Chapter 17: The Scroll of Qi-Enhancing Beverage Preparation

A steaming hot pot, tender beef lightly marinated, fragrant lamb rolls, and a sip of soda—pure comfort.

At the same time, she opened the chat screen. Watching so many people talking and debating, the lively atmosphere seemed infectious.

Yu Jiang ate while studying the resources she had acquired today. Thermal clothing and long johns might soon come in handy.

One set required 5 pieces of fabric and 10 units of cotton.

If she could produce a batch before the temperature dropped, she could stockpile and profit later.

There was also a team leader qualification card, bound to the player and non-droppable. It seemed to be used in multiplayer dungeons, granting the leader the right to distribute rewards.

To make use of it, she’d have to start recruiting people.

Every seven days, there was guaranteed to be a dungeon task. Sometimes they’d encounter service areas, and dungeons might appear there as well.

Refusing dungeon tasks resulted in a three-day “No Gains” debuff.

If the risk seemed too great, one could refuse once or twice, but continuous avoidance meant certain death.

As she pondered this, a message popped up in the public chat—and the gossip had turned to Yu Jiang herself.

“Just a heads-up, I took a big hit today. I could have pushed for third place inside the arena, but a woman caused our task to fail and punished us.

We’d been pulling monsters for a while, and she just came along to grab the Wish Star. She hid her identity, but I figured it out. Later, there was a woman with the title 'Golden Miner' and a bow who ambushed us!”

“At first, I held back, but these two are downright vicious! Be careful if you meet them—if you can strike first, do it. These two are clearly no good.”

The two consecutive messages came from someone named Fate, present in the dungeon.

Unfortunately, players who had experienced the harshness of survival games were sober-minded.

“Wait, so none of you actually fought? And you expect us to attack? Do you think we’re fools?”

“My surname’s Gu, here in the Mist Gu,” came another reply. “There are only so many Wish Stars; competition is inevitable. Being outmatched is nothing to complain about.”

Some supported Fate’s side.

“Although you can steal monsters in the dungeon, that’s just immoral. You should compensate them with some supplies.”

“Speaking as someone who also has the three-day ‘No Gains’ punishment, who’d want to team up with people like that in the future?”

“LOL, I’m the so-called Golden Miner who came in third! I hid in the back of the team waiting for others to finish off monsters, then bullied solo players and stole Wish Stars—wasn’t that you? You couldn’t win so you cried about it.”

“@Breeze220, since you’re so kind, why don’t you contribute some supplies to help others? If not, just keep quiet.”

Suddenly, Fate privately messaged Yu Jiang. “You’re the one who cast the poison rain, right? Since you hid your identity, you don’t want others to know. Give me three days’ worth of food and water, and five healing potions. I’ll keep quiet.”

Yu Jiang picked up a lamb roll and smiled.

She wasn’t unaware that acting aggressively would reveal her identity; she feared that if word got out, no one would want to use skills.

She preferred to maneuver carefully and wait for the right moment to strike. Ranking was important, but she simply didn’t have enough time.

If she dared to act, she wouldn’t care if it was exposed.

“Suit yourself,” she replied, then immediately blocked him.

Without a photo, it was hard to trust his words.

Fate, frustrated after being blocked, raged in the public chat:

“I know who @KingCalledMeToPatrolMountain is! She’s the one who used the area skill and knocked us out! She drives a green three-wheeled vehicle!”

MC Yunfeng, who was ranked second in the dungeon, responded:

“Stop talking nonsense. The second-place player in this dungeon is a big guy wielding a watermelon knife, all muscle, riding a gas-powered tiger motorcycle.”

“Only a top player can afford such a gas tiger! Am I right? The person ahead simply failed the task and lost her mind.”

“Agreed,” chimed others.

Everyone present rebutted Fate, and soon no one paid him any attention. After ranting for a while, he finally grasped at straws:

“If not, why did KingCalledMeToPatrolMountain block me? She must be guilty!”

“Are you really that dumb? Blocking you is normal,” came a sharp reply.

“Alright, buddy, we get it, you can’t beat others. Tone it down. This isn’t something to brag about. Don’t hold me up while I collect stuff. Anyone have unwanted crafting scrolls?”

“Such valuable stuff, can you even get it?”

“Gathering materials and crafting takes time and effort. Top-tier players’ time is precious. They only accept scrolls that are important or fit their class, but they do take some.”

That was how it was. Yu Jiang was already making arrangements.

X: “Crafting scroll for energy drinks. Want it?”

Yu Jiang opened it—this drink reduced fatigue by 30 points per serving!

“Yes! What’s the price?”

X: “I have some batteries and an electric health pot to give you, in exchange for gasoline and extra carbon black. You get priority on the drinks you make for me.”

“Crafting scrolls are valuable. Are you sure you won’t back out?” Yu Jiang confirmed in advance.

Since the mileage leaderboard existed, demand for fatigue-reducing supplies wouldn’t be low.

X: “Yeah, I don’t have much time to collect materials.”

“Alright, I’ll give you extra medicine and drinks when I have surplus. Do you have extra cotton and fabric? I’m making cold-weather clothes, and I can make them for you if you have materials.”

“Okay, let me know if you need more materials.”

The other party was efficient; right after the conversation ended, items were sent over:

Scroll, 10 batteries, 15 cotton, 15 fabric, 1 health pot.

Yu Jiang sent over 5 carbon black, 8 gasoline, 1 hallucinogenic powder, and 2 healing potions.

After thinking for a moment, she asked, “I also have three cigarettes and two bottles of beer. Want them?”

X: “Thanks, but no.”

Looking at the glowing names on the list, the other player was collecting crafting scrolls and could produce healing potions before the newbie protection period ended.

Their profession was likely related to pharmacy, and their skill was probably that area poison rain.

Crafting scrolls were expensive in the trading hall—enough to exchange for two or three level-three vehicle component cards. Long-term cooperation with a player who could make medicine was a good deal.

At 6:50 p.m., Yu Jiang hung a warm yellow camping light by the open car door, ready to hurry and organize her supplies.

The rain was threatening to intensify.

She first put the three cigarettes and beer up for sale in the trading hall.

She hadn’t expected these items to be so popular. Within five minutes, several people contacted her.

Yu Jiang had clearly stated in the trade chat: no compressed biscuits, canned peas, or water.

Some offered pots in exchange, others wool yarn—mostly daily necessities.

Cigarettes and alcohol weren’t essentials, so no one would foolishly trade medicine or weapons for them.

Yu Jiang wanted to trade for unwanted materials like tissues.