Chapter 27: First Kill Reward and the Maid

Chapter 27: Chapter 27: First Kill Reward and the Maid

As the massive body of the Parasitic Demon Shark crashed to the ground, the system’s notification did not stop there.

That icy voice once again exploded in the minds of all survivors within this sea area.

[Global Announcement!]

[Congratulations to survivor "Lin Ji" for successfully killing the LV3 Mutated Creature "Parasitic Demon Shark"!]

[Achievement Unlocked: Bone Burial Sea · First Kill!]

[As the first brave warrior in this sea area to slay an elite monster, special rewards are hereby granted!]

[Reward One: Evolution Points +500!]

[Reward Two: Constitution Enhancement Pill (Intermediate) x1!]

[Reward Three: Exclusive Unique Title — [Deep Sea Hunter]!]

...

As the voice faded, the entire sea area seemed to fall into a brief silence.

"Bone Burial Sea?"

Lin Ji pondered the name.

It didn’t sound like a friendly place.

And based on this, the entire Forbidden Sea likely consisted of more than just one sea area.

But compared to reputation, tangible rewards were what truly stirred his heart.

Ignoring the shocked and envious gazes of Gu Yihan and the others around him, he directly opened his attribute panel.

A pill emitting a faint red glow materialized in his hand—the Intermediate Constitution Enhancement Pill.

Without hesitation, Lin Ji tilted his head back and swallowed it.

Boom!

A surge of heat several times more intense than before instantly erupted in his abdomen, rushing through his blood vessels to every corner of his limbs and body.

His bones crackled with crisp sounds, and his already firm muscle lines became even more streamlined, brimming with explosive power.

[Constitution Enhancement Complete!]

[Current Constitution Evaluation: Second-Stage Enhancement (3 times the physical capabilities of an ordinary person).]

Lin Ji clenched his fist, feeling the surging power within his body.

Now, he even felt he could tear through a shark’s thick hide with his bare hands.

Next, he looked at the newly acquired title.

[Title: Deep Sea Hunter]

[Effect: When equipped, damage dealt to marine-type mutated creatures increases by 10%. Additionally, when facing Sea Monsters below LV3, "Hunter’s Pressure" can be released, causing them to experience brief fear-induced paralysis.]

A divine skill!

The damage boost was secondary; that pressure-based control could absolutely save lives in critical moments.

For example, when surrounded by a large group of Sea Monsters...

Lin Ji closed the panel with satisfaction.

This round was a massive win.

He turned around, his gaze sweeping over the women on the deck.

Gu Yihan was slumped on the ground, panting heavily, her clothes soaked with sweat, but her eyes remained bright.

Su Qingyue was being supported by Shen Manyun, her face pale, with a trace of blood still at the corner of her mouth—clearly injured from the earlier collision.

"Well done."

Lin Ji rarely showed a hint of approval.

"Without your coordination, this beast wouldn’t have been so easy to kill."

Hearing Lin Ji’s praise, a flicker of joy flashed in the eyes of both Gu Yihan and Su Qingyue.

Hearing a kind word from this cold-hearted man was even rarer than obtaining Red equipment.

"However, now is not the time to rest."

Lin Ji’s tone shifted abruptly, instantly reverting to that of a ruthless commander.

He looked toward Tang Ling, who still seemed somewhat dazed.

"Tang Ling."

"What?" Tang Ling instinctively replied, her tone still carrying a hint of her usual tsundere attitude.

Lin Ji gave her a cold glance, completely ignoring her mood.

"Don’t just stand there. The deck is covered in blood and venom, plus this monster’s corpse. Clean it up quickly."

"Extract all usable materials, don’t waste anything. And..."

Lin Ji pointed at the damaged corner of the cabin and the holes in the deck.

"Fix all these broken spots. Your talent happens to be exactly suited for this."

"Why should I do this dirty, hard work..."

Tang Ling muttered under her breath, about to retort that she specialized in high-precision machinery, not corpse disposal or carpentry.

But when she looked up, she met Lin Ji’s deep eyes, from which the killing intent hadn’t fully faded yet.

Then she glanced at the nearby Parasitic Demon Shark, dead in a gruesome state with its head blown apart.

The word "no" instantly got stuck in her throat.

This guy... was someone ruthless enough to solo-kill a terrifying LV3 monster like that!

The prowess of those arrows earlier had genuinely shaken her; that sense of pressure wasn’t faked.

A wise person doesn’t court trouble!

"U-understood!"

Tang Ling hunched her shoulders slightly, grumbling reluctantly.

"No need to be so fierce... Fine, I’ll do it. My craftsmanship is top-notch anyway; fixing a broken ship is nothing."

Though she kept muttering quietly to maintain her last shred of stubbornness,

her body moved honestly enough—she was genuinely somewhat convinced.

Lin Ji then turned to Shen Manyun.

"Teacher Shen, Su Qingyue is in your hands."

"She suffered internal injuries earlier. Use your talent to heal her."

"Alright!" Shen Manyun quickly nodded.

She helped Su Qingyue sit down, gently placing both hands on Su Qingyue’s back.

[Hemostasis] talent activated.

Though only E-grade, under Shen Manyun’s full concentration, a faint green glow actually emanated from her palms.

It was an energy brimming with vitality.

Su Qingyue’s tightly furrowed brows gradually relaxed, and a hint of color returned to her pale face.

A few minutes later.

Shen Manyun swayed, her forehead covered in cold sweat, nearly collapsing from exhaustion.

Lin Ji reacted swiftly, catching her.

"Are you alright?"

"I-I’m fine, just a bit drained."

Shen Manyun smiled weakly. "Qingyue’s internal injuries are stabilized now. She’ll recover after a night’s rest."

Lin Ji nodded, glancing at Gu Yihan.

"Help Teacher Shen and Su Qingyue inside to rest."

"Yes."

Gu Yihan forced herself to stand, supporting both women as she led them under the shelter.

On the deck, only Lin Ji and Tang Ling, who was dissecting the corpse, remained.

And...

the loli Bai Taotao, huddled in a corner, trying her best to stay unnoticed.

Lin Ji slowly walked up to Bai Taotao.

His immense shadow completely enveloped the little loli.

Bai Taotao trembled all over, hugging her knees, not daring to look up at him.

"Stop playing dead."

Lin Ji’s voice betrayed no emotion.

"I know you’re the one who lured this shark here."

Bai Taotao’s body stiffened abruptly.

She looked up, her large eyes brimming with tears, her small face deathly pale.

"I... I didn’t mean to..."

"I was too scared back then... sob..."

"Enough, shut up."

Lin Ji coldly cut off her sobbing.

"I don’t want explanations. I only care about results."

"Although your actions nearly got us killed, without this shark, I wouldn’t have gotten the first kill reward."

"So, you can avoid the death penalty."

Bai Taotao’s eyes lit up, as if seeing a glimmer of hope.

But the next second, Lin Ji’s words made her little face fall again.

"But you cannot escape punishment."

Lin Ji looked down at her from above.

"Starting today, you are the maid on this ship."

"Washing clothes, cooking, cleaning, pouring foot-washing water... all these chores are your responsibility."

"You will only shed this identity when you have earned merit."

"Do you understand?"

M... maid?

Bai Taotao was stunned.

She, the little princess of the Bai family, was actually going to be someone’s maid?

And pour foot-washing water?