Chapter 26: Today's Broadcast

Swindler!

Just as Ye Da was about to agree to the trade, Little Ash suddenly barked at him.

"Woof!"

"Don't be anxious, Little Ash." Ye Da reached out and rubbed Little Ash's head. "I've found the medicine; I’ll treat your wound right away. Just wait—"

"Woof, woof, woof!"

Little Ash barked even more urgently, prompting Ye Da to turn and glance at him.

"What? What?!"

The moment Ye Da shifted his gaze from the trading market to look at Little Ash, he cried out in astonishment.

No wonder Little Ash had barked with such vigor just now!

The arrow that had been lodged in Little Ash's body now lay strangely on the ground nearby.

If not for the fresh blood smeared on its shaft, Ye Da would have wondered if this was even the same arrow that had been stuck in Little Ash’s thigh.

Yet Little Ash, now back on his feet, seemed to be demonstrating a miracle.

"You guys heal from eating?" Ye Da stared in disbelief at Little Ash, who had grown a bit larger, and at the mound of downy fur beneath him. "This is incredible!"

"Woof!"

Little Ash barked happily, then wriggled into Ye Da’s arms, licking and nuzzling in gratitude.

He didn't seem to care at all that he’d been injured saving Ye Da. On the contrary, he seemed grateful that Ye Da had saved him.

[Ding!]

As Ye Da was searching for meat to feed the little one, Hao Jian sent another private message: "Do you still want the medicine or not? If you don't, just say so. I'll sell it to someone else."

Ye Da replied, "Heh, I don't want it anymore."

Hao Jian: "After all that talk, you don't want it? Are you messing with me? Fine, but if you change your mind, it'll cost you four more servings of food and drinks to talk to me. Hah, playing hard to get with me? Back when I was picking up girls, you were still in kindergarten!"

Ye Da: "Get lost!"

For people like this, Ye Da couldn't even be bothered to argue.

When Hao Jian saw Ye Da’s blunt reply, he finally realized this guy really didn’t want his medicine anymore.

Frightened, Hao Jian quickly softened: "Hahaha, just kidding, bro! Come trade with me anytime! The medicine for your axe, nothing else. I’m a simple man, really."

Ye Da: "GUEN... Get lost. Don't you understand plain language?"

Hao Jian: "No, bro, I was really just joking before. How about this—the medicine for just your meat and drinks? I'm really easy to talk to..."

Ye Da found that Hao Jian lived up to his name. He simply blocked him!

After all, he didn’t need the medicine at the moment.

Medicine like that is only precious in the early days, when nobody has any. In a few days, once everyone starts opening treasure chests and finds medicine, the price will naturally drop.

When that happens, Ye Da could stock up.

For now...

Since rarity commands a high price, he wasn’t going to be a sucker.

After blocking the swindler, Ye Da felt relieved and finally remembered the message Da Li had sent. He quickly opened it to read again.

Unfortunately, by the time he tried to reply, the message wouldn’t go through.

He just couldn't figure out the pattern—when there was signal and when there wasn’t!

Ye Da raised his phone to the doorway, nearly stepping outside, but the message still wouldn’t send!

Moreover...

After all the trouble tonight, his battery had dropped to 45%. Ye Da didn’t dare try further.

He had no choice but to turn off the phone again, planning to try sending messages before bed and again in the morning.

Though his phone had no signal, the communication channel seemed to have a strong connection. So Ye Da quickly opened the [Communication Channel] and searched...

[Searching for player: Lin Dali.]

[No such person in this area.]

Not here?!

Ye Da was stunned.

But didn’t Da Li say he’d also entered this bizarre game?

Why couldn’t he be found?

However...

Before "no such person" were the words "this area." Could it be there were several regions here?

[Searching for player: Ning Qingcheng.]

[No such person in this area.]

Still nothing?

"Woof!"

Little White barked, wagging her tail at Ye Da.

He’d been so busy searching for people that he’d forgotten—Little White had given her share to Little Ash and hadn’t eaten herself!

He picked out the tastiest bear heart from the pile of offal and tossed it to Little White.

A reward for saving Little Ash!

"Woof!"

The heart was nearly half her size, but Little White grabbed it in her mouth and dragged it aside, gnawing at it with gusto.

Clutching a heart bigger than her head, she bit into it, blood and juices splattering everywhere.

She was overjoyed!

"Gurgle."

After tending to the two little ones, Ye Da relaxed and his own stomach began to growl.

It was about time to make himself some dinner.

[Ding!]

Just as Ye Da reached for ingredients to prepare his evening meal...

A line of text suddenly popped up on the light screen!

[Congratulations to all surviving players! This proves you have abided by the rules of Mist Survival and had the luck to return safely before nightfall!]

[Today’s report: 150 players in this area have died!]

[In total, 231 wooden treasure chests and 1 black iron treasure chest were found in this area, yielding a wealth of survival resources. Congratulations to all the lucky players who found chests.]

[The most outstanding player in this area collected two wooden chests and one black iron chest, several times more than any other player!]

[Keep it up, everyone! Once the beginner protection period ends, the newcomer leaderboard will open!]

[Rankings will be based on shelter level, collected resources, and player strength. The top ten will receive rewards.]

[The top three on the newcomer leaderboard will win grand prizes!]

[PS: Any players who haven’t yet made a fire, do so quickly. A wave of frigid air will arrive tonight. Without fire for warmth, you will experience hypothermic hallucinations, and severe cases will die.]

[PPS: After nightfall, under no circumstances should anyone go outside. No matter what you hear, do NOT open your door!]

In just a single day...

A hundred and fifty people had died!

Ye Da was shocked!

Could something have happened to Da Li and Ning as well?

Yet he noticed the words "this area" in the announcement again. Did that mean this world was divided into many regions, just like in a real game—District One, District Two, and so on?

Unable to figure it out for now, Ye Da decided to set the question aside and see what the players in the communication channel had to say.

Perhaps he could find some clues!

With the announcement, the channel instantly exploded with chatter!

[Communication Channel]

"No way, over a hundred people dead in a day? How many days before we’re all gone?"

"It’s not that bad. Probably only the first day has such high casualties. After that, the death rate should drop as people get more experienced."

"True. Those still alive must have gathered quite a few resources and survival necessities, right?"

"I found a wooden treasure chest with some food, water, an axe, and two flints. Tomorrow I can chop trees instead of just gathering branches!"

"You're so lucky! I searched all day and found nothing."

"Really jealous!"

"You shouldn’t be jealous of me. Be jealous of the guy who found two wooden chests and a black iron chest—that’s the real chosen one!"

"Don’t mention it. If this weren’t a real survival game, I’d suspect that guy of cheating. How else could he find so many chests?"

"Whoever found the black iron chest, please speak up so I can worship you!"

"Damn! Forget the black iron chest, I just wish the heavens would grant me a wooden one. Please!"

"I overslept this afternoon and didn’t go out to gather supplies. I’m doomed! I have no fuel; my fire’s about to go out!"

"You’re bold—how could you nap in a place like this?"

"I’m used to napping. If I don’t, I get sleepy, and I worked so hard this morning. I was really exhausted. It’s not my fault."

"I’m not your boss, why would I blame you? But Miss Nancy, may I ask how you lit your fire? My treehouse is pitch dark. I’m relying on the screen’s glow for light, and it’s kind of scary."

"Also need fire starters!"

"+1"

Seeing everyone in the channel talking about needing fire starters, Ye Da suddenly realized—it was the perfect time to sell matches!

Maybe people hadn’t realized the importance of fire in the morning, but now...

Ye Da: "I have matches!"