The smell of gunpowder still lingered over the sea.
Li Ruobing leaned over the ship's railing, struggling to scoop up a red plastic bucket floating on the water's surface with a long-handled net. The bucket was stained with someone's blood, glaringly bright red.
In the past, the sight would have made her vomit. But now, she just numbly shook her hand, lifted the bucket, and threw it into a corner of the deck.
The two tattooed laborers beside her were panting heavily, exhausted like dead dogs.
"Move faster," came a voice from above. "If you're not done before dark, no dinner for you."
By the second-floor railing, Qin Yu stood holding a glass of red wine, looking down at them. His tone was flat, devoid of any emotion.
Li Ruobing stiffened, gritted her teeth, and extended the net back into the sea. She stole a glance at the man.
The setting sun's rays bathed him in a golden halo, making him appear almost holy. But Li Ruobing felt only coldness—a bone-chilling dread.
The recent events replayed in her mind: no negotiation, no hesitation, not even a single wasted word. Just instant annihilation with beams straight out of a sci-fi movie. Even when facing Zhao Biao, who had knelt and begged for mercy, Qin Yu's eyes held not a trace of pity—as if he were crushing a bug.
This man was ten thousand times more terrifying than the pirates who wore their desires on their sleeves. Pirates wanted money and women; if you satisfied them, you might survive. But with Qin Yu, there was no room for negotiation—only absolute obedience.
With a splash, the last supply crate was hauled aboard. The two laborers collapsed onto the deck, too tired to move. Their clothes were soaked with seawater and sweat, clinging to their bodies and emitting a foul, sour stench.
Qin Yu swirled his wine glass and drained it in one gulp.
"Good work," he said, turning to pick up a towel from a nearby table and wiping his hands. "Now that you're done, stop lying around like corpses. There's a storage room on the first floor, left side—I converted it into a shower. Go clean yourselves up. You reek of filth; don't stink up my deck."
Li Ruobing stared in disbelief. The two laborers exchanged confused glances, wondering if they'd heard correctly.
A shower? In the middle of the vast ocean? In this post-apocalyptic world where fresh water was more precious than gold? Even if Qin Yu had stockpiled water, this was for bathing! One shower would waste at least a dozen liters per person!
"Boss... is it..." one of the laborers, with a dragon tattoo spanning his shoulder, stammered, "seawater?"
Qin Yu glanced at him as if he were an idiot. "Seawater leaves you covered in salt; you'd stink even worse. It's fresh water. And it's hot."
With that, Qin Yu ignored these provincial simpletons and walked into the ship's cabin, leaving only these words drifting on the sea breeze:
"Once you're clean, head to the dining hall—that's where you eat. I'm in a good mood today, so I'm treating you to a decent meal."
Until Qin Yu's figure disappeared from sight.
The three people on the deck hadn't yet snapped out of their daze.
A hot shower?
To survivors in these times, these words sounded ten thousand times more beautiful than "I love you."
"For real...?"
The laborer with the "Endurance" tattoo swallowed hard, scrambled to his feet, and rushed toward the left side of the first floor.
Pushing open the inconspicuous iron door.
A wave of warm, humid air greeted him.
Inside, there was indeed a makeshift showerhead, connected to a heater of some unknown brand.
"Holy shit!"
"It really is hot water!"
He couldn't hold back his exclamation, his eyes instantly reddening.
Li Ruobing stood at the doorway, feeling the warmth, her nose tingling with emotion.
There was a time.
When taking a hot shower was just the most mundane daily routine.
But now.
It was a privilege only a "god" could enjoy.
And Qin Yu was the god on this ship.
...
Half an hour later.
In the small dining room on the first floor.
Three freshly showered individuals sat around a circular table.
In the center of the table sat a large, steaming pot of stew.
It was made with leftover sea snake meat, some dehydrated vegetables, and a few chunks of canned luncheon meat.
Though it didn't look particularly appealing.
The rich aroma of meat was enough to drive anyone wild.
"Slurp—"
The laborer with the dragon tattoo across his shoulders, ignoring the heat, lifted his bowl and gulped down a large mouthful of broth.
The warmth slid down his throat and into his stomach.
The satisfaction was so intense it nearly made him moan.
"So delicious..."
"Sniff... I miss my mom..."
The other laborer gnawed on a bone while wiping away tears.
Li Ruobing ate more delicately.
But her pace was no slower.
As she ate, she glanced around.
Though the dining room was on the first floor and simply decorated, it was exceptionally clean.
A few landscape paintings of unknown origin even hung on the walls.
Everything felt surreal.
Outside was a man-eating apocalypse.
Here was paradise.
"Sister Bing."
The dragon-tattooed laborer suddenly lowered his voice and leaned closer.
A strange glint flickered in his eyes.
"What do you think... what's that Qin guy's background?"
"This ship... it's just too unbelievable."
"And this hot water, the electricity, the meat..."
Li Ruobing set down her chopsticks and stared coldly at him.
"Eat your meal."
"Don't ask about things you shouldn't."
But the dragon-tattooed man didn't shut up.
He glanced back at the staircase leading to the second floor, confirming no one was there, and lowered his voice even further.
His eyes gleamed with greed and ruthlessness.
"Sister Bing, haven't you thought about it..."
"There's only one man on this ship."
"And there are three of us."
"Plus, this ship is fully automated. If we just..."
He made a slicing motion across his throat.
"Then this ship, all the supplies on board, would be ours, right?"
"By then, we'd be the kings of the sea!"
"Think about it—hot showers every day, meat to eat every day, going wherever we want..."
Smack!
A sharp sound.
Li Ruobing slammed her hand on the table.
Startling the two laborers.
"Wang Long, if you want to die, don't drag me into it."
Li Ruobing's voice was quiet, but it carried a bone-chilling coldness.
She fixed her gaze on the man named Wang Long, the one with the dragon tattoo.
"Do you think Qin Yu is a fool?"
"Do you think that cannon from earlier was just for show?"
"And what about all the surveillance cameras on this ship, the automated gun turrets?"
"Do you believe that if you dare pull out a knife right now, you'll be riddled with bullets the next second?"
Wang Long shrunk his neck back.
His expression turned somewhat unpleasant.
"I... I was just saying."
"No matter how powerful he is, he's still human. He needs to sleep too..."
Li Ruobing sneered coldly.
"Sleep?"
"Have you ever seen a tiger let its guard down while sleeping in front of sheep?"
"Don't be stupid."
"On this ship, if you act like a dog, you'll live, and live quite comfortably."
"If you want to be a wolf..."
"Just look at what happened to Zhao Biao and his crew."
Wang Long fell silent.
He lowered his head and took a fierce bite of canned meat.
But the fleeting ferocity in his eyes didn't escape Li Ruobing's notice.
In fact.
It didn't escape Qin Yu's either.
In the main control room on the second floor.
Qin Yu leaned back on the leather sofa, watching the surveillance footage on the screen.
The conversation in the dining hall was transmitted clearly through the high-definition audio receivers, not missing a single word.
"Hah."
Qin Yu chuckled softly and shook his head.
Human nature.
Always so fragile when tested.
Give them a little kindness, and they think they're invincible.
Fill their stomachs, and they want to rebel.
"Brother Qin Yu... should I go deal with him?"
Yao Qian lay across Qin Yu's lap, peeling a grape and feeding it to him.
She had also heard the conversation below.
Her small face was full of indignation.
"That tattooed bastard actually wants to harm you!"
Qin Yu chewed the grape, enjoying its refreshing sweetness.
He reached out and pinched Yao Qian's smooth, tender cheek.
"No rush."
"We have plenty of work right now. Just as Li Ruobing said, we need dogs."
"When he truly bares his teeth,"
"That's when we'll pull them out."
"Keeping such a clown around to entertain us during boring times isn't bad either."
Qin Yu's eyes were profound.
As if everything was under his control.
On this ship, he was the absolute ruler.
Any schemes or tricks were mere jokes in the face of absolute power.
...
Night deepened.
The sea wind howled.
The temperature began dropping at an abnormal rate.
Even with the Ocean Stabilizing Pearl calming the waves, they could feel the ship trembling slightly in the cold wind.
Qin Yu glanced at the weather radar.
It showed a massive cold front sweeping in from the north.
"The first major challenge after the newbie protection period is finally here."
Qin Yu murmured to himself.
Extreme Cold Storm.
Ice Age.
This was the real test.
...
Early next morning.
Just as dawn broke.
The biting cold wind had frozen the dew on the deck into ice chips.
Li Ruobing was awakened by the cold.
Although the first-floor cabin was relatively warm, it couldn't compare to the second floor's thermostat system.
"Everyone up!"
"Time for work!"
Qin Yu's cold voice came through the loudspeaker.
The three of them didn't dare delay, quickly putting on their clothes and rushing to the deck.
As soon as they opened the door, a gust of cold wind blew down their necks, making them shiver uncontrollably.
"So cold..."
"How did the weather change so fast?"
Qin Yu was already standing at the bow.
Piled at his feet were stacks of thick steel plates.
Special alloy steel plates.
"Only one task today."
Qin Yu pointed at the sharp ramming position at the bow.
"Weld these steel plates on for me."
"I want the bow reinforced with three layers."
"Make it into a solid ice-breaking ram."
Wang Long looked at the pile of steel plates, his face turning pale.
Each steel plate weighed at least a hundred pounds.
How long would this take?
"Boss... isn't this ship already quite sturdy?"
"We hit a raft yesterday without any problems, why do we need to reinforce it now?"
Wang Long couldn't help but complain.
Qin Yu turned his head.
His gaze was sharp as a blade.
"I told you to work, not to ask questions."
"One more word and you'll go hungry tonight."
Wang Long immediately shut his mouth.
Not daring to say another word, he obediently went to move the steel plates.
With steel plates this thick and reinforcement like this,
it seemed like they were preparing to crash into an iceberg.
Could it be...
Li Ruobing looked up at the gloomy sky.
A certain suspicion formed in her heart.
Qin Yu wasn't idle either.
He directed from the side, even personally adjusting the angles of the steel plates.
The ample electricity provided by the S-Class Power Core allowed the welding machine to operate at full power.
The originally rounded bow,
layered with steel plates,
gradually transformed into a menacing sharp angle.
Like a giant black axe, ready to split apart any obstacle in its path.
The work continued until noon.
Looking at the gradually forming ice-breaking ram, Qin Yu nodded with satisfaction.
With this level of strength,
combined with the "Thermal Oscillation" from the S-Class power,
even several-meter-thick ice layers could be cut through like tofu.
"Take a break for now."
Qin Yu threw out these words and turned to go back to the second floor.
He wasn't actually going to rest.
Instead, he returned to his bedroom.
Locked the door.
Drew the curtains.
Qin Yu took a deep breath and sat by the bed.
"System."
He called out silently in his heart.
He hadn't taken care of today's important business yet.
After killing so many people yesterday - though they were all trash - he had still shed blood.
Plus the lingering excitement from last night's S-Class Power Core.
His luck today shouldn't be too bad.
[Ding! Good afternoon, Host.]
[Daily Lottery System has refreshed.]
[Detection: Host eliminated a small hostile force yesterday, deterrence increased, luck value slightly fluctuated.]
[Initiate today's lottery draw immediately?]
"Draw."
Qin Yu rubbed his hands together.
The wheel spun rapidly in his mind.
Multi-colored lights intertwined.
Finally,
the pointer slowly stopped.
Landing on a golden grid.
Gold again!
Qin Yu's heart skipped a beat.
[Ding! Congratulations, Host!]
[Acquired special item: Item Targeted Upgrade Module (S-Class)!]
Qin Yu's eyes instantly lit up.
Targeted upgrade!
This was even rarer than yesterday's universal core.
The universal core randomly adapted to the optimal solution.
But targeted upgrade allowed specification of direction.
[Item Targeted Upgrade Module (S-Class): Can designate any owned item to forcibly break through its original level and enhance a specific function according to the host's wishes.]
Qin Yu looked at the golden card in his hand.
All his possessed items quickly flashed through his mind.
Fishing rod? Unnecessary, it was sufficient.
Barbecue grill? Too wasteful.
Machine gun turret? Attack power was temporarily adequate.
His gaze finally settled on the desk lamp placed on the bedside table.
That was the A-grade item he had drawn earlier - Artificial Sun · Everlasting Day Lamp.
This thing was originally a divine tool for auxiliary farming.
It could simulate sunlight and regulate temperature.
With a range of 1000 meters.
But now,
facing the approaching Extreme Cold Storm,
just having the heating generated by the power core wasn't enough.
The vegetables growing in the deck greenhouse and the equipment exposed outside all required a stronger heat source.
Moreover, in blizzards where you couldn't see your own hand before your face, light meant hope—and the ultimate weapon.
"You're the one," Qin Yu declared, picking up the strangely-shaped desk lamp.
"System, use the directional upgrade module."
"Target: A-grade Artificial Sun · Everlasting Day Lamp."
"Enhancement focus: extreme high temperatures, extreme brightness, and... ultra-wide area coverage."
Qin Yu's commands were precise. He wasn't looking for just a lamp—he intended to create a genuine "sun."
[Command confirmed.]
[Initiating genetic-level reconstruction of target...]
[Injecting stellar energy simulation data...]
[Upgrade commencing!]
The golden card in his hand transformed into a stream of light that vanished into the lamp.
"Vrrrm—!!!"
The lamp trembled violently as its gentle white shell began cracking apart, revealing a crimson core within. A terrifying wave of heat instantly filled the entire room, forcing Qin Yu to step back and activate his combat suit's thermal insulation mode.
The glow intensified—shifting from white to gold, then finally to a blinding white-hot radiance.
Several minutes later, the light receded.
Hovering in the air was a completely new object: no longer a desk lamp, but a crystal sphere the size of a football, perfectly transparent with eternal flames burning inside. The surrounding air distorted from the intense heat.
[Ding! Upgrade successful!]
[Congratulations, Host, for obtaining S-grade item: Miniature Star · Eye of Helios.]
Qin Yu eagerly checked its properties.
[Name: Miniature Star · Eye of Helios]
[Grade: S]
[Function 1: Everlasting Day Domain. When activated, illuminates a 5-kilometer radius of sea area as bright as daylight.]
[Function 2: Stellar Force Field. Adjustable heat emission capable of raising temperatures within 100 meters to 50°C, melting falling snow and frost.]
[Function 3: Focused Strike. Concentrates light and heat on a single point, instantly generating 3000°C temperatures capable of melting metals.]
[Note: Praise the sun, mortal. Under its gaze, darkness and bitter cold shall cease to exist.]
"Powerful," Qin Yu breathed.
This wasn't an upgrade—it was a complete transformation. With this device, even if the sea outside froze solid, his ship would remain a spring-like greenhouse.
Even the "Focused Strike" function could serve as a legitimate photon cannon.
Carrying his "miniature sun," Qin Yu walked out onto the balcony.
Outside, the sky had grown even gloomier. Ominous clouds hung oppressively low, as if merely meters above them. Icy winds howled, carrying stinging snowflakes.
On the deck below, Li Ruobing and two laborers shivered uncontrollably, their hands and feet numb with cold despite their physical work.
"This damned weather..."
"Why did it suddenly get so cold..." Wang Long sniffled, barely able to grip the steel plate in his hands.
Just then, a light kindled on the second-floor balcony.
At first just a glimmer.
Then—the radiance exploded outward!
"Boom—"
As if a sun had risen above the ship.
The blinding light instantly dispelled all surrounding gloom.
The originally gray sky was illuminated with piercing brightness.
Following closely behind...
Was a spring-like warmth that washed over everything.
The frost on the deck melted at visible speed, evaporating into white mist.
That bone-chilling cold vanished instantly.
Replaced by a comfortably warm sensation.
Li Ruobing stood stunned, staring incredulously at the second floor.
Qin Yu stood holding a crystal orb emitting divine radiance.
He stood there within the light.
Like a deity from legends who commanded illumination.
"This... this is..."
Li Ruobing felt her worldview being refreshed once again.
What kind of advanced technology was this?
Creating a sun with bare hands?
"So warm..."
Wang Long stopped shivering.
He gaped, feeling the rapidly rising temperature around them.
He even felt somewhat hot and considered removing some clothing.
Qin Yu looked down at the astonished crowd below.
Casually, he tossed the "Eye of Helios" into the air.
The crystal orb automatically suspended itself at the top of the ship's mast.
Like an unblinking eye that would never extinguish, watching over this sea area.
"Back to work."
Qin Yu's voice carried on the warm breeze.
"Don't stop."
"With this, even during polar night, I can make sure you see your way."
"Even if it's an Ice Age."
"On my ship, it will always be spring."
Li Ruobing watched that lofty figure.
The last trace of doubt in her heart completely vanished.
Following such a man.
Not to mention some Extreme Cold Storm.
Even if the apocalypse truly reached its end.
They could probably still live as recklessly as they wished.
She took a deep breath and put her mask back on.
The welding torch ignited once more.
The sparks appeared insignificant under the glow of the "Artificial Sun."
But in everyone's heart, a fire had been lit.
It was the desire for survival.
And even more, it was an almost blind trust in Qin Yu.
The storm?
Come then.
Let's see whether your ice is harder.
Or this steel behemoth with its "nuclear-powered heart" and "Artificial Sun" is stronger!
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