Chapter 43 - “Summer 2”

Last time, on Apocalypse Lord: All non game food starts to go bad at 20 times the normal rate.

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

Chapter 43 – Summer 2

Overnight, salt became popular.

Originally, each day, 5-10 portions would be sold, and a lot had been stocked up in the warehouse. But today, 450 portions were sold, and there were people waving copper coins saying they wanted to buy from players.

The change in direction was so sudden.

Before some residents could realize what had happened, all the salt was sold.

The workshop.

Yun Ling asked Zhang Heng, “The salt is in great demand. Is there any way of increasing production?”

“Yes, but I need professional equipment.” Zhang Heng had a helpless expression. “This is the apocalypse, the buildings have all been eaten by the monsters. Where is there professional equipment?”

Yun Ling was silent, her head bowed.

After a while, she looked up with sharp eyes. “What if people raided some professional equipment before the buildings collapsed?”

“You mean…” Zhang Heng hesitated.

Yun Ling said directly, “I want to go around the nearby territories. Maybe I will get unexpected gains.”

“Could I go as well?” Zhang Heng said in a small voice.

As a research team member, if not necessary, he did not want to leave the safe area.

“You do not have to go, just draw a picture for me, and tell which are the equipment you need. When I see them, I will buy, and hand them to you when I return,” Yun Ling said.

Zhang Heng was overjoyed. “This is not a problem!”

He had great confidence in his drawing skill.

“Okay, you are busy. Give the pictures to me before 8 o’clock in the morning.” Yun Ling needed to make preparations before going to other territories.

**

She entered the Tailor Shop.

No one had bought the Fire Feather Cloak worth 3000 copper coins.

Yun Ling had Tailor A take the cloak down. She put it into her backpack — at a necessary time, she could switch on the dagger and the cloak. When she wore the cloak, and focused on defense, the surrounding enemies would automatically receive fire spell damage.

She took the cloak and also ten bamboo hats.

“Lord,” Tailor A warned,” “it is hot right now, and the sun is poisonous. The bamboo hats can be easily sold in the shop.”

“I know,” Yun Ling said uncaringly, “I have other uses for these.”

Hearing this, Tailor A did not say more.

**

She entered the restaurant.

Yun Ling ordered NPCs to prepare rice soup, rice cakes, and sandwiches before tomorrow morning.

Of them, there had to be enough rice soup, to avoid dehydration and creating a negative status.

“Yes, Lord,”Chef A and B said.

Chef C asked, “Does Lord need other food?”

Yun Ling thought, what she wanted the most was iced plum soup…

Never mind, there were not enough raw materials to make it. The more she thought, the more she wanted it.

Yun Ling waved a hand and said, “No need.”

“Yes.” Chef C then left.

**

Day 43

In the morning, Zhang Heng handed over the blueprint and pointed at the equipment he needed.

The foraging team was gathered together and waiting for departure.

Yun Ling ordered Guard A. “Today, you lead the team. Pay attention and be safe on the road.”

“Yes,”Guard A solemnly responded.

It was not the first time Guard A led a team out. In the past, he would lead them back unharmed, and with great gains. Due to this, Yun Ling did not worry at all.

After warning them a bit, she walked alone in the direction of Setting Sun Village.

After walking twenty minutes, there were only trees and bamboo forests. All things edible had been swept clean.

After thirty-five minutes, she saw some scattered wild vegetables, potatoes, and rice fields.

After walking fifty minutes, the resources suddenly grew rich.

Yun Ling suppressed the thought of furiously gathering. She knew, the main aim of her trip out this time was to go to other territories and buy professional equipment. If she had the time, she could go to more places. She could not waste time on foraging.

So she remembered the types and location of the resources and continued forward.

The sun was high and strong in the sky, making people sweat and parched.

Seeing that she had walked more than halfway, Yun Ling found a tree to rest under as she drank rice soup to replace water.

“It is so hot.” She wiped the sweat from her forehead and thought inside, “It seems that it is time to let the NPCs learn to make bamboo and palm leaf fans. So hot, how can we do without fans?”

While she had super high stamina, and would not easily get a negative status, it did not feel good in the humid and hot weather.

“I am starting to miss mung bean soup, watermelon juice, and rainbow shaved ice.”

Thinking of the summer beverages, Yun Ling missed the former life very much.

Crack —

The sound of branches snapping came from around her.

Yun Ling was immediately alert. “Who?!”

Two youths and one middle aged man appeared.

The oldest one said in a deep voice, “Hand over your bamboo hat, and your backpack. We can spare your life.”

Yun Ling, ha-ha.

Yun Ling, no need.

“You alone cannot kill me,” she said lazily. “Do not waste your energy, leave.”

“Arrogant!” The middle aged man snorted. He raised his staff and cast his skill. “Mental Attack! Darkness Curse!”

At the same time, one youth drew a bow and shot, and the other youth held a wood stick and charged at Yun Ling.

In order to travel, Yun Ling wore a bamboo hat (white), soft armor (purple), a pair of cloth shoes (blue), and had a Bull Ring (purple) on her hand. All her other equipment was in the cotton backpack.

Seeing the enemy charging recklessly, she pulled the shield out of her backpack and prepared to fight.

But she did not take out the Fish Scale Shield, but the round shield.

Yun Ling, “?”

She suddenly remembered, she was pretending to be an ordinary player to get into Setting Sun Village, so she had prepared normal equipment beforehand. But even before she reached her destination, she started to fight others…

The situation was urgent, and Yun Ling did not have the time to think, raising the round shield and fighting at close quarters with the players.

The spells hit.

In the next moment, the middle aged man spat blood and shouted in shock, “Careful! She has a damage reflect!”

“Ah?!” The archer was shaken, but his three arrows had already been released.

At the same time, the other youth used his skill. “Chaos Stick.”

“Hey, it hurts when you hit me!” Yun Ling was accidentally hit, and then protested in anger.

Before she finished speaking, the three enemies fell down. Equipment, cards, copper coins and materials dropped all over the ground.

Yun Ling, “???”

So weak?

She looked at the three again. Yun Ling just found that while all of them wore 2-3 pieces of blue equipment, they were all offensive equipment, and none of them increased stamina. If the free points were used on strength/intelligence, then their ability to survive was very bad.

“Average strength and you copy others in robbery, what people are you!” Yun Ling picked up the drops and sighed heavily. “When can I get the S-rank Stone Skin? If not, an A-rank will also work!”

**

Yun Ling thought the team of three she encountered was an exception. After resting more than twenty minutes, with her HP recovered to the maximum, she stood up, and continued towards Setting Sun Village.

As a result, someone else was blocking the way.

The method was the same. Say ruthless things, and try to get her to give up her equipment.

The only difference was last time, there were three people, and this time, there were five. This was on a bigger scale.

“Huh. “Yun Ling laughed in anger.

“What are you laughing about!” The assassin was furious. Before the leader gave the order, they used the “Swift Dash” skill to get close to the target.

He planted to attack first.

As to the other being a girl, and alone — it was the apocalypse, who cared if she was a girl! It was most practical to get the benefits in hand!

The assassin suddenly attacked, and thought they could catch the other off guard. But when they got close to the target, they were hit hard by the round shield — this time, Yun Ling took out the Fish Scale Shield, the battle had ended.

This time, Yun Ling was smart, and held the Fish Scale Shield in hand.

The assassin immediately saw stars after being hit.

Yun Ling said, word by word, “I am not someone that you can afford to offend. If you are smart, get away!”

“Just a girl who knows to boast.” The ambushers were confident that they would win because they had the advantage of numbers.

Just as the words came, the other four people attacked together. The archers shot, the close combatant came close, and the ones who could cast cast their skills.

Yun Ling’s eyes were cold as she attacked back.

When the assassin was killed by the damage reflect, this group of people seemed to wake up from a dream. “Damn! She has damage reflect, quick, retreat!”

In the blink of an eye, the other four people ran away.

Yun Ling did not want to give chase. She picked up the white equipment, 3 copper coins, and 2 silk threads before resting on the spot.

For a distance that could be covered in half an hour, Yun Ling took more than two hours.

Each time, after a while, a team would come out to rob her. Sometimes, they came one after another, wanting to benefit when she was not in peak condition.

If she wore 1 orange, 3 purple, 1 blue, and 1 white to show her strength, it was useless. If she wore 1 blue and 5 white to show that she was poor and threatening her was useless…in the end, if someone did not die, the enemy would not know to fear.

As Yun Ling fought, she was speechless.

She was carrying her supplies in a nesting doll fashion. In each of the five slots of her cotton backpack, there was a cotton backpack, and one slot with a normal back pack. Each time she took out supplies, she had to dig in twice. Sometimes, she would remember incorrectly, and take out the wrong thing.

6×5+1. There were 31 slots in total. On the way, she picked up cards, equipment, copper coins and materials. More than half of her storage slots were filled.

Later on, Yun Ling did not care if the other blocked the way, and would turn to run if she saw people.

Because she wore blue cotton shoes, there were not many players who could keep up with her. Either they were high offense and low defense assassins, or high attack but low HP archers.

These people, after one attack, would be frightened by the drop in their own HP. Then they would pretend they could not catch up, and let Yun Ling go.

Of course, there were those who thought they were strong and were very stubborn.

One assassin had purple shoes, purple mask, and a purple dagger. He looked like he was doing well.

Seeing Yun Ling turn and “run away,” he sneered and gave chase.

When he caught up…he dropped purple shoes, blue vambraces, A-rank skill card, S-rank skill card, Elementary Foraging skill card, and a whole pile of other things.

Yun Ling took it all.

The moment she stepped into Setting Sun Village, the system suddenly know notified, [You have found “Setting Sun Village.”]

Yun Ling felt heartsore and wanted to cry.

It had been so hard to get here!

Not just her, but also the cotton backpack. Look, it was a size larger!

Because she had picked up too many items, and she did not know what attacks she would experience on the way back, Yun Ling chose to set up a stall, planning to sell all the white equipment.

Just as she set up the stall, a middle aged uncle hurriedly walked over and said in a low voice, “How come you took out all these things? Put them away quickly!”

Yun Ling had a confused expression. “But I have no use for them. It is better to sell them for money.”

The middle aged uncle sighed. “You are new to Setting Sun Village?”

Yun Ling was shocked. He could see this?

“Once you stay long in Setting Sun Village, you will understand the truth of ‘not showing your wealth’,” the middle aged uncle spoke quickly. “Listen to me, and leave here quickly before it is too late!”

“Hm, there is equipment for sale here.”

Hearing the lazy voice, the middle aged uncle seemed to see a ghost, his face paling. He kept his head down and quickly left.

Yun Ling:”……”

Just from the uncle’s expression, she thought that she was not in the safe area.

A youth came from afar. He had dyed yellow hair, and looked like a gangster. He crouched down and picked around. “Cloth armor, durability 12/20, selling for 20 copper coins? Too expensive, about 5 copper coins.”

“Wood Stick, durability 10/20, selling for 15 copper coins? You are dreaming. I will buy it for 3 copper coins.”

“Cloth shoes, durability 14/20, I think that 7 copper coins is suitable.”

In the end, he waved his hand. “One price, 15 copper coins, I will take it all!”

Yun Ling said, “Why are you dreaming? It’s the middle of the day!”

It could be seen that Setting Sun Village did not have many life skills players, and so the prices of the equipment was greatly determined by the durability.

The cloth shoes had the highest durability, so they were the most expensive.

The wood stick had the lowest durability so they had the lowest price.

But in Rising Cloud Town, it was not like this.

There were many who wove straw sandals, and there was so much supply that it was the cheapest. Wood sticks, wood spears, and bamboo spears were relatively fewer in production, and so they were more expensive.

Cloth armor like this could only be created by the Tailor shop. Even though it had low durability, its price would not be low.

While so, the yellow haired youth bidding 15 copper coins for everything was nonsense.

Since the other was rude, Yun Ling did not have mercy, and argued back.

The yellow haired youth’s face darkened. He said coldly, “Being straight in temper is not a good habit, you will easily offend people. Did your parents teach you to smile at people and to value the peace?”

Yun Ling said, “No they did not, kneel and say your good-byes.”

If he did not go away, she feared that she could not help but put her knife out.

The yellow haired youth’s expression grew uglier. “Do not think that you are fine because this is the safe area! I do not believe that you will never go out for the rest of your life!”

Yun Ling said coldly, “So what if I go out? You think you can keep up with me with your white cloth shoes? Stupid and evil, you smell like scum.”

The yellow haired youth’s face changed color, and he was so angry he could die. He was not strong, but his older brother led the strongest team in the area.

He had dominated in Setting Sun Village for so long. Who did not give him some face? When had he ever encountered a thorn like Yun Ling? Mockery and scorn, almost cursing him for being a fool.

“Just wait!” The yellow haired youth said.

Yun Ling said, “No need to wait. Let’s not meet in the future. My heart is tired.”

The yellow haired youth was furious, and immediately wanted to pull Yun Ling’s collar.

The system sounded at this appropriate time, [Player “Zeng Jun,” the system has detected that you intend to attack players inside the safe area. Please stop your actions in time.]

[If you have five violations, you will be on the blacklist and forever banned from entering this territory.]

The yellow haired youth, also known as Zeng Jun, could not stop his temper and for the first time, tried to fight someone in the safe area.

Seeing the system notification, his anger grew — what trash system! After five violations, he was going to be banned from the territory?!

Seeing this, he did not retreat, and took a step forward. But, just as his hand was about to grab the collar, he was blocked by an invisible wall.

At the same time, the system notified, [Player “Zeng Jun” has made a second violation. Please stop your actions in time.]

[If you have five violations, you will be on the blacklist and forever banned from entering this territory.]

The second line was bolded and enlarged, the color red like it was some kind of warning. Zeng Jun could not help but feel afraid.

Yun Ling said, thrusting the knife deeper, “In the safe area, you cannot defeat me. It will be the same outside. Climb away, do not block the way.”

Zeng Jun had an ugly expression. But he did not dare to go against the system, and could only discontentedly leave.

“Damn! Amazing!” Seeing Zeng Jun leave defeated, a resident crouched down, pretending to pick equipment but was secretly chatting with Yun Ling.

“Not a friend or relative, no need to spoil him.” Yun Ling had an indifferent expression.

“You do not know.” The customer lowered his voice and told Yun Ling. “Zeng Jun is stupid, and cannot do much. But his brother Zeng Xu is very strong! I hear that he has two pieces of orange equipment!”

“Oh, really?” Yun Ling was unaffected.

She had just gotten a pair of purple shoes. If she encountered him and could not win the fight, she could run away.

If the other wanted to give her a lesson, she feared they would be disappointed.

“Are all you people here like this?” Yun Ling resisted for a while but finally could not help but say, “On the way here, many groups tried to rob me, each of them wanting money (equipment) over life.”

“There is no way around it.” The customer looked to be despairing. “It is the apocalypse, the world has changed. In order to live, what can’t these people do?”

“What about you?” Yun Ling wondered. “Why can’t you leave Setting Sun and go live in another territory?”

The customer grimaced. “Not as simple as you say! Setting Sun Village is like this, will it be better at other territories?”

He had never seen, nor could he imagine everyone at peace and working together to live in the apocalypse game.

Yun Ling curled her lips. “Rising Cloud Town is much better than Setting Sun. Each day, coming in and going out, I have never seen a person robbed.”

“Really?” The customer was doubtful. “There is such a place?”

He thought and then smiled bitterly. “Saying that is useless. There are many teams around the territory keeping watch. I cannot go even if I want to.”

“There are also people at night? They could not return to the village? One person cannot go, you cannot invite your friends to go?” Yun Ling asked. In the end, she concluded, “Rather than being suppressed everyday in Setting Sun Village, you could fight and find a way out.”

The customer looked dazedly at Yun Ling and did not react.

Suddenly, he asked, “Are you a lobbyist sent by Rising Cloud Town to trick people there to work?”

Yun Ling was speechless. “I came out on a business trip. But I encountered villains on the way, more than I ever have in the game added together!”

“So that is how it is.” The customer smiled guiltily.

He had seen some merchants or business teams before. But as Setting Sun Village’s public security got worse, people stopped coming.

Those who were able left. They did not want to stay in this ghastly place and live in fear everyday.

After this, the number of residents in the territory decreased, and the development was very slow.

In reality, there had been many people in the past who gathered resources and sold them. But suppressed by the teams, they would not have any business even after selling for a long time.

If they could not get the overnight fee, they would be thrown out of the territory by the system. The players were forced to give up on life skills professions and turn to become combat players.

Without anyone gathering, the NPCs did not have enough raw materials to create equipment, and the system shops were cold.

When people could not buy good equipment, they could only steal from others, and the atmosphere of Setting Sun Village grew worse.

Later, due to this vicious cycle, the situation got worse.

In reality, this customer was prepared for the territory to be breached. He thought that regardless of whether it was earlier or later, he would die.

But hearing Yun Ling’s words, he suddenly felt that it was fine to switch territories. In any case, the situation would not be worse than right now.

“Let me think, let me think.” The customer looked down and thought.

Yun Ling:”……”

You can think, but do not sit here. She still had to do business.

People walked around but rarely did people stop and ask the price.

Some people wanted to buy, but bid such a low price she would want to whip them.

“Never mind.” Yun Ling sighed and packed up the items.

Then she asked other people, “In the early stages of the game, when searching the surrounding shops, have you ever gotten some special goods, like research equipment?”

The others would have shocked expressions. “You cannot eat or drink that, why take it?”

Yun Ling:”……”

She found that her running to Setting Sun Village was a mistake.

She did not see what she wanted, fought countless times on the road, and the difficulty was comparable to the Journey to the West.

“Never mind,” Yun Ling thought, “return early, and go to another territory tomorrow.”

Because she could be ambushed when she left, she ate a mixed grain steamed bun, and put on her strongest defensive equipment.

Soon, Yun Ling was wearing soft armor, a Fire Feather Cloak on her back, Deerskin Boots on her feet, a Power Ring and a Bull Ring on her left hand, and the Fish Scale Shield on her right.

To guarantee her own safety, she did not even wear a bamboo hat. She walked openly out of Setting Sun Village covered in purple armor.

“Brother, it’s her!” Zeng Jun said hatefully from the shadows.

Zeng Xu wore black mage robes and frowned. “Strange, why does this woman look familiar?”

“Brother, you remember incorrectly,” Zeng Jun said in a certain tone. “She did not even recognize who I was. She must come from outside. People like her, if you kill her, no teammate will come to get revenge.”

The assassin in the team frowned. “She holds a shield, she should be a tank. 6 purple equipment. Not easy to deal with. If we do fight, we may lose people.”

Zeng Jun was in a panic. “Then you will just watch as she embarrasses me!”

The assassin did not speak, but the meaning was — how much was your face worth? Was it worth them going to such lengths to set up a trap in order to fight a high level player?

Zeng Jun was very angry, but did not dare to be arrogant and start swearing. Each person in the team was a good fighter.

He turned to his brother to ask for help. “Brother! She is slapping me in the face, but in reality, she is slapping your face! If we do not get revenge, who in the territory will respect us?”

“Okay.” Zeng Xu glanced at his younger brother and said coolly, “I will take care of this, go back to the safe area and stay there.”

Zeng Jun obediently listened.

Halfway back, an icy voice sounded, “Next time you make trouble for me, I will not have mercy!”

Zeng Jun’s body froze and he nodded hurriedly.

“Boss, we are really going to attack her?” the assassin said softly.

“No matter how strong she is, will she be stronger than a boss?” Zeng Xu asked.

“That’s true.”

The assassin changed his way of thinking. His boss was a super invincible lucky star! When he went to hunt in the forest, he encountered two bosses hunting, and both were wounded.

He killed the bosses separately. An orange staff and a ring that increased the rate of MP restoration. He immediately increased in power and became a top player.

Many people marveled at Boss’s legend. All of them hoped that they were the next Zeng Xu.

Pity, there was only one lucky person because they were the strongest of Setting Sun Village.

Thinking how a mage was like an artillery battery, and that Boss had crowd control skills, orange equipment and high attack power, the assassin was reassured.

“Old rules, I control the field, you attack when there is a chance,” Zeng Xu said slowly. “There is only one person, very strong in survival, so she may be weak in offense. She will not be balanced between offense and defense. Her HP will be average. Be smart and do not let her run away.”

The seven members of the team had solemn expressions. “Yes!”

After planning, Zeng Xu cast his spell, “Enwind.”

Then he used the single target “Magic Missile”, “Dark Power,” and the crowd attack “Meteor Shower.” From this, it looked like he wanted to kill the target.

His teammates were already prepared. They charged up together against the target.

The spell hit, but the enemy seemed to be fine, and his own HP slid down.

In the last moment of his life, Zeng Xu suddenly remembered why he found this woman familiar. “Female tank? High reflect? Damn! Why is it her again!”

Editor’s note: Zeng Xu is the only survivor of the team that ambushed Yun Ling and Guard B back in chapter 30.