Chapter 53 - “Cold Winter 2”

Last time, on Apocalypse Lord: Exploiting the urban heat island effect isn’t enough on its own to keep people warm.

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

Day 53 – Cold Winter 2

In the evening, returning to the territory, the system notified, [Rising Cloud Town’s greening has reached 30%, the temperature of the territory has increased significantly.]

[The greening of the territory has reached its maximum limit, and no more trees can be transplanted.]

So there was a limit to how many could be planted.

Yun Ling thought that the plants could only moderate the temperature, but not resolve the problem from the root.

As she thought, she saw several residents around a fire in a corner of the territory.

One old person said, “In my view, it wastes too much fire to cook at home! Only one or two people benefit, why do that? It is better to come out to have a fire, everyone who has firewood can contribute. Now, everyone can relax.”

At these words, there were many who agreed.

A tall man complained, “Before the winter, I had my son go pick tree branches to store at home as firewood. He picked so much back then the back of the room was filled.”

“I thought the family did not need to use so much, and had him sell some. But winter came, and you have to be by the fire or wearing winter clothes. Otherwise, you will get ill.”

“If I have known the winter would be this hard, I would not have sold firewood back then!”

Right now, people were worried they did not have enough firewood to use, who would be bothered by too much?

When this was mentioned, the tall man was very annoyed, and his expression regretful.

“They all say that Rising Cloud Town has many life skills players, and many tailors. But I have not seen any of the winter clothing they made,” another plump man sighed sadly.

“I went to talk to a tailor I was familiar with, and they said that there are too many orders, not enough time.”

“Now cannot compare to before, it is pure manual work, they are very slow. Adding on for the shirts, pants, shoes, hats, scarves, and gloves, the people with money order by set, and the tailor does not have time to even make them!”

“I think that there are too many people living in Rising Cloud Town. When it is our turn, maybe the winter will be over.”

A thin youth said hesitantly, “Honestly, there is something I do not understand.

“We are all staying in the territory to go through the winter, if we get ill, there is no effect.”

“Players like us who have no skills can rest, chat, and play cards in Rising Cloud Town, or be ill and speak in our homes. Is it not the same?”

The plump uncle said quietly, “If you are ill, and have a fever, you may die, you dare to try?”

Before the youth answered, he added, “I do not.”

The thin youth, “……”

“Never mind, poor people like us should just stay by the fire.” After someone warned him, he immediately gave up on his fatal idea.

Yun Ling passed by, heard this, and silently added, “firewood” into the ranks of “important strategic materials.”

**

The next day, Yun Ling led the team out as usual.

She was fishing alone by the river, but had the NPCs and Pang Yu go pick firewood.

“Recently, people are making fires to get warm, and the firewood has a higher price than the food. Boss, you are clever to follow the trend, and change the foraging target. No wonder you were able to expand the team!” Pang Yu sighed, his eyes admiring.

Yun Ling sat by the river side, and did not take out materials to work on.

She looked dazedly at the shrubs, and felt something strange. But she could not say what was strange.

As she was wondering, two iron cows appeared in her sight.

Their heads were lowered like they were foraging for food. When the iron cows found there was clover, and wild vegetables on the side, they ate fiercely, and then left.

Looking at the messy shrubbery, a light flashed. Yun Ling finally understood what was strange — it was Day 106 now, and the wild resources no longer refreshed! The plants stopped growing.

Apocalypse Calamity had been going on for more than a hundred days. She had figured out the basic rules and the new rules of the game.

For example, in spring and summer, every one in a while, the system would refresh and spawn resource points. While few, there would be new additions.

But now, she had come to the river for multiple days to fish, and did not see a new resource point at all.

For example, after picking the berries off the shrubs, if the shrubs had not been eaten by the monsters, after a while, new berries would grow and mature on the tenth day.

But now, there was no trace of berries on the shrubs!

All the signs proved that her guess was right. Winter season, the crops stopped growing, and the resource points did not refresh.

“In other words, the resources near the territory will be used up. If they are all used up, people will have to endure the cold, and go forage farther away, or else they will starve.” Yun Ling felt cold inside.

Each time she felt that life was already so hard, and could it get even harder? The game would use reality to prove, yes.

“No wonder we were given 30 days during autumn to hoard food.” Yun Ling realized. “If we did not prepare early, before the winter season ended, all the players would have died.”

**

[Because of the cold, you are ill, -5 strength, -5 agility, -5 stamina, -5 intelligence, -5 spirit.]

The notification suddenly appeared and surprised Wei Qin.

Before getting ill, she thought, there were thousands of people in the territory, and only fifty or sixty who were unwell. The ratio was not high. She had always had good health, and even if she did not wear winter clothes, she should be fine.

With this idea in mind, she had worked hard. When she made winter clothing, she sold at high prices, hoping to earn more money.

She was happy after making money, and did not expect that she would get a cold as well.

She did not know if it was a placebo effect, but after seeing the notification, Wei Qin felt faint, and weak.

The most worrysome was, rest for three days (do not get cold for three consecutive days, work less than 1 hour each day to recover your health.

Wei Qin’s heart dripped blood.

She had a lot of work to do. Those were all money!

If she refused the work because of her illness, the customers would find another tailor.

Thinking of this, she gritted her teeth. “It is just a cold? Not some great sickness. If I wear cotton clothing, and avoid the cold getting worse, I should be able to work.”

The saying for those who wanted money over their lives described players like Wei Qin.

**

In the Blacksmith Shop.

Zhang Hong Bo had wanted to buy some coal, and burn in the house to keep warm. But when he looked at the shelf, he found many new products.

[Name: Coal]

Quality: Normal

Use Effect: Can be used as fuel for heating.

Price: 10 copper coins.

[Name: Charcoal]

Quality: Normal

Use Effect: Can be used as fuel for heating.

Price: 10 copper coins.

[Name: Copper Hand Stove]

Quality: Normal

Durability: 40/40

Use Effect: After putting in the charcoal, the hand stove can be used to keep warm.

Price: 50 copper coins.

Note: Because of limited production, each person is limited to 1.

[Name: Brazier]

Quality: Normal

Durability: 40/40

Use Effect: After putting in coal or charcoal, they can be burned to keep warm.

Price: 50 copper coins.

Note: Because of limited production, each person is limited to 1.

[Name: Hot Water Bottle]

Quality: Normal Durability: 40/40

Use Effect: After pouring in water, can be used for warming.

Price: 50 copper coins.

Note: Because of limited production, each person is limited to 1.

Zhang Hong Bo was overjoyed. “Hand stoves are good things! After holding one for a while, you will feel warm all over!”

“A brazier is also good. When staying in a wood house, you need a brazier to stay warm. Otherwise, the entire house may burn up.”

“The hot water bottle is even more useful. Pour in hot water before going to sleep at night, seal the top, and then put the bottle into the blankets. For the entire night, the blankets would be warm!”

Grandfather Zhang was a weaving expert, and had saved up a large sum recently.

Before the winter, they had bought a wood house, hoarded food, stored firewood, and still had some copper coins left. Seeing the system shop sell coal, charcoal, hand stoves, braziers, and hot water bottles, what was there to hesitate about? Of course it was buy buy buy!

**

Not long after, some of the residents discovered the cold protection items in the blacksmith shop.

A fire needed fuel, and which family could constantly burn wood all day and night? They were not rich, and had not saved up enough.

A hot water bottle was not the same.

When cooking, boil the water along the way, and pour it into the hot water bottle. Then, put a layer of cotton to wrap around it, and get into bed. You could be warm for several hours.

For players who wore winter clothing, hot water bottles were one of the ways to keep warm, and there was nothing special.

But for the players who could not afford to buy or could not get to buy winter clothing, the hot water bottles were divine equipment!

The players surged into the blacksmith shop, wanting to buy a hot water bottle.

But when they managed to squeeze to the shelves, they found the goods had been sold already.

Someone talked to Blacksmith A, B and C. “When will the new hot water bottles be done?”

Blacksmith A was focused on smelting and did not answer.

Blacksmith B was focused on forging and did not look up.

Blacksmith C took the time to answer. “Not certain, just wait.”

“Could you give a general time?” the player insisted.

Blacksmith C said, “Not sure, based on fate.”

The player, “……”

Okay.

**

In the restaurant.

[Name: Spicy Rabbit Meat (Cold Expelling Food)]

Quality: Normal

Use Effect: Base recovery speed +1 HP per minute (lasts 1 hour)

Price: 50 copper coins.

[Name: Pickled peppers and Duck Blood (Cold Expelling Food)]

Quality: Normal

Use Effect: Base recovery speed +1 HP per minute (lasts 1 hour)

Price: 50 copper coins.

[Name: Mapo Tofu (Cold Expelling Food)]

Quality: Normal

Use Effect: Base recovery speed +1 HP per minute (lasts 1 hour)

Price: 50 copper coins.

[Name: Chili Sauce (Cold Expelling Food)]

Quality: Normal

Use Effect: Base recovery speed +1 HP per minute (lasts 1 hour)

Price: 50 copper coins.

[Name: Spicy Boiled Fish (Cold Expelling Food)]

Quality: Premium

Use Effect: Base recovery speed +3 HP per minute (lasts 3 hour)

Price: 200 copper coins.

[Name: Spicy Grilled Fish (Cold Expelling Food)]

Quality: Premium

Use Effect: Base Recovery Speed: 2 HP/min, 1 MP/min (lasts 3 hours)

Price: 200 copper coins.

[Name: Fish Ball Soup]

Quality: Normal

Use Effect: Base recovery speed +1 HP per minute (lasts 1 hour)

Price: 50 copper coins.

The different winter specialties took turns coming.

Players who did not lack for money, but were unable to buy winter gear and accidentally got a cold could only buy food to drive away the cold.

When they were buying, they were muttering, “Rest for three days (do not get cold for three consecutive days, work less than 1 hour each day) to recover your health. How much food do I have to buy to get rid of this? Would I go bankrupt by the time my illness goes away?”

But after eating chili sauce with rice in the morning, spicy rabbit meat at lunch, and mapo tofu for dinner, the system gave a notification.

[You are sweating, the cold has left your body.]

[You have recovered to full health.]

They looked at the attribute window, and all the negative statuses had disappeared.

The players were stunned. It could be like this?

**

In the territory.

Farmers A, B, C, D, and E were working on the farmlands.

Yun Ling looked at the growth on the fields, and found that everything was normal, and it would take 10 days to harvest.

“Luckily the territory is not affected by the seasons.”

She sighed in relief, and went to the stone house to check on the shrubs.

There had been hundreds of shrubs planted behind the house, and a few dozen cypress trees. When she looked over, the trees were green and lush.

To her regret, the shrubs showed no signs of producing fruit.

“Because these were transplanted from outside, they are not producing in the winter?”

Yun Ling was puzzled, but no one could answer her.

After thinking for a moment, she went to the Tailor Shop.

Tailor A reported, “Lord, adding on what everyone (NPCs) is wearing, there are 85 cotton shirts, 60 pairs of cotton pants, 65 pairs of cotton shoes, 40 wool hats, 25 pairs of gloves, and 17 scarfs.”

Yun Ling calculated. The NPCs in the territory wore cotton shirts, cotton pants, and cotton shoes. The NPCs who went out wore cotton shirts, cotton pants, cotton shoes, wool hats, gloves or scarves. There was about enough to use.

Thinking of this, she ordered, “In the future, you five focus on making cotton shirts, cotton pants, and cotton shoes. After making them, put them on the shop shelves to sell. You must ensure output, make more so the residents can all buy them.”

“Yes.” Tailor A, B, C, D, and E all responded.

After arranging the tailors, Yun Ling went to go chat with Priest A.

“Lord,” Priest A had a low voice, and softly greeted her.

“How has it been recently? Is the territory safe? Are there many monsters attacking?” Yun Ling asked.

“Not many.” Priest A shook his head. “Some run over, and are immediately killed. Everyone fights to attack them, trying to work hard to protect the territory.”

…why did they make stealing monsters sound so moving? Yun Ling was speechless for a while.

On one hand, with the decrease in monsters, the territory was safer and it was a good thing. But on the other hand, the drops decreased, and people felt disappointed.

“I know, go ahead.” Yun Ling turned and left, as natural as a normal player.

**

For many days, Yun Ling led the team outside to mine, forage, pick tree branches, and fish.

While the gains each day could not compare to before, at least there were some gains, and she was not just eating into her stores.

As time passed, more and more winter clothing moved on the market.

Adding on the blacksmith shop was selling braziers, hand stoves, and hot water bottles, and the restaurant sold the spicy rabbit meat, pickled peppers and duck blood, mapo tofu, chili sauce, spicy boiled fish, and spicy grilled fish, the residents finally came out of the endless cold.

There were even those who were inspired by the menu of the restaurant, and started to sell the food as well.

“Pepper soup! Delicious pepper soup! Fragrant and spicy, moves the blood and drives out the cold! Just 20 copper coins for a bowl!”

“Secret recipe ginger soup, only from me! Can drive out the cold, can prevent colds, just 10 copper coins each!”

“Stir fried lamb with green pepper, delicious and cheap. If you have a chance, you must taste it!”

With the power of the group, the players with colds quickly recovered, and there were fewer and fewer getting sick.

The situation was finally under control.

**

In the wood house, Wei Qin was sitting on the bed, leaning back against pillows, and sewing gloves.

After finishing, she bit through the thread, and handed over the gloves. “This is what I promised to make for you, gloves, wool hats, and cotton shoes.”

Working while ill? What kind of spirit was this?

The customer could not bear to look at this, and urged her, “I have enough winter clothing to wear, and it is not urgent, you should rest more.”

Wei Qin said, “After helping you, there are other customers.”

The customer, “……”

“You are not planning to rest?” she asked directly.

Wei Qin laughed softly. “It is not a serious illness. Also, am I not on the bed? I have a cotton quilt under me, and one over me. I do not fear being cold.”

“But the ill need to rest for three days to get healthy!” The customer warned. “During this time, other than not getting cold, you cannot work more than an hour each day.”

Wei Qin did not keep it in mind. “It is just a minor cold, it will heal after a few days. Thank you for your worry, but I do not feel it is very important.”

The customer was still worried. “There are cold expelling foods at the stalls outside to buy. Pepper soup, secret ginger soup, stir fried lamb with green pepper, they are not expensive, just 10-20 copper coins.”

“If you eat three meals a day, you will immediately heal.”

“How about you buy a few portions, and recover first.”

“Thank you for your suggestion, I will consider it,” Wei Qin said with a smile.

As she spoke, she thought inside, what cold expelling food? She would not waste the money.

“Ah —” the customer did not say more upon seeing that she would not be persuaded. She just said, “Then you can figure it out. It is just one more cotton shirt, two cotton pants. I will pay you after you finish.”

“Okay. Come here in two days, and I should be finished…”

Before she finished speaking, a notification appeared, [You have been ill for a long time without healing, you have died from overwork.]

Wei Qin’s eyes went wide. Before she could say a word, she slowly fell down.

In the next moment, white equipment and white skill cards appeared.

The customer, “???”

The customer, “!!!”

The customer, “Help! There is a problem!”

She screamed as she ran to ask for help.

**

After getting the cold, there were people who did not keep it in their mind, and treated it casually.

They thought that the negative state would just affect their movement, and nothing major would happen.

Just as they were slacking off, bad news came — a player had died at home due to a long illness.

Rising Cloud Town was a safe area, and there was no possibility of being killed in an ambush. So this could only be a death due to illness.

At the news, everyone was shocked, and did not underestimate this any longer.

Then, the cold expelling foods were very popular, and even the winter gear sold well.

The residents were shocked. “People who are ill for a long time will die? The trash game does not make sense!”

“Thank the heavens and earth my stamina is high, and I did not get a cold. Otherwise, I fear something would have happened.”

Others said, “What is most shocking should be that person did not buy cold expelling food, and froze to death in her home! She did not sound like a poor person, and earned a lot of money by making winter clothing. Why did she not even bear to buy three bowls of ginger soup?”

“Who knows…”

This matter became a warning bell for all the residents.

Regardless of their previous attitude, when they heard the news, all were wary, and careful when they acted.

In the mine.

Several youths were sweating heavily as they mined.

After a long time, the window showed, [The code wind is bitter. Your hands and feet are cold. Player has a negative state, -1 strength, -1 agility, -2 stamina.]

If this was in the past, the person concerned would have dismissed it, and continued to mine.

They usually did this, and nothing had happened.

But today, the news that a player had died of illness echoed in his mind.

He pressed his lips together, and decided. “I am going back to the territory to rest, and will come back when I recover.”

His fellows understood. “You should, yes go.”

“You can never finish making money, your life is more important.”

“Other people are fine staying in the territory, we have winter clothing, we are mine, we earn money, and level up. We are much better off than them! Do not give yourself too much pressure.”

“I am going.” The youth said, and then carried his shovel, walking back to Rising Cloud Town without even looking back.

**

Put on cotton shirts, cotton pants, hug a hot water bottle, and stay near the fire, so you do not feel cold.

When you had warming measures, the territory once again became lively and joyful.

In the morning, Qiao Qiao dressed up, put on the scarf, and went out into the wild to pick wild vegetables and grains such as wheat.

Her family was not lacking for food, but they had ducks and chickens who needed feed.

During the autumn season, everyday, she would take the little chickens and ducks outside to stroll and let them find food themselves. Now, it was cold, and not convenient to take them out. Qiao Qiao would go out to find their own materials and come back to make feed for them.

Maybe because she fed them so well, the ducks, chickens and geese grew so well, and were now able to lay eggs.

Sometimes, when she got up in the morning, she would be able to pick up five chicken eggs, three duck eggs, two geese eggs at most, and at least three chicken eggs, and one to two duck and geese eggs.

It would be best if she could go along the lake to get some water and make more salt. Then, she could make salted duck egg, salted geese egg, and then pair them with rice porridge. That taste!

Thinking of this, Qiao Qiao’s steps sped up.

Just as she left the territory, a gust of cold wind came at her, and burrowed down her neck.

Qiao Qiao felt lucky that she wore a scarf.

While she had winter clothing, she could not stay outside long. She looked around, confirmed a direction, and then walked.

The surroundings were empty, and even after a long time, she did not sseeay anyone. Qiao Qiao did not care.

After walking for six or seven minutes, she saw a patch of wild vegetables. Her eyes lit up, and she took out a machete from her linen backpack, and started to work.

[Foraging success. You have obtained 1 x Mustard.]

[+1 experience point. ]

[Congratulations, Player, for leveling up.]

[You have received 3 free attribute points to be allocated at will.]

[You have sufficient proficiency, and your life skill “Elementary Foraging” has reached “Intermediate Foraging.”]

“No wonder, even in the winter, people are going out all day.” Qiao Qiao thought. “When other players are not able to level up, you could slowly gain experience and level up. When the winter passes, won’t you have higher levels and attributes? Then, there would be some advantage.”

When thinking, she saw a group of thirty to forty people out of the corner of her eye passing by her, and then walking into the distance.

Qiao Qiao gaped at them. “More than thirty people, all of them in cotton shirts, cotton pants, cotton shoes, wearing wool hats and gloves. How many tailors do they have? Without seven or eight working day and night, could they make all this?”

She sighed at the power of the team and their wealth, and she was also reassured.

As an official resident of Rising Cloud Town, she greatly hoped that the players of the territory would grow strong as possible. If Rising Cloud Town was strong, it would never be breached.

With the beautiful hopes, Qiao Qiao looked down and kept on cutting mustard.