3: Chapter 3 The More Beauties the Better - Revision (1)

(Review!!! No inappropriate guidance! This is a survival novel! The main plot is survival! Maritime survival! Stop putting me in the dark room! Dammit!!!)

"I cast my vote for captain to you."

Li Taiping had just finished reading the survival manual's beginner's guide when Su Mei's whisper, as soft as a mosquito's, reached his ears.

Immediately after, she broke free from his embrace and ran to the side, curling up into a ball, looking like someone who would say, "I don't know this person."

Li Taiping's old face flushed red.

But he quickly reacted.

This woman was acting.

Recalling the cruel rule about the "captain binding everyone's life," and then looking at the strange situation before him—one man surrounded by many women, where the yin outweighs the yang—Li Taiping instantly understood Su Mei's intention.

If this were peaceful times, everyone might tease this young couple.

But this was a survival world with no laws, only survival!

If he and Su Mei acted too intimate, even appearing like a "couple" conspiring to seize power, what would the dozens of other women think?

They would be jealous, worried, and might even target them.

After all, he was the only male present.

Being too intimate with any one of them would be detrimental to his bid for captain.

Su Mei's retreat not only distanced herself but also sent a signal to everyone: "I have nothing to do with him; I am also part of the vulnerable group."

This girl's reaction was actually a step faster than his own!

Was this the legendary "three women make a play"?

Or was it that the Talent for palace intrigue in women is truly a bloodline awakening carved into their DNA?

Li Taiping took a deep breath, trying to calm the restlessness surging within him.

But he failed.

It wasn't that he didn't want to, it was just difficult to do.

After all, he was an eighteen-year-old young man who had just tasted the forbidden fruit last night and was at an age full of vigor and vitality.

There was no help for it; the scene before him was too shocking.

As far as the eye could see, it was practically a top-tier visual feast.

Not only was there the primal beauty of being "honest and open," but also various "uniform temptations" that made one's blood boil.

A certain mature woman in professional OL attire had a few holes in her black silk stockings, making it even more tempting; a girl in ancient costume had her light gauze half-covering her, appearing to refuse while actually welcoming; and a sporty girl in a loose jersey was full of vitality...

If you didn't like them perky, there were flat ones; if you didn't like them big, there were small ones—all shapes and sizes, encompassing everything.

This wasn't a survival scene; it was a man's ultimate dream—if you didn't consider that this was a survival world.

"Calm down, Li Taiping, you are a decent person."

He recited the Great Compassion Mantra in his heart, forcibly moving his gaze away from those fair, exposed bodies, and turned to observe the group's dynamics.

Survival is always the top priority.

If life is gone, this garden of spring scenery is nothing but bones in a grave.

What surprised Li Taiping even more was that in these short few minutes, these women who were originally panicked had actually started chatting warmly.

There was no hysterical breakdown or mindless crying as he had imagined.

Except for a very few who were still sobbing in low voices, most people had quickly adapted to the environment before them.

At the very least, there were no incredibly stupid "little fairies."

Looking at the scene before him, noisy but not out of control, Li Taiping felt reassured.

Fear stems from the unknown, and also from incompetence.

But this group of women possessed better "good teammate" qualities than expected.

The countdown on his retina was still ticking, the bright red numbers like a death warrant from the Grim Reaper.

The captain's vote had a strict time limit; there was no more time for him to weigh the pros and cons, and certainly no time for any vote-canvassing speeches.

He had to cut the Gordian knot.

Li Taiping disregarded the embarrassment of his lower body and stood up abruptly from the crystal platform.

He straightened his back and spread his arms, as if to embrace the silent starry sky.

"Ahem! Everyone, quiet down and listen to me for a few words!"

His voice was loud and full of energy, instantly drowning out the surrounding chatter.

Whoosh—

The whole place actually went quiet.

Dozens of beautiful eyes turned in unison.

Only, Li Taiping quickly realized that the atmosphere had become somewhat strange.

The gazes that should have been focused on his face were now, as if pulled by the gravity of the starry sky, moving downwards in unison.

The air seemed to freeze for two seconds.

Immediately after, the originally tense survival atmosphere was instantly broken by a burst of hushed, somewhat excited, and playful whispering.

"Whoa! He's actually quite well-endowed!"

"Indeed! How embarrassing!"

"The modeling in this game is something else."

"Too bad he's just a little brother, doesn't look very old."

"What's wrong with being a little brother? Little brothers are the best; at this age, they really put their energy into you!"

"How do you know so much?"

"Ahem, I have read extensively and have rich theoretical knowledge."

"From the Spring and Autumn period?"

The whispering grew louder, and some even started to critique him.

Li Taiping's face turned black, and the veins on his forehead jumped.

This is a survival site, not a gigolo casting shop!

Had these women's focus gone completely off the rails?

What happened to the promised reserve? What happened to the promised shyness?

"Ahem!"

Li Taiping raised his voice, forcibly interrupting this improper trend.

"Ladies, please move your eyes up a bit and look at my face!"

"Although my 'strengths' are indeed prominent, we are now here to discuss a matter of life and death!"

This shout of his made quite a few girls cover their mouths and giggle, and the atmosphere actually relaxed quite a bit.

The mature woman in the black lace nightgown, arms crossed over her chest, looked at him with a smile that wasn't quite a smile:

"Alright, little brother, since you dare to be so frank, tell us, what do you want to do?"

Li Taiping straightened his expression and scanned the crowd.

"It's very simple. In a survival world, survival is the priority. And the captain decides everyone's life and death."

He paused, his voice becoming serious. "As the only male present, I find it necessary to put forward an extremely objective, fair, and indisputable suggestion."

"I suggest everyone vote for me as captain."

Once these words were out, there was no major backlash in the crowd; instead, quite a few people nodded thoughtfully.

Li Taiping struck while the iron was hot, holding up three fingers.

"First, physical advantage. We only have one raft at the start, not even oars."

"On the ocean, storms, waves, and even potential marine life all require absolute strength to confront."

"I am a man; this is a physiological advantage determined by genetics. I can swim, and I can carry the load when danger arises."

This point was irrefutable.

"Second, mental fortitude. Survival is not just about staying alive; it's about facing endless loneliness and darkness."

Li Taiping pointed to the deep void beneath his feet.

"When night falls, when there is nothing but the sound of waves all around, and when the fear of the unknown strikes,"

"Can you be sure that, alone, you can maintain your sanity without breaking down in that vast ocean?"

"I can. These difficulties are just minor issues to me."

Hearing "loneliness" and "darkness," many girls' faces turned pale.

Most of them were flowers from a greenhouse; no matter how independent they were usually, if they were really thrown into the ocean to survive, just that dead silence would be enough to drive anyone crazy.

Seeing that the time was right, Li Taiping threw out his final trump card.

A smile of certainty hung on his face, his gaze meeting everyone's stare openly.

"The third point, and also the most important one—selfishness."

"I won't beat around the bush. I am a normal man, physically healthy, with a sub-healthy psychological state. But I am a lover of beauty!"

Li Taiping spread his hands, looking righteous.

"If you choose a woman as captain, everyone is a beauty, and no one will submit to anyone else."

"A woman's heart is a needle at the bottom of the sea; if the captain is jealous of someone who looks better than her, or has a grudge against someone, and trips them up a little, it would be a disaster."

"But I am different."

"For beauties, the more the better."

"I will risk my life to upgrade the ship, and risk my life to save you. Because—"

He grinned, revealing a mouthful of white teeth.

"Saving you alive is my motivation; possessing you is my ambition."

"Entrusting your life to me is much safer than entrusting it to a peer who might be jealous of you, isn't it?"