There must be some rule restricting the monster merchant, as it couldn’t refuse when players encountered it and needed to purchase goods.
Sure enough, the red monster merchant reluctantly stopped in its tracks, glaring angrily at Qi Xu before opening its product panel.
There were four items in total, all seemingly quite practical. After just a quick glance, Qi Xu decided he wanted them all! Too bad he could only take one for free...
【Plant Growth Nutrient Solution (50 bottles): A favorite of all plants. Using one bottle shortens the growth cycle by 30 days and fills the plant with joy, making it yearn for the outside world. Price: 500 survival coins】
【Pet Medical Pod: If a pet gets injured, returning to this pod will allow it to recover quickly. All wounds, except fatal ones, can gradually heal. Price: 500 survival coins】
【Weapon Enhancement Cards ×10: Essential upgrade materials for weapons. Price: 200 survival coins】
【Dungeon Death Protection Card: With this, you can afford to be reckless in dungeons—your life is guaranteed. Price: 200 survival coins】
Without hesitation, Qi Xu declared, "I'll take them all."
"Dream on! You can only take one for free!" the red-haired monster merchant roared.
"I know. That’s why I’m paying for the rest. Survival coins aren’t that precious anyway—I’ve got plenty," Qi Xu replied with a grin.
"Huh?"
The red-haired monster merchant fell silent, feeling like this human might not be entirely sane.
"Which item will you take for free?"
Qi Xu didn’t answer directly—it sounded a bit too shameless—but he promptly paid 900 survival coins. Of course, he’d take the 500-coin item for free—he wasn’t stupid.
Gritting its teeth, the monster merchant spat out, "Transaction complete. Please don’t come back."
Without waiting for a response, it turned and fled, even leaving the snake skin behind.
Qi Xu shook his head in amusement as he picked up the neatly cut snake skin. This merchant really didn’t know how to manage resources.
"Qiuqiu, help me quickly dismantle this giant serpent."
"Understood! You’ve worked hard—go rest. Leave the tedious work to Qiuqiu."
"Ahem—congratulations, player. You’ve obtained: Snake Gallbladder ×1, Snake Bones ×99, Snake Skin ×222, Snake Meat ×555."
Qi Xu thought the price was fair. Each unit of snake bone was about 30 cm long, and each piece of meat weighed a solid 500g. Though Qiuqiu surely skimmed a bit off the top, that was normal. If he’d done it himself, he’d have been at it until nightfall.
This mutual benefit was fine—water too clear breeds no fish. Everyone understood...
Feeling utterly drained, Qi Xu decided against further combat. After retrieving Little Seven and Sweet Girl, he boarded his vehicle and sped off.
If nothing went wrong, tonight’s dungeon announcement would come, and he needed to be in top condition.
Master Chef, who had been protected by Battle Wolf 009 all day without killing a single monster, continued his steady performance—making dumplings for dinner, with fillings of pork and scallion, and leek and egg.
After eating his fill, Qi Xu took the 【Plant Growth Nutrient Solution】 to water the golden seed, hoping the long string of numbers would show some change.
In the end, there was a slight change—but not much. The stubborn "9" at the start remained, followed by an endless sequence...
Qi Xu chose not to dwell on it.
"Grow quickly, little one. I can’t wait to meet you."
Sadly, the soil didn’t even twitch. Still, Qi Xu vaguely sensed a faint, happy aura—though whether it came from the golden seed was uncertain.
Leaning back on the sofa, Qi Xu scrolled through the chat and trade halls, exchanging useless supplies.
He traded 100 backpack slots for 300 upgrade card fragments. Finding nothing else of interest, he was about to close the screen when a message appeared in the chat hall.
Master Huixin: "Selling one Energy Hair Tie for 50 survival coins."
He even posted the item’s attributes outright—clear pricing.
【Peach Heart Energy Hair Tie: Tie your hair with this, and you’ll notice your fatigue rises slower in battle.】
Most of the chat hall was filled with players discussing the monsters they’d encountered, so the message was quickly buried.
Those who saw it weren’t particularly interested—50 survival coins wasn’t cheap.
But Qi Xu perked up—not just because of the item, but because of the player: Master Huixin.
In the last round of the game, this guy was undeniably a top-tier solo player.
He never joined factions or got involved in conflicts, yet consistently ranked in the top five of the monthly leaderboard.
Whenever Qi Xu struggled on this increasingly difficult road, questioning whether the solo path was right, he’d think of Master Huixin—and conclude that the problem wasn’t the path, but his own strength.
Master Huixin had managed just fine alone, even dominating the leaderboard. Rumor had it his stats were absurdly high.
Unfortunately, he’d met his end in a cooperative dungeon—betrayed and killed by other players.
They were from the same faction—after failing to recruit him, they’d simply eliminated him.
Qi Xu didn’t rush to trade. First, he checked Master Huixin’s profile.
A level-four vehicle placed him among the top players. Since Qi Xu hadn’t seen this name before, he must be from a newly merged zone.
Qi Xu sent a private message.
Invincible Black Whirlwind: "50 survival coins for your Peach Heart Energy Hair Tie."
Master Huixin: "Deal."
The exchange was brief, with no further conversation. Qi Xu hesitated but didn’t push—Master Huixin clearly had his own principles. For now, just getting acquainted was enough.
After battling the giant serpent that afternoon, Qi Xu was still exhausted. He relaxed with some red wine to unwind.
At exactly midnight, the dungeon arrived.
【Congratulations, congratulations, congratulations! Hahaha, congrats on setting a new record—today’s death toll hit 1,985! We can feel your love for this round of calamities. Friendly reminder: This month’s leaderboard will factor in the strength and quantity of monsters slain!
Cowards relying on items to survive—shame on you! You’ll be at the bottom, and sooner or later, you’ll bite the dust.
Ahem, got a little sidetracked. Now, let’s get to the main event—the new dungeon is here!
This time, it’s a four-star dungeon: 【The Choice of Humanity】】
.........
