Brother Qin Yu!!"
The bedroom door on the second floor was slammed open.
Yao Qian rushed out barefoot, her hair disheveled, her cute pajamas askew and revealing large patches of snow-white skin.
Her face was full of terror.
Close behind her was Yao Xue.
She was slightly calmer but still gripped the doorframe tightly, her face pale.
Having been thoroughly exhausted last night and now faced with this, she felt her whole body was about to fall apart.
"Stop shouting."
Qin Yu stood at the edge of the second-floor platform, hands behind his back, steady as a mountain.
"Look."
He spoke only two words.
The composure in his tone instantly calmed the panicked sisters.
They followed Qin Yu's gaze.
Their mouths slowly fell open.
Until they were wide enough to fit an egg.
Everything had changed.
Completely changed.
The once somewhat cramped small raft was gone.
In its place stood a massive two-story wooden fortress!
The entire hull was over forty meters long and twenty meters wide.
A total area of eight hundred square meters!
Even in civilized society, this scale would qualify as a medium-sized yacht.
But on this endless post-apocalyptic sea,
This was practically an aircraft carrier!
"Oh my god…"
Yao Qian rubbed her eyes, thinking she was still dreaming.
"This… this is our ship?"
Yao Xue was also stunned.
She tightened her robe and walked barefoot to the railing, looking down at the deck below—so spacious you could race horses on it.
The awe was beyond words.
"Now we have space."
Qin Yu turned around, looking at the stunned women, feeling greatly pleased.
He pointed at his feet.
"This is the second floor. From now on, it's the living area."
"Three hundred square meters, with a viewing balcony."
"As for below…"
Qin Yu stomped his foot.
"The first floor is completely sealed off, turned into storage and work areas."
"No windows except for necessary exits."
"Even if sea monsters climb up, they can only stare helplessly from below."
This was Qin Yu's plan.
Survival first, enjoyment second.
Separating supplies from the living area would prevent moisture and theft.
Most importantly, it ensured safety.
The second floor offered a commanding view and open sightlines. If enemies appeared, whether shooting or escaping, they would hold absolute advantage.
"Qin Yu…"
Yao Xue looked at this man.
The admiration in her eyes was almost overflowing.
Not only could he fight, but he could also build.
In the apocalypse, such a man was a god.
"Stop standing there."
Qin Yu clapped his hands.
"Since you're awake, get to work."
"Tidy up all the messy stuff downstairs, sort and stack it properly."
"I'll go get some good food."
Hearing the words "good food,"
Yao Qian's eyes instantly lit up.
Brighter than a searchlight.
Fear and everything else were instantly forgotten.
"Are we eating meat?! I want grilled meat!"
She shouted, hopping on her feet.
"Meat, my foot."
Qin Yu shot her a glare.
"Eating meat every day, aren't you afraid of getting scurvy?"
"Today, we're eating vegetarian."
"Ah…"
Yao Qian's face instantly fell.
In this world, eating vegetarian?
That meant chewing bark or eating seaweed.
That stuff was fishy and astringent—how could it compare to the flavor of Wolf Meat?
Qin Yu ignored the carnivore's complaints.
He walked to the sunny side of the second-floor platform.
There.
He had intentionally reserved a five-square-meter empty space.
The perimeter was enclosed by the finest rosewood railings, resembling an exquisite flower bed.
"System, retrieve the Psionic fertile soil."
Qin Yu silently recited in his heart.
"Whoosh—"
Black soil appeared out of thin air, evenly spreading across the flower bed.
This soil was different.
It was so black it gleamed.
Faint golden specks could be seen swirling within the soil.
Even just a single whiff.
Carried a refreshing, pleasant fragrance.
It was the scent of life.
Qin Yu crouched down and grabbed a handful of soil.
Soft, moist, and incredibly fertile.
"Good soil.He pulled out a packet of seeds he had treasured for a long time from his pocket.
Bok choy, lettuce, spinach.
These were the "trash" he had obtained in the trading channel in exchange for a bottle of water.
In others' hands, they were worthless.
No soil, no fresh water—how could anyone grow anything?
But in Qin Yu's hands.
They were gold.
He carefully scattered the seeds into the black soil.
No watering was needed.
This Psionic fertile soil had its own moisture regulation function.
Next.
It was time to witness a miracle.
Qin Yu didn't blink.
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.
"Pfft—"
A very faint sound.
A tender green seedling broke through the black soil and emerged.
As delicate as jadeite.
Immediately after.
A second, a third, a hundredth!
The originally dark flower bed was instantly covered in a layer of green.
The lettuce leaves unfurled and grew larger at a visible rate.
Five minutes.
Just five minutes.
The lettuce, which had been mere seeds, had grown to the size of a palm, vibrant and green.
Dewdrops glistened on the leaves.
S-grade Psionic fertile soil.
Tenfold growth speed.
It truly lived up to its reputation!
"This…"
An exclamation came from behind.
Unnoticed, Yao Xue and Yao Qian had finished organizing their things and come up.
They happened to witness this scene that defied biological common sense.
Yao Xue covered her mouth, her eyes wide with shock.
As a doctor with a background in biology.
This growth speed completely overturned her understanding.
"Is this hormones?"She asked subconsciously."
"Hormones?"
Qin Yu stood up, casually plucked a lettuce leaf, and popped it into his mouth.
"Crunch."
Crisp.
Sweet.
Full of refreshing fragrance.
Completely devoid of the slight bitterness of ordinary lettuce.
"This is called a divine miracle."
Qin Yu swallowed the leaf, feeling a warm current flow down his esophagus into his stomach.
His spirits lifted instantly.
Nutrient lock characteristics.
The vitamin content of this single leaf surpassed that of an entire head of lettuce from before!
"Alright, stop studying it."
"Go bring over that barbecue grill."
"And that pot."
Qin Yu began giving orders.
Since they had vegetables, it was time to prepare a proper meal.
Half an hour later.
On the second-floor balcony.
A sea breeze blew gently.
The S-grade smokeless barbecue grill was set up.
The charcoal glowed red.
On one side was the grill grate, on the other was the attached deep iron pot.
Qin Yu was determined to improve their meals today.
He not only harvested a large basin of fresh lettuce and bok choy.
But also brought out all the previously stockpiled dehydrated vegetable packs.
"Sizzle—"
A piece of wolf ribs with a perfect fat-to-lean ratio was tossed onto the grill grate.
The fat instantly rendered out, dripping onto the charcoal and igniting a strong aroma of meat.
But this was just the side act.
Qin Yu picked up a brush and coated the green peppers and eggplants with a layer of oil.
Then sprinkle with cumin, chili powder, and a little precious sea salt.
As the temperature rose.
The unique fresh fragrance of vegetables mixed with a charred aroma began to permeate the small platform.
It was a scent different from that of meat.
Fresher.
More tantalizing.
"Gurgle, gurgle—"
In the nearby iron pot, the water came to a boil.
Qin Yu tossed the washed bok choy and sliced wolf meat into it all at once.
No complicated seasonings.
Just a few slices of ginger to remove the gaminess and a pinch of salt.
But the quality of the ingredients was simply too good.
The vegetables grown in the S-grade fertile soil naturally carried a fresh sweetness.
The soup instantly turned milky white.
"So fragrant…"
Yao Qian held chopsticks in her hand, her eyes fixed intently on the eggplants on the grill.
She was genuinely drooling.
"Sis, why do I feel like these eggplants smell even better than the meat?"
Yao Xue didn't answer.
She was swallowing her saliva.
As a doctor, she understood better than anyone the importance of vegetables to the human body.
After days of eating grilled fish and roasted meat, her mouth had long grown bland, and her gums were even a bit swollen.
Now, smelling this fresh aroma.
Every cell in her body was screaming: I want vegetables!
"Let's eat."
Qin Yu picked up a piece of grilled eggplant and placed it in Yao Qian's bowl.
"Be careful, it's hot."
Yao Qian didn't even mind the heat.
She picked it up and stuffed it into her mouth.
"Huff, huff… so hot… mmm!!"
Her eyes instantly narrowed into slits.
Soft and glutinous.
Juicy.
The eggplant had absorbed the oils and seasonings, melting in her mouth.
The long-lost texture of plant fibers was almost enough to make her cry.
"So delishous!!"
"Long live Brother Qin Yu!!"
Yao Qian shouted, her words muffled.
Yao Xue picked up a strand of boiled bok choy with restraint.
Put it in her mouth.
Chewed carefully.
Crisp, sweet.
Not a single fibrous strand.
With one bite, juices overflowed.
That fresh sweetness instantly washed away the lingering meaty taste in her mouth.
"How is it?"
Qin Yu looked at her.
While flipping a skewer of grilled chives in his hand.
Yao Xue set down her chopsticks.
Looked at Qin Yu.
Her expression complex.
Gratitude, admiration, and a trace of deep attachment.
"This is the most delicious bok choy I've ever had in my life."
She said it very seriously.
In this post-apocalyptic world.
Being able to eat a bite of warm, fresh vegetables.
Was a pleasure fit for royalty.
And all of this.
Was brought by the man before her.
"If it's good, eat more."
Qin Yu smiled.
Picked a few slices of meat from his own bowl and gave them to Yao Xue.
"You were exhausted last night. Replenish your energy."
Yao Xue's face flushed bright red instantly.
She shot Qin Yu a fierce glare.
This man.
Always bringing up the most awkward topics!
And during a meal, no less!
But there was no trace of menace in her gaze.
Only a vivid, coquettish look.
Yao Qian, buried in her food, completely missed the underlying meaning of his words.
She looked up, her mouth glistening with oil.
"Sis, were you tired too?"
"I was so tired last night, that bed shook so much it made me dizzy."
"Brother Qin Yu, can't you make our boat a bit more stable?"
"Cough, cough, cough—"
Yao Xue choked on her soup.
Coughing violently.
Qin Yu couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth.
Looking at this naive and innocent sister-in-law.
He said meaningfully:
"Don't worry."
"When the boat is bigger, it'll be more stable."
"But…"
"Sometimes, a little shaking is more interesting."
Under the table, Yao Xue stomped hard on Qin Yu's foot.
This lunch.
Was exceptionally satisfying.
The large pot of vegetable soup was completely finished, down to the last drop.
The grilled vegetables on the skewers were also completely devoured.
The three of them slumped in their chairs.
Gazing at the distant sea.
The sun hung high in the sky.
The sea breeze was cool.
If not for the occasional floating corpses and debris on the sea surface,
it would have felt like a relaxing seaside vacation.
"Comfortable."
Qin Yu lit a cigarette.
Exhaled a smoke ring.
Looking at this completely renovated Steel Fortress.
Looking at the two vibrant women beside him.
The sense of urgency in his heart eased slightly.
He had a base.
Supplies.
And a vegetable garden.
Next.
Was to face the final challenge of the beginner period.
Qin Yu narrowed his eyes.
Looking at the dark clouds slowly gathering on the distant horizon.
That was the precursor to the storm.
And the system's final test.
"The storm..."
Qin Yu flicked the ash from his cigarette.
His gaze cold.
Come on.
I've been waiting for you for a long time.
Whether it's a storm or a tsunami.
Before this apocalyptic ark.
They'll all have to bow before me!
"Yao Xue, Yao Qian."
Qin Yu suddenly spoke.
His voice wasn't loud, but carried a murderous aura.
"What's wrong?"
The two women sat up straight.
Sensing the change in atmosphere.
"Now that we've eaten, it's time to get down to business."
Qin Yu stood up.
"Bring out all the water buckets."
"Secure everything that can be secured."
"Check every screw, every rope."
He pointed at the dark, oppressive mass in the distance.
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