Chapter 3: Stone War God
After driving 30 kilometers, Yu Jiang saw something in a grass pile and quickly got out of the car to check.
It was a wooden box. Opening it yielded a battery that could be used for the tricycle, replenishing 50% charge.
She didn’t overlook the wooden box either, breaking it down into wooden strips.
Yu Jiang casually searched the nearby area and surprisingly found two palm-sized dried mushrooms under dwarf shrubs.
She recognized this mushroom, but since it was in the game, the system didn’t prompt anything.
To be cautious, Yu Jiang pulled out disposable gloves left over from yesterday’s fried chicken from her pocket.
With gloves on, she carefully picked the two mushrooms, wrapped them in the gloves, and stored them in her grid.
Afterward, not far away, she spotted a cluster of blue-capped, crystal-clear mushrooms that looked poisonous at first glance.
She still used disposable gloves to gather them.
Poisonous mushrooms are supplies too.
Later, in the grassland on the other side of the road, she found a type of mushroom called puffball mushroom, also known as dung bag.
Yu Jiang got excited.
This is traditional Chinese medicine!
When mature, the spore powder inside can stop bleeding and reduce inflammation, treat sore throats, and clear the lungs.
[Player obtained ‘Puffball Mushroom’ *1, basic material for crafting medicine, can also be used directly.]
Understood, it’s not that gathering mushrooms has no prompt.
Rather, some supplies don’t prompt their uses, requiring players to explore themselves, like the dried mushrooms and poisonous mushrooms just gathered.
Next, Yu Jiang conducted a carpet search in the surrounding area, and through her persistence, gathered two more puffball mushrooms.
While preparing to dig the third one, a familiar roar sounded behind her.
It was an ‘infected’ zombie!
Yu Jiang hurriedly glanced back. She didn’t run but sped up her hands instead.
The habit of being unable to move while gathering supplies flared up again.
Fortune favors the bold; digging it up means profit!
Dig fast even if dying!
Seeing the distance above the zombie’s head drop to less than five meters, Yu Jiang reflexively threw a stone.
It hit its head, but only made a dent, revealing black foul blood and a rotten smell.
The zombie’s 15 health points only deducted one point.
Seeing it couldn’t be killed, Yu Jiang clutched the dung bag and desperately ran toward the small tricycle.
She hadn’t pulled the key; as soon as she got on, without even closing the door, she accelerated forward.
That zombie was persistent too, fingers clawing the car wall, scraping three marks.
[Vehicle damaged by ‘infected’ attack, loss +2%!]
Yu Jiang sped up again. One hand of the zombie let go, but the other still gripped the car tightly, head straining forward, trying to reach inside.
Scratching her car was one thing, but it also scraped 10 of her health points!
Yu Jiang gritted her teeth, grabbed the sharpest stone nearby, shifted her body over, and smashed down with all her strength.
Bang!
The stone embedded into the zombie’s skull, and it finally fell off.
The rear wheel ran over it, nearly flipping the vehicle, but fortunately Yu Jiang adjusted the direction in time to stabilize.
It was precisely that wheel crush that drove the stone deeper into the zombie’s skull, and it croaked.
[Congratulations, player. First to discover and gather medicine 7/7, hidden quest completed. Rewards: Beginner TCM Powder Manufacturing Scroll *2, Beginner Medicine Furnace, Achievement ‘Alchemist Level 1’]
[Player first kill ‘infected’, rewards: Attack +2, Crystal Coins +100.]
Achievement ‘Stone War God’: Your combat power is low, yet unexpectedly tough. Equip for Defense +2]
Yu Jiang took several deep breaths. Too thrilling.
But worth it; this was a wealthy zombie.
TCM powder should be quite valuable too!
She checked her drug manufacturing ability. Drag the scroll to the personal info page and click to use.
Hallucinogenic Powder: Causes dizzy effect up to 5 seconds; higher target defense means weaker effect.
Beginner Hemostatic TCM Powder: Restores +10 health points upon use, removes minor persistent bleeding and inflammation status.
Both powders have a 1-hour use cooldown.
Direct use of puffball mushroom restores +2 health points, only stops bleeding, doesn’t remove negative buffs.
Using too much causes fatigue value to spike, followed by health decline, and possible hallucinations.
In her memory, puffball mushrooms aren’t poisonous; this must be mutated.
Continued forward.
The kilometer count on the mission bar slowly increased.
Panel showed 1:10 PM, 12 kilometers left in the mission.
Yu Jiang stopped to drink some water and eat a piece of bread.
She wanted instant noodles, but no water or lighter, so she settled for this.
During the rest, Yu Jiang still checked the public screen, only viewing trade info without replying.
Still early; better to trade in the afternoon when everyone has traveled most of the way and found some supplies.
Yu Jiang’s morning luck was average, only spotting one box; afternoon was better.
Just 5 kilometers in, she found two wooden boxes.
[Player obtained Quick-dry Jacket *1, clean underwear *2]
[Player obtained Gasoline *2L, Compressed Biscuit *2, Pea Can *1]
Yet after completing the 50-kilometer mission, not a single bottle of water.
Not one extra meter Yu Jiang wanted to walk; only one reserve battery left, need to save power.
Fatigue value at 50, Yu Jiang simply gathered on the spot, stocking up another wave of wood.
Within 2 kilometers radius, all visible dwarf shrubs and mushrooms collected.
She planned to rest here tonight; to ensure vehicle space, tied the two bundles of wood to the roof first.
After finishing these, time reached past 4 PM, sky gradually darkening, more players chatting.
Pure Love Cockroach Spicy Spicy: [Any big brother or big sister trade food? I found only water all the way, I’m done. One bottle of water for one can, or anything else.]
28-bar Bicycle: [Told you to pick human-powered. I biked 70 kilometers, found one extra box! Human perpetual motion machine takes the lead.]
[Big talk, buddy you’re a beetroot, wheels sparking huh, endless bull energy.]
Indeed big talk; Yu Jiang sighed along, locking the next message.
X: [Trading gasoline.]
Yu Jiang quickly private messaged back: “1”
X: “What do you want?”
“2L gasoline for 2 battery packs, or weapon, lighter.”
2L gasoline = 50% motorcycle capacity, about 50 kilometers.
2 battery packs = 100% tricycle charge, 80 kilometers.
Refueling more expensive than charging, reasonable right?
Yu Jiang also private messaged Pure Love Cockroach.
After a few seconds, X replied, “No extra weapons on hand temporarily, only one battery pack, okay? Soon as I find a weapon, right to you.”
Yu Jiang hesitated a bit.
What if they take the gasoline and renege?
This person got first kill so fast, must have great mental fortitude, maybe doesn’t care about reputation.
But weapons really hard to trade for.
Yu Jiang thought a moment, “Okay, add friend first.”
The other side thanked, “I have a solar panel and a sharpened wooden stick here; if you need, consider as interest.”
Yu Jiang gladly agreed; not taking free stuff is dumb!
With portable converter, can charge tricycle using solar panel!
Added friend, initiated trade, done in ten seconds.
In-game trade dialog requires clicking supplies to place, both confirm correct, then lock trade; fakes impossible.
Shi Xu got the gasoline, looked up at the only friend in the list.
Many private messaged him this morning, some asking to be carried, some for motorcycle vehicle walkthrough; he added none.
This person great at gathering supplies; maybe long-term trade possible later.
