Chapter 19: Encounter with the Traveling Merchant

Day Four in the Highway Survival Game, 6:30 a.m.

Suya woke up early today. After washing up and finishing breakfast, she downed a bottle of strength-enhancing oral supplement. Then, she opened her personal profile, which had grown into a long list.

[Player: Suya (Invincible Tyranno War God)]
[Strength: 30 (A bit lacking, needs to fight harder~)]
[Stamina: 22 (Why no training? Don’t you like it?)]
[Speed: 16 (No need to watch the tortoise and hare race without you)]
[Overall Combat Power: 27 (Low but at a certain level)]
[Status: Salted Fish (Current Luck: 20)]
[Weapon: Hardware Holy Hammer (Current Attack Power: 23)]
[Highway Coins Balance: 200]
[Personal Space: 1㎡ (Click to enter)]

Satisfied after checking her stats, Suya left the Nightmare Motel and returned to the highway.

By 8 a.m., the 2712 system appeared punctually.

[System 2712 is reluctantly at your service. Today’s mileage is now announced.]
[Today’s mileage: 100 kilometers (Beginner Protection Period)]

Seeing that the mileage was still 100 kilometers, Suya breathed a sigh of relief. Before the announcement, she had worried—what if it was 1,000 kilometers today? Her little electric scooter would be toast trying to cover that distance.

Chi Fei’s supercar could manage it, but Suya never liked putting all her hopes on others. The only person who had saved her time and again from disaster was herself.

Fortunately, reality wasn’t that absurd. Today’s mileage was reasonable. Suya mounted her scooter, her mood buoyant as she set off.

...

The number of boxes today was alarmingly low.

That was Suya’s only realization after riding 50 kilometers.

Though she was unlucky, in previous days she could always find two or three boxes within 50 kilometers. Today, there was only one—and it was a wooden box.

It killed her enthusiasm for opening boxes. She casually pried it open with her Hardware Holy Hammer, smashed the bugs that jumped out, and skillfully collected the supplies.

[Supplies: Iron x5, Wire x5, Wood x5]

As expected, there was no food. It seemed a famine was looming.

Thinking of this, Suya opened the chat hall to watch other players’ messages.

[Cheerful Tofu Sushi: So few boxes today, I only found two wooden ones. All basic materials.]
[Happy Teasing Brother: You’re lucky; I didn’t get a single box. Spirits, please grant me countless golden boxes!]
[Cockroach Loves Rat Poison: Anyone find food today?]
[God of Wealth’s Darling: No.]
[Press 1 for Hellfire: No +1.]
[Seeing Spring Lonely Mountain: No +10086.]
[Player 1002: @Virtuous Wanderer, the master said yesterday that when a certain resource appears in abundance, a corresponding disaster follows. Day before yesterday was rats; yesterday, plague. Yesterday lots of food; today famine. Everyone stock up.]
[I Have a Vendetta with Math: Buying food, willing to pay!]
[Virtuous Wanderer: Those with surplus food can sell some moderately. Even in the game, we must help each other—unity is strength.]
[I Pour My Heart Out: Anyone want sanitary pad blueprints? Firm price: 50 food units. No bargaining.]
[God Fears Me Bai: CPDD! CPDD! CPDD!]
[White Cloud Cocoa: Selling near-expiry bread, come quick~]

The chat was fast and furious, but Suya’s eyes caught one message.

Someone was selling sanitary pad blueprints!

She happened to have a crafting station, so acquiring the blueprint would allow her to make sanitary pads.

Whether to avoid being shortchanged during her period, to help other girls, or simply to earn some extra profit—

This sanitary pad blueprint was a must-have!

Without hesitation, Suya opened a private chat with “I Pour My Heart Out.”

[Invincible Tyranno War God: Hello, I want the sanitary pad blueprint.]
[Invincible Tyranno War God: I can offer ten bottles of mineral water, ten packs of instant noodles, five jars of eight-treasure porridge, five compressed biscuits, five sausages, five whole wheat breads, five pork floss cakes, and five chocolate bars.]
[Invincible Tyranno War God: I can also throw in three bottles of cola as a bonus.]

After sending the messages, Suya waited three minutes before receiving a reply.

[I Pour My Heart Out: Sorry, someone already bought the sanitary pad blueprint. I have other blueprints though, want to take a look?]

Suya couldn’t help but let out an “Ah!”

Who was so fast to snatch the blueprint?

[Invincible Tyranno War God: Can you tell me who bought it?]
[I Pour My Heart Out: Sorry, I can’t~]
[Invincible Tyranno War God: Alright, thank you.]

Missing out on the sanitary pad blueprint left Suya feeling down.

Luckily, she was good at adjusting her mood and soon was back on her scooter, riding forward.

After about another 20 kilometers, a figure suddenly appeared on the highway ahead.

The person stood in the middle of the road with no vehicle nearby but carried a large box on his back. His hair was graying, and he sported a full beard.

Suya was startled. Even from fifty meters away, she slammed on the brakes hard, afraid of hitting him.

The bearded old man smiled warmly as he approached.

“Lucky young one, thank the heavens for bringing you to me~”

“This isn’t a highway junction time,” Suya thought, suspicious of his enthusiasm. Her left hand quietly reached behind her for her hammer.

She suspected this was a player who had found a locator card, coming to attack her.

But the next moment, her suspicion was dispelled.

“I’m not a player. I’m a traveling merchant,” the bearded man explained slowly.

Traveling merchants are neutral NPCs who appear randomly. Their portable shops might sell rare items—some players have become overnight millionaires after meeting them.

Suya immediately turned deferential.

“Oh, honored bearded grandpa, please show me your wares~”

The merchant produced a menu and handed it to Suya.

Only five items were listed.

[5 Crafting Station Blueprint Fragments, Price: 10 Highway Coins (Beginner Protection Discount)]
[Magic Book · Enhancement, Price: 20 Highway Coins (Beginner Protection Discount)]
[Unlimited Battery 1-Day Trial Card, Price: 5 Highway Coins (Beginner Protection Discount)]
[5-Kilometer Mileage Card, Price: 5 Highway Coins (Beginner Protection Discount)]
[5㎡ Personal Space Card, Price: 20 Highway Coins (Beginner Protection Discount)]

“Dear customer, please choose what you need and place your order~”