Zhou Bai had no idea that Diana and Harrison were discussing their "anomaly"; she was telling Zhou Zhengping about the changes in the weather.
The sudden news made even someone like Zhou Zhengping, who had weathered many storms, feel a little out of place. If you think of all this as a game, what they're going through now is Hell Level difficulty—the kind where one mistake sends you straight to Hell.
Every time life seems to offer a glimmer of hope and turnaround, complications arise again.
He felt a bit sorry for his daughter.
As the Lord, she's obviously under even more pressure.
"Try to think more positively. At least we found out ahead of time, so we can get prepared, and we can also get special materials during the special weather to craft special equipment." Zhou Bai looked at her dad's expression and tried to comfort him, "Everything that's happened so far gives me a feeling that every disaster, as long as we seize the moment, can bring some benefits. Since disaster can't be avoided, let's try to grab more benefits."
"You sure are optimistic." Zhou Zhengping gave Zhou Bai a sideways glance, then sighed in his heart and asked directly, "So what's your plan?"
"I bought lots of materials from the System Store. I'll make a batch of equipment first, then let the tailor shop put them up for sale so residents willing to go out can buy them. As for the soldier team, I'll provide equipment for free, but any special materials they gather must be handed over." Zhou Bai said.
If other residents don't want to go out, well, she can at least count on the soldier team.
That's the whole point of recruiting soldiers, after all.
"Sounds good." Zhou Zhengping nodded. After all that's happened, Xiao Bai has been doing better and better as the Lord.
"What's in the soldier big gift pack?" At this point, Zhou Bai finally asked something she'd been curious about. The system's gift packs are so rare!
"Each soldier profession comes with corresponding clothing blueprints, weapon blueprints, and other related guides. It says we'll get a surprise if we look for the materials ourselves." Zhou Zhengping replied simply.
Zhou Bai paused after hearing this—no wonder it's the system!
"How's the search going so far?"
"Soldier uniforms require iron ore, beast skin, and linen; weapons also primarily need iron ore. Beast skin and linen are easy to find; iron ore is not. There are two professions that are a bit troublesome: adviser and doctor. Their Training Soldiers Guide and Healing Guide require personnel instruction." Zhou Zhengping said briefly, "Personnel instruction is required."
After listening to Zhou Zhengping, Zhou Bai pondered. After a moment, she said, "Dad, iron ore is found in iron mines. Do you think the system is hinting there's iron ore nearby? And as for personnel instruction, don't forget we have the Heroic Spirit Hall. Maybe there'll be a chance to summon the right Professionals."
Zhou Zhengping: "..."
"Looks like the soldier team is pretty much a bunch of Tool Men given to the territory by the system." Zhou Bai said confidently. At least the Lord herself isn't the only one being squeezed for everything.
"Well, let's just work harder from here then." Zhou Zhengping replied helplessly. He didn't mind being a Tool Man for the territory—helping the territory is helping his daughter!
"Sorry for the trouble." Zhou Bai teased.
"No trouble at all." Zhou Zhengping replied with a smile.
Ding Qiurou was off to the side watching the father and daughter putting on their double act. She didn't even know what to say.
Whatever, let them do as they like.
Meanwhile, the buzz around them gradually died down, and many people started heading toward the Lord Mansion.
After trading with each other, those who needed to trade were done. To clear out backpack slots and contribute to the territory, of course they had to deliver what the territory wanted.
Watching their backs, Zhou Bai immediately glanced at her own backpack.
Oh no, it's almost full again.
"Dad, Mom, I'm heading to the Lord Mansion. You guys go home and eat first." As she spoke, Zhou Bai also headed toward the Lord Mansion.
"What's she going there for?"
"Probably to clear her backpack! She doesn't have enough slots, and after learning from Diana about storing things in the territory's buildings, she put some stuff on the second floor of the Lord Mansion. With everyone's haul today, it's probably full again." Ding Qiurou said, amused.
"If it makes her happy, let her be! She loves saving a bit of the markup."
The two of them shared a smile, then walked home hand in hand.
A lot of people noticed this scene and felt a bit of envy.
After the Doomsday Game descended, the luckiest ones are probably those with family still beside them!
Where are their families? Will there… ever be a chance to see them again?
**
Lord Mansion.
Many people only realized there were more materials the territory wanted to buy when they checked the bulletin board.
"Wind and Rain Orchid? Bamboo strips? Eucalyptus Resin, Rain Tree Resin? What are these? Never even heard of them. The purchase prices are so high, more than 10 copper coins for several of them."
"But if the territory suddenly wants to buy these, they must have a use, right?"
"Let's keep an eye out tomorrow."
They quietly memorized the materials and kept selling today's finds to the territory.
But as they were selling, Zhou Bai was experiencing what it really means to have a "sweet burden."
She could only pretend to be selling things while stuffing large amounts of wood and Stone into the second floor of the Lord Mansion.
After several trips, Zhou Bai swore to herself that the next building she unlocked had to be the Warehouse.
**
The fourth day of the Doomsday Game.
Because of newly triggered Skills, lots of people got up early and got their teams ready to go out hunting, only to open the door and see a torrential downpour outside, the kind that thundered down, cutting off most people's plans.
Everyone opened their wooden doors and started chatting loudly.
"So, even the game world has rain?"
"With such a heavy downpour, we can't go out at all today, can we?"
"Perfect, let's just treat it as a day off."
"Four days since the Doomsday Game started, and we haven't had a good rest during the first three."
"It's nice to rest, but don't forget—a territory war is guaranteed to happen within a month. If we're not strong enough and the territory's breached again, people will die."
"..."
As soon as someone brought up territory war, the braver players went out into the rain to test whether they could move freely.
But the moment they stepped out, system notifications kept popping up.
[Life Value -1]
[Life Value -1]
[Life Value -1]
[...]
The people who tried quickly ran back inside.
"No good, moving in the rain lowers Life Value, and it drops fast. I don't think you'd last long out there."
"One or two days is fine; with what we've stockpiled, we can make it, but if this keeps up, I have a bad feeling."
"Do you think we're getting PUA'd by the Doomsday Game?"
"The canteen is probably out of reach, too. Let's all just stay home and chat."
"Maybe it'll stop raining soon!"
"..."
Everyone chatted away, enjoying this rare bit of downtime.
Zhou Bai was among them, watching everyone act as if they were going to take the chance to rest, and silently apologized to them in her heart.
The future is unpredictable—it's best to adapt sooner rather than later.
Next, she ruthlessly opened the task system and started adding tasks.
[Task 1: Harvest Special Materials]
[Type: Rainy Day Exclusive Task]
[Reward: Wage Bonus 20%]
[Participants: Soldier Team (Mandatory)]
[Note: Rainy day travel gear will be provided free by the territory. Pick it up at the tailor shop. All special materials go to the territory.]
*
[Task 2: Harvest Special Materials]
[Type: Rainy Day Exclusive Task]
[Reward: Harvest goes to the individual]
[Participants: All residents (Voluntary)]
[Note: Rainy day travel gear can be bought at the tailor shop. Gear is limited—first come, first served.]
After setting them up, Zhou Bai sent out the notifications.
The next moment, everyone's control panels chimed with the news.
When they saw the messages, quite a few people were stunned.
After a moment of silence, the scene erupted with discussion.
"The territory is ruthless!"
"They actually issued tasks."
"But it looks like it's a rainy day exclusive and voluntary."
"But sometimes, when it's voluntary, it actually makes it feel even more important."
"Special materials? What kind of special materials?"
"Suddenly I remembered something."
"What?"
"When I went to the Lord Mansion last night, I saw the Lord had new purchase requests—Wind and Rain Orchid, Rain Tree Resin, bamboo strips… These materials are all related to rain, aren't they?"
"But besides rain-related materials, there was also Mint Leaves, honeysuckle, Wind-stopping Grass… Hell, does that mean after the rain, we'll get heatwaves, heavy snow, and strong winds?"
"That… actually sounds possible!"
"So the game world's weather is really that wild?"
"Life is going to be rough."
As they talked, more and more people started to pick up on something strange from seeing the territory's wanted materials list.
"I'm getting nervous!"
"Me too! If the weather is always weird, how are we supposed to live?"
"Don't freak out, the territory has already started buying up materials, and they're selling rain gear too—they must have planned ahead."
"Should we do the task?"
"..."
While everyone was figuring things out, Zhou Bai—having posted the tasks—was already dashing into the rain, heading straight for the tailor shop.
Seeing Zhou Bai's quick movements, loads of people came to their senses.
They realized something: the tailor shop's equipment is limited.
Staring at Zhou Bai running at the front, everyone had only one thought in their minds.
This person is just too much!
They couldn't lose!