A few minutes later.
Li Ruobing returned to the cockpit.
She wiped away her tears and smoothed her disheveled hair.
Though her wrist still throbbed with pain and her face remained pale as paper.
Her eyes had changed.
They had become more resolute, more pure.
She walked up to Qin Yu, hanging her head like a child who had done something wrong.
"Boss."
"I've dealt with them."
"Wang Long's body... I threw it overboard too."
"The floor is cleaned."
Qin Yu remained leaning against the console, smoking.
He looked at Li Ruobing, a trace of appreciation in his eyes.
"Show me your hand."
Li Ruobing froze for a moment, instinctively extending her uninjured left hand.
"The other one."
Li Ruobing bit her lip and slowly extended her right hand, swollen like a steamed bun.
Qin Yu reached out and grasped her wrist.
Li Ruobing shuddered from the pain but didn't dare pull back.
Qin Yu's fingers gently pressed around the injured area.
"No broken bones, just soft tissue contusion."
"Though not fractured, you won't be lifting anything heavy for the next few days."
With that, Qin Yu flipped his palm.
A blue spray bottle materialized out of thin air.
This was something he had fished up a few nights ago with his SSS-grade fishing rod when he had nothing better to do.
[B-grade medical spray]
[Effects: Rapid pain relief, reduces swelling, accelerates healing.]
"Pssht—"
The cool medicinal mist sprayed onto the red, swollen wrist.
The excruciating pain instantly subsided by more than half.
Replaced by a tingling, numbing coolness.
Li Ruobing's eyes widened in astonishment.
This was incredible!
Just moments ago the pain was unbearable, and now she could move it?
"Keep it dry for the next couple of days."
Qin Yu casually tossed the spray to Li Ruobing.
"Consider it yours."
Li Ruobing fumbled to catch the bottle as if receiving some priceless treasure.
"Th-thank you, Boss!"
"Don't thank me."
Qin Yu stubbed out his cigarette, his expression turning serious.
"Li Ruobing."
"In this incident, you are guilty."
Li Ruobing's heart sank violently.
The earlier gratitude instantly vanished, replaced by panic.
Was this the reckoning?
"I... I know."
Li Ruobing lowered her head, her voice trembling.
"I was the one who brought them aboard."
"I misjudged their character."
"I nearly got you killed, nearly got everyone killed."
"I'm willing to accept punishment."
As long as she wasn't thrown off the ship, she would accept any punishment.
Even if it meant cleaning toilets, even if it meant being used as bait...
Qin Yu looked at her cautious demeanor and suddenly laughed.
"Punishment is certainly necessary."
"But before that, I need to account for your merits."
"Merits?" Li Ruobing looked up in confusion.
"Facing two armed assailants, you didn't surrender immediately."
"When your life was threatened, you didn't open the fire control system."
"Even with a knife to your throat, you didn't betray me."
Qin Yu's voice wasn't loud, but each word carried weight.
"These are your merits."
"In this apocalyptic world, loyalty is more important than ability."
"If ability is lacking, I can provide you with equipment, with enhancements."
"But if the heart is crooked, then it can only be disposed of like trash."
Qin Yu walked up to Li Ruobing and patted her shoulder.
"You passed the test."
"Starting today."
"You are no longer a temporary worker on this ship, nor are you that driver only worthy of sleeping on the floor."
"I formally accept you as an official crew member of the 'President'."
At this moment.
Li Ruobing's mind went blank.
Official... crew member?
What did that mean?
This meant she had truly entered Qin Yu's inner circle!
No longer a pawn that could be discarded at any time!
Overwhelming joy struck her nerves, making her feel somewhat dizzy.
"Is... is this really true?"
"Would I bother lying to you?"
Qin Yu pointed upward.
"You can take Yao Xue's vacant room on the second floor for now, right next to Yao Qian's."
"Though it's not as good as the master bedroom, it has a bed, private bathroom, and 24-hour hot water."
"From now on, that's where you'll live."
"Those rough tasks like shoveling snow and moving supplies will be handled by robots."
"Your mission is to pilot this ship well, manage the radar, and..."
Qin Yu paused, his eyes playfully scanning Li Ruobing's battle-damaged clothes.
That sexy tank top now had a torn corner, revealing a large area of snow-white skin.
"...and clean yourself up properly."
"I don't want my crew members looking like refugees."
"If you perform well, I might issue you two decent sets of clothes."
"Like... a maid outfit?"
Qin Yu made a mischievous joke.
But Li Ruobing didn't pay any attention to the joke.
She only heard those key phrases.
Bed.
Private bathroom.
24-hour hot water.
No more manual labor.
My god.
What kind of heavenly life was this?
This might have been standard before the apocalypse, but now, it was imperial-level luxury!
Thinking back to those previous nights.
She had curled up on the cold floor of the cockpit, covered only by that thin windbreaker, often waking up frozen in the middle of the night.
Then thinking about how Wang Long and the others had fought desperately just for a heating vent.
And now.
She actually had her own room!
And hot showers!
Li Ruobing's eyes reddened again.
She suddenly stepped forward, ignoring the pain in her wrist, and directly hugged Qin Yu.
Hugged him tightly.
Burying her face in Qin Yu's chest.
"Thank you..."
"Sob... thank you, boss..."
"I'll obey! I'll work hard!"
"I'll wear whatever you tell me to wear!"
"Even if you want me to warm your bed, I'd be willing!"
She meant it from the bottom of her heart.
At this moment.
In her heart.
Qin Yu's figure was elevated infinitely.
No longer that terrifying god of slaughter, nor that cold-blooded dictator.
He was light.
The only beam of light in this frozen hell.
Qin Yu was momentarily stunned by the sudden embrace.
Feeling the warm, soft body in his arms, and the chest heaving violently from excitement.
He didn't push her away.
Just sighed helplessly.
"Alright, alright."
"Don't wipe your snot on me."
"This battle suit is hard to clean."
Li Ruobing laughed through her tears, quickly letting go and somewhat embarrassedly wiping her face.
"Um... boss, can I go see the room now?"
Her eyes were filled with anticipation, like a little girl waiting to unwrap a gift.
"Go ahead."
Qin Yu waved his hand.
"Go take a bath while you're at it."
"You smell strange."
Li Ruobing's face flushed red as she quickly sniffed herself.
It was true.
After rolling on the ground earlier and sweating, she really didn't smell pleasant.
"I'll go wash right away!"
"I'll scrub myself clean!"
Without another word, forgetting about the pain in her hands, she cheered and turned to run upstairs.
Her retreating figure.
Was filled with vitality and hope.
Qin Yu watched her disappear at the stairwell, the smile on his lips gradually fading.
He turned around.
Looking through the cockpit glass at the still-raging snowstorm outside.
Wang Long and Zhang Hu were dead.
The internal threat had been eliminated.
Li Ruobing had pledged her loyalty.
The team was now more unified.
"Next."
"It's time to meet this so-called 'storm core'."
Qin Yu's eyes grew profound.
While clearing the beast tide earlier, the system hadn't just given rewards.
It had also provided a special hint.
At the center of this Extreme Cold Storm, an S-grade treasure chest was forming.
It was a gift from the catastrophe.
And a reward for the strong.
"Yao Xue, Yao Qian."
Qin Yu picked up the walkie-talkie, his voice steady.
"Clean up the battlefield."
"Prepare to set sail."
"We're going to the storm center for a vacation."
The sisters' crisp voices came through the walkie-talkie:
"Roger that, husband!"
"Alright! Brother Qin Yu!"
Qin Yu put down the walkie-talkie.
And lit another cigarette.
In this frozen world.
Some were struggling to survive.
Some were waiting to die.
And Qin Yu.
Was establishing his new order.
...
Upstairs.
The guest room door was pushed open.
A wave of warmth greeted her.
Li Ruobing stood dumbfounded at the doorway, staring at the scene before her as if she were dreaming.
Pink carpet.
A soft large bed.
A warm yellow bedside lamp on the nightstand.
The faint scent of lavender floating in the air.
How could this be a refuge in the apocalypse?
This was practically a princess suite in a five-star hotel!
Trembling, she walked into the room.
Pushed open the bathroom door.
Turned on the faucet.
"Splash—"
A stream of steaming hot water gushed out.
There really was hot water!
Li Ruobing reached out her hands, catching the handful of hot water.
Tears once again streamed from her eyes.
This warmth.
Was so real.
So luxurious.
She looked at her reflection in the mirror.
Though somewhat disheveled, though tear stains still marked her face.
Her eyes were filled with an unprecedented light.
It was hope for the future.
And even more... for that man.
Admiration.
Even, fanatical devotion.
"Qin Yu..."
She whispered the name.
Carving it deep into her bones.
From today onward.
This life belonged to him.
She took off her torn, dirty clothes, walked barefoot into the shower stall.
Hot water poured down from above.
Washing away the fatigue from her body, washing away the weakness of her past.
In the rising steam.
Li Ruobing closed her eyes, a captivating smile curling at the corners of her mouth.
Being alive.
Was wonderful.
Following him.
Was wonderful.
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