Chapter 258: Bidding Farewell to Drinking Dew

"Why does this fish look so familiar?" Shen Yu muttered.

He picked up a plank that had been serving as a makeshift paddle and brought it down hard on the fish’s head.

Bang!

The world went quiet.

You have killed a Mutated Ribbonfish, gaining 1 Evolution Point.

Global Announcement: Dragon Nation contestant No. 100 has earned 1 Evolution Point. National luck rewards are being calculated.

Reward for all Dragon Nation citizens: Agility +0.01.

Shen Yu grabbed the fish by its tail, opened the small hatch in the coffin lid, and tossed it inside.

"Why not decompose it immediately?" Klaus asked.

He knew Shen Yu could simply decompose the fish and store its materials, but he couldn’t help asking.

"Waste? That’s too low a utilization rate." Shen Yu answered as though it were obvious. "The bones can be used to make soup, the skin can be turned into fish leather, and the fish oil can be refined. This way, we make full use of everything."

Just as Shen Yu was about to bait the hook again, Klaus let out a startled cry.

The rope in his hand was taut and vibrating strangely. He held on tightly but didn’t dare pull too hard, afraid it might snap.

"Caught something big?"

Shen Yu put down his hook, grabbed the plank, and stared intently at the water.

"No. Something’s wrong. It’s chewing on my line!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Klaus’s rope suddenly went slack.

But it wasn’t because the hook had come loose.

Something was rapidly climbing up the rope!

The two leaned closer, using the firelight to see what was happening.

A semi-transparent, jelly-like creature was clinging tightly to the hemp rope, wriggling rapidly upward.

It was about a meter long, resembling a flattened water bag. Tiny limbs protruded from both sides of its swollen body, looking almost useless in comparison.

At the end of its body, where it had bitten into the rope, was a circular mouth filled with densely packed teeth.

In the blink of an eye, the creature had chewed through the rope in Klaus’s hand.

"Let go!"

Shen Yu grabbed Klaus’s arm and pulled him toward himself.

But the creature seemed to sense their intentions. It suddenly shot forward, attempting to leap straight at Klaus’s face.

"What the hell is that?!"

"Klaus, dodge!"

"Mom! I’ll never eat jelly again!"

Thwack!

Shen Yu swung the plank at it.

However, the expected result—sending the creature flying or smashing it apart—never happened.

Instead, the jelly twisted in midair and stuck to the wooden board like an unshakable piece of toffee.

Its tiny limbs flailed wildly while its mouth opened and closed, trying to crawl along the board toward Shen Yu’s arm.

"Fire!"

Klaus didn’t care about the heat. He lunged toward the campfire and pulled out a glowing red stick.

Meanwhile, after realizing that swinging the plank wouldn’t work, Shen Yu used his full weight to press the creature against the coffin.

"Quick! Burn it!" he shouted. "I can’t hold it down for long!"

The creature was both sticky and slippery, like a lump of slime oozing between the gaps in the wooden planks.

Klaus didn’t hesitate. He thrust the red-hot stick into its translucent body.

Pfft!

Like a water balloon being pierced by a hot iron, the creature released a wisp of white smoke and twitched violently.

Its body rapidly shrank before bursting into a puddle of gooey liquid that continued bubbling. Its tiny limbs scattered across the wooden surface.

You have killed a Mutated Barrel Sea Squirt, earning 1 Evolution Point.

Global Announcement: Dragon Nation contestant No. 100 has earned 1 Evolution Point. National luck rewards are being calculated.

Reward for all Dragon Nation citizens: Spirit +0.01.

Global Announcement: Hans Cat Country contestant No. 33 has earned 1 Evolution Point. National luck rewards are being calculated.

Reward for all Hans Cat Country citizens: Spirit +0.01.

"Another point! My brother’s performance record is completely maxed out tonight!"

"Is that it? It looked terrifying, but it turned out to be so weak."

"Ew! Even though they won, that thing was absolutely disgusting!"

"Is Klaus about to throw up? Hahaha!"

Shen Yu crouched down, poked at the puddle of liquid, and leaned closer to sniff it. His nose wrinkled.

"Looks like it can’t be eaten."

Klaus instinctively took a step backward.

Fortunately, he wouldn’t have to taste the slime under his new boss’s supervision.

The tension and despair that had filled Hans Cat Country’s livestream moments earlier disappeared.

"Oh, thank God! We got a Spirit reward!"

"This Dragon Nation guy is trustworthy. I take back everything bad I said about him!"

"He’s a true warrior!"

Meanwhile, the livestreams of Saka Nation and Stick Nation were filled with sour comments.

"In such an important survival game, he’s still thinking about eating? Disgusting!"

Their remarks were quickly drowned out by viewers from Hans Cat Country flooding into the discussion.

"Shut up! Do you even know what survival means?"

"Mr. Shen Yu calls that being practical!"

"Isn’t that better than some fool who tried to launch a sneak attack and ended up as fish food?"

"If it weren’t for Mr. Shen Yu, Klaus would already be dead. He’s our friend from Hans Cat Country!"

Shen Yu, who was sitting on his boat, had no idea he’d just gained a new batch of international fans.

The creature couldn’t be eaten, but that didn’t mean it had to go to waste.

Under Klaus’s horrified gaze, Shen Yu reached toward the puddle of slime as though he intended to touch it.

Klaus nearly changed his opinion of him on the spot.

"Don’t touch that!"

Detected a decomposable target: Remains of Mutated Barrel Sea Squirt.

Decomposition can yield:

Viscous Body Fluid ×3

Shattered Limbs ×10

High-Density Biological Filter Membrane ×1

Do you confirm decomposition?

"Confirm."

In the next second, the disgusting liquid that had made Klaus’s scalp tingle, along with the scattered limbs, transformed into tiny blue particles and vanished completely.

This time, Klaus wasn’t shocked.

Instead, he breathed a sigh of relief.

The devil had dealt with the problem of cleaning up the disgusting slime in his own devilish way. For a cleanliness freak like Klaus, it was nothing short of a blessing.

"My Coffin Bro is all about sustainability!"

"Wait, is this environmental protection?"

"Klaus, thank goodness! You don’t have to clean the boat anymore!"

"That action was so smooth. It’s hard not to suspect the big guy used to work in cleaning!"

"Someone upstairs, he’s a doctor. Do you even understand the value of sterile procedures?"

Shen Yu, of course, had no idea that the viewers had assigned him several different professions already.

His attention was entirely focused on the high-density biological filter membrane.

His eyes lit up as he took it out of storage.

The membrane was about the size of his palm. It resembled a thick sheet of translucent pigskin, with a fine honeycomb structure running through its middle.

What could this thing be used for?

Shen Yu returned to the system’s main interface.

Originally, the panel had only three options: Decompose, Evolve, and Storage.

Now, however, a new sub-option had appeared beneath Evolve.

He clicked on it, and a fresh panel unfolded before him.

Unlockable Module: Biological Purification Device LV.0

Unlock Requirements:

High-Density Biological Filter Membrane ×1/1

Viscous Body Fluid ×3/3

Evolution Points ×3/3

Function: Transforms seawater into drinkable freshwater through a symbiotic filtration structure.

Would you like to consume the required materials and unlock this module?

Freshwater!

Without hesitation, Shen Yu selected Yes.

Module successfully unlocked!

The Biological Purification Device has been automatically installed on your vehicle.

As the system notification appeared, the side of the boat near the stern began to move as though it had come alive.

Klaus had just finished reorganizing the campfire. When he turned around, he witnessed the strange scene.

A section of the coffin lid slowly bulged outward, growing something that resembled a sea anemone.

It was entirely translucent, with constantly wriggling petals that formed a shallow, bowl-like shape.

Klaus instinctively moved to the other side of the boat, trying to keep his distance from the strange growth.

This man’s boat was just like him. It was full of bizarre things.

Unable to resist his curiosity, Shen Yu reached out and gave it a casual poke.

It was bouncy and slightly warm.

The system panel had already updated.

Biological Purification Device LV.0

Function: Transforms seawater into drinkable freshwater through a symbiotic filtration structure.

Current Daily Output: 0.6 Liters.

Evaluation: Say goodbye to drinking dew!

P.S. A friendly reminder: Don’t even think about using it to bathe.

0.6 liters a day.

Although it wasn’t much, it was already a lifeline that could help keep both him and Klaus alive.

Shen Yu found the sea-anemone-like device strangely pleasing.

Klaus, on the other hand, tried his best to control his expression, but the disgust on his face was impossible to hide.

"What?" Shen Yu asked. "It’s a water purifier."

"A water purifier?"

Klaus had imagined a water purifier as something made of pipes, containers, and filters.

Not... this.

He fell silent.

The Dragon Nation livestream exploded with comments.

"0.6 liters a day! That’s enough to keep them alive!"

"Look at Klaus’s expression! Is he about to break down?"

"Don’t even get me started. That design is too unique. I feel like it’ll open its eyes and stare at me any second!"

"Hahaha! The evaluation is hilarious. And that reminder about not being able to bathe!"

"0.6 liters a day, and he’s dreaming of taking a bath? That’s a luxury!"

In the command center, Zhang Guangwei also looked at the transparent, tumor-like water purifier with undisguised disgust.

Professor Li Shu, however, was practically glowing with excitement.

"If I’m not mistaken, that should be a mutated form of a barrel sea cucumber."

"Barrel sea cucumber?" Zhang Guangwei asked, stunned.

"It’s a common marine invertebrate and a filter feeder. Its filtration system is incredibly efficient, capable of filtering out bacteria and even microplastics."

A series of surprised exclamations arose throughout the command center.

"On such a small boat, its output is a little inefficient," Professor Li Shu continued, "but there should be opportunities to upgrade it in the future."

Shen Yu withdrew his finger and calmly explained the device to Klaus.

Klaus could only imagine what the boat might become after several more upgrades.

At this rate, it might eventually grow legs and develop a brain of its own.

Shen Yu checked the supplies in his storage.

Current Inventory:

Fresh Seagull Meat ×6

Hard Bird Beak ×1

Broken Bones ×5

Damaged Hemp Rope ×1

Hemp Rope ×1

Red Cloth ×2

Wood ×3

Shattered Limbs ×10

Evolution Points ×1

The current problem was that he had only three units of wood left.

He had consumed a considerable amount repairing the boat and starting the fire. The remaining wood wasn’t even enough to repair the vessel again, let alone upgrade it.

Out here on the vast ocean, wood was rarer than gold.

It seemed that until he reached land or encountered another kind-hearted person, he couldn’t afford to start any more fires.

Shen Yu stood up, opened the hatch, and dragged out the mutated fish.

Before the fire went out, he had better deal with their food supply.

"Can you cook?"

Shen Yu dragged the mutated fish toward the campfire.

For once, Klaus displayed a hint of pride.

"Of course! Lena always says my cooking is the best in the world."

"Lena?"

He raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah. My sister."

Klaus’s tone softened.

"She... she used to be a picky eater, but she never left anything I cooked behind."

"Wait a minute. I have a bad feeling about this."

"Hans Cat’s cookbook, huh?"

"Upstairs, are you talking about potatoes with sausage, sausage with potatoes, mashed potatoes with sausage, and sauerkraut?"

"Don’t forget the sauerkraut!"

Shen Yu nodded without realizing it.

"Then I’ll leave it to you."

Klaus took the fish very seriously.

First, he meticulously cut the fish meat into neat pieces. Then he skewered them with sharpened wooden sticks.

"Too bad we don’t have any pickled cucumbers," he mumbled while preparing the fish.

"It would be perfect with some pickled cucumbers and potatoes."

Shen Yu paused.

"Pickled cucumbers and breadcrumbs," Klaus continued. "Then some sour cream or mustard..."

"Sour cream? Mustard?" Shen Yu couldn’t help reminding him, "We’re in the middle of the ocean."

"I know."

Klaus suddenly stopped, frowning as he thought.

"No salt, no pepper, and no lemon juice. Then how are we supposed to get rid of the fishy smell?"

Shen Yu remained silent for two seconds.

"Just roast it."

Klaus sighed and placed the fish skewers over the fire.

"What a pity!"

"Hahahaha! I’m dying!"

"Klaus, a life without pickled cucumbers is incomplete!"

"See? Hans Cat people can’t cook without those few ingredients!"

"Shen Yu, I’m starting to worry."

Shen Yu watched Klaus cautiously for a while, feeling that something was strange.

The man handled the fish with extraordinary care. His movements were meticulous, and he examined each piece as though he were inspecting industrial components waiting to be processed.

Was this really cooking?

"What dishes do you usually make at home?" Shen Yu asked.

"Beef stewed with potatoes, sausage with potatoes, pork knuckle stewed with sauerkraut, and cod."

Klaus answered while turning the fish skewers.

"Lena’s favorite is mashed potatoes with plenty of onions and pickled cucumbers."

Shen Yu nodded, finally understanding.

It wasn’t necessarily Klaus’s cooking skills that were impressive.

It was the recipes.

"Do you ever eat steamed fish?" he asked.

"Steamed?" Klaus frowned. "Wouldn’t that make the fish smell even stronger?"

"You can use green onions and ginger to get rid of the fishy smell."

Klaus shook his head.

"I only know lemon."

He thought for a moment before adding, "And pickled cucumbers."

The Dragon Nation livestream erupted with laughter.

"His expression is perfect! He’s questioning his entire existence!"

"Hahaha! Klaus, pickled cucumbers aren’t the answer to everything!"

"Everything can have pickled cucumbers!"

In the command center, Zhang Guangwei laughed so hard he could barely straighten his back.

"Still, it’s better than going hungry," Professor Li Shu said with a chuckle.

Soon, the fish began to sizzle over the fire.

Oil dripped from the meat into the flames, occasionally producing tiny sparks. The surface gradually turned golden, and a simple, smoky aroma spread through the air.

Klaus poked the fish with a stick to check whether it was cooked.

Once satisfied, he handed a piece to Shen Yu.

Although there were no seasonings, the fish still had a smoky, slightly charred flavor.