5: A-level cooking master

Lin Mo followed the soft call and walked up from the control center on the -1st floor.

As soon as he stepped onto the spacious deck, before he could even adjust to the blinding midday sun, a petite and delicate figure, like a kitten discovering catnip, rushed over with a fragrant breeze, 'whoosh!', and pounced on him.

"I found you, Brother Mo!" Gu Nianqiu happily exclaimed, unceremoniously wrapping her arm around his, her soft, delicate body pressing tightly against him.

Her perfectly developed bosom brushed against Lin Mo's firm arm, intentionally and unintentionally, sending waves of tantalizing sensations through him.

She looked up with her exquisite and lovely small face, her sparkling phoenix eyes curved into crescents: "I made so much delicious food, I was just waiting for you!"

Lin Mo felt the astonishing elasticity and warmth from his arm, thinking to himself that this little imp was truly a born enchantress.

He let her pull him along, his expression unperturbed, following her bouncy steps.

The restaurant was located on a semi-open terrace at the stern of the second floor, offering an extremely wide view of the boundless blue sea and the swirling black mist in the distance.

It was midday, and the brilliant sunshine cast down a warm glow; a gentle sea breeze carried a fresh scent.

The long alloy dining table was already laden with a dazzling array of dishes.

"Where's your sister?" Lin Mo glanced around, not seeing Gu Zhixia.

"Sister, she..." Gu Nianqiu pouted her rosy little lips, a hint of a young girl's playful annoyance and distress in her voice, and gestured towards a certain cabin.

"She said she hasn't contributed anything to the ship yet, so she's too embarrassed to come eat the feast. She's in her room cleaning her weapon right now! I tried to persuade her, but it was no use, honestly!"

She then cozied up to Lin Mo's arm, her voice so soft it could melt, "Brother Mo, please go call her, or the food will get cold!"

Lin Mo, hearing this, didn't get angry; instead, he was somewhat amused.

This Gu Zhixia, her self-esteem was truly something.

However, in the apocalypse, having principles was always better than being thoughtless.

He ruffled Gu Nianqiu's small head: "Got it, I'll go call her."

Gu Zhixia's private cabin door was ajar.

Lin Mo gently pushed it open and saw the slender figure in a pink-purple jk uniform with her back to the door, sitting alone by the small alloy porthole.

She wasn't eating; instead, she was meticulously wiping a strangely shaped, pitch-black dagger with a soft cloth, her movements focused and serious.

On the table beside her lay an unopened compressed biscuit, as if it were her 'emergency ration'.

Sunlight streamed through the porthole, casting a faint golden halo on her smooth black hair. Her slender waist, encased in the uniform, appeared even more delicate, easily grasped. Beneath her pleated skirt, her long, beautiful legs, wrapped in black stockings, were slightly curled, outlining an alluring curve.

Hearing the door, Gu Zhixia turned her head alertly. Seeing it was Lin Mo, a subtle ripple crossed her fair face, but it quickly returned to its usual coolness.

"Even an A-Rank Culinary Master's feast can't tempt you," Lin Mo leaned against the doorframe, his gaze falling on the compressed biscuit beside her, and said with a half-smile, "It seems Miss Gu intends to replenish her energy with this?"

"My affairs are none of your concern." Gu Zhixia put away her dagger, her voice cool. "I haven't done anything for this ship yet; I can't consume resources with a clear conscience."

Lin Mo's smile receded slightly. He walked forward, looking down at her, his expression becoming serious.

"Listen, Gu Zhixia. First, Nianqiu's cuisine provides attribute bonuses; it's part of our team's combat power. Your refusal weakens our overall strength."

He paused, his tone unequivocal: "Second, we are a team. We are pioneering and surviving now, not having a dinner party. Performing your duties is the biggest contribution. Nianqiu is in charge of logistics, and you and I are in charge of combat. Only when you're full will you have the strength to face the dangers ahead. So, eating is your responsibility, not your choice. Understand?"

Gu Zhixia was stunned by his words. She looked up, meeting Lin Mo's deep and sharp eyes, feeling the undeniable aura of a leader emanating from him, and for a moment, she was speechless.

She bit her lower lip, her eyes flickering stubbornly, but the persistence in her heart was shattered by Lin Mo's words.

He was right; this wasn't a matter of personal pride, but of team survival.

Seeing her attitude soften, Lin Mo's tone softened a little. He extended his hand: "Let's go, the food won't taste good when it's cold. Try the A-Rank Culinary Master's cooking; it'll also be good for your combat."

Gu Zhixia was silent for a moment, but ultimately did not argue. She looked at Lin Mo's outstretched hand, hesitated, but eventually stood up on her own, avoiding his hand, and walked directly towards the door.

As she passed Lin Mo, she said in a low voice only they could hear: "...Thank you."

Lin Mo didn't mind and followed her to the terrace restaurant.

Gu Zhixia was half-coerced into the terrace restaurant, and as soon as she caught a whiff of the soul-stirring, rich aroma and saw the dishes on the table, which were perfect in color, aroma, and taste, and even subtly emitted a strange glow, her appetite instantly soared.

Her fair face flushed slightly, yet she still stubbornly huffed, "Hmph, I'm just... just here to see if Nianqiu wasted any ingredients! It's not because I'm hungry!"

But her body was very honest, sitting down in an empty seat. Her beautiful phoenix eyes involuntarily darted towards the delicacies on the table, and her throat unconsciously made a slight swallowing motion.

Three dishes and one soup were already laid out on the table, all common home-cooked meals, yet they appeared exceptionally exquisite... Golden, fragrant, plump grains of rice were served in a crystal-clear glass bowl.

A plate of braised beef chunks, glistening red and inviting, with a rich, thick sauce. The beef was stewed until tender, each piece coated in gravy, emitting an appetizing meaty aroma.

A plate of vibrant green stir-fried seasonal vegetables, dewy and fresh, looking crisp and delicious, carrying a pastoral fragrance.

And a pot of milky white, bubbling mushroom fresh soup, with a few sprinkles of green onions floating on the surface, exuding a fresh aroma.

The most peculiar thing was, as Lin Mo had noticed before, each dish was surrounded by a faint, almost invisible, soft glow, as if imbued with some mysterious energy.

"Sister, Brother Mo, quickly try my cooking!"

Gu Nianqiu had been waiting with a beaming smile, even happier now that the two had finally "reconciled."

Like presenting a treasure, she first served Gu Zhixia a heaping bowl of rice, then used communal chopsticks to place the largest, most flavorful piece of braised beef into her bowl.

The beef quivered, clearly melting in the mouth.

Then, with a joyful smile, she served Lin Mo rice and dishes too, her big eyes full of anticipation and a little pride.

Lin Mo didn't stand on ceremony. He picked up the piece of beef that his sister had specially attended to and put it into his mouth.

As soon as the beef entered his mouth, it practically melted on his tongue without needing to chew. The rich and mellow meaty flavor, mixed with the unique sauce, exploded on his taste buds. An indescribable sense of satisfaction spread from his tongue throughout his entire body.

Even more miraculously, a warm energy flowed down his esophagus into his stomach, rapidly spreading to his limbs and bones, instantly dispelling all the fatigue and mental tension accumulated since his transmigration.

【System Notification: You have consumed Gu Nianqiu's carefully prepared 'Vigorous Braised Beef' (a-rank cuisine), temporarily increasing your stamina recovery speed by 10% and strength by +1 for 2 hours.】

【System Notification: You have consumed Gu Nianqiu's carefully prepared 'Refreshing Stir-fried Vegetables' (a-rank cuisine), temporarily increasing your mental recovery speed by 10% and spirit by +1 for 2 hours.】

【System Notification: You have consumed Gu Nianqiu's carefully prepared 'Nourishing Mushroom Soup' (a-rank cuisine), temporarily increasing your Life value limit by 50 points and slightly boosting all resistances for 2 hours.】

Sure enough, there were buffs! And they were even more powerful than expected!

Lin Mo was overjoyed. This A-Rank Culinary Master Talent was simply a heaven-defying skill!

Not only was it incredibly delicious, but it also provided such tangible attribute boosts!

With such a "logistics chief," the team's endurance and combat power would be greatly enhanced.

"Nianqiu, your cooking... it's amazing!" Lin Mo praised sincerely, his gaze towards Gu Nianqiu filled with admiration.

"Hehe, as long as Brother Mo likes it! Nianqiu will cook for Brother Mo every day from now on!" Gu Nianqiu was beaming with joy from the praise, her small face flushed like a ripe apple.

She puffed out her small chest, proudly shaking her head, her twin ponytails swaying adorably.

She then picked up a chopstick full of greens for Lin Mo, "Brother Mo, eat more of this; it'll boost your spirit!"

Gu Zhixia watched Lin Mo's clearly ecstatic and utterly satisfied expression, then sniffed the increasingly rich and dominant food aroma in the air, and finally looked at her own empty bowl. Her throat couldn't help but make another subtle swallowing motion.

She picked up her chopsticks and carefully took a small bite of the greens closest to her.

As the greens entered her mouth, the ultimate refreshing taste and the strange energy contained within, which instantly invigorated her spirit, caused her beautiful phoenix eyes to widen slightly.

Too... too delicious!

This was completely different from what she understood as food!

Moreover... her body really felt a lot lighter. The emptiness and fatigue she had felt earlier due to her pique and continuous hunger were largely dispelled by this tiny bite of greens!

She almost subconsciously reached for her chopsticks again, aiming for the piece of braised beef in her bowl that looked perfectly marbled and incredibly tempting.

As the beef entered her mouth, the incredibly rich flavor and the surge of strength that instantly coursed through her limbs and bones made her completely cast aside any thoughts of "begrudged food," "dignity," or "reserve."

Her cheeks puffed out slightly as she chewed meticulously, trying to maintain a calm expression. However, her increasingly bright eyes, sparkling with surprise, and the accelerating frequency of her chopstick movements had already completely betrayed her true feelings.

"Ahem..." She cleared her throat, trying to mask her lapse with her usual cool voice, "Nian... Nianqiu, this time... it's not bad. Better... better than compressed biscuits."

"Hehe, as long as Sister likes it!" Gu Nianqiu was overjoyed, practically wanting to twirl around.

She became even more attentive, serving her sister and Lin Mo, her small mouth chattering non-stop: "Eat more, eat more! This beef will definitely be good for Sister's Weapon Master Talent! That soup is very nourishing too!"

After the meal, all three were satisfied, their mouths lingering with flavor.

Especially Gu Zhixia, she could clearly feel that her physical condition was more than a notch better than before. The vitality and comfort emanating from within were something compressed biscuits could never provide.

She leaned languidly against the back of her chair, enjoying the sea breeze on her cheeks, and the look in her eyes towards Lin Mo held less of the deliberate aloofness and wariness.

Perhaps, following this man, who seemed a bit overbearing but was very reliable at crucial moments, she could truly survive in this apocalyptic world, and... live very well.

She secretly glanced at Lin Mo, who was chatting and laughing with her sister, and her cheeks quietly flushed again.