Chapter 11: Organizing Supplies

Inside the silver treasure chest lay a single, lonely pet egg. It was white overall, covered in green patterns that spiraled across its surface like winding vines. For some reason, as Ning Yun held it in her hands, she could feel the faint pulse of life. She didn’t know why she felt this, but she did.

Xiao Qichen had no interest in the egg, so Ning Yun tucked it away into her backpack. However, the system prompted her that the egg would not hatch while stored there; it required a suitable temperature to continue developing until it could break through its shell. Thus, the first thing Ning Yun did upon returning to her thatched hut was to find a way to build it a small nest.

The hut, less than five square meters, was cramped. Once she arranged a bed and placed a few items down, the space was already full. She laid the silk quilt she had obtained from a chest on the floor to serve as a mattress, then spread the thinner silk quilt Xiao Qichen had given her on top as a blanket. She placed the green-patterned egg at the head of this bed, wrapping it with two towels to ensure it stayed at a comfortable temperature.

Fortunately, the system seemed to approve of this incubation method. Above the egg, a countdown appeared: 359:59:59—exactly 15 days.

"I wonder what kind of creature you are," Ning Yun murmured, tapping the top of the egg with her finger, filled with curiosity. Regardless of what it turned out to be, she was looking forward to it.

For the past two days, she had been living alone, and it was hard not to feel a sense of unease. After all, humans are social creatures. Even in modern society, those who dislike socializing still seek connection online. Ning Yun feared that if she stayed in this survival game for too long, she wouldn't just lose her social skills—she might even forget how to speak.

It was much like Xiao Qichen, whom she had just seen. A childhood friend she hadn't spoken to in years had suddenly told her that they were both forced into this survival game. Ning Yun had many questions, but she didn't press him. Whatever the reason for his situation, his demeanor suggested he had endured difficult experiences. Why bother picking at someone else's wounds? A tacit understanding was the unspoken bond between them, just as it had been when they were children. Back then, it looked like Ning Yun was the one constantly dragging Xiao Qichen out to play, but in reality, it was a mutual choice. After all, you cannot wake someone who is pretending to sleep, nor can you force yourself to play with someone you dislike.

With the egg’s incubation settled and her simple bed prepared, Ning Yun turned her attention to organizing her supplies.

First, she applied the three free attribute points she had earned from defeating the dungeon boss entirely to her Strength. Her stats updated immediately:

[Player: Ning Yun]
[Race: Blue Star Human]
[HP: 83/120]
[Mental Energy: 91/100]
[Intelligence: 8]
[Strength: 8]
[Agility: 5]
[Talent: 100% Critical Hit]

She had taken some damage while fighting the boss, which explained the drop in her HP. As for her mental energy, it had somehow dropped by nine points as well. As she pondered this, the number suddenly ticked up to 92. Perhaps she had just been exhausted from the dungeon; now that she was home and her tightly wound nerves were relaxing, her mental state was recovering.

Aside from the attribute points, she opened the two bronze chests. She received two cans of milk powder, two boxes of braised beef instant noodles, four boxes of chocolate, six rolls of toilet paper, and two boxes of heating pads. She didn't need the milk powder, but the toilet paper and heating pads were treasures. The instant noodles and chocolate were especially appealing. Furthermore, Xiao Qichen had given her a set of kitchen utensils, and she had a lighter—she could finally cook!

Instant noodles were life. Ning Yun cheered, nearly starting a fire to boil water, but then she looked at her tiny room and the quilts occupying most of the floor space and decided against it.

"Tomorrow. Tomorrow I’ll go find stone and upgrade this wretched house." By scavenging in the dungeon, she had easily collected 40 logs and 9 stones. She was only 11 units of stone away from upgrading. She was truly tired of this drafty little hut. Using her surplus wood, she even crafted a storage cabinet. It came with 20 slots, perfect for keeping food fresh without worry. For now, she didn't have much, so she stored her bananas, raspberries, five kilograms of apples, watermelon, and milk powder in the cabinet. She kept the rice and instant noodles out, as their long shelf life meant she didn't need to worry about them spoiling.

She categorized the rest of her items into [Tools] and [Daily Necessities]. The stone axe and dagger she had opened herself, along with the machete and pickaxe from Xiao Qichen, were grouped as tools. The kitchenware, toilet paper, and heating pads were daily necessities.

What surprised her most was that Xiao Qichen had also given her a bottle of sleep-inducing aromatherapy and a bracelet that added stats. Because of past events, she suffered from chronic insomnia and restless dreams. Since arriving in the game, she had only managed to sleep the first night because she was physically exhausted, but she hadn't been sure how she would manage afterward. This sleep aid was invaluable to her.

How did Xiao Qichen know she needed this? Perhaps it was just a coincidence. After all, he had possessed a keen sense of smell since childhood and had always disliked perfumes and scented products.

It took her over half an hour to organize her supplies, and she felt much better afterward. It had been the same back home; she needed everything to be orderly and in its fixed place, or else she would grow anxious. Even in the game, this habit remained.

At dinnertime, afraid of accidentally damaging her only two quilts, she didn't light a fire. Instead, she ate the instant noodles dry—a childhood favorite of hers. She even preferred them slightly undercooked. A crisp apple for dessert made it perfect. Her standard of living was already better than 99% of the other players.

The chat channel in the evening was as lively as ever, with new arguments breaking out daily. Today, everyone was debating whether to prioritize gathering materials to upgrade their houses or searching for food to ensure survival. Each side had its points; some argued that the thatched hut, while primitive, was currently safe, so food should be the priority. Others believed that after three days, the hut might no longer be safe, so gathering materials was essential. They could not reach a consensus.

Ning Yun, however, leaned toward upgrading the house first. After all, for the first three days, aside from food concerns and the inability to go out after dark, they wouldn't face major threats. But in a survival game, could the difficulty really be that low?