The scent of blood mixed with the saltiness of seawater and the distinct burnt odor of engine oil being burned drifted into everyone's nostrils with the sea breeze.
This was the smell of a post-apocalyptic morning.
Qin Yu sat back on the leather sofa.
[Daily Lottery System]
[Daily Lottery Draws: 1/1 (Available)]
[Current Accumulated State: 2/3]
[Tip: Not using ordinary lottery draws for three consecutive days can synthesize one "Targeted Category Lottery Draw".]
Today was the second day.
That red "Lottery" button seemed to have a magical power, constantly tempting Qin Yu to press it.
If it were an ordinary day, he would have casually pressed it long ago.
But not now.
The situation had changed.
The Black Tide had accelerated, sea beasts had mutated, and that Zhang Nanhai holding an S-grade hook was watching closely from behind.
Ordinary supplies, even another crate of A-grade steak, wouldn't qualitatively change the current survival situation.
He needed something more substantial.
For example... weapons.
Or higher-grade shipborne defense modules.
"Endure it."
Qin Yu took a deep drag of his cigarette, forcibly shifting his gaze away from the button.
"Just hold out until today ends."
"Tomorrow will be the third day."
"For the targeted lottery draw, I want to draw an S-grade or higher module."
Only by holding absolute power in his hands could he sleep peacefully on this chaotic sea.
"Yu-ge, look outside."
Yao Xue's voice interrupted Qin Yu's thoughts.
She was holding binoculars, pointing to a spot about five hundred meters to the side.
There was a modified medium-sized raft there, equipped with several homemade crossbows, with a few skulls hanging from the bow—clearly another ruthless character.
They were the group that had tried to take advantage of the sea beast attack earlier to sneak up and scavenge.
But now.
When the people on that ship saw through their binoculars the pitch-black heavy machine gun on the deck of the "President" and that irritable woman Li Ruobing who had nearly opened fire earlier—
These usually merciless thugs backed down.
"Quick! Turn the rudder! Turn it now!"
"That's Qin Yu's ship!"
"That female demon is looking at us! Is that a Gatling gun in her hands?!"
"Don't provoke him! That madman even Zhang Nanhai doesn't dare confront head-on. We'd just be walking into our deaths!"
The medium-sized raft desperately spun its steering wheel, black smoke billowing from the engine as it carved an "S" shape on the sea surface, fleeing in panic as if they'd seen a ghost.
They didn't even bother to retrieve a barrel of fuel floating on the water.
"Hah."
Li Ruobing sneered coldly, tossing a bullet into the air and catching it.
"A bunch of bullies who only prey on the weak."
"Weren't you so arrogant just now?"
This was the deterrent power of "The Foremost One."
On this lawless open sea, reputation was the best protective talisman.
No need to open fire.
Just the name "Qin Yu," combined with the menacing firepower configuration at the bow, was enough to make most ill-intentioned people steer clear.
Even if they were desperately short of fuel.
Even though they knew the President was essentially a massive moving fuel depot.
They were even more aware.
That before they could even get close to Qin Yu's ship, they would be turned into sieves.
"Maintain this distance."
Qin Yu instructed calmly.
"As long as they don't cross the three-hundred-meter warning line, ignore them.""
"At times like these, every bullet is more valuable than human lives."
"Understood."
Yao Qian acknowledged and continued monitoring the radar.
Time passed quickly.
The sun climbed higher, its scorching rays baking the deck.
The surrounding screams and pleas for help gradually diminished.
Not because everyone was safe.
But because those destined to die had mostly perished, and the survivors were focused solely on pushing forward.
An eerie calm settled over the sea.
Only the roar of engines remained, like countless flies buzzing in their ears.
"Beep—!"
Suddenly.
A sharp alarm sounded from the radar screen in front of Yao Qian.
"Brother Yu!""
"There's a situation!"
Yao Qian's voice instantly tightened.
"What is it? Has Zhang Nanhai caught up?"
Li Ruobing immediately jumped up, her hand once again reaching for the heavy machine gun.
"It's not Zhang Nanhai."
Yao Qian stared at the data on the screen, her brows furrowed into a deep frown.
"And it's not a Sea beast either."
"It's a... very strange fleet."
"Strange?"
Qin Yu raised an eyebrow and walked over to the control panel.
On the screen.
To the right rear of the President, about four nautical miles away.
A dense cluster of green dots had appeared.
Their numbers were no less than Zhang Nanhai's fleet.
But their formation was extremely peculiar.
Zhang Nanhai's fleet was in a "arrowhead formation," with him in the center and his enforcers on the wings, like a sharp blade.
But this fleet...
Resembled a massive disc.
In the center was a relatively small, exquisite raft.
Surrounding this Raft were at least two hundred single-person assault boats!
These small boats had no engines.
Or perhaps they weren't using them to save fuel.
They were connected by ropes to the larger ship in the center, like ancient trackers, chanting and rowing desperately, pushing the central vessel forward!
"What the hell is this?"
Li Ruobing was stunned.
"Human-powered Thrusters?"
"Are these people out of their minds?Qin Yu narrowed his eyes, watching the slowly moving but extremely steady huge "disc.""
"Send the drone over."
"Let's see who it is."
The screen flickered.
The drone's camera quickly zoomed in.
When the ship being encircled like the moon by stars came into clear view, even Qin Yu couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth.
It was indeed a ship.
But it looked more like a maritime float.
Painted pink.
The deck was even covered with a red carpet of unknown origin.
At the bow.
A reclining chair was placed.
A woman wearing a purple semi-transparent gauze dress, with an extremely curvaceous figure, lay lazily upon it.
She held a peacock feather fan, gently swaying it.
A pair of long, pale legs were exposed unabashedly to the air.
On the small boats surrounding her.
Were all men.
Shirtless, sun-tanned, their eyes wild with excitement, rowing as if pumped full of adrenaline.
As they rowed, they chanted slogans.
"Goddess Vivi! Boundless Magic Power!"
"Escorting the Goddess! No Regrets Even in Death!"
"Keep it up! The Goddess is looking at me! She smiled at me just now!"
"Bullshit! The Goddess was clearly looking at me!"
The scene.
It was even more spine-chilling than last night's Black Tide.
"Ugh..."
Li Ruobing made an exaggerated retching motion.
"Is this woman insane?"
"Is she here to survive or to hold a talent show?"
Yao Xue adjusted her glasses, her gaze icy.
"Yu Weiwei."
"Ranked fourth on the merged server leaderboard."
"Nicknamed 'Succubus'."
"It seems the rumors are true. She doesn't recruit followers with supplies, she uses... brainwashing."
Qin Yu watched the woman on the screen.
His eyes showed no fluctuation, only the amusement of observing some rare animal.
"Interesting."
"To make hundreds of men willingly serve her in this apocalypse, without even needing to provide fuel."
"That's a skill in itself."
"Some kind of mental control item?"
Just as Qin Yu was observing,
The woman lying on the chaise lounge seemed to detect the drone's presence.
Unlike others who would panic or attack,
She slowly sat up instead.
Facing the drone's camera, she revealed a bewitching smile that could make ordinary men weak in the knees.
She extended her delicate white fingers and blew a kiss at the lens.
Then she took out a megaphone.
Her sugary voice, carried by the sea breeze and amplified through some unknown equipment, clearly reached the "President" several nautical miles away.
"Is that up ahead~ Brother Qin Yu's 'President'?""
The voice.
Was sweet enough to give you diabetes.
Yao Qian got goosebumps hearing it and instinctively shrank behind Qin Yu.
"I'm Yu Weiwei~"
"Brother Qin Yu~ Since we've met, could you wait for little old me?""
"Just a weak woman like me, with so many burdens to carry, I'm so scared~"
"Could you let us... follow behind your big ship and borrow just a little bit of safety?"
"Just a little bit~"
As her voice faded,
The hundreds of men rowing around her seemed to receive some command.
They rowed even more vigorously.
The entire "disc" formation began moving closer to the "President."
Surprisingly fast.
"Brother Yu, what should we do?""
Li Ruobing looked displeased, already raising her gun barrel.
"This vixen wants to latch onto us."
"Let me give her a burst of fire, show her what 'safety' really means."
Qin Yu waved his hand.
"Don't rush."
"Killing her is easy."
"But if those hundreds of 'simp followers' behind her go crazy and charge at us, it'll be troublesome."
"Though they're just a mob, there are too many of them."
"If they launch suicide attacks and damage our external armor, repairs would be bothersome."
Qin Yu walked to the stern's loudspeaker.
Pressed the switch.
His voice was cold, devoid of any emotion.
"Stop."
"Approach another three hundred meters."
"And you die."
Just a few simple words.
Carrying a murderous aura that instantly overwhelmed Yu Weiwei's sugary coquettish voice.
The other side clearly paused in surprise.
Yu Weiwei hadn't expected Qin Yu to be so unromantic.
Based on her experience,
Men in this world, no matter how ruthless, would at least show some courtesy when faced with a beauty of her caliber taking the initiative.
At minimum, they'd exchange a few words.
But this Qin Yu.
Went straight to "you die."
Yu Weiwei bit her red lips, a flash of anger in her eyes.
But it was quickly covered by a perfect smile.
She stood up from the chaise lounge.
Her gauzy skirt fluttered in the wind, tracing a breathtaking silhouette.
"Brother Qin Yu~ You're so fierce~"
"I came here with sincerity."
"Look behind you."
She extended a finger, pointing toward the distant horizon.
"That Zhang Nanhai, that scoundrel."
"He devours people without spitting out the bones."
"He just seized two of my escort ships and killed my fans."
"I'm really scared, you know."
"Shall we cooperate?"
"You have strong firepower, and I have... manpower."
"I can let your people rest, have these 'fans' of mine gather supplies for you, scout the way for you."
"Even..."
Yu Weiwei's voice grew more seductive, laced with a hint of provocation.
"If you're willing."
"It's not impossible for me to come aboard your ship... for some in-depth exchange of information~"
"My skills... are quite excellent, you know~"
As these words fell.
The "simp" rowers around her burned with envy.
Their gazes toward the "President" were filled with jealousy and hatred.
As if Qin Yu had stolen the saintly maiden of their dreams.
"This woman..."
Yao Xue snorted coldly.
"She's provoking."
"She's using those men's jealousy to pressure us."
Qin Yu saw it clearly, of course.
She was a master at playing with people's hearts.
She wanted to board the ship.
Once aboard the "President," with her methods, she was confident she could throw the ship into chaos.
Even turn the tables entirely.
Unfortunately.
She had met Qin Yu.
A man possessing "absolute rationality" and backed by a system.
"Manpower?"
Qin Yu sneered.
"I don't need trash."
"As for you."
Through the drone's camera, Qin Yu coldly stared at Yu Weiwei's delicate face.
"Whether your skills are good or not, I'm not interested."
"But I know my marksmanship is excellent."
"Since you want to cooperate."
"I'll give you a chance."
Qin Yu paused.
A cruel curve lifted the corner of his mouth.
"You need to prove your worth."
"Look to your left."
Qin Yu pointed toward the sea on the left.
There, a medium-sized pirate ship flying a skull flag was sneaking around, trying to bypass their defense line.
It was another group of desperate scavengers.
"Go."
"Send your people over."
"Seize that ship for me."
"Bring me the fuel on board."
"If you succeed."
"I'll allow you to follow in my wake, eating my dust."
"If you fail."
"Or dare to play tricks."
Qin Yu patted the heavy machine gun beside him.
"I'll turn you, this 'red rose,' into pulp."
Yu Weiwei's smile froze on her face.
She hadn't expected Qin Yu to be so ruthless.
Was this cooperation?
This was clearly using her people as cannon fodder!
He was subjugating her!
And in the most humiliating way possible.
"Brother Qin Yu... you're..."
Yu Weiwei still wanted to bargain.
"Countdown from ten."
Qin Yu's voice cut her off.
"Ten."
"Nine."
"Ruo Bing, aim for her head."
"Got it!"
Li Ruobing responded excitedly, her gun barrel locking directly onto Yu Weiwei.
The red laser sight landed precisely on Yu Weiwei's full forehead.
That dot of red light.
Was especially glaring under the sun.
Yu Weiwei panicked.
She was genuinely panicked.
She could feel that the man wasn't joking.
He would really pull the trigger.
Even if she was ranked fourth on the leaderboard, even if she was a peerless beauty, in this man's eyes, she seemed no different from a piece of rotten meat.
"Don't! Don't shoot!"
Yu Weiwei screamed, her beautiful face pale with terror. All her earlier composure and charm had vanished.
"Fine! I'll do it, alright!"
She turned around furiously and shouted at the surrounding simps who were still stunned:
"What are you all standing around for?!"
"Didn't you hear what Brother Qin Yu said?!"
"Charge forward!"
"Seize that pirate ship!"
"Anyone who dares to retreat will be kicked out of my Fan Club! Don't even think about looking at me ever again!"
These brainwashed men feared being "kicked out of the Fan Club" more than death itself.
"Charge!"
"For our goddess!"
"For Weiwei!"
"Kill those pirates!"
The hundreds of small boats surrounding Yu Weiwei instantly surged forward like rabid dogs, howling as they rushed toward the unfortunate pirate ship.
The scene was both spectacular and absurd.
Hundreds of men armed with wooden sticks, metal scraps, and even their teeth swarmed the pirate ship equipped with crossbows.
The pirates on the ship were completely bewildered.
"What the hell is this?!"
"Madmen! They're all madmen!"
"Don't bite me! Ah! My ear!"
There was no strategy—just pure human wave tactics.
Even ants can kill an elephant if there are enough of them.
In less than five minutes, the pirate ship was completely overwhelmed by the human tide. Screams of agony rose one after another.
Soon, the battle was over.
A few blood-soaked men excitedly raised two barrels of diesel and several bloodstained backpacks, rowing their small boats back to Yu Weiwei as if seeking praise.
Yu Weiwei didn't even glance at her battered subordinates. She struggled to tidy her disheveled hair, forced a smile uglier than crying, and waved toward the President.
"Brother Qin Yu~"
"It's done~"
"I'll have someone deliver the fuel to you right away..."
"No need."
Qin Yu's voice came again.
"Leave it on the sea."
"Keep it for yourself."
"I don't need that little fuel."
"I just wanted to see."
"Whether the so-called fourth-ranked player only knows how to flirt."
"It seems now."
"You're quite professional at being a dog."
With that, the President roared to life, its propeller churning up massive waves as it accelerated and sailed away, leaving behind a livid and trembling Yu Weiwei standing disheveled in the wind.
"Qin Yu..."
Yu Weiwei clutched her peacock fan so tightly her nails broke, her eyes filled with venom.
"Just you wait..."
"No one has ever dared to humiliate me like this..."
"Sooner or later, I'll make you kneel at my feet and beg me like a dog!"
...
In the President's command room.
"HAHAHAHA!"
Li Ruobing laughed uncontrollably, tears nearly streaming from her eyes.
"Brother Yu, you're too ruthless!"
"Did you see her face? It was as green as a cucumber!"
"Quite professional at being a dog... HAHAHA, that remark was perfect!"
Yao Qian couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle. The scene had been immensely satisfying—that woman's haughty demeanor had been instantly crushed into the mud by Qin Yu.
Only Yao Xue remained calm. She looked at Qin Yu.
"Brother Yu, even though you humiliated her..."
"But this grudge has been set."
"That woman is narrow-minded and extremely vindictive."
"She'll definitely look for opportunities to sabotage us."
Qin Yu lit a cigarette, watching the waves recede rapidly outside the window.
"I know."
"But I want her to hate me."
"An enemy who's lost their rationality is much easier to deal with than a calm green tea bitch."
"Besides."
Qin Yu blew out a smoke ring.
"Keeping her around still has its uses."
"Zhang Nanhai is in the background."
"Someone like Yu Weiwei, to save her own skin, will definitely try to cause trouble for Zhang Nanhai or get targeted by him."
"Stir the waters muddy."
"Only then can we slip away to handle more important matters."
Qin Yu glanced at the system panel.
[Current Charge State: 2/3]
[Time until tomorrow's targeted draw: 18 hours]
"Alright."
"The farce is over."
"Full speed ahead."
"Our target today is to gather construction materials."
"I want to add another layer to the 'President's' outer armor."
"After tomorrow's draw."
"I estimate... the real tough battle is about to begin."
Qin Yu had a premonition.
This "three-day charge" mechanism the system provided.
Definitely wasn't just for him to enjoy drawing rewards.
Most likely.
It was preparing for some higher-level catastrophe.