The tents were a forest. The fires swayed, and the smell of food filled the air.
The players were gathered together in twos or threes, gulping down food, bargaining, trading information, or playing cards…
Looking at the transformed camp, Yun Ling was dazed and thought that she had come to the wrong place.
“You are back?” From afar, Wei Qing had seen Yun Ling and he greeted her. “Today, I got good gains, and do not need to trade for food with you.”
Before entering the supermarket, Yun Ling had seen Wei Qing, so she smiled upon hearing this. “Good.”
Wei Qing lowered his voice. “If you have extra wood, silk thread, linen cloth, then go to the mission hall quickly. Today, the camp sent a collection mission. These materials can be traded for money!”
The players had started to do missions?
Yun Ling’s thoughts moved as she smiled. “Thank you for telling me. I will go now.”
**
At this time, there was no one in the mission hall.
“Acquisition of linen cloth” mission was completed 14 times.
“Acquisition of wood” mission was completed 19 times.
“Acquisition of silk thread” mission was completed 17 times.
No wonder Wei Qing urged her when he saw her. He probably worried that if she went late, other people would have completed the mission already.
She picked up the materials, and reset the upper limit of the missions to twenty. Yun Ling opened the window and confirmed hiring NPC “George.” She then named them “Woodworker A” and publicized the NPC’s name.
Then she unlocked and built the “Woodworking Workshop.”
After doing all this, -100 copper coins. At the same time, the sound of players gasping came from outside the mission hall. “What is happening?!!”
In less than three seconds, the woodworking workshop was built.
The players were shocked and stunned. They gathered around the woodworking workshop.
Formerly George – Now Woodworker A bowed and said, “Willing to serve you, Lord.”
Yun Ling ordered, “Starting today, stay in the woodworking workshop. Create 3 wood sticks, 3 wood shields, 3 wood staffs, and 1 torche each day. If there are not enough materials, go to the warehouse to get more.”
On one hand, the woodworker needed wood to make equipment.
On the other hand, using life skills would require energy.
Woodworker A was level 0, and had average attributes. There was a limit to the amount of equipment they could create with their elementary woodworking. Yun Ling had calculated carefully before setting the target.
“Yes.” Woodworker A turned and went to the woodworking workshop. They looked like they were going to work immediately.
After sending the order, Yun Ling inspected the territory attribute window.
[Territory Name: Rising Cloud]
[Level: Campsite. (There are four levels, campsite, village, town, city.)]
[Tax: 5%. (0-100%, the lord has the power to adjust it independently)]
[Population Capacity: 200]
[Existing Residents: 47 (Temporary Residents 44)]
[Unlockable Buildings: 4]
[Existing Buildings: 3]
[Existing building detail:
Warehouse (Level 1): 200 square meters in area, can store various resources, and extend date of use for food. (Note: The lord can set an access list and allow specific people to use it.)
Mission Hall (Level 1): Can issue missions, attract and recruit NPC talents. (Note: At the present level, 2 NPCs can be refreshed everyday. They will stay 12 hours.)
Woodworking Workshop (Level 1): Can create simple weapons, provide wood household items. (Note: Products sold are based on the ability of the NPC.)]
Yun Ling had been part of the beta, and at a glance, she understood the notes.
For example, there were 47 current residents and 44 of them were temporary. That was because she, as the lord, was included. The NPCs as hired people also took spots.
“Unlockable Buildings: 4” meant that with the camp level, there could only be four different buildings in the area. If she wanted to unlock more, she had to level up.
“Products sold are based on the ability of the NPC.” Taking Woodworker A as an example, they had elementary woodworking. They could create wood sticks, wood shields, wood staffs, and torches.
If another person also had elementary woodworking, they may be able to create wood bows, wood spears, wood beds, and wood cabinets.
“Lacking materials, lacking life skill talents, lacking buildings.” Yun Ling sighed. Words appeared in her mind — “A thousand things to do.”
**
The woodworking workshop made a great fuss when it was built, almost rising in front of everyone.
The players flooded into the shop, wanting to see the purpose of the building and if they could buy good weapons.
But when they went in, it was empty. There was nothing. They were disappointed.
There was a small door in the corner.
Someone tried to push the door but received a system notification, [You do not have access. You are prohibited from entering.]
“Why no access again?!” someone complained.
“This is an empty room, useless.” Another person was dispirited.
At this time, Woodworker A walked in.
A person saw Woodworker A out of the corner of their eye and exclaimed when the name was visible.
“Everyone, the shop has just opened, and temporarily has no stock,” Woodworker A said with friendliness. “If you wish to buy equipment, please come tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow? When tomorrow?”
“What is inside? Why can’t I enter?”
“What products will the Woodworking Workshop have?”
The players asked.
Woodworker A answered one by one, “This little shop temporarily sells wood sticks, wood shields, wood staffs, and torches.”
“Tomorrow morning, products will be for sale.”
“It is the workshop inside. Outsiders are not allowed in.”
“If there is new equipment, they will be placed out for sale.”
Hearing this, the players were silent.
A female player asked weakly, “… From your meaning, the equipment produced by the Woodworking Workshop are handmade? If the inventory is sold, and new ones are not made, we cannot buy even if we have money?”
“This is the case.” Woodworker A nodded.
The female player asked, “What if there is not enough raw material?”
Woodworker A answered with a small smile, “The shop will be out of stock. The shop will only be open once raw materials are resupplied and the workers make new equipment.”
The room was silent.
A long time later, someone said, “No wonder the camp released material collection missions today. So it was in preparation for opening the shop.”
**
Mug, hot water, a pack of oatmeal. Added together, it was a good dinner. Delicious, and convenient.
Yun Ling made a cup of oatmeal, and then handed two bottles of water and two bags of biscuits to Guard A. One portion for him to eat, and the other for Woodworker A.
Guard A went away.
Yun Ling took out the linen cloth and the silk thread, getting to work.
With the recovery items in hand, Yun Ling felt very satisfied. “It will be even safer going out.”
Before she finished speaking, the system notification popped out, [Congratulations, Player, for being the first to make a “premium” recovery item. Your reward is 100 experience points. Your reward is 200 copper coins.]
Seeing there was still a distance to levelling up, Yun Ling closed the window.
**
After the panicked first day, the veterans had experience. The sky was not dark, but they paid their fees and brought their temporary resident status.
After six o’clock passed, the sky turned dark. Only the camp fires burned with light.
Shi Guang Fei had a serious expression and said gravely, “Everyone present has missing relatives. Starting tomorrow, we will team up to go find people.”
“To avoid encountering danger, we will gradually spread out with the camp as the center.”
“We will first go to the nearby residential buildings, and then the shops further away. We will go to the city center, but it will take a few days.”
“If someone has a different opinion, speak now.”
The others were silent, and no one spoke for a long time.
Zong Ye Ming moved his lips, wanting to speak, but in the end, he swallowed his words.
The other’s suggestion was correct.
When one was not strong enough, going to the city center was not to rescue people, but to die.
They would search for people as they killed monsters, finding cards and increasing strength. When they had enough manpower and the members were experienced, it would be much safer to team up and go to the city center.
Also … Zong Ye Ming glanced at the four people around him and thought, it was his best choice right now to move with these people.
“I have no objections,” one person muttered after a long time.
“I also have no opinions,” Zong Ye Ming echoed.
“Alright, then it is settled.” Glancing at the time, he told his teammates, “Rest today, and we will leave at first light tomorrow.”
**
At the same time, Setting Sun Camp.
A wood sign was propped up with “Buying wood, linen cloth, magic beast meat. 1 copper coin per wood piece. 1 copper coin per linen cloth. 3-5 copper coins per magic meat. Negotiable.”
There were many whispers. The players whispered to each other.
Lu Chuan did not care and just barbecued meat around the fire.
Soon, two pieces of meat came out.
[Name: Grilled Loin]
Quality: Normal
Required Materials: 1x Raw Tenderloin
Use Effect: Restore 10 HP every 5 seconds, stamina temporarily 1 (lasts 1 hour).
[Name: Fragrant Chicken Drumstick]
Quality: Premium
Required Materials: 1x Raw Chicken Drumstick
Use Effect: Restore 20 HP every 5 seconds, strength attribute temporarily 3 (lasts 1 hour).
The roasted meat did not just restore HP, but also strengthened basic attributes!
At the start of the game, who else had seen something this good? When Lu Chuan displayed the attributes of the barbecue, the players crowded over and fought to buy.
“Trade only, not selling,” Lu Chuan tapped the wood sign, his attitude firm.
Most people stopped.
One team that was strong, had killed countless monsters, and had many dropped items lit up upon hearing this.
Editor’s ramblings: So are NPCs just slaves? Obviously she has to feed them, but it seems like Yun Ling just pays a one time fee to “hire” them for life.
Translator Ramblings: 5% tax rate is a pretty good deal … I would like to live there except for, you know, the murderous monsters outside.