Chapter 12: Supplies Tripled

Chapter 12: Chapter 12: Supplies Tripled

[Brother Volcano: I want to build a stone house. I’ll trade for whatever you’re missing.]

[Contentment Brings Happiness: A workbench and food would both work.]

Just like yesterday, the raft entered the deep sea zone and automatically came to a halt about a thousand meters from the island.

She tried to move forward, but the raft didn’t budge.

’It seems there’s a limit to how far the raft can travel on its own. If I want to keep going, I’ll have to row.’

She picked a piece of snail meat from the seafood bucket for bait and cast her line.

Fortune favors the bold. The moment her line hit the water, the bobber began to move.

"Treasure chest, treasure chest, treasure chest... I love treasure chests, and treasure chests love me."

She chanted as she reeled in her line, and as if answering her summons, a shiny treasure chest broke the surface of the water.

Shi Zhile hauled it onto the raft and cast her line again.

"Open, treasure chest!"

[Stone x100, Iron Nail x50]

’Just what I needed! My luck is so good I could burst into song.’

The sea swelled for an instant, then the waves grew larger, slapping against the raft and rocking it from side to side.

The bobber dipped, and the line went taut in an instant.

Shi Zhile’s heart tightened. ’Is another monster here?’

’No!’

The hook had snagged a large iron chest.

The chest’s surface was rusted, and seawater poured out of it endlessly. The raft couldn’t bear the weight, so after pulling it close, Shi Zhile stored it in her backpack.

’I don’t even have to open it to know there’s nothing alive in there.’

The temperature soared, and the sun began to sting her skin. Only then did she remember she hadn’t brought the fishing umbrella she’d found.

While she was waiting for another bite, a bottle drifted toward her on the water’s surface.

With a swift movement, she scooped it up.

There was no paper inside this time. Instead, a golden card was suspended inside the transparent glass bottle.

’The mouth of the bottle is so small, and the card doesn’t have any folds... How did they get it in there?’

She uncorked the bottle and gave it a shake, but the card remained motionless in the center.

’I don’t even have to think about it. This has to be the Wish Drifting Bottle.’

Sure enough, an item notification popped up.

[Wish Drifting Bottle x1]

Shi Zhile clutched the bottle with both hands and said with the utmost sincerity, "I wish for three more wishes every day."

The card didn’t move at all.

"Make all the creatures on this island that threaten me... no longer a threat?"

Still nothing!

"Upgrade my shelter to the maximum level?"

Still no reaction!

"An unlimited backpack?"

"Increase the activation chance of my Passive Skills to 100%?"

...

"Triple all the resources I get today!"

As she spoke these words in a moment of desperation, a golden light spilled from the bottle.

The golden light grew brighter and brighter, so blinding that Shi Zhile had to shut her eyes. When she opened them again, the bottle in her hands was empty.

"Did the wish... come true?"

She looked down at the seafood in her bucket. The two large sea snails on top had become six. Then she checked her backpack; the large iron chest had also turned into three chests.

Brimming with renewed motivation, she stared intently at her fishing rod for a full half hour.

Just as she was starting to doze off, the fishing rod finally twitched.

She reeled it in. It was a large, heavy car tire with something inside.

[Worn-out Tire x1, Iron Block x10, Underwear x5]

[3x Resource Bonus Acquired: Worn-out Tire x3, Iron Block x30, Underwear x15]

The tripled resources instantly filled the raft, which began to sink under the weight. Shi Zhile quickly stored the tires in her backpack.

The treasure chest she had opened earlier also turned into three, which meant tripling its contents gave her 300 Stone and 150 Iron Nails.

’I’m not short on stone anymore. I can use it for trades.’

After casting her line, she opened the chat channel: [Last two hundred large stones. Essential material for building shelters. Trading for rare materials preferred.]

As soon as her message appeared, several others followed.

[Pulp Orange: Selling soil! Any big shots need soil? It’s plantable and can double crop yields!]

[Jiang Yu: I have two blueprints, looking to trade for iron blocks. PM me if interested.]

Shi Zhile clicked on Jiang Yu’s profile. Other than a title, the page was empty; she had clearly hidden her information.

She sent a private message: "Five iron blocks for one blueprint. We’ll use the trade agreement system if you accept."

The reply came quickly: [Blueprints are very rare right now. Ten iron blocks per blueprint.]

Shi Zhile checked the trading hall. All sorts of resources were listed for sale, but only one person was selling iron blocks.

With a workbench and the right blueprints, iron blocks could be used to craft all kinds of weapons and tools.

Very few iron blocks had been found so far, and even fewer people were willing to sell them.

His asking price was [Iron Block x1 for twenty bottles of water.]

’That’s a total rip-off,’ she thought, ’but it’s normal for newly available rare items to be priced so outrageously.’

Shi Zhile replied: [Iron blocks are just as rare. I just traded two away, so I only have eight left. Four blocks for one blueprint. If you don’t want them, I’ll trade with someone else.]

The other party seemed to be deliberating, but within two minutes, she sent a trade agreement.

The two of them quickly completed the trade, and two blueprints appeared before her.

[Iron Nail Blueprint x1, Workbench Blueprint x1]

[Iron Nail Blueprint (Common Blueprint): Consume one Iron Block at a Workbench to craft Iron Nail x10.]

[Workbench Blueprint (An astonishingly rare and desirable blueprint): After obtaining the blueprint for an item, the workbench can be used to craft the corresponding large item.

Required Materials: Wood x10, Iron Block x20.]

[3x Resource Bonus Acquired: Iron Nail Blueprint x3, Workbench Blueprint x3]

’Traded blueprints can be tripled too?’

’If all traded resources can be tripled, then I’m going to be rich!’

Her eyes lit up. Thinking of Jiang Yuxing and "N," she sent a private message: [Boss, you need a Workbench Blueprint? Fifteen iron blocks for it.]

’Starting with a high price gives me more room to negotiate.’

She wasn’t sure if "N" would want one, but she was certain that if Jiang Yuxing didn’t have a workbench, he would definitely buy it.

’After all, he was able to offer a chisel and a hammer, which means he’s not short on iron blocks.’

As expected, Jiang Yuxing replied: [I’ll take it. Got any other blueprints? I’ll give you ten iron blocks for each of those, too.]

Shi Zhile: [I have the Iron Nail Blueprint.]

He didn’t question her or use the trade agreement system; he just sent twenty iron blocks over directly.

He was so generous that Shi Zhile felt she’d asked for too little.

She sent the two blueprints over and collected the iron blocks he’d sent.

[Iron Block x20]

[3x Resource Bonus Acquired: Iron Block x60]

’With just one trade, I’m basically set for iron blocks.’

She sent a friend request to Jiang Yuxing, and he accepted it instantly.

Her friends list now contained two names. Shi Zhile took the opportunity to send a message to Brother Volcano:

[No need to look for a workbench. I’ll trade you one for some rare resources.]

[Brother Volcano: I was just about to message you. How about a seawater filter? I’ll trade it for 50 stones, deal?]

’Deal!’

’An amazing deal!’

’I was just worrying about finding a water source!’

She quickly sent the trade agreement. After he signed it, she sent over the 50 large stones, adding two small ones as a bonus.

[Brother, I’m sending a few extra. They’d be good for making hammerheads.]

’This guy was generous with his lava, so he’s a good long-term partner.’

The seawater filter was sent over, and Shi Zhile clicked to receive it.

[Seawater Filter x1]

[3x Resource Bonus Acquired: Seawater Filter x3.]