Slacking off in the Game of Survival

Chapter 52 Above the Wasteland(12)

The more Yuan Dongqi thought about it, the more he felt it was possible.

After a player dies, their body disappears. Similarly, their belongings also disappear, unless someone has already looted the backpack.

However, in that case, the number of items in the backpack will forever remain the same as when the original owner left.

But if the player is still alive, it’s a different story.

At the very least, they can obtain a new career selection item every day. Although the number of selection items is not large, even a mosquito is meat.

Moreover, Yuan Dongqi had heard that based on different careers and luck, the probability of obtaining good items varies for each person.

Take beggar players, for example. Although on the surface, their range of selections covers all careers, it seems like a great advantage.

But God never forgets to close a door before opening a window. The expansion of the horizontal range inevitably leads to the contraction of the vertical range—meaning, even though they can draw many things, they can only ever draw ordinary-quality items no matter how much they draw because there are no higher-level items in the prize pool.

On the contrary, players of other careers are different. Although the prize types are singular, the prize pool is deep. Except for the unlucky ones, the chances of drawing special items are not small.

Taking Yuan Dongqi’s career as an example, as a doctor, his selection range consists of medical supplies and sedatives.

Most of the time, what ordinary people draw are things like Vitamin C or bandages that can only restore ten health points. However, in each instance, there are usually two or three days where they can draw things like anti-inflammatory drugs or antidotes.

But Yuan Dongqi himself is a hidden “lucky star.”

Each instance lasts ten days, and he draws prizes once a day. Out of ten draws, we can draw so-called special items five times, and even draw sets two times. It becomes rare for him to draw ordinary items for the remaining three times.

If the prizes from “Ten-Day Plan” weren’t delivered directly to players’ backpacks, Yuan Dongqi might have seen a string of words at the moment of drawing—

“Lucky Combo”

If he hadn’t known he had never bragged about his luck, Yuan Dongqi would almost have thought that the other party had come prepared.

However, Qian Yue did nothing.

She didn’t even bother saying much.

Yuan Dongqi only saw this woman in front of him, after counting those items, seemingly take out a snake-skin bag covered in mud from the ruins and casually toss everything into it. Then, with her arms crossed and leaning against the wall, she closed her eyes to rest.

“…”

Yuan Dongqi wondered what the players who were so poor they were chewing on tree bark would feel seeing her wasteful behavior.

After sitting in silence for another hour, Yuan Dongqi felt like his whole body was stiff. Even though he had good self-control, he couldn’t endure this kind of torture.

Finally, he couldn’t help but ask in frustration, “How long are you planning to keep me tied up?”

Qian Yue didn’t even lift an eyelid. “Haven’t decided, we’ll see.”

Yuan Dongqi, “…”

He couldn’t help but ask, “Is there some misunderstanding between us?”

Yuan Dongqi thought that she was retaliating against him for some reason.

Qian Yue thought for a moment. The conflict she had earlier was with Du Yuanlang. At most, Yuan Dongqi was just a bystander. It didn’t seem like there was any feud between them.

So she said, “No.”

What Qian Yue wanted to say was that there was no misunderstanding and no grudge between them. However, when those words reached Yuan Dongqi’s ears, he understood it as—

There was no misunderstanding, but there indeed was a grudge between them.

Yuan Dongqi: !!!

This misunderstanding was quite significant.

Yuan Dongqi thought for a while and could only recall the scene of Qian Yue beating up Du Yuanlang—could it be because of Du Yuanlang?

But he had clearly entered the instance and hadn’t even had a chance to meet the Du brothers…

Being naturally cautious and suspicious, Yuan Dongqi’s thoughts grew more complex the more he pondered, and he ended up confusing himself.

On the other side, Qian Yue yawned out of sheer boredom and thought.

*

Two to three hours might not be long, but it’s not short either.

Due to the continuous commotion outside, the two of them stayed inside the cave without going out.

Occasionally, people would pass by, or above them, a drama of betrayal and counter-betrayal would unfold.

In the middle, there was even a third explosion.

At that moment, Yuan Dongqi panicked, but when he turned his head, he saw Qian Yue sleeping soundly, which almost made his heart stop in irritation.

However, soon, he keenly realized that the cave they were in was truly extraordinary.

The explosions outside were like thunder, shaking the entire earth, yet the cave was hardly affected.

During the previous explosions, Yuan Dongqi had to run around to avoid the bombs, and by the end, he would have lost at least half of his health and stamina.

But this time, apart from the initial fright, Yuan Dongqi was mostly unharmed. The few points of health he lost were due to accidentally brushing against rocks while moving around.

After a few minutes, the earth returned to calm, leaving Yuan Dongqi utterly bewildered.

Was it over just like that?

Was this even the same as the explosions he remembered?

In the evening, Qian Yue left Yuan Dongqi behind and went out for some fresh air.

This time, Yuan Dongqi didn’t say anything and stayed obediently in the cave. Although it was an uncomfortable position, it had to be admitted that the safety level had increased significantly.

So much so that when Qian Yue came to get him out in the early morning, he was reluctant to move.

Qian Yue loosened the bindings on him, climbed out of the cave, and then turned to him, saying, “Come out.”

Yuan Dongqi hesitated for a moment and didn’t move.

Qian Yue frowned, a bit displeased. “Hurry up and come out. Why are you dawdling?”

Yuan Dongqi wondered why he was suddenly released. It wasn’t even dawn yet. Why was she calling him out?

Could it be that she finally came to her senses and intended to let him go?

Yuan Dongqi’s expression changed slightly, and a strange feeling surged within him.

After considering it momentarily, he tactfully said, “I think this place is quite nice.”

Qian Yue: “…???”

Two minutes later, Yuan Dongqi, who had always been suave and tidy, was unceremoniously pulled out by her.

*

Under the cover of night, the two of them moved forward, one in front of the other.

Yuan Dongqi was more cautious than Du Yuanlang and knew that Qian Yue wasn’t fond of talking to people, so he didn’t bother approaching her to avoid any unpleasantness.

Qian Yue indeed paid him no attention. After pulling him out of the cave, she sealed it up right in front of him without saying a word.

Yuan Dongqi glanced at the sealed cave and then at the snake-skin bag slung over Qian Yue’s shoulder, and he vaguely guessed something.

Someone like Qian Yue, who disliked trouble, probably wanted to find a place and settle there forever.

Throughout the entire day, Yuan Dongqi was bound and unable to move, but now Qian Yue had taken him out again and sealed the cave herself. It seemed she was giving up on that place.

In such circumstances, it would be strange if Qian Yue’s mood was good.

As the “culprit,” Yuan Dongqi consciously avoided bringing up any touchy subjects.

But the young man who had earlier been intent on escaping hadn’t left. Instead, he kept a distance from Qian Yue, not too close, not too far, following her from behind.

He could tell that although Qian Yue’s attitude towards him wasn’t great, she didn’t have any intention of harming him.

Though he didn’t know the exact reason, Yuan Dongqi was a clever person who understood what was best for himself.

In the previous instance of the Dark Rock event, Yuan Dongqi hadn’t paid much attention to Qian Yue, considering her at most a decent fighter among bystanders. However, after spending a whole day in her “dog hole,” his understanding of her started to change.

It was a feeling akin to discovering a monk in a crowd of ordinary people, surprising yet astonishing.

Qian – Monk – Yue: …

Just as Yuan Dongqi suspected, Qian Yue’s mood wasn’t good at all after being forced to abandon the cat ear hole she had painstakingly dug out.

However, the real reason wasn’t entirely because of Yuan Dongqi.

“We’re here.”

Huh? Here? Where?

Yuan Dongqi looked up in confusion. There were only ruins and wells around, but judging by the density of the buildings, they seemed to have returned to the city area.

However, it was clear that Qian Yue had no intention of explaining to him.

Qian Yue walked straight ahead, and Yuan Dongqi hurriedly followed.
After entering an alley, he realized that the twisting and turning back of the broken walls actually led to a small trading area.

At this moment, it was 01:25:00 in the game’s night, but the game’s nighttime only lasted two hours, so in real-world terms, it was already starting to become dawn.

The light spread from above, and some people were scattered along the streets, either sitting or standing. In front of them were rudimentary signs indicating what they had and what they wanted to trade.

Some people even directly used half-charred branches to gesture against the wall behind them.

Others simply placed their items in front of them. However, there were few people brave enough to do that, as they were clearly not the easygoing type.

Among the passing crowd were players and a small number of native people, but surprisingly, everyone followed the rules, and there were no incidents of hostility.

Yuan Dongqi was struck by the scene before him, feeling both surprised and understanding.

As the saying goes, where there are people, there’s a society.

People who solely rely on brute force to loot resources are in the minority after all. Most people cherish their lives and follow the rules—

Suddenly, a local native person next to them lifted a kitchen knife and held it against someone’s neck, looking menacingly and growling,

“What are you trying to do?!”

Player, “What are you doing? I haven’t even touched you!”

Native person, “Stop pretending! You people with backpacks are troublemakers. Just a slight touch and things vanish. Do you really think I’m stupid?”

Yuan Dongqi: … If I’m not mistaken, this person is probably talking about beggar players.

Seeing that Qian Yue had already walked far ahead, Yuan Dongqi hurriedly caught up.

It seemed that this was Qian Yue’s first time at this marketplace.

She walked around, seemingly searching for someone.

Other players were also looking around.

“Where’s the Item Merchant?”

“Look around more. He should be around here.”

“Seems like he’s over there…”

…

Yuan Dongqi silently listened to the conversation of the people beside him, then quickly walked up to Qian Yue and asked, “Are you looking for the Item Merchant? I heard someone say it might be over there.”

Seeing Yuan Dongqi, Qian Yue’s brow furrowed instantly, “Why did you follow me?”

Yuan Dongqi was taken aback and asked in return, “Aren’t I just following you?”

Qian Yue replied, “Thanks, but I don’t need you.”

She pushed Yuan Dongqi away and walked in the direction he had mentioned.

Yuan Dongqi’s gaze followed her closely. Seeing Qian Yue decisively leave him behind without any hesitation and head into the alley, he hesitated for a moment before quickly stepping forward to catch up.

Yuan Dongqi didn’t want to cling to her like a leech, but after experiencing a betrayal, he had to admit that finding a trustworthy and intelligent teammate in such a situation was harder than ascending to the heavens.

His intuition told him that if he missed Qian Yue now, he would definitely regret it.

So, Yuan Dongqi hurriedly jogged to catch up, not paying much attention to his surroundings, and approached Qian Yue directly,

“You’re letting me go? You didn’t say that last night when you tied me up. Uh, uh, uh—”

Yuan Dongqi was unexpectedly covered by a hand, muffling the latter part of his sentence. However, it was already too late.

Qian Yue awkwardly raised her head and coincidentally met Qi Feng’s pitch-black yet calm eyes.

Qian Yue, “…”

Unexplainable guilt.jpg

Wait a minute, why was she feeling guilty?