The dark red sky gradually deepened, looking like diluted blood, casting an ominous twilight. After staring at it for a while, it wasn't so scary anymore; Cheng Shuili's only complaint was the lack of living things against this backdrop.
"Opening at three in the afternoon..."
She murmured the information from the radio, glancing at the system time. It was 14:55.
"I definitely won't make it today."
Cheng Shuili curled her lip. Even if she sprinted at maximum speed now, it would be impossible to find that so-called Trading Post in five minutes. Besides, the coordinates on the radio weren't clear at all, just a string of blurred numbers.
It seemed trading required a bit of luck too.
"Whatever, I'll worry about it later."
Cheng Shuili didn't stop. She only slowed down at seven o'clock, an hour before dark, and began to look for a suitable place by the roadside to spend the night.
The system had stated that one could not leave a six-meter radius of their vehicle at night.
"Night is always the unknown, and the unknown means danger."
Cheng Shuili repeated the system's initial announcement. Even if she hadn't experienced it yet, she had seen enough stories to guess that monsters might emerge at night.
Dry shrubs lined both sides of the highway, and the outlines of distant mountains blurred in the twilight. Cheng Shuili opened the system panel to check her mileage: 80 kilometers, far exceeding the 50 kilometers required by the system.
"Exceeding the goal already. I'm impressive."
She curled her lips into a smug smile.
A small, level clearing appeared on the right side of the road ahead. The shrubs were sparse, providing a relatively open view.
Cheng Shuili braked the shopping cart, and the advertisement voice stopped abruptly.
"This is the spot."
She jumped off the cart and circled the clearing first. After confirming nothing was amiss, she took out the ten-meter bundle of rope and the utility knife from the shopping cart's storage compartment.
Cheng Shuili cut the rope into three sections. She tied one end to the shopping cart's axle, then cut the empty mineral water bottles she had finished today in half and tied them to the rope, creating a simple alarm system.
If anything appeared, the two halves of the water bottles would clatter against each other and make noise.
Cheng Shuili had always been a light sleeper; this much sound would be enough.
She stretched the other two lengths of rope into a triangle around the clearing, about five meters away from the shopping cart.
"Perfect."
Cheng Shuili brushed the dust off her hands, satisfied with her masterpiece.
Although it was currently the novice protection period and the probability of monsters appearing should be low, it was always better to be cautious.
After setting up the perimeter, Cheng Shuili returned to the shopping cart and took out a new box of self-heating rice and the unfinished jar of canned peaches.
The sky had darkened completely. The dark red had turned into a deep purple, and a few stars flickered faintly, looking like broken advertisement pixels.
Steam from the self-heating rice curled into the night air. Cheng Shuili sat cross-legged by the shopping cart, eating while organizing today's haul.
【Player: Cheng Shuili
ID: AAAJCCJ8888
Username: Angry Crow Takes Flight
Vehicle: “Supermarket Promotion Special” Electric Shopping Cart (Current Power: 790%)
Health: 60 (Title buff active. Don't remove your title lightly!)
Strength: 30 (Why is there no change?)
Stamina: 30 (Not a single bit of progress.)
Agility: 30 (Highway survival is like rowing against the current.)
Combined Combat Power: 45 (You've regressed.)
Supplies: vehicle upgrade core x1, prepared meal x9, self-heating rice x3, self-heating mini hotpot x4, 500ml mineral water x5, compressed biscuits x1, utility knife x1, rope x3 sections, thick coat x1, matches x15, folding entrenching tool x1, multivitamins x500, 5L gasoline x1, vehicle upgrade material shards x7, old-fashioned radio x1.】
Cheng Shuili: "..."
This crappy system's commentary was quite colorful.
"Just three more shards and I can upgrade the vehicle..."
Cheng Shuili bit the tip of her chopsticks as she calculated. She still needed to check the trade market and try to upgrade the vehicle today if possible!
As soon as she opened it, she saw a familiar name tagging her.
【Wise College Student】: @Angry Crow Takes Flight, are you a big shot just here to bully an unknown person like me? I don't believe you didn't see my private messages. Not replying means you have a guilty conscience!
【Wise College Student】: Everyone, help me out here! We all know how important vehicle upgrade material shards are, right? This bastard Angry Crow Takes Flight used one box of self-heating rice to take four of my shards! Four of them!
【Wise College Student】: I watched the market all afternoon. You can get a box of self-heating rice for just two shards! @Angry Crow Takes Flight, you're a big shot and you're still taking advantage of me? Give me back my shards!
【One Piggy】: Good drama. Love to see it. Keep it going.
【Serenity】: I think the college student has a point. Isn't Crow a big shot? You shouldn't make things so ugly over two shards, right? Crow, why don't you just compensate him with another box of self-heating rice?
【Where the Wind Blows】: I support this! Support!
Cheng Shuili let out a cold sneer. She opened the private message with 【Wise College Student】, took a screenshot, and blocked him in one smooth motion.
【Wise College Student】: You even blocked me? @Angry Crow Takes Flight @Angry Crow Takes Flight @Angry Crow Takes Flight, do you have no shame? Would it kill you to give a little more? If you don't compensate me, I'll keep tagging you in the channel so everyone can see what kind of person you really are!
【Serenity】: Big shot, this is a bit much. It's just a box of self-heating rice. It's normal for him to feel like he lost out. Just compensate him and be done with it.
Where did this self-righteous moralist come from?
Cheng Shuili frowned and typed out a line of text.
【Angry Crow Takes Flight】: [Image] Dumbass, look closely. You initiated this yourself.
Cheng Shuili attached the screenshot of the trade request sent by 【Wise College Student】.
【Wise College Student】: ???
【Angry Crow Takes Flight】: Are you trying to pull a 'minor refund' stunt on me? If everyone acted like you—throwing a tantrum and demanding an explanation whenever they're unsatisfied—who would ever dare to trade again?
【Strawberry Hard Candy】: I support Boss Crow. If everyone was like this dumbass, would I have to sign a 'no regrets' contract every time I trade in the future?
【Liang Shanbo vs. Pig】: Just a passerby, but I'm supporting Boss Crow. I feel bad for the big shot; getting targeted like this after a perfectly normal trade. Seriously, there are weirdos everywhere.
Cheng Shuili wasn't someone who ignored kindness; seeing these comments warmed her heart a little.
【Angry Crow Takes Flight】: Thanks, everyone. Certain dogs who love to regret their choices should stop messing up the trade market. @Serenity, since you're so generous, and there aren't many of us here, why don't you give everyone a box of self-heating rice yourself?
The big shot started a raid!
【Strawberry Hard Candy】 grinned. He had been annoyed by this 【Serenity】 for a while and immediately followed the big shot's lead.
【Strawberry Hard Candy】: Can you only be generous with other people's stuff? Another dumbass?
【Liang Shanbo vs. Pig】: Wow, a new big shot certified by Boss Crow! @Serenity, it's just a few boxes of self-heating rice, right? Surely a big shot like you can afford that?
Cheng Shuili stared at the screen for a while longer, but 【Serenity】 never spoke again.
The matter was over, but a grudge had been formed. Cheng Shuili added 【Serenity】 to her blacklist as well. If there was ever a way to retaliate in the future...
"Heh," Cheng Shuili chuckled. Don't blame her when the time comes.
Rate on N.U.
