Chapter 9
◎ Novice Protection Period ◎
She was still short 55 units of wood.
She didn’t know if the All-Purpose Fishing Rod could be used as a regular fishing rod after its uses were depleted. In any case, she had nothing better to do, so Yu Chi baited the hook with the leftover bait and continued fishing.
After waiting for about two hours, during which Yu Chi made two more sets of bandages and adhesive bandages and changed the bait three times, there was finally a tug on the line.
【Species: Small Yellow Croaker (Contaminated)
Level: One
Description: Please enjoy eliminating the contaminants!】
Yu Chi stared at the fish she had caught. So, the fish caught with the All-Purpose Fishing Rod were purified and edible, but after its uses were gone and it could only be used as a regular fishing rod, it would only catch contaminated creatures.
Even though she already knew the outcome, she couldn’t help but shake her head in pity. Being unable to obtain normal survival resources from the sea, one could imagine how harsh the survival environment for players would be in the future.
Yu Chi killed the contaminated Small Yellow Croaker with her small wooden axe and received Wood Plank x1 and EXP +1.
Her dad was such a good fisherman. If he found out that all the fish he caught were contaminated, she wondered if he would start cursing… Never mind. Killing contaminants could make one an official player. Her dad might be among the first batch to become one, and he wouldn’t be short on resources.
During the novice protection period, monsters wouldn’t actively attack, making it the easiest time to gain EXP.
It was already noon. Yu Chi took out her electric cooking pot and traded some wood planks for two small bottles of cumin powder on the player trade interface. There were no other seasonings to be found. The trade interface hadn’t developed much yet; it would take some time before it became more diverse.
Yu Chi sat cross-legged at the bow of the boat, poking the Blue Pearlfish meat she had disassembled earlier.
The translucent piece of meat shimmered with a pearly luster in the sunlight. She held it up to the sun and shook it. After being disassembled by the system, even the bones had been cleanly removed, which was very convenient.
Unfortunately, she didn’t have a suitable tool—the small wooden axe had been used to kill contaminants, so it naturally couldn’t be used to cut the fish meat.
Yu Chi took out some metal scraps. Two metal scraps could be crafted into one nail. She thought for a moment and placed one iron ore, two ropes, and four wood planks into the [Crafting] interface, then selected “Confirm.”
The timer showed she needed to wait 10 minutes.
Yu Chi didn’t stay idle. She poured a whole bottle of mineral water into the electric cooking pot and let it slowly come to a boil. During this time, another contaminated small fish took the bait. She killed it and gained one EXP point and one metal scrap.
Once the crafting was complete, Yu Chi immediately clicked to check.
[Item: Metal Knife
Grade: Excellent
Description: A product of a lucky creation. Despite its crude make, it possesses a strangely powerful attack attribute. Attack Power: 20, Durability: 100/100]
It worked!
Yu Chi ignored the words “crude make” and gripped the small knife in her hand.
She hadn’t expected it to succeed. It must have been a stroke of luck. Tossing materials in without a blueprint, she wouldn’t have been surprised by any outcome.
Perhaps it was because her luck was too good. Yu Chi grinned.
【Congratulations, player, on comprehending the forging skill—Fine Forging.】
【Crafted an excellent weapon, EXP +10】
【Skill: Fine Forging
Grade: Common
Description: Tools or weapons crafted will have a random attack power bonus, with a 30% success rate.】
“Not bad,” Yu Chi was surprised that skills could be self-taught, and her happiness was visible on her face.
She looked at her personal information panel and was surprised to find that it had changed from (0/50) to (47/50). She was just a little bit away from reaching level 2.
Besides killing two level 1 contaminants, she hadn’t done anything else. This meant that of the 47 EXP points, only 10 were from crafting the weapon. The other 35 EXP points came from the bandages and adhesive bandages she had sold.
If the EXP she gained was linked to the HP restored… the bandages and adhesive bandages she sold could restore a total of 400 HP. She wondered what the conversion ratio between restored HP and EXP was.
Yu Chi wasn’t in a hurry; in fact, she was in an excellent mood.
With this discovery, she could just list her bandages and adhesive bandages directly on the trade section for sale, without even having to worry about threats from others. After all, the bandages and adhesive bandages she sold would bring her EXP, allowing her to level up and increase her strength.
Compared to that, those minor threats weren’t very important.
The water in the pot had long been boiling vigorously. Yu Chi used the metal knife to slice the fish meat in her hand and then poured it all into the pot.
The moment the fish meat entered the water, it curled up into translucent little boats. The grayish-white flesh slowly turned jade-colored. The sea breeze carried an exotic fragrance she had never smelled before—an indescribably clear and crisp scent that tickled her nostrils and made her throat move unconsciously.
She picked up a slice of fish meat—it melted in her mouth, the fresh sweetness exploding between her teeth, and it even had a peculiar fruity aroma.
As expected of a delicacy certified by the system. Yu Chi took a deep breath. She had lived in the real world for 21 years, yet she was tasting the pinnacle of deliciousness in another world.
Besides the delicious taste on her tongue, Yu Chi also felt her eyes and mind clear up. Her head seemed much sharper, and even her vision seemed to have improved.
As if addicted, Yu Chi lowered her head and ate voraciously. When the last slice of fish meat entered her stomach, the system suddenly displayed a prompt.
【Spirit +5】
“A bit of a surprise,” Yu Chi raised an eyebrow, delicately tore off a quarter of a paper towel, and elegantly wiped her mouth.
Inwardly, she was ecstatic, with 108 little figures dancing wildly.
The Blue Pearlfish meat was not only delicious but also had a special buff… Most importantly, it was weak, practically a delicacy sent specially by the Sea God!
Her stomach was a bit full. Yu Chi stretched lazily and began to organize her backpack. She was surprised to find the Level 3 Resource Chest she had received as a reward for completing the novice quest. She had been too excited about the [Lucky Match-3] item and had forgotten about it.
【Watermelon Seed x10, Flamethrower Blueprint, Stone x6】
Hot damn. Yu Chi’s face was full of excitement.
She took out a watermelon seed and planted it in the small flowerpot she had obtained earlier, then carefully examined the flamethrower blueprint.
【Item: Flamethrower
Materials: Iron Ore x8, Nail x10, Plastic x29, Metal Scrap x20】
These were all materials that could be gathered slowly. Yu Chi breathed a sigh of relief.
There was only a day and a half left of the novice protection period. She had to take care of that stinking shark by tomorrow.
Her current items were as follows:
【Lucky Match-3, Flamethrower Blueprint, Small Flowerpot, Water Purifier (Common), Wooden Axe, Small Floral Umbrella, Electric Cooking Pot, Bowl and Chopsticks, Plastic Bucket, Mr. Wang’s Smelly Shoes, Human-Thrown Watermelon Rind, Men’s Underwear, Five-Year Gaokao, Three-Year Simulation, Pencil Case, Sanitary Pads, a roll of Tissues】
【Bread x1, Water x1, Steamed Bun x1, Pickled Cabbage Beef Noodles x1, Beer x6, Apple x3, Four-Inch Small Cake x1, Spicy Strips x9, Blue Pearlfish Meat x1, Big Dumb Fish Meat x4, Watermelon Seed x9】
【Painkillers x10, Cold Medicine x10, Fever Reducer x10, Bandage x20, Adhesive Bandage x40】
【Wood x25, Rope x8, Nail x26, Plastic x37, Stone x70, Iron Ore x1, Metal Scrap x18, Wood Plank x12】
In the distance, the noon “marine debris tide” was floating over. Yu Chi did a couple of stretches and jumped directly into the sea.
Enjoyment over. Time to get to work.