Chapter 12
◎ Novice Protection Period ◎
A strange blue light suddenly illuminated the sea’s surface. The four sharks seemed to be gripped by the throat by an invisible hand, writhing in agony in mid-air. Their scales began to peel off piece by piece, revealing the festering flesh underneath. Black slime dripped down like rain.
Yu Chi leaned over the edge of the boat, struggling to paddle it away from the sharks.
The sharks let out a piercing shriek. After Yu Chi had moved the boat a safe distance, she noticed that the system’s punishment was almost over. The four sharks stared at her, their eyes filled with hatred.
【Species: Abyssal Hunter Shark (Heavily Injured)
Level: Three
Description: Deceived by a sinister player, it has suffered unspeakable heavy injuries and is attempting to seek its own justice.
Attack Power: 50→15
Defense: 200→40
Traits: Venom Corrosion, High-Speed Regeneration (Sealed)】
“It wasn’t me.” Yu Chi was very innocent and couldn’t bear the label of “sinister.”
However, the sharks wouldn’t listen to her explanation. Their punishment was over, and they could now attack players at will.
Yu Chi sighed, “Such a childish temperament.”
Even though they were already heavily injured, they still chose to attack recklessly. Yu Chi smiled shyly, her body swelling as she transformed into a mermaid. After diving into the sea, she shot out of the water, her figure streaking past at high speed, and sent one of the sharks flying with a single slap of her tail.
【Congratulations, player, on killing an Abyssal Hunter Shark (Level Three). EXP +100】
【Choose to level up?】
Yu Chi didn’t rush to choose. Instead, she looked at the other three sharks. After their companion’s death, the sharks looked exceptionally furious. However, after circling Yu Chi’s small boat and roaring a few times, they actually turned and left, quickly disappearing from the sea’s surface.
It was a pity, of course. After all, these three sharks were now heavily injured. If they were allowed to recover, given their vengeful nature, they would definitely come back for her.
However, including the last one, she had already used her morph ability 4 times in a short period. Although she could force herself to use it again, she didn’t want to take the risk.
Killing that shark just now was mostly due to the element of surprise. If she continued to fight these three sharks while surrounded, it wouldn’t be as simple as before.
Thinking of this, Yu Chi didn’t bother with them anymore. Instead, she clicked on the level-up option on her character interface and received 3 attribute points this time.
She allocated them to Strength, Agility, and Stamina respectively. Her character panel was now as follows:
【Name: DazedFish
Player Status: Official Player
Level: 3 (17/500)
HP: 140 (Stamina x20)
Skills: First Aid (Common), Morph (Rare), Fine Forging (Common)
Stats: Strength (4→5) Agility (6→8) Stamina (5→7) Spirit (11→21) Luck (8) [Fixed]】
Previously, using the Blue Pearlfish meat had added a total of 10 points to her Spirit. The cooldown for First Aid had been reduced from 1 hour to half an hour, and the success rate of Fine Forging had increased from 30% to 70%.
On the surface, her morph ability hadn’t changed, but from the fact that she had just used it 4 times in a row, it was clear that the number of times she could use it in a short period had increased.
Perhaps, when she first acquired this ability, she had to rest for over half an hour after a single use. Unfortunately, she hadn’t paid much attention to this 1-second ability at the time, so she had no data to compare.
Now, after leveling up again, the duration of her morph ability had increased from 10 seconds to 30 seconds.
The sharks had come suddenly, and Yu Chi hadn’t had time to take off her clothes when she transformed into a mermaid. She had originally thought her pajamas would be ruined, but when she turned back into a human, they were still on her, completely intact.
That was close. I almost thought I’d have to run around naked for a while.
Yu Chi didn’t rest. She took stock of the materials she had obtained from killing the Abyssal Hunter Shark.
【Iron Ore x4, Stone x10, Contamination Crystal x1, Shark Dagger, Shark Armor】
Her gaze fell on the Contamination Crystal. Her intuition told her that this thing might be of great use in the future. She hadn’t obtained this kind of item when killing the contaminated small fish before. Could it be that only monsters of level three and above dropped it?
The stats of the other two items were also very good.
【Item: Shark Dagger
Grade: Excellent
Description: Unique in appearance, with a slight electric shock effect that can deal extra damage to enemies in close combat.】
【Item: Shark Armor
Grade: Excellent
Description: Not only provides excellent physical defense but also has slight resistance to electric shocks.】
Yu Chi took out the Shark Armor and examined it from all angles. The armor was dark blue and seemed to have a faint, wave-like luster. It felt tough yet flexible. She put the armor on, tried moving her limbs, and after confirming there was no significant discomfort, she nodded in satisfaction.
What she wanted to improve the most right now was her own physical strength. The transformation time was still too short and could only be used at critical moments.
Yu Chi opened the system and checked the time. It was only a little past 8 PM, still early for bed.
She put the All-Purpose Fishing Rod into the water and, while fishing, opened the chat channel to lurk.
【ZhangSanAskedMeOut】: Does anyone have fever medicine?
【CapitalCrime】: ? What are you having a fever for?
【Sleeping】: Does having a fever also reduce HP?
【MostBrutalBrain】: No, but your condition will be very bad, and there’s a risk of death.
【VMe50ForFood】: So you can’t judge solely based on HP? Then what’s the point of having HP? FFS!
【PasserbyC】: So… all the people above are top players who have become official players.
【ZhangSanAskedMeOut】: Anyone have fever reducer? I’ll pay a high price. Can PM.
【CapitalCrime】: I doubt many people have that stuff. Medicine and the like… it’s tough.
【ZhangSanAskedMeOut】: I’m done for. I was screwed over by a contaminant. Anyone with fever reducer, please PM me. I’ll be very grateful!
【DumplingOfHeaven】: How do you guys usually go to the bathroom?
【FruitSis】: …What do you think? You have to ask that? Can’t you ask something useful?
【DumplingOfHeaven】: The thought of everyone…
【GrumpyBro】: Is there no block function in the chat interface?
【ZhangSanAskedMeOut】: Anyone with fever reducer, please PM me. Thank you!
Yu Chi only saw the message asking for fever reducer after [ZhangSanAskedMeOut] had spammed it several times. To her, fever reducer was more precious than items that restored HP, and probably very few people on the entire market had it.
She wondered what price the other party could offer.
DazedFish: 【What are you trading for it?】
When [ZhangSanAskedMeOut] saw this message, she was already a bit delirious. Ever since she had posted her request in the chat interface, people had been constantly private messaging her.
But they were basically all using the pretext of fever reducer to probe for information. They would either beat around the bush, asking what contaminant had injured her, or try to gauge her resources, seeing how much she had to trade. Some even tried to get something for nothing, asking her to send the trade items over first, and then they would give her the fever reducer…
Although despair was gradually setting in, she still read every single message that came in, not wanting to miss any chance of survival.
She had originally thought the fever wouldn’t be serious and would pass if she just endured it. It was only when her information interface displayed [You have entered a high fever state, with a risk of death] that she realized something was wrong.
A fever in this world was not an ordinary fever at all! And it was too difficult to find someone with a fever reducer.
She saw [MostBrutalBrain]’s post and private messaged him, only to find out that he had also had a fever yesterday. But he was lucky; his novice resource chest had contained a single fever reducer pill, so it wasn’t a big deal.
But he didn’t have any more medicine either. Worried that he was holding out, she had practically laid all her cards on the table, but he still said he had none. It probably wasn’t a lie…
But in that case, her chances of surviving today were probably slim.
But now, she suddenly saw the message from [DazedFish]. For a moment, [ZhangSanAskedMeOut] thought her brain was fried from the fever and she was hallucinating, but she still replied immediately.
【ZhangSanAskedMeOut】: I can offer a 12h Island Exploration Card, two Backpack Space Expansion Cards, and an Excellent quality umbrella blueprint.
Yu Chi… Yu Chi was silent.
She suddenly realized that her luck wasn’t that great after all. At least, she had never seen any of the good things the other party had, and they could even trade an Excellent quality item blueprint…
In fact, she didn’t know that the other party had already emptied her entire inventory. If her life weren’t on the line, she would never have taken them out.
[ZhangSanAskedMeOut] waited anxiously for the reply. She had painstakingly traded for all these things with materials, but they were nothing compared to her own life.
The reason she had laid her cards on the table without probing was that she felt she might lose consciousness in a few minutes, and then she wouldn’t even be able to trade for a fever reducer.
And she knew about this [DazedFish] person. To be able to take out a purified species of fish on the first day, her strength was definitely very high, and the possibility of her having a fever reducer was great…
She just didn’t know if her things would be good enough.
【DazedFish】: Okay, let’s trade directly.
It was more than worth it. Yu Chi put the fever reducer up, and after the system check, the items [ZhangSanAskedMeOut] had mentioned were instantly in her hands.
The system check couldn’t be wrong. [ZhangSanAskedMeOut] put the pill in her mouth. It melted instantly, and she felt her mind clear up considerably in a flash.
The strength in her body was also slowly returning. Having experienced a death threat, she stared at the dark sky above, feeling that even the sea breeze was gentle.
【ZhangSanAskedMeOut】: I’m all better now. Thanks, Boss Dazed!
Yu Chi stared at the words “Boss Dazed,” thinking that this was another internet surfer.
What on earth did [SurfingTheSea] go around spreading?
She endured the embarrassment and shame that rose in her heart and thought about random things for a while, which made her feel much better.
The name itself was quite embarrassing, mainly because everyone else was actually stronger than her.
However, being able to produce purified fish meat, bandages, and fever reducer was a different kind of strength, right? After some time, Yu Chi came to terms with it.
What was so great about getting materials by killing monsters? Her way of sitting on the boat while people rushed to trade with her was the truly awesome way!
Was a “Boss Dazed” too much to ask?
Yu Chi felt that [ZhangSanAskedMeOut] was very sincere (she had offered many good things) and was a potential user with development potential, so she made a special inquiry.
【DazedFish】: I have a channel to get bandages and adhesive bandages, which increase HP by 10 and 5 respectively. The quantity is limited. If you need them, you can find me.
What, you say bandages and adhesive bandages are in short supply? What does it matter? I’m just looking for one more trading partner.
And Yu Chi wasn’t worried about others guessing that she had a medical skill. For many people with purely offensive skills, they would probably have to go out of their way to protect her.
Medical skills should be quite rare, right? Yu Chi thought uncertainly. If they become common in the future, I’ll just provide for myself and focus on cultivating my other cheat skill.
【ZhangSanAskedMeOut】: Yes, yes, yes! Boss Dazed, you’re too amazing! I’ve never seen anyone who can find items that increase HP!
【DazedFish】: Is it that rare?
【ZhangSanAskedMeOut】: Of course! Otherwise, no one would have to worry about their HP dropping. This is definitely very rare!
Rare… The other party has probably already guessed that I have a medical skill.
【DazedFish】: If you need it in the future, you can find me. We’ll discuss the price on the spot.
【ZhangSanAskedMeOut】: Okay, okay! Thanks for your hard work, Boss Dazed. Rest well! I’m going to farm materials now to trade for bandages with Boss Dazed!
Yu Chi lost herself in the chorus of “Boss Dazed,” her favorability rating +++.
***
【Author’s Note】
Sailing Log 4:
Today, the fish pulled off a big one [Laughing]
The fish is becoming braver and braver. Praise the fish [Pat head]