Chapter 169 - 154: The Viral Calamity Ends

Chapter 169: Chapter 154: The Viral Calamity Ends

For the players, the end of the viral natural disaster meant the end of a true catastrophe, bringing a long-awaited chance to rest. It also meant it was time to tally up the rewards of their hard work during this ordeal. Not to mention anything else, in the final hour alone, countless players managed to break through from Level 7 to Level 8. This last-minute push to increase their Level was entirely for the rewards tied to the leaderboards. Beyond that, the primary focus for many ordinary players was simply survival.

Antidotes. On the third day of the viral disaster, the toxicity in the air reached its absolute peak. Even with ample preparation, the majority of players were still affected. Fortunately, this time around, many were able to cure themselves using Antidotes. However, countless players still perished from the poisoned debuff, while many others currently remained afflicted by it. They already knew from the guide Celia Lynch had previously published that if the poisoned debuff wasn’t cured with an Antidote, it would eventually deplete their Life Value.

Unfortunately, although there was a massive supply of Antidotes on the market, it still couldn’t match the sheer number of players. With so many people in need, they became incredibly difficult to secure. Many players cherished their own lives above all else and refused to sell their stockpiled Antidotes until the very last moment. Thus, a vast number of players were waiting for the final countdown of the disaster’s third day, hoping that the hoarders would finally dump their Antidotes onto the market. After all, once the viral disaster passed, the chances of needing an Antidote again anytime soon were incredibly slim. Besides, even if they did need them, many players still held Eira Grass Seeds and could craft more at any time. Therefore, now was the absolute best time to acquire an Antidote. The possibility of finding one was extremely high! Or rather, it was an absolute certainty!

Sure enough, once this realization set in, massive quantities of Antidotes began to flash across the Sea Survival Shop and the trading halls of various districts. District 122’s trading hall, in particular, was inundated with them.

"Alright, it’s the last half hour. As promised, I’m listing my Antidotes."

"I’ve listed mine too. Come get them."

"No price hikes here. I actually lowered the price. It’s a massive clearance sale!"

"I just hope more players in our district can survive."

"Actually, our district is doing pretty well. People have been steadily releasing Antidotes over the past few hours. It’s just that everyone was so focused on Space Stones earlier that they didn’t notice."

"I noticed a long time ago. The players in our district are still very compassionate."

"Speaking of which, if our survival rate ranks first again this time, will we get thirty Wooden Treasure Chests?"

"It’s highly likely. I feel like the reward mechanism of the Sea Survival Game might be cumulative."

"I can’t wait for midnight."

"Thank you all for the Antidotes! Boohoo, I finally cured my poison at the very last second."

"I grabbed one! I got one!"

"Our District 122 really is one big, loving family!"

"..."

In District 122’s trading hall, the supply of Antidotes continued to skyrocket. Thanks to Rowan Rhodes’s patronage, the players of District 122 had been receiving a fresh batch of Antidotes and Eira Grass Seeds every two hours. Many players with abilities had used this opportunity to exponentially expand their own stockpiles. Even though a large amount had already been sold, there were still plenty of people hoarding resources, and now was the perfect time to liquidate them.

In truth, many players had wanted to beg Zelda Parrish and the others to list items in the Sea Survival Shop, but knowing their personalities, they had no choice but to suppress the thought. Consequently, the prices posted in the trading hall weren’t exactly low. Yet, when players saw them, they were more than willing to pay a premium if it meant saving their own lives. As time ticked by, more and more ordinary players stepped forward to express their gratitude. They could tangibly feel that they had survived. In that moment, they truly felt blessed to be in District 122.

Of course, their deepest gratitude was reserved for Rowan Rhodes and the other top-tier players. They finally understood the joy of riding on the coattails of giants. With reliable powerhouses leading the charge, life in the Sea Survival Game didn’t seem quite so grueling anymore.

Looking at the state of District 122, however, many players didn’t naively assume the outside world was just as peaceful. The sparse information occasionally leaked by Zelda Parrish and her group was enough to paint a grim picture of the other districts. Even without their inside knowledge, based on the Speed at which Antidotes were being snatched up in the Sea Survival Shop, they could deduce that the situation out there was far from optimistic.

And so, the final countdown slowly ticked away as players frantically sold and purchased Antidotes. Meanwhile, Rowan Rhodes was also feeling the crunch of time, primarily concerning the Space Stones.

Thanks to Void Beast Atticus’s diligent efforts, the number of its kin it had contacted had jumped from over two thousand to more than five thousand. However, there were still two thousand Void Beasts who hadn’t yet agreed to a deal. After all, unlike the earlier ones who had solid transaction records to look at, the promises made to these latecomers were little more than blank checks. Not all Void Beasts were so hopelessly naive.

Therefore, Void Beast Atticus had to seek the assistance of other tribesmen. Fortunately, as midnight approached, many Void Beasts realized that if they didn’t sell now, their trading quota for the day would be wasted. Leaving their goods with a tribesman to await a future transaction was far better than letting them gather dust in their own dimensional spaces. As a result, when the final moment came, the Void Beasts became much easier to persuade.

"Human, that’s five thousand."

"Human, six thousand."

"Human, seven thousand."

"Human, time’s up. There were a few I couldn’t get to in time."

Void Beast Atticus’s voice carried a hint of disappointment. It remembered Rowan Rhodes telling it to secure absolutely all of them. Now that a few hundred had slipped through the cracks, it felt as though it had failed its mission.

Listening to this, the corners of Rowan’s lips curled up.

"You’ve already done incredibly well! You’re amazing! To think you have such a powerful network of connections. Thank you so much, you did a phenomenal job!" Knowing exactly what Void Beast Atticus wanted to hear, Rowan praised it earnestly.

Her words were entirely genuine. Over seventy million Space Stones was a truly astronomical sum. This was especially true since she had exclusive access to this resource. It instantly elevated her to the status of a major capitalist, allowing her to leverage the Space Stones for a multitude of endeavors.

"Really?"

"Really."

"Human, I’ll keep working hard!" Void Beast Atticus said happily.

Its joy wasn’t just due to Rowan’s praise, but also because, as the middleman for so many transactions, it stood to gain a substantial amount of free resources! It had even naturally figured out how to offer a cut to the Void Beasts who made Introductions, which was the only reason it had managed to amass so many tribesmen so quickly. Of course, it kept this little detail hidden from Rowan. No matter how pure-hearted Void Beast Atticus was, as long as it wasn’t stupid, it would still be tempted by profit.

"Sounds good! If your tribesmen have any leftover Space Stones when tomorrow’s countdown hits, I’ll buy those too," Rowan continued. This deal was simply too lucrative. She couldn’t bear to see a single Space Stone slip through her fingers.

"Uh-huh."

As the gazes of the human and the little beast met, both felt a surge of heartfelt joy.

At that exact moment, the system’s mechanical voice echoed in the ears of every player.