Apocalypse Lord

Chapter 68 - “Pay Back”

Last time on Apocalypse Lord: Yun Ling gets You Qing Wen to sell seafood to the populace on the cheap.

This chapter has been brought to you by me and Smash10101.

Chapter 68 – Pay Back

Zhou Xin En had someone he knew to help him buy in Rising Cloud City, but the other players were not so lucky.

S City, Basswood Town, Market.

A female player called Ding Wan Xin looked through the window with a worried expression.

5 x Wood, 25 copper coins.

5 x Wood, 40 copper coins.

3 x Wood, 12 copper coins.

……she finally found a low price, but she could not afford to buy it!

Gulp gulp gulp — the rumbling from her stomach reminded her it was time to eat.

Ding Wan Xin blushed red. If she had money, she would fill her stomach. But the problem was that she did not have money!

The time that each person had to move during the day was limited.

Stamina determined HP and the ability to run for long distances, fight, and work. Once they reached the limit, they had to stop and rest, otherwise, they would be affected by negative states.

Ding Wan Xin was an assassin, and spent most of her points on agility, and then on strength. She had added some to her stamina, but not much. Because of this, she had to rest after working about two to three hours.

Before the winter came, she thought that it would be cold this year, so she hoarded a lot of winter clothing.

Back then, she had thought it was okay if she was not prepared enough. After winter started, she could move freely when she put on the cotton clothing. At worst, she would go out in the cold wind and forage edible plants.

That way, while winter was hard, she would manage to survive.

But she never thought that the winter this year would not be cold, but the surroundings were pitch black, and the visibility 0. The players were unable to move, and had to stay in the territory.

Ding Wan Xin thoughted about it, and if she only ate two meals a day, she may last until the end of winter.

But she was too naive.

The territory was covered in darkness, the players could not see the surroundings, or the time in the top right corner.

Then, they were completely in panic.

People who had wanted to save on wood, and coal could no longer do this, lighting torches and bonfires.

The assets that she had managed to save during autumn were used up like this.

Dng Wan Xin wanted to go out to forage and cut firewood, but the torches burned for such a short time! The gains she would get would not even be worth the torch money.

She had tried to team up with others, but not long after leaving the territory, the temporary teammates tried to attack her like a monster…

Ding Wan Xin saw the situation was not good, and quickly fled in order to survive.

After this, even if she was frugal, she was on the verge of spending all her money.

What to do?

Ding Wan Xin frowned deeply, and her expression was dazed.

A message suddenly jumped out.

[Rising Cloud City — Lu Ying: Have you been well recently? Are you okay?]

[Rising Cloud City — Lu Ying: If you are in trouble, I am happy to help.]

Lu Ying?

Ding Wan Xin stilled.

Her sealed memories were awakened and she remembered who Lu Ying was.

They had once been in the same team, but the leader had died because of a monster attack, and the deputy was not good in conduct, unable to lead, so the members all left the team and went their separate ways.

While they knew each other, the two only had ordinary relationships.

Half a month ago, Lu Ying suddenly said she wanted to move to Rising Cloud City. Ding Wan Xin had been puzzled. The two were not very close, so why did the other come to tell her that she was leaving Basswood Town?

Back then, she had not asked, but today, she could not bear it, and finally asked.

[Rising Cloud City — Lu Ying: Did you forget? Back then, I was young and weak, not having enough to eat. You went outside to dig up wild vegetables and then shared some with me.]

[Rising Cloud City — Lu Ying: While this is a minor matter, I still remember it!]

[Rising Cloud City — Lu Ying: I had wanted to pay you back a long time ago, but I did not live well and could not find a chance……]

After being reminded by the other, Ding Wan Xin suddenly remembered that once in the past, she had been living well, not worried for food, and had gone to dig up wild vegetables to share with the old and the weak.

Some would help her work, others would pay her back with materials, and others even accepted it as matter of fact.

When giving became a habit, not giving became a fault.

And at this time, her life grew difficult. Ding Wan Xin could not even take care of herself, so she stopped her charity.

She had not thought that Lu Ying had once been a person she had helped. No wonder the other was so close to her.

Ding Wan Xin touched her stomach. If she did not ask for help, she would likely starve to death.

She said, “……Could you give me some food? Otherwise, wood or torches also work.”

Right now, wood and torches were the best selling goods in the territory, and would be easily sold. She could get some copper coins and buy food to fill her stomach. Then she would think of other things in the future.

Lu Ying acted without another word.

In the next second, Ding Wan Xin received many system notifications.

[Rising Cloud City — Lu Ying has given you 1 x Seaweed and Egg Soup.]

[Rising Cloud City — Lu Ying has given you 1 x Cold Seaweed Salad.]

[Rising Cloud City — Lu Ying has given you 1 x Grouper.]

[Rising Cloud City — Lu Ying has given you 1 x Cod Stick.]

[Rising Cloud City — Lu Ying has given you 5 x Potato Cake.]

Ding Wan Xin’s mouth dropped open. She was stunned.

After the market building was unlocked, other than the transactions, there was the ability to give. But which normal player would give the game items they had to others for free?

So from the start of the game to now, Ding Wan Xin had never used the gifting ability before.

But today, other people had gifted her, and so much delicious food.

Ding Wan Xin felt on the verge of tears.

[Rising Cloud City — Lu Ying has given you 3 x Torches.]

[Rising Cloud City — Lu Ying has given you 5 x Wood.]

[Rising Cloud City — Lu Ying: After the winter ends, move to Rising Cloud City, it is very good here!]

Ding Wan Xin took a deep breath, and managed to barely get control of her emotions. “If I am still alive at that time, I will go find you.”

+1 Fishing Boat.

+4 Cotton Fishing Net.

+2 Fishermen.

As the fishing profession NPCs appeared, the daily output from the wharf increased. Other than providing food for the territory residents, it was possible to sell to the other safety areas.

Yun Ling had a plan — when she saved up enough money, she would upgrade the wharf to level 3, and then upgrade the other buildings. She was running a business in the game, she had to upgrade all her buildings in her territory to the maximum.

Lu Chuan came to deliver materials and recipes. Seeing the lord completely focused on the territory, he felt helpless. “Other than construction, have you tried any other way of playing?”

“No,” Yun Ling shook her head, “I am only interested in constructing the territory.”

Lu Chuan’s expression of helplessness increased.

From the start of the game to now, Yun Ling could not calculate how many materials she had accepted from Lu Chuan. Thinking of the great contribution from the resident, she generously promised, “If you want anything, just speak, I will fulfill a wish for you!”

Lu Chuan quietly said, “Nothing much, I just hope the lord will give more missions to increase positive feelings.”

As a player, he had to learn to search for missions on his own. Sometimes, the missions were time limited. If he was late, no matter if he finished or not, he could not get positive feelings. It was so hard for him.

Yun Ling, “???”

What kind of strange wish was this?

Asking for orange equipment and S-rank skills were easier than this!

In reality, if possible, Lu Chuan hoped that he could directly state his wish, “Level up positive feeling to maximum, drop the lord as a gift, I want nothing else.”

But before the positive feelings towards him were high enough, his honest words would drop the positive feeling to zero or negative. So Lu Chuan only implicitly mentioned his request.

Yun Ling was at a loss, and could not think of a mission to give.

“Never mind.” Lu Chuan sighed. “I will find a way by myself.”

He walked away, and his back looked a bit bleak.

Yun Ling wanted him to stay, but did not know what to do, so she could just watch him leave.

Under the leadership of the great leader, this winter was not hard at all.

Even if starting on Day 235, the weather turned cold, it was just putting on winter clothing, and this did not affect the daily lives of the residents.

On this day, seeing that there were enough copper coins, Yun Ling opened the system window to start upgrading.

[The Wharf is upgraded to level 3.]

[At most, it can hold 10 ships.]

Also, the territory window showed —

[Unlockable Buildings: 13]

[Existing Buildings: 12]

[Existing building detail:

Warehouse (level 3): Omitted.

Mission Hall (level 3): Omitted.

Woodworking Workshop (level 2): Omitted.

Tailor Shop (level 3): Omitted.

Residence (level 2): Omitted.

Defensive Shield (level 3): Omitted.

Restaurant (level 2): Omitted.

Ice House (level 3): Omitted.

Farmland (level 3): Omitted.

Blacksmith Shop (level 2): Omitted.

Market (level 3): Omitted.

Wharf (level 3): Omitted.]

“There are still four level 2 buildings, Woodworking Workshop, Residences, Restaurant, and the Blacksmith Shop,” Yun Ling thought, “There is also one empty building slot, I have to think well about what building to unlock.”

As she was thinking, a message popped out.

[F City — Xin Tong Town — Zhao Xin Tong: Boss, save me!!]

“What is it?” Yun Ling said curiously.

Ever since the partnership with Rising Cloud City started, the residents of Xin Tong town had much better days. There should not be any problems.

[F City — Xin Tong Town — Zhao Xin Tong: Didn’t I start buying fishing nets from you? After that, the sales of the player-made ones were not good……]

[F City — Xin Tong Town — Zhao Xin Tong: That person helped me, and I want him to be okay. But after using the cotton fishing nets, I feel despair if I go back and use the crude handmade ones.]

Yun Ling was puzzled. “Can’t you put them up in the market to sell? Rising Cloud City has many players who want to buy fishing nets, but there is not enough supply, and they cannot buy.”

Sell in the market? Zhao Xin Tong stilled.

All this time, she had been the main customer of the old fisherman. Now, she had changed suppliers, and seeing the old fisherman’s business slowly drown, she was worried on his behalf.

She even completely forgot that goods like the fishing net which were low in supply and very practical would sell easily.

So what if the durability was limited and they needed to dry? Ordinary players did not use them frequently.

Most people, to be able to survive to now, had multiple Jobs, able to forage, hunt, mine, cut wood and do all things. With a fishing net, they would have another job of “catching fish” and they only had to do it every once in a while.

[F City — Xin Tong Town — Zhao Xin Tong: Thank you for reminding me, I understand.]

Yun Ling saw that Zhao Xin Tong had been awakened and did not say more.

When something happened to yourself, it was easy to get stuck in a dead end. But a bystander would be able to see more clearly.

The winter passed, and the spring came. It was the spring of the new year.

Day 251, the temperature warmed up, and the characters on the top right corner showed, “Spring, calamity day.”

In the morning, when Yun Ling opened her eyes, she saw a new system message.

[Congratulations, Player, for passing the second year.]

[You have received a hint to passing.]

[Everything can be done once, twice, thrice, but not four times.]

Yun Ling was slightly shocked. “This means that the players will be tested for at most three years, and the game will finish?”

Even though she liked to build and manage in the game, she could not help but be relieved when she learned that one day, Apocalypse Calamity would finish.

In the future, she would play another game, one that was not fatal.

Translator Ramblings: Happy holidays to those who celebrate it. Despite all problems Amazon has, I wish especially happy holidays to the people who managed to get me my needed computer charger through one day shipping.