Font Size:
Chu Jiu, a three-star veteran player, awakened the talent “Enhanced Physical Attributes.” Whether in strength, speed, or endurance, he was among the top players.
However, due to a momentary decision-making error, he depleted his savings and had to return to the lumberyard to start over…
Chu Jiu felled a tree in just a few strikes, carried the timber to the warehouse, and then went back to work. His efficiency was nearly twice that of others, owing to his strength and speed.
Deep down, Chu Jiu felt that the regulations were unreasonable. Hourly wages didn’t reflect his outstanding work ethic, and wages based on the number of trees felled were almost the same.
Unfortunately, aside from young and able-bodied laborers, there were also older players and NPCs in the lumberyard who probably wouldn’t agree to a wage reform.
With nowhere to vent his frustration, Chu Jiu could only let off steam by working hard.
“Today’s work ends here. Wrap it up,” the foreman announced.
After a day of work, the workers were sore and slow in their movements.
Leveraging his long legs and speed, Chu Jiu swiftly moved.
“Chu Jiu, you worked 8 hours today, so you can take 8 mixed grain buns,” the staff said as they handed him the buns from a large wooden tub.
The mixed grain buns were freshly made in the kitchen, all of uniform size, each weighing 40g, with a slight variation in weight.
Recognizing Chu Jiu’s hard work, the staff gave him buns that were generously sized.
“Thanks,” Chu Jiu said with a millet bun in his mouth and a corn bun and black rice bun in his pockets as he walked out.
In a matter of minutes, a large cluster of tents came into view.
This was the makeshift rest area and dormitory for the workers.
For lumber workers, they were eligible for accommodation after working 8 hours a day for three consecutive days.
The advantage was that it was free, no money was needed.
With the buns in hand, Chu Jiu entered the animal-hide tent, thinking that life was a bit tough, but manageable.
“When the land yields a good harvest and grain prices return to normal, I won’t have to suffer as a low-cost laborer,” Chu Jiu encouraged himself, feeling hopeful.
***
“Listen up, the camp is generally facing a grain shortage. For us, this is an opportunity,” Xu Yuan said seriously.
“An opportunity?” The members looked at each other.
“The livestock farm is short of feed and has stopped operations. Due to bandits in the wild, the number of beasts captured by the hunting team has decreased, leading to a reduced supply of edible meat. NPC residents have hoarded grain, but they can’t rely solely on their main food source,” Xu Yuan analyzed calmly.
“You mean…” someone began to understand.
“We’ll produce a large quantity of pickled vegetables that go well with rice, they’re sure to sell!” Xu Yuan asserted confidently.
The team looked puzzled. “How do you make pickled vegetables? Who knows how to do that?”
“I do! I’ve studied it offline and even bought some cabbages to practice with. The finished product tasted quite good.” Xu Yuan boasted without reservation.
“Where did you get the cabbages?” Another person questioned, “We only have game points now, and not much else.”
“We can go door to door and ask the NPCs if they’re willing to sell cabbages. If they refuse, we can ask if they’re willing to provide the materials, and we can make pickled vegetables for them, taking 5-10% of the pickled vegetables as compensation afterward,” Xu Yuan thoughtfully suggested. “With cabbages in hand, there are plenty of people who don’t know how to make pickled vegetables. Eating the same thing all the time can get monotonous, so it’s normal to want to change flavors.”
After some discussion, the team agreed that this business could work.
In case of failure…
“We can collectively go offline and come back in half a month,” the team suggested. “Working as laborers for NPCs every day can fill our stomachs, but it’s a terrible gaming experience! It’s hard to endure over time.”
Encouraged by his teammates’ support, Xu Yuan rolled up his sleeves, determined to make a difference.
***
Despite recent bandit suppression activities, Yun Shan wasn’t concerned. Her mind was occupied with thoughts of how to buy land in the East District and how to maximize profits from selling grain.
“Divine Doctor.” Lu Liu approached Yun Shan and handed her a stack of papers. “This is for you.”
Yun Shan: ?
She took the papers and flipped through them, realizing they were land deeds.
“The entire East District will be yours from now on,” Lu Liu announced.
Just by looking at the stack of papers, Yun Shan could imagine the inhumane exploitation that players had suffered.
She had previously thought that Lu Ming’s distorted personality was due to a mental illness. Now, seeing this, she realized she had misunderstood him deeply.
Why would she provoke Lu Ming when there were so many NPCs in the game? Yun Shan began to doubt life.
***
In the evening, Yun Shan received a message from Han Jiaqing, “I’m planning to take a break from the game for a while.”
Yun Shan was taken aback.
Han Jiaqing was one of the earliest players in the game and had traded with her a few times due to his habit of spending money in the game. It was unexpected to hear that he wanted to take a break after just a few days of no contact.
“What’s wrong?” Yun Shan inquired.
“Finally realizing my own worth, I’ve decided to give up my untimely ambitions.” Han Jiaqing said.
“???” Yun Shan was even more puzzled.
Han Jiaqing explained, “In other games, spending 10,000 yuan can at least match two or three months of effort for other players. In ‘Doomsday Camp,’ spending 10,000 yuan won’t even make a dent, probably equaling the income of an ordinary player for three to five days.”
“I kept spending money at the beginning, hoping to build a career in the game. But now, after struggling until now, I can’t even maintain a basic balance between income and expenses, and can only get by through spending money.”
“Previously, I followed the trend and brewed alcohol, depleting all my stored grain. Seeing that even spending money couldn’t sustain my team, I suddenly felt that the game was too exhausting.”
Yun Shan carefully chose her words before replying, “If it’s because of a shortage of grain, I can buy back the batch of stored grain from you at the original price.”
“The grain shortage was just an opportunity. I suddenly realized that my past success in the game wasn’t due to my prowess but the prowess of money.” Han Jiaqing, with an especially clear understanding of himself, said. “The game developers have offered too many conveniences to players using real currency, making everything too easy. Once money can’t play such a significant role, I’m at a loss.”
“In ‘Doomsday Camp,’ there are too many wealthy players, and the waters run deep. I can’t handle it on my own. I’d rather quit the game, take some time to calm down, and return when the situation improves. By then, I’ll find a job, do some odd jobs, and spend an hour traveling and sightseeing every day, which would be more relaxing.”
“At first, I was ambitious, wanting to build a large guild. But later, I found that maintaining the current scale was very difficult. As my passion faded, it gradually turned into a retirement mode. Later on, the guild became a bottomless pit, needing regular injections of funds to ensure smooth operation. After the grain shortage, the guild-operated restaurant ceased operations, cutting off all income.”
“Upon careful consideration, my strategies weren’t as deep as others, and my spending power couldn’t match theirs. It’s only natural that I can’t compete. I’ve decided to be content as a retired player from now on.”
Yun Shan respected Han Jiaqing’s choice but asked, “Do you still need grain?”
After a long pause, Han Jiaqing replied, “Yes.”
Sharing with guild members, it’s good to meet and part, not in vain.
***
December 13th.
Lu Ming received a system notification, “[Nearby Red Maple Camp, bandits have been completely wiped out].”
After a full eight days of the event, the complete eradication of bandits was a testament to how passionate the players were.
Yun Shan didn’t receive official notice that the bandits had been eliminated, nor did the event get canceled. Instead, players were allowed to exchange contributions with grain and meat.
***
“Crispy and delicious pickled vegetables! Savory and slightly spicy, delicious without being greasy!” Xu Yuan and his companions had just set up their stall when a group of NPCs rushed over. “Give me a bowl!”
“We don’t accept game points. We only accept grain trades, cabbage trades…” Xu Yuan’s words were cut short by an NPC, “Alright, alright, we know the rules.”
Players were actively exchanging cabbages and bags of rice, each offering what they had. Xu Yuan organized the cabbages and bags of rice while his companions helped pack the pickled vegetables. Despite the busy atmosphere, the thriving business brought smiles to everyone’s faces.
At that moment, a player approached, “How do you sell the pickled vegetables? How many game points?”
“We don’t sell them,” Xu Yuan wiped his sweat. “It’s barter only, exchanging for grain and cabbage.”
“That’s a shame,” the inquiring player looked at the fresh pickled vegetables and left with a hint of reluctance.
***
In the Pay-to-Win game group:
“Zhi Xi: Bartering has become popular in the camp. Good items can only be exchanged for grain. I was indignant at first, wondering why they wouldn’t accept game points. But after checking my balance, I instantly felt at ease—my points are running out from buying grain, and even if the other party was willing to accept points, I couldn’t afford it…”
“Salty Fish: When we weren’t short of grain before, I used to complain all the time. What kind of apocalypse is this? The grain is refined and diverse, almost like a town in the wilderness. Now… I just want to say, it’s all because I used to eat too much, which led to these pointless thoughts.”
“Distressed: The lower-tier players are struggling, but the big shots are still living it up. 1 registration code = 10,000 contribution points (redeemable 15 times), you guys need to pay attention! It’s short by 5! They’ve all been exchanged away!”
“Lone Wolf: Sometimes I really feel like I’m the only loser in the world, unjustly circling in place.”
“Born to be a Dish: No, there’s still me.”
“Daily Inquiry: Has Red Maple Camp received new grain today?”
“Zhi Xi: No.”
“Daily Inquiry: Alright, I’ll ask again tomorrow.”
While glancing through the group messages, Yun Shan happened to see a message she wanted to respond to, “No, there will be storm.”
Considering the mixed nature of the group, she chose not to respond, warn, or voice any concern, opting to remain cautious in the situation.
***
December 15th.
Yun Shan was simmering duck soup in the kitchen.
The soup was made from duck, ham, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and Chinese herbs, resulting in a delicious and nourishing broth.
As she sipped the soup, she felt refreshed.
As the duck soup simmered on the stove, Yun Shan was about to prepare a pastry when she heard a banging sound from the roof.
Yun Shan: ???
For a moment, she almost thought that a flock of three-star falcons had collectively decided to dismantle their homes in celebration of coming of age.
As she opened the window to take a look, a shower of ice rain smashed onto the ground, creating a tremendous noise.
“It’s raining ice! Protect the crops!” an NPC tenant urgently shouted.
No way? Yun Shan’s heart skipped a beat.
She had reminded the NPCs on the estate to take precautionary measures in advance.
Stepping out of the kitchen and looking into the distance, she saw numerous fist-sized frozen rain falling like a torrential rain.
The ice rain pounded the makeshift wooden sheds, nearly smashing them to pieces. Some areas had holes punctured through, and the crops were being devastated by the ice rain, causing destructive damage with each strike.
Even the bamboo huts, after enduring for a short while, began to suffer damage.
NPC tenants who were attempting to salvage the crops fared even worse, several of them were injured by the icestones.
The wolves and falcons were desperately seeking shelter, their eyes betraying a sense of panic.
“Everyone, get inside!” Lu Liu directed a four-star vine to entwine the bamboo huts, reinforcing the foundations, and then gestured for everyone to come in.
Expressionless, Yun Shan watched, grinding her teeth internally—during the previous life, when the camp was hit by ice rainstorm, she was lazily sleeping at home and happened to miss it. By the time she logged in, the disaster had already ended, leaving behind a scene of devastation with the crops completely destroyed.
Those who had experienced it lamented one after another, all saying that if they had known earlier, they could have taken preventive measures.
Whether NPC or player, she tentatively believed their words.
Now, witnessing it firsthand, she realized just how unreliable those people were—what’s the point of taking precautions if it ends up like this? It’s essential to prepare for a complete crop failure and minimize casualties!