Lin Zhu didn’t reply.Yun Luohe figured it was probably a no. Either that, or he was too busy to bother responding.She gave up on that front.Then she hauled up her fishing net—and found a fragment of parchment inside.Now that was a great find. Pleased, she stashed it away and reset the net for another haul later tonight.The rain continued through the evening. Yun Luohe made a small waterproof cloak for Ròubāo using tarp. While the cat hunted fish monsters outside, she busied herself in the wooden cabin.She had obtained the ceramic formula, but she had no intention of making ceramics just yet.[Ceramic: A versatile material. Can be made into bricks and tiles for floors, walls, and roofs. Can also be used to craft tableware, teaware, and vases. Excellent for producing capacitors and insulators. However, crafting ceramic items requires the corresponding blueprints.][Materials required: Clay ×2, Sea Stone ×1]She could currently only make ceramic bricks and tiles, not ceramic objects, since she lacked the proper blueprints. No wonder Lu Yao was willing to trade the formula so easily.Maybe she thought it wasn’t all that useful.Still, even just making bricks and tiles was a big upgrade—they were more waterproof than wood. But tonight, she had no time to start that project. She would handle it after tomorrow’s island trip.There were too many things to take care of tonight already.While roasting more crocodile meat and crafting some tools, a sudden system announcement echoed without warning.[Announcement 1: Starting tomorrow, each zone will receive an additional 1,000 Island Entry Tokens. Player barriers will be lifted—you may now encounter non-teammate players on islands.][Announcement 2: In three days, the Spring Disaster will escalate. Upgrade your reefs ASAP.][Announcement 3: Details on the six core survival skills have been sent via in-game mail. Please check your inbox.]Three announcements in one go—pretty significant.Yun Luohe’s expression changed.The first announcement didn’t affect her much. More tokens being added didn’t really change the odds for her.What were 1,000 tokens when there were over 100,000 players in Zone 2? With her luck, there was no point hoping she’d be one of the lucky few to snag one.The second announcement, however, left her uneasy.The difficulty curve was about to spike again.She opened her inbox to check the message on survival skills. She had already learned Cooking and Foraging, but she was curious about the rest.[Survival Skills:The six core skills are: Cooking, Foraging, Mining, Alchemy, Forging, and Taming. Upon reaching Level 5, players may specialize and become Skill Experts—gaining a major advantage in survival.Skill leveling details (each skill has unique mechanics):– EXP: Each relevant activity grants 1–5 EXP. More advanced actions yield higher gains.– Level Cap: All skills max at Level 10. From Level 3 onward, EXP requirements increase with each level.Fast leveling strategies:– Equipment Boosts: Using professional tools boosts EXP gain during related actions.– Food Buffs: Consume high-grade special meals to enhance skill-related activities.– Team Synergy: Partnering with buff-granting allies during skill use.– Achievements: Unlocking achievements grants bonus EXP.Starting from Level 3, each level-up grants skill-specific rewards and unlocks new effects. System-wide events and competitions tied to skills will open later—only Level 3+ players can join.]So it was clear now: leveling up skills would be a major objective moving forward.She had already unlocked two of the six.If she could get all six, it would make her future progress smoother no matter what direction she took.But collecting all the skill books probably wouldn’t be easy.Still, the system had just laid out a path for her, so at least she didn’t have to fumble around blindly anymore.Now that she thought about it, she hadn’t checked her personal skill stats in a while.She quickly pulled them up.[Skill Stats:– Cooking Lv. 2 (46/100 EXP)– Foraging Lv. 2 (38/100 EXP)]Nice.Both were close to hitting Level 3.According to the mail, Level 3 was the first major breakpoint, and Level 5 was where real specialization began.Once she hit Level 3, she’d unlock more advanced uses—and likely gain further perks.She must have racked up so much EXP because she had been doing skill-related tasks nonstop.She had gathered a ton of materials during yesterday’s island trip, and had been constantly cooking meals for the past few days.And tomorrow she had another island trip lined up. If things went well, she could level up both skills tomorrow.That thought alone filled Yun Luohe with excitement.—It was getting late.Before turning in, Yun Luohe stepped out of the wooden cabin and planted the pinecones she had gathered earlier in the day.Seven in total.Rather than planting them directly into the soil, she opted for potted planting, since the soil conditions weren’t ideal.She used the meadow soil she’d brought back—it was just the right type for pinecones to germinate in.She made seven pots.Pine trees were hard to grow—not all pinecones would sprout. But even if half of them survived, that would be a good result.Once done, she checked on her vegetable patch.The crops were growing well.She was very satisfied. But since the disaster was about to escalate, there was a risk it could affect her crops.She decided she should build a greenhouse over them soon—maybe the day after tomorrow, when she had some spare time.If a freak disaster ruined her hard-earned crops, she’d be devastated.Besides, now that she knew how to level up skills, her vegetables were crucial for Cooking. They’d help her level up faster.Experimenting with new recipes would also speed up EXP gain.She decided to check on her fishing net again.It was still raining, but strangely, there wasn’t a single fish monster in sight. Ròubāo was lying under the eaves, lazy and drowsy. When Yun Luohe walked over, it barely opened one eye and let out a halfhearted meow.No fish monsters. Maybe because she hadn’t baited the reef with guts or other lures?Strange. Other players were reporting frequent fish monster attacks.Could it be… they were afraid of her?No—afraid of Ròubāo?But when she raised her torch and looked over, she noticed the seaweed growing wildly on the reef. What had been 40cm stalks were now over 1 meter long, and still spreading fast.With the rain, fish monsters, and now this out-of-control seaweed… and the disaster was still going to escalate?How many players were going to get wiped out?It was unrealistic to expect Ròubāo to clear out all that seaweed on its own. She needed another method to keep the growth in check.She opened her umbrella and went to check on the oysters.To her surprise, she made a major discovery.The oysters had spawned—and in significant numbers.Even better, the area where she was raising oysters had very little seaweed.It looked like the oysters were eating the seaweed quite efficiently.If she could raise a large number of oysters and spread them along the reef’s edge, they could suppress seaweed growth without wiping it out entirely. That way, Ròubāo wouldn’t be overworked, and she could still harvest seaweed as a crafting resource.Yun Luohe retrieved the shells from the fishing net and cast it again.Back in the wooden cabin, she didn’t open the shells right away. Instead, she opened the Trading Hub to search for oysters.She also messaged Mu Zitang, asking him to check with his friend to see if he still had oysters for sale.Given how quickly oysters had spawned, that guy’s oyster stock might have exploded overnight.Mu Zitang replied quickly.“Sister Yun, I was just sorting trash for you! Everyone in the guild’s been handing in materials and junk. It’s been over three days since we opened up the 50-member group, and now everyone wants to trade up for better supplies—some are even submitting higher-grade materials.”Yun Luohe: “Ignore anything that’s not an upgrade material. Just keep collecting trash.”Mu Zitang: “Got it. I’ll finish soon, then ask my friend about oysters. Once I’m done gathering everything from today’s island trip, I’ll send it all over—there’s a lot, so get your storage boxes ready.”He hadn’t rested since returning from the island. He grabbed a quick bite and immediately got back to work. Between guild chores and a massive seaweed harvest, he was totally swamped. He hadn’t even had a sip of water.He was exhausted.And when the announcements dropped? He nearly spit blood.What disaster escalation? He was already at his breaking point.—Yun Luohe managed to buy 20 oysters from the Trading Hub.Not as many as she had hoped for—but it was something.Then Qin Sisi finally replied to her messages.“I’m all good now. I was really busy earlier and didn’t see your texts.”“We’re doing another island run tomorrow, same arrangement as this morning. I’ve already got the team ready.”Yun Luohe: “Alright.”Qin Sisi: “Saw that you killed a crocodile. Mind trading some of that meat? I can offer eel in exchange—two eels for one piece of crocodile meat.”Eel meat had good nutritional value, sure.But compared to crocodile meat, it was clearly inferior—and much easier to get.A single eel weighed about two pounds. Two eels for one piece of crocodile meat wasn’t a bad offer… ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) assuming Qin Sisi had no idea just how valuable crocodile meat actually was.Yun Luohe had plenty of crocodile meat and didn’t care about minor details like that, so she didn’t bother haggling—she simply agreed to the trade.She needed a variety of ingredients to try out more dishes anyway.And there was a good chance Qin Sisi might have other ingredients she didn’t.After the trade, Qin Sisi was visibly surprised when she saw the crocodile meat’s details.She had clearly underestimated it—the quality was excellent, and the cuts were huge.So she pulled a piece of ginger from her inventory and sent it over to Yun Luohe.“This one’s for you. It’s perfect for neutralizing fishy odors—especially useful when cooking eel.”Yun Luohe: “Thanks. Got any other ingredients to trade? Seasonings work too.”“I have some wild scallions. Want them?”“Sure.”Wild scallions were great. You could toss them into just about anything.Plus, they were easy to grow. Yun Luohe could plant them herself.Their growing season was spring and fall, so planting them now was just in time.Yun Luohe: “I’ll trade you wildflower seeds for them. They bloom when planted on reefs, boost reef ratings, and you can harvest herbal tea from them.”Qin Sisi: “Sounds good.”They wrapped up their conversation after that short exchange about tomorrow’s island trip—both of them were busy.Once she had the wild scallions, Yun Luohe harvested the white bulbs and used the green leaves for cooking.The bulbs just needed a bit of prep. After sprouting, she’d plant them.These things could be harvested again and again—just like chives.She planned to steam some eel later tonight. Just ginger, scallions, and salt would be enough for flavor. It’d be a good late-night snack for her and Ròubāo.It wouldn’t travel well, so better to eat it fresh at home. She’d bring grilled crocodile meat for tomorrow’s trip instead—it was perfect for restoring stamina. She’d roast extra tonight so she wouldn’t have to worry about running out of energy.—A little while later, Mu Zitang sent over a huge batch of supplies.Over three hundred items were materials and junk collected from guild members.At the same time, Yun Luohe had to prepare 50 items for Mu Zitang to distribute back to the members.Some players had turned in ten materials and were hoping for high-quality items in return. Others had only submitted three pieces of junk and six low-tier materials.So she had to differentiate.She picked a batch from her inventory:Seaweed Powder ×25, Peat Moss ×10, Waterproof Tarps ×5, Plastic Umbrellas ×5, Cotton Fabric ×5.As for how to distribute them, she left it to Mu Zitang.Items like umbrellas and cotton fabric were higher-grade. He could decide who had contributed the most or who had the best growth potential and give it to them.On top of that, Mu Zitang also sent over fifteen oysters and screenshots of everything they’d collected from the island.She had already arranged with him to claim 30% of the upgrade materials—and she would also take any materials she personally needed.So Mu Zitang was giving her first pick.This time, their island haul only yielded clay as an upgrade material. Everything else was either stuff Mu Zitang already had—or stuff Yun Luohe had.So she just took some grass seeds and peat. That was it.Mu Zitang felt bad seeing how little she took.He had gotten injured during the trip, and the haul wasn’t great, so Yun Luohe barely got anything out of it.He might’ve gained something from that accident, but Yun Luohe was the one shortchanged.If she’d taken someone else instead, she might’ve gotten a better deal.But she didn’t mind—it was an investment in her eyes.Still, Mu Zitang felt guilty, so he handed over all his clay.Yun Luohe: “You don’t need to give me so much. Keep some for yourself—you need to upgrade too.”She didn’t want him falling behind. She still needed his help managing the guild later.Plus, he helped her buy oysters and didn’t ask for compensation.She could treat the oysters as payment.“Oh right, how’s your progress on collecting those materials I asked for?”“Slow. I’ve gathered some, but not much upgrade material. That stuff rarely shows up in trades. I’ve asked others to help, but they need it too, so they’re reluctant to hand it over.”“Fair enough. That was my oversight. If everyone needs it, and you need it too, then never mind—I’ll collect it myself.”“I do have a few other things for you. Sending them now.”[Shell ×15, Bamboo ×20, Hemp Rope ×10, Leather ×5, Black Metal Fragments ×2, Onion Seeds ×1, Cabbage Seeds ×2]Not much, but better than nothing.Yun Luohe sent him a Furnace and a Coal Collector as payment.It would help him upgrade.Mu Zitang was beyond grateful. He clenched his teeth with resolve—more determined than ever to work hard for her in the future.—Yun Luohe assigned trash duty to Ròubāo. There were no fish monster attacks tonight, so it had nothing to do.She also pulled up a shell from the fishing net.Two in total. When she opened them, she got one gray pearl and one white pearl.It was getting late. Better to open them now. Who knew if she’d find any more shells later?[Opened White Pearl: Received Iron Ore ×1, Plastic Basin ×1, Damaged Blueprint ×1, Iron Bucket ×1, Parchment Fragment ×1, Rotten Fishing Net ×1, Lollipop ×1][Opened Gray Pearl: Received Grass Seeds ×2, Rotten Barrel ×1, Plastic Flip-Flops ×1, Cotton Cloth ×1, Broken Mop ×1, Gauze ×1]Among the items was a second damaged blueprint.Now she had three in total.A thought struck her—what would happen if she tossed all three into the Recycling Bin together?Normally, upgrading a damaged blueprint gave you half a blueprint. Two halves made a full one.But if she threw in all three and only got one in return, that would be a loss.Still, she had a gut feeling: throwing in two wouldn’t trigger anything special, since two was already the standard.But three… three might trigger something different.A transformation. A qualitative shift.Just intuition—but her intuition was usually right.It was a gamble. But there wasn’t much risk.So she tossed all three in.[Recycled successfully. Received: Armor Blueprint]So she still only got one blueprint in return.But this one was excellent:[Crocodile Leather Armor: Tiered armor. Tough, breathable, lightweight, and flexible. Worn close to the body. Reduces physical damage, absorbs and disperses impact. +20 Defense.][Materials required: Crocodile Leather ×1, Golden Spider Silk ×3, Activated Charcoal ×1]She already had the crocodile leather.But where was she supposed to find Golden Spider Silk?That was the second blueprint needing spider silk. The last one only asked for normal silk—now it was golden.She searched the Trading Hub and found listings for normal spider silk.The price? Iron Ingots.Since she was heading to the island tomorrow, she figured she might as well craft a gas mask—just in case.She used her Furnace to make two iron ingots and traded them for 10 spider silk.Then she used peat to make activated charcoal, and crafted the gas mask.Since one or two was the same amount of effort, she made two—just in case.Just as she finished, a message from Qin Sisi came in.The third teammate suggested starting a group chat to coordinate who would bring what, avoid item overlap, and clarify everyone’s skills and roles.Qin Sisi asked if Yun Luohe was okay with it.Of course she was. This was a great idea.Unlike Mu Zitang, she didn’t know this person—better to get a read on them in advance.Yun Luohe agreed, and Qin Sisi created the group chat.Yun Luohe quickly learned who the third person was.It turned out to be someone she’d spoken to not long ago—Lin Zhu.She couldn’t help but be surprised.Lin Zhu was ranked third overall and a member of the Ouhuang Guild.Why was he teaming up with Qin Sisi for the island trip?

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