《Global Wasteland: I Obtained A Top Tier Shelter》 Chapter 1: Survival Game of All Humanity Chapter 1 - 1: Survival Game of All Humanity"Is this... a treasure chest?" In the desert, Lin Yue looked at the chest-like thing at his feet and couldn''t help but mutter. On his way to work, he''d seen an unimaginably large meteor fall from the sky. With a deafening crash, a white light flashed, and he lost consciousness. When he opened his eyes again, he was in this unfamiliar place. He accidentally stepped on a small purple lizard, killing it, and a basketball-sized treasure chest appeared out of thin air on the ground. A mechanical synthesized voice rang in his ears: "You have obtained a Wooden Treasure Chest." While Lin Yue was still puzzled, he looked down, preparing to grab the treasure chest, and noticed a black leather notebook lying next to it. On it were the words "Survival Manual." Upon picking it up, lines of text composed of blue fluorescent light suddenly appeared before him: [Congratulations, like the other 7.8 billion people on Earth, you have arrived in this Exotic Star wasteland world to participate in this survival game.] [Survival is your only pursuit and goal.] [Disasters are inextricably linked to this Exotic Star world. Seven days later, the first random disaster will occur, and then once every seven days it will recur. Three days before a disaster occurs, there will be a disaster forecast.] [The shelter is your only safety guarantee. Once destroyed, it will disappear on its own and will not recover.] [Elderly and children, disabled, and those unable to care for themselves will be relocated to their relatives after the first disaster, considering they have weaker survival abilities, and each person will be provided with three days'' worth of food and water.] [This world is resource-rich but full of dangers. By fighting mutated creatures that live here, you might defeat them and have a chance to obtain a treasure chest, but you might also fail and become their food.] [Mutated creatures become more active and more dangerous after nightfall, please be cautious.] [Survival supplies will refresh in the wild and can also be obtained from treasure chests. The quality of treasure chests you find will be higher with the strength of the mutated creatures.] [Concentrate your Spiritual Power to open the game panel, you can use it to make your survival a bit easier.] [Remember, death here is true death.] [To all humans, good luck!] After a while, the light screen and manual both disappeared. "This is the Otherworld Survival Game?" Lin Yue couldn''t help feeling astonished. The light screen just now was definitely not something that existing technology could create. The treasure chest before him and the prompts he''d heard earlier quickly made him accept reality. He had transmigrated to the Exotic Star with all of humanity, and the only goal was to stay alive. And there was talk about a random disaster every seven days... What disasters could there be? Floods, blizzards, mudslides, earthquakes, beast tides, meteors falling... No matter which one, none of them sound very good. Even Lin Yue, who was normally unruffled, was a bit nervous at this moment. He looked around. Here was a world composed of sparse grasslands and yellow earth. Barren, desolate. Deadly silence. Wait a second, was there something about fighting mutated creatures to possibly get a treasure chest? Lin Yue looked at the treasure chest again, somewhat baffled: "Even that weak purple lizard counts as a mutated creature?" He opened the treasure chest. [You obtained: Farmer Three Punches Mineral Water 600ML X1] "Farmer Three Punches Mineral Water?" Lin Yue frowned. Isn''t this the Otherworld? As he took out the mineral water, the treasure chest disappeared as well. "Strange," Lin Yue said, looking up in another direction. Less than ten meters away stood a very dilapidated thatched roof hut, which he had noticed earlier. It must be the "shelter" mentioned in the manual. This thing that was leaning to one side with holes everywhere was actually the "shelter"? Lin Yue couldn''t help but inwardly criticize. He pulled open the door, and before he could walk inside, the door collapsed with a clatter to the ground. Lin Yue, nearly hit by the falling door, twitched his lips. Throwing his gaze into the dim grass hut, he found the interior to be very simple. The walls, made of piled dry grass, stood about two and a half meters tall, with only a pile of dry grass in the corner and nothing else. This is called a shelter? Worried it might collapse and kill him inside. Lin Yue sat on the musty dry grass, expressing his concerns about its durability. However, it should be fixable, right... Recalling what the manual said about concentrating his mind, a light screen appeared before him in no time. [Important Information] [Trading Mall] [Shelter Intel] [Manufacture] [Inventory] "Oh, it does feel like a game," Lin Yue focused his gaze on [Important Messages], and another new screen popped up. There were three options: [Announcements], [Groups], and [Private Chat] Well now, this is like the old QQ, a first for Tencent to fall short. [Announcements]: Disaster information sent in real-time, with successive warnings before disasters occur. Lin Yue remembered the manual mentioned a random disaster every seven days with notifications three days prior. The nature of the disaster is still unknown at the moment. However, just knowing this makes one feel an immense pressure. It even thoughtfully wrote down the time: Doomsday Calendar Day 1, 11:23:49 Looking further into [Groups], it was almost identical to a QQ chat group, except the avatars were all big-head photos of the individuals, names were their original names, with a plus sign next to them, presumably to add friends. The group had a total of 10,000 members, and as Lin Yue flipped through, he noticed there were very few faces from Tang Country; most were foreigners, but names were thoughtfully translated into Tang language. Chat messages were continually refreshing. "Oh, guys, this broken thatched house is a shelter? I bet it will collapse with just a nudge. Oh my god, I swear I just touched it, and it collapsed!" "Anyone born by the water? There''s not a drop here, just sand; I''m dying of thirst!" "Why on earth is there no water!" "The chance to get a treasure chest from monsters is too low. I''ve killed four green rat-like monsters, not a single chest dropped." "Exactly, the chance is too low. I''ve killed a bunch of bugs, not even one dropped. Who managed to get a chest?" "Reporting! Seven fist-sized beetles killed, zero chests, unlucky soul passing by." "Forget the treasure chest, who''s found food? I was on a hunger strike for three days to lose weight, now I''m starving!" ... Lin Yue browsed through it. There were a lot of chatterers, but some useful intel too. He noted that each person''s location environment varied: some in Gobi, deserts, forests, while some, like him, were on a barren desert. However, it seemed everyone faced a common lack of water and food. For this, some set their sights on treasure chests and directly went to provoke mutated creatures. Lin Yue found the chat search feature and mentally typed in "treasure chest," discovering thousands of messages without a single one not complaining about the low rates, none had gotten a chest. Are the odds really that low? This made Lin Yue gradually feel, perhaps he was really blessed by the luck of the gods at that moment. Stepping out of the house and observing around, he found not a trace of a water source, and food was even more uncertain. In his sight, apart from wild grass and stones, there were sparse trees. Thump. At that moment, a purple-black grasshopper, several times larger than he expected, jumped to his feet. Lin Yue reflexively stomped on it. [You have obtained a Wooden Treasure Chest!] Hmm? Another one obtained? After opening it... [You obtained: Kang Shuaifu Braised Lamb Flavor Instant Noodles X1] Hmm? Suddenly there''s food? Who just said food was rare? Holding the instant noodles, Lin Yue couldn''t help but wonder, is his luck really that good? Spending some time searching carefully nearby, he finally discovered a crawling red caterpillar. He took a deep breath. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Let''s give it another try! Taking off his shoe, Lin Yue aimed and smacked it down! Slap! [You have obtained a Wooden Treasure Chest!] Something''s not right. Looking at the consecutively appearing treasure chests on the ground, Lin Yue''s scalp tingled. Even with great luck, it shouldn''t be like this, right? Others got nothing from over ten attempts, and I can get one from just three hits? Are the odds a bit too high? Lin Yue walked a bit further, found three red lizards enlarged several times, not knowing what they were eating. Picking up two shoes, he walked over. Slap slap slap! [You have obtained a Wooden Treasure Chest!] [You have obtained...] Looking at the three consecutive treasure chests appearing in front of him, Lin Yue''s head buzzed. He actually succeeded six times in a row in getting chests! Could it be... "100% chance of getting a treasure chest... could this be my golden finger?" Chapter 2: Survival Crisis, Real Death Chapter 2 - 2: Survival Crisis, Real DeathLooking at the treasure chest in front of him, Lin Yue was filled with excitement. He could now confirm that after crossing over to this Otherworld, he had gained a cheat ability. 100% chance to get a treasure chest! Slaying three small lizards all at once had produced three treasure chests at the same time, which couldn''t just be explained away as mere good luck. Not only that. Lin Yue opened the four treasure chests he had accumulated in total. [You received a 600ML bottle of Wahaha Pure Water!] [You received a 500g loaf of bread!] [You received a 600ml bottle of Hot Spring Mineral Water!] [You received a 500g loaf of bread!] The rewards were still the most scarce resources¡ªwater and food¡ªthat were crucial for everyone. He opened the group chat and silently observed for a while, seeing that many people were still complaining about the low probability of treasure chest drops. It seems he''s the only one with this cheat ability. Lin Yue also noticed that the vast majority of people, due to the lack of water and food, were forced to attack mutant creatures, hoping to obtain treasure chests. Drinking water and food are essentials for survival. Lin Yue read reports stating that in extreme situations, a person could survive for two months without eating, or even slightly longer. For the average person, it might be a week or two. But without drinking water, one would die in just three days. Water is undeniably the most basic prerequisite for sustaining life. The manual mentioned that after overcoming the first disaster, groups like the elderly and children would be teleported with three days of food and water per person. But the first disaster happens seven days later. Who can hold out until seven days without water? Not to mention, the term "overcome the disaster" was used. No telling how many days it would take to overcome the disaster. Having grown up in an orphanage and with no kin or ties, even when that time comes, such supplies wouldn''t arrive for Lin Yue. Blocked from this route, Lin Yue could only rely on himself. However, with the addition of the first treasure chest he opened, he already had three bottles of water, each containing six hundred milliliters. In theory, to maintain the best physical condition, one needs to drink two liters of water a day. But in this world where everyone is fighting for survival, that''s too idealistic. Lin Yue looked at the water he could luxuriously use for a day, and felt slightly relieved. At least, for now, he wouldn''t need to worry about water. As for food, stretching it to last for two days wouldn''t be a problem. Moreover, with the cheat ability ensuring treasure chest drops, these supplies should be as abundant as he wants them to be. After lugging these items back to his shabby grass hut, Lin Yue stumbled over the broken door, which made him realize that solving the water and food problem wasn''t solving everything. He twisted open a bottle of water, took a big gulp, then focused and opened the game panel again. Upon opening it, he suddenly noticed that the total number of people displayed in the upper right corner of the group had changed to 9996. Another minute or so later, it turned to 9991! Wait, what''s going on? Does this mean the number of people decreased? If there''s a decrease, it implies... "Death!?" A chill enveloped Lin Yue instantly. This game was undoubtedly real, so the decrease in numbers meant that people had truly died! Lin Yue searched carefully and indeed found that the profile pictures of nine people had turned grey. This included the person who previously mentioned their house collapsed. Death... In this world, if you''re dead, you''re really dead. Lin Yue felt another wave of crisis. Water and food could prevent death from thirst and hunger, but when it came to safety, how far off was he from the person whose house collapsed? With a hint of worry, he looked directly at "Shelter Related," and a screen quickly appeared. Shelter: Grass Hut Area: 40©O Durability: 2/10 Evaluation: You know what? A big bad wolf''s breath could blow it down; better run and find a pig who can make wooden houses. Shelter Points: 0 Goodness, does this durability mean it could collapse at any moment? This game even adds taunts, doesn''t it? However, it''s true. Forget whether this shabby grass hut can withstand random disasters; it wouldn''t stand a chance against a major mutant creature at night. Especially since the survival manual mentions that mutant creatures are more active at night; if luck runs out, it could mean curtains at night. Lin Yue went outside again and gazed into the distance. Among the far-off grassy patches, there were obvious black dots moving around. These were definitely not the kind of mutant creatures you could easily deal with like the pesky bugs. He felt it necessary to solve this problem before the night came. Lin Yue looked directly at "Craft." Two subcategories popped out, one being "Shelter Related" and the other "Survival Related." The shelter-related category splits into doors, walls, floors, roofs, etc. Lin Yue glanced at the collapsed grass door. This seemed to be the most urgent issue to resolve. [Grass Door: Fodder X3] [Wood Door: Timber X2] [Stone Door: Stone X4] Quickly, three options appeared on the screen. But Lin Yue didn''t even have to think before dismissing the grass door option. That thing might as well be nonexistent. At best, it could block some bugs, but restored to its original state, it would still be made of grass. As for the stone door, Lin Yue thought this shabby grass hut probably couldn''t withstand the weight of a stone door. So there''s only one choice left. But to collect timber, wouldn''t looking for trees be the solution? Lin Yu had sort of figured out a development route. He stepped outside, looking around. Barren land, grass patches. Trees? There seemed to be a small grove several hundred meters away. Steeling himself, he headed in that direction, noticing that even the thinnest trees there were at least about ten centimeters thick. This... isn''t doable. Simply put, he had no tools. Opening the craft page, within the survival-related list, there indeed was an option. [Stone Axe: Timber X1, Stone X1] Oh, great. If I could find timber, would I even need an axe? After searching for a while, there weren''t even any dry branches nearby, as for stones, those were nowhere to be found. Hit a dead end? In plain sight, besides this area, there was nowhere else connected to "trees." After another careful search, not even a small stone existed. Good grief, just how barren is my shelter? On the way back to the grass hut, Lin Yue unexpectedly found that he hadn''t encountered any mutant creatures along the long distance. Not even small lizards or purple grasshoppers were seen. Have they hidden? Lin Yue pondered for a while, returned to the grass hut, opened the game panel again, and looked at "Trade Mall." The screen flashed; there wasn''t much information. [Seller: Old Puller in Island City] [Trade Item: Special Mini Burger] [Required: 1L of any liquid] [Seller''s Notes: Buckle up, go for it, brothers!] ... [Seller: Belger] [Trade Item: Mutant Creature Meat] [Required: Iron Block X2] [Seller''s Notes: Rich in protein, tastes like chicken, crunchy] ... [Seller: Zhang Lei] [Trade Item: Timber X2] [Required: 500ML Drinking Water] [Seller''s Notes: Chopped trees all day to get this, water please!] ... Upon a rough browse, Lin Yue noticed that not only were there direct barter transactions, but there was also an auction bidding function. Although there was quite a bit of useless clutter, it was evident that most people were looking for the same thing. Water! Water, as a trade item, seemed to have already become a hard currency. Indeed, wanting to survive, one can''t do without water. Without the concept of money, bartering has become the only mainstream method. Moreover, it wasn''t just simple buying and selling; there were auctions and other various methods. He searched again to see if there was anyone selling water, but found nothing. It seems maybe there aren''t many people with treasure chest drops. Looking again at the water beside him, Lin Yue had an idea. Opening the item inventory, Lin Yue noticed that it displayed a total of ten slots, and items of the same category could be stacked in one slot. He took out a bottle for individual consumption and left the remaining two bottles of water in the inventory. Soon it showed "Drinking Water X2." Three bottles of water totaling 1.8L, which isn''t exactly a large amount. Now it was time to decide how to exchange it. Lin Yue looked around at the sellers seeking water; although there were many, their demands were extremely unreasonable. Rather than accepting others'' pricing, he decided to set his own! Auction! [Seller: Lin Yue] S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Auction Item: 200ml Pure Water] [Required: Timber] [Seller''s Notes: Highest bidder wins] And just as Lin Yue put the water up, the chat record in the group instantly exploded! Chapter 3: Treasure Chests with Extremely Low Drop Rates Chapter 3 - 3: Treasure Chests with Extremely Low Drop RatesAt this moment, the survival game has been going on for half a day. Outside, the sun is blazing, and the temperature is extremely high. Many people with dry throats are lying in the broken straw huts to rest. However, the moment Lin Yue posted the water for sale message, it immediately excited these people! "Someone is selling water! And only wants wood in exchange?" "Damn, someone is actually willing to sell water? And for two hundred milliliters?" "Did it drop from a loot box?" "Is there a water source next to the shelter? I''ve dug two meters deep and still haven''t found water!" "Got it, let''s chop down some trees, wait for me, boss!" "Lin Yue, darling, please give me the water, I''m so thirsty, I promise to go on a date with you once we get out." "Send over your card number, I''ll take the water for twenty thousand bucks!" ... When Lin Yue looked at the private messages for trade, it had escalated to over 100 messages in an instant! There were seductive ones, threatening ones, those offering large sums outside, and those begging desperately. He directly chose to ignore them, as none seemed reliable. Besides, returning to the original world? It probably won''t even be possible. He looked at the bid history. Surprisingly, within this short period, someone had actually offered a figure that exceeded his expectations. Lin Yue didn''t want to waste too much time, so he directly chose that person''s offer. [You lost 200 milliliters of water] [You gained Wood x20] After the transaction was completed, Lin Yue noticed that the water in his bottle had remarkably decreased. At the same time, he gained 20 units of wood! Gentle breezes blew through countless gaps in the dry straw, into the hut. Water, which was almost worthless in the original world, has become hard currency in this survival game. Perhaps the 200 milliliters of water could have been exchanged for more, but Lin Yue wasn''t that greedy, and his time was invaluable. "Open the crafting panel, and then something related to the shelter..." The interface before him changed once again, Lin Yue looked at the crafting interface. [Wooden Wall: Wood x15] Now with 20 units of wood, Lin Yue didn''t have to settle for crafting just a wooden door; he could reinforce the entire shelter''s walls with solid wood, which was much better. Select, confirm crafting! A flash of white light passed. [Wood -15] [Your shelter has been upgraded to wooden walls] Soon, after the light faded, Lin Yue was pleased to find the walls had transformed from flimsy, drafty straw to slightly thicker wooden planks. Although still uneven and bumpy, the sturdiness was much better than before. Next up was the door. [Wooden Door: Wood x2] Select, confirm crafting! A flash of white light passed. [Wood -2] [Your shelter has been upgraded to a wooden door] Lin Yue looked up to see a brand new wooden door now fitted in the door frame. With this, it should be able to fend off mutated creatures. As he walked over, he found a latch on the door. After securing the latch, he instantly felt a sense of security enveloping him. With this, it should be able to fend off mutated creatures. With drinking water and food secured, and the shelter much more solid, the pressure on his head was greatly reduced. He let out a sigh of relief and lay down on the straw, looking at the leftover materials in his inventory. What aspect should be modified next? He looked up; the roof still leaked air. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The straw under him was also somewhat uncomfortable. It seems the quality of life could still be improved. However, before that, he had some plans. What Lin Yue can confirm now is that opening loot boxes ensures the acquisition of water and food, while wood and stone can improve the shelter''s sturdiness, making him safer. But in the location he is in, there is only sparse grassland, and yellow soil everywhere, with only a few trees, and no stones or other minerals have been seen. Resources are not just scarce, they''re downright lacking. If not for this 100% loot box system, this would be a dire start. Moreover, the crisis has not fully been lifted. How many mutated creatures around here are as easy to deal with as mutated insects? What if stronger ones appear? Lin Yue thought of those insects and lizards he had stomped into pulp, and removed his shoes to rub with dry straw. He found that the soles of his shoes had numerous pits as if they had been burned! This is... Those insect-lizards seem not as weak as he thought. Luckily, he had used his foot to step on them and not his hand to smash them, or the consequences would have been dire. Lin Yue finally understood what it means to be a "mutated creature." He thought of those in the group who had died; perhaps their deaths were due to underestimating these mutated creatures. It seems, compared to improving the environment, crafting some weapons first is more urgent. Opening the crafting panel, he then selected [Survival Related]. The things that could be crafted were quite numerous, and Lin Yue looked directly at the weapon section. [Wooden Shovel: Wood x2] [Stone Spear: Wood x3, Stone x2] [Wooden Bow: Wood x3, Fiber x3] [Slingshot: Wood x1, Leather x2] [Iron Spear: Wood x2, Iron Block x3] [Torch: Wood x1, Dry Grass x3] [Wooden Bed: Wood x4] ... Lin Yue took a bite of bread while looking at the various options in the crafting menu. There was a wide variety, including tools, weapons, and even furniture. But after a brief review, Lin Yue ruled out most options. Wooden and stone weapons, though some he could craft immediately, each had their disadvantages. Axes and hammers, as weapons, had limited attack range; even if they could be thrown, Lin Yue hadn''t practiced, and accuracy was an issue. Wooden bows had a wide range but still posed accuracy issues and needed arrows. Agricultural tools weren''t considered due to limited damage. Lin Yue finally focused on spears and guns. He noticed the stone spear required two wood and two stones, while the gun required three wood and two stones. With seemingly similar weapons, the difference in resource costs was a concern for Lin Yue. Lin Yue chose the long spear, but in terms of material, iron was evidently sharper than stone. It''s better to take it a step further. But he didn''t have iron blocks. Though, someone else does. Walking outside, the sky seemed to have darkened a little. After a sip of water, he opened the group chat and found it still bustling. "I found a water source, but the water is green. Can I drink it? I''m so thirsty!" "List it in the marketplace, I''ll try it for you." "Auction it, highest bid wins!" "Where did that water-selling boss go this morning? Now they''re selling 15 milliliters, 20 milliliters, a bottle cap-full of water to trade for things? What the heck can it do?" "Report, the seventeenth little lizard finally dropped a wooden loot box, inside was a steamed bun!" "Large amount of materials for water, PM if interested!" ... The chat messages kept Lin Yue occupied for over ten minutes. Though he did get quite a lot of useful information. Someone got treats from a box, or obtained food or water. Revisiting the trade market, Lin Yue indeed saw people selling water at high prices; even the "green liquid" he just saw was quickly snapped up. Furthermore, after browsing, most listings were seeking water in exchange for plenty of resources. Indeed, water was a necessity over wood and stone, especially in the first few days. How many people who crossed over to the Otherworld could withstand the human limit of not drinking water? Probably not many. Without water and food, people tend to fall into negative emotions like anxiety and pessimism and would go to great lengths to find hope in this trading market. Meanwhile, some blindly seek to fight mutated creatures, hoping for a loot box. However, the low drop rate and the unique nature of mutated creatures only intensify the risk of such actions, resulting in... Lin Yue looked again at the upper right corner showing the total number of people. 9811. In a group of ten thousand, nearly two hundred people have disappeared within just a few hours. How they died, Lin Yue was unclear, but undoubtedly many were entangled with the word "water." Wondering how many globally have been wiped out? This survival game is truly terrifying. Chapter 4: Spearmen Have Been Lucky Since Ancient Times S Chapter 4 - 4: Spearmen Have Been Lucky Since Ancient Times SAt this moment, it has been over six or seven hours since everyone arrived in this Otherworld. Lin Yue, while sighing, took a look at the marketplace and searched for the keyword "water". Soon, eight sale listings popped up, and three of them were posted by the same person. But just as mentioned in the group, they were really selling five or ten milliliters and demanded a lot in exchange. However, no one has bought any, because no one is foolish enough to buy unless forced to a certain extent. He thought for a moment and put his own item up for auction. [Seller: Lin Yue] [Auction Item: 200 milliliters of Pure Water] [Required: Iron Block] [Seller''s Note: Highest bidder wins] Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Just like last time, Lin Yue did not disclose exactly how much he needed. The purchase power of water, a hard currency, depends on the buyer''s urgency and bargaining power. If one reveals their bottom line casually, there''ll be significant pushback when trying to sell in the future. What''s more, such an auction maximizes profits. Isn''t it better to trade for a bit more? As soon as Lin Yue''s auction entered the market, the group chat exploded again. "Wow, who is Lin Yue? Selling water again?" "Big boss Lin, you got so much water at the start, did you spawn near a water source? Damn, I''m in the Desert!" "Still need materials this time? Are they really that scarce?" "Mining now, picking up stones, chopping trees." "To be honest, I have minerals, private chat Lin Yue?" ... Lin Yue glanced at it and waited another ten minutes. Looking again at the trading marketplace, his private messages hit over 100+, which he still ignored. As for the bid count, it was an astonishing 50 times! Lin Yue directly selected the highest bid confirmation and contentedly clicked confirm. [You lost 200 milliliters of water] [You received Iron Block x10] [You received Plastic Bottle x1] Sure enough, as time passes, the purchase power of water has increased again. This is also somewhat due to many extracting more materials over time. 200 milliliters, compared to others'' five or ten milliliters, shows a lot more sincerity, which is also one of the main reasons that drives these people to bid madly. For Lin Yue, it was just the amount of a third of a bottle of water. Besides, he could continue to eliminate mutant creatures to obtain more without costing much effort. But Lin Yue was also very clear-headed. This situation wouldn''t last too long. From the group''s chat, he saw there are indeed a lot of strong people. When he first arrived, some were already hunting small beasts like lizards¡ªgetting a treasure chest was just a matter of time, regardless of the low probability. Moreover, he''s not the only one with a craftable game interface; everyone else has this feature. With an increase in gathered materials, many will start using them for crafting. In the early stage, everyone is still exploring and getting familiar with this survival game, but as time goes on, more people will sell water, and its purchase power will continuously drop. Lin Yue believes that by stocking up various resources in the first two days, he''ll be better prepared than others for any disasters revealed on the third day. In the inventory, the wood count is 3, and Iron Block is 10. Lin Yue closed the group chat and went to the crafting page. He directly selected the Iron Spear, and soon a shimmer of light flashed. [You received Iron Spear (Normal)] [Wood -2, Iron Block -3] A spear appeared in Lin Yue''s hand! The spearhead was sharp and pointed, with a shaft about two meters long, slightly heavy. Lin Yue went outside and practiced a bit to get a feel for it. Stab, thrust, pierce, twirl, sweep! He recalled when he used to follow a bigger kid in the orphanage and practiced fighting with long sticks. Although it seems ridiculous now, it indeed helped him quickly get accustomed to this new weapon, the spear, to some extent. However, Lin Yue also discovered something. After crafting the Iron Spear, there was a label "normal" on it. Does this mean these things have different levels? Will making more with increasing proficiency produce higher-level items? Or is it completely random? Lin Yue had no more information and could only speculate for now. After searching around for a while, he finally found a large purplish-black grasshopper. The number of mutant creatures didn''t seem as abundant as imagined. This locust was several times larger than its Earth counterpart and seemed to have corrosive body fluid. Its jumping was decent, moving not much slower than his walking speed. Previously, he hadn''t observed as closely as now, but now it indeed seemed a little dangerous. Now, the thing has already spotted Lin Yue and directly leaped high, wings fluttering behind, flying straight towards him! Lin Yue didn''t choose to take it down in mid-air but instead, observed its flight direction, sidestepped, and split it in half with the sharp spear as it landed! This time, Lin Yue was much more cautious than the previous recklessness. Even though the bug remained the same, Lin Yue''s mindset had shifted. The first few times, he was lucky not to be burned by the bug''s body fluid, but knowing that now didn''t mean he could recklessly act the same. Life is precious, and getting killed by this bug would be too much of a waste. [You obtained a Wooden Treasure Chest] The system notification chimed in as the treasure chest appeared. Lin Yue was not surprised in the slightest. Wooden Treasure Chests only contained either water or food, possibly better items in higher-level chests. But around his Shelter, these mutant creatures were too scarce. Challenging larger mutant creatures was beyond his current capabilities. He had a cheat of 100% treasure chest drop rate, which others didn''t have. In this extremely low probability, others who killed nearby small mutant creatures but couldn''t get any chests had to attack the larger ones. This game forces people to adapt, to grow stronger... Putting it directly into the inventory, he chose to continue hunting. Setting aside the resource issue, getting familiar with weapons can''t be bad. However, Lin Yue circled the nearby area again and still didn''t find a single mutant creature. Questions swirled more and more in his mind. Could it be that the scarcity of various resources here includes mutant creatures? If so, a 100% treasure chest drop wouldn''t matter either. Lin Yue put away the treasure chest and headed to a relatively high small hill. In a world composed of yellow soil and barren grass, hundreds of meters away, he indeed saw some flickering black dots in the wild grass. If visible from this far, they must be much bigger than bugs... He guessed they were at least as big as dogs or sheep. Could he handle such big mutant creatures? Perhaps, for now, it''s better to first collect wood and convert the roof into wooden planks. Selecting "Stone Axe," he spent 1 Wood and 1 Iron Block, quickly equipping a sturdy Stone Axe in his hand, much like the one he used to chop wood with as a child, looking fairly sharp. He reached the wooded area and swung the Stone Axe. Under the scorching sun, this kind of intense labor consumed a lot of mental and physical energy, easily making one thirsty. Finally chopping down the tree and taking a huge gulp of water, Lin Yue could truly feel the thirst for water others experienced wasn''t fake. Now, except for those still lying in their rooms resting, probably everyone is out either chopping trees or gathering stones and mining for survival. After resting for a while, Lin Yue picked up the axe and continued to chop trees. After felling three small trees, Lin Yue acquired 15 units of wood, storing them in the inventory. Resting for a moment, he picked up the stone axe and walked into the Desert. It felt off earlier; have the mutant creatures all hidden away? Searching more thoroughly once again, Lin Yue even spent more time than chopping trees before finding a strange hairy caterpillar covered in tentacles where he had previously stepped on a small lizard. The Stone Axe came down, and a treasure chest appeared. This should be about right. Looking up, he realized that unknowingly, the sun was setting and the sky had darkened quite a bit. Feeling slightly hungry, Lin Yue turned and headed for the Shelter, when suddenly, he heard an odd noise. Quickly turning to check, he was stunned to see... Just tens of meters away, a fiery red mass was slowly moving towards him. Chapter 5: Obtaining the Iron Treasure Chest! Chapter 5 - 5: Obtaining the Iron Treasure Chest!At this moment, a big "danger" character appeared in Lin Yue''s mind! He quickly turned around, just about to make a move, when he saw that giant locust leap into the air and fly straight towards him! The wings vibrated, causing a terrifying sound. Lin Yue gasped, quickly running to the side as fast as he could. Glancing back, he saw the giant locust land and bounce towards him again! This time, Lin Yue sprinted directly towards the shelter, feeling a rush of anxiety. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. How is this thing so fast? It''s so big and can fly? It''s cheating! After darting into the house, he quickly closed the door and bolted it as fast as he could, leaning tightly against the door. However, before he could catch his breath, he felt a strong vibration from the other side of the door! Lin Yue pressed against the door tightly, beads of sweat running down his forehead. Yet the persistent crashing didn''t come again. The sound of the locust bouncing didn''t return either. After a few more minutes, Lin Yue wiped off the sweat from his face, feeling puzzled. What''s going on? Did it leave? But at this point, Lin Yue could only guess. After all, his shelter didn''t even have a window, he had no idea what was happening outside. While he was still puzzled, Lin Yue suddenly heard a strange sound. And the sound was coming from overhead. Dry grass slowly fell to the ground, and Lin Yue looked up towards the roof. Just three to four meters above him, the huge head of a locust had already penetrated through the dry grass roof, its massive compound eyes fixed on him! Almost instinctively, he yanked open the door and dashed outside. Simultaneously, he heard a thud behind him as the giant locust fell to the ground. Without thinking, Lin Yue shut the door. The door couldn''t be opened from the outside, so the locust couldn''t get out for now, providing him some relative safety. However, the crashing sound started again from another place. If ignored, this newly rebuilt wooden house might be smashed to pieces. If the shelter were destroyed... He thought of the person whose shelter collapsed and whose profile picture turned gray. No, without the shelter, death would not be far away. Lin Yue wiped the sweat from his face, eyes fixed on the large hole in the thatched roof, and picked up the Iron Spear beside him, quickly climbing up. This kind of activity was too easy for him, having been used to climbing trees and onto roofs in the orphanage. Through the large hole, Lin Yue looked into the room; the giant locust was still crashing into the walls, causing constant strong vibrations. "Hey bug, look over here!" Lin Yue grasped the Iron Spear and shouted angrily! The locust noticed the commotion and suddenly leaped, flying straight towards the hole! The Iron Spear in Lin Yue''s hand was instantly thrown out when the creature was at its closest distance. Thud! The spearhead slanted into the locust''s head, and the sharp blade quickly cut through its skin, exiting its lower abdomen, heavily smashing onto the ground! "Did it work?" Lin Yue watched as the creature jumped and struggled on the ground, cautiously refraining from going down to check. After a while, until it only twitched slightly, Lin Yue finally felt relieved and climbed down from the roof. [You have obtained the Iron Treasure Chest!] Just then, the prompt finally arrived, and Lin Yue felt all his energy drain away, causing him to sit down on the ground directly. This was too dangerous. After resting for a moment, he finally stood up again. Speaking of mutated creatures, this locust was more like a monster. What locust is as big as a large dog, and can jump so high and fly so far? If there hadn''t been an Iron Spear, he might have struggled quite a bit to defeat it, or even... been killed by it. His first face-to-face encounter with death, Lin Yue took his time before taking a deep breath and standing up again. At this moment, the joy of obtaining the Iron Treasure Chest washed away most of the tension. He had only ever received Wooden Treasure Chests, this Iron Treasure Chest was a first. He finally remembered the survival manual mentioning that the stronger the defeated mutated creature, the higher the grade of the treasure chest obtained. Entering the house, beside the red giant locust''s corpse, was indeed a metal box slightly larger than the previous wooden treasure chests. Dragging the Iron Spear, Lin Yue hauled the heavy locust body out of the stone door and pulled out the Iron Spear. After finishing these tasks, he felt completely exhausted. Challenges often come with opportunities. He opened the Iron Treasure Chest. [You have obtained: Matches x1, a package of tin foil, a roll of toilet paper] Matches came out! The importance of a fire source speaks for itself. Imagine, in this pitch-black night in the shelter, if mutated creatures attacked, without the illumination from flames, he would be in a passive position, possibly losing his life. On the other hand, fire can also cook food, allowing him to fend off the cold. The ratio of water and food obtained from Wooden Treasure Chests seems to be random. As for the Iron Treasure Chest, as of now, it seems to offer some basic survival tools. Tin foil can be used as a cooking tool on many occasions. Lin Yue recalled some culinary videos mentioning that by wrapping food and tossing it into the fire, raw meat could be cooked in a short time. As for toilet paper... At least he wouldn''t have to use those unknown wild grasses to wipe in certain moments, right? Lin Yue returned outside, spent 1 wood and 1 Iron Block crafting a Shovel, and began digging a pit. Of course, this was to bury the locust. He had a feeling that leaving it there might attract unknown mutated creatures. If something more powerful came, that would be a real headache. After a while, Lin Yue used the Shovel to dig the shape of a large pit. But then he thought of another matter. Could he dig an underground shelter? He looked back at the wooden house behind him. If he hadn''t let the locust out at that time, how long would the wooden walls have lasted? What if he encountered even more powerful mutated creatures? Lin Yue felt that even if the entire house were replaced with stone, it wouldn''t be so secure. Moreover, not only mutated creatures needed to be guarded against. There were also people. This is a survival game, akin to an apocalyptic extreme environment. No water, no food, even the shelter collapses with a touch. In such an environment, the ugliest side of human nature can often be provoked. Being from the orphanage, Lin Yue was exposed to society earlier than most people and was more accustomed to living alone, making him more cautious than his peers. He didn''t want to harm others, as long as others wouldn''t come to harm him. The pit was finally dug, and he looked up at the sunset. Unknowingly, it had gotten this late. Chapter 6: I Eat Noodles, You Eat Dirt Chapter 6 - 6: I Eat Noodles, You Eat DirtAfter burying the locust, holding the Iron Spear and Shovel, Lin Yue returned to the house. He took a big bite of bread, chewed it slowly, paired with sweet mineral water, and swallowed it all down. Lin Yue could clearly feel the return of energy, which had been quite depleted by the day''s activities. That feeling... It''s like a drought met with sweet rain, encountering an old friend in a foreign land, dry wood meeting fierce... Ahem, in short, it''s very refreshing. However. This Shelter is not yet in a perfect state. Wooden walls, a wooden door, and... a thatched roof with holes. Things can''t remain like this. Who knows if any mutant bugs or bats or birds might fly in from there at night. He opened the game panel. [Torch: Wood X1, Dry Grass X3] He tidied up the dry grass on the ground, put it into the item bar, and selected to confirm the creation. Soon, a torch with a blackened tip appeared in his hand. Lin Yue took out the matches he had just received and lit it. Red flames suddenly burst up! The glow of the fire illuminated the dim Shelter. The burning duration of the torch is 12 hours. Pretty handy for gauging vague time. He dug a pit, buried a portion of the torch to secure it, and Lin Yue looked up at the ceiling. If the roof had been replaced with wood back then, how could giant locusts have crawled into the house? Lin Yue accessed the panel related to the Shelter and immediately selected the wooden roof option. [Wooden Roof: Wood X8] Goodness, quite a bit required. Lin Yue had no choice; after selecting and crafting, a flash of white light resulted in a complete wooden house. "Seems like something is still missing?" All the dry grass was used for the torch material; now there''s nowhere to lie down. Lin Yue spent four units of wood again to make a wooden bed. He gathered the remaining dry grass and tossed it on this reasonably decent-looking wooden bed, and Lin Yue lay down with a sense of flop. Comfortable! A lot happened today. Being transported here, survival game, treasure chests, giant locusts... Everything seems surreal but is undeniably real. Lin Yue pondered what kind of power could transport the entire world to this Otherworld while giving everyone a system-like capability? And what exactly are these mutant creatures? Can we return to Earth? As he contemplated these questions, Lin Yue started off alert but eventually, his eyelids grew heavy over time. The sense of security within the wooden house made him stop worrying about potential dangers of the night. After a while, he clutched the dry grass and finally entered the realm of dreams. By comparison, others couldn''t even think about sleep; lacking torchlight, basic water and food couldn''t be guaranteed. Some people''s Shelter was initially located in forests and mountains, allowing them to extract considerable wood, stone, and Iron Block, enabling them to build wooden and even stone houses, and various tools and weapons. But the continuous labor left them parched and starving. These people only achieved temporary safety, holding some resources. But the most crucial¡ªwater and food¡ªthey fundamentally lacked. Thus, they had to browse the marketplace repeatedly, hoping for water to appear. Some chose to craft simple weapons, others ignored weapon crafting to attack mutant creatures, yet the painfully low drop rate of treasure chests continually challenged their nerves amidst their repeated disappointments. After all, hunting mutant creatures also expends substantial energy. A few fortunate ones managed to get a treasure chest, but the contents only barely sustained basic survival needs. And there were unlucky souls who opened some bread from a box, choking to death in the absence of water. However, this wasn''t the main reason for human majority loss. Come evening, in shabby thatched cottages without the protection of torchlight, the survivors faced more abundant and vigorous mutant creatures than during the day. Those who ventured out, believed themselves strong, or idled all day perished silently during the night. ... In the wilderness, the howls of beasts, incessant cries of birds echoed. Poisonous insects roamed freely, unknown ancient beasts loomed and disappeared in the mist. But with the rising and falling of day and moon, all this eventually faded away. In the wooden house Shelter, the torch flames dwindled. Finally, it flickered rapidly, emitted a crisp sound, and extinguished. Lin Yue was startled awake by the noise, opening his sleepy eyes. "Did I actually sleep for almost twelve hours?" He stared at that torch, intrigued. Sore muscles all over, he sat up as his stomach grumbled simultaneously. After listening to the external sounds and confirming nothing unusual, Lin Yue unbarred the door with the Iron Axe in hand, letting in the intense sunlight. Outside, merely a gentle breeze caused the sparse wild grass to make soft noises. However, a strong stench filled the air now. Lin Yue circled around the Shelter for inspection and discovered excrement left by something unknown not far behind the house. Numerous in quantity, large in size, and an exceptionally pungent odor. Having seen documentaries, Lin Yue knew carnivore excrement is much stinkier than that of herbivores. Seems like there were quite a few unwelcome visitors near his Shelter last night. Could it be the same for others in their Shelters? Back inside, Lin Yue took out the Shovel, dug a pit nearby, and pushed the excrement into it. He was very cautious not to let even a speck touch the Shovel. Having dealt with this, the air was considerably fresher, and Lin Yue felt up to cooking. Cooking wasn''t just about dry bread washed down with water. From the item bar, he opened the roll of aluminum foil, ripped out two equal-sized sheets by hand, and shaped them into a small double-layered bowl. Pouring a bottle of water into the aluminum bowl to test for leaks, a few didn''t escape, then he picked up the Shovel, digging a triangular pit. Once he placed the aluminum bowl atop the triangle, Lin Yu found some dry grass, went to the grove to chop down some branches, and placed them inside the pit. Using matches, he ignited the branches, poured more mineral water into the aluminum bowl, and waited for the water to boil before throwing half the Kangshuaifu instant noodles inside one at a time. "Pot" was still too small. Skillfully adding spices, vegetables, sauce... The aroma quickly wafted out. Lin Yue, who hadn''t touched any oily food the previous day, couldn''t help but take a deep breath of the scent. Zhi made a pair of chopsticks from branches, Lin Yu picked up the wonderfully fragrant noodles, devouring them swiftly with vigour, not even leaving the soup. Delightful! For that moment, the instant noodles were better than gourmet cuisine! Sweating profusely from eating, Lin Yue eagerly put down the second batch of noodles. But right as he added the remaining sauce, Lin Yue suddenly had a thought. Can this half-bag cooked instant noodles be traded for something good? Good thing, naturally not the consumables from a Wooden Treasure Chest, those he doesn''t lack. What he lacks are things that make survival easier, the Shelter more solid and secure. Did others crack open Iron Treasure Chests besides him? After all, there are quite a few experts in the group, maybe someone did score well against multiple mutant creatures to get Iron Treasure Chests. If Iron Treasure Chests could yield useful items like matches and aluminum foil, then surely other good stuff could come from them? Lin Yue opened the trading marketplace and began searching. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Soon, a message popped out. [Seller: Zheng Jing] [Auction Item: Small Soilless Cultivation Kit] [Requirements: Drinking water 2L] [Seller''s Note: Hard to get from a Copper Treasure Chest, deserves the price, doesn''t it?] Chapter 7: If You Want Water, Just Go and Grab It Chapter 7 - 7: If You Want Water, Just Go and Grab It"Small Soilless Cultivation Kit?" Lin Yue was instantly attracted by the name of this item. Things for soilless cultivation are naturally vegetables and fruits. Lin Yue had once visited a greenhouse during a school trip in high school and still remembered the shock he felt seeing cherry tomatoes growing like trees, each bearing thousands of fruits. So, is this small soilless cultivation kit the thing he imagined? He glanced at the noodles about to be cooked and opened the group chat. "This person is really funny, asking for 2 liters of water? You might as well just go and rob it." "Indeed, it''s hard enough to squeeze out a few hundred milliliters, and right away you want 2 liters? Just wait for the price to drop!" "By the way, there''s still a Copper Treasure Chest? I thought there were only Wooden Treasure Chests and Iron Treasure Chests?" "Lucky guy, do you need any accessories on those legs?" "Don''t be silly, soilless cultivation also needs water. If it''s nutrient solution, it''s even less worthwhile. Where do you find nutrient solution? Even if it''s just water, it''s not enough to drink, let alone grow vegetables?" "I''m from the countryside, this stuff might trick city folks, but we don''t fall for that. Even if you grow bean sprouts, it takes four or five days. People would die of thirst in four or five days, what''s the point of growing vegetables." "Exactly, I''ll bid 1 piece of wood, sell or not, buddy?" ... Most of the group chat was full of sour grapes, mocking words, and some lamentations that this person was crazy. But some were telling the truth: not everyone can take out 2 liters of water. The noodles were cooked. Lin Yue smelled the tempting aroma, knowing not everyone could resist this temptation. Especially when faced with the dual challenges of hunger and thirst after a whole day. Not to mention, the other person was also from Tang Country, basically having no resistance under hunger. So, why not give it a try? The other party was holding an auction, perfect to see how competitive his instant noodles could be. Although bidding first would directly expose his bottom price, making him passive as the seller capitalizes on it later. But merely watching wouldn''t tell anything. After all, for Lin Yue, making instant noodles was no challenge. Glancing at the current bids, there weren''t many yet. Lin Yue placed his cooked instant noodles up. [Bidder Lin Yue: A bowl of cooked Kang Shuaifu instant noodles] And this move quickly set the entire group chat ablaze! "What? Lin Yue has made a bid? Damn, and it''s...in-instant noodles?" "Wait, it''s cooked! This means Lin Yue has enough water, noodles, and even a pot...How many treasure chests has he opened? Didn''t he spend all night slaying mutant creatures yesterday? That''s intense!" "I haven''t even had water yet...and he''s eating noodles. Is this the gap?" "Lin Yue add me as a friend, will ya? You cook noodles for me, I''ll...wait, no innuendos, please!" "Guys, what''s so special about instant noodles? You''d be better off with Old Ba''s secret mini burger, no worries for three meals a day!" ... After Lin Yue placed his bid, he observed the group chat while waiting for a response from the seller, Zheng Jing. Soon enough, he found Zheng Jing had replied! "Boss! I really want the instant noodles, but I want water even more, one bowl of instant noodles plus 1.5 liters of water, that''s my minimum price." Lin Yue didn''t reply. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Greedy, isn''t he? The Soilless Cultivation Kit, though eye-catching in the entire trading market, wasn''t a necessity. Lin Yue had indeed considered the issue of balanced nutrition for the future, as it''s related to health. Eating only bread and cooked noodles every day would take a toll on the body someday. But even so, this thing that sounds like a water guzzler wasn''t something he needed. For someone like him who could get treasure chests from slaying small bugs and lizards, and for others too, it was the same. Need water? Let''s see who gives you that much! Having eaten the slightly overcooked noodles, Lin Yue let out a satisfied burp. He stood up and looked out towards the vast Desert. There was too much to adapt and digest yesterday, and he sure went to bed early. Which also meant he hadn''t explored much of the Desert around the Shelter. Handy with an Iron Spear, Lin Yue began meticulously searching within a 20-30 meter range centered on the Shelter. This time, it didn''t take too long before he discovered five shrimp-like bugs with red shells, busy digging around the area where huge locusts were buried. The sharp Iron Spear took them all down in one sweep, and Lin Yue gained five Wooden Treasure Chests. Including a treasure chest he forgot to open yesterday, he opened all six one by one. [You obtained a 600ml bottle of Nongfu Spring mineral water!] [You obtained...] ... Four bottles of water, two one-pound loaves of bread! If it were anyone else, achieving this many resources might mean battling dozens, even hundreds, of mutant creatures and still getting nothing. But for Lin Yue, this was just normal operation. After putting everything back into the inventory, Lin Yue headed to the little forest. With the Iron Axe in hand, he turned around and started gathering wood again. Wood seemed valuable everywhere, whether for tools, weapons, furniture, and so on; everything required some wood. Lin Yue indeed had a lot of water, but exchanging hard currency water for the wood he could gather wasn''t worthwhile. Before cutting down this not-so-small sparse forest entirely, he decided not to consider trading water for wood for the time being. In the barren Desert, stones didn''t exist, iron mines hadn''t been seen yet. What he did have plenty of were water and food from treasure chests. And these were just what others were severely lacking. This is a wasteland world. Through the group chat, Lin Yue realized that aside from a few unfortunates like him who landed in the Desert, others were either in forests, near ore deposits, or surrounded by piles of rocks. In short, their resources were abundant. Picking up the Iron Axe again, Lin Yue found himself more adept than yesterday, his tree-cutting efficiency increased slightly. After a while, with the fifth small tree cut down, the wood reserve in the inventory shot to 25 units! Finding a flat area, Lin Yue sat down, unscrewed a bottle of water, and opened the game panel again. He also checked his current food and water supplies. In terms of water, he drank a bottle earlier, sold 400ml, cooked noodles with a whole bottle...and with what he acquired later, there were still a bit over 4 bottles remaining. Food-wise, he had two loaves and a packet of noodles so far, which brought it to two and a half loaves left. Oh, and two empty plastic bottles. Honestly speaking, it was still not a lot. While a 100% treasure chest drop rate is impressive, the limited number of mutant creatures near the Shelter is indeed a constraint. So, why not try expanding the range further? Chapter 8: Hard Currency? What’s a Stone! Chapter 8 - 8: Hard Currency? What¡¯s a Stone!The breeze lifted Lin Yue''s hair. On the roof of the shelter, his figure was solitary and silent. At the highest point he could climb in this desert, he glanced around, missing no corner. However, the desolate and barren desert, with exposed yellow earth and sparse clumps of wild grass, almost filled his entire view. From time to time, some slowly moving black dots appeared intermittently among the sagebrush, and Lin Yue conservatively estimated that they were at least several hundred meters away from him. Under the scorching sun, the temperature was continuously rising. After drinking the last sip of water from the bottle, Lin Yue came down from the ladder and jumped to the ground. Storing the ladder in his inventory, he felt a bit of doubt in his heart. Why, in such a vast area, was there no trace of a second shelter? Humans are social animals. Especially in such a bizarre and eerie survival game, people looked for all the past solace in groups, filling the void that refused to stay empty in their hearts. Although Lin Yue didn''t want a random encounter with anyone, he still wished to find some signs of his kind in this doomsday-like survival game. After all, from the beginning till now, for more than a day, he has only encountered the over nine thousand people in the group. This survival game was full of countless mysteries. You could chop trees to turn them into wood, or without lifting a finger, replace walls and roofs with timber. Moreover, relying on imagination, you could craft a ladder out of wood and then obtain the blueprint for the wooden ladder. Back inside the wooden cabin, Lin Yue closed the door and exhaled a breath. The shelter was currently the safest place he could find. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he pondered a question. Exactly how vast is this world? According to the survival manual, a total population of 7.8 billion was transferred to this Otherworld. Excluding the elderly, children, and others with low survival abilities, the total should be about one-third. Lin Yue remembered seeing a number: when dividing Earth''s land area equally, each person would get about 45 acres. If this world placed individuals according to that average, then each person would have about 130 acres. Roughly the size of 14 football fields. But the area he saw from the rooftop exceeded this number. Could it be that this place is even larger than Earth? Or, during assignment, wasn''t the population distribution equal, and was he merely unlucky, being placed further away from his neighbors? Lin Yue felt this question needed answers from the group members. Opening the group panel, Lin Yue suddenly noticed that the total number in the top right corner had drastically decreased! 8907! Within a short time, a thousand people had already died. Was the speed fast? Before encountering the giant locust, Lin Yue might have thought it was exceedingly fast, even absurdly so. But now, he no longer felt that way. Yesterday''s experience taught him how terrifying mutated creatures were. The bodily fluid of small bugs could corrode a shoe sole, what would a large bug do? What if it wasn''t a mindless bug, but a mutated beast or bird instead? No food or water seemed visible in the wilderness; they only appeared in treasure boxes. To find water and food, everyone thought of defeating mutated creatures for treasure boxes, but the drop rate was astoundingly low. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With the massive loss of stamina, the onslaught of fatigue, thirst, and hunger, how many fell in battle against the mutated creatures? Although for now, no overly dangerous mutated creatures had appeared, maybe this was the "beginner''s benefit" at the start of the survival game. Moreover, not just that. The abundance of dung behind houses suggested that those mutated creatures would approach the shelter they wouldn''t during the day, at night. Night was the most dangerous time before the disaster arrived, and those who hadn''t fortified their straw huts suffered cruel punishment at night, perhaps severely injured, perhaps erased entirely. Lin Yue surveyed the entire shelter. Both the roof and walls, as well as the main door, were crafted from solid wood, much sturdier than the previous straw huts. But honestly, it wasn''t as sturdy as imagined. When the huge locust was trapped inside yesterday, its impact had the wooden house shaking continually. A large bug could do this much; what if a stronger animal came? What if it wasn''t alone? Recalling those black dots in the distance, Lin Yue suddenly felt that the shelter was not very secure. If wood won''t do, then... how about stone? Opening the trade mall, Lin Yue browsed around. There were quite a few sellers, though significantly fewer than those selling wood and dry grass. Lin Yue searched around. There were roughly over three thousand messages for selling wood, about 1900 for iron blocks, but only over seven hundred for stone. A simple comparison told Lin Yue that stone was scarcer than the other two. Actually, saying it''s scarce isn''t accurate either. The amount of stone mined should be considerable, but those who mined it almost universally used it to upgrade their shelters. A stone shelter was much more solid and sturdy than a wooden one, and upon seeing the upgrade option to a stone shelter on their crafting panels, most people wouldn''t hesitate to choose it. Thus, besides water being a hard currency, stone too was a hard currency. As for the exchange rate between the two... Water was naturally more valuable! [Seller: Lin Yue] [Auction Item: 300 ml pure water] [Required: Stone] [Seller''s Note: Auction, you know the drill.] "This is Lin Yue''s third time selling water, right...? Combined, it''s 700 ml now? Comparing with others just kills me! I have to gulp down even a drop of water!" "By the way, that big shot hasn''t spoken at all, how did he get the water?" "Humans facing a collective disaster, still hiding things now, simply inhumane!" "The shelter must be near a river or lake. Hey, those who''ve bought the water, tell us, was the water murky or clean?" "Reporting, I traded last time, and Farmer''s Three Punches is a bit sweet, definitely not from a river or lake." "Speaking of which, where did the person who found that green water go? I remember she sold a bit?" "Don''t ask, her avatar''s already gray, she''s long gone." "I''m begging, life''s too hard, Lin Yue big shot, spare me some water!" "Delicate and gentle, easily pushed; I used to have hundreds sending rockets in my stream, Lin Yue darling, maybe consider? I only want the water." The group was still lively. Faced with envy, slander, desperate pleas, and temptations from many, Lin Yue just silently lurked, unfazed. No matter what you say, endless questions and doubts would follow. Of course, if he revealed his secret, he could also receive neverending exploitation until he died. Before truly living comfortably, he saw no reason to concern himself with others'' survival. Who knew whom, anyway. Chapter 9: Removed Formaldehyde Yet? Chapter 9 - 9: Removed Formaldehyde Yet?The group chat remains lively. But the content isn''t just idle chat; each person''s message carries dissatisfaction with their own situation and envy and jealousy towards those who are better off. Of course, there are also those spreading doomsday theories, talking about everyone dying together, while secretly living well themselves. Lin Yue has become a famous name in this group of ten thousand. After all, he drew everyone''s attention by selling large quantities of water continuously. There are quite a few discussions about him in the group, though Lin Yue doesn''t care about the variety of opinions. His main focus now is how to survive longer in this world, rather than concerning himself with trivial matters. Lin Yue carefully scanned the messages and unexpectedly found someone mentioning a term he was interested in. "Opened a blueprint, trading for water, interested parties are welcome to chat!" Blueprint! What kind of blueprint? Lin Yue''s interest was piqued, and he immediately opened the transaction market and typed "blueprint" into the search bar. Soon, an item appeared. [Seller: Louis Capone] [Trading Item: Iron Pot Blueprint] [Required Material: Water] [Seller''s note: Opened from an Iron Treasure Chest after a whole day''s effort. I need water, as much as possible!] Iron pot... blueprint? So with this blueprint, you can use materials to make an iron pot. In survival crafting, only very basic items are available to craft. Weapon and tool categories include axes, hammers, shovels, picks, guns, spears, bows, and slingshots. Besides these, the options are limited to tables, chairs, beds, and torches. Materials are divided into wood, stone, and iron, corresponding to the required materials. Beyond that, there''s nothing else. If you want new things, you can only craft a wooden ladder to get a blueprint, or open a chest to find one. If someone naturally possesses carpentry or masonry skills, could they get blueprints when crafting items? Then, can these blueprints be purchased? Lin Yue tried placing his wooden ladder blueprint in the trading market. It worked! He quickly withdrew it, realizing the principle behind it was true. Moreover, he figured out the core purpose of this game. To preserve those who are more capable, have more technology, and are stronger. They didn''t include elderly, children, or those unable to survive independently right away considering this point. First let young and able-bodied people participate and conduct a major selection. The first wave eliminates those lying flat and doing nothing - their ramshackle homes will be mercilessly destroyed by mutated creatures. Those who stay without water for long periods will soon be eliminated in the second wave. During the disaster seven days later, those who don''t make it through will be the third wave to get wiped out. Lin Yue thought for a while and checked the product messages again, discovering many people surprised by the iron pot blueprint, but even more were envious he opened the Iron Treasure Chest. He stretched his arms, still feeling sore. These past few days involved way too much physical activity; Lin Yue, who was not much into exercise, soon felt the consequences. However, if he could persevere, he would unknowingly become stronger. And with six days left before unknown disaster strikes, he must stabilize his shelter and stockpile a large amount of food and water. In the group chat, as Lin Yue silently observed, he noticed the increasing demands for water and more frequent messages. It''s been nearly a day and a half without drinking water; anyone would find it unbearable. It''s undeniable that stone counts as hard currency, it''s seldom sold, even if he released 300 milliliters of water, the bids were sparse. It''s been quite some time but the bid records remained at 22. However, it seems about time. He glanced at the messages. No trace of the one selling the small soilless cultivation kit. Want to hold onto it? Then let it sit idle. After all, it''s not a necessity. Just as Lin Yue was about to confirm the transaction with the most suitable offer of [Stone X10], a new bid popped up. [Stone X8, Iron Pot Blueprint X1] Oh, Louis couldn''t help but make a move. However, iron pot... Lin Yue looked at the aluminum foil in his inventory. Constantly using aluminum foil for instant noodles won''t work, also he indeed needs an iron pot to boil water. Not to mention, if living standards improve, wouldn''t an iron pot be great for making a goose stew? Additionally, there''s another aspect catching Lin Yue''s attention. Rating. Bids on this auction actually have a system rating standard, and the bids receive a total score based on the value of the offered items, leading to a ranking by score. For instance, the third bid "Stone X9" has a score of 540, while the second "Stone X10" scores 600, and the bid including the iron pot blueprint shot up to a high score of 2900! Lin Yue couldn''t discern any pattern in how the scores were determined. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Still, it highlighted the value of the iron pot blueprint. Lin Yue immediately clicked to confirm. [You lost 300 milliliters of water] [You gained Stone X8, Iron Pot Blueprint X1] Transaction complete, Lin Yue felt relieved. What to do next? He thought for a moment and opened the "Shelter Evaluation" option. Last time the system mocked his ramshackle hut would be blown down like the big bad wolf with a puff of breath, so what about this time? Shelter: All-Wood House Area: 40©O Durability: 45/50 Comment: You''ve got a wooden house, one spirited match and it''s gone. By the way, did you deal with the formaldehyde? hhhhhc. Who designed this system? Lin Yue felt like greeting the family of the programmer who designed the system. Is it just a love for malicious sarcasm? Anyway, it doesn''t matter. Lin Yue clicked on crafting and switched to shelter-related items. Let''s see, how much stone do I need? [Stone Door: Stone X4] [Stone Wall: Stone X20] [Stone Roof: Stone X10] [Stone Floor: Stone X10] Lin Yue felt frustrated. Why does it need so much stone? It''s far more than wood? Note that this is just a small 40-square-meter house. To convert this wooden house into a stone house, should he continue selling water? Although he has plenty of water reserves, there''s a problem. There aren''t many mutated creatures nearby. Lin Yu went outside again, grabbed an Iron Spear, and decided to kill more mutated creatures. "The farthest I''ve walked is two hundred steps. This time, let''s try going an additional hundred steps!" Lin Yue said, heading in a direction. Just when he measured three hundred steps, Lin Yue didn''t have time to do anything when suddenly fierce roars came from far ahead of him! "What is that...?" Chapter 10: Copper Treasure Chest Explodes! Chapter 10 - 10: Copper Treasure Chest Explodes!The breeze fluttered, while the roars of wild beasts echoed across this wilderness. Lin Yue gripped the Iron Spear tightly in his hand, carefully watching the endpoint of his vision. Even though he couldn''t see it, couldn''t tell what was making that sound, he was certain¡ªwithout a doubt, it was a beast! A beast. On Earth, with large feline animals like tigers and lions at the forefront, they were collectively referred to as "beasts." They were not something an ordinary person could easily handle barehanded, or even with something like an Iron Spear. In this world, with red locusts the size of large dogs, could there be tigers and lions as big as elephants? Not impossible. Even in the Otherworld, there should be a normal food chain. Since there are giant locusts, it''s not strange for there to be larger herbivores or carnivores. Lin Yue gripped the Iron Spear and kept stepping back, vigilant of his surroundings. Even if he possessed a sharp and lethal Iron Spear, he was not quite at a skill level where he could rashly trace the source of the roars. That would be akin to delivering takeout to the beast. No need to take unnecessary risks. Lin Yue didn''t think there was a need to be overly cautious now, but venturing out recklessly in the current situation would be foolish. Yet just when Lin Yue had retreated nearly a hundred steps or so, the spine-chilling roar suddenly ceased abruptly, falling completely silent. What happened? Did it leave, or... Lin Yue couldn''t speculate. He knew today didn''t seem suitable for exploring further outward. Clutching the Iron Spear, he turned to meticulously search for mutated creatures like the small bugs and lizards from before. Whether it was due to luck or coincidence, this time it didn''t take him long to find six small lizards grouped together. The experience from multiple successful hunts meant Lin Yue didn''t miss even one this time, and six treasure chests soon appeared in his inventory. This did not satisfy Lin Yue. He kept an eye on the direction from which the sound had come earlier, carefully searching for any anomalies. The number of treasure chests was still insufficient. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He needed more food and more water. Although the chance for a treasure chest drop was one hundred percent, honestly speaking, the small number made this advantage practically useless. Always living on the edge was tolerable for the initial few days, but come disaster, such scarce resource reserves could be a death sentence, especially the kind that confines you indoors for days! Looking up at the sky, the sun was still high. There was still plenty of time for him to hunt mutated creatures. Lin Yue exhaled, wiped the sweat off his face, and continued searching while expanding his search range. He drank when thirsty, nibbled on bread when hungry, and rested in the shelter when tired. With Lin Yue persistently searching, by sunset, he had added yet another ten treasure chests to his inventory. Including the previous ones, he had gained sixteen treasure chests on this second day. Lin Yue stretched his slightly sore neck and climbed onto the rooftop again using a ladder. The blood-red sunset turned the desert into a deep crimson. Whether time passed fast or slow, Lin Yue couldn''t figure it out. He felt he had become more proficient with the spear, and he had gained considerable experience in efficiently and swiftly killing those small bugs and lizards. What he lacked now was an Iron Treasure Chest like the one he had obtained yesterday. Or even the Copper Treasure Chest from which Zheng Jing had obtained a small Soilless Cultivation Kit! However, during the day, he hadn''t seen any giant locusts like yesterday. Lin Yue thought that their appearance should be related to what the survival guide mentioned, associated with "night." Mutated creatures were more active, agitated, and dangerous at night. Like those giant locusts, they would be more easily encountered at night. So then... Will it come? As the light dimmed, Lin Yue watched everything in the wilderness with full concentration. Meanwhile, he listened keenly to the sounds gradually rising in the distance. He was resolute; if it really came, and it was a giant locust like yesterday, he''d go down for a fight. But if it looked like a tiger, lion, or bear, he''d dive into the shelter. Yet, if it really were those, hiding in the shelter might be useless. A black shadow slowly approached in this direction. Lin Yue immediately noticed this long-awaited uninvited guest, taking a deep breath while looking down at it drawing closer to the Shelter. The faint glow of the sunset revealed the mutated creature just ten meters away from Lin Yue, exposing its true appearance. "Wait, is that a sheep?" Curved horns, a body full of fluffy gray-white fur, and a look almost identical to its counterparts on Earth... What else could it be but a sheep? Lin Yue didn''t immediately climb down from the rooftop. Having been familiar with this world for nearly two days, he knew that this sheep, which appeared almost exactly like one from Earth, might not be what it seemed. After waiting a while, he noticed that the sheep, seemingly oblivious to him, went straight toward the back of the house. When Lin Yue turned to look, he suddenly caught a whiff of a foul smell from that area. Soon, he saw it relieving itself at the spot where he had found a pile of feces in the morning. Goodness, you came all the way here to do your business? Wait a minute, that was clearly carnivorous animal feces... Pinching his nose, he keenly observed the sheep, which was much larger than he remembered. Wait, those teeth... tusks! Goodness, it''s a tusked sheep. So that pile of feces earlier was indeed its doing. Lin Yue gripped the Iron Spear and took a deep breath. Should he take it down? Or just let it leave? Was it truly dangerous? However, just as Lin Yue hesitated, after finishing its business, the creature began rubbing against Lin Yue''s wooden house. Soon, the clean outer layer of the wooden house had acquired some distinct colors. Lin Yue had a face akin to an old man on the subway watching a smartphone. Nonetheless, he slowly moved over, aimed at the still oblivious sheep, and hurled the Iron Spear! "Gooooaaah!" The Iron Spear pierced through the sheep''s neck, and as it shot through, the creature let out a horrifying roar! Wait a minute... This roar sounded familiar? Watching as the sheep with an Iron Spear lodged in its neck kept roaring while sprinting and leaping, sometimes slamming violently into his shelter, Lin Yue pondered. The roar from earlier in the day was the sound of this creature! Was this such a terrifying mutated beast? The steps of the tusked sheep gradually grew erratic, and after the last bit of sunlight disappeared, it collapsed on the ground, panting heavily. Lin Yue climbed down from the ladder, with an Iron Axe in hand. It wasn''t any less sharp than the Iron Spear. He tilted the ladder, repeatedly nudging it with the ladder head. Not even a hint of resistance. So then... He moved in closer, two or three meters away, and then hurled the axe after aiming. The Iron Axe flew out, blood splattering! [You have obtained a Copper Treasure Chest!] Chapter 11 Disruptive Market Practices Chapter 11 - 11 Disruptive Market PracticesIn the black desert, Lin Yue looked at the corpse of the mutant sheep, which resembled a rock, grasped the iron spear with both hands, and placed his feet on its neck to pull the spear out. At the same time, a system notification suddenly rang out. [Do you want to dissect the mutant creature?] Huh? Is there such a function? However, he didn''t hesitate and directly chose to confirm. [You have obtained 10kg of mutant sheep meat, 1 sheep skin, and 2 fangs] Meanwhile, the mutant sheep on the ground was reduced to just a skeleton and internal organs. This scene, akin to something from a game, made Lin Yue ponder deeply. However, if you really treat this place as a game world, the consequences would be extremely dire. Lin Yue, holding the iron axe and iron spear, returned to the shelter, crafted a torch in the dark, and then lit it with a match. In the sea of the desert shrouded in boundless darkness, the firelight flickered incessantly within the cracks of a shelter standing like a reef. After ensuring the door latch was secured, Lin Yue sat on the edge of the bed and sighed deeply. This second day ended with taking down a large mutant creature, not too bad. The loot in the inventory was substantial, not only what was obtained from defeating this mutant sheep and the Copper Treasure Chest, but he also previously obtained sixteen Wooden Treasure Chests. This time was much better than yesterday. Before checking the group, Lin Yue decided to open these treasure chests! The sixteen Wooden Treasure Chests weren''t surprising, nor were they shocking. Twelve bottles of water, three bags of instant noodles, one one-pound loaf of bread. Lin Yue felt slightly satisfied. Now with 14 bottles of water, 3 bags of instant noodles, and 3 one-pound loaves of bread, sustaining for two days shouldn''t be a problem; if managed carefully, even three or four days is possible. After all, he possessed water resources, which are extremely scarce throughout nearly the entire group. Now entering the second day in this survival world, it was close to the three-day water scarcity limit of most people. The water he had could be exchanged for better items. Such as the Soilless Cultivation Kit someone still holds onto, unwilling to part with. Speaking of which, the seller Zheng Jing got this item from opening a Copper Treasure Chest, so what would he get from the Copper Treasure Chest he just won? Lin Yue opened the treasure chest. [You have obtained Backpack Expansion (Small) X1, Emergency Small Medical Kit X1] Hold on. What? Backpack Expansion? Emergency Small Medical Kit? Lin Yue was surprised; there are such good items? As expected of the copper chest! Looking at the two items stuck in the treasure chest because the ten-slot backpack couldn''t fit them, he felt the backpack expansion was indeed important. After utilizing the "Backpack Expansion (Small)," Lin Yue directly checked the inventory. [Inventory capacity 10/20] Excellent, excellent. Next... Lin Yue looked at the Emergency Small Medical Kit. [Emergency Small Medical Kit] Contained Medicines: Painkillers X10, Antidiarrheal X30, Iodine X5, Bandages X10, Adhesive Bands X30, Anesthesia X2, Epinephrine X2 S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Wow, Lin Yue exclaimed wow. This isn''t an emergency small medical kit, it''s practically a lifesaver kit, isn''t it? Should he encounter some extremely special situation, this small kit full of items would save his life in the nick of time! This is far more valuable than the Soilless Cultivation Kit opened by Zheng Jing, isn''t it? In this extreme environment survival game, the existence of a small medical kit could be termed a Divine Artifact. Painkillers, iodine, bandages, and adhesive bands could drastically lower the chances of complications from a wound in case of injury. Antidiarrheals are life-saving too; in this strange environment, eating something bad is quite common, and severe diarrhea leads to dehydration, if not treated in time, one could fall into an extremely perilous state, leading to extreme passivity whether during daily activities or battles. As for anesthesia, Lin Yue felt it''s unnecessary for now, after all, he isn''t a medical expert, and how, and how much to use it remains beyond his understanding. Epinephrine doesn''t need much explanation. It could be said this item is the most valuable in the chest. In TV dramas, movies, and documentaries, Lin Yue had seen this item''s miraculous role countless times. In specific situations, just this one item could instantly reverse the entire scenario! Lin Yue''s heart raced. After carefully checking the small medical kit, he closed it again, stored it in the inventory, and exhaled with relief. On the second day of arriving in this world, he had solved a rather large issue. Opening a bottle of water, Lin Yue felt rather emotional. After spending 4 stone materials to replace the door with a stone door, his sense of security increased again. Taking a big sip to alleviate the dryness in his mouth, Lin Yue lay sprawled on the bed and opened the group chat. "Water! Water! Give me water! Whoever gives me water, I''ll do anything!" "I have wood and iron blocks, bring water, as much as you need!" "Why the hell is there no water? Why!" "I''ve dug six meters deep and still haven''t found water, has anyone?" "I reported drinking my own dark yellow liquid while pinching my nose, it''s a bit sweet." "Crap, mine is sweet too." "I don''t want to drink it, it tastes too strong, boo-hoo." "If you want to die, just keep fussing; folks, I''ll drink it first, you do as you please!" "Where did the water seller Lin Yue go? I have good things, let''s auction it!" ... As expected. From the group chat, Lin Yue sensed the extreme desperation for water, conveyed by almost everyone after the second day still had no water. He looked at the inventory. 13 bottles of water. About 9.8 liters. Enough to drink, with plenty leftover. Besides, as long as he continued hunting some bugs tomorrow, he could obtain more water and food. But for how long could he sell this water? Moreover, he realized something. People are continuously dying. If he kept withholding, those dying from thirst might increase. Thus leading to fewer resources being extracted. Just beside his shelter, almost all resources are scarce or nonexistent, requiring him to trade water with these people. Over time, it would result in a vicious cycle. This can''t go on. The next three days will be crucial. Lin Yue decided to occasionally trade water for some resources. This was for long-term considerations. Not only that. Lin Yue also thought, as people continued opening treasure chests, water as hard currency would eventually lose its purchasing power. What''s more, his possession of a large quantity of water isn''t a secret. So instead... [Seller: Lin Yue] [Auction Item: 100ml Pure Water X20] [Wanted: Iron Block, Stone Material, Blueprint or Others] [Seller Remarks: 20 portions, one bid per person, highest bidder wins.] Lin Yue knew some people on the market sold water at high prices, what he did was undoubtedly disrupting the entire market. However, none of this mattered. In this barren world, who could find whom anyway? Chapter 12: Large Amount of Supplies Acquired Chapter 12 - 12: Large Amount of Supplies AcquiredFor others, the second day had not yet completely passed. Those who were lucky enough to survive the first day now faced an even greater challenge than before. Thirst and hunger, dangerous mutant creatures, and everything in this wasteland continually tested their survival limits. Those who were still alive struggled to find any drinkable water and edible food. Many, having no other choice, were forced to drink their own urine to quench their thirst and suppress their nausea to eat the raw meat of mutant creatures. But from time to time, the roars of beasts, chirping of birds, and even the faint buzzing of insects made it difficult for them to sleep. Many couldn''t sleep, instead repeatedly opening the game board, refreshing the trade mall over and over, hoping for some miracle. A miracle really happened! "Who is this guy! How come he has so much water! Selling two liters of water now?" "A hundred milliliters, twenty servings, two liters of water? I dug all day with a shovel and didn''t get a drop." "Hmph, maybe he robbed someone else. You see, so many people died during the day, who knows who did it." "Lin Yue, don''t let me find out where you are, otherwise I will take all your water!" "Lin, come out. Give me two liters of water, and I''ll give you ten million when I get out, a flat price!" ... Upon discovering that Lin Yue had put water up for sale again, many went crazy! They found that Lin Yue only required simple materials like stone and iron blocks and design diagrams. Instantly, the group erupted with discussions about how Lin Yue obtained so much water, with envy, jealousy, slander, and curses all mingling together. Yet, everyone unanimously quoted part or all the materials they had obtained so far. As time ticked by, Lin Yue still hadn''t responded. Everyone was filled with anticipation and tension, hoping they could win the bid, but also not wanting someone else to end up with it. With various complex emotions, people in this group struggled into sleep. But some people never woke up. After all, for many frenzied mutant creatures, nighttime was the best time to move and hunt! S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A night passed. Lin Yue rubbed his eyes and woke up. The torch in the room was still burning, proving he hadn''t slept for twelve hours. Taking out a bottle of water, he took a sip and tore open the bread package, then opened the game board to check the trading mall. He didn''t expect that after putting it up last night, he fell asleep straight away. So, let''s see how much was bid. "Hmm? Over a thousand bids? That''s quite a lot." He was surprised at the number but quickly selected the twenty most suitable ones. [You lost 2L of water] [You received: Stone X28, Iron Block X50, Iron Dagger Design Map X1, Wooden Shield Design Map X1, Wooden Barrel Design Map X1, Wooden Cabinet Design Map X1, Window Design Map X1, Apple X2, Carrot Seed X1] This time, Lin Yue didn''t focus mainly on the stones and iron blocks but emphasized finding different design diagrams and other little things. Various resources were important, but design diagrams held equal importance. He hadn''t learned stonemasonry or woodworking, so couldn''t make anything decent, using water to exchange for these design maps was obviously more efficient. Each of these design maps seemed quite useful at first glance. An iron dagger was more advantageous for close combat than an iron axe, and a shield, paired with a long spear, how delightful would that be? As for the wooden barrel and cabinet design maps, they were for decorating the room in the shelter, and as for the window... The shelter indeed had no windows; except for the door, it was more like a large wooden coffin. Not only was it not ventilated at all, but it also made the entire interior look very dark, needing the door open or torches for illumination even during the day. In general, this time, he was quite satisfied with all the design maps. Taking out each design map from the item bar, Lin Yue proceeded to use them one by one. Soon, he confirmed the total amount of materials needed for these items in the manufacturing bar. [Iron Dagger: Wood X1, Iron Block X2] [Wood Shield: Wood X3] [Wooden Barrel: Wood X3, Iron Block X1] [Wooden Cabinet: Wood X6, Iron Block X1] [Wooden Window: Wood X4, Iron Block X1] Goodness, basically all these things required wood and iron blocks as materials. The iron pot before also needed wood and iron blocks. Lin Yue checked the total amount of existing materials. Wood 25, Stone 36, Iron Block 55. Enough? Yes, indeed more than the sum of the past couple of days. But... it seems that when materials are abundant, the demand for them is high too. Besides the things on the new design maps, a chair requires two blocks of wood, and a table requires three blocks... Perhaps a new Iron Spear needs to be prepared? A hammer, as well? Upon thinking this way, it seemed the materials were still not enough. There''s hardly anything besides a little wood available in the shelter; Lin Yue could only use water to trade for them. The transaction has indeed turned into a cycle. Others need water, and he needs materials. For now, water''s purchasing power remains strong, but for how long? Most people can''t go without water for more than three days, but now some have chosen to drink urine to stay alive. They might squeeze out another two days at max. In other words, for the next two or three days, water as a hard currency will remain strong. Of course, there is a premise. Lin Yue glanced at the announcement panel. The countdown there had 14 hours left to pass this third day. And by then, the specifics of the disaster to come in four days would be revealed. Disasters come in many forms. Insect plagues, beast plagues, earthquakes, meteors, fires, even zombies... All of these have a chance of happening. But there are two kinds of disasters; when encountered, water would lose its hard currency value. Flood, snow disaster. Either disaster would allow everyone to drink their fill, turning water into a simple material like wood. In light of this, Lin Yue felt it was necessary to prepare for contingencies. If either occurred, he must quickly sell more of the water in his hands. Otherwise, with almost no other resources, real disaster would begin right then! Just as Lin Yue contemplated this and planned to list the water on the mall, he remembered one thing. He opened the auction panel of the soilless cultivation kit from Zheng Jing. And among his bid''s comments, there were dozens more replies from the seller! Chapter 13 The Manufacturing Maniac Chapter 13 - 13 The Manufacturing Maniac"Lin Yue, let''s cut the crap, one price, 1.8 liters of water, not hard for you, right?" "For you, isn''t this thing worth that price? Then consider me bleeding out, doing some good, you take it for 1.6 liters." "No way, no way, you still think such a low demand is excessive? I''ll give it to you for free, 1.5 liters fixed price!" "What the hell, just trade, why not trade!" ... "I get it, you can''t come up with that much water, hahaha, I guessed it, Lin Yue, don''t want to buy? I''ll give you a final two-hour chance!" "Lin Yue, if you don''t hurry I''ll give it to the one offering 1.2 liters!" S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ... "Big Boss Lin, please reply, urine tastes terrible." "Boss, I was wrong, I''ll take the offer of 1 liter immediately, even better if there''s instant noodles too." "Master Lin, grandpa I''m begging you, about to die of thirst, you name the price, it''s negotiable... I''ll contact you instantly next time I have good stuff, okay?" Lin Yue checked these messages from seller Zheng Jing, feeling a mix of laughter and tears. From the initial arrogance, to later struggle, until finally, it turned into a desperate plea. This fully reflected Zheng Jing''s psychological changes after extreme water shortage, from initial slight anxiety, to anger, helplessness, inner collapse, and eventually begging. And Zheng Jing''s psychological changes also showed thoroughly in the entire group. Now, almost everyone chatting in the group is talking about topics related to "water." Among them, there are curses, pessimism, despair, and anger, fear, collapse, begging. And a significant number of people are chanting Lin Yue''s name, waiting for him to put the water resources on sale. To this, Lin Yue could only sigh. There was really no way. Although he''s no saint, for long-term stable development afterwards, he couldn''t let the total number of people in the group continue decreasing. And now... Glancing at the upper right corner, wow, only 8001 people left? Another blink, it''s less than 8000. Seems like a lot more died overnight. The crisis of water shortage, hunger, and dangerous mutated creatures... After the disaster, how many would remain? Lin Yue thought about it and decided to trade with Zheng Jing first. Anyway, he wasn''t short on water, and the soilless cultivation kit interested him. After he offered 800 milliliters of water, almost immediately, Zheng Jing replied. "Master Lin, you''re so forgiving, thank you so much this time!" And soon, the trade was successful. [You lost 800 milliliters of water] [You gained a small soilless cultivation kit!] Lin Yue took an apple from the item bar, wiped it with his sleeve, and took a gentle bite. The crisp sound and abundant juice from the apple burst into his throat, the sweet and sour taste like nectar at this moment. It''s a good thing bought with 100 milliliters of water, Lin Yue was curious why the buyer didn''t eat it but exchanged it for water instead. Nibbling on the apple, Lin Yue opened the crafting panel. He didn''t immediately put water on sale but prepared to upgrade the shelter first. Yesterday, before he went to sleep, he had already upgraded the door to a stone door, which was much stronger than the original wooden one. The structure of this stone door was indeed beyond Lin Yue''s expectations. Just gripping the handle and exerting a bit of force, the sound of clicking would allow easy opening, because there was a pulley underneath, quite scientific. Besides, the stone door came with a top stone that would fit into a slot on the door, making it impossible to move when pulled after being set. So no matter how much someone outside pushed, the door wouldn''t open. And what Lin Yue wanted to change wasn''t just the door. Walls, roof, he wanted to upgrade them in one go to stone walls and stone roof... So if some big grasshopper gets in, trying to crash like last time, it''d die on impact, feeling of that hardness! Looking at the crafting bar. [Stone Wall: Stone X20] [Stone Roof: Stone X10] [Stone Floor: Stone X10] His stone reserves were 36 pieces. For walls and roof, an upgrade right away. As for the floor... Lin Yue still remembered the idea of a basement, he decided to keep it unchanged for now. Clicking craft, a soft white light brightened. Sturdy, rock-hard stone replaced the previously uneven wooden walls, and the roof underwent a transformation too! Neat stone walls, roof, and doors fully integrated to create a wonderful sense of thickness enveloping Lin Yue, increasing his sense of security. He opened the shelter evaluation. Shelter: Stone House Area: 40©O Durability: 120/120 Evaluation: You better start praying the next disaster isn''t an earthquake, I think it''s still on time. Lin Yue: "Grass (a plant)." What on earth is this system? Wow, still have to pray not to encounter an earthquake, right? What kind of shelter could be so powerful the system would have nothing to say? Lin Yue felt he needed to explore more. [You crafted an iron dagger, wood-1, iron block-2] [You crafted a wooden shield, wood-3] [You crafted a wooden barrel, wood-3, iron block-1] [You crafted a wooden cabinet, wood-6, iron block-1] [You crafted a wooden window, wood-4, iron block-1] [You crafted an iron pot, wood-1, iron block-2] [You crafted an iron hammer, wood-1, iron block-2] [You crafted a wooden table, wood-4] [You crafted an Iron Spear, wood-2, iron block-3] Lin Yue crafted a bunch of things in order, and he quickly placed them in order at their respective places. As for the wooden window, Lin Yue didn''t rush to install it this time. After all, it''s just a "window frame," not with glass. If some grasshopper jumped through this open frame, it could kill him at night. However, crafting all these at once did give Lin Yue a substantial sense of accomplishment. Though materials were constantly disappearing, he also felt that the shelter was more secure and safe than before and more like a "home." In this Otherworld, the shelter indeed was a home. Furniture and essentials now had a bed, table, cabinet, wooden barrel, and iron pot, and weapons and tools included a wooden shield, iron hammer, and another Iron Spear. Looking at it now, things were indeed quite good. And after placing them all in this 40 square meter small house, Lin Yue also felt a sense of fulfillment. Honestly, this feeling was really nice. He finished the last bite of the apple, carefully dug out the apple seeds, and laid them on the wooden table to dry, then lay down on the wooden bed, lurking on the group chat. The group was still lively. However, this liveliness was filled with the illusion of "water" by screen spam. The total number in the upper right corner kept declining, even showing signs of Acceleration. Lin Yue also knew the time for his second large-scale water selling had arrived. Currently, he still had nearly 7 liters of water. How about selling half? Chapter 14: The Man Called Big Shot, God, and Businessman Chapter 14 - 14: The Man Called Big Shot, God, and BusinessmanWater trader. At some point, Lin Yue discovered that besides being called "Master Lin Yue," he had gained another fixed nickname in the group chat. Good god, I just request some materials, when did I turn into a merchant? Browsing through the group chat for special treasure chests, Lin Yue kept noticing this label added before his name. I''m the merchant? What does that make people who demand 20 iron blocks for just 15 milliliters? Anyway, it''s no big deal. Merchant? I''ll show you what a real merchant is later. Thinking this, Lin Yue looked at the inventory. Small Soilless Cultivation Kit... I''ve had no time to deal with this thing yet. Just as he was about to open it, a notice popped up. Small Soilless Cultivation Kit. Area: 50©O. Components: Leek seeds, nutrient solution, spiral tube, sponge. Description: Special item, drastically reduces crop growth time, requires a large water supply. Lin Yue''s eyes widened. What? Occupies 50 square meters? His shelter is just 40 square meters total, is this a joke? No wonder Zheng Jing was in such a rush to sell it, directly slashed the price heavily. Even ended up halving the sale price. Lesson learned, experience gained. Lin Yue knew that this thing could only occupy an inventory slot for now, unless he could upgrade the shelter to a bigger area immediately. That said, is there a blueprint for expanding the shelter? Lin Yue searched around. Nothing. Only blueprints for this tool or that tool, along with some utterly useless stuff like sickles or wooden sticks. Seems there''s really nothing special. This situation won''t do. For now, the soilless cultivation kit can only be stored away. Checked the materials tab, wood, stone, iron block. Shouldn''t there be more than just these few materials? Gold, silver, copper, iron, aluminum, there was the so-called "Copper Treasure Chest" before, so might there be copper? Searched through the group chat and auction market. Sure enough, there was! However, the yield seemed extremely low, existing only in a few people''s chat logs, though they were listed in the market, no one was buying. Ultimately, Lin Yue thought it might be due to the lack of a corresponding blueprint. After all, almost everyone currently had designs for hay, wood, stone, and iron block. Indeed, this was a blind spot. Lin Yue pondered for a bit and searched for more keywords. In the end, he found coal, aluminum, and asbestos. Looks like up until now, this world has only revealed the most basic things to people. Maybe later on, there might be considerable changes. For now, there''s no wood, only 6 stones, but iron blocks are abundant, with 43 units. Lin Yue decided, just like last time, to trade extensively in the market for materials. This time, to ensure not too many people die of thirst, he put up a massive amount of water for trade! [Seller: Lin Yue] [Auction Item: 50 milliliters of pure water X100] [Required: Stone, copper ingot, blueprints, or others] [Seller''s remark: 100 portions, limited to one bid per person, highest bidder wins.] After listing it, Lin Yue closed the game panel. Looking at this stuff was incredibly time-consuming, practically accomplishing nothing all morning. Time is precious. Lin Yue picked up a small wooden shield with his left hand and an iron spear with his right, opening the stone door. The intense sunlight brought a wave of high temperature, causing him to frown. This weather is so peculiar. However, a light breeze sweeping across the desert somewhat dispersed the hot air. He checked the spot where he had shallowly buried the mutant sheep''s bones and organs yesterday, finding it was a complete mess. The shallow ditch looked as if some animal had dug it up, with strange claw marks everywhere, and the bones and organs naturally nowhere to be seen. All that remained were bugs with a pure silver exterior, about twice the size of his fist, crawling around. Lin Yue grabbed the iron spear and expertly pierced them one by one. Seven treasure chests popped out. Nice. He headed to the spot where he buried the giant locust on the first day, and sure enough, there were insects crawling there too. Looks like these insects play the role of decomposers in this world... Lin Yue didn''t hold back and sent them on their way. Being merciful to enemies is being cruel to oneself. Who knows when these things might crawl into the shelter and cripple him? After a thorough search confirming no threats, Lin Yue returned inside and took out the shovel. He dug a pit similar to that day and put a 30-centimeter iron pot on top, grabbing hay scattered all over the desert and lighting it with matches. Added water, waited for it to boil, and made instant noodles. During this time, he jogged to the woods, casually picked two branches, and used an iron ax to chop them into chopstick shapes¡ªmore or less resembling chopsticks. However... [You have obtained the Wooden Chopstick Blueprint] Awesome.jpg Still, after making them into chopsticks, Lin Yue couldn''t help raising his eyebrows. Never mind it. Sipping the noodles soaked in rich broth, Lin Yue kept his eyes cautious and attentive, scanning the surroundings. The environment certainly trains people. On original Earth, he didn''t have this habit. After finishing the noodles, he stored the tools in the inventory and headed straight to the woods, chopping out 20 units of wood. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Having become familiar over two days, he could now use the most effortless method to extract more units of wood. Woodquarry is the only material Lin Yue can obtain, but it''s useful in many places, well-prepared. After finishing this, Lin Yue drank some water, rested briefly, and grabbed the iron spear, holding the small round shield to patrol around the shelter. Hunting mutant creatures, or rather, bullying small mutant creatures like tiny lizards, locusts, ants, or the like. As for giant locusts and mutant sheep, Lin Yue currently lacked absolute confidence to instantly determine the outcome upon encountering them. He''s not one of those group chat masters who take on dozens of mutant creatures right off the bat; knowing one''s limits is crucial. However, having gained some combat experience and dealt with five small lizards, he decided to venture slightly farther today. If encountered by some overwhelming mutant creature, he planned to sprint back to the shelter immediately. Climbing onto the roof using a ladder, he surveyed around and chose a direction with fewer moving black dots. Taking a deep breath, Lin Yue decided to embark on a small adventure today. Wandering around the doorstep provides too few resources and gets restricted by various factors, hindering development. Who knows how long this water can be sold? By the way... Isn''t there supposed to be a disaster alert today? Lin Yue opened the announcement. Five hours until it''s revealed. Let''s return to the shelter by then! Chapter 15: A Great Harvest! Eggs of Mutant Creatures? Chapter 15 - 15: A Great Harvest! Eggs of Mutant Creatures?"The nineteenth one!" Lin Yue held a wooden shield in his left hand and an iron spear in his right. With one swift strike, the blue lizard that had just spat venom at him was sliced in half! [You have obtained a Wooden Treasure Chest] The familiar sound echoed as Lin Yue placed the treasure chest into his inventory. He wiped off the venom from his shield on the ground, not pausing as he continued to search for mutated creatures. After slashing three more lizards nearby, Lin Yue set down the small round shield with a half-meter diameter and sat on it, wiping the sweat from his face. Combat allows one to accumulate experience. Both psychological confidence and physical techniques, along with spontaneous reactions, continue to improve with each fight. Thus, he grows stronger and stronger. Although only two days have passed, Lin Yue has developed a small understanding of using the iron spear in his hands. The sun was setting in the west, and the day passed quickly. A gentle breeze blew across the desert, causing sparse wild grasses to sway continuously. No one knew what might be hidden within. With a one hundred percent chance to loot a treasure chest, Lin Yue wasn''t lacking in water or food, but that didn''t mean he would survive the disaster arriving in four days. For this reason, he had to force himself to take down stronger mutant creatures, like that giant red locust-like creature before. Previously, he had spent a considerable amount of time and exerted a great deal of physical strength, nearly pushed to the brink of exhaustion. Originally just an ordinary person, he was at a significant disadvantage compared to those in the group who immediately went to hunt more powerful mutant creatures. His golden finger ability prevented him from dying of thirst or hunger, but surviving in this survival game on that basis was his own skill. After a short rest, Lin Yue stood up and tapped the ground with his shield. As soon as he put the wooden treasure chest into his inventory, a rustling sound approached. He looked up to see a shadow hopping in from the opposite direction. Lin Yue grabbed the iron spear, fully focused. He moved slowly in the direction while remaining vigilant of his surroundings, not daring to let his guard down. As the shadow''s outline became clearer, Lin Yue recognized it as a mutant creature he had encountered on the first day. Giant locust! He took a deep breath. Here it comes again, huh? However, he had made significant progress since yesterday. With increased confidence, Lin Yue moved much faster, quickly closing the distance to less than twenty meters. The giant locust also noticed Lin Yue. It swiftly turned its body towards him and continued to close the gap! Lin Yue stopped, waiting for the creature''s move. With the sound of wings roaring, the red giant insect suddenly leaped into the air! Lin Yue quickly stepped back, shielding himself with the wooden shield in his left hand, rolling sideways and swiftly standing up again. Before the giant locust could make further moves, his iron spear sliced down! [You have obtained an Iron Treasure Chest] The red body of the giant locust was sharply cut into halves, and beside it, the iron treasure chest waited silently for Lin Yue. "Seems like I''ve gotten a bit stronger than before," Lin Yue exhaled lightly, picking up the treasure chest and placing it into his inventory. At this moment, the sky turned fiery red, and Lin Yue decided not to continue searching for mutant creatures. Instead, he returned to the shelter. He remade a torch, and the firelight illuminated the dim room once more. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Lin Yue took out bread and water, while spreading out the wooden and iron treasure chests he stored in his inventory on the ground. The wooden chests held nothing surprising, just water and food. Among the 19 wooden boxes were 11 bottles of water, 7 loaves of bread weighing a pound each, and a bag of instant noodles. These items held no surprises, and Lin Yue''s attention wasn''t on them. He opened the iron chest. [You have obtained an Area Map Fragment X1, Iron Saw Design Map X1] Got something good this time. Taking out the area map fragment, Lin Yue was about to examine it closely when a notification sound suddenly rang out. [The map has been transferred to the system and can be viewed at any time] Well, that''s convenient. No need to carry it around and worry about wear and tear, integrating it directly into the system works great. Lin Yue opened the system and quickly found an option. "Click, and then... lock onto the upper right corner?" Following the system prompt, a map appeared in the top-right corner of his vision. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. To his surprise, it was an electronic map! The map illustrated a square area, with his shelter at the center. He was represented by a red dot, and above it was a navigation-like arrow, while the shelter was marked in gray. As Lin Yue moved, the arrow continuously changed direction. He got a general sense of direction. Besides the desert, the map marked a forest, a large pit, and several other indistinguishable features. Lin Yue opened the map and discovered it could be displayed in fullscreen, but another function was absent. Scale proportion. Without a scale proportion, it was impossible to determine the map''s actual size. Although the map had an approximate size marker of one centimeter, there were no labels. He glanced at the nearest forest from his shelter and decided to head in that direction. Direction, northwest. Lin Yue took out a dagger, drawing a mark at the door, then squatted down and stretched out his arms to measure. With arms outstretched, approximately equal to his height, Lin Yue''s height was 182 cm, and his shoe size was 40, translating to 25 cm. Adding them up, it was a little less than two meters. He took out a dagger and made a mark on the ground below his fingertips, indicating a distance slightly over two meters. He then measured with the iron spear in his hand, suddenly realizing it was roughly two meters long as well! Wow, this thing really serves as a decent ruler. Using the iron spear to measure the distance from the shelter to the forest, he quickly came to a conclusion. "The forest is 102 meters from the shelter, so..." Checking the map, he found the forest was about one centimeter away from the shelter. One centimeter on the map roughly equaled an actual distance of a hundred meters, making the scale 1:10000. Lin Yue looked at the location marked as the large pit, calculating it was about 8 scale units away, approximately 800 meters. Standing on the roof, looking in that direction, it appeared dim and dark. Lin Yue decided to explore tomorrow; today had to come to an end. Flipping back into the shelter, Lin Yue lay on the bed in a relaxed position and opened the trading panel to confirm transactions. Over 2000 offers testified to the buyers'' urgency. He noticed that some people had even offered quite impressive items, much to his surprise. So... [You lost 5L of water] [You received Stone X40, Copper Ingot X43, Coal X22, Chips X1, Snickers X3, Rock Salt X2, Bacon X2, Sewing Kit X1, Bowl Design Map, Barbecue Rack Design Map, Iron Sword Design Map, Cleaver Design Map, and a Mutant Creature''s Egg] What a haul! Chapter 16 The Disaster Warning Arrives! Chapter 16 - 16 The Disaster Warning Arrives!In the impenetrable stone house, Lin Yue was counting the large quantity of goods he got in exchange for water this time. Apart from some materials, the other items were also quite good. Things like bacon, rock salt, chips, and Snickers bars added a bit of fun to this dull and tasteless survival game. As for various design blueprints, there''s no need to say more. However, what Lin Yue cared about the most was the egg of that mutant creature. He never thought there would be such a thing that could be used as a trade item. He initially thought that trading mutant creature meat was already quite bizarre. Lin Yue squatted beside the egg, which was as big as a basketball. Under the firelight, he noticed it was overall white with some monochrome patterns, which were distributed without much regularity, but overall, it was quite beautiful. But, what kind of mutant creature could hatch from this thing? Generally speaking, egg-layers are birds, but turtles, snakes, and lizards are egg-layers too. But is there anything among them that can lay such a big egg? Could it be an ostrich or something? Or perhaps... a dinosaur or something? S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Despite his curiosity about the egg, Lin Yue still decided to give the mutant creature a quick end as soon as it hatched. Exchanging 50 milliliters of water for a wooden treasure chest is just delightful. He tapped the eggshell, making a "hollow" sound. Goodness, as long as it''s not a dead egg. By the way, when will this thing hatch? With these questions, Lin Yue glanced at the system panel. There''s an hour left until the specific disaster details are announced. He glanced at the group chat, which was bustling. Only 7304 people have survived...? Lin Yue was shocked by the death rate, but he also knew that more people would quietly perish in this world. This group had lost nearly three thousand people in three days; what about other groups? What about the entire world? He shook his head and continued looking at the group chat content. "Lin Yue is amazing! Anyone who badmouths him, I''ll spam until you''re done!" "Honestly, I''ve even thought of the name for a child with our mighty Lin Yue." "What kind of family, seriously, can you afford to sell five liters of water? Is this water profiteer Lin Yue a Terminator, wiping out everyone around the shelter?" "Report, I finally got water on the third day, the first bottle, hooray!" "Speaking of which, the disaster announcement is coming out, what kind of disaster will it be? I have nothing except this crappy house." "As long as it''s not a swarm of insects or beasts, I''m the first to welcome a heavy rain." "Heavy rain +1" "Heavy rain +10086" "Is heavy rain even a disaster? I feel like a flood is a real disaster." "You jinx, say another word and I''ll spam you!" "But the system is quite considerate, telling us three days in advance so we can prepare. If it was just a day in advance..." ... Lin Yue closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The specific disaster details would be announced soon. Once the specifics were revealed, every single second, everyone would go wild hoarding various supplies for this. Water might still be in high demand for a while, but perhaps other resources could become even more sought after. Regarding water, Lin Yue felt that besides him and a few others, everyone else might still be struggling in this extreme water shortage mire. But if there really were a heavy rain flood... Water might not be scarce for anyone. Yet another problem would arise. Would the shelter be wiped out by the flood directly? Lin Yue made up his mind, if the disaster was really a heavy rain, he''d fix the drainage first thing the next morning. If it''s a flood... It shouldn''t be such a big disaster initially, right? According to Lin Yue''s understanding of this survival game, from the start until now, the game has consistently been weeding out the weak, or simply put, those who couldn''t adapt to this extreme environment. Facing the mutant creatures in such scarcity of water and food, only those who overcame numerous difficulties and survived "qualified" to challenge these disasters. In other words, at present, this might be considered the "beginner''s protection period". If suddenly, out of nowhere came something like a meteor strike, a flood, a beast tide, or the earth cracking... That wouldn''t make sense. If the system wanted to wipe out so many people indiscriminately, wouldn''t one disaster right at the start suffice? Why bother with a disaster every seven days with a three-day notice? This clearly doesn''t make sense. So... Lin Yue looked at the countdown. There were less than thirty minutes left. In the group, no one was talking about water anymore, everyone was speculating on what disaster would befall. And some pessimistic individuals even reckoned that humanity might entirely perish after this disaster. Will it really be like that? Perhaps Earth was already doomed, and humanity got a chance to start anew. In the face of endless hardships, how many people will persist until the end? No matter what others thought, he felt that even if there was only one person left in the world, he would strive to ensure that person was him. With this system, at the very least, he wouldn''t starve or die of thirst. The development of his shelter would absolutely not fall behind others. And through ongoing trials, he would continually improve, becoming ever stronger. Killing that giant locust today was enough to prove he had become a class above the first day. Humans are creatures capable of growth, especially in such extreme environments. Lin Yue opened the trading panel. He decided to seize this opportunity to see what he could snag with the water he had. As a hard currency, especially on this third day, reaching most people''s physiological limits, water could exchange for more things. Lin Yue had no reason to let this opportunity pass. Moreover, now was the best time to bargain. Look, what would these people have obtained after scouring mutant creatures at their wit''s end, things seemingly useless now but might be valuable later? Lin Yue acted decisively. If he saw something he thought was worth it, he immediately made a deal. Quickly, with one minute left on the countdown, he had exchanged 2.4 liters of water for saltpeter, a lighter, a fishhook blueprint, a flashlight blueprint, a hoe blueprint, and a stator, among other items. Lin Yue was familiar with this stator. During college, he had been in a mechanical enthusiast club for a while, so he knew this was a crucial component of a generator. A generator... he had never seen this thing in the group or on the trading market so far. Was it that no one had managed to obtain one, or were they all keeping it under wraps? Now, there were only ten seconds left until the disaster would be announced! Many people in the group were counting down! "Five!" "Please, don''t let it be too severe!" "Four!" "I just hope for heavy rain, heavy rain!" "Three!" "The world is about to end, hahahaha!" "Two!" "Why do I hear a rumble outside?" "One!" Everyone held their breath in anticipation! Lin Yue quickly switched to the announcement interface! However, the name of the first disaster he saw made his eyes widen in disbelief! "What? Is it really... this disaster?!" Meanwhile, the entire group became engulfed in panic! Chapter 17 Disaster? Something More Deadly is Coming! Chapter 17 - 17 Disaster? Something More Deadly is Coming!As the countdown ended, all the survivors switched their game panels to the announcement board. The words displayed on it left them all in collective silence and astonishment. "Snow disaster? No way." Lin Yue found that his mouth seemed to have some sort of prophetic power. He had previously thought about the possibility of a snow disaster, and it actually happened. He opened the group panel and looked over there again, finding that everyone inside had fallen into a frenzy of celebration. "Oh sh*t, now there''s water, those water-selling profiteers can go to hell!" "Haha, Lin, I''m talking about you, you sly Tang Country person, let''s see how you gouge people this time!" "Exactly, just now he wanted to use 100 milliliters of water to buy my bread, I told him off." "I already traded one, what a loss, profiteers should die miserably. I think surviving on urine for four more days isn''t impossible, once you get used to the taste it''s not unbearable." "Come, come, Old Eight will teach everyone a filtering method to minimize the taste of urine. First, pinch your nose..." "Snow disaster? People near the equator are overjoyed. Can we eat the snow?" "Unfortunately, the shelters are too far apart, otherwise we could have a global snowball fight. " "As expected, this is just a game, how could it snow in this scorching weather." ... S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lin Yue silently watched the screen, then silently closed the panel. Snow disaster. Did not expect the first disaster, this game already threw in a tough one. He felt the scorching heat in the air, still found it hard to imagine that in such at least thirty degrees weather, a disaster called a snow disaster would arrive in four days. As for the criticisms from people in the group, Lin Yue didn''t care much. There''ll be a time when you''ll be crying and begging me. He was actually puzzled by these people''s blind optimism. Cheering as if winning a lottery, some even wanting to eat snow, or have snowball fights. Did they not consider the other adverse factors that would appear during a snow disaster? The extreme cold that a snow disaster brings is the most terrifying thing. Lin Yue remembered when he was eight years old, he got beaten by the orphanage director for talking back, he felt wronged and couldn''t stay there any longer, so he took the chance to escape that night. And it happened to snow heavily that night, he walked the streets for hours, and in the end, when he was freezing and helpless, he thought of the Eskimo igloo, made a big snowball by the roadside, dug a hole and crawled in to keep warm, if a passerby hadn''t found him, he would have almost frozen to death inside. Thinking back, going to KFC or McDonald''s to make it through the night would have been nothing. However, the biggest impact that night had on Lin Yue was making him understand how terrifying snow can be. That bone-piercing cold and prolonged low temperature can easily take a life! Lin Yue stood up and touched the wall. Even in such high temperatures, it still maintained an icy touch. What if a snowstorm happened outside? If nothing is done, he thought there would definitely be frozen corpses inside this shelter in four days. Lin Yue thought about various ways to keep warm, and unknowingly fell asleep. But the world did not fall into silence along with him entering a sweet dream. Countless people scattered across the desert, grasslands, mining areas, basins, riverbanks, and forests in shelters found it hard to close their eyes. Some were still tormented by thirst, becoming extremely weak, unable to sleep; Some were so unbearably hungry they even started eating the meat of mutant creatures; Some set up traps, armed with weapons, continuously fought mutant creatures, hoping to find any box that could aid their survival; Some chopped trees and mined, frantically collecting resources as if tireless... This night was an absolutely torturous day for almost everyone. Yet, at the same time, they expressed optimism about the impending disaster, at least they wouldn''t have to worry about water for now. The premise being that they survive to the seventh day! ... One night passed. After rubbing his eyes, Lin Yue woke up and stretched hugely. After three days, he was slowly getting accustomed to the pace here. No electronic devices, and practically nothing related to technology, waking up naturally without an alarm was just a perfectly normal thing for Lin Yue. He opened the stone door, a gush of fresh air came rushing into the room, and Lin Yue, equipped with a round wooden shield and Iron Spear, cautiously tested the surroundings as always before heading out. In this environment filled with mutant creatures, who knows what dangers might be encountered. A surprise attack isn''t unlikely. A familiar stench wafted into his nostrils, and Lin Yue looked around, finally stopping at the back of the house. Another large pile of indescribable things, exactly the same as before. Moreover, there were more, like a small mountain. Lin Yue frowned. Something''s wrong. Wasn''t the mutant sheep that came over and defecated before already dealt with by him? Why are there these excreta again? Could there be more? Lin Yue recalled the faint black dots he had seen in the distance earlier. His nerves instantly tensed, warily scanning the surroundings. The wind in the desert was slightly stronger than yesterday. But in the wind, Lin Yue heard some mixed clamor, and this noise was intermittent, definitely not the sound originally present on the desert. He swallowed, moving to the shelter''s main entrance. For some reason, he sensed a hint of danger. This was an instinctive reaction cultivated after battling mutant creatures dozens of times over the past few days. Quickly pulling out a ladder to get onto the roof, Lin Yue soon saw the source of the noises. Seven mutant sheep, each hidden in slightly higher patches of grass tens of meters away, watching this direction intently! Lin Yue gasped. If he hadn''t meticulously checked, and just started cooking like yesterday... The consequences would have been unimaginable! Clutching the Iron Spear in his hand, Lin Yue was also secretly amazed. These mutant sheep actually moved in groups and could ambush in the grass at this time, truly not simple mutated creatures. This mutated creature seemed quite intelligent, if he weren''t standing at a high vantage point, there was absolutely no way he would have discovered them. So, what should he do next? Should he go down and hide in the shelter awaiting their departure, or... However, just then, as one mutant sheep stood up and looked toward his position, standing up instead of hiding, all the other mutant sheep stood up following suit. They all looked up at Lin Yue and approached the shelter step by step. Lin Yue began to regret not having a bow, but... For long-distance attacks, there seemed to be another option? Chapter 18 Do You Have Tactics? Crawl for Grandpa! Chapter 18 - 18 Do You Have Tactics? Crawl for Grandpa!On the fourth morning, Lin Yue encountered the biggest crisis so far. Seven mutant sheep, their bodies now fully exposed with fangs, no longer hid in the grass but surrounded the shelter from all directions. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Within their vertical pupils, the image of a human standing on the rooftop was reflected. Lin Yue gripped the iron spear tightly in his hand. The wind grew stronger. For some reason, Lin Yue felt that the wind seemed to lower the temperature a bit. In the desert, yellow soil was occasionally blown up, and wild grass shook chaotically. Lin Yue contemplated his strategy to break out of the standoff. On this two-meter-high rooftop, there was no worry about being knocked down by these sheep, whose size was merely larger. The worst would be getting surrounded. Life-threatening... shouldn''t be, right? Looking at these creatures that looked like sheep but had gaping bloody mouths, emitting terrifying sounds, Lin Yue wondered if sheep and wolves in this world had some forbidden love, resulting in these entities. Gripping the iron spear, he laid down the shield and picked up the iron axe from the inventory. The iron axe was actually quite sharp; the previous mutant sheep was killed instantly when the axe chopped down on its head. However, that was after the iron spear pierced its neck first, rendering it almost powerless for resistance, resulting in close proximity kills. Lin Yue waited. As long as the sheep approached the shelter, he would strike with the iron spear or launch a throwing axe attack, if not kill them, then at least heavily injure them. However. Ten minutes passed, then twenty. Sweat increasingly covered Lin Yue''s forehead, yet he realized the sheep stood like statues about ten meters away, unmoving. Goodness, do they even have tactics? He felt these sheep indeed exceeded his understanding, wondering if other people encountered mutant creatures that dropped Copper Treasure Chests, were they all like this? If they didn''t approach, he''d have to resort to long-range attacks, but he didn''t have suitable long-range weapons. Should he try throwing an axe? The iron axe only required one wood and one iron block, and Lin Yue had plenty of these resources now. Why not give it a try? He clicked to craft, and instantly ten iron axes appeared in the inventory. Seems like a good opportunity to practice axe throwing skills now? Holding an iron axe in his hand, he aimed at the nearest sheep and hurled it fiercely! The sheep saw Lin Yue throw the axe, quickly leapt to the side, and effortlessly dodged it. Subsequently, Lin Yue threw another axe, and the sheep swiftly jumped to another side. By the time Lin Yue threw the third axe, all the sheep turned their gaze towards him. What Lin Yue needed was precisely such a moment! Having become familiar with the mutant sheep''s leap and movement amplitude, he hurled the fourth axe, but this time aimed at another sheep! The nearby one, along with others, was caught off guard, and as the axe flew over, it didn''t even have a chance to react, being firmly swept away from its two front legs. Its scream had just sounded when Lin Yue''s next iron axe swiftly followed! However... This axe flew to another side, slicing off half of that sheep''s head. [You obtained a Copper Treasure Chest] Goodness, this is absurdly ridiculous. Lin Yue continued throwing the remaining six axes one by one, never able to hit any more sheep despite aiming. Nonetheless... After receiving consecutive severe injuries, the mutant sheep herd was no longer as ferocious as before, showing some panic, influenced by the squeals and screams of an injured sheep, and gradually retreating. Lin Yue observed from the rooftop. He could manufacture more iron axes or simply throw iron spears, but those five mutant sheep were farther away, making it more challenging than maintaining the standoff. Waiting for whoever couldn''t hold out. Lin Yue calculated that if he climbed down the ladder to open and close the stone door, two or three sheep might follow, but merely feinting with a few axes and entering the shelter would prevent them from catching up. Stretching his aching right arm, Lin Yue set down the iron spear and wooden shield, taking out water from his inventory to drink. Although in a standoff on the rooftop, he faced no risk, unlike the opponent, needing tension. He opened the game panel. Sitting on the rooftop, drinking water while browsing the group chat was quite enjoyable. "Wooden bows require wood and fiber... no fiber for sale. Slingshots require wood and leather... well, also not for sale." Lin Yue wanted to complain about the construction system, putting hard-to-find materials into what could be crafted early on. Nonetheless, it didn''t matter, just dragging it out. Lin Yue opened the trading mall again, searching for anything new. However, he soon discovered something. The buying power of water had declined. Having just searched for "water," previously only he had listed water; now there were over a hundred listings! What were these people doing before? Moreover, they were not selling in the previous 15ml or 30ml amounts but like him, in 100ml or 200ml batches. Despite this, buyers showed no action; the group chat continuously listed seller names and insulted them repeatedly, with many joining in. Goodness, are you mocking those without water? Almost four more days to go. How many days can you last just drinking urine? Lin Yue stated that eventually, they''ll beg! After watching for a while, Lin Yue stood up again, looked at the mutant sheep, and noticed they seemed weary, lying back down. Lin Yue thought, placed the ladder by the edge of the roof, and pretended to descend it, moving towards that direction. Soon, the sheep got up again, watching Lin Yue''s every move vigilantly. Lin Yue soon returned to the highest spot, and the sheep laid back down after a while. He stood up, repeating the action seven times, until the sheep seemed unable to sit still and started moving toward the shelter again. This was the result Lin Yue wanted; he repeated it a few more times until one sheep seemed restless and came closer, still wary. Lin Yue casually took out a piece of mutant sheep meat he had previously obtained and tossed it to the ground. He wouldn''t eat it anyway, throwing it wasn''t a loss. After doing so, he soon noticed an effect. The five sheep were attracted by the fresh scent of blood, now unable to resist, their eyes fixed in that direction! However, just then. "Buzz..." A strange noise suddenly appeared, Lin Yue raised his head to search in confusion, suddenly discovering a strange object appeared next to the small forest where he had chopped trees. Chapter 19: Secret Realm Gate! Victory with a Precious Pet! Chapter 19 - 19: Secret Realm Gate! Victory with a Precious Pet!"What is that...?" Lin Yue was originally gripping the Iron Spear, ready to take a shot at the approaching Mutant Sheep when something emerged after the strange noise from the forest, causing him to pause his actions. The white light fog accompanied by an odd buzzing sound dispersed, and he saw a peculiar building suddenly appear in that place. Lin Yue vaguely saw what seemed to be an old wooden door wrapped in dilapidated bricks and stones, surrounded by lingering white fog that refused to disperse. He was very sure that this door absolutely did not belong to this Desert, as it never existed before. Looking down at the Mutant Sheep, he discovered they seemed utterly indifferent to the Ancient Gate, and the nearest one was already within six to seven meters from the Shelter. The other Mutant Sheep had also gotten much closer. The Ancient Gate caught Lin Yue''s attention, but he knew that even though he wanted to check it out, he had to first deal with these threats. He gripped the Iron Spear firmly, pretending to keep looking in the direction of the Ancient Gate while waiting for the nearest one to come close enough. And indeed, he did not have to wait too long. The Mutant Sheep were so attracted to the sheep meat he threw down that with the closest one approaching further, Lin Yue knew the opportunity had arrived. He suddenly turned and stood up, letting out a loud shout, and the Iron Spear in his hand transformed into a streak of silver light like a meteor! "Gugugu!" A painful cry immediately followed! The Iron Spear sliced through the soft belly of the Mutant Sheep, and the sharp spearhead instantly tore it open, followed by a gush of blood and the heavy viscera dropping to the ground. The other Mutant Sheep paused for a second upon witnessing the sudden event, but as soon as an Iron Axe hurled in the air toward them, they quickly turned and fled into the distance! The extremely dangerous situation for Lin Yue changed instantly as the four escaped. Lin Yue gasped for air, wiping the sweat off his forehead with his hand. Though unsure of how terrifying the fanged Mutant Sheep truly were, having been besieged by seven of these massive mutant creatures was not an experience he wished to repeat. If he hadn''t correctly climbed onto the rooftop initially and had shrunk back inside the house, who knows what would have happened later on? Perhaps he would have been surrounded by these ferocious monsters until the snow disaster hit, leading to food exhaustion. Standing on the rooftop, Lin Yue confirmed that the four Mutant Sheep had turned into four black dots in his sight again before climbing down the ladder and turning to enter the Shelter, intending to take out the spare Iron Spear for a quick strike on the two remaining heavily injured ones outside. Suddenly, he heard a cracking sound coming from the direction of the table. Lin Yue looked up and found the mutant creature''s egg on the table had cracked open like parched land. Crack, crack. The cracking sound became more frequent, and the fissures widened. Crack! With a final crisp sound, the entire eggshell suddenly split in two! "Puchi~" Lin Yue heard a small chirping sound, and he simultaneously saw the white little creature slowly standing up in the center of the eggshell. A pair of eyes as red as Rubies quietly stared at Lin Yue, its delicate scales covering its whole body shimmering silver-white, as if cloaked by snow. "This...is a lizard, right?" The Iron Spear''s tip in Lin Yue''s hand slowly dropped; the appearance of this little creature somehow touched something in his heart. "It seems quite cute?" Lin Yue walked over, taking out a slightly long piece of dry grass to tease it, the little creature playfully grasped at the end of the dry grass with its small paws, and the big eyes still fixated on Lin Yue''s face. "Including the tail, it''s about 18 centimeters long." Lin Yue estimated based on experience, quickly coming up with an accurate measurement. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Puchi?" The little creature tilted its head, seeming to understand something, chirping again. Such a large egg, yet only a small lizard hatched from it? Lin Yue had expected to hatch a mutant creature as fierce as the Mutant Sheep outside. "So, should I transform it into a Treasure Chest, or..." Just at this moment, a game panel suddenly appeared before Lin Yue. [Congratulations, you have acquired a new pet. Would you like to name it?] Pet? hhhhc. This game system, what the hell, a pet? I never said I wanted to raise it! [Pet Species: Ice Lizard] [Pet Name: Unnamed] [Status: Juvenile] [Description: A rare mutant creature residing within caves, capable of lowering the surrounding temperature by 5 degrees with its breath, enjoys activities in water.] [Abilities: Acceleration, agile movements allow it to escape from the battlefield at maximum speed or gain a speed advantage in combat Cold Breath: Exhales cold air, freezing the opponent for several seconds, causing minor damage] [Lifebound Talent: Not Awakened] Lin Yue scrutinized the panel that suddenly appeared, wondering if he was indeed looking at a game panel. What is going on here? Ice Lizard? Cold Breath? Lifebound Talent? How did things develop in such an unexpected direction? But still... Lin Yue looked back at the white lizard. "Puchi?" Another head tilt, it flicked out its pink tongue. Clearly a charmer, huh. Lin Yue pondered a moment; raising a pet, if beneficial to the adventure, might not be so bad? Besides, looking at this little guy, it likely wouldn''t consume much food, would it? He actually had a considerable amount of food supplies. And also... Listening to the sounds from outside the house, the two injured Mutant Sheep continued to wail painfully. They could provide quite a lot of meat...could this little creature eat meat too? After some contemplation, Lin Yue turned his gaze back to the little lizard. "Alright, what''s one more? Then you will be called...uh, Bai then." The name-deficient Lin Yue confessed he couldn''t think of many good names. "Puchi!" The Little Ice Lizard seemed to really like this name, crawling back and forth on the spot, constantly watching Lin Yue with its eyes. "Alright, as long as you like it. So next..." "Puchi, puchi!" Bai tightly clutched the piece of straw, crawling onto Lin Yue''s hand, appearing quite pleased. [Congratulations, you''ve named the Ice Lizard pet "Bai," affinity has slightly increased] What, there''s affinity too? Isn''t this a survival game, for God''s sake? Lin Yue placed Bai on his shoulder; it seemed to enjoy the somewhat higher location, looking around curiously. With an Iron Spear in hand, Lin Yue walked outside, coming directly to the Mutant Sheep whose limbs he had initially cut off with an Iron Axe, rendering it immobile, and thrust the Iron Spear into its throat. [You have obtained a Copper Treasure Chest] [Would you like to dissect the mutant creature?] Of course, yes. [You have obtained Mutant Sheep Meat X10kg, Sheep Skin X1, Fangs X2] He then approached the Mutant Sheep whose belly had been slashed open and was still howling. Just as Lin Yue was about to end its misery, Bai suddenly leaped off his shoulder onto the ground. "Bai?" Lin Yue realized the little guy unexpectedly jumped into the spilled viscera, biting a piece of intestine with its little mouth, chewing it with gusto! Chapter 20, Day 4, the first air conditioner in the whole group. Chapter 20 - 20, Day 4, the first air conditioner in the whole group.The breeze blew gently, and the desert was a picture of desolation. Lin Yue thrust the Iron Spear into the heart of the dying Mutant Sheep, ending its suffering. But he did not immediately pull out the spear. Bai was eating happily; let it eat for a while. [You have obtained a Copper Treasure Chest] After picking up this Copper Treasure Chest, Lin Yue went to collect the other two Copper Treasure Chests, and also butchered the one he had killed with a single blow. He returned to the Shelter and put away the Mutant Sheep meat he had used as bait. Lin Yue smelled it before storing it and found that the meat surprisingly had no odor. It had been in the inventory for a day already, in this hot weather, it should have spoiled by now. Yet, it seemed as if it had just been placed in there. Does the inventory have a preservation feature? Lin Yue instantly understood that the system indeed provided some convenience in this regard. "Puchi!" Bai lay on the grass, its belly swollen. The creature appeared to be greatly enjoying itself in the sunshine, closing its eyes contentedly. Lin Yue petted it for a while, and the creature enjoyed it so much that it half-closed its eyes and rubbed its arm vigorously. Placing it back on his shoulder, Lin Yue began to dissect. [You have obtained Mutant Sheep Meat X10kg, Sheep Skin X1, Fangs X2] Although there was a lot of Mutant Sheep meat, each time he obtained only 10kg. Including the previous amount, he now had 40kg of Mutant Sheep meat, 4 pieces of Sheep Skin, and eight Fangs. Lin Yue brought Bai back to the Shelter, feeling that the little guy''s body was incredibly cool, like ice under the hot temperature. Having retrieved a total of 16 Iron Axes, Lin Yue directly placed 14 of them on the trading board; they were of little use anyway. Trade them for whatever he could get. Using a Shovel, he dug a large pit and buried the rest of the Mutant Sheep''s remains with soil, ending the matter. As for the remaining things to be done... He looked at the old gate by the woods that hadn''t disappeared yet. It was still early; should he check it out? However, being fully prepared was necessary. The most crucial information came from other Survivors. He opened the group chat and started searching thread by thread. "The water profiteer just put a bunch of axes up for sale, everyone group up to mock him!" "Why aren''t you selling water? Lin Yue, you''re busy, I''m jealous." "Speaking of which, if there''s a snow disaster, would it be very cold? I feel like the temperature might have dropped a lot." "Let''s not talk about that. There''s something strange next to my Shelter, has anyone seen it? It''s a big gate!" "Report! I have already explored it, obtained good stuff and put it in the marketplace, still trading for water!" "What''s that place called, Different Realm? Secret Realm? I opened the door, saw a pile of fog and didn''t enter. Are there good things inside?" "Good things, but you need luck to get them. The guy who just went in now has a gray avatar, anyone who wants can go, I''ll continue farming monsters." ... Lin Yue searched a few more keywords and found that many people had been inside that door called "Secret Realm". It was certain that there were good things in there, but there was also some danger. This indeed matched the theme of this game¡ª"opportunities and challenges coexist". sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lin Yue glanced at someone who claimed to have good stuff, a familiar trader he had dealt with several times; he opened the marketplace and quickly found the content. [Seller: Du Ping] [Auction Item: Bearing] [Needed: Drinking Water 1L] [Seller''s Note: Whoever has this much water doesn''t need me to say their name, one price, direct trade!] Lin Yue did not hesitate and directly bid. A mere liter of water, so cheap. For him, water was a resource he no longer needed to consider in terms of quantity, and 1 liter of water for a bearing was actually quite a bargain. After all, this thing couldn''t be easily found. The bearing was also an important component needed for the generator, without which it couldn''t be made. Taking out the bearing and placing it on the ground, then connecting it to the stator he previously obtained, Lin Yue was surprised to find they matched quite well. However, without end caps and terminals, creating a generator was still very difficult. Maybe these things exist in that Secret Realm? But before that, he needed to prepare thoroughly and explore inside. Lin Yue took a deep breath and opened the three Copper Treasure Chests he just acquired. [You have obtained Mountaineering Boots X1, Umbrella Design Map X1] [You have obtained Wooden Helmet Design Map X1, Telescope X1] [You have obtained Emergency Food Kit X1, Compressed Towel X10] Sure enough, from the Copper Treasure Chests, the items obtained were almost all useful. After opening these chests, his inventory was once again full. The backpack capacity was too small. Lin Yue couldn''t imagine how he managed with only 10 slots two days ago. In the backpack, water, bread, instant noodles, and Mutant Sheep meat were untouchable. The rest, items exchanged from the marketplace and various materials, didn''t really matter much. Also, there were several design maps unused; might as well use them together to save space. [Wooden Armor: Wood X3, Iron Block X2] [Wooden Bowl: Wood X1] [Barbecue Rack: Wood X1, Iron Block X3] [Iron Sword: Wood X1, Iron Block X2] [Machete: Wood X1, Iron Block X2] [Umbrella: Iron Block X2] He crafted them all in one go, consuming a considerable amount of materials. Lin Yue picked up the Wooden Armor from the ground, wore it, and felt it looked quite decent, reminiscent of the Saint Seiya he saw as a child. After storing a Machete, he took out a small medicine box and tossed all the loot he obtained into the Shelter. The oversized Soilless Cultivation Kit couldn''t fit and had to be held. He tossed the Sheep Skin and Fangs into the Shelter, finding that the 40-square-meter cabin was filling up. Checking again, water, bread, instant noodles, Mutant Sheep meat, wood, stone, iron, coal, copper¡ªthese five materials, a small medicine box, and a machete took up a total of 11 slots. He wished he could get another backpack or a design map for Shelter expansion. As Lin Yue lamented, holding his usual Iron Spear and small round shield, with Bai burping on his shoulder, he closed the stone door of the Shelter and looked at the Secret Realm''s gate. It still hadn''t disappeared. "If I don''t do something, I''ll always be treading the same ground." Taking a deep breath, Lin Yue walked toward it. Reached the gate, Bai on his shoulder lifted his little head, and the cool breath from it made Lin Yue feel comfortable. It was like a small air conditioner. "Bai, when exploring the Secret Realm, don''t run around," Lin Yue said with a smile. Fog swirled around, and the gate was within arm''s reach to push open. "So... let''s go!" Chapter 21: Ruins Exploration, Numerous Artifacts! Chapter 21 - 21: Ruins Exploration, Numerous Artifacts!The ancient door in front of Lin Yue was gently pushed open. A dense fog immediately surged out wildly as a result. "Pujii?" Bai seemed rather excited, gently raised its front paw, and stood on Lin Yue''s shoulder. Holding a round shield in his left hand and a long spear in his right, Lin Yue squinted into the doorway but did not step inside immediately. The Secret Realm. Though he had watched quietly in the group for a long time, no one had ever described what was inside or what kind of place it was. Sure, some people entered and found good stuff, but others went in and never came out. What dangers lie within? The kind that could be deadly? Lin Yue pondered. Despite being here for four days, armed with weapons, a round shield, and wooden armor, he had mastered some combat skills, becoming more than twice as strong as before. But to be honest, he was still just an ordinary person with a mortal body. His combat strength barely exceeded level 5. To say he wasn''t nervous would be a lie. "Bai, if you sense any danger, warn me," The little creature responded with a "Pujii," acknowledging him. Lin Yue took a deep breath. He wasn''t relying on this little thing for hope, talking to it was more like talking to himself, but it did indeed help ease his nervousness. And as Lin Yue stepped into the Secret Realm, suddenly a mechanical sound rang in his ears. [Player detected entering an unknown area, closing all system functions except the inventory] "Oh my, they really made it intense, huh?" The fog was thick, and the air was filled with a choking smell, everything around was silent. The temperature was much lower compared to the Shelter. Bai seemed to enjoy this temperature, jumping back and forth between Lin Yue''s shoulders. Lin Yue observed his surroundings, the light wasn''t great, but it was clearly daytime. It''s just that the fog was so concentrated, he couldn''t see anything beyond a few meters. He stomped his foot on the ground and squatted down to carefully inspect the incredibly hard surface. "Is this... asphalt road?" The ground was indeed covered with a layer of dust, but beneath it was a layer of black asphalt. Using the Iron Spear to make a mark, a string of sparks shot up from the ground. It''s even hard to make a mark. But what place is this? Why is there asphalt? With these questions, Lin Yue did not venture further but instead took a lap around. This circle allowed him to see even more unbelievable things. "A car? And a niche brand!" He saw on the ground a rusted car with only the frame remaining from a niche brand, astonishing him. How could there be a car here? Could it be... He looked at the front and back of the car, using the spear tip to sweep away the rust, revealing some familiar numbers. Lin Yue''s heart raced: "Could this possibly be Earth?" With lingering doubts, he continued to search ahead. To mark his route, he took out some materials from his inventory every few meters and placed them on the ground. Whether it was wood or Iron Block, when removed, they formed standard cubes of varying size, the larger ones like wood being nearly half a meter in length, width, and height, standing out in the mist. After walking for a while, he found that a massive obstacle blocked his path ahead. On closer inspection, it was actually a building almost ninety degrees overturned and lying on the ground! The building''s rusted, corroded steel bars were exposed, its facade glass mostly shattered, with various debris flung outside. He found that the surrounding area was littered with broken desks and chairs, some hardly recognizable, crumbling to dust at the slightest touch. "Could this be an office building?" Clutching his Iron Spear tightly, Lin Yue gazed into the pitch-black interior. Could there be anything good inside? He approached a shattered window frame, touching the only piece of unbroken glass left. [You obtained 1 piece of plexiglass] The system suddenly popped up a message, causing Lin Yue to shiver. So, was this a loot acquisition? He looked into the building''s interior and swallowed hard. What might be inside? If it''s an office building... could there be discarded computers, phones, or something? Lin Yue entered, discovering the light was quite dim. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Forgot to prepare a torch, guess I can''t go too deep." He used the Iron Spear to probe the trash on the floor, finding that nearly everything he touched crumbled. But Lin Yue also found that the scattered documents and materials were very familiar Earth items. In the corner, he discovered a broken cabinet containing an old newspaper. Yet it wasn''t in Tang Country''s text. Picking it up, the newspaper disintegrated like ash. How many years have passed on Earth? At this moment, Lin Yue was almost certain, this was Earth. The Secret Realm was actually Earth...? Is it just him, or does everyone see it differently upon entry? Remembering Du Ping, who sold bearings, Lin Yue thought that person probably entered a similar place like himself. Leaving the room, Lin Yue returned outside and jumped into another building. [You obtained a bundle of wires] [You obtained a laptop (severely damaged)] Upon entering, Lin Yue found a broken briefcase under a fallen desk, from which a power cord and a laptop with a cracked screen fell out. He let out a breath: "Not bad luck, at least it''s not fruitless, right." "Pujii!" Bai seemed to agree. Lin Yue took out a bottle of water and drank some, pouring some into his hand for Bai to drink. This little creature was quite well-behaved, finishing the water and then licking Lin Yue''s palm. "Haha, tickles a bit." Lin Yue''s voice echoed through the empty building. "Pujii!" Just as Lin Yue intended to flip another collapsed cabinet to check, Bai suddenly barked towards the room''s door. "Bai?" Just when Lin Yue wondered why Bai barked, he suddenly heard a rustling sound in his ears. The sound was gradually growing louder! Lin Yue quickly retreated two steps, crouching slightly, while positioning the round shield in front of him, gripping the Iron Spear tightly. "Pujii!" Bai jumped to Lin Yue''s left-hand shield, barking loudly at the open door! Over there! Lin Yue abruptly spun around and suddenly saw a dark figure charging directly at him! Bang! The thing slammed into Lin Yue''s shield, knocking him to the ground! Lin Yue quickly rolled to stand, soon finding the dark figure charging at him again! He raised his shield again, swinging the Iron Spear horizontally, while a furry thing bit down on his arm''s wooden armor, snapping it off with a paw! "Screech!!" A piercing wail sounded as Lin Yue barely had time to respond, the circular wooden shield protecting his body suffering another fierce blow! Chapter 22: The Mysterious Secret Realm, Bai Merits! Chapter 22 - 22: The Mysterious Secret Realm, Bai Merits!Bam! Lin Yue''s back slammed against the mottled wall, making a dull sound. "What strength... It''s true! Damn rat!" Lin Yue struggled to stand up, looked at the dazed animal on the ground that had crashed into his shield, and found a machete in his hand! Though it was different from the gray little animal he remembered, the thing in front of him was at least the size of a medium-sized dog, but its appearance was not much different from the rats in his memory. "Squeak!!" The large rat shook its head, still trying to recover, but Lin Yu''s machete had already struck down! Nonetheless, the large rat flipped over, dodging the fatal blow, and the machete sparked against the concrete. Just as Lin Yue was about to swing his machete again, he heard a "poof", and Bai had jumped onto the large rat''s back, blowing a breath of white air at it! Almost instantly, the large rat suddenly froze in place, and Lin Yue''s machete followed through! The rat let out a miserable scream and was split in two by Lin Yue''s strike! "Finally dealt with it." Lin Yue wiped the sweat from his forehead, picked up his Iron Spear, and poked the large rat, sighing in relief once he confirmed it was completely motionless. Unexpectedly, it turned out to be quite dangerous. The opponent was much faster than him, and although taking it down was only a matter of time considering his abilities, he would definitely be injured. The reason he was able to resolve the fight quickly was largely thanks to Bai''s help. Lin Yue clearly saw that Bai, who was visibly faster than the large rat, lay on its back and blew a breath, and the large rat stopped moving. Upon closer inspection, Lin Yue found that the large rat''s gray fur was covered in a layer of frost! He immediately remembered the system had previously mentioned Bai''s ability, "Frost Breath," which could freeze the opponent for a few seconds. It really helped a lot. "Bai, well done." Lin Yue petted Bai''s head as it returned to his shoulder. Bai squinted its eyes, resembling rubies, enjoying Lin Yue''s gentle touch. However, to Lin Yue''s surprise, Bai seemed uninterested in eating the large rat''s meat on the ground, and instead, began to play around on Lin Yue''s arm. This little fellow doesn''t seem to be intimidated during a fight, truly a good helper. Lin Yue looked again at the body of the large rat, lifting its head with the Iron Spear, and examined it carefully. It''s completely cold. Strangely, it didn''t drop a treasure chest like the mutant creatures in the wilderness. It seems like this place is entirely cut off, forming two different worlds. The rules of the two worlds do not apply here apart from the inventory. Lin Yue put away his machete, picked up the small round shield again, and checked the wooden armor on his arm that the large rat bit earlier. The wooden armor made of hard wood had now fallen off almost half its size! "Wow, quite formidable." Lin Yue tried to speak in a relaxed manner to calm himself down, but he knew, if more large rats came, he would definitely get hurt. Maybe even worse! He took a deep breath, looked at the door the large rat had burst through earlier, and decided not to take further risks this time. Without a torch in hand, the lack of light is a problem. He also doesn''t have very powerful weapons, and Bai can only blow frosty breaths, seemingly unable to do much else. Better play it safe. After all, he came here to scout the way. Besides, the harvest isn''t small, isn''t it? Figuring it out, Lin Yue decided to retreat now. Currently, there''s no need to take risks. Once the weapons and equipment are sufficient, he''ll explore thoroughly! "Bai, let''s go." Lin Yue said, while checking the situation behind him, retreating backward. If anything else runs out, things could get problematic. Upon reaching the asphalt road, Lin Yue followed the direction of the materials he had thrown as coordinates earlier and smoothly returned to the Ancient Gate. After clearing all the materials, he suddenly remembered something and went to the car. Though the shell was severely damaged and rusted, it seemed like it wasn''t impossible to take it... [Target object''s size too large, unable to carry] Well... not allowed. Then... Lin Yue used the Iron Spear to pry open the hood, picking and choosing. [You obtained Rusty Car Engine X1] [You obtained Battery X1] [You obtained Fuse X1] That''s more like it. Regarding other things, Lin Yue thought he wouldn''t be using them for now, since he didn''t hold any expectations of driving on the desert. No matter how good a car is, driving on such an uneven and bumpy road in the desert would break it down. But the engine, battery, and fuses¡ªLin Yue felt he could keep them, especially the battery, which he wanted to use for something new. After confirming there was nothing else to take, Lin Yue''s guilty hands moved toward the tires. Though the car was excessively rusted, the deflated tires might find use elsewhere. It didn''t take long, under Bai''s confused gaze, for Lin Yue to remove the tires one by one and put them into the inventory. After finishing this, Lin Yue finally returned to the Ancient Gate, and upon confirming he had everything, he pushed open the door and stepped out into the mist. The ancient door made a heavy sound before it eventually closed, Lin Yue basked in the sunlight and took a deep breath. The Secret Realm inside the Ancient Gate is peculiar. Rather than being a so-called mysterious realm, it was like Earth decades after humans disappeared. Collapsed skyscrapers, abandoned cars, cracked asphalt roads, furniture as fragile as paper... There were more places Lin Yue did not explore, but those things gave him a strong sense of feeling. Moreover, the giant rat also made Lin Yue worried about the ecosystem there. Rats being so big, what if there were predators, wouldn''t they be even bigger? "Poof!" Bai''s voice pulled Lin Yue back to reality. "Bai, let''s go back first. Once we become stronger, we''ll explore thoroughly!" S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lin Yue said, again looking back at the Ancient Secret Realm Gate behind him emanating white mist, and headed in the direction of the Shelter. It''s almost evening. Lin Yue quickened his pace. For some unknown reason, his left arm had a faint pain, and every sundown for the past few days, he encountered much stronger enemies. He exerted quite a bit of force in the Secret Realm, and the crazy attacks of the large rat also put some mental pressure on him. He wanted to quickly lie on the bed and vent through the chat group. Finally, smoothly returning home, Lin Yue breathed a sigh of relief, though he remembered something. The pile of dung behind the house hadn''t been cleaned. If the smell enters the house at night, it will be unbearable. He managed it over there too, wiped it dry with toilet paper, and dug a large pit with a shovel. Just as he was about to push the dung into the pit, a thought suddenly popped into his mind. These mutant sheep treat this place as a toilet every day, so... Wouldn''t setting a trap be fantastic? ... Thank you: Reader: Dongpo Pork awarded 700 coins, Reader: 08a awarded 100 coins! Thank you everyone for your support! New book starting, asking for recommendation votes, monthly tickets, and continued reading ?(^?^*) Chapter 23 Shelter Design Map? Chapter 23 - 23 Shelter Design Map?The sun set in the west, and the last glimmer of light faded away. Lin Yu''s hands were also speeding up. After digging a big pit with the shovel near the droppings, Lin Yue sharpened a piece of wood with an axe and placed it at the bottom of the pit. At this moment, a voice emerged. [You have obtained a Trap Design Map] Oh wow, is this possible? [Simple Trap: Wood X3, Iron Block X3, Dry Grass X3] Using the trap design map, and plucking a bit of dry grass, Lin Yue immediately clicked on manufacture. He then discovered that the large pit was already filled with wooden spikes like nails, and covered in dry grass. In the dim light of night, it looked almost flawless. This was much better than what he''d envisioned. "Baji?" Bai had been keeping watch nearby, and now seeing that Lin Yue had completed his task, it couldn''t help but make a sound. "All done, Bai, come back!" Lin Yue stretched out his hand, and a white shadow leapt onto his shoulder. Bai''s senses were much sharper than his, which was its innate advantage. Earlier in the Secret Realm, it was Bai who first discovered that mutant rat; if it were up to him, he''d probably have been much slower. Returning to the shelter, Lin Yue tidied up the bulky items and finally made it to the bedside with difficulty. One has to admit, a hundred percent drop rate of the treasure chest was indeed satisfying, but it did have a slight imperfection. As supplies, tools, weapons, and various other items continued to increase, the space they occupied also expanded. A forty-square-meter shelter could not really hold much. Lin Yue organized for a while before finally clearing a space and lighting the torch. "Baji baji." Bai crawled through the mess of items, seemingly enjoying itself, but to the cleanliness-loving Lin Yue, the shelter was nothing short of a pigsty. He kept storing and retrieving items, placing the more space-consuming ones below and smaller ones on top. After a while of tidying, it finally ended. Lin Yue felt that doing this was more exhausting than hunting mutant creatures. It seemed solving the housing area issue would be crucial in the future. Urgent matters weren''t limited to just this. The situation with the mutant sheep and the Secret Realm pushed back the concern of the disaster in three days. The snow disaster couldn''t be easily overcome with the current stockpiles. Shelter warmth, his own warmth, and Bai''s warmth. Vast amounts of supplies like food and water... If the snow disaster lasted long, his preparation had to be even more thorough. At present, Lin Yue could only handle the food and water issue. Everything else had to be reconsidered from scratch. Sitting at the bedside, Lin Yue glanced at the four pieces of sheepskin in the corner. These provided warmth for sure, but they also had a significant smell; they could serve as blankets, albeit a bit heavy. Was there a way to modify them? In snowy weather, to get warm... burn wood! He had fire, and wood for fuel, but no stove. Expansion of the house, insulation for the shelter, building a stove... There seemed to be quite a bit to do. With such thoughts, the workload for tomorrow suddenly seemed much heavier. However, there were shortcuts. Lin Yue opened the game panel, first checking the group for useful information. "Speaking of which, are there too many deaths today? Only 6700 people left?" "Secret Realm can find good stuff. Faster than killing monsters and dropping treasure chests, probably all died there." "True, I found a bottle of ''82 Lafite, genuine, not a knockoff! Anyone with good stuff can PM me, highest bidder wins." "Did Boss Lin go to the Secret Realm? I have good stuff here, trade for water." "Report, stumbled upon a rare design map. Lin Yue, you know the deal." "Lin, you''re just a water-scamming bastard, and yet there are idiots buying water from you? Lin Yue, screw you!" "Lin, you''re just a bug!" "By the way, aren''t you guys concerned about the snow disaster? Snow isn''t just snow that can turn into water, I''m telling you." "Found a major bug! Is it like thirty degrees now? A snow disaster? Fooling ghosts?" ... Lin Yue first added those who insulted him to the blacklist one by one. This group function in the game had this feature. Not only could it block them from adding him as a friend and harassing him, but also prevent them from trading with him in the market and sending private messages. Lin Yue felt very pleased. When you run out of water and are dying of thirst, crawl to me! He wasn''t the type to seek revenge for every petty grievance, so blocking them wasn''t over the top, right? After handling this, Lin Yue immediately opened the trading panel and looked for what Du Ping was selling. In this group, there were quite a few people like Du Ping specializing in stocking water, a critically needed resource since there were still three days until the snow disaster. How many times could you drink urine? How long could you last? At least before the snow disaster hit, water was extremely important. [Seller: Du Ping] [Auction item: Shelter Design Map] [Required: 2 Liters of Drinking Water] [Seller''s Note: Unfortunately, it can''t be a designated trade. Whether it''s worth the price, Lin you decide.] Wait? Shelter Design Map? A shelter can be designed? Also, how was this obtained? After some thought, he sent Du Ping a private message. "How did you get it?" Almost immediately, Du Ping replied: "Boss, just say whether you want it or not. I think you should understand this ain''t the trash those idiots say it is." Lin Yue didn''t reply. He immediately placed a bid! [You lost 2 Liters of water] [You obtained a Shelter Design Map X1] Du Ping''s second private message came quickly: "Boss, add me as a friend? I''ll let you know first when I have good stuff." "Next time for sure." Lin Yue didn''t agree. For now, he didn''t want to add anyone as a friend. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After all, his relationships with everyone were currently established through the group and trading market only. Too unreliable. Complex human relationships weren''t really a problem for him, but in this moment when survival in this Otherworld was the pressing concern, he had no time to manage such things. Trust, for now, he only had with Bai, who was playing on the table. Recalling Bai''s fondness for water, Lin Yue poured some into a wooden bowl he made earlier, and Bai immediately dashed over, submerging itself inside. However, the bowl was small, Bai was big, and water spilled all over the table. Bai seemed to find this unfortunate as well, and drank all the spilled water. Lin Yue took out a piece of bread, tore off a bit for Bai, and started munching on it himself. He glanced at the Shelter Design Map just obtained in the inventory. [Shelter Design Map, can establish a new shelter, 40 square meters] The system explanation immediately popped up, and its treatment was different from other items. Lin Yue''s eyes lit up. Wasn''t this just what he needed to solve one of his problems? Chapter 24: The Harvest of the Trap Chapter 24 - 24: The Harvest of the TrapThe boundless black night devours everything in the desert. A faint firelight seeps through the cracks of the shelter, emitting a very weak glow. Mutated creatures, exceedingly active, emerge from hidden places everywhere, wandering the desert. Birds fly over the stone shelter with pointed tops, large gray moths flutter at the cracks, carrion beetles use their forelimbs to dig through soil buried with bones, and herds of Mutant Sheep prey on unicorn rabbits grazing on the wild grass... The night is as wild as the past few days! Inside the shelter in the central area of the desert, Lin Yue is sound asleep. The sense of security from the stone shelter is just as reliable as his instincts. Some mutated creatures ram into the stone walls with their bodies, only to find it''s completely ineffective, causing them to bloody their heads instead. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Despite Bai being awakened and chirping continuously, Lin Yue, exhausted from a day of combat and searching, fell into deep sleep. Eventually, Bai also got accustomed to the incessant sounds of the walls being struck, and fell asleep in a bowl. However, in this Otherworld, not many people can sleep as soundly as Lin Yue. The vast majority are facing great challenges from thirst, hunger, and threats from mutated creatures. For them, sleep at night is even considered a luxury! ... Another night passed. Lin Yue stretched and yawned as he got up. He''s been feeling a faint ache in his left arm. Upon bringing his arm closer to the torchlight, he discovered a large bruise! Yesterday, while wearing wooden armor in the Secret Realm, he was hit several times by large rats inside. At the time, due to excitement, he didn''t pay attention, After returning, he was busy digging traps, tidying the shelter, and then went to the market to sell Du Ping''s Shelter Design Map... He doesn''t even know how he fell asleep. "Not bad, luckily there are no small cuts, otherwise..." Looking at it, Lin Yue felt he was quite careless. He wasn''t too bothered even when the wooden armor shattered; now recalling the fight, it truly was a bit thrilling. Still, he managed to endure it. Bai slept soundly in the bowl, and Lin Yue did not disturb it. He used the last few pieces of wood to make a new set of wooden armor, put it on, and equipped a small shield and Iron Spear before opening the stone door. The sun had yet to rise, and a faint mist hung in the air. Lin Yue felt that this fifth morning seemed cooler than before. Outside wasn''t quiet; he heard the grunting sounds from behind the house. Carefully walking over, he was pleasantly surprised to find two Mutant Sheep lying in the trap he had dug yesterday! Moreover, they were bleeding profusely, clearly breathing their last breaths. His Iron Spear easily pierced their throats, ending their lives and obtaining two Copper Treasure Chests. "Traps are quite useful, aren''t they," he smiled, once again obtaining two pieces of sheepskin, 20 kilograms of mutton, and four tusks. After tidying these up, Lin Yue started making something new on the other side. The system''s determination for design maps is that as long as you can make something generally similar, you''ll obtain the design map. Previously, the ladder and this trap were judged this way. In light of this, Lin Yue decided to create something new and see if he could be judged for a design map. The materials taken out of the Secret Realm yesterday were cube-shaped, which inspired Lin Yue. He took out four units of stones and arranged them into a square shape. No response. How about adding another layer? [You''ve obtained the design map for a Stone Stove] Indeed! [Stone Stove: Stones X4] He made another stove with a hole on one side, discovering its size fit the iron pot perfectly, quite a match. Putting some dry grass under the stone stove, he lit it with matches! Boiling water in the pot, he dumped two packets of instant noodle veggies and sauce into it. Soon, as the aroma wafted, Lin Yue''s stomach growled. On his shoulder, Bai unknowingly climbed up, sniffing the aroma from the pot intently. "Bai, do you want a bite as well?" "Chirp!" Lin Yue stroked its little head, picked out a new pair of chopsticks from the box, grabbed some noodles, cooled them down, and offered them to Bai. Bai seemed naturally adept at eating noodles, chomping off the noodles and slurping them into its stomach. "Chirp~" After this bite, it even wanted more. "Good heavens, who would''ve thought, lizards love instant noodles?" Lin Yue laughed. This time he took Bai''s bowl, put some cooled noodles in it, and set it aside for Bai to eat, while he ate directly from the pot. In no time, both man and pet were satisfied to the point of burping. Lin Yue had originally planned on making the Shelter Design Map right after eating, but who''d have thought cooking instant noodles brought such a peculiar joy. Having eaten to his heart''s content, it was time to focus on crucial tasks. He packed away the stove, iron pot, and wooden chopsticks, then looked at the Shelter Design Map in the inventory. "Use!" However, as Lin Yue''s voice fell, the familiar white light did not appear, instead, the system''s voice sounded. [Shelter Design Map, please choose a construction category] [1. Standalone construction, allows the shelter to be placed above or underground in any terrain] [2. Merge construction, can merge with the existing shelter to expand the shelter area] Standalone construction, merge construction? He assessed the limitations of the current shelter. The primary issue was too little space, but both construction directions could solve this. The secondary issue... safety! Lin Yue looked at the description of the current shelter, finding the durability dropped by 22 points over one night. He didn''t need to guess; he knew it was the work of nocturnal mutated creatures. Even stone shelters aren''t entirely safe. Furthermore, though snow disaster is one thing, what if the next disaster is a major earthquake? Can this shelter withstand it? Between the two options, the second one would expand the area, which Lin Yue considered eliminating. A larger area means less warmth. He hasn''t prepared for the snow disaster, and blindly expanding shelter space would lead to unfavorable conditions. The first option suggests building either a warehouse or a basement. A warehouse can''t serve as a basement, but a basement can be used as a warehouse. "Then I''ll choose to construct an underground shelter!" [Please select shelter material] This is quite complex. He checked the materials he currently possessed. Wood X4, Stone X72, Iron Block X25, Copper Ingot X43, Coal X22. [Building a stone underground shelter requires 45 stones in total] [Please choose construction location] "Below the existing shelter!" A shimmer of white light flashed. Lin Yue walked into the shelter, finding a dark hole beneath the table, upon looking closely, there was actually a stone staircase leading downward! Chapter 25 Report, One Refrigerator Acquired Chapter 25 - 25 Report, One Refrigerator AcquiredBelow the sturdy wooden table, there was an opening roughly one meter wide and long. Lin Yue placed the wooden table into the inventory, simultaneously stepping onto the staircase that stretched downward. On his shoulder, Bai had already jumped over; it seemed quite intrigued by the suddenly emerging underground space. The staircase was somewhat steep, and Lin Yue cautiously descended step by step, holding a torch. After ten steps, there was a very small platform, then, after turning a corner, he descended another ten steps to finally reach a flat surface. He held up the torch and observed carefully. Square-shaped, and completely identical to the shelter above. However, this place was relatively cooler and drier, and the sealing was excellent. Bai chirped happily, seeming to like the environment here. "Haha, feels a bit like entering a coffin. The air here seems a bit lacking too." Lin Yue checked the environment and quickly identified its drawbacks. But still, it''s far better than the other two options. If it doesn''t work as a shelter, then it could simply serve as a warehouse. [Detected entry into undergound shelter. Due to the lack of foundation in the upper layer, the upper structure might collapse. Would you like to spend 10 stones to lay the foundation?] The system suddenly issued a prompt at this time. Goodness, a whole set of problems, having to lay a foundation? Although Lin Yue grumbled, he still quickly confirmed the foundation construction. The structure above was stone-built. If it collapsed and he was right inside, that would be quite a dramatic scene. Soon, as a white light beamed above the basement, it seemed that the foundation was completed. Lin Yue returned to the upper level with the torch, putting heavier and space-occupying items temporarily unused, such as engines and batteries extracted from the Secret Realm, into the inventory before transporting them to the basement. After bustling around for a while, everything was finally sorted out. Having done all this, the shelter above was restored to cleanliness and order, and the space was spacious again. With his mood lifted by this, Lin Yue left with Bai to step outside. With all that set, the next thing he needed to do was to think about how to withstand the global disaster¡ªsnowstorm two days later. Wearing wooden armor, with a small round shield in his left hand and an iron spear in his right, Lin Yue was fully armed. This set of equipment, coupled with the helpful presence of Bai¡ªa small companion creature already looking quite capable¡ªmade it utterly straightforward to deal with those pesky mutated insects and creatures around. His gaze landed on the places where he buried the mutant sheep carcasses the previous day and the day before, and there he saw many beetles and other bugs currently excavating the soil, revealing the skeletons and viscera of the buried mutant sheep for a feast. Their numbers were much greater than before. Lin Yue suddenly had an idea. This... seemed like a bait trap. Initially, finding such small mutated creatures required substantial effort and time, only to locate a few across the desert. Now, thanks to these carcasses, he could easily spot them. These scavengers had weak attack power and wouldn''t attack unless provoked. These bugs were precisely the main source of supplies for Lin Yue, acquiring food and water from Wooden Treasure Chests. Over the past days, he''d been continuously taking down mutant sheep, extracting enough materials, and burying them. By the next day, he would see a substantial number of these mutated insects... As long as he eliminated the insects and small lizards and such, Wooden Treasure Chests with food and water would appear. If he continually buried these large mutated creatures here, these bugs would keep coming back. Seems like a virtuous cycle? Lin Yue contemplated as he kept harvesting the large beetles and small lizards with his iron spear. Before long, the number of Wooden Treasure Chests in his inventory shot up to a high of 30! "Chirp, chirp!" Bai on his shoulder kept chirping, apparently eager to join the fight. "Thirty is enough, Bai. I''ll leave the remaining few to you." Lin Yue sensed Bai''s desire to battle. This little one seemed quite combative, perfect for some training exercises. Previously in the Secret Realm, during the battle with the giant rat, its contribution was limited to a single strike. If faced with stronger foes, Bai''s current power was still lacking. It''s necessary to train it well to make it an even more important ally. Plus, Bai needed growth. The little creature was still in its juvenile phase according to the system yesterday. Would it become stronger once grown? Lin Yue watched as Bai charged at a large beetle. The beetle was engrossed in munching the foul-smelling viscera of the mutant sheep, paying little heed to its surroundings, thus quickly met its demise! As Bai spewed white mist, the green beetle was instantly coated in white frost! The black joints of the beetle froze, ceasing movement, and Bai swiftly crushed its head with its jaws! The set of actions flowed seamlessly; Bai seemed like a born hunter, completing a kill with rapid combat execution! Afterward, Bai, still eager, locked onto the remaining few. Double kill, triple kill, quadra kill, penta kill, rampage! Dominating the field, unstoppable! That white figure swiftly turned into the grim reaper of the desert! Wow! Lin Yue was somewhat surprised. Unexpectedly, this little fellow was so fierce! [You have obtained a special treasure chest] After defeating the last beetle, the system voice suddenly chimed in. Hmm? Although Bai killed the bug, the treasure chest was awarded to him? Also, what is this special treasure chest? Lin Yue peered at the special treasure chest. Generally similar to the original Wooden Treasure Chest, but had a yellow five-pointed star on it. What''s the meaning? He opened it. [You obtained an Elemental Necklace X1] Hmm? Another item that didn''t belong to the normal range appeared. [Elemental Necklace, once worn by mutated creatures, boosts their elemental attack power] Damn. Is this even a proper wasteland survival scenario? Lin Yue pulled out the necklace adorned with a pale yellow star from the chest and looked at Bai. The little one seemed very interested in the necklace in his hand, staring intently. "Like it that much? But it seems a bit too big for you." The necklace was indeed large enough that even a big dog could wear it. However, as Lin Yue pretended to fit it around Bai''s neck, the necklace miraculously shrank to a perfectly snug size! Clearly, some things in this world cannot be explained by common sense. Ask and you shall know game high technology. Bai donned the necklace without discomfort, and Lin Yue gently tugged it, finding it simple to remove. Yet... according to the description, it could enhance elemental attack power... "Bai, use Frost Breath on that bug again." "Chirp!" Bai seemed to understand, quickly blanketing a bug in white mist. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This mist was now twice the range as before, covering not only the bug''s corpse but also nearby vegetation under a thick layer of frost! "Is this... upgrading from an air conditioner to a refrigerator?" Lin Yue exclaimed. ... Thanks to 08a for the 100 currency tip! Thanks to Dongpork Meatmo for the 100 currency tip! Newbie seeks comments, feedback, and Chapter reads~ Chapter 26: Goodness, a sauna room? Chapter 26 - 26: Goodness, a sauna room?At this moment, the change occurring in Bai filled Lin Yue with immense joy. The special ability of Frost Breath seemed to have significantly strengthened compared to before. With such a strike, Lin Yue believed that even the huge rat in the Secret Realm might not withstand Bai. He looked up at the Secret Realm still present by the small grove, feeling an urge, but he suppressed the impulse to explore it inside. He couldn''t go there for now; the things he needed to do were more important and pressing than exploring the Secret Realm. The snow disaster would arrive in two days, and apart from having food and water secured for survival, he hadn''t prepared anything else. Moreover, he had a significant shortage of materials; not much wood, stone, or iron was left. Especially wood, which was quite essential in daily use. Looking at the iron saw forgotten in the crafting section, Lin Yue quickly made one. [You''ve obtained an iron saw, Wood -2, Iron Block -4] Walking towards the small grove, Lin Yue quickly got to work. It must be said, this tool''s efficiency at collecting wood far surpassed that of an iron axe. After sawing several small trees consecutively, Lin Yue also set his eyes on the largest one in the grove. An hour later. Lin Yue, satisfied, looked at the hundred units of wood in his inventory and left with the iron saw. "Bai, it''s time to go." Lin Yue nudged Bai, who was sleeping soundly on a tree stump. The little guy was fast asleep. It seemed a bit tired after using that enhanced Frost Breath. It appeared that the ability could not be used frequently. Bai was still sleeping, and after placing it on his shoulder, Lin Yue glanced at the Ancient Secret Realm Gate beside the grove again. He shook his head and quickly headed to the Shelter. There were many things to do next, so exploring the Secret Realm would have to wait. At this moment, Lin Yue''s mind was racing. Warmth... how should he manage that? Under the snow disaster, trying to rely on his body temperature to resist the cold in this stone house would certainly result in freezing to death, Since the stone Shelter was indeed very sturdy, but there were quite a few gaps. As the saying goes, a hole as small as a needle''s eye can let in a wind as big as a bucket. It''s warm now, and ventilation is good, but as soon as the snow disaster arrives, it will be a big problem. Something warm... sheepskin! There was just the right thing to use. If he lined the Shelter''s interior with sheepskin to block the gaps... just imagining it felt warm! But how to fix it in place? He opened the trading panel and searched for "nails." Oh wow, many people were selling them! Indeed, just because he didn''t have them didn''t mean no one else did. Lin Yue quickly traded 300 milliliters of water for 50 iron nails. Although many were driving the price of water down continuously, a lot of smart people were still hoarding it heavily. Iron nails, it seemed, didn''t have too many buyers, nor were many willing to trade them. After exchanging with Lin Yue, the one selling the nails thanked him profusely. "Next..." Lin Yue took out the sheepskin and unfolded it. It must be said, the hide of the Mutant Sheep was quite large, about 1.5 meters by 2 meters. He took it to a corner of the room, pulled out a hammer, and started nailing with the nails! However... "This stone is too hard!" Lin Yue couldn''t help but complain. The nails bent several times without going in at all. This method seemed unfeasible. But Lin Yue quickly thought of a solution. "Wouldn''t it work if I attached wooden pieces to the stone walls?" Thinking this, he quickly took out a unit of wood. Using the saw, Lin Yue cut a piece about two centimeters thick, and soon the system notification came. [You''ve obtained a wooden plank design!] Just like that! [Wooden Plank: Wood X1] Lin Yue immediately crafted it, instantly holding a 20-centimeter wide and roughly three-meter-long wooden plank in his hand! Good, good. He immediately crafted ten wooden planks and lined them up against the wall. The interlocking pressure allowed them to fit snugly against the wall, forming a wooden wall. After this was done, the system immediately had a new determination. [You''ve obtained a Wooden Decorative Wall Design!] [Wooden Decorative Wall Design: Wooden Plank X10] Lin Yue exhaled lightly, this seemed to make things much easier. He immediately spent thirty wooden planks to transform the remaining three stone walls of the Shelter into wooden decorative walls. Then used fifteen wooden planks to alter the ceiling as well. The result was quite beautiful and aesthetic. After finishing these, many gaps were filled, and the Shelter''s temperature instantly rose significantly. "It seems effective, but how about nailing the sheepskin next?" With wooden planks in place, the iron nails easily pinned the sheepskin, and this time the system did not provide further evaluation. The six pieces of sheepskin were nailed by Lin Yue at the four corners and the intersecting walls and ceiling, a bit unsightly but passable. "Why is it so hot?" Sweat dripping from his face and body, Lin Yue opened the stone door and found the room felt like a steamer. He even thought it was cooler outside. He had essentially created a sauna. The little Bai on the table was almost fainting from the heat. Lin Yue quickly brought it out and poured some water on it, which revived its spirits slightly. Still, it seemed his line of thinking was correct. If more sheepskins were plastered on the walls, perhaps the temperature could rise even further. Leaving Bai outside to rest, with hot air blowing all around, Lin Yue re-entered the room to take down the sheepskin, and found that the wooden walls could also be stored in the inventory, After some time, the room temperature finally returned to normal, and Lin Yue knew he now had a solution for keeping the Shelter warm. But this wasn''t enough. Lin Yue ate some bread and replenished his water before contemplating other heating methods. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Speaking of heating, fire was the answer. He had fire, and plenty of it. Matches and lighters could last for quite a while, enough to cope with the snow disaster. However, if he wanted to light a fire in the room, it wouldn''t be a problem now - torches could burn all night, and the gaps allowed for some ventilation, preventing him from dying from lack of oxygen. Yet, if he considered setting up wooden walls and sheepskin like before, it might be problematic. It seemed he would need to create a ventilation opening. Moreover, this vent would have to prevent outside insects and the like from entering. It seemed what needed next was to find something that could block insects from entering yet allow ventilation... Hold on, iron mesh? Lin Yue immediately opened the trading panel to search for iron mesh. However, he didn''t find anything. Then it seemed he could only use wooden pieces of some sort, and then make one himself? Chapter 27: Weapon Upgrade! Chapter 27 - 27: Weapon Upgrade!It turns out there are some things the system can''t determine as design maps. Just like the things that come out when Lin Yue uses a dagger to poke dozens of holes in a wooden plank. "Okay, can''t use it, looks like I need to think of other methods." Lin Yue looked at the junk-like thing in his hand, frowned, and tossed it away. It appears I''ll have to figure something out, preferably find a multi-hole iron plate... Wait a minute. If it''s a multi-hole iron plate, isn''t there a place that might have one? Lin Yue glanced toward the small forest, where the Ancient Secret Realm Gate still emitted fog. "Puchi?" Bai, who had bounded onto Lin Yue''s shoulder, seemed hungry and kept squeaking. Lin Yue thought for a moment, took out mutant sheep meat, placed it on the plank, and cut it into small pieces with the dagger. Bai was originally a mutated creature, so can it eat this mutant sheep meat? Just as Lin Yue pondered this, he suddenly noticed that the pound of sheep meat he had cut had vanished! Looking at Bai again, its belly had grown larger. Good heavens, does this count as binge eating? "Don''t eat so fast, be careful you might get fat, haha." Lin Yue patted its little head; the little guy really brought him a lot of fun. Since coming to this world, he had no one to talk to, and the people in the group were just strangers with simple purposes in conversing with him. They wanted to trade the least amount of their items for the water in his hands, and to them, he''s just a guy lucky enough to find a water source. Bai appeared in his lonely world, seemingly awakening something that added smiles to his face. After cutting the sheep meat into small chunks again and putting it into the inventory, it showed as "Sheep Meat Chunks." These were Bai''s rations, although the little creature clearly preferred cooked instant noodles, meat chunks were more convenient. "Bai, want to go to the Secret Realm again?" Bai suddenly rolled over and sat up: "Puchi?" Lin Yue chuckled, looked at the inventory, and prepared to place all unnecessary items in the Shelter. But he discovered there were two unopened Copper Treasure Chests. These were from the two mutant sheep in the trap earlier this morning. [You acquired Yarn Design Map X1] [You acquired Iron Spear Design Map X1, Cans of Cola X2] Ah, this. Wool comes from sheep, fine sheep produce fine wool, and fine wool makes fine yarn? Yarn Design Map, not bad. But speaking of yarn, perhaps it can be used somewhere? sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lin Yue immediately clicked use. [Yarn: Wool X1] There''s wool. Lin Yue used the dagger to get a bunch from the inventory, and soon "Wool X4" appeared. Then, make some yarn. Hmm? Why does it sound a bit off? Soon, Lin Yue had four fluffy balls of yarn in his hand. Wow, pure wool, quite prickly. Next is the item from another Copper Treasure Chest. Iron Spear Design Map... I already had this, otherwise how did I make this Iron Spear? If selling it, everyone has this thing, right? Seems like I got a waste item? This seems to be the first useless item from so many treasure chests. "Why not use it directly, no idea where to throw it anyway." Thinking so, a flash of light appeared. [Your Iron Spear Design Map has been upgraded!] Oh wow? Lin Yue thought he heard something wrong. Wait, does this thing add upgrades? So, if I make one, will the Iron Spear be upgraded too? [Iron Spear: Wood X4, Iron Block X6] Wait, seems like making it requires more resources than before? Try it? [You acquired Fine Iron Spear X1] [You lost Wood X4, Iron Block X6] Fine! Quality has improved! The Iron Spear before Lin Yue had changed quite a bit, the spearhead had grown larger, nearly double its previous size. The spear tip was sharp, the blade was quite sharp, and the spear shaft was extraordinarily smooth. Lin Yue picked up the Fine Iron Spear and slashed through the wild grass outside! [You acquired Dry Grass X10] [You acquired...] Wow, without doing much, dry grass income was 30 units. In the prairie, this thing is just a merciless grass cutter. So, what if it''s against mutated creatures? Although Lin Yue thought this way, he didn''t immediately go looking for trouble with those black dots in the distance. Right now, the most pressing need is to make a vent, and for that, he needs to search the Secret Realm for materials. Expecting treasure chests to provide such materials would be too difficult. Checking the equipment again. Wooden armor, small round shield, Fine Iron Spear, inventory emptied, leaving only materials, food, and water. This time, Lin Yue didn''t forget the lighter, and quickly used dry grass and wood to make two torches. Bai perched on his shoulder, seemingly ready as well. Lin Yue took a deep breath. Though only a day had passed, now he had sharper, more convenient weapons, and Bai''s abilities were stronger; finding something like a multi-hole iron plate shouldn''t be a problem. "Bai, stay cautious, let''s go." Lin Yue pushed open the Ancient Secret Realm Gate, and the fog enveloped him. Inside, the endless fog spread, Lin Yue pulled out the yarn, tying one end to the boulder near the gate, wrapping it several times. He lowered the yarn to the ground, stomped a block of wood, and unwound the yarn as he walked. This is a good method he remembered from a story about exploring complex mazes or places like them. Though yarn is more fragile than materials, it''s much more convenient. "Puchi!" As Lin Yue reached the side of the car from which he had taken the engine battery, Bai suddenly squeaked. "What happened?" Lin Yue quickly turned around, looking in the direction Bai was pointing, ready for combat! "Squeak squeak squeak..." A series of squeaking sounds rang out, and Lin Yue tightened his nerves! Unexpectedly, as soon as they had entered, the big rats came to welcome them. Lin Yue raised the wooden shield, retreating towards the ancient gate behind him as quickly as possible. In case things went wrong, he could retreat through it directly. Very soon, his back touched the ancient gate, and Lin Yue immediately noticed several gray rats approaching him! Lin Yue crouched to lower his center of gravity, swiftly swung horizontally, followed by a series of squeals, and silence fell again. Huh? Is that it? Maintaining his combat posture, he looked ahead. Six huge rats, sliced in two, lay dead, a chilling sight. Mighty fine spear! It''s sharpness is impressive! Astonished by the weapon''s upgraded power, he moved forward again. According to memory, he proceeded toward a deeper direction. Didn''t take long before he found the building he''d visited last time. Taking a deep breath, Lin Yue entered the room where he''d dealt with big rats before, and lit the torch. This time, though Bai remained alert, he didn''t sound any alarms. Passed through the collapsed door, Lin Yue suddenly found a huge gap in the stairs ahead. Crossing the gap, he encountered a wide street. On either side of the street were ordinary shops, houses weren''t tall, mostly two-story buildings, but they were generally collapsed. However, the various English letters on shop signs indicated this wasn''t Tang Country. Maintaining a constant combat stance, Lin Yue searched each place. Since he came here, he''d better take something useful or it would be for nothing. But as he stood in front of a shop door, peering through dusty shards of glass, his eyes widened. "There''s actually this?" he exclaimed in surprise. Chapter 28: The Unnameable Foe Chapter 28 - 28: The Unnameable FoeThe shop door was quite dilapidated, and Lin Yue merely gave it a gentle pull, causing it to crumble into pieces like foam. Covering his nose, Lin Yue walked into the store amidst the dust, heading straight for the big iron object he had just seen. No sooner had his hand touched the object, which hadn''t suffered much damage despite the passage of time, when information quickly came through from the system! [You have obtained an embedded steel plate fireplace] Who would have thought, what he''d spent half the day trying to create, was actually found so easily in this Secret Realm? Lin Yue thought of a possibility. The significance of this Secret Realm''s existence. He surveyed the room, the flames on the torch in his hand continuously flickering. Bai remained silent, obediently perched on his shoulder. Those ruby-like eyes, however, were curiously examining everything around. The tables, chairs, books, and papers were all decayed beyond recognition, and even metal objects were covered in rust. However, he did see some dusty glass cups and porcelain plates, which he carefully stored in his inventory. Not many things can withstand the torrents of time, yet glass and porcelain are easier to preserve than wood and metal. Lin Yue didn''t know exactly how many years into the future this Earth was, though it should be the Earth he knew. He searched the store diligently, even going upstairs to look around. Not finding anything else useful, he decided to retreat to the Shelter for now, planning to return another day. Since he already found the fireplace, there was no need to search for a perforated steel mesh. Then... "Squeak! Squeak!" At that moment, Bai suddenly called out twice, and as Lin Yue prepared for battle, he discovered Bai had hidden behind him, biting down hard on his clothes, trembling all over. "Bai?" Lin Yue trusted Bai''s intuition, since this little one had correctly sensed the incoming giant rats several times. If Bai was behaving like this now, it meant danger was approaching! He quickly crouched in the furthest corner, while piling some blocks of wood in front of him, concealing himself almost instantly. At the same time, he peeked through the gaps in the wood towards the second-floor window frame, which was now devoid of glass. Outside was a layer of thick fog. Suddenly, a piercing scream echoed, followed by a dark shape descending from the sky, landing on the window frame! Lin Yue was astonished to find three monsters that he had never seen before! They had deep red bodies, covered with wrinkled keratin skin, with a pair of wings on their backs that were veined with membranes. Their powerful hind limbs ended in bird-like keratin talons, which were now gripping the window frame firmly, as their lizard-like bright yellow eyes continuously scanned the room. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lin Yue firmly believed that their hard, cone-like keratin beaks could easily penetrate his small round shield and wooden armor with just one strike! Moreover, as they turned their heads elsewhere, those insect-like slender white tentacles behind their heads were swinging up and down continuously! What kind of monster is this? It looked like a cross between a bat and a bird, resembling the conceptual image he''d seen of a winged dragon! Yet those tentacles... He exerted every effort to control his breathing, striving not to make any sound, even lowering his head to avoid looking, while Bai had shut his eyes and curled up motionlessly. The danger posed by these unknown creatures was self-evident! Lin Yue knew very well that if he rashly charged out, he would undoubtedly become food for these horrifying creatures! Time passed slowly, and Lin Yue felt as though it was never this slow before. He struggled to control his heartbeat and hoped that those creatures would leave soon. After an unknown amount of time, the three creatures unfurled their wings, making another indescribably twisted scream, and flew into the sky, disappearing. Lin Yue waited a while longer, until his legs almost went numb from squatting, before finally relaxing and sitting gently on the ground. Bai returned to perch on his shoulder, appearing quite shaken, constantly looking around. After resting for a while and confirming safety, Lin Yue then gently stood up, collecting the wood pieces one by one, and quickly descended to the ground floor. His heart was racing like a motor running at full power! "What exactly are those creatures? Did they originally exist on Earth?" Lin Yue felt that compared to them, the mutant sheep he had encountered before were indeed like real sheep. He recalled some people in the group saying that those who entered never came out, perhaps encountering these monsters. Slipping out of the building, Lin Yue quickly returned to the lying building, and soon found the end of the ball of yarn, following it toward the Ancient Gate. Of course, he remained extremely cautious throughout, constantly observing Bai''s every move. However, upon arriving at the Ancient Gate, he discovered that the corpse of the giant rat he had slain earlier was now completely missing. On the hard asphalt road, only puddles of blood remained, along with frighteningly large claw marks! Pushing open the Ancient Gate, Lin Yue breathed the air of the Desert once more, his tense spirit relaxing as he sat directly on the ground. Too perilous! He wasn''t nearly strong enough to contend with those two-meter-long flying creatures, let alone three! What if... At that moment, a crystal-clear snowflake gently swayed from his front, landing on his pants before melting into a droplet of water, disappearing instantly. Lin Yue looked up to see more snowflakes falling from the sky, which had darkened without him noticing. "It''s snowing? Wait, why is it snowing so soon?" Today is the fifth day; the disaster is supposed to come the day after tomorrow. The snowflakes filled the sky, becoming more and more dense. Yet upon reaching the ground, they quickly turned into water droplets, soaking into the soil. Despite this, Lin Yue felt a trace of cold brought by the snowflakes! Lin Yue originally thought that Bai, who liked to spew icy breath, would enjoy the snow, but surprisingly, the little creature directly burrowed into his pocket, not daring to even peek out. "What''s wrong? Isn''t this your favorite weather?" Lin Yue found it strange. Something''s not right. He quickly headed toward the Shelter, and after removing his gear upon entering, he found Bai wandering freely on the table, as if nothing had happened. However, for this Ice Lizard, the snowy weather most suitable for its activity did not attract its interest at all. Instead, Lin Yue felt that it seemed to be afraid of the snow. Could something be wrong with the snow? Stepping outside, Lin Yue lifted his hand to catch a snowflake, and as it melted, he suddenly felt a slight burning sensation! Thank you to the readers: 08a, Shen Feng, Dong Po Rou Duo, Xiao Fanzao for the rewards! The novice author shamelessly asks for your continued reading, thanks everyone Chapter 29: Ice and Fire... What Heaven? Chapter 29 - 29: Ice and Fire... What Heaven?Snow, does it have a burning sensation? Lin Yue thought it was his imagination and caught another snowflake. The feeling of a slight sting returned to his palm! Lin Yue hurriedly checked and found a faint red mark appearing there, and it felt a bit itchy. There''s no mistake, this snow is unusual! He quickly retreated indoors, finally understanding why Bai didn''t like this snow. Moreover, the temperature seemed to have dropped significantly. It felt like midsummer before, and now, even wearing a long-sleeved tracksuit, he felt a bit cold. Wait, is everyone else experiencing the same thing? He opened the group chat that he hadn''t checked in a long time and found that almost everyone was discussing the snow! "No way, isn''t the snowstorm supposed to be the day after tomorrow? Why is it snowing now?" "Where we are, it''s only winter, and this snow is just like drizzling. It''s so cold." "Haha, didn''t see this coming, did you? The snow arrived so fast. I''ve already got my basin to collect it. Where are those greedy water merchants now? Lin, be confident, I''m talking about you!" "There''s water now, we''re saved!" "I''ve been drinking urine for two days, I have to say, I''m starting to wonder if I have diabetes." "It''s the season of the white album again." "First time seeing snow on the equator, holy cow, does snow make you itch all over?" "It''s so damn cold, I can''t take it! Chopping wood for a fire to keep warm!" "Indeed, the thermometer I found in the Secret Realm was showing 12 degrees, and just a while ago it dropped to 6 degrees." "Damn, how much colder will it get, who has the design for a heater? I''ll trade everything I have!" ... After reading for a while, Lin Yue also felt the house getting colder, so he closed the group chat again. Rubbing his hands continuously, he looked at the embedded steel plate fireplace in his item bar. Fortunately, he found this thing; otherwise, he would have to figure out how to keep ventilation in a sealed house. Feeling colder and colder, Lin Yue first placed four wooden decorative walls, then immediately placed four sheepskins in each corner of the room. Soon, as the torches in the room continued to burn, the entire house warmed up as well. However, this also created a nearly suffocating effect. With just the gap in the stone door, he would absolutely suffocate after the flames burned for a while. Next... [Please place the embedded steel plate fireplace, note that a certain amount of stone is needed for support] That''s no problem. With a flash of light, Lin Yue found that his embedded fireplace had completely integrated with his wall, enveloped in stone. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. An extremely long sealed flue also pierced through the stone roof, opening up ventilation completely. If installed properly, this kind of fireplace doesn''t really need to consider issues like carbon monoxide. Lin Yue now observed closely and found that the combustion chamber of this fireplace was the completely sealed type, with a label on the side indicating it had secondary combustion technology, smoke-free and dust-free, with complete combustion. Previously, during an interview with a home company, they had something similar, and he had specifically looked up information for a successful interview. He knew these high-end fireplaces featured things like air pressure, blower control, and equipped smoke alarm systems. Although the alarm system was completely unusable, the other two seemed fine. The next thing to do was find firewood. Lin Yue took out an iron axe. After retrieving a unit of wood, he began chopping it. It didn''t take long before the system notification sounded. [You have received a firewood design blueprint] Hhhhh, even firewood has a design blueprint, huh? But this actually saved quite a bit of effort. One piece of wood could produce twenty sticks of firewood. Lin Yue threw quite a few into the fireplace, used dry grass as a kindling agent, and after tossing in a matchstick, it didn''t take long for flames to start burning in the fireplace. Moreover, it burned increasingly fiercely. Lin Yue closed the door of the fireplace''s combustion chamber. Sensing the indoor temperature gradually rising and not feeling stifled, he let out a long breath. He was ahead of everyone by almost a day and a half, and his Shelter was already sufficient for him to survive the impending snow disaster! And... "It''s so hot, why is it so hot." Lin Yue, wanting to cool down a bit, opened the stone door. The snow outside continued to fall just like before, the ground was wet, and as the temperature dropped suddenly, he felt cold again. Goodness, it''s like living in an oven and a freezer at the same time. Inside was as hot as summer, outside as cold as winter. Seems like he had some stark contrast compared to others? Lin Yue stood at the doorway with his arms crossed, Bai lazily perched on his shoulder, the little guy not very acclimated to the heat. His back was so hot... Lin Yue was quite troubled. What on earth, does he have to wear shorts and a tank top in the Shelter? He cast envious glances at all the people in the group chat who were shouting about being cold. Seeing the outside light gradually dim, Lin Yue knew there was nothing more he could do, so he closed the stone door again, enjoying the spring-like warmth inside. For Bai''s sake, Lin Yue brought over a wooden barrel he made earlier and used the Iron Spear to open a large hole in it. The wooden barrel was quite airtight. Lin Yue thought for a moment and poured about two liters of water into it, then placed the heat-averse little guy into the barrel. Taking a look, the barrel seemed decent, not a drop of water had leaked after half a day. Bai swam continuously in the shallow water, seemingly quite liking the environment. Looks like the little guy won''t have to occupy the bowl all the time in the future. Looking at the fireplace, the firewood inside continued to burn. He had put in so much firewood earlier, it looked like it would burn quite a while more. Would it burn until the latter half of the night? He threw a piece of firewood into the barrel. If Bai got tired of swimming, it could rest on it. Lin Yue then began his caveman lifestyle in the Shelter. After all, it was too hot, what could he do? He watched the firewood burning in the fireplace, suddenly thinking of something. Lin Yue lay in a ''Nai'' position on the wooden bed, opening the group chat once again. Simultaneously, he searched the chat logs for the words "mutant creature meat." Soon, a flood of chat messages appeared. After reading for more than ten minutes, he quickly browsed the trading market. Soon, he came to a conclusion. Mutant creature meat is edible! The prerequisite is that it''s normal red meat or white meat, not the green or purple stuff. Lin Yue looked at the more than fifty kilograms of mutation lamb lying quietly in his item bar, and swallowed. "Bai, do you want to eat lamb skewers?" "Puchi?" Bai popped its little head out of the barrel in confusion, while at the same time, it heard a strange "gurgle" sound coming from its owner Lin Yue''s direction. Chapter 30 Are you starving? Lamb skewers YYDS! Chapter 30 - 30 Are you starving? Lamb skewers YYDS!The iron skewers easily pierced through the chunks of lamb, perfectly marbled. Under the grilling of the charcoal, the lamb fat dripped precariously from the skewers, sizzling with smoke. The red and white lamb, after being grilled, was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Then, it was sprinkled with rock salt ground into fine powder... High-quality ingredients often require the simplest and most basic cooking. Put it in the mouth. Tender, crispy, neither greasy nor gamey, salty and delicious, with an endless aftertaste! Lin Yue wolfed down ten skewers in one go, and Bai ate three. Both lay on the bed and table respectively, completely satisfied. This was the first time since Lin Yue had come here that he had eaten meat, and even more so that he had eaten so well. Barbecue is just dopamine! Lin Yue truly felt the correctness of this statement. Although there was no cumin or chili powder, this time he felt it was perfect enough. Once the idea of grilled lamb skewers came to him, he immediately went to the trading mall, traded a bit of water for the iron skewer blueprint, skewered the lamb, opened the fireplace, took out two pieces of charcoal, fetched the previously made simple barbecue rack, and crushed the rock salt for use. He felt as if his subconscious had always been preparing for grilling lamb skewers; without realizing it, he had assembled a complete set of tools. After resting for a while, Lin Yue opened the door again for ventilation. The snow outside was still heavy, but the temperature wasn''t particularly low. The snow on the ground melted into water, making the exposed earth slippery. Lin Yue covered his head with a coat and carried a shovel to the trap he had set up. Earlier in the day, he caught two Mutant Sheep here. Lin Yue thought this lamb was really delicious, better than any he had eaten before. Not only was the meat tender, but it also had a very mild gamey taste, preserving the lamb''s deliciousness while even elevating it somewhat. Although there were still 57 kilograms of meat in the inventory, who would ever think they have too much food? He dug out the pit again, removed the broken pointed wooden spikes, and then took out twelve fangs of the Mutant Sheep from the inventory, fixing them in the ground to serve as spikes. [You have upgraded the hunting trap, trap power +100%] Oh, an unexpected joy. When he found the two Mutant Sheep in the morning, they still had some strength to resist. Now that the trap was reinforced, if they came back, they''d likely be on the brink of death. After setting up four more traps around the Shelter, Lin Yue noticed the sky was almost completely dark. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He heard the howls of beasts from an unknown direction again. Once it turns night, the dangers of the Desert amplify to the maximum, and for his own safety, he didn''t want to fight with Mutant creatures late at night. With an ample supply of water and food, there was no need to take any risks ¡ª there''s simply no reason to. With only one more day until the snowstorm officially arrives, he could concentrate all his energy on disaster resistance. After a full meal, it''s easy to feel sleepy. Lin Yue yawned and returned to the warm Shelter. Although keeping the stone door open made the temperature difference between inside and outside not particularly large, he didn''t dare to take any risks at night. Why not have a good night''s sleep? Lin Yue closed the stone door and set the top stone properly. He checked the amount of firewood left in the fireplace and added a few more pieces. After removing his coat and shoes again, he lay on the bed in a "collapsed" position. There was no noise from Bai in the wooden barrel, probably asleep; Lin Yue lay on the bed and opened the group chat. Without a smartphone, screen-watching became Lin Yue''s only entertainment hobby. Indeed, scrolling through the group chat is a big time killer. Unlike before, in this game''s group chat, anyone could say something with massive amounts of information. Especially after the snowfall. Even those who initially thought the snowstorm wasn''t a big deal were now frightened by the sudden drop in temperature and the constant snowfall outside, realizing that the so-called snowstorm was no joke. "Wuwu, I''m so hungry... I want ribs that have mom''s flavor." "I think I''ve got a cold, my nose is stuffed, has anyone got cold medicine?" "Damn it, this hay isn''t keeping me warm at all. I''ve already lit ten torches in the house, why isn''t it warm yet!" "Flying snow and cold winds, equator folks would love it." "Why do I feel like the Secret Realm would be warmer, it''s too cold, I''m going to warm up in the Secret Realm." "Going to the Secret Realm +1" "Going to the Secret Realm +2" "I''m so hungry, I ate a bug in the morning and I''ve had a stomachache till now, can I be saved?" "It''s so cold and hungry, what kind of crappy day is this, let''s just sleep, in dreams I have everything, wuwuwu." "Who''d have thought it would start snowing in just over a day, what a lousy game... By the way, why did the profile picture of the person who suggested eating snow this morning turn gray?" "Report, just opened a Copper Treasure Chest and found something good, hey you, see if you can trade it?" ... After skimming through, Lin Yue''s eyes felt sore and he was increasingly sleepy. Five days in, and the group''s total number had dwindled to only 5902. Nearly half of the people silently perished before the disaster even arrived. And those remaining weren''t doing much better. He forced himself to stay awake, struggling to look at the mall, and found the item page of Du Ping who had just listed something good again. [Seller: Du Ping] [Auction Item: Off-road Bicycle Design Blueprint] [Required: 3L of Drinking Water] [Seller Note: I think only one person can buy it, the rest can just watch.] Off-road bicycle? Really, what can''t be found in the treasure chest? But what can this thing do? And it requires 3 liters of water, why not just rob? This thing should just be left for someone who wants it. Just as Lin Yue was about to close the trading panel, he suddenly remembered putting 14 iron axes up there, wondering if anyone had bid on them? Upon opening the page, he was surprised to see that the top bidder was Du Ping, and surprisingly, he posted a condition almost two thousand system points higher than the second place! [Bid by Du Ping: Unusable Washing Machine X1] A washing machine? And unusable at that? Even if it were functional, I wouldn''t want it, would I? How much water would it take to do laundry with that thing? Even though he currently has quite a lot of water, he couldn''t afford to waste it on washing clothes. What about the second highest bid? Secret Little Burger X1. Oh dear. Good heavens, there''s really no choice, is there? Still, even a broken washing machine is better than those 14 axes, right? If it were functional, it could even provide comfort and cleanliness. Speaking of cleanliness, Lin Yue took a sniff at the scent of his clothes. He wrinkled his eyebrows. This smell, it''s intense. His hair was oily, and touching his beard felt scruffy and rough. Even though he once had striking features and was called "Lin Yanzu," frequently being asked for his WeChat on the streets, his current look was a far cry from that image. Can a face be eaten? If it could, Lin Yue could now survive countless rounds. While confirming the trade, Lin Yue pondered a question. How does Du Ping always manage to find treasure chests? Does he have a guaranteed treasure chest system too? But no, he''s always in need of large amounts of water too. Lin Yue suddenly thought of a possibility. Could it be that Du Ping is more than one person? Chapter 31: Getting Warmed Up, How Is That Even Okay Chapter 31 - 31: Getting Warmed Up, How Is That Even OkayThe snow flew across the sky. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The endless snow fell heavily, covering every Shelter in this Otherworld in a layer of white, but within the white, there was a hint of pale red. The bone-chilling cold wind raged across the entire Otherworld, and the temperature kept dropping. The previously summer-like heat had vanished without a trace, like a phantom. Meanwhile, the snow silently reaped lives. Countless mutant creatures, sensing the firelight from the direction of the Shelters in the snow, rushed in crazily, leaving the Survivors, who had just started to warm up, to forever grow cold. Some Survivors ran outside to eat snow voraciously, only to lose consciousness in pain and confusion. There were also Survivors who burned too much fire, setting their Shelters ablaze, adding a blaze to the snow... The snow, showing no sympathy or mercy, continued falling relentlessly. From a few centimeters, it piled up gradually to tens of centimeters, half a meter. Some Shelters collapsed in a thunderous crash, unable to bear the weight of the snow! The sky brightened, the blizzard fell like rain. But in the Desert, one Shelter stood out in stark contrast to the others. Steams rose one after another from the stone roof, and a long wisp of smoke ascended from the chimney, reaching high into the sky. There wasn''t even a hint of accumulated snow on the rooftop. Around the Shelter, dozens of slightly larger mutant creatures huddled against the outer wall, shivering, almost pressing their entire bodies against the wall for warmth. Beside them were innumerable corpses of mutant creatures, some barely alive after stepping into traps, others torn apart while fighting for warmth around the Shelter. On these corpses, numerous mutant bugs were continuously gnawing away. Lin Yue stretched with a big yawn. Last night''s sleep was alright, though it was too hot. If not for the basement''s cool air, the temperature might have been higher. It seemed that too much firewood was placed in the fireplace, a detail to beware of tomorrow, lest he sweats to the point of fainting. "Baji! Baji!" Bai, also just waking up, continued barking at the door in a battle-ready stance. "What''s up, Bai? Is there an enemy?" Lin Yue hastily dressed, donned the wooden armor, and picked up the Fine Iron Spear. "Baji!" Bai continued to bark at the stone door. Lin Yue knew well that this little guy always had a strong sense for enemies; previously in the Secret Realm, it could even sense the winged dragon with tendrils in the sky. Going by its current behavior, there must be some mutant creatures outside the door! "Bai, prepare yourself too!" "Baji!" Bai took a defensive position by the door, its small body swelling with energy. With a deep breath, Lin Yue grabbed the stone door''s handle with his left hand and gently pulled it open a crack. At the same time, Bai blew a Frost Breath through a gap just under twenty centimeters wide! "Awooo!!" A howl echoed, a strong impact hit the stone door, and simultaneously, Lin Yue thrust forward with the Fine Iron Spear! In an instant, a thud sounded, and a frozen, severed wolf head appeared at the door''s crack! [You have obtained a Copper Treasure Chest] Indeed, there was a mutant creature! Lin Yue immediately shut the stone door, bolstering it with a large stone. Almost simultaneously, a pounding sound reverberated through the stone wall! Wow, how many of them are there outside? Lin Yue pondered, piecing together why this might be happening. Outside was likely exceedingly cold, driving these mutant creatures to gather at his Shelter for warmth! "Baji!" Bai continued barking towards outside, seemingly urging Lin Yue to reopen the door, refusing to budge an inch away. "Bai, can you manage another Frost Breath?" Lin Yue pulled out a skewer of mutton, handing it to Bai to replenish its strength. The inventory is a far superior alternative to a fridge, holding the meat overnight and keeping it steaming hot even now. Bai blew a small frost breath to cool the meat skewer before gulping it down, instantly looking much revived with enhanced battle ardor. Lin Yue decided not to hesitate, gently opening the door again, and in that instant, the shadows outside were frozen stiff by Bai! [You have obtained a Silver Treasure Chest] The Fine Iron Spear of Lin Yue chopped off the head of a mutant creature trying to rush in, and the dropped treasure chest was a Silver Treasure Chest indeed! Oh, not bad! Once more, he shut the stone door, with the banging noise immediately resuming behind it. Wow, this is like exploiting a glitch. "Bai, can you keep going?" "Baji!" "Then let''s go once more!" This process was repeated twice more by Lin Yue, leaving Bai exhausted, and himself also significantly depleted in strength. There were still many mutant creatures outside. Lin Yue wanted to step outside to see for himself, and to collect the three Copper Treasure Chests and one Silver Treasure Chest there. The door''s pounding continued while Lin Yue saw the Shelter''s endurance dwindling rapidly. Upon checking the Shelter''s status, Lin Yue noticed a new label had appeared. [Materials can be invested to restore Shelter''s durability] Was this prompt here before? Lin Yue invested a piece of stone, instantly restoring 10 points to the durability. After throwing in five pieces in a row, it seemed to temporarily hold up. However... the supply of stones was running low. If these wall-damaging, Shelter-destroying mutant creatures continued striking from dawn till dark, procuring stones seemed necessary. Bam! Bam! How bothersome. Lin Yue fed Bai some meat chunks again: "Can you manage anymore?" "Baji..." Bai seemed worn out, lazily sprawled on the ground. Repeated usage of Frost Breath has indeed pushed it to its limits. However, relying solely on Bai was undoubtedly unsustainable. Despite Lin Yue''s urge to go out and drive away these persistent mutant creatures, reason told him it was absolutely inadvisable. Being rash requires having the means to back it up. Currently, he''s just an ordinary person wielding a weapon, not someone with prior military experience or formal training - charging out blindly would only result in death. He had no idea how many mutant creatures were out there or what they even looked like... Wait, wasn''t there something that could reveal the appearance of those mutant creatures outside? Lin Yue went down to the basement, retrieving something he had obtained from the Secret Realm. Organic glass! He then glanced towards something he had previously crafted and left gathering dust ¡ª the wooden window frame. Could these two things combine to create a window? Aligning the two. [You have obtained the Design Blueprint for a Wooden Framed Window (Organic Glass)] It seemed feasible! Lin Yue promptly used the design blueprint. [Wooden Framed Window: Wooden frame X1, Organic Glass X1] Clicking on manufacture, Lin Yue''s inventory now contained a new item of about one square meter! The next task was to decide where to place it. He returned to the ground, surveying his surroundings before looking upwards. Fighting on the rooftop seemed to be his forte? Chapter 32: Disaster? Are you kidding? This is the season of harvest. Chapter 32 - 32: Disaster? Are you kidding? This is the season of harvest.Lin Yue took out the wooden ladder, placed it by the wall, and then set the small window on the roof. Outside the window, it was calm, with only the snow constantly falling on the glass, which quickly melted due to the temperature inside. "The snow is really heavy." Watching clumps of snow continuously falling from the gloomy sky, Lin Yue had a premonition about the snowstorm expected to come tomorrow, wondering how severe it would be. Perhaps, beyond his imagination. The window had a sturdy little iron latch. Holding the Iron Spear, Lin Yue opened the latch and gently pushed a small gap open to observe the outside. Good, there were no bird-type mutated creatures. There was hardly any snow on the roof, all melted by the warmth created by the fireplace. The four walls of the Shelter extended about two meters outward, also without a speck of snow. It seems the effect of this fireplace is indeed powerful. Lin Yue used his jacket to cover his hair and his sleeves to wrap his hands, while lowering his head. He tried to avoid letting the snow touch his skin, fearing it would cause his skin to become red and itchy due to its strange properties. Yesterday, someone in the group ran into the snow and returned with their whole body red and swollen. The long-term effects were unknown, but Lin Yue did not want to experience this himself. The cold wind blew into his clothes as Lin Yue looked toward the ground. The thick snow had surprisingly covered the entire Desert overnight! Moreover, under the blizzard, it was impossible to see what was in the distance. Standing on the roof, he heard the constant thumping against the Shelter from below and looked down. What he saw made Lin Yue chuckle. Goodness, did they form a group just to raid the Shelter? There were actually five creatures outside banging on the walls and door! Among them were three Mutant Sheep, and the other two were creatures he saw for the first time. One had the head of a wolf, covered in spots, and was as big as a horse. They were focused on ramming into the walls and door, completely unaware that Lin Yue was already on the roof. The Iron Spear in Lin Yue''s hand was itching to go. "Here I come, Treasure Chest!" Taking a deep breath, Lin Yue''s high-quality Iron Spear shot out, its sharp blade slicing through the air like a silver dragon in the swirling snow! Thud! Fast, accurate, and ruthless! The spear pierced the neck of the tallest Mutant Wolf, and Lin Yue quickly pulled it out, bringing along a splatter of deep red blood. [You have obtained a Copper Treasure Chest!] The remaining creatures had hardly reacted before Lin Yue''s spear plunged into one of the Mutant Sheep and withdrew with blood! [You have obtained a Copper Treasure Chest!] The other mutant creatures finally looked up and saw Lin Yue on the roof, but what they didn''t expect was how quickly this human acted! Aiming at the remaining two Mutant Sheep, two Iron Axes were thrown down. At such a short distance, the chances of hitting were much higher than before. The short range and low inertia reduced the power of the axes considerably. However, Lin Yue was targeting the legs, and he indeed received excellent feedback. With two shrill cries, they thudded to the ground! A remaining creature with a deer-like head but with tiger-like, conspicuous fur, continued retreating. It had fangs and kept backing away until Lin Yue merely made a gesture, causing it to flee in another direction and dive into the snow. "Ah, over there..." "Awoo!" It let out a terribly tragic cry, and that patch of snow was stained red with its blood. "Is this what they call... a death wish?" Lin Yue was surprised by this sudden change. That deer chose the worst possible escape route, running straight into an upgraded trap. Lin Yue began to wonder if even his luck was maxed out like a cheat. After making a round on the roof and confirming no more large mutated animals were approaching, he opened the window and climbed back into the Shelter. Bai, always worried, stayed below. Although not very energetic, it jumped into Lin Yue''s arms the moment he came down and snuggled against him. "Haha, I know you were worried about me, but it''s all good." Lin Yue felt quite fortunate to have someone who cared about him. "Squeak!" Bai called towards the door, not knowing what had happened outside. Lin Yue touched the door handle, and Bai anxiously squeaked again. "Don''t worry, the monsters outside have been dealt with." Even as he reassured Bai, Lin Yue geared up completely. Lack of caution can lose a city and cost a life. As the stone door opened, the wailing of the two Mutant Sheep outside echoed in. Bai climbed onto Lin Yue''s shoulder, where the clothes covered him, so he didn''t have to worry about the blizzard outside touching him. Lin Yue quickly scanned the surroundings outside and, confirming there was no further threat, swiftly dealt with the two crying Mutant Sheep with his Iron Spear. Copper Treasure Chest X2! Lin Yue placed the five Copper Treasure Chests on the ground, plus a Silver Treasure Chest, into the inventory. Instead of immediately dissecting the dead mutated creatures, he took out a Shovel and cleared away over half a meter of snow, heading toward the back of the house. Soon, he found the unlucky one lying there. "Let me put you out of your misery." Lin Yue drove the spear down. Another Copper Treasure Chest obtained! A bountiful harvest indeed. Time for dissection. [You have obtained Tiger-striped Shadow Deer''s Hide X1, Deer Meat (Toxic) 10kg] Toxic? He looked at the greenish deer meat and shook his head. That won''t do. Just as Lin Yue was about to throw it away, he decided to keep it thinking it might be useful in the future. After tidying up the trap area, Lin Yue went searching towards the other four trap locations. The snowfall only grew heavier. It took Lin Yue a lot of effort to dig out the traps, only to find the mutated creatures inside frozen stiff, with many bugs crawling on them. Such a pity. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He skinned one Mutant Sheep, leaving the meat untouched. For some reason, after the beetles with corrosive fluid in their bellies had eaten it, he didn''t want to touch it, especially since it was frozen solid. Clearing the five Mutant Sheep at the entrance, Lin Yue looked towards the decapitated and speared three Spotted Wolves. Though he didn''t acquire any wolf meat, he did obtain three Spotted Wolf Hides. After all this, Lin Yue ignored the corpses and headed inside. The blizzard was just too overwhelming. With the stone door shut, it was time to tally the spoils. The initial three Copper Treasure Chests and one Silver Treasure Chest were gained through his and Bai''s teamwork. The subsequent five Copper Treasure Chests were obtained through his wisdom and quick thinking. This time, he procured a total of 50kg of sheep meat, six sheep hides, ten fangs, 10kg of toxic deer meat, and three Spotted Wolf Hides. Nine mutated creatures in total! Looking at the treasure chests strewn on the ground and the items in his inventory, Lin Yue couldn''t help but reflect. This snowstorm might truly be a disaster for others. But for him, it''s a golden opportunity for hunting! He glanced at the resources on hand, noting they weren''t abundant anymore. Perhaps, trading some water and other good items would be worthwhile? Chapter 33: The Strongest Material Harvester of the Entire Group Before Disaster! Chapter 33 - 33: The Strongest Material Harvester of the Entire Group Before Disaster!The snow gradually buried everything. Whether it was the Desert, plains, mountains, valleys, or deserts, they were all covered by this slightly reddish snow. The entire Otherworld had its color changed. Almost all the Shelters were buried by the frenzied blizzard and merged with everything around them. At this moment, there were less than eight hours before the official arrival of the snow disaster, but all the Survivors already felt how terrifying this so-called disaster was and how difficult it would be to survive. If it was already like this before the disaster arrives, what would it turn into afterwards? The desperate Survivors not only faced the extreme predicament of food and water shortages, but also the onslaught of cold and the threat of Mutated Creatures that could break into the Shelters at any moment, as well as the danger of the Shelters collapsing under heavy snow. However, in this Otherworld, there was one Shelter that was completely different in style from the others. "It''s so hot..." Lin Yue found that he had to open the window to ensure that it wasn''t too hot inside and he didn''t suffer from severe dehydration. After making a window using another piece of plexiglass and a window frame, Lin Yue attached it to the wall. With this, he could immediately see how the outside of the Shelter was faring. Even if a Mutated Creature crashed into the glass, the plexiglass would ensure it wouldn''t shatter completely like ordinary glass. The snow was falling as if it was free, and the temperature was plummeting rapidly outside, yet the snowmelt trickling down from the roof of the Shelter was continuously dripping from the eaves as if it were rainwater. Lin Yue''s Shelter was even emitting steam in the blizzard, becoming a unique sight in the Desert. At this moment, Lin Yue was opening one Treasure Chest after another. [You have obtained: Humus Nutrient Soil X30L] [You have obtained: Instant Coffee can, Mask X50 pieces] [You have obtained: Small Backpack Expansion X1, Cleaver Design Map X1] [You have obtained: Dagger Design Map X1, 4L Bottled Water] [You have obtained: Chinese Cabbage Seeds Packet, Space Cotton Pillow X1] [You have obtained: Small Backpack Expansion X1, Anti-Rape Spray X1] [You have obtained: Seasoning Bottle Set X1, Full-Length Mirror X1] [You have obtained: Mountaineering Jacket X1, Mountaineering Pants X1] There were indeed too many things that came out of the eight Copper Treasure Chests. Although some things left Lin Yue quite puzzled as he couldn''t see their immediate usefulness. For instance, the Humus Nutrient Soil, and masks. The most excessive thing was the Anti-Rape Spray. Does he really need it to ward off wolves? Standing the full-length mirror on the ground, a handsome and refined-looking young man with a well-proportioned body and nearly perfect body lines appeared in the mirror. However, his hair was a bit messy, and the stubble gave him a somewhat disheveled look. His face was marked with some blood and dust from the continuous battles over the days. It seemed like he needed a good tidying up. Using the Dagger Design Map, Lin Yue upgraded the original dagger to excellent quality, heated some water with an iron pot, and used the previously obtained compressed towel dipped in hot water to wipe the dirt off his face. He then used the dagger to gently shave off the stubble from his face in front of the mirror. Putting on the well-fitted light green Mountaineering Jacket and Pants, he re-equipped the Mountaineering Boots. It didn''t take long for Lin Yanzu to reappear in the mirror! But... "It''s too hot, I can''t wear this, can''t wear this. When will the snow disaster end, why does it feel hotter than before!" Lin Yue once again envied the others in the group. However, speaking of the group... How many people were left? He opened the game panel, in the announcement section, it showed 7 hours and 42 minutes remaining until the snow disaster. Lin Yue frowned at the snow wall outside that almost obscured his view, thinking, isn''t this already a snow disaster? How severe does it have to be to count as one? Looking at the top right corner of the group, 5107. Moreover, this number was still decreasing. It had only been six days, and half the people were already eliminated?! This was quite brutal. He took a deep breath, looked at the group, and saw a scene of cries and despair. "Isn''t the snow disaster still hours away? My Shelter is already buried in snow! Have you ever seen snow right at your doorstep, like in those exaggerated videos?" "I''m so hungry, I''m so hungry, I''ve already eaten all the straw, who will give me something to eat..." "The snow is poisonous! I just ate a bit and my mouth and nose have swollen terribly, it''s hard to breathe..." "What should I do, half of my Shelter''s roof has collapsed, it seems like it could entirely collapse at any moment, who can come save me?" Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I don''t want to die, I don''t want to die, my leg was bitten by a deer, and now it''s rotting a little bit, who will save me!" "My Shelter is no longer viable, I think I need to hide in the Secret Realm, at least it''s warm there and no snow." "I''m already at the door, I''ll stay inside for a few days before coming out, it''s better than the Shelter!" "Exchanging a lot of supplies for water or food, is anyone interested?" "I was wrong, snow can''t be drunk, Lord Lin, forgive me for underestimating you, I swear I won''t dare do it again, you''re very generous..." ... Taking a deep breath of hot air, Lin Yue unscrewed a bottle cap and drank some water. It seemed really serious. The snow disaster hadn''t even officially started, and half the people were already gone, and at this rate, there might only be three or four thousand left after it ends. He looked at his resource stockpile. Wood 72, Stone 6, Iron Block 10, Copper Ingot 43, Coal 22. Besides wood, both stone and Iron Block needed to be replenished. Once the snow disaster starts, the price of wood, as a necessary burning material, would surely soar. Moreover, after learning from the group that the snow from this disaster couldn''t be used for drinking, the status of water resources remained stable, and with so many people crying out for food, food seemed to have become hard currency too. Lin Yue looked at his inventory, seeing what seemed like an inexhaustible 14 liters of water, nearly one hundred kilograms of mutton, 3 loaves of bread, and 3 packets of instant noodles. He was not lacking in food and water at all. Furthermore, he still had 30 Wooden Treasure Chests unopened. Using the backpack expansion from the Copper Treasure Chest earlier, Lin Yue found out he now had a large space with 40 grids. After taking out everything else and placing them on the table and in the basement, those Copper Treasure Chests disappeared. If only the Copper Treasure Chests could be decomposed. As Lin Yue thought this, he put his water, food, and another item on the trading panel. [Seller: Lin Yue] [Auction Item: 100ml Purified Water X100] [Desired: Iron Block, Stone, Design Map, or others] [Seller''s Note: 100 portions, limited to auction once per person, highest bidder wins. Deadline 1 hour before the official start of disaster] ... [Seller: Lin Yue] [Auction Item: Mutated Lamb 200g X100] [Desired: Iron Block, Stone, Design Map, or others] [Seller''s Note: 100 portions, non-toxic, suitable for kebabs, limited to auction once per person, highest bidder wins. Deadline 1 hour before the official start of disaster] ... [Seller: Lin Yue] [Auction Item: Torch (Burned) X20] [Desired: Iron Block, Stone, Design Map, or others] [Seller''s Note: 20 portions, limited to auction once per person, highest bidder wins. Deadline 1 hour before the official start of disaster] Now is a golden moment! Even more so than the initial pioneering period, allowing maximum trade of these food and water for substantial materials! Is Stone expensive? No matter how expensive it was before, now it can''t even compare to water, food, or even the warmth brought by a fire source in the minds of the other Survivors! There are 4 hours left until the official start of the disaster! Chapter 34 The Disaster Officially Begins! Chapter 34: Chapter 34 The Disaster Officially Begins!Editor: Atlas Studios "What? Lin is actually selling water at this time? Is he a savior?" "I have resources! Already placed an offer, Lin wants to trade!" S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Even has torches, Lin Yue is truly great at business." "Lin Yue is definitely not alone, he absolutely has a team with him, otherwise how could he have so many resources to sell?" "That seems very likely, just look at a few who have been silent, they might be his accomplices." "Haha, it¡¯s also possible Lin Yue is like a wandering survivor, relying on robbing other survivors¡¯ resources to trade for what he needs!" "That¡¯s possible too!" "Brothers, it¡¯s quite warm inside the Secret Realm without snow, much better than the Shelter, everyone hurry up!" ... Messages kept flowing through the screen, and as Lin Yue watched, he was also pondering one thing. Forming a team. He was a loner, with no desire to team up. In his private messages, Du Ping sent a ton of messages, repeatedly mentioning "forming a team". Du Ping spoke a lot every time in the group, always starting with "Reported", detailing how many mutant creatures he defeated and what treasures he acquired. But after someone mentioned teaming up this time, he vanished. Usually, Du Ping always flaunted killing mutants and acquiring Iron Treasure Chests and Copper Treasure Chests, logically, he shouldn¡¯t be this fierce. Even if he had a special forces background, with the average chest drop rate, getting so many in the first few days, especially high-level ones, was simply unreasonable. Therefore, Lin Yue increasingly suspected he had a team backing him, and a sizable one too. As for the topic discussed in the group, the so-called "wandering survivors", reportedly living by robbing others¡¯ resources. Searching the chat records in the group, he found quite a bit of discussion, with a number of victims. In fact, most avatars had turned gray! Goodness, killing and looting? He was initially taken aback but quickly understood. In this Otherworld, there are no laws or rules, nor any governing authorities. In other words, morality hinges on a single thought. In extreme survival conditions, human primal desires can be stirred, making people unscrupulous, self-centered, and capricious. Not to mention, it¡¯s all humanity that¡¯s been transported here, what¡¯s the crime rate among us? Thinking this way, it¡¯s not surprising that such robbers would appear. Lin Yue nonetheless kept his guard up. He had more to contend with than just mutants, including those potentially targeting him because of his plentiful resources. In this light, even a stone Shelter seemed unsafe. Then, how about one made of iron? Or copper? Wait, hiding in the Secret Realm seemed like a good idea too, though dangerous, it lacked snow and... "Boing!" Bai¡¯s call from the bucket interrupted Lin Yue¡¯s thoughts. He approached and found the little creature¡¯s wooden bucket almost empty, and the cold air it emitted had frozen it into a thin sheet of ice. "Haha, tell me when you need water," Lin Yue said, pouring about two liters of water into the bucket. It would suffice for it to endure the sweltering heat through the night. Checking the time, he realized it had passed so quickly. There¡¯s still over an hour before the disaster strikes. He looked out the window. The light was growing darker. The snow¡¯s depth had gone from half a meter, gradually surpassing one meter, one and a half, and was continuing to pile up. How severe would this snow disaster be? Initially, Lin Yue thought this first disaster might offer some newbie protection, but now he no longer believed so. If the snow disaster became truly dire, it would certainly rival any other catastrophe! How many people would make it through? Lin Yue decided to end the auction early. Soon, with the hefty disappearance of water, mutton, and torches from his inventory, the system beeped with notifications. [You lost: Water X10 liters, Mutant Mutton 20kg, Combustible Torches X20!] [You gained: Wood X110, Stone Blocks X213, Iron Blocks X168, Copper Ingots X88, Limestone X70, Devil¡¯s Pepper Seeds X1, Cooling Mat X1, Portable Tea Bags X50, Hoe Blueprint, Longsword Blueprint.] This time, Lin Yue found fewer blueprint offers, mostly for spoon and fork-like items which didn¡¯t interest him. He switched them for various materials he needed to accumulate. He had a hunch, after the snow disaster, the purchasing power for water and food might plummet in a steep curve. After all, surviving this disaster would mean quite a few tenacious people. Moreover, those with relatives would receive enough food and water for three days. In other words, surviving this event meant victory! By then, materials might experience a pricing spike, making it harder to acquire them as easily as now. As for the cooling mat, perhaps the one who offered this never imagined in the entire group, Lin Yue might be the only one sweating profusely. The Devil¡¯s Pepper Seeds interested Lin Yue, and he figured he might plant them eventually, After organizing all items, Lin Yue decided to tidy his inventory, keeping away things he didn¡¯t need at the moment. Next, he opened the thirty treasure chests one by one. Great, 21 bottles of water, 3 loaves of bread, 6 packets of instant noodles. Compared to food, he needed more water, even though he had plenty already. After doing all this, he finally sighed in relief. At that moment, the system voice suddenly sounded. [Warning, first disaster, snow disaster is imminent! Warning, first disaster, snow disaster is imminent!] [This disaster will last for 48 hours!] [All Secret Realms will close, those inside will be forcibly expelled! Refresh in 48 hours!] [48 hours later, people with familial ties like the elderly, children, and those with mobility issues or special circumstances will be deployed to various Shelters!] [More system features will unlock after this disaster! Points will be enabled simultaneously for everyone, with rankings based on scores!] [Wish everyone gets through this ordeal!] [The next disaster alert will be sent in 72 hours!] Disaster, approaching! Boom... A series of massive rumblings were heard from outside the house! Chapter 35: What Can Be Found in the Silver Treasure Chest? Chapter 35: Chapter 35: What Can Be Found in the Silver Treasure Chest?Editor: Atlas Studios The rumbling sound thundered continuously from afar. Lin Yue looked out of the window, which had plunged into darkness. He realized that his view was blocked by snow that had unknowingly piled up to nearly three meters high. "Is it really snowing this much? This isn¡¯t just a snow disaster anymore." Moreover, this rumbling sound, it seems like... "Is it the wind?" Lin Yue detected a hint of something. At that moment, as if to affirm his guess, a large clump of snow violently smashed against the glass with the storm. The combination of the fierce winds and the blizzard, it¡¯s truly a lethal mix. Did the system intend to kill everyone from the start? The disaster has begun and will last for 48 hours! Those who tried to sneak through this disaster by hiding in the Secret Realm, as the system stated, have been kicked out. This could be sugar-coated as fairness, but to put it less nicely, it¡¯s punishment and elimination! By the way, what are points and rankings? Lin Yue took out a glass cup he acquired from the Secret Realm, placed a tea bag inside, and poured hot water after boiling it. The fragrance of tea filled the shelter. "Squee?" Bai crawled out of the bucket, came to the table, showing great interest in the steaming light yellow liquid in the glass cup. "You want to drink too, little glutton?" Lin Yue sat on the chair, watching Bai, who was relentlessly stretching its tongue towards the tea, and couldn¡¯t help teasing it. His eyelids fighting, Lin Yue felt he would definitely fall asleep without the tea. After opening a pack of chips and feeding Bai a piece, he ate while contemplating. But to gather more intelligence, he felt it¡¯s better to stay up late a bit. After all, in a snow disaster, there¡¯s no way to go out during the day, so sleeping as long as needed the next day is fine. He sipped his tea, opened the group chat, and discovered a scene full of wailing! "48 hours? Is this a joke? It¡¯s extinction, it must be extinction!" "I encountered a monster in the Secret Realm just now, got chased immediately, experienced a flash of white, and found myself thrown into the snow, barely escaping with my life haha." "I found out that as long as the shelter doesn¡¯t collapse, it seems the snow can block some of the cold, doesn¡¯t feel as cold?" "It¡¯s true, seems like after the disaster officially started, it¡¯s much better than before? Even the mutated creatures that used to go berserk at night are gone." "Will the mutated creatures be gone forever?" "I hope so." "Hope, my ass. Although the drop rate of treasure chests is low, they¡¯re only obtainable from mutated creatures." "I¡¯m going to sleep. When I wake up, I hope the disaster will have only 1 hour left. Besides, I don¡¯t want to never wake up again; I need to hold on until my parents arrive!" "By the way, how¡¯s the person eating snow doing? And also, those few dozen fools near the equator who were rolling in the snow?" "All their avatars are gray, you can¡¯t see it? Damn it, haven¡¯t you noticed, the total number of people has dropped by more than half!" "Speaking of which, is no one concerned about the points?" ... Lin Yue frowned deeply, examining the chat history line by line. At the same time, he noticed that the total remaining number of people had dropped to 4,655. After the disaster officially started, it didn¡¯t take much time before the total deaths exceeded half! These were all people who were eliminated or couldn¡¯t adapt to this severe change. When their families arrive after these eliminations, how will they sustain themselves in this brutal world? Just relying on three days of water and food, they can hardly accomplish anything. Lin Yue prepared some firewood, looked outside the window, and added more into the fireplace, tossing in some coal as well. Better warm than cold. After pouring a capful of tea, Bai licked a small sip before retracting its head, but just as Lin Yue thought this little creature couldn¡¯t handle it, Bai surprisingly drank the tea down to the last drop. Patting its little head, Lin Yue laid out the mat, writing "FIGHT" on the bed, and as he lay down, a cool sensation spread across his back instantly. For the first time since the snow disaster began, Lin Yue felt a sense of coolness. Bai, having licked up the last bit of Lin Yue¡¯s tea residue, crawled over, enjoying the magic of the mat with a blissful expression. Glancing at the time, the disaster had officially started 20 minutes ago. It seemed that except for him, everyone else was desperately struggling. Lin Yue understood too, in times of great disaster, it¡¯s not only oneself to consider, but he had done all he could. When thinking of helping others, one must first secure their well-being. Is he doing well? For now, not too bad, ample food, enough water, with a very sturdy shelter, and good insulation. However, after 48 hours, when the disaster passes, these advantages will diminish infinitely. Most people will have a family to help survive, while he¡¯s just a lone wolf, only accompanied by Bai. By then, who will still care about him, the "God Lin"? Just as he took a sip from a bottle of water, he suddenly realized an important issue. He still had a Silver Treasure Chest unopened! Emma, he was so caught up opening Copper Treasure Chests that he forgot about the Silver Treasure Chest left aside. Retrieving the Silver Treasure Chest, Lin Yue looked at the half-meter-long, silver-white large chest in front and couldn¡¯t help feeling thrilled. This was the first Silver Treasure Chest he had opened. What could it possibly contain? Could it be a design for a more advanced weapon? Or something to help improve living conditions? Perhaps even a shelter design? Excited, Lin Yue took a deep breath and opened the Silver Treasure Chest with both hands. [You have obtained: Basic Exoskeleton Blueprint X1] Exoskeleton blueprint? Is this the blueprint for that thing he knew? Once worn, it will significantly enhance mobility, making it very easy to carry heavy loads and use heavy weapons! It can also transform an ordinary person into a powerful warrior instantly! He had seen similar items in some documentaries, where exoskeletons utilize the simplest lever principles, yet after incorporating numerous technological advancements and using alloy materials, they become powerful equipment. Eagerly, Lin Yue used the blueprint. [Basic Exoskeleton:] However, after using the blueprint, Lin Yue fell into contemplation. [Basic Exoskeleton: Body, arms, legs, feet, connecting joints, active joints, elbow joint components (Hard Aluminum Alloy X10, Power Controller X1, Battery Pack X1, Power Cord X10, Copper Ingot X15, Durable Cotton Fabric X5, Rubber X1), Precision Electric Actuator] Ah, this... It seems not to be easy at all. Does a Basic Exoskeleton require so many components to assemble? What kind must the advanced ones be then? Lin Yue now understood a principle: the more something far exceeds current productivity, the higher the cost to obtain it. Glancing at the already-sleeping Bai, Lin Yue also lay back down. Just as he prepared to take another look at the group chat and get ready for sleep, he suddenly discovered Du Ping had tagged him again in the group. "Lin Yue, I¡¯ve found something good again, do you want it?" S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 36: Dominating the Rankings Starting Today! Chapter 36: Chapter 36: Dominating the Rankings Starting Today!Editor: Atlas Studios The seemingly endless blizzard obscured the entire sky and engulfed the whole world. The howling gale ceaselessly whipped the snow into waves, blowing them into the air and then scattering them on the ground. Almost all the shelters were completely buried by the stormy snow, and the nearly three-meter-high snow layer was reaping all life. Although it was already daytime, the world in this snow disaster had completely lost the distinction between night and day. Lin Yue¡¯s shelter remained unchanged. Inside the steel-plated fireplace, the firewood burned vigorously, keeping the shelter at a very high temperature. Upon waking up on the wooden bed in the basement, Lin Yue groggily felt a stick-like object, which instantly startled him. Only after the thing let out a "peep" sound did he breathe a sigh of relief. "Bai, how did you get down here?" "Peep." Bai¡¯s voice was lazy. Lin Yue picked it up and placed it on his shoulder, heading up the stairs. The firewood burned too much and too fervently last night. After being woken up by the heat in the middle of the night, he went to the basement to cool down. This basement was originally used as a warehouse and is usually extremely cool, a few degrees lower in temperature than above. So he made himself a wooden bed again and brought down the cool mat for a good night¡¯s rest, and indeed it was much more comfortable and cool. However, he slept until he naturally woke up and didn¡¯t know what time it was now. "Is it daylight?" Lin Yue took out a ladder, wiped the window on the roof, and looked outside. It was indeed daytime. Snow was still falling, no different from yesterday. The only difference was the snow wall over two meters long near the shelter. The snow wall was already higher than the roof and seemed to be climbing even higher. He put on his climbing suit and pants, donned the wooden armor, and got onto the roof through the window, holding the Iron Spear. There was still no snow accumulation on the roof, and the newly fallen snowflakes quickly turned into water droplets and trickled down. Lin Yue looked down to find the area in front of the door quiet, unlike yesterday when there were mutant creatures. Could it be... all frozen to death? After circling on the roof without any discoveries, Lin Yue returned indoors and opened the stone door. Aside from the howling winds, there was nothing else. This world seemed like it was inhabited only by him. Keeping his head low to avoid snow falling on his face, Lin Yue first dealt with personal matters, then made eight traps, placed them around the shelter, and returned inside. There was nothing worth exploring outside, and amid the gusty blizzard, both vision and hearing were greatly limited. As an ordinary person, he wasn¡¯t equipped to take a shovel and search for mutant creatures in combat. Of course, the Secret Realm was originally a good place to go, but due to the disaster, it was closed for 48 hours. The reasoning was to prevent survivors from cheating by hiding inside, but for Lin Yue, it was a missed opportunity to scavenge. "How much longer do I have to wait?" Lin Yue yawned, switched back to shorts and a vest, and opened the group chat. Outside, it was temporarily very safe, and he wasn¡¯t under much pressure, so he decided to check the group chat first and then deal with breakfast. The bulletin board directly informed him that eleven hours had already passed since the disaster began! Wow, that was truly a natural awakening. Last night, he stayed up late, plus there were items Du Ping wanted to exchange, which he researched for a long time. Using 5kg of mutant lamb and 1L of water, Lin Yue exchanged for several good items. Rotor, end cap, power controller. Among these three, two were necessary for the generator, and the power controller was needed for the Basic Exoskeleton. Although the exchange cost more than before, Lin Yue indeed gradually gathered the things he wanted. After connecting the rotor and end cap with the previous stator and bearings, the only thing he needed to find was one of the most crucial components of a generator: the terminal block. As for the off-road bike design blueprint that Du Ping and others wanted to exchange for 3L of water last time, after bargaining with Lin Yue, they finally sold it for 2L of water. After doing all these things yesterday, he lost track of the time and dozed off, completely forgetting about the snow disaster. After all, the snow disaster was nothing to him. Yawning, he looked at the group chat. "Uh, I¡¯m not dead yet, but is it an illusion? I feel like I have no sensation in my legs?" "Suddenly realized it¡¯s not so cold anymore, thanks to the fire source Lin Yue sold! But at the same time, I despise those profiteers who resell the fire source after getting it! Are you still human?" "Thanks to Lin Yue for selling a lot of water and food at the end, otherwise a big chunk of us would probably be dead! Lin Yue, you have my respect now." "Does the big shot need your respect? Who do you think you are? By the way, is Lin God still selling lamb? It¡¯s too delicious!" "By the way, what was Lin Yue¡¯s original profession? Special forces? The score is off the charts!" "So the score actually topped out? Seriously, I¡¯ve always thought Du Ping and the others could be first, but fourth is still okay." "If I had water, I¡¯d be fine too! Lin Yue just has water! He¡¯s not doing much better than us!" "Ah, right, right, right." Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I saw myself at position 1985; is the gap that big? No, what¡¯s the scoring standard?" "Lin Yue¡¯s score is triple that of the second place, fifteen times higher than mine! Is this cheating?" ... Lin Yue suddenly realized that the whole group chat was now discussing him, not the snow disaster. Although there was this trend before, it had never been this concentrated. The reason they were doing so was because of the so-called "points" issue. He opened the points ranking panel. 1. Lin Yue 1095 points 2. Kirk Brown 338 points 3. Belger 299 points 4. Du Ping 297 points ... Uh, this... Why are the scores so high? What¡¯s the judgment? But being able to top the group¡¯s leaderboard is worth celebrating. Just as he wanted to click on the details of the points composition, his stomach rumbled. Even Bai kept glancing at his stomach. Okay, looks like I need to address this issue first. As for the points, I¡¯ll set it aside for now. He took out the stove, set the pot to boil water, all in one go. Lin Yue took out the bacon he hadn¡¯t had a chance to eat, sliced eight pieces with a knife, and put the instant noodles in the pot. Meanwhile, he brewed a cup of coffee and took out the apple he hadn¡¯t eaten before. He broke the apple in half with his hands and gave the half to the half-asleep Bai. Lin Yue prepared the bowls and chopsticks, poured the instant noodles into the bowl! Perfect breakfast, right? ... Thanks to: 08a, Mo Yu Chang Ge, Dong Po Rou Duo, for the rewards! New author seeking collection and reading! Thank you, everyone! ?(^?^*) Chapter 37: Why is his style different? Chapter 37: Chapter 37: Why is his style different?Editor: Atlas Studios [Notification: A brief video will be displayed for the top three in the group rankings!] [Notice, this display is a special feature during the newbie protection period; the video will disappear immediately after playback!] A new feature appeared on the system panel. Rankings! And the rankings are being continuously updated in real-time, reflecting everyone¡¯s position fairly and justly. Everyone¡¯s scores are also displayed on the screen. The Survivors all looked at the videos behind the top three on the rankings, coincidentally starting from the third place. And suddenly, a video appeared at this moment, showcasing high-definition images before everyone¡¯s eyes. A vast snowfield, with a storm whipping snowflakes furiously. [Current number of people: 4008] A line of blood-red characters flickered against the white background, gradually decreasing to 4007, 4001. After a while, it suddenly disappeared. The image shifted to a vast, flat Desert Zone, and then found something like a cave opening in the snowy field. The camera entered through the opening, instantly plunging into darkness, and shortly after, an iron wall appeared. "Wow, this third place is interesting, an iron shelter? An unimaginable path." "Truly, I thought stone shelters were the most advanced and sturdy. And he even made a passage out, seems he reinforced it by turning snow into ice?" "However, metal is such a strong conductor, if it¡¯s hot outside, it¡¯s hot inside; if cold outside..." "Haha, I kind of understand why this person is ranked third. By the way, Du Ping, who was fourth, was second initially; how did he end up fourth after this first deadline?" "Du Ping fourth? The boss who started out dealing with mutant creatures and always opening advanced boxes, fourth? You must be joking." "Why am I not third but 79th? I have an iron shelter too!" "Haha, didn¡¯t the system say yesterday that the top three will receive rewards for system streaming, and Du Ping was surpassed by someone? What a great chance to be seen!" "Comprehensive rating, as mentioned, perhaps Du Ping lagged somewhere else." Amid everyone¡¯s envy, ridicule, and confusion, the camera moved through the exterior of the shelter, entering into its interior. Soon, a shelter filled with the glow of fire appeared within the shot. Everyone saw the inside of the shelter almost entirely covered with different colors and sizes of animal skins, and sitting by the fire was an unshaven man whose original appearance was almost indistinguishable, wearing at least seven or eight layers of fur clothing for warmth. Beside him were numerous bones from mutated creatures, and an extremely murky, steaming bowl of soup sat in a wooden bowl nearby. The interior was quite simple, but there seemed to be someone lying by the bed, long hair draped over the shoulders, apparently asleep. [Comprehensive Score: 299] [Shelter Score: 180] [Resources Score: 89] [Shelter Population Bonus: 20] [Disaster Resistance Bonus: 10] The last line in large letters gave a detailed score breakdown for Belger, who ranked third. "Whoa, this poor soul is third? Is there a mistake?" "Haha, this guy might freeze to death anytime, I really wonder if he has connections with the system to land third!" "Du Ping couldn¡¯t possibly be beaten by this guy, it¡¯s completely incomprehensible." "Looks like the second and first might not fare much better." "Thanks to the system for giving us a great show, let¡¯s exit." "Damn, I can¡¯t completely exit, is this forced viewing? Can¡¯t I just close my eyes? But I still want to watch, what do I do?" "Notice, this guy actually has a companion! Seems like they¡¯re sleeping?" "Wow, who knew we¡¯d eat dog food in a place like this!" "Is the system trying to teach us their methods for overcoming disasters? The top three, surely better than us, gotta love it." ... Amid people¡¯s emotions of awe, surprise, doubt, etc., the video of Belger¡¯s shelter scored 299 points by the system abruptly ended. While everyone was discussing if there was behind-the-scenes manipulation for the third rank in the group, the video of Cork Brown, who ranked second with a system score of 338, quickly unfolded before everyone. Soon, the camera captured a rather peculiar shelter. In the high-definition image, dozens of large treestumps interlocked together, covered with many tied-together hides, forming a huge tent-like roof. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Smoke drifted from the gaps in the roof. And beneath this enormous roof, stood a 40-square-meter wooden shelter protected from the wind and snow outside. As the image shifted, the layout inside the shelter was mostly wooden, and a muscular man with brown hair, wearing tight clothes and draped in thick fur, was expressionlessly roasting some kind of meat in a stone fireplace. However, his cup which barely had any water left, and lips chapped to bursting told everyone he was severely lacking in water. [Comprehensive Score: 338] [Shelter Score: 200] [Resources Score: 58] [Shelter Population Bonus: 0] [Disaster Resistance Bonus: 80] "This is a true master." "Indeed, possibly has a woodworking background? And the shelter happens to be in a forest zone, hit the jackpot." "See those muscles? Got me all wet." "Master, please adopt me, his muscles alone can fill me up for three bowls of rice." "But he might not be able to support you, didn¡¯t you notice how he barely has water?" "Now that you mention it, but much better than third place, this house even has a fireplace, looks quite warm." "If it were truly warm, he wouldn¡¯t be wrapped in fur, clearly posing for the camera, didn¡¯t you see him shivering?" "Both places are so lacking, I¡¯m starting to have no expectations for the first-place water tycoon, probably only got over a thousand points because of lots of water." "Haha, doesn¡¯t Lin Yue¡¯s place have a bunch of people in the shelter? I¡¯ll eat shit upside down!" "I second this, three meals a day!" ... Yet, the system paid no mind to what those people were chattering. After the transition of the image, what everyone saw was a notable puff of white smoke wafting upwards. The camera ascended into the sky, tracking the white smoke further, and then searching downward for the source. An almost perfectly square pit appeared within the shot. "Whoa? What¡¯s going on?" "Don¡¯t know, is this a volcano?" "Does your volcano mouth have a square shape?" "Square is square, I¡¯ve even seen an octagonal one." Comments swiftly scrolled by at the bottom right of the video. Everyone wondered if they misjudged something. Wasn¡¯t this supposed to be Lin Yue¡¯s shelter? How did it turn to resemble a volcanic area? However, as the camera zoomed in, everyone gasped in disbelief! Inside the large pit, there was a shelter surface without any snow! Moreover, two meters around the shelter, there was no ice or snow whatsoever! "Whoa? What¡¯s happening? Did I guess right? Is this place geothermally active?" "Is this Lin Yue¡¯s great shelter? Looks unremarkable on the surface, yet appears profound!" "Isn¡¯t this just a regular stone shelter? At most, there are two windows... But did I see wrong? The lower window is open?" "I see, Lin Yue wants to show off too, just like Cork Brown previously." The camera panned around the shelter, and sharp-eyed folk noticed the details! There were as many as eight traps! "Whoa, I got goosebumps, what¡¯s Lin Yue¡¯s background? An old Hunter?" While everyone was speculating, the camera entered inside the shelter. But next, upon seeing Lin Yue within, everyone was astounded by the unusual image and atmosphere. A moment of silence governed the entire livestream room. Finally, a girl sent a message. "His...is really big, isn¡¯t it." ... Thanks to 08a and Kong Ling for the rewards! Please keep reading! Thank you everyone! Chapter 38: Is his shelter in the same dimension as mine? Chapter 38: Chapter 38: Is his shelter in the same dimension as mine?Editor: Atlas Studios In the frame, there¡¯s chopsticks holding bacon and instant noodles, about to be put into Lin Yue¡¯s mouth, but he stares blankly at the camera direction. The focus of interest for everyone in the group is slightly off. Realizing something, Lin Yue quickly ran down to the basement, donned his climbing gear and pants at lightning speed, and returned. "Ahem, it¡¯s okay, I think it¡¯s average." "Can I wrap it around my waist? Did I brag?" "Based on my many years of experience, this one¡¯s real..." "Lin Shen, do you need a partner? Can¡¯t you be less rigid with gender?" "I want to have a deep conversation with Yue Yue, communicate a bit." "Wait, I clearly came first! Even the term Lin Shen was coined by me, okay?" "Already charging ahead." ... However, these voices were soon replaced by cries of astonishment from others. The camera spins within the shelter, capturing everything on the first floor. "Wait a minute, wasn¡¯t it a stone shelter outside? Why did the walls inside turn into wood?" "I figured it out! Damn, Lin Yue is amazing, he used wood panels to reinforce insulation inside, and nailed mutated creature skins on top, essentially adding another layer of warmth!" "Holy moly, isn¡¯t that an embedded steel plate fireplace? I used to sell them; they allow fuel to burn a second time while also..." "Get to the point." "In short, with this thing and Lin Yue¡¯s dual-layer warming measures, opening a celestial pit in the snowfield with the shelter remaining snow-free is ridiculously easy. Of course, this also forces him to wear shorts and a vest in the shelter, or he¡¯d get heatstroke." "Heatstroke during a snow disaster, isn¡¯t that wonderful? Now I understand why there¡¯s a window; it¡¯s not to show off but because it¡¯s genuinely hot, though it is indeed a bit of showing off?" "Look at the sweat on Lin Yue¡¯s forehead; it¡¯s not that he doesn¡¯t want to wear more but truly can¡¯t. He hasn¡¯t worn the climbing gear for even a minute, and sweat¡¯s pouring like water, right?" "Professional! It shocked my mom for a whole year, what a legend!" The camera continues to move, with everyone attentively watching this shelter that had started to astound them from the depths of their hearts. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Many were also aware that Lin Yue wasn¡¯t just someone who had a lot of water but truly had enough skills to make his points three times the second place. Moreover, more people were aware that perhaps things wouldn¡¯t be that simple. When the camera zoomed in on Lin Yue¡¯s dining table, people began a new round of envy and jealousy. "I¡¯m done, I¡¯ve eaten grass roots for two days straight. Thanks to Lin Yue, it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve eaten meat in seven days, but such a top-notch setup with bacon instant noodles, I never expected it." "There are even apples; I¡¯ve forgotten when I last ate fruit." "There¡¯s also chips... Oh my, my lunch was crumb remnants from a chest opened days ago, this comparison is too cruel." "Everyone take a closer look at the instant noodles, stare at it a bit, maybe we won¡¯t need dinner today, this is called hoping on distant plums to quench thirst." "You¡¯re a devil, I¡¯m hungrier looking at it, ten thousand people plead for Lin Big Boss to sell instant noodles! 1/10000" "2/10000." "Have you all seen, a glass cup, coffee! Damn, it¡¯s like we¡¯re living in different dimensions. Why don¡¯t I even have water?" "I advise everyone not to rush to praise, Lin Yue must absolutely have companions, probably nestling in the basement. I refuse to believe he can get all this by himself and live so well! He¡¯s just a mascot for outward display." "Exactly, still saying, if he doesn¡¯t have companions, I¡¯ll eat my hat upside down!" ... However, aside from those obsessed with Lin Yue¡¯s looks and what he¡¯s eating, quite a few people noticed the beautiful and silver-like Bai on Lin Yue¡¯s shoulder, chomping on an apple and slurping noodles. "So cute, where can I find this creature, I really want it!" "That lizard looks 18 cm, same as mine!" "Haha, well that¡¯s half smaller than mine." "This little creature¡¯s eyes are a bit too beautiful, pure red, Lin Yue would you please send it over? Don¡¯t forget to pack two liters of water." "Why so cute, why!" "I also want to raise such a one, anyone knows where to get it?" Seemingly aware of something, Bai slurped the noodles after, and his ruby-like eyes stared forward intensely, suddenly spewing a mouthful of visible white mist! The screen was instantly shrouded and covered by this white mist, but after a while, it finally became clear again. But this moment, everyone became unsettled. "Did you see it? White mist?" "Is this beginning of the magic world? Don¡¯t stop me; I¡¯ll curse with Avada!" "Uh, wait, haven¡¯t you seen fire-breathing mutated creatures? That¡¯s not outrageous. What¡¯s truly extraordinary is Lin Yue can tame such a mutated creature, right?" "Thinking about it, I once found similar mutated creatures in a cave, much larger in size and extremely fierce. I barely escaped with smart maneuvers, they are the overlords in the cave." "What kind of person is Lin Yue, to tame these creatures?" "He absolutely has companions helping him, absolutely!" Yet, the camera spun around the room again, showcasing quite comprehensive furniture and various weapons, then directly descended through the stair under the table, reaching the quiet basement. The basement was fairly quiet. Aside from a bed with a bamboo mat, there were plenty of supplies, many of which were unfamiliar to everyone, and notably, there wasn¡¯t a single figure, no companions as others mentioned. Some marveled at the fur, some were shocked at Lin Yue acquiring many machinery pieces, while others pondered how Lin Yue achieved such feats in a short time. Right at this moment, the livestream screen shifted again, displaying detailed scores of Lin Yue¡¯s shelter. [Overall Score: 1095] [Shelter Score: 350] [Supplies Score: 495] [Shelter Personnel Bonus: 0] [Disaster Resistance Bonus: 250] Differently from the top two, this time, almost no one doubted Lin Yue, nor did anyone think the system scoring was wrong. Everyone could see how different Lin Yue¡¯s style was in this snow disaster where everyone was freezing near to death. Others wish they could wear ten layers of fur; Lin Yue¡¯s so hot he can only wear shorts and vest, sweating profusely on a bamboo mat. Others drink half a drop of water, last three to four days with a loaf of bread; he drinks coffee and eats instant noodles, with bacon, and even has fruits and snacks after meals. Others are lonely, only have fingers and indexes as companions, but he even raised an extremely beautiful and cute pet, which could spew icy air and seemed quite intelligent. Lin Yue lives a lifestyle on another level, a step ahead of everyone, as if while others suffer, he¡¯s enjoying a holiday. "Why is his style so different from ours?" someone shouted. Chapter 39: There Will Be a Time When You Beg Me! Chapter 39: Chapter 39: There Will Be a Time When You Beg Me!Editor: Atlas Studios In the shelter, Bai burped contentedly after eating the last bite of noodles. Originally, it was so full it lay sprawled out on the table, unable to move, but when it caught the aroma of Lin Yue¡¯s coffee drifting over, it struggled to flip over, snorted and crawled over, and lay beside the cup, staring at Lin Yue with big red eyes. "You want to drink this too?" Lin Yue couldn¡¯t help but call it a little foodie in his heart, dipped the chopsticks in the coffee, and let Bai lick them. After tasting the bitter and sour flavor, Bai instantly recoiled its neck and shook its head vigorously. However, just as Lin Yue was about to finish drinking the last sip, Bai came over again, nudged his hand, and stared at the coffee cup, tilting its little head and making "cluck cluck" sounds. "Bai, if you drink too much, you won¡¯t be able to sleep, I¡¯m telling you." He cooled the last bit and poured it onto a porcelain plate, which Bai eagerly drank down. Goodness, what kind of lizard did I raise here? Eating instant noodles and lamb skewers is one thing, but tea and coffee too? Watching as Bai licked clean the last of it with satisfaction, Lin Yue couldn¡¯t help but marvel inwardly. The shelter was very quiet, with the fierce wind still howling outside. After Lin Yue resumed his original outfit, he munched on an apple and opened the game panel. Last night, he hardly cared about the so-called points, and came morning, he had nothing prepared. If he had known that ranking in the top three on the leaderboard would result in a short video being filmed, he would have put away all things that shouldn¡¯t be discovered into his inventory. Of course, he did pack away quite a few items while changing clothes at that time. Lin Yue could have changed clothes directly on the chair then, but considering that the basement was laid out with many kinds of machinery, he packed them all away one by one. While eating noodles, he received a system notification saying that the preparation for the introduction of short videos for the top three was about to start, so he immediately went to check the game panel. He realized only then that the top three on the leaderboard would be forcibly entered into this temporary program. And as the first place, he would naturally be the focal point. After all, the first place is also the one who performed best in this disaster. Everyone would mimic and learn from his experience. Is this a good thing? Not really, more like a bad thing. Although the introduction is short, lasting less than a minute, and seemingly self-destructive after viewing, disappearing from the viewer¡¯s playlist, it still exposes some information. Lin Yue looked at the leaderboard; behind each person¡¯s score was a "..." symbol, which expands to show the detailed source of points. Lin Yue frowned. He opened his video and found indeed that things like the fireplace and wooden plank walls were exposed, and Bai was also seen. But on second thought, it¡¯s no big deal. These items merely prove his method is effective, successfully keeping the shelter warm enough to survive the disaster. The amount of information revealed in this short video is actually quite minimal, so knowing about them isn¡¯t a big deal. At the very least, nobody discovered the guaranteed loot box system he possessed. "Seems like there¡¯s nothing to worry about." Lin Yue looked at his name again; the video was no longer there. Indeed, it was "self-destruct after viewing." Survival... Ever since the first disaster struck, more than half of the group had already died, and this number continues to rise. Survival isn¡¯t easy, and can even be described as extremely challenging. Everyone is desperately striving to live. The system provided everyone the opportunity to craft and invent items using materials, and established a rule where defeating monsters might yield loot boxes, intending to aid better survival. The brief videos naturally share this purpose. The system wants everyone to observe how the top three maintain their shelters and endure disaster survival, encouraging all to learn. Having survived so far, most are quite experienced now. While they jest verbally, every single person is attentively observing the top three shelters, leveraging these insights to enhance their own survival strategies, preparing themselves for the next disaster. Lin Yue unscrewed a bottle of water and took a sip. He opened the third-place shelter¡¯s video. Since others can learn from him, he can learn from others too, right? With the 100% loot box system, he must outperform others significantly; if not, it would merely prove his incompetence. The video was rather short, very brief indeed. "A metal shelter? That¡¯s indeed unexpected. And the ice-made passageway seems to serve both ventilation and transit purposes... How many mutant creatures did this guy eliminate? Moreover, they all seem pretty large." Regarding sturdiness, a metal shelter far surpasses his stone one; even a collision from a Mutant Sheep wouldn¡¯t dent its durability. But, Lin Yue hadn¡¯t found this item through loot boxes, nor had he seen anyone selling a blueprint in the marketplace. Yet he understood, if a blueprint existed, it must be in this person¡¯s hands. "Belger, right." Lin Yue jotted down this name, planning to seize the iron shelter blueprint from him if Belger desperately lacks particular resources sometime. Among Belger¡¯s bonus items, there¡¯s "number of people in shelter," suggesting that the quantity of people somewhat influences the scores, like 20 points per person. Collaborative survival naturally simplifies tasks compared to solitary endeavors, providing an extra labor force. However, it also introduces a problem: allocation of work and effort. If managed well, it¡¯s a win-win, but otherwise... No need to elaborate. Here arises another question. Where is the other person¡¯s shelter? Lin Yue planned to continue viewing the second-place video when he noticed comments discussing Du Ping dropping from second to fourth place. Du Ping, a person Lin Yue remembered vividly and always followed. Falling from second to fourth is not trivial. Especially knowing the scoring system started from last night throughout the disaster until morning when it concluded, Lin Yue found it even stranger. This sparked a thought: is Du Ping manipulating his score? Since top three would be shot in short videos, Du Ping, not wanting others to know about his shelter¡¯s content, controlled his score... Could such a possibility exist? The more Lin Yue thought, the more uneasy he felt. If true, then Du Ping... This person, he must be cautious about going forward. Continued viewing of the second-place video. The duration wasn¡¯t prolonged, yet it was information-rich. From the video, it¡¯s apparent that this second-place individual is a decent carpenter and quite an adept hunter; moreover, he crafted a fireplace from stones for heating. He accomplished all this single-handedly. Clearly evidencing this individual¡¯s strong capabilities. Lin Yue meticulously examined the various arrangements in this person¡¯s house, forming some ideas in his mind. If this person later wishes to buy water, he might exploit the opportunity to obtain various woodworking design blueprints, and further enhance his shelter. Therefore... Lin Yue opened his private messages. Something he usually wouldn¡¯t check. Typically, it¡¯s flooded with 9999 unread messages, mostly garbage, inevitably ignored. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But now Lin Yue feels exploring for business opportunities isn¡¯t infeasible. Especially now that he¡¯s become a renowned figure in this group. Chapter 40: Self-Strategy, Is That Okay? Chapter 40: Chapter 40: Self-Strategy, Is That Okay?Editor: Atlas Studios Unknowingly, the sky darkened again. Under the seemingly endless blizzard, there was a Shelter that seemed to never be buried by the snow. Two thick white smoke columns rose from two black chimneys, making this iron Shelter even warmer. The above-ground portion of the Shelter was only 40 square meters, almost entirely occupied by a large amount of firewood and two massive fireplaces. A woman in plain clothes opened one of the fireplaces, placed a pile of firewood inside, checked the other fireplace to ensure there were no issues, and hurriedly went down through the basement entrance in the center of the room. In the 320-square-meter basement, there were currently seven people busy with their respective tasks. "Bess, the furnace is fine?" asked the bespectacled man whittling a branch when he saw the woman coming down. "N-no problems," the woman replied nervously, nodding quickly. "I¡¯ve filled the firewood; it should burn for over five hours, for now, it shouldn¡¯t be... necessary..." Seeing the bespectacled man frown, Bess hurriedly went to check the ground floor again. At this moment, the bearded man making wooden planks nearby walked over and patted the bespectacled man¡¯s shoulder: "Du, thinking about that first-place kid¡¯s Shelter again?" Du Ping chuckled lightly, "There¡¯s a lot to learn from, isn¡¯t there, Eliot?" "I can¡¯t deny that, Du," Eliot echoed, "I¡¯ve always had a question though, why don¡¯t we aim for first place in this group but instead change plans midway to go for fourth place?" "Eliot, that¡¯s a strange thing to say. Isn¡¯t it obvious? Du doesn¡¯t want us to expose our strength, using so many methods to lower our score... although it ended up being dangerously close, just 2 points behind the third place big guy." The red-haired woman tightened herself beside Du Ping. "Exposing our strength doesn¡¯t matter, wouldn¡¯t it just attract more people to work for us?" Eliot shrugged. "Du, hiding our strength doesn¡¯t offer any benefits, does it?" Du Ping adjusted his glasses and hugged Teresa, glaring at him: "Competing for first? Do you think I¡¯ve not calculated it? Between all eight of us, what we can achieve together, it¡¯s no better than what Lin Yue has! If we really go for second, it would only be humiliating for us, and if we barely lead in first, that¡¯s even more shameful." "Huh? Is that really the case?" Teresa seemed incredulous, "I watched that video too, didn¡¯t seem like a big deal, but our score wouldn¡¯t suffice?" Du Ping pointed at the wooden bucket with only a few liters of water and stood up: "Our water, we exchanged from Lin Yue using good stuff we got from crates, what else can we compare with? While he was eating roasted meat, eating instant noodles, what did we eat, how can we compare? He even has enough food and water to sustain a pet! Did you see the massive amount of supplies in his basement, still a lot even after Lin Yue stored away many items!" Teresa and Eliot looked at each other. Indeed so, with eight people coordinating daily, going out every day to chop wood, search for minerals, quarry stone, hunt, despite working hard, the obtained resources were still scarce. The severe lack of water was a crisis that became even larger with their numbers. For this reason, they had to exchange some temporarily unused items or parts with Lin Yue for a small amount of water to stay afloat. This forced them to use better items to trade for water with Lin Yue. But the chance of getting treasure chests from killing mutated creatures was extremely low, ultimately forcing them to explore the Secret Realm, trying to find something special inside. Now with the snow disaster upon them, the Secret Realm locked, there was no opportunity to trade good items for water anymore, even the most valuable bicycle design, Lin Yue haggled it away for just two liters of water. "In a day, there will be more people in this Shelter, then we won¡¯t have to beg Lin Yue for water," Du Ping took off his glasses, took a deep breath, "The next leaderboard, we will rise to the top again! At that point, let this group know who the true king is!" ... Meanwhile, in another Celestial Pit. Lin Yue lay sprawled on the bed, petting Bai, while haggling line by line with Belger and Cork Brown. He hadn¡¯t added these two as friends, only engaging in a temporary conversation with them. Who would have thought, before he even had a chance to act against them, these two fellows came directly on their own accord. They naturally came asking for water, and water merchant Lin Yue certainly wouldn¡¯t let them leave without taking a good cut. Belger had a substantial amount of animal pelts, but what caught Lin Yue¡¯s eye was his Iron Shelter Design Map; as for the seasoned carpenter Cork Brown, Lin Yue desired the assortment of wooden product design maps he had made. The worst taboo in business? Letting others know your trump card. Lin Yue? He had no trump card, or rather, his trump card was practically limitless, but those two? Each took what they needed, and the rest was simply an intense tug-of-war. Lin Yue had to admit he wasn¡¯t particularly skilled in this regard, but since he was the one with the hard currency in his hand, setting a baseline and disregarding anything excessive worked fine. "Lin, I need water, isn¡¯t 2L reasonable?" Belger persisted. "1L, I¡¯ll list yours for bidding," Lin Yue replied after a while. "Please give me 1.8L, my friend and I are extremely short on water, help us out!" "Oh, then 0.9L." "What? Why would it decrease? Lin Yue, I warn you, my parents will arrive tomorrow, bringing enough water for three days..." "Not happy? 0.8L." "Don¡¯t! Don¡¯t lower it, 1L, I accept it, Lin, you¡¯re truly a devil!" Belger cursed as he exited the temporary conversation. While wrestling with Belger, Lin Yue was also leaving Cork Brown hanging, making him anxious. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With a successful trade of 1L of water for the Iron Shelter Design Map, Lin Yue had little interest in whatever else Belger had to offer, turning his full attention to Cork Brown. However, when he looked at the chat window, he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle wryly. Initially, Cork Brown¡¯s tone was... "No, impossible! I don¡¯t want to trade this Comfortable Wooden Bed design map! Lin, dreaming to trade this for 500ml is simply delusional!" Yet during Lin Yue¡¯s chat with Belger, after a long wait, Cork Brown changed his tone. "Lin, can¡¯t you just... haggle just a little?" "Alright, I could let you have it for 1L water, I¡¯ll be magnanimous." "800ml isn¡¯t unacceptable, understand water is precious... tomorrow, I will have more than three days of water and food, this is your last chance, Lin!" "Haha, how about 700ml? Let¡¯s compromise a little?" "Lin, stop pretending not to hear, answer me quickly!" "Answer quickly! Or I¡¯ll deal with someone else! This is in high demand, you know!" "600ml, you definitely deserve this!" "Quick, quick let¡¯s deal, I beg you, Lin God, I was wrong, 500ml will do, I have no objections..." Lin Yue exclaimed, Goodness. Was this some sort of self-conquest? Just when Lin Yue intended to deal directly with this fellow, a sudden system prompt sounded. [In 24 hours, the system will undergo an upgrade!] Chapter 41: Entering a New Era! Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Entering a New Era!"System upgrade? 24 hours later?" Lin Yue frowned slightly, feeling a bit puzzled. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Is there really an upgrade? And why choose at the end of a disaster? With questions in mind, Lin Yue opened the announcement panel and found that besides a "Current disaster: Snowstorm, time until end: 23 hours 58 minutes 56 seconds" notice, there was indeed a "System upgrade countdown" alert. But other than that, there was nothing at all. milliliters of water traded for Cork Brown¡¯s "Exquisite Wooden Bed" blueprint. Lin Yue wanted to know how exquisite, how comfortable this thing would be! He kept staring intently at all the things Cork Brown made while watching his videos. Especially that exquisite wooden bed, which looked much better than his own shabby wooden bed, made him quite envious. Initially, this shabby wooden bed was quite tolerable, better than sleeping on the ground. But it was too hard, lying on it for too long caused back pain. Now that living standards have improved in all aspects, not upgrading this bed would be unjustifiable. Using the "Exquisite Wooden Bed" blueprint, Lin Yue quickly spent 6 pieces of wood and 2 iron blocks to make a new bed. The four corners and the bed frame of the new bed were replaced with solid metal, and the planks were smoother and more even than before. Lin Yue lay down instantly and found it much more comfortable than before. milliliters of water for this was definitely worth it. After laying a mat on it, Lin Yue opened the stone door and took out a small wooden bucket from a snow pile outside, and after bringing it back, he split it open with an axe. A large chunk of ice immediately appeared on the table. Bai¡¯s eyes lit up, just about to jump and enjoy it, but Lin Yue stopped him. "Look, this is your half, and this is my half, no snatching!" Lin Yue took out a hammer and broke the large piece of ice into one small and one large piece, then handed the small one to Bai. He broke the larger piece into several smaller ones and put them in a few glasses. It was too hot; he couldn¡¯t help but find a way to cool down. And these ice cubes were Lin Yue¡¯s favorite quick cooling method, at the cost of just some water and the price of one wooden bucket, allowing him to stay cool for a long time. He put a tea bag into the glasses and poured in mineral water. The room temperature was still too high, and the ice was melting visibly. Lin Yue went directly to the basement before the iced tea was ready. The temperature here was not as high as upstairs, making it quite comfortable to stay in. Sitting by the bed, he reopened the trading panel, focusing intently on the items listed. He had woken up too late today, and now past midnight, he wasn¡¯t very tired, and even if he was, he¡¯d want to stay up a bit longer. After all, now was the best time to "buy at a low price"! The system¡¯s short video playback, while indeed exposing some of his current states and even leaking secrets he intended to keep hidden. Yet, it also brought him a lot of popularity. It could be said that now, at least in this group, he had become "widely known." Moreover, everyone knew he was doing quite well, lacking in little, and had initially established himself as a "merchant" with abundant water resources. So, almost everyone in the group was frantically direct messaging him, discussing him in the group constantly. They relentlessly inquired, questioned, and tempted Lin Yue to get what they wanted, doing whatever it takes, even forcing him to clear unread messages once every few minutes, quickly adding up to 9999! It could be said that everyone in the group knew he lacked almost nothing. Therefore, in their quest for food and water, they were almost willing to give up everything to get some water from Lin Yue. Although after the disaster ends, those who hadn¡¯t come out before, such as the elderly, children, and immobile people, would come and bring enough water for three days per person. It sounded quite promising. But the downside was that their food and water had to be shared with the current Survivor. With the increase in people, water consumption would also rise, and after the three days of water ran out, the Survivalists with families were bound to face an extreme crisis. They had to consider not just their water and food for survival but their families¡¯ too! And this prolonged the time Lin Yue would continue his water-selling business. It also allowed him to find those things he¡¯d always wanted but hadn¡¯t yet seen on the trading panel. By now, those who could still survive weren¡¯t fools; they all understood this. So, even Belger and Cork Brown, whom Lin Yue had always pressured on price, ended up bringing out the stuff they had always kept hidden. "Let me see if there¡¯s something... there is!" After searching for "terminal connectors" this time, Lin Yue didn¡¯t end up empty-handed like before. [Seller: Sander Puri] [Product: Terminal Connector X1] [Requirement: 500ML Drinking Water] [Seller¡¯s Note: I don¡¯t know what this is either, but it must be important?] Lin Yue almost bought it immediately without thinking! Of course, it was important. This was the last piece of the generator puzzle! After losing 500 milliliters of water and receiving Sander¡¯s thousand thanks along with the terminal connector, Lin Yue took it from his inventory. It looked exactly as he remembered. After taking the stator, rotor, end cover, and bearings from the inventory, Lin Yue connected them with the terminal connector. Next up was the breathtaking moment! At least within this group, the first generator was about to be born! [You obtained the Simple Generator blueprint!] The system indeed acknowledged it! Even if many parts were missing, as long as the main necessary components were assembled together, the system would recognize it as a complete equation and provide the blueprint. Lin Yue quickly used it. [Simple Hand-Crank Generator: Stator X1, Rotor X1, End Cover X1, Bearing X1, Terminal Connector X1, Iron Block X2, Copper Ingot X5, Bundle of Wire] Wow, it required quite a few things. However, he happened to have all of them. After gathering these from the basement¡¯s inventory, a small hand-crank generator quickly appeared before him! The generator, though old-fashioned in style, held a certain indescribable beauty and charm. Lin Yue couldn¡¯t keep his hands off the brand-new machine on the ground. Having a generator marked the beginning of the electrical era for his Shelter! "Squeak?" At that moment, Bai bounded downstairs, curiously gazing at the new peculiar machine before his owner Lin Yue. "Hungry? Let¡¯s have some barbecue to celebrate!" Lin Yue put the generator back into the inventory and climbed the stairs with Bai. With a generator, what he needed next was something that could reliably bring light to humanity, even at night. And to find that thing, he must venture into the Secret Realm! Less than 24 hours until he could explore the Secret Realm! ... Thanks to: Cheng Yue Man, Book friend 150812151206244, 08a for their generosity! My left ring finger got hurt today, sorry for the late update o(¨i©n¨i)o Chapter 42 What is it like to enjoy life in a survival game Chapter 42: Chapter 42 What is it like to enjoy life in a survival game"Is it my hunger that¡¯s causing hallucinations? The snow seems to have lessened?" "It¡¯s not an illusion, looks like it¡¯s about to stop. Oh yeah!" "Ban ¡¯oh yeah¡¯." "Ban ban ¡¯oh yeah¡¯." "It¡¯s the end of the world and you¡¯re still doing this? Are you all mad? Ban ban ban ¡¯oh yeah¡¯!" "Goodness, what a bunch! Did you see? Lin Yue has put instant noodles on the shelves, impressive!" "What? Instant noodles? The ones the top player was eating yesterday? Let¡¯s group up to buy them!" "What¡¯s so good about instant noodles? I¡¯d rather starve¡ý, die outside¡ü, jump from here¡û, than eat Lin Yue¡¯s stuff¡ú!" "Getting ready to say ¡¯so fragrant¡¯, what a classic old meme." "Count me in +2" ... Lin Yue drank his iced tea, calmly looking out the window. Indeed, the snow is about to stop. There¡¯s still 19 hours until the disaster ends, the snowstorm that was falling like it cost nothing has changed its fierce state to become fluttering snowflakes. "Plop~" Bai directly soaked itself into its dedicated glass cup, merging with the iced tea, seemingly quite enjoying it. With no threats from mutant creatures now, Bai doesn¡¯t have much to do. Every day, following Lin Yue as he enjoys the good food and drink, this little one is visibly getting fatter. "Bai, your belly seems to have grown? You¡¯ve eaten noodles and now drinking so much iced tea?" Lin Yue picked the little guy out of the cup, feeling it was a bit effortful. "Plop plop!" Bai stretched its little paw towards the glass cup, evidently unwilling to leave, its big eyes fixated on the iced tea. "You turn into a little fatty and I won¡¯t take responsibility." Lin Yue put the little one back into the cup, turned to the bed, put on the mountaineering jacket, then wore the sheepskin coat he just made. Making the coat didn¡¯t take Lin Yue much effort. He just took out two pieces of sheepskin, then roughly cut them to shape according to his body size with a knife, and used needle and thread from a sewing kit obtained earlier to stitch them together loosely. Then the system immediately recognized it as a "sheepskin coat". After making three more coats with the remaining sheepskin, Lin Yue threw two of them onto the trading market. He still has plenty of sheepskin, and each piece can make two coats, keeping them is useless, better to trade for more practical things like design schematics. Currently, there are plenty of hard currency in the market. Not to mention water and food, fuel like wood and coal, and dry grass necessary for making torches, as well as animal pelts and the sheepskin coats Lin Yue just listed, all count as hard currency. Lin Yue lacks none of these, and some he has in excess surplus, with no worry of shortage. He even has enough extra to trade for various intriguing things and design schematics from others. With a fine Iron Spear, Lin Yue dressed under his coat with wooden armor, wore a hat, and pushed open the stone door. A gust of freezing air instantly surrounded him. Snowflakes danced, without the previous momentum, the raging wind from before had somehow already stopped. Lin Yue carefully checked the eight traps and found no mutant creatures inside, he picked up a shovel, and re-dug the channel where the mutant sheep used to come for excretion. After finding the traps, he still didn¡¯t see traces of mutant sheep or other mutant creatures. Could mutant creatures be wiped out completely in this snow disaster? Lin Yue also had some concerns about this. But his worries were quickly dispelled by a "groooooo" roar coming from some unknown direction. Well, just as he said they vanished, they cried out. Though... Lin Yue raised his head, gazing at the spectacular snow wall towering above the roof. With this thing here, being able to survive is quite a miracle, isn¡¯t it? Sheepskin coats indeed are warm enough, even in this finger-freezing outside, he felt sweat almost forming on his body. The snow is getting smaller, just tiny grains floating in the air. Not much can be done outside, he can¡¯t move the snow wall temporarily, because the shelter¡¯s heat has pushed it back over two meters, there¡¯s confidence the snow will gradually melt once the temperature climbs after the snow disaster. Meanwhile, he just needs to wait. Thinking this, Lin Yue returned inside. Bai, while Lin Yue was out, finished a whole cup of iced tea, now comfortably sleeping on the mat. Lin Yue shifted it aside a bit, laying "spread eagle" on the comfy bed, glancing at the trading interface. The time should be sufficient, by now, their offers are supposed to be quite good. Nibbling the remaining apple, Lin Yue¡¯s eyes lit up at the quotes on the trading panel. [You lost 2.5L of water] [You gained 1 storage cabinet schematic, 1 shelf schematic, 1 rocking chair schematic, 1 watering can, 12 Sanlu dry batteries (size AA), 1 rope schematic] Nice, nice. [You lost 1kg of mutant sheep meat] [You gained 1 stainless steel water tank, 1 area map fragment, 1 broken flashlight] Oh, that¡¯s decent. [You lost 3 sheepskin coats (average)] [You gained 1 workbench schematic, 1 tent schematic, 1 iron ladder schematic] Satisfied. His materials were easily converted into schematics and valuable items, under Lin Yue¡¯s handling. This especially includes the area map fragment, which greatly excites Lin Yue. He promptly used it. [The map has been transferred to the system, accessible anytime] With the system notification, Lin Yue noticed a new change! The map originally occupying the upper right corner was now placed at the map¡¯s center and had been reduced to a tiny dot, akin to one pixel. And the newly added map was at the upper-left corner, far from the shelter, when enlarged, Lin Yue observed it had gray and red dots representing shelters and survivors. Simultaneously, he spotted vast forests and a small hill on the map. The general terrain seems to be a borderline between forests and grasslands, considerably richer in resources compared to his desert. Despite the envy, the other place is too far away from him, reaching it would be quite challenging. Lin Yue closed the map, and successively used those schematics. The schematics he picked are particularly aimed at improving life quality or better tidying up the Shelter. He went to the basement, built two storage cabinets and five shelves, placing them along the wall, sorted out items that are not immediately needed and organized them on the shelves. After making a rocking chair, Lin Yue took out two skewers of sheep meat, heating them up on the grill. "Plop!" Bai smelled the aroma, groggily climbed down. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lin Yue patted the little fellow¡¯s head, lying on the deck chair, sharing the skewers with it. Now that¡¯s enjoyment. Chapter 43: The First Disaster Ends! System Upgraded! Chapter 43: Chapter 43: The First Disaster Ends! System Upgraded!Arriving in this Otherworld, it is already afternoon of the eighth day. And only a few hours remain until the snow disaster ends, For others, after a few hours, their families will be transported to this world, obtaining water, food, and their family¡¯s companionship. But for Lin Yue, everything remains the same. One person gets to eat and the whole family is fed. No wait, it should be one person and one pet gets to eat and the whole family is fed. Lin Yue cooked two packs of instant noodles and divided them into five portions, quickly catching the attention of the entire group. Now, almost everyone knows about the "BUG" in the item bar and trading system. That is, as long as the item is placed in the item bar or listed in the trading system, its state will be retained until the purchaser buys it, and it will always be so. But if you want to use the trading system as a storage space, then that¡¯s too much to ask. After all, only five slots are available, and the system only allows five items to be listed. When instant noodles are listed, they¡¯re steaming hot, so naturally, they¡¯ll be steaming hot once they reach the other party. This saves the trouble of using the refrigerator. "Wow, did someone actually open a treasure box to get such items?" Lin Yue looked at the various offers, choosing the items he fancied. He didn¡¯t expect such an ordinary pack of instant noodles to be so tempting to others. [You lost cooked instant noodles X5] [You gained cat-brand thermos cup X1, iron helmet blueprint X1, a barrel of vegetable oil, copper ingots X10, wooden shield blueprint X1, wooden armor blueprint X1] The wooden shield and wooden armor blueprints came with the same offer. A bountiful harvest indeed. However, it¡¯s probably time to stop. Lin Yue looked at the remaining resources; both water and food were enough for him to survive for over ten days, but that¡¯s just about it. If the snow outside melts too slowly and mutated creatures remain unseen, he might find himself in a pinch. Looking up, he saw the sky outside gradually darkening. After placing more firewood in the stove, he discovered that it had completely stopped snowing. "Once my parents arrive, they should be proud of me since I¡¯ve built such an awesome shelter myself!" "Wow, you built it? You¡¯d have died long ago without the system, okay?" "What do you think will happen to the parents and children of those who passed away once they¡¯re transported to this world? Who will take care of them?" "Probably... they¡¯ll be left to fend for themselves. This survival game is brutal. Just look at the top right corner to see that." "Haha, you can¡¯t even take care of yourself, let alone others? Are you joking? In this world, it¡¯s all about survival of the fittest!" "I¡¯m curious about the other groups; are they as miserable as our group?" "I was so bored today that I compiled the age range of the entire group. Guess what? From 16 to 45 years old, that¡¯s the range of age for the first wave of survivors. They pretty much all have basic survival abilities, and the male-to-female ratio is one-to-one. The system is quite considerate." "Wow, you¡¯re amazing, so idle." "Is nobody talking about Lin Yue? I¡¯m curious how he managed to reach the top all by himself." S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Instant noodles are really delicious!" ... The group is buzzing with all kinds of chatter, much more lively than before. There are many messages. Some didn¡¯t even get to bring up topics before newer messages brushed past. However, all these people are really discussing their family members, whom they will meet in their shelter in a few hours. Judging by their lively conversation, it feels like they are not experiencing a disaster, but rather enjoying a peaceful night on Earth. Lin Yue fixed a wooden bucket for Bai, filled it with water, and lay on his comfortable bed, quietly waiting. However, unlike the vast majority, he wasn¡¯t waiting for any relatives with blood ties or those who cannot fend for themselves. He neither expects nor hopes for them. In such dire circumstances, who would want long-lost relatives suddenly depending on them? Lin Yue now eagerly anticipates the system¡¯s "upgrade"! The upgrade will accompany the end of the disaster, and this upgrade is likely to decide a lot. Being the one¡¯s group leader, Lin Yue didn¡¯t want his substantial advantage to diminish. A reduced advantage is bound to bring significant difficulties in future disasters. To maintain his top position in the group allows him the upper hand in transactions with others. Time passes moment by moment. Lin Yue patiently checked each function of the system panel and confirmed the quantity of the materials and items he possessed. Meanwhile, he used the unused blueprints to save space. When fully focused on something, time passes surprisingly quickly. When Lin Yue finally tidied everything up, only five minutes remained before the disaster officially ended. By the light inside, Lin Yue glanced out the window. He was surprised to see the towering snow walls slowly starting to melt. Is the disaster really about to pass? The group is now a scene of jubilation. They¡¯re waiting for loved ones and precious water and food. For them, it signifies they can survive for at least three more days! Lin Yue waits quietly. Yet soon, as the countdown on the notice board ended, a flash of white light emerged inside the room simultaneously! [System updating...] [Update progress 34%] [Update progress 79%] [Update completed] [The system has been upgraded to the official version] [First disaster ended. The elderly, children, disabled, and various dependent groups have been transported to the relevant shelters, and will be provided with water and food sufficient for three days per person.] [Upon this disaster¡¯s conclusion, the remaining global population: 3,455,654,778 people] [Please note, after upgrading to the official version, there will be extensive updates to all previous functions.] [Update content 1: Change item bar to storage space. It¡¯s calculated by exchanging every ten item slots for 1 cubic meter of storage space. The storage space¡¯s time stop function remains available.] [You will have one hour to remove bulky items from the item bar to prevent collapsing your shelter] [Update content 2: Upgrade the points system to survival points. The first survival points distribution will be based on previous point ranking scores, recalculated daily thereafter. The leaderboard remains, with special rewards for the top three of each group on the day before a disaster.] [Starting today, survival points will be charged as transaction fees for manufacturing, trading, and appraising items via the system, and for transactions conducted in the trade mall.] [Survival points¡¯ sources are not fixed, gradually explore and communicate.] [Update content 3: Groups with fewer members will be merged to meet the standard of 10,000 members] [Update content 4: Increase of mutated creatures around all shelters.] [Update content 5: The Secret Realm¡¯s location will be refreshed and reappear every two days, so avoid staying too long and ending up in dangerous unknown locations upon exit.] [Reminder, death here is genuine death!] [All humanity, good luck!] ... Apologies, my left hand hasn¡¯t fully healed, and it pains when typing at times, so the update is slow, sorry folks. Newbie author online, seeking ongoing reading, investment and recommendation votes! Don¡¯t go easy on me because I¡¯m a newbie, go ahead! ?(^?^*) Chapter 44: The Biggest Loser Is Actually Him? Chapter 44: Chapter 44: The Biggest Loser Is Actually Him?In the early morning, Lin Yue was awakened by a "chirping" sound. Bai was sticking to the glass window, jumping up and down, seemingly wanting to go out. This little guy, he¡¯s really full of energy. Lin Yue yawned and rubbed his eyes. Last night was really exhausting. The system had a nearly revolutionary update, changes were everywhere. Initially, he wanted to stay up all night to study it, but the soilless cultivation kit was something he couldn¡¯t fit into his upgraded 4 cubic meter Storage Space. This thing, which was a full 50 square meters in size, forced Lin Yue to place it outside. Therefore, he shoveled snow for quite a while to make such a big space. After taking out the kit, Lin Yue also surrounded it completely with stones to prevent it from being crushed by the possibly collapsing snowwalls from melting. But after all that tinkering, he inadvertently gained a "stone wall blueprint" as a blessing in disguise. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After covering the seemingly high-end kit with wolf pelts and such, Lin Yue finally couldn¡¯t resist the sleepiness and just went to sleep. He didn¡¯t even open the system panel. Stretching lazily, Lin Yue walked to the window, picked up Bai and placed it on his shoulder, wiped the misty glass window, and looked outside. Hmm, as usual, wild grass and red soil, the forest in the distance... Wait a minute. Something¡¯s off, where did the snowwalls go? After getting dressed and taking his weapon, he opened the stone door, and a wave of humid and stuffy air rushed at him! Moisture rose, creating thin layers of mist on the desert, and in the nearby lowlands, quite a lot of puddles had already gathered. The snowwalls that were melting just last night had disappeared! Goodness, where did the snow go?! Did it all just melt overnight? It¡¯s as if the disaster passed just like that, how convenient. However, Lin Yue also noticed that due to the melting snow, the ground was incredibly slippery, almost impossible to walk on. "Chirp, chirp!" Bai seemed to enjoy this environment a lot, as it always seemed to prefer humid or cooler surroundings. He remembered from the system¡¯s introduction that Bai was originally a mutated creature living inside a cave. Bai chirped and ran outside, rolling and jumping happily in the mud puddles, appearing to be quite joyful. It seems like it¡¯s been really cooped up in the house for too long these past few days, or maybe it just didn¡¯t like the heat generated by the fireplace. Lin Yue glanced at it and then climbed up the ladder to the roof, looking around. The thin mist was occasionally lifted by the breeze, and after glancing at the small forest and discovering that the Ancient Secret Realm Gate had disappeared, he immediately spotted a large gray-black door wrapped in numerous vines not far behind the Shelter. "This gate seems to look a bit different from the last one?" Even squinting his eyes, he couldn¡¯t see clearly, but it was roughly the same, still the kind of mossy brick structure like last time. Lin Yue jumped off the ladder and returned to the Shelter. Although he wanted to check it out now, he had to wait for the ground to dry out a bit and regain some strength first. "Chirp, chirp~" Bai was extremely happy playing in the mud, covered all over with it. Lin Yue found it strange. It was afraid of the snow before, so why was it now playing so happily in the muddy snowwater? "Little guy, I¡¯m not going to give you a bath later, you¡¯ll just have to stay dirty." Lin Yue laughed as he walked inside, scooping out the coal and charcoal from the still-burning stove with a shovel, and then cleaned out the remaining ashes. This thing has completed its mission, and it won¡¯t be needed for now. Luckily, it¡¯s not too big, so after Lin Yue packed it away, he stored it in the underground basement to gather dust. Stoking the stove again would make it completely unbearable. "Chirp!" Bai, wrapped in mud, hopped to Lin Yue¡¯s side, looking around here and there, wandering around. Lin Yue pretended to be angry: "Hungry? Haha, no food for the little dirty kid." "Chirp~" Bai lay on its back on the ground pitifully, its little forepaws trembling as if begging and acting cute. "Alright, alright, you win, but don¡¯t get yourself all dirty next time." Lin Yue found a piece of torn sheepskin from the ground, dipped it in water, and carefully wiped Bai clean. Bai squinted its eyes, seemingly enjoying this special service a lot. "Goodness, who¡¯s the master and who¡¯s the servant here?" Lin Yue laughed helplessly. However, after cleaning Bai, he unexpectedly found that Bai had not only grown a bit over the past few days, but its scales, especially the tail tip, seemed to have changed color. "How did your tail tip become white? And..." Lin Yue touched it and found it ice-cold, seemingly wrapped in some invisible white mist. "Chirp?" Bai continued to act cute and call out in hunger, not noticing Lin Yue¡¯s surprise. Lin Yue thought about it and decided to solve the breakfast problem first, and then study the system carefully. He went outside, using the charcoal he had just thrown out to grill skewers of meat, and took out a piece of bread and skewered it with a stick as well, toasting it. The skewers slowly released a fragrant oily aroma, while Bai was intently watching the dripping oil, completely absorbed. Lin Yue opened the system panel, intending to do some light study while preparing breakfast. [Welcome to the System Panel] [The new version of the system adds the following new features] [Feature 1: Rescue missions are now online. You can choose to rescue the elderly, children, and others incapable of self-help based on your own abilities. Successful rescues will earn you certain points and a provision of a day¡¯s worth of food and water as a reward.] [Feature 2: The Survival Points Mall is now grandly open, where you can use survival points earned daily to exchange for various items in the mall!] [Feature 3: The survival points lottery is now available, with options for both single and multiple draws. The prize pool is extremely rich, so please come and try your luck!] The system started with a rather long string of messages, which made Lin Yue want to ask whether the so-called update released in the early hours wasn¡¯t perfect, leading to the introduction of these rescue missions, and also the mall and lottery. Picking up the deliciously grilled lamb skewers and toasted bread, Lin Yue returned to the table with Bai. After placing the skewers and bread on the plate, Lin Yue continued to check the panel, while Bai next to him didn¡¯t care about such things and started its little foodie routine by blowing a puff of white mist over the skewers. He first opened the mall. Soon, a dazzling array of products were listed. Additionally, items were categorized based on their attributes. Food, tools, materials, facilities, etc., were divided into more than ten categories. "Goodness, a 600ml bottle of water costs 300 survival points? Third place Belger might become the biggest loser." ... Apologies everyone, my hand hasn¡¯t healed yet, so it¡¯s been a bit late. Thanks for waiting, two Chapters released together! Also, there will be a little surprise at midnight. Thanks to: Qi Ling for the 5000 coin reward! To the contributors, Salted Fish, Xianxian, the User ID 20201129192329213, User ID 150812151206244, and Yuluo-Fenfen for the 200 coin reward! And to other contributors for their 100 coin reward! Thank you all for your support! Please follow along, please follow along! ?(^?^*) Chapter 45: Evolution? Evolution! Chapter 45: Chapter 45: Evolution? Evolution!Lin Yue couldn¡¯t help but complain when he saw the first item. Cork Brown has 299 survival points, is this marketplace doing it on purpose? Then he looked at the other goods. "What! Even a sausage costs 200 survival points, oh come on..." It seems that anything related to food and water is extremely expensive! On the contrary, tools, especially materials and facilities, are quite affordable. For example, the small plastic greenhouse he fancied only costs 500 points, while seeds are mostly 50 points, and fertilizer soil is 100 points. However, the group that generally lacks water won¡¯t even consider this. Lin Yue thought it over and decided to exchange survival points for a greenhouse to check it out. [You have lost 500 survival points, remaining survival points: 595] [You have obtained: Simple Plastic Greenhouse (Small) Design Map X1] Not bad. Continuing to browse, Lin Yue clicked on "Shelter Related," and his eyes lit up. "Shelter Design Map...you can get it for just 400 points?" Lin Yue frowned, this thing is actually for sale. For others, it¡¯s just increasing living space, for him, it¡¯s merely another warehouse. Lin Yue didn¡¯t immediately make a purchase because his current shelter is already 80 square meters, two floors, no shared area, and is sufficient for now, not to mention he still has the metal Shelter Design Map unused. Scrolling further down, he suddenly found that the marketplace had a "Recycle" option. It clearly states: [Marketplace can recycle various materials to exchange for survival points, recycling price is one-tenth of the purchase price, no refunds or exchanges, once recycling is confirmed, it cannot be recovered, please be advised] Ah, I see. Lin Yue decided to try, took out a bit of mutton and chose to recycle. [You choose to recycle 5kg of mutated mutton, obtain 100 survival points, confirm?] Goodness, 5kg of mutated mutton only gets 100 points, this system is really stingy. I might as well keep it for myself! Lin Yue chose not to, and didn¡¯t proceed with the transaction. There wasn¡¯t anything that he precisely needed to buy anyway. Why be forced to sell items to recover points? Besides, survival points will update again early tomorrow morning; with daily points over a thousand, he can slowly save up to exchange for good things, or simply save them, isn¡¯t that nice? This marketplace has way too many items, from nails to greenhouse shelters and more, it¡¯s impossible to study everything at once. Lin Yue¡¯s eyes were sore from looking, and his stomach was growling. He decided it¡¯s best to eat first, then go for a walk in the Secret Realm, and leave research on the marketplace until later tonight when he has more time. Of course, the lottery is the same. However, just as he was about to lower his head to bite a skewer, he suddenly found that the table was empty. No, if anything was left, there was a small lizard on its back with a very large belly on the table. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Bai! You little rascal ate two portions, see how I¡¯ll deal with you!" Lin Yue pretended to be angry and picked up Bai, smiling as he decided to give it a little punishment. Suddenly, Bai started to emit a faint glow! And the system sound that hadn¡¯t described Bai for a long time also sounded at the same time. [Congratulations, you and your pet have formed an emotional bond, and your pet has evolved through bonding!] Huh? What¡¯s going on? Evolution? Is this a mistake? Isn¡¯t this supposed to be a proper post-apocalyptic survival world? Goodness, a pet evolution system, really? Though Lin Yue couldn¡¯t stop complaining, he was delighted inside. What will Bai turn into? The glow gradually faded, and the white shape on the table started to reveal its form. "Bai, you...you¡¯ve changed quite a bit." Lin Yue looked at Bai, who had finally revealed its full form, reaching half a meter in length, and couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. Bai¡¯s ruby-like eyes remained unchanged, and it seemed astonished by the changes in its own body. Half a meter in length, its body remained slender, but its tail and hind legs had undergone more noticeable changes than before. "Boop?" Bai seemed to sense something, noticing its hind legs had become sturdier, while the slender forelegs stayed the same. It clumsily stood up, only to wobble and fall to the side. "Standing upright on hind legs? Are you turning into a tiny dinosaur?" Lin Yue couldn¡¯t help asking, but he didn¡¯t go to support or hold Bai, instead choosing to let it try on its own. "Boop!" Bai attempted to stand straight again, only to fall once more. Lin Yue recalled seeing a baby at the orphanage stand up for the first time by its own strength. Though difficult, taking this step meant a true breakthrough! Bai attempted to stand up again. This time after sitting down it did not lose its balance, firmly using its hind legs and tail to support itself, seemingly using all its strength. "Bai, don¡¯t give up, stand up!" Lin Yue couldn¡¯t help but cheer it on; he knew the next part was crucial! Bai rested for a while, finally familiarized with its body, its trembling legs, and gradually stood up! It supported itself for quite a while, then directly took a step forward! Although it immediately fell, it promptly stood again. "Boop!!" Finally, it shouted and took the first step, and then the second step! Lin Yue felt a sense of achievement surge; for anyone else, this was merely a small step, but for Bai, it was a glorious stride! As Bai gradually got accustomed to walking, it finally exhausted all its strength, "Boop..." collapsing on the table, but Lin Yue could see that Bai was quite content. [Congratulations, your pet Ice Lizard has evolved into Snow Shadow Hunter Lizard!] Evolution! Lin Yue clenched his fists, Bai evolved! [Please confirm pet information] [Pet Species: Snow Shadow Hunter Lizard] [Pet Name: Bai] [State: Adult] [Description: Terrifying hunter hidden deep within caverns, no prey can escape its pursuit, its ability to freeze prey instantly makes it the top assassin in the cave!] [Ability: Phantom: swift and agile movements give it an advantage in attack or defense, Absolute Zero Frost: instantly release an extreme cold mist on the enemy, can freeze the opponent for dozens of seconds and cause great damage. Ice Hunting Claw: attacking with extremely cold claws, inflicts great damage on the opponent.] [Lifebound Talent: Gluttony Release: the more food intake, the stronger the combat power] The system¡¯s voice kept ringing, and Lin Yue¡¯s emotions were continually rising! He now not only has a pet but also a battle companion with "growth" potential! Lin Yue gently stroked Bai¡¯s head; just like before, Bai nuzzled against his hand, being affectionate. Little buddy, the future indeed holds promise. "Bai, are you still hungry?" "Boop!" "Goodness, did I raise a little pig?" Lin Yue couldn¡¯t help laughing. Chapter 46: New Equipment, Combat Power Soars! (Additional - for Deacon Chapter 46: Chapter 46: New Equipment, Combat Power Soars! (Additional Chapter for Deacon "Qi Ling")"Ah, I¡¯m alive again, finally alive again, with water and food, it¡¯s wonderful!" "Haha, now everyone has water, I wonder if the greedy merchant will still sell water or not!" "Newbie here, can someone tell me who¡¯s the water seller in your group?" "Haha, in a group of ten thousand people, it¡¯s inevitable some don¡¯t know the big shots. Let me introduce you, the biggest big shot here is Lin Yue, @Lin Yue." "Lin Yue? That¡¯s hilarious, how many survival points does he have? We have big shots here too, come on Drake, show him how it¡¯s done! @Drake." "1095 points, I don¡¯t know how awesome Drake is, but in front of Lin Yue, he¡¯s just a nobody." "What! Impossible! No way! Who can score four digits in survival points? Cheating, huh?" "Four digits? Are you kidding? Do everyone in this group loves bragging? It¡¯s already dark out there. (???)" "I get it, probably there are lots of people inside his shelter? Maybe dozens!" "The one above, just one person. Are you convinced?" "Damn, seriously? One person with 1095 points? I don¡¯t accept this!" "Watch out, five days left, I¡¯ll show Lin Yue what a real big shot is! He¡¯s just lucky." "I barely got first place in the previous group, and you made me lose so thoroughly, damn it! @Lin Yue." ... The group chat was bustling with activity, while Lin Yue was eating, he searched through the conversations for useful information, picking the essence and discarding the rest. But he realized it seemed futile, as those who had things to do didn¡¯t like chat groups much, and those who were there were mostly people unwilling to remain lonely. Moreover, it seemed the elders and children hadn¡¯t started adapting to this system, most were the same as before, with only a small portion of student types joining the chat. Lin Yue also noticed the group chat seemed to have a new function, now you could @ people, which wasn¡¯t possible before. Would it be possible to send pictures or gifs in the future? On the contrary, Lin Yue saw someone already using emoji symbols, perhaps big facial expression art would appear in the future. After eating the last bite of meat, Lin Yue opened the crafting panel. Using the previously acquired designs for the wooden armor and wooden shield, their quality reached ¡¯fine¡¯, so Lin Yue decided to craft them first and arm himself. [You lost 4x Wood, 1x Iron Block, 3 survival points] [You obtained 1x Fine Wooden Armor] [You lost 2x Wood, 1x Iron Block, 3 survival points] [You obtained 1x Fine Wooden Shield] Indeed, crafting now requires paying survival points, just as the system notification mentioned. Moreover, other than crafting, Lin Yue also needed to spend survival points for trading. As for "identification," he hadn¡¯t tried it yet. Could it be a new function? Looking down, two brand-new pieces of armor were emitting unfamiliar gleams. The wooden shield evolved from the previous small circular shield of about 40 cm in diameter into a rectangular shield, almost one meter long and half a meter wide, with an inner layer almost completely covered with iron. The shield was crisscrossed with long iron strips forming a cross, with three sharp studs embedded on the top. The inside featured two sturdy handles, allowing it to be worn on the arm with convenience. Though thicker than before, it wasn¡¯t as heavy as imagined. Picking it up, Lin Yue found he could handle it with one arm without much effort. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Looking at his slightly more muscular arms, he felt quite sentimental. Then he turned his gaze to the wooden armor, similar in design to the wooden shield, with crossed iron strips on the outside and a thin iron plate on the back, fitting well and being much sturdier than before. Lin Yue decided it wasn¡¯t enough, so he immediately crafted an Iron Helmet, which was exchanged for using instant noodle designs. [You lost 3x Iron Block, 2 survival points] Never mind, I have plenty of survival points! Lin Yue placed the helmet, resembling those worn by ancient generals, on his head and found it was a perfect fit. Fully equipped, Lin Yue held the Fine Iron Spear in his right hand, feeling instantly ready for battle. "Chirpy! Chirpy chirpy!" Bai dashed over from the other room, circling Lin Yue while chirping, seeming to praise him. This little guy had already adapted to his new body through constant failure and retries while Lin Yue was eating and monitoring the screen, now able to run vigorously with strong hind legs within the shelter. Lin Yue also found that the ability mentioned by the system seemed controlled by Bai itself, as he could see the difference between when Bai used or didn¡¯t use the ability. "Haha, looks like you like it too. How about I custom-make a set for you when my crafting skills improve?" Lin Yue patted its little head, now able to do so by slightly bending down instead of squatting. He checked the Storage Space again. After upgrading to a 4 cubic meter Storage Space, the convenience of the 40-slot inventory was greatly reduced. It could barely hold anything, so Lin Yue tried to reduce water to 4 bottles, and food only consisted of mutant lamb meat. Even so, there¡¯s not much that can be further stuffed inside. This appeared to be the system seemingly providing convenience to survivors, but it actually imposed significant limitations. Of course, various materials couldn¡¯t be carried either, so Lin Yue piled them up in the Shelter to the brim. To bring things from the Secret Realm, Lin Yue had to minimize wasted space. That¡¯s right, this time Lin Yue wasn¡¯t going out to mess with those mutant creatures, but planned to directly head to the Secret Realm! Just fighting mutant creatures wasn¡¯t wise; finding something advanced from the Secret Realm¡ªsome location on Earth that had possibly undergone years to tens of years of changes¡ªto outstrip the current almost primitive society was also a shortcut for him to become stronger! Especially since having made a generator, he was eager to find a light bulb or something similar to use lamps instead of fire for lighting. Taking a deep breath, Lin Yue looked at Bai: "Ready, Bai?" "Chirpy! Chirpy chirpy!" Bai responded energetically and with great excitement. "Haha, let¡¯s see how much stronger you¡¯ve become later!" "Chirpy!" Bai suddenly turned its head, rushing towards the Shelter window, calling out with alertness. However, it was too heavy to climb high enough. "There¡¯s an enemy outside?" Lin Yue walked to the window and looked outside. Two mutant creatures with tiger-stripe patterns but deer heads somehow had already approached the Shelter. Moreover, they were only about forty to fifty meters away! Good gracious, enemies delivered themselves! Lin Yue recognized them as the mutant "tiger-striped shadow deer" he had once taken down the day before the blizzard! "Bai, now we can test our combat power. Ready?" "Chirpy!" ... This Chapter is an additional update for Qilin who rewarded 5000 coins! Thanks for the reward! Isn¡¯t it a surprise? Exciting, isn¡¯t it? My left hand still isn¡¯t healed, I¡¯ll try to get it out early tomorrow, thanks for everyone¡¯s support! Request a follow, shamelessly ask fo Chapter 47: Combat Live Broadcast! He’s Actually So Strong? Chapter 47: Chapter 47: Combat Live Broadcast! He¡¯s Actually So Strong?The silver-gray spear blade reflected the white light of the sun. Fully armed, Lin Yue and Bai stood in the grass-filled wasteland, with a gentle breeze blowing. The wind lifted Lin Yue¡¯s hair and the long fur of the two tiger-striped shadow deer not far away, just over forty meters away. The tiger-striped shadow deer were practically a fusion of a tiger and a deer. Aside from their heads resembling a deer, every other part was like the fiercest big cats on Earth! They revealed full sets of sharp teeth, giant claws stepping on the slippery ground, gradually approaching the man and his pet, emitting terrifying low growls. It seemed to highlight their status as rulers of this wasteland! In the group chat, a separate module suddenly opened, showing a short video. And this short video was completely different from the previous ones. Everyone¡¯s attention was instantly captured. "Damn? What¡¯s the system doing? Is this the special video for the novice protection period? Teaching us how to fight?" "The protagonist is Lin Yue!" "Hmm? What is that creature that looks both like a deer and a tiger?" "Tiger-striped shadow deer. Last time, ten of us attacked, and we only killed one after one was seriously injured. Is Lin Yue insane for wanting to take on two alone?" "Haha, waiting for the bloody restricted scenes, will they be censored?" "Lin? Is that the number one person you mentioned?" "Wow, so handsome. I hope we don¡¯t see a disfigured face later." "My type, I can¡¯t wait to duel with him!" "Let me see, show me the power of the so-called strongest person in the group!" "What¡¯s that white standing beside him? Wasn¡¯t it a much smaller lizard before? How did it become a small dinosaur?" "Speaking of Lin Yue, his equipment is awesome. That shield and wooden armor, and that spear, all seem way more advanced than mine!" "New here for the first time, need some snacks or anything. Any big shots willing to sell me some water cheap?" "That big brother is actually fighting monsters! Charge, Ultraman!" ... In the ultra-high-definition image, chat messages were flooding in as people discussed the battle! Originally, they were reuniting with their long-lost families or preparing to start a new day when they suddenly discovered this video playing in the group. And those who were busy with other things couldn¡¯t help but miss it. However, people in the group also noted that the video seemed to deliberately obscure the background and long shot, hiding the location of Lin Yue¡¯s shelter extremely well. In the footage, Lin Yue slightly bent his knees, shielding his upper body with the shield on his left arm, while holding a sharp spear in his right hand, ready for battle at any moment! Bai mimicked Lin Yue¡¯s actions so vividly it was almost uncanny. "Grrroaaarrr!!" The two beasts, now less than ten meters away, let out a deafening roar and suddenly dashed towards them! They were not far from each other and had clear targets, working in highly synchronized cooperation. As top predators of the desert, they possessed not only sharp claws and teeth but also intelligence beyond human understanding. "Bai!" "Chirp!" Bai stood in front of Lin Yue, suddenly taking a deep breath, its small back straightening. At the same time, the two tiger-striped shadow deer leaped into the air only five or six meters away! A dense, cold fog suddenly spread over the original position where Lin Yue and Bai had stood, and once the two beasts landed, they were immediately enveloped in the fog! There were sudden screeches followed by the sound of blades piercing flesh twice! After that, there was no sound. "Damn? What happened? What kind of tactic is this?" "What exactly is that creature called Bai? It seems to understand Lin Yue¡¯s words?" "Wait, who¡¯s alive now? Why is there no sound? And why is the screen all white?" "I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s my first time watching. Will there really be bloody scenes?" However, as everyone chatted, the ice fog gradually dissipated. On the screen, the two beasts were now in a pit, pierced by several fang-like spikes through their bodies, with their head and neck seemingly severed by some sharp blade, only skin connecting them to their bodies. Their eyes were wide open, no sound or sign of life left, as if their previous ferocity and terror had been mere illusions. At this moment, the group chat fell silent. No one wrote anything, as if everyone had been simultaneously muted. However, when the camera focused again on Lin Yue, who was extracting and dissecting materials, everyone came back to their senses. "This move... this tactic! Damn, let me gather my thoughts..." "Mom asked why I was kneeling to watch the video, and now she and Dad are both kneeling to watch it too." S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Indeed, that¡¯s genius, really understanding the system mechanics thoroughly." "Huh? What did you all see? I didn¡¯t catch it." "Didn¡¯t see it upstairs? How did they survive..." "Seriously, didn¡¯t see it? Someone explain to him what happened. Just a simple evasive roll, what¡¯s the big fuss?" "Although I don¡¯t know how powerful Lin Yue is, these tiger-striped shadow deer are tough to deal with. Not only fierce, but they usually come in pairs, have excellent jumping, and coordinate. How did they end up like little bugs here, getting killed so easily?" "Alright, I¡¯ve organized my words. Lin Yue¡¯s move was brilliant. He probably prepared the trap immediately upon discovering the two tiger-striped shadow deer, and it was a more sophisticated trap. When they charged and jumped at him, his pet blew out the ice fog to block vision, and at this moment, Lin Yue quickly set up the trap and hid in a pre-determined safe spot. Then..." "Then waited for the monsters to fall into the trap and finished them with an iron spear! Wow, amazing reaction speed, or was it all calculated? By the way, did he get any loot boxes? If so, it would be perfect." "Didn¡¯t see any on camera, so probably didn¡¯t get any. Current drop rates are too pathetic. Lin Yue¡¯s luck isn¡¯t great either, but I¡¯ve something to say about the system, damn, this is ¡¯beginner combat training¡¯? It¡¯s a joke, right?" "That big brother truly is Ultraman!" Group chat messages continued one after another, while the video ended as Lin Yue finished extracting everything. The video vanished, leaving no trace behind. The group was full of people praising Lin Yue profusely. After all, at least from Lin Yue¡¯s combat prowess showcased in this short video, he wasn¡¯t an average person. Moreover, to cooperate with that white lizard so seamlessly was unheard of! Except, Lin Yue had no idea what had happened. ... Special thanks: A reward of 5,000 coins from Gui Qu Xia and Zhe Qu Xia Xiang Jian Huan! A reward of 500 coins from Kong Ling! A reward of 100 coins from 08a! Thank you all for your support. I¡¯ll update soon, and by the way, my left hand really got cut while peeling potatoes, not what you all think, damn it! ©Ñ©Ò©n©Ñ©Ò Chapter 48: Re-entering the Secret Realm, Surprising Discovery! Chapter 48: Chapter 48: Re-entering the Secret Realm, Surprising Discovery!The dark green vines twisted and entwined, crisscrossing to heavily conceal the moss-covered, slimy bricks. The double wooden doors wrapped by these dilapidated bricks were as ancient as before. However, Lin Yue did not see the mist that once enveloped the Ancient Secret Realm Gate, as if it had never existed. He gently touched the ancient gate, but Lin Yue did not enter immediately. The recent battle, although not prolonged, was not easy for Lin Yue. Before leaving, he had already drafted his strategy. The tiger-striped shadow deer were adept at leaping, a fact he learned from his previous encounter with them; he had indeed assumed that they would leap and pounce when approaching him and thus devised this final strategy. Bai¡¯s ability allowed it to exhale an icy mist, even freezing the enemies for over ten seconds, something he read about in the system¡¯s description. Thus, Lin Yue had prepared the traps in his inventory in advance and positioned himself in front of the traps he had previously set around the shelter. Even if they did not leap to attack and instead charged directly, they would fall into the pre-set traps, an occurrence Lin Yue felt confident about. When the time came, he only needed to retreat into the shelter, and to some extent, he could climb onto the roof to execute his well-versed high vantage strategy. In dealing with the tiger-striped shadow deer, he had several methods, and the opponent had indeed given him a straightforward solution by directly jumping into the trap he and Bai had set this time. As Bai spewed out the icy mist, Lin Yue¡¯s traps were also in place, and he quickly moved to the side. With almost a large area being traps, unless these creatures could fly, there was no escaping. After finally slaying them with the Iron Spear, all Lin Yue had to do was reap the rewards. "Two Silver Treasure Chests... feels like there¡¯s no breakthrough." Lin Yue felt that the Silver Treasure Chests were somewhat unsatisfying for him. He also wondered what the Golden Treasure Chest above the Silver Treasure Chest looked like, and whether there would be rarer chests above the Golden Treasure Chest. Not opening the two chests immediately, he tossed them into the shelter along with the skin of the tiger-striped shadow deer, only carrying 20kg of the poisonous deer meat. Although the deer meat was toxic and entirely unusable, it didn¡¯t mean it was entirely useless. He recalled the previous encounter in the Secret Realm with creatures resembling winged dragons but with antennas, and if he encountered them again on this Secret Realm journey, perhaps this deer meat would come in handy. "Bai, you did well just now; want to try something nice?" Lin Yue pulled out a Snickers bar, which he had exchanged for water a long time ago and hadn¡¯t eaten, considering Bai had just used up some energy spraying the icy mist, it was a good opportunity to give it a boost. "Puchi~" Bai was quite excited, thrilled to have been able to assist Lin Yue in its first battle after growing up, and now even more delighted to be fed by him. Bai almost swallowed half of the Snickers bar whole, still seemingly unsatisfied, eyeing the remaining half in Lin Yue¡¯s hand. "Don¡¯t stare, you little glutton, I¡¯ll give you more when we return from the Secret Realm." Saying so, Lin Yue used the wooden shield on his left arm to push open the wooden door in front of him. Strangely, there was no mist outside the door, nor even inside the door. It seemed completely different from the Secret Realm he visited last time. Lin Yue continued pushing the door with the Iron Spear, cautiously stepping inside. As he stepped onto the damp soil of the Secret Realm, a familiar, rich, peculiar smell wafted into his nostrils. Wait, this strong seafood smell, it also seems to be the scent produced by some special liquid... S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Oh my, there¡¯s a heather tree right by the doorway, how convenient." At first, Lin Yue thought he had reached some seaside area, but upon seeing a tree right by the door, blooming with numerous white flower clusters, he understood instantly. Taking out a ball of yarn, he tied it around the trunk of this tree, despite the strong odor, and turned to look at Bai, finding the little creature had also walked a bit ahead, seemingly unable to bear the smell. Lin Yue looked around, realizing he seemed to be in a forest this time, surrounded by towering trees. "The forest... seems even more dangerous than the city, and there¡¯s nothing worthwhile to collect either." Lin Yue immediately considered turning back. However, since he was here, he figured he might as well look around; you never know. After the system update, each Secret Realm opens only for two days, and it reminded that if one stayed past the second day, they might never return to the Otherworld, remaining in this place that seems like Earth but perhaps Earth several decades later. Remaining vigilant, Lin Yue continued forward, soon catching up with Bai. Bai still exhibited no signs of alertness to nearby enemies, which reassured Lin Yue somewhat. After all, comparing himself to the keen Bai, he, despite having become much stronger and learning many combat skills, still fell short of this mutated creature¡¯s survival instincts. Continuing forward, Lin Yue suddenly noticed something unusual. "Is this... a streetlamp?" [Would you like to spend 1 Survival Point to identify?] The system suddenly prompted in a voice that made Lin Yue¡¯s eyelids twitch. Good heavens, if only this voice was audible to him, otherwise in this quiet jungle, something might be drawn out. Naturally, Lin Yue chose no, as it looked unmistakably like a toppled streetlamp. The not-so-tall streetlamp pole had already fallen to the ground, and the lamp cover was shattered, with broken LED bulbs inside. "It¡¯s actually an LED bulb, which means it shouldn¡¯t be a main road, but even main roads shouldn¡¯t be this desolate after decades." Lin Yue muttered to himself, pondering where exactly this place was. There were no buildings around, only trees in his line of sight. Could this be a place like a park originally? Crouching down, he prodded the ground with the spear tip, finding it not a hard asphalt road, and after some searching, he finally poked a slab about ten centimeters buried. Further exploration revealed more slabs, a considerable number, extending in one direction. Darn, it¡¯s really a park. Following after Bai, who continued to walk ahead, Lin Yue soon found a second and third fallen streetlamp. Fortunately, he also found an intact LED bulb. Spending 1 Survival Point to identify, he discovered it wasn¡¯t broken. "Puchi!" After walking another few dozen meters, Bai suddenly bolted forward as if it had discovered something. Lin Yue quickly followed it in a sprint. Outside the forest ahead, he saw something too! It was a concrete structure! After reaching that place, before Lin Yue could inspect it, his eyes caught sight of something else in another direction. He couldn¡¯t help but gasp! The towering, red and white striped iron tower told Lin Yue exactly what this place was! ... The additional Chapter promised for Deacon "Returning to Meet Again with This Melody" couldn¡¯t be completed today, so I¡¯ll owe one for now. Before launching, every single 5000 points of reward will add one Chapter, and I¡¯ll surely catch up with the extra Chapters then, and the reward givers will get credited! Chapter 49: A Wasted World, Discovering New Hard Currency! Chapter 49: Chapter 49: A Wasted World, Discovering New Hard Currency!The towering iron structure, hundreds of meters tall, in red and white, took up the entire view, causing Lin Yue¡¯s scalp to tingle instantly. If he had been in that Secret Realm earlier, he would have been uncertain about the exact nature of the place, but now he was certain: this was Earth. Leaning against the wall of a concrete building nearby, he called Bai over, taking a deep breath. Knee-high weeds, trees growing askew, cracked asphalt roads, buildings covered in moss and overrun by ivy, and the skewed, tadpole-like characters confirmed for Lin Yue that this was Tokyo. Just like in that Secret Realm from before, without people, this place too was gradually being reclaimed by nature as time flowed by. Even the towering red and white structure showed clear signs of peeling paint upon scrutiny, the tower¡¯s body unnaturally tilting to one side. Perhaps in a few decades, it too would completely collapse. Lin Yue surveyed the surroundings. Now was not the time for reflection; time was pressing. It was better to gather as many items as possible and hurry back to the Shelter. So far, Bai hadn¡¯t shown any signs of caution, suggesting the area seemed quite safe. "Bai, let me know if there¡¯s anything unusual." "Puchi!" Bai responded, as if it had understood. Bai was quite intelligent and perceptive; Lin Yue noticed that it could understand some simple commands as they interacted. Looking at the building beside him, where most of the glass was broken and the wooden doors were decayed, Lin Yue peered inside and quickly realized it was a public restroom. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Initially considering bypassing it, he noticed a closed small door inside, prompting him to enter. After all, it wouldn¡¯t take much effort. Dust stirred as Lin Yue stepped into a cramped small room, unexpectedly discovering it was a small storage area. Brooms, rags, and a variety of items were stacked inside, and upon opening a metal cabinet, Lin Yue was surprised to find rolls of toilet paper and wet wipes piled like a small hill! They were all encased in thick plastic bags, and protected by the metal cabinet, most of them remained intact apart from the ones slightly affected at the top. "Goodness," Lin Yue couldn¡¯t help but exclaim. The preservation was impressive, likely due to the dryness and sealing of the space, along with the protective metal cabinet, and the additional plastic bag wrapping. Otherwise, items like paper would have certainly deteriorated. However... The value of these items wasn¡¯t far less than that of water. The use and presence of toilet paper signified a major improvement in living standards. Previously, he had acquired only a roll from the Iron Treasure Chest, and even now, across the whole group, no one had mentioned toilet paper. It seemed as though everyone implicitly assumed they had some. Lin Yue was curious about how people dealt with this issue. Were they using sticks or leaves, or perhaps...their hands? [You¡¯ve obtained 32 packs of toilet paper] [You¡¯ve obtained 45 packs of disinfectant wet wipes] Lin Yue felt he might have discovered another valuable currency. Although water seemed abundant for now, how many modern humans could truly do without paper? He was convinced these items would cause a sensation in the marketplace! Lin Yue rummaged through the remaining items, but none were as well-preserved. They crumbled upon touch, like a box of tissues, revealing moldy insides unusable. As he emerged from the storage, Bai yawned at the doorway, indicating the area was remarkably peaceful. Yet, Lin Yue felt something was amiss. Such a vast area, and not even birds or insects were visible¡ªthe entire park eerie in its silence, as though all living things had vanished. Though only humans seemed to have been sent to the Otherworld. The remaining mutated creatures, whether insects or beasts, didn¡¯t resemble Earth¡¯s original fauna, but rather appeared as enlarged hybrid creations... Wait, hybrid? Lin Yue remembered the Mutant Sheep, which had the appearance of a regular sheep yet bore wolf-like fangs and behaviors. The Tiger-striped Shadow Deer also resembled a blend of deer and tiger... A frightening possibility dawned on him! Cold sweat broke out! No, no. He looked at Bai. This little fellow was definitely not a product of fusion. Earth couldn¡¯t possibly have creatures that emitted icy mist, let alone evolve over a few days! And those strange large rats and winged dragon-like things in this world, seemed increasingly unlikely to have evolved on Earth over just decades. There were simply too many mysteries. Dismissed the thought, Lin Yue called Bai, exited the restroom, and continued ahead. He walked along the path overtaken by wild grass, moving forward. The abundance of trees, many with thick, straight trunks, filled the area. The environment felt entirely different from the city within the Secret Realm. The air was damp...though the scent of photinia flowers was still quite pungent. Looking up, between the gaps in the forest, a towering building appeared with edges jutting out. Lin Yue hastened toward it, venturing through the thicket, arriving upon a pitted staircase. He realized he had used up all the yarn balls completely. This outing had truly covered quite a distance. Gazing at the nearly three-story ivy-covered six-story building, he saw an almost completely faded dark yellow English sign on the top wall. "H, TE? Hotel?" Lin Yue scrutinized the mostly glassless hotel, reluctant to enter. Yet, the remaining few pieces of glass at the entrance looked intact. Approaching, he touched a relatively whole piece, and soon the system prompted him. [You¡¯ve obtained thick organic glass X1] Thick? Not bad. "Bai, anything?" "Puchi~" Bai responded by snuggling against Lin Yue¡¯s thigh. Oh, it¡¯s hungry. Lin Yue understood immediately, retrieved a lamb skewer from the inventory, handed it to Bai, waited for it to finish, before entering through the main door. Inside lay a thick layer of dust, the floor mostly corroded away, and some places had mushrooms sprouting. Entering the hotel, he noticed some corroded vending machines and a similarly deteriorated reception area. The area bore marks of severe water damage, remnants scattered everywhere. Tables and chairs appeared deliberately wrecked, reduced to fragments. Carrying a torch, Lin Yue surveyed the place, discovering nothing but dust. "Let¡¯s go, Bai, there¡¯s probably nothing here...wait, what¡¯s this?" Lin Yue opened a room, and the sight instantly gave him goosebumps! Chapter 50: Great Harvest! Crisis Emerges? Chapter 50: Chapter 50: Great Harvest! Crisis Emerges?Initially, when he saw the strange, heavy door not far behind the front desk, he didn¡¯t think much of it. But after pushing it open, discovering the downward staircase, and going all the way down, what Lin Yue saw in the torchlight was not only shocking but brought more joy to him. "It¡¯s actually... a wine cellar? Goodness, a red wine cellar!" The dusty wine racks nearly filled this space of about four to five hundred square meters, and on the racks, there were countless bottles of red wine. Even more astonishing was the number of oak barrels piled up in the corner! Lin Yue smelled the faint scent of wine in the air and immediately extinguished his torch. If a lot of wine had broken, he could easily have been finished here. However, who would have thought there would be such a large wine cellar in the basement, not far behind the front desk? Lin Yue groped along the walls in the wine cellar for half a circle and found a room with the door open, from which a faint light was emanating. As he continued inside, he quickly discovered a sturdy ladder. He climbed up and pushed open the light-emitting panel above to find himself in the hotel¡¯s back kitchen. The kitchen had a strange stench, with nothing left behind. Upon pushing open the back kitchen door again, he found himself behind the hotel. Tall weeds, as high as a person, completely obscured his vision. Bai did not react; it seemed there was no danger here. Understanding the layout, Lin Yue realized why, even with leaking red wine in the cellar, there wasn¡¯t much of a wine scent. If not for this, the last thing he would have seen with the torch in hand might well have been a burst of flame. Lin Yue once again confirmed his need for a flashlight, but all he had were plans for a flashlight that required many materials to make, and an almost completely unusable one. On his way back, he would see if he could gather some materials for this task, which was urgently needed. He returned to the wine cellar and, under the faint light, approached the wine rack closest to him. He picked up a bottle of wine, feeling the weight of the bottle, his excitement undiminished. He had gained quite a lot on this trip. This substance was just a drinkable liquid. Yet, after decades of fermentation, it possessed some luxury attributes. In the resource-scarce Otherworld, this should be as good a hard currency as paper was, right? [You have obtained Wine X1] [You have obtained ...] Lin Yue decided to first transport some back, then come and move a little more over the next couple of days. Unfortunately, the storage space was only 4 cubic meters, so even if Lin Yue wanted to take more, there wasn¡¯t much he could do. If this were the previous inventory, Lin Yue was almost a hundred percent sure he could empty this place all at once! "Squeak!" At this moment, Bai suddenly let out an alert noise, and as he was checking the big hole, he immediately stopped his actions. "Squeak!" Bai lightly called out, seemingly reminding Lin Yue to remain silent. He immediately crouched down, touched Bai, and then picked up the Iron Spear with his right hand again. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In the near-complete darkness and silence, Lin Yue suddenly heard something. The noise was mixed, with multiple things colliding, but he still picked out the sound of people talking! The wine cellar door was open, and the echoes from not far from the front hall were transmitted over here. Lin Yue took a deep breath, recognizing that this sound was likely still quite some distance away. Someone is coming? Moreover, from the sound of it, it seemed to be a group! Someone ended up here? What are the odds, how can someone still bump into each other in this Secret Realm? It¡¯s absurd. What should be done next? Come out straightforwardly and say hello to this group, saying "Hi, isn¡¯t the weather nice today, sunny and pleasant?" hhhhhc. It would take a really foolish person to do such a thing. After everyone globally was transported to the Otherworld, there was simply no concept of "law" or restraint by "humanity". The reason nothing horrific or bloody has been heard of so far is due to the system grouping everyone into clusters of ten thousand people each. The news within groups was vastly limited, to the point where no one knew how the person whose avatar had just grayed out actually died. Without videos or images, and lacking sound in the group, many things had become opaque. No one knows what the people with real avatars in the group originally did or what kind of person they were. Let alone those who appeared normal on Earth but have unleashed their inner darkness in this world, there¡¯s no telling how many there are. Growing up in an orphanage, Lin Yue encountered many people and saw many things. He experienced firsthand how ugly human nature could become when not restrained by law. That¡¯s why he hasn¡¯t added any friends in this so-called "survival game" since he harbors mistrust towards everyone. The apocalypse drives people mad! Who knows what these people would do upon seeing him alone? Holding Bai, Lin Yue moved quietly. The sounds hadn¡¯t seemed to enter the hotel yet. Those people seemed to still be outside the door. He stood up stealthily and finally reached the side of the ladder. Bai showed no reaction, suggesting there was no enemy here. He took a deep breath, climbed the ladder, and quickly made his way to the door. Bai remained unresponsive. The back door seemed fine. Setting Bai down, he held his shield with his left hand and the Iron Spear with his right, and after nudging the door open, he went outside. And immediately, he heard clearly the sound of people talking. The direction seemed to be the hotel¡¯s front entrance! Bai opened its mouth, making a soft "squeak," understanding too that it couldn¡¯t make noise, but its posture already signaled a state of readiness for battle. Lin Yue entered the tall grass, finding the ground relatively dry. He tried not to make any noise as he moved sideways towards the building. With his movement, the voices became even clearer. "Didn¡¯t you see the thread disappear here? The person must have entered the hotel!" a rough voice shouted. "Liu Fei, how are you so sure? What if they went back?" This was a woman¡¯s voice. "If they went back, there¡¯s no way they¡¯d escape. Rick and Sun Yu have already gone back along the thread to check the Shelter¡¯s door. I¡¯ve told them, if they find the person there, just cut off one leg. This isn¡¯t the first time we¡¯ve done it, they know what to do." This was a young man¡¯s voice. "So what now? Go inside? Regardless, the person must have been inside, otherwise, that glass wouldn¡¯t be missing a chunk... Wait, I think I smell wine?" Liu Fei¡¯s voice was filled with surprise and excitement. "A wine cellar? Boss, what do we do, should we go in, or wait?" the woman asked. "They might be in there, might not. If we¡¯re ambushed and someone gets hurt, that wouldn¡¯t be good. Let¡¯s wait for Rick and Liu Yu to come back..." Lin Yue, hidden in the tall grass, heard everything clearly. Goodness, there were actually three people at the door? And two others had already followed the thread back to the Shelter? A big bold "danger" word hung in Lin Yue¡¯s mind! ... Thanks: differing perspectives and Rainfall-·×·× for the 200-coin reward! Thanks to b34178111 for the 100-coin reward! It¡¯s late, sorry everyone o(¨i©n¨i)o Plea for bookmarks, continued reading, and shamelessly asking for a reward?(^?^*) Chapter 51: Death Accompanies, Dangerous Secret Realm! Chapter 51: Chapter 51: Death Accompanies, Dangerous Secret Realm!"Do we go in and search?" Liu Fei, holding a machete, urged impatiently. He stood at the forefront, waiting for Qian Yu¡¯s command, while also looking at Ryze. "Boss, it¡¯s your call." Ryze had his hand on the bowstring, occasionally sniffing the faint scent of alcohol in the air, licking his lips. The man with glasses shook his head, not putting down the steel crossbow but continuing to keep a lookout around. Although their five-person group was more efficient than others, their fatigue was apparent. Having abandoned their own shelter to raid others for survival, the five of them joined forces under Korun¡¯s leadership, arriving here from an Ancient Secret Realm Gate. They hadn¡¯t had a decent drink for days, or rather, not even in the past eight days. Guzzling drinks was only something that could be done in dreams. However, at the moment, the scent of alcohol was driving their desire and madness, saliva dripping. But after living in the Otherworld for eight days, and numerous times in and out of the Secret Realm, they were fully aware of the dangers of the realm and their own frailty. They also knew that even a minor injury might cost them their lives. Hence, when encountering a lone survivor, they would always adopt the most prudent tactics. This was their second time in the Secret Realm; they¡¯d already raided elsewhere for some things, but upon arriving here, they saw a piece of yarn. At the end of the yarn was this hotel. They did not know where the owner of the yarn was, nor how many people there were, but if there were only one or two, their siege posed no threat. "I can¡¯t take it anymore, boss, there¡¯s been no movement inside for ages, how about..." "Liu Fei, shut your mouth!" Korun continued to listen intently to all the sounds, knowing these two partners couldn¡¯t hold back any longer, the scent of alcohol from the hotel was tempting him too. But there were no signs of animals or bugs in this Secret Realm, raising suspicion. Should we go in, Korun was hesitating too. If there¡¯s more than one person inside... "Korun, how about I go first? If it¡¯s just one person, they can¡¯t do anything to me, but if it¡¯s a group, they shouldn¡¯t use violence against me, right?" Ryze said, flipping his hair and winking at Korun. Korun pondered for a while, nodded slightly, and glanced backward, wondering why Rick and Sun Yu took so long. Ryze slung the longbow over his back, felt the knife at his waist, then cautiously stepped through the broken glass opening of the hotel, disappearing from sight. But not long after, an excited shout erupted from the hotel! "Korun! Liu Fei, get in here, there¡¯s no one inside, come! It¡¯s all alcohol, haha!" Liu Fei and Korun exchanged glances, then rushed into the hotel with ecstatic expressions! Outside, silence fell. Yet in the tall grass, Lin Yue didn¡¯t take this opportunity to leave. At the moment, he was covering himself and Bai with dense grass, trying to remain completely silent. The reason was simple. Through the gaps in the grass, Lin Yue looked upwards. On the hotel¡¯s rooftop, there were the silhouettes of two monstrous birds with giant wings, perched overlooking the hotel below! Lin Yue could clearly see the constantly wriggling tentacles behind their heads. They were those creatures resembling Winged Dragons! Unexpectedly, this Secret Realm, resembling Western architecture, housed them as well as under Tokyo Tower. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As soon as those people went in, these two monsters flew over; if not for a shadow passing overhead, prompting him to look up and Bai¡¯s reminder, he¡¯d never have noticed their presence! For now, Lin Yue couldn¡¯t leave, not even move. Face them head-on? Without an auto-aiming Gatling in hand or the ability to transform into a Kamen Rider, a contest against these over two-meter-tall creatures with metallic sharp claws and bizarre tentacles... Would be an early end. He could only wait for changes now, if... At this moment, Bai suddenly gave a soft call, eyes pointed toward the hotel! Hmm? Why? More enemies? Lin Yue was surprised when a scream suddenly came from the hotel! "Bugs! We can¡¯t handle them, run!" What? Lin Yue saw through the tall grass¡¯s gaps: Korun, clutching his bleeding right arm, squeezed out of the window frame, limping from injured legs, followed by Liu Fei, staggeringly bloody, with a bizarre, creepy bug on his back! "Help me! Help me! Boss, save..." Ryze¡¯s scream echoed from the hotel, abruptly stopping as if cut off. "Boss! Wait, wait for me!" Liu Fei¡¯s face turned extremely pale; he suddenly lost strength near the exit, collapsing, and his body seemed to melt, ceasing movement entirely. The sinister black bug on his back turned bright red! Lin Yue saw more than ten rushing out from the hotel! "Damn it, how could, how could it turn out like this, how could..." Korun struggled out the door, shooting crossbow arrows back at them, instantly blasting the red bug off Liu Fei¡¯s corpse, then shooting the remaining bugs, watching the last two return to the hotel before collapsing, gasping for breath. And at this point, a gust whipped up, Korun despairingly saw two red figures over two meters tall standing in front of him! He felt the monster easily pierce his abdomen, consciousness sinking into darkness. The two monsters competed, gobbling him up! At this time, a long spear, shining like a silver dragon, suddenly plummeted down, clanging onto the ground. The two monsters instantly retreated, letting out indescribable shrieks! Yet they found that other than the strange object on the ground, there were also chunks of meat emitting a peculiar fragrance. The two monsters went back to tearing at the meat chunks, still vying, and after finishing those, they turned to munch on bug and human corpses. They wolfed down the last chunk, spread their wide wings, and leaped into the sky! However, in an instant, the two gigantic monsters plunged back down from high above! After crashing into the hotel¡¯s wall, they landed on the stone slab by the entrance, twitching for a while before finally ceasing movement. "Bai, is it over?" "Purr, purr." Lin Yue cautiously moved through the tall grass, looked up at the rooftop, then into the dark hotel interior. A while later, he finally stepped out, hurriedly running to where Korun had fallen and picking up the steel crossbow. Glancing at the bodies of the two monstrous birds, he vaguely saw the tentacles behind their heads still writhing! He looked back at the red and white tower, amazed to find black silhouettes circling above! "Bai, let¡¯s go quickly!" Lin Yue briskly followed the yarn, with Bai remaining vigilant; the pair used all their speed to reach the toilet area, rested briefly, then cut the yarn beneath their feet. Korun and the others had mentioned two people who¡¯d already traced the yarn to the shelter, so he had to leave this dangerous place quickly! Then chase those two out of his shelter! Yet as he hurriedly damaged the yarn and made his way back, smelling the familiar Heather Tree fragrance, Bai suddenly let out a "Purr". Lin Yue saw two almost unrecognizable corpses hanging from the Heather Tree at the door! Chapter 52: Shelter Expansion, Planning Layout! Chapter 52: Chapter 52: Shelter Expansion, Planning Layout!On the Heather Tree, two corpses with huge holes in their chests were hanging there, the blood already dried. They seemed to be... Lin Yue resisted the urge to vomit and nausea, directly opened the Ancient Secret Realm Gate, cautiously observed for a while, and only after confirming that there was nothing unusual outside, did he finally step out. Bai closely followed Lin Yue out, both were in an extremely tense state, sitting by the door for quite a while, only then did Lin Yue stand up again. Those two corpses, one with black hair and the other with blonde hair, are probably Sun Yu and Rick who went to find this Ancient Gate among the five people. Judging by their wounds, they should have been killed by those Monster Winged Dragons, just not completely eaten. I wonder if this gate of the Secret Realm is sturdy, will those monsters be able to crash and break it? Lin Yue walked towards the direction of the Shelter, and Bai closely followed. At that time, he had no better options. He absolutely couldn¡¯t fight and defeat those two Monster Winged Dragons using normal methods. Even though he now had harder wooden armor and shield, and a sharp Fine Iron Spear, Bai had also evolved a bit. But to confront two Monster Winged Dragons head-on and ensure he wouldn¡¯t get injured, he couldn¡¯t guarantee that at all. He was fully aware that now in this world, a simple stomach upset could easily take down a strong man, let alone infection from scratches, or tetanus from rusted wounds, and not to mention losing an arm or leg. There were simply no hospitals, and even medicinal herbs and various relevant items could only be obtained through defeating monsters and opening treasure chests, and the probability was extremely low. Until now, all Lin Yue had obtained was simply a small emergency medical kit. Considering all aspects, he used a regular iron spear to pierce the poisoned meat of the Tiger-striped Shadow Deer, and threw it when the two monsters were fighting for food. He really had no other route to choose. Who knows if these two monsters will just stay here after eating? Although this move is indeed risky, it was confirmed that the poison in the Tiger-striped Shadow Deer¡¯s meat seemed quite potent. "Puchi!" Bai returned to the Shelter, gently calling out. Lin Yue patted its little head, silently. Although this harvest was quite good, obtaining so much toilet paper and wet wipes, along with a large quantity of wine, he couldn¡¯t go into this Secret Realm for the time being. Unless he wanted to be eaten by the vast number of Monster Winged Dragons there. He had only dealt with two, but there were dozens more circling the Tokyo Tower. Moreover, even the strange bugs that were probably nesting somewhere upstairs in the hotel made him unable to continue exploring. "Bai, with our current ability, it seems we¡¯re still quite lacking." "Puchi!" Bai gently exhaled cold air, Lin Yue wasn¡¯t sure if it could understand what he was saying. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Stretching his body, Lin Yue took a deep breath, looking at the materials and various items almost covering the entire Shelter, he decided to fill his stomach first. Lighting a fire, setting up a pot to cook noodles. Sharing with Bai, after finishing eating, Lin Yue began to rearrange the layout of the entire Shelter again. Speaking of adjustments, it was actually about reorganizing all items, trying to put those heavy ones temporarily unused onto the shelves in the basement. Of course, he handled water and food in the same way, toilet paper and wet wipes were also stored there. The shelves quickly got filled, and the basement became crowded. Looking at the large amount of wine still occupying considerable space in the Storage Space, Lin Yue knew he had to expand the Shelter a bit. He opened the iron Shelter Design Map from the items list and immediately clicked use. As long as the Shelter is expanded, the design map would disappear after use, and it would not reappear in the crafting menu. This design map was something he obtained from Belger, if that guy could make another, then he might get another one later. [You lost Iron Block X45] [You lost Stone X10] Setting the iron Shelter next to the stone Shelter and laying the foundation, the system kindly connected the two 40-square-meter rooms with a door. Lin Yue wouldn¡¯t build this iron Shelter above ground like Belger. He didn¡¯t want to suddenly get struck by lightning one day and get electrocuted with the Shelter. All charred, just thinking about it is thrilling. Entering the iron Shelter, Lin Yue didn¡¯t continue building shelves, but instead carefully placed the wine bottles from the Storage Space tightly against the flat floor. Glass bottles aren¡¯t easy to store, and Lin Yue indeed didn¡¯t take too many. After arranging 300 bottles, he used some iron and stone blocks to stabilize them and covered them with a layer of wolf skin. Next, he placed four oak barrels along with their wooden racks tightly in the corner. The capacity marked on the oak barrels was 225 liters. Also because of these four, his Storage Space was almost completely filled. After tidying all this up, Lin Yue breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, it¡¯s almost done. These wines, as a hard currency, may sell even better than water. Especially now that everyone basically has three days of water and food, the appearance of these might lead to a frenzy of buying. But the downside is, this was pretty much all he had, there wasn¡¯t much more. It seems, when selling wine, he might need to get others to pay a bit more. Stepping out of the Shelter, Lin Yue found Bai seemed a bit weary and had fallen asleep on the bed. Indeed, Bai had really exerted itself quite a lot today, let it have a good rest. He lightened his footsteps, walked out of the Shelter, and looked at the piles of stone outside, and the Soilless Cultivation Kit enclosed by the stone wall. The group of five encountered in the Secret Realm was the roaming Survivors he had heard about but never seen, who specialized in attacking others. They lived by eliminating solitary Survivors and taking over their supplies. If those two hadn¡¯t been killed by the Monster Winged Dragons, then perhaps he should have already engaged in battle with them. There is even a possibility that those two might use his sturdy Shelter to counterattack him, putting him in a predicament. After all, he currently didn¡¯t have any locks or anything, the Shelter basically lacked any defense. So, the way to "protect" the Shelter from being easily approached by people... He looked at the stone walls enclosing the Soilless Cultivation Kit. It seems like this is the only way. Holding the Fine Iron Spear, he cut through several crawling insects, and as the system notification sounded, Lin Yue also started planning for the Shelter! ... Apologies for the late post today, been busy with a bunch of things during the day... Also, what¡¯s this about being someone from a studio? I¡¯m an old street writer who¡¯s been through over ten books, okay? ... Thanks: for the 300 coins reward from ¡¯Unlike Boats¡¯! for the 200 coins reward from ¡¯End of lcy Flux¡¯! for the 100 coins reward from ¡¯Carried Chubby Baby¡¯! Continue to ask for follow-ups and collections, thank you all! Chapter 53: Shortage of Materials? Dishonest Merchants Step In Chapter 53: Chapter 53: Shortage of Materials? Dishonest Merchants Step InIn this world, no one has yet produced items like "pen" and "paper." At least, according to the chat records and trading mall, as well as the Survival Points Mall, it can be basically confirmed. Without pen and paper, Lin Yue could only find a piece of ground to use a stick as a pen to write and draw on the ground. "There cannot be a lack of defensive facilities around the Shelter, like ancient city walls that can resist certain attacks..." Lin Yue drew a dot in the center of the ground to represent the Shelter, and then drew an open circle around it. "Well, when building city walls, a certain land area must be ensured. The gate seems to only be a stone gate, but that would only defend against ordinary mutated creatures..." Walls can¡¯t keep out people. The most ordinary Survivor could use a ladder to climb over the wall. Lin Yue looked at the city walls he could currently build, only about three meters high, which would be no challenge for someone with a ladder. "Then, how about adding another layer of insurance?" He drew small ¡Ás inside and outside the circle. The tightly connected small x¡¯s represented traps. Currently, Lin Yue can make two kinds of traps, the first is ordinary, the second is improved. The difference is only in the amount of damage; from the appearance, they¡¯re hardly different from the ordinary Desert. If not, he wouldn¡¯t have had so many harvests. The traps inside and outside the wall, even if they¡¯re ordinary, could inflict some harm on those so-called "wandering Survivors" who wish to attack, even discourage them. After thinking about it, it seems this is all that can be done for now. Indeed, learning to put broken glass on the wall to increase damage, making it hard to climb, could be done. He does have glass, but it¡¯s thickened acrylic glass that he just brought back from a hotel. Breaking such a good thing doesn¡¯t seem like a good idea; using it for a better purpose would be wiser. However, this can only be considered after the next Secret Realm refresh; currently, it¡¯s too dangerous. "Next, the idea needs to be put into action." Lin Yue stood up, stretched his arms, estimated the distance, and decided to make the city wall¡¯s range within a fifty-meter radius centered on the Shelter. A fifty-meter radius would allow him to expand the Shelter later or place things like hydroponics or simple plastic greenhouses he obtained at that time, or buildings. Too large would consume more materials, and too small wouldn¡¯t fit everything, so fifty meters seems most fitting. He tied yarn to the chimney on top of the Shelter and tried to stretch it to fifty meters¡ªthis aspect is quite easy for Lin Yue, since by using the method he measured before, it can be done simply. Even if it¡¯s not exactly accurate, it doesn¡¯t matter; roughly a circle is fine. Holding the yarn in one hand and the Iron Spear in the other, he quickly drew a fifty-meter radius circle on the ground. After completing this, he walked towards the stone materials piled beside the Shelter and started putting them piece by piece into Storage Space. Next comes the tedious process of simply making "stone walls." Six stone materials can make a stone wall about three meters wide and high, and Lin Yue found he could also bend the walls a bit. The walls are not thick, only thirty or forty centimeters, but they¡¯re quite sturdy. According to the formula for the circumference of a circle, circumference L=2¦Ðr, the circumference is roughly 314 meters. Then about 110 pieces of the wall need to be made, consuming about 660 stone materials. Goodness, after calculating, the demand is really a lot. Plus, the traps inside and outside the walls require making too... Wood and Iron Blocks will also consume a lot. After looking at his raw material reserves, they are indeed lacking, especially stone materials, only over a hundred. "The task is daunting and the road long." Lin Yue made dozens of walls with the existing stone materials, placed them in the previously planned locations, and returned to the Shelter. Bai is still asleep; how can this little fellow sleep so much? He pushed Bai from the mat inward, "pulling" it to lie on the comfortable bed. After the snow disaster passed, although there was no more heat from the fireplace, the temperature returned to about thirty degrees, still making Lin Yue feel sweltering. He opened the game panel, which hadn¡¯t been opened for a long time, and as usual, he first browsed through the group. "Damn, you all can call me the Emperor of Europe. I just used my last 5 survival points to draw 20L of water! Can you believe it?" "Great one, awesome!" "You must be the system¡¯s pet." "I mean, I threw over a hundred points and got nothing, not even a splash of water!" "Seeking trade; you can¡¯t drink 20 liters of water by yourself. How about letting me help you solve it?" "Still want water? Haven¡¯t you noticed that there are more bugs now, even with low chances, you can get some water?" "Indeed, after my parents came, the system automatically provided 3 liters of water per person. Conserving these 6 liters can sustain us for a while." "Spread the word, water shopkeeper Lin Yue cried and fainted at the Shelter." "Spread the word, black-hearted shopkeeper Lin Yue shed tears drinking water until he burst." "What are you doing? Back when Lin Yue was selling water to sustain your lives, you kept calling him great. Now with some water, you¡¯re like this?" "That¡¯s right, though not much, Lin Yue wasn¡¯t stingy back then, compared to then selling 15, 20 milliliters for a pile of wood and stone, it¡¯s much more conscientious now." "Haha, no one leaves here; if I were Lin Yue, I¡¯d blacklist all of you!" "Oh wow, does Lin have fans now? Do you think that the shopkeeper will look at you more this way? Laughter." "Lin? Oh, I just blew up hundreds of bugs and got eight wooden chests. Who would go seeking him?" ... Lin Yue silently observed. Originally seeing someone discussing lotteries, he had the interest to check, but then these people started talking about him, with someone trying to lead public opinion making his reputation worse. Reputation is crucial at least when selling things. Though, he hadn¡¯t expected that now, because the system placed more mutated creatures, even ordinary people can handle those mutated bugs, so as long as enough are blown up, the chance of getting chests increases, making it easier to obtain water. But this is only temporary. Each person is another mouth. Drinking water, eating meals, a person can always manage, but two or three people, especially if there¡¯s someone around who can¡¯t move well and doesn¡¯t help in survival? When time passes, water would still be lacking, since demand becomes larger. Once accustomed to drinking generously, the real hardship would come when resources become scarcer and tight. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Maybe only those like him living alone won¡¯t worry momentarily. He glanced at the upper right corner; the group¡¯s count of ten thousand people dropped again, now the number is 9811. Lin Yue silently blacklisted a few people and looked towards the mall. He¡¯s no saint; he wouldn¡¯t offer his other cheek to someone who gives him a slap. Getting benefits while pretending to be innocent, so when the blacklist for trades comes, don¡¯t cry when you have no water. When you come begging, you¡¯d have to pay a higher price before I agree! For example... Now? [Seller: Lin Yue] [Auction: 100ml of luxury wine X500] [Requirement: Timber, Iron Blocks, Stone Material.] [Seller Note: 500 portions, bids can be multiple, highest bidder wins.] ... ... Thanks to all the readers for your support and encouragement! Please share your thoughts, leave more comments! ???? Additionally, please continue reading!?(^?^*) Chapter 54: I Have Wine, Do You Have Supplies? Chapter 54: Chapter 54: I Have Wine, Do You Have Supplies?"Wine? Lin Yue made wine? Damn, what kind of extreme maneuver is that? We just managed to get water, and he¡¯s already got wine?͹(¡Ñ¨y¡Ñ)" "Wow, are you saying he¡¯s moved straight from survival to enjoying life? @Lin Yue" "And it¡¯s high-end wine, 100 milliliters at a time! 500 times... Damn, 50 liters of wine? That¡¯s absolutely insane! "Well, I didn¡¯t think of the wine path for real, who said Lin Yue was just a water peddler?" "Can I buy more? I¡¯ve got tons of wood and stone! Already made an offer!" "What I said earlier about being a profiteer was a joke, it¡¯s actually a term of endearment, our special affectionate term, how about a trade, big shot Lin Yue? @Lin Yue" "Didn¡¯t any of you notice? Lin Yue is only asking for the most basic materials like wood, stone, and iron blocks. What exactly is he planning?" "Haha, you want my stone? Sorry, you can¡¯t afford it, Lin!" "You think you¡¯re the only one with stones? Ha." ... Goodness gracious. Lin Yue had just put the wine up on the trade panel for about ten minutes, and when he glanced at the group, he found it was like a huge rock was thrown into a pond, creating massive waves. His name seemed to be the one most discussed and widely known in this group that had combined a lot of people. Turning back to the trade panel, Lin Yue was surprised to find that bids had reached over three hundred in such a short amount of time! Looks like this is undoubtedly another hard currency. As for why he started off with 500 portions, each 100 ml, totaling 50 liters of wine, this was also a result of Lin Yue¡¯s careful consideration. Firstly, he wanted to acquire a wide range of materials to build that wall. The second point was to lay the foundation for long-term goals. Honestly, Lin Yue didn¡¯t want to mess too much with wine. Because it has a certain dependence and addiction. Much like cigarettes, you might not drink it, but once you get used to drinking it, you¡¯ll want it a second and third time, even endlessly. Of course, this varies from person to person. Lin Yue made a quick calculation. There were four oak barrels, each containing 225 liters, a total of 900 liters, with 300 bottled in the shelter and 100 bottles in his storage space, each bottle containing 750 milliliters, totaling 300 liters. Out of 1200 liters of wine, even after accounting for loss over time, there were still 1100 liters. Taking out 50 liters for trade isn¡¯t a loss. There¡¯s still a reserve of 1000 liters to provide for those who want to continue drinking. However, at that time, it won¡¯t be 100 milliliters so much anymore. Of course, he¡¯d also use smaller amounts to trade for more. As for why not use toilet paper and wet wipes, Lin Yue thought those two items weren¡¯t enough to trade for larger quantities of stones and other materials. Moreover, their quantities compared to wine were also insufficient. But there is a frustrating point about trading. It consumes a significant amount of survival points. After listing the wine, his survival points immediately dropped by 200, and combined with building stone walls previously, as well as prior expenses, he now only had 320 survival points left. "This can¡¯t do, I¡¯ve spent too much, how can I earn some points back?" Although he could rely on the daily distribution after midnight, he couldn¡¯t just live off of that. Re-donning his wooden armor and shield, and picking up the Fine Iron Spear, Lin Yue was about to head out when his eyes fell on the steel crossbow by the door. This item was left behind by Korun from the Secret Realm. Lin Yue saw Korun use this steel crossbow to kill multiple mutant bugs in quick succession, and he could even blast them apart, showing immense power! He picked up the heavily-weighted steel crossbow and examined it closely. Made from pure steel alloy, the bowstring was extremely sturdy. Although it bore some signs of age, it was quite similar to the modern crossbows he had seen online, except it had several arrow slots, making it a steel repeating crossbow! S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Korun likely obtained this not from a treasure chest, but within the Secret Realm. It seems this is truly a rare item. What a good guy, Korun gave him a piece of gear. Exchanging it with a regular Iron Spear actually wasn¡¯t too bad. After fiddling with it a bit, Lin Yue put it back down. The crossbow was great, but its drawback was the lack of crossbow arrows. Searching the trade panel, there were no blueprints listed, nor was anyone discussing crossbows. Looks like he¡¯ll have to make them himself. Or open treasure chests to get them. As for opening treasure chests... Lin Yue suddenly spotted two Silver Treasure Chests in the corner of the room. These were from before he entered the Secret Realm when he took out two Tiger-striped Shadow Deer. He opened them. [You obtained: Fine Climbing Rope X1 bundle, Mutated Creature Atlas X1] [You obtained: High-Power Sighting Scope (Fine), 2 cubic meter Storage Space Expansion Book] Emma, this wave... This wave was a massive win! The Fine Climbing Rope wasn¡¯t needed for now, so he set it aside. Lin Yue immediately used the "2 cubic meter Storage Space Expansion Book"! A faint glow quickly swept over, and although there wasn¡¯t a more special feeling, he knew he now had 6 cubic meters of Storage Space! This meant he could carry even more items now. The remaining items were a Mutated Creature Atlas and a High-Power Sighting Scope. He looked at the scope, carefully picking up the substantial object, noticing it had "Aortex Razer HD" written on one side. [High-Power Sighting Scope] [Description: Features 4-20x variable magnification, zero-lock adjustment and reticle illumination as standard, equipped with anti-tilt leveler. Parallax adjustment is side-focusing, with a parallax adjustment lower limit of 25 yards. Filled with argon to prevent fogging, fully waterproof, and has gas gun-level shock resistance.] [Review: Don¡¯t think this is just for peeping at the dorm next door.] Lin Yue¡¯s whole body shivered. This thing is awesome! Wait, where¡¯s my gun? Without a gun, this seems to just function as a small telescope, right? Just as Lin Yue thought it might not be useful, he saw the steel crossbow beside it. Wait a minute. Can these two things be combined? Combining the steel crossbow with the High-Power Sighting Scope, success! He went outside to test it, climbed onto the roof, and aimed around. Clear, precise, even a Mutant Sheep wandering in the distance; Lin Yue could see the hair on its head! He had practically discovered a new world! Lin Yue was filled with excitement, but he quickly calmed down. What good is it if he has no crossbow arrows? Isn¡¯t it still just a telescope? He temporarily put the crossbow and scope into the Storage Space, then turned his attention to the last item. [You used the Mutated Creature Atlas] [The atlas has been embedded into the system panel and can be accessed anytime for information on encountered mutated creatures] Lin Yue opened the system panel, then the atlas. From 1 to 9999, a long list of "???" What¡¯s the deal with these numbers, are they serial numbers? However, it didn¡¯t take him long to find names like "Tiger-striped Shadow Deer," "Mutant Sheep," and other mutated creatures. It also classified them into herbivores, carnivores, and scavengers, with some introduction to various habits. After browsing through it, Lin Yue closed it again. [This atlas can open automatically according to the user¡¯s mind] Got it, got it. "Baa~" Bai suddenly called out, jumping off the bed, wobbly as if still sleepy. "Bai, how about going out to fight and clear your head?" Lin Yue suggested as he looked at the outline of a Mutant Sheep a few dozen meters away. Bai suddenly perked up, excitedly baaing as it saw the Mutant Sheep at the door. Good, well-rested isn¡¯t it? Then, for the treasure chest, let¡¯s start the battle! Chapter 55: Treasure Chest Addiction Chapter 55: Chapter 55: Treasure Chest Addiction"Sixty-fifth!" A giant beetle suddenly flew at Lin Yue from the ground, but after being engulfed by a chilling white mist, it instantly crashed to the ground, and Lin Yue¡¯s iron spear turned it into fragments! [You have obtained a Wooden Treasure Chest] The familiar sound echoed, and Lin Yue placed the Wooden Treasure Chest into the Storage Space, wiping the sweat off his forehead. Looking up, the sun was setting, it was dusk again. Wooden Treasure Chests, 5 Copper Treasure Chests. The harvest was fairly good. I have to say, after the system increased the mutated creatures, it¡¯s become easier for him to obtain treasure chests than before. But compared to others who kill hundreds of small bugs and small lizards in scenarios akin to mini "bug tides," his numbers here probably only match others at the beginning. This Desert Zone is really too barren, it¡¯s been like this from the start until now. He thinks, maybe even a desert is better than here. If his Shelter were in some forest, perhaps he couldn¡¯t even hold water in the current house. "Squeak~" Bai lay motionless on the ground, its call imbued with fatigue. This little fellow once enthusiastically challenged Mutant Sheep, ultimately proving through an almost suppressive battle that it has indeed grown stronger and can stand on its own. Skillfully using its speed, it has become increasingly adept at employing its Ice Mist Attack, and the Ice Hunting Claw ability is gradually used with ease. Lin Yue even saw Bai suddenly erupt in power, delivering the final blow to the Mutant Sheep. This is likely the effect of its Lifebound Talent "Gluttony Release." The combat power is sufficient. If there¡¯s a flaw to point out, it¡¯s that Bai¡¯s probability of bursting open treasure chests is simply too low. "Little guy, you should learn from me, bursting open more treasure chests, wouldn¡¯t that be delightful?" Lin Yue took out a grilled mutton skewer from the Storage Space and handed it to Bai. "Squeak?" Bai didn¡¯t understand Lin Yue¡¯s words but devoured the skewer with customary swiftness. Looking up toward the distant horizon. The sky has darkened further, unknown mutant creatures howling afar. This world is filled with uncertainty and danger, but Lin Yue now feels much more secure than when he first arrived here. Obtaining a large number of Wooden Treasure Chests has further ensured the reserve of water and food. Lin Yue holds the iron spear, feeling the ache in his muscles. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. While hunting mutated creatures daily for treasure chests seems like today¡¯s routine, it inevitably takes a toll on him physically. Beyond fatigue, what if he gets injured? In these nine days, luck has been on his side, and at worst, Lin Yue only suffered scrapes, never encountering a bleeding situation. But he can¡¯t guarantee that every time will be so fortunate. Also, continuously relying merely on his physical prowess for these tasks will eventually wear him down. The change lies likely in more handy and labor-saving tools. Such as the simple Exoskeleton, or for instance, the Steel Repeating Crossbow. These two things need to be obtained sooner. Lin Yue returned with a well-fed Bai to the Shelter, beginning to tally the harvest this time. Killed five Mutant Sheep, obtained 50kg of meat, 5 skins, and 10 tusks, the rest are Wooden Treasure Chests. Ordinary little bugs don¡¯t yield much upon decomposition, so Lin Yue didn¡¯t bother to try. If desired, he could simply search the market for them, after tidying up inside, Lin Yue put 4L of water in Bai¡¯s wooden bucket and then turned his gaze to the treasure chests. He is always quite excited when opening treasure chests. Especially now in a situation where he has many chests! Opened 60 Wooden Treasure Chests one by one. [You have obtained: Jinggan Spring Water, 600ml per bottle] [You have obtained: Hundred Elephant Old Pickled Cabbage Instant Noodles, one pack] [You have obtained...] Totaled 39 bottles of water, 10 packs of instant noodles, 8 pieces of 500g bread, and 3 packs of noodles. Noodles are a new thing, haven¡¯t opened them before. Can try them later. Looking now at the five Copper Treasure Chests. [You have obtained: Drinking Water, 4L, Strawberry Seeds, one bag] [You have obtained: Electric Kettle, X1, Iron Hoe Blueprint, X1] [You have obtained: Humus Nutrient Soil, 30L] [You have obtained: Multifunctional Swiss Army Knife, X1, Keba Cola, 2L bottle, one] [You have obtained: Sunglasses, X1, Apples, X5] My goodness, such variety. But after categorizing them, Lin Yue fell into contemplation. Is the system encouraging drinking hot water and then properly farming? Speaking of farming... Indeed, that¡¯s something that ought to be done. Previously due to snow disasters and Shelter size issues, he never got around to dealing with the Soilless Cultivation Kit. But now, thinking back, it seems like it¡¯s been a long time since he last ate vegetables. Always bread, instant noodles, grilled mutton skewers... Have not eaten vegetables, at best only the dried vegetables in the instant noodle vegetable packets. Things can¡¯t continue this way. Sure having food is good, but without vegetables, nutrition is lacking, leading to potential health issues later. Moreover, many people choose to avoid meat. Then... Seems like another hard currency has been found? Indeed, he has quite a few seeds, might as well plant them to see how they do. Though first, a fence must be built before starting. Looking again at the Trade Market. Lin Yue found that his wine already had over a thousand bids. Looks like it¡¯s highly popular indeed. He called Bai and together they went to the open space outside. The howls of mutant creatures rose incessantly, apparently more numerous than during the day. But no matter, his approach is swift and decisive. [You lost 50L of wine] [You gained Wood, X1005, Stone, X1787, Iron Blocks, X1065] Hmm, seems this material is quite sufficient. As water isn¡¯t the main hard currency anymore, wine has taken the lead. Despite not reaching an extreme quantity, it¡¯s adequate. Like little mountains, the materials piled up quickly on the ground. But it scared Bai quite a bit. "Squeak?" Bai kept staring at the suddenly appearing cubes of wood, stone, and iron blocks, finally hiding behind Lin Yue. "It¡¯s nothing, Bai, learn to adapt." Bai glanced at Lin Yue: "Squeak..." Lin Yue took a sip of the newly acquired cola and let out a long burp. Bai immediately sprawled on Lin Yue, reaching for the fizzy liquid, emitting a scent from the red and blue packaged bottle. "Good gracious, can even drink this?" With Bai, Lin Yue returned to the Shelter and placed the glasses properly. Dark brown cola bubbled profusely, Bai¡¯s eyes went wide. "Drink up, don¡¯t be shy, but... hey! Why are you already burping?" Bai lifted its head out of the half-drunk glass: "Squeak, burp~?" ... Thanks to: The book friend 20200506083825002 for a reward of 1500 coins! Little God, book friend 150812151206244, and the electric kettle for a reward of 200 coins! The difference with the boat for a reward of 102 coins! Thank you all for your support, the author is working hard on faster updates! Chapter 56: The City Wall is Complete, Exclusive Territory! Chapter 56: Chapter 56: The City Wall is Complete, Exclusive Territory!Otherworld Calendar, Day Ten. Lin Yue woke up naturally this time. Stretching with a big yawn, he nudged Bai who was still fast asleep. Bai half-opened and half-closed his eyes, groggily stood up, and then flopped back onto the space cotton pillow. Lin Yue nudged him again, and the little guy made a "pji" sound, rolled over on the bed, seemingly unwilling to get up. Yesterday, after drinking a cup of cola, this little guy burped while falling asleep, seeming quite satisfied. This creature¡¯s lifestyle is even better than that of most survivors. There¡¯s meat to eat, a bed to sleep on, and cola to drink. I wonder what people in the group would say if they see Bai enjoying this? "Bai, time to get up and work." Lin Yue pulled him up again. Thud, the little guy stood up and threw himself onto the cooling mat again. Goodness, not only is he a foodie, but he also loves lazing around. Lin Yue shook his head and took out a skewer of lamb meat, which made the little guy immediately perk up. "Pji!" "First go outside with me and stand guard, then we¡¯ll talk about food, you little snack monster." Lin Yue put the lamb skewer back into the storage space; since time stopped inside, he didn¡¯t worry about it cooling down, though Bai seemed to prefer eating cold stuff? Bai looked at Lin Yue pitifully, trying to act cute. But Lin Yue didn¡¯t fall for that, feeling sorry for him this time means he won¡¯t in the future; he can¡¯t spoil him. However, just before heading out the door, Lin Yue remembered something. "Wait, didn¡¯t it say the points update daily?" Lin Yue remembered the system announcement clearly; points have to be updated daily, allowing exchanges in the mall. Well, shall we see? [Day Nine] [You have a sturdy shelter equipped with stone and iron cellars, with a total area of 120 square meters, Survival Points +490] [You have stockpiled a large amount of drinking water and food, so you won¡¯t be defeated by these simple difficulties in the otherworld, Survival Points +277] [Your quality of life continues to improve with every treasure chest opened, keeping your mood always pleasant, Survival Points +55] [You have the most materials of any group, making your life more convenient, Survival Points +318] [You have a reliable companion, even though it¡¯s a mutant creature, it evolved to make exploring the otherworld less difficult for you. Survival Points +85] [You explored the Secret Realm, gained a lot of resources, killed monsters, and left safely. Survival Points +133] [You have received considerable attention, Survival Points +120] [...] [Daily Survival Point Settlement Successful: Survival Points +1478] [Total Survival Points: 1698] Lin Yue: ??? What¡¯s going on? So many Survival Points at once? Back during the first settlement, weren¡¯t the disaster resistance points only 1095? This was unexpected for Lin Yue. However, a substantial income of Survival Points seems like he can buy more stuff now? S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Besides, he doesn¡¯t want to show off in front of everyone or have thousands revering him. Rather, he wants to quietly develop by himself. "Pji?" Bai suddenly called out, bringing Lin Yue back to his senses. "Bai, let¡¯s go handle the important tasks first, then we can eat!" Outside is still peaceful, seemingly without anything happening. "Goo-oh-oh-oh!" Goodness, just after saying nothing¡¯s happening, they heard the unique calls of the Mutant Sheep. But these were screams of pain. Following the sound, he found two dying Mutant Sheep trapped, though weak, lying there wailing, really not worth mentioning. Even Bai ignored them. With the iron spear, Lin Yue swiftly dispatched them, yielding two Copper Treasure Chests as he wished. Of course, the mutton, sheepskin, and tusks were also collected¡ªthese were great returns for free. After tidying up a bit, leaving Bai to watch the surroundings, Lin Yue started constructing the stone wall. While stone walls appear difficult to construct, building them by oneself is quite challenging. But now, with blueprints, it¡¯s much simpler, storing adequate stone materials in the storage space is followed by a monotonous circling process along the marks. Numerous over three-meter-high stone walls straightened in the desert, continuously connecting under Lin Yue¡¯s control. Soon, an impressive circular stone wall took shape! "Finally, it¡¯s completed!" In just half an hour, Lin Yue could finally lean against the iron spear, looking at his masterpiece with satisfaction. Now, centered on the shelter¡¯s house, a roughly fifty-meter radius has appeared with a solid wall completely surrounding it. Within this spacious area of nearly eight thousand square meters, the walls will prevent any large mutant creatures from freely intruding! Lin Yue was quite emotional; this is the absolute territory solely belonging to him in the desert! A strong sense of accomplishment blossomed in Lin Yue¡¯s mind in that instant. Territory! Territory in the otherworld! He wasn¡¯t sure if his walls were the first in the otherworld, but to him, this was a significant step forward. He used to merely rent a cramped single room less than ten square meters far from the city center, but now he has eight thousand square meters just for himself, a difference that provides a unique sensation of satisfaction. Who wouldn¡¯t want their own piece of such territory? Now, he has successfully become a lord! "Pji~" Bai had loyally stood guard for half an hour, willing to complete the tasks Lin Yue assigned even while hungry. This little guy is not only a key player in battles but can also assist nearby and stand guard for safety¡ªa truly versatile assistant! "Haha, I¡¯ll cook your favorite instant noodles, maybe try fried sauce noodles this time?" "Pji!" Starting a fire for cooking had become second nature, Lin Yue set up firewood, lit it, placed a pot on it, and poured in plenty of water. Afterwards, he took out the cured meat they got earlier and sliced it, adding instant noodles to the pot, completing in one fluid motion. Three minutes later, when the noodles had softened, a tempting fragrance was released. The sauce-flavored instant noodles, garnished with cured meat aroma, made one¡¯s mouth water! "Eating dry noodles, drinking soup¡ªthis is quite a blissful thing indeed." After completing breakfast, Lin Yue gazed at the large contraption that hadn¡¯t moved at all. "Next, should begin the farmer lifestyle formally from now on?" ... Sorry for the late update, will strive for an earlier one tomorrow hey. Chapter 57 This won’t do, we have to... Chapter 57: Chapter 57 This won¡¯t do, we have to...The scorching sun was high in the sky, and Lin Yue was full of energy as he worked with the Soilless Cultivation Kit. The Soilless Cultivation Kit covered fifty square meters, actually quite large, and came with a considerable amount of nutrient solution, spiral tubes, and sponges, among other things. Taking them out of the plastic bags one by one, then assembling and configuring them, took quite a bit of time. Fortunately, this thing mainly requires a lot of water; afterward, not much needs to be done. "One unit requires two liters of water; one unit is one square meter and can be used for twenty days... Goodness, is a hundred liters of water for twenty days feasible?" Even if he used all the water he had, it still was not enough. However, thinking of the generous return this thing would provide later, it was not a big deal. Moreover, water was rather easy for him to obtain. As long as he wasn¡¯t bothered by the trouble of killing bugs. Lin Yue scattered the leek seeds, along with the radish and bok choy seeds, onto the cultivation trays, and he looked at the expansive ground, focusing his gaze on the small greenhouse made of plastic, which he had never used. Since he was going to start planting, he might as well do it all at once, otherwise who knows when he¡¯d get around to it again. Lin Yue also had procrastination, but he didn¡¯t want procrastination to put him at a disadvantage later on. Furthermore, tonight in the midnight hours, another disaster forecast would be released. If by then he was scrambling to prepare for the second disaster, it would be too late to get many things ready. Lin Yue chose a simple plastic greenhouse, and soon the system delivered a notification sound. [Plastic Greenhouse (Small), Area: 8X30 meters, Please select a location, areas where construction is impossible will be marked in red] Hmm? This seems a bit more advanced than before? Lin Yue selected and quickly found a spot without any red markings. He also realized that areas that were not quite level would be marked red by the system. Too high or too low affected the greenhouse¡¯s construction. [You have established a Plastic Greenhouse (Small)] With the system¡¯s reminder, a thirty-meter-long and eight-meter-wide plastic greenhouse quickly appeared before Lin Yue¡¯s eyes! The greenhouse had a metal structure, and the plastic film was quite transparent. Upon entering, Lin Yue immediately felt a wave of sweltering heat rush upon him. The greenhouse was about three meters high, with excellent transparency, and the temperature inside was indeed quite hot and humid. Lin Yue couldn¡¯t tolerate it for long; he stayed only a little while before quickly leaving. However, this temperature was quite suitable for cultivating crops. So, what should he plant, and how should he plant it? Clearing a piece of land directly on this desert was not a very good option, Lin Yue thought. The snow walls from the previous snow disaster had all melted, and the snow water had been absorbed into the arid soil. That snow water had certain corrosive properties; Lin Yue had experienced this himself, and those whose avatars had turned gray had proven the terrifying nature of such melted water with their lives. He wasn¡¯t foolish enough to plant vegetables in the soil here. Vegetables need to root down to absorb trace elements from the soil, and if he ended up eating vegetables grown in this soil... Lin Yue felt that this approach was not workable. "Looks like I need to change the soil in the greenhouse; either construct large wooden troughs or find plastic sheets, lay them on the existing soil and dig holes..." He thought about it; the second method was not worth pursuing, as digging holes and finding plastic sheets would be too troublesome and laborious. Lin Yue crafted a large number of wooden boards with timber, then used an iron saw to cut them to suitable sizes, connecting them with nails using a hammer... [You have obtained a Wooden Planting Box design blueprint] Indeed, he had to take advantage of the system¡¯s convenience and find some shortcuts. Otherwise, working blindly would only tire him out. [Wooden Planting Box: Timber X2, Iron Block X1] Timber and iron blocks were readily available; Lin Yue immediately started crafting. The Wooden Planting Box he made was indeed better looking, more attractive, and sturdier than the one he made himself, each being about half a meter long and wide, and roughly half a meter high. After making fifty of them outside, Lin Yue placed them one by one inside the greenhouse, yet even after all were arranged, the inside of the greenhouse still felt quite empty. However, the journey was step-by-step, and Lin Yue had no capability to immediately achieve everything. Bringing over the two bags of 30L nutrient soil obtained earlier, Lin Yue emptied one bag into the boxes. Hmm? Why... so little? Pouring the second bag, there still seemed to be a shortage? After a simple calculation, Lin Yue slapped his forehead. Good grief, the volume formula for a rectangular prism is length X width X height, and these planting boxes would require 125 liters of soil to fill! No wonder the soil piled up to only halfway. So where can he obtain more nutrient soil? Survival Points Mall! [Humus Nutrient Soil 100L: 100 survival points] Not cheap... What about the trading mall? Browsing around, he found that someone was indeed selling. [Seller: Cork Brown] [For Sale: Humus Nutrient Soil 50L in three bags] [Required: Design blueprint or others] [Seller¡¯s Note: This stuff grows vegetables! You guys wouldn¡¯t not know, right?] Oh, isn¡¯t this Cork "Self-Strategy" Brown, the familiar second place on the leaderboard? Lin Yue immediately initiated a private chat with him. "Do you need water or food?" The reply came almost instantly. "Lin! I don¡¯t lack water or food; what I lack is...you know, that red thing that makes people feel blissful." Lin Yue understood perfectly. Offered 100 milliliters of wine. "Oh, my favorite! But this is a bit too little, Lin." "Oh." Without much hesitation, Lin Yue closed the system panel. Go ahead with your self-strategy, sir. "Pooji?" Bai noticed the smile on Lin Yue¡¯s face, not knowing what had happened. It had just hopped onto the stone wall, climbing around joyfully, seemingly tirelessly navigating a full circle. "Bai, watch the house; I¡¯m off to snag some good stuff first." The good stuff Lin Yue wanted was naturally the Wooden Treasure Chest. Since he had decided to farm, he had to pay more attention to farming and get more water. Quickly, he began his hunting mode in the nearby area. Time flew by during this process. Unable to go to the Secret Realm, Lin Yue focused all his thoughts on hunting. And... "The 72nd chest already? It seems these mutant creatures really are quite a lot." After obtaining a large amount of water and food, Lin Yue opened a bottle of purified water and twisted the cap. The cool water flowed down his throat, providing ample refreshment. In this moment of rest, Cork Brown had already completed his self-strategy. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [You lost 100 milliliters of wine] [You gained 50 liters of humus nutrient soil X3] And as Lin Yue browsed the trading mall again, he suddenly saw that someone was selling something he had always wanted! "What¡¯s going on? Did they find it or did it come from Secret Realm..." Chapter 58: Obtaining Crossbow Arrows, Assembling a Deadly Long-Range Weapon! Chapter 58: Chapter 58: Obtaining Crossbow Arrows, Assembling a Deadly Long-Range Weapon!At this moment, in front of Lin Yue, the trading mall on the game panel caught all his attention with its list of goods. [Seller: Guo Lei] [Item: Hard Aluminum Alloy X7] [Required: First Aid Supplies] [Seller¡¯s Remark: No matter who you are, I need medicine. This is the only valuable thing I can offer. Private message me!] The words "Hard Aluminum Alloy" naturally excited Lin Yue. After all, this is the essential material for creating the "simple exoskeleton," on which there had been little progress! The simple exoskeleton requires 10 pieces of hard aluminum alloy, and this person unexpectedly managed to produce 7 pieces, aiming straightforwardly for medicines... It seems that he was injured, or perhaps a family member who arrived later was injured? Lin Yue took out the "Emergency First Aid Kit" he had obtained earlier. Inside were painkillers, anti-diarrheal medicine, iodine, bandages, adhesive bandages, anesthetics, and adrenaline. Each of these is crucial in this apocalyptic world. Over the past ten days, Lin Yue hadn¡¯t used anything from here because, in the Otherworld, even if there were extremely skilled doctors, there were no corresponding various instruments and medicines. Of course, even if they were available, the vast distances separating them rendered help impossible. Guo Lei¡¯s situation is a very real reflection of this. If truly hurt or injured, one can only grit their teeth and endure. Or simply wait to die. Looking at the upper right corner of the group chat, only 8192 people remained. Perhaps many among them died from being too weak after leaving lifesaving medical devices. Reading the comments below this person¡¯s goods, many expressed sympathy, some doctors asked questions, but there were also those who gloated. Some also doubted whether there was any medicine in this world. Seeing the name and avatar, he was obviously from Tang Country, which added some bonus points in Lin Yue¡¯s mind. After all, medicine was rare, wouldn¡¯t it be better used on oneself? He opened a private chat. "What medicine do you need?" S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The reply came almost instantly: "Lin, Lin God!" "Just tell me exactly what medicine you need; furthermore, I don¡¯t really like this nickname." Lin Yue had long wanted to say it. Whoever came up with such a tacky name, it sounded rather unpleasant. "Uh, to be honest, Lin Yue, I¡¯m in a bit of a pinch here. My brother ate a piece of bread that I¡¯d left out for too long, and now he¡¯s having terrible diarrhea, almost to the point of collapse! He hasn¡¯t improved in two days, and he¡¯s been squatting all day today. Do you have any Coptis root or anything like that?" Diarrhea? Bad food causing diarrhea and dehydration. If there isn¡¯t any effective medicine, he definitely won¡¯t be able to survive for long in this Otherworld. Diarrhea is a minor illness, but untreated, it¡¯s deadly! Lin Yue looked at the emergency medicine box; he happened to have just what was needed. "One anti-diarrheal pill, let¡¯s trade." "You have anti-diarrheal medicine? A Tang Country person wouldn¡¯t trick a Tang Country person, repeat that!" "I have it; just let me know if you want it or not." "One pill... Can I have two pills for an addition of 5 pieces of hard aluminum alloy?" Add another 5! A total of 12 hard aluminum alloy, directly fulfilling all the requirements for the exoskeleton, with two pieces left over... However... "I want to add a condition." Lin Yue thought for a moment and replied, "Tell me where you got this information." On Guo Lei¡¯s side of the screen, he hesitated. Information is a very important asset at any time. Especially in this Otherworld. But now, Guo Lei had no choice; moreover, even if he told Lin Yue, it shouldn¡¯t matter much, right? "Okay, I¡¯ll give you the information after a successful trade for two anti-diarrheal pills." After replying, he immediately changed the trade item to Hard Aluminum Alloy X12. Lin Yue promptly handed over two anti-diarrheal pills; he still had 28 pills, not an urgent resource for now. Moreover, he could get more later. [You lost Anti-diarrheal Pill X2] [You obtained Hard Aluminum Alloy X12] The remaining task was Guo Lei¡¯s information. He wasn¡¯t worried that Guo Lei wouldn¡¯t disclose the information, as failing to do so would land him on Lin Yue¡¯s blacklist. Lin Yue had many items now that were unique treasures not owned by anyone in the group. For example, wine, medicine, and future vegetables. "Lin Yue, I just gave my brother the medicine; it¡¯s such a quick fix!" "Get to the point." "Uh, actually, I got it in the Secret Realm. How could it be? I told my family, but they didn¡¯t believe me. It turned out to be a red and white iron tower. Do you know Tokyo Tower? Near there! Yesterday, I struck lucky and found a whole warehouse. Then I heard a scream outside, grabbed this much, or else..." The rest weren¡¯t particularly important. But Lin Yue had obtained a significant piece of information! "Even Guo Lei¡¯s Secret Realm near his shelter is located near Tokyo Tower? It can¡¯t be such a coincidence..." Originally, Lin Yue subconsciously assumed that with so many survivors left, the system would connect the Secret Realm Gates across different places on Earth. But within just over a day, Lin Yue encountered a group of wandering survivors and today obtained information from Guo Lei that the Ancient Secret Realm Gate was also Tokyo Tower! Is this a coincidence, or...? He stood up again and walked into the shelter¡¯s walls. "Squawk! Squawk!" Bai was evidently hungry, circling around Lin Yue. Just now, Bai had also killed quite a number of mutated creatures and remained loyal to duty. After its evolution, Bai was visibly stronger than before. He took the last piece of chocolate bar from the Storage Space and tossed it to Bai before taking a ladder to climb onto the wall. A light wind rustled the sparse grass in the desert, reflected in Lin Yue¡¯s eyes the Ancient Secret Realm Gate covered in vines. Yesterday, he almost couldn¡¯t return from the other side of that gate. Although opportunity always comes with challenges, he couldn¡¯t guarantee he could defeat two Monster Winged Dragons next time. Furthermore, there may be far more Monster Winged Dragons there than imagined! It¡¯s still necessary to enhance his combat power first! Luckily, today marked the first step forward; the exoskeleton now possessed the hardest-to-find component; the others shouldn¡¯t be far off. Speaking of... Is anyone selling crossbow arrow designs? Crossbow arrows are crucial, but not exactly high-tech. They¡¯re just wooden shafts and metal arrowheads; tail feathers aren¡¯t really vital. Before in the Secret Realm, he hadn¡¯t seen Korun¡¯s crossbow arrows with feathers. Checked around, but truly nothing. Looks like he¡¯ll have to buy it from the Survival Points Mall. [Crossbow Arrow Design: 220 Survival Points] Wow, there it is! And it only takes a mere 220 Survival Points! Click, purchase! [You lost 220 Survival Points, remaining Survival Points 1325] [You obtained: Crossbow Arrow Design] Lin Yue became excited. Crossbow arrows obtained, then... He picked up the Steel Repeating Crossbow, aimed at the distant black spot, which was a striped hunting deer. Coming down off the walls, Lin Yue turned to Bai who had waited for a long time: "Bai, fancy some hunting, the easy kind?" "Squawk!" ... Said it would be updating earlier, but ended up late again, hahaha... Thank you all for the support and encouragement, hoping everyone can keep reading every day! Striving to update another Chapter by noon tomorrow! (*^¨Œ^*) Chapter 59: Hunters Never Go Empty-Handed! Chapter 59: Chapter 59: Hunters Never Go Empty-Handed!The gentle breeze rustled the sparse wild grass in the desert. Lin Yue and Bai were hiding amidst a tall cluster of wild grass, waiting for the tiger-striped shadow deer to approach from a few dozen meters away. They had been crouching here for almost half an hour, and only now did the tiger-striped shadow deer begin to draw near from several hundred meters away. The tiger-striped shadow deer seemed to have been fixated in the opposite direction pursuing a large grasshopper earlier, paying no attention to Lin Yue¡¯s approach. Moreover, Lin Yue had swiftly wrapped himself in wild grass and reached this spot, lying in ambush for a while now. It¡¯s worth saying that Lin Yue¡¯s first hunt with a crossbow was focused on being "steady." Otherwise, he could easily have revealed himself first, lured the tiger-striped shadow deer over, and then dealt with it using the crossbow as it charged. But he couldn¡¯t guarantee the accuracy of the crossbow before the beast could pounce on him. If he got hurt, it would all have been for nothing. He used the automatic stringer to load the crossbow, adjusted his breathing, and then parted the wild grass. Through the gaps, he aimed the sighting scope at the prey. The iron spear was by his side, with a shield and wooden armor naturally equipped as well. The word "steady," Lin Yue was beginning to grasp its essence. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Squawk..." Bai had no idea what its master was doing. Seeing Lin Yue take out a strange object, Bai initially thought they were going directly for the hunt. When Bai saw the shadow of the tiger-striped shadow deer, it wanted to rush forward to show Lin Yue its strength, but was stopped by Lin Yue. Bai didn¡¯t understand why its master, before setting off, shot numerous arrows at a plank with that strange thing while mumbling to himself. "About... thirty meters left, the crossbow arrow¡¯s deviation within a twenty-five meter range won¡¯t be too drastic, and with the wind, it will drift downwards to the right..." Adjusting the sighting scope, Lin Yue awaited the tiger-striped shadow deer¡¯s approach, calculating the wind force, direction, and angle¡¯s effect on the trajectory. Before heading this way, he had practiced at the shelter about thirty to forty times to gain a clear comprehension of the steel repeating crossbow¡¯s power. A nearly ten-centimeter thick plank could easily be pierced at twenty meters! However, he also discovered that the crossbow arrows had a significant deviation, possibly due to the lack of fletching, despite their immense power. He constantly tuned and adjusted his raising angle, familiarizing himself with the aiming sensation, using the sighting scope to correct the aim deviation. Having survived for ten days in this apocalypse, Lin Yue could patiently adapt and resolve issues, even when faced with complications like these. Moreover, he had a natural fondness for these crossbow arrows, unknowingly developed, but his sense of achievement grew with each shot fired! Yet, the steel repeating crossbow wasn¡¯t perfect. Back in the Secret Realm, Korun managed to hit those gray monster insects continuously mainly because he was close enough and the monsters were large enough. Five crossbow arrows were ready, but this close distance made it impossible to reload the string after the first shot. If only he could find materials for fletching... Lin Yue suddenly thought of a source, but to obtain it, he had to complete this task first! "Alright, only thirty meters left... It seems to have spotted the meat, coming over!" Lin Yue had placed a piece of raw lamb around twenty meters away as bait, attracting some bugs but proving enticing to the tiger-striped shadow deer. "Woo-woo-woo..." The tiger-striped shadow deer saw the meat, growing cautious of its surroundings but drawn to the scent, inching closer. Twenty-nine meters, twenty-eight meters... twenty-four meters! It entered the range where the attack wouldn¡¯t deviate much, but still wasn¡¯t close enough. Lin Yue waited patiently, and Bai quietly held its breath beside him. The metallic arrowhead of the crossbow, masked by the wild grass, avoided reflecting light, while Lin Yue continuously adjusted the angle through the sighting scope. Though crossbow arrows were sharp, penetrating the skull of such large animals remained challenging; however, the soft heart area in the abdomen or the slender neck could be accessed much more easily. The tiger-striped shadow deer approached the meat step by step, its vigilance seemingly heightened. Its nose twitched endlessly, and its head swiveled constantly, scanning around... Did it smell something? Lin Yue realized he might have underestimated the mutated creatures, especially those knocked down several times by him before. But even now, the worst case scenario was the inability to attack with the steel repeating crossbow. He still had the fine iron spear and Bai, who eagerly awaited battle! "Woo-woo..." The deer¡¯s head stopped finally, its bizarre eyes fixated on the wild grass where Lin Yue was hidden! It had detected him! Now! The crossbow string vibrated violently, a beam of light shot out from the grass with hurricane speed! Pfft! "Woo-woo-woo!!" The crossbow arrow plunged into the tiger-striped shadow deer¡¯s upper abdomen, cut through its back, even piercing out from the lower back! Yet, the second and third crossbow arrows followed swiftly, penetrating the heavily injured fallen deer¡¯s right eye and throat! Strike while it¡¯s down! An icy chill engulfed it, coating its hairs in frost! The tiger-striped shadow deer that seemed ready for a desperate struggle stiffened instantly. Finally, cold light flickering, the iron spear pierced out from its neck like a silver dragon! Blood splattered wildly! [You have obtained a Silver Treasure Chest] Lin Yue caught his breath, surveying the surroundings, found no mutated creatures, and picked up the steel repeating crossbow, lost in thought. To be honest, the steel repeating crossbow was indeed powerful. It could even pierce through the tough hide of the tiger-striped shadow deer, through the abdomen and to the back. But the shortcomings were quite apparent. At close range, it couldn¡¯t kill large mutated animals in one shot! In the end, he had to use the iron spear to finish off the tiger-striped shadow deer. Originally thought to be an upgrade in combat capability, at short distances, it didn¡¯t seem to apply. It seemed better suited for long-range attacks, maintaining distance while reloading the string, attacking consistently. At least, against large tiger-striped shadow deer, that appeared to be the case. Lin Yue placed the tiger-striped shadow deer¡¯s corpse into the Storage Space. This wasn¡¯t its ideal burial place. To lure more scavengers, it was necessary to place it outside the shelter walls, using its residual value to the fullest. "Squawk!" Suddenly, Bai spotted a charging mutated sheep a hundred meters ahead, alerting Lin Yue. Lin Yue took a deep breath and decided to give the steel repeating crossbow another shot. He calmly straightened the crossbow string and set up traps around him at top speed, this time opting for a semi-crouched shooting position. Bai stood ready beside, prepared to release ice mist as a precaution. The mutated sheep barreled within twenty meters, and alongside the thud of the crossbow string, arrows shot out simultaneously! It was shot in the right eye, emitting an indescribable scream, collapsing into the trap right before Lin Yue, incapable of standing up again. Lin Yue moved closer and fired an arrow directly into its heart, triggering the system prompt. [You have obtained a Copper Treasure Chest] The first arrow was supposed to aim at the abdomen. He looked towards the distance, at the Ancient Secret Realm Gate entwined with vines. To unleash the steel repeating crossbow¡¯s maximum potential, he needed to find something for fletching for the arrows. ... Sorry, had some matters delayed at noon, updating in the afternoon... shouldn¡¯t be considered late, right? Chapter 60: Re-entering the Secret Realm, Discovering a Massive Treasury! Chapter 60: Chapter 60: Re-entering the Secret Realm, Discovering a Massive Treasury!Outside the ancient Secret Realm gate, Lin Yue took a deep breath and checked his equipment once more. Fine Wood Armor, Fine Wooden Shield, Fine Iron Spear, carrying a Steel Repeating Crossbow, and a lighter and torches. Water, food, not lacking anything. Materials and other items he didn¡¯t currently need, Lin Yue stored them in the shelter, and before leaving, set up traps around the shelter. The corpses of the Tiger-striped Shadow Deer and the Mutant Sheep he hunted before were brought to the shelter, dissected for materials, and their remains were buried in a shallow pit. This was all to attract more scavenger mutant insects tomorrow, and to gain more water and food. As for the stone wall gate, Lin Yue simply used stones to seal the gap, roughly two meters wide, and obtained the "Stone Gate Design Map", using 6 stone materials, he installed the gate. With this, it could essentially be considered a nearly inaccessible fortress. Lin Yue felt everything was ready. The Secret Realm was indeed dangerous, no doubt about it. Last time, he encountered that Monster Winged Dragon at close range and witnessed it kill several people before dying near the ancient gate, proving the Secret Realm was not a place to tread lightly. However, there were abundant resources inside the Secret Realm. He obtained toilet paper, wet wipes, and a large amount of red wine, while the group of Nakorun obtained a Steel Repeating Crossbow, and Guo Lei got the hard aluminum alloy necessary to form an exoskeleton. The resources around the Tokyo Tower were plentiful, without a doubt. But if, due to danger, he loses the chance to explore more useful things and lags behind other survivors, he would never progress. Moreover, tonight, the second disaster¡¯s warning was coming; perhaps what he brings out this time from the Secret Realm could be the key to surviving the disaster! The fireplace during the last snowstorm was exactly like that, wasn¡¯t it? On the corpses of the two dead monster Winged Dragons, there were things he wanted¡ªfeathers! The tail feathers of the crossbow arrows needed those. Taking a deep breath, Lin Yue looked at Bai. "Puchi?" Bai tilted its head, watching Lin Yue pull out skewer after skewer of mutton. "All for you to eat." Lin Yue patted its little head. "Puchi~~" It drooled with happiness. "However..." Lin Yue put them all back into the storage space, "Bai, you have to promise me one thing." "Puchi! Puchi!" Bai anxiously circled around Lin Yue, seeming to understand, chirping nonstop. "Once full, we have to work hard. This time entering the Secret Realm could be quite dangerous." Bai stopped, seeming to understand as it looked at the ancient Secret Realm gate behind Lin Yue, knowing it was going to follow him to the place he visited yesterday. "Puchi!" "Then, eat first. Once full, we hurriedly go back. If we encounter those monster Winged Dragons, you must swiftly unleash your ability." Lin Yue patted Bai as it gobbled up the food while he started to replenish his stamina. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After eating and drinking, Lin Yue took the Iron Spear and pried open a small gap in the ancient gate with the spear tip. Meanwhile, he observed Bai¡¯s reaction, staring closely at the wooden door. If there was any danger outside, he would close the door quickly to attack. Bai did not react. Lin Yue sighed in relief and gradually opened the door wider. A strong scent of heather flowers wafted out. "Bai, nothing unusual?" "Puchi." Seeing that Bai, much sharper than a human, had no severe reaction, Lin Yue relaxed a bit. Bai¡¯s enemy-seeking ability was trustworthy. Carefully stepping through the ancient gate, Lin Yue looked at the heather tree beside him. The two miserable corpses were gone, and the heather tree was nearly crushed completely; its trunk shattered, the flowers askew. Those monster Winged Dragons finally feasted on the two corpses after all. Lin Yue¡¯s face was stern, listening attentively to every abnormal sound and observing his surroundings. Bai was more cautious than when they first entered and no longer ran about, staying by Lin Yue¡¯s side. Going the hotel direction was out of question, but that didn¡¯t mean other places couldn¡¯t be explored. In Lin Yue¡¯s mind, Tokyo Tower was almost located at the city center of Tokyo, as a tourist spot, nearby city facilities should be abundant; the hotel was a clear proof of this. Lin Yue didn¡¯t want to go to a large area like a mall, not easy to escape, and suitable for insects to nest like previously; he wished to find the place where Guo Lei found the large amount of hard aluminum alloy, or shops with items not easily corroded by time. After leaving the gate, Lin Yue did not follow the original path but ventured into the woods on the left. This time he still used yarn as his path-marking strategy; those people found him last time partly by coincidence and partly due to his belief that one shouldn¡¯t casually encounter others in the Secret Realm. So he mostly covered the yarn with soil or grass, then cut it every interval, and resumed about ten meters later. Because of this, he slowed down considerably. Surrounded by tall trees, he walked for over half an hour in the forest before realizing the clearing ahead. Picking up pace, Lin Yue suddenly found it was a downslope ahead. "Bai, how is it?" "Puchi." Bai maintained no alert, proving everything was still safe. Lin Yue nodded, leading it swiftly down the slope, suddenly finding the surroundings opened up before him. An several-meter-wide straight highway lay ahead, flanked by decrepit, decaying buildings. From the skewed tadpole-like writing on the signs, he sought anything recognizable. "Puchi." Bai also looked in that direction, waiting for Lin Yue¡¯s next command. "Let¡¯s go, check over there, always stay on guard." Lin Yue raised the repeating crossbow, observing all around. Indeed, the cluster of monster Winged Dragons from yesterday was gone, only the sound of decayed steel moved by the wind, or unknown building collapses could be heard. Crossing the not-so-broad road, there was a store on the opposite side with a green sign and thick glass. Only when approaching did Lin Yue realize it seemed to be a convenience store. Touching the mottled, large glass outside, he obtained two pieces of acrylic glass. It seemed he always found acrylic glass, while normal glass was rather hard to find. Lin Yue collected two more pieces and directly walked into the convenience store. The shelves had long rusted and collapsed, the products on them nearly crumbling at a touch. No matter what instant noodles, chips, or drinks, they were covered in a thick layer of dust over time. However... [Identify for 1 survival point?] [Refrigerator] [Identify for 1 survival point?] [Freezer] [Identify...?] Spent nearly 60 points, appraising everything of interest in the convenience store. In the end, faced with many items to take away, he couldn¡¯t help exclaiming. "Is this really a convenience store? It¡¯s a treasure trove!" ... Sorry for the wait, everyone! Apologies for the late update, but before the official launch, updates will definitely be twice daily; I have many other matters to attend to, no time even to chat in the group o(¨i©n¨i)o If interested, join the newly established group, chat and urge for updates, secret number: 577098155 Chapter 61: Treasure! Obtain a Large Amount of Relics! Chapter 61: Chapter 61: Treasure! Obtain a Large Amount of Relics!Covered in dust, as if time had been frozen for decades, Lin Yue and Bai were meticulously searching for any supplies they could take from the convenience store. [You have acquired Cold Drink Cabinet X3, Freezer Cabinet X1] [You have acquired Wine X12, Whiskey X8] [You have acquired Display Shelf X10] [You have acquired Food Warmer (Malfunctioning) X1, Microwave (Malfunctioning) X1] [You have acquired Toolset X1, Ice Machine X1] [You have acquired Single Cold Air Conditioner X1, Alarm X2, Portable Shaver X2] [You have acquired Washing Powder 3 Bottles, Crystal Sugar 3 Bags, Salt 5 Bags, Honey 4 Jars, Baking Soda 4 Bottles, Shampoo 2 Bottles] [You have acquired Light Bulb X10, Nail Clipper X2, Scissors X1, Baby Haircut Set, Foot Bath Salt 6 Bags] ... Good heavens, Lin Yue exclaimed in amazement. No way, this can¡¯t be true. This is a massive win! He was immersed in the thrill of acquiring such a bountiful stash! Who would¡¯ve thought that changing direction would get him so many things? The Secret Realm is truly the greatest! Identifying sixty points of survival points yielded so many great things; it absolutely wasn¡¯t a loss! However, after quickly calming down, he also pondered. The ability to acquire so many things was partly due to luck and also because the convenience store was originally well-sealed and undamaged. Like the hotel they encountered last time, it had clearly been turned into a nest by freak bugs; the ground floor was a complete mess, mostly corroded by water and moisture. "Bai, how¡¯s it outside?" Lin Yue glanced around, confirmed there was nothing else worth taking, and picked up the Iron Spear again. "Chirp~" Bai didn¡¯t have any special reaction but rather seemed put off by the dust-filled environment. Lin Yue turned back to look at the now-chaotic convenience store with not much left, taking a deep breath. There was still less than half of the Storage Space remaining, so he could continue to fill it up with more items. Should he go scavenging elsewhere? He strolled outside with his Iron Spear. The street was deathly silent. The sunlight wasn¡¯t harsh; gray clouds were gathering as though it might rain. In the distance, a muffled rumble, possibly thunder, could be heard. He looked towards the store next to the convenience store; the signs were almost all decayed and deformed, and the text was mostly faded. The cars on the road were few, almost all covered in dust and rust, and quite a few had crashed into each other or into the roadside buildings or stores. It felt as though time had stopped at the last moment. Probably because almost everyone had crossed over to the Otherworld at the same time. However, Lin Yue had some questions about the people who were transported later. Were they brought over together, left on Earth first, or "stored" for seven days before being released? With no one beside Lin Yue, he couldn¡¯t confirm this point. Fortunately, there was no one. If the system had sent someone he hadn¡¯t seen in twenty years due to blood relations, he would have found it impossible to accept. As he approached a car that had crashed into the store¡¯s glass, Lin Yue touched the broken glass on the ground. [You have acquired Broken Glass (Small)] [You have acquired Broken Glass (Small)] [You...] Efficiency is low. Lin Yue frowned, stopped his actions, and looked around, then walked down a small alley. He saw a residential-style doorway, with a few pieces of regular glass instead of acrylic glass. [You have acquired Broken Glass (Large Piece)] [You...] This is more like it. The reason he wanted broken glass so much was to add more defensive features to his shelter¡¯s perimeter wall. Rumble... The thunder drew closer. After gathering quite a bit of broken glass, Lin Yue, carrying the Iron Spear, returned to the main road and looked toward the distant red and white iron tower. After finding some tires, usable batteries, and engines from a car, he wandered around. But realized that most of the storefronts along the street held nothing useful, mostly small tourist souvenirs or cosmetics completely useless after time¡¯s corrosion. This was understandable, as after all, this area could be considered a tourist spot. As the sky gradually darkened and the rumbling continued, Lin Yue decided not to linger around and to finish the main task first. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Returning to the main road, he glanced left and right, suddenly noticing several large pits in the road far off in the direction he hadn¡¯t paid attention to before. "Road collapse?" He took out the Sighting Scope for a closer look but couldn¡¯t see anything. However, the buildings near the pits had also collapsed quite a lot. "Maybe it was some gas explosion or something... maybe." Thinking this way, he retraced his steps along the yarn trail, swiftly returning to the Ancient Secret Realm Gate. This time, he followed the previous path, heading towards the hotel direction, while closely monitoring Bai¡¯s reactions. However, until they reached the previously visited restroom, nothing happened. A little uneasy, Lin Yue climbed onto the restroom roof, readied the Steel Repeating Crossbow, and peered through the Sighting Scope. Constantly adjusting the knob to magnify the distant view, Lin Yue cautiously observed the hotel direction. The air was eerily quiet. Lin Yue could even hear Bai breathing. "Chirp..." Bai softly chirped from below. Lin Yue glanced down as suddenly the muffled thunder reached his ears. But this thunder... Seemed different from the continuous rumbling sounds heard before. An illusion? Lightning flashed across the sky; as Lin Yue climbed down the ladder, he noticed a raindrop fall on the wood armor on his arm. Then more raindrops began to patter down. Lin Yue caught the raindrops with his hand. No sensation, apparently not corrosive like the previous blizzards. But the sky was becoming gloomier, the light dimmer, and the rumbling continued. "Need to speed up." Lin Yue quickly moved in that direction, with Bai following close behind. The rapidly retreating scenery on both sides became more familiar, and soon he reached the woods beside the hotel. The air was filled with a stench of rot; holding the Sighting Scope, he looked at the hotel, its rooftop, and the distant iron tower. Neither the Monster Winged Dragons nor the bugs showed up. "Bai, how¡¯s it going?" "Chirp." Bai still showed no reaction. Lin Yue licked his dry lips, tore open two pieces of tissue, and stuffed them into his nostrils while moving quickly toward where he remembered the Monster Winged Dragons¡¯ bodies were. They were still there. Chapter 62: Upgrading the Walls, an Impregnable Fortress! Chapter 62: Chapter 62: Upgrading the Walls, an Impregnable Fortress!"Assess." [Corpse of ????] [Feather of ????] Goodness gracious. Lin Yue didn¡¯t expect that spending 2 evolution points would still fail to identify the name of this Monster Winged Dragon. He initially thought the system was almost omnipotent, but it seemed to be stumped by these monsters. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Could it be unable to recognize dead bodies? His spear easily cut off some of the flesh near the feathers on the already decomposing and softening wings of the Monster Winged Dragon. Then, he layered a thick roll of toilet paper, pulling out feather after feather. [You have obtained Feather X1 of ????] The system¡¯s notification kept ringing, but aside from plucking feathers, Lin Yue was also continuously observing his surroundings. The Secret Realm was full of perils, especially... the bugs that might emerge from this hotel at any moment. Boom... And why are there so many rumbling sounds? Is there a thunderstorm somewhere? He stood up and scanned the distance, but his view was almost entirely blocked by tall trees. Furthermore, the light on this rainy day was really insufficient. After collecting nearly three hundred feathers, Lin Yue glanced at the plucked clean corpses of the two Monster Winged Dragons and the unrecognizable bones, before heading back with Bai in tow. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was an illusion, but he always felt the ground shuddering along with the occasional thunder. The soles of his shoes pressed against the increasingly slippery ground, while the raindrops became more concentrated. The sporadic thunder always gave Lin Yue an inexplicable sense of unease. However, just as they returned near the restroom, Bai suddenly squeaked, "Pujii!" Lin Yue was instantly covered in goosebumps, quickly leaning against the wall! "Bai, what on earth..." Boom... However, before Lin Yue could finish, a sound like something colliding with the ground, accompanied by intense vibrations, swept through! Simultaneously, there was also the sound of what seemed to be a building collapsing reverberating in his ears! This sound was so close that Lin Yue couldn¡¯t help but keep Bai firmly by his side. Boom... Boom... One thudding sound after another seemed to reveal its true nature. It was neither thunder nor an earthquake. The arrhythmic vibrations continued to approach in this direction. Lin Yue opened his eyes wide, suddenly smelling a strange stench in the air. Simultaneously, a noise like an animal breathing was clearly audible! It was getting closer! Lin Yue¡¯s heart raced, and he was certain now that the source of these vibrations was definitely not some small creature, but instead... "Wheee-aaw!" A deafening roar pierced through the rain, prompting Lin Yue to look upwards. A massive shadow, alongside several large trees collapsing nearby, was mirrored in his pupils. A bright lightning bolt streaked across. The silhouette of a gigantic monster flashed momentarily in the white light, leaving an indelible mark in Lin Yue¡¯s heart! "This, what in the world is this..." Eight gigantic bone legs, standing over ten meters tall, towered above the entire forest. Covered in a keratinous shell, they supported a mountain-like massive body. Each slow stride erupted with resounding booms, heavy and uncoordinated, but they crushed the ground into crater after crater. Lin Yue watched as giant trees collapsed en masse, but the creature ignored them, trampling over them and extending a pair of gigantic claw-like limbs to stuff the felled trees into a gigantic maw filled with disgusting, soft tentacles. Lightning flashed endlessly, and as the monster headed straight for the Tokyo Tower, those eyes inset in a skull resembling a sheep¡¯s did not give even a second¡¯s notice to a human being standing aghast next to the gray-brown cement building beneath its colossal presence! The booming continued ceaselessly. The gigantic creature vanished into the forest beyond, while the metallic shrieks of Tokyo Tower¡¯s steel girders twisting and collapsing stirred up a turbulent current that raged against everything. Lin Yue, holding Bai, sprinted through the downpour toward the direction of the Ancient Gate with all his might. He didn¡¯t even know how he made it to the gate, but, at breakneck speed, he pushed open the Ancient Gate, bursting back into a Otherworld enshrouded in the red hues of twilight. Soaked to the bone, he dashed toward the stone gate of the barricade, Bai following closely behind. Neither of them uttered a single word. Even after shedding his drenched clothes and returning to the safety of the Shelter, Lin Yue and Bai maintained their earlier state. The impact of the colossal monster they had just encountered hadn¡¯t dissipated from their hearts. After a while. The light outside gradually dimmed, and Bai snuggled up to Lin Yue. Lin Yue wiped the sweat beading on his forehead, taking a deep breath. He patted Bai¡¯s head, handing him a skewer of grilled lamb. "Pujii, Pujii!" Bai didn¡¯t eat it but instead circled around Lin Yue several times, occasionally hopping, seemingly trying to lift Lin Yue¡¯s spirits. "Bai, it¡¯s alright, I¡¯m just a bit shaken." Lin Yue also took out a skewer, forcing it down, and only after Bai saw him eat, did it consume its own portion. Lin Yue let out a long breath. Indeed, the shock was too immense. A gigantic creature in the rain beyond imagination, no one watching from such a close range would remain unaffected. After all, back on the Earth where Lin Yue used to live, the tallest animal he¡¯d ever come across was a giraffe. And here comes one right away with eight legs, each over ten meters tall, how about that. Was there ever such a thing on Earth? Absolutely not, right? It felt as if creatures from the Otherworld had infiltrated Earth. It even made Lin Yue illusionarily think the Secret Realm might not be Earth decades in the future, but the spoils taken from there unmistakably bore Earth¡¯s imprint. Nonetheless, having left the Secret Realm, Lin Yue gradually regained some vigor as considerable time had passed. After departing the Shelter, Lin Yue noticed it was nearly nightfall outside. After checking the outer gate¡¯s integrity, he set up a trap by the door, which was interconnected with dozens more within. He carefully hammered shattered pieces of glass collected into fragments, gathering and placing them atop the barricade. [You upgraded the stone barricade, damage +100%] Not bad, it was recognized by the system as expected. After swiftly setting up all the barricades, Lin Yue temporarily achieved a barrier much sturdier than before. In a sense, it almost had an impregnable defense! "Pujii!" Inside, Bai was bouncing around energetically, seemingly burning off energy. Looks like it ate too much before setting out. Back in the Shelter, Lin Yue began preparing dinner. And in a few hours, the second wave of calamity would reveal itself! ... Apologies, everyone, I didn¡¯t set up today¡¯s surprise Chapter well, causing you inconvenience. It should be resolved in about ten days o(¨i©n¨i)o The book is continuously updating, feel free to join the group and chat, mysterious number: 577098155 Thank you again for reading! Please bookmark, and keep up with the updates! Chapter 63: What It’s Like to Have a Small Warehouse Chapter 63: Chapter 63: What It¡¯s Like to Have a Small WarehouseDarkness enveloped the earth. The insects and birds that had been dormant during the day, along with the various creatures hidden in the desert, were now rushing across this vast expanse under the bright moonlight of two moons. At one corner of the desert, inside the shelter completely enclosed by sturdy stone walls. In the bright firelight, Lin Yue was fully focused on unlocking the treasure chests he acquired. Before entering the Secret Realm, after eliminating 72 mutant insects, he used the Steel Repeating Crossbow to take down a Tiger-striped Shadow Deer and a Mutant Sheep. Naturally, the number of chests obtained in the end was quite astonishing. He opened each of the 72 Wooden Treasure Chests one by one. [You have obtained 600ml of Mount Everest Mineral Water X1] [And obtained] [You have obtained...] bottles of water, 13 packs of instant noodles, 8 pieces of bread, 4 packs of dried noodles, 2 steamed buns. The supply of water has greatly increased again, bringing Lin Yue¡¯s reserves to nearly 28 liters. Just now, to guard against the potential invasion of numerous mutant insects at night, he moved the Soilless Cultivation Kit into the plastic greenhouse and secured it with a large amount of stone, while covering the greenhouse with animal skins. Though it consumed some time, this effort is necessary for the future supply of vegetables. However, Lin Yue also wondered if, with electricity supply someday, an automated cover system could be added, making it more effortless for him. He opened the remaining Copper Treasure Chest and Silver Treasure Chest. [You have obtained 4L of drinking water, region map fragments X2] [You have obtained the East Beige Disaster Relief Tent X1, anti-magnetic interference competitive type orienteering compass X1] Lin Yue¡¯s eyes lit up. Oh wow, got some good stuff. The mere 4L of water doesn¡¯t matter much to him; it¡¯s just a bit more to add to the total storage. Regional map fragments, and he acquired two pieces at once! Lin Yue paid no attention to anything else and directly used them immediately. With a flash of light, he tapped the panel and quickly found that two map pieces had appeared, one of which was far away from him, whereas the other... It was actually right next to his shelter! The newly appeared map had already merged with his, forming a larger area. However, Lin Yue noticed that the gray dot representing the shelter was still there, but the red dot representing people was missing! Gone, or perhaps dead? Generally speaking, at night when mutant creatures are more frenzied, people wouldn¡¯t leave the shelter. The harshness of survival has never changed. Lin Yue took a breath and closed the panel. If feasible, he¡¯d like to explore over there tomorrow to see what¡¯s there. Moreover, according to the map, there seems to be a small stone-piled symbol in that direction, further piquing his interest. The fiercest beast in this area, the Tiger-striped Shadow Deer, basically poses no threat to him now; as long as he prepares thoroughly and stays vigilant, it shouldn¡¯t be a big problem to venture there. Additionally, he obtained a seemingly quite useful compass. Taking out the compass from the treasure chest, Lin Yue found it even more convenient than the one on the map, as he could easily discern the direction by strapping it onto his wrist. Also, it looks quite nice, especially the dial, which has a luminescent effect that allows the direction to be seen clearly even at night. This device might not surpass the system¡¯s built-in map here, but in the Secret Realm, it could indeed help him find directions accurately. He pointed the wrist compass toward the stone door direction, discovering it was precisely due south, then proceeded to take out the last item from the treasure chest. East Beige Disaster Relief Tent... Speaking of which, he previously acquired a tent design map. To make a tent using this design map, he would not only need alloy steel but also nylon fabric. It¡¯s virtually useless, similar to the flashlight design map requiring bulbs, plastic, batteries, and metal springs. Carefully observing the folded tent, he felt its built-in frame¡¯s hardness and was surprised by the flexible yet highly elastic fabric. The blue label on the tent reads, "Utilizes flame retardant materials, earthquake-resistant, capable of withstanding avalanches and other extreme situations, with waterproof materials resisting up to 3000mm water pressure, UV protection." Alongside the main tent component are 40 40cm long stakes, five tent poles, and extremely sturdy polyester tent ropes, plus a roll of ground cloth. What a catch, this Silver Treasure Chest was truly worth it. If mutant creatures aren¡¯t considered, this thing could essentially serve as a basic shelter. Feeling delighted, Lin Yue packed the item into the accompanying storage bag, which didn¡¯t take up much space after being stored, and placed it directly into the Storage Space. Who knows when it might be needed. After organizing things, Lin Yue descended into the basement, looking at two spaces totaling 80 square meters already crammed with lots of items. One stone-made space filled with shelves and goods stands beside an iron-made space stocked with alcohol; pondering for a while, he opened the Survival Points Mall. Spending 400 survival points, he exchanged for a Shelter Design Map, surprising himself to realize that further purchases would be beyond 400 points. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "What does the system need survival points for? The next Shelter Design Map actually costs 4000 points? Why not just rob?" Lin Yue grumbled at the Survival Points Mall. Rechecking the simple greenhouse, he found it¡¯s still only 500 points. Weird, is it to prevent building too many shelters? Using the design map, a new stone-built shelter immediately emerged underground. Naturally, Lin Yue didn¡¯t forget to give it a proper foundation. With the additional 40 square meters, Lin Yue first took out shelving from the convenience store, placing and securing it with stone, then arranged various lightweight items acquired from there as well as some water onto the shelves. As for freezers and such, they were placed in different corners since for now, the hand-crank generator couldn¡¯t power them, leaving them as temporary dust collectors. The hand-crank generator built earlier has too low a power capacity, far from the potential of a real "electrical life." When can an era of electricity be achieved? Lin Yue longs for it, but at present, there¡¯s hardly a solution. After doing all this, Lin Yue returned upstairs and began preparing dinner. Speaking of which, the noodles obtained from the treasure chests had yet to be tasted. Lin Yue grabbed a piece of wood to use as a chopping board and sliced the mutant sheep meat into small pieces with a knife. Next, he took out a seasoning packet from a package of instant noodles and used a wooden spatula to fry it in the pot before adding the meat, soon filling the air with a delightful aroma. "Peep?" Bai, who had been resting, was attracted by the smell and quickly approached. After stir-frying for a while, Lin Yue served it onto a plate and directly added water to the noodles. Once the noodles were cooked, he scooped them out, placing them finely in a bowl, topped with lamb gravy. "Smells great!" There¡¯s a subtle difference from eating instant noodles, yet it has a unique charm. Bai eagerly bounced around, its large eyes fixated on the bowl, and as soon as Lin Yue finished, it plunged its head into the bowl, inhaling vigorously while exhaling icy mist! "Eating noodles without garlic, half the fun¡¯s lost; no vinegar, something¡¯s missing..." Lin Yue found himself yearning for a set of condiments. However... Speaking of which, shouldn¡¯t the disaster warning be out by now? Opening the system panel, he widened his eyes at the warnings above. "It¡¯s actually... this disaster? Well, the system plans annihilation, huh?" ... Sorry, busy over the weekend haha. Promising the second Chapter will come soon! Thanks to the readers for their rewards, the writer¡¯s assistant keeps failing to display reward information, quite troublesome indeed... Thank you all for your encouragement and support! Chapter 64: Sorry, his survival points are really too many Chapter 64: Chapter 64: Sorry, his survival points are really too many"I need pen and paper right now, is anyone selling? I¡¯ll give you everything I own, I need to write a will." "Seriously, an earthquake, and it¡¯s an 8.0... this isn¡¯t survival, it¡¯s a death sentence, right?" "Hahahaha, everyone is going to die, everyone must die! Hahaha! Go to hell!" "Why be so pessimistic? Instead of wasting time, why not think about how to survive? We made it through meters of snowdrifts, and now you¡¯re giving up?" "Exactly, are you guys just not thinking? The earthquake hasn¡¯t even come yet!" "Me, earthquake, not afraid. Experience, have, give supplies!" "By the way... uh, is Lin Yue not selling alcohol anymore? I still have some materials here, even if we don¡¯t make it, a drink would be nice..." "+1" "+10086" "Grape wine in the luminous cup, moon drink... what was next? Doesn¡¯t matter, I just want wine! By the way, does Lin Yue know? My dad said someone next door is reselling Lin Yue¡¯s wine for a high price, 20 milliliters for twenty iron blocks!" "Speaking of, how many survival points do you have left? My mom said someone in her group has accumulated 600 points!" "Wow, impressive!" "What¡¯s impressive about that, has Lin Yue said anything?" ... Messages kept scrolling through the group chat. Lin Yue lay on the bed, not in the mood to change positions. Earthquake, magnitude M1¡ªM8. The system didn¡¯t explain much, it only wrote such simple words on the bulletin board. Of course, there was also a countdown like a death premonition. This disaster has a simple name, but the terror it brings is enough to shock everyone! The disaster is global. According to general understanding, this earthquake will erupt in all human-inhabited areas of this Otherworld! Which means there will be an extremely horrific number of epicenters! Indeed, this world cannot be explained by common sense at all. No matter the cause of the earthquake, this global scale is just too outrageous. Lin Yue has experienced earthquakes before. When he was a child in the orphanage, there was a report saying there might be a magnitude 4 earthquake, and the deputy director bought a large number of iron pipes and big iron clips and screws, to move everyone¡¯s beds to the ground floor lobby. Then he cross-fixed the iron pipes on each person¡¯s small bed with iron clips and covered them with a wooden bed board. Also, thanks to the deputy director¡¯s kind and experienced idea, although the orphanage was indeed damaged due to the earthquake, no one was hurt. However, as the only good person in the orphanage, the deputy director had bad luck, and didn¡¯t live long before dying in a car accident. Lin Yue recalled the past, with indescribable feelings. Standing up, he looked out through the glass window. Through some cracks on the window almost completely covered by what looked like giant mutant moths, Lin Yue saw two full moons in the sky. One large and one small, one round and one oval, enshrouding this mysterious and unknown Otherworld. The earthquake ranges from magnitude 1 to 8, but how long it lasts, the system didn¡¯t say. But Lin Yue knew, generally earthquakes last only a few minutes. If the system really makes it an hour, then it¡¯s game over and everything leads to death. As for aftershocks, since the snow from the snowstorm could almost melt overnight, it¡¯s a discussion for later. The premise is passing through this magnitude 8 earthquake. As for why it¡¯s not magnitude 9, perhaps the system doesn¡¯t want to end it all yet? Earthquake... how should we resist the earthquake? Is it like the past in the orphanage using iron pipes and clips for fixing, or what? In the next three days, Lin Yue thought he might devote all his thoughts to this. When it comes to earthquakes, you must reinforce. Are there any special methods to strengthen the shelter? His stone shelter, from the outside, looks almost like it was carved from a whole rock, with hardly any gaps, far better than the previous wooden shelter. But the system¡¯s comments, though sharp, were accurately critical too. Shelter (Above-ground): Stone House Area: 40©O Durability: 102/120 Evaluation: If you start praying that the next disaster isn¡¯t an earthquake, I think there¡¯s still time. Hhhh. It¡¯s not just the above-ground part, unlike others, he now has three underground storage units plus an above-ground shelter. With a total area of 160 square meters, storing a large number of various supplies and machinery, and some things whose use is currently unknown. Among them, there are glass bottles of grape wine, which are particularly vulnerable in an earthquake. Seems like if he wants to venture into the Secret Realm or visit the neighboring shelter tomorrow, reinforcing the shelter must come first. As for the group talk about wine selling and reselling, he can¡¯t concern himself with it for now. At least until he¡¯s figured out this disaster resistance thing. Glancing at Bai, already fast asleep. The little one unaware of the disaster can sleep so peacefully? But thanks to Bai¡¯s sweet slumber, Lin Yue relaxed a bit too. Unknowingly, he drifted into dreamland. ... [Doomsday Calendar, Day 11] [You have a sturdy shelter, with two stone and one iron underground storage units, totaling 160©O, survival points +550] [The water and food you¡¯ve hoarded are enough for a considerable time, survival points +277] [Gained a lot of treasure chests today, feeling good, survival points +57] [Your materials are abundant, storing them isn¡¯t difficult for you, survival points +385] [Your pet¡¯s combat power is constantly increasing, becoming a great helper, survival points +90] S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [You obtained many relics from the Secret Realm, survival points +80] [Built walls, upgraded them, laid numerous traps, your sense of security further enhanced, survival points +185] [Your hunting skills have become more proficient, mastering weapon skills makes killing medium-sized mutant creatures not difficult, survival points +34] ... [Daily survival point settlement successful: Survival points +1658] [Previous day¡¯s remaining survival points: 775] [Total survival points: 2433] "2433 points." Waking up early, Lin Yue immediately opened the system panel. He decided to use this time to take a good stroll through the Survival Points Mall. By the way, try his luck at the lottery to see if he could get something effective against earthquakes. "Wow, this really has everything, shopping to my heart¡¯s content." Browsing through the vast number of goods requiring quite a few survival points, Lin Yue¡¯s gaze finally rested on "Storage Space". His current storage space is 6 cubic meters. It should be far ahead of others, but Lin Yue himself felt it¡¯s still too little. If it could be as glitchy as the old inventory, he might really bring back some big items from the Secret Realm. [You spent 300 survival points, gained 1 cubic meter of storage space, remaining survival points 2133 points] However, when Lin Yue wanted to purchase again, the cost went up to 600 points. "Such a rip-off, but still more honest than the Shelter Design Map, only double the price." After another purchase of 1 cubic meter, Lin Yue now has 8 cubic meters of storage space! "Then, let¡¯s do... a ten-draw?" As he turned to the "Survival Points Lottery", a new screen popped up. [5 survival points per draw] [10 survival points per draw] [20 survival points per draw] [Ten-draw] [Ten-draw] [Ten-draw] [Note: A guaranteed item every ten draws, the quality depends on the survival points spent per draw] Lin Yue voiced a question: "The most is just 20 points per draw? Is there something bigger?" ... Sorry everyone, sorry to keep you waiting! It¡¯s later today, I¡¯ll try to release a new Chapter by noon tomorrow. Thank you for your support! Please continue reading, favoriting, and with a thick face, I¡¯m asking for tips ?(^?^*) Chapter 65: Disaster Resistance, Upgrade the New Shelter! Chapter 65: Chapter 65: Disaster Resistance, Upgrade the New Shelter!Facing this lottery for survival points, only needing 20 points, and a ten-draw costing merely 200 points per play, Lin Yue expressed dissatisfaction. points for a ten-draw? Isn¡¯t that just a giveaway? He never considered a single draw, taking risks when there¡¯s no immediate threat. He has quite a few survival points, but not enough to waste them. At least the ten-draw guarantees a minimum prize, isn¡¯t that enticing? Though the prize pool is not visible yet, 200 survival points essentially can¡¯t buy much in this store, so securing a guaranteed prize is quite attractive. Moreover, Lin Yue wouldn¡¯t waste it; if the prize is not favorable, he would try another time. His luck so far was only vividly on these treasure chests, but otherwise, it seems no different from before. With the options of 5-point and 10-point draws, he¡¯s relying on the guaranteed prize from the 20-point draw. [20 survival points for 1 draw, ten-draw, confirm?] "Confirm." Lin Yue didn¡¯t hesitate; with just a mere 200 points, there¡¯s nothing to hesitate about. [Empty] [Empty] ... [You received 10 bags of Yang¡¯s Snail Noodles] [You received 1 set of household electrical and hardware toolbox] [You received a guaranteed prize: random design map] Seven empty results, but three items. Luck...seems not bad? Hmm? Wait. There¡¯s snail noodles, as well as an electrical toolbox, does this mean bad luck or good luck? However, a random design map... that¡¯s the guaranteed prize? Perhaps this is the test of whether one¡¯s luck is bad or good, isn¡¯t it? If it¡¯s some wooden stool design map, I¡¯d be indifferent; but if it¡¯s a... Open it up. [You received an Iron Spear Design Map] Oh, dear! Another Iron Spear Design Map! What¡¯s going on here? Is it really bad luck or good luck? Lin Yue was hoping to draw something useful against earthquakes, like a sturdier Shelter Design Map, but it seems like wishful thinking. Though, this item isn¡¯t bad either? [Your Iron Spear Design Map has been upgraded] Upgraded again, huh. Lin Yue sprang up, looking at the Fine Iron Spear standing at the wall, which had fought off many mutant creatures with him, he couldn¡¯t help but anticipate. "Puff..." Bai started staggering, Lin Yue¡¯s sudden movement woke this lazy creature. "Bai, let me show you something good!" "Puff..." Bai struggled to sit up, occasionally tilting its head, seeming like it could drift into sleep at any moment. Lin Yue immediately used the design map, consequently losing 6 survival points in an instant. [You lost 3 units of wood, 5 iron blocks] [You received Outstanding Iron Spear X1] Outstanding! How strong would it be? A glimmer of light flashed, and in front of him appeared an Iron Spear with a wide, extremely sharp spear blade, a spearhead measuring at least forty centimeters long, a two-meter-long smooth spear body, shining with a cold gleam! Lin Yue picked it up, discovering the weight was quite comfortable, slightly swinging it with ease, the sound of air being sliced and compressed instantly echoed. Pretty impressive! Planning to clean up some mutant creatures later and see how many surprises it might bring. However... Before that, there¡¯s serious business to attend to. Slept deeply last night, dreaming about how to combat the disaster. The disaster has been foretold, with just over three days remaining before it hits. From the initial shock, Lin Yue, after a night, actually thought through quite a lot. Earthquake, is it really terrifying? Terrifying. Mountains crumbling and ground cracking, houses collapsing, various geological disasters, can even alter terrain and trigger volcanic eruptions. This stone Shelter would likely not withstand the scourge of a magnitude-eight earthquake. The iron Shelter in the basement might be slightly better, but if he hides inside, once the top collapses, he¡¯ll be buried alive. Staying inside the Shelter presents a grave danger. Yet earthquakes aren¡¯t actually that fearsome. Particularly with this system having given an advance warning. Back on Earth, no organization was able to predict earthquakes¡¯ magnitude and exact timing with a hundred percent accuracy, yet this system did. Knowing the timing and magnitude, what remains to be done is actually quite simple. Just get outside of the Shelter. Finding an open area outdoors significantly reduces the earthquake¡¯s hazards. Unless extremely unlucky, being right where the ground splits, or having the Shelter nearby a small valley, or beside a cliff edge, basically, life safety concerns are minimal. However, the rotten thing is, this earthquake forces people out, occurring exactly at midnight on the seventh day of this cycle. At that precise time, Survivors who believe themselves to be safe outdoors will be facing what? Mutant creatures, even more frenzied in the night compared to the day! Their numbers are the most terrifying factor. The magnitude-eight earthquake disaster, compared to the previous snowstorm accumulating snow up to several meters high, which is more severe? Though Lin Yue hasn¡¯t yet experienced this earthquake, he has made a conjecture about the system¡¯s arrangement of disasters. The first snowstorm trapped people inside the Shelter, forcing them to eliminate mutant creatures to gather food and water, and find ways to endure the cold. This time, the earthquake completely flips the script, forcing people outside, directly facing the outrageously numerous mutant creatures at night! System possibly arranges disasters this way to push the remaining less-than-half humans to become stronger. Especially when directly confronting mutant creatures. Lin Yue donned wooden armor, picked up a shield and Outstanding Iron Spear, and stepped outside. In the early morning, the mutant creatures, who had disrupted the night, returned to quietness, Lin Yue opened the stone gate outside the walls and took a stroll. The harvest was indeed substantial. Three mutant sheep, three mutant wolves, and one Tiger-striped Shadow Deer. However, except for the two mutant sheep still alive, the others died tragically and had long gone cold. After eradicating the numerous mutant bugs on their corpses, Lin Yue wasted no time collecting Wooden Treasure Chests. boxes, not much, but not little either. Harvested two Copper Treasure Chests, Lin Yue put away these mutant creatures¡¯ corpses, dissected them separately to obtain various items, then dug a large pit and buried the remaining parts. Morning exercise completed. Lin Yue returned to the Shelter; Bai was fully energized now. "Bai, go hunting outside to train and keep watch, we¡¯ll eat something later." "Puff!" Bai seemed to understand Lin Yue¡¯s words genuinely, and dashed out of the Shelter, heading straight outside. Lin Yue watched Bai¡¯s silhouette gradually disappear beyond the stone gate, then turned his eyes toward the wall beside the gate. Where did those glass shards come from? Upgrade! The upgrade of items comes from design maps. But it seems building upgrades originate from... Lin Yue recalled during the previous snowstorm encountering a situation where the durability of the stone Shelter continuously decreased, and the recent upgrade of the ordinary stone wall after adding glass shards. He walked to the corner, took out piece after piece of iron block. "Iron-wrapped stone Shelter, is this unreasonable?" Just as the words fell, simultaneously a beam of light engulfed the Shelter! S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 66: Earthquake-Resistant Composite Shelter Completed! Chapter 66: Chapter 66: Earthquake-Resistant Composite Shelter Completed![Your shelter has become a composite shelter (iron-stone)] Spending 60 iron blocks, Lin Yue was satisfied to hear the system¡¯s beeping and also got the result he wanted. Sure enough, consciously embedding some materials into the building will create effects like stacking design blueprints! Shelter (surface): Stone and iron block composite Area: 40©O Durability: 450/450 Evaluation: Congratulations, earthquake-resistant shelter built! You know, if the next disaster is a thunderstorm, it¡¯ll be quite a show. Lin Yue: hhhhhh The system is as sarcastic as ever, what a guy. Lin Yue carefully observed the surrounding walls. Although they looked the same as before on the surface, the overall frame of this shelter was probably completely turned into an iron frame, so basically no worry about it collapsing. Now this surface shelter shouldn¡¯t worry about collapsing anymore. He immediately went down to the basement and reinforced the other two in the same way. Having done these, Lin Yue let out a breath of relief. For the time being, there was no need to worry about the shelter collapsing seriously. But the issue wasn¡¯t completely resolved. Although the shelter can¡¯t completely guarantee not to collapse, he had another worry. "So troublesome, with so many supplies, if it collapses, it¡¯s over. Really envy other people without this concern." Lin Yue muttered to himself, looking at the piled-up supplies almost amounting to a total area of 120 square meters in the three underground shelters, and couldn¡¯t help but feel troubled. Inside, there were also a large number of shelves and fragile items like wine. He constantly put various supplies, equipment, and miscellaneous items into the Storage Space, which had reached 8 cubic meters, while stacking those shelves one after another in the corners of the room. At the same time, he also fixed heavy items like water and some machinery under the shelves. Finally, for safety, he covered the shelves filled with items with sheepskin. He had quite a few sheepskins now and couldn¡¯t use them temporarily; even if the ceiling collapses, it could reduce some damage. After finishing these, Lin Yue got lots of stones to fix around the shelves. If it shakes and collapses, that would be troublesome. However, Lin Yue also noticed that after doing this, there was quite a bit of extra space again. "What to do, kind of want to go out hunting and bring back more stuff, any ideas on how to break this?" "Bai!" Bai¡¯s voice came from above, sounding lazy and weak, as if hungry. Lin Yue glanced at the last 300 bottles of wine he hadn¡¯t tidied up and went up to the first floor. "Bai, Bai~~" Bai was covered in blood, but Lin Yue was sure it was all from hunting, not because it was injured. Gotta say, Bai¡¯s combat power had increased a lot with continuous battles. In the desert, it could handle all the mutated creatures they encountered without any trouble. He took out a wet wipe and cleaned up Bai well, then set about boiling water to cook noodles. Having been busy all day, it was time to fill the stomach. This time, Lin Yue cooked bacon instant noodles. "Although it¡¯s tasty and oily, it¡¯s... a bit too repetitive and boring." Lin Yue frowned, finishing the last sip of noodle soup. It seemed apart from cooking noodles, he just cooked noodles; those bread were too hard and difficult to swallow, really couldn¡¯t interest Lin Yue. He only treated the breads from boxes as reserve food and hadn¡¯t touched them much. Bai didn¡¯t mind though; Lin Yue found the more flavorful the food, the more Bai loved it. Remembering the bun he had unboxed earlier, he took it out, skewered it with a chopstick and toasted it by the torch. The white bun¡¯s skin quickly changed color, from pale yellow to golden brown, accompanied by a fragrant aroma. Initially stuffed and unable to stand up, Bai strained to sit at the table, drawn by the special fragrance, making its characteristic "Bai Bai" sounds again. Lin Yue toasted a while, heated the bun thoroughly, and returned with this steaming, simple delicacy. He cut it in half with a knife, sprinkled some rock salt on top. "Bai! Bai!" Bai seemed to be saying "so fragrant." Indeed, this thing had a special kind of magic. "Bai, this thing¡¯s best eaten a little hot; want to try?" Seeing Bai about to freeze it with ice mist, Lin Yue reminded it. "Bai!" Bai understood, obediently waited for it to cool a bit before taking a small bite. Lin Yue bit a piece, reminiscent of the past. Back then in the orphanage, meals were scarce, especially during winter, when they toasted cold buns by the stove to stave off hunger, which felt more fragrant than anything. After eating and drinking, time for proper work. Suiting up again, Lin Yue put on the compass and also donned the rarely used helmet on his head. The shockproof setup in the shelter was basically complete; at worst, before the earthquake, he¡¯d pack those wines into the Storage Space. That said, he could cover other furniture with more hides as well. Moreover, the big tent outside seemed to need some reinforcement too. Considering this, more hides would be necessary. Opening the map pinned to the upper right of his vision, Lin Yue adjusted his walking direction. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. There was no special terrain in this desert, so Lin Yue chose to go straight ahead. The target, the direction of the neighbor¡¯s shelter! Checking again, he still didn¡¯t find any marked red dot signifying human presence there, pretty sure no one lived there anymore. Let¡¯s see if there was anything worth taking over there. Meanwhile, he could understand more about this world. Maybe he¡¯d encounter some unseen mutated creatures along the way? "Bai!" Bai watched another direction. In front of the small woods lay an Ancient Secret Realm Gate wrapped in red bricks, covered by vines blooming with many small flowers, emitting a faint mist. The Secret Realm Gate, newly refreshed. After system upgrades, the Secret Realm Gate refreshed every two days with a completely different world behind it. Bai likely thought Lin Yue was going to take it to the Secret Realm, which was why it had been eating intensely earlier. This little guy seemed to have grasped some tactics. "Bai, this time should be a lot easier than the Secret Realm, just that the journey may be quite lengthy." Lin Yue lifted his arm for a glance, pointing the other direction. That was the direction of another empty shelter. "Bai." Bai turned back to glance at the Ancient Secret Realm Gate, making a gentle sound. Human and pet embarked on a journey across the vast land towards the distance. Eventually, they transformed into two tiny black dots on the grassland. ... Later updates today, had things to finish up, thank you all for the rewards and rushing updates! Thank you all for your support and encouragement! Please keep reading and collect~(*^¨Œ^*) Chapter 67: Like Sunshine Piercing Through the Night! Chapter 67: Chapter 67: Like Sunshine Piercing Through the Night!The sun scorched the desert ground, and the distant shadows of trees looked blurry. Lin Yue and Bai barely rested, walking for nearly an hour and a half. Taking out the Steel Repeating Crossbow, aiming into the distance, Lin Yue could already see a solitary shelter over there. This journey wasn¡¯t exhausting in truth, the reason time was consumed was due to the harassment encountered from a mutant sheep herd, forcing a standoff for a while. Standing in place, after swiftly setting up more than ten traps around him, it was time for the Steel Repeating Crossbow to perform. It can be said that within almost fifty to sixty meters, those mutant sheep herd absolutely couldn¡¯t approach him. The Monster Winged Dragon feathers proved unexpectedly useful; after embedding them into the tail of the crossbow arrow, Lin Yue quickly had an enhanced version of the arrow, significantly improving accuracy as well. After adapting a bit simply, Lin Yue was able to achieve near-accuracy within fifty to sixty meters. Unquestionably, the mutant sheep¡¯s hunting methods really resembled wolves: not only did they move in packs, but they also possessed a certain level of intelligence. After seeing six companions easily shot down, they almost left Lin Yue¡¯s attack range at the fastest speed. After securing six Copper Treasure Chests, Lin Yue¡¯s subsequent journey turned considerably smoother. "Bai, just hang in there a bit longer, who would¡¯ve thought we could go this far haha," Lin Yue finally understood the meaning of running a horse dead while watching the mountain. However, being able to undertake such a long journey was indeed quite an novel experience. Especially, witnessing the unfamiliar scenery in this Otherworld, distinct from his shelter, turned out to be a delightful affair. Lin Yue looked up towards the endless desert in the distance, and even further towards the stretches of black mountains; simultaneously, he felt a shock he had not previously experienced, adding to his amazement at this world¡¯s vastness. He stood at a slightly elevated spot, picked up the Steel Repeating Crossbow, and kept increasing the magnification of the sighting scope. The blurred scenery in the extreme distance became clear through the sighting scope. Wild grass, tree shadows, and endless red soil. Shadows of mutant creatures occasionally passed by, and unexpectedly Lin Yue discovered a shelter in another direction. But judging from the distance, it seemed not much closer than his journey from the shelter to here. Lin Yue quietly noted this in his mind and continued towards the unoccupied shelter. "Puchi!" When just five to six hundred meters away from that structure, Bai suddenly called out, eyes looking in one direction. Lin Yue puzzled, there¡¯s nothing resembling mutant creature shadows nearby... He followed Bai¡¯s gaze and saw a yellow-brown object amidst the wild grass and red soil. "That is..." Lin Yue, feeling heavy-hearted, walked over. Only half remained of a gnawed skull, along with scattered fragments of bone. Nearby lay shredded clothing, entwined around the wild grass. On the side, Lin Yue found a machete with a curled-up blade. He looked up at the nearby shelter, shaking his head. The Otherworld is harsh. When human life reduces to numbers, continually jumping at the upper right corner of the group, it brings suffocation without suffocating pressure. But now, witnessing a person who was once lively become like this, the pressure resembled drowning, invoking a deep despair. On the eleventh day in the Secret Realm, Lin Yue understood more than before, the insignificance of life. He took out a shovel and buried the remains of this unfortunate person in a deep pit. If poor, attend diligently to oneself; if rich, extend to assist the world. Currently, what he could do was not much. Approaching the shelter that was already close, Lin Yue pushed open the tightly closed stone door. "Puchi!" Bai walked inside the stone shelter, took a round, and reported that there was no danger within. Lin Yue stepped inside, surveying everything within this 40-square-meter little room. Besides a wooden bed, wooden table, and some tattered items, there was nothing else. On the ground lay quite a bit of excrement from unknown mutant creatures. "Let¡¯s go, Bai, we should head back, besides..." [Whether to fold the unoccupied shelter] Lin Yue hesitated. What¡¯s happening? This unoccupied shelter... Could it be operable? [Whether to fold the unoccupied shelter] The system¡¯s voice inquired again. "Yes." [Congratulations, you have obtained Shelter Design Map X1] What?! Lin Yue watched as the shelter before him disappeared in a flash of white light, leaving only a light blue design map. He stepped forward. This thing... Wait. Lin Yue remembered something that puzzled him earlier. Du Ping once sold him a Shelter Design Map! At that time, it was just a few days after the start, and having Du Ping produce a Shelter Design Map once made Lin Yue think, it must have been the result of Du Ping¡¯s good luck opening a treasure chest directly. But now after encountering this, Lin Yue realized where Du Ping¡¯s Shelter Design Map came from. Looking around. Lin Yue didn¡¯t see the appearance of the Ancient Secret Realm Gate, nor did he see it before when coming here. The system previously stated that the Ancient Secret Realm Gate would randomly refresh positions around shelters. But it seems now another restriction needs to be added. It will only refresh beside shelters with living people. "Let¡¯s move, Bai!" Lin Yue called Bai. "Puchi, puchi!" Bai followed closely, hopping ahead of Lin Yue as they journeyed back. It seemed Bai didn¡¯t have any particular feeling about this place; instead, it appeared like a little dog taking a stroll, consistently excited. But this journey didn¡¯t come empty-handed. Acquiring a Shelter Design Map and gaining several Copper Treasure Chests. Having some gains is better than none. The return journey was quite smooth; Lin Yue didn¡¯t even encounter a single mutant creature, and had no time to bother with them. Compared to that, he wished more to explore the newly appeared Secret Realm thoroughly, just hopefully not beside Tokyo Tower. Lin Yue returned to the shelter, giving Bai two kebab skewers, while preparing various items for a Secret Realm venture, suddenly remembering one thing. Didn¡¯t he win a toolbox during the morning¡¯s draw or something? He took that toolbox out from the Storage Space, placing it on the ground. The toolbox was about the size of a small suitcase and, upon opening, divided into two layers, top and bottom. "Whoa, there¡¯s certainly no lack of items here." Lin Yue carefully checked each item. Electrical Adhesive Tape, Digital Electric Pen, Scissors, Level Gauge, Measuring Tape, Utility Knife, Claw Hammer, Wrench, Pliers, Screwdriver (ten blade types), Needle-nose Pliers, Wire Strippers, Hex Key Set, Impact Drill (Rechargeable), Drill Bit Set... Good stuff indeed. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This directly counts as a big package, right? survival points ten-round draw YYDS! Picking up the screwdriver, Lin Yue suddenly thought of something. "If I disassemble broken items, and still have a design map..." he went downstairs took out the broken flashlight he acquired long ago. Meanwhile, he looked at the crafting panel. [Small Flashlight: Bulb X1, Luminous Body X1, Circuit Board X1, Battery X1, Metal Spring X2, Iron Block X1] Disassemble the broken one to see? Will the system give any evaluation? [You have obtained Bulb X1, Luminous Body X1, Circuit Board X1, Metal Spring X2] Indeed, the system assessed it! Lin Yue realized henceforth, this so-called "broken flashlight" seemed only the metal barrel was damaged! Thus, it seems he could craft a new flashlight. [You have obtained Flashlight X1] Equipping the AA batteries obtained before, Lin Yue flipped the red switch! A beam of light instantly pierced through the basement¡¯s darkness! ... Update a bit earlier today, if everything¡¯s smooth, we¡¯ll have three Chapters today! Stop calling me short and weak, hey! Chapter 68: Unexpected, My Storage Space Holds Everything! Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Unexpected, My Storage Space Holds Everything!The Ancient Secret Realm Gate, shrouded in wisps of faint mist, exudes a mysterious attraction, Lin Yue stands in front of it, carefully checking his equipment to ensure everything in the Storage Space is ready. When it comes to weapons, Lin Yue feels he¡¯s upgraded to a new level. With the aid of the Sighting Scope and the trajectory correction of tail feathers, the Crossbow Arrows fired from the Steel Repeating Crossbow have now become another sharp weapon in Lin Yue¡¯s hands! In the contest with the Mutant Sheep herd, Lin Yue has verified its power within a range of fifty to sixty meters, and he¡¯s gained some insights into properly using this crossbow. Moreover, the Iron Spear, having evolved again, will add some leverage to his battles with the local enemies. Not to mention Bai by his side, after a few days of self-training, its combat power has significantly improved. "Equipment, water, food all packed up, so then..." Lin Yue takes a deep breath and gently pushes open the Ancient Gate with the spear tip. Mist permeates the air. A cool breeze brushes against him. Ever since encountering that Monster Winged Dragon, Lin Yue has been extremely cautious every time he enters and exits through the Ancient Secret Realm Gate. If that thing is hiding behind the door for a sudden attack, no one can withstand it. Moreover, the Secret Realm isn¡¯t just home to that monster alone. There are gray bugs the size of manhole covers and gigantic monsters as huge as mountains... Lin Yue doesn¡¯t know why Earth has become like this after decades, giving birth to these mutant creatures. But he knows, Earth isn¡¯t only full of these monsters. "Pooji." Bai gestures that there is no danger and enters the gate first, with Lin Yue following closely behind. Shutting the Ancient Gate, Lin Yue simultaneously shields his upper body with a shield and carefully surveys his surroundings. Sunlight seems to hide within thick clouds, lending the entire secret realm a more gloomy appearance. Thin mist floats in the air, yet compared to the first secret realm, it¡¯s much smaller. At least from dozens of meters away, Lin Yue can still see clearly. The ground beneath is asphalt, though more intact than the previous two, with fewer cracks. Nearby, rusted cars crash together in the road center, mostly skewed and crooked, some flipped, unlike the previous more complete ones. On the road, the broken streetlights almost divide the entire road into countless parts. In the distance, massive dark shadows loom indistinctly in the mist; even without using the sighting scope, Lin Yue can discern they¡¯re buildings. In his ears, the sound of collapsing construction echoes from somewhere, along with some elusive strange noises. "Bai, maintain vigilance!" "Pooji." The cooperation between Bai and him is getting more and more seamless; it understands its role well, focusing on assisting Lin Yue. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. And whether using its extremely keen perception or deploying its combat skills, it executes them impeccably. Sometimes, Lin Yue wonders if the little creature¡¯s intelligence has reached an unreasonable height. After tying yarn to the entrance, Lin Yue checks his various equipment again. "The road ahead is directly north... let¡¯s first search the area around this Ancient Gate." Lin Yue glances at the compass, switching his weapon to the Steel Repeating Crossbow. Compared to his last visit, his equipment has greatly improved, and his combat experience is richer. The Secret Realm is full of unknowns, challenges, and rewards! His Storage Space now holds 8 cubic meters, allowing him to take away more items than before! For instance... "Pooji!" Bai still hasn¡¯t spotted any trace of monsters, lingering by Lin Yue¡¯s side waiting for orders. "Bai, hang on, let me carry something first." Lin Yue searches for a while, spotting a flipped Beetle car on the roadside, first identifying it with 1 evolution point. [Basic Damage Beetle Car] Though basically damaged, it¡¯s manageable. Lin Yue touches it. [You acquired a basically damaged Beetle Car] A great harvest! If 8 cubic meters can¡¯t fit it, then that¡¯s something. Lin Yue, quite excited, returns to the Ancient Gate¡¯s vicinity, "Bai, hold on, I¡¯ll be right back!" Bai widens its eyes, watching its owner open the door, slip out, and quickly return to close it. "Pooji?" It¡¯s genuinely puzzled about what its owner has done. "I didn¡¯t expect it actually works... I seem to have found the method to use this Storage Space." Lin Yue¡¯s spirits lift even higher. However, he expanded his search area, failing to find another intact item like the little car just now on the road. Moreover, he realized the Ancient Gate¡¯s location appeared to be on a highway, with several-meter-high walls on both sides. Looking towards the other side, Lin Yue discovers a bridge stretching across above. Good heavens, the location this time isn¡¯t too ideal. "Pooji, pooji." Bai seems to sense something, suddenly calling Lin Yue twice. Lin Yue quickly moves over, but soon becomes alert. "Bloodstains... seem quite fresh, but unclear whether they¡¯re from a monster or a human. Bai, any enemies around?" "Pooji." Bai doesn¡¯t respond further, but Lin Yue circles around and soon discovers a broken machete by the wildly growing greenery at the roadside. This proves... someone has been here! As with the previous Secret Realm, it seems his Ancient Gate isn¡¯t the only entry to this region. "Bai, stay vigilant, follow me." Lin Yue listens carefully for any faint sounds, occasionally casting a glance skyward. "Squeak." Suddenly, Bai stepped on something. Lin Yue walks over to find it¡¯s a road sign fallen due to rust. Lin Yue flips it over. The reverse side isn¡¯t as rusted as the front, rendering the words unrecognizable; however, the paint has almost completely peeled off. Still, from the remaining recessed marks, Lin Yue sees a fact that astonishes him! "This English says Tokyo Tower... Wait, how can it be Tokyo Tower again?!" He gasps, discarding the sign indicating the west direction is only 500 meters from Tokyo Tower. What¡¯s going on, is this coincidence? Could it be the system¡¯s Secret Realm is obsessed with Tokyo Tower? The more Lin Yue thinks, the more bizarre it seems. Yet despite this, he quickly resumes exploration. Thoughts are left for consideration after exiting the Secret Realm at night; for now, focus on exploration. After another hundred-meter climb forward, Lin Yue notices he seems to have descended from the highway. Beside the road is a converging side road, and on the opposite side, Lin Yue sees several connected medium-height buildings. The building bottoms appear to be shops! Here¡¯s the place, quite good. However, Lin Yue just intends to move towards that spot when Bai¡¯s alert triggers instantly! "Pooji!" ... An extra Chapter coming later, more updates! Thank you to the big supporters for their rewards, but the author assistant never displays them, darn it ©Ñ©Ò©n©Ñ©Ò Chapter 69: Sniper Hunting! Big Harvest! (Extra - s for: Chapter 69: Chapter 69: Sniper Hunting! Big Harvest! (Extra Chapters for: "Returning Home" and "This Tune for a Joyful Reunion!")Lin Yue almost reacted instantaneously, he dropped to the ground and leaned against the roadside fence, lifting the steel repeating crossbow in his hand! A fierce wind swept in, accompanied by the sound of wings flapping. Bai snuggled close to Lin Yue, tilting his head as they both looked towards the sky. A shadow flashed by in an instant! However, the thin mist was scattered by the gust, then quickly merged again, while the sound of wings flapping moved in another direction. The monster hadn¡¯t noticed them huddled together on the ground; it was more eager to feast on the prey under its talons, exuding a strong scent of blood! After a while, the sound of wings flapping disappeared, and their surroundings fell into silence once more. "Poof." Bai¡¯s calm sound signaled the crisis had passed. Lin Yue breathed a sigh of relief, temporarily safe. The mist became a natural barrier, and it seemed like the monster had more important tasks to attend to. In the fog, the conditions were quite unfavorable for Lin Yue¡¯s combat, especially against flying monsters like the Winged Dragon, which could suddenly emerge from the mist and charge at him... A cold sweat broke out on Lin Yue. This thing can only be taken down with wits, not brute force. After all, its size is like a tiger soaring in the sky, and he¡¯s already witnessed the power of those giant jaws. Wasn¡¯t Korun just gutted last time? But it was the same kind of monster that he had poisoned with Tiger-striped Shadow Deer meat, causing it to fall to its death from high altitude. Even though it¡¯s huge, frankly speaking, it¡¯s still made of flesh. Standing up again, Lin Yue glanced at a nearby building and quickly ran towards it. Encountering a Monster Winged Dragon on an open road is truly disadvantageous, as there are basically no defenses to rely on. But once inside the roadside stores, such worries wouldn¡¯t exist. Nesting behind narrow window frames, it¡¯s absolutely impossible for these beasts to squeeze in. Lin Yue ran to the base of the building, looking up to see that it seemed to be a pet supplies store. "Bai, let¡¯s see if there¡¯s something you can use later, haha." The wooden door wasn¡¯t locked, Lin Yue opened it and hid to the side, expecting some unpleasant smells, but he found this act somewhat unnecessary. He was surprised to find no trace of animals inside the various cages, not even bones. Have they all vanished over time? That¡¯s impossible; at least bones should remain, right? "Poof." Bai found no enemies, instead wandered inside the store, showing interest in the various pet supplies. Lin Yue searched for a while but found nothing worth taking. Besides the not completely rusted iron cages, there seemed nothing worth grabbing in the shop. Other plastic or wooden items had decayed, brittle over time. Lin Yue collected some iron cages, went out, and tossed a piece of mutated lamb meat onto the auxiliary road ten meters outside the door before quickly returning. Tiger-striped Shadow Deer meat is not only toxic but also has a strong bloody scent, making it quite suitable as bait. He felt that the Monster Winged Dragon would return. If it suddenly attacks during his search, it would be quite passive. Moreover... Lin Yue recalled the Monster Winged Dragon flock circling Tokyo Tower, shaking his head. Luck wouldn¡¯t be that bad, right? With the steel repeating crossbow strung, Lin Yue laid a piece of sheepskin on the dusty floor, opened the door halfway, and lay by the door, extending the crossbow fully. At the same time, he pressed against the sighting scope. Within a range of ten to twenty meters, under his control, there¡¯s almost no chance of missing. And within this range, the crossbow arrow¡¯s power is greatest. Let¡¯s see if there¡¯s anything to gain! Lin Yue adjusted the best and most comfortable shooting posture, leaving only the waiting. Bai remained quiet, lying beside Lin Yue, with its ruby-like eyes fixed outside. "Poof!" However, just when Lin Yue expected to wait for a while, Tian Bai¡¯s alert sound was heard within half an hour! Here it comes! Lin Yue held his breath, trying hard not to affect the arrow¡¯s release with his body. Just then, the sound of wings flapping suddenly started! Two shadows abruptly descended from the mist! Unexpectedly, there are two of them! A drop of cold sweat flowed down Lin Yue¡¯s forehead. Lucky he came in early. As soon as the two monsters landed, they immediately fought over the meat, quickly tearing it into halves. And what Lin Yue was waiting for, was this moment! He held his breath, swiftly pressing the trigger! Whizz! An arrow shadow shot out from the doorway! The heart¡¯s location of the Monster Winged Dragon exploded with a burst of blood almost simultaneously! Lin Yue reloaded as fast as he could, this time the crossbow arrow went straight through the small head of the other unreactive Monster Winged Dragon, and it collapsed instantly! Lin Yue reloaded again, looking at the two monsters twitching nonstop in bloody pools, prepared to finish them off, and ready to encounter new enemies. However, as the bodies of the two monsters gradually stiffened, Lin Yue still didn¡¯t see any new monsters arriving. Is it over? "Poof." Bai finally made a conclusion. Lin Yue wiped the sweat from his face and stood up with a breath. This time, it seemed he did fairly well. From the initial prediction to the final victory, he was cautious at every step and successfully killed the two Monster Winged Dragons. If it were his first day in this Secret Realm, he definitely couldn¡¯t have achieved this. Lin Yue realized he seemed to have grown a lot. Picking up the sheepskin and holding the steel repeating crossbow, Lin Yue quickly approached the two Monster Winged Dragon corpses with Bai. With a dagger, he cut their wing skin while also harvesting feathers. After spending some time, he finally left satisfied. "Over four hundred feathers, not bad." Lin Yue stretched as he raised his head. At this moment, his gaze caught a glimpse of a distinct building. "Poof?" Bai didn¡¯t understand why his owner suddenly started running again. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But it quickly followed, yet even upon reaching the building and seeing a large pile of red inside, Bai still didn¡¯t comprehend why his owner was so excited. "Fire station! It¡¯s a fire station!" Lin Yue looked at the building and two partially open garages with fire trucks seemingly ready for action, feeling indeed a bit excited. The good stuff in a fire station definitely wouldn¡¯t be scarce. Though it seemed to be just a small fire station. Seeing Bai showing no alert reaction, Lin Yue happily entered the not-so-large fire station. Approaching one of the fire trucks, Lin Yue quickly found some good stuff. [You obtained a Fire Chainsaw X1] [You obtained an Engine Cutter X1] [You obtained a Fire Axe X2] [You obtained a Backpack Demolition Kit X1] Good stuff, quite the haul, and it¡¯s all heavy equipment! Though... most of it doesn¡¯t seem immediately useful for survival, but having it is better than not. Next... Just as Lin Yue prepared to leave, heading towards a room resembling an office, he suddenly saw two red items resting against the wall. "No way, there¡¯s... there really are these!" He couldn¡¯t help but exclaim in joy! ... Finally fulfilling the promise of an additional Chapter owed! This is an extra Chapter for "Returning to Meet This Song of Joy" and "Meet Here," sponsored with a reward of 5000 coins. Thanks to everyone for your rewards, collections, and following, the author is grateful here! Chapter 70: Since We’re Here, Let’s Get 2 Generators! Chapter 70: Chapter 70: Since We¡¯re Here, Let¡¯s Get 2 Generators!At this moment, Lin Yue could hardly contain the joy inside him. The two big red rectangular boxes in front of him made him unusually excited. Bai had no idea what was going on. To it, these red things weren¡¯t food or drink, so why was its owner so happy? "Bai, do you know what these are?" Lin Yue took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. "Purr?" Bai was hungry. It stared at Lin Yue¡¯s hand, wanting something to eat, completely uninterested in what Lin Yue was saying. "They¡¯re gasoline generators! And not just one, but two of them!" "Purr purr!" Bai¡¯s stomach growled. It rubbed against Lin Yue¡¯s leg, still not comprehending engines, but understanding lamb skewers very well. Lin Yue patted Bai¡¯s head and took out two lamb skewers, thinking a celebration was in order. Bai happily munched away, quite pleased. Lin Yue stroked the two gasoline generators and started eating the lamb skewers as well. When he first saw them, he thought his eyes were playing tricks on him. After all, gasoline generators were incredibly hard to come by, especially in this downtown area. After spending two survival points to appraise them, Lin Yue was delighted to see that the system showed these two generators were still in good condition. "20kw capacity, and they¡¯re silent too. I really found a treasure." Lin Yue placed the two very heavy machines into his Storage Space, feeling a sense of satisfaction wash over him. As long as he could find gasoline, his electric age would begin! Then things like light bulbs would be a given, as well as those cool drink cabinets and freezers from the convenience store, single-cooler air conditioners¡ªall could be put to use. "So next, finding gasoline should be the focus." Lin Yue walked to a fire truck nearby and located the fuel tank cap. Upon unscrewing it, Lin Yue was disappointed to find that the gasoline inside was all dried up. The same was true for the other truck. Well, it had been decades. The fire trucks were quite large; Lin Yue did want to bring them to the Shelter, but even if he emptied his Storage Space, it couldn¡¯t fit these massive vehicles. Looks like he¡¯ll have to expand the Storage Space later if he wants these robust trucks by his doorstep. The hoses and other equipment on the fire trucks didn¡¯t have much of value, and most were weathered and damaged from being exposed to the air, so Lin Yue didn¡¯t bother taking them. Lin Yue rummaged around the area for a while and unexpectedly found two sets of spotlights. Two in each set was quite useful. After appraising them, he found one good and one bad. He placed them into his Storage Space and then opened the door to the fire station¡¯s office. Dust had piled up several centimeters thick in the office, and Lin Yue covered his nose as he walked in, only to crush the floorboards beneath his feet. "Why would a fire station have this kind of flooring..." Lin Yue muttered helplessly, beginning to look for anything useful. [LCD Monitor (Damaged)] [LCD Monitor (Damaged)] [Laptop (Damaged)] ... Lin Yue appraised every seemingly good item in this nearly two hundred square meter office. However, reality was harsh. "Even if they¡¯re damaged, better than nothing since I¡¯m already here." Lin Yue put all the computers and similar equipment of various sizes into his Storage Space. Upon tallying, he had collected a total of 9 screens and 8 towers. In the end, he even took down a few cameras from the walls. Looking around, there were still a few good things. [You obtained Glass Ashtray X6] [You obtained Ceramic Cup X4] [You obtained Safety Helmet X3] [You obtained Fire Axe X2] [You obtained Safety Rope X2] Having scavenged through everything, what remained in the room were just scraps and garbage. Upon re-exiting the fire station, Lin Yue collected two more rolling shutter doors. Though they were broken, they were still made of metal after all. After completing these tasks, he and Bai returned to the vicinity of the pet store from before. There weren¡¯t many buildings around the fire station; it was too open. If a Monster Winged Dragon appeared, it would not be a good place to counterattack. Next to the pet store was a Western restaurant, where Lin Yue headed straight to the kitchen. A decaying odor continuously wafted into his nose as Lin Yue furrowed his brows, searching for anything usable. However, it seemed like something once made a nest in this kitchen, leaving droppings and fur everywhere. The original kitchenware was all rotted beyond use. Lin Yue opened a cupboard, only for the door to fall to the floor. But the plates inside were still usable, with only a few broken. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [You obtained Ceramic Plate X30] He opened another cupboard. [You obtained Glass Goblet X10] Other knives and forks were too rusted, and Lin Yue decided not to take them, but this hand-cranked coffee grinder looked fine. Takedown. Since he was already here, it would be a shame to leave without taking anything. As Lin Yue was scavenging, Bai suddenly scampered in. "Purr!" That¡¯s the enemy alert! When Bai made this sound, it had never been wrong. Soon enough, Lin Yue heard strange howling noises and the familiar sound of wings flapping! More Monster Winged Dragons! Why were there so many of these creatures? Wasn¡¯t there anything else on Earth? Speaking of other things... There did seem to be lots of bugs, things that looked like big rats, and that monster as big as a mountain. But none of those were visible now. Otherwise, he would have already heard the earthquakes from their steps. Yet, compared to them, Lin Yue would rather face Monster Winged Dragons. After all, he had managed to kill one, while the numbers of those rats and bugs were overwhelming, and just the thought of them was unsettling. The wing-flapping sounds outside grew more frequent, and Lin Yue realized he had no way of getting out of here. He also realized that it was the carcasses of the two Monster Winged Dragons he killed earlier that attracted this swarm. If there had been some soil nearby, Lin Yue would have buried them... But saying that was useless now. Taking a deep breath, Lin Yue gently placed the Iron Spear on the ground and lowered himself, supported by his elbows, slowly crawling from the kitchen to the store¡¯s interior. Soon, he reached the window again, and the indescribably awful howling grew even clearer. Through the speckled glass, Lin Yue could now clearly see that the initially mere two Monster Winged Dragons had turned into nearly a hundred! Lin Yue widened his eyes, watching them fighting over the two carcasses, tearing each other apart! With more and more Monster Winged Dragons collapsing, they too became new food... Lin Yue felt his scalp tingle, realizing he was stuck there for the time being. "Purr," Bai suddenly made a soft sound from a corner a few meters away from Lin Yue. That was... a staircase! Lin Yue slowly stood and crouched again, tiptoeing towards it, looking up. The second floor? The second floor, what¡¯s there? Chapter 71 Curiosity Killed the Cat, Leaving the Secret Realm! Chapter 71: Chapter 71 Curiosity Killed the Cat, Leaving the Secret Realm!Lin Yue opened his eyes, and the darkness before him was as black as ink. He gently sat up, listening to Bai¡¯s breathing beside him. Bai was sleeping soundly. He listened for a while to the outside noise, but it was deathly silent. Lin Yue waited a little longer before taking the sheepskin covering his head and body into his Storage Space, and then turned on the flashlight. Dust continually flickered through the beam of the flashlight, like endless snowflakes. "Squeak." Bai groggily woke up, quickly stood up, and nestled beside Lin Yue¡¯s feet. Bai also knew that they had slept for a long time in this strange environment. Lin Yue put the eight stones surrounding them into the item box, clearing the area completely. The eight stones formed a small fortress around him, and when covered with sheepskin, added an extra layer of security. Lin Yue had no concept of how much time had passed, whether it was day or night. He only knew that the hundreds of Monster Winged Dragons had attracted even more of them, and eventually, the road outside the restaurant was filled with them! The roars of those monsters continued for quite some time. Lin Yue even heard human cries and wondered if it was just an auditory hallucination. Trapped inside the restaurant, he waited until the light outside turned to darkness, but the monsters never left. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Faced with hundreds of such monsters, Lin Yue could only continue to wait. Finally, when he saw that it had turned completely dark outside, he went up to the second floor of the restaurant and set up a temporary shelter in a small room. Bai had called him to the second floor, not for any other reason, but because it felt safer there. After arriving on the second floor, Lin Yue found it to be a decent place, with not just tables and chairs, but also a room at the far end that wasn¡¯t small. He eventually drifted off to sleep there after setting up for rest and waiting for the monsters to leave. This was his first time spending the night in the Secret Realm. Lin Yue gently opened the wooden door, and the flashlight beam scanned the outside space. Outside was a white mist, clearly signaling morning. The previously raucous and indescribably unpleasant roars of the Monster Winged Dragons were gone, but Lin Yue wasn¡¯t completely relieved yet. "Squeak." Bai lightly chirped, indicating there was no danger. Lin Yue nodded, quickly moved to the stairs, and quietly descended. Stepping on the stairs, Lin Yue crouched and looked toward the door. Outside, the thick white mist had spread into the store; there were no cries, nor the sound of wings flapping. "Bai, stay alert, let¡¯s get back quickly!" Though the haul this time was abundant, the Monster Winged Dragons delayed their return to the Shelter, losing nearly half a day. Lin Yue and Bai quickly exited the door and headed straight for the side road. However, the putrid stench of blood and limbs of uncertain origin on the ground made Lin Yue feel a bit nauseous. Reaching the main road from the side road, Lin Yue searched for direction in the thick fog, remaining vigilant as he moved forward. Guided by the wool thread, it didn¡¯t take him long to find the Ancient Secret Realm Gate. Carefully pushing open the door, he listened for sounds from the other side, and upon confirming there was none, he finally felt at ease. "Bai, we¡¯re going back. Once we¡¯re back, we..." "Squeak! Squeak squeak!" Bai suddenly interrupted Lin Yue, sounding utterly terrified, unlike before! Lin Yue immediately reacted, tucked Bai under his arm, and dashed through the door! Slamming the door shut heavily, he finally let out a long breath. "Bai, what exactly came? Why are you so frantic?" Reaching his territory, Lin Yue relaxed but was still puzzled by Bai¡¯s strange cry. Bai ignored Lin Yue and walked far ahead, seemingly wanting to stay away from the Ancient Secret Realm Gate. Lin Yue noticed Bai was still visibly shaken. Did something approach just now? A horde of Monster Winged Dragons? Or was it that giant monster? In any case, he had no way to know for sure. Since the door was already shut, opening it now out of curiosity... that would be a case of curiosity killing the cat. After some thought, Lin Yue used a stone wall to completely block off the Ancient Secret Realm Gate, easing his mind. However, what he didn¡¯t know was... On the other side of the Ancient Secret Realm Gate, It had already been submerged by a sea-like horde of giant spiders! ... "Bai, tired?" Back in his own Shelter, the spacious and bright room restored his sense of security. Spending a night in that dusty, pitch-black room was indeed unpleasant. Especially within the Secret Realm! The Secret Realm, Earth from decades later, is filled with the unknown and dangers, and without so many resources to attract him, he wouldn¡¯t subject himself to such heart-pounding experiences. Lin Yue placed some skewers in front of Bai. This time, thanks to this little guy, without him, exploring alone might have led to unforeseen challenges! However, obtaining so many resources was indeed exciting. In particular, acquiring those two gasoline generators was an unexpected delight. The hand-cranked ones he made could not compare; hand-cranking was too tiring. While Bai feasted, Lin Yue went down to the basement to place the substantial amount of collected resources in the warehouse. Heavy items were placed together, while plates and cups were set aside for when an earthquake arrived, to then be stored with the wine. The haul from this trip exceeded his expectations by far. Alongside acquiring powerful tools, Lin Yue also found several items seemingly labeled as broken, yet capable of being deconstructed into valuable parts. Such as monitors and laptops gathered from that office. With everything stowed away, Lin Yue returned to the first floor and saw Bai circling around looking for water. "Here, Bai, don¡¯t be anxious." Though Bai didn¡¯t engage in combat this time, he contributed a lot of effort, and also... "Squeak! Squeak!" Bai suddenly lifted its head from the bowl and barked toward the door. "Hmm? Bai, are you..." Just as Lin Yue wondered whether Bai was a bit skittish, still shaken from the previous tension, they suddenly heard a scream! Wait, this is... a human scream! ... Sorry, there were a lot of errands today... And thank you: Qi Ling for the 5000 coin reward! Just finished clearing one Chapter and now owe another, goodness. I¡¯ll strive to update earlier tomorrow, thank you for your rewards! Please keep following~?(^?^*) Chapter 72: Dead or Alive, No Choice! Chapter 72: Chapter 72: Dead or Alive, No Choice!Screams echoed relentlessly, one after another, and along with them, curses rang out continuously. Lin Yue¡¯s hand reflexively reached for the steel repeating crossbow he¡¯d just placed on the table and quickly stood up. Without a doubt, these screams and curses were from humans. Moreover, judging by these sounds, it seemed that more than one person was involved! He took a deep breath, grabbed a ladder, and climbed to the rooftop at the fastest speed, setting up the crossbow arrow and drawing the bowstring. His first reaction to such circumstances was not to go out and see what was happening, but... Combat! It takes nearly two hours to reach the nearest shelter from here, so who would come all this way just to greet him? In the Otherworld, what¡¯s the scariest thing? It¡¯s not mutated creatures or hunger and thirst. It¡¯s human nature itself. In such extreme environments, the darkness within humans is magnified¡ªwithout laws and moral constraints, lacking water and food, amidst all desires... The wandering survivors, maybe it¡¯s more fitting to call them ¡¯raiders,¡¯ naturally emerged. These people are extremely dangerous. Lin Yue remembered hearing Korun and their group¡¯s discussion in the hotel under Tokyo Tower back in the Secret Realm. What they usually did was roam the Otherworld, and whenever they encountered solitary survivors, they¡¯d rob them of everything and cripple them or kill them outright! Even if not killed, in this Otherworld filled with mutated creatures and virtually devoid of medicine, injured survivors wouldn¡¯t survive until nightfall. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The raiders who chose this path never intended to let others live well. They didn¡¯t want to obtain things through effort and wisdom, but through looting and assault. Injuring and killing people was their forte. Lin Yue secured his position on the rooftop, using a shield for support, fixing the steel repeating crossbow, and gently resting his fingers on the trigger! "Bai, stay alert!" "Squeak, squeak squeak!" Bai hid at the edge of the shed, also shouting in another direction. At the same time, Lin Yue turned and aligned the sighting scope toward that direction. Indeed, the curses and screams were coming from that direction. But... what are they doing? If he were a raider, he¡¯d either rescue his comrades or ignore them to climb the wall or find a way to breach it. After all, the temptation inside these walls was immense for raiders. The richest in resources aren¡¯t safe. In the group, his name had already become a symbol, its meaning unspoken. Even in other groups, it was likely his name had spread. This wall, while offering him some sense of safety, also made those familiar with it understand there¡¯s something worth protecting inside. "What, given up climbing over?" Lin Yue waited a while longer but still saw no one attempting to climb over or any other means, yet the curses and screams continued without pause. "Squeak!" Bai suddenly shouted again toward the gate. Lin Yue quickly turned his head and saw a head poking out from the side of the gate! Good grief, an eastward feint!? This group had quite the strategy, how many of them were there exactly? Lin Yue quickly adjusted his position, aiming the steel repeating crossbow at the blonde brute who had one leg over the stone gate. Whoosh! The crossbow arrow shot out with a long whistle! Bang! The crossbow arrow struck the stone wall just centimeters from the man¡¯s leg, even chipping out a white spot on the wall and causing fragments to explode with the arrowhead! The blonde brute froze momentarily, then began shouting and gesturing toward him, although Lin Yue couldn¡¯t understand what he was saying, he guessed it was to signal his comrades. He ignored this; the bowstring tightened again, and the second arrow fired abruptly! This time, it hit the exact same spot as before, with no deviation! Lin Yue did this to convey a simple message to the adversaries. This is a warning. If they dared to continue, the next arrow would depend on their actions and strike their leg, belly, or heart, their head! Within fifty meters, Lin Yue could ensure his crossbow arrows wouldn¡¯t deviate by more than two centimeters. Either retreat, or face death! Clearly, after two arrows, the adversaries instantly realized this, muttering as they retreated back down from the gate. "Bai, stay alert!" "Squeak!" Lin Yue changed position again, pulling up the bowstring once more. He couldn¡¯t afford to drop his guard. There seemed to be three adversaries currently. One had seemingly fallen into his traps, another was cursing and raging nearby, while the third was the one who tried to climb over the gate. But there could potentially be a fourth, or fifth person... He took a deep breath. He¡¯s never actually killed anyone. In this world, there¡¯s no law or moral restraint prohibiting such actions. Maintaining a normal person¡¯s mindset is certainly important. Yet when one¡¯s life is under threat and they possess the ability to eliminate the adversary, there¡¯s no choice to be made. Moreover, after surviving this doomsday for over ten days, having faced life-and-death situations several times, his mindset had fundamentally changed from when he first arrived! Could he have pity for such people? Would they have pity for him? Internal strife? Lin Yue didn¡¯t wish for internal strife. He wanted humanity to unite and assist each other to survive. After all, with humanity already reduced by nearly half, if those remaining continued their internal strife, human extinction would only come closer. It might not even take a catastrophe; humanity might just lead itself to its demise. But just like these raiders didn¡¯t see it that way. They forced Lin Yue into retaliation! At that moment, the screams and curses still persisted. They hadn¡¯t left, they still intended to charge into the shelter to eliminate him! Lin Yue remained completely focused, alert to his surroundings. "Squeak! Squeak!" It was at this moment that Bai sounded another alert, and Lin Yue, following Bai¡¯s gaze, aimed the sighting scope at the wall¡¯s top. Through the scope, a tuft of blonde hair emerged over the wall, holding something in hand, but quickly retreated. Still refusing to give up? Moreover, the blonde had pulled out... A bow! Lin Yue reacted almost instantly, lifting the shield to protect his upper body, while using Storage Space to pull out two pieces of sheepskin to cover his head, leaving the steel repeating crossbow exposed while keeping an aim at the blonde¡¯s position. Suddenly, the sound of a bowstring rang out, followed by an arrow cutting through the air, and before even a second passed, Lin Yue sensed something had pierced the thick layers of sheepskin! However, it appeared the arrow had missed the mark, not hitting him at all. But Lin Yue decided to play along, letting out an exaggerated scream! "Squeak! Squeak!!" As Bai cried out in worry, Lin Yue¡¯s scope caught sight of the blonde brute appearing over the wall. Whoosh!! The crossbow arrow shot out like a silver snake of death! ... This Chapter has been revised almost five times... Hoping to bring you Chapter 2 as soon as possible. (*^¨Œ^*) ``` Chapter 73: Decisive Killing! An Unexpected Gain Chapter 73: Chapter 73: Decisive Killing! An Unexpected GainA gentle pull on the trigger, and the crossbow arrow shot out suddenly! A cry of anguish erupted from the yellow-haired burly man, followed by a dull thud of something hitting the ground! The air seemed to freeze, not to mention the curses that had been ringing, even the earlier cries vanished. Lin Yue quickly wiped the sweat off his forehead, taking deep breaths. He had just killed someone. Yet strangely, the complex emotions from killing didn¡¯t come at once. The crossbow arrow had pierced and embedded itself into the man¡¯s heart; not even a god could save him. Moreover, he had fallen onto the ground... the kind of trap that could take out a giant mutant sheep. Lin Yue wiped the fresh sweat off his forehead again. He had no other choice at that moment. The opponent didn¡¯t back down from his intimidation, instead they repositioned and launched an attack on him. He could only convey the most profound price to show them he wasn¡¯t someone to mess with. They wanted his life, being courteous would be too foolish. Lin Yue took deep breaths, remaining hidden under the sheepskin without coming out. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. There were at least two more enemies! Then suddenly, a series of footsteps accompanied by the "squeak, squeak" sounds came closer. Bai seemed to have jumped right onto the roof! After hearing Lin Yue¡¯s scream, Bai hurriedly squeezed under the sheepskin to reach him, ignoring its own safety. "Squeak? Squeak squeak!" Seeing Lin Yue unharmed, Bai cocked its little head, seemingly surprised that Lin Yue was completely fine. The little creature rubbed its head against Lin Yue¡¯s face, its voice becoming much softer. "Bai, I¡¯m fine, keep watch!" This little one didn¡¯t seem to know what tactics were. Though Lin Yue didn¡¯t understand before either, the Otherworld forced him to learn these things. If it weren¡¯t for the scream he let out, the yellow-haired man wouldn¡¯t have showed his face so easily. After confirming Lin Yue was okay, Bai obediently went back downstairs to keep watch. The air quieted, now only the wind of the desert could be heard. Had the enemies left? Lin Yue couldn¡¯t be sure. Having injured one and killed another, would they leave, or... "Squeak! Squeak!" Bai suddenly barked towards another direction, Lin Yue reflexively aimed his sighting scope again! A bald man holding a longbow suddenly appeared at one edge of the wall, with the arrow aimed at the visible Bai! But clearly, Lin Yue¡¯s crossbow was faster! The crossbow string snapped, followed by a scream and a heavy thud. The second one! Both of them had used bows... these raiders seemed quite adept at it. Especially the one shot from the first yellow-haired one, almost a meter away from him. This arrow hit directly to the face, making the bald man fall straight down. Any hesitation would cost Lin Yue a bloody price. Exhaling heavily, Lin Yue focused intently. The sighting scope swept slowly along the side of the wall, noting even the slightest sound wasn¡¯t overlooked. The air fell silent again, time ticking by. Until Bai¡¯s familiar "squeak" sounded, allowing Lin Yue to finally relax a little. The crisis was finally over. He removed the two layers of sheepskin covering him, discovering he was soaked through. Under this heat, wearing a mountaineering suit, wooden armor, a helmet, and covered with two layers of skin, he was nearly overheated. Nimbly slipping off the roof, Bai immediately came to his side, and together they opened the stone door. Lin Yue trusted Bai¡¯s sense of smell; since it didn¡¯t signal danger, those people were either completely gone or had perished here. Following the wall, Lin Yue raised his steel repeating crossbow, moving cautiously towards where the yellow-haired burly man had fallen. He quickly discovered the grim corpse nestled in the trap. Taking a deep breath, Lin Yue didn¡¯t look at it further. Killing didn¡¯t feel good. Beside the corpse in the trap were stacked three pieces of stone¡ªwhat he used to stand on. Indeed, even though the trap was encircled, it still bore significant weaknesses. However, Lin Yue realized something vital. Apparently, items he created couldn¡¯t be touched to be stored in the Storage Space. If they could, both traps and walls should have been taken by these people long ago. From the start, he faced these lunatics who had breached near the shelter. Shaking his head, Lin Yue continued forward. Not far ahead, he discovered a dead body of an unfamiliar person in the trap. The person lay in the trap, with a large wound on the head, seemingly caused by a gun or spear-like weapon. Lin Yue pondered and understood; this was likely the person who first screamed, but with heavy injuries, was finished off by his companions. Really ruthless. Looking at the steel repeating crossbow in his hand, if he hadn¡¯t decided swiftly, these people might have been celebrating over a secure shelter and an abundance of resources. "Squeak." Bai ran in front, leading Lin Yue onward. Bai seemed indifferent to Lin Yue taking out his own kind. In its eyes, there was only danger, or no danger. Regardless of whether it was mutated creatures, Secret Realm monsters, or humans resembling its master. Hardly any distinction at all. Lin Yue saw the bald man lying in the trap, faced with an arrow, his large amount of blood soaking the pit. Lin Yue exhaled deeply. His heart raced. Despite saying there were no feelings from killing, it wasn¡¯t entirely true. But now he had taken this step, and it was forced retaliation. Future encounters like this would continue, as long as these raiders existed. "Bai, can you find where these people came from?" Lin Yue asked Bai, but Bai ran towards the direction of the Ancient Secret Realm Gate. Confused, Lin Yue followed quickly and noticed some irregularities. The path towards that Ancient Gate had sparse bloodstains. Upon reaching the Ancient Gate surrounded by stone walls, Lin Yue also spotted a corpse lying on the ground. The corpse beside a scarred head had a faint glow near its hand. What is... that? Pulling out Iron Spear, Lin Yue poked at the glowing spot and found it was a glowing glass orb. When the spear tip touched the orb, Lin Yue suddenly heard a system voice! [You have acquired 1 cubic meter of Storage Space!] Chapter 74: Exploding Equipment! Rapidly Expanding Storage Space! Chapter 74: Chapter 74: Exploding Equipment! Rapidly Expanding Storage Space![You have gained 1 cubic meter of Storage Space!] The system¡¯s voice was still stiff, devoid of any emotion. But the information it conveyed was quite surprising to Lin Yue. He noticed that the glass ball, which had been glowing beside the corpse, was now gone, and after checking his Storage Space, he found it had indeed increased by 1 cubic meter, now reaching a total of 9 cubic meters! Wow, is this even possible? Is this the legendary "equipment drop"? sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But, is that all? [Items in the newly acquired Storage Space have also been transferred into your Storage Space] [You have gained Wooden Bow (ordinary) X1, Arrows X50, Dagger (ordinary) X1] [You have gained Bread X2, Yihe Mineral Water 600ml, a piece of Rock Salt] [You have gained Shelter Design Map X1] Oh my. Didn¡¯t expect to gain so much. He originally thought he only got a 1 cubic meter Storage Space. The shabby machete next to the corpse didn¡¯t appeal to Lin Yue, so he didn¡¯t mind discarding it. "Squeak." Bai circled the corpse once, his eyes looking behind the corpse. Lin Yue frowned, using the Iron Spear to prod it, and suddenly discovered that the clothes and soil underneath were soaked with blood, and a Mutant Sheep¡¯s fang was embedded in the center of its back. So that¡¯s what happened. Lin Yue was just wondering why this person had died here. It seemed he fell into a trap, was stabbed in a vital area by the fangs inside, barely made it here, and collapsed. However, why run this way? Lin Yue looked up and saw a silhouette hiding in the shadows on the other side of the jungle. Mutant Sheep. Wow, got driven here by that creature, huh. But Bai didn¡¯t even react, why? Just as Lin Yue was confused, Bai suddenly turned into a white light, and the Mutant Sheep over there didn¡¯t even have time to react before being enveloped by a chilling frosty mist. Next, Bai stretched out his small claws from the forelimbs and fiercely dug into the Mutant Sheep¡¯s chest! What... is Bai really this fierce? No wonder, Bai didn¡¯t even issue a warning because he felt this thing didn¡¯t pose any threat to them. Lin Yue jogged over and began dissecting. Mutton 10kg, one piece of sheepskin, two fangs, and a Copper Treasure Chest. Which wasn¡¯t much of a surprise. However, Lin Yue was curious why the mutton chops with a lot of meat weren¡¯t also recognized by the system during dissection. He thought for a moment and pulled out the Fine Dagger. He had mostly used the Iron Spear for dissecting before since it just needed a touch for the system to recognize it. This Fine Dagger hadn¡¯t been used much before, and upon taking it out, he found it was quite sharp. The dagger sliced through the fairly good texture of the mutton chops, its sharpness even allowing it to easily cut through the bones at the joints. Soon, Lin Yue had cut out a large piece of mutton chop. [You have gained Mutant Sheep¡¯s Mutton Chop X1] Wow, it really requires hands-on work, otherwise, relying on the system would only give 20kg of mutton, and the rest would be wasted. After cutting another piece of mutton chop, Lin Yue finally stopped. His hands were covered in blood and grime, and indeed it was more taxing than letting the system automatically determine it, but obtaining mutton chops as a nice food item made Lin Yue feel it was quite worth it. Standing back up, Lin Yue returned to the corpse. He forced himself to stare at the corpse, trying to adapt, training himself to accept such circumstances. If he didn¡¯t adapt, Lin Yue felt he might have hesitation and shadows in his heart when facing similar situations in the future. And those might prevent him from being ruthless. Kindness has no place in this world; the raiders wouldn¡¯t be kind to him. "Alright, maybe seeing more will help me adapt better." Lin Yue¡¯s heart wasn¡¯t beating as fast, but he also knew it couldn¡¯t numb instantly. "Bai, let¡¯s go, collect the loot." Lin Yue suppressed complex inner feelings, calling Bai again. "Squeak." Bai turned and looked at the new soil, then followed beside Lin Yue. It didn¡¯t have Lin Yue¡¯s worries; after all, born in this Otherworld, the harsh reality was something it faced from the start. Returning to the corpse of the blond muscular man, Lin Yue used the Iron Spear to prod him, eventually finding a white glimmer underneath. [You have gained 1 cubic meter of Storage Space!] [You have gained Wooden Bow (ordinary) X1, Arrows X22] Good. [Items in the newly acquired Storage Space have also been transferred into your Storage Space] [You have gained 2 bottles of Chili Powder, Bread X2, 1 bag of Sandwich Biscuits] [You have gained Iron Axe X3, Wooden Spear X3] Not bad. Lin Yue looked at the face of the blond muscular man, realizing he was more accustomed than before. But upon closer inspection, he realized he had seen this person before. Seen him in a group chat. Seemed he had made some comments before, and was rather disdainful of him. Unexpectedly, he was a raider. Come to think of it, it¡¯s intriguing how everything people said in the group chat got auto-translated for Lin Yue, but in reality, their speech was incomprehensible to him. He also found it strange that these raiders seemed from different places, so did they communicate using the system panel? Next up was the unlucky guy killed by a companion. [You have gained 1 cubic meter of Storage Space!] [You have gained Iron Spear X1, Wooden Bow Design Map X1] Hmm? The gain from this one is a bit lesser. What happened? With questions in mind, Lin Yue finally found the bald guy, and the outcome from him was surprising! [You have gained 2 cubic meters of Storage Space!] [You have gained Wooden Bow X1, Arrows X39] [You have gained Iron Pot X1, 1 bag of Sugar, 1 bag of Chips, 4 Snickers, 1 bottle of Piaoying Shampoo] [You have gained Wood X103, Stone X90, Iron Block X112] Wow, all the good stuff was on this guy! And he even had 2 cubic meters of Storage Space! Looks like he was the one carrying the supplies for the group. After storing all of it, Lin Yue felt quite emotional. Who knew fighting against these raiders would result in gaining Storage Space and a good deal of supplies! The Storage Space, from 8 cubic meters, directly increased to 13 cubic meters. Besides acquiring plenty of Wooden Bows and Arrows, he also got some food, spices, materials, and even a bottle of shampoo! Lin Yue felt his greasy hair and was a bit delighted, pondering that without obtaining similar things, he¡¯d truly have to consider cutting his hair. Lin Yue dug a large pit to bury the corpse by the small grove, and simply covered the ones in the traps with dirt. Out of sight, out of mind. After finishing everything, Lin Yue finally let out a sigh of relief. There were still many things he needed to do next. He had collected some chests, hadn¡¯t checked the Survival Points yet, and needed to browse the Survival Points Mall... Wait, how¡¯s the vegetable in the greenhouse? Chapter 75: Monopoly Survival Points, Opening Treasure Chests Until Exhausted Chapter 75: Chapter 75: Monopoly Survival Points, Opening Treasure Chests Until ExhaustedScorching sun. Unknowingly, it had already reached noon. After coming out of the Secret Realm and battling with the raiders, Lin Yue had truly exhausted a lot of physical strength. Compared to others, he just wanted to eat first and replenish some energy. No matter how the greenhouse produce was doing, or about survival points, or treasure chests, those could wait. Setting up a stove outside, Lin Yue took out a simple barbecue rack and got some charcoal from the item bar. The charcoal was the leftover from the stove during the snow disaster. He considered that he would need it for roasting meat later, so he gathered it together and stored it in the Storage Space. Since it didn¡¯t waste any space, it had just been placed there all the time. The charcoal glowed red, still maintaining its original white-hot appearance. It must be said, this Storage Space is truly black technology, able to freeze the state of all items. On the simple barbecue rack, Lin Yue placed the lamb ribs and used a dagger to poke some small holes, while crushing rock salt and setting aside the chili powder newly obtained for later use. The tender lamb meat kept dripping oil, sizzling as it splashed onto the charcoal, and the unique aroma of the lamb permeated the air. Bai ran around nonstop beside him, seemingly quite hungry too. "I wonder if you can handle spicy food, little guy?" Lin Yue divided the ribs into two portions. One was for Bai, with just a bit of salt, and he showered his half with chili powder. However, there¡¯s only one bag of chili powder, which is very precious, so Lin Yue didn¡¯t use too much. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Thinking of his Devil¡¯s Pepper seeds, he wondered what level of spiciness they would bring? It didn¡¯t take long for the surface to become golden and crisp, emanating strong fragrance, the ribs were ready, and Lin Yue handed over the non-spicy portion to Bai, but Bai didn¡¯t take it. "Puchi? Puchi!" Bai seemed very interested in Lin Yue¡¯s portion. "Really, you can eat spicy food?" Lin Yue laughed and tore off a small piece to give to Bai, only to see the little fellow gently spray some ice mist to cool it down, then swallowed it, jumping around because of the spiciness, and finally calmed down after drinking some water. But when Lin Yue offered it spicy again, Bai dared not eat it. Lin Yue then took out the remaining half bottle of cola from the Storage Space and poured it into two glasses. Couldn¡¯t have barbecue without soda, right? One person and one pet, they ate until they were thrilled. Even with a large section of ribs consumed, they were left wanting more. "Haha, Bai, your stomach is already bulging. Stop eating, or you¡¯ll risk indigestion." Lin Yue stuffed the last piece of meat into his mouth, oil dripping everywhere. But he still felt it was slightly less than perfect. "If only I could marinate it with spices in advance, and maybe some cumin, it would be even more flavorful." He mumbled while opening the system panel that hadn¡¯t been opened for a long time. A message soon arrived. [You have disabled the livestream function. Will this be your choice in the future as well?] Lin Yue immediately reacted. Oh, okay, so if I don¡¯t disable this feature, the system will almost let others watch my livestream with hardly any privacy? Lin Yue grasped some insights from his few experiences with streaming. Not to mention the rankings, it seems that during battles, the system triggers the livestream mechanism by itself. The purpose, Lin Yue could pretty much guess. Whether it¡¯s showcasing the lifestyles of the top three in the rankings to all groups or demonstrating how he battles against mutant creatures or raiders to all groups, the goal is straightforward and simple. To help more people figure out how to properly build their Shelter, enhance their living, and improve their tactical approach, giving them an advantage during battles. In turn, survive in this harsh Otherworld! After all, we can¡¯t let the total population dwindle too much; otherwise, before the next disaster even arrives, humanity would go extinct, leaving the so-called survival game unplayable. The system¡¯s intention is probably like this. "Yes, always close it." Lin Yue pondered this, and responded to the system. [Livestream function will remain disabled. To enable it, please call out to do so.] Lin Yue thought, no way he would ever call out to enable it. Whether it was during the ranking or the subsequent battle, these two livestreams exposed many of his secrets to everyone in the group. As someone living the best within the whole group, while being envied, he was also constantly watched. Even a seemingly good person, upon seeing so many resources in his hand, might easily go mad. Not to mention that those with malicious intent, having seen his battle methods, might prepare defenses, putting him in a significant disadvantage. Just like the raiders he dealt with, that bald guy aimed to kill Bai. Thinking of this, Lin Yue was more determined than ever. Pouring the remaining cola into his mouth, Lin Yue burped while looking at the survival point options. He chose to skip the detailed points upfront this time. Instead of closely examining this, he had many things left to do, his attention moving straight to the conclusion. ... [Survival points daily settlement successful: Survival points +1898] [Yesterday¡¯s remaining survival points: 1905] [Total survival points: 3803] Three thousand eight hundred points! Wow, accumulating this thing over time, that¡¯s quite a lot! Enough to buy quite a few things. For instance... [Universal Upgrade Blueprint: Survival Points 300 points] [Drinking Water Storage Device (100L): Survival Points 400 points] [Selected Spices 10-piece Set: Survival Points 200 points] [Single Person Knife Set: Survival Points 290 points] Lin Yue didn¡¯t hesitate. For a mere thousand or so points, there was no need to hesitate. He quickly acquired them without blinking. [You lost Survival Points: 1190 points, balance 2613 points] [You obtained...] Hmm, nice. Lin Yue saw the newly added items in the Storage Space, and also noticed that after purchasing the "Universal Upgrade Blueprint," the next one¡¯s survival points cost only increased by 100 points. He quickly understood what to do. [You lost Survival Points: 400 points, balance 2213 points] [You obtained Universal Upgrade Blueprint X1] Hmm, nice, no rush to spend the remaining ones. Next up, is Lin Yue¡¯s favorite time for opening treasure chests! "Bai, let¡¯s go back inside first. We can¡¯t always be outside." Lin Yue picked up Bai, whose stomach was almost bursting, and went into the Shelter first. He couldn¡¯t be sure if he had dealt with all the raiders. If there was still a lone one out there, no one could guarantee after seeing all his companions dead, he wouldn¡¯t come back here to harm him. "Alright, let¡¯s see what we have." Lin Yue took out the treasure chests one by one from the Storage Space. Before going to the neighbor¡¯s Shelter, the traps had gotten him two Copper Treasure Chests; then, on the way there, he had dealt with many bugs and lizards, obtaining 47 Wooden Treasure Chests; also, after encountering the Mutant Sheep herd, he took out 6, getting 6 Copper Treasure Chests, plus the one Copper Treasure Chest he just got... Emma, what a big harvest! What does it mean to open treasure chests until your hands are sore? Lin Yue excitedly rubbed his hands together. ... Thank you for the support of my esteemed readers! The author bows to everyone here, seeking follow-up reads and collections, pleading with everyone not to just stockpile the book, follow-up reads are truly important... Thank you all! Chapter 76: The Season of Harvest, Target: Gasoline! Chapter 76: Chapter 76: The Season of Harvest, Target: Gasoline![You have obtained Yi Yu mineral water 600 ml X1] [You have obtained Six Ancient Dojo Braised Pork Noodles X1] [You have obtained...] Emma, stuff all over the place. Although Lin Yue¡¯s Wooden Treasure Chest was mostly the same things, there were a lot more supplies, which he wasn¡¯t dissatisfied about. Who would complain about having fewer supplies? Wooden Treasure Chests, 21 bottles of water, 12 loaves of bread, 9 packs of instant noodles, 5 bags of spaghetti. Very good. Lin Yue placed all the water on the basement shelves; after putting the bread into the Storage Space, he looked at the pile of supplies with a bit of self-mockery. "Why do I seem like a squirrel preparing for winter... Goodness, I wonder if anyone would mock me like this?" Lin Yue went back upstairs. There were still 9 Copper Treasure Chests left unopened. "Opening treasure chests is so tiring, I really envy those who don¡¯t have so many to open." Lin Yue couldn¡¯t help but shake his head, with hands aching, still having nine unopened. [You have obtained: Shovel Blueprint X1, Regional Map Fragment X1] [You have obtained: Long Grain Rice Fragrant 5kg] [You have obtained: Portable Backpack X1, Iron Sickle Blueprint X1] [You have obtained: Drinking Water 4L, Regional Map Fragment X1] [You have obtained: Kepix Cola 2L a bottle, Rock Salt X1] [You have obtained: Onion seeds 1 bag, Imperial Ham Sausages 1 bundle] [You have obtained: Instant Coffee 250g a bottle, Black Pepper Grinder X1] [You have obtained: Watermelon seeds 1 bag, Thermometer X1] [You have obtained: Maltesers 1 bag, Bacon X1] "Getting things is indeed gratifying, but opening too many boxes, hands are limp." Lin Yue sighed after opening all the treasure chests. Moreover, he still had to organize and sort them afterward. Luckily, opening treasure chests doesn¡¯t consume survival points, otherwise, Lin Yue could have been the biggest loser. Lin Yue focused intently, using the blueprints and regional map fragments one after another. The shovel was upgraded to excellent quality, the iron sickle was a fresh thing... but it seemed like there wasn¡¯t any need to weed or anything. After using the regional map fragments, Lin Yue quickly opened the regional map function and soon found two areas not far from his location. One had a shelter and people, the other just had an empty shelter. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lin Yue remembered the empty one, while also marking the one with people in his mind. The empty one can be explored later, the one with people, however, he needed to keep a constant eye on. Who knows if it¡¯s sheep coming or wolves... No, in this world it seems wolves and sheep have been merged into mutant sheep. Aren¡¯t humans somewhat like that too? After packing away the leftover items and water and drinks, Lin Yue looked at the two bags of seeds. Onion and watermelon, a somewhat strange combination. But speaking of seeds... Need to check the greenhouse. Two days without going, not sure if what was sown before has sprouted, or has none emerged? Before, he didn¡¯t do much with it except getting the water ready from the soilless cultivation kit, along with placing leek, radish, and sprouting cabbage seeds into trays to germinate. The trays and water tank are connected; after sprouting, thin out the seedlings and give enough sunlight, then just wait for growth. Now, to prevent any mutant creatures from possibly destroying it at night, Lin Yue had placed the entire soilless kit inside the greenhouse. "Bai, come, let¡¯s walk around and work off the meal." "Pfft~ hiccup..." Lin Yue pulled Bai up, the little guy was still hiccupping. Goodness, did it eat too much meat? Lin Yue always felt that the little guy¡¯s appetite was really too big, seemingly gradually catching up to his own. Don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a misconception, Bai¡¯s body seemed to have grown slightly. Fattened? Can¡¯t go on like this. Lin Yue indicated, he¡¯d let Bai try the deliciousness of vegetables later and balance its diet. You know, if people don¡¯t eat vegetables or fruits for a long time, they¡¯d suffer from constipation, even high blood pressure, scurvy or something would knock on the door. His previous vegetable intake, at most, was the vegetable pack inside instant noodles. Raised his hand, a few hangnails near his fingers were quite conspicuous. Indeed, not to mention others, even his own body couldn¡¯t take it if this continued. Pushed open the stone door, dragging Bai¡¯s front paw, Lin Yue led it to the front of the greenhouse. Earlier he had made an air vent in the greenhouse to avoid it being too hot, otherwise, at this temperature, one would be plastered to the ground as soon as they went inside. Lifted the greenhouse curtain, a damp and humid breath instantly hit him. Yet at this moment, Lin Yue¡¯s gaze was firmly fixated on the lush green soilless cultivation kit! "Could it be..." Lin Yue approached, his trembling hand touched the plump green leaves, somewhat incredulous! It¡¯s only been two days, how could the sprouting cabbage grow into mature plants from mere seeds? Back then, at the orphanage garden, planting this took almost a month before harvest. He still remembered the soilless cultivation kit was said to shorten crop growth time, but shortening to this extent was indeed extraordinary. This soilless cultivation kit is high-tech? No, it¡¯s black technology! Lin Yue leaned in, gently smelling the long-missed scent of vegetables, his mood becoming elated. Sprouting cabbage shortened from a month to two days, what about radishes that take two to three months, leeks, and Devil¡¯s Pepper taking half a year? Even onions, strawberries, and watermelon could quickly mature, right? It seems, at this growth rate, he could soon achieve vegetable freedom, fruit freedom! Lin Yue¡¯s mood lifted a bit, he looked at the white radishes beside him, discovering they were already about 10cm long, likely maturing in another two days. Leeks were still in seedling state, time would likely be longer, however... perhaps the sprouting cabbage was enough for two or three meals. [You obtained sprouting cabbage 1kg] Used a knife to cut off some leaves, after reaching a certain amount, the system indeed reacted. A kilogram of sprouting cabbage... Lin Yue looked at the rest, knowing another hard currency had risen! With water and food not scarce for now, pursuing higher enjoyment would gradually become consensus. Who wouldn¡¯t want to live better? Drinking plentifully, some would want drinks or alcohol. Eating ample bread, some would want vegetables. This is simply natural. He noticed this earlier when using wine as hard currency, and seemingly quite a few people were still eagerly waiting for when he¡¯d sell more. As for what he wanted... Water, food, materials, he didn¡¯t need those. Various blueprints were sufficient too; if not, he could use survival points to draw prizes, or even flex his muscles and plan a hunting spree against the nearby mutant sheep. What he wanted was actually very simple... Gasoline! As for what gasoline could do... Lin Yue collected another 2kg of sprouting cabbage, then returned to the Shelter with Bai, heading straight to the basement. He looked at the corner¡¯s two big red fellows, anticipating the harvest to come. Expertly opened the shop, listed! [Seller: Lin Yue] [Auction Item: 50 ml Wine X20] [Wanted: Gasoline] [Seller¡¯s note: 20 lots, can bid multiple times, highest bidder wins] ... [Seller: Lin Yue] [Auction Item: 100g Sprouting Cabbage X20] [Wanted: Gasoline] [Seller¡¯s note: 20 lots, can bid multiple times, highest bidder wins] Chapter 77 The Transactions of High-End Players Are Just That Simple Chapter 77: Chapter 77 The Transactions of High-End Players Are Just That Simple"Uh, did I see something wrong? Did you guys see it? Lin Yue actually grew some vegetables?" "Terrifying indeed!" "While he¡¯s eating and drinking, we¡¯re starving and thirsty. Just as we finally get to eat and drink, he¡¯s growing vegetables again... But, I think I want that wine more." "Hey upstairs, you¡¯re talking as if you have gasoline." "Damn, I want to trade 20 no, 50 Iron Blocks for a portion of Chinese cabbage. I¡¯m a vegetarian, and I¡¯m about to reach my limit, boohoo..." "Speaking of which, what does Lin need gasoline for? Did he get a car?" "Even if he has a car, there needs to be a road, right? Probably it¡¯s for something else? He can¡¯t possibly be making a gasoline generator, can he? Haha." S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Dream on, a gasoline generator? If I had wine and vegetables, I¡¯d definitely trade for stronger weapons or something. What¡¯s the point of generating electricity?" "Exactly, even if I had a generator, there¡¯s nothing to use the electricity for. The things I got from the Secret Realm are all junk, nothing usable at all." "Wow, I see some big shots in action, I¡¯m not going to mention each one, but I just want to ask where on earth are you getting gasoline from?" "High-end player trades, all we can do is watch. Speaking of which, isn¡¯t Lin Yue considering trading for something else? I have quite a few blueprints here." "Damn it, I don¡¯t have any gasoline! Can I take this lying down? I just learned some grappling techniques; Lin Yue, come here, I¡¯ll pin you down to the ground in a second, you believe it or not?" ... While waiting for bids, Lin Yue was watching the group¡¯s water cooler chatting while planting more things in the Soilless Cultivation Kit. The Soilless Cultivation Kit is basically a bunch of steel frames with many perforated plastic tubes. Fill them with nutrient solution and water, put the seeds on the trays, and wait for them to sprout; the vegetables will grow on their own. He doesn¡¯t quite know if this is how it¡¯s done on Earth originally, but at least here the instructions indeed explained it like this. This time Lin Yue didn¡¯t scatter all the seeds at once; instead, he planned it out a bit. First, vegetables seem to be quite popular in the group and in trades right now. In fact, within less than half an hour, vegetables have received a hundred bids whereas wine only sixty. Moreover, their bids showed Lin Yue that gasoline doesn¡¯t seem very valuable at this stage. Just like they said, the general idea of what gasoline can be used for is limited to cars and engines. Sure, the survivors are clever, but no one could guess he has quite a large amount of diverse appliances... He does indeed have a car. After planting all 3000 Chinese cabbage seeds, Lin Yue planted quite a few onions. Onions are unique, as they can reproduce using bulb sets. Considering the growth speed of plants on the soilless cultivation kit, once onions are planted, they almost don¡¯t need to be tended to anymore, and they¡¯ll infinitely reproduce. Besides their strong flavor, these nutrient-rich vegetables hardly have any weaknesses. In the future, they can even be considered a hard currency for long-term planning. As for strawberries and watermelons, Lin Yue only planted a little bit. Vegetables are still the priority for now, if later he can find more soilless cultivation kits, he can multiply them then. Moreover, the Survival Points Mall still sells seeds. He poured the humus soil obtained from Cork Brown into a wooden planting box. On closer inspection, the soil seems to perfectly cover a planting box. Could humus soil also have some sort of high-tech feature? With this question, Lin Yue placed the seeds of Devil¡¯s Pepper into the soil and added a bit of water. With these tasks completed, Lin Yue thought he could look at the bids now. By this time, the sky had grown dim, the intense sunlight softened significantly, and Lin Yue returned to the Shelter from the hot and humid greenhouse. He sprawled out on the bed, relaxing his body in a long-awaited manner. Since yesterday¡¯s trip to the Secret Realm until now, he had been working like a machine without rest. Whether it be exploring the Secret Realm, dealing with raider attacks upon returning, opening chests, or using the Soilless Cultivation Kit, he¡¯s been busy non-stop. Were it not for the many tasks left undone, Lin Yue would have loved to just fall asleep right then. Lin Yue opened the trading panel and looked at the bids. "Oh my, did someone go to the Secret Realm and find an oil depot or something, how come there¡¯s so much?" Lin Yue was amazed to see one person wanted to buy all the wine and vegetables, and their bid reached a staggering 40 liters! No one else¡¯s bid was higher than this person¡¯s! Lin Yue had calculated that one hour of power generation with his gasoline generator would require about 3 liters of fuel. If he accepted this person¡¯s bid... Then he¡¯d have thirteen hours to enjoy a modernized life with electricity! There seems to be no other choice for now... Wait a minute. No rush. Why such haste? Lin Yue almost pushed himself into a trap. How long has it been since people started bidding? Just hold on, wait for them to increase the offer by themselves. Self-strategy is such a wonderful thing. After all, I¡¯m the seller; I decide when to close the deal, don¡¯t I? Besides... Lin Yue remembered something he¡¯d been ignoring. He walked over to the gasoline generator and picked up the connector. How does this thing connect to appliances? It seems more necessary than just having a generator alone. He does have two rolls of electrical wiring, but it seems he really needs to find a power strip. A day later, a fresh wave of disasters is coming - earthquakes from magnitude 1 to 8! If he rushes to enjoy powered living now, what will happen afterwards? Will he connect all those appliances to the generator, and then one by one put them back when the earthquake comes... Seems like it¡¯ll be quite chaotic then. Within a short time, Lin Yue thought over these matters and decided to put them off until tomorrow. For now, he has more immediate tasks to handle. Such as... "Squeak, squeak!" Bai was running around the room, seemingly hungry, and Lin Yue¡¯s stomach had indeed been growling for quite some time. "Got it, let¡¯s recharge a bit, there are things to do tonight." Lin Yue took out two packets of snail noodles he had won from the last Survival Points lottery, thought it over. "Bai, how about having something special tonight?" "Squeak?" Set the pot to boil water, prepared a large bowl, cooked noodles in broth, and added condiments. During the process, Bai suddenly caught a familiar scent, one reminiscent of its owner relieving himself outside the wall. Its eyes lifelessly moved towards the door. "Bai, I¡¯m not cooking crap seriously, don¡¯t run, trust me, once you try a bite, you won¡¯t stop!" "Squeak~!" Bai frantically scratched at the door, only to see its owner bringing the bowl closer, getting nearer... ... Sorry for being late o(¨i©n¨i)o Thanks to all generous readers for your rewards and encouragement! Chapter 78: First Place in the Rankings Again, New System Rewards! Chapter 78: Chapter 78: First Place in the Rankings Again, New System Rewards!"Wha... What? How is this possible?!" Late at night, after the second update of the rankings, Du Ping widened his eyes and stared at the rankings, completely unable to believe what he saw. "Why, why is he first again? Why!" Du Ping angrily pounded the table, his hair a tangled mess, sparking a madness that made everyone else in the shelter remain silent. 1. Lin Yue 2195 points 2. Du Ping (and others) 1425 points 3. Victor (and others) 1005 points 4. Decrogen (and others) 988 points ... Eliot frowned at the leaderboard on the panel, also somewhat unable to accept it. He turned to look at the remaining ten people, each face carrying an expression of disbelief. The Survivor Coalition consisting of twelve survivors can¡¯t even catch up to Lin Yue? Even the coalition has ranked third and fourth, but still cannot shake Lin Yue¡¯s dominance! What kind of joke is this! "How, how did he manage to increase by 1100 points in just seven days?!" Du Ping¡¯s trembling finger, touching the leg of his glasses, clicked to view Lin Yue¡¯s detailed scoring situation. [Survivor: Lin Yue] [Comprehensive Score: 2195] [Shelter Score: 1350] [Resource Score: 495] [Shelter Population Bonus: 0] [Disaster Resistance Bonus: 350] However, after seeing the system¡¯s actual score, they couldn¡¯t help but take in a cold breath! Both the shelter score and disaster resistance bonus far exceeded theirs! Although the resource score wasn¡¯t much different from theirs, it¡¯s important to know that since the last scoring, other than having a few new additions, they have been continuously collecting various resources. They¡¯ve even persisted in gathering various items from the Secret Realm. With the combined efforts of twelve people, they had finally raised their score to 1425. But upon seeing Lin Yue¡¯s score, no one could remain seated. "This time there¡¯s no short video to let people know how his shelter really is...," Eliot shook his head helplessly. Du Ping took a deep breath, his expression still unpleasant: "Against someone with superior skills, twelve people still can¡¯t compare to one! Unbelievable!" "Du, I understand how you feel. Indeed, because this time the system suddenly said it would randomly air drop supplies to the first place, everyone wants that thing, but this Lin is truly beyond common reasoning, just calm down..." Du Ping slammed the door open and walked out without a word. The others looked at Eliot, whose words had just been interrupted, wanting to hear what he had to say. Eliot watched Du Ping leave and, for some reason, regretted teaming up with such a person. Yet for survival, he, including the remaining ten people, had no choice but to do so. In this extremely harsh Otherworld, those who survive alone will die more quickly, and forming groups is the ultimate way out. From the rankings, it can already be seen that this is a major trend, even a truth. The more people, the higher the efficiency, the better the quality of survival, and even on the rankings, they can lead far ahead over individual survivors. But there happens to be an exception. Lin Yue, with scores far surpassing the second place, which is the coalition of twelve people, seems to be mocking this truth. Eliot doesn¡¯t know what others think, but within this group, and even among all the remaining humanity, there wouldn¡¯t be another person who could achieve such a feat. "Everyone rest, after dawn everyone needs to go outside and fix that thing, if they don¡¯t want to be killed by an earthquake!" ... Morning, in the desert. [The Thirteenth Day of the Apocalypse] [Your shelter is more robust than before, meeting the substantial earthquake resistance needs, and the vast area allows you to spread out more freely, survival points +710] [Are you a squirrel, stockpiling so much water and food? You can¡¯t eat that much, trust me! Survival points +302] [Opening lots of treasure boxes makes your hands go soft, your sense of happiness keeps increasing, don¡¯t complain about having too many treasure boxes, really, others¡¯ tears of envy are about to flow. Survival points +62] [You have many materials, but without using them, they¡¯re just materials. Survival points +392] [Your pet has further grown, becoming your capable assistant, survival points +93] [You¡¯ve acquired a large number of relics from the Secret Realm, survival points +96] [You even spent a night in the Secret Realm without a scratch, survival points +170] [The walls are quite nice, but haven¡¯t reached the best yet, survival points +185] [Killed the wandering survivor attacking the shelter, your combat skills are quite good, survival points +30] [Own a greenhouse, grew vegetables, marching towards self-sufficiency, survival points +65] ... [Daily Survival Points Settlement Success: Survival Points +2195] [Remaining Survival Points from Yesterday: 2185] [Total Survival Points: 4380] "Could someone explain what it¡¯s like to have too many survival points to spend?" Lin Yue increasingly feels like he has a kind of anxiety disorder, one that worsens as time goes on. Survival points are calculated daily, accumulating every day, but Lin Yue hasn¡¯t really found a way to spend them all at once. He¡¯s quite anxious. The Survival Points Mall, a place to massively consume survival points, while offering enough items, doesn¡¯t actually have many "modern" things if you look closely. Most are items that match the current level of development, designed to make survivors live a bit better, leaving Lin Yue less impressed. Whether it¡¯s seeds, shelter design maps, or water or food, they¡¯re all restricted within this range. At most, there are some items like "Universal Upgrade Design Map," but really not many. Lin Yue got out of bed and closed the system panel. He started doing push-ups on the ground, then moved on to squats. After more than ten days of survival training, his muscle lines gradually became defined and his strength increased. Though still far from those fitness gurus, in this apocalyptic world, it¡¯s enough for him to support a day¡¯s activities. After warming up a bit, Lin Yue wiped his face with a towel, glanced at Bai, who was still asleep with a bit of sour bamboo near his mouth, climbed a ladder, and pushed open the glass window on the roof. After confirming there were no mutant creatures outside, Lin Yue climbed out. He greeted the new morning on the roof. However, he felt like he had forgotten something important but couldn¡¯t recall it. In more than ten hours, this disaster will strike, which is the most important thing currently. There should be nothing to worry about inside the shelter. With an area of 13 cubic meters, he can store most of the shelter¡¯s items within it, and with the overall shelter made earthquake resistant, the house won¡¯t collapse from it. At least regarding the shelter aspect, he doesn¡¯t need to worry anymore. But such a shelter isn¡¯t enough for him to sleep soundly within. A gentle breeze blew over the exposed red soil of the desert and the sparse grass. From time to time, the sounds of wild beasts growling and howling echoed. This is the daily routine of the desert, a routine Lin Yue has grown accustomed to. Holding the sighting scope, he scanned the surroundings, finally looking towards the Secret Realm Gate in the small grove. Once surrounded by thick stone walls, the Ancient Secret Realm Gate was no longer visible there. Lastly, he found the location of the Secret Realm Gate this time was right behind his house! Well, this thing sure knows how to pick a spot. Could it possibly refresh inside the shelter one day, or maybe half inside and half outside? Lin Yue came down from the house to the back of the shelter and looked at the wooden door wrapped in green bricks and entwined with ancient vines in front of him. However, this time, he had no intention to push the door open and peek inside. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The state of this Secret Realm had no relation to him whatsoever. Compared to this, there are more things he could do. For instance... Hmm? What¡¯s that in the sky? In the blue sky, a white parachute tied to something was slowly descending. Lin Yue held up the sighting scope and aimed at the thing, scrutinizing it. "Is it... a box?" ... Sorry for the late first Chapter, but this Chapter has 2500 words, is that considered a bit longer? Thank you for all the support and encouragement! Please continue reading, I¡¯d like to get better recommendations next week o(¨i©n¨i)o Chapter 79: Milestone, Open the Golden Treasure Chest! Chapter 79: Chapter 79: Milestone, Open the Golden Treasure Chest!The parachute-tied box descended slowly and finally landed in an open space inside the wall. Lin Yue held up the steel repeating crossbow, slowly approaching. The parachute completely covered the large box, and there was no movement for a long time. Lin Yue thought for a moment, then returned to the house and called Bai up. "Pooji~" Bai squinted his eyes and still wanted to sleep, but was forcibly dragged to the yard by Lin Yue. Lin Yue found that Bai had no reaction to the parachute. No danger? After all, it was strange not to be suspicious when something suddenly fell from the sky, but Lin Yue touched the parachute and quickly a prompt sounded. [You received a Small Parachute X1] The parachute disappeared, revealing the large box, which was about one cubic meter, before Lin Yue. "Wooden box?" Lin Yue walked up and carefully looked, "Let¡¯s identify it first..." For safety, he spent 1 survival point for identification. [Wooden Box] Does it have to be so straightforward? I want to know what¡¯s inside. Lin Yue mumbled, walking around the wooden box. One side of the wooden box had a small lock, and he took out a fire axe, chopping the lock off directly. With a clang, the entire box fell apart. At the center, there appeared a treasure chest shining with golden light! "Is this... a Golden Treasure Chest?" "Pooji~~" Bai was dazzled by a golden light and let out a cry. Squinting, Lin Yue walked over, surprised to see something like this. [You received a Golden Treasure Chest] Oh wow, it really is a Golden Treasure Chest! Strange, why would such a thing be dropped from the sky? Lin Yue¡¯s head was full of questions, but he felt it might be related to the system. After all, no one would give him such a big gift, and no one has that technology. Before opening it, Lin Yue decided to check the group chat. See if everyone has this kind of thing? "Wow, Lin Yue is too strong, who is he? Second, third, fourth all have team shelters and can¡¯t beat him?" "2195 points? That¡¯s excessive, I only got 203 points. Where am I lacking compared to him..." "Probably lacking in size?" "Not to brag, but if you count it like that, I should be 3000 points!" "I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re bragging, but I¡¯m more concerned about the system¡¯s random supply drops. Feast or famine, isn¡¯t the system too biased?" "The rewards for the second and third place should be less than Lin Yue¡¯s. Their system didn¡¯t mention it; Lin Yue¡¯s is a direct drop! By the way, I saw a black dot floating in the sky earlier. Is that the drop?" "So, what are the supply drops? Won¡¯t it be a large amount of rice, flour, and oil... Hoping Lin Yue leaks some when he sells things later. I haven¡¯t eaten rice in ages." "I don¡¯t understand why you Tang Country folks need to eat rice. Isn¡¯t bread tasty?" "Lin is terrifying, challenging many teams solo and leading by 500 points! Why won¡¯t he live stream? I want to see how he¡¯s scoring so much!" "Indeed, these scores are absurd." "Why hasn¡¯t he confirmed it yet? Haven¡¯t I given enough gasoline?" "An earthquake is coming, and you¡¯re chatting about this?" "Don¡¯t you have quake-resistant buildings? Like an iron shelter?" ... Closing the group chat, Lin Yue almost immediately opened the leaderboard, finally remembering what he had forgotten before. The leaderboard, right. After the last update, the system changed to announce the rankings the day before a disaster, with corresponding rewards for the top three. 1. Lin Yue 2195 points 2. Du Ping (et al.) 1425 points 3. Victor (et al.) 1005 points 4. Decrogen (et al.) 988 points ... Lin Yue noticed that in the top ten, he was the only one without an (et al.) sign. This "et al." was quite straightforward. The others were in the team survival mode. Like Du Ping, who never revealed he had other survivors around before, but this time he did, possibly for the so-called first-place supply drop "prize," or to knock Lin Yue from last time¡¯s first place, shared he had a team. No matter what, team mode is undoubtedly an advanced, scientific way inevitable after reaching a certain stage in this survival game. Or rather, it¡¯s a more sophisticated, scientific method than solo survival. Team mode allows for a large workforce to make survival easier with collective effort. If healthy development continues, thereafter teams will grow larger, eventually forming a village-like existence, with hierarchical systems taking shape. Then it would progress into towns, cities... But reality is harsh; in general, lacking this and that, and with members being ordinary folks from society, the chances of healthy sustained development couldn¡¯t be lower. Even if there was such persistence, Lin Yue didn¡¯t want to join or create anything like that. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. For now, he had no such plan. He didn¡¯t want to be restrained by others nor wanted to restrain others. At this stage, he wanted to live simply and purely. Closing the system panel, Lin Yue refocused on the Golden Treasure Chest. He had learned the information he wanted, so now it¡¯s time for the unboxing. The Golden Treasure Chest... [Prompt: The Golden Treasure Chest, as a prize, can be kept after opening without disappearing, please keep it safe] Hmm? It comes with this? Lin Yue was pleasantly surprised by the sudden system voice. Previously every time he opened a treasure chest, they would disappear simultaneously, which was quite a shame. Like those Copper and Silver Treasure Chests, if they could be dissected, wouldn¡¯t that be wonderful? "Pooji~" Bai watched Lin Yue continually circle the dazzling chest, sincerely puzzled. Bai returned inside the shelter, climbed onto the table, and nestled beside the big bowl of leftover from yesterday, savoring the taste of snail rice noodles. "Pooji? Pooji!" Bai suddenly noticed a shriveled piece of sour bamboo shoot and hurriedly swallowed it. Lin Yue had no idea Bai was hooked already; in front of the Golden Treasure Chest, he was in an excited state! "What will come out? What will come out?" Lin Yue¡¯s heart raced; the quality of items from previous Silver Treasure Chests was already quite good. Now what comes out of the Golden Treasure Chest must be even better! "So..." Open! [You received: Delicate Wheat Flour X200kg, Medium Soilless Cultivation Kit X2, Mechanical Arm Design X1, Small Electric Device Design X1] ... I¡¯ll strive for an earlier update tomorrow, been busy organizing the outline, always so slow... Thanks for everyone¡¯s support! Thanks for the rewards and following, collecting! Seeking follow-through~?(^?^*) Chapter 80: Acquiring a Small Power Device, Weapons Upgraded Again! Chapter 80: Chapter 80: Acquiring a Small Power Device, Weapons Upgraded Again!Fine wheat flour 200kg, medium-size soilless cultivation kit X2, mechanical arm blueprint X1, small electric device blueprint X1. This is everything that came out of the Golden Treasure Chest! To be honest, Lin Yue was indeed quite surprised. After all, it¡¯s much better than what previously came out of the Silver Treasure Chest. No need to say more about the flour, but there¡¯s also a medium-size soilless cultivation kit, and two sets were released at once! However, this thing covers 80 square meters. If used, it has to be used immediately, and there¡¯s not enough Storage Space to fit this thing. [You have used a Medium-Size Soilless Cultivation Kit, please choose a placement location] Lin Yue entered the greenhouse and quickly placed both soilless cultivation kits inside; after placing them, there wasn¡¯t much space left in the greenhouse. Next, use the "Mechanical Arm Blueprint" and "Small Electric Device Blueprint"! [Mechanical Arm: Claw rod, claw rod, lifting and rotating mechanism, power device, and link rotating mechanism (hard aluminum alloy X5), drive arm (oil cylinder X1, air cylinder X1, rack X1, cam X1), guide device, control parts (hard aluminum alloy X10, precision electric push rod, power controller)] [Small Electric Device: Iron block X1, motor X1, controller X1, one wire, battery X6] The mechanical arm seems to require quite a lot of things, just like the simple exoskeleton that hasn¡¯t found the precision electric push rod, it will probably take more time to gather everything needed. As for the small electric device, Lin Yue suddenly felt he might be able to make it now. Returning to the shelter, he went straight to the unusable washing machine in the basement. Pulled out a screwdriver from the tool kit, he quickly disassembled it. Once the shell was removed, the components inside looked quite nice, and... [You obtained a plastic block X1, motor X1, controller X1, wire bundle X1] As expected, they¡¯re all here! The washing machine¡¯s motor is slightly large, but the blueprint doesn¡¯t specify the size of the motor, and the same goes for the battery. After removing these items, there wasn¡¯t much left in the washing machine worth taking. Gathering the remaining items together, Lin Yue decided to give it a try. "Well, let¡¯s make it and see!" A glimmering light flashed through. [You obtained a small electric device X1] Soon, a small, heavy iron lump appeared in Lin Yue¡¯s hand. "Wait, it¡¯s made, but where can the small electric device be used?" Simple exoskeleton? No, that thing is still missing the precision electric push rod, installing it would be pointless. Then... Lin Yue¡¯s gaze wandered around the room, finally resting on the steel repeating crossbow by the door. Wait, can this thing be upgraded with the small electric device? The steel repeating crossbow is good, with the sighting scope the shooting accuracy is impeccable, but the only downside is each crossbow arrow shot requires manual cocking for another shot. Manual cocking is slow and pulling the string requires effort, even with a cocking device, it¡¯s the same. Facing a group of enemies, if cocking too slowly, it could put him in a precarious situation. So, can it be upgraded? After fixing the small electric device onto the steel repeating crossbow, suddenly the system popped up. [Would you like to upgrade the steel repeating crossbow to an electrically cocked steel repeating crossbow? Requires one universal upgrade blueprint X1.] Hmm? What¡¯s going on? Lin Yue thought he¡¯d have to figure out how to connect it, but the system appeared by itself. And it requires one universal upgrade blueprint... that thing can be bought again, so it doesn¡¯t matter. "Confirm upgrade." As soon as Lin Yue finished speaking, a glimmering light flashed, and the small electric device perfectly merged with the steel repeating crossbow! [You obtained an electrically cocked steel repeating crossbow] S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lin Yue excitedly pulled the trigger, he also heard the sound of the motor turning, and soon the crossbow string was re-cocked! "About just over a second to cock the crossbow string... seems like as long as there are enough crossbow arrows, this is a Gatling in cold weaponry?" But to know how strong it really is, he has to test it. Lin Yue pushed open the door, searched through the sight, and soon found a target. "Today¡¯s lucky audience found." It was a tiger-striped shadow deer lying some distance away! "Boop!" Bai also detected the danger, alerting Lin Yue. It had just seen Lin Yue tinkering with something, and when it followed Lin Yue outside, it didn¡¯t anticipate the severity of what was about to happen. The tiger-striped shadow deer noticed Lin Yue and it slowly approached the human with the strange white thing beside him, while another tiger-striped shadow deer emerged from the tall grass nearby. "Wow, two of them at once?" Lin Yue aimed at the pair over a hundred meters away, feeling excited. "Boop!" Bai cried again, and a third one poked out from another grass clump. Oh my. Lin Yue looked around, and not far away was the stone wall enclosing the Ancient Secret Realm Gate from before; he jogged over, propped up a ladder, and pulled Bai up too. "Boop?" Bai was utterly confused as to what its owner was thinking and why they had to climb so high. It cautiously lay on the wall, watching as the three tiger-striped shadow deer got closer, yet its owner remained motionless. "Just a bit closer." Lin Yue sat on the wall, his hand never leaving the trigger, waiting for the right moment! Sixty meters, fifty meters... finally, they slowly moved within fifty meters! Thwack! A crossbow arrow flew out! Thwack! Another one! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Bai widened its eyes, what¡¯s happening? A five-arrow burst?! As five crossbow arrows continuously shot, the three tiger-striped shadow deer let out a dreadful howl! Lin Yue continued to load crossbow arrows, once again firing five consecutive shots! Finish them off! After another five consecutive shots, the three tiger-striped shadow deer gradually fell silent under his consistent attack. [You obtained Silver Treasure Chest X3] Not bad. Lin Yue gleefully touched the powerful weapon in his hands, excitement bubbling within. Now, on the desert, he could walk sideways, couldn¡¯t he? Stepping down from the ladder, Lin Yue walked over and collected the three Silver Treasure Chests, suddenly thinking of something. He returned to the "mouth"-shaped stone wall enclosing the Ancient Secret Realm Gate, musing. Climbing up the ladder, he peered inside. The three-meter by three-meter wall enclosed a not-so-small area; the Ancient Secret Realm Gate was gone, leaving only red soil and some wild grass. Patting the seamlessly integrated stone wall, Lin Yue felt he had found a way to safely weather this disaster! Chapter 81: Disaster Relief? I Have the Perfect Solution! Chapter 81: Chapter 81: Disaster Relief? I Have the Perfect Solution!"Iron wire, is anyone selling iron wire... Ah, there really is, let¡¯s see the offer! Oh? It¡¯s been sold?" [You lost 50ml of wine] [You acquired the iron wire blueprint] Lin Yue quickly made a transaction in the Trading Mall and immediately used the new blueprint. Soon after, he opted to start crafting. A single Iron Block can be used to create a large bundle of iron wire¡ªit¡¯s quite economical. After making a large bundle, Lin Yue took pliers out of the toolbox. He walked to the middle of the courtyard. Standing here was a building shaped like a "£¾", connected by two walls 6 meters long each. Using the pliers, Lin Yue took 20 iron wires and crossed them horizontally and vertically, ten wires each. [You acquired 1 iron wire mesh blueprint] Upon receiving feedback from the system, Lin Yue immediately crafted a sheet of iron wire mesh. "This one is roughly two meters wide and long, not enough..." He crafted several more sheets and connected them with the remaining wire, forming a large triangular net. Then, Lin Yue used the wire to make the net extremely dense and climbed a ladder to drape it over the two walls. This net was not yet complete and required further processing later on. However, it was still early, and this would have to wait until twilight. After all, the earthquake would start at midnight on the seventh day, and it was not yet noon. Lin Yue shouldered the Steel Repeating Crossbow, held an Iron Spear, and went outside with Bai. He circled around the walls and arrived at the burial site of the raiders from yesterday. There he found the ground teeming with various insects. Some were even burrowing vigorously into the soil, seemingly drawn to the corpses. Lin Yue¡¯s spear tip slashed continuously through the mass of insects and kept harvesting Wooden Treasure Chests. He was like an emotionless Wooden Treasure Chest harvesting machine, killing all the insects in three places before moving to where he buried mutant sheep or tiger-striped shadow deer corpses days ago. The insects that could drop Wooden Treasure Chests loved feeding on the rotting flesh of these creatures. Lin Yue took advantage of this. Before, he consistently collected the corpses of slain mutant creatures into Storage Space and dissected them back at the Shelter for this very reason. Using their bodies to attract scavenging insects, especially effective for obtaining Wooden Treasure Chests! Lin Yue constantly searched the spots he previously placed corpses for scavenging insects and small lizards, continuously turning them into new corpses while reaping treasure chests! He was particularly focused on dealing with these insects because Lin Yue¡¯s demand for water and food had grown from before. Having acquired two medium-sized Soilless Cultivation Kits, Lin Yue had to keep increasing his water reserves to cultivate more vegetables. Bai no longer paid attention to these little insects, and even a lone mutant sheep held no interest for Bai. With its strength greatly enhanced compared to before, Bai was now a ruler of the desert, capable of chasing after two or even three mutant sheep. It could even challenge opponents like the spotted wolf or tiger-striped shadow deer. Lin Yue trusted Bai and allowed it freedom, as his current targets were not these large mutant creatures. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Unknowingly, the total count of Wooden Treasure Chests in the Storage Space had reached a high of 131. After resting for a while, as the sun set, Lin Yue headed outside the Shelter. He took out the long-grain fragrant rice previously obtained from the Copper Treasure Chest, poured it into a pot, added an appropriate amount of water, and used a dagger to carve a wooden plank for a lid. He started a fire to cook! Rice was something Lin Yue had long desired. Since arriving here, his main dishes were either bread or instant noodles, longing for rice but unable to obtain it. Now that he had it, he decided to enjoy a good meal before the disaster arrived. Cooking with an iron pot and making stir-fried dishes were skills Lin Yue learned while renting and living in a small house off-campus during his four-year university time. Having prepared the rice, Lin Yue also crafted an iron pot and took out some chicken feather vegetables, washed them briefly, and dried them before retrieving a piece of mutant sheep meat. Taking out the knife set he previously obtained, he selected a handy one to remove the sheep meat¡¯s sinew and fillet it into fine strands. Without onions, ginger, or garlic, the situation was temporary. Lin Yue, though unable to reach his culinary peak, could still create a simple tasty dish utilizing the ingredients¡¯ inherent flavors. The seasoning set obtained from the Survival Points Mall came in handy; Lin Yue prepared a sauce in a bowl, heated oil in a pot, stir-fried the meat, then added vegetables... "Chirp? Chirp chirp?" Bai came running back, lured by the aroma. It had never smelled such a fragrance before and abandoned a half-finished mutant sheep herd nearby. "Haha, Bai, you¡¯re too gluttonous! Be patient; the rice will be ready soon." "Chirp chirp!" Bai circled the pot, watching Lin Yue add various seasonings as the aroma intensified, causing its stomach to growl louder. After some time, Lin Yue uncovered the pot, carrying it into the Shelter. A unique rice fragrance permeated the entire room. Lin Yue used a wooden spatula to serve the aromatic rice into two bowls and brought over the stir-fried sheep meat with chicken feather vegetables, putting some into Bai¡¯s bowl. "Bai, eat up. We need to replenish our strength today; the night might be hard to bear." Lin Yue shoveled rice into his mouth, relishing the nostalgic aroma of rice and the freshness of vegetables, while lost in thought. In a short time, this disaster¡ªthe earthquake¡ªwill erupt. Yet the system only provided information of an earthquake ranging from magnitude 1 to 8, no other details. Unlike last time during the snow disaster when a definite duration was given. Even so, Lin Yue hoped the earthquake wouldn¡¯t last for hours or even a few, as surviving humans couldn¡¯t bear it. The myriad natural disasters following the earthquake would unleash terrifying energy! Generally, an earthquake lasting a few minutes is already considered fortunate, but caution was still necessary. He gazed outside at the incomplete "£¾"-shaped walls. Lin Yue shoveled the remaining rice into his mouth and descended into the basement, storing all wine into Storage Space, before going outside to retrieve a prized item he¡¯d previously acquired. The East Beige Disaster Relief Tent. He laid the groundsheet out, set up the tent, positioned poles, and secured it with stakes and polyester fiber ropes according to the instructions. With Lin Yue¡¯s actions, a sturdy tent nearly ten square meters large was pitched between the two walls! The tent¡¯s ceiling was not low; Lin Yue moved a wooden bed inside, tidied it up, testing its comfort. After finishing these preparations, Lin Yue emerged from the tent and found darkness outside. Heading indoors, he inspected the basement thoroughly, ensuring stability before cramming everything appearing flimsy from the first floor into Storage Space. He completed these tasks, closed the stone door, and took a deep breath. Next, he would bring his perfect disaster-resistant structure idea to life. "Chirp?" Bai tilted its head, clueless about its owner¡¯s intentions. But it had already heard the noisy sounds of mutant creatures gradually growing active in the desert. The night is when mutant creatures become more active, posing the greatest threat to Survivors! Chapter 82: Major Earthquake, the Arrival of the Second Disaster! Chapter 82: Chapter 82: Major Earthquake, the Arrival of the Second Disaster!The sky darkens. Lin Yue hurriedly worked on the shelter in his heart that could withstand an eighth-level earthquake and also fend off the frantic mutated creatures at night. "Bai, stay alert, let me know immediately if there¡¯s any danger!" "Puchi!" Even if Lin Yue didn¡¯t say it, Bai would do this task it had been doing consistently. Lin Yue glanced at the stone gate of the perimeter wall, which was already tightly closed. Ordinary mutated creatures would not be able to breach this barrier. During the night, the remaining threats for him came from those unseen mutated birds and flying creatures, as well as the endless insects. The wall in front of him in the ">" shape was not the final shape of the shelter he planned. An equilateral triangle was. A triangle is the most stable and solid shape that most people can imagine. It was naturally Lin Yue¡¯s first choice for earthquake resistance. After setting up the tent, Lin Yue connected the third stone wall with the other two, completely enclosing the tent. Lin Yue inspected from outside and found that the three six-meter-long walls were perfectly connected without even a gap. Next, Lin Yue quickly embedded Iron Blocks into the stone walls, modeled on the method of a shelter. This could also make the walls more solid. Having done all this, Lin Yue climbed the ladder with Bai in his arms and went up the wall. After using pliers to create a square hole in the net laid on the wall that he could enter, he covered the entire net, except the hole, with wooden boards. After confirming the stability, Lin Yue covered and combined the top of the triangular enclosure piece by piece. With only one piece left, Lin Yue descended halfway down the ladder, entered inside the walls, and laid the last stone wall. The iron net and wooden boards were pressed down by the stone walls, but there were still some tiny gaps that served as ventilation passages, preventing Lin Yue and Bai inside from suffocating. After lighting a lighter, Lin Yue slowly stepped down the ladder, then lit a torch and placed it in a corner away from the tent. He looked up at the three-meter-high ceiling and the tightly packed sturdy walls around him, nodding with satisfaction. This should be enough to withstand an eighth-level earthquake and the crazy mutated creatures outside. Although... it kind of resembles a Stone Coffin. "Puchi?" Bai didn¡¯t understand why the master didn¡¯t stay in the original comfortable shelter but built something like this instead. In this narrow space, it couldn¡¯t stretch its limbs comfortably. However, it seemed quite comfortable inside the tent. "Bai, we still need to wait a bit," Lin Yue opened the system panel and checked the time. There were still a full four hours until the arrival of the second disaster - an earthquake ranging from level 1 to 8. He still had quite a few things to do. For instance... opening treasure chests! Opening treasure chests might be tiring, but it brought Lin Yue some joy. Especially when there were many chests to open, or when the quality of the chests was high. In his hand, there were 131 unopened Wooden Treasure Chests and 3 Silver Treasure Chests. As per the old rule, open the wooden ones first. [You obtained Hot Dew Mineral Water 600mlX1] [You obtained Hey Elephant Spicy Noodles a bag] [You obtained Tianjin Scallion Pancake a bag] [You obtained ... ] Wow, something new came out! Aside from the usual water, instant noodles, bread, and dried noodles, Lin Yue was unexpectedly finding scallion pancakes! bottles of water, 17 pieces of bread, 23 bags of instant noodles, 7 bags of dried noodles, and 6 bags of scallion pancakes! Scallion pancakes... it seems like I haven¡¯t had them in a long time. For the arrival of something new, Lin Yue was quite welcoming, especially when it¡¯s something delicious. Scallion pancakes can be made into more than just pancakes; if there are enough ingredients, Lin Yue could even bake an egg tart for himself. After placing all the items he obtained into the Storage Space, Lin Yue turned his eyes to the three Silver Treasure Chests. These were the good items left behind by the lucky viewers when he was experimenting with the electric Steel Repeating Crossbow at that time. [You obtained Mini Solar Charging Kit X1] [You obtained Regional Map X2, Kitchenware Set X1] [You obtained Thermal Emergency Blanket X1, Folding Bicycle X1] Oh wow? The things obtained this time are nice! Isn¡¯t the solar charging kit better than the oil generator? It only needs sunlight to generate current to power some simple non-consuming devices! Lin Yue thought that after the earthquake, he could possibly make a major renovation to the shelter. After using the regional map, Lin Yue surprisingly found that the areas shown on these two maps were right next to his shelter, and one of them was even connected to the shelter where there were people before. Lin Yue also found that there were no signs of people on these two maps, but the shelters were still there, perhaps worth exploring thoroughly. The tasks to do are one after another. The premise is to safely survive this disaster. As for the kitchenware set, thermal emergency blanket, and folding bicycle, Lin Yue didn¡¯t take them out to look at them in detail for now, just tossed them into the Storage Space directly. He glanced at Bai beside him, and this little creature seemed to sense something too, becoming restless, always wanting to get out of this cramped space. Lin Yue pulled it to his side: "Bai, don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll be fine." Bai, perhaps understanding, became much calmer. Man and pet entered the tent, then Lin Yue checked the surroundings to ensure the tent wouldn¡¯t easily collapse before feeling relieved. According to the forecast, there were still over two hours before the disaster would start, but in this dark night, Lin Yue had been hearing all kinds of strange noises since just now. Flapping wings, sharp piercing screeches, weird unpleasant noises, continuously coming from outside. This was fundamentally different from the previous nights. The noise was never this loud before... Lin Yue looked at the numbers in the upper right corner of the group¡¯s interface. 7751, 7541, 7121... it was plummeting rapidly. Lin Yue shook his head, took out the toolbox, and removed a piece of liquid crystal display obtained from the Secret Realm with a screwdriver. Every disaster brought death. But what remains after each disaster are survivors who are smarter, stronger, and better adapted to this world. Survival of the fittest. The system aims to cultivate these elites who can survive various disasters. [You obtained Liquid Crystal Display (damaged) X1] After successfully dismantling the broken monitor, Lin Yue checked the remaining parts, which still seemed quite well preserved. After continuously dismantling some monitors, time slowly passed. Unlike usual, Bai, until now, hadn¡¯t laid down obediently, as if it sensed this time the impending disaster was entirely different from the last. Rubbing his sore eyes, Lin Yue looked at the countdown. Eight minutes left. Lin Yue conducted another check. The Steel Repeating Crossbow and Iron Spear were right beside him. He donned the wooden armor, equipped the wooden shield, and also wore a helmet he barely used. In case this "Stone Coffin" couldn¡¯t withstand the earthquake¡¯s tremor and collapsed, he would escape from there as fast as possible! "Bai, stick with me." Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lin Yue brought Bai to the outside wall of the tent. He was awaiting the impending disaster! Soon after, the system¡¯s warnings came two minutes before the countdown ended! [Warning, second disaster, earthquake is imminent! Warning, second disaster, earthquake is imminent!] [This disaster will last for 10 minutes!] [The earthquake¡¯s intensity will get stronger as time passes!] [All Secret Realms will be closing simultaneously, and those inside will be forcibly ejected! Refresh after the disaster ends!] [More system functions will be available after this disaster!] [Wishing everyone to get through the hardship!] [The next disaster forecast will be sent out in 72 hours!] The disaster was coming! Five, four, three, two, one! The earth started to shake slightly, then became increasingly stronger! The rumbling sound of the quake echoed from all directions! ... PS: This Chapter is 2500 words, not too short, right... Chapter 83: The second disaster ends! The system upgrades again! Chapter 83: Chapter 83: The second disaster ends! The system upgrades again!The earth echoed with booming sounds, one after another. And as time went on, these booming sounds grew even stronger! Dust and loose earth were blown into the air, with the roars between the mountains rumbling endlessly, and massive rocks fell continuously from the peaks. On the ground, deep cracks spread endlessly forward, and the underground water buried deep below erupted like lava! Rivers suddenly appeared, converging from all directions, flowing to lower areas, forming lakes, and submerging more of the surface... At this moment, in the desert. Lin Yue clung desperately to the ground, the intense shaking making it impossible for him to stand, only able to maintain this position and do nothing else. Ten minutes felt as long as ten years. Bai only held his clothes with its claws, looking as if wanting to protect him, trying hard to stand up and shield him. "Bai! Get down! Don¡¯t move around!" This little guy, even at this time, wanting to protect him... Lin Yue felt his voice was drowned out by the roaring of the earthquake, he could not even hear his own words besides the sound of the tremors. He breathed deeply, every fiber of his being sensing this indescribable powerful energy. Every second of this disaster was excruciating, leaving him unable to do anything, not even move. The terrifying tremors continued on and on. Yet the triangular metal-stone walls showed no signs of toppling even in this level eight earthquake, as did the roof. The seismic intensity kept increasing, Lin Yue struggled to look back, only to find that the tent stood as steadfast as a boulder, even though a few poles inside had toppled, the overall structure remained. This thing really works... Lin Yue continued to endure the persistent force of the quake, suddenly feeling it seemed to have weakened a bit. And this feeling became more apparent as time passed! Could it be that it¡¯s finally ending? Lin Yue felt that the roaring noise also seemed much quieter than before. But he didn¡¯t get up immediately, choosing to remain lying on the ground. The vibrations and roaring kept diminishing, finally, with a strange sound that slowly vanished, the entire earth returned to silence. Lin Yue lay exhausted on the ground, the sweat on his face having soaked the soil beneath him. It¡¯s over... The earthquake is over! Lin Yue struggled to sit up, taking a deep breath, then collapsed heavily onto the ground. Bai did the same, wobbling as it stood up and finally tumbling down next to Lin Yue. "Finally, finally..." Lin Yue closed his eyes tightly, just wanting to rest, just wanting to sleep well. For him, this disaster was finally over. This incredibly sturdy triangular stone wall not only withstood the severe earthquake but also prevented those insane mutant creatures outside from breaking in. Lin Yue took a deep breath, finally getting up again, shaking off the dust clinging to his body and head. He picked up a torch, checked the metal-stone walls carefully, and was amazed to find that they didn¡¯t even have a crack. It seems this makeshift structure indeed had enough strength to withstand the intensity of a level eight earthquake! However, Lin Yue felt somewhat lucky as well. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t a 9.0 level quake. If it had been a 9.0 level earthquake... I guess this wall wouldn¡¯t have held. It¡¯s known that the destructiveness of a 9.0 and an 8.0 earthquake is not on the same level. Listening to the howls and cries of mutated creatures resuming outside, Lin Yue was now certain of his earlier speculations. The first and second disasters weren¡¯t as severe as they seemed. The snowstorm forced survivors to hunt, train themselves, and store large amounts of supplies, allowing them to endure 48 hours in the shelter during the blizzard, when leaving was impossible. The earthquake forced survivors to venture out of the shelter and face the overwhelming swarm of mutant creatures. After all, without considering these mutant creatures, even in an 8.0 earthquake, one can simply avoid it by staying in an open area, free of large rocks or trees. And places like that are everywhere in this Otherworld. But the despicable part of the system was scheduling the earthquake at night. Night is when mutant creatures are most frenzied and also the time humans are most vulnerable. Even without considering visibility, the sheer number of mutant creatures would mean certain death unless one was in a Gundam form. This meant one had to find a place guaranteed not to collapse during an earthquake. Lin Yue took a deep breath, fixed the torch in place, and entered the tent. Bai followed directly behind, Lin Yue closed the tent zipper, its security immediately providing a sense of safety. He re-fixed the toppled poles but had no energy left to look at the system panel. He was beyond exhausted. Knowing the stone wall wouldn¡¯t collapse, he had nothing else to worry about. He called out to Bai, who remained vigilant, and lay down on the bed, slipping into slumber. However. Not everyone in this world was able to get through this night as safely as Lin Yue did. Under the intense earthquake, many hadn¡¯t the time to leave their wooden or stone shelters before they were buried along with their houses. Many more fled their shelters only to be attacked and killed by the mutant creatures outside. Some were lucky not to be crushed, only to be overwhelmed by the tide of mutant creatures... S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With the rising of the sun and the setting of the moon. The scars of this horrific disaster on humanity were fully revealed with the breaking of the dawn¡¯s first light. Lin Yue slept fitfully, awoke groggily. His muscles ached all over, he struggled to wake fully, and opened the system panel. Inside the triangular walls, he didn¡¯t even know what time it was anymore. [The system is about to upgrade!] Suddenly, the system¡¯s voice sounded, thoroughly waking Lin Yue. Upgrade? Another upgrade? [Upgrade Progress: 29%] [Upgrade Progress: 74%] [Upgrade Completed] [The system has been upgraded to Official Version 2.0] [The second disaster has ended.] [As of the end of this disaster, the global remaining population: 2,602,474,756 people] [Please note, with the system upgraded to Official Version 2.0, there will be significant updates to previous features.] [Update 1: Mutant creatures will further increase, and giant creatures will randomly appear.] [Update 2: Underground Ruins Exploration is now open. There will be more powerful mutant creatures in underground ruins, but there are also rich rewards. Just like Secret Realms, underground ruins will have teleportation gates that refresh weekly.] [Update 3: Systems will merge groups to accommodate a standard of 100,000 people] [Update 4: The system opens a free market for survival points, merging with the original trading market. Barter is still possible, and items can be traded for survival points.] [Update 5: The Secret Realm Gate refreshes every two days, but the Ancient Secret Realm Gate that opens a day before a disaster will lead to a mysterious place.] [Update 6: Resource points in the wild will refresh randomly, please pay attention.] [Other updates will be gradually released in the coming days!] [A reminder that death here is true death!] [Wishing all humanity good luck!] ... Sorry for the delay, organizing the outline... Thanks for all your support and encouragement! Please keep reading and reward?(^?^*) Chapter 84: Post-Disaster Reconstruction, Building New Shelters! Chapter 84: Chapter 84: Post-Disaster Reconstruction, Building New Shelters!Lin Yue climbed the ladder carefully and put the stone wall cover on top into the Storage Space. The dazzling sunlight also shone in from the gap when he entered before. "Squawk!" Bai lagged behind, squeezed outside to greet Lin Yue, while also telling him that it¡¯s safe outside. Lin Yue squeezed out of the gap and stood on the wall. The second disaster has finally passed. The earthquake, an eight-degree earthquake at its highest, has finally passed! With his wisdom, he finally overcame this disaster! Lin Yue felt refreshed, unable to resist the urge to shout, but he suddenly noticed that not far from here, there was something that originally didn¡¯t exist! He picked up the Steel Repeating Crossbow, looked through the Sighting Scope towards that direction, and his fingers couldn¡¯t help but tremble! "A lake? When did there become a lake there? Wait, is that a river?" Lin Yue looked more carefully, somewhat reluctant to believe this scene. Yesterday, it was an endless wilderness, how could there suddenly be a large lake there? Even a river had emerged! "Could it be caused by the earthquake?" Lin Yue was shocked in his heart, recalling the terrifying tremors from last night. An earthquake can rip the earth apart, and if underground water buried deep gushes out... there doesn¡¯t seem to be any other explanation. Looks like he has a new place to explore. He looked around the surroundings. The stone walls surrounding the Shelter had collapsed in one or two places, and some had fractured into pieces, but remained upright without toppling. It seems they couldn¡¯t withstand the intensity of the earthquake. Lin Yue set up the ladder, walked down from the wall, and headed directly to the Shelter, which appeared unchanged. He pushed open the stone door and went inside, finding everything as before, except for some new cracks on the walls and a collapsed stove, but otherwise, there¡¯s no major problem. He continued inspecting the basement, finding a few shelves collapsed on the ground. He walked over to check and found only a few bottles of water spilled on the floor, nothing serious. Looking around the walls, he noticed some new fissures and scattered stone blocks. As for the iron basement, other than some slight deformation, there¡¯s actually no major issue. However... Lin Yue frowned, looking at the peculiar-shaped new door beside the iron basement wall, deep in thought. What on earth is this? The door in front of him was entirely different in style from the Ancient Secret Realm Gate; the latter was vines, ancient bricks with a wooden door, while this one was embedded with yellow, green, and red tiles in an oval door frame, and the door was stone with indescribable lines and layered colorful circles painted on it. Lin Yue was sure this door in front of him was definitely not some kind of Ancient Secret Realm Gate. Wait. After the system upgrade, wasn¡¯t there supposed to be something new? Underground Ruins? It seems this has to be the answer. The Underground Ruins Gate opening in his basement, that¡¯s quite something. "Squawk!" Bai also came to the basement, not seeming to have any special thoughts after seeing this strange door, just kept chirping. "Hungry again? You little foodie." Lin Yue took some stone blocks and filled in the cracks on the outer walls. Quickly, the iron mixed stone wall repaired the gaps and scars at a speed visible to the naked eye, restoring to its original state. Repeating this in another room, Lin Yue went to the ground level and tidied up the broken stove. However, he didn¡¯t want to keep this thing with the sleeping area anymore. If he often cooked here, the resulting smoke would definitely affect sleep quality. After repairing the ground level walls again, Lin Yue also returned the bed and other furniture to their original positions and took Bai outside. He opened the Storage Space and found the Shelter Design Map. "Anyway, I have two design maps left, using one to make a dedicated kitchen isn¡¯t overdoing it." He said, using one. [To build a stone ground level shelter, 45 blocks of stone are required] [Please select the construction location] "Right next to this Shelter!" A white glow flashed. Quickly, Lin Yue found that in front of him appeared a new building, exactly the same size and shape as the original buildings! "Wow, straight off the assembly line? Exactly the same, that¡¯s impressive." Lin Yue couldn¡¯t help but ridicule looking at two buildings carved from the same mold. Lin Yue immediately stuffed a lot of Iron Blocks into the stone house, successfully turning it into an iron-stone building. Though it looks indistinguishable from the outside, it¡¯s much sturdier than the original. Otherwise, it couldn¡¯t withstand the earthquake, right? He pushed open the stone door to enter, discovering the two rooms were connected, but separated by a door frame in between, with stairs inside leading to the basement. Going down, he found it just right in the iron house. After repositioning the wine, he returned to the ground level and crafted a table and stove. Putting the previous kitchen set, single standing knife set, seasoning combination, etc. on the table, Lin Yue looked back; it seemed somewhat empty. Positioning the embedded fireplace against one side, Lin Yue also placed some electric appliances obtained in the Secret Realm, finally making the kitchen look more presentable. He lit the stove, inserted yesterday¡¯s freshly acquired scallion pancake dough, carefully frying it with oil, and he also took out a package of "King of Kings" sausages, cut open the packaging, split them, and placed them in the pan. "Squawk? Squawk!" Bai smelled the aroma and came over. However... "Grrroooar..." At this moment, outside came the beastly roars. Lin Yue glanced at the bloodstained Bai, who remained unfazed. Been hunting huh, but knowing to leave some breath for him to collect boxes, Bai¡¯s cooperation with him keeps getting more in sync. Finished cooking and placed the pancakes on plates, wrapping each with a sausage, Lin Yue pulled out a wet wipe to clean his hands. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Bai, hold on to eat, I¡¯ll handle the thing outside first." Lin Yue grabbed the Iron Spear and Steel Repeating Crossbow, went outside and followed the sound to find a nearly dead Mutant Sheep. [You have obtained a Copper Treasure Chest] Got it, got it. After letting the system dissect it, Lin Yue took his knife and carved out two lamb chops, buried the carcass, and finished his task. Just when Lin Yue was ready to go back and eat the pancake, suddenly, he felt another tremor from beneath his feet! "Aftershock?!" Lin Yue was about to prepare to drop to the ground, but the tremor was quite brief. However, shortly after, a second and a third sound followed the first! Moreover, these sounds are extremely rhythmic, absolutely impossible for an earthquake! Wait, Lin Yue suddenly remembered that he had experienced this kind of tremor before, but that was beside the Tokyo Tower in the Secret Realm, from a creature with eight legs... He looked up sharply and suddenly noted at the end of his vision, the silhouette of something huge like a mountain appeared! Chapter 85: A Massive Monster Appears, Restart the Power Plan! Chapter 85: Chapter 85: A Massive Monster Appears, Restart the Power Plan!A giant six-legged animal covered in blue-grey long hair was moving slowly across the vast desert. With every step it took, the ground would tremble significantly. From time to time, its neck, over ten meters long, would twist and its cow-like face would lower to the ground, extending a long black tongue to sweep unsuspecting mutant creatures into its mouth full of sharp teeth. Its powerful tail, like a whip, struck the ground, and the bone spurs on it destroyed everything they encountered, leaving them riddled with holes. The booming sound continued, incessantly. A kilometer away. On the rooftop, Lin Yue swallowed a gulp of saliva and slowly lowered the sighting scope. "What... exactly is that?" A dinosaur? But a fully-haired dinosaur with six legs doesn¡¯t exist, right? This monstrous creature reminded Lin Yue of those he had seen in the Secret Realm, but the ones there had disgusting tentacles, which this did not seem to have. Even from this far, Lin Yue could feel the immense impact the giant creature carried! Fortunately, it didn¡¯t seem too interested in his direction and went another way. Only after it completely disappeared from view did Lin Yue let out a sigh of relief. He also remembered that the system had warned him that this upgrade would randomly spawn giant creatures. Coming down from the rooftop, Lin Yue returned to the kitchen, only to find Bai lying on the ground with a bloated belly. "Hiccup~ Squeak!" This little guy had actually taken advantage of his absence to secretly eat both pancakes and four sausages. Lin Yue shook his head with a smile, picked it up, and petted its head, "Why the hurry, you¡¯ll hurt yourself if you overeat." "Hiccup~" Bai nodded with difficulty, but upon seeing Lin Yue take out more pancakes, it immediately struggled to come closer again. Seeing this little guy, Lin Yue couldn¡¯t help but relax slightly as well. The tension and pressure brought on by the giant creature dissipated quite a lot. While eating a pancake, Lin Yue opened the group chat. Having just survived a calamity, the number of people had dwindled yet again, and after the system update, he had more things to get used to. Although some were trolling in the group chat, there were those whose words contained a wealth of information. Oh right, the Survival Points have been updated again... but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve used much of the previous ones. He clicked on the Survival Points option, and a flood of comments sprang up quickly. But Lin Yue wasn¡¯t interested in reading what they wrote, and went straight to the results. [Daily Survival Points Settlement Successful: Survival Points +2407] [Survival Points Remaining from Yesterday: 4309] [Total Survival Points: 6716] Boy, they keep accumulating! How about buying something to use them up? Lin Yue opened the Survival Points Mall, only to find it unexpectedly displayed, "Upgrading, please come back later." S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Oh well, it¡¯s not like there¡¯s anything worth buying anyway. This time, he opened the group chat, browsing through the group members¡¯ messages. But... the number in the upper right corner was staggering. 99785! After the system 2.0 update, the size of the group had surprisingly increased to 100,000! With more people, things became livelier, but naturally, more issues would arise. Even on the day before the disaster, aiming for the top rank on the leaderboard had suddenly become much harder! Those who survived the second disaster until now¡ªregardless of their current status¡ªlikely didn¡¯t get through it just with ¡¯luck¡¯, but rather had their own skills. So, what would these "elites" left after two rounds of weeding have to say? "Everyone, did any of you see the giant creature the system mentioned? What does it look like?" "I saw it, but unfortunately, I didn¡¯t have a camera, even if I did, I couldn¡¯t send a picture... hmm? Why does the system suddenly have a camera function, did you guys see that?" "Already taking selfies, but the system¡¯s not delivering, doesn¡¯t even have beautification, why does my face look like this, calling for a PS expert, offering Survival Points!" "Are you here to survive or just to play? My shelter¡¯s on high ground, but discovered this morning it¡¯s turned into a small island in a lake, anyone have a boat blueprint? Offering a high price!" "Any big shots been to the ruins? Heard there are good things, list it in the mall for us to see!" "When will the group allow image sharing? If it does, I can show you right now." "With so many new members, any new big shots? Wonder if anyone can take down Lin Yue? Looking forward." "Who¡¯s Lin Yue? Is he famous?" "Last rank 2195 points, must be new here!" "No way? Gotta be kidding? 2195 points! I¡¯ve only gotten to 590 myself!" "I know, it must be a group total score, our original group had a 2078-pointer with a 30-member team, @Zhou Tongfeng." "Solo! System considers it solo, how incredible is that! A 30-member team can¡¯t match one person, wow." ... Lin Yue realized that topics, while serious initially, would suddenly veer and focus on him. Is it this hard to keep a low profile? Still, he managed to glean some useful information. Someone else had also seen the giant creature, but Lin Yue didn¡¯t know if it was the same as what he saw. He hoped it was the same; it would mean the number of these giant creatures wasn¡¯t too many. Another thing that grabbed his attention was the camera feature. Lin Yue left the group chat, opened the camera, and aimed it at Bai, who was still lying on the ground, too full to get up. Taking a few shots, he found they were quite clear, every scale on Bai could be seen, even zooming in and out was possible, along with some simple editing features. "Hmm? It seems there¡¯s also a video recording feature?" He swiped further and discovered the system¡¯s new functions not only included a camera but video recording as well. He recorded a few seconds of video of Bai and felt a hint of the fun of playing with a phone. Phone... it¡¯s been so long since I last touched one. Lin Yue felt a twinge of nostalgia for his old life, it was just too comfortable, at least when compared to now. Working to earn money, buying food and drinks, doing whatever, life was dull but there wasn¡¯t a lack of gadgets, and no need to worry about not having electricity... Speaking of which, could electricity be an option? Didn¡¯t I acquire a small solar power kit before? "Squeak?" Bai struggled to sit up again, thinking his owner might take him hunting, but instead, the owner fiddled around, seemingly unsure of what he was doing. Lin Yue placed the half-eaten pancake on the table and excitedly climbed the ladder to the rooftop, taking out the small solar power kit! Holding three small black solar panels, Lin Yue placed them one by one on the sloped rooftop, connected the wires, and finally led them inside. Then, he rummaged through the kitchen for a while, finally fixing his gaze on the ice maker. The weather was hot, how could he not drink a cool beverage? "Bai, fancy some iced tea?" Chapter 86: Achieving Ice Freedom, Exploring the Mysterious Unknown! Chapter 86: Chapter 86: Achieving Ice Freedom, Exploring the Mysterious Unknown!It can be said that the small solar power generation kit given by the system is quite good. With only his basic knowledge of electricity, Lin Yue fully installed it and successfully connected it to the ice machine! The ice machine was something he collected from a convenience store resembling a treasure trove, during his second entry into the Tokyo Tower Secret Realm at the time. Originally, he picked it up casually because it seemed intact, but now it has become the first electrical appliance that can be powered. If the solar panel wasn¡¯t so small, Lin Yue would have wanted to connect it to the freezer. It seems that looking ahead, a gasoline generator is still the trend for the future. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lin Yue spent some time cleaning the ice machine inside and out, and finally plugged in the power, pouring in some water. Soon, the ice machine began to work, and Bai seemed attracted by the "glug glug" sound, finally getting up from the ground, eyes fixed on the ice machine. During this time, Lin Yue immediately clicked into the trading panel. He finally remembered that he seemed to have left a trade pending for too long. And after opening the trade, he witnessed the birth of another self-guided player! "Unexpectedly, someone raised the bid to 100 liters themselves, how does that even work?" Lin Yue looked at the final bid and the survivor named Leslie, who almost crazily @¡¯d him on the message board every so often, understanding what happened in the past two days. This person indeed has a lot of gasoline reserves, and is determined to get the wine and bok choy he offered. Seems about right. 100L of gasoline is quite a lot, and what Lin Yue paid was just his surplus of wine and bok choy that can mature in one or two days. [You lost 50 ml of wine X20, 100 g of bok choy X20] [You gained 100L of gasoline] Got the gasoline! However, it¡¯s still too little; 100L can only sustain the power for a short while. The "glug glug" sound reminded Lin Yue that the ice machine is operating normally. Lin Yue brought two glass cups next to the ice machine, and as the green light lit up, Lin Yue noticed a lot of ice cubes coming out! Seems like he¡¯s realized ice cube freedom! Beads of chilly white steam floated in the hot air, and after seeing the ice cubes, Bai finally understood what this oddly glowing and sounding iron clunker was for. Before scooping the ice cubes into the cup, Lin Yue had already placed the tea bags, then poured water into the cups, and the cool water gradually changed color. Back in the bedroom, he placed the cups on the table, and Lin Yue and Bai, one person and one pet, enjoyed the first relaxation after the earthquake disaster. The icy tea suddenly made the hot weather less unbearable, and after Bai finished drinking, he kept loudly crunching ice cubes, seeming somewhat unsatisfied. "Bai, let¡¯s pack up and get ready to check out the Secret Realm, are you ready?" "Bawk!" Upon hearing Lin Yue mention the "Secret Realm," Bai immediately perked up, crunching the ice cubes even louder. After finishing the last sip of iced tea, Lin Yue went out of the shelter and came to the greenhouse, which appeared unchanged in its appearance. He carefully inspected and found that the greenhouse was nearly intact from the earthquake, except for two or three spots with small holes, like they were bitten by something. Lin Yue tore some tissue paper, rolled them into small balls and stuffed them into the holes as a temporary solution, as he had no special way for now. Opening the door, the familiar humid heat mixed with the peculiar smell of fresh vegetables. Lin Yue saw the lush greenery in front of him and took out the small dagger inserted at the side of the kit. This dagger was very versatile, perfect for cutting vegetable leaves, and Lin Yue had made an extra one for this reason. Bok choy is the kind of vegetable that keeps growing unless you cut off all its leaves, which is why Lin Yue did not uproot it. [You obtained 8kg of bok choy] He then looked at the white radish, discovering that it had already matured, each root nearly 30cm long! Goodness, this is truly amazing. [You obtained 52kg of white radish] [You obtained 11kg of white radish leaves] Each radish weighs about two pounds, and in three days, this many radishes could grow, which surprised Lin Yue. Moreover, radish leaves can also be eaten, so he definitely won¡¯t miss them. After harvesting a large quantity of vegetables, Lin Yue realized that the bok choy sown the day before seems ready to be harvested tomorrow, while onion, strawberry, and watermelon seedlings have also grown bigger. It seems he can soon achieve vegetable freedom. This black-tech soilless cultivation kit, as long as used properly, should allow for more possibilities! Unfortunately, the Survival Points Mall is closed; otherwise, he would definitely buy more seeds to fill the other two medium-sized soilless cultivation kits that are currently empty. Walking out of the greenhouse again, Lin Yue went to the triangle wall not far away, climbed the ladder, and stored the wire mesh and planks into the Storage Space, then collected the three mixed metal-stone walls as well, and put the three walls in places with collapsed or particularly cracked walls for replacement. After completing this, Lin Yue called Bai and walked around the perimeter. Wow, there are full thirteen mutant sheep, five spotted wolves, and three tiger-striped shadow deer lying in the traps outside the wall! Looks like last night was quite lively indeed. Using the system to dissect them first, Lin Yue eventually took off the ribs of the thirteen mutant sheep one by one, while burying the rest to attract small insects. Doing all these also consumed a lot of time. Anyway, it was used as a warm-up exercise. Looking far from above, the shadow of a giant creature was already nowhere to be seen, Lin Yue climbed to the rooftop and checked around, finally spotting the Ancient Secret Realm Gate entwined with vines, enclosed by green bricks at the back near the wall. "Bai! Let¡¯s go!" "Bawk!" Bringing Bai along, Lin Yue prepared once again to open the Ancient Secret Realm Gate, but as his hand approached the door, Bai suddenly emitted a very sharp sound! "Bawk! Bawk Bawk!" It bit Lin Yue¡¯s pants, trying hard to pull him back, seemingly fearing something, retreating repeatedly! This situation was almost identical to the last time! Last time, Bai also reacted very dramatically, leading him out of the Secret Realm, seemingly terrified. Did something happen at the door again? Lin Yue trusted Bai¡¯s judgment. This little one¡¯s reaction has saved him countless times. If not for that, he would have become the mice¡¯s bait upon first stepping into the Secret Realm. "Bai, is there danger?" "Bawk! Bawk!" Bai continued pulling him back. Lin Yue nodded, deciding not to enter the Secret Realm for now. If some monster or a bunch of monsters was released from the Secret Realm, he wouldn¡¯t stand a chance regardless of how many lives he had. He wouldn¡¯t do anything risky. "Bai, eating so much without exercising is not good." Lin Yue felt disappointed at being unable to explore the Secret Realm, but he indeed had no choice. How about spending today focusing on various infrastructure renovation work? Changing the shape of the wall and reinforcing it, and organizing the shelves and things in the basement... Wait, basement? There¡¯s a new area in the basement he hasn¡¯t explored yet. "Bai, come over here!" Lin Yue called out to Bai, entering the basement. "Bawk?" Bai looked at the strange large door almost embedded in the wall, uttering a question. Chapter 87 Initial Exploration of the Ruins, Unexpected Joy! Chapter 87: Chapter 87 Initial Exploration of the Ruins, Unexpected Joy!In the silent basement, Lin Yue opened his eyes and took a deep breath. In front of him, within the doorframe wrapped in yellow and green tiles, the stone door with twisted lines and eerie colorful circles seemed to have a deadly magic. Underground Ruins... what exactly lies inside? Monsters, resources, or even gold and silver treasures? He couldn¡¯t help but gently touch it with his palm, the cold sensation making his heart race. Lin Yue withdrew his hand and carefully checked his equipment. He wore a sturdy and dense Iron Helmet on his head, donned Fine Wood Armor on his body, equipped a solid Fine Wooden Shield with studs on his left arm, and in his right hand held the most familiar weapon, the excellent quality Iron Spear, while on his back was the modified Steel Repeating Crossbow with a Sighting Scope, capable of shooting an arrow every second. He also had a Fine Dagger at his waist, and stored two Fine Cleavers in his Storage Space to prepare for unexpected situations. A flashlight was strapped to his right arm, and he naturally equipped a compass as well. Additionally, Lin Yue prepared numerous tools¡ª Shovel, hoe, iron pick, sickle, Iron Saw, and the Backpack Demolition Kit brought back from the Secret Realm ¡ª he forgot nothing. After all, he was heading to what¡¯s called "ruins," where these might be needed at any time. In the Storage Space, Lin Yue also stocked plenty of water and food. Of course, he also packed the Disaster Relief Tent inside, so that he could rest well if he had to spend the night inside. Naturally, he remembered to bring a ball of yarn to mark the paths he walked. "Bai, ready? We¡¯re about to enter a dangerous and mysterious world." "Puchi!" Bai nodded, seeming to understand. Lin Yue stroked its small head. Entering such an unknown world, he had to rely on Bai¡¯s performance for enemy detection. At this gateway, Bai didn¡¯t display the extreme fear and abnormal behavior seen at the Ancient Secret Realm Gate, which to some extent indicated that at least it should be safe near the door. Lin Yue¡¯s hand touched the handle of the stone door this time, gently applying force. Squeak... A cloud of dust slipped through the cracks of the stone door as Lin Yue used the Iron Spear to clear the way and entered along with Bai. The stone door scraped against the doorframe and was gently closed by Lin Yue. Meanwhile, a damp, decaying scent wafted into his nose. Lin Yue glanced around and found himself in a massive underground space, perched on a higher platform. The space was about the size of a basketball court, surrounded by walls, with a torch burning fiercely at intervals on the wall. However, the overall brightness of the space was still too low, and the torches could only illuminate parts of the walls. Engraved on the walls were complex and eerie lines and circles, much like the door. In front of the platform was a long staircase descending into the dark depth of the space. Looking back, the entrance was embedded in the wall. Seems like the only way is downward? "So, this is the Underground Ruins?" "Puchi?" Man and pet fell into contemplation. Calling it Underground Ruins, it actually seemed more like some eerie man-made cavern. However, since they came this far, going back empty-handed was not an option. Lin Yue took out the ball of yarn and tied it to a stone pillar beside the stone door, then slowly walked down the broken, aged stone bricks with Bai. Of course, he didn¡¯t forget to take a few torches from the walls; how could he leave them behind? After tying the flashlight around his waist, with its swaying light, he and Bai soon entered the dim cave. The descending stairs seemed to lead to the very depths of Hell, endlessly stretching. Until Lin Yue felt fed up with walking, the stairs abruptly ended, and he found himself in a very long passage. The passage was nearly five or six meters wide, and the height wasn¡¯t much different. There weren¡¯t many torches on either side, and the lighting was somewhat dim. Additionally, Lin Yue heard some noisy, faint noises coming from the front where darkness reigned. "Bai, be alert!" "Puchi!" Lin Yue strapped the flashlight to his right arm, raised his Steel Repeating Crossbow, and closely aligned his body with a wall as he advanced slowly. In this way, he could minimize attacks from one side, and with the solid wall for support, he could hold the Steel Repeating Crossbow more steadily. As he progressed, the noise from the front grew louder, and Lin Yue even heard murmurs like someone dreaming! His scalp tingled, perplexed about the source of the sound. Humans? Would humans wander these ruins muttering sounds that don¡¯t even seem human? Lin Yue grew suspicious and glanced at Bai, finding Bai also watching him. "Bai, not an enemy?" "Puchi?" Bai seemed confused, unsure why Lin Yue asked this. Lin Yue didn¡¯t lower his weapon; things were far from fine up ahead. After advancing nearly a hundred steps, he suddenly saw a shadow flicker past the edge of the light! Simultaneously, odd "Dada" noises sounded from that direction! Lin Yue¡¯s scalp tingled again, he halted, using the flashlight to scan the top and bottom, finding nothing. What on earth? Dada dada... The strange sound continued. Lin Yue found it peculiar, glancing at Bai. "Puchi?" Bai remained unchanged, seemingly unaffected by the noise. "Bai, have you gone dull from eating scallion pancakes with sausage?" Lin Yue was sure he heard right, but Bai looked like it hadn¡¯t heard anything. Just as Lin Yue considered taking the little one back to see if it had eaten something bad, Bai suddenly shot forward like a white light! Then the little fellow quickly returned, holding something in its mouth. "A spider?" Lin Yue noted the frozen palm-sized golden spider in Bai¡¯s mouth, raising an eyebrow. At the same time, the earlier "Dada" noises vanished. No wonder Bai hadn¡¯t issued a warning; the foe turned out to be trivial. Yet, this spider looked peculiar, entirely golden, with legs resembling razor-sharp blades. Nevertheless, this creature posed less threat than the Tiger-striped Shadow Deer outside, not to mention the Mutant Sheep. Bai dropped the frozen spider to the ground, gazing at Lin Yue with large eyes, intending him to take care of this small critter. "Bai, this isn¡¯t the outside where killing things drops treasure chests." As Lin Yue spoke, he noticed the spider¡¯s legs starting to move. He lifted the Iron Spear, giving it a thorough jab! [You have obtained an Iron Treasure Chest] Hmm? ... Thank you to all the patrons for your support! Thanks to all the readers for your support and encouragement! I beg for continued reading, I beg for continued reading! You can also join a chat elsewhere, mysterious number: 577098155 S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ||©c(*£þ¨Œ£þ*)¥Î¥ß|§À Chapter 88: Underground Ruins Exploration, Consecutive Treasure Chests! Chapter 88: Chapter 88: Underground Ruins Exploration, Consecutive Treasure Chests!"Iron Treasure Chest?!" Lin Yue touched the iron treasure chest in front of him, feeling puzzled. This kind of treasure chest is only obtained by defeating monsters in the Otherworld, isn¡¯t it? How come defeating the Golden Spider here can also yield such an item? Back then, when dealing with those strange rats and the Monster Winged Dragon in the Secret Realm, no treasure chest ever dropped... But the one before him dropped a chest, and it happened in this Underground Ruins. Wait a minute, could it be... The "Mutated Creature Atlas," which hadn¡¯t been used for a long time, suddenly had a page marked "new." Opening it, the name "Golden Poison Thorn Spider" abruptly appeared. Then, he summoned the system panel! Well, case solved. This so-called world of Underground Ruins isn¡¯t like the Secret Realm in another world; it¡¯s clearly within this Otherworld! Unexpectedly, he uncovered this matter hidden by the system soon after entering. Though... it seems like new questions arise. This place is called "Underground Ruins," and the entrance also featured peculiar lines and circles. Moreover, traces of man-made structures aren¡¯t extensive from the hall to here. Whether it¡¯s platforms or stairs, they are directly carved out of stone, looking ancient but showing signs there used to be a civilization¡ªnot particularly low-level¡ªhere! If not for this, why would they call it "ruins?" The native inhabitants of the Otherworld? Lin Yue suddenly felt things were getting interesting, sparking his urge to delve deeper. Wait, just a moment ago, did he hear some whispering? Could it be the native inhabitants of this Otherworld? "Bai, stay alert!" "Puchi, puchi!" Bai immediately responded and ran ahead of Lin Yue. Lin Yue was about to leave but turned back to glance at the spider¡¯s corpse, pondered a moment, and poked it with the tip of his spear. [You obtained: Spider Venom X10ml] Oh, not bad, some additional gains. But the potency of this spider venom could be tested later. Da da da da... Another sound echoed, and just like before, Bai dashed out. "Puchi!" Occasionally, crisp cracking sounds emerged, and Bai called him from afar. Lin Yue jogged over, finding five frozen Golden Poison Thorn Spiders on the ground and raised his Iron Spear. [You obtained Iron Treasure Chest X5] [You obtained Spider Venom X50ml] These critters are much easier to deal with than those giant grasshoppers back then. Moreover, Bai had learned to cooperate with him, using its icy mist to freeze the enemies so that he could snatch the kills, forming quite a pattern. "Puchi~" Bai snuggled up to Lin Yue, rubbing his leg. "Haha, already hungry again? Careful not to turn into a little fatty." Lin Yue looked at Bai¡¯s greedy demeanor, recalling a game he once played. In that game, one could capture a kind of spirit, and a certain blue snake was quite pretty. It could grow into a slender snake, but in the end, it evolved into a flying fat creature with a name utterly absurd like "Fat Large." Lin Yue suspected, if Bai kept eating this way, might it turn into Fat Large as well... "No, eating too much isn¡¯t good; we¡¯ll see later." "Puchi~" Upon hearing his refusal, Bai ran ahead again. Lin Yue chuckled and continued advancing. But it¡¯s strange, the mysterious whispers he heard before were now gone. After walking a bit farther, he saw a crossroad ahead spanning the path he was on. And at this point, he discovered the first ball of yarn had snapped. Connecting the strands, Lin Yue and Bai reached the intersection of the two paths, both sides leading into deep darkness. However, these paths differed slightly from the one they had taken. They were significantly wider, and the walls on both sides depicted carvings and murals similar to those in the previous hall, though most were severely damaged. Additionally, Lin Yue noticed the ground was dotted with peculiar, large pottery-like objects. These pottery jars stood half a meter high, sealed with stoppers; their gray-black hue exuded an eerie aura. "What¡¯s inside? Hopefully not something like pickled vegetables, haha." Though curious, Lin Yue dared not touch them, using the tip of his spear to topple them instead. The pottery jar shattered with a clattering sound, spilling its contents. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Skeletons! Lin Yue¡¯s scalp instantly tingled, gasping sharply. What the hell, the scattering of skeletal frames with skulls on the ground had a seriously chilling effect. Do the rituals in this Divine Hall all involve such horror? "Puchi!" At this moment, Bai issued a warning¡ªa rare occurrence! Lin Yue immediately pressed against the wall, looking in the direction Bai was calling out, but found the dark front concealed everything. "Bai? What did you see?" Lin Yue raised the Steel Repeating Crossbow, suddenly hearing a bizarre low growl. The sound intermingled with the whispered inklings he heard earlier, and the piercing metal friction noises echoed chillingly in the hollow corridor! "Puchi!" Bai did not retreat in shock as it did near the Ancient Secret Realm Gate, but stood firmly, seemingly awaiting his next command. Lin Yue instantly understood. The adversary ahead might not be invincible! When facing the Mutant Sheep and Tiger-striped Shadow Deer initially, Bai reacted similarly. It signified danger, yet offered a chance to battle! Lin Yue took a deep breath. Slowly advancing, the flashlight¡¯s beam gradually illuminated the grayish expanse ahead. The previously heard symphony of noises began clarifying. "Glug glug..." Initially resembling Bai¡¯s tummy rumbling, yet differing subtly. Bai¡¯s... didn¡¯t seem this loud? Lin Yue glanced at Bai, this little fellow also looked up at him. "Puchi!" Bai uttered a barely audible sound, yet along with their footsteps, it resonated distinctly in the space. At this moment, the metallic screech altered to a booming clatter, and at that time, Lin Yue noticed two green glows at the flashlight¡¯s edge! Mutated creature! And... wait, what kind of monster is this? He looked closely, the mutated creature at the distant end suddenly reared up on its hind legs, bearing a bear-like torso and a lion-like head! Now, it glared and roared at Lin Yue, charging furiously in this direction! Chapter 89: Acquiring Another Golden Treasure Chest, Intense Conflict Erupts! Chapter 89: Chapter 89: Acquiring Another Golden Treasure Chest, Intense Conflict Erupts!Lin Yue hardly hesitated at all, five crossbow arrows were fired in an instant within seconds! They accurately pierced into the Lion-headed Bear that was only a few dozen meters away from him, breaking through its skin! A terrifying roar emanated from its mouth, but being bound by chains, it posed no threat to Lin Yue, and it was hit by five more arrows. You¡¯re chained at the neck, why would I foolishly come close to attack you? What¡¯s the Steel Repeating Crossbow for? Huh? Lin Yue once again loaded the warehouse with arrows, the electric stringer tightened the bowstring almost instantly, and as Lin Yue aimed again, five more arrows struck the Lion-headed Bear¡¯s body! "Splat!" Bai rushed over, spraying fierce icy mist not far from the fallen and convulsing Lion-headed Bear! The Lion-headed Bear¡¯s entire body was instantly covered in frost, its movements frozen, while Lin Yue quickly arrived and pierced its throat with the extremely sharp Iron Spear! [You have obtained a Golden Treasure Chest!] Golden Treasure Chest! Wow, can this thing be worth a Golden Treasure Chest? This was the first time he obtained a Golden Treasure Chest from defeating a mutated creature. Lin Yue collected the Golden Treasure Chest, the spear tip touching the Lion-headed Bear. [You¡¯ve obtained 30kg of Lion-headed Bear meat, Lion-headed Bear skin X1, Tusks X2] Wait, there¡¯s still a chain. Lin Yue took the iron chain along as well. It would be such a pity to leave something behind since I¡¯ve come all this way. [You¡¯ve obtained Fine Steel Extra-Thick Iron Chain X1, Fine Steel Necklace X1] A complete set, wonder what it could be used to tie up? Having secured these two items, Lin Yue was somewhat satisfied. Otherwise, this trip to the ruins feels like it might¡¯ve been more worthwhile doing something else. The flashlight shone ahead, Lin Yue discovered what seemed like a tightly shut wooden door. He walked up to it, observing more complex engravings and fantastical, eerie line circles. The carving was quite imaginative, but... Lin Yue glanced back at the place where the Lion-headed Bear was. This thing... could it be a gatekeeper? What¡¯s inside the door? Lin Yue knocked on the stone gate in front of him with the Iron Spear, but it stayed motionless. It¡¯s tightly shut? Isn¡¯t this like getting sent a large door, the underground ruins are really too courteous. However, just as Lin Yue was about to place his hand on the door, Bai suddenly let out a "Splat!" Without any hesitation, Lin Yue instantly gathered up all his belongings and darted to the door while turning off the flashlight! At this moment, the door beside him slowly opened a crack outward, but without making much noise. Lin Yue and Bai crouched beside it, holding their breath, watching the door open wider and wider, completely covering their figures. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Afterward, a figure holding a torch, along with dozens of black silhouettes wielding long spear suddenly appeared! Holding a torch? Other Survivors? The thought flashed through his mind, Lin Yue tried his best to remain silent, moving two steps towards the door. The firelight was not bright, Lin Yue could only see the backs of these shadows. Moreover, the strange dream-like murmuring that had disappeared started again, louder than before! Strange, what language is this? Sounds like it¡¯s spoken through gritted teeth. He truly couldn¡¯t make out the appearance of these figures, there was only one person holding a torch. Now, these people were gathered together, right where the Lion-headed Bear had been chained. What are they doing? The Lion-headed Bear had already been collected entirely, there barely was any bloodstain on the ground. Just then, the person holding the torch¡¯s murmur turned into chilling growls, then suddenly turned around! Lin Yue¡¯s eyes widened, the flickering firelight revealed a giant Lizard with a head fully covered in green scales! Moreover, the arms extended from this lizard-headed being were also covered in scales! He tried hard to suppress his frantically beating heart, utterly shocked! Lizardman! The existence... is there actually such a thing? He watched the Lizardman raise the torch, doing a circle in front of those shadows, revealing the full appearance of these figures to Lin Yue! Each one had a head like a giant lizard, wearing armor resembling black bone pieces, and had short, thick, strong tails! Originally, Lin Yue thought these were Survivors from other places, unexpectedly they were Lizardmen... This Otherworld, something¡¯s not right here. Are Lizardmen the natives of this Otherworld? Or perhaps... He was uncertain, especially when he saw the big jar clearly filled with human bones, not bones of these triangle-headed beings. Are those bones from Survivors? Or from the original inhabitants of this world? Are these Lizardmen also Survivors? Questions continually emerged in Lin Yue¡¯s mind, but no answers came. Hidden in the shadow behind the door, Lin Yue hadn¡¯t been discovered by any Lizardman yet, stroking Bai¡¯s head, the little one was no longer trembling and showed no strange behavior. Lin Yue sensed its muscles completely tense, seeming to wait for his command, ready to fight at any moment! Combat... Lin Yue furrowed his brow. Certainly, this place was suitable for combat, he was in the shadow behind the door, could see those Lizardmen, but they couldn¡¯t see him. If a battle occurred, he could easily use the Steel Repeating Crossbow to send five Lizardmen off in a very short time. But is there this necessity? The other side seemed only to check why the Lion-headed Bear was gone, led by their torch-bearing Lizardman leader, they were discussing something now. But he couldn¡¯t just keep squatting here, Lin Yue felt his left foot turning numb, he couldn¡¯t maintain this position much longer. "Zza! Zza!" At this moment, the Lizardman leader suddenly shouted twice, and the other Lizardmen each took out a torch, lighting them! The entire underground passage was illuminated by this sudden blaze of light! Lin Yue quickly moved towards the door as these creatures lit the fire, but there were too few places to hide, and it was impossible to evade the lethal light! "Sss Zza! Sss Zza!" One Lizardman caught sight of Lin Yue, its spear in hand directly thrown towards him, but it almost at the same instant fell with an arrow to the throat, the torch extinguished immediately! [You have obtained a Copper Treasure Chest] Lin Yue looked at the spear embedded in the ground not far from him, having no time concerned about Copper or Silver Treasure Chests. Bang bang bang bang bang! Spears were thrown towards him, Lin Yue stacked several stones in front to block deadly attacks! At this moment, he was at an absolute disadvantage, the Steel Repeating Crossbow emitting black deadly arrows, consecutively hitting the Lizardmen who had found out about him! [You have obtained a Copper Treasure Chest] [You have obtained...] "Bai! Distract them!" "Splat!" Bai turned into a streak of white light, rushing out of the door, heading directly in the direction they came from, and Lin Yue took the opportunity to refill the arrow store, shooting down another five Lizardmen. Lin Yue wasn¡¯t concerned with a fatal shot, no time to aim either, at this distance only twenty-something, thirty meters, he was shooting wherever aimed, and as each Lizardman fell screaming, the torches extinguished one by one, the passage darkened again. [You have obtained a Silver Treasure Chest!] With the final arrow piercing the heart of the shouting Lizard leader, the entire channel fell silent. Chapter 90: Defeat the Lizardman to Unlock Treasure Chests and Enter the Mysterious Cave! Chapter 90: Chapter 90: Defeat the Lizardman to Unlock Treasure Chests and Enter the Mysterious Cave!Lin Yue quickly picked up the treasure chest on the ground and immediately ran in the direction where Bai had gone. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. That Lizardman was definitely no match for Bai. Judging by their equipment, they weren¡¯t too different from him, and humanoid monsters like this are far easier to deal with than mutant creatures like the Tiger-striped Shadow Deer! "Pujji!" Bai¡¯s voice erupted not far away, and Lin Yue immediately felt a chill. He sped up his pace and ran over. In the darkness, he saw a fallen torch. "Pujji!" Bai let out another high-pitched call, followed by a scream, and Lin Yue heard the long-awaited special system notification. [You have obtained a Special Copper Treasure Chest] Special chests are a type that appears when Bai fights mutant creatures, the last time it dropped was when Bai was just getting used to combat. Since then, Bai had tirelessly taken out one mutant creature after another, but not once did a special chest drop. This time, Bai finally had a stroke of luck, just like its owner. "Bai, are you okay?" Lin Yue called out as he walked over. "Pujji puji~" In the dim environment, Lin Yue felt Bai nudging his leg again and managed to pet Bai¡¯s head, feeling much more at ease inside. Bai¡¯s behavior also indicated that there were no more enemies. Lin Yue took a deep breath and turned on the flashlight again. He quickly found the dead body of the Lizardman a few meters away, along with the special Copper Treasure Chest beside it. Putting the chest into the Storage Space, Lin Yue shone the flashlight on the Lizardman¡¯s neck, where there was a deep cut. Before Lin Yue was an ugly creature that was a hybrid of human and reptile traits. It had a head like a greatly enlarged triangular lizard¡¯s, with a blood-red bifurcated tongue hanging out of its mouth full of sharp teeth, and lifeless eyes that were crocodilian-yellow with black pupils, and finely detailed green scales covering its entire body. Its strong, massive tail trailed behind it. It looked so ugly, terrifying, and bizarre. Lin Yue noticed that this Lizardman possessed razor-sharp claws, and there was even webbing between its fingers, suggesting they were skilled swimmers. He picked up the weapon clutched tightly in its hand and found it was a crude stone spear, its sharp black stone head bound to a wooden stick, while the other arm was equipped with a shield made of wood fragments tied with string. Frowning, Lin Yue examined other details on the corpse and noticed a feather necklace around its neck, as well as a headband with a black stone on its head. Lizardman... What exactly are they? Lin Yue looked around the perfectly crafted stone walls of the passage, examining the intricate carvings above, and the large jars placed at intervals on either side, plunging him into thought. Were these created by Lizardmen? Despite using stone spears, they should not have been able to construct such smooth-walled Underground Divine Halls. Moreover, Lin Yue found another thing quite unbelievable. According to the system, this is the so-called "Underground Divine Hall". An earthquake of magnitude eight had just occurred, yet there was no sign of it here. Especially since this is underground, it should¡¯ve been the first to be destroyed during an earthquake. Lin Yue felt that ever since he arrived here, endless questions have constantly arisen. "Bai, we should head back. It¡¯s not safe to stay here too long." Lin Yue felt he needed to return. How many Lizardmen are there, and will they send more after seeing their comrade¡¯s corpse? These are all uncertain questions. "Pujji!" Bai suddenly dashed further away, leaving Lin Yue confused. What was Bai up to? He trotted after Bai down the tunnel, even noticing that Bai didn¡¯t stop at the previous fork in the path and instead kept going forward. Did Bai find something? Lin Yue was puzzled, but it didn¡¯t seem like they had discovered any enemies. "Pujji!" Bai suddenly turned a corner and disappeared, and when Lin Yue followed, he discovered a cave-in had created an opening. Lin Yue found that their line of yarn was no longer sufficient. Shining the flashlight inside, Lin Yue was surprised to see something glimmering within. What... is this? "Pujji!" Bai¡¯s voice sounded from deeper within, prompting Lin Yue to glance at the entrance and jump in. He soon realized he had entered a passage just wide enough for one person, with the ground transitioning from stone tiles to jagged rocks, and the objects that reflected his flashlight¡¯s glow were not far ahead. Proceeding cautiously, he reached the shining objects and immediately recognized the hexagonal, translucent materials before him. [You have obtained White Crystal (High Quality) X1] White Crystal! This was an unexpected find! Lin Yue continued to illuminate the area with the flashlight, discovering even more items. [You have obtained White Crystal (Common) X2] [You have obtained Amethyst (Common) X1] [You have obtained Amethyst (High Quality) X2] [You have obtained Titanium Iron Ore (Low Quality) X1] Hmm? There seemed to be some weird things mixed in? Titanium Iron Ore... Titanium? Wait, is it that titanium he knows? Titanium combined with other metals to form Titanium Alloys, widely used in aerospace, military, industry, automotive, agricultural food, medical fields, and more! Wow, it seems he¡¯s really found a treasure. Lin Yue took the Titanium Iron Ore out of the Storage Space to find it was a silver-gray ore, and this type of ore... Lin Yue looked around, incessantly searching with the flashlight. Stalactites, stalagmites, crystal pillars, rugged rock walls, and... wait, there seemed to be a whole section of that stuff over there! He¡¯s struck gold! Lin Yue began collecting the crystals and extending his reach towards the sizeable Titanium Iron Ore! He exerted some effort, pushing his way through. [You have obtained Titanium Iron Ore (Low Quality) X1] [You have obtained...] As the system continued to notify him, the amount of Titanium Iron Ore in Lin Yue¡¯s Storage Space steadily increased. However, all of it was low quality. Lin Yue also gathered some crystals and even found a small rock with golden veining. To avoid confusion, he spent survival points to appraise them one by one. "Hmm? Is it really a Gold Mine?" [You have obtained Gold Mine (Low Quality) X1] [You have obtained Zeolite Ore (High Quality) X1] [You have obtained Ruby (Common) X1] Hold on. What on Earth is up with this mineral distribution that completely defies Earth¡¯s ore association rules? "Pujji!" "Pujji puji!" Just then, Bai¡¯s continuous voice sounded, causing Lin Yue to set aside his ore gathering. He first needed to follow Bai. What had this little creature discovered? However, as he continued toward the source of the voice, Lin Yue suddenly found himself entering an immense space. "Pujji!" Bai¡¯s voice rang out again, and Lin Yue looked towards the sound, only to find that who came running wasn¡¯t actually Bai! Chapter 91: Entering the Mysterious Cave, Gaining a Group of Gluttons! Chapter 91: Chapter 91: Entering the Mysterious Cave, Gaining a Group of Gluttons!Lin Yue raised the steel repeating crossbow in his hand, aiming at the mutant creature several meters in front of him. Or rather, at the "Bai" in front of him. The ruby-like eyes, snow-white scales, and streamlined slender body emitted a gentle glow. This mutant creature in front of him was almost identical to Bai¡¯s "juvenile form". "Purr!" It called out, and soon, rustling noises could be heard, as a large group of "Bai" appeared from various places, slowly crawling towards him. "Purr?" "Purr purr" "Purr~" They all looked at him with extremely curious eyes, their sounds rising and falling. Lin Yue slowly retreated back to the cave entrance, not lowering the steel repeating crossbow in his hand. These were Ice Lizards. According to the system, they are small mutant creatures that enjoy playing in water, but they are still mutants, not his Bai. Bai is a pet that has formed a deep bond with him, and is his most trustworthy companion, intelligent and powerful, completely different from ordinary mutant creatures. The ones in front of him were just ordinary mutant creatures that would attack him... Lin Yue took a deep breath, having retreated to a slightly narrow entrance, continuously thinking of a strategy. Can he handle this huge number? Where is Bai? "Purr!" Just then, a louder and more distinct purr sounded. Lin Yue spotted the familiar Bai, wearing an Elemental Necklace, appearing before these little beings. Then, it rushed over to him quickly, arriving right in front of Lin Yue. "Purr~" Bai¡¯s voice was higher and had a more intimate and gentle feel, distinct from those Ice Lizards. Bai rubbed against his leg, then ran in front of the group of Little Ice Lizards, purring for a while, and soon, all the Little Ice Lizards left the vicinity. Was it mixed in with the leaders of these Little Ice Lizards? "Purr!" Bai called out again, went ahead, signaling Lin Yue to follow, while the Little Ice Lizards had already gone further away, easing Lin Yue somewhat. He looked towards the vast interior space of the cavern, inspecting the glowing walls, and suddenly found something growing on them. [Fluorescent Moss] Upon identifying it, Lin Yue surprisingly found that the fluorescence wasn¡¯t emitted by the rocks themselves, but by this peculiar moss! [You have acquired a piece of Fluorescent Moss!] He touched it lightly, and the system immediately provided feedback. Fluorescent Moss... might be useful? After rapidly collecting thirty pieces in a row, thinking that was enough, he continued ahead following Bai, but strange sounds similar to water flow reached his ears. "Bai, where are you taking us?" "Purr purr!" Bai led Lin Yue forward for a while, and the sound of flowing water grew louder. He surveyed the entire underground space, feeling it spanned at least tens of thousands of square meters, with the height above indiscernible and the surrounding walls covered with glowing moss. The ground was littered with bizarre rocks and pits, making the path uneven. After walking for a while, he discovered a black river not too far ahead, not tumultuous. "Purr purr!" Bai rushed forward and jumped in with a splash, appearing joyful. As Lin Yue approached, he discovered although the river appeared black, it was incredibly clear, with hundreds of Ice Lizards frolicking in the icy water, seeming quite content. My goodness, he¡¯s stumbled upon the Ice Lizards¡¯ nest. "Purr purr!" Bai¡¯s form was quite conspicuous, and many Ice Lizards were chasing it, as if it had become the king of the cavern. However, he could also see more Ice Lizards peering at him from amongst the chaotic rocks and pits around him. Lin Yue remained tense, never letting go of the Iron Spear in his hand. At close range, this was more useful than a crossbow arrow. If these white mutant creatures launched a surprise attack, he would counterattack immediately! But... could he beat them? "Purr purr~" Bai climbed up from the river, coming to the shore, its stomach grumbling. The other Ice Lizards gathered around, following Bai closely. Lin Yue found more Ice Lizards crawling behind Bai, really treating it as the leader. "You¡¯re... hungry?" "Purr~" Lin Yue looked up, noticing nearly a thousand Ice Lizards with red eyes staring at him, seemingly curious about his next actions. Emmmm. Could it be that Ice Lizards are actually... Lin Yue, with doubt, took out a large pile of bread. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. These things, saved up from before, weighed a pound each, but tasted terrible. In fact, if left out overnight, they could be used to knock out a mutant sheep if thrown. Or, used as weapons wouldn¡¯t be impossible. So, Lin Yue always ate instant noodles or cooked noodles instead, recently eating rice and hand-grabbed pancakes, never considering using this stuff. At this moment, nearly a thousand Ice Lizards followed Bai, the foodie. Did they perhaps find out from Bai¡¯s mouth that he had something delicious, hence crowding around him? "Bai, do you want to give these to them to eat?" Lin Yue commanded. Bai picked up a hard piece of bread and quickly placed it among the Ice Lizard group, then took and placed even more. Once the large heap of bread was laid out, with a single purr from Bai, the vast underground space echoed with numerous purrs. And these Ice Lizards, like starving wolves, started vying and attacking each piece of bread. Indeed, indeed. Ice Lizards, these mutant creatures... are just a bunch of gluttons! Lin Yue took out two skewers of lamb kebabs and handed them to Bai, who immediately devoured the fragrant meat skewers. "Purr purr!" Sated and content, the Ice Lizards followed Bai again, seemingly waiting for its command. "You came here and became the leader? You¡¯re quite impressive." From the chain of events, Lin Yue realized that his hunch seemed to be right. Bai had likely detected the scent of its kind and led him from the cave entrance, and upon arriving, the larger and stronger Bai instantly became the leader of all the Ice Lizards. Moreover, Lin Yue noticed the Ice Lizards didn¡¯t seem aggressive, having some intelligence akin to Bai, fundamentally different from other mutant creatures. "Purr~" Bai accepted Lin Yue¡¯s touch, then called out a few times, and soon, twenty smaller Ice Lizards came out from the group, approached Lin Yue, and imitated Bai¡¯s manner, rubbing against his leg. Oh my. "Bai, are you suggesting I take them all?" "Purr!" Chapter 92: The First Survivor to Take a Bath in the Otherworld Chapter 92: Chapter 92: The First Survivor to Take a Bath in the OtherworldStepping over the narrow and rugged rocks, Lin Yue kept traversing the cave. It didn¡¯t take long before he followed the yarn back into the passage. The place was deathly silent, with no sign of the Lizardmen, as if they never existed. He looked down, Bai and twenty Little Ice Lizards followed beside him, obediently making no sound. Lin Yue tugged the yarn, slowly winding it back into a ball as he gradually slowed his pace, drawing closer to the direction he came from. At that moment, Lin Yue didn¡¯t hesitate for long before deciding to leave the underground space with the twenty Little Ice Lizards. Undoubtedly, it was an extremely correct decision. These new companions will become quite a powerful aid for him in the future. From Bai, Lin Yue had already seen unlimited potential in this mutant creature, be it as a main attacker in battle, as a support, or in warning against enemy movements; it had brought him many surprises. As for these Little Ice Lizards, they might not reach Bai¡¯s level, but as long as they could provide some convenience during hunting and exploration, Lin Yue felt it wouldn¡¯t be in vain to raise them. And the cost he paid was merely some food and water. Of course, Lin Yue also didn¡¯t forget to bring back something special. Underground river water. The river where Bai swam, Lin Yue discovered through identification, was water he could drink. He filled six cubic meters of river water and brought it back in one go. Along the way, Lin Yue didn¡¯t forget to harvest extensively in the cave, collecting crystals and titanium iron ore; whatever he found went into the Storage Space. In the end, he obtained a total of 37 units of various quality crystals, 26 units of inferior titanium iron ore, 5 units of inferior gold, 4 units of high-quality zeolite, additionally, 2 units of rubies, all of ordinary quality. After storing all these, there was very little space left in his Storage Space. Overall, the harvest was substantial. If he wasn¡¯t eager to return, Lin Yue would¡¯ve really wanted to empty this treasure trove! Stepping on the stone path, Lin Yue turned on his flashlight and proceeded forward. It wasn¡¯t long before a familiar sound suddenly appeared. Clack, clack, clack, clack. Lin Yue looked up as a white streak flew by, accompanied by the crisp sound of things falling onto the ground, signaling Bai¡¯s new success. Golden Poison Thorn Spider, three in one go! [You have acquired Iron Treasure Chest X3] [You have acquired Spider Venom X30ml] Oh man, completely out of space now. The Ice Lizards watched Bai¡¯s elegance from behind Lin Yue, seemingly quite excited. After Lin Yue killed the three Golden Poison Thorn Spiders, they all circled around the iron chests, even more astonished. Oh man, are Ice Lizards naturally this adorable? "Puchi!" Bai stood upright, seemingly waiting for Lin Yue¡¯s praise, and Lin Yue quickly stuffed half a Snickers bar into its mouth. "Ooh! Poo ooh~" Bai was extremely excited, swallowing the half bar in one gulp, and then dashed forward to stand guard. Not long after, they arrived at a crossroads, and Lin Yue put away the yarn, returning straight to the path they came. The journey back was quite smooth, without encountering any mutant creatures, and Lin Yue along with Bai and the Ice Lizards quickly returned to the gate where they entered. Pulling the door handle, after all the Ice Lizards that followed entered the basement, Lin Yue also returned to the Shelter, closing the Underground Ruins¡¯ gate. The "Puchi" sounds filled his ears, with the Little Ice Lizards curious about everything around them, but under Bai¡¯s guidance, they quickly quieted down, obediently following behind it. Lin Yue brought them upstairs, noticing that perhaps it was their first time seeing sunlight, they backed away from the glaring light. However, under Bai¡¯s lead, they quickly adapted to the light. Lin Yue glanced around, realizing it was only the afternoon; he thought the adventure in the Underground Ruins took longer. Looking at the little lizards, he took out the last Shelter Design Map from his belongings. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I need to find a suitable place for the Little Ice Lizards, so..." [To build a Stone Surface Shelter, a total of 45 stones are required] [Please choose a location for construction] "Let¡¯s build it next to the kitchen," Lin Yue said, and with that, 45 stones vanished from the Storage Space, and a new surface building sprang up beside the kitchen! Lin Yue opened the stone door. Inside, nothing was novel¡ªjust a simple 40 square meters, identical to the other two houses. He had already decided the purpose of this house. "Bai, keep an eye on the Little Ice Lizards." Lin Yue moved to a corner of the room, stacking stones into a square approximately 2 meters on each side, then built the edges higher with stones, and soon, the system¡¯s prompt sounded. [You have acquired the Stone Bath Design Map] [Stone Bath: Stone X6, Iron Block X1] Of course, construct it! With a flash of light, a small bath, one meter high and two meters on each side, appeared instantly in the corner! The volume should be... 4 cubic meters. The Little Ice Lizards, unsure of what their unfamiliar owner was doing, were nonetheless intrigued by the appearance of the two baths. The room was instantly flooded with the "Puchi" sounds. "Haha, don¡¯t rush. Bai, now that we have enough water, it wouldn¡¯t do to waste it." "Puchi?" Bai perked up at its owner¡¯s special word, intuitively grasping at something. Lin Yue stepped up to the bath, pouring water from the Storage Space into it. Though the system stated the river water was drinkable, Lin Yue preferred a better use and decided to use it here. Ice Lizards, as mutant creatures, particularly liked water, especially the cool underground river water. Lin Yue recalled Bai¡¯s lively form in a small bucket during the snowstorm, equally ecstatic in the underground river. As the bath filled to a height of seventy to eighty centimeters, Lin Yue turned, satisfied to see Bai and the Little Ice Lizards with mouths agape, then they all jumped up and down, seemingly overjoyed with his gift! "Bai, go on and let them enjoy themselves." "Puchi!" Bai led the Little Ice Lizards into the bath, playing and frolicking, while Lin Yue turned his mind towards another task, building a second bath in another corner. Opening the stone door, Lin Yue entered the greenhouse, arriving at two medium-sized Soilless Cultivation Kits, which had long awaited enough water to get started. "Now there¡¯s water, and it¡¯s drinkable, so using it here isn¡¯t out of the question, right?" As he poured water into them, the two medium-sized Soilless Cultivation Kits phased into a state ready to nurture new vegetables at any moment! With a small amount of river water remaining, Lin Yue returned to the bath room, pouring it into the newly constructed bath. "There¡¯s not enough water, but it¡¯s alright for now." Seeing the water level barely reach halfway, Lin Yue threw his clothes aside and jumped in. "Am I the first on this Otherworld to use water so luxuriously?" Lin Yue drew out the hard-yet-floating shampoo he had taken from the raider, preparing to give himself a thorough cleaning. Chapter 93: Coming to the Otherworld, Isn’t It Just for Enjoyment? Chapter 93: Chapter 93: Coming to the Otherworld, Isn¡¯t It Just for Enjoyment?The water in the bath was a bit chilly at first, but after a brief adjustment, Lin Yue completely submerged himself in it. He also recalled his childhood, when he used to run to the wild river ditch in the suburbs with the older kids from the orphanage to fish and bathe. It seemed like such a long time ago. Although he often got scolded for being mischievous and occasionally beaten by the director, overall, life was quite good. Apart from studying, he would follow the older kids and go crazy, which made him more knowledgeable than most children. After becoming independent during high school from the orphanage, he got used to living alone, and even until graduating from college, he lived this way. If it weren¡¯t for all these experiences, his adaptability to this Otherworld would surely be far worse than it is now. Soaking in the bath, Lin Yue glanced around. "Should I partition the Shelter?" Lin Yue muttered to himself while scrubbing his body. After building a new kitchen and this bathroom, his Shelter¡¯s total area had expanded to 240 square meters. There are three above ground and three below ground. The ones above ground are for living, while the ones below ground are for storage. Currently, there doesn¡¯t seem to be anything wrong, but in the long run, this setup seems somewhat unreasonable. Especially since the basement warehouse is almost filled to the brim with the materials he brings back each time. The treasure chest explosion probability is one hundred percent, and aside from items like the Soilless Cultivation Kit that occupy a lot of space, Lin Yue can only store various resources in the warehouse or put them in the Storage Space. The total area of the Storage Space is 13 cubic meters, which seems a lot but is actually not so much. This feeling was heightened by his recent journey to the Underground Divine Hall. Six cubic meters of water is just enough for a single bath, not much at all... How about buying the Shelter Design Map from the Survival Points Mall? It¡¯s only 4000 points, after all. Or should I go to the empty Shelter next door and take it over? As Lin Yue thought about these random things, feeling the water growing a bit warm he stood up from the bath. Drying off his body and hair with a compressed towel, he glanced at the thermometer on the wall and realized it had reached 32 degrees. The temperature really hasn¡¯t dropped at all. It seems like it has been hot since the beginning. Aside from those few days of snow disaster, the Shelter has remained in a constantly hot state. If it weren¡¯t for this, Bai wouldn¡¯t always fight with him for the cool mat to sleep on. Glancing at the pool, Bai and the Ice Lizards were happily soaking, occasionally making "squeaky" noises. Lin Yue washed his close-fitting clothes and hung them outside using an extra Iron Spear as a clothesline. There should be some time before sunset outside, but he didn¡¯t feel like going out hunting. After all, there¡¯s still a lot to be done now. The harvest from this trip to the Underground Ruins was enormous, and the Storage Space was packed full. Lin Yue walked outside, taking out and stacking the numerous minerals one by one. He initially thought that the minerals would directly transform into metal or other substances after mining, but this time, what he extracted from the cave remained in the form of minerals. Like wooden blocks and stone blocks, they were cubic in shape but much smaller in volume, like the Titanium Iron Ore stones, each one was about ten centimeters in length, width, and height. If not for this, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to carry back so many minerals. Compared to them, crystals were much larger, each roughly composed of clusters of hexagonal prisms about thirty centimeters long, mainly transparent and purple in color. Once stacked properly, it formed quite a large pile. How to turn these minerals into metal? Especially this Titanium Iron Ore, Lin Yue was eager to obtain Titanium Alloy, which, if applied to weapons, would likely surpass all existing weapons. Even if he had Titanium Alloy, he felt he might be able to scratch the surface of some advanced technologies. Now that he has minerals, the next step is to find out how to refine them into metal. Lin Yue thought he should thoroughly search the Survival Points Mall for possibilities, you never know. "Squeak!" Bai, leading the Ice Lizards, had emerged from the bath and seemed to be requesting something from Lin Yue, continually glancing outside. Lin Yue quickly understood Bai¡¯s intentions. They want to train the younger ones. "Go ahead, and be safe." Lin Yue patted Bai on the head, walked to the door, and opened it, allowing the group of silver little creatures to squeeze out through the crack. Lin Yue knew the mutated creatures outside were in trouble. Unexpectedly, Bai is quite responsible. Lin Yue slowly walked back to the Shelter. Now that he was unclad, although no one was watching, he felt somewhat uncomfortable. Once used to wearing clothes, it¡¯s hard to adjust to being without them. He collected some ice cubes from the ice machine and made himself an iced coffee with coffee powder. In this Otherworld, you have to enjoy yourself. Unfortunately, he doesn¡¯t drink alcohol. Otherwise, a glass of iced wine would be everlasting. Sitting by the bed, he inventoried the treasure chests obtained. Before entering the door of the Underground Ruins, after harvesting a Mutant Sheep that fell into a trap, he obtained a Copper Treasure Chest. Later, in the ruins, with Bai¡¯s help, he eliminated 9 Golden Poison Thorn Spiders, obtaining 9 Iron Treasure Chests. Encountering the Lizardmen, aside from those whose whereabouts are unknown, he eliminated a total of 11 Lizardmen, gaining 10 Copper Treasure Chests and 1 Silver Treasure Chest. After defeating the gatekeeping Lion-headed Bear, he acquired a Golden Treasure Chest! There was also a special copper chest from Bai¡¯s side. This excursion to the ruins was truly a treasure chest bonanza! Should I visit again tomorrow? Lin Yue felt a bit addicted. He took a deep breath. Next, it¡¯s the big chest-opening session! Lin Yue rubbed his hands together, feeling they¡¯d get sore again. Start with the Iron Treasure Chests! Since defeating that big locust, no Iron Treasure Chest had been opened; what surprises await this time? [You obtained: two boxes of dental floss, one roll of toilet paper] [You obtained: a cup set] [You obtained: one space pillow (premium)] [You obtained: Kang Shuai Fu white pepper noodles X5] S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [You obtained: a packet of pole bean seeds, a packet of cherry tomato seeds] [You obtained: Cleaver Design Map X1, one roll of tin foil] [You obtained: one lighter, Dagger Design Map X1] [You obtained: one portable mosquito net set] [You obtained: Le Shi potato chips triple package] Well then, the things opened... Lin Yue expressed that he really was unimpressed now. Sure enough, after opening many Copper Treasure Chests, the Iron Treasure Chests provided a slight sense of discrepancy. Seems like a boost is needed. Lin Yue decided to open a Silver Treasure Chest next! [You obtained: a fragment of the Underground Palace Region map X1, high-end oven set] Wow? Chapter 94: Opening the box and obtaining a top-tier Shelter Design Map! (Extra update for Chapter 94: Chapter 94: Opening the box and obtaining a top-tier Shelter Design Map! (Extra update for "Qi Ling"¡¯s reward!)Lin Yue looked at the items inside the Silver Treasure Chest, quite surprised. You can even get a map of the Underground Ruins from it. After opening it, Lin Yue quickly saw a map marked as "Zone F" on the system panel. This map can be magnified or shrunk according to his will, and it shows the general layout inside. "It seems... it¡¯s exactly the area I visited? But the place I¡¯ve been to is less than 0.1% of this map?" Lin Yue was astonished to find that the places he had visited were highlighted on the map, whereas the vast majority of locations he hadn¡¯t visited were all dim. Moreover, the area he visited was at the very edge, with the end of the passage at the Ice Lizard Cave open, seemingly connected to other regions. To think, this Underground Ruins turned out to be so vast. Looking at this map, Lin Yue felt a desire to explore. After all, he had acquired quite a few good things there. Whether it¡¯s those ores or the countless treasure chests were all like that. Compared to the mutated creatures in the Desert above, the slightly higher treasure chests efficiency inside the Underground Ruins is greater. Wait a minute. Lin Yue had another bold hypothesis. If the system is placing all humans into the Otherworld to select the "elites" among them, hence giving everyone the game panel to make people stronger through continuous exploration and combat in the survival process. Then opening the Secret Realm Gate is for humans to search for various resources from Earth in a few decades, improving their living standards. Whereas opening the Underground Ruins Gate is to get humans accustomed to combat, enhancing abilities such as exploration, adaptability, and more. Is there such a possibility? Lin Yue suddenly felt that maybe he should take a rest and then go to the Underground Ruins again, since neither day nor night makes a difference underground. Moreover, the system never mentioned how long the Underground Ruins Gate would last, or any forced expulsion rules. If the Storage Space is ample, he could even stay inside for a long time without any issues. The other item from the Silver Treasure Chest is a high-end barbecue set, which Lin Yue took out to find it¡¯s a larger capacity iron thing with a lid, equipped with a place specifically for spices. Additionally, the set comes with a hundred metal skewers, a barbecue grid, a small brush for applying seasoning, and a fan ventilation device. It can be described as the ultimate ideal equipment for barbecue enthusiasts. He looked at the 11 Copper Treasure Chests and the Golden Treasure Chest arranged on the ground. No matter what needs to be done next, it¡¯s better to open them all first. Speaking of which, it¡¯s the first time he¡¯s gotten so many Copper Treasure Chests at once. [You obtained: Area map fragments X2] [You obtained: Drinking water 4L, windproof lighter X1] [You obtained: Cucumber seeds X1, humus nutrient soil 6L] [You obtained: Large metal water storage barrel blueprint X1] [You obtained: Wooden bed blueprint X1, edible oil X5L] [You obtained: Long-grain fragrant rice 5kg, apples X5] [You obtained: Area map fragments X1, a bottle of Lei Bi 2.5L] [You obtained: Wooden wardrobe blueprint X1, waterproof mat X1] [You obtained: Iron hammer blueprint X1, recliner blueprint X1] S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [You obtained: Iron scissors blueprint X1, iron basin blueprint X1] [You obtained: Small first aid kit, area map fragments X1] "Opening treasure chests is so exhausting..." Lin Yue shook his hand, once again expressing that it was truly a bothersome task. However, he also noticed that this time the items from the Copper Treasure Chest were similar to those opened before, mostly basic items related to life and survival. Compared to Iron Treasure Chests, the quality and contribution to lifestyle were somewhat stronger. Wooden Treasure Chests open food and water, whereas Iron Treasure Chests offer the most basic survival resources. Copper Treasure Chests take it a step further, providing daily necessities and items leaning slightly towards enjoyment, as well as various blueprints and area map fragments. And Silver Treasure Chests are even higher tier, generally containing more critical equipment and special items. As for Golden Treasure Chests... Lin Yue previously only opened one, obtained as a special award for being first in the system reward ranking. The items inside leaned more towards high-tech or even black technology. Lin Yue took a deep breath and looked at the remaining Golden Treasure Chest in the middle of the room. What will it open? [You obtained: Alloy Shelter blueprint X1, small drone blueprint X1] The air went silent for a moment, and Lin Yue¡¯s hand froze. Wait, what did it... what opened? Alloy Shelter blueprint? And drone blueprint? Good grief, it directly offered a blueprint for an upgraded Shelter far exceeding the current ones? This amounts to a top-tier configuration, doesn¡¯t it? Originally, he thought a treasure chest wouldn¡¯t offer a Shelter blueprint, but now it seems the treasure chest¡¯s tier wasn¡¯t advanced enough. An Alloy Shelter blueprint... What alloy? He picked up the light blue blueprint and used it. [Alloy Shelter] [Area: 60©O] [Requirement: Alloy (any type) X60, Wood X10, Stone X10, Iron Block X30, Glass (any type) X2] Oh dear. Sixty pieces of alloy, regardless of type, seems feasible. Lin Yue surveyed himself; the alloy he possesses is just Hard Aluminum Alloy. And this was meant for use in a simplified Exoskeleton and mechanical arms; even this was something he obtained from a Survivor named Guo Lei. Alloys, he never really acquired any, or rather, never had the opportunity to. Twice within the Tokyo Secret Realm, most of the acquired items were small to medium-sized appliances, various tools, and supplies, unlike Guo Lei directly receiving Hard Aluminum Alloy by luck, which he hadn¡¯t. Hold on, maybe he could ask that guy for some? Opening the group, Lin Yue searched for Guo Lei¡¯s name within the hundred thousand members. Oh, still alive! Private message him to see what this guy needs. "Guo Lei, please reply if online." Just seconds after sending the message, Guo Lei promptly replied! Guo Lei: "Whoa, am I seeing things? You¡¯re looking for me, boss?" Lin Yue: "How much alloy do you have?" Guo Lei paused a moment before replying: "Lin Yue, what do you need so much alloy for?" Lin Yue: "How much do you have?" Guo Lei: "How much do you need?" Lin Yue: "I want however much you have." Guo Lei: "I have as much as you want!" After typing "Are you sick?" into the chat box, Lin Yue thought for a moment and deleted it. "Name your terms, I¡¯ll take it all." ... ... This Chapter is an additional update for the reader "Qi Ling" who rewarded 5000 coins! Chapter 95: The Second Crisis Arrives, Taking the Initiative Again! Chapter 95: Chapter 95: The Second Crisis Arrives, Taking the Initiative Again!Guo Lei looked at the message Lin Yue sent on the panel, then turned to glance at his companions behind him. "He said take it all, Brother Liu, should we really give it to him?" The bespectacled middle-aged man behind Guo Lei nodded: "Quite the appetite, but can this Lin Yue provide what we need?" The people beside Brother Liu were drawn over by their dialogue. They stopped their work when they heard the name "Lin Yue." Lin Yue was a legendary figure within Guo Lei¡¯s group, someone who survived alone yet outscored many team survivalists with the highest points. The last time¡¯s ranking score of 2195 ¡ª it was a standout achievement not only in Guo Lei¡¯s group but also in the various other groups at the large Shelter. The system¡¯s groupings are quite odd, even people in adjacent shelters might not be in the same group. Survivors can choose to abandon their original group and join another when teaming up to survive. This enormous Shelter community has sixty-two survivors, forming quite a sizable group. They haven¡¯t physically connected their Shelters but formed a village-like community, with roads keeping distance between them, building walls, creating a unique landscape in the Otherworld. Most of them are people from Tang Country, sharing a sense of common identity. Under Liu Kai¡¯s leadership, they continuously absorbed new survivors, hunted, and ventured into Secret Realms and Ruins, gaining various resources while strengthening their own power. Through exploration of the Otherworld, Secret Realms, and newly appeared Underground Ruins, the resources they gather are distributed to everyone based on the principle of distribution by labor. They all tacitly agreed to this rule among themselves. The world is extremely survival of the fittest; trying to survive alone is likely to result in various issues. Grouping together ensures at least some basic security and sustenance for everyone, especially those unable to survive on their own, like the elderly and children. But now, they¡¯re facing difficulties. Water shortage. Again, water shortage. The drinking water crisis unknowingly easily invaded this village. Originally, these survivors thought after withstanding the initial water and food crisis, the system¡¯s upgrades bringing more mutated creatures would provide stable survival resources. But unexpectedly, as the population grew, water gradually became a problem again. The reason is simple. The densely populated village saw an increase in mutated creatures nearby, but the drop rate of treasure chests depends heavily on luck; even a Wooden Treasure Chest doesn¡¯t provide enough water for such a large population. Apparently, water resources can only be obtained this way, with no other means. So they¡¯ve started cautiously trading water with other survivors, but with little success. After all, with more people coming together, and original survivors bringing parents and children, more food and water are needed for sufficiency, but the parents and children can¡¯t earn more, leading to conflicts breaking out. Ultimately, everyone knows to tightly reserve their water resources and wouldn¡¯t easily put them on the trading panel. Whatever gets listed is instantly snatched by survivors monitoring the trading panel. Just like in the beginning! sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Lin Yue, what I want is simple, just...just water, how much do you have?" After Lin Yue waited a bit, Guo Lei finally revealed his demand. Water? Just asking for water? Lin Yue indeed had plenty, but... Lin Yue quickly opened the trading panel, searched, and slightly browsed through the group content, understanding the situation. Goodness, finally here, the second or inevitable water shortage! Initially, he thought after the first disaster ended, water shortage would appear before the next disaster, but didn¡¯t expect it to erupt only after the second disaster. Population concentration provides convenience but swiftly brings more problems. Such issues like "neighbor Wang is the real dad" aside, when the system reward water and food brought by these newly arrived people are depleted, the primary workforce within the shelter faces a serious problem. One person goes out to hunt for a large family, while the chest drop rate remains deeply unsatisfying... The water crisis will rapidly shatter these survivors¡¯ minds who barely survived the disasters! "How much water do you need?" Lin Yue knew the positions had shifted. He¡¯s no longer the buyer but becoming the sought-after provider upon learning about the collective water shortage, regaining the upper hand! "Whatever water you have, I want it all." Guo Lei replied immediately. Lin Yue exclaimed WDNMD. Goodness, what is this, performing comedy now? If I reply "Are you crazy," he¡¯s probably answering, "Do you have medicine," turning into a deadlock loop. He restrained the urge to close the chat panel abruptly and calmly typed, "Could you get someone else to talk to me, my head hurts conversing with you." Guo Lei: "???" Guo Lei turned to Liu Kai: "Brother Liu, what to do? He says his head hurts talking to me." Though Liu Kai didn¡¯t see Guo Lei¡¯s messages, he knew this guy¡¯s communication skills were indeed problematic; he coughed lightly and said, "Just tell him, Lin Yue, we have a total of 20 Hard Aluminum Alloys, would like to exchange for 20L of water, okay?" Liu Kai also lamented, this Lin Yue indeed lives up to his legendary reputation, instantly shifting the trade status, making them the buyers now. But he didn¡¯t want to be passive forever. Guo Lei, after inputting, quickly received a reply. "Brother Liu, this bastard actually said 30 Hard Aluminum Alloys for 20L of water!" Liu Kai took a deep breath: "Don¡¯t waste words on him, make him lower the price." Guo Lei quickly received another reply. "Brother Liu, he says 40 Hard Aluminum Alloys for 20L of water!" Liu Kai laughed angrily: "You tell him, we¡¯re all from Tang Country, mutual benefit, alright? Total 33 for 30 liters of water!" After a while. "Brother Liu, he¡¯s blocked me!" Guo Lei suddenly cursed, "Is he mentally ill or something?" Chapter 96: Moral Kidnapping? Get Lost! Chapter 96: Chapter 96: Moral Kidnapping? Get Lost!"Goodness, threatening me?" Lin Yue closed the game panel without hesitation. There will be times when he¡¯ll have to beg me! Is Guo Lei one person or a group of people? Right now, Lin Yue clearly leans towards the latter. In this conversation with Guo Lei, he clearly sensed the distinct differences in the way this guy spoke before and after. Guo Lei seems to be the type who speaks whatever¡¯s on his mind without much plot, yet later he started bargaining directly with him, quite reminiscent of Belger. It seems like there¡¯s someone beside Guo Lei giving him pointers, whose speaking patterns differ from Guo Lei¡¯s, particularly the last attempt to turn around the disadvantage¡ªsomething Guo Lei would absolutely be unable to achieve. They even tried to use moral coercion to force him to submit. Lin Yue never falls for this. Who knows if you¡¯re really from the Tang Country, maybe a Tang face, Lighthouse Country person inside. In this Otherworld, there aren¡¯t many things he can trust. Moreover, this 20 liters of water is quite an ask. Perhaps he only needs to hang up 2 liters of water, and he might get a lot of alloy in return. After all, now that water has turned back into a hard currency, it allows him to hold the ultimate advantage. At least he knows on Guo Lei¡¯s side there are at least 35 pieces of alloy, not that he had no gains at all. In the future, when they come seeking him, he can trade then. Furthermore, instead of exchanging 20 liters of water for some hard aluminum alloy that seems not so solid, he might as well search for it himself¡ªafter all, it¡¯s produced in the Secret Realm, and there may be other gains from more thorough exploration. Speaking of the Secret Realm. Since last time, Bai has always sensed some danger behind the door, warning him not to enter. The danger in the Secret Realm... those monsters? If taken individually, Lin Yue now probably wouldn¡¯t fear the Monster Winged Dragon, nor those insects and rats¡ªonly that gigantic thing could leave him helpless. But if they¡¯re in groups... Even those insects would force him to flee just from sight, he¡¯d have no ability to fight back. Could it be monsters he hasn¡¯t seen before? After all, from the start of the Secret Realm till now, he¡¯s only ever seen four types. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Then... "Puchi! Puchi!" Bai¡¯s voice suddenly sounded outside the door, Lin Yue opened the stone door, watching the little fellow march inside like a majestic General, leading twenty Little Ice Lizards. "Bai, triumphant return?" Lin Yue couldn¡¯t help but smile at its muddy, bloody appearance, and the Little Ice Lizards that looked as though they¡¯d rolled in mud. "Puchi~" Bai rubbed against Lin Yue¡¯s leg; the meaning was obvious. "You all go wash up first, I¡¯ll cook." Lin Yue looked up; outside it had unknowingly reached evening¡ªthe day had truly flown by. However, the harvest was indeed not small. Bai led the Little Ice Lizards straight towards the bathroom, while Lin Yue walked to the outdoor stove and began various preparations. The meals needed two servings. Earlier, he¡¯d given the Little Ice Lizards bread to eat. This time, it seemed they had been training for combat under Bai¡¯s lead, so he¡¯d make something a bit tastier for them. Ultimately decided to give them a feast of instant noodles! They¡¯re still too young; perhaps they can¡¯t handle too heavy flavors yet, spicy or overly salty will wait. Start with instant noodles. As for himself and Bai, of course, it would be the lamb chop meal filled with abundant energy! Using the recent iron basin design diagram, he spent one Iron Block to craft a big iron basin. Then Lin Yue took out a slab of lamb chops from his Storage Space, swiftly pierced it with a dagger, and coated it with a seasoning pack of soy sauce, salt, and cumin powder for marinating, before placing the chops in the basin. Thinking for a moment, he took out one pound of Lion-headed Bear meat, acquired from the Underground Ruins where he had disposed of the Lion-headed Bear, carved it with a dagger, and returned it to the Storage Space. Lin Yue expertly skewered the pound on the iron spits the oven came with, marinating it with some pepper and salt. Unfortunately, the onion in the greenhouse wasn¡¯t mature yet, and he lacked a fridge to marinate overnight, so he had to settle for this. With all this done, Lin Yue set a pot of rice to steam, then took out the newly acquired high-end oven set, wiped it down a bit, and placed it beside the rice pot. Lin Yue now really enjoyed the cooking process, even though it took quite some time. But at this moment, using delicious food to wash away fatigue and satisfy increasingly picky stomachs, temporarily forgetting the dangers and hardships of the Otherworld, was truly excellent. He turned back to the kitchen, set the pot on the fire, and started making instant noodles. Considering the Little Ice Lizards¡¯ appetite, Lin Yue boiled 4 packs of noodles at once. Instant noodles cooked quickly; the Little Ice Lizards smelled the aroma and scurried into the kitchen, anxiously spinning around on the floor as Bai remained composed. This guy slyly approached the outdoor oven, having already seen Lin Yue preparing lamb chops and skewered meat, also smelling the aroma of rice. Meanwhile, Lin Yue crafted three more iron basins. Adding the seasoning packets, Lin Yue poured the noodles from the iron pot into one iron basin, then used five plates to serve the noodles. The aroma overwhelmed the Little Ice Lizards¡ªthey couldn¡¯t take it anymore. After cooling the noodles with a mist, they greedily consumed them. "Once again proving, Ice Lizards as a mutated species are truly food lovers," Lin Yue commented. He left the kitchen, approaching Bai, who had been waiting for a long time, grabbing the lamb chops from the basin and cutting them into two large pieces, sprinkling chili powder liberally on one side¡ªthis was for him, while Bai ate the non-spicy. "Puchi puchi!" Bai urged Lin Yue; it seemed very hungry. "Alright, alright, eat well; we still have work to do. No need to rush," Lin Yue placed the burning charcoal into the grill, skillfully laying the lamb chops on the iron grid, then added the Lion-headed Bear skewers beside them. Soon, the sizzling, oily skewers, along with the fragrant lamb chops, turned golden crispy under Lin Yue¡¯s grill. He sprinkled half with chili, the other with some salt and cumin¡ªtime to eat! Bai grabbed a lamb chop, chewing happily without even letting off any steam, its mouth coated in oil. Meanwhile, Lin Yue picked up a Lion-headed Bear skewer, taking a gentle bite. However, upon entering his mouth, the Lion-headed Bear¡¯s meat suddenly exploded with intense flavor! Wow, what is this? This never-before-experienced delicacy stunned Lin Yue for a moment. Savory and delicious, fatty but not greasy, lean yet tender, melting in the mouth! Lin Yue even felt the lamb chops beside him suddenly less appealing. Bai, seeing Lin Yue like this, didn¡¯t know what was going on, but when it stuffed a grilled Lion-headed Bear skewer into its mouth, its eyes widened! "Bai, isn¡¯t it super delicious? Right, right? After finishing, how about another trip to the Underground Ruins to hunt Lion-headed Bears?" "Puchi puchi!" Lizardmen, you better get more Lion-headed Bears to guard the door. Lin Yue immersed himself in the delicious taste, unable to break free, instinctively looking towards the direction of the basement... Chapter 97: A Feast of Barbecue with Soda, Entering the Ruins Again! Chapter 97: Chapter 97: A Feast of Barbecue with Soda, Entering the Ruins Again!Barbecue is best paired with carbonated drinks. This is practically a universal truth. Lin Yue was munching on lion-headed bear skewers and unscrewed the cap of the Lei Bi he found in the treasure chest. The intense bubbles kept rising in the glass, Lin Yue raised the glass, swallowed it in one gulp, drinking the sweet beverage for double the delight. Bai seemed equally captivated, becoming the most excited mutant creature in this Otherworld. After a satisfying meal, both Lin Yue and Bai were thoroughly content. "Well fed and hydrated, it¡¯s time to get down to business. Bai!" "Puk~ Ji!" Bai burped after drinking the carbonated beverage, surprisingly, this little guy could eat quite a lot. Looking at its body, Lin Yue felt it wasn¡¯t just its belly that had become rounder; it seemed to have grown longer too. Did it have another growth spurt? Lin Yue went into the kitchen to check on how the Little Ice Lizards were eating, only to find them lying on the ground with bulging bellies, unable to move. Looking back at the metal bowl, wow, it looked brand new! Not a drop of soup or water was left. These little foodies sure could eat. "Bai, we¡¯re going to explore the Underground Ruins again shortly. Tell the Little Ice Lizards to guard the house well." "Pji!" Bai was smart and understood Lin Yue¡¯s intentions after listening and watching his gestures. After exchanging a few sounds with the Little Ice Lizards, Bai followed Lin Yue back into the basement. Lin Yue hadn¡¯t planned on returning so soon, but after a satisfying meal, he didn¡¯t feel tired at all. The long night stretched ahead, and exploring the Underground Ruins mattered not whether it was day or night since everything was underground anyway. Moreover, the map fragment of the Underground Ruins he found in the Golden Treasure Chest stirred his desire to explore. The Underground Ruins Gate refreshes every 7 days, so could it be possible to explore the entire map in these seven days? Also... The lion-headed bear meat was simply delicious. Lin Yue hoped to find more Lizardman gates and check if there were any nearby lion-headed bears, with the potential of finding more Golden Treasure Chests and tasty meat, wouldn¡¯t it be delightful? Additionally, if necessary, he needed to search the mine shafts for various ores, not wanting to easily miss out on that treasure trove. After thoroughly checking all equipment and removing unused items from his Storage Space, Lin Yue pushed open the Underground Ruins Gate. "Bai, stay alert!" Bai squeaked and ran ahead, while Lin Yue readied his Steel Repeating Crossbow and activated the system panel. Previously, he hadn¡¯t done this because the system panel could be distracting. Now, with the map fragment, it served as good assistance. "The map is quite similar to the one above, but the markers for Bai and me are white dots." Lin Yue mused, noticing that like the previous regional map, it conveniently included direction arrows for navigation. With this map, he wouldn¡¯t get lost, saving on yarn ball usage. It seemed the compass on his arm might only be useful within the Secret Realm. Quickly descending from the platform with Bai, they ventured deeper. The term "smooth sailing" applied here as most of the path was straight, with Bai leading the way, vigilantly watching for sudden spider attacks. However, it seemed peaceful as Lin Yue encountered no unusual situations before reaching the junction. "Pji!" Just as Lin Yue prepared to head towards the Lizardman¡¯s gate, Bai suddenly let out a small warning sound, alerting Lin Yue that enemies were nearby! Lin Yue almost instinctively raised his Steel Repeating Crossbow, sidestepping to conceal himself by the wall at the intersection and turned off the flashlight. It didn¡¯t take long before he heard the faint noises Bai had detected. There was a bizarre sound resembling whispers, almost like the hissing of snakes. However, Lin Yue knew this could only come from one thing. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lizardmen! The last time, after defeating the lion-headed bear, he unexpectedly encountered these upright, intelligent, scaly creatures, initially believing he was mistaken. This type of creature, in his mind, only existed in some sci-fi movies or books. Initially, he didn¡¯t want to cause trouble or clash with these eerily terrifying beings. But when a sharp-eyed Lizardman spotted him, without much hesitation, it attacked him directly, initiating a dispute. Since arriving in this Otherworld, Lin Yue developed a personality of reciprocating attacks, regardless of the attacking entity. Moreover, as he became more skilled in combat and his teamwork with Bai improved, he swiftly eradicated them without even a scratch. Being of different races and unable to communicate, Lin Yue didn¡¯t feel he could reason with these Lizardmen to freely explore the vast Underground Ruins. The saying "those who aren¡¯t of our kin surely have a different heart," Lin Yue had heard countless times. During the raiders¡¯ attack on his Shelter, he even thought the saying wasn¡¯t entirely accurate. In this survival-of-the-fittest Otherworld, conflict wasn¡¯t limited to these Lizardmen; even among humans, there was scheming and betrayal too. Those raiders and those in groups coveting resources from him were just the same. At this moment, surrounded by darkness, all he could hear was the footsteps gradually approaching and the hushed whispers like dreams in his ear. These sounds grew clearer as the Lizardmen approached. With his finger poised on the trigger of the Steel Repeating Crossbow, Lin Yue hid in the corner of darkness, holding his breath as he saw torchlight gradually dispelling darkness and drawing nearer. Beside him, Bai was equally prepared to fight. At his master¡¯s command, it would dart out swiftly, ensnaring enemies in an icy fog, rendering them immobile. In the dark, Lin Yue silently counted the footsteps and estimated that the approaching Lizardmen numbered only three or four, no more. Three or four, piece of cake! Lin Yue touched Bai lightly, giving it a gentle nudge. Bai understood the gesture and instantly dashed out from his side! "Sa, Sa..." The Lizardmen discovered Bai and let out an unpleasant shriek, but their voices abruptly stopped in a blast of cold wind! Lin Yue¡¯s Steel Repeating Crossbow released four crossbow arrows in mere seconds! Chapter 98: The Joy of Unlocking Maps Is Beyond Your Imagination Chapter 98: Chapter 98: The Joy of Unlocking Maps Is Beyond Your ImaginationQuickly picking up the four Copper Treasure Chests on the ground, Lin Yue glanced around and then grabbed the weapon from a Lizardman¡¯s corpse. "So there¡¯s even a bow and arrow? But it seems pretty decent." After tossing the crudely made wooden bow and arrows into the Storage Space, Lin Yue took their torches as well and after some thought, stripped off all their other weapons and armor. You have to pluck the feathers as you go¡ªit¡¯s a must. "Pujiji?" Bai returned to Lin Yue¡¯s side and was stunned at the sight of the cleaned-up corpse of the Lizardman. "Bai, still not used to your master¡¯s habits?" Lin Yue patted Bai¡¯s head and continued forward with the Steel Repeating Crossbow. Bai, with a confused look in its eyes, glanced again at the Lizardman corpse and caught up with Lin Yue. However, Lin Yue walked all the way to that large door he had seen before without seeing a trace of the Lion-headed Bear. Looks like the Lizardmen¡¯s supply of Lion-headed Bears isn¡¯t enough. "Why are the Lizardmen so inefficient? Someone could loot their place and they wouldn¡¯t even know." Lin Yue complained. This was the deepest he had reached in the Underground Ruins F Zone so far, and if he wanted to continue forward, he had to pass through the door in front of him. The torches on the walls illuminated the surroundings, but their distance from each other was too far, making the entire passageway much darker. Moreover, the corpses of Lion-headed Bears and those Lizardmen were also gone, not even a trace remained. "Pujiji pujiji." Bai stood by the door, indicating to Lin Yue that it was safe inside and out. Lin Yue stood in front of the door, took a deep breath. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. So, should he take the risk to explore this map or go back to the mine to collect supplies? Lin Yue quickly made a decision. Open the map first! It¡¯s nighttime now, so do the Lizardmen have a sense of time and might not come out, or at least have fewer numbers? At least from the fact that there were only four earlier, and no guards by the door, it seems they indeed have fewer numbers here. During the day, soon after entering the passage, he heard the whispers of Lizardmen, and met over a dozen by this door. Until now, he only encountered four at the crossroads. Opportunities always come with challenges, Lin Yue firmly believed in this principle. Especially now that he had some understanding of the Lizardmen. Unless he encountered a massive troop movement, his weapons and the mighty Bai were more than enough to handle them. Even if he couldn¡¯t kill them all, escaping was still doable. Especially when he could use the system¡¯s various functions here. If worse comes to worst, he could create a stone wall to block them, right? After loading enough Crossbow Arrows into the Steel Repeating Crossbow, Lin Yue found a couple of handles on the wooden door. He gently pulled them open, quickly hid to the side, and only after Bai confirmed there was no danger did Lin Yue turn on the flashlight again. Inside the door was silent, eerily quiet. Lin Yue cautiously moved forward; this passage was slightly narrower than before, but the number of those large jars on either side had increased. He glanced briefly inside and found the same skull skeletons he had seen before, and judging by the shape, they were indeed human. Could it be that these skeletons are what¡¯s left after the Lizardmen came up and completely devoured the Survivors? Or were they just collected by them? The mysteries were becoming more numerous. Lin Yue moved ahead cautiously, ready for anything, and soon reached a crossroads. Without a map of the area, he would¡¯ve been blind, wandering around aimlessly, possibly ending up in a dead end. But with the map, it was simple. The map showed that two of the three paths led to more complex areas, maze-like, while the remaining one was much simpler, leading straight to a larger space. The main purpose of coming this time was to simply explore, to open the map. The joy of opening a map is beyond ordinary words. However, since it was getting dark when he entered, an extended exploration would not benefit him much. Also, going too deep wasn¡¯t necessarily the right decision. Who knows what the total number of Lizardmen was. So, excluding the other two options, he chose the shortest path to see what was in the big space, then go back to the mine. Determined, Lin Yue continued forward, while Bai, looked around at the crossroads then followed. "Why are there more jars? And the color has changed too?" Lin Yue noticed that the jars on both sides of the passage had darkened from light gray to deep gray, almost black, and had strange symbols on them, like chicken scratches. As he continued forward, a large door appeared in the distance, and according to the map, the space beyond the door was the large area. Although Bai was on high alert, it hadn¡¯t detected any enemies. "Wait, what¡¯s this... smell?" Lin Yue suddenly sensed a faint fragrance, but mixed in were more peculiar and indescribable scents. "Bai, do you smell it?" "Pujiji." However, Bai showed no special reaction. Lin Yue thought it odd as he approached the door, looking up and furrowing his brow. "Wait, these lines and circles seem off?" On closer inspection with the flashlight, Lin Yue noticed these were engraved deeper than those on the previous door, and some blackish-red pigment inside made the whole door look extremely eerie. Something... wasn¡¯t right? The faint fragrance grew stronger, seemingly emanating from behind the door. Pulling the handle on the wooden door, Lin Yue and Bai carefully entered, with the flashlight¡¯s beam sweeping across the dim space. "Seems like just a large arena? Could this be the Lizardmen¡¯s training ground or their dance hall?" Lin Yue joked as he glanced around. The ceiling here was three to four meters high, while all around... Jars, jars, jars. There truly were an abundance of jars. He took a deep breath and reached the very center of the space. There was a large round stone platform, about a meter high, with some dark markings on it. "Pujiji pujiji." Bai walked around the platform once and headed toward the innermost wall. Lin Yue shone his flashlight over and discovered a black mass that looked like a statue. He hurried forward, saw clearly what it was, and gasped in shock! "W-What, how is this thing here?!"