74: unexpected gains

“However, this trip was truly a huge gain.”

No sooner had Lin Mo finished speaking than the deep purple teleportation gate, which was suspended in mid-air behind them, suddenly began to flicker violently.

The previously stable light curtain started to ripple intensely, like water with a stone thrown into it, and its color rapidly faded.

Finally, under their gaze, it shrank and vanished silently, like a popped soap bubble, completely disappearing into the air, as if it had never existed.

“It seems its usage limit has been reached,” Lin Mo judged calmly, looking at the empty sky.

Gu Zhixia also withdrew her gaze; the thrilling adventure still felt somewhat unreal to her.

First, a desperate battle with a giant dragon, followed by a zero-cost shopping spree in a bizarre manor.

Such extreme ups and downs were simply too exhilarating.

Lin Mo turned around and looked at the three survivors still kneeling on the ground not far away.

Chen Ping and his two remaining team members were staring blankly at them with a mix of awe and extreme fear.

When they saw Lin Mo and Gu Zhixia emerge from the two titan mechs, like steel gods of war, they instinctively tried to stand up, only to find their legs had long since gone soft and weak from fright, completely refusing to obey.

Lin Mo took a step, walking towards them unhurriedly.

Each of his steps seemed to land on the three men’s hearts, causing their bodies to tremble uncontrollably.

“I do not wish to hear about what happened today from anyone else’s mouth.”

Lin Mo stood before them, looking down from above, his voice not loud, but carrying an undeniable coldness.

“If you dare to leak even half a word…”

He did not finish his sentence, but the threat within it was more chilling than any vicious curse.

“We wouldn’t dare! We absolutely wouldn’t dare!”

Chen Ping was the first to react. He lifted his tear-streaked face and desperately kowtowed, his forehead thudding against the hard, glazed floor.

“Your Excellency, rest assured! We saw nothing today! We know nothing!”

His two teammates beside him also kowtowed frantically, like chickens pecking rice, begging for mercy, fearing that even a moment’s delay would result in their immediate elimination.

Looking at their humble demeanor, Lin Mo’s eyes showed no ripples.

He raised his hand and pointed to the vast, scorched, barren island.

“I keep my word.”

“On this island, those Goblins that were cleared out, you can slowly loot their drops.”

“Consider this your information fee.”

With that, he no longer paid attention to them and turned to walk towards his mech.

Chen Ping and the other two remained stunned in place.

After a brief moment of surprise, immense ecstasy instantly overwhelmed the sadness of losing their companions and the fear of surviving a catastrophe.

“Thank you, Your Excellency! Thank you, Your Excellency!”

“Your Excellency’s great kindness, we will never forget!”

Chen Ping, along with the two men, once again desperately kowtowed towards Lin Mo and Gu Zhixia’s retreating figures. This time, it was out of genuine gratitude.

Their only response was the low hum of two titan mech engines starting up.

Lin Mo and Gu Zhixia had already returned to their cockpits.

Under Lin Mo’s remote mental control, the silver dreadnought suspended high in the sky slowly lowered its altitude. The massive ship’s bottom platform had already opened, quietly awaiting their return.

“Boom—!”

“Boom—!”

The wing-shaped flight modules on the backs of both mechs simultaneously jetted dazzling blue flames. The massive bodies lifted off the ground, flying steadily towards the Natural Selection’s Gena Ku with an aesthetic full of power.

The lift platform slowly ascended, and the heavy alloy hatch closed behind them, completely isolating them from the outside world.

Gu Nianqiu was already waiting on the deck.

She was wearing a pink and white bunny pajama, and when she saw the two giant mechs descend from the sky, her large eyes immediately sparkled with adoration.

“Brother Mo! Sister! You’re back!”

She trotted over, looking up with an excited expression, saying,

“You were so fast! I thought I’d have to wait for a long time!”

The cockpit doors opened, and Lin Mo and Gu Zhixia jumped out one after another.

“It went smoothly,” Lin Mo ruffled Gu Nianqiu’s little head. “The harvest this trip was much greater than expected.”

“That’s great!” Gu Nianqiu cheered happily.

The two titan mechs, under the system’s automatic control, took heavy steps and walked back into their exclusive Gena Ku in the armory, re-entering standby mode.

The three then went to the spacious and bright Bridge.

“Let me see what good things you got!”

Gu Nianqiu rubbed her small hands, her face full of anticipation.

Lin Mo and Gu Zhixia exchanged a smile, then took out everything from their respective mech’s storage spaces.

In an instant, the entire Bridge floor was piled high with various supplies.

Bags of seeds emitting different colored glows, boxes of exquisitely packaged frozen meats, bundles of brand new towels, mountains of flour, rice, and mineral water, as well as various unseen seasonings and several thick professional books.

A dazzling array, everything imaginable.

“Wow—!”

Gu Nianqiu’s small mouth formed a cute “O” shape. She pounced into the pile of supplies like a little mouse that had fallen into a rice jar, so happy she was almost dizzy.

She first picked up a bottle of [Dragon’s Breath Chili Powder] and sniffed it, then hugged a piece of marbled beef larger than her face, her small face filled with happiness.

“We’re rich! We’re rich!”

“So much delicious food! We can eat for a very, very long time!”

Lin Mo and Gu Zhixia couldn’t help but laugh at her little money-grubbing look.

“Alright, alright, let’s inventory it first, then sort and put it away,” Lin Mo said.

So, the three began to get busy.

Seeds and agricultural tools were classified together, to be taken to the underground farm.

Food and seasonings were personally overseen by Gu Nianqiu, the Master Chef, and sent to the kitchen and storage room by category.

As for the daily necessities and books, they were sent to the living area’s lockers.

When the last bottle of mineral water was placed on the shelf, Gu Nianqiu clapped her small hands, puffed out her chest, and declared with soaring ambition.

“To celebrate our great harvest this time!”

“Tonight, I’m going to make a super luxurious feast!”

As she spoke, she excitedly picked out a top-grade marbled beef and several glowing, exotic vegetables from the pile of ingredients, then happily ran into the kitchen.

Soon, the girl’s cheerful humming and the crisp, pleasant “thud thud” of chopping vegetables came from the kitchen.

Only Lin Mo and Gu Zhixia remained on the Bridge.

Gu Zhixia picked up the books brought from Silent Manor, her gaze falling on the [Crop Cultivation Secret Manual].

“Let’s go check out the farm,” she looked up at Lin Mo. “These seeds can’t be wasted.”

“I was just thinking the same thing,” Lin Mo nodded.

The two took all the seeds and the professional books to the underground farm on the ship’s lowest level.

Pushing open the door, an air mixed with the fragrance of soil and the fresh scent of plants wafted towards them.

Beneath the huge transparent dome, simulated sunlight evenly cascaded down, illuminating the vast space with warmth and brightness.

The fertile black soil had been divided into neat plots, equipped with fully automatic irrigation and fertilization systems.

Gu Zhixia placed the bags of seeds, each emitting a different colored glow, one by one on the field ridges.

[Enhanced Wheat Seeds (Blue)]

[Mutated Tomato Seeds (Purple)]

[Glow Apple Seeds (Purple)]

Each one represented infinite possibilities for the future.

“With these, plus Nianqiu’s Talent, our food problem is completely solved,” Gu Zhixia looked at the land before her, her phoenix eyes, which were always sharp as knives, now softened considerably.

“Mm,” Lin Mo responded. He opened the [Farm Management Guide] and quickly browsed through it.

“It says here that different crops have different requirements for light and water.”

“We can divide this area.”

He pointed to a large empty space on the left and said, “This side has the most sunlight, suitable for planting grain crops like wheat and corn.”

“The middle plot can be used for vegetables like tomatoes and potatoes.”

“The far right section, near the water source, can be developed into an orchard to plant those Glow Apples.”

Gu Zhixia listened carefully, nodding occasionally and adding her own suggestions.

“The [Crop Cultivation Secret Manual] mentions that some special plants, such as mutated tomatoes, need to be isolated and planted separately to avoid genetic contamination.”

“Then we’ll open up a small experimental plot for them in the corner.”

The two exchanged ideas, and soon the preliminary plan for the entire farm was set.

Warm sunlight filtered through the dome and fell upon them. Looking at the hopeful fields before them, an unprecedented sense of security arose in their hearts.

This was no longer just a cold weapon of war.

Here, it was slowly transforming into a self-sufficient place, capable of weathering all storms… a home.