Liu Haoyan: Legend Smyth, can you trade more stew?

Cecilia: Yeah, the disaster hits tonight. We're low on supplies after trading for warm clothes.

Thomas: Stew's limited. I used most of my supplies to get the ingredients. Trades depend on what you offer. No one's having it easy.

Thomas: I'll prioritize our region, but you need something I want. I'm not trading life-saving food for junk. Like that pressure-resistant diving suit. One only. Five bowls of stew for that.

Thomas: And no guilt trips. It's the apocalypse. You know the rules. Annoy me, you're blocked. I owe you nothing.

The subtle threats worked. No one wanted to antagonize the sole supplier of [Chill]-curing stew.

Thomas checked his messages. Another graphics card offer. He accepted. Five now.

As midnight approached, a chill seeped into the hideout. The thermometer read 19°C. Down from 25°C at noon. He piled more wood into the fireplace, cranking the heat back up. The outside temperature must be plummeting. Close to -30°C.

He stored the finished stew, restocked the kitchen, and settled down for the night, wrapped in a wool blanket and thick comforter. The pothos rustled gently, purifying the air.

He slept soundly, waking warm and comfortable. But the moment his arm slipped out from under the covers, the cold bit deep.

The fire had dwindled. The hideout's temperature had dropped. He shivered, pulling on his wool pajamas. 9°C. He stoked the fire, then ate his stew while checking the regional chat.

The blizzard had arrived. 553 survivors. 145 dead overnight. The chat was filled with grief and desperation. His inbox overflowed with messages, some filled with bitter accusations. He deleted them. He wasn't a savior. He was just trying to survive.

Most messages were stew requests, increasingly desperate. People were offering everything they had. He quickly scanned the offers, setting prices based on their value. One or two bowls each. Take it or leave it.

Then, he saw it. A flicker of excitement.

[Hideout Holographic Barrier Construction Blueprint]

Type: Rare Blueprint

Effect: Creates a holographic barrier around the hideout, providing camouflage, waterproofing, and moderate defense.

Requirements: Level 3 Generator, Level 3 Hideout Security, Level 2 Hideout Walls, Level 2 Intelligence Center, CPU x1, CPU Fan x2, Circuit Board x3, Graphics Card x2, Electronic Components x5, Phase Control Relay x2, Programmable Processor x1, Electromagnetic Collar x1.

Construction Time: 24 hours.

---

"This…" He was stunned. A perfect solution for the flood. Waterproofing. No need for other upgrades. The other survivors didn't know about the flood. This was his chance.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

"I have to get this."

The offer was from 1:00 AM. Twenty bowls of stew. He contacted the sender, unsure if they were even alive.

City - Thomas: You alive? Five bowls of stew, max, for the blueprint. Deal?

No response. He frowned. Dead? He distracted himself with other offers.

Ten minutes later, a reply.

City - Wang Dudu: Too low. Ten bowls. And a bottle of fever medicine if you have it.

[Chill] progressing to fever. He considered. Ten bowls was acceptable, but he sensed an opportunity to push back. His prices were public knowledge.

City - Thomas: No way. That blueprint's only good for camouflage. The other effects are useless.

City - Thomas: Five bowls and three fever pills. Final offer.

He waited, nervously. He was gambling on their desperation. The more confident he appeared, the better his chances. He was telling the truth. Camouflage was the only useful effect right now. Most hideouts were already hidden. Moderate defense wouldn't stop a determined attacker. And waterproofing? Completely useless. Except to him.

Minutes later, a trade request.

The trade went smoothly. He stored the blueprint. No rush to build it. After the blizzard.

Two crucial items for the flood secured: the barrier and the serum. Now, to gather the components.

But the Glacial Lotus loomed large. He needed it for the serum. He had to figure out how to get to the Trading Center during the blizzard's peak.

The regional chat painted a grim picture. -40°C. Survivors freezing to death in their hideouts. Doors frozen shut, sealed by ice. Half a meter of snow on the ground. Every step a monumental effort.

He could use the stew's [Invigorated] buff, but what if he needed it during combat? He couldn't just chug stew mid-fight. He needed better cold-weather gear. His fur coat wasn't enough for -50°C or -60°C.

Transportation and warmth. Today's priorities.

He checked the Medical Station's daily restock. Two rectangular packages. A grin spread across his face. A big score.

[Field Surgical Kit]

Type: Trauma Treatment

Size: 3x1

Uses: 15/15

Effect: Removes one [Fracture] or [Gunshot Wound] status.

Description: An advanced surgical kit with superior tools for treating severe injuries in the field.

Note: Only removes one status per use. Further treatment required. Cannot repair head or chest injuries.

---

An upgrade to the [Emergency Surgical Kit]. Fifteen uses instead of five. And it removed [Fracture] as well. A significant improvement.

He stored the kits, then surveyed the Medical Station's output. A stockpile of medical supplies: [Car First Aid Kits] x23, [Grizzly First Aid Kits] x32, a [Defibrillator], and five [Emergency Surgical Kits]. He stored them all. No one would be venturing out during the blizzard. He'd sell them later, when survivors were scavenging for resources.

He drafted his World Channel post, focusing on transportation, cold-weather gear, and components for the barrier and the serum, including hideout upgrades.

City - Thomas: [Nourishing Mutton Stew] x50, bundled with [Ibuprofen] and [Amoxicillin]. Trading for Motor x5, Mechanical Parts x10, Wire x20, [Classified Intelligence] x5… Pressure-Resistant Diving Suit x1, Phase Control Relay x5… Low-Grade Medical Supplies… Rare Items, Graphics Cards, Valuables… Also seeking snow transportation and extreme cold-weather gear. Top prices paid.

He duplicated the message in the regional chat.

The survivors, initially resigned to their fate, perked up. Low-grade medical supplies and electronic components? They flooded him with offers, hoping to trade their useless junk for life-saving stew.

Someone succeeded, posting a triumphant screenshot.

City - Liu Jing: It works! [Screenshots of trade with Thomas] Traded junk for stew! Finally safe! Legend Smyth is a good guy! But don't bother him with other junk. He only wants medical and electronic stuff.

More and more survivors traded their low-grade medical supplies for stew. The chat channels filled with praise for Thomas, hailing him as a savior of the common survivor. Even though it took a large quantity of supplies to get a single bowl, they were grateful. [Assorted Pills], [Surgical Kit], [Tourniquet], [Capacitor]… all useless on their own.

Of course, some remained bitter. Sandy, still nursing her grudge, posted snide remarks. But she was quickly silenced by the other survivors, her inbox once again bombarded with angry messages.

Somewhere on the grasslands, Sandy seethed, her face contorted in rage. "A bunch of sycophants," she snarled. "Licking his boots for a bowl of stew."

Oblivious to the drama, Thomas stared at his screen, a look of astonishment on his face.