Chapter 258: The Sixth Platform Activation

【Please confirm whether your surroundings are safe.】

As soon as Yan Yu responded with a firm “Yes,” the shelves appeared before her.

First, she glanced at the time in the upper left corner.

Only ten minutes?!

Yan Yu felt like her scalp had been blasted by a cold wind—chilled to the bone.

An even more pressing issue was that the quantity of goods on the shelves had shrunk.

Everything had returned to its original state. In other words, clearing out the shelves last time hadn’t doubled the stock. Instead, it had all reset, like being thrown back to square one.

It was exactly like the first time the Platform had activated…

Yan Yu ignored the blinking Free Market icon for now and carefully examined every shelf.

First up, the food and seasoning shelf.

There were some new items.

A tiny oil container had been added—no, more like a small oil bottle.

It was ridiculously small, probably not even a liter.

The meat and egg shelf had also changed.

The fish was gone!

Chicken had been replaced with duck—a whole duck, at that.

At least the eggs and pork were still holding strong, maintaining their place.

The fruit and vegetable shelf was always different.

This time, it had green onions, onions, garlic sprouts, and apples!

The apples were a mix of red and green, small in size, and there were four of them.

Based on the Platform’s usual weight standards, Yan Yu was certain the four apples together weighed about one jin…

The bamboo fans, straw sandals, hemp shoes, wooden bowls, ceramic bowls, and clay basins had all vanished.

The seeds added last time were still there.

A new and unusual shelf had appeared…

It could be called the farming tools shelf.

A wooden plow, hoe, shovel, axe, rake, broom… and one item even larger than the plow, with many wooden teeth like a giant comb.

She quickly described everything to Yan Lao’er.

Without hesitation, Yan Lao’er replied, “That’s a wooden harrow. It’s pulled by oxen and used for raking the fields.”

“What else is there?” Yan Lao’er asked.

Yan Yu continued describing while scanning the shelves, syncing information with the other two.

“There’s a fishing rod next to the fishing net… and a harpoon!” she said in amazement.

Well done, Platform. You really are adjusting based on the user’s environment.

After checking the shelves, Yan Yu quickly opened the Free Market.

The woman on the other side lit up.

“I had a feeling it would connect. It really is you, little sister!”

The woman was wearing a raincoat, only the middle of her face visible. Above her head was a makeshift shelter made from two warehouse shelves tied together side by side.

It looked like the kind that could be adjusted in height.

She crouched beneath it, with items placed on the shelf above her head.

Black plastic bags, taped together, covered the entire structure.

Yan Yu could see clearly because the plastic bags were fluttering wildly in the wind…

Once again, she saw the rain-soaked Sister Yu and the torrential downpour behind her.

Yan Yu: …

“Sister Yu, it’s raining again over there?”

Sister Yu looked cheerful. “It started two days ago. The rain’s so heavy it’s even suppressed the wind. Look, it’s much better now.”

Yan Yu: No, it really doesn’t seem much better.

Time was short, so Yan Yu quickly brought up the idea of helping her get a new Bionic Machine and asked for her opinion.

Sister Yu’s eyes welled up. She held back her tears with effort, her thin face breaking into a wide, radiant smile.

“Little sister, thank you so much. If I could get a new one, it would be a huge help.

I just don’t know if it’s possible to trade for one… and I’m not sure if I’ve stored enough supplies…

You’ll need to offer a lot upfront to trade with that uncle,” Sister Yu said sincerely. “Don’t put yourself in a tough spot for me. I’m fine. I’ve already adapted.

The destination isn’t far now. There’s a large survivor base there, and once I get there, everything will be alright.”

“I’m not putting myself in a tough spot,” Yan Yu quickly explained. “We’ve made it to Guanzhou.

We’ve registered and been assigned land to cultivate, and we’ve already planted vegetables in the fields.

In about a month, we’ll have a harvest.

There’s a long river next to the village, and this time of year, it’s full of fish and shrimp. We can catch something every day.

I talked it over with my parents. We’re planning to trade the fish with that uncle. Oh right, Sister Yu, do you want some fish?”

“No no no!” Sister Yu waved her hands in quick refusal.

“I told you before, right? The water level dropped a lot, and during the windy days, fish would often float to the surface. The smell…”

Yan Yu understood completely.

It was the kind of smell you didn’t even want to imagine.

“I’d still prefer to trade for your charcoal,” Sister Yu said as she glanced at the time and began speaking faster. “Do you need medicine? I’ve managed to trade for quite a bit more.”

“Alcohol and medicine, I’ll take both,” Yan Yu replied.

Crouching Tiger’s condition had improved, but Gufeng’s was still bad. She and her father would be heading out soon. Having medicine on hand would bring peace of mind in case of any illness on the road.

“Sister Yu, while my dad’s fetching the charcoal, think carefully about what kind of Bionic Machine you want.

Any animal is fine—land or water, doesn’t matter.”

Sister Yu nodded seriously. As she packed up the medicine, she tried her best to think.

Once they completed the trade, Sister Yu looked at the time in the upper left corner.

“I want a turtle. About this big. Amphibious. If I’m in a crowded place, I can have it pull in its limbs and cover it with something, or hide it under my inflatable boat…”

Worried the uncle might not be able to make it, she offered a backup option.

“If a turtle’s not possible, a dog would be great too.” There was a hint of longing in her eyes. “I’ve always loved dogs, but never had the chance to raise one.”

“You sure you don’t want a bigger animal? That uncle said Bionic Animals are made to scale—same size and weight as the real thing—so their carrying capacity isn’t exaggerated. Like, a donkey can’t pull as much as an ox.

My Sanbao can even store water in its belly. It can hold dried meat and vegetables too, and it has a built-in drying function. When it’s cold, hugging it is like holding a portable heater.”

Sister Yu gave a helpless smile. “It’s not that I don’t want to, it’s that the environment doesn’t allow it. It’s hard enough for people to survive here, let alone animals.

The reason I chose a turtle first is because I’ve actually seen a live one. Even though it looked miserable, it was still alive.

Same goes for dogs, I think. As long as there’s any way to keep them alive, their owners won’t give up on them.”

Yan Yu thought for a moment and said, “In that case, it should be the other way around. Dogs should be your first choice, turtles second.

If the day ever comes when the water recedes and you spend more time on land, dogs are way more suitable than turtles.”

Sister Yu took the advice. “Alright, let’s go with that.”

Yan Yu said, “Sister Yu, I’m heading out. Gonna check my shelves again.”

Sister Yu quickly added, “Oh, I forgot to tell you, my shelves are a bit different now. I’ve got sleeping bags, inflatable rafts, wetsuits, water buckets…”

Yan Yu: …

Perfect for you, but not a single thing I can use.

“Got it!” Yan Yu told her about the changes on her own shelf too.

Seeing that time was running out, she quickly said, “Sister Yu, I’m logging off now.”

Before Sister Yu could reply, she switched screens back.

She stared at her pitiful balance.

And began the painful process of decision-making.

This time, they weren’t planning to sell any trees.

There were plenty of things they could sell, but most were items they actually needed—like their catch from fishing.

Unless it was absolutely necessary, Yan Yu didn’t want to sell food to the Platform.

No matter the situation, food is life.

As long as you have something to eat, you can survive anything.

The farming tools were all useful, but the prices were… brutal.

She could only afford one item, and that didn’t even include the wooden plow or wooden rake.

Those two big items were priced even higher.

“Dad, Mom, axe, sickle, shovel, fish spear… I can only pick one. Which should I buy?” Yan Yu couldn’t decide, so she asked her parents.

Yan Lao’er blurted out, “Obviously the green onions, onions, garlic sprouts, and apples!

The shelves don’t change often. These tools will definitely be available next time, but fruits and vegetables are always different. It’s rare to see the same ones again!

Even if you don’t buy the veggies, at least get those four apples.

This time it’s only open for ten minutes, and you can only connect one person. You won’t be able to trade for juice or veggie drinks. Just let your mom eat them directly.

And think about the apple seeds inside. Doesn’t that make it an even better deal?”

He had a point.

After that speech, apples suddenly seemed like a treasure worth fighting for.

Yan Yu moved her little money-making fingers and bought the fruits and vegetables.

The countdown hit the final second.

Everything vanished.

Yan Lao’er was overjoyed. He grabbed an apple and headed out.

Not long after, he came back with it washed and sliced.

He even carefully dug out the seeds and set them aside.

Then, with eager eyes, he handed half the apple to his wife.

“Wife, ask Granny Rong tomorrow if we can plant these.”

Li Xuemei nodded and took the half apple he offered.

She took a bite.

Her eyebrows lifted in surprise.

Sweet and tangy.

Yan Yu and her dad took a bite at almost the same time.

How to describe it?

Well, it was crisp, mildly sweet, and a bit tart—the kind of apple they hadn’t bought in years.

Li Xuemei put away the remaining three apples, planning to let them ripen a bit more.

Let them get redder.

Yan Lao’er and Yan Yu had already packed everything up.

As soon as the Platform closed, the two of them prepared to set out under cover of night.

They chose nighttime to test how fast Sanbao could move along the riverbed.

Li Xuemei watched them leave with a gentle smile.

All her emotions were hidden behind that faint smile.

She didn’t want father and daughter to see anything in her expression.

Maomao followed her step by step. Once she climbed onto the kang bed, he jumped up too, curled up beside her, and lazily closed his eyes.

…

Yan Lao’er and Yan Yu spent quite a bit of effort tying the rope to Sanbao.

Once Sanbao entered the water, they untied the rope.

Yan Yu pushed off with a pole, steering the raft away from the riverbank.

Under the moonlight, the raft with both ends curved upward drifted downstream.

Like an arrow loosed from a bowstring, it sliced through the water, sending up splashes and waves.

Yan Yu was bundled up like a dumpling. Unfortunately, tonight the wind blew from the southeast, and since the current flowed south, they were going downstream but against the wind. The gusts stung their faces painfully.

Good thing they brought two quilts.

One for each of them to wrap up in.

Yan Yu was fine, wrapped up tightly from head to toe.

Yan Lao’er had it a bit worse. He had to crouch to keep warm, and even the slightest movement let the wind sneak in.

The charcoal brazier was secured to the raft, but the charcoal inside wasn’t lit.

Yan Lao’er was worried. Sanbao was either running or swimming underwater, and at such high speeds, even though the brazier was tied down well, he couldn’t relax.

They’d just have to endure a bit longer.

“Dad, it’s cold, but I feel so refreshed! I really want to shout!” Yan Yu peeked out from a small opening in her quilt and called out to the lump beside her.

Yan Lao’er shifted his legs. “Don’t you dare shout. It’s the middle of the night. If someone hears you, they’ll be scared half to death.

I mean, this speed is pretty good, right? Shouldn’t we slow down a bit?”

Yan Yu figured it had been about half an hour—two quarters of an hour, give or take.

“Sanbao, follow the raft and let it drift downstream on its own,” Yan Yu instructed.

They immediately felt the speed drop.

Yan Yu poked out her head first, testing the air. Then her whole head emerged.

The wind wasn’t slapping her face anymore.

It was bearable now.

“Dad, it’s fine now. You can stick your head out too.” Yan Yu rewrapped the quilt around herself, still keeping everything below her neck tightly bundled.

Yan Lao’er followed her lead.

They looked around—pitch black.

They could only tell that the river was wide, with mountains on both sides.

“Where are we now?” Yan Lao’er asked. “Sanbao, have we reached Gufeng?”

Sanbao slowly surfaced, his bull head and body emerging from the water.

“Moo!”

Yan Yu said, “That moo just now means we’re in Gufeng territory. But seriously, Dad, that question was kind of pointless. East of Dashi Bridge is already Gufeng—we’ve been here for a while.”

Yan Lao’er let out an “Oh,” then asked, “Sanbao, how far are we from Gufeng City?”

Sanbao let out a rapid, continuous series of urgent moos.

Yan Yu: …

Yan Lao’er: …

After counting, Yan Yu said, “Dad, don’t you think we should improve this counting method? Poor Sanbao’s going to wear himself out.”

“Well, how else do you suggest we count? Should he flick his hooves like Maomao flicks her nails?”

“How about this—head tilt to the left for tens, right for ones, and combine it with the mooing. Wouldn’t that be way easier?” Yan Yu suggested.

Yan Lao’er sneezed and pulled the blanket tighter around himself. “Sanbao, you hear that? From now on, follow this method.”

Sanbao gave a single moo to show he understood.

Though they were drifting with the current, the direction they were heading made their speed even slower than the first time they tested the raft.

Not knowing how long the journey would take, the two decided to conserve their energy.

They lit a charcoal canister, sat cross-legged, and dozed off whenever they could.

Before dawn, Sanbao guided the raft to shore on his own.

He dragged the raft close to land, found a tree, circled around it, and tied the rope securely.

Then he let out a few moos toward the pair. When no one responded, he walked over and gently nudged them with his head.

Yan Lao’er was the first to open his eyes. When he focused, he was greeted by a massive cow head right in front of him.

He reached out and gave it a hug.

“Alright, alright, I’m up. Stop nudging.”

He poked his daughter awake.

Yan Yu blinked her eyes open and asked groggily, “We there?”

“Yeah, Gufeng City should be that way. Look over there—that’s a ferry dock.”

Yan Lao’er pointed to a stretch of shore a bit further off.

A few dark, shadowy shapes could be seen. Judging by their outlines, they were boats.

Sanbao lay down nearby, waiting patiently as the two climbed off his back and onto the shore. Only then did he stand back up.

Yeah, neither of them wanted to get their shoes wet.

Yan Yu gave a hard tug, pulling the raft fully onto land.

She untied the rope from Sanbao and re-secured it to a large tree.

They threw together a quick camouflage over the raft.

Unless someone was looking closely, it wouldn’t be easy to spot.

Masks on, gloves on, and homemade cloth hats pulled down tight.

Fully geared up.

They led Sanbao toward the main road.

They needed to get close to Gufeng to see what was going on.

And maybe, just maybe, they could find out something about their fellow villagers from Qishan.

(End of chapter)