The light faded.
What appeared in Qin Yu's hand was not a firearm in the traditional sense.
It was a mass of black metal that flowed like a liquid.
It hovered in mid-air, wreathed in dark red electric arcs that emitted a low-frequency hum that set one's nerves on edge.
The feeling was like holding a pulsating black heart.
"Is this... a gun?"
Li Ruobing's eyes widened. She reached out to touch it but was forced to snatch her hand back by the ring of electric arcs.
"This thing looks a bit sinister."
Qin Yu didn't speak.
The moment his palm touched the liquid metal, an icy, bone-piercing chill instantly shot up his arm and into his brain.
Immediately after, a massive stream of information followed.
[Ding!]
[Weapon binding successful!]
[Name: Netherworld: Death's Kiss (Growth Type: Initial State)]
[Current Rating: SSS-grade (Evolvable)]
[Trait One: Liquid Reconstruction. This weapon possesses two forms: "Individual Soldier" and "Shipborne."]
[Individual Soldier Form: This is Death's High-Precision Sniper Cannon. Range: 5000 meters. Comes with the "Absolute Penetration" effect, ignoring all physical defenses below S-grade.]
[Shipborne Form: Can be integrated into a vehicle's fire control system, transforming into a High-Energy Particle Annihilation Cannon. Range doubled, power doubled. Each shell causes a small-scale spatial collapse.]
[Trait Two: Devouring Evolution. Can increase its level by devouring rare metals and High-Energy Crystal Cores.]
[Description: It is not an inanimate object. It is a partner in slaughter. As long as your killing intent is strong enough, its bullets will never miss.]
Qin Yu took a deep breath.
The fervor in his eyes was practically overflowing.
"A good treasure."
"Truly a good treasure!"
With a thought from him...
The black liquid in his hand instantly transformed.
Clack-clack-clack—
A series of dizzying mechanical restructuring sounds rang out.
In less than a second...
The mass of liquid elongated, hardened, and took shape.
An exaggeratedly designed black heavy sniper cannon appeared in Qin Yu's hands.
The body of the gun was two meters long, pitch black all over, with the barrel engraved with dark red flowing light patterns.
There was no scope.
Because it connected directly to the user's visual nerve.
Aim where you will, hit where you aim!
"This is the Individual Soldier Form?"
Qin Yu felt the hefty weight in his hands; the metallic texture was simply addictive.
He abruptly raised the muzzle, aiming at a giant rock in the distance that had survived the earlier explosion.
Distance: Fifteen hundred meters.
"Let's test the feel."
A cold smirk curled at the corner of Qin Yu's mouth as his index finger squeezed the icy trigger.
There was no deafening gunshot.
Only an extremely faint whoosh.
A dark red beam instantly sliced through the darkness of the deep sea.
Fast.
Too fast.
So fast that even the retina couldn't capture its trajectory.
That house-sized rock in the distance didn't even have a process of shattering.
The moment the beam made contact...
It vanished without a sound.
Only a circular hole with edges still glowing red remained. Seawater rushed madly into it, forming a small whirlpool.
"Holy crap..."
Li Ruobing's mouth hung open, her jaw nearly hitting the floor.
"Is that a sniper rifle?"
"This is a damn laser cannon?!"
"No sound, no recoil, and still so powerful?"
"Anyone you target in the future won't even know how they died!"
Qin Yu blew away the nonexistent smoke from the barrel with satisfaction.
"This is just the beginning."
"Watch closely."
"I'll show you a magic trick."
Qin Yu walked to the control panel and yanked out the broken mechanical arm joystick.
Then, he slapped the "Kiss of Death" into the slot.
"Shipborne Mode, activate!"
"Zzz—"
The black metal gun body instantly liquefied, flowing into the slot as if alive.
Immediately after.
A low rumble came from the broken mechanical arm position of the "President."
The liquid metal surged out of the hull, rapidly expanding and growing in the seawater.
In the blink of an eye.
A dark gold heavy cannon, a full five meters long with an astonishing caliber, stood proudly on the submarine's port side.
Its muzzle was deep and dark, exuding an aura of destruction.
"Connection successful."
"Fire control system has been taken over."
Yao Xue stared at the suddenly appearing weapon icon on the screen, the large "SSS" label nearly blinding her.
"Charging Time: 0.5 seconds."
"Single-Shot Energy Consumption: 5%."
"This is practically tailor-made for the 'President'!"
Yao Xue adjusted her glasses; even her usually calm voice was now filled with excitement.
"With this."
"Even if we don't use Nuclear Overload, we can stand a chance against monsters like Leviathan in the future!"
Qin Yu clapped his hands, looking utterly pleased.
"This is the value of an SSS-grade."
"Tough, powerful, and can even change size."
"A must-have for home, travel, or... less savory activities."
...
An hour later.
The living quarters of the "President" were filled with a mouthwatering aroma of meat.
It was the perfect combination of top-tier ingredients and Qin Yu's masterful grilling skills.
No complex seasonings.
Just a bit of sea salt and black pepper.
The SSS-grade heart was sliced paper-thin, sizzling on the iron griddle.
Each slice was adorned with golden patterns and melted in the mouth.
"Mmm—!"
Li Ruobing picked up a hot slice of heart and put it in her mouth, her eyes instantly narrowing to slits.
"So delicious!"
"What kind of texture is this?"
"Crisp yet tender, bursting with juices with every bite!"
"And..."
Her face suddenly flushed red, and a fine layer of sweat broke out on her forehead.
"Why is this meat so hot?"
"It feels like I've swallowed a fire in my stomach!"
Qin Yu held a glass of red wine, smiling as he watched her.
"That's to be expected."
"This is the essence blood of an SSS-grade monster."
"Highly nourishing."
"Ten thousand times better than any ginseng or deer antler."
"Eat more."
"This stuff strengthens your physique. Even without training, after this meal, your strength will increase by dozens of points."
Though Yao Qian was usually a homebody, she now abandoned all ladylike manners.
Her chopsticks moved with lightning speed.
Qin Yu picked up the largest slice of meat and placed it in Yao Xue's bowl, who had barely touched her food.
"Back then, we were still gnawing on bread and drinking cold water."
"Here, my dear, have some more."
"You're the doctor and our ship's chief manager—it takes the most brainpower."
Yao Xue looked at the meat in her bowl, a trace of softness flickering in her cool eyes.
She took a small bite.
Indeed.
As the warm current flowed down her throat, the faint throbbing at her temples from the Mental Energy Overdraft instantly eased considerably.
"You should eat too."
Yao Xue poured Qin Yu a glass of wine.
"You were the main force."
"In such an intense battle, your body took the greatest toll."
Qin Yu grinned and downed the wine in one gulp.
"My body's just fine."
"Not to mention one Leviathan."
"Even if ten more came, I could skin them all to make bags for you."
The meal was thoroughly enjoyable.
The relief of surviving a near-death experience, combined with the satisfaction brought by the delicious food, created an atmosphere of unprecedented relaxation in the cabin.
After several rounds of drinks.
Yao Qian had eaten her fill. Rubbing her round little belly, she lay on the sofa, humming and groaning, and soon fell asleep hugging a pillow.
This girl had a carefree heart, and having been genuinely frightened earlier, she fell asleep instantly once she relaxed.
Qin Yu glanced at the time.
"I'm going to check the Power System."
"That collision earlier seemed to cause some noise in the Engine."
"You all rest first."
With that, Qin Yu threw on his jacket, stuck a toothpick in his mouth, and sauntered off toward the Engine Room.
In the Living Quarters.
Only Yao Xue and Li Ruobing remained, clearing the dishes.
Li Ruobing had drunk a bit today. Her already stunningly beautiful face was now flushed, her gaze somewhat dazed.
She wore her signature fiery tank top, her long legs crossed beneath her ultra-short shorts.
Her hands mechanically wiped a plate, but her eyes kept drifting toward the direction of the Engine Room.
"What?"
"Did your soul fly in there with him?"
Yao Xue didn't turn around, still methodically washing the wine glasses.
Her voice was cool, yet carried a faint, almost imperceptible hint of amusement.
"Huh?"
Li Ruobing was startled, nearly dropping the plate in her hand.
"Sis Xue... what are you talking about..."
"I was just... just thinking about that gun earlier."
"It was so cool."
"Hmm, the gun was indeed cool."
Yao Xue placed the washed glass on the rack, turned around, leaned against the countertop, and crossed her arms.
Those eyes that seemed capable of seeing through people stared quietly at Li Ruobing.
"But the man was even cooler, right?"
Li Ruobing froze.
She opened her mouth, wanting to retort, wanting to brush it off with a casual joke as she usually would.
But the words stuck in her throat, refusing to come out.
Her mind was filled entirely with that scene from earlier.
That man.
Amidst the rain of falling rocks, gripping the steering wheel with one hand, his eyes blazing with madness.
That man.
Beside the corpse of the deep-sea behemoth, holding that deathly heavy cannon, proudly surveying all.
That kind of strength.
That kind of dominance.
For her, struggling to survive in this apocalyptic world, someone who had always revered power.
It was simply a fatal poison.
"Sis Xue..."
Li Ruobing lowered her head, her fingers anxiously twisting the hem of her clothes.
That fiery, wildcat-like demeanor was gone.
Replaced by a rare, girlish shyness.
"I... am I being shameless?"
"Clearly, you're the rightful one..."
"And Xiaoqian is also..."
"Yet I still..."
Li Ruobing bit her lip, her voice growing softer and softer.
Though she had an open personality, on such a matter of principle, she actually cared deeply about Yao Xue's opinion.
After all, if it weren't for Qin Yu and Yao Xue taking her in...
She's probably still on that little raft, fighting desperately for a few bottles of water.
"If you like him, go after him."
Yao Xue's voice was calm.
As natural as saying "The weather is nice today."
Li Ruobing suddenly looked up, staring at Yao Xue with an incredulous expression.
"Xue Jie? You... you're not angry?"
"Angry?"
Yao Xue adjusted the gold-rimmed glasses on the bridge of her nose, a playful curve lifting the corner of her mouth.
She walked up to Li Ruobing and reached out to tidy the slightly messy bangs for her.
"If this were peacetime."
"Any woman who dared to have designs on my husband, I'd definitely make her understand human anatomy with a scalpel."
"But now it's the apocalypse."
Yao Xue sighed, her gaze passing through the porthole to look at the dark, deep sea outside.
"This world is too dangerous."
"Qin Yu is strong, but he's also human, not a machine."
"He carries too much on his shoulders."
"You've seen it all along the way."
"In every battle, every life-or-death struggle, he stands in front of us."
"He needs help."
"Not the kind of vase that can only hide behind him and shout '666'."
"But comrades who can fight alongside him, who he can absolutely trust when he turns his back to them."
Yao Xue withdrew her gaze, looking at Li Ruobing.
"Xiaoqian's personality is too soft. Although obedient, she can't help him much in combat."
"Although I know medicine and can operate equipment, when it comes to charging into battle, that fierce determination..."
"Ruo Bing, you're stronger than me."
Li Ruobing listened dazedly, her eyes slightly reddening.
"Xue Jie..."
"So, don't carry any psychological burden."
Yao Xue patted Li Ruobing's sturdy shoulder, her tone carrying an undeniable air of the main wife.
"In this godforsaken place, it's not easy to meet a few people who know each other inside out and can entrust their lives to one another."
"If you like him, then don't hide it."
"I think that guy Qin Yu isn't uninterested in you either."
"Usually bickering with you so happily, I think he enjoys it."
At this, Yao Xue suddenly leaned close to Li Ruobing's ear and whispered:
"Besides, you've seen his current physique."
"Just relying on Xiaoqian and me..."
"It's really a bit overwhelming."
"If you can share some of the firepower, I should thank you."
"Boom—"
Li Ruobing's face instantly flushed crimson, all the way down to her neck.
Although she usually talks a big game, she's still an untouched maiden.
Hearing such explicit words, she was immediately so embarrassed she wanted to find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
"Xue Jie! What are you saying!"
"This... this is too..."
Yao Xue looked at her flustered appearance and couldn't help but chuckle softly.
That beauty of an iceberg melting made even Li Ruobing, a woman herself, stare in awe.
"Alright, I won't tease you anymore."
Yao Xue straightened up, returning to her cool and efficient demeanor.
"I'll wash the bowls."
"You go check the Engine Room."
"That's the heart of our ship."
"And also our man's territory."
"Don't let him stay alone for too long."
"Some words, with the help of alcohol, should be said when they should be said."
"Once this chance is gone, there won't be another."
Li Ruobing stood in place, watching Yao Xue's busy back.
The heavy stone in her heart finally landed.
In its place was a fiercely burning flame.
That was a long-suppressed emotion, finally granted permission to be released.
"Thank you, Sister Xue!"
Li Ruobing took a deep breath, that wild glint reigniting in her peach blossom eyes.
She tore off the apron tied around her waist.
And strode purposefully toward the engine room.
Since the main wife herself had given the word.
If she, Li Ruobing, continued to hesitate and dawdle, she wouldn't be the tough woman who dared to blow up monsters with explosives!
The engine room door was tightly shut.
Faintly, she could hear Qin Yu humming a little tune inside.
Li Ruobing stood at the entrance, tidied her hair, and tugged at the already skimpy vest she was wearing.
A confident, determined smile curled at the corner of her lips.
"Qin Yu."
"Since you provoked me."
"You can forget about running away in this lifetime!"
She reached out and firmly pressed the door open button.
Click.
The air pressure valve released.
Greeting her was Qin Yu's somewhat surprised glance over his shoulder, and the warm glow of lights filling the room.
In this cold, cruel deep-sea apocalypse.
Some things burned hotter than any SSS-grade weapon.