Chapter 14 Natural Disaster 2

Chapter 14: Natural Disasters 2

In the kitchen, seasonings such as sugar, salt, and soy sauce were all available, so Su Han got to work.

First, she stewed two fresh fish for soup and also prepared some raw fish slices. When the soup was nearly ready, she cooked the raw fish slices in the soup and then fished them out. The fish slices turned incredibly tender right away!

Su Han wolfed down the fish with gusto, wishing she could get some sesame paste or peanut butter to dip it in. But given it was a survival game with scarce currency, she had to reluctantly drop the idea.

From afar, Zhong Rui caught a whiff of the fishy aroma wafting his way. He looked around puzzled and followed the scent. When he found the bamboo house and saw the familiar face inside enjoying a feast, his expression grew even more odd. "Do you even remember this is a survival game?"

Su Han stuffed a piece of fish into her mouth, wearing a look of "I'm helpless too." "The mist isn't dangerous at all, what am I supposed to do?" She had no choice but to treat it like a vacation.

"Didn't you go to work?" Zhong Rui continued to ask.

Su Han remained silent. There was no need to bring up the fact that she couldn't find a job. After all, players in the game were competitors, and it was crucial to be wary of others.

Zhong Rui caught on instantly and said with a hint of helplessness, "Do you still think I'm suspicious?"

"I can manage just fine in the game on my own; I don't plan to find any helpers," Su Han hinted subtly.

Zhong Rui was at a loss for words. Her words suggested that it wasn't just him who seemed particularly suspicious, but that everyone was outside her circle of trust.

After a moment of thought, Zhong Rui spoke earnestly, "I still owe you a debt of gratitude. Do you want to know how to beat the beginner's dungeon? I can tell you for free."

Su Han gave him a puzzled look. "If you're referring to helping me treat my wounds, you don't owe me anything. You've already paid me afterward, and you also reminded me to leave the apartment. We're even."

"But I think my life is worth more than three boxes of anti-inflammatory drugs," Zhong Rui said with a particularly serious expression.

Then, he changed the subject, "If you feel embarrassed, you can treat me to a meal." As he spoke, he glanced at the grilled oysters and raw fish slices on the stove.

Su Han, "..."

Is this guy really not here just to mooch food?

She was well aware that some foods were easy to stockpile but didn't taste great, like rye bread. When there was no other food, one had to grit their teeth and eat it to survive. But if there were other options, players were more than willing to improve their meals.

However, Zhong Rui was rich enough to sweep through pharmacies, so why bother coming to her? Wouldn't it be better to go to a restaurant for a feast?

After much thought, the only explanation was that he wanted to repay a favor. As for mooching food, it was probably just a side benefit.

"Go ahead," Su Han decided to listen.

"In crisis situations, there's usually a lack of water and electricity. So, after entering the game, I stocked up on 100 bars of soap, 100 boxes of compressed biscuits, and 700 bottles of mineral water, planning to make a fortune after the water supply was cut off. Fortunately, I bet right," Zhong Rui smiled slightly.

700 bottles of mineral water... Su Han was impressed. But she also felt a bit strange, "Where did the candles come from?" There was more than just mineral water at the stalls back then.

"They were stored in an abandoned warehouse that I stumbled upon. In gaming terms, it's probably a resource point discovered by a player," Zhong Rui replied.

Su Han lowered her head in silence. She wondered if the beach could also be considered a resource point, occasionally providing food.

Zhong Rui continued, "After the tap water became undrinkable, the stall business was quite good, and I exchanged for many useful items. Then, while being chased, I met you. After leaving the apartment, because there were fights everywhere, I hid in the deep mountains until the dungeon ended."

Hid in the deep mountains? Su Han's expression turned peculiar. If she remembered correctly, there was a forum post where the original poster said his friend also cleared the game by hiding in the deep mountains.

"I saw the forum post too, but I don't acknowledge it," Zhong Rui, fully understanding what Su Han's expression meant, explained, "I'm not the only one who hid in the deep mountains."

Su Han shrugged and handed over the grilled oysters, "Eat up." Although the other's strategy was completely unrelatable—she neither planned to stockpile 700 bottles of mineral water nor hide in the deep mountains—she decided to treat Zhong Rui to a meal out of goodwill, since the ingredients were picked up and would go to waste if not eaten.

Zhong Rui, "..."

Just a casual "eat up" and that's all?

Zhong Rui was speechless. He told his story not just to repay a favor. Or rather, not solely to repay a favor.

When he was badly hurt, Su Han didn’t exploit his weakness but helped him instead, showing her good character. By telling his story, he was subtly hinting that he was someone important. Given their past bond, she could’ve easily asked for his protection. And he would have readily agreed.

But who knew she would just listen and forget, showing no intention of seeking his favor?

After they each ate a grilled oyster, Su Han began preparing steamed crabs and stir-fried razor clams.

The important figure stood alone, feeling particularly unimportant. Suddenly, a thought struck him, and his eyes went still.

Zhong Rui softly said, "You've also completed the beginner's trial, haven't you?"

This was the only explanation for her indifference. Because she was already very capable and didn’t need to seek his favor.

Su Han was confused, "Doesn’t it show?" She thought she looked tough and intimidating!

Indeed. Zhong Rui sighed and changed the subject, "Never mind, I’m full." After saying that, he decisively turned and left.

Su Han stared at his retreating figure, at a loss for words. How can eating just one oyster make you full? What on earth did this guy come for?

**

After a big meal, Su Han realized she’d gathered way too much seafood. She had over ten pounds of stir-fried clams, two or three pounds of steamed crabs, and a pound of fresh shrimp left.

After thinking it over, she packed the crabs and clams, planning to sell them at a stall. Though she wasn’t short on food or drink, she was broke, with only 50 shells to her name. With so little money, she couldn’t afford to stay in the bamboo house until the 20th day, so earning money became her top priority.

"Razor clams—get your delicious razor clams here!" Su Han called out loudly.

The stir-fried clams were incredibly fragrant, their aroma wafting far and wide. Even with the fog, the smell acted like a beacon, drawing customers in.

"It smells amazing! How much?" A girl approached the stall, closed her eyes, inhaled deeply, and looked utterly entranced.

"15 shells per pound." Before setting up the stall, Su Han had done market research and knew the market price was 25 shells per pound. But her clams were picked up from the beach, and their appearance wasn’t as good as those specially farmed. Plus, her stall was simple, and customers might mind. So she decided to sell them cheaply.

"Just 15 shells?" The girl was intrigued, pulling out money as she said, "I’ll take a pound to try."

Su Han quickly filled a bowl. As the first customer, the girl got extra clams and some steamed crabs.

"Try it—if you like it, come back!" Su Han said warmly, though she wasn’t sure if she’d keep selling.

The girl took a bite, her eyes widening. The meat was tender, the seasoning perfect—it was absolutely delicious!

"It’s amazing," the girl said, feeling a strange sense of joy.

"Glad you like it, take your time," Su Han replied, looking calm on the surface but slightly uneasy inside. Hearing the other’s praise, she finally relaxed and smiled happily.

The aroma of the clams spread. Passersby couldn’t resist and involuntarily walked up to the stall.

"Razor clams, right? Give me a pound too."

"Do you sell crabs? How much per pound? What flavor?"

"I want two pounds of clams, as for the flavor... tsk, why only one flavor?"

The clams and crabs were picked up from the beach, and the bowls and chopsticks were borrowed from the bamboo house. Su Han, relying on her zero-cost business, was particularly generous in her dealings.

Customers asked for more clams, and she gave more; they asked for crabs, and she gave crabs. When someone complained about only one flavor, she straightforwardly said, "It’s my first day in business, I didn’t prepare other flavors. To apologize, I’ll give you more clams." The other person immediately stopped complaining.

An hour later, all the seafood was sold out. Su Han did a quick count and found she had sold a total of 14 pounds of clams, netting 210 shells.

She suddenly felt a bit dazed, as if she were an unemployed young woman who, forced by circumstances, had no choice but to start her own business, only to unexpectedly achieve great success.

Su Han packed up her stall and prepared to return to the bamboo house. Nearby, a customer held onto her reluctantly, saying, "Your razor clams are so delicious! Will you come back tomorrow? Make more, there's never enough to eat."

"Of course, of course," Su Han nodded repeatedly. She hadn't made enough for her rent yet, so she couldn't afford to take a break.

On her way back, Su Han was lost in thought, wondering what was the deal with the second level? Just fog, walking a bit slower, driving more cautiously—it wouldn't affect life at all. What kind of survival game was this?

If it weren't for meeting Zhong Rui, she might have thought she had taken the wrong path and was playing a management simulation game instead.

Su Han was lost in thought when suddenly, a loud "screech—bang—" came from beside her.

The sound was particularly jarring, clearly indicating another car accident not far away.

Su Han followed the noise and saw a person in volunteer clothing being violently hit by a car. The person was flung into the air, drawing a shocking arc, but quickly, their figure was obscured by the thick fog. All that could be heard was the 'thud' of them hitting the ground, but the fog made it impossible to see where they landed.

Su Han's lips twitched, thinking to herself, volunteering is indeed a high-risk job. It was a good thing she didn't sign up.

Author's note: It's not just the fog (☆_☆)