Chapter 54:

Since the rodent problem emerged, Yun Shan would take time every day to browse through the group messages. Initially, it didn’t bother her, but later, she felt as though she had gained hundreds of informants, lurking around the camp…

No matter what happened in the Red Maple camp, her group of friends would always be the first to notice and engage in fervent discussions.

“Enviously Crying: I can’t sell the 80 pounds of sorghum wine at home, and I have almost no points left in my wristwatch. I’m so poor!! If I could turn back time to half a month ago, I would definitely beat my impulsive self to death!”

“Old Cabbage: You look at others, ah, making money seems so easy, points come like picking them up. When it’s your turn, you’re happy for not even two days, darn it! I’ve been trapped again! I shouldn’t have been so impulsive.”

“Bigwig: Endure, endure until the bountiful harvest at the end of December, and life won’t be so difficult.”

“Salty Fish: I want to take a break from the game for a while, and come back when things settle down. I have few points, grain is expensive, and even if I want to buy, I can’t. It’s impossible to live like this.”

“Expert: You can take a break whenever you want, but I have a group of people under me, and I’ve invested in several industries in the game. If I’m offline for half a month, what will happen when I return? I’m scared.”

“Lucky: I’m riddled with illness, hoping to cure it by playing the game, but I still can’t go. If I had been smarter and done the alcohol business, I would be living the good life now, selling grain at a high price.”

“Elderly player (Gao Ling): If you want to gamble, be ready to lose. The real tragedy is for innocent folks like me, dragged down. I didn’t buy any land, and I’m not used to hoarding grain. I used to buy some rice every few days, or simply eat at the restaurant. This time, I’ve been swindled! Grain prices have soared, even if I have points, I can’t spend them. I wish I could work as an NPC laborer in exchange for food.”

Yun Shan read the group messages while enjoying a lunch of deluxe instant noodles with added luncheon meat, sausage, and egg.

Seeing her friends venting, she wasn’t surprised at all. After all, since the grain shortage issue erupted, her friends often complained. Some even jokingly referred to it as the “Greater Misery Contest,” claiming that as long as someone else was worse off, there was hope in life.

It was unusual for Gao Ling to speak up, perhaps due to recent high stress.

After some thought, Yun Shan privately messaged, “You sent me 100 pounds of grain last time, which I haven’t used. When will you be free? I’ll return it to you.”

Gao Ling: “How can I take back something that I’ve given to you?”

She was a woman of means and had her pride.

“I hoarded some supplies in advance, so I’m not short of grain,” Yun Shan replied truthfully. “I accepted the gift you sent me. Shouldn’t you accept the gift I’m giving you?”

Gao Ling: “…”

Thinking about the NPC staff she had employed at the pet hospital, she relented. “Thank you.”

Yun Shan asked, “Is 100 pounds enough for you to eat? If not, I have more and can share some with you.”

The phase of universal distilling had passed, and there was no need to hide the fact that she had stored grain at home.

She planned to sell a portion of the grain and make a tidy profit. However, the timing and the specific buyer were a different matter altogether.

“That’s enough,” Gao Ling said. “It’s enough for me to eat well and also to use the grain as wages for NPC staff.”

After conversing with Gao Ling, she returned to the Pay-to-Win game group, and the new wave of self-pity had already been launched.

“Void: I never expected that I would be ambushed and killed by an NPC while hunting in the wilderness. What kind of NPC is this? Isn’t anyone going to do something about it?”

“Old Acquaintance: I went hunting in the wild with others and was ambushed. Luckily, I managed to escape with my life. I know the NPC who led the attack, he’s called ‘Boss Li’. He used to run a pet supplies store in the camp.”

“Old Acquaintance: His business used to be quite thriving, but after the ‘Red Maple Pet Supplies Store’ opened, his business took a hit, and it was never the same again.”

“End: Boss Li, who ran the pet supplies store? I know this NPC! I heard that he thought running the pet business wasn’t profitable, so he sold off his inventory, hired a master brewer at a high salary, and switched to the alcohol business. However, he joined the game late, and before he could sell much of the alcohol, it mostly remained unsold. Later, he closed down the business and disappeared.”

“Void: …Victim’s statement—He went to the wilderness to mess with players.”

“End: Perhaps he was cheated by players and developed a sense of vengeance?”

“Useless: Thanks for the invite. I’m in the game, was just chased, and found a remote corner to log off forcibly. Now, I dare not go back. I’m afraid that the moment I log in, my game character will die instantly.”

“Void: Darn it! How did I forget that you could log off in the wilderness too! If I knew I was going to die, I should have taken a gamble. If I could have sneaked back to the camp smoothly without any NPCs watching or encountering any Battle pet, I would have won the bet!”

“Useless: I’m panicking, feeling that logging in equals death.”

“Void: Don’t say such things in front of someone who’s already dead. Fuming.emoji”

Observing this, Yun Shan sincerely marveled at the talents of her group members. Each of them had their own abilities, and it felt like a waste to see them all being used in the game.

***

The next day, Yun Shan put on her holographic helmet. Before logging into the game, a system message popped up: “From December 6th to December 31st, the entire server will hold a ‘Banditry Suppression Event.’ Hunting and killing bandits and turning them in to designated NPCs will earn you contribution points. During the event, contribution points can be exchanged for valuable rewards.”

This was followed by two tables.

The first one.

One-star bandit = 10 contribution points.

Two-star bandit = 50 contribution points.

Three-star bandit = 200 contribution points.

Note: Contribution points cannot be transferred to others.

The second one.

4 points = 1 contribution point.

3 pounds of sorghum = 10 contribution points. (During the event, a single person can exchange up to 3 times, with a total of 1000 exchanges)

…

Registration code = 10000 contribution points. (Can be exchanged 20 times)

[Note: In this event, players can obtain additional contribution points by donating food.]

[For every 1 pound of rice donated, you can receive 2 contribution points.]

[For every 1 pound of meat donated, you can receive 3 contribution points.]

After going back and forth through the event details, Yun Shan fell into silence.

Why did she feel like the bandit elimination event was somewhat inconsequential? Was the official giving players a chance to openly exchange stored food for registration codes?

After a moment of contemplation, Yun Shan suddenly laughed.

The original survival conditions were too harsh, and many players wanted to log off to avoid trouble and then return when the situation stabilized.

With the event’s registration code rewards enticing them, RMB players would undoubtedly spend money to surge forward. For others who wanted to resist logging in, it might not be so easy.

***

Seeing the new event go live, Hong Rui felt as though he had been struck with a sledgehammer, leaving him stunned.

When he regained his senses, he clutched his chest, as if about to cry, “Why am I so unlucky!!”

What kind of business did he start? What kind of trade did he engage in? He had just hoarded grain at home, waiting for someone to come and buy it at a high price.

When the time came, whether it was for people, land, or points, he could set the price, completely holding the initiative in his hands.

But now, he was grasping at points and getting nothing, and when he wanted some grain, he had to beg others.

“Bai Shengua,” Hong Rui fumed with suppressed anger, “I shouldn’t have believed him in the first place!”

***

“The camp has a harvest every three months, so the food shortage won’t last for too long. By the end of December, when you have grain in your hands, it won’t sell at a high price,” Bai Shenghua analyzed calmly. “Rather than missing the opportunity, why not sell a portion of the stored grain to me?”

“Once the fields are harvested, and the warehouse is filled with grains again, you’ll have food and money, and you can do whatever you want.”

The trade partner Bai Shenghua chose was named Luo Tingci, who was not at all swayed. “You want to buy grain? Sure, but at 7 times the original price.”

Bai Shenghua frowned, “The market price is only 5 times.”

Quoting 7 times meant a 40% increase from the market price.

Luo Tingci nonchalantly remarked, “The market price is cheap, then you should go buy from the market.”

Bai Shenghua remained silent. If he could buy it from the market, he wouldn’t need to haggle with Luo Tingci.

“Well, take it or leave it at this price,” Luo Tingci said, knowing that those who had grain were in a favorable position. “I’m offering it to you first, considering our past relationship. If you don’t want it, I’ll find another buyer. At the quoted 7 times price, there are plenty of takers.”

“Not necessarily,” Bai Shenghua responded calmly. “There are many who can afford the price, but they might not actually need your goods.”

For instance, Xie Shaoting, a well-known wealthy player in the Pay-to-Win game group, had his own land and grain, with a larger inventory than Luo Tingci. Then there was Gao Ling, who spared no expense when he needed something. However, being alone, she didn’t need to purchase too much grain.

Therefore, the number of trading partners available to Luo Tingci was definitely not as high as he claimed.

Claiming that the goods were in high demand and that many were waiting for them was a common negotiating tactic. Making him anxious and accepting the 7 times price would be foolish.

“6 times, and I’ll make the payment immediately if you agree,” Bai Shenghua said.

“7 times is the friendly price. Anything less than that is not negotiable,” Luo Tingci responded firmly.

Just as the situation reached a standstill, he received a message from his subordinate: “From December 6th to December 31st, the entire server will hold a ‘Banditry Suppression Event.’ During this event, players can obtain additional contribution points by donating food. A registration code can be exchanged for just 5000 pounds of rice.”

Bai Shenghua was taken aback.

He quickly contacted Luo Tingci using his communication signal. He hadn’t gone online at all that day and wasn’t aware of the new event in the game.

Upon learning the latest news from his subordinate, Bai Shenghua was about to agree to the 7 times price, only to receive a message from Luo Tingci: “10 times, and I’ll sell you a maximum of 300 pounds of grain. If the transfer is not made before 12 noon today, the transaction will be canceled, and I’ll handle the grain separately.”

300 pounds… This amount of grain would only last him and his subordinates for a week!

During their previous negotiation, it was clear that they were discussing the sale of 1000 pounds. Now, he was being cut off by 70%, and Luo Tingci was being excessively harsh.

But… if he refused, he wouldn’t even get those 300 pounds.

Not being able to eat a full meal, he might just miss the event.

After much internal struggle, Bai Shenghua gritted his teeth and agreed, “Deal.”

***

That afternoon, after observing for a while, Yun Shan finally took action.

She posted a message in the Pay-to-Win game group, “Selling 5000 pounds of rice, price to be negotiated privately. Before midnight tonight, whoever offers the highest price, I will sell the grain to them. @everyone”

This announcement caused a stir in the entire group.

“Blinding: 5000 pounds? Is it really 5000 pounds? Am I seeing this right?”

“The truth is only one: What the group leader is selling isn’t grain, it’s clearly registration codes! Furious!”

“Chuckle Blame: When I asked her if she had any extra grain that could be used for brewing, I was short of grain, and I was looking to buy. When grain can be exchanged for contribution points, I have a lot of grain, and I’m willing to participate in the auction. Hmph, women.”

“Enviously Crying: I’m so foolish, really. I should have realized that something was wrong when the group leader refused to participate in the brewing event. If we had stored grain together back then, could we be making a fortune together now?”

“Sorrowful Worker: There are so many big shots in the group, but I can only admire the group leader. Who else can make the big spenders wave their cash and clamor for a deal? No one but her.”

“The Aroma of Money: Auctioning off registration codes??”

“The Aroma of Money: Wait! I’m going to bid on it right away!”