Chapter 38

Chapter 38

News about the Weird Trash Can purchasing seasonings at the supermarket quickly spread. This marked the first relatively peaceful interaction between humans and Weirds without external intervention.

The reason why the Weird Trash Can acting as delivery workers didn’t count was that humans knew very well—without the *Salvation Game* exerting pressure, these Weird Trash Cans would never be as harmless as they were now.

Of course, they couldn’t be called completely harmless either.

Although the Xia People remained cautious around Weirds these days, there were always those abroad who loved thrill-seeking or seeking attention. Upon discovering that the Weird Trash Cans wouldn’t actively attack humans, they couldn’t resist testing boundaries.

One such reckless act involved tossing live poultry like rabbits into the open trash cans during deliveries and filming it.

Seeing that the Weird Trash Cans simply devoured them without further reaction, these stunts grew bolder and more extreme. Finally, during the last attempt—whether due to a mistake or not—a hand was too slow to withdraw, and half of the palm was devoured by the Weird Trash Can.

Well, not exactly devoured, because soon after, the half-palm was discarded like trash.

But it was already completely rotted and impossible to reattach.

This made 1666’s actions especially notable. Most importantly, 1666 demonstrated the rare ability to communicate peacefully with humans.

Thus, even though it was a minor incident, the news quickly reached Zhao Zhangyan, the director of the Dawn Bureau.

When Zhao Zhangyan first received the report, he found it hard to believe, suspecting it might be a misunderstanding caused by the Weird Trash Can’s delivery service. But after carefully reviewing the details, he was stunned.

If the identity of the Weird Trash Can was removed, this would be an utterly ordinary shopping event. But this was a Weird—could they really coexist so peacefully?

Soon, Zhao Zhangyan snapped out of his astonishment and realized the potential benefits hidden in this incident.

If the Weird Trash Cans could communicate and even purchase human products, was it possible to engage in trade with them?

For example, like during the crisis with the old building Weird, summoning the Weird Trash Cans and using dried fish as bait to have them devour dangerous Weirds.

Once this idea surfaced, it couldn’t be suppressed. Zhao Zhangyan immediately summoned experts specializing in Weird psychology, shared his hypothesis, and asked them to determine how to make the Weird Trash Cans serve humanity.

……

1666 had no idea about the thoughts he had sparked among humans. Just as he was about to return the seasonings to the farm after purchasing them, he received another delivery task and had to prioritize that.

As it approached midnight, 1666 paused his work and opened the JoyBuy App—he remembered that Dried Fish would be restocked around this time.

Glancing at the 300 Weird Coins he had, he hesitated for a moment before adding funds to the app with just 10 Weird Coins.

It wasn’t just distrust toward the JoyBuy App or fear of the platform running off with the money. 1666 was also conflicted about how to handle the leftover funds. Of course, he could pocket the difference—after all, if he had bought the seasonings at Hongxing Supermarket, the cost would’ve been nearly the same.

But purchasing these seasonings on Blue Star had only cost 10 Weird Coins. Should he pocket the extra as compensation for the longer trip?

Time ticked by, and as the Dried Fish’s release time arrived, 1666 set aside his dilemma and eagerly clicked in, ready to experience his first online purchase.

Only to be met with the glaring words: SOLD OUT.

“Aaaah! I didn’t get any!” A wail erupted nearby, and for a moment, 1666 thought it had come from himself.

“Me neither. How is it this hard? Yesterday, it lasted four or five seconds—why’s it gone so fast today?” Another voice chimed in, just as disappointed.

“Maybe someone’s cheating? I didn’t get any either.” Another disappointed voice.

“Uh… I think I got some?” a companion said uncertainly.

“You got some?” The other three turned to stare at her in unison, eyes blazing.

“After paying… I think so?” She pondered for a moment, uncertain—this was her first time trying to get one.

“Check your order page—that’ll confirm it.”

The four crowded around the phone, and upon confirming the successful order, they burst into cheers.

1666 watched the humans from afar, envy and jealousy stirring a dark emotion in his heart.

If he couldn’t buy it… maybe he should just rob the humans instead.

But the moment this thought surfaced, 1666 recalled the contract they had signed with that Great Weird. One of the clauses explicitly forbade actively harming humans—after all, without the contract, allowing Weird Trash Cans on Blue Star would be far too dangerous.

Violating the contract came with penalties, the most severe being permanent banishment from Blue Star.

1666 knew very well that Ying Yuanxing had only asked him to run errands due to a temporary lack of time. Once Ying Yuanxing was free, he might handle the shopping himself. So what was 1666’s advantage? It was Blue Star’s lower prices. If he lost access to Blue Star, he’d easily be replaced by other Weirds.

With that realization, 1666 quickly cooled off, his gaze toward the humans losing some of its greed.

Though still envious, 1666 believed this failure was just due to inexperience. Next time, he’d definitely succeed.

Steeling his resolve, he was about to leave when the same human who had cried out earlier spoke again—this time, still about the Dried Fish.

1666 instinctively paused to listen.

The girls exchanged comments, and from their conversation, 1666 learned that the Dawn Bureau had just publicly released detailed information about the Dried Fish, causing an uproar across the internet.

……

Over the past few days, the Dawn Bureau had used several fish in research, finally uncovering most of the Dried Fish’s effects.

Attracting Weirds was just one of its functions—it also slightly improved physical health, or more accurately, had healing properties.

The reason it was framed as “health improvement” was that most humans on Blue Star were in a less-than-healthy state to begin with. Since they weren’t at full health to start with, consuming the Dried Fish replenished their vitality, making them appear healthier.

After confirming the results, the Dawn Bureau debated whether to publicize the findings. After all, keeping it quiet would allow them to purchase most of the stock, even if they couldn’t get it all.

But if the news spread, the state would struggle to acquire Ying Yuanxing’s products directly and would have to rely on public resales.

During the discussion, one argument silenced all opposition:

“The Dried Fish is useful, but the state can afford more similar products. The people, however, can only afford this Dried Fish with their limited funds.”

Moreover, even if the state bought all the Dried Fish, 100 portions a day wouldn’t make much difference. But if ordinary people could purchase them, even 100 portions—though negligible for the entire population—would at least offer some hope.

Right now, despair weighed heavily on everyone. Though suppressed, the increasing frequency of Weird appearances proved that people’s mental states were deteriorating. They needed something to look forward to.

Once the decision was made, the Dawn Bureau released the information. As expected, the public’s reaction was one of excitement and exhilaration. Monitoring stations across Xia State even recorded a temporary spike in positive emotional energy.

Though the surge soon tapered off, it was enough to prove the morale-boosting effect of the news.

It was no wonder people were thrilled. Before this announcement, ordinary folks had almost no chance of acquiring Weird Artifacts or Weird Food that could help them.

Before the JoyBuy App, there were no purchasing channels—let alone Weird Coins. Even with the App, seeing the prices of Weird Artifacts and Weird Food in the store made it clear they were unaffordable.

Sure, a family could pool their resources—a few hundred per person over several months—to afford one Weird Artifact, but the effects were mediocre at best. It was better to exchange the coins for Xia State currency.

At the official exchange rate of 20:1, the money wasn’t insignificant—at least enough to live comfortably before encountering a Weird. And if a Weird did appear, they could either save themselves, wait for the Dawn Bureau’s rescue, or accept death if all else failed.

Though people claimed not to care, after four years of the Weird’s presence, those still alive didn’t truly want to die—they just had no choice. Now, there was a sliver of hope. Even if it was just 100 portions a day, competing against the entire nation, it was still a chance.

When Zhang Cheng saw the news, he was stunned for a moment. As a long-time viewer of Ying Yuanxing's livestreams, he had immediately purchased the dried fish when it was listed for sale after exchanging for Weird Coins. However, he hadn’t dared to eat it at the time and had kept it stored away.

Zhang Cheng retrieved the dried fish, his gaze burning with excitement. This wasn’t just dried fish—it was a lifeline.

But upon seeing its secondary effect, he hesitated. He didn’t know which benefit to choose. If he opted for the health boost, he’d have to eat it immediately, forfeiting its use as bait for escape. Yet, if he chose the latter, the former was still tempting.

After much deliberation, Zhang Cheng finally decided to use the fish as bait.

"Qiqi, take this fish with you when you go out. Don’t forget it," Zhang Cheng said, handing the dried fish to Zhang Qi while reminding her, "Keep it hidden. Don’t let anyone see it."

In a world where such things could mean survival, no one knew if others might turn desperate in a crisis.

"Dad, what about you?" Though young, Zhang Qi had grown up fast in this apocalyptic era.

After all, when facing the Weird, it didn’t matter if you were an adult or a child—one mistake meant death.

"I’ll get the next batch. Then we’ll each have one," Zhang Cheng said, though he knew full well that luck had played a huge part in his first purchase.

Now that the Dawn Bureau had announced its findings, only those with incredible luck or quick reflexes would snag one. His "next time" might never come.

But Zhang Cheng believed he stood a better chance of surviving an encounter without the fish, whereas Zhang Qi, as a child, needed the extra protection.

Zhang Qi’s big eyes stared at him, and Zhang Cheng felt the awkwardness of his lie being seen through. Coughing twice, he picked up his phone to change the subject. "Qiqi, let’s see if the Dawn Bureau has any new updates."

He doubted they’d post anything new so soon after the big announcement, but it was just a trick to divert her attention.

Zhang Qi blinked but didn’t call him out, turning her gaze to the phone instead.

Yet, as Zhang Cheng refreshed the page, another message actually appeared.

"Method to Extend the Bait Effect of Dried Fish?" The title puzzled him, but his fingers had already tapped in.

The video looked like a cooking tutorial at first glance—grinding the fish into powder, mixing it with another type of fish powder, adding an unknown substance, then processing it under high heat and pressure to produce ten smaller, compressed fish strips.

Though the method seemed simple, the subsequent test footage caught Zhang Cheng’s full attention.

He had known the fish could delay a Weird’s movements, but he hadn’t realized ten grams could buy ten seconds. After this processing, however, the same amount became barbed mini-fish strips, forcing the Weird to eat slower and more carefully, stretching the delay to twenty-five seconds.

In short, one whole fish could provide four minutes—enough time for Dawn Bureau rescuers to arrive.

With careful timing, it might even save two people.

But the method… Zhang Cheng rewound the video. The fish powder was easy enough, but he didn’t recognize the other ingredient, and his home lacked the equipment for high-pressure processing.

Spotting a passing comment, he skipped to the end, where the Dawn Bureau had posted an update:

"Due to the complexity of the dried fish processing method, those in need may submit their fish to a Dawn Bureau branch office. After verification, ten grams can be processed into one advanced mini-fish strip for a fee of 2 yuan per strip."

Truthfully, the Bureau didn’t need the money—research alone had cost plenty. But offering it completely free would invite complications.

Yet the moment this was announced, malicious comments flooded in. Some accused the Bureau of conducting surveys to pressure people into donating fish. Others claimed the process was rigged, that more strips could be made but were being withheld, urging people to make it themselves instead.

A few even boasted about having "deciphered" the formula, offering to produce twenty strips per fish for twenty yuan each—expensive, but higher yield.

Zhang Cheng swiftly reported these comments, as did many others. The platform quickly detected the malicious intent, deleting the slander and banning the accounts.

After reporting, Zhang Cheng continued watching. Sure enough, the Dawn Bureau had anticipated such chaos.

"Additionally, for those wishing to sell dried fish, please download the DawnFish app—the official certified platform. All Weird Artifacts must undergo Dawn Bureau authentication before sale to verify authenticity and effects. An official warning: Weird Artifact transactions concern human lives. Do not exploit—those who do will face fatal consequences."

This trading platform had been hastily set up. Previously, Weird Artifact exchanges were between experienced parties, so even if scammed, the loss wouldn’t be life-threatening.

But ordinary people lacked such knowledge. The Bureau knew that once the fish’s effects were publicized, many would seek to buy, and fraudsters would seize the opportunity.

And when a Weird Artifact failed at a critical moment, it cost lives—sometimes more than one. The government had to assume responsibility.

Moreover, with the JoyBuy app, such transactions would only increase. Strict regulation from the start was better than scrambling to fix things later.

"Let’s go to the Dawn Bureau right now and turn this fish into ten strips," Zhang Cheng said, not daring to delay. Who knew when a Weird might strike? Losing even a second of its 250-second delay would be devastating.

Many who had bought the fish made the same choice. They trusted their country over unverified online claims.

---

The four standing near Weird Trash Can 1666 had also watched the Dawn Bureau’s video. The other three fell silent.

They had pooled their money to buy the fish out of curiosity—to taste what Weird Food was like. They’d agreed to share it, no matter who succeeded. But now, knowing its life-preserving properties, what should they do?

Logically, they shouldn’t claim it. Yet the fish’s effects were impossible to ignore. But taking it would seem unfair to their companion…

"Come to my place. When the delivery arrives, we’ll go to the Dawn Bureau and split it—two strips and a half each," the girl who had successfully purchased the fish said.

The other three were stunned, ashamed of their earlier thoughts. Yet refusing felt impossible—one fish could mean survival.

Still…

"Let’s take two each. You keep the remaining four." Two strips each was already generous; the extra one and a half should rightfully go to her.

They also promised that if they ever bought fish in the future, they’d give her two in return.

The girl acknowledged their offer, and the four left together, unaware of 1666’s calculating gaze.

After hearing the Dawn Bureau’s announcement, 1666 had given up hope of buying the fish himself. With so many humans competing for just a hundred portions daily, he doubted his speed.

But listening to the girls’ conversation, he realized there was another way. If he befriended Ying Yuanxing—like Yuan Xiu or Xuan Ying had—he could get meals from him.

That would be far more than just buying.

Even if that failed, a good relationship might let him buy fish through special arrangements.

1666 glanced at a nearby restaurant, where the owner reluctantly made room for a regular customer, giving them a small portion—the perks of being a familiar face.

Suddenly, 1666 felt coming to Blue Star wasn’t so bad. Humans might be fragile—some like fragile containers, easily broken—but they had their strengths.

Carrying an assortment of seasonings, 1666 hurried back to the farm. Ying Yuanxing was out selling fodder at a tackle shop, leaving only 1888 there.

"What are you doing?" 1666 asked, eyeing the torn paper pieces in 1888’s bucket.

"Big Brother!" 1888 was frustrated. He’d never realized how hard learning was until now—the characters were incomprehensible.

"I’m not your ‘Big Brother.’" 1666 frowned. Among the Weird Trash Can collective, familial terms worked differently—those bearing lower numbers were "brothers," and those with higher numbers were "younger brothers."

But "Big Brother" was special—a title denoting the closest bond, typically bestowed upon just one individual.

After his struggles with literacy, 1888—who had previously considered becoming Ying Yuanxing’s pet—resolved to seek 1666's support instead.

In his view, 1666 was quite clever—way smarter than your average Weird Trash Can. Not only could he read, but he had also managed to connect with Ying Yuanxing. If he didn’t claim him as "big bro" soon, some other Weird Trash Can would totally beat him to it.

After all, while a Weird Trash Can could only recognize one "big brother," a "big brother" could have many "little brothers." And the competition among these "little brothers" was fierce.

"Big brother, I really think we’re a good match. Look, we both start with the same digit—you’re triple sixes, I’m triple eights. Isn’t that fate…?" 1888 kept pestering, and since 1666 had to wait for Ying Yuanxing anyway, there was no escaping him.

Eventually, worn out, 1666 reluctantly accepted 1888 as his "little brother." It wasn’t like he could only have one, after all. While waiting for Ying Yuanxing, he even taught 1888 how to read—since he’d took him on as a little brother, this "little brother" ought to be somewhat useful.

This was exactly what 1888 had been gunning for. With 1666 teaching him, he found learning much easier and felt even more convinced that acknowledging this "big brother" had been the right move.

When he saw Ying Yuanxing coming back from a distance, 1666 suddenly grew nervous. He had originally planned to stay and meet him in person, but now he got cold feet. What if Ying Yuanxing had a bad impression of him?

After a moment of indecision, 1666 decided to leave only a note, the Weird coins, and the spices before hiding.

Xuan Ying glanced at where 1666 was hiding, recognized him as the delivery-receiving Weird Trash Can, and paid no further attention.

When Ying Yuanxing saw the delivery box, he remembered he’d forgotten to check this trash can today and hurried over to dig through it. But as soon as he lifted the lid, he found it stuffed with stuff.

The spices he’d asked the courier to buy—had they arrived this quickly?

Ying Yuanxing was surprised, but more than that, delighted. After all, who wouldn’t appreciate a speedy delivery?

He pulled out all the oil, salt, and spices, then noticed the note and the remaining Weird coins. At first, he didn’t think much of it—until he read the note and saw the leftover coins. His mind blanked.

He distinctly remembered giving the courier 310 Weird coins. Yet, 290 remained. According to the note, 10 coins were the courier’s fee, and another 10 were the cost of the spices.

Ying Yuanxing stared at the spices, deep in thought. Where in the world could prices be so low that 10 coins could buy this much?

He was sure this world’s cost of living wasn’t that cheap. Even if both fees added up to 20 coins, that still…

Then it hit him—what if these spices had been stolen or looted?

Every world had its own underlying tone, and in Ying Yuanxing’s eyes, this one was a grimy gray. So, it wouldn’t be unusual for the courier to just steal stuff after receiving his order.

Which meant… these were hot goods!

Ying Yuanxing’s hands trembled slightly as he suddenly felt the weight of what he held. Though he’d already glimpsed this world’s darkness—like when he’d whopped those human traffickers and tied them to a tree, only to find them gone the next day—he knew he’d likely have to get his hands dirty.

But going from buying to outright stealing? That was a bit beyond what he’d expected.

He’d imagined himself as someone who punished evil and upheld justice, walking the line between righteousness and ruthlessness. Now, though, he felt like he’d somehow took a step down.

Then again, considering how little this world’s government seemed to care, he relaxed slightly. Realizing what he was thinking, he sighed. No wonder this world was so bleak—when authorities turned a blind eye, crime would inevitably skyrocket.

Even a straight shooter like him was growing bolder.

After a moment, Ying Yuanxing put the spices back. He might want a bargain, but he still had his limits.

Noticing Xuan Ying’s puzzled look, he explained, relieved he’d done this in front of him. Otherwise, wouldn’t he have led him astray?

"But… these things really are priced this way," Xuan Ying said, glancing at the spices. In his memory, human-world stuff was always cheap because they were pretty useless to Weird Trash Cans. Though they could taste them, the Weird world had similar products.

Except in recent years, fewer and fewer bothered making them, as nobody wanted them anymore.

"That’s really the price?" Ying Yuanxing froze, setting down the oil. He pulled up the price list from Hongxing Supermarket on his phone. "But last time I checked, it was clearly—"

"That place is a rip-off. Most people don’t shop there." Xuan Ying shook his head at the supermarket’s logo and opened a smaller website instead. It displayed various human goods—some fresh, some expired—all at dirt-cheap prices.

These were mostly items from the human world that had fell through the cracks in the dimensional barrier. With no demand in the Weird world, piles just sat there, and prices kept dropping, yet no one bought them.

Ying Yuanxing cleared his throat, embarrassed, and silently carried the spices into the kitchen. Xuan Ying, watching his slightly flushed face, unconsciously followed.

As for 1666, he was so damn relieved. If not for Xuan Ying’s explanation, he’d have never known. Had he pocketed the extra coins and Ying Yuanxing found out, he’d have missed his chance to build goodwill.

Now, 1666 felt genuine gratitude toward humans. If he hadn’t lingered in their world a little longer, those 200 Weird coins might have been his last payday.

So, when another human later sought him out, 1666 didn’t hesitate before going to meet them.