15. Catching big fish
Before moving out of the 35th floor, Fu Yunong and Shi Dong packed up everything they could use, even taking the wooden boards nailed to the windows to block the wind.
After Shi Dong reminded her, Fu Yunong also put the couple's household waste into her space, such as bones and packaging bags, planning to bury them somewhere when they went out later.
She had already discovered that everything purchased through the system bore its own logo, and she needed to remove these traces. As for whether this would be exposed when trading with others in the future, and what consequences it would have, that was a matter for later.
Room 1001 looked rather empty; almost all the useful items inside had been looted, leaving only some large pieces of furniture that couldn't be moved. Fu Yunong first took down the framed photos of the original owner's family of six from the wall, then searched around again. Apart from an enamel rice cooker, she didn't see anything else of practical use, but she unexpectedly found a few board games, which she then put away.
As usual, Shi Dong sealed off the windows and elevator shaft. The wind was less strong here than on the top floor, so he deliberately left two extra windows open to make it easier to observe what was happening outside.
Then came a series of chores: arranging daily necessities, making the bed, starting a fire, and boiling water.
Finally, Fu Yunong placed heavy objects at the corner of the stairs between the 8th and 9th floors, and Shi Dong strung up a long, thin string to act as a doorbell. Whenever someone pulled it, the wooden bell in their room would ring muffledly. They certainly didn't want to be greeted by uninvited guests while they were enjoying a hot meal.
After a flurry of activity, everything was finally settled. The two sat down by the brazier to rest, holding hot tea, and pondered what to eat later.
Fu Yunong opened the system's 【Food and Beverages】 category and browsed for a long time before finally choosing – instant noodles!
She busied herself quickly: as soon as the water in the pot boiled, she opened the vegetable packet and poured it in, then tossed in thick slices of ham; next, she added five noodle cakes. Once the noodles softened, she added the seasoning packet and stirred with chopsticks; then she cracked in an egg, and once it was set, she tossed in a handful of vibrant green vegetables. Before the vegetables were evenly cooked, a large pot of steaming, fragrant instant noodles was ready!
Shi Dong held up her own special utensils, her eyes fixed on the pot. As soon as Fu Yunong gave the order, she immediately started picking up the noodles.
The noodles, soaked in the aroma of the seasonings, were soft yet chewy; the eggs were tender and flavorful, and the ham sausage was bouncy and savory; the vegetables added last remained crisp and tender, refreshing and cleansing the palate. The broth was perfectly spicy and numbing, warming the stomach with every sip—delicious!
Shi Dong slurped down her food with great satisfaction.
This hot and steaming dinner cost a total of 16 points.
"If you're still hungry, eat those two sweet potatoes too." Fu Yunong put down her chopsticks, rinsed her mouth with tea, and got up to prepare for her physical training later.
This became an unwavering habit for her.
After finishing a pot of noodles, Shi Dong got up and started moving around, soon joining the training. She hadn't exercised properly for a while and felt like her bones had become sluggish. Luckily, there was a sandbag hanging in the room, which would come in handy.
*
The next day, the sky remained dark and oppressive.
Fu Yunong was already used to it. She brushed her teeth with warm water, still half asleep, and casually opened the system to draw a prize.
"!!!"
Shi Dong had just put down the towel when she heard the sound and turned around. She was all too familiar with Fu Yunong's expression; she must have acquired something incredible again. Her expression was magnified in her eyes, making it all too obvious.
"How many grades of anthracite can one ton of coal be used for?" Fu Yunong turned her head blankly and asked vaguely with toothpaste foam in her mouth.
Shi Dong's eyebrows shot up instantly: Anthracite? And a ton of it?! She suppressed her surprise and steadied her voice, "Based on our usage, it should last for one or two months without any problem."
As soon as she finished speaking, Fu Yunong clenched her fists and whispered "yes!" several times.
The smokeless coal in the system costs 7 points per pound, which she always thought was too expensive, only buying it a few times when the cold became unbearable. This stuff is really useful; it burns for a long time, produces plenty of heat, and burns with very little smoke and even ash. Most importantly, it doesn't need to be chopped, which is incredibly convenient.
They've gained a ton for free, which is equivalent to earning 14,000 points! For a long time to come, they won't have to worry about heating anymore.
Unexpectedly, after two days of selling off, we finally caught a big fish!
Overjoyed by this unexpected treat, Fu Yunong couldn't help but hum a tune while preparing breakfast. She spent 14 points from the system to buy a pound of scallion pancakes, poured a little oil onto the griddle, and slowly heated the pancakes over low heat. These days she had been eating mostly soupy dishes and was really craving dry, fragrant food.
As soon as the oil is heated, the aroma of scallion pancakes fills the room. The outer layer is fried until slightly crispy, while the inside is soft and fluffy, with the fragrance of scallions mixed with the aroma of wheat being exceptionally tempting. Paired with hot tea, it's just the right amount to cut through the richness.
There were six scallion pancakes in a pound. Fu Yunong ate two in one go, and Shi Dong devoured the remaining four.
Outside, a fierce snowstorm raged, burying even the zombies in the snowdrifts. Having eaten and drunk their fill, the two had no intention of going out. Fu Yunong pulled out some board games: there was a game similar to Monopoly from their previous life, checkers, and a deck of cards that resembled UNO.
She asked Shi Dong if he knew how to play, and Shi Dong shook his head, "I've never played these before."
Fu Yunong couldn't help but ask curiously, "So what did you and your teammates do when you were resting?"
Shi Dong paused, his thoughts drifting back to the past. Their missions were always fraught with danger, and each time they returned alive, the group would let loose: they would gather to drink and boast, and when they got drunk, they would fight and brawl, sometimes even drawing blood. After the blood was drawn, they would point at each other and hurl insults at each other, the language of which was incredibly foul.
"Hmm?" Fu Yunong pressed.
Shi Dong snapped out of his daze and said in a serious tone, "Study military theory to improve military skills."
Fu Yunong was filled with awe.
In the afternoon, the wooden bell in the house rang. Fu Yunong and Shi Dong, each with their own tasks, went downstairs and saw that it was Xiao Linfang again. Accompanying her were Chen Yin and a disheveled, filthy man.
A fleeting glint of greed crossed the man's eyes when he saw them, but he quickly lowered his head. What was the point of worrying about these things? He was about to die.
Without wasting any words, Shi Dong easily moved the heavy object at the bottom of the stairs under the watchful eyes of the three. The man tried to squeeze in, but Shi Dong stopped him with a hand, saying, "They come in, you wait here."
She had noticed the sleazy man long ago, and more importantly, based on her experience, she knew he was sick, so she had no intention of letting him go upstairs.
"Hey, I..." The man was about to speak when he suddenly felt an itch in his throat and couldn't help but cough violently, unable to continue speaking.
Xiao Linfang said to the man, "Don't worry, I'll say it for you, okay?"
The man had no choice but to cower in the corner and wait patiently.
Once inside, Xiao Linfang and Chen Yin sat down next to the brazier. Xiao Linfang took out three level-one crystal cores from her pocket and announced the supplies she wanted in exchange. Chen Yin nodded in agreement, not making an exorbitant demand like last time.
Looking at their bluish-purple faces and frozen, numb fingers, Fu Yunong couldn't help but admire them: in this freezing weather, they had braved to go out for a bite to eat, and most importantly, they actually found something. One should never underestimate human potential.
She thought to herself that whether or not she came into this world, she was still one of the lucky ones.
The transaction went fairly smoothly. At the end, Xiao Linfang rubbed her hands together and asked, "Miss Fu, do you...accept barter?"
Fu Yunong asked in confusion, "Hmm?"
Xiao Linfang asked on behalf of that man. She said that the man didn't have crystal cores, but he did have several sacks of flour.
Fu Yunong asked in surprise, "What does he want to change to?"
"He just wanted to switch to some painkillers, hoping to make his final days more comfortable."
"What illness does he have?" Shi Dong, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke, his eyes sweeping over her.
Chen Yin scoffed, her tone sarcastic, "What else could it be? A sexually transmitted disease, of course." She then glanced quickly at Shi Dong, inwardly cursing herself for being unable to control her tongue.
Xiao Linfang smiled awkwardly and slowly began to explain the situation.
The man, surnamed Zhou, used to be in the flour business. His family owned a small flour mill, and he had a kind and honest wife. However, after marriage, his wife discovered his promiscuous nature and eventually divorced him. This emboldened him further, leading him to contract a sexually transmitted disease.
After the disaster, he miraculously survived, living off the flour he had collected. However, his illness worsened, causing excruciating pain with each flare-up. Therefore, he decided to come here to exchange it for painkillers, otherwise he would be in unbearable agony every day.
After hearing this, Fu Yunong's lips twitched. "I dare not accept this..."
Xiao Linfang quickly said, "Miss Fu, don't worry. He said the flour wasn't kept at his place; he hid it somewhere else. He went to get it before the snow, and it wasn't damp at all."
Shi Dong sneered, "So, you mean we have to go get it ourselves?"
Xiao Linfang sighed. Old Zhou had knelt down and begged her, and since it was on her way, she brought him along.
Fu Yunong ultimately refused such an outrageous deal and warned Xiao Linfang not to bring just anyone to their place in the future. Xiao Linfang didn't dare to say anything more and left with Chen Yin.
After that, without anyone having to promote it, within two days, all the survivors in the community knew that the people on the 10th floor of Building 20 could exchange supplies. As long as they brought out crystal cores, they could exchange them for anything!
As the news spread, it was inevitable that some people would have ulterior motives. Especially after hearing that the family only had two women, their ill intentions became even stronger.
As night fell, several furtive figures sneaked into Building 20. Under the cover of darkness, they rushed up the building in one go, but when they were almost on the 9th floor, they were blocked by a heavy object at the corner.
One of the shadowy figures gritted his teeth, "Move aside!"
The other one frowned and replied, "These things look heavy, how are we going to move them?"
The last one, his voice trembling, said, "How about... let's just forget about it..."
The first person to speak insisted on moving it, and the other two had no choice but to grit their teeth and pull along with him. They finally managed to move the heavy object just enough to create a gap, but they almost trampled on each other's feet in the process.
After finally reaching the 9th floor, panting heavily, the three of them were stunned when they turned the corner...
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