By late night, including the replenished stamina from the game, Yu Qunqing obtained a total of 50 hexagram stars. In the “Building Materials Explosion” event, he accumulated a total of 2064 building materials. He had over ten thousand gold coins remaining but only six diamonds.
In the darkness, he couldn’t perform major actions. Yu Qunqing felt a few drops of sweat under the covers, so he decided to immediately spend the hexagram stars. Once the entire house was decorated, he should be able to have a small light on during the night.
The balcony railing had been replaced and flower pots were added. With the completion of the balcony area, the study area was now opened.
First, he cleared away the remains of the fire-fighting moth from two days ago and replaced it with new wooden flooring.
He placed an L-shaped multifunctional desk, a comfortable footstool, and a reclining sofa. There was also an artistic chair that resembled an open book, with gaps between the pages specifically designed for readers to casually insert magazines after reading them. It had a unique design and practical functionality.
After adding a dark brown bookshelf, the system notified him that the study area had been fully decorated.
Was that it?
Yu Qunqing looked at the empty desk and bookshelf, feeling puzzled. He immediately opened the gold coin store, and sure enough, there was an additional category for movable furniture.
High-performance gaming laptop, 23,000 gold coins.
“Game Global News January Issue,” 100 gold coins.
Yu Qunqing: “What about my original computer and books?”
The system pretended to be unresponsive. Yu Qunqing scrolled down and discovered another category, “Refurbished Items?”
XF1000 host (refurbished), 2,000 gold coins.
Mechanical keyboard (refurbished), 1,800 gold coins.
There were many familiar old items below. Although the refurbished items were several times cheaper than those in other categories, it was clearly a case of strong-arm tactics.
Complaining was ineffective, so Yu Qunqing reluctantly moved on to the next area for decoration.
The next unlocked area was the bedroom. As soon as he entered, Yu Qunqing protested, “You can’t take away my clothes.”
System: “Organizing them properly is a task in this game.”
Because the bedroom was spacious and only one person lived there, a partition was created during the initial decoration to serve as a dressing room. As soon as this area was unlocked, Yu Qunqing immediately focused on the dressing room, spending two hexagram stars to organize all the clothes. Winter and summer clothes were separated, upper and lower garments were separated, and ties and belts were hung on specially designed racks.
Due to the extensive categorization of clothes, the game introduced a mechanism using an additional hexagram star: the wardrobe was divided into two layers, and the upper layer could be switched with the lower layer simply by using the joystick. Yu Qunqing commented on this, saying, “It has a sense of useless luxury.”
As usual, the bedroom wallpaper and flooring were replaced with new ones, and the bay window and windows were reinforced. The most important change was the bed, which was upgraded to a king-size bed. It was accompanied by an eight-piece bedding set, as well as various lights such as kickboard lights, reading lights, sleep lights, and general lighting.
The bedroom was quickly decorated.
Feeling that something was still missing, Yu Qunqing checked the store and realized it was another subtle way to entice spending.
The next area was the multifunctional room.
Upon entering, there was a small staircase. Since the ceiling height was over 3.7 meters, there was enough space for a mezzanine. However, Yu Qunqing hadn’t decided on the best use of this space yet, so he simply stacked a few cardboard boxes there.
The walls, flooring, and ceiling were quickly changed to a cozy style. The system remained silent.
Yu Qunqing: “Do I have to buy everything else? Isn’t that a bit heartless?”
System: “The network connection is poor. The system is accelerating the download of game resources for you.”
Soon, the game showcased its design. The presented plan for Yu Qunqing showed that the lower level was transformed into a private cinema. Thick curtains allowed control over the lighting, a comfortable reclining sofa was provided, and a surround sound system created an immersive audio experience. A plush carpet enhanced the overall comfort.
On the upper level, there was a large storage cabinet where the items from the cardboard boxes were neatly organized.
The mezzanine occupied only half of the multifunctional room, while the other half of the wall featured a guitar and a violin, instruments that Yu Qunqing couldn’t play but found interesting. Some potted plants were placed indoors. A large area of floor space was covered with cushions, creating a VR gaming zone.
The VR gaming equipment did not need to be purchased, but VR games were required.
“It feels like progress has been much faster. With only 49 hexagram stars, I’ve completed the study, bedroom, and multifunctional room,” Yu Qunqing said as he used the last star to unlock the renovation of the bathroom. “After I finish my home, do I have to renovate the neighbor’s house too?” he asked the system.
“Ding dong! The game will provide new gaming experiences. Please look forward to new renovation tasks!” the system replied.
Returning to the living room, Yu Qunqing discovered that the lucky money tree’s red envelope had ripened. He opened it, only to find it empty. But as the red envelope floated away, a floating arrow appeared on it.
Yu Qunqing followed the arrow while holding the red envelope, descending all the way to the second floor. The arrow directed him to the ground, and after hesitating for a moment, he decided to dig it up since he was in need of money.
On the ground, there were a few fireflies crawling around with their wings faded, making a creepy sound that sent shivers down his spine. Yu Qunqing bypassed them and finally arrived at a small delivery van beside the road barrier.
He remembered that there were a few unopened packages inside the van. Could it be?
He leaned in and, illuminated by the moonlight, saw one of the packages with a label that read, “【Comes with Authenticity Certificate】Best Valentine’s Day and Birthday Gift for Wife, Husband, Mother-in-law, Father-in-law – Emperor’s Jade Bracelet 32kxxx.”
Regardless of whom the gift was for, he was truly grateful to the stranger who had purchased this jade bracelet online.
Yu Qunqing glanced at the buyer’s name, thinking that perhaps they would meet again in the future. Then he opened the package and immediately started spending money.
“The recharge amount for this transaction is 15 diamonds. It has been credited to your account.”
Now he had 21 diamonds, and the first-time recharge for the monthly card only required 18 diamonds. He could become an esteemed member of the monthly card party!
Yu Qunqing returned to the screen and ceremoniously pressed the relevant buttons.
“Ding-dong! Congratulations to user Yu Qunqing for advancing to the esteemed Monthly Card Party!”
His game avatar frame instantly transformed into a flashy design.
“Instantly replenish energy to full! Energy limit increased by three!”
“Happy Daily Rewards for Monthly Card holders! Today, you can claim a set of Yellow Duck Balloons X1. Receive unlimited Energy Apples (15 minutes) upon daily login.”
“As an exclusive privilege, the Mysterious Moonlight Streetlamp is now available for purchase in the Diamond Store.”
After playing a round, Yu Qunqing clicked on the Diamond Store. The first item listed was the Mysterious Moonlight Streetlamp, available for 0 diamonds, with a daily limit of 3.
He promptly made the purchase and realized that the item could only be used after completing the task of restoring the fountain.
The functionality of game physicalization and the usage of construction materials would also be unlocked after restoring the fountain. It seemed like he needed to speed up his progress in the matching game.
Upon activating the monthly card, there was an additional hidden benefit. He could now see the entire residential complex on the screen, no longer surrounded by darkness with only faint outlines visible. Yu Qunqing moved around the screen and eventually focused on the largest music fountain.
Speaking of which, the main background of the matching game was a cracked and dried-up fountain. The fountain must be significant.
After taking a short break, it was already dawn. The new sunrise arrived, making the world slightly safer than during the nighttime.
Before heading out for an adventure, he emptied his in-game energy.
As a monthly card player, he had 8 energy points, and each point required 45 minutes to recover. This meant he had 6 hours for outdoor activities, leaving an additional hour for contingency. It would be best if he returned within 7 hours.
He reached the ground floor and stood on a nearby self-balancing scooter. He then found the van he had noticed last night outside the residential complex.
The road was cluttered with debris, so this compact vehicle was the most agile option. Moreover, it seemed that the owner of this van had abandoned it, as the keys were still inside, making it very convenient for Yu Qunqing.
The southern square was spacious, and he quickly crossed the large square. In the center of the square, there was a sunken stage surrounded by steps that doubled as seating. Yu Qunqing got off the scooter and, following the map he had drawn, positioned himself at a certain spot and looked through the cracks.
—Sure enough, it was a supermarket.
As Yu Qunqing happily gathered supplies, the area around the third and fourth rings of the city became a forbidden zone infested with deadly calamities.
“Hurry, pull me up!”
A middle-aged man shouted anxiously, followed closely by an enraged giant jellyfish. Its scientific name as a calamity was the Sporozoite.
This silver-white Sporozoite stood about two meters tall, with an umbrella-shaped cap that rolled like waves, occasionally revealing its salmon-like cavity. Its half-meter-long tentacles swayed in the air, sticking to the walls as it passed by, swaying and swaying. What was most terrifying was that it walked with two thick arms, while another two hung down on its sides. The four thick arms had a texture similar to mushroom stems, smooth and off-white. Overall, the four thick arms resembled a human’s limbs.
A rope was handed to the middle-aged man, who scrambled to climb up while narrowly avoiding being grabbed by the Sporozoite, narrowly escaping death. He had seen it before—a Sporozoite extended a reproductive arm into a living person’s mouth, and a few minutes later, the person’s head exploded, turning into a transparent round skin with a brain resembling a large intestine at its center. Within seconds, the person’s limbs became rounded and dull, their body rapidly shriveled, and then they floated away—a new Sporozoite was born.
“Quick, chop it!”
Several iron household items were thrust out through the iron bars, mercilessly stabbing the Sporozoite’s body. Immediately, a large hole was pierced through the Sporozoite. These makeshift weapons, which had initially sparkled with different lights, gradually dimmed after a few seconds. It meant that the sharpened weapons were gradually losing their edge.
Someone shouted, “We’re out of disaster stones, run!”
(Note: The term “disaster stones” refers to a resource or item used to combat the calamity monsters in the game context.)
People immediately ran, rushing to the top floor where a wooden plank was suspended between two buildings, with white Sporozoites below. Their hope was tied to this thin wooden board.
After crossing several more planks, the group arrived at a prison where different people had gathered.
This place was an informal shelter, contrasting with the formal shelters. Not everyone could make it to the outskirts of the city by crossing mountains and rivers, and many people were stranded on the roads by the calamities, forced to gather spontaneously. Unlike formal shelters, the wild refuge did not have shelter capsules issued by the Human Research Institute. They could only establish shelters based on geographic locations.
The prison could hold people and provide temporary protection against the external natural disasters.
“Boss, let’s run! If we don’t run now, we won’t survive!” The middle-aged man who had just escaped in a sorry state tried to smile ingratiatingly but couldn’t hide his panic. “The outside is filled with Sporozoites. Just now, the entire team led by Old Qi was captured. Their heads exploded on the spot.”
“Did they bring back any disaster stones?” The leader, a fat man with a face full of flabby flesh, couldn’t control his emotions.
“They brought it back… that kid, Sun Min, brought it back,” the subordinate whispered. “His ability is really uncanny. His hands are as strong as diamonds. With just one grab, a person disappears. Boss Zhang, it’s like he picked up a little talisman.”
The fat man’s small eyes sparkled. “Good. Our prison is becoming increasingly difficult to hold. We have weapons, but no food or disaster stones. In the end, we can’t survive. We need to move towards the city outskirts quickly. Let Zhang’s team… go and scout the path first!”
The subordinate knew very well that no matter which direction they went, there were dense clusters of Sporozoites patrolling. Going to scout the path was tantamount to going to their deaths, but what other choice did they have? Since the early days of the apocalypse, he had followed the boss and tightly controlled all the weapons and food. Who told them to reveal their muscles and utter a few harsh words, scaring the ordinary folks to trembling legs? Most ordinary people were as meek as sheep in captivity. Even if they showed some fierceness, the ordinary people would tell themselves to endure it, and even act as accomplices like Stockholm Syndrome patients. The times create heroes, and it was only natural that they held the power of life and death over the masses.
On the other side, Sun Min bandaged the wounds of the team leader, Lao Zhang, and gave a can of food to an old woman in the team. His face was ashen, but his eyes were sharp. The old woman couldn’t open the can, so he took it and made a simple swipe with his bare hand, causing the aluminum lid to curl up.
After the solar eclipse, he underwent a transformation. His hands became incredibly hard. At first, he was anxious, fearing that he had turned into a monster. But after experiencing several crises, he truly accepted himself. His ability was the key to survival!
He didn’t have time to take the old woman to the outskirts of the city, so they could only hide in this prison.
At first, the leader of the prison valued him, but then, after overhearing some radio news from the shelter, he suddenly treated him like a snake. The leader even made their team undertake several dangerous missions.
It was said that there was radiation from the abilities of the mutants… The regular shelters were developed by the Human Cooperative Research Institute, and could they be wrong?
Was he really a monster?
“Sun Min is a blessed person, protected by the Great Immortal Crocodile,” the old woman consoled him.
“No, Uncle Zhang, we need to escape. This leader doesn’t value our lives at all,” Sun Min suggested to Uncle Zhang.
Someone sarcastically said, “Who doesn’t know who is the cause?”
“Everyone knows that your life was saved by Sun Min,” Uncle Zhang snapped back, then turned to Sun Min and said, “You’re a university student, highly educated. If you have any ideas, speak up.”
“The prison has good facilities, but the location is unfavorable. The road to the outskirts is blocked by a surging river, and the bridge has collapsed,” Sun Min analyzed. “If we want to leave the leader behind, we can only take a risk and go in the direction of the second ring road in the city!”
“You must be crazy. How can we pass through the hell of the third and fourth ring roads?” someone interrupted.
Sun Min stood firm and said, “It’s simple. We’ll take the subway. Before the solar eclipse, the subway had already been closed for some time, and there’s no one inside. The section of the subway we’ll be using has been converted from an air-raid shelter, so the chances of collapse are low.”
Uncle Zhang’s team consisted of only 11 people, with individuals of all ages. They quietly debated among themselves, and in the end, it was Uncle Zhang who made the final decision, “Let’s go to the subway and leave the leader behind.”
Of course, Uncle Zhang’s true thoughts were not exactly as he said. He looked at each member with injuries and couldn’t help but sigh. Avoiding the leader was the priority; finding a place to tend to their wounds would be good enough. As for the future, they would deal with it when it came.
The team pretended to agree with the leader’s demands and set off.
Before they left, the old woman bowed towards the crocodile statue at the entrance of the prison, saying, “May the Great Immortal Crocodile bless us with safety, health, and smooth journey.”
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T/N: With Shubaow down, I’m going to have to find another reliable website for the raws once we get to the locked chapters…
BB MTL Translations 