The wind howled, plunging the world into chaos.
The President tore through the thick white curtain like an untiring steel behemoth.
The further north they traveled, the colder it became.
Even with powerful defrosting activated, the cockpit's specialized glass was coated in a thick layer of ice. The external temperature had dropped to minus eighty degrees Celsius—cold enough to flash-freeze a person into an ice sculpture.
"Boss, the wind force ahead has exceeded Level 12! Visibility is less than five meters! Radar shows high-density energy reactions all around us—those sea beasts have gone mad!"
Li Ruobing gripped the control stick tightly, her palms drenched in sweat. In the past, she would have turned and fled at the mere edge of such weather. But now, a glance at the man sitting steadily in the command chair inexplicably dispersed most of her fear.
Qin Yu held a cigarette between his fingers, its tip glowing faintly in the dim cockpit. He looked out at the darkness that seemed ready to devour everything, a cold smile curling his lips.
"Can't see the way? Then turn on the lights. Too cold? Then add a heater."
He snapped his fingers.
System, retrieve the 'Artificial Miniature Sun.'
Ascend.
Lighting mode: Full power.
The next second, the deck atop the ship slid open. A golden sphere about one meter in diameter slowly rose into the air.
Hum—!!!
A wave of terrifying heat instantly swept outward. The pitch-black heart of the storm was abruptly illuminated as bright as day! This was no ordinary light—it was pure light and heat, simulating stellar fusion.
Wherever the light passed, the swirling snow vaporized instantly.
Hiss—!
The flying sea beasts lurking in the darkness, poised to ambush the ship, had their feathers and scales burst into flames under the intense heat before they could even draw near. For a moment, a rain of fire fell from the sky—the charred corpses of sea beasts.
"Not done yet," Qin Yu said calmly. "The waves are too rough; they're making me dizzy. Hang this up too."
With another wave of his hand, a pearl emitting a faint blue glow flew out.
S-grade treasure—Ocean Stabilizing Pearl!
The pearl hovered beneath the Artificial Sun, and a blue ripple instantly spread out.
A miracle occurred.
The violently churning sea, with waves over ten meters high, grew eerily calm the moment the ripple passed. Within a five-hundred-meter radius centered on the President, the sea became smooth as a mirror! No matter how fierce the storms raged outside, this area was an absolute sanctuary.
With the Artificial Sun lighting the way and the Ocean Stabilizing Pearl suppressing the waves, the President accelerated to its maximum speed instantly. Any sea beasts attempting to block their path were either incinerated by the high heat or shredded into mincemeat by the ship's automated artillery.
They crushed everything in their path, pushing forward relentlessly.
Finally, after shattering one last three-meter-thick ice wall, the view before them abruptly cleared.
They had reached the heart of the storm.
Here lay an immense ice field.
Surrounded by swirling wind walls, the very center remained exceptionally calm.
At the heart of the ice plain stood a towering platform constructed from countless ice crystals, upon which rested a chest radiating an orange glow.
An S-grade treasure chest!
"Found it!" Yao Xue's eyes lit up as she lowered her binoculars. "Just two kilometers ahead!"
But then her expression shifted. "Something's wrong. There are creatures beside the chest!"
Before she could finish, Qin Yu had already spotted them. Flanking the treasure chest were two massive monsters lying in wait.
To the left was a giant bear clad in icy blue crystalline armor, measuring over ten meters in length. With each breath, plumes of white frost billowed from its nostrils.
To the right coiled a two-headed giant ice serpent, its scales shimmering with metallic luster as it formed a mountainous coil.
Two terrifying auras firmly locked onto the intruding "President."
"Quasi-S-grade creatures," Qin Yu narrowed his eyes. The system's information was clear:
[Name: Extreme Cold Armored Demon Bear]
[Level: Quasi-S-grade]
[Abilities: Frost Roar, Absolute Defense]
[Name: Two-Headed Frost Giant Serpent]
[Level: Quasi-S-grade]
[Abilities: Venom Spray, Strangulation, Death Gaze]
"Interesting. Seems these are the final gatekeepers." Qin Yu rose to his feet, cracking his neck audibly.
"Ruobing."
"Here."
"Don't advance the ship further. The ice can't support it. Hold position here. Then... open fire with everything we've got." Qin Yu pointed at the two monsters, a flicker of greed in his eyes.
"But remember: no heavy missiles. Don't blow them to pieces. That bear's paws are premium ingredients, and the serpent's hide can craft excellent armor. I want them alive. Or... half-alive."
Li Ruobing took a deep breath, her gaze sharpening. "Understood! Activating precision strike mode! Main cannon charging! Gauss machine guns locked!"
At her command, the "President" instantly transformed into a porcupine of weaponry.
Boom-boom-boom-boom-boom—!
Ten auto-cannons fired simultaneously, dense tracer rounds lashing at the two monsters like fiery whips. The Deep-sea Guardian's plasma cannon at the bow poured down like torrential rain.
"Roar—!" The demon bear bellowed in fury, never expecting this metal hulk to attack first.
Meanwhile, the two-headed serpent fared no better. As it prepared to spew venom, several micro armor-piercing rounds precisely shattered one of its eyes.
"Hiss—!" The serpent thrashed in agony, its massive tail slamming against the ice and fracturing the surface.
Ordinary firepower would never breach their defenses. But every weapon on Qin Yu's ship was system-provided black technology, each projectile carrying armor-piercing and incendiary effects.
This wasn't a battle—it was a utterly dishonorable gang assault.
Within merely three minutes, the two arrogant quasi-S-grade monsters were riddled with wounds. The demon bear's armor lay shattered, its body pierced by countless bullet holes, bleeding profusely. The serpent fared even worse—both heads hung limply, its body pierced by gaping holes, barely clinging to life.
"Cease fire," Qin Yu waved his hand. "Any more and we'll be left with meat paste."
The gunfire abruptly ceased.
On the icy plain, only the heavy panting of the two monsters remained.
Qin Yu walked over to the weapon rack.
"Yao Xue, gear up."
"Come with me to finish them off."
Yao Xue nodded.
She removed her white lab coat.
Underneath was a form-fitting white combat suit that accentuated her perfect figure.
She didn't reach for a blade.
Instead, she pulled out a custom-modified S686 Shotgun from the armory.
The gun body was coated in a silver sheen, with a terrifyingly wide barrel.
"It's been a while since I performed surgery."
"Hope it goes smoothly."
Yao Xue expertly chambered a round, her eyes revealing a cold, lethal aura not usually present.
The two approached the hatch.
Li Ruobing watched them fully armed and suddenly grew restless.
She bit her lip and took a step forward.
"Boss... I..."
"I want to help too."
"My marksmanship is pretty good!"
She didn't want to just be the pilot.
She wanted to prove she deserved to fight alongside Qin Yu.
Qin Yu glanced back at her.
His gaze fell on her thin red tank top.
It was minus eighty degrees outside.
Even with the S-Rank genetic serum enhancing her physique.
Dressed like that, she'd freeze solid in under three minutes.
"Want to go?"
Qin Yu smiled.
With a flip of his hand.
A black nano combat suit materialized out of thin air.
He tossed it directly into Li Ruobing's arms.
"S-Class Nano Temperature-Controlled Battle Suit."
"Cold-proof, bulletproof, and self-repairing."
"Put it on."
"Cover those long legs of yours."
"Though I do enjoy the view."
"I'd hate to see them frostbitten."
Li Ruobing hugged the exceptionally crafted battle suit.
Her face flushed bright red.
But her heart felt warm.
An S-Rank Battle Suit!
Such a life-saving treasure, and the boss just casually gave it to her?
"Thank you, boss!"
"I'll change right away!"
Without hesitation, she pulled on the suit right in front of Qin Yu.
The black form-fitting battle suit hugged her curvaceous body.
The dark fabric contrasted with her innocent yet alluring face.
She looked just like Black Widow from the movies.
Even more striking than the film version.
"Not bad."
Qin Yu nodded approvingly.
"Let's go."
"Time to claim our prizes."
...
The hatch opened.
Biting cold wind rushed in.
But protected by the S-Rank battle suits, none of the three felt discomfort.
Qin Yu took the lead, leaping onto the ice.
His boots crunched on the broken ice with each step.
Seeing humans descend, the two monsters.
Despite their severe injuries, erupted with ferocity.
"Roar—!"
The demon bear struggled to stand.
Its single remaining eye fixed fiercely on Qin Yu, jaws gaping wide for a final lunge.
"Still making noise?"
Qin Yu never broke stride.
His Ion Oscillation Blade tilted slightly.
His figure instantly became a blur.
No flashy moves.
Just a simple horizontal slash.
"Swish—"
A faint hum resonated through the air.
Qin Yu's figure reappeared behind the demon bear.
He slowly sheathed his blade.
"Thud!"
The bear's massive head rolled away like a ball.
The cut surface smooth as glass.
Blood only sprayed out a second later.
One strike.
Decapitation.
Utterly precise and efficient.
"Truly a weapon derived from S-Rank battle suits."
"Cutting through bone like tofu."
Qin Yu flicked the blood droplets off his blade without even glancing at the corpse.
Meanwhile.
The two-headed giant serpent, witnessing its companion's instantaneous death, trembled in terror.
It opened both mouths and spewed a cloud of green poisonous mist toward Yao Xue and Li Ruobing as they approached.
"Watch out!"
Li Ruobing instinctively reached for her throwing daggers.
But Yao Xue was faster.
This chief surgeon, who usually wielded a scalpel, now displayed astonishing violent aesthetics.
Instead of retreating, she charged forward.
With a powerful burst from her feet, she broke through the thinning toxic mist.
Raising her S686, she pressed the barrel directly against the forehead of one of the serpent's heads.
Less than ten centimeters away.
"The patient is too noisy."
"Needs anesthesia."
Yao Xue coldly stated as she pulled the trigger.
"BOOM—!!!"
The system-enhanced shotgun roared like thunder.
The serpent's head exploded like a bursting watermelon, splattering red and white matter across the ground.
"Hissss—!"
The remaining head screamed in agony, twisting to bite the woman.
"Chk-chk."
Yao Xue expressionlessly racked the shotgun.
Swiveling the barrel—
"BANG!"
Another shot.
Silence fell.
The massive two-headed serpent collapsed limply to the ground, twitched twice, and fell still.
Li Ruobing stood behind, her gun still not raised, watching the white-coated Yao Xue holding the smoking shotgun with detached coldness.
She couldn't help but swallow hard.
"Holy..."
"So this is how fierce our sister-in-law is?"
"This is way too violent!"
She used to think Yao Xue was gentle and quiet.
Now it seemed...
there wasn't a single normal person on this ship!
All of them were deadly!
Qin Yu walked over to the serpent's corpse and kicked the thick hide.
"Not bad."
"This skin will make several sets of inner armor for the whole crew."
"Yao Xue, your shooting has improved."
Yao Xue tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, slung the shotgun over her shoulder, and resumed her intellectual demeanor.
"Learned it in anatomy class."
"Finding vital points is my specialty."
The three regrouped and approached the S-grade treasure chest.
Everything seemed to be going smoothly.
The two guardian beasts were dead.
The treasure chest was right before them.
Just one grab away from completing their mission.
Qin Yu reached out to take the chest.
Suddenly.
His hand froze mid-air.
An intense sense of crisis, sharp as a needle, stabbed between his eyebrows.
This was the intuition honed through years of surviving the apocalypse.
A warning of impending death!
But it wasn't just intuition.
The Sky Eye's built-in warning system now blared with piercing alarms.
"Beep-beep-beep—!!!"
"Warning! Warning!"
"Extreme energy level detected!"
"Directly below!"
"Fifty meters down!"
"Rapidly ascending!"
Qin Yu's pupils contracted sharply.
Without thinking, he grabbed Yao Xue and Li Ruobing.
His combat boots erupted with compressed air.
"Fall back!"
"Now!"
"There's something beneath the ice!"
The moment they launched backward—
"BOOM—!!!"
The hundred-meter radius of ice where they'd stood
shattered instantly.
Countless ice shards shot skyward like cannonballs.
A terrifying deep-sea chill, accompanied by a soul-shaking roar,
erupted from the dark ice cavity
and surged toward the heavens!
That was no beast.
It was a tentacle.
A five-meter thick, purple tentacle covered in barbs and suckers!
It descended like a pillar from heaven, slamming violently onto the spot where the S-grade treasure chest had been.
Had Qin Yu been half a second slower...
All three of them...
Would have been crushed into pulp!
Qin Yu landed on a distant ice block, his gaze fixed intently on the massive ice hole.
His expression was more solemn than ever before.
"I knew it..."
"How could an S-grade treasure chest only have two quasi-S-level guard dogs."
"So the real master..."
"Was hiding below all along!"
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