63: Lin Mo and Gu Zhixia

Lin Mo closed the private message window.

The ID named [Planner] also dimmed.

He hadn't set the time for the next day at 2 p.m. on a whim.

It was the optimal solution obtained after precise calculation.

His gaze fell on the ship status panel, on the experience bar that was slowly increasing.

[Current Ship Level: 16]

[Experience: 217,531 / 220,000]

Four more levels to reach level 20.

And level 20 was the key threshold for Natural Selection to advance from the "Silver" tier to the "Gold" tier.

Beyond that door, whether it was the overwhelming monsters or the "zero-dollar supermarket" that only existed in descriptions, it was full of unknown variables.

He had to face this high-stakes gamble in his strongest form.

And a spatial storage item was something he absolutely needed.

He opened Natural Selection's panel and, sure enough, found the spatial storage ring. It was a little trinket gifted after upgrading the storage compartment. Upgrading the storage compartment required 15 exchange points.

"Brother Mo, what are you thinking about?"

Gu Nianqiu had, at some unknown time, already approached his side holding a cup of fantastically colored fruit tea.

"Is it good? I made this with those fruits from last time that permanently increase attributes!"

[You consumed 'Golden Glow Nectar.' Spirit permanently +3.]

The system's notification pulled Lin Mo from his thoughts.

He nodded and drank the cup of liquid with its strange, sweet aroma in one gulp.

"I'll go make dinner!"

The girl who had received affirmation, like a happy butterfly, hopped and skipped towards the kitchen, ready to fiddle with her precious ingredients.

On the deck, only Lin Mo and Gu Zhixia remained.

The sea breeze lifted her pitch-black, smooth hair, brushing past her well-tailored, black modified jk uniform.

Even on this apocalyptic ocean, she still maintained meticulous elegance.

"What changes will there be after advancing to the Gold tier?"

Gu Zhixia leaned against the railing, asking seemingly casually.

"Aside from the improvements to basic attributes like the energy core and shields, will there be anything else?"

She looked at Lin Mo. Those phoenix eyes, always carrying a sharp edge, were now filled with pure curiosity.

"For example... are there any more fun weapons?"

Lin Mo looked at her, at the barely concealed anticipation in her eyes.

He smiled and said nothing.

He just willed it, and a massive virtual screen silently unfolded before the two of them.

The screen's background was the deep cosmos.

And in the very center, a brand new upgrade tree, shimmering with a golden luster, slowly materialized.

[Ship Tier: Gold (Unlocked at LV20)]

[New Module Unlocked: 'titan' Individual Exoskeleton Armor]

As Lin Mo willed the controls, a holographic projection emitted from the panel.

It was a humanoid mech constructed entirely of dark gold and black alloy.

It lacked the bulkiness and clumsiness of traditional mechs; instead, it was full of streamlined, aggressive beauty.

Perfect muscular lines, like a steel leopard ready to pounce.

The shoulders housed openable missile launch pods. The arms were loaded with high-frequency vibrating particle blades. On the back were deployable, wing-like flight stabilizers.

Gu Zhixia's breath hitched.

Those phoenix eyes, always as calm as an ancient well, were now filled with incredulous shock.

"This... this is..."

Her voice carried a barely perceptible tremble.

"A mech."

Lin Mo's voice was calm, yet carried a hint of enticement.

"It can be worn by the ship's captain or crew to directly participate in land or close-quarters aerial combat."

"All weapon modules can be customized and replaced according to need."

Gu Zhixia reached out, her fingertips trembling, wanting to touch that steel creation radiating lethal charm, but her hand passed through the empty light and shadow.

She abruptly turned her head, looked at Lin Mo, and blurted out.

"So cool!"

That face, always frosted over, revealed such pure, undisguised excitement and desire for the first time.

The smile at the corner of Lin Mo's mouth deepened.

His fingers lightly swiped across the virtual screen.

The mech's projection slowly faded, replaced by a series of brand-new facilities that left Gu Zhixia even more dazzled.

[Gold Tier Unlockable Life & Entertainment Facilities:]

[Panoramic Ecological Simulation Deck: Can simulate various terrains and climates for relaxation or combat training.]

[Open-air Swimming Pool: Experience the joy of swimming under the stars.]

[Private Luxury Cinema: Contains all the movies and series from the old era.]

[...]

Looking at those incredible modules one by one, Gu Zhixia was completely speechless.

She originally thought that having an intermediate kitchen and being able to eat a hot meal in the apocalypse was already a heavenly existence.

But this man was turning this ship into a mobile, impregnable super fortress, complete with a full set of entertainment facilities.

Shock, admiration, relief.

All these complex emotions ultimately transformed into a sense of dependence and security originating from the depths of her soul.

She didn't even dare imagine what state she and her sister would be in now if they hadn't met Lin Mo on that initial small island.

Perhaps, they would have long been like those wailing in the chat channels, struggling on the edge of despair, ultimately swallowed by this cruel sea.

Gu Zhixia's body, unknowingly, leaned over lightly.

Her head rested on Lin Mo's sturdy shoulder.

The action was so natural, as if rehearsed a thousand times.

Lin Mo's body stiffened slightly, then relaxed.

He turned his head to look at the girl leaning on his shoulder.

Her eyes were closed. Her long eyelashes cast a small, quiet shadow under the lingering glow of the sunset.

That black jk uniform, always seeming somewhat aloof, now appeared much softer because its owner was relaxed.

Lin Mo reached out and, somewhat clumsily, gently stroked her raven-black, smooth hair.

The feel was even better than imagined.

Natural Selection continued flying steadily.

Occasionally, looking down through the clouds, one could see a few small boats, cobbled together from tattered wooden planks with white sails, struggling forward through the wind and waves on the blue sea surface below.

They were the few surviving players in this area who had managed through teamwork.

They were probably worrying about their next meal, or being vigilant against monsters that could appear from the sea at any moment.

Their world and the world on Natural Selection were already two completely different dimensions.

Lin Mo withdrew his gaze. His current level made him completely uninterested in the pitiful resources on those scattered small islands.

Gu Zhixia felt the gentle stroking on the top of her head. Her heartbeat began to accelerate uncontrollably.

Her cheeks were also dyed with a layer of burning crimson.

She could smell the clean, refreshing scent unique to Lin Mo.

An unprecedented sense of security enveloped her firmly.

She abruptly opened her eyes and lifted her head.

Lin Mo's sharply defined profile was right before her eyes.

His gaze was fixed on the distant setting sun, his eyes calm and profound.

As if guided by a ghost or a god.

Gu Zhixia leaned in once again.

A soft, warm sensation imprinted itself on Lin Mo's lips.

Lin Mo's pupils contracted sharply.

He turned his head, somewhat shocked, looking at the girl before him, so close, her cheeks red enough to drip blood.

"This time..."

He asked subconsciously.

"...is it another reward?"

Gu Zhixia froze.

She looked at Lin Mo's face, filled with astonishment and confusion, her mind a complete blank.

After a long while.

She finally answered in a daze, with a voice as soft as a mosquito's.

"It's not a reward."