116: Farewell to the initial sea area! A feast forged with the flesh and blood of the BOSS!

Lin Mo pulled her along and walked directly into the medical room next to the kitchen.

The upgraded medical room was more like a small Life cradle; the central medical pod emitted a soft, emerald green glow, filled with the aura of Life.

Lin Mo didn't bother with the complicated process of activating the medical pod.

He simply had Gu Zhixia extend her hand under a small, scanner-like device.

A pale green beam of light swept across her fingertips.

Gu Zhixia only felt a cool, comfortable sensation at the wound.

The still-bleeding wound rapidly healed at a visible speed, leaving not even a trace of a scar.

The entire process took no more than three seconds.

"..."

Gu Zhixia looked at her perfectly intact finger, momentarily lost in thought.

The capabilities of this ship once again exceeded her understanding.

"All done."

Lin Mo released her hand and turned to leave, as if he had just done something insignificant.

"Wait a moment."

Gu Zhixia suddenly called out to him.

Lin Mo turned back and saw her looking down, her dark, smooth hair falling to obscure the expression on her face, revealing only a slightly reddened earlobe.

"That... thanks."

Her voice was very soft, like a mosquito's hum, carrying a hint of shyness and embarrassment that she herself hadn't noticed.

Lin Mo looked at her, clearly embarrassed but trying to maintain composure, and found it a little amusing.

He didn't expose her, merely saying indifferently, "Next time, let Nianqiu handle this kind of thing."

"You just focus on eating."

With that, he turned and walked out of the medical room, leaving behind a composed figure.

Gu Zhixia stood rooted to the spot, watching him leave, then looked down at her hand.

On it, his broad, warm palm seemed to linger.

Her heart, for some unknown reason, was beating a little fast.

By the time the two returned to the kitchen, Gu Nianqiu was already humming an off-key tune, skillfully taking over all the work.

Her chef's knife flew up and down, transforming into a dazzling silver blur.

The Crystal Prison Burst-Neck Dragon meat, which had been as hard as rock in Gu Zhixia's hands, was as docile as premium tofu under Nianqiu's knife.

In just a few tens of seconds, a plate of translucent, cicada-wing-thin Crystal Prison Burst-Neck Dragon sashimi was neatly arranged, shimmering with an inviting luster.

Gu Zhixia watched this scene, her mouth twitching slightly.

She silently walked to the side, picked up a fist-sized, potato-like root vegetable from the sink, and tried to help wash it.

But she didn't control her strength well.

With a "crack."

A clear crack appeared in the poor vegetable from her grip.

Her movements instantly froze, and she expressionlessly turned it around, then casually placed it back in the sink as if nothing had happened.

Never mind.

It was more suitable for her to be a quiet gourmand.

Lin Mo continued to process his squid with deft movements, clearly an expert himself.

None of the three spoke again, but the atmosphere in the kitchen subtly changed without them realizing it.

It was a feeling that was warmer, more harmonious, and more... like home.

An hour later.

A feast, grand enough to be recorded in the annals of apocalypse cuisine, officially began at the open-air restaurant on the top deck.

The afterglow of the setting sun dyed the entire sky a magnificent orange-red.

The sea breeze gently caressed them, carrying a hint of salty warmth.

The dining table was laden with a dazzling array of divine dishes, radiating inviting luster and strange energy fluctuations.

"Ta-da! The first main course, Heart of Molten Fire!"

Gu Nianqiu, like a little host, proudly uncovered a huge soup tureen.

"Made from the heart of a Crystal Prison Burst-Neck Dragon, plus molten crystals dug from deep within a volcano, slow-simmered for a whole hour! One sip, and you're guaranteed to feel warm from the inside out!"

The soup was crimson like blood, yet it exuded a magnificent aura of Life flame, making one's appetite soar.

"And this, Abyssal Emerald!"

She then pointed to a cold dish.

"Made with the tenderest tentacles of a deep-sea giant squid, paired with World Tree sap, it's springy and smooth, every bite feels like the rhythm of the ocean!"

"As for this..."

She gave a mysterious smile, pointing to a huge steak, roasted to a fragrant crisp, yet its surface seemed to shimmer with starlight.

"It's the 'Starry Sky Dragon Steak,' roasted with 'Chaos Core' powder left after the Eye of the Forbidden Zone dissipated, as seasoning! The taste... hehe, try it yourselves!"

Each dish was not just food, but a work of art, a magical item capable of providing powerful enhancements.

"Come! For our great Victory, and for our invincible Natural Selection!"

Gu Nianqiu raised her juice glass, her small face flushed with excitement.

"Cheers!"

Lin Mo and Gu Zhixia also raised their glasses.

The crisp clinking of glasses echoed in the twilight.

This would be their last, and grandest, celebration in this initial sea region.

The atmosphere of the banquet gradually reached its climax, fueled by Gu Nianqiu's tireless laughter and the succession of divine dishes.

"Brother Mo, Sister, look! There's something even more fun!"

Gu Nianqiu ran to the control panel in the center of the restaurant like she was presenting a treasure, her small hands excitedly pressing a few buttons on it.

The next second, the entire open-air restaurant's scenery underwent a drastic change.

The solid deck beneath their feet transformed into a fine, soft golden sandy beach; they could even feel the realistic sensation of sand grains rubbing against their soles.

The orange-red sunset above was replaced by a deeper, more brilliant starry sky, with a magnificent Milky Way stretching across the heavens, seemingly within reach.

In the distance, the rhythmic sound of waves crashing on the shore could be heard, and the air even carried a faint, salty scent of the sea breeze.

"Wow! It really feels like being at the beach!"

Gu Nianqiu took off her small leather shoes and ran barefoot on the sand, leaving a trail of tiny footprints, her bell-like laughter filling the entire "beach."

Gu Zhixia leaned back in a comfortable beach chair, looking at the chillingly realistic starry sky above; her phoenix eyes, usually sharp as knives, were now rare, tinged with a hazy softness.

She extended her toe and lightly tapped the sand, the realistic sensation making her raise an eyebrow.

"The computing power of this system is a bit exaggerated," she commented, her tone one of expert approval.

"Can it simulate an LV60 target ship?" she suddenly asked.

Gu Nianqiu, who was chasing a holographic projection of a small crab, immediately stopped, put her hands on her hips, and glared at her indignantly: "Sister! Today is a celebration banquet! No thinking about work!"

Gu Zhixia pouted, said nothing more, and took a sip of her juice.

In such a man-eating apocalypse, to be able to lie peacefully on a beach, feel the sea breeze, and gaze at the starry sky.

This in itself was a miracle.