Chapter 36: A silver treasure chest was delivered and fell to the ground, flash...
He wasn't the only one experiencing this; the channel was in an uproar.
Damn, this weather! I almost froze to death outside.
I was wrong. I shouldn't have said things like "minus ten degrees Celsius is nothing like the end of the world" yesterday.
[Ha, didn't you say you're from the North and can withstand the cold?]
I'll never be stubborn again.
[No underfloor heating, no down jackets, just a broken campfire—who can stand the cold?]
Help! I'm out of wood! The campfire is going out!
【70999/73000】
Upon refreshing the page, one person was missing from the channel.
And as the cold wind howled, the number of people continued to drop.
Fang Zhiyi patted the snow off his body and stood in front of the basic crafting table, looking for something to keep warm.
Today's weather is colder than yesterday, and the snow is also stronger. Following this pattern, the difficulty of survival will only increase day by day, and in the later stages, we may not even be able to leave the camp.
In order to be prepared for any eventuality, he must stockpile enough supplies in the next few days.
After scrolling through page after page of production details, I finally found what I was looking for.
Rough-textured fur coat
[Requires 4 pieces of fur and 6 pieces of cloth]
The materials are all in the backpack. First, take out 12 pieces of synthetic fabric, then put them together with the fur, and select to make a fur coat.
A burst of white light appeared.
A clanging and clattering sound came from inside.
Five seconds later, a slightly rough fur coat appeared on the workbench.
The coat was large, covering everything from head to toe, and the collar was decorated with a fur trim, which was fluffy and warm. Wrapped in the coat, one could not feel the cold of the wind and snow at all.
Rough-textured fur coat
[Simple technique, rough sewing, unattractive design; it can keep you warm, but—be careful it doesn't get torn by the cold wind.]
【02:59:59】
Fang's meaning: ...
It turns out it's a consumable item; once you wear it, its durability decreases, and it can only last for 3 hours.
Fang Zhiyi didn't dare to linger for even a moment and left the camp immediately.
As soon as he stepped out of the firelight, he was met with a blizzard and the biting wind howling against his face. He pulled up his collar, buried his face in the furry collar, and gripped the axe to begin chopping wood.
Five saplings were planted in the open space outside the camp, and overnight they grew into towering trees. Fang Zhiyi chopped the trees down cleanly and harvested a pile of materials.
[Wood x35, Fiber x12, Tree Species x2, Apple x2]
Fang Zhiyi planted new trees, planning to harvest them when he returned after exploring the area.
However, we've only planted two trees so far. We need to collect more tree saplings so we don't have to spend so much effort going into the forest to cut down trees every day in the wind and snow.
However, the consumption of wood is so high. Just maintaining the campfire requires nearly 15 pieces of wood every day. It would be great if there were an automatic wood-cutting device.
The thought flashed through his mind, and Fang Zhiyi rushed towards the mining area without stopping.
Time is of the essence; we must collect enough stones and tree species before the fur coat runs out.
Upon arriving at the mining area, without even a moment to catch their breath, they immediately picked up their pickaxes and got to work, clanging and banging until the pickaxes sparked.
In less than an hour, all the rocks in the mining area were gone.
Fang Zhiyi stopped, still wanting more.
【Stone x32】
It's still not enough. With so few stones, there won't be many left after building just one structure.
But the mine was empty, there wasn't a single stone left, so where to get more stones was a problem.
Fang Zhiyi looked around and saw nothing but a blanket of white snow. After looking at it for a while, her eyelids stung and she started to shed tears.
He closed his eyes to catch his breath and continued deeper into the mining area, hoping to find more stone ore. But after only a few steps, the wind and snow suddenly intensified, and clumps of snow mist drifted all around, blurring his vision and making it impossible to even discern directions.
[Low field of vision]
[Goggles are required]
Fang Zhiyi stepped back.
Fortunately, he didn't go too deep. He went back the way he came, and as soon as he left the area, everything returned to normal.
It seems that only by wearing goggles can we continue deeper into the snow; if we rush in like this, we'll only get lost in the snow and fog. In such terrible weather, if we get lost in the snow, the only outcome awaiting us is to be eliminated due to hypothermia.
He left decisively, turning and walking towards the forest.
The mining area borders the forest.
After walking for about ten minutes, we reached the edge of the forest.
It snowed all night, and the thick snow bent the branches, with a thin layer of ice forming on the drooping branches. The forest was so quiet that you could hear the crunching sound of the falling snow.
The fur coat has one hour of usage time remaining.
Time was of the essence, and fearing encounters with wolves, Fang Zhiyi did not venture into the forest, but only planned to collect some wood and tree seeds from the outskirts to take back.
The axe fell into his palm, and he chopped down hard. With a "whoosh," the snow on the treetops fell off piece by piece, splashing up a cloud of snow mist.
With another axe blow, the tree trunk crashed to the other side, turning into a streak of light, and a pile of wood scattered on the ground.
Fang Zhiyi picked up the materials from the ground. After cutting down several trees, the outer edge of the forest was less obstructed, and the view became wider, vaguely revealing a wooden house nestled in the woods.
Fang Zhiyi gripped the axe tightly, using it as a weapon, and slowly approached the wooden house.
The deeper you go into the forest, the lower the temperature becomes.
The snow on the ground piled up to his calves, leaving a deep footprint with every step. Fang Zhiyi pushed aside the branches blocking his way and finally saw the whole wooden house.
No smoke was coming out of the cabin's chimney, and the eaves and windows were sealed with ice and snow. There was no one inside, but the door was ajar, revealing a dim view.
Hunter's Lodge
creak—
Fang Zhiyi reached out and pushed open the door. When she looked up, she was met with a ferocious wolf's head.
Fang Zhiyi was startled, but after a moment's realization, she discovered it was a wolf head specimen hanging on the wall as decoration. The wolf head had its gaping maw wide open, staring intently at the doorway.
Fang Zhiyi went in cautiously.
The cabin was small, and the fireplace was covered with a thick layer of ash, suggesting it had been abandoned for a long time.
After wandering around for a while, I found a dilapidated radio. I dusted it off, tried pressing the buttons, and it actually worked.
Fang Zhiyi leaned closer and heard a crackling sound of electricity. After it stabilized, the speaker first emitted a blank noise, followed by the sound of a man breathing heavily.
"...Damn weather, it's getting colder and colder, I feel like my ears are going to freeze off."
"Wearing more clothes won't help. I've killed all the wolves in the forest, and food is becoming increasingly scarce. I have no choice but to go deeper into the forest."
"...Fortunately, I planted some chili peppers, which can help me withstand the cold and prevent me from freezing to death in the blizzard."
Fang Zhiyi listened attentively.
The hunter was on vacation hunting in the forest when he was unexpectedly caught in a once-in-a-century blizzard and became trapped.
The temperature was dropping and his food supplies were running out, so he had no choice but to venture deeper into the forest to find something to eat. He seemed to have been gone for some time, but hadn't returned, so it was likely he had encountered some misfortune.
After putting away the radio, I searched carefully again and found a worn-out fur coat under the bed. Because it had been used, it only kept me warm for half the time.
With this outfit, I can stay outside longer and gather more materials.
Leaving the hunter's hut, Fang Zhiyi remembered what he had heard on the radio. He walked around the hut and found some traces in the open space behind it.
He knelt down and painstakingly dug through the snow above with both hands, finally finding the chili peppers the hunter had planted. The leaves were emerald green, and the curled branches were laden with round, plump, and appealing bright red berries.
【4 chili peppers】
[Sha - Your mouth will breathe fire after eating this]
After the fruit was picked, the chili seedlings wilted instantly and lost their vitality.
Fang Zhiyi had a great harvest, and seeing that it was almost time, he hurried back to the camp.
Braving the wind and snow, I hurried on for about ten minutes until the outline of a campsite came into view. Just looking at it, I could already imagine sitting around a warm campfire. I couldn't help but quicken my pace, but just as I was about to reach the campsite, I suddenly stopped.
A string of wolf footprints was clearly visible on the snow near the camp.
The footprints were shallow and not completely covered by snow, so they looked fresh and that they hadn't been walking for long.
Fang Zhiyi's heart skipped a beat, and he ran all the way back to the camp as fast as he could.
In the very center of the camp, the campfire burned dimly, as if it would be blown out by the cold wind at any moment, and the temperature had dropped significantly.
Fang Zhiyi quickly stuffed two pieces of wood inside, and only breathed a sigh of relief after the firelight stabilized.
The snow wolf pack has returned.
After wandering around for a while, it probably found no one in the camp before leaving.
This doesn't mean he's safe; rather, it's a reminder that he's been targeted by the snow wolves.
Wolves are extremely vengeful. Once someone kills a wolf, the two sides are locked in a life-or-death struggle. The snow wolves will relentlessly harass and attack the camp until one side is killed.
Fang Zhiyi exhaled a breath of cold air.
Fortunately, snow wolves are nocturnal, so there's no immediate danger during the day. He needs to get the camp's defenses in place before nightfall.
During his trip, he collected a lot of materials. He first went to the open space next to the camp, harvested the trees that had grown, and then replanted the tree seeds from his backpack.
A row of saplings swayed in the wind and snow, their leaves a vibrant green.
His gaze swept over the chili peppers in his backpack, and after thinking for a moment, he decided to try planting one.
Chili seedlings
【05:59:59】
It really can be planted!
This way, you can keep planting and harvesting, and you won't have to worry about getting around.
Fang Zhiyi returned to the camp.
The backpack now contains 99 pieces of wood, so there's no immediate worry about running out. However, there are only 38 stones left, and the nearby mines have been completely depleted. To obtain more stones, one must venture deeper. But the deeper areas are shrouded in snow and fog, obstructing visibility; goggles are necessary to avoid getting lost.
To collect stones, you must first make goggles.
Fang Zhiyi opened the basic crafting station and searched for goggles.
【Goggles】
[Required: 1 piece of cloth, 2 pieces of glass]
Fang's meaning: ...?
How is glass made?
After fiddling around on the basic crafting table for a while, I realized there was no option to craft glass. After thinking about it, I figured I should use the level 2 residential building, the Furnace, to craft glass.
Well, we still have to take it one step at a time.
Fang Zhiyi chose to build the furnace first.
【furnace】
Requires 10 stones
After selecting the construction option, a chimney-like stone furnace appeared on the ground with a "thump." Clicking on the furnace revealed that by adding the appropriate ores, iron ore, gold ore, and glass could be forged.
Now, the only thing needed is glass.
4 stones = 1 glass
Fang Zhiyi put in six stones and waited a while, only to find that the furnace didn't move. Then he realized that it needed fuel.
They spent another four pieces of wood to light the furnace, sparks flew out, and the sound of stones colliding came from inside.
Ding-ling-ling-ling-ling
Two pieces of transparent glass have just been produced.
Fang Zhiyi returned to the primary crafting table to make goggles.
【Goggles】
[It protects against wind and snow, safeguards your eyes, helps you determine direction, and makes it easier to anticipate danger.]
[Vision increased by 10 when wearing]
Fortunately, the goggles were not disposable. Fang Zhiyi put the goggles on his head, and his field of vision immediately became wider, and his vision improved from 5.0 to 5.2, allowing him to see farther and more clearly.
I was just not used to it for a while. In less than a minute, my temples started throbbing and I felt dizzy.
Fang Zhiyi put away his goggles and prepared to upgrade the camp before going out.
After scanning the level 2 defensive buildings, he chose to build a stone wall first.
A row of stone walls stood around the campsite, sturdy and reliable, giving people a great sense of security. But it was also very expensive, and only two stones remained in my backpack.
I have to go out mining again.
However, you should make thorough preparations before going out.
Food, consumables, and weapons.
After all, there are snow wolves roaming outside the camp. If you're unlucky enough to run into a snow wolf when you go out, and you don't have a weapon, you might become the wolf's meal.
With limited materials, Fang Zhiyi looked around and finally chose a spear.
The spear was crafted using 1 piece of wood, 1 piece of stone, and 1 piece of fiber.
The spear is a meter long, with a sharpened tip. It feels heavy in the hand and moves with great force when swung.
Fang Zhiyi put the food into her backpack and began preparing it.
The situation deep within the mine is unclear, so in order to collect more materials, it is necessary to bring food to replenish physical strength and hunger.
For convenience, he chose only the simplest and easiest option: baked apples.
Sizzle—
One baked apple after another is freshly baked.
Halfway through baking, Fang Zhiyi had a flash of inspiration and put the apples and chili peppers in the stone pot to cook together.
After a series of gurgling sounds, a message popped up on the stone pot.
Stewed apples with chili peppers
[Uh… a brilliant idea! Uh, maybe he worked as a cook in a university cafeteria. Taste aside, it certainly fills you up, restores your energy, and… brings warmth.]
[Consumes this item and grants +20 Stamina, +30 Hunger, and Warmth (02:00:00)]
Fang Zhiyi ignored the mockery above and used the remaining apples to stew with chili peppers, making a total of 3 dishes of chili pepper stewed apples, enough for a round trip to the depths of the mining area.
Everything is ready; let's set off.
Facing the wind and snow, Fang Zhiyi took a bite of the chili stewed apple.
Fang's meaning: ...
Fang's meaning: vomit.
The taste was sour, sweet, and spicy, to an indescribable degree of exoticism.
Despite feeling nauseous, he ignored the resistance of his taste buds and stuffed the entire stewed apple with chili peppers into his mouth in a few bites.
It tastes terrible, but it's incredibly effective. It warms you from your throat to your chest, and even without a fur coat, it protects you from the wind and snow.
After leaving the camp, it took some time to return to the mining area. Stepping over the ore fragments on the ground, we headed deeper into the mine.
As soon as you cross the boundary line, the snow fog rushes in impatiently.
After putting on the goggles, the fog in front of me instantly dissipated, and my vision became clear in the middle, with only the surrounding area still blurry.
As we followed the path, the mist behind us gathered, blocking the way we had come from.
Fang Zhiyi turned around and glanced back. He wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but he vaguely heard the howling of wolves. He didn't back down; his gaze was firm as he walked deeper into the enclosure, his steps uneven.
If you hide in your camp because you're afraid of wolves, you'll only have temporary peace. If you don't collect materials to upgrade your camp, the wolves will break through and you'll be eliminated.
He had no other choice but to desperately collect more materials.
This is a survival game.
To not seek life is to seek death.
Whether you stick your neck out or not, you'll get stabbed anyway, so you might as well go out and take a gamble.
Fang Zhiyi traveled deep into the mining area, his heart pounding with anxiety, but the journey was surprisingly peaceful. No wolves appeared; instead, he spotted a considerable amount of ore.
He remained on guard while gathering materials.
Deep within the mining area, there are not only stone ore deposits, but also gold and iron ore deposits. As they continued mining, their backpacks gradually filled to the brim with materials.
[Stone x31, Gold x10, Iron x14]
Although he didn't need the gold and iron for the time being, Fang Zhiyi accepted them all without hesitation, digging up all the nearby ores, thinking that they might be useful in the future.
The "Warmth" effect of the chili stewed apple was reduced to only one-third, and the sky had turned gloomy. Fang Zhiyi looked ahead and saw many stone mines shrouded in snow and fog, containing countless materials. His hands were itching, and he decided to dig up some more ore to take back.
As I approached the quarry, halfway there, my toe stubbed on something. Before I could even see what it was, a sharp pain shot through my ankle.
【Injuried】
【bleed】
[Physical strength continues to decline]
"hiss--"
A grayish-white mouse poked its head out of the snow, its two front teeth large and its small eyes flashing with a fierce light.
【Golden-Toothed Rat】
The golden-toothed rat is not large, but it has a strong desire to attack. It is not afraid of people and will instead rush up to bite them.
Fang Zhiyi's brow twitched. Seeing the Gold-Toothed Rat baring its teeth and lunging forward, he took out his spear and thrust it fiercely.
"Squeak!"
The golden-toothed rat was pierced by the spear, struggled for a moment with its four legs in the air, and then turned into a ray of white light.
[Obtain 1 Fur Fragment, 1 Bone Fragment]
The entire snowfield seemed to come alive, echoing with sizzling sounds, and rats raised their heads, their gums sharp and their eyes fierce.
【Golden-toothed Rat Squad】
The Gold-Toothed Rat was small but fast, transforming into a streak of white light and suddenly swooping down from all directions.
Fang Zhiyi stepped back.
There were just too many golden rats, swarming around him in a dense mass. Fang Zhiyi tried to sweep them away with his spear, but one rat that had escaped the net still pounced and bit his hand hard.
He gasped, the wound on the back of his hand was so deep that the bone was visible.
Upon seeing blood, the ferocity of the golden-toothed rats was aroused. They became even more excited, their eyes bloodshot, eager to rush forward and take a few bites.
Fang Zhiyi killed several of them, but it still had no effect.
The Gold-Toothed Rats kept pouring out of the snow. They were small, fast, and numerous. More importantly, they were difficult to kill and didn't drop any good loot.
At first glance, it's all small pieces of trash like scraps of fur and bones. It's a pity to pick them up, but it's also a waste not to.
The effort and the reward were disproportionate; just looking at a backpack full of trash gave me a headache. Suddenly, a brilliant idea struck me: I changed the title I was given.
Treasure Raiders
[Passive skill: Increases the chance of obtaining treasure chests by 10% when killed by monsters after equipping this skill]
The title was bestowed upon them, and a gold coin jingled as it landed on their heads. The glittering coin immediately drew everyone's attention against the backdrop of white snow.
Fang's meaning: ...
The golden-toothed rats became even more frenzied, charging forward wave after wave.
Although there are many golden rats, their attack power is not high and their defense is also weak, so we can still handle them.
Fang Zhiyi fought while retreating.
Even with a 10% increase in drop rate, and after killing over a dozen rats, I still didn't get any good loot.
You really can't play the odds game with games.
The other party has the final right of interpretation.
Just as Fang Zhiyi was about to give up and pick up a pile of trash to take back, a blinding light suddenly flashed.
Clang.
A silver treasure chest fell to the ground, its glittering light dazzling the eye. Even the golden-toothed rat couldn't resist approaching the chest, its whiskers twitching restlessly.
Shipped!
Fang Zhiyi reacted quickly, scooping up the treasure chest in one swift motion. Before he could even open it to see what was inside, a strong tremor suddenly came from the ground.
The snow was shaken off, and pebbles rolled everywhere.
"squeak!"
A heavy sound came from the ground, bringing a trembling echo. Then a huge mound rose up in the snow, snowflakes mixed with stones fell heavily from the air, and a rat's paw magnified a hundred times emerged from it, pulling down hard, and a rat as tall as a two-story building crawled out of the snow.
【Golden-Toothed Rat King】
[Gained the title "Rat-Killing Maniac"]
Oh, poor mice, all they wanted was a good meal, what did they do wrong?
[Wearing this will frighten hamsters and drive the hamster king mad.]
Fang's meaning: ...
The Rat King slowly turned its head, its crimson eyes fixed on him, and let out an angry roar. Invisible sound waves spread, and the little golden rats hissed in unison.
Fang Zhiyi felt a chill run down his neck. Without lingering in the fight, he changed his title to "I'm going to take first place!" and decisively activated his active skill, then took off running.
Speed +100%!
Fang Zhiyi suddenly accelerated, and before the Gold Rats could react, he had already broken through the encirclement.
"Squeak!" the Gold-Toothed Rat King roared angrily.
Countless mice emerged from its belly, rising and falling like waves, crawling rapidly on the ground, squeaking and chirping in a chaotic and disorderly manner that gave one a headache.
A cold wind howled, and Fang Zhiyi glanced back out of the corner of his eye.
The Angry Gold-Toothed Rat Swarm
Attack power doubled, rage doubled.
The golden-toothed rats' bodies had visibly swelled up, their backs were arched, and their teeth were sharper. In their anger, they lost their minds and even began to gnaw at each other.
Squeak—
The corpses of their kind were quickly devoured, leaving not even a bone fragment. One can easily imagine what would happen if one were to be bitten.
Fang Zhiyi quickened his pace, and it looked like he was about to run out of the depths of the mining area.
Suddenly, a wolf howled from ahead.
The wolf pack's figures appeared and disappeared, and a faint green light emerged, clearly indicating that they had been guarding this place for a long time, waiting specifically for Fang Zhiyi to come out.
Fang's meaning: ...!
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