Splash—
Yao Qian laboriously threw a bucket of seawater onto the deck.
Red blood mixed with foam flowed back into the sea through the gaps in the wooden planks.
This should have been a disgusting and terrifying scene.
But at this moment.
The atmosphere on the raft was unusually high-spirited, even carrying a hint of eerie excitement.
That once arrogant sawtooth shark, representing the nightmare of newcomers, had now been torn to pieces, sinking to the bottom of the sea to become fish food.
The "culprit" behind this—the high-pressure water cannon installed beneath the ship—was in standby mode.
It emitted an extremely faint humming sound from time to time.
To the Yao sisters, this sound was more reassuring than the most beautiful music in the world.
"Alright, that's enough washing," Qin Yu said, standing by the railing and wiping a scalpel with a ragged cloth. "It's good to leave some of the blood scent behind. It can intimidate the small fish and shrimp around."
Yao Qian threw the bucket aside and slumped ungracefully onto the wet deck. "I'm exhausted... Brother Qin Yu, that cannon is too powerful, really too powerful! With just a 'biu,' the shark exploded!"
The young girl gestured animatedly, her White Silk Stockings stained with water, revealing the pink skin beneath, though she seemed completely unaware.
Yao Xue stood nearby, straightening the supply boxes that had been knocked askew by the shark. She adjusted the gold-rimmed glasses on her nose, but her gaze remained fixed on Qin Yu.
Her expression was complex.
What was once gratitude and cooperation had now, without her even realizing it, gained a trace of submission and infatuation.
In this lawless, morality-free apocalyptic sea.
Violence was the only truth.
And Qin Yu wielded absolute violence.
"Get inside the tent once you're done tidying up," Qin Yu said, glancing up at the pitch-black sky. The prelude to the storm had arrived.
Large raindrops began to fall sporadically, stinging as they hit their faces.
"No matter what sounds you hear tonight, don't come out. As long as the ship doesn't capsize, just keep sleeping."
Qin Yu's voice was cold, but to the two women, it was the warmest promise.
"Yes!"
...
Inside the tent.
It was warm and dry.
The faint scent of lavender body wash created a world apart from the bloody storm outside.
It was the same sleeping bag.
The same spot.
Qin Yu lay in the middle.
Perhaps because of the heart-stopping events earlier, tonight, the two women seemed to overstep boundaries.
As soon as they lay down.
Yao Qian pressed herself against him like a frightened kitten.
Her soft pajamas brushed against Qin Yu's arm.
The girl seemed to have completely forgotten about boundaries between men and women.
Or perhaps it was intentional.
She draped one leg directly over Qin Yu's stomach, buried her head against his chest, found a comfortable position, and stayed still.
"Brother Qin Yu, I'm afraid of the dark... Let me hold you for a while."
Her voice was soft and sweet, carrying a coquettish tone.
Qin Yu rolled his eyes.
Afraid of the dark?
When you were watching the shark explode, your eyes were brighter than anyone else's.
But he didn't push her away.
In the frigid expanse of the sea, having a living, warm body to hold onto provided considerable comfort.
On the other side.
Though not as bold as her younger sister, Yao Xue lay on her side, facing Qin Yu with her back to the tent wall.
In the darkness.
Qin Yu could feel a cold, smooth hand stealthily reaching out.
Gently grasping the hem of his clothes.
Like clutching the only lifeline.
"Sleep."
Qin Yu closed his eyes and murmured softly.
"I'm here."
Just two simple words.
Yao Xue's tense body instantly relaxed.
She gazed at Qin Yu's blurred silhouette in the dark.
Her heartbeat quickened slightly.
As the former head surgeon of a top-tier hospital, she had always been proud, rational, even somewhat aloof.
The line of men pursuing her could have stretched from the hospital all the way to France.
But none had ever made her feel this soul-deep sense of security like Qin Yu did.
If before she had clung to him merely for survival.
Now.
She truly wanted to entrust everything she had to this man.
As long as she could stay by his side.
Even the apocalypse didn't seem quite so terrifying anymore.
Listening to the gradually steady breathing of the two women beside him.
Qin Yu didn't fall asleep immediately.
He opened his system panel and glanced at the status bar at the bottom.
[Deep Sea Specter · Fully Automatic High-Pressure Water Cannon: On Standby]
[Remaining Energy: 100%]
[Alert Range: 200-meter Radius]
That was enough.
This was his confidence to sleep soundly through the stormy night.
Outside, the wind and waves grew increasingly fierce.
"Boom—"
Thunder cracked overhead.
Frantic waves slammed against the raft's underside, producing heart-pounding impacts.
Occasionally, strange roars could be faintly heard amidst the wind and rain.
Something even collided against the railing with a dull thud.
But immediately after.
Came the muffled sound of a water cannon firing.
Then everything returned to calm.
A cold smile tugged at Qin Yu's lips.
He turned over.
One hand naturally resting on Yao Qian's soft waist.
Time to sleep.
...
This sleep was exceptionally deep.
Perhaps due to extreme relaxation, or perhaps because of that reassuring protection.
When Qin Yu opened his eyes again.
Dawn had broken.
The storm outside had quieted significantly, leaving only the tireless surge of waves.
"Mmm..."
Qin Yu shifted slightly.
Feeling as if he were entangled by two octopuses.
On his left, Yao Qian slept in an extremely unrestrained manner, practically lying on top of him, drool dampening his shoulder.
On his right, though Yao Xue appeared more proper, her head rested on his arm while one hand tightly encircled his waist.
This was hardly apocalyptic survival.
It felt more like imperial luxury.
"Get off."
"You're crushing me."
Qin Yu irritably peeled off the human "accessories" clinging to him.
"Mmm... what time is it?"
Yao Qian rubbed her eyes drowsily, her hair a tangled mess, a glistening strand of drool at the corner of her mouth.
"Morning."
Qin Yu sat up and stretched deeply.
His joints crackled loudly.
Refreshing!
Fully energized, brimming with strength.
"Hurry up and get moving. We have a lot to do today."
Qin Yu was the first to crawl out of the tent.
Stepping outside.
A crisp, moisture-laden sea breeze washed over him.
He took a deep breath.
His lungs felt cleansed.
The violent storm from last night had finally passed.
Though the sky remained overcast with thick layers of cloud, the sea had temporarily regained its calm.
However.
Qin Yu's gaze sharpened as he scanned the surrounding waters.
Devastation.
That was the only word to describe it.
The once azure seawater now appeared murky and dark red.
Countless dismembered limbs floated on the surface—some from fish, others from unknown sea creatures.
And then…
Scattered fragments of wooden planks and tattered cloth.
These were the remnants of other survivors.
It seemed last night's storm had claimed many lives.
Gurgle…
His stomach protested at just the right moment.
Qin Yu withdrew his gaze.
Having seen so much death, he had grown numb.
The living still needed to eat.
"Qin Yu, morning."
Yao Xue emerged after straightening her clothes.
She had put her glasses back on, resuming her usual cool, mature demeanor.
Yet her gaze toward Qin Yu was noticeably softer than yesterday, carrying a hint of barely perceptible shyness.
She was probably recalling how she had clung to the hem of his clothes throughout the night.
"Morning."
Qin Yu nodded and walked to the edge of the raft.
The S-Class Automatic Fishing Net was still dutifully at work.
The net pouch was bulging.
"Let's see what's for breakfast."
Qin Yu pressed the retrieval button.
Splash—
A heap of items spilled out.
Aside from the usual wooden planks and plastic…
The most eye-catching were several large crabs waving their claws triumphantly!
They were truly enormous.
Each was the size of a washbasin, their bodies a bluish-green, with pincers like iron clamps snapping loudly.
[Mutated Blue Crab (C-grade ingredient)]
[Description: A specialty after the storm. Extremely delicious meat, rich in high-quality protein. Slightly enhances physical constitution.]
"Good stuff."
Qin Yu's eyes lit up.
In his original world, crabs this size would have sold for thousands each.
And these were mutated variants that could boost attributes!
"Wow! Crabs!"
Yao Qian rushed out at that moment, her eyes turning into stars at the sight of the large crabs on the deck.
"So big! So big!"
"Brother Qin Yu, are we having these for breakfast?"
She was practically drooling.
"Yeah, we'll grill them."
Qin Yu didn't waste words.
He directly grabbed the two plumpest ones.
The crabs struggled fiercely, their large pincers attempting to clamp onto his hands, but Qin Yu simply applied a bit of force and dislocated the claws.
He walked over to the barbecue grill.
Lit the fire, added charcoal.
This [S-Class Barbecue Grill], which he had drawn earlier, was now proving incredibly useful.
Soon, the charcoal glowed bright red.
Qin Yu tossed the cleaned crabs directly onto the grill.
Sizzle—
Moisture instantly evaporated upon contact with the high heat.
The originally bluish-green shells gradually turned into an enticing reddish-orange under the flames' caress.
An overwhelmingly rich, savory aroma began to permeate the raft.
It was the pure scent of proteins unleashed by intense heat.
Even without any seasoning, it was enough to make one's mouth water.
Gulp.
Yao Qian swallowed hard, squatting beside the grill and staring eagerly, like a puppy waiting for food.
"Sis, smell that… it's so fragrant…"
"Way more aromatic than any seafood we've ever had!"
Yao Xue approached as well, holding two freshly opened bottles of water.
Though she tried to maintain her composure, the slight twitching of her nostrils gave her away.
In this sea of scarce resources and daily life-or-death crises,
being able to eat a hot, top-tier seafood barbecue
was a happiness beyond words.
"It's done."
Qin Yu saw that the timing was about right.
He reached out, picked up one, and without fear of the heat, forcefully cracked it open.
Crack!
The crab shell shattered,
revealing snow-white crab meat still steaming.
Especially in the shell—
it was packed with golden crab roe, glistening with red oil.
"Here."
Qin Yu handed half to Yao Xue and half to Yao Qian.
"Be careful, it's hot."
"Thank you, Brother Qin Yu!"
Yao Qian cheered, ignoring the heat as she grabbed a crab leg and stuffed it into her mouth.
"Mmm!!"
Her eyes widened suddenly.
"So fresh! So sweet!"
"The meat is so tender and flaky—it's delicious!"
The little girl ate with greasy lips, completely enchanted.
Yao Xue was much more refined.
She used a small knife to pick out a piece of crab roe and placed it in her mouth,
chewing slowly.
The rich aroma burst in her mouth, so exquisite it was almost tear-inducing.
She looked at Qin Yu.
The man was holding a large claw, taking big bites.
His movements were rough but filled with a wild charm.
"Qin Yu."
Yao Xue spoke softly, offering him the tenderest piece of crab meat she had just peeled,
holding it to his lips.
"Have some meat too."
The gesture felt utterly natural,
like a wife of many years caring for her husband.
Qin Yu was taken aback for a moment.
Glancing at Yao Xue's slightly flushed cheeks, he didn't hesitate and ate it directly.
"Tastes good."
He commented lightly,
his fingers lightly brushing over the smooth back of Yao Xue's hand.
Yao Xue trembled slightly but didn't pull away, her face growing even redder.
This breakfast
was incredibly luxurious.
The three of them devoured four Mutated Blue Crabs as large as washbasins,
leaving their bellies round and full.
Yao Qian leaned against the railing without a care for her image, patting her little stomach.
"Burp—"
"If I could live like this every day, I'd do anything."
Qin Yu wiped the grease from his lips,
pulled out a cigarette from his pocket, and lit it.
It was a miscellaneous item he'd obtained from a loot box earlier, one he hadn't been willing to smoke until now.
"Want to live like this?"
Qin Yu blew out a smoke ring, his gaze turning profound.
"Then we'll have to see how many people don't make it to enjoy such a life."
With a thought,
he opened the [Regional Chat Channel (Area 9527)].
He hadn't checked it since last night—
it was too noisy.
But now, the first night of the beginner period had passed.
He needed to see just how cruel this world had become.
The screen popped open.
The first thing that caught his eye was the glaring survival count in the upper left corner.
[Current Surviving Teams in Area: 23412/33333]
Qin Yu's fingers, holding the cigarette, paused slightly.
His pupils contracted.
A district of 33,333 people.
After just one night—
merely a few hours of storms and beast tides—
over 9,000 were gone!
One-third!
This wasn't just a number.
It represented over 9,000 living lives!
The shattering of over 9,000 families!
Though Qin Yu had mentally prepared himself, seeing this mortality rate still weighed heavily on his heart.
And this was only the first night.
What about the days to come?
In the Chat Channel now,
the earlier desperate pleas and chaos were gone.
Replacing them
was a deathly silence of despair and panic.
The messages scrolled rapidly, each one carrying a blood-soaked aura.
"My little brother is gone... A wave hit last night, and he was swept away right before my eyes... I tried to save him, but it was too dark, I couldn't see anything..."
"Can someone tell me what kind of hell this is! Was that a fish last night? That was a damn monster! It bit off half of my raft! Now I'm just huddled on two planks!"
"Cold... so cold... All my supplies were washed away, I don't even have fresh water..."
"Did you see those gray avatars? Those are the dead... All the friends I added yesterday in my list have turned gray..."
"I don't want to play anymore! I want to go home! Mom, wuwuwu..."
"Something was hitting my raft just now, I didn't dare look. Someone save me, I'll be their dog!"
"Don't dream, upstairs. Who dares to rescue anyone now? We can barely survive ourselves."
Despair.
Overwhelming despair.
Even through the screen, one could feel that suffocating oppression.
Yao Xue and Yao Qian came over to look.
When they saw the survival count.
Their faces instantly turned deathly pale.
The happiness they felt from eating crabs earlier vanished without a trace.
"So... so many people..."
Yao Qian's voice trembled.
She covered her mouth, unable to believe her eyes.
"Over nine thousand people died?"
"Just... just in one night?"
If not for Qin Yu.
If not for that 100-square-meter sturdy raft.
If not for that terrifying high-pressure water cannon.
The two sisters would probably be among those nine thousand gray avatars by now.
Either struggling in the icy seawater, or already torn to pieces as fish food.
Yao Xue's fingers gripped the railing tightly.
Her knuckles turned white from the force.
She was a doctor, she had seen death before.
But this kind of large-scale, indiscriminate slaughter still shattered her psychological defenses.
She turned to look at Qin Yu.
Her eyes filled with post-fear.
"Qin Yu..."
"Thank goodness we have you."
This time.
She said it very seriously.
Without any trace of flattery.
Qin Yu closed the chat channel.
Threw the cigarette butt into the sea, watching it get swallowed by the waves.
"Scared already?"
Qin Yu stood up and clapped his hands.
His tone remained flat, cold as a stone.
"This is just the beginning."
"Survival of the fittest."
"These eight words are just a slogan in civilized society."
"Here, they're the iron law."
He turned to look at the two pale-faced women.
"If you don't want to become gray avatars."
"If you want to keep eating crabs and sleeping peacefully."
"Then pull yourselves together."
"Yao Xue, go collect the leftover dried fish from yesterday. That's survival rations."
"Yao Qian, stop spacing out. Go watch the fishing net. What's floating on the sea now isn't just trash, but the legacy of those nine thousand dead people."
"This is also a resource."
"Even if it's from the dead, if it can help us survive, we have to salvage it!"
Qin Yu's words were cold-blooded.
Even somewhat cruel.
But after hearing them, the fear in Yao Xue and Yao Qian's eyes gradually dissipated.
Replaced by a fighting spirit burning for survival.
Yes.
Since they were alive, they had to live well.
In this hell.
Compassion was a luxury.
Only those who survived had the right to be sentimental.
"Yes!"
The two sisters answered in unison.
Yao Xue took a deep breath, turned and walked toward the drying rack, her back resolute.
Yao Qian wiped her face and ran back to the fishing net.
Qin Yu watched their busy figures.
A faint smile curled at the corner of his lips.
He sat back down at his fishing spot.
Picked up that SSS-grade Poseidon fishing rod.
"Only the weak cry out in the channels."
"The strong only wield their blades."