Arrival Imminent: Glacier Research Outpost

[Chen Yu: We have food, but it's not the usual kind. Would you accept crayfish?]

[Yang Kexin: Crayfish?? Really?]

[Chen Yu: My teammate is a product of his talent; we just ate it today.]

[Yang Kexin: Wow, that's amazing! How far can you go with your bid?]

[Chen Yu: 5 jin, in exchange for your hammer.]

The other end remained silent for a while, presumably replying to other people.

About a few minutes later.

[Yang Kexin: Sorry, classmates, but the students on our bus all think crayfish doesn't keep you full for long...]

Chen Yu: 10 jin (10 catties).

Yang Kexin: Sorry, classmate, crayfish are also difficult to prepare, so we can only grill them. Cookies are much more practical...

Chen Yu: 15 jin (10 catties).

This time, the silence on the other side lasted even longer.

It doesn't sound like a reply to someone else.

It looked more like they were discussing it with the other passengers.

A few minutes later.

[Yang Kexin: Classmate, 15 jin of crayfish does look very tempting, but I talked to them about it.]

Chen Yu: 20 jin (10 catties).

Yang Kexin: (ｷ｀ﾟДﾟ´)!! Classmate, you're so generous!

[Chen Yu: So the deal is done, right?]

[Yang Kexin: Deal! But... um, are you really going to give us all 20 jin (10 catties)?]

[Chen Yu: I urgently need obstacle-breaking tools, are you going to replace them or not?]

[Yang Kexin: Change, change, change! Definitely change! Only a fool wouldn't change! Happy to work with you~~~]

[Yang Kexin: You're such a good person, classmate! Our team is practically eating tree bark!]

[Yang Kexin: Oh right, my name is Yang Kexin, I'm in Class 2 of the Dance Department, what's yours?]

[Chen Yu: Look at the first two words of this sentence.]

[Yang Kexin: Chen Yu, I've sent a trade invitation!]

【Ding! 】

[Received a transaction invitation (from: Yang Kexin)]

[Item for trade: Heavy Octagonal Hammer x1 [Image]]

[Required Item: 10 kg of crayfish [Image]]

[Confirm?]

Chen Yu closed the chat window and directly selected "Confirm".

The entire process was silent, without any special lighting or effects.

The next second, an empty compartment in Chen Yu's personal backpack space quietly lit up.

I've got my hands on the heavy-duty black octagonal hammer.

And correspondingly...

The 20 kilograms of crayfish he had placed in the designated compartment disappeared instantly.

【Ding! 】

【A private message】

【Yang Kexin: ヾ(￣▽￣)Bye~Bye~】

Chen Yu: "..."

This was just the first transaction; Chen Yu's trading career had only just begun.

He quickly continued the screening process.

Then they spent a full 90 kilograms of crayfish to exchange for two down jackets and three pairs of fleece-lined pants from the five people.

In the freezing cold, such warm clothing is far more valuable than weapons or food.

It would be impossible to make an exchange if there were no genuine shortage of supplies.

Even if they could be traded, the prices were outrageously high.

If Chen Yu hadn't received the 130 jin of crayfish returned on the first day, the deal really wouldn't have been possible.

Chen Yu wanted to buy warm clothes, not because he needed them himself, but because he was worried that some missions would require him to get out of the car.

The girls on the bus don't have ten times the physical strength.

Especially Deng Yuxin and the class monitor, these two are highly sought after. One provides water, and the other provides crayfish plus a 130x return, so they can't afford to lose them.

...

...

The night was as thick as ink, spilled across the boundless wilderness.

Even with a constant-temperature life support system, the steadily released warmth is gradually being eroded by the severe cold.

The temperature inside the car remained stubbornly at 15°C.

The temperature was already somewhat chilly.

Li Mengyao wrapped her thin coat tighter around herself and focused intently on operating the interactive system.

Her eyes suddenly lit up: "Chen Yu! Chen Yu! I found him!"

Chen Yu, who was sleeping, slowly opened his eyes, rubbed his temples, and turned around: "Found what?"

Li Mengyao exclaimed happily, "Hot pot broth! And they're willing to change it if all we need is two buckets of water!"

Chen Yu nodded: "Oh, what about the mutton?"

Wang Mengmeng leaned closer: "I found the seller, but one pound of meat requires three buckets of water in exchange..."

Chen Yu slowly stood up: "So, how much water do we have left?"

Wang Mengmeng counted: "We still have six more..."

Chen Yu then asked, "How long will those six buckets of water last us?"

Li Mengyao whispered, "About six or seven days?"

Chen Yu smiled slightly: "Do you know when we'll arrive at the next stop?"

Li Mengyao looked somewhat embarrassed: "I...I don't know..."

Chen Yu nodded: "Oh, I don't know when we'll reach the next stop... but you two... dared to exchange five buckets of water for it, aren't you afraid the whole train will die of thirst?"

Upon hearing this...

Li Mengyao and Wang Mengmeng stood there, stunned.

Chen Yu waved his hand: "Don't be nervous, I'm not going to kill you two."

Li Mengyao and Wang Mengmeng quickly said, "Actually, we haven't changed yet. Let's look again..."

Chen Yu lay back down in the chair: "What I mean is, water resources are far more important than you think. Hot pot base is only paired with one bottle of water, and a pound of mutton... is only paired with one bucket of water."

"If we negotiate at this price, there's no way we can't reach an agreement."

"good!"

Li Mengyao and Wang Mengmeng quickly agreed and went to discuss it with the seller again.

The carriage fell silent again.

Zhang Wanyue took in everything through the rearview mirror.

Chen Yu's words also benefited her greatly.

[Upgrade: Vehicle-mounted power supply module I]

Requirements: 80 parts, 2 low-level energy cores

Features: Equipped with low-voltage AC power (220V/maximum 1500W) and two external interfaces, it can power small appliances of suitable power (such as electric stoves and electric hot pots).

Status: Sufficient materials

Without much hesitation, Chen Yu still had a lot of building materials left.

He'll upgrade to this necessity sooner or later; the sooner he upgrades, the sooner he can enjoy it.

With the consumption of building materials...

A power outlet was immediately added to the front of the vehicle.

Li Mengyao and Wang Mengmeng have also finished their conversation with the seller.

The other party was unhappy...

But they actually agreed.

This made the two women suddenly realize something, and they looked at Chen Yu with a new layer of meaning.

With Chen Yu's approval, Zhang Wanyue parked the bus.

Everyone was having a great time, and they started eating hot pot with mutton and stir-fried crayfish...

【call】

【cold】

[The glacier outpost looks like an iron coffin]

[Geothermal Core Prototype]

[Finding one means you can survive]

【but】

But I couldn't walk anymore.

[The ice behind them shattered]

They caught up.

【No】

【No】

【No】

The heat source is right in front of us.

I lay down on one side.

But I don't want to move anymore.

Let the light shine on your face.

Like a dying person clinging to the last flicker of a candle.

"..."

The sound stopped abruptly, and the carriage fell into a deathly silence.

The only sound was the bubbling of the hot pot, which sounded rather jarring at that moment.

Those words just now...

All of it was read aloud by a sorrowful male voice, with vivid expression.

It gave everyone in the carriage goosebumps.

You have to understand, everyone was already in the pitch black, icy wilderness, and then they heard such suffocating words.

Wang Mengmeng stammered, "Uh... I guess... I'm not the only one who can hear you, right?"

Zhang Wanyue's face turned ugly: "Of course not, everyone heard it, look at the chat box if you don't believe me."

Li Mengyao and Deng Yuxin quickly looked over.

The regional channel, which was originally filled with various transactions, arguments, and boasts...

The theme of the apocalypse has now returned.

What was that sound?! Who's talking?! You scared me to death!

[Damn it, I was eating frozen compressed biscuits, and then this happened, and I lost my appetite!]

[I heard that too! Could it be someone who died in the nearby glacier and turned into a ghost?]

That's hard to say; I can believe anything that happens these days!

The regional channel had just started flooding with messages when a cold voice suddenly rang out.

[Arriving Soon: Glacier Research Outpost]

(After the second stop, new students will be introduced, and the senior teaching assistant will make an appearance.)