22: The world is experiencing famine right now, while I'm going on a shopping spree.

Inside the Captain's cabin, the air was somewhat stuffy.

Chen Du casually picked up the large red apple on the table.

The originally plump and rosy skin of the fruit was wrinkled like an eighty-year-old woman's face.

With a light press of his finger, brown juice squirted onto his hand.

“Tsk, it spoiled so quickly?”

Chen Du frowned slightly, and with a thought, he said: “Sacrifice!”

The ancient notebook in his mind showed no reaction, coldly displaying a line of text:

[Please sort your garbage before disposal. This God-tier Talent is not your recycling station.]

“Oh, you're picky?” Chen Du sneered, tossing the rotten apple out the window into the sea.

If he didn't deal with it quickly, the ton of fruit in the bottom hold would soon turn into organic fertilizer.

Chen Du leaned back against the chair.

His fingertip lightly tapped the void, opening the [regional chat channel].

After seeing it, he almost burst out laughing.

[9527: Who has water? Even foot-washing water will do! I'll trade a Rolex gold watch for it! Diamond-encrusted! Pure gold!]

[3306: Wake up, upstairs. Can a Rolex kill a zombie now? I have a case of '82 Lafite, only asking for rice and flour! Waiting online, it's urgent!]

[1024: Help... I'm the CFO of a listed company! Whoever gives me food, I'll give them ten million stock options when I get out! I don't want to starve to death!]

[0074: Forget tree bark, I just chewed on some kaolin clay... Good people, save this child, I'll kneel down and call you Dad if you just give me food...]

The entire screen was filled with wails, the fragrance of leeks.

In this wasteland world where order has collapsed, former wealth and status have been reset to zero.

A mouthful of water can make formerly high-and-mighty elites bark like dogs.

Chen Du chewed a grape that hadn't completely spoiled, spitting out the skin with a 'poof'.

While others were selling their dignity for survival, he was worried about how to cash in a warehouse full of fruit.

Suddenly, he had an idea!

Chen Du clicked open the [Trade Panel] again.

He entered keywords into the search bar: women's clothing, stockings, daily necessities.

The results were astounding.

Luxury goods that once cost thousands or tens of thousands were as cheap as dirt here.

[10 sets of brand new Victoria's Secret Limited Edition Swimsuits, traded for one pack of compressed biscuits.]

[Full set of unopened SK-II Facial Treatment Essence, traded for one 500ml bottle of mineral water.]

[Balenciaga black stockings, white stockings, fishnet stockings, one box traded for two apples.]

“This isn't trading; this is practically charity.”

A wicked smile appeared on Chen Du's lips, and his eyes gleamed with the light of a capitalist.

“Since you're all so polite, then I won't be polite either.”

He began a crazy shopping spree.

He listed the fruits that were starting to soften, slightly bruised, but still edible.

The note was extremely provocative: [Premium Fresh Fruit, rich in vitamins. Buy fast, or miss out!]

There was no need to haggle.

As soon as the fruit was listed, it sold out instantly!

[Ding! Trade successful. Acquired Chanel Haute Couture Suit x5.]

[Ding! Trade successful. Acquired La Mer Set x10.]

[Ding! Trade successful. Acquired various stockings x50 pairs.]

[Ding! Trade successful. Acquired special erotic... underwear x20.]

In just ten minutes.

Chen Du used a pile of nearly rotten fruit to clear out half of the fashion section of the Trade Area... “Zhou Qian! Zhao Mengmeng! Didn't you eat? Move faster!”

On the deck.

Chen Du stood by the second-floor railing, holding a cigar he traded for rotten pears.

The two former goddesses were hauling cardboard boxes, covered in dust.

Zhao Mengmeng's face looked like a dirty cat. She sniffled as she moved the boxes: “Wha... what is all this? Why is there so much...”

“Wow! Th... this is the latest Dior this season?”

The girls weaving grass ropes nearby suddenly stared wide-eyed.

As the boxes opened, colorful luxury clothes piled up into small mountains as if they were free.

Under the sun, the sheen of silk, the delicacy of lace, and the bottles and jars of high-end skincare products emitted the stench of money... oh wait, the fragrance of civilization.

This absurd sense of luxury formed a strong visual contrast with the dead, gray seawater surrounding them.

Suddenly, the grass ropes in the girls' hands didn't seem so appealing anymore.

After all, they were all in their early twenties. Who wouldn't want to look beautiful?

For the past two days, they had been wearing tattered grass skirts, covered in mud and sweat.

The girls were getting depressed.

“Captain... are these, are these all for us?”

An Nuonuo ran over, holding a banana, her big eyes sparkling as she looked at the pile of clothes.

“What else? Am I going to wear them?”

Chen Du flicked the ash off his cigar, his gaze sweeping brazenly over the group of beautiful women on the deck.

“Although we're surviving the apocalypse, my crew members can't look like a bunch of beggars.”

“Everyone picks three sets, and there are plenty of toiletries. From now on, you must stay clean every day.”

“If anyone gets lice, they'll be thrown overboard to feed the fish.”

“Yay! Long live the Captain!!”

“Du Shen is too handsome!”

The girls cheered, the scene more lively than the New Year celebration, swarming toward the mountain of clothes.

“Wait.”

Chen Du suddenly spoke, pointing his finger at a few people.

“I will personally select the clothes for the Core Crew Members.”

He picked up a pair of exquisitely packaged black stockings, prominently labeled with the letters—Balenciaga.

“Li Yaozhi.” Chen Du tossed the black stockings to the aloof Study Committee Member.

Li Yaozhi subconsciously caught them.

After seeing what was in her hand, her cheeks flushed: “I... I won't wear these. This is...”

“Still saying you won't wear them! Take them quickly.”

Chen Du's tone was unquestionable, and his gaze swept over her straight, slender beautiful legs.

“With your leg shape, not wearing these is a terrible waste of natural resources. Plus, this material is scratch-resistant, suitable for combat.”

What the heck is scratch-resistant! These are stockings, not bulletproof vests!

Li Yaozhi bit her lip, glared fiercely at him, but accepted the stockings anyway.

“Ye Qiu.”

Chen Du picked out a pair of fishnet stockings and handed them to the league branch secretary with a wicked smile. “As a doctor, breathability is important. This pair is not only breathable but also three-dimensional, making it easy to wick away sweat.”

“Chen Du! Are you trying to die!” Ye Qiu turned her head away in embarrassment.

“An Nuonuo, you wear this.”

Chen Du tossed her a white one-piece swimsuit plus white stockings.

“This is called the 'Pure Desire Ceiling,' understand? A mascot needs to look like a mascot.”

“Hmm... I don't really understand, but if the Captain says it looks good, then it looks good!” Nuo Nuo foolishly hugged the clothes, smiling so wide her eyes disappeared.

As for Tang Ran... Chen Du threw her a black tactical vest and work pants, plus a pair of fingerless leather gloves.

“Perfect for your violent aesthetic. Wear this, and the Corpse King is just a little brother.”

Tang Ran took them, held them up to size, and nodded in satisfaction: “You have good taste! That lace stuff makes me itch all over.”

Watching this beauty pageant on the deck, Chen Du was in a great mood.

This is the life a Captain should have. The happiness of a pervert is often this simple, unpretentious, and boring.

Just as he was about to return to the cabin to try on the newly acquired bathrobe, a strange item on the Trade Panel caught his attention.

[Unknown Black Stone: Cut out from the stomach of a large-bellied fish monster. It's so hard it breaks teeth; completely impossible to bite. Trade for one sip of water, just one sip!]

Chen Du stared at the stone's thumbnail image.

It was pitch black with irregular patterns on the surface.

Buzz—

In his mind, the sacrifice notebook, which had been silent and playing dead, suddenly trembled.

A reaction?

Chen Du's eyes narrowed.

Anything that can elicit a reaction from this aloof notebook is definitely not ordinary! He struck gold this time!

“Trade.”

Chen Du immediately operated the panel, buying the stone with a bottle of slightly murky lake water.

This was practically a free acquisition.

Just then.

The [regional chat channel] suddenly displayed a line of bold, scarlet text!

[Warning! Warning! Coordinates 134, 568!]

[Help!! There is a Ghost Ship here! It's eating people!! Fog... such thick fog... Ah!!!]

[Voice Message: Help... that thing is alive... Sizzle sizzle...]

The message abruptly stopped.

Chen Du glanced at the coordinates and sharply looked up.

He didn't know when, but a layer of strange white fog had genuinely appeared on the clear sea surface.

And those distress coordinates were less than three nautical miles from ferry no. 0819!

“Captain! There seems to be movement over there, should we go take a look?” Tang Ran also noticed the anomaly and rushed up to ask.

“Go take a look?” Chen Du looked at her as if she were mentally challenged. “The first person to die in a horror movie is always someone as curious as you.”

He rushed back to the helm in a few steps and turned the wheel hard.

“Full speed turn! Go around!”

“Whoever wants to join that excitement can go ahead. I'm not playing along!”