104: S-level chef's heart

As the evening glow dyed the clouds a magnificent orange-red, a grand celebration banquet officially commenced in the open-air restaurant on the top deck.

"Ding-dong!"

"Brother Mo, Sister! Come and taste my latest masterpiece!"

Gu Nianqiu, like a little squirrel presenting a treasure, skipped lightly and carefully placed a dish exuding a dreamlike golden halo in the center of the dining table.

It was a dish made with the Golden Fruit from the very top of the World Tree as the main ingredient, supplemented by dozens of rare plant essences.

The fruit flesh was cut into perfect thin slices, layered to form a blooming golden lotus.

Each petal shimmered with a honey-like luster.

An indescribable, refreshing Life fragrance instantly permeated the entire restaurant.

Just by smelling the aroma, Lin Mo and Gu Zhixia felt the fatigue of days of battle vanish, and every cell in their bodies let out a greedy cheer.

The moment the dish was served, a system panel, visible only to Gu Nianqiu, quietly appeared before her.

"Congratulations, through continuous refinement of your Master Chef skills, your will and artistry have been sublimated."

"Your Talent, 'Master Chef (A-rank)', has successfully advanced to 'Heart of the Divine Chef (S-rank)'!"

"Heart of the Divine Chef (S-rank): Your understanding of ingredients has reached perfection, and your hands can imbue food with true 'soul'. Dishes you create have a high probability of producing 'mythical-grade' enhancement effects."

"Wow!"

Gu Nianqiu covered her small mouth, her beautiful big eyes instantly filled with brilliant starlight.

"I named this dish 'Divine Grace: Ode to Life'!"

Gu Nianqiu puffed out her small chest proudly, picked up the serving chopsticks, and placed a lotus-like petal for each of them.

The golden fruit flesh melted in their mouths, and a vast, ocean-like warm current of Life exploded in their stomachs, instantly surging through their limbs and bones!

Lin Mo could even clearly feel his muscles, bones, and even mental power undergoing a transformative metamorphosis under the cleansing of this warm current!

"You consumed 'Divine Grace: Ode to Life' (Mythical-grade dish)"

"All your attributes are permanently +15!"

"Over the next 24 hours, your Life and energy recovery speed will increase by 300%!"

Looking at the prompts that popped up on the system panel, Lin Mo and Gu Zhixia fell into a brief silence.

"All attributes... permanently plus fifteen?"

For the first time, Gu Zhixia's always calm and beautiful face showed an expression of disbelief.

She subconsciously clenched her fist, feeling the powerful strength that had surged out of nowhere, almost overflowing from her body.

This effect was no longer "abnormal."

This was a walking miracle!

"Hehe, I'm amazing, right!"

Gu Nianqiu was a little embarrassed by their shocked gazes, her small face flushed, like a ripe apple.

Lin Mo looked at her, his eyes filled with approval and a hint of imperceptible tenderness.

This Little Girl, who always followed behind them and needed protection, had now, in her own way, become an indispensable and most solid backing for the team.

The atmosphere of the celebration banquet reached its peak, catalyzed by this divine-grade dish.

After several rounds of drinks and dishes.

Gu Zhixia, holding a glass of juice, walked to the deck railing, enjoying the cool night breeze, seemingly calming her still turbulent emotions.

Lin Mo also walked over and stood beside her.

Neither of them spoke, just quietly looking at the deep night sky and the slowly flowing sea of clouds below.

The tranquility after battle was always especially precious.

After a long while, Gu Zhixia suddenly spoke, her voice devoid of its usual sharpness and arrogance, instead carrying a hint of inquiry that even she hadn't noticed.

"The way you controlled Fafnir in the sea at the end was different from before."

She was referring to the scene where Lin Mo's will merged with Fafnir, unleashing a zero-range breath attack.

That kind of man-machine integration, the decisiveness and madness of transforming oneself into a weapon, made even her, a Weapon Master, feel a sense of dread.

"Consider it a small breakthrough," Lin Mo did not hide. "That steel behemoth is not just a weapon; it's more like another body of mine."

Gu Zhixia nodded and did not press further.

She changed the subject, her gaze turning towards the unknown distance shrouded in darkness, her eyes once again becoming sharp.

"Don't you find it strange?"

"The World Tree, Abyssal Throat Ripper... this initial sea area, it's like a carefully arranged gladiatorial arena. These things shouldn't be here at all."

A flicker of admiration flashed in Lin Mo's eyes.

Gu Zhixia's keen insight always aligned with his own thoughts.

"I've been thinking about that too." Lin Mo's voice deepened. "Remember the woman named Lan Yue? Before she left, she warned us that someone was 'hunting'."

"Hunting..."

Gu Zhixia chewed on the word, the chill in her eyes intensifying.

"Treating us as prey?"

"Perhaps, at first."

A curve of extreme coldness appeared at the corner of Lin Mo's mouth.

"But now, who is the hunter and who is the prey, it's hard to say."

They exchanged glances, seeing the same thing in each other's eyes — wariness, and a burning fighting spirit after being provoked.

As night deepened, only the two of them remained on the deck.

Gu Nianqiu had long since eaten her fill and returned to her room contentedly, hugging her little bear doll and falling asleep.

The atmosphere, in the silence, subtly began to change.

The sea breeze blew, lifting a strand of Gu Zhixia's hair, and gently brushed across Lin Mo's cheek.

It was ticklish, carrying a unique, cool fragrance that was hers alone.

"Lin Mo."

Gu Zhixia suddenly called his name softly, her voice very light, as if afraid to disturb the night.

"Hmm?"

Lin Mo turned his head, meeting Gu Zhixia's phoenix eyes, bright as obsidian, close at hand.

In those eyes, there was no longer the sharpness and arrogance of the day, only the softness of the night and a hint of... bewilderment that even she herself hadn't noticed.

"What... do you think of me now?"

She asked the question that had been in her heart for a long time.

This question had exhausted all her courage.

Lin Mo looked at her, at her star-reflected eyes, and did not answer immediately.

Gu Zhixia's heart began to pound, her breathing even becoming lighter.

She saw Lin Mo's gaze deepen, as if it pierced through her disguise, seeing the deepest part of her heart, that uneasiness and expectation.

Then, he spoke.

His voice was calm, yet carried an unprecedented, undeniable solemnity.

"You are the only person in this apocalypse to whom I can entrust my back."

Boom.

Gu Zhixia felt her heart pound at that moment, struck hard by those simple words.

Not family, not friend, not comrade.

But, the only one.

The only one to whom she could entrust her back.

In this man-eating apocalypse, these six words were heavier than any love confession, weighing more than ten thousand catties.

The warmth on her cheeks began to rise uncontrollably.

Just as her mind was in a turmoil, unsure how to respond, Lin Mo's gaze fell upon her lips.

The atmosphere became extremely ambiguous.

A certain emotion was about to break through the surface.

However—

"Brother Mo! Sister! Are you looking at the stars? I want to look too!"

Gu Nianqiu had appeared again at some point, wearing cute rabbit pajamas, rubbing her sleepy eyes, and enthusiastically squeezed between the two like a little shadow.

The ambiguous atmosphere instantly dissipated into thin air.

"Nianqiu, why are you..."

Gu Zhixia's cheeks were flushed, and she almost instantly reverted to her usual cool demeanor, but her tone carried a hint of panic and annoyance that even she hadn't noticed.

"I couldn't sleep, and I wanted to hear Brother Mo tell a story!"

Gu Nianqiu was completely oblivious to the unusual atmosphere. As she spoke, she hugged Lin Mo's arm, playfully cuddling.

Lin Mo looked at Gu Zhixia, who was so flustered that her earlobes were red, and then at the innocent Gu Nianqiu. He chuckled and shook his head, pushing back the fleeting romantic thoughts he had just had.

Perhaps, this was also good.

A home should be like this.

With the only one to whom he could entrust his back.

And the warmth that needed to be protected with his Life.