Chapter 33: Girls’ Basic Needs

Chapter 33: Chapter 33: Girls’ Basic Needs

"Rogue," Su Qingyue muttered under her breath.

The women immediately stopped paying attention to him and began chattering about feminine concerns. They discussed things like not having washed their faces in two days, wanting to bathe, and similar matters.

Lin Ji didn’t feel awkward. He sat back down on the round chair and, with a flicker of thought, opened the [Trading House] page.

This was his first time formally studying the trading system.

The screen was filled with a dazzling array of items: various basic materials, food, and even strange miscellaneous junk. Here, in addition to bartering, [Evolution Points] had become the universal hard currency.

Lin Ji scanned the listings, his pupils shrinking slightly. Amidst a pile of White and Green items, a Red Quality item suddenly appeared.

[Bloodrage Battleaxe (Red): Price 5,000 Evolution Points.]

"Heh, the system’s buy-back price is a real rip-off."

Lin Ji sneered. If this thing were disassembled directly, the system would give 1,000 points at most. But in the Trading House, a Divine Artifact that could save one’s life at this stage commanded an astronomical price. Moreover, it was currently a seller’s market—the item was listed, but no one could afford it.

He continued scrolling down and found that the prices for survival supplies were also absurdly high. A common 600ml bottle of mineral water was actually listed for 20 Evolution Points.

"It seems the fresh water crisis has already begun to erupt."

Lin Ji’s finger slid across the screen, stopping at the profile of a seller named "Wang Xinxin." The other party had listed a large box of toothbrushes, requesting a bottle of water in exchange.

Lin Ji opened the private message page.

"The toothbrushes plus the five tubes of toothpaste listed on your page. 15 Evolution Points. Selling?"

A reply came quickly.

"Big brother, the cheapest bottle of water right now is 20 points. These are essential goods! 20 points, I can’t go any lower!"

Lin Ji typed back: "The water sellers are the ones being shady. My points are a solid 15 Evolution Points. If you won’t sell, then forget it."

After two minutes, the other party sent another message, her tone much softer.

"Big brother, please have a heart. I’m really dying of thirst."

Lin Ji narrowed his eyes, thinking of the current situation of the women on his boat.

"Add ten packs of sanitary pads and two bundles of toilet paper, and I’ll take it all for 20 points."

The other party hesitated for less than thirty seconds before immediately sending a trade request.

[Ding! Consumed 20 Evolution Points. Obtained: Soft-bristled toothbrushes x50, Mint toothpaste x5, Sanitary pads x10 packs, Bundled toilet paper x2.]

After the trade was completed, Wang Xinxin sent another private message.

"Big brother, seeing how generous you are, you must be a top-tier powerhouse, right?"

"My starting point is full of toiletries, but I can’t protect them all by myself."

"As long as you’re willing to take me in, I’ll give all of this to you. I... I’ll also let you play with me however you want. You can do whatever you like."

Lin Ji raised an eyebrow. "Coordinates."

The other party sent a string of numbers.

[Coordinates: Despair Abyss Sea (332, 1105)]

Lin Ji glanced at the map. It was thousands of nautical miles away.

"Too far. I don’t have time to go there. Good luck."

With that, he cut off the chat. There were plenty of women who wanted to throw themselves at him; he had no interest in crossing sea regions to save someone right now.

Returning to the main interface, Lin Ji checked the current population of the [Bone Burial Sea].

Original Population: 50 million.

Current Population: 33.45 million.

"One-third of the people... just gone?"

Lin Ji closed the screen, his heart feeling somewhat heavy. The cruelty of this game was manifesting even faster than he had anticipated.

He stood up and pulled the large pile of traded goods out of the void, stacking them neatly on the table.

"Wow!"

Su Qingyue, who had been worrying about how to maintain personal hygiene, was the first to cry out. Looking at the box of toothbrushes and the snow-white sanitary pads, her eyes shone with an unprecedented light.

"Lin Ji, you’re amazing!"

Gu Yihan also crowded over, grabbing a pack of sanitary pads, the surprise on her face impossible to hide.

Shen Manyun looked at the pile of supplies. Her originally tense legs subconsciously crossed. She covered her stomach, looking a bit embarrassed, her gentle and pretty face turning a deep shade of red. Her professional skirt was pushed into a tight curve by her pressed-together legs.

"Um... Student Lin Ji."

Shen Manyun lowered her voice, which was trembling slightly. "Can you spare me a roll of paper? I want to go... relieve myself."

Lin Ji’s gaze fell on her black-stockinged legs, which were rubbing against each other, and a playful smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

"Go ahead. The paper is right there."

As if granted a pardon, Shen Manyun grabbed the toilet paper and hurried toward the back of the wooden boat with her head down.

Clutching her stomach, Shen Manyun hurried across the deck and ducked behind the simple rain curtain at the back of the wooden cabin.

Watching her slightly panicked figure, Lin Ji set down his grilled meat. Since Shen Manyun had just joined, though she appeared submissive, Lin Ji had not completely let down his guard.

He looked at Gu Yihan next to him.

"Yihan, go to the back and check on Teacher Shen. Don’t let anything happen to her."

Lin Ji’s tone was calm, yet it carried an undeniable sense of trust.

Gu Yihan was eating until her mouth was oily. Hearing this, she hurriedly put down her wooden fork and wiped her mouth haphazardly.

"On it! Don’t worry, I’ll go help her!"

Gu Yihan was delighted. Being entrusted with the task of monitoring the newcomer meant that, in Lin Ji’s heart, she was a truly trusted aide.

Gu Yihan quickly followed.

At this time, everyone on the deck continued to enjoy lunch while gathered around the Crimson Sky Forge. The sounds of a churning stomach, accompanied by the splashing of the waves, were exceptionally clear. Soon after, a somewhat unpleasant odor wafted over with the sea breeze.

Tang Ling and Su Qingyue froze mid-motion at the table, their expressions becoming incredibly awkward. Bai Taotao even shrunk her neck, her small face flushing red as she wished she could find a hole to crawl into.

Lin Ji, however, remained composed, continuing to chew his meat slices slowly. To him, this was perfectly normal. In such an extreme environment, even a top-tier beauty had to defecate, let alone one who was sick.

If Shen Manyun hadn’t awakened a recovery-type talent, making her constitution stronger than average, she would probably be too exhausted to stand up by now.

Five minutes later, Gu Yihan returned, supporting Shen Manyun.

Shen Manyun’s face was as pale as paper. Her original intellectual aura had vanished completely, and her forehead was covered in fine beads of cold sweat. Upon seeing Lin Ji, her cheeks instantly flushed with a sickly crimson, and her eyes were so shy she didn’t dare look up.

That kind of undignified display had been heard clear as day by Lin Ji, the only man on the boat. She wished she could jump into the sea right now to wash herself.

"Manyun, are you okay?" Tang Ling got up quickly, worriedly supporting Shen Manyun’s other arm.

Shen Manyun shook her head weakly, her voice as thin as a mosquito’s buzz. "I’m... I’m fine. Just an upset stomach. Sorry for the scene."

Lin Ji put down his wooden chopsticks and turned to Tang Ling.

"When you’re free this afternoon, use the forge to make a kettle."

"In her condition, it’s a mix of catching a cold and not being used to the environment. She needs to drink some hot water," Lin Ji instructed casually.

Shen Manyun’s body trembled slightly. A trace of warmth flashed in her beautiful eyes, and she gave Lin Ji a shy glance. In this world where even one’s life was hard to keep, a mouthful of hot water was a luxury of tenderness.

Lin Ji didn’t continue with comforts. Instead, he opened the [Trading House] again.

He typed a keyword directly into the search bar: Diarrhea medicine.

One look at the results left him stunned.