Drifters

“It’s over... it’s all over...”

He rolled over like a dead dog, his vacant gaze fixed on the ceiling.

He suddenly remembered that he had used a Designated Material Theft Card on Angry Crow Takes Flight earlier that morning. If only that card were still in his hand, or if he had managed to steal something good...

Perhaps even the processing fees for Angry Crow Takes Flight might have been a bit cheaper during the extreme heat...

Brother Invincible swallowed hard, a flare of hatred igniting in his eyes.

Every single mistake was Angry Crow Takes Flight’s fault!

“Angry Crow! It’s all Angry Crow’s fault! One day... one day, I’m going to kill her with my own hands!”

Cheng Shuili was completely unaware of this person’s breakdown, and she cared even less about his hostility toward her.

After all, she was at the top of the leaderboard. It was normal to attract resentment for being too much in the spotlight. People like him were just rats in a gutter, too cowardly to even express their hatred clearly; they weren’t worth a second glance.

Cheng Shuili’s focus was entirely on tonight’s meal. Qi Wanyi had specifically mentioned that she was making her hometown specialty: braised goose in an iron pot.

She had purchased the goose at a trading post at her own expense during the extreme heat, spending quite a lot of game coins. It wasn’t for any other reason than to let everyone taste a dish from her hometown.

After buying it, she had spent several days just preparing the ingredients, which was why it had been delayed until today.

As soon as the food was handed to everyone, they all acted as if they hadn’t eaten in days.

And it was hard to blame them. The thick broth shimmered with an amber oil, and the goose meat was stewed until it was tender and falling off the bone. The brownish-red skin curled slightly, revealing the snow-white, delicate meat hidden within, peeking out from the broth.

The potato chunks were soft and waxy, their edges slightly translucent, having soaked up the rich sauce and glowing with an enticing golden hue.

The only regrets were the lack of wide glass noodles and the traditional corn cakes for the edge of the pot, leaving them with only rice to go with it. Although Qi Wanyi felt a bit regretful, she wasn’t truly upset.

How could everything always go exactly as one wished?

As things were now, with ingredients and seasonings available to cook whatever she wanted, Qi Wanyi was quite content.

But Cheng Shuili felt otherwise. While the group was chatting, she heard Qi Wanyi’s comments and frowned, beginning to think about where she could source those missing items.

Not eat it just because it was missing?

Impossible!

With such a talented chef, even if she had to pluck stars from the sky, Cheng Shuili would find a way to get them for her! She had plenty of strength and methods at her disposal!

Cheng Shuili remained silent, keeping it to herself. The conversation in the group chat drifted on, and Liang Shanbo vs. Pig changed the subject.

【Liang Shanbo vs. Pig】: I ran into a trading post today. I wanted to see if they had any cheap fruit, even though I just had some watermelon...

【Xinxue Chu Ji】: Not enough game coins?

【Liang Shanbo vs. Pig】: Wow! You have no idea, sister! Remember when the boss mentioned the price of watermelon in the group before? Three hundred game coins! I specifically saved up enough, planning to buy some! But when I asked, the price had jumped to three thousand game coins! That’s so unreasonable. Who raises prices tenfold like that?

【Wan Yi】: It’s probably because of the famine, right? If getting food at the trading post were that easy, would you even call it a famine?

【Ai Lin】: Exactly.

【Liang Shanbo vs. Pig】: I wasn’t done! I’m not the same foolish person I was before. I’ve learned to be much smarter after following Sister Xinxue!

She seemed a bit dissatisfied, adding several exclamation points after that sentence.

The rest of the group had no objections to that statement. Xinxue chimed in with a few words, essentially confirming that Liang Shanbo vs. Pig hadn’t been very bright before.

Liang Shanbo vs. Pig didn’t notice, silently typing out the rest of her message. Unfortunately, since she was still holding her rice bowl with one hand, not only was her typing incredibly slow, but it was also full of typos.

Having no other choice, Liang Shanbo vs. Pig simply sent a voice message.

【Liang Shanbo vs. Pig】: I realized something was wrong right then! The person from the Ten Thousand Beasts Merchant House didn’t want to talk much, so I specifically went outside and found a friendly stall owner to ask!

【Xinxue Chu Ji】: What did you ask?

【Liang Shanbo vs. Pig】: Asked why the prices were rising so fast!

【Wan Yi】: Did he answer you?

【Liang Shanbo vs. Pig】: No.

Then what was the point of saying so much?

【Xinxue Chu Ji】: ...

【Wan Yi】: ...

Ai Lin, who had been lurking, typed: “...”

Cheng Shuili, also lurking, typed: “...”

【Liang Shanbo vs. Pig】: ??? What is that supposed to mean! That stall owner was really fierce. I pretended I wanted to buy something, and after asking, I found out he had hiked the prices by more than twenty times! I was truly shocked! I asked him why it was so expensive, and he just scoffed, telling me to take it or leave it. He said this price was already a clearance sale! It’ll be even more expensive in a few days!

【Liang Shanbo vs. Pig】: Hearing him say that made me even more curious. I checked several other stalls and finally learned from one owner that it’s because the animals in the beastman town seem to have some kind of infectious disease; basically, all the edible animals have died. Plus, the weather has been so hot lately that the crops in the fields have had zero harvest, which is why this famine is hitting so hard!

【Xinxue Chu Ji】: Oh, speaking of which, there were quite a few people complaining on the regional channel the day before yesterday, saying that the Simple Hunting Trap our boss helped process had caught sick animals.

So it wasn’t just Cheng Shuili who had caught them. She suddenly felt much better.

【Wan Yi】: I saw that too. Someone was shouting for Angry Crow Takes Flight to take responsibility, but Glory shut him up with a single sentence.

Cheng Shuili hadn’t known about that.

There were always people who took her kindness for granted, she sighed, silently setting the fee for the next processing job at one hundred game coins.

What? You say you don’t have money?

None of her business.

【Xinxue Chu Ji】: No wonder so many people have been selling meat lately at such cheap prices. So that’s the kind of meat it is.

Cheng Shuili paused, leaning back slightly and raising a hand to cover her eyes.

She had actually forgotten that this stuff could be sold too.

In truth, it wasn’t that she hadn’t thought about selling those pieces of meat at the time. Her final choice to throw them away was based on two points: first, it was monkey meat, and second, it was diseased monkey meat.

But it was still meat, after all!

Cheng Shuili closed her eyes, unable to help but pat her chest. She still had too much of a conscience; she wouldn’t be able to make money like this! She absolutely had to change!

【Liang Shanbo vs. Pig】: Wait! Wait, I’m not done yet! Everyone listen to me!

【Liang Shanbo vs. Pig】: The most important part! I’ve finally reached the point, boohoo, I’m so moved. There actually came a day where I could report news to the boss. Someone hurry and tag the boss for me; she must see this message!

【Xinxue Chu Ji】: @Angry Crow Takes Flight.

Cheng Shuili: “......”

Just because she asked you to tag her, you actually did it? Don’t spoil her too much...

【Liang Shanbo vs. Pig】: That beastman stall owner said that starting tomorrow, we might start running into drifters.

Cheng Shuili instantly realized the gravity of the situation. She frowned and tapped the keys with lightning speed.

【Angry Crow Takes Flight】: Drifters? Are there any detailed explanations?