Chapter 173 - 156: Who is the Better Choice for Oneself

Chapter 173: Chapter 156: Who is the Better Choice for Oneself

"Not necessarily! If the price exceeds the value of the dirt itself, we might as well just dig for dirt instead of buying fertilizer. There are more islands now, so this kind of resource is plentiful."

"That’s exactly why Rowan Rhodes’s approach is so smart! By selling the formula, players with the Farming Skill can mass-produce fertilizer. With a higher yield of fruits and vegetables, Rowan can exchange for a massive amount of Space Stones. She’s the one benefiting either way."

"Rowan really is a financial wizard!"

"She only gets to play this game because she has the capital for it!"

"Yeah! The resources in Rowan’s hands are seriously enviable."

"When everyone else still only had Wooden Treasure Chests, she already had Bronze Treasure Chests and Silver Treasure Boxes. There’s bound to be a lot of good stuff in them."

"That’s why an early lead snowballs into a permanent advantage. Gaining the upper hand in the early stages makes it so easy to stay ahead of the rest of us."

"Fortunately, Rowan is a reliable big shot. Even though she has the advantage, she’s still willing to throw the rest of us players a bone. I think having a leader like her is pretty great."

"If you can be your own boss, why would you look for a leader?"

"Hey, to the guy above, everyone has their own choices! I just said I’m more than willing to follow Rowan. What’s wrong with that?"

"There sure are a lot of people harboring dark thoughts out there!"

"Oh man, as someone with the Farming Skill, I just want to say how incredibly grateful I am to Boss Rowan. I’m going to buy it and study it right now."

"The description says it’s suited for players with the Farming Skill, but it doesn’t say regular players can’t make it. I feel like it’s worth a try."

"..."

From the discussions among different players, one could clearly see the permanent players’ attitudes toward Rowan. Some were grateful, some wanted to ride her coattails, and some wanted to compete with her. Under the cloak of anonymity, the permanent players were free to speak their minds, which also served to expose some unsavory characters.

Having experienced all sorts of dark moments in her past life, Rowan already had a clear understanding of human nature. With no expectations came no disappointments. Rowan had always prioritized profit, while only assessing people’s character in passing. That was why her decisions were always swift, accurate, and ruthless. Let alone the fact that she hadn’t seen these comments; even if she had, she wouldn’t have cared.

However, many other players were different. This was especially true for those in better-off districts with decent living conditions—they simply hadn’t experienced enough danger. Even knowing the dangers of the Sea Survival Game and remaining constantly vigilant, they still harbored a slight inclination to help their fellow humans. But ever since the Sea Survival Shop appeared, exposing the vast differences between districts—and, most notably, instances of mutual slaughter—their worldviews had truly been shattered.

And now, they had gained an even deeper realization. Rowan’s actions were clearly beneficial to all players. Yet, in the eyes of many permanent players, they still envied her—some even wanted to seize everything she owned for themselves. If they treated Rowan like this, would they show any mercy to other players?

This subset of players clearly felt it once again. The world had completely changed!

The rules of the bygone era of peace were no longer applicable. If they wanted to survive in the long run, their only choice was to try their best to adapt to this change. The only thing that made them feel fortunate was probably that reliable players still existed. Like Rowan, for instance.

Regardless of whether Rowan was motivated by kindness, she had at least given many players a way to survive. And that was enough! Many players had already silently sworn to themselves that they would keep a lower profile from now on and follow in the footsteps of reliable people.

Zelda Parrish, Faye Sinclair, Skye Schuyler, and Owen Caldwell’s group thought exactly the same way.

[Skye Schuyler: Everything I see in the main group chat makes me grow up a little more each time.]

[Faye Sinclair: More people just means more complicated ulterior motives!]

[Owen Caldwell: Human nature is inherently hard to predict, especially under our current circumstances, which only amplifies people’s desires.]

[Skye Schuyler: But what Boss Rowan is doing is fundamentally beneficial to all players. What if their blatant remarks end up chilling Boss Rowan’s heart? Regardless, I don’t care. I’m going to firmly latch onto her coattails. Where else can you find such a great boss?]

[Zelda Parrish: These kinds of things are normal. Boss Rowan won’t care.]

Zelda let out a long sigh. She had always been able to tell that Rowan acted rather independently; people like her prioritized their own interests first. Therefore, for the sake of profit, Rowan was more than willing to improve the players’ circumstances, as that was the only way she could reap even greater benefits in return. This approach was a win-win situation. The other players benefited as well.

Anyone else in her position wouldn’t have done a better job than Rowan. It was glaringly obvious who any smart player would choose among the big shots.

After a moment of thought, Zelda added another comment in their small group chat.

[Zelda Parrish: We can pass this information back to District 122 so more players can see the kind of atmosphere going on outside and in other districts.]

Once they knew, they would understand whose side was truly better for them to be on. If they didn’t rely on players like Rowan, who were willing to lead everyone to a better life, were they supposed to rely on those players who were jealous and just wanted to rob others?

Anyone with half a brain would know how to choose.