NOVEL NEXT chapter 62
Yang Yi gives the ship’s stores a quick once-over. The inventory is… not great.
[Fresh Water: 273L, Black Bread: 32 loaves, Sausages: 20 links, Dried Fish: 2kg, an assortment of fish currently in the process of stinking up the place, and a handful of Eyeball Fruits.]
The water situation is fine. Now that he has a fire source, he can just distill more, easy peasy. All he needs is a flint. The real issue is the solid food. Thanks to Suna’s Appetizer Potions, he’s been eating like a damn black hole, triple his usual intake. He basically has to provision for a crew of four, with the daily standard being one loaf of black bread and half a sausage per person.
After a moment's thought, he settles on buying 200 loaves of black bread and 100 sausages. That, plus what he already has, should keep him and Suna fed for a month or two out on the icy seas. Better to be prepared. He also needs fruits and vegetables. Those Eyeball Fruits probably won't be biting once he hits the polar region.
A glance at the market ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) shows black bread going for 5 units of wood, or about 25 Conch Coins. It has the texture of a brick and tastes about the same, but it lasts forever. He's pretty sure the recipe is 90% sawdust anyway. Sausages, being a source of protein and salt, are pricier at 50 Coins a pop. Both are common items, craftable in a standard ship's Food Processing Workshop—an expansion Nyxstar, of course, doesn't have. He figures it's a waste of a slot. Why make food when you can buy it or fish it? Far better to install a massive cannon.
Decision made, he goes on a shopping spree, dropping a cool 10,000 Conch Coins on carbs and processed meat. Next, produce. This market is completely cornered by the Farmer captain. Only that ship can mass-produce fresh food. Apples are going for a ludicrous 100 Coins each and they don't even last. He messages Shen Guanquan directly.
Yang Yi: "You got any fruits or veggies that won't rot in a week?"
Shen Guanquan: "Perfect timing. Just whipped up a batch of dried fruit preserves. Packed with Vitamin C! Top-quality apples, 800 Conch Coins per half-kilo."
Yang Yi: "Are you shitting me? That's insane."
Shen Guanquan: "You think it's expensive? I think it's expensive! Takes ten apples to make this much. Take it or leave it, dude. That's my lowest price. Market price is 1000."
"Fine," he types, gritting his teeth. "Give me two and a half kilos."
"Coming right up!"
And just like that, another 4000 Coins vanish. He tells himself it’s just for the vitamins. Besides, he still has those Eyeball Fruits. Maybe he can make some… eyeball raisins?
That leaves him with 56,000 Coins for gear. He can't rush this part. While occasionally trying his luck at fishing, he scrolls the market and posts a message, refreshing it every hour.
"WTB Melee Weapon. Polearm preferred, the longer and thicker the better! Exquisite quality or higher, Relics ideal. PM with offers!"
His fights with the Spider Queen and the Glutton have taught him a painful lesson: his dick is too short. Metaphorically, of course. His weapon. The [Sea Serpent's Tooth] is great for shanking smaller foes, but against anything measured in meters, he might as well be tickling it with a toothpick. He needs a bigger stick.
He browses for hours, sifting through private messages filled with disappointing junk. Finally, he narrows it down to three decent, if not amazing, options.
First, a [Zhanmadao].
[Type: Treasure]
[Quality: Exquisite]
[Description: A long, sharp cavalry saber that can easily slice through cattle bone. Once mastered, it can sever a bull's head in a single stroke.]
Priced at 15,000 Coins, the picture shows a slightly curved blade nearly a meter and a half long including the hilt.
Second, a classic [Two-Handed Greatsword].
[Type: Treasure]
[Quality: Exquisite]
[Description: A thick, heavy greatsword. Not particularly sharp, but incredibly durable. Requires Strength 7+ to wield, 8+ to master. What it can't cut, it can certainly smash to pieces.]
The seller is a female player with only 5 Strength, so it's a glorified paperweight for her. But her asking price is a firm 20,000. Not many players are beefy enough to even use the damn thing.
Third, a [Refined Steel Spear].
[Type: Treasure]
[Quality: Exquisite]
[Description: Crafted from ox-tendon wood soaked in tung oil with a refined steel tip. Possesses high piercing power and immense toughness. With the right technique, it can inflict severe penetrating wounds.]
Selling for 12,000 Coins.
The Zhanmadao is sharp, the spear has reach, but Yang Yi finds himself drawn to the sheer, unga-bunga simplicity of the greatsword. Might makes right, he muses. When he goes into his Frenzy state, his Strength jumps by 2, which would put him right in the sweet spot to handle it. If he'd had that thing against the Spider Queen, he's confident he could have personally introduced her face to the concept of blunt force trauma.
He tries to haggle, but the seller won't budge from 20,000. Just as he's about to resign himself and click 'buy,' a new private message pops up.
"Brother, you in the market for a greatsword? I've got one that'll make you very happy. It's the Relic you're looking for, and I guarantee you'll be satisfied with its size!"