She set aside the worry in her heart for the Queen for now.
With the family matters settled, it was time to get down to business.
Lin Qingyue gave her wrist a flip, and a brand new set of folding barbecue grills materialized out of thin air.
Clang!
The metal frame stood firmly on the sandy beach.
Next, pieces of ingredients, each meticulously wrapped in a large lotus leaf, were piled up on the nearby rocks.
The leg meat of a top-grade Snowflake Dracobeast, its red and white marbling interwoven, was clearly Nature's most exquisite gift.
Thick-cut venison steaks marinated in a secret spice blend still carried a hint of the chill from the depths of the Storage Space.
There were even several skewers of cleaned deep-sea shrimp, threaded with fresh lemongrass.
Finally, there was a whole box of smokeless fruitwood charcoal, neatly stacked.
These skilled movements and professional equipment instantly transformed this stretch of beach into the filming set of a top-tier food show.
The scents of spices and chilled fresh meat intertwined, acting like an invisible hand that reached across dozens of meters to accurately snag the noses of Lin Xiyue and Su Wan, who were on high alert on the outskirts.
The highly vigilant movements of the two women froze in unison.
Lin Xiyue's face was written with "I knew it," while a hint of "Here she goes again" flashed across Su Wan's face in resignation.
"Sis, we are executing a top-priority exploration mission, not on a team-building retreat at a seaside resort."
Lin Xiyue landed nearby after a few bounds.
Her eyes were fixed on the piece of Dracobeast leg meat, which was larger than her own head, and the corner of her mouth twitched uncontrollably.
"What kind of random stuff do you even keep in your Storage Space?"
Though her words were stern and righteous, her nose honestly took a deep sniff.
The air, mixed with the scents of spices and meat, was simply too tempting.
"What do you mean, 'random stuff'?"
Lin Qingyue didn't even look up as she neatly stacked the fruitwood charcoal, her tone filled with self-righteousness.
"The mission is important, but our stomachs are more important."
"This is called quality of life, understand?"
Lin Qingyue's gaze swept over the rules on her professional panel, and a lazy curve formed at the corner of her mouth.
"The words of [ Rule Three ] are practically plastered on our faces: 'Physical condition is extremely sensitive; food and water directly affect combat power.'"
She flicked her finger, and a cluster of Holy Light Flame landed precisely on the charcoal.
The flames crackled and burst, instantly igniting the charcoal blocks.
The unique fragrance of fruitwood, mixed with the warmth of Holy Light, immediately spread through the air.
"Therefore, under this rule, eating and drinking well is equivalent to increasing our combat power."
"We are not here for pleasure right now."
Her tone became earnest, even taking on a touch of the sacred.
"We are preparing for battle."
This "flawed logic" was airtight.
Beside them, Su Wan's eyelid twitched uncontrollably. She couldn't even find a single reason to argue.
The logic seemed... actually correct.
But why did it feel so wrong coming from Lin Qingyue's mouth?
Lin Qingyue picked up a sharp kitchen knife and began to slice the massive piece of leg meat.
Her wrist was incredibly steady. As the blade glided through the meat, only a faint "hiss" could be heard.
A perfectly even slice of meat fell away, its red and white marbling clearly visible on the cut surface.
"By the way, Sis, when did your Storage Space get stuffed with all this stuff again?"
Lin Xiyue leaned in curiously.
"I remember we ate almost all the ingredients in the last Dungeon, didn't we?"
"Oh, I recently restocked from a 'Wealthy Elf Lady.' The channel is legitimate, and the quality is guaranteed."
Lin Qingyue lied casually, a mysterious smile playing on her lips.
Lin Xiyue understood instantly.
That's just the Elf Queen, isn't it!
Ever since she learned her sister had the ability to teleport across worlds, she could bet the Elf Queen's side had a teleportation point for sure!
She pursed her lips and didn't ask any more questions, consciously picking up bamboo skewers and starting to skewer the sea shrimp.
Su Wan stood by for a moment, watching the sisters—one slicing meat, the other skewering shrimp—working in perfect harmony.
The fruitwood aroma in the air grew even richer.
In the end, she still couldn't resist the temptation, silently walked over, and with a flow of magic power at her fingertips, condensed a crystal-clear ice sword.
She took a few mushrooms and sliced them into exquisite thin pieces.
Sizzle!
The first thick slice of Dracobeast meat was placed on the scorching grill.
The plump fat melted instantly, erupting with a violent sound that made one's throat twitch in anticipation.
The meat's surface quickly turned golden-brown, and a rich aroma of meat bursted forth.
This serene beach was instantly transformed into a sacred place in the hearts of gourmands.
Lin Qingyue demonstrated master-level culinary skills.
Her control of the heat was consummate, and her timing for flipping the meat was precise.
At times, she sprinkled a pinch of fine salt, then brushed on a layer of golden honey.
At other times, she pinched a handful of unknown aromatic powder and evenly sprinkled it over the meat slices.
Each step made the layers of that aroma ascend step by step.
Before long, Xia Lian, who had finished scouting the nearby coconut grove, ran back following the scent.
"Captain! No residents were found within a three-kilometer radius, but there are traces of intelligent life..."
She was halfway through her report when the rich aroma, a blend of roasted meat, fruitwood, and spices, completely defeated her.
The rest of her sentence was drowned in drool.
"...Wow! So fragrant!"
Xia Lian's eyes seemed to hold a sky full of stars as she practically collapsed onto the grill, her gaze filled with a blissful glow.
She had completely forgotten what she was supposed to be reporting.
"Good work, little Xia Lian, come sit."
Lin Qingyue pointed to the laid-out moisture-proof mat, acting like a chef welcoming guests.
Lin Xiyue, while helping flip the sea shrimp, continuously swallowed her saliva and muttered, "Sis, your skills are getting more and more monstrous. Whoever marries you in the future must have saved the galaxy in their past life."
"What are you saying," Lin Qingyue shot her a glance.
She then dropped a bombshell, "Can't I just marry a wife?"
Pfft—
Su Wan, sitting nearby, almost choked on her own saliva. A faint blush crept onto her cheeks, and she nearly lost her grip on the ice sword in her hand.
Xia Lian's face also turned crimson instantly as she murmured, "The Captain is at it again..."
Lin Qingyue was in high spirits seeing their reactions.
She picked up a piece of Dracobeast meat—charred and crisp on the outside, juicy and tender within—blew on it gently, and handed it to Xia Lian.
"Here, our little hero, try it and tell me how it tastes."
Xia Lian accepted it carefully and put it in her mouth.
The next second, her eyes widened.
The outer skin had the unique charred crispiness of fruitwood charcoal.
The moment her teeth touched it, the perfectly sealed, scalding meat juice instantly exploded in her mouth!
The rich aroma of meat, mixed with the layered complexity of a dozen different spices, swept across every corner of her taste buds.
An indescribable aftertaste lingered in her mouth.
"So, so delicious!"
Xia Lian's cheeks flushed slightly, half from the heat, half from bliss.
"If it's good, eat more."
"Sis, I want some too!" Lin Xiyue eagerly pressed closer.
Even Su Wan, who always paid great attention to her posture, silently stood at the back of the line, her eyes fixed on the grill.
Soon, the grilled sea shrimp, grilled mushrooms, and grilled deer steaks also came out of the grill one after another.
The four girls sat circled around the grill.
They temporarily forgot the danger of the mission and the strangeness of the rules, wholeheartedly immersing themselves in this sunny beach BBQ feast.
While munching on the deer steak in large bites, Lin Xiyue praised in a muffled voice: "Sis, your skills are absolutely top-notch!"
"Of course, your sister is an all-around talent." Lin Qingyue tossed her chin up proudly.
Su Wan took small bites of the grilled shrimp, her movements still elegant.
But her slightly bulging cheeks and the trace of sauce accidentally smeared on the corner of her mouth revealed her true inner thoughts.
The extraordinarily sumptuous lunch was nearing its end, and all four ate to their hearts' content, leaning lazily against the rocks and enjoying the sea breeze, feeling every pore of their bodies stretch open.
Just then, a surprising notification popped up simultaneously on all four of their professional panels.
[ You have enjoyed a high-quality lunch, leaving your body and mind pleased, and greatly improving your comfort level. ]
[ Based on Rule Three: Survival Instinct, your All Stats are temporarily increased by 5%, and your stamina recovery speed is temporarily increased by 10%. Effect lasts for 6 hours. ]
"Wow!"
Xia Lian was the first to cry out in pleasant surprise.
"There's actually a buff!"
"It's more than just a buff," Su Wan's eyes gleamed with light.
She gently raised her hand, and the ice element danced on her fingertips, appearing even more solid than usual.
"It even boosts stamina recovery speed! Under the [ Survival Instinct ] rule, sustainability is crucial!"
Lin Xiyue also saw the notification. She sensed the Power of Holy Light surging within her body, which was indeed more solid and active than before.
The look she gave her sister was now filled with a hint of sincere admiration.
"Sis, you're truly a genius!"
"It's just basic skill, no need to overpraise, everyone sit down."
Lin Qingyue waved her hand with a "everything is under control" salted fish look.
This seemingly harsh[ Rule Three: Survival Instinct ] had actually become a super buff that could be continuously utilized in the face of Lin Qingyue's game-breaking logistics capabilities.
For other teams who slept in the rough and gnawed on dry rations, this was a fatal restriction.
But for this "eccentric" small squad, which had a top chef and a Storage Space stuffed with all kinds of daily necessities...
This was simply the strongest custom-made BUFF!
Right then, a faint "rustle" sounded from the coconut grove in the distance.
Lin Qingyue's gaze sharpened, and everyone immediately became alert.
The lazy atmosphere from just moments ago vanished instantly, replaced by a chilling killing intent.
A tall figure carefully pushed aside a huge plantain leaf, half of its body emerging from the shadows of the trees.