Chapter 46: Queueing for a Bath

Chapter 46: Chapter 46: Queueing for a Bath

"Could... you all step out for a moment?"

Her voice was soft, carrying a hint of pleading.

After all, bathing in front of so many people, even in this post-apocalyptic world, still made her feel somewhat uneasy.

Lin Ji smiled and did not refuse.

"Of course."

He glanced around at the women still gathered and watching.

"The bathroom is only so big; it can’t fit everyone at once."

"You can choose to go one by one, or close friends can bathe together."

"Go out and queue up now; don’t all crowd in here."

Upon hearing this, although somewhat reluctant, the women knew Lin Ji was right.

No one wanted to miss such a rare opportunity for enjoyment.

With a mix of anticipation and excitement, they left the captain’s cabin, leaving only Shen Manyun behind.

However.

After everyone else had left, Lin Ji showed no intention of leaving.

Instead, he walked over to the bed and sat down with keen interest.

His eyes playfully examined Shen Manyun, who was about to undress.

Shen Manyun froze.

Instinctively, she covered her chest, her face blushing like a ripe tomato.

"Captain... Captain?"

"Why haven’t you left yet?"

"Could... you also step out for a moment?"

"Let me bathe alone, okay?"

Her voice trembled, carrying a hint of begging.

Being watched so directly by a man while bathing was an immense challenge for her, a traditionally conservative teacher.

But Lin Ji shook his head, a faint, cold smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

"Teacher Shen, it seems you’ve misunderstood something."

"This ship is mine, and these Evolution Points and supplies were almost all earned through my own hard work."

"Isn’t it because of me that you can enjoy such good treatment now, that you can take a hot bath?"

Lin Ji stood up and stepped closer to Shen Manyun, one step at a time.

The overwhelming sense of pressure made Shen Manyun instinctively want to retreat, but she was backed into a corner of the Transparent Bathroom.

"Why should I leave?"

"This is my room, my bathroom."

"I can be wherever I want, and watch whatever I please."

"This... is the captain’s privilege."

In the end, Shen Manyun relented.

With her back to Lin Ji, her hands trembling, she unfastened her already tattered professional suit.

Steam instantly enveloped her plump, snow-white figure.

As the warm water cascaded down, layers of sticky sweat and grime were washed away, revealing skin as smooth and tender as a peeled egg.

Her S-shaped curves, faintly visible in the steam, and her skin, slightly flushed with shyness, painted a vivid and alluring picture of a beauty bathing.

Especially when she bent over to wash those long, straight black stockings, the unique charm and ultimate allure characteristic of a mature woman made Lin Ji, sitting on the bed outside, swallow slightly.

But he wasn’t in a hurry to make a move.

At times like these, appreciation itself was a great pleasure.

Lin Ji withdrew his gaze and, while enjoying the moment, opened the Trading House.

This was also a channel he frequently checked lately.

The price trends of certain items in the Trading House could reveal a lot of information.

Soon, he found a seller offering Huazi cigarettes inside.

[Ding! 50 Evolution Points consumed, purchased cigarettes ×10 cartons.]

[Ding! 10 Evolution Points consumed, purchased windproof lighters ×10.]

He lit a Huazi cigarette he had just bought from the Trading House and slowly exhaled a puff of smoke.

Such purely indulgent items were practically dirt-cheap in the early days of the apocalypse.

After all, everyone was busy upgrading their Vessels and buying food and water.

Who would spend 50 Evolution Points on something that offered no help for survival and was even harmful to health?

But Lin Ji had bought ten cartons in one go.

He took a deep drag and blew out a smoke ring, watching the faint blue smoke rise as his gaze grew profound.

"Nobody’s buying now because everyone’s still struggling on the edge of life and death."

"But once those major guilds and top-tier powerhouses have secured their footing and start pursuing quality of life..."

"The price of this stuff will definitely double, maybe even increase tenfold!"

Lin Ji flicked the ash off his cigarette and casually refreshed the hot search list in the Trading House.

His previously indifferent gaze froze the moment he saw the first purchase request.

[Urgent Purchase! Steam Power Core!]

[Offer: 10,000 Evolution Points per unit!]

[Note: Buying as many as available! Price negotiable if you have stock! — ’Apocalypse’ Guild.]

"Hiss..."

Lin Ji sucked in a sharp breath, nearly dropping the cigarette in his hand.

Ten thousand Evolution Points?

That was a full ten thousand!

To think he had worked so hard killing monsters and exploring, only to have saved up two or three thousand Evolution Points so far.

And this so-called "Apocalypse" Guild could casually offer such an amount!

"It seems I’ve underestimated the resources of these major factions."

Lin Ji muttered to himself, his brow furrowed tightly.

"These people have gathered massive manpower and resources, possibly even dedicated teams for monster hunting and gathering."

"Ten thousand points might be an astronomical figure for ordinary solo survivors, but for them, it could just be a day’s or even half a day’s earnings."

This immense wealth gap instantly filled Lin Ji with a strong sense of crisis.

As the Dead Silence Fog advanced, survivors’ range of activity would be continuously compressed.

By then, guilds and organizations with vast resources would undoubtedly become the most terrifying predators on the sea.

If he didn’t improve his strength quickly, he wouldn’t even be left with scraps.

"But..."

Lin Ji watched the frantically scrolling purchase requests in the Trading House, a glint of sharp insight flashing in his eyes.

"Now is not the time to make a move."

"As the final day approaches, those who haven’t reached Level 3 yet will grow increasingly desperate."

"The price of this item will only keep rising."

"Wait one more day, and it might even double!"

Lin Ji understood well the principle of scarcity driving value. In times like these, the more patience one had, the greater the profit.

Just then, the sound of running water from the bathroom stopped.

Shen Manyun had finished her shower.

But immediately afterward, she faced an incredibly awkward problem.

There was no towel.

And her original set of clothes was already tattered and worn, with some parts barely covering her anymore.

Not to mention her wet, dripping long hair, still trickling with water.

"Um... Captain..."

Wrapped in a thin veil of steam, Shen Manyun timidly peeked half her head out from the bathroom door crack.

"Do you... have anything to dry off with?"

"Any clean cloth will do..."

Lin Ji turned his head and looked at that delicate face flushed pink from the steam, along with those large, damp eyes.

A mischievous idea suddenly crossed his mind.

"Nope."

Lin Ji shrugged, feigning innocence.

"You know how scarce our supplies are right now."

"Where am I supposed to find something like that for you?"

Hearing this, the light in Shen Manyun’s eyes instantly dimmed.

She bit her lower lip, resigned to putting on her dirty clothes while still wet.

"But..."

Lin Ji suddenly shifted his tone.

He casually grabbed the pair of shorts he had just taken off and tossed them over.

Thwack.

The shorts, still carrying Lin Ji’s body warmth, landed squarely on Shen Manyun’s face.

"Use this to dry off."