12: Night Watch with Two Sisters

The night was deep, and all was silent.

The Natural Selection lay quietly on the sea, emitting a faint glow.

Lin Mo leaned back in the spacious captain's chair, gazing at the inky ocean outside the window, dotted with starlight, a sense of unreality welling up within him.

Just one day prior, he was an ordinary fitness instructor, sweating profusely in the gym daily, planning training courses for his students.

He never expected to wake up in this perilous, godforsaken place.

However, his luck was unbelievably good.

He started with an SSS-grade aerospace battleship.

He opened the Natural Selection's system panel, and his heart burned with excitement as he looked at the powerful modules, some already unlocked, others waiting.

This feeling of controlling power was intoxicating.

Since he had nothing else to do, he clicked on the regional chat channel.

The channel was much quieter late at night than during the day, but the few messages that occasionally popped up were filled with despair and oppression.

"[Night Owl Champion]: Hungry, so hungry. Does anyone have food? My food was stolen. Can I trade my last piece of iron for a biscuit? I really can't hold on much longer."

"[Sea Drifter]: Can't sleep, absolutely dare not sleep. My boat is just a small raft. One wave washes over it, and I feel like the boat will capsize. I'm so cold..."

"[Facing Death]: I see a boat nearby, but I don't dare go over. What if they're bad people? Are there any rules in this world? What happens if you kill someone? Does anyone know?"

"[Just Want to Live]: Don't even talk about it. I don't even have a bed; I can only huddle on the deck. The moon is so full tonight, but I might not see tomorrow's sun."

The channel was filled with lamentations.

Most people were still struggling for basic sustenance and safety at this moment.

Yet, he was living with two beautiful young girls, on a battleship comparable to a sea fortress, eating a-rank cuisine that boosted his attributes.

The disparity was like heaven and earth.

Lin Mo closed the chat channel, his gaze deepening.

He knew very well that such a life was hard-won.

He had to become stronger, and make the Natural Selection stronger, to truly gain a foothold in this perilous world.

Time quietly slipped away.

At two in the morning, the cockpit door slid open precisely.

Gu Zhixia walked in, yawning, her eyes still teary with sleepiness, yet she forced herself to maintain a cool and aloof demeanor.

"You're quite punctual," Lin Mo stood up, stretching his somewhat stiff body.

"Hmph, I'm not like some people, so unreliable," Gu Zhixia rubbed her eyes, trying hard to clear her head.

Lin Mo didn't bicker with her. He pointed at the radar screen on the control panel and began to explain simply.

"This is the map radar. Green dots are us, yellow dots are neutral players, and red dots are hostile creatures or players."

"The range can be adjusted. If anything enters the warning range, the system will alert us."

He paused, looking at her with a serious expression.

"If there's any danger you can't handle, whether it's monsters or players, wake me up immediately."

"We can immediately activate flight mode and shake off any trouble on the sea."

"Understood," Gu Zhixia nodded concisely, sat in the captain's chair, and skillfully began operating the controls.

Seeing that she had taken over, Lin Mo said no more and turned to return to his berth.

Although called a berth, it was actually very simple.

Aside from a hard alloy bed, the entire room was empty, without even a single extra decoration.

He practically collapsed onto the bed and immediately fell into a deep sleep.

In the cockpit, Gu Zhixia faced the endless night alone.

She kept her wits about her, staring at the radar screen. The sea was calm, with no anomalies.

Sitting idly in the chair, waves of drowsiness washed over her.

She stood up, deciding to walk around the ship to stay awake.

The ship was too large; she hadn't had a chance to look it over properly.

As she patrolled to the living area on the first deck, her footsteps halted.

The door to Lin Mo's room was actually ajar, and he had forgotten to turn off the light inside.

This guy, he really was too careless!

Gu Zhixia frowned, muttering to herself.

She didn't want to meddle, but she also felt it was a waste of electricity.

She gently pushed the door open and walked in.

The room was quiet, with only Lin Mo's steady, long breaths.

He was fast asleep, lying on his side on the bed, with only half the blanket covering him.

Gu Zhixia walked to the bedside, intending to just turn off the light and leave, but her gaze uncontrollably fell upon his sleeping face.

Asleep, he shed the assertiveness and calculation of the day, and the sharp lines of his face softened considerably.

She had to admit, this guy was indeed handsome.

She suddenly recalled the whisper her younger sister, Gu Nianqiu, had shared with her earlier that day.

"Brother Mo is so nice, and handsome, and he has abs..."

Abs... What do they feel like?

An absurd thought, without warning, popped into her mind.

Her heart began to pound uncontrollably.

As if possessed, she reached out her hand.

That fair, slender hand, capable of wielding a six-foot spear with fierce power, was now trembling slightly.

She cautiously extended her fingertips towards the hem of Lin Mo's T-shirt, which was slightly lifted due to his sleeping posture.

Her fingertips touched a patch of warm, firm skin.

Immediately after, she recoiled her hand as if shocked, her cheeks instantly burning hot!

Gu Zhixia! What are you doing!

She fiercely scolded herself in her mind, then turned to flee.

But her feet seemed to be rooted to the spot, unable to move.

Forget it... just once.

Consider it... repayment for him touching my leg this afternoon!

Yes! That's it!

After finding herself an excellent excuse, she reached out her hand again, this time much bolder.

She lifted his T-shirt and pressed her entire palm against him.

The clear, defined muscle contours, firm and full of explosive power, transmitted a scorching warmth through her palm.

Is this... a man's abs?

The sensation... was indeed... not bad.

As she was lost in thought, Lin Mo unconsciously turned over in his sleep.

Gu Zhixia was scared out of her wits, abruptly pulled back her hand, and scrambled out of the room, even forgetting to turn off the light...

Morning.

The first ray of sunlight streamed through the porthole into the berth, dispelling some of the night's chill.

Lin Mo slowly opened his eyes, feeling his eyelids as heavy as lead. He had stayed up late researching the battleship system last night, which had consumed a lot of mental energy, so he had slept exceptionally deeply.

He moved his body, preparing to get up, but felt something was amiss.

There was a slight pressure on his chest, very soft, and very warm.

Moreover, a warm, moist breath was gently puffing against the side of his neck, carrying a faint, unfamiliar sweet scent.

Lin Mo's body instantly stiffened, and his sleepiness vanished without a trace.

He abruptly lowered his head.

A serene and lovely sleeping face met his gaze.

Gu Nianqiu, wearing her lace nightgown, was curled up beside his bed, her upper body resting on his chest, her head unconsciously rubbing against him, sleeping soundly with a trace of glistening drool at the corner of her mouth.

Lin Mo's brain stalled for three seconds.

What was going on?

He tried gently pushing the girl's shoulder: "Hey, wake up."

Gu Nianqiu grumbled twice in her sleep, dissatisfied, but instead of waking up, she snuggled further into his arms, holding on even tighter.