Steam filled the bathroom on the second floor.
Li Ruobing stood under the showerhead, letting the scalding water wash away her exhaustion.
Even with bandages still wrapped around her wrist, even with that piercing pain still faintly lingering, every drop of hot water hitting her skin felt like a dream.
Too luxurious.
It was truly too luxurious.
Just days ago, she had been fighting others over half a bottle of mineral water.
To conserve that little bit of fresh water, she hadn't even dared to wash her face properly, only rubbing it with snow.
But now.
Here there was endless hot water, and that shower gel emitting a faint milky fragrance.
Looking at her foam-covered hands, Li Ruobing's eyes reddened again.
She scrubbed her body vigorously.
As if trying to wash away the smell of blood, the wretchedness of those past days, and even more, to wash away her former self who had to scrimp and save just to survive.
The woman in the mirror had skin flushed pink from the hot steam.
Though somewhat thin, her originally impressive figure appeared even more breathtaking after being cleansed of grime.
She turned off the faucet.
Picked up the towel as soft as clouds beside her and gently dried herself.
Stepping out of the bathroom, she faced a dilemma.
Her previous clothes were filthy beyond recognition, and that tank top was torn—definitely unwearable.
"I can't just go out wrapped in a towel, can I?"
Li Ruobing bit her lip and looked toward the white wardrobe.
Although the boss said they'd issue clothes later, for now...
Hesitating for a moment, she reached out and pulled open the wardrobe door.
"Wow..."
Even though she was mentally prepared, Li Ruobing couldn't help but gasp in amazement.
The wardrobe wasn't empty.
It contained over ten sets of brand new clothes.
And each set's style was remarkably similar to her usual dressing preferences.
All were designs that allowed ease of movement while accentuating her figure.
"Are these... prepared specifically for me?"
Li Ruobing's heart skipped a beat.
That man.
That man who appeared cold and ruthless, who killed without blinking.
Had he even considered such details?
Her fingers trailed over the row of clothes, finally stopping on a red and black outfit.
It was a deep red form-fitting tank top made of some highly elastic Lycra Cotton. Though using minimal fabric, the craftsmanship was exquisite.
Paired with black denim hot pants, featuring distressed frayed edges and two silver chain decorations on the sides.
Spicy.
Passionate.
Yet still wild.
Li Ruobing took a deep breath and took down the clothes.
When the snug fabric enveloped her body, she looked at her reflection in the mirror.
The fullness of her chest stretched the red tank top into a stunning curve, with a deep cleavage faintly visible.
The black hot pants tightly hugged her perky bottom, revealing a pair of straight, long, snow-white thighs.
There wasn't an ounce of excess fat around her waist, and even faint abdominal lines were visible on her flat stomach.
How could this look like a survivor in the apocalypse?
This was practically a biker babe straight out of a poster.
"Li Ruobing."
She gazed at her reflection in the mirror, her eyes resolute.
"From today onward, this body, this life—they all belong to him."
"You must live up to this hot shower, live up to these clothes."
She tidied her damp long hair, casually tying it into a high ponytail.
Pushing open the door.
A wave of even warmer air washed over her.
It was the scent of central heating.
Li Ruobing walked barefoot on the soft carpet, each step light and cautious, as if afraid of shattering this dream.
She entered the cockpit.
Qin Yu sat in the spacious leather command chair, feet propped on the control panel, idly toying with the C-grade Lighter he had just scavenged.
Hearing footsteps.
Qin Yu turned his head.
In that instant, a faint, almost imperceptible glimmer flashed in his eyes.
The woman before him.
Was like a flame burning amidst ice and snow.
Her freshly washed skin glowed with a rosy hue, damp strands still dripping water droplets that trailed down her slender neck into the deep, shadowed crevice.
The red tank top seemed tailor-made for her, accentuating her alluring curves with striking clarity.
Especially those long legs.
In the cold, tech-toned cockpit, they were dazzlingly conspicuous.
"Boss..."
Under Qin Yu's intense gaze, a faint blush of shyness tinged Li Ruobing's usually confident face.
She instinctively tugged at the hem of her shorts.
"The clothes... I took them from the closet..."
"If you don't like them, I can go change..."
"No need."
Qin Yu withdrew his gaze, a satisfied curve lifting the corner of his mouth.
"They suit you well."
"Fine feathers make fine birds."
"Since you're part of my crew now, looking good pleases my eyes."
Li Ruobing breathed a sigh of relief, a sweet warmth rising in her heart.
She obediently stepped closer to Qin Yu, intending to report the radar's recent readings.
Suddenly.
"Boom—"
The ship lurched violently.
Though the President was massive and equipped with stabilization systems.
The storm outside was simply too fierce.
Compounded by the recent intense battle, the surrounding ice had shattered, and waves surged wildly beneath the fractured surface, causing the vessel to tilt sharply.
"Ah!"
Li Ruobing gasped.
Stumbling on her feet.
Her body, still recovering its strength, combined with the sudden jolt.
A wave of intense dizziness rushed to her head.
Her stomach churned violently.
The nausea felt like a hand twisting inside her gut.
Her face instantly paled.
Instinctively, she reached for something to steady herself, but the injury to her wrist left her powerless.
Just as she was about to fall.
A strong, firm hand caught her by the waist.
"Careful."
Qin Yu's voice sounded by her ear.
Li Ruobing felt a warmth at her waist as an irresistible force righted her.
But it did little to ease her discomfort.
"Urgh..."
She covered her mouth, fighting the urge to vomit, fine beads of cold sweat instantly dotting her forehead.
"S-sorry, Boss..."
"I... I get seasick sometimes..."
Li Ruobing was so ashamed she wished she could vanish into the floor.
So embarrassing.
Truly humiliating.
She was once ranked second on the leaderboards, had drifted on a Raft for so long—what storms hadn't she weathered?
And now, of all times, she gets seasick?
"Seasick?"
Qin Yu raised an eyebrow.
Looking at the woman in his arms—her pale complexion and trembling eyelashes—it wasn't surprising.
Earlier, she had been mentally strained from battle, then physically and emotionally exhausted after being taken hostage by Wang Long. The hot bath had accelerated her blood circulation, and with the boat rocking, her body hadn't adjusted yet, making her prone to issues.
"Sit down."
Qin Yu pressed her into the co-pilot's seat.
Then, with a flick of his wrist, he produced a bottle containing about 300 milliliters of liquid out of thin air.
This was Qin Yu's personal reserve of S-Grade Purified Water, not for sale.
"Drink it."
Qin Yu unscrewed the cap and handed it to Li Ruobing.
An incredibly pure, crisp aroma instantly wafted from the bottle.
Just one whiff cleared some of the fog in her mind.
"This... what is this?"
She stared in astonishment at the bottle in Qin Yu's hand.
Its packaging and texture seemed like something from another world in this post-apocalyptic era, where even a mouthful of murky water required extensive filtering.
"Water."
Qin Yu was succinct.
"Drink."
Li Ruobing didn't dare disobey.
She reached out with both hands, carefully taking the bottle.
The container felt cool and smooth to the touch.
She brought it to her lips and took a small sip.
The next second, her pupils dilated sharply.
This water...
As it entered her mouth, it wasn't piercingly cold as she'd expected.
Instead, it flowed gently down her throat like a soft stream.
With a faint sweetness.
No—not the sweetness of sugar.
It was the natural sweetness of water so pure it left a refreshing aftertaste.
Then, the cool stream burst in her stomach.
Transforming into countless refreshing currents that rushed through her limbs in an instant.
Her churning stomach immediately settled.
The dizzying, needle-like pain in her head vanished completely.
Even the burning pain in her wrist seemed to lessen considerably.
She felt as if she'd just woken from ten hours of deep sleep—refreshed, clear-headed, and full of energy.
"This..."
Li Ruobing widened her eyes, staring incredulously at the bottle in her hand, then at Qin Yu.
"Boss... is this really just water?"
"It's miraculous!"
"I... I'm not dizzy at all now!"
"Even feel full of strength!"
This was like divine water!
Qin Yu smiled at her awestruck expression.
He lit another cigarette.
"Of course, it's not ordinary water."
"On this ship, I want you to drink the best and eat the best."
"Because only in peak condition can you work better for me."
Qin Yu exhaled a smoke ring, his gaze sharpening.
"Since you're not dizzy anymore, get ready to work."
Li Ruobing hurriedly screwed the cap back on, clutching the remaining half-bottle like a treasure against her chest.
Then she sat up straight, her expression turning serious.
"Yes, Boss! Your orders!"
At that moment, not only had her body recovered, but her reverence and admiration for him reached their peak.
Following a man like this—even through hell—felt entirely worth it.
Qin Yu pointed at the holographic screen before them.
It displayed real-time surveillance footage around the ship.
Though the snowstorm still raged, the beast tide had receded.
Dozens of massive sea creature corpses lay scattered across the ice.
Blood stained the frozen surface like blooming flowers of the underworld.
This was wealth.
Immense wealth.
"Today's mission is simple."
Qin Yu's voice was steady and powerful.
"Yao Xue and Yao Qian are already handling the smaller ones below."
"You're responsible for operating the mechanical arms to drag back those larger corpses."
"Especially that Mutated Alligator Turtle and the giant octopus."
"They're premium ingredients and materials."
"The turtle's shell can reinforce the ship's armor, and its meat can be made into high-energy jerky."
"As for the octopus..."
Qin Yu licked his lips.
"We're having teppanyaki tonight."
Li Ruobing couldn't help but swallow at the mention of "teppanyaki."
In this dog-eat-dog world,
where others killed for moldy bread,
they were actually debating whether to make turtle soup or octopus teppanyaki.
This stark contrast gave her an almost surreal sense of happiness.
"Understood!"
Li Ruobing's hands flew across the control panel.
"Mechanical arms charged!"
"Targets locked!"
"Beginning retrieval operation!"
Several thick alloy mechanical arms extended from the massive "President's" hull.
Under Li Ruobing's control, they precisely grasped the enormous corpses on the ice.
Watching the monster corpses—symbols of death and power—being hauled aboard,
Qin Yu stood up.
He walked to the massive floor-to-ceiling window.
His gaze pierced through the swirling snow, looking toward the distant north.
There,
the sky showed an eerie purplish-black hue.
Dark clouds hung oppressively low, seemingly within reach.
Thick bolts of lightning weaved through the clouds like dancing silver serpents.
Even from this distance,
the terrifying pressure emanating from there was palpable.
That was the system-indicated "Storm Core."
The source of this extreme cold disaster.
And the location of that S-grade treasure chest.
"Speed it up."
Qin Yu spoke calmly with his back to Li Ruobing.
"Clean up the battlefield."
"Fill our stomachs."
"Get into peak condition."
Li Ruobing's hands never stopped moving, but her ears perked up.
"Boss, are we going to..."
Qin Yu's fingers tapped lightly on the glass.
Producing a rhythmic, crisp sound.
"Fighting small fry on the periphery is boring."
"Real treasures are always in dangerous places."
He turned around.
His eyes burning with something called ambition.
That look made Li Ruobing somewhat mesmerized.
Domineering.
Confident.
Invincible.
"Notify Yao Xue and the others."
"Full rest today, feast well."
"Tomorrow morning."
"Destination: North, storm center."
"We're going there to retrieve what belongs to us."
Li Ruobing felt her blood boiling at that moment.
She nodded vigorously.
Her high ponytail swung with the motion, full of vitality.
"Aye, Captain!"