154: The Last Supper! Goodbye, Novice Village!

“No, it’s good.”

Gu Zhixia immediately snapped back to reality.

She picked up her knife and fork, cut a small lamb chop, and elegantly brought it to her mouth.

The lamb chop’s skin was crispy and fragrant, while the meat inside was tender and juicy.

With a gentle bite, the scalding meat juices burst in her mouth.

The complex aroma, mixed with rosemary and spices, instantly conquered her taste buds.

Her usually taut, somewhat aloof pretty face softened involuntarily.

“Mmm… delicious.”

She mumbled a comment, then lowered her head, concentrating on the food on her plate.

As if trying to hide her inner discomfort in this way.

Lin Mo looked at her somewhat adorable “ostrich” demeanor, a hint of a smile flashing in his eyes, but he didn’t point it out.

He picked up a piece of garlic bread, dipped it in the thick cream of mushroom soup, and brought it to his mouth.

The soft bread soaked up the soup, and the rich aromas of garlic, wheat, milk, and fresh mushrooms perfectly blended in his mouth, bringing a pure and simple sense of happiness.

This was perhaps the most fundamental reason he was willing to fight for.

Not for some grand goal of “Slaying Gods.”

Nor for some ethereal “future of humanity.”

It was simply to protect this hard-won tranquility and warmth, named “home,” right before his eyes.

The three of them enjoyed this rare peaceful time.

The beautiful scenery outside the window, the aroma of the food, and the presence of those beside them intertwined into the most melodious movement of a symphony called “daily Life.”

“Brother Mo,” Gu Nianqiu, sipping her soup in small mouthfuls, suddenly remembered something and asked curiously.

“Our next stop, are we going to that… that planet called the thunderstorm core, to find new toys for my sister’s ‘Thunder Dragon’?”

“Yes.” Lin Mo nodded.

“Then… is that planet dangerous?” A hint of worry flashed in the Little Girl’s big eyes.

“Dangerous.” Lin Mo’s answer was straightforward.

He pulled up data on the gas giant designated as the Eye of the Storm from the “World Tree” database.

A small holographic projection appeared above the dining table.

In the image, it was a terrifying planet, hundreds of times larger than their previous planet, engulfed in eternal storms and violent thunder.

Countless lightning bolts, thicker than mountains, raged like monstrous dragons, tearing through the heavy, impenetrable clouds made of various toxic gases.

The planet’s surface was battered by terrifying storms exceeding tens of thousands of kilometers per hour, capable of instantly tearing apart any conventional spaceship attempting to approach.

“According to the data, the Eye of the Storm is one of the most violent death zones in the known universe.”

“Its core region cannot even be penetrated by the World Tree’s regular scans.” Lin Mo’s voice was calm, as if stating a fact unrelated to him.

“Moreover, it doesn’t seem as uninhabited as we imagined.”

He extended a finger and lightly tapped the holographic projection.

The image instantly zoomed in, focusing on a massive circular space station on the outskirts of the planet, surrounded by countless space meteorites and warship wrecks.

The space station looked dilapidated, many areas having lost their lights, like the skeleton of a giant beast beached in a cosmic graveyard.

“This is the only transfer station in the Eye of the Storm starfield, dubbed ‘Safe Harbor’ by passing Scavengers and fugitives.”

“A… no-man’s-land.”

“To enter the core of the Eye of the Storm and acquire the thunderstorm core, we must first find reliable intelligence and a guide here.”

Gu Zhixia had by now emerged from her earlier slight emotional state; her expression had returned to calm and sharp.

She looked at the dilapidated and chaotic space station in the image, her delicate brows slightly furrowed.

“Such places usually mean trouble.”

“It won’t be trouble for us.” Lin Mo’s reply was, as always, concise.

Trouble is relative.

To those Scavengers struggling for survival, the Natural Selection itself was absolute violence, capable of crushing all rules.

“Then… are we leaving this planet?” Gu Nianqiu put down her spoon, her small face filled with a complex mix of reluctance and anticipation.

“Will we not be able to come back here to see the red land and the twin moons anymore?”

This question caused the atmosphere to dip slightly.

Yes, they were leaving.

Leaving this place where they had arrived, struggled for survival, and ultimately turned upside down.

Lin Mo looked at the two girls, their gazes fixed on him, awaiting an answer.

He was silent for a moment before slowly speaking.

“It’s time to see the world outside.”

His gaze seemed to penetrate the restaurant’s holographic viewport, looking towards the false starry sky, and also towards the more distant, real universe.

“This planet, for our past selves, was the whole world.”

“But now, it’s more like a cage, a starter village.”

“We’ve already acquired the best equipment; it’s time to face the real challenges.”

He thought of the “players” who had arrived with him, scattered somewhere on the planet.

They might currently be fighting over a compressed biscuit, or hiding from mutated creatures in a corner of a deserted city, or perhaps they had become slave laborers in a Leviathan Guild mine.

None of them could imagine that in such a short time, someone was about to pilot a super battleship capable of traversing the universe, to completely leave this stage and venture into that vaster, more dangerous sea of stars.

This feeling was both strange and natural.

“Can the ship’s condition support us for long-term space travel?” Gu Zhixia asked the most crucial question.

“Life support, fuel, and measures to deal with unknown dangers—are they all ready?”

Her questions were precise and practical, without any unnecessary fuss.

Lin Mo didn’t speak, merely brought up another data panel on the dining table’s projection.

Dense data streams clearly listed the current status of the Natural Selection.

“Life support system, in ‘World Tree’ mode, can simulate the most perfect ecological internal circulation. Oxygen is obtained through electrolysis of stored water, theoretically supplied indefinitely. At the same time, the biological membrane can filter out 99.99% of harmful radiation in the universe.”

“Food, the warship’s material reserves warehouse contains high-energy nutrient paste and synthetic food sufficient for a thousand people for a hundred years. Not to mention, Nianqiu’s kitchen is itself a small ecological garden.”

“Energy, the anti-matter core’s fuel, without high-intensity combat, is enough for us to orbit this star system three times. Moreover, ‘zhurong’ mode can draw energy near stars, and ‘World Tree’ mode can replenish it above Life planets. We have virtually no energy anxiety.”

“Safety is also the most important point.” Lin Mo switched the display to the ship’s structural diagram.

“The Natural Selection is constructed from self-repairing memory metal. Even if the hull is damaged in a vacuum, nanobot repair robots can complete repairs within 0.3 seconds. Our greatest enemy has never been the cosmic environment, but other ‘gods’ who wield the power of laws.”

One by one, item by item, it was impeccable.

Lin Mo had already planned everything perfectly, as if he were not a temporary survivor but an interstellar explorer who had prepared for this his entire Life.

Gu Zhixia looked at the perfect checklist, at Lin Mo’s calm face, and that inexplicable emotion surged within her again.

It wasn’t mere admiration, but a sense of… security.

An absolute trust that no matter how arduous the path ahead, as long as this man was there, she would never have to worry about the retreat.

She picked up her cup and took a sip of lemon tea, using it to hide her slightly upturned lips.

Her voice, however, remained cool and clear.

“The preparations are quite thorough.”

This assessment was the highest compliment she could give.

“Hehe, Brother Mo is the best!” Gu Nianqiu, on the other hand, offered her adoration unreservedly, her eyes sparkling with little stars.

Lin Mo accepted the sisters’ praise with composure, as if he had merely done a trivial thing.

He looked at the scenery outside the window and made his final decision.

“This planet’s gravity well is somewhat peculiar; direct jumps would consume unnecessary energy.”

“We need to perform conventional navigation first, to escape the atmosphere.”

“This will take a little time.”

“So, we’ll rest here one last night.”

“Tomorrow morning, we depart.”

“Target: the Eye of the Storm.”

His voice was not loud, but it was like a stabilizing needle, setting the final tone for this star-spanning expedition.

The dinner concluded in a warm and expectant atmosphere.

What awaited them was the last peaceful night on this planet.