It was so much fun that Qi Xu was completely hooked. If it weren’t for Chinese Master Chef delivering breakfast and the protective shield being fully deactivated, Qi Xu could have kept playing for a long time.
"It's time. Let's continue tomorrow, same time—don’t be late!"
A chorus of monsters chimed in: "Report! There’s a human here who’s gone mad! Is there a boss around to deal with her? Working overtime for a day is bad enough, but judging by her attitude, does she plan to come back tomorrow?!"
After taking a shower, Qi Xu felt exhilarated.
As the vehicle started moving forward, she took out the pink chainsaw to inspect it. Yesterday, the little goblin had upgraded it to Level 10, making it look even more dazzling.
Moreover, the blade had been fused with special materials, making it far less prone to shattering. It even gained a new ability: when the chainsaw teeth came into contact with an enemy’s flesh, they would automatically explode.
Each tiny tooth would aggressively dig deeper into the flesh, reaching maximum expansion after two seconds. By then, pulling back would instantly multiply the size of the wound.
However, the fundamental issue remained—the pink chainsaw still didn’t quite suit Qi Xu’s combat style.
First, it was too autonomous. Second, the full-body armor had become heavier. While it offered better defense, it significantly restricted her agility.
Qi Xu still longed for a weapon that complemented her own fighting techniques.
Still, she wasn’t about to discard it. Upgrading the vehicle to Level 7 required a Level 10 weapon, and the pink chainsaw was the best choice. Qi Xu truly didn’t want to neglect this "faithful old partner."
But if the pink chainsaw became part of the vehicle, it could continue evolving along that path. For the vehicle, the more autonomous a weapon was, the better—a perfect match.
Just as Qi Xu was about to take her two little companions out for more fights, Taotao sent a message.
It was a gift.
Qi Xu accepted it without hesitation—with their affinity at 99, exchanging gifts was perfectly normal!
[Heart Armor Handmade by Taotao with Green Spirit Leaves: +5 agility, +5 defense, +10 resistance to blunt force.]
Upon closer inspection, Qi Xu was thrilled—Taotao was incredibly reliable!
Light as a leaf yet capable of boosting agility, this defensive gear was exactly what Qi Xu needed right now.
Taotao: "Do you like it? I wanted to use Mulberry Spirit Leaves, but there weren’t enough yet. This will do for now—I’ll upgrade it for you later."
Invincible Black Whirlwind: "I love it! I’m so happy! The fact that you handcrafted it, and that it perfectly matches the type of defensive gear I need—we’re totally in sync!"
Taotao was so delighted she stomped her feet in joy. Who wouldn’t love such an enthusiastic response to their gift?
"I’m glad you like it. Watching you fight last time, I noticed your combat style is all about flexibility and adaptability, so I figured lightweight armor would suit you better."
Qi Xu’s endless praise nearly made Taotao forget the main point. After a long pause, she finally remembered—she needed Qi Xu’s help selling something again.
"Qi Qi, I’ve got a new item in stock. Want to place an order?"
Invincible Black Whirlwind: "Yes! I need to hustle and earn more. Next month is your first as the solo manager of the Monster Shop. I’ll save up more survival coins and boost your sales before the month ends!"
Touched, Taotao pressed a tiny paw to her heart—no other fox’s customers could compare to Qi Qi!
To meet someone so wonderful right after starting her first job as an adult—what incredible luck!
Beaming, she sent over the item’s stats.
[Love Car Cover: Resists all highly corrosive and destructive fluids while keeping the vehicle clean. Price: 10 survival coins.]
Good effects, reasonable price—of course Qi Xu was going to stock up.
But after a recent spending spree, she was down to just over 6,000 survival coins.
So she turned to Master Chef for a loan—no one had more survival coins than him.
Between his full-time job and side gigs, both tied to earning survival coins, plus the fact that every player in the district with a little extra cash turned to him for better meals, his savings were undoubtedly the highest in the region.
Invincible Black Whirlwind: "Lend me some survival coins? I’ll pay you back in a couple of days—I need to restock for sales."
Master Chef: "No problem! Is 20,000 enough? I’ve got over 30,000 here. Hehe, Thorn Boss raised my pay!"
Qi Xu couldn’t help feeling envious. Those who made a living with their skills had it so much steadier than scavengers like her. Without troublemakers "donating" loot, her income had noticeably dropped—now it was all about luck for a windfall.
"That’s plenty. I’ll recoup the costs soon and pay you back."
Master Chef: "No rush. I’m off to cook—found some special ingredients yesterday. Today’s menu: Spicy Chili Chicken!"
Even though Qi Xu had just eaten breakfast, her stomach growled at the thought.
With the 20,000 survival coins from Master Chef, she replied to Taotao: "I’ll take 2,000 for now?"
Taotao: "Whatever works! I trust you completely. Pay later, and return any unsold stock—no pressure."
Invincible Black Whirlwind: "That’s no way to do business. Rules are rules. Never put yourself at a disadvantage, especially when dealing with other humans. Kind-hearted souls like you are easy targets for scammers—got it?"
With that, Qi Xu handed over the 20,000 survival coins upfront.
Taotao was about to be promoted to head store manager, meaning she’d serve even more customers. Qi Xu had seen plenty of human players who took joy in exploiting NPCs—some even sold guides on how to do it.
Taotao was so kind and human-friendly—she needed to wise up a little.
Touched by Qi Xu’s concern, Taotao reassured her, "Don’t worry! Our fox clan isn’t to be trifled with. We might bicker among ourselves, but if anyone crosses the line, we’ll make sure they regret it."
Invincible Black Whirlwind: "As long as you’re aware. Someone as sweet as you shouldn’t be tricked."
After restocking, Qi Xu privately messaged Wintergreen Tree, whose profession was weather forecaster.
To sell the Love Car Covers at their true value, some groundwork was needed.
"You there, Whirlwind Boss? What’s up?"
Invincible Black Whirlwind: "I remember you mentioned being a weather specialist? How does your forecasting work? Can you predict the next seven days continuously, or...?"
Wintergreen Tree: "It’s a seven-day forecast, but only once every seven days. Tomorrow, I can do the next one."
..........
