The giant black serpent swung its tail forcefully and heard a pained scream. Just as it was about to strike, the protective barrier rose at 9 PM, leaving it no chance to attack.
Disappointed, the serpent returned, grumbling about missing out on a second consecutive positive review.
The serpent lay in wait until 6 AM the next morning, hiding in the nearby black mist, ready to ambush its target the moment they descended. But to its surprise, the person was overly cautious—they instantly activated a speed boost and zoomed away!
"Run for an hour, but can you run all day?"
The serpent chased at breakneck speed, keeping up relentlessly.
Yet... the person actually did use speed boosts to flee for an entire day. Even the serpent, with its immense stamina, was utterly exhausted by the pursuit.
By 10 PM, it dragged itself back to the Assassin's Hall to rest, venting its frustration to Qi Xu in a message.
"Seriously, it's not that I'm slacking! That guy started using speed boosts at 6 AM and didn’t stop until the barrier went up at 9 PM. He didn’t even get out to pee or loot supply crates! So annoying!"
Qi Xu had expected Dongfang Yuan’s master to be tough, but not this paranoid.
She comforted the serpent, "Don’t worry. Just scare him every morning so he wastes all his money on speed boosts. Eventually, he’ll run out. Plus, missing out on loot crates weakens him too."
The Black Profound Ice Serpent sighed, "Fine. But no bad reviews, okay?"
"Of course not! You’ll always have my praise."
Exhausted, the serpent collapsed in its room and fell asleep—after all, it had to wake up early for work tomorrow.
Outside, the acidic rain drizzled endlessly, making everything inconvenient.
The sun hadn’t been seen in nearly a month. The air was thick with the lingering stench of decay, casting a damp, oppressive gloom over everyone’s mood.
Qi Xu used to love rainy days—sitting by the window, typing away as the rain sparked her creativity. But after a month of nonstop downpour, even she was sick of it.
She longed to stand under the sun, arms outstretched, bathing in its warmth...
When Qi Xu woke up, she checked her messages as usual.
Weapons Master Peerless Under Heaven: "Finished all five orders this month. Next month, I can only give you four slots. Don’t think I’m free—I’m swamped!"
Workaholic Monkey: "Ran out of those special-effect fruits? Here, your favorite bananas!"
Hedgehog Waiter: "When are you coming for dinner this month? The Little Chef and I invented new dishes—don’t forget to review them!"
Black Frost Serpent, Head of the Assassin’s Hall: "This human is insufferable! For 20 days, he hasn’t left his vehicle or looted crates—just keeps using speed boosts! Do you know the gas station owner? Can we get him blacklisted?"
Taotao, General Manager of Monster Emporium: "Qiqi darling, I found three items you wanted.
1. Super Insect Repellent Spray—5 survival coins.
2. Pest-Away Necklace—just wear it, no activation needed. 10 coins.
3. Anti-Poison Bracelet—blocks most toxins (unless you meet the Four Pests’ leader). Runs on energy stones (5 stones/month). 20 coins."
Qi Xu couldn’t help but smile. Who’d have thought she’d become so well-connected among NPCs?
She quickly replied to everyone, ordering:
- 2,000 Super Insect Repellent Sprays
- 2,000 Pest-Away Necklaces
- 4,000 Anti-Poison Bracelets
Total: 110,000 survival coins. She even borrowed funds from Little Chef and Wealth from All Directions.
After distributing a set of Golden Group Chat Cards to each ally, she handed the rest to Wealth from All Directions for resale.
Seven days before the next disaster, Wintergreen Tree used their class skill to predict it: "Four Pests Invasion."
The Four Pests—flies, mosquitoes, rats, cockroaches—were just the start. Countless insects would swarm, their sheer numbers overwhelming. Their bites and toxins could drain health, and without antidotes, even prove fatal.
And mosquito bites? Pure torture.
Wintergreen Tree had been pre-selling disaster intel in the group chat—not just for profit, but to set expectations.
"Free info breeds ingrates. Better to charge from the start, whether paid in coins or favors. Avoid nurturing snakes in the grass."
Wealth from All Directions couldn’t set prices but leveraged his sales expertise:
- Spray: 10 coins
- Necklace: 20 coins
- Bracelet: 30 coins
Most bought the necklace-bracelet combo; the desperate settled for spray. Profits soared, recouping costs on day one.
Qi Xu eyed her swelling account and stifled the urge to smirk, "Just numbers, really." (Too smug.)
Wealth from All Directions proposed:
"Boss Whirlwind, let’s create a faction name. Add it to our tags—builds unity and flags allies. Plus, it’ll clarify I’m your rep when selling."
