Because of his poverty, Li Ke had to sell some of the items he had specifically brought.
He took some portable items like a toaster, hoping to find out if they could fetch a good price from the merchant.
However, Li Ke was disappointed. His belongings were only worth about ten Duke Casino Tokens, practically worthless.
Unexpectedly, however, stones were quite valuable; ten stones could be sold for 1 coin.
"So, this game is like Minecraft, where mining and chopping trees are necessary?"
Li Ke nodded. It's just hard labor! With the system's stone axe, he could just mine! What was there to be afraid of?
"Looks like we can't buy anything."
Erina also opened the merchant's inventory and then immediately closed it.
Because she knew very well that in their current state of poverty, they couldn't afford anything there.
"Looks like we still need to do some serious looting."
Li Ke nodded, a plan instantly forming in his mind.
"Then tonight we'll go back and set up our base a bit, then tomorrow morning we'll gather food, and the afternoon we'll chop down trees and mine rocks to store up to increase our casino tokens and defensive capabilities."
Li Ke laid out the plan directly, and Erina Nakiri didn't object. It was almost dark, and once it got dark, the zombies' mobility would become terrifying. Although she could fight zombies now, she didn't intend to fight those that ran like Usain Bolt.
However, the thought of going back brought a smile to Erina Nakiri's face.
"I can show you my cooking skills today!"
Thinking of the seasonings she had collected, Erina Nakiri couldn't help but smile. Although luncheon meat wouldn't taste very good no matter how it was cooked, they had managed to get some canned peas and chicken. With these seasonings, she was confident she could cook a delicious stew for Li Ke!
And she wouldn't feel so nauseous eating anymore; after all, honey was a strategic resource now and couldn't be eaten casually.
"Of course! I'm really looking forward to your food!"
Li Ke nodded with a smile. Erina Nakiri was a character from a gourmet anime, and Li Ke had been eagerly anticipating how delicious her food would be from the beginning.
However, due to previous limitations and their shared fear of zombies, they hadn't started a fire.
But now that they knew about the antidote to the zombie virus, they didn't care anymore.
"Okay! Stay tuned!"
Erina Nakiri smiled, and the two of them returned together to the vicinity of the RV.
On their detour back, Li Ke discovered a gas station.
The gas station's dome was entirely constructed of steel, and the four pillars were also solid iron. Looking at the perfectly flat dome, Li Ke couldn't help but ponder.
Moreover, getting up wouldn't be too difficult; they could simply use a ladder made of wooden frames to climb up, and then retract the frames, preventing the zombies from reaching them.
"Wouldn't it be safer to build a defensive outpost here than the RV?"
Li Ke noted this idea, but didn't rush to voice it. He still felt that a vehicle was more reliable.
So, he looked around and, sure enough, not far from the gas station, he saw a shop that was clearly a repair shop. He considered it for a moment and decided to explore the area with Erina the next day to see if they could find wheels for the RV.
Although the system's crafting menu included wheels, Li Ke wasn't sure if the system-made wheels would meet the RV's requirements, so it was better to have a backup plan.
The two quickly returned to the RV's vicinity. After checking again for zombies, Li Ke and Erina washed their hands with the soap and bottled water they found, and then began preparing dinner.
Erina skillfully built a campfire, set up a makeshift worktable, and took out a kettle from the house to use as the large pot for stewing. The two sat by the fire, watching the setting sun and the food bubbling in the pot.
Li Ke had to admit that in Erina's hands, cheap luncheon meat and seasonings that had been sitting for who knows how long were truly transformed. She effortlessly removed the inferior chemical taste from the meat through stewing and seasoning, continuously refining and purifying the truly delicious parts.
She would never have made such "commoner's food" before, because it would never satisfy her God's Tongue.
But now, smelling the chemicals mixed in and the inferior ingredients, and watching Li Ke intently reviewing the recipe list, Erina Nakiri couldn't help but smile. The smells of the food became less unbearable.
She looked towards the distant forest. She saw many blueberries and flowers there, some of which she had collected on her way to use as seasonings and for her tea later.
However, these weren't her thoughts.
'If we could find potato, wheat, and corn seeds, Li Ke and I could plant a large field here and live a life without worrying about food, right?'
The fact that there were only two of them, the uncertainty of whether they could return, and her chef's pursuit of quality ingredients made her think of these things.
Although she still couldn't get used to the food, and the smell still made her want to vomit because of her overly sensitive tongue, she couldn't help but think about it now.
Li Ke was willing to save her that day; he was undoubtedly a good person with a very good attitude, just a bit too ordinary, not handsome enough, just average.
But it was this person…
who freed her from that state of fear.
Erina Nakiri herself was surprised. Just yesterday she was still in fear and running away, but today she had already personally chopped off the heads of more than a dozen zombies.
"Perhaps it's because Li Ke is so ordinary? Seeing that even someone as ordinary as him could do… me, who considers myself excellent…"
She couldn't help but think of the most crucial reason: it was Li Ke's calm and composed attitude, despite his seemingly ordinary appearance, that calmed her down as well.
"Live each day to the fullest? Honestly, living each day as if it were your last is a tired old adage, useless!"
Erina angrily thumped the pot a couple of times, the noise failing to wake Li Ke.
Because Li Ke was intently reviewing his crafting list.
"We can even make augers, airplanes, and cars, and this workbench..."
Li Ke frowned slightly as he looked at the items needed to craft the workbench.
Their only way to survive in this world was through this system, but currently, without a workbench, it seemed they couldn't do anything substantial.
They could only make simple things, like straw clothes and sandals made of fiber, bows and arrows, stone tools and weapons, including stone spears.
But with a workbench, basically anything could be made.
And there was a furnace, and things like iron ingots were clearly made there.
The problem is, both items are locked.
There are two unlocking conditions: being a senior engineer and possessing a design blueprint.
Li Ke doesn't know if he needs both to unlock them, or if only one condition is required. However, there's no doubt that without activating his skill system, he has no way to utilize these items.
"So, I can only rely on the iron pipe machine gun?"
Li Ke pursed his lips. He didn't know how to activate the skill; his current guess was to kill as many zombies as possible. But melee combat was too dangerous. Using guns, without being able to manufacture a large quantity of bullets in the furnace, firearms weren't very reliable and wouldn't be able to clear out zombies on a large scale.
"This is troublesome..."
Li Ke continued browsing the crafting menu and found something.
"Gunpowder..."
Li Ke looked at it. Gunpowder production has several methods, such as gunpowder made using a chemical workbench, which is synthesized from coal powder and nitrate powder.
However, if you were to synthesize it by hand, you'd need twice the materials to make even one.
"So, even without a workbench, I can still synthesize gunpowder?"
Li Ke looked at the gunpowder and the bullets that required a workbench, an increasingly arrogant smile spreading across his face.
"Then I can just make my own landmines and Molotov cocktails, right?"
If Li Ke remembered correctly, making Molotov cocktails was quite simple; it was just a matter of throwing some liquid flammable material.
However, ordinary gasoline and the like weren't very lethal, and they were easily extinguished.
But who was he attacking?
He wasn't attacking any lively, energetic people! He was attacking those mindless zombies! Even if he encountered a large horde of zombies, he could just pour a huge can of gasoline down the horde, light it, and hey!
The zombies would all be on fire, right?
There was just one problem.
"My own safety."
Li Ke felt conflicted.
If they encountered a large group of zombies, he and Erina Nakiri would definitely have to hide at a gas station.
The RV was too small; if it wasn't repaired, there would be no chance of escape.
But setting it on fire at a gas station…
Honestly, this was way too thrilling; Li Ke had never imagined such a crazy idea.
This was a place where even a cigarette butt could start a fire. Although it was dilapidated, who knew how much gasoline was still inside? And Li Ke couldn't understand English…
"What a hassle."
Li Ke shook his head, then saw Erina Nakiri pick up the kettle of stew and place it on the lawn. She then put a metal can on the stove to boil water for tea.
"Come on, try my cooking!"
Erina Nakiri smiled and began to serve the food. The rich aroma of the food made Li Ke's mouth water. He quickly took a bowl of rice and eagerly began to eat.
The moment the food entered his mouth, Li Ke felt an unimaginable deliciousness. He had eaten all sorts of luncheon meat before, but this was the first time he had ever found it delicious!
"This is truly...amazing cooking! Erina! You're really amazing!"
Li Ke couldn't help but praise her, while Erina, with an expression that said all the praise was well-deserved, proudly raised her head.
"Hmph! Of course! But for a commoner like you, this is the kind of taste you'd expect. Once we get back, I'll definitely show you what kind of ingredients can truly unleash my full potential!"
She wasn't intentionally belittling Li Ke, but genuinely, she disliked using low-grade ingredients. Garbage like luncheon meat wouldn't even qualify as an ingredient in her kitchen under normal circumstances!
This kind of food, simply made with starch and additives to make scraps of meat that most people would eat, was something Erina Nakiri couldn't understand why anyone would like to eat!
And most importantly, much of luncheon meat doesn't contain any meat! It's entirely made with chemical ingredients to create the flavor; essentially, it's just a lump of starch!
She simply couldn't stand this self-deceptive food.
"Hmm... this is amazing enough for me..."
Li Ke took a bite, feeling a surge of warmth throughout his body, a sense of lightness, and a feeling of mental satisfaction.
This was a feeling he had never experienced before when eating anything! Although Erina Nakiri's cooking wasn't the best he'd ever tasted, this special effect made him groan involuntarily, and a warm, domestic fantasy appeared in his mind.
He was the head of that family, working in the fields during the day, returning home to his wife's smiling face and a simple, home-cooked meal.
His young and beautiful wife had prepared the meal, and the two of them bathed together. The warm water stimulated their bodies, increasing the friction between them, and her smooth skin aroused him.
His wife's breasts were very full. Just as Li Ke was about to continue enjoying himself, the scene suddenly stopped. He awoke from his fantasy to find that the story hadn't ended, but rather that the food in his bowl had been eaten! "Truly the spirit of aphrodisiacs…"
Silently setting down his chopsticks, Li Ke bent over, trying to transform his expression from wanton, lewd, and blushing to one of composure.
But the heat coursing through his body told him things weren't so simple.
"Honestly, this is practically magic."
Li Ke looked at Erina, who was practically vomiting, eating the food that had been driving him to hallucinations, and couldn't help but sigh. He then silently took out a bottle of honey.
"Want me to give you this?"
Erina immediately narrowed her eyes.
"Are you looking down on me? This is important supplies!"
She was extremely dissatisfied, but the unpalatable food still made her body crave sugar.
Looking at her uncomfortable face, Li Ke still smiled and handed her the honey.
He genuinely thought so.
Because unless they were extremely unlucky, they wouldn't encounter that situation where there was absolutely nothing they could do after infection again. "Anyway, merchants sell other medicines, don't they? And it's not like there's no way to scavenge more…"
Erina hesitated for a moment, then took the honey. However, she didn't open it; instead, she put it directly into her inventory and turned away angrily.
"I wouldn't be as stupid as you!"
Li Ke felt a little ashamed and didn't speak again, but not because of the shame of giving away strategic resources like honey, but because…
He felt ashamed because of the recurring thoughts he had about Erina's chest and thighs—and the pain from the bump.