65: Unlimited flight

Lin Mo's pupils suddenly contracted because of the dazzling golden text.

An indescribable torrent of gentle yet domineering power exploded in every inch of his flesh and every nerve ending in his body.

This was not a simple increase in power.

This was a leap in the level of Life.

He could even clearly “hear” the dormant potential deep within his body being awakened, every cell greedily devouring this mythical energy, letting out satisfied cheers.

The fatigue accumulated from the battle with Long Yuan and the mental exhaustion caused by the high tension in the black fog were all swept away in this moment, leaving no trace.

In its place was an unprecedented strength and fullness.

“Brother Mo, how is it? Is it delicious?”

Gu Nianqiu's fair little face was filled with anticipation and nervousness, her large eyes, always brimming with innocence and charm, were now staring unblinkingly at Lin Mo, awaiting the final judgment.

Lin Mo snapped out of that mysterious state and looked at the girl in front of him, wearing a pink lolita dress and a white lace apron, a look of undisguised shock in his eyes for the first time.

He reached out and ruffled her soft long hair, his voice carrying a hint of surprise he hadn't even noticed himself.

“Nianqiu, you are simply a genius.”

“How did you even think of mixing these things together?”

Upon receiving the praise, Gu Nianqiu immediately broke into a smile brighter than the sun, a little embarrassed as she twirled a strand of her hair with her finger.

“Hehe, it's alright.”

There was a hint of small pride in her tone.

“It was just a sudden inspiration!”

“I seem to... have a vague feeling that the more dishes I make, the more proficient I become, my Talent... seems like it can even upgrade!”

“Maybe it can become S-Rank in the future!”

S-Rank Talent.

Lin Mo's heart skipped another beat, uncontrollably.

An A-Rank Talent Master Chef could already create such a miraculous dish.

What kind of terrifying existence would an S-Rank be?

He suppressed the turmoil in his heart and turned his gaze to the other side.

Gu Zhixia was still frozen in place.

Her gaze was unfocused, simply staring blankly at the salad bowl on the table, which was still glowing with a brilliant halo, not knowing what she was thinking.

On her usually cold and beautiful face, which always carried a hint of frost, there was still a captivating blush that had not yet faded completely.

Clearly, she was still immersed in the enchanting yet awkward atmosphere from earlier and had not yet fully recovered.

“Zhi Xia.”

Lin Mo called out to her.

No response.

Helpless, Lin Mo could only reach out and gently pat her shoulder.

“Ah?”

Gu Zhixia's body trembled violently like a startled deer, and she instantly snapped back to reality.

She looked up, meeting Lin Mo's eyes which held a slight smile, and the temperature on her cheeks rose uncontrollably once again.

“Wh-what's wrong?”

Her voice carried a hint of imperceptible panic.

“Try it.”

Lin Mo pointed to the bowl of Divine Grace Fruit Salad, his tone gentle.

“This is Nianqiu's masterpiece.”

Only then did Gu Zhixia redirect her attention to the dish, which could be called a work of art.

She stiffly picked up a spoon, scooped a small bite, and, with a touch of embarrassment, brought it to her mouth.

The next second.

Her phoenix eyes, always as sharp as a blade, suddenly widened.

Extreme deliciousness and pure energy instantly swept through her taste buds and soul.

She could feel her body, enhanced by her Weapon Master Talent, becoming tougher and stronger at an unprecedented speed.

It was a feeling of complete transformation.

She put down her spoon, took a deep breath, and turned to look at her sister, her cold and beautiful face showing, for the first time, such pure, heartfelt admiration.

“Nianqiu, this... is too delicious.”

“This is simply the best thing I've ever eaten in my Life!”

“Really?”

Gu Nianqiu's eyes curved into two crescent moons with happiness.

To receive such direct praise from her sister was more satisfying to her than any reward.

“As long as older sister likes it!”

Lin Mo looked at the two sisters, a smile also appearing on his face.

“Nianqiu, you should eat quickly too.”

“Mm!”

After confirming that her creation had received a hundred percent affirmation, Gu Nianqiu happily picked up her spoon and began to savor her masterpiece.

For a time, only the satisfied, soft chewing sounds of the three remained in the dining room.

This divinely bestowed dinner was eaten with lingering enjoyment.

When the last spoonful of salad was finally consumed, Lin Mo leaned back in his chair, clearly feeling that his body had reached a whole new level of strength.

With a thought, he brought up his personal attribute panel.

New data clearly appeared before his eyes.

Name: Lin Mo

Strength: 27

Agility: 25

Constitution: 22

Spirit: 31

Looking at this series of astonishing numbers, Lin Mo's breathing paused for a moment.

He knew very well that for the vast majority of survivors in this world, their attributes probably remained in single digits.

To survive, they struggled daily on the brink of death, living in the open, and simply not starving to death had already exhausted all their strength.

And the three of them.

In just the time it took for one meal, they had already grown into monstrous existences far beyond ordinary human comprehension.

This gap was so large it was despair-inducing.

Just then.

A crisp notification sound rang in Lin Mo's mind.

“Congratulations! Milestone requirements met, Natural Selection upgraded to Level 18!”

“Gained 10 Ship Exchange Points!”

“Current remaining Ship Exchange Points: 30 points”

Lin Mo's eyes suddenly lit up.

It was truly better to come at the right time than early.

“Perfect timing.”

He murmured softly, then stood up from the chair.

Without the slightest hesitation, his mind immediately opened the upgrade list for the power module.

That option, glowing with an enticing golden luster, was finally no longer an unattainable dream.

medium fusion engine → Large Fusion Engine

Upgrade Effect: Core energy, power output increased to 2000MW! Achieving true energy freedom!

Upgrade Requirements: 30 Ship Exchange Points, orange crystal core × 3, Purple Crystal Core × 3, Metal × 1000

“Upgrade!”

Lin Mo's thought transformed into an unquestionable command.

Boom—!!!

The entire Natural Selection emitted a hum that was more steady and powerful than ever before.

Deep within the ship, the fusion core, its heart, was undergoing a monumental transformation.

Lin Mo could feel a terrifying energy, powerful enough to light up a city, being constrained, compressed, and finally stably outputted.

From now on, neither “overclocking” nor the warp engine would be trump cards that needed to be carefully calculated.

This ship could finally break free from the shackles of energy and become a steel behemoth that could soar tirelessly through the skies.

Achieving truly infinite flight!

Lin Mo turned around and looked at the two sisters, who were still immersed in the afterglow of the delicious food and power increase.

“Zhi Xia, Nianqiu.”

“Come to the cockpit.”

His voice was not loud, but it carried an irresistible excitement.

“I'll take you for a ride.”

Gu Nianqiu and Gu Zhixia exchanged glances, both seeing a hint of curiosity and anticipation in each other's eyes.

They followed Lin Mo into the spacious cockpit.

Lin Mo settled back into his exclusive captain's chair, his hands firmly gripping the control stick.

An unprecedented, absolute sense of control spread throughout his body.

“Hold on tight.”

A relaxed arc curved at the corner of his mouth.

“We're taking off!”

Before his words finished.

He violently pushed the control stick forward!

Boom—!!!

The roar of the Large Fusion Engine was like an ancient beast awakening!

The entire battleship no longer slowly ascended, but shot vertically into the sky like a cannonball breaking free from the shackles of gravity, at a ferocious angle!

The sea level outside the window was instantly pulled away, becoming a sapphire mirror!

“Wow—!”

Gu Nianqiu let out an excited shriek, her little face pressed tightly against the porthole, feeling the dizzying speed.

Lin Mo's actions did not stop.

After reaching a safe altitude, he unhesitatingly pressed the button that represented ultimate speed.

“warp engine, activate!”

Buzz—!

The space around the ship began to undergo a slight, visible distortion.

Streaks of blue light flashed across the ship's surface.

The numbers on the speedometer began to soar upwards at a frantic pace!

100km/h!

200km/h!

300km/h!

...Finally, the number steadily stopped at [540km/h]!

This was no longer flying.

This was teleporting, skimming the clouds!

“We're flying! We're as fast as a plane!”

Gu Nianqiu happily pressed against the porthole, watching the rapidly receding sea of clouds and islands below, excitedly waving her arms and legs.

This ship, in the hands of her Brother Mo, was no different from a true spaceship.

Gu Zhixia did not exclaim like her sister.

She simply stood quietly by the other porthole, watching the clouds outside, which were stretched into long streaks of light, her eyes a little hazy.

On her cold and beautiful profile, always sharp, for the first time, an indescribable complexity of emotions, mixed with confusion and a flutter of the heart, was revealed.