Chapter 12: The Poison Master’s Path

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The person in the vehicle wore a clean black tactical jacket and pants. The fine rain drifting behind him in the wind and the empty, silent road seemed to serve merely as his backdrop. Especially compared to the spectral motorcycle over there, his presence was even more striking.

As he passed three vehicles, the motorcycle slowed down. He had no choice but to ease off the throttle; an abandoned pickup truck was blocking the middle of the road, with a discarded spectral motorcycle to the left and Yu Jiang’s three-wheeler to the right. He certainly couldn’t crash into them—that would only be self-destructive.

Drawing closer, Yu Jiang failed to detect any information about the man, who had likewise activated his concealment. She held only a crowbar in her hand, her vigilance undiminished. As the motorcycle brushed past, through the helmet’s visor, she briefly met his gaze.

His eyes were deep and refined, the slight upward curve at the corners outlining an air of detachment. He maneuvered around the pickup’s left side, his figure gradually fading into the distance. Fortunately, he neither paused nor meddled with the vehicles on the road.

Given his vehicle and gear, this was the finest Yu Jiang had encountered so far—not just because of the motorcycle, but also because there were few supplies hanging on it. His backpack had sufficient compartments; he must have used at least one backpack expansion card.

Shi Xu glanced briefly at the rearview mirror, noting the three vehicles parked on the highway and the seemingly unarmed survivor nearby. Her pale cheek was dotted with blood. Blood splattered on the ground was mainly concentrated in two spots, corresponding to two abandoned vehicles, suggesting the bodies lay hidden in the grass.

Since the stranger didn’t block him, this matter was of no concern to him. The pickup was in poor condition, reduced to a mere frame with heavy wear, but the other two vehicles were intact, indicating damage was not from a collision or fight. It appeared she was capable of scavenging abandoned vehicles.

Yu Jiang hammered for half an hour until her hands ached, finally breaking the gray health bars of both the pickup truck and the spectral motorcycle.

Materials obtained: shattered glass ×6, iron chunks ×20, a usable motorcycle headlamp ×1, a vehicle music card ×1, 2 liters of gasoline, rubber ×5, nails ×7.

The discovery of a salvageable headlamp was unexpected; she immediately installed it on her own vehicle. Before leaving, Yu Jiang cast a glance at the two vehicles drained of every last bit of value and at the pile of wild grass nearby.

Today’s events were just the beginning; such encounters would inevitably continue. Here, the weak were only prey to others. She needed to buckle down, claim the rewards of this instance, and strengthen herself.

Before climbing aboard, Yu Jiang looked back at the irritable Blueberry and sincerely said, “I was narrow-minded just now. I’ll get you the Sunshine Card soon!”

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It really can fight!

Irritable Blueberry: “Real human! Now you know my power!”

[Congratulations, player! Your identity achievement has upgraded to ‘Scavenger Level 2.’ When using your exclusive crowbar to salvage abandoned vehicles, you have a 30% chance to achieve twice the effect with half the effort!]

[The player used a hallucinogenic powder to assist in killing two people in one minute, obtaining the professional achievement ‘Poison Master.’ You may choose whether to accept this career path.

With your stats, you would usually be better suited as a support healer, but unexpectedly, you are ruthless in combat and looting! Our Poison Master path needs talents like you!

Rewards: Attack +5

Poison Rain Skill Scroll (upgradable, bound to player, non-transferable)

Creates a small-scale poison rain that directly inflicts 5 points of damage and causes bleeding for ten minutes, losing 1 HP per minute. Cooldown: 24 hours.

Use requires corresponding poison.]

Was there even a question?

“Accept!” Yu Jiang returned to her three-wheeler and immediately dragged the scroll onto her character panel to use it.

She silently thanked the two people who had conveniently come her way. Without them, she wouldn’t have achieved this or obtained an area damage skill.

Yu Jiang checked the materials needed for the basic Poison Rain poison:

Phytolacca (16/10), mutated poison mushroom (5/5), mutated snake venom (0/5), and thunder vine (0/2).

Since discovering that blue mushrooms could be used to make hallucinogens, she had also gathered some red mushrooms and white-stemmed fungi along the way. The mutated poison mushrooms were just sufficient.

But thinking back to when she had fled reflexively after encountering a poisonous snake, Yu Jiang now sighed and slapped her thigh in frustration. She resolved that next time, no matter what appears, she would kill first—what if it’s a resource?

If she could find poisonous snakes in loot boxes, unlucky players elsewhere probably could too. Messaging to collect these items was quick but effectively revealed half of one’s career path.

With people buying healing potions and poison venoms, and the instance about to start, many were raising prices at this critical juncture.

Yu Jiang pondered for a moment and opened her friends list.

“Looking for 5 mutated snake venoms and thunder vines. Will trade for food, gasoline, vehicle upgrade materials, or healing potions.”

She sent this message separately to ‘X,’ ‘Purehearted Cockroach Hot Chili,’ ‘28 Big Frame,’ ‘Thunder Mage,’ and ‘188 Big Man.’

Purehearted Cockroach replied fastest: “Ahhh!!! I just found one but didn’t manage to kill it—I ran away. If only I’d known you were collecting, I would’ve fought! Didn’t see any thunder vine though.”

188 Big Man: “What the heck? Mutated snakes in loot boxes?!”

28 Big Frame: “Sis, what do these snakes look like?”

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Thunder Mage: “Boss, you want to coat weapons with snake venom? But venom loses toxicity when exposed to air. I’ve seen thunder vine but haven’t picked any. I’ll contact you if I see some again.”

None of them had the materials either. It made sense—if a loot box spits out a big, rough, spicy snake, most players would flee after a single bite, losing time without healing.

Yu Jiang simply said she needed the materials to make medicine. After all, poison is medicine too.

The last reply from ‘X’ was concise:

“I have 6 portions of mutated snake venom, can give them all to you for 2 liters of gasoline and a potion. Besides healing potions, do you have any other types?”

This price was reasonable for Yu Jiang.

Mutated snakes were tough to fight; although their health bars weren’t thick, their agility was high. They only dropped snake venom, and their meat was inedible.

Yu Jiang immediately sent over some hallucinogenic powder, “Want this?”

“Deal.”

Still missing two thunder vines, Yu Jiang continued driving while scanning the roadside grass.

The entrance to Silent Town was close—just 3 kilometers left—but she had yet to find any thunder vine.

The more she thought about what to collect, the harder it seemed to find.

Vehicles began to appear more frequently on the parallel highway. Yu Jiang stopped to eat a piece of whole wheat bread and two potatoes.

She watched the lively discussions on the screen about the instance, collecting weapons and defensive helmets.

Sicily: [Selling 2 Sunshine Cards.]

Yu Jiang messaged privately, “Two compressed biscuits.”

Sicily: “Boss, have you started focusing on plants now?! Wah, I’m still struggling to meet basic needs.”

Yu Jiang: “Any chance you can sell?”

The other side sent a helpless emoji: “I’m down to half health.”

Yu Jiang felt a headache coming on. “Forget it.”

“Boss, I won’t refuse what you want. Can you add me as a friend?”

Yu Jiang ignored the message, as she saw another person also selling Sunshine Cards.

Luo Tuo Xiangzi: [‘Sunshine Card ×5’—who wants this? Just give me some food, take them away. Who has time to cultivate plants?]