94: Modification Plan

There was no romantic sunrise in the morning on the Sea of Despair.

There was only a lifeless gray.

Chen Du woke up on a luxurious, large round bed.

The space beside him was empty.

A trace of coolness still remained in the blankets.

It was left behind by Xia Mo.

This girl was thin-skinned, fearing a social death if she ran into the other girls after waking up early.

Before dawn, she had activated Shadow Evasion and slipped back to her own room.

"Heh, she runs quite fast, just like a rabbit!"

Chen Du stretched but did not get up.

With a slight thought,

the shadows beside him rose up like flowing water.

Then, they skillfully curled around a pack of cigarettes on the coffee table and popped one out.

It was delivered to his lips.

Click.

A lighter ignited automatically and moved close to the cigarette tip.

He took a deep drag.

The pungent smoke entered his lungs, instantly clearing his mind.

Chen Du narrowed his eyes.

This was the power of the [King of Shadows].

It couldn't just kill people; it could also light cigarettes, scrub his back, and even add a bit of spice to life.

In the future, trivial matters like grabbing a water glass or putting on clothes wouldn't require him to lift a finger.

This feeling of total control, as if the shadows were his own limbs, was simply amazing.

"It's also time to teach these greenhouse flowers a lesson."

...Inside the dining room.

Two distinctly different smells mingled in the air.

On one side was the shabby scent of cheap luncheon meat mixed with sour, fermented mustard greens;

On the other side was the milky aroma of top-tier Kobe beef being grilled.

The long dining table was clearly divided.

Zhou Qian carried a large pot, distributing white porridge and mustard greens to the girls with a submissive expression.

At the other end of the table,

Xia Lai sat with her legs crossed, her "thug no. 1," seeing the light of day again, glinting coldly.

She speared a slice of sizzling, oily beef.

She dipped it in a bit of sea salt,

and finished it in one bite!

"Sigh~~ Is this the taste of the strong? So delicious!"

Xia Mo lowered her head to cut her beef, the tips of her ears still slightly red.

When Chen Du passed by her, he clearly saw the girl stiffen, nearly dropping her fork and knife onto the plate.

Beside her, Xia Xin, Tang Ran, and several other core members had plates filled with fresh ingredients brought back from the God-Forsaken Land.

High protein, high calories—every bite was power.

Gulp!

It was the sound of someone swallowing their saliva.

Wang Jia bit her chopsticks, looking at the solitary strand of mustard green in her bowl; her composure crumbled.

"Captain..."

Zhao Mengmeng plucked up her courage, speaking in a high-pitched, coquettish voice: "That beef... it smells so good~~"

"Can I have a taste too? Just one slice..."

Chen Du sat in the head seat.

He held a large green beer bottle, shaking it gently.

The beer foam clung to the glass, very much like a certain metaphor.

"Want to eat?"

He didn't even lift his eyelids. "Sure."

Hearing this, the girls' eyes lit up.

"Go outside and kill a monster, or awaken a talent for me to see."

Chen Du took a swig of beer, his tone flat: "This ship doesn't support idlers, nor does it do charity."

"Good things are naturally reserved for those who risk their lives. What can you do after eating besides gaining fat? Improve the diet for the monsters?"

"In this world, wasting resources is a capital crime."

A bucket of cold water doused all their fantasies.

Zhao Mengmeng retracted her neck, her small face flushing red.

The eyes of the other girls who had little schemes changed.

Envy and jealousy eventually transformed into ambition.

Chen Du was very satisfied with this effect.

A proper sense of hunger and class disparity was the best PUA... oh no, the best management method.

"Don't leave after eating."

Chen Du set down his glass, the glass hitting the table with a crisp thud. "We're having a short meeting; we have a bit of trouble."

Ten minutes later.

In the meeting room.

Chen Du sat with his legs crossed on the table.

A string of data was listed on the projection screen behind him.

"There are 186 barrels of fuel left. If we use it sparingly, it can last about a week."

"The rice and flour are enough for us to eat for a month."

"But..."

Chen Du tapped the table, his voice deepening, "Fresh water—only three days' worth remains."

Li Yaozhi's face turned pale: "Three days? But weren't the water tanks on the ship full before?"

"Don't look at me; the data doesn't lie. Besides, you said it yourself—that was 'before'!"

Chen Du sneered, "Over thirty girls need to eat, drink, and use the bathroom every day, and all of you love being clean. The fresh water hit rock bottom long ago."

"Do you think this ship is carrying the Pacific Ocean?"

The girls looked at each other, and panic began to spread.

Without food, they might be able to hold out for over ten days.

Without water? They'd turn into mummies in five days at most.

"Then... can we collect rainwater?" An Nuonuo raised her small hand and asked weakly.

"The rainwater in this sea area is corrosive. If you want to rot your intestines, you're welcome to try," Xia Lai added sharply.

The girls were at a loss.

Chen Du snapped his fingers.

The screen image changed, and a complex mechanical blueprint popped up.

[Fully Automatic Liquid Molecular Circulation Filtration System (Improved Version)!]

"Fortunately, there's always a way out."

Chen Du pointed at the blueprint and introduced it seriously: "This is a modification blueprint I unlocked in the upgrade modification module."

"Using Xia Lai's Mechanic talent and the existing materials, it can be put together in about half a day."

"The conversion rate is as high as 62%, and we have plenty of raw materials on the ship."

As soon as these words were spoken, hope was rekindled in the girls' eyes.

"What are the raw materials?" Lin Keke leaned her head in curiously.

Chen Du grinned, revealing two rows of white teeth.

"Your bathwater, and... excrement."

Silence.

A deathly silence.

"Ugh!!"

Xiao Ai was the first to break down, covering her mouth and retching.

A 'fragrant' image began to form in her mind.

"I won't drink it! Kill me, but I won't drink it!"

Li Yaozhi stood up abruptly.

That cold, mature face was turning a glowing shade of green.

"This is too disgusting! Chen Du, are you a pervert? Making us drink... drink that..."

"Urine?!"

"That's right, Captain..."

An Nuonuo was so scared she clutched her skirt and shrank back.

It was as if Chen Du was about to take a tube and forcibly extract water right now.

"We... we can endure it... really!"

Faced with the public indignation, the smile on Chen Du's face didn't fade in the slightest.

"Endure?"

"Naïve!"

He pulled back his legs and leaned forward.

A sense of pressure enveloped the room, causing all voices of opposition to come to an abrupt halt.

"In the face of survival, nothing is off-limits."

"Besides."

Chen Du turned to look at Xia Lai, whose eyes were shining: "Second Sister, this is the time to show off your skills."

"I want you to add a filtration layer and a mineralization device to the entire circulation system. Ensure that the water filtered out tastes sweet and is pure in every drop."

Xia Lai snatched the blueprint, the fanaticism in her eyes nearly overflowing: "Not bad... molecular restructuring filtration?"

"At this level... forget urine, I could even turn nuclear wastewater into nongfu spring for you!"

Immediately, a wicked smile spread across her lips, and her gaze swept over Li Yaozhi and An Nuonuo:

"Don't worry, Captain... this is a special drink exclusive to our ship. Ordinary people couldn't drink it even if they wanted to~ Hehehe..."

Listening to the conversation between these two, the girls felt their scalps tingle and goosebumps break out all over.

What kind of demonic captain and perverted technician combo was this?!

"Good."

Chen Du stood up, leaving no room for further rebuttal.

"Those who don't want to drink recycled water can sign a voluntary dehydration death waiver."

"But I'll leave you with this: when you're so thirsty your throats are smoking..."

He picked up that bottle of cloudy beer and shook it under the light:

"Even if it's urine, you'll be kneeling and begging me to let you drink it!"

"Meeting adjourned!"