Chapter Nine: Shock-Absorbing Insoles

He tapped the three man-eating plants with the Disassembly Hammer. The plants vanished, leaving behind three thick segments of root on the ground, from which white liquid oozed out.

“That’s it?”

Fang Tang was a little disappointed. He picked up one to examine it. The liquid dripped onto the ground, causing a sizzling, corrosive sound.

“Whoa—such strong acid?”

His eyes lit up as he gazed at the three root segments as if they were treasures. If he used this in a fight, just a splash in someone’s face could cause instant disfigurement.

A real treasure!

He happily wrapped them in newspaper and then put away the floating blue aquamarine. Slipping the Fire Spirit Stone into his pocket, he looked down at his feet.

[There’s a crocodile below. Are you sure you want to go down just like this?]

“Uh, better wait a bit!” Fang Tang rubbed his nose, flipped the newspaper to the second page, and opened up the blueprint for the telescoping ladder.

Telescoping Ladder: Iron Ingots ×15, Copper Ingots ×10, Wood ×20, Rope ×2.

He had enough wood, and the iron and copper ingots could be traded for, but where to get rope?

Fang Tang frowned and headed to the trading section. With everyone’s exploration, the value of bread and water had begun to fall slightly. He’d expected this to happen tomorrow or the day after, but it had already started in just four hours.

Still, he had quite a stockpile. After exchanging for fourteen iron ingots and seven copper ingots, more than half his bread and water were gone.

Fang Tang glanced at the public channel.

“Anyone have rope? I need two pieces. Message me if interested.”

As a recognized bigwig in the public channel, every time Fang Tang spoke, it caused quite a stir, even if most people just wanted to curry favor with him.

But there was no response in the public channel. Instead, Xie Ling reached out to him.

Xie Ling: “Fang, I can make rope, but I don’t have the materials…”

Fang Tang’s face lit up. As expected of someone with legendary luck.

He hurriedly asked, “What materials do you need?”

Xie Ling: “Fiber ×20, Cotton ×10.”

Fang Tang: “…”

He had to give up. He hadn’t even seen those two materials yet. What exactly was fiber? And how would he get cotton? All this just for a ladder?

He immediately abandoned the thought of building one.

If not a ladder, then what else could help him deal with the crocodile?

Jumping down from six meters would hurt like hell, even if he didn’t land badly—he could be croc food in seconds.

“So tricky!” Fang Tang looked up at the sky in exasperation. Xie Ling sent another message.

“Do you still want it?”

Fang Tang: “I don’t have the materials. I haven’t even seen those two things.”

Xie Ling: “Alright. I don’t have enough materials either, or I’d help you make it.”

Huh?

Fang Tang perked up, then shook his head. He needed two ropes—that meant forty fiber and twenty cotton. Way too many resources, and he was broke.

He’d just had a taste of being rich, and in an instant, he was back to being penniless. The contrast was brutal.

If only he could make the mechanical grappling arm, he wouldn’t need a ladder—he could climb walls himself.

Lost in thought, another message from Xie Ling arrived.

“Found another blueprint—maybe it’ll help.”

Fang Tang: “…”

So this is what it means to be outrageously lucky. I’m impressed.

“What blueprint?”

“Here!” Xie Ling sent him a blueprint link.

The image looked like a pair of insoles, piquing Fang Tang’s curiosity.

After a moment’s thought, he said, “I’ll take this blueprint. What do you want for it?”

Xie Ling: “I haven’t dug many dens—only six or seven, and they’re all blueprints. I don’t have any food. Could you trade me some?”

“Pfft!” Fang Tang choked on his water, staring in disbelief at Xie Ling’s message.

[You calling me names? Try it again!]

“Hahaha…”

Fang Tang burst out laughing. It was the first time he’d seen his interface so flustered.

Only someone with extraordinary luck could annoy the system so much.

Incredible!

“Deal!” With a grand gesture, Fang Tang sent Xie Ling two bottles of water, two bags of bread, half a watermelon, five sausages, two bags of milk, and a banana.

That was enough supplies for one person for three days. At this stage, these resources were indeed more precious than a blueprint.

But Xie Ling was a walking lucky charm! She’d searched seven or eight dens and only found blueprints.

He had to cling tightly to this streak of luck. If he could, he’d have sent himself over instead of just food, if only the trading section allowed it.

After the trade, Xie Ling sent a nervous message.

“Fang, you gave me way too much. That blueprint isn’t worth it!”

Fang Tang: “Just keep it. A girl should never go hungry when she’s out on her own. If you find something good, we’ll trade again.”

Xie Ling: “You’re too good to me!”

Fang Tang smiled slightly, picked up the blueprint, and added it to the second page.

Shock-Absorbing Insoles: Fiber ×20.

“Not bad!” Though he hadn’t seen the material yet, the quantity required was acceptable.

He put up a new trade:

“Wanted: Fiber ×40
Offering: Bottled Water ×2
Contact: Fang Tang
Note: Any resource except elemental stones accepted.”

The trade would take some time, so Fang Tang decided to use the interval to craft two water collectors.

Each collector was about the size of a bucket, able to produce a liter of purified water per hour, and could store up to eight liters.

Twenty minutes later, both water collectors were done.

Now, he could simply set them out while he slept and have sixteen liters of water by morning.

For now, he could even become a water merchant.

No sooner had he finished the collectors than the fibers were successfully traded.

He quickly spent two minutes crafting the shock-absorbing insoles and slipped them into his shoes.

He stomped hard—no shock at all. Fang Tang was overjoyed.

“Now, even without a ladder, I can get down.”

[The crocodile is in the back right corner. You can head to the front left—there’s a bronze chest there.]

Even though the interface was still annoyed by Xie Ling, it did its job diligently, pinpointing the best spot for Fang Tang.

He grabbed his pickaxe, dug a hole, tossed the Fire Spirit Stone down, took a deep breath, and leaped into the black mist.

The bronze chest was large enough to catch him.

With the insoles, the pain from the fall was greatly reduced.

Drawing on his experience with the man-eating plants, Fang Tang pulled out his gun the moment he landed, aiming at the crocodile in the far corner.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Three quick shots rang out, and the cavern echoed with a furious roar.

A massive, earth-toned crocodile was thrashing on the ground.

Fang Tang’s eyes narrowed as he kept firing at it.

When he’d emptied the clip, the crocodile’s struggles grew weaker and weaker, until at last it lay still.

Fang Tang relaxed, reloaded his gun, and was about to move closer when golden text appeared before him.

[Do you know how terrifying Renekton is when his rage is full? If you approach now, you’ll die a miserable death. This is your chance to train your marksmanship—aim for its eyes and empty your clip!]

Fang Tang didn’t hesitate. He raised his pistol again, ignored the ache in his arms, and squeezed the trigger once more.