157: Chapter 157 Hong Youwu's Troubles and Choices

Just as an awkward and comical late-night battlefield was playing out in Li Taiping's captain's quarters...

On the other side of the second floor of the Many Children, Many Blessings.

Outside the holographic viewing window, the black-and-white scroll of the Mofeng Mountain and Sea flowed silently; the eerie stillness formed an incredibly sharp contrast with the warmth and luxury inside the room.

Hong Youwu had just finished bathing.

The electronic bathroom door slid open silently, and a cloud of steam rushed eagerly into the spacious bedroom.

She wore a loose, light red silk nightgown, her fair and long legs bare as she walked over to sit before a massive vanity mirror.

Holding a soft towel, she listlessly dried her damp black hair.

Crystal droplets of water slid down her exquisite jawline and flowed over her slender, pale neck.

This should have been an incredibly erotic scene of a bathing beauty, enough to make any man's blood boil.

But on Hong Youwu's face, there wasn't a hint of flirtatiousness.

Instead, a faint trace of melancholy was frozen in her heroic phoenix eyes.

She looked at herself in the mirror and let out a long sigh.

"Fortune leans on woe; woe crouches beneath fortune."

She murmured to herself, her voice tinged with helplessness.

To be rescued by the system and board this fifth-rank many sons, many blessings, which was comparable to a mobile fortress at sea, and to latch onto the thigh of the world's strongest person was undoubtedly a stroke of immense luck.

In this survival world where human life was as cheap as grass and the future was uncertain, this was practically skipping straight through hell mode.

But the "blessings" on this ship seemed a bit too "full" for her.

Especially in the physical sense.

Hong Youwu subconsciously lowered her head, glancing at her chest, which was tightly wrapped in the silk nightgown yet still appeared majestic and ready to burst forth.

Those two massive, heavy burdens had been a source of inescapable trouble for her since childhood.

In the peaceful era before she crossed over, they had caused her endless distress.

She could never find clothes in the right size, and the tearing, dragging pain when she ran drove her crazy.

And in this godforsaken post-apocalyptic survival world, these proud assets had become a massive obstacle to her survival and combat!

Hong Youwu habitually reached out with both hands to support the two massive bundles in front of her from below, the movement appearing somewhat strained.

Too heavy.

"I really want to slice off these two useless pieces of fat."

She gritted her teeth, muttering resentfully in her heart.

In her mind, she couldn't help but recall the words Su Mei had said to her during the room tour at dusk.

At that time, Su Mei had intentionally lagged half a step behind to walk beside her. She reached out a finger and, seemingly by accident, lightly poked that startling curve.

"Little sister Youwu, this figure of yours is a unique asset on our ship."

Su Mei's gaze had been lingering, her red lips slightly parted as she exhaled like an orchid, her voice carrying a seductive quality that could melt one's bones.

"Never mind men, even I find it enviable. The captain is the type who's cold on the outside but warm on the inside; he'll definitely love these two big treasures of yours. You have to make good use of them; don't let such a good Talent go to waste."

Sister Mei.

Hong Youwu's brow furrowed slightly.

She could tell that on this ship, aside from that mysterious and powerful captain, Su Mei was the woman with the highest status and the most influence.

Su Mei's words seemed like well-intentioned sisterly teasing and advice, but in reality, they were a blatant hint for her to recognize reality and take the initiative to "compete for favor."

But...

Did she really have to use this method?

Deep down, Hong Youwu was actually a fairly traditional and even somewhat conservative woman; she was used to relying on her own hands and mind to get what she wanted.

Offering herself up? That was too embarrassing!

She couldn't do it. At least, not now.

Moreover, that man was already surrounded by so many beauties. The cold ones, the seductive ones, the cute ones, the twins...

It was practically a miniature Kingdom of Women!

She rubbed her aching temples, feeling a surge of agitation.

"If only there were a Talent that could make them a bit smaller. Even if it was just temporarily during battle, that would be fine."

This thought flashed through her mind.

She suddenly remembered that when she first boarded the ship today, the system notification had sounded in her head.

For the four of them, the new initial crew members, each had an unawakened exclusive Talent hidden within their bodies.

And as for the conditions for awakening, although the system had been vague, they all understood.

Hong Youwu lowered her head, gently stroking the faint golden light coming from the survival terminal on her wrist.

What would her Talent be?

Would it be one of those world-destroying combat-type Talents?

Or would it be related to her unusual figure?

Could there be a Talent that could directly convert excess fat into berserk combat power?

A rare flash of curiosity and anticipation crossed Hong Youwu's heart.

But soon, this sliver of anticipation was replaced by the melancholy of reality.

To awaken a Talent, one had to cross that threshold.

She turned her head, glancing at the pitch-black sea outside the window, which was so calm it made one's skin crawl.

She looked up again, her gaze seemingly piercing through the ceiling toward the man upstairs who was currently surrounded by women.

Li Taiping.

The man who exuded an aura of invincible pressure with every move.

Ultimately, Hong Youwu took a deep breath, shook her head, and made a decision.

"Forget it, there's no rush."

She murmured to her reflection in the mirror, her eyes regaining their usual efficiency and clarity.

"Sister Mei already made things so clear today; those other newcomers will definitely not be able to hold back from seeking out the captain tonight."

Hong Youwu pursed her lips.

Tuan Xiaoying, that perverted lolita who looked innocent but had eyes full of lust.

Jing He, that little Republican-era 'green tea' girl who spoke with a Beijing accent and had more schemes than a lotus root has holes.

And Song Yunque, that mixed-race girl who was cold on the surface but actually quite repressed.

These three women would never let tonight's perfect opportunity for a "first night" performance slip by.

"What would I be if I went to join the commotion now? One-fourth of a newcomer? Not only would it fail to show my value, but I would also just become another tribute, a mere 'icing on the cake,' and might even annoy the captain."

She was a clever woman who valued strategy and never fought a battle she wasn't prepared for.

In her view, this sort of thing also required the right timing, location, and harmony.

At the very least, she should wait until the Captain felt a hint of boredom with those fresh faces who offered themselves up.

Wait until he could truly notice Hong Youwu's uniqueness among the crowd and see her inner value, rather than just lusting after her exaggerated body.

That would be the best time for her to act.

Having made up her mind, Hong Youwu's mood instantly calmed significantly, and her anxiety about gains and losses vanished.

She stood up and casually switched off the main light in the room, leaving only a dim, yellow sleep lamp.

Then, she walked to the brand-name bed that was so soft one could sink into it and climbed under the covers.

"Tonight, I'll just have a comfortable and peaceful sleep by myself; that's the most luxurious enjoyment in the apocalypse."

She closed her eyes and forced herself to clear her mind, no longer thinking about the messy and ridiculous affairs upstairs.

However, Hong Youwu could never have imagined...

At the same time she made this decision to avoid the spotlight for now...

Upstairs, in the luxurious and spacious captain's quarters on the third floor.

The atmosphere had frozen to its limit.

Li Taiping felt like his head was about to explode.

One of his hands frantically rubbed his throbbing temple as he looked at the three uninvited women standing in a row before him.

Tuan Xiaoying's face was flushed red, her large eyes darting around; Jing He covered her mouth with a giggle, looking like she was enjoying the show; and Song Yunque blinked her blue eyes with an innocent expression.

Fortunately, that 'Great Scholar Hong' hadn't come to join the chaos.

If all four of them had actually gathered, they could have started a game of Mahjong right here in the captain's quarters!

Since the night was already late, then... let's begin!

...