Chapter 38 - “Spring Rain 4”

Last time, on Apocalypse Lord: Yun Ling gets info on and kills a boss. Players from other areas come to Rising Cloud Village.

This chapter has been brought to you by me and Smash10101.

Chapter 38 – Spring Rain 4

Day 15, sunny day.

No umbrella was sold.

Day 16, cloudy.

There was 1 sale.

Day 17, sunny day.

No one asked about the umbrella.

Seeing that over twenty umbrellas were eating dust, Liang Hui could not keep his composure and was not calm when he worked.

Shi Jian Shan said, “What are you afraid of? Isn’t it still ‘spring, calamity day’?”

Also, even if the rain season had ended, the umbrellas could be sold as equipment. At 20 copper coins, people would want it. They did not have to fear that they could not be sold.

Liang Hui did not say a world, and absent-mindedly worked.

Four in the afternoon, a heavy rain came down outside the village. The sound was clear and pleasing to the ears.

Liang Hui, “!!!”

“It is raining,” he suddenly stood up and shouted in excitement.

“Yes, it is raining.” Shi Jian Shan exhaled. He thought, he finally managed to wait for the time to come!

**

At the same time, outside Rising Cloud Village.

“Not good, it is raining!”

Unlike Liang Hui’s excitement, a hunting team of four people panicked and found a place to avoid rain.

But who knew —

One person took out a bamboo hat and muttered, “I just guessed that this game would not be so good hearted. There would be more rainy days!”

“Exactly!” Another person put on the straw raincoat. “So I found someone to make a straw raincoat. I heard that wearing it is like a poncho and it is very good at blocking rain.”

Another person silently took out an umbrella. “I am different. I bought a bamboo umbrella.”

The only teammate who did not have rain gear and wanted to find a cave to escape the rain, “……”

If we are friends, then be in the rain together!

They secretly took along rain gear. At a glance, this was fake friendship!

**

When it was raining, Yun Ling was gathering purple sweet potatoes with the NPCs.

Seeing rain pour down from the sky, she immediately took off her purple equipment and orange equipment, and put on white equipment. Then she put on a bamboo hat and a straw raincoat. She was fully armed.

“Still dig the purple yams?” Guard B asked.

“Dig!” Yun Ling decided. “There is just a bit left. When we are done, immediately return to the village.”

“Yes.” The NPCs obeyed.

In the distance, an NPC team was hunting and leveling up.

They used their skills, quickly finished the battle, and returned to Yun Ling’s side, taking and putting on the bamboo hats and straw rain coats.

[Foraging success. You have obtained 1 x Purple Sweet Potato. ]

The system notified several times, and the purple sweet potatoes were finally all dug.

“Return to the village,” Yun Ling ordered. The NPCs lined up and returned in an orderly manner.

Rising Cloud Village.

During dusk, the territory was very busy.

“I want to buy 5 bamboo umbrellas!!!” One person charged in front of Shi Jian Shan and said quickly. “150 copper coins here, give me an umbrella.”

Shi Jian Shan patiently explained, “Sunny day, 30 copper coins each. Rainy day, 50 copper coins each. If you want 5, you should give me 250 copper coins.”

That person was shocked. “Why are you changing your price? Because everyone needs umbrellas?”

“The price has always been like this, I am not taking advantage and changing the price.” Shi Jian Shan explained with a cold face. “If you find this expensive, why did you not buy a few days ago when it was sunny?”

That person was speechless.

Buy or not?

That person struggled inside.

Before he could decide, someone rushed in. “Boss! I’ll buy umbrellas! Two!”

“On rainy days 50 copper coins each,” Shi Jian Shan reminded.

“Okay,” the incomer agreed, “money for you, umbrellas for me.”

Shi Jian Shan calmly collected the money.

“50 copper coins each, durability on 10, why are you easy in giving the money?” The first customer was puzzled.

“You do not know?” The person who came later snickered. “The umbrella’s durability maximum is 10, but it wears down very slowly. I bet one umbrella can last the entire rain season.”

“Walking with the umbrella in the rain, the other equipment will not get wet, and the durability will decrease like before. Then, it is possible to move freely outside on rainy days.”

“Is foraging not good? Is leveling up not important? Spending 50 copper coins to buy an umbrella is nothing!”

The first customer thought he had met a scam. But undoubtedly, he was persuaded.

Before he could think carefully, a group of players ran over. “We heard bamboo umbrellas are being sold here? Give me one! !”

Everyone started to fight, and the scene was chaos.

Liang Hui looked on dazedly from the side, and thought of what Shi Jian Shan had said to him at the start. “Do as I say, and do not ask questions. After a while, I will help you buy official Rising Cloud Village resident status, and give you a house.”

At then, he thought that Shi Jian Shan was boasting, and complained inside, with their friendship, there was no need to dangle a carrot in front of him.

He never thought that not long after, the promise might quickly come true.

Liang Hui was dizzy, and felt like he was stunned by the meat pie that fell down from the sky.

**

“Where are straw raincoats being sold?” Several players walked over in a hurry, and asked everyone they saw.

Soon, they found a suspicious stall that was being surrounded by people.

“Line up! Do not squeeze!” To maintain order, Zhang Hong Bo shouted at the top of his lungs.

But the customers did not cooperate.

“We all came at about the same time, why care about order of arrival?”

“Little Friend, I’m telling you, you should not have a line. The raincoats should belong to whoever pays the most.”

“Do not waste words. Other people are coming! Each person buys one, then we can all go away.”

“No! I need one, my family needs one, and I need to save one for emergencies. I have to buy three!”

“How many straw raincoats are there in total? Do you not feel guilty taking three for yourself?”

Seeing the customers about to fight, Zhang Hong Bo changed the topic. “You came first, you pay first.”

“Okay.” This person was overjoyed, and paid for the straw raincoat.

He looked —

[Name: Straw Raincoat (Rain Gear)]

Quality: Normal

Durability: 15/15

Equip Effect: +1 Stamina.

The attributes were average, but it was good if it could block the rain.

That person left happily with the raincoat.

“I clearly came first…” someone else muttered.

“You are second,” Zhang Hong Bo said.

First or second did not matter as long as they could buy the equipment.

Hearing this, the customer became happy, took out the money, took the goods and left.

Zhang Hong Bo wiped the sweat off his head. “Next one —”

In a flash, all five straw raincoats were sold.

The players who did not get any were displeased. “Why just these few?”

Zhang Hong Bo grimaced. “This takes a lot of effort to weave. At most, 2 per day.”

Also, it had not rained the last few days, and if more rain coats were made, no one bought them. Grandfather made a few to keep in stock and then went back to making straw sandals.

But then the weather suddenly changed, the rainy season came again, and the straw rain coats were selling madly!

Once the goods were sold, what could players do? They could only leave angrily and walk around the village, seeing if there were any bamboo umbrella or bamboo hats left.

Counting the income, Zhang Hong Bo’s eyes showed a hint of joy — there was enough money! He and Grandfather could become official residents of Rising Cloud Village, and buy a wood house!

**

“Here, the bamboo hat you wanted,” Yang Yong said as he handed over the new bamboo hat.

The customer was overjoyed, and praised, “Old Yang, your skill is so good! You are also kind!”

How many people were in need of equipment like straw rain coats, bamboo hats, and bamboo umbrellas?

While he had paid a deposit, if the other did not agree to give, and secretly sold the products away, he could do nothing.

Luckily, what he worried about did not happen. Old Yang delivered the bamboo hat on time, the workmanship fine as usual.

Yang Yong smiled casually. “I said I would make a bamboo hat for you, and I will not lie.”

A crafter had to keep their promises.

The customer was eager. “Old Yang, are you busy? Do you know how to make bamboo umbrellas? How about I pay deposit, and you help me make a bamboo umbrella?”

“Sorry, I cannot do so,” Yang Yong unexpectedly refused.

“Why?” The customer did not understand. “Do you not know how to do it?”

“Yes,” Yang Yong smiled helplessly. “But I do not have any materials.”

The customer was speechless. A long time later, he said, “So the bamboo umbrella is a monopoly? If we need one, we have to go to the stall outside to buy?”

“Only he has the materials. Only he can do the bamboo umbrellas. No way about it,” Yang Yong shrugged.

**

The Tailor Shop.

Tailor B respectfully reported. “Lord, other than the straw rain coats for our own use, there are only five left in the warehouse.”

Yun Ling thought for a while. “Put them on the shelves and sell them, do not keep one.”

“Yes,” Tailor B said respectfully.

“Lord, I…” Tailor A hesitated to speak.

Yun Ling understood that not all people had the money to buy six pieces of equipment. The players had limited spending power, and so it was understandable they chose the more cost-effective self-made equipment. In the views of some people, as long as things were cheap.

In the end, the shop business was affected.

She understood and said calmly, “Do not make cloth shoes, cloth armor and belts for now. There is enough in stock. When they are sold, then prepare new ones.”

“Then what do I make in the future?” Tailor A asked.

“Hunting Quiver, Simple Bandage, High Quality Bandage. These all work,” Yun Ling said with a smile. “Did you not learn the ‘linen backpack’ blueprint and the ‘cotton backpack’ blueprint previously? If you have time, you can make a few to sell.”

“Yes,” Tailor A solemnly responded.

“Right,” Yun Ling’s gaze turned to Tailor B, “if there is time, make a few assassin masks. I have a use.”

“Okay,” Tailor B said.

Yun Ling thought, when the masks were made, she would have the NPCs put them on.

This way, no one else would find it strange that the NPCs were strange for wearing a mask.

Because this was equipment, it had to be worn, and covering the face was a last resort.

**

Woodworking Workshop.

Bamboo spears, Wood Spears, Bamboo Shields were all cheap and easy to use. The Woodworking Workshop’s business was affected.

Yun Ling ordered, “Stop making basic equipment like the wood sticks, wood shields, and wood staffs. In the future, sell willow sticks, willow shields, willow staffs and other blue equipment.”

“Yes,” Woodworker B had a calm expression.

Woodworker A sweated. “Lord…I only know to make basic equipment and torches…”

“You can just learn them.” Yun Ling took out four blueprints. The paper recorded the method to make the willow sticks, willow shields, willow staffs and willow bows.

Woodworker A was happy and said in a trembling voice, “Thank you, Lord!”

**

While the bamboo hats, straw raincoats, and bamboo umbrellas could block the rain, Rising Cloud Village had over four hundred people, and at least three hundred would go out each day.

Compared to the strong demand of the players, the supply produced by the life skills players was not enough.

Day 18, the rain continued.

Some people wore bamboo hats, or straw rain coats, or carried bamboo umbrellas as they went outside happily.

Some could only sit on the ground and gaze at the rain, sighing repeatedly, “When will the rain stop!”

No one knew.

The only thing they could do was wait.

**

On rainy days, Yun Ling did not bother to go out, and ordered Guard A to lead the team. They were just leveling up and foraging like usual.

“Yes.” Guard A left with orders.

“On a rainy day, it is best to eat roasted sweet potatoes.” Yun Ling opened the cabinet and prepared to eat.

The system suddenly notified, [Player “You Qing Wen” requests to enter the room. Will you allow it?”]

How come she was here?

Yun Ling pressed “yes.”

After entering, You Qing Wen said happily, “There is a good chance to make money, I came to invite you to get rich together.”

Yun Ling was slightly shocked. “What do you mean?”

“Here.” You Qing Wen handed over two blueprints.

Yun Ling read for a moment, and found that one was a blueprint for a “bamboo hat” and the other “straw raincoat”. She was speechless.

You Qing Wen continued, “Right now, in the village, the bamboo hats, straw raincoats and umbrellas are selling the best.”

“The bamboo umbrellas are limited by the conditions and cannot be made. But we can share in the bamboo hats and straw rain coats.”

“Have your teammates learn the ‘Elementary Bamboo Art’ and ‘Elementary Grass Art.’ Then learn the blueprints. After that…just sit and count the money!”

Yun Ling did not take them but asked, “If you give the blueprints to me, what will you do?”

You Qing Wen did not care. “We got three bamboo hat blueprints and two straw raincoat blueprints. I give you two, but we have extra still.”

Yun Ling then accepted them. “It seems that you have already earned a lot?”

“No-no!” When You Qing Wen mentioned this, she was very depressed.

“Different equipment need different materials. We got the blueprints, and the members all thought that the straw raincoats needed too much material, and the weaving process would be very troublesome. So no one was willing to learn.”

“The same with bamboo hats. From morning to night, all you do is sit there and weave. If you do not have problems, you will get problems.”

“So until the bamboo hats and straw rain coats became popular across the territory, we suddenly realized we had the relevant blueprints…”

Before the bamboo hats and straw rain coats became popular, they had forgotten this completely.

For some reason, Yun Ling thought of Mage B. Because she had Elementary Bamboo Art, the great burden of making bamboo hats had fallen to her.

She wove day and night, and could almost change her name to “Weaver A.”

Yun Ling:”……”

Lucky that Mage B was a NPC, and not a player. If this was any other person, they would have erupted a long time ago.

On the side, You Qing Wen eagerly warned, “When you choose the person, be sure to pick a good one.”

“Some people naturally do not have talent in weaving. Have him sit and weave bamboo hats, he cannot sit still for half an hour, and said he was going mad.”

“Some people worked seriously, but in the end, when the product comes out, they are indistinguishable, and the system judged it a failure.”

Yun Ling looked at You Qing Wen and thought, what did this girl experience?

After talking for a while, You Qing Wen taught her all her (failed) experiences, and then warned at the end, “If you have a suitable person, and want to make this money, you have to be quick.”

“I know that the other teams are raising talents in this field.”

“After this time, the rain gear supply will explode. By then, it will not be easy to make money.”

Yun Ling gave a friendly smile. “Okay, I know.”

In reality, the newly hired Archer D and Assassin B all had “Elementary Grass Art,” and “Elementary Bamboo Art” life skills. There was nothing wrong in letting them develop in the direction of “Weaver B” and “Weaver C.”

**

After selling an umbrella, they got 30 copper coins.

After selling an umbrella, they got 30 copper coins.

Gradually, Liang Hui was numb to money, and just made umbrellas.

Shi Jian Shan calculated their income and notified Liang Hui, “Come, let’s buy a house.”

Copper coins -100, they got official resident status.

Copper coins -500, 1 x wood house received.

Even though Liang Hui had been mentally prepared before, he was still stunned by the surprise.

How many days had this been? He went from a person who was starving to a person with a house?

Liang Hui did not understand.

“After this, we will work in the house.” Shi Jian Shan put the materials and tools together. “Help me move these into the house.”

“Yes.” Liang Hui raised his spirits, and went to help.

Shi Jian Shan held the rag paper that had been brushed with waterproof tung oil. He thought, this was just a beginning.

There was a shortage of materials, and he was fated to be the only one doing the business.

The good days of making money were ahead of him!

**

Day 19, moderate rain.

The players with rain gear could go out as usual, the ones without did not bear for the durability of their equipment to fall, and could just watch from the village.

Day 20, light rain.

The rain seemed to come down in threads, not a lot but enough that some players were still stuck in the village.

Day 21, light rain to moderate rain.

Straw rain coats, bamboo hats, and bamboo umbrellas were very popular! The transaction prices made new heights!

The players that did not manage to buy rain gear went out, but the rain became stronger, and they had no place to hide.

When they returned to Rising Cloud Village in the evening, after calculating what they got, and the damage to their equipment, they were very regretful — it was more cost effective to stay in the village, and sell the equipment for money.

Night came.

Pang Yu sat on a bench, thinking deeply as he smoked.

The fire shone brightly, the smoke spread, but this did not ease his worries. The rain did not finish, and he could not afford to buy rain gear. He had been stuck in the village for three days. At home… There was no more food.

He was cruel and wanted to use everything valuable at home to trade for food, but the other immediately responded. “No! Your things are not good, not worth it.”

“Right now, food is the most valuable. Your trash metal, even if you give for free, people may not want it.”

“Do not blame us for not being kind. I do not know when the rain will let up. Everyone is tightening their belts to live.”

Pang Yu was anxious at being blocked at every turn and being unable to get food. As a result, he was smoking to relieve his worries.

The cigarette had been taken from home when he fled, and this was his last one. It was not an exaggeration to say that all avenues were exhausted.

After sitting for a long time, Pang Yu rubbed his face hard. He slowly walked back to the family home.

“You are back?” In the tent, his wife sat on the bed, and weakly asked, “How is it, did you get food?”

Pang Yu moved his lips, and did not know what to say. He took out a black piece of cornbread from his pocket half the size of a palm and said in a low voice, “I got a piece of cornbread. Eat it when it’s hot. Tomorrow, no matter if it is raining or not, I have to go out.”

In reality, he had not traded for the cornbread. One of the friends he knew saw that he was not living well, and squeezed out a bit of food to loan to him.

His wife stopped moving. In the next second, her eyes filled with tears. “It is all because of me. If I am not ill, and cannot work, you will not have so much pressure…”

One person earning two people’s food. Of course there was not enough to eat.

“Do not speak nonsense,” Pang Yu sighed. “It is hard, but at least we are well. Tomorrow, nothing may happen, and I will return after finding food.”

“People have cleaned out everything near the village, where is there food?” His wife choked out, “If you are going far, that is going to your death! You have no rain gear, no team to protect you, how will you go? How will you return?”

“At least, it is better than staying in the village and waiting for death,” Pang Yu said helplessly.

Hearing this, his wife cried even more sadly.

Pang Yu comforted her for a long time before she calmed down.

**

The rainy days did not intensify just the sale of the rain gear, even the business of the restaurant was better than before.

To avoid the players hoarding, starting from Day 18, the restaurant ruled —

[Name: Mixed Grain Steamed Bun]

Quality: None

Use Effect: Fills the stomach.

Price: 2 copper coins.

Note: Each person is limited to buying 1 per day.

[Name: Rice Porridge]

Quality: None

Use Effect: Fills the stomach.

Price: 1 copper coin.

Note: Each person is limited to buying 1 bowl per day.

This way, the food in the warehouse could last longer.

But even so, the situation of the lower level players was not good.

In the restaurant, two girls stood by the shelves and ordered.

The slightly older one ordered a steamed bun, and then turned, wanting to leave.

“Older sister,” the younger sister’s eyes were filled with puzzlement, “why are you just buying one steamed bun?”

“Good girl, you can eat, I am not hungry,” the older sister said warmly with a smile.

The younger sister thought. “No, we can each have a half.”

“You won’t be full with a half,” the older sister warned.

The younger sister was very stubborn. “Half for each of us. Otherwise, I will not eat.”

“Okay, half for each of us.”

The voices gradually faded. Yun Ling knew that these residents were not the only ones.

“If I do nothing, by the time the rainy season ends, many people will have died…”Thinking this, she sank into deep thought.

**

The next morning, when light rain was falling through the air, the mission hall had a strange mission.

[Temporarily hiring “Elementary Foraging” players. 10 copper coins/day, provides lunch and dinner. Provides bamboo hat when going out and the protection of combat members. Need to hand in all that is foraged. Ten positions in total. Those interested can contact Yun Ling.]

Pang Yu had originally wanted to go to the mission hall to see if there was any easy materials to collect and hand in for money. Unexpectedly, he saw the employment mission.

He was overjoyed. Being hired by a team was much safer than going out alone!

Also, if he went by himself, he may not find food. If he went with the team, he had to hand in all he foraged, but the team took care of the meals, and gave copper coins.

Pang Yu hurriedly contacted Yun Ling, fearing that he was late.

**

Soon, ten players gathered together, and waited anxiously.

It was their first time being hired. They did not know if the team would fulfill the agreement.

In other words, what if the other was using the excuse of foraging to make them lures for monsters?

When they were out of the territory, and far from the village, they had no one to call for help. Whether they could return depended on luck.

Of course, knowing that this could be a con, they still chose to sign up because they almost could not survive any longer…

“I will not waste words,” Yun Ling said solemnly.

“Listen to orders, you cannot hide what you have foraged. After returning to the village, give back the bamboo hat, you will be paid, and the day’s employment is finished.”

“If everyone works hard, it is possible to move from temporary employment to long term employment.”

This sounded pretty reliable.

The ten employed players were eager, and their wariness faded.

Yun Ling gave a look and indicated for Guard A to distribute bamboo hats.

In reality, she had the thought of hiring players to work for her long ago, but she had not had the chance to try it before this. Now, some of the residents were about to starve to death. So she would try to make a foraging team.

The reason that she first hired 10 people was because the trip would be difficult and dangerous. She did not know how well the players would obey, and so she hired less.

If this was successful, in the future, she could expand.

As she thought, the ten players and the twelve NPCs finished preparing.

Yun Ling waved her hand. “Depart!”