BXBX NOVEL Chapter 15 - “Raising Money”
Last chapter recap: Yun Ling hires a more expensive NPC. At least Taylor A is a real name…
This chapter has been brought to you by me, and Smash10101.
Chapter 15 – Raising Money
Rising Cloud Camp.
Qi Liang took out biscuits, pickled vegetables, and beverages from his backpack. He used this to muddle through his dinner.
As he ate, he thought, he had limited energy, and a lot of food had been left at home, unable to be carried. Maybe, tomorrow, he should find people to team up with, and move the supplies to the camp.
As he thought, a notification suddenly jumped out in front of him, [It is dark. Non-camp residents are not allowed to stay in the camp. Please leave in 5 minutes. ]
Qi Liang’s eyes suddenly widened.
He had to pay to stay overnight in the camp? If he could not pay, he was not allowed to stay?
He flipped through his pockets. There was only one copper coin, and he had found it when he was fleeing…
“Pay 5 copper coins for 24 hours of being a temporary resident? So expensive!” Someone screamed immediately from the side.
“I–I am not some player. I have no skills or equipment. Where do I get copper coins?” a woman said anxiously, holding her child.
Nearby, a middle-aged person frowned, their expression gloomy. “Five copper coins per person, 10 for two, 15 for three. We have 7 copper coins right now. There are three of us in the family. What to do?”
The youth of fifteen or so said understandingly, “Dad, have Little Sister stay in the camp. Let’s go out and kill a few more monsters. We can gather enough money to stay overnight.”
The girl just thirteen shook her head hard. “No, we will fight together. I have skills, I can help.”
Before the three of them could finish discussing, the white light flashed, and the non-residents were teleported out. The camp was half empty.
At the same time, the territory attribute window showed —
[Population Capacity: 200]
[Existing Residents: 147 (Temporary Residents 142)]
“I had such a hard time finding the safe zone. Why can’t I stay?” One girl was greatly impacted and could not help but cry. “Why do I have to pay copper coins to stay? Can’t I pay with gold? Otherwise, I can pay with food!”
“Anyone wanting to team up to fight monsters? We can split the drop items and copper coins evenly,” someone started to shout.
“This place does not want me, there are places that want me, I will not stay!” Someone left furiously with their luggage.
Someone said, “It is late now, and the surroundings are dark, not suitable for going out. The camp does not let us in, so let’s just sleep next to the camp. When it is light tomorrow morning, we’ll form teams and fight monsters.”
At this time, a fat man came over. “I have extra coins to be exchanged for.”
Some people were overjoyed and hurriedly asked about the exchange rate.
When they learned that one 5 kilograms of rice could only be exchanged for 5 copper coins, they were very angry.
“This is daylight robbery?!”
“Could you not lend me some copper coins? I promise, I will repay you tomorrow.”
“Five kilograms for 10 copper coins, we can talk about it. Five kilograms for five copper coins? What are you thinking about!”
The fat man said righteously, “This money is one hundred percent blood and sweat money.”
“Five kilograms for 10 copper coins? Ha, you have a beautiful dream.”
“This is the price, do as you wish.”
“You do not bear to part with your food? I do not bear to part with my saved copper coins! I am just about to save enough to buy equipment from the Woodworking Workshop. If I help you, I have to start saving money again.”
After he said this, many people showed hesitation.
At this time, the girl who had asked previously if she could pay with gold or food said decisively, “I will trade with you!”
Then she handed over a 5 kilogram bag of rice.
The fat man took the rice and handed over the copper coins.
In the next second, the girl returned to the camp.
The fat man was in a good mood at a successful transaction. He looked at the others and sasid earnestly, “Life is more important than food. If you are dead, you have nothing. Think carefully, is this not the truth?”
Some were convinced, and gritted their teeth, taking out their food.
Others snorted at this. “No matter how much food, it cannot be wasted like this. Isn’t it just living out of the camp for a night? What can happen?”
The fat man was not angry. “The ones willing to enter the camp can enter, the ones wanting to live outside can live outside. Everyone is free.”
Some people set up their bedrolls on the floor next to the camp.
Others teamed up to fight monsters and make copper coins.
Some found empty rooms in nearby residence buildings and planned to make it through the night.
The furor gradually calmed, and the surroundings fell silent.
**
When everyone was worried about where to spend their third night, Yun Ling was doing inventory in the warehouse.
Whenever she went out to fight monsters, she would search the nearby shops. Fast food restaurants, revolving hot pots, kebab shops, pastry shops, bakeries, self-serve buffets … She went to many places, and had some gains.
At this time, she was holding a paper and pen, recording everything down.
It was important to have the type of quantity of each item, but what was more important was the shelf life of the food.
The ones with short shelf life were placed to one side, the others with shelf life beyond half a year on another, and organized into different categories.
In a flash, two hours passed.
Yun Ling was cleaning up, and leaving with raw pork belly — this was the food with the shortest shelf life and should be eaten first.
But just as she stepped out of the warehouse doors, there came an enormous boom. It was like an earthquake or a building falling down.
“What is it, what is it?” While the people in the camp were very calm, the people outside were nervous and looked around fearfully.
It was like a monster would charge out of the darkness out at any moment to steal their lives …
Yun Ling looked into the distance and thought, pretty loud and the sound seemed to come from the residence buildings.
She heard someone cry and curse, “I just wanted to save money by hiding in the building? What kind of monster is this? They chewed up the building!”
Hearing this, everyone was speechless.
This person was really quite desperate to save money.
“Fine, I won’t save money! Move aside, move aside, I am going back to camp!” The curses continued. Then the voice grew weak and then completely disappeared.
After a while, no one came. Everyone knew that this person likely was in misfortune.
“He could clearly stay in the camp, and to save a few copper coins, he lost his life. Why?” The fat man sighed.
The people outside the camp felt their hairs raise up, and they pulled their blankets tightly around them.
One person had an uncertain expression. A long time later, he cursed, “Isn’t it just a bag of rice? I’ll give it! I cannot stand it. The outside is not for people to stay.”
There was just a line between the camp and outside, but it felt completely different.
In the camp, it felt safe, and you did not have to worry about danger.
Outside the camp, you would tremble. No matter who was in danger, you could not avoid putting yourself in their place. The wind blew on his body, and his heart felt chilly as well.
He thought, if he had no food, then never mind. But he did, so why did he torment himself?
That person decided to trade food for copper coins.
“Do not be stupid,” someone next to him warned, “you do not know how long you will suffer later on. If you eat all your food now, you will starve later.”
That person was determined. “If I continue to stay out, maybe I will not have a later.”
Then he traded with the fat man.
The fat man did not refuse anyone, handing over the coin in one hand and taking the food in the other.
Temporary resident +1.
Yun Ling looked at the territory attribute window and then walked next to the fire to roast meat and prepare her dinner.
**
“Heavy Punch!” Qi Liang fisted his right hand and hit the chest of the monster.
The monster wailed and fell to the ground.
In the next moment, copper coins, cornmeal, and wood appeared.
Qi Liang could not pick up the fallen items, panting heavily as he pressed on his chest.
To avoid unfair distribution and conflicts between temporary teammates, he acted alone.
To avoid encountering danger, he only dared to move near the camp.
But even so, it had taken great effort to kill the monster.
Seeing his HP fall to 14/50, Qi Liang grimaced. If he had left home earlier to pick cards and fight monsters, would he have ended up like this?
He did not have skills, did not have equipment, did not have coins. He was so poor it was sad.
As he thought, a notification popped up [You have fought fiercely and your body is very tired.]
[You are hungry and weak.]
[You have gotten the negative status: -10% Movement Speed, -1 Strength.]
[After eating and sufficient rest, the negative status will be cancelled.]
Qi Liang, “… …”
Trash system, be human!!
What was this, negative status, -10% movement speed, -1 strength.
This was forcing him to die!
Qi Liang was full of resentment, and got up to pick the items into his backpack. Then he moved around the camp step by step.
The surroundings were pitch back and he could not make out the direction. He could only barely make out things within 20cm.
Qi Liang suspected if a monster made a sneak attack, he may only sense it if the monster came in front of him.
After a long time, Qi Liang walked into a dead end.
He wanted to turn around and go back when he saw a purple card floating to his side. When he touched it, he discovered this was an A-rank skill card. Because it had fallen to such a remote place, it had not been picked up 3 days into the game.
What was called a windfall coming from the sky?!
What was called there was always a path?!
Qi Liang’s eyes showed a hint of ecstasy, and he eagerly picked it up.