Bubbly Girl Guo Degang: "These people are like clowns, thinking they could stir up trouble, but they just wasted their whole night."
Old White Dragon in the Waves: "What's even funnier is that almost no one bought the stuff they listed in the trading hall."
Qi Xu was taken aback and returned to the chat room.
He found that 3,216 people had already joined the boycott, permanently blacklisting Chi Kuang, Fiercely Do, and their little gang... outright stating they would never trade with them again.
And the number was still growing...
Qi Xu scrolled up through the chat history and realized that earlier in the night, many people hadn’t had time to check their screens. After all, there were a lot of loot boxes today, and the first thing everyone did upon returning was open them.
Naturally, they couldn’t match the numbers of Chi Kuang and his cronies, who had prearranged shills to manipulate the discussion.
By the time they finished opening their boxes and wanted to share their joy, many players realized the group was in an uproar. After learning the truth, they spontaneously tore into Chi Kuang and his crew.
Those who had earlier sided with Chi Kuang, demanding compensation from Invincible Black Whirlwind, quickly switched sides when the tide turned.
They claimed they’d just been misled by those with ulterior motives and were actually very grateful to Invincible Black Whirlwind.
Qi Xu blacklisted them without hesitation. With the temperature about to drop, he’d soon be selling winter coats and the Green Fur Outfit—he didn’t want these flip-floppers getting even a single item from him!
If not for the scarcity of road intersections and the lack of tracking cards, Qi Xu would’ve already gone over to settle the score.
Seeing many people in the group still tagging him with messages of comfort, Qi Xu replied:
Invincible Black Whirlwind: "Not angry at all. I was just busy earlier. Let the clowns keep putting on their show for everyone."
It was basically bedtime, so Qi Xu lay down to rest. If nothing unexpected happened, the time limit had ended, and tonight would bring a new "challenge format."
Most likely a temperature drop.
Before sleeping, Qi Xu specifically took out two thick quilts and placed them by the bed. As expected, he didn’t sleep long before the cold woke him up.
But the temperature was still bearable. He wrapped both quilts around himself, rolling left and right, lifting a leg, and finally settling in—successfully cocooning himself like a silkworm.
His body warmed up again.
By morning, Qi Xu didn’t want to leave the bed.
His head, exposed outside the quilts, felt sluggish from the cold. He lazed around for a while, putting on his clothes while still under the covers.
Only then did he get up. After wearing the Green Fur Outfit, he actually felt warmer than he had in bed. A pair of snow boots later, and he no longer felt cold at all.
Glancing down at his outfit, he had to admit it looked pretty cool—Green Fur Outfit! Head-to-toe green, even making his skin look two shades fairer.
The Green Fur Outfit had excellent insulation despite not being thick—just like regular sweatshirts and sweatpants, allowing for easy movement.
Inside the car, the enclosed space felt fine. He decided against activating the Red Crystal Stone for now, saving it for when the temperature dropped further in a couple of days.
Otherwise, stepping out to collect supply boxes would become much harder.
A notification chimed—the group chat. Qi Xu opened it to find Old White Dragon in the Waves had sent six bottles of Erguotou to the group.
Old White Dragon in the Waves: "Take a sip to warm up. Don’t freeze to death."
Retired Magic Boy: "No drinking and driving! No driving after drinking!"
Old White Dragon in the Waves: "What kind of time is this to worry about that? A tiny sip won’t hurt. The temperature dropped 20° out of nowhere—I’m freezing to death!"
Chinese Master Chef: "I’m cold too. And hungry. Can’t even leave the bed. Thank goodness I got an extra quilt from a loot box earlier."
Warwolf 009: "You’ve got to move around! Exercise to warm up! Get used to the cold, or you’re screwed if it keeps dropping. I bet this freeze will last ten days!"
Bubbly Girl Guo Degang: "Ugh! One day is already unbearable. I hate the cold!"
Qi Xu had made several sets of the Green Fur Outfit earlier. After a moment’s hesitation, he said, "I’ve got something good for insulation. At the current temperature, wearing this basically eliminates the cold. Trade me two vehicle upgrade fragments for it."
Nobody was short on vehicle upgrade fragments. After the last "Take Me Home" instance, everyone except Warwolf 009 had profited handsomely—and Warwolf 009 had deep reserves anyway.
Without hesitation, everyone sent two fragments to the group chat.
When Invincible Black Whirlwind made an offer, you could bet it was a good deal—everyone knew that much.
Qi Xu received 12 vehicle upgrade fragments and sent six Green Fur Outfits to the group.
[Green Fur Outfit: Made from special fabric shed by adorable green fur monsters. Provides extreme warmth and comfort.]
Old White Dragon in the Waves: "Whoa, this outfit’s slick! Makes me look 20 years younger. And it’s got a hat, scarf, and gloves—perfect."
Chinese Master Chef: "Alright, I can move now! Wait for me to steam some buns and cook hot soup. Everyone, send over your thermoses."
Bubbly Girl Guo Degang: "This is insane. How is this outfit so warm? It’s not even thick!"
Warwolf 009: "Comfy. But I suggest not wearing the scarf and hat inside the car. Gotta acclimate to the cold a little. Also, save all loot boxes to open at night so you can warm up properly beforehand.
If your body’s stiff from the cold, fighting monsters on the road won’t go well."
Retired Magic Boy: "Got it!"
The buns Chinese Master Chef sent were homemade—stuffed with Python Meat and radish. Each was fist-sized, and Qi Xu wolfed one down in two or three bites.
He still didn’t feel fully satisfied until he’d finished a whole bowl of porridge. Only then did he feel truly content.
At exactly 6 a.m., Qi Xu set off. He noticed the mileage counter in the upper right had changed.
Today’s remaining distance: 70 km. This was the second increase—another 10 km added.
The chat room was already filled with lamentations, with many tagging Invincible Black Whirlwind, asking if the expert had any solutions.
Dream Come True: "I celebrated too soon. Thought I’d have a few good days, but it’s just swapping one extreme for another."
Swear Never to Memorize English: "I’m freezing to death! I’m wearing three T-shirts, two long johns, and a jacket—every piece of clothing I own—and it’s useless. Still cold."
Blessed by Luck: "Thank goodness I didn’t sell the gloves and snow boots from earlier loot boxes! They’re saving my life now!"
Sweet Donut: "Lucky me—I got a crafting table yesterday! And I’ve got a down jacket blueprint!"
.........
