33: Survival and God-level cuisine

A deathly silence filled the cockpit.

Lin Mo held one in each arm, Gu Nianqiu on his left and Gu Zhixia on his right.

He could clearly feel the two soft, trembling bodies in his embrace; their body temperatures and their rapid breathing from fear were transmitted through their tightly pressed clothes, like two startled fledglings.

Only at this moment did the taut string in Lin Mo’s heart, stretched almost to its breaking point, finally loosen with a lingering, numbing aftershock.

The images of the gigantic vines wildly coiling around them like enraged pythons, and the terrifying force capable of tearing the Natural Selection's armor into scrap metal, still replayed in his mind, clear as an imprint.

He had panicked too; it could even be said he was afraid.

Cold sweat had long soaked his back, but it had been masked by the focus of the battle and adrenaline.

But at that moment, he couldn't show it.

He was the captain of this ship, the only reliance for these two girls in the apocalyptic ocean.

Any wavering from him could lead to their complete downfall.

Fortunately, he remembered 'Full Speed Ahead,' his last resort.

It was a desperate gamble, burning all energy in a mere few minutes to gain a chance to break free from the hands of a god.

He won the gamble.

"Waaah—"

Gu Nianqiu in his arms was the first to completely break down.

Once her taut nerves relaxed, the accumulated fear burst forth like a mountain flood.

She no longer cared about anything, crying loudly, her small hands clutching Lin Mo's clothes tightly.

Her cries were heartbreaking, gasping for breath.

"Brother Mo... you scared me to death... I thought... I thought we were all going to be... be crushed..."

She sobbed incoherently, her warm tears quickly soaking Lin Mo's shirt.

"Those vines... so terrifying..."

On the other side, Gu Zhixia, who had always presented a strong front, finally shed all her pretense.

She had been leaning against the cold cabin wall, but now, the weight of her body almost entirely rested in Lin Mo's arms.

She trembled violently, uncontrollably; her pretty face, which always carried a hint of arrogance and coldness, was now devoid of any color, and two lines of clear tears had silently streamed down her cheeks, dripping onto Lin Mo's arm with a touch of coldness.

Fear, lingering terror, relief—a mix of emotions completely shattered her psychological defenses.

She stumbled as she adjusted her posture, burying her head deeper into Lin Mo's embrace, suppressed, faint sobs escaping her throat.

Lin Mo didn't speak; he just freed one hand and gently, alternately, stroked the back of their heads, feeling their soft hair.

He reassured them repeatedly in the steadiest, lowest voice he could manage.

"It's okay, it's all over."

"Listen, we're on the sea now, it's very safe."

"I'm here, we escaped."

The destructive roar of 'Full Speed Ahead' gradually subsided, and the entire Natural Selection exhausted its last bit of electricity, all indicator lights dimming.

This steel behemoth completely lost all power, slowly descending to the sea surface, gently rising and falling with the waves.

System Prompt: Detected fusion reactor overload, self-check restarting, estimated restart time 30 minutes.

Lin Mo remotely operated the remaining emergency system, bringing up the navigation map.

Looking at the blinking light representing their position on the screen, his pupils contracted slightly.

In just those short ten-odd minutes, they had flown over a hundred kilometers.

This distance added a sense of unreality to the lingering fear of their narrow escape.

But he always felt something was off.

How could an LV10 island have such an unreasonable, god-tier terrifying existence?

This completely exceeded his understanding of the world's level divisions.

If he hadn't been lucky enough to draw the 'Full Speed Ahead' skill when upgrading, the three of them would truly have met their end there today.

He looked grim as he flipped through the Natural Selection's logbook. Sure enough, a bright red log entry was automatically recorded.

Warning: Super-standard unit 'World Tree' detected. This unit has entered self-protection protocol.

Unit Name: World Tree

Level: ???

Life: 100000 / 100000

Attack: 0

Defense: 1000

Skill: World Tree's Grasp (Generates countless giant vines to bind and crush targets)

Note: The World Tree has perceived a threat and has designated this vessel as the highest threat target.

Lin Mo looked at the terrifying panel data, his eyes turning cold.

Attack being zero was because it didn't need to actively attack at all.

Just its almost unsolvable defense and binding were enough to crush any intruder daring to offend it.

This was no longer a monster, but a planetary-level ecological defense mechanism.

"World Tree, huh."

Lin Mo closed the log, his voice devoid of any discernible emotion, yet carrying an unmistakable chill.

He looked up, gazing in the direction of the island.

"I'll remember you."

After crying in his arms for a long time, Gu Zhixia was the first to prop herself up and stand.

She raised her sleeve to haphazardly wipe away the tears from her face; although her eyes were still red and her nose had a pitiful blush, her characteristic coolness and arrogance had returned to her eyes.

She looked at Lin Mo, her lips moving as if to say something, but ultimately it condensed into a few words, her voice a little hoarse, carrying a hint of dependence she herself hadn't noticed.

"Thank you... for saving us again."

Gu Nianqiu, beside her, was still sobbing uncontrollably, like a kitten that had suffered a great injustice, still rubbing against Lin Mo's embrace, seeking a sense of security.

After a while longer, she finally recovered.

She lifted her tear-stained little face, her red eyes sparkling with a peculiar glint, as if she had remembered something important.

"Thank you, Brother Mo, for saving us."

The Little Girl sniffled, then suddenly took Lin Mo's and her sister's hands. Her tone, which had been full of fear just moments ago, now carried a hint of eagerness and unconcealed excitement.

"Oh, right! Brother Mo, Sister! While you two were out, I've already perfected the method for making the fruit!"

With that, she pulled the two of them, without explanation, to the dining room.

The dining room was a mess.

Due to the terrifying acceleration of 'Full Speed Ahead' just now, all the tables and chairs were overturned, like a dollhouse shaken by a giant.

Broken pieces of crockery and glass shards were scattered everywhere.

Gu Nianqiu paid no mind; she tiptoed carefully around the obstacles, running directly to the only special refrigerator still standing, and opened its door.

Fortunately, everything inside was safe and sound.

She carefully took out an exquisite small cake covered with a glass dome from inside.

The cake was only palm-sized, entirely an inviting milky white, as pure as fresh snow.

Most uniquely, a layer of dreamlike, pale purple fruit jam was cleverly embedded in the cake's layers, like a flowing river of stars.

And on the cake's surface, several sliced pieces of purple fruit with spiral patterns were dotted, their surfaces covered with a thin layer of sparkling sugar crystals.

A sweet but not cloying milky fragrance mixed with a unique fruity aroma instantly dispelled the burnt smell in the cabin, invigorating their spirits.

She held the cake up to Lin Mo, her eyes full of anticipation and a desire for praise, as if saying, "Quick, taste my masterpiece."

Lin Mo looked at this cake, which embodied hope and effort, and the chill in his heart melted away by this warmth.

He didn't hesitate, picking up a small fork prepared nearby, and gently dug out a small piece, putting it into his mouth.

It melted in his mouth.

The soft cake base dissolved on his tongue like a cloud, followed by an indescribable sweetness and richness that instantly burst on his taste buds.

The pale purple jam had a slight tartness, perfectly balancing the sweetness of the cream.

Finally, a refreshing current flowed down his throat into his brain, like a clear spring on a hot summer day, washing away all fatigue and fear, completely revitalizing his spirit.

System Prompt: You have consumed the 'Wisdom Enlightenment Cake' (Mythical-grade cuisine) meticulously prepared by Gu Nianqiu. Mental attribute permanently +5.