59: Take a vacation

“Brother Mo, you’re awake!”

Gu Nianqiu heard the sound of the door opening, turned her head, and revealed a smile brighter than the sun.

“I’m making you a nutritious breakfast! It’ll be ready in a jiffy!”

She held up the spatula in her hand, on which rested a perfectly fried golden sunny-side up egg, its yolk still jiggling slightly, emitting an enticing aroma.

This vibrant, lively scene, filled with the warmth of life, finally dispelled the cold starry sky of the dream.

Lin Mo stepped out of the cabin door, greeted by a rising sun bursting forth.

Golden light pierced through the mist on the horizon, painting both the sky and the sea with magnificent colors.

Yet, in his mind, that dream still echoed.

Those events felt as if they had truly happened.

The ship in his dream also seemed to be called the Natural Selection.

It was magnificent, powerful, cold, and capable of executing stellar-level “cleanup” plans.

And he was the captain of that ship.

But in the end, his most trusted subordinate pointed a gun at his forehead.

That heart-wrenching pain of betrayal, and the cold, desperate feeling of being threatened by a gun, were still vividly clear in his memory.

Lin Mo stood on the deck, letting the morning sea breeze caress his face, contemplating quietly.

“What’s wrong?”

A cool voice sounded beside him.

Gu Zhixia had quietly appeared next to him at some point.

She had changed into a capable tracksuit, losing some of her sharp combat edge and gaining a refreshing, homely neatness.

“Did you not rest well last night? You don’t look quite right.”

“I had some strange dreams.” Lin Mo did not hide it, but simply mentioned it lightly.

Gu Zhixia did not press further.

She followed Lin Mo’s gaze, looking towards the magnificent sunrise, and remained silent for a moment.

“Don’t think so much.”

She spoke, her voice much softer than usual.

“Look at this morning sun, how beautiful it is.”

“Although this probably isn’t Blue Star, the scenery is indeed no worse than Blue Star.”

Lin Mo turned to look at her; she was gazing intently into the distance, the morning light casting a warm golden edge on her delicate profile.

“Yes, the scenery is quite beautiful.” Lin Mo responded.

“Sometimes I think, if it weren’t for this deadly environment, this would actually be a pretty good tourist destination.”

Gu Zhixia’s lips curved slightly, forming a very shallow arc.

“Provided there aren’t monsters in the sea that can swallow a ship whole.”

“Breakfast is served—!”

Just then, Gu Nianqiu’s clear shout came from the dining room, breaking the tranquility on the deck.

The two exchanged glances, both seeing a hint of a smile in the other’s eyes, and walked into the dining room together.

On the dining table, it was still an outrageously lavish breakfast combining Chinese and Western styles.

Golden crispy toast, perfectly fried bacon and sunny-side up eggs, with a small dish of sweet and sour baked beans beside them.

On the other side were steaming millet porridge, and in the steamer, crystal clear shrimp dumplings and fluffy white meat buns.

【Delicious Breakfast: All Attributes +3, lasts 24 hours.】

The three sat around the dining table, beginning to enjoy their first formal breakfast after surviving the ordeal.

Without the oppressive black mist, without the threat of enemies, this meal was eaten with exceptional peace of mind and sweetness.

After eating their fill, Gu Zhixia wiped her mouth with a napkin, looked at Lin Mo, and resumed her usual sharpness and directness.

“We’ve eaten, so what’s next?”

“We can’t just keep drifting on this sea, can we?”

Lin Mo put down his milk cup, leaned back in his chair, and looked at the serious Gu Zhixia and the curious Gu Nianqiu.

He suddenly smiled.

“What’s next?”

“We’re going to enjoy this hard-earned vacation for the next few days.”

“Huh?”

“Vacation?”

The two sisters spoke in unison, their faces filled with the same confusion.

In this apocalyptic world where it was either kill or be killed, this man actually said he wanted to… take a vacation?

“Yay! We’re going on vacation!”

Gu Nianqiu was the first to react; she immediately raised her hands high and let out an excited cheer.

For her, any decision Brother Mo made was definitely the right one!

Gu Zhixia’s brows, however, furrowed tightly.

“Vacation? Lin Mo, you don’t have a fever, do you?”

She couldn’t understand.

“When are we leaving thisNovice Village (newbie village) to go to that ‘Mist Sea’?”

“No rush.” Lin Mo shook his head, his expression resolute.

“We’ll stay until the fourteenth day, and only go on the very last day.”

He looked at Gu Zhixia, who still couldn’t understand, and patiently began to explain.

“The reason is simple.”

“First, in this current area, the strongest player organization, the Longxiang Fleet, has already been uprooted by us. The remaining small fry pose no threat whatsoever.”

“In the seas outside the black mist, it also seems impossible to encounter super-grade monsters like the Giant Kun. So, right now, this is the safest area for us.”

“Second, and most importantly.”

Lin Mo’s gaze swept over the two sisters, his voice becoming especially serious.

“The growth of the Natural Selection has no upper limit. As long as it has experience, it can Infinite Upgrade.”

“We are only level 15 now, and there is huge room for improvement. Going to the so-called main channel early will not benefit us in any way.”

“Moreover, that sea area is likely to be mixed with veteran players who participated earlier than us. Their ship levels, equipment, and understanding of this world far surpass ours. Rushing in now would be tantamount to seeking death.”

“So, our mission for the next ten-plus days is to…”

The corner of Lin Mo’s mouth curved into a relaxed arc.

“Travel and vacation at the same time, and while we’re at it, grind monsters and level up in this newbie village, salvaging good items when we find them.”

“We will continuously upgrade the Natural Selection, arm it to the teeth, and by the last day, enter the next sea area in our strongest form!”

After listening to Lin Mo’s analysis, the confusion in Gu Zhixia’s eyes gradually gave way to realization and admiration.

She had to admit that this man’s perspective on problems was always more far-sighted and comprehensive than hers.

“Hmph, I suppose you have a point.”

She pouted, using her usual tsundere tone to mask her inner approval.

“Then we’ll… reluctantly take a vacation.”