Chapter 18: Natural Disaster Style

“Why did it look at me for two extra seconds when my dad was establishing ownership?” Yan Yu asked.

“That ox wasn't reserved by that previous guy. The Bull Demon King has Level 1 authority, while Princess Iron Fan and Red Boy have the next level down. When commands conflict, it will execute the command with the higher level of authority.”

The uncle was so excited he practically wanted to go butcher the ox immediately, but he was ultimately suppressed by reason. The time each platform opening lasted was extremely precious and could not be wasted.

“Then what is your code name?” Yan Yu asked out of pure curiosity.

“Hongjun!”

Alright, you're impressive!

“Then what if I want to add more authority?”

“Level 2 authority can be designated. You can just tell it: 'That is the Bull Demon King's mother,' 'That is Princess Iron Fan's brother,' or 'That is Red Boy's younger sibling.' Any of those will work. However, it's best if you keep this ox for your own use. If anyone asks, just say your ox is wary of strangers. It's better if people can't command it; it's safer,” he advised kindly.

Yan Yu nodded solemnly; that was indeed something to watch out for.

“Uncle, do you have any toilet paper to trade?” Yan Yu wasn't embarrassed at all. Why should one be embarrassed about a matter of basic human necessity?

“Ahem! Well, over here, we all have smart toilets—the very intelligent kind—so we don't really need that sort of thing. It's not that they aren't sold, but there certainly aren't any in District 87 where I live. I'm at the very bottom of the social ladder, living in a slum. Wait for the next two unlucky souls; you might be able to trade for what you want. By the way, do you want to trade for some of my nutrient solution? It's a must-have for traveling; one bottle provides all the nutrition you need. It's perfect for fleeing disasters. How about it, little girl? I see you've got a bowl of pig skin jelly there, hehe!”

“That can wait. Uncle, you seem to know a lot. Can you tell me how to buy things on the platform most cost-effectively?”

“I can give you some advice, but you'll have to trade that pig skin jelly to me.”

“Uncle, if I trade it to you, what will I do later? I won't have anything left. Won't you guide me? If I understand how this works, won't I be able to provide you with even more delicious food in the future?”

He thought about it and realized she had a point; his mall shelves were incomparable to others.

“Just try them one by one. If it shows a number, it's for sale. As for whether it's cost-effective or not, I don't know the unit price on your end, but it's quite cheap here. Generally, you won't lose money buying from the official mall; it's just that the portions are small. Whatever is displayed is what you get; there are no containers. Keep that in mind when buying—prepare something to hold your items in advance.”

“I put an egg in, and it shows the number 1.”

“Just treat it like one yuan. If it's 'sell only' and not 'buy,' your balance will remain.”

“But I see...”

The egg above was only 0.5. What was going on?

Before Yan Yu could finish, the screen switched back on its own.

She didn't rush to click on the flickering Free Market; instead, she tried clicking on the cheapest egg.

【Purchase?】 【Yes】【No】

Yes!

A bright white egg appeared on the ground.

【Current Balance: 0.5】

“I thought 0.5 was the price for a whole basket of eggs; turns out it's for one,” Yan Yu said regretfully.

If she could get a whole basket, she'd hit the jackpot. Would she achieve "egg freedom"?

“You child, you didn't even say anything. It's a good thing it's an egg; it's fine on the ground. If it were rice or flour piled on the ground, what would we do? What a waste,” Li Xuemei said as she carried over a quilt that had been dried in the sun during the day and spread it on the ground.

For now, this would have to do; it was better than putting things directly on the ground.

Yan Yu picked up the egg and put it back in the slot.

Li Xuemei:...

【Current Balance: 1】

“Why? They're all eggs, so why are the platform's eggs so cheap?” Yan Yu said indignantly. She still hadn't given up on the idea of scavenging from the official mall.

Yan Lao'er's thought process was identical to his daughter's, and he also lamented deeply: “They won't let you exploit a single loophole!”

Li Xuemei didn't know whether to laugh or cry. “You two, that's enough. This is already plenty for us to take care of.”

“Aiya!” Yan Lao'er slapped his thigh. “Ours are pure, farm-raised local eggs! That egg we just bought was probably raised on feed; otherwise, how could it be cheaper than ours?”

Yan Yu thought about it and realized he was right.

Looking at her father with eyes full of admiration, she praised, “Dad, you really know how to live!”

“Haha, of course! I frequent the wet markets and supermarkets all the time.” Yan Lao'er was very proud. This was what it meant to be the head of the household—handling everything inside and out.

Yan Yu: “Dad, when you brought things back during the day, did Big Uncle see?”

“No, your Big Uncle and Big Brother were too busy tidying up their books.”

“Then Dad, quietly grab a handful of brown rice and a few blocks of coarse salt when you can.”

“Got it!” Yan Lao'er agreed and turned to leave the room.

He was stopped again by his wife: “Bring those two big iron wheels into the house too. I don't feel safe leaving them outside.”

Yan Yu clicked on the Free Market.

She began her second connection.

Truth be told, every time felt like opening a blind box; she was quite expectant.

The scene shifted, and a soaking wet woman appeared on the screen.

“Eh? A little sister I haven't seen before.” She leaned in a bit closer. “Is this an ancient setting?”

Yan Yu followed the method used by the punk uncle, finding that it helped the other party understand her situation more quickly. “Hello, Sister. I am a 'transmigrator into a book.' It's a fictional dynasty, there's a drought, and my family is poor. The food and supplies are similar to ancient China. Today is my first time opening the platform, so I haven't fully figured things out yet. Right now, I most want to trade for toilet paper.”

“Hehe, you learn fast, little sister. I'm also a newcomer; this is my second time opening the platform. You should be able to see my category—also a transmigrator, but a 'natural disaster' setting. I didn't connect with anyone for the last 20 minutes; luckily, you're here during this slot. I do have toilet paper... it's just...” She turned around sheepishly to rummage for a long time, eventually pulling out a clump of white, matted material, saying bashfully, “You take a look. They all look like this.”

Yan Yu:...

Looking at this clump of stuff, if you didn't tell me, I wouldn't recognize its original form at all.

“Sister, how long has it been raining where you are?”

“A few months, it's like the sky has a leak. I'm in a coastal city, so the flooding is even more severe. That's why what I want most is a boat, something like an inflatable raft. I want to go to an inland city; things might be better there,” the older sister said unhurriedly.

Months of rain...

Yan Yu: A natural disaster setting... terrifying!

“Then Sister, why couldn't you connect with anyone in the last slot?”

“Was the environment around that person not safe enough? Or did they just have nothing they wanted to trade?” the woman slowly offered her guess.

Yan Yu thought it was likely the former. Even if someone had nothing to trade, curiosity would still make them want to click and see what the other person looked like.

“Besides a boat, I need warm clothing, medicine, and food—but it needs to be hot,” the woman stated her needs, explaining, “Electricity and communication are completely cut off here. People are mostly concentrated in higher floors of buildings. There was relief at first, but now it's almost non-existent. The rain never stops, and tools to make fire are becoming fewer and fewer. Many people's bodies can't take it, and they're falling ill...”

Alright, the second unlucky soul had appeared: the "natural disaster" sister.