Looking at the question sent by A-Xing, Jiang Ye fell into deep thought.
How should she explain to him that the way and mode she levels up is very different from normal players?
For the past two or three hours, Jiang Ye had been waiting idly for A-Xing's progress, and, with nothing better to do, she jumped into the sea to butt heads with fish.
Thanks to the protection of the Passive skill "Like a Fish in Water," she was no longer so afraid of the ocean as she was at first.
She even tried drowning herself in the sea again after the passive skill wore off.
This suicide attempt was more successful than ever.
Jiang Ye died.
When she opened her eyes again, she was alive.
Alive on the Island.
So even dying on a bugged map couldn't send her back to the novice village's Respawn Point.
Jiang Ye watched her rapidly dropping Stamina and Experience Bar after dying and decided never to try suicide again. If she ever had the chance to get out, it would be best to keep herself alive.
The death mechanics in this game were pretty similar to those on Blue Star.
Die once, and you'll randomly lose experience, gold coin, and items from your backpack.
Dying wasn’t worth it—the loss was huge.
Having given up on suicide, Jiang Ye began working hard to level up.
In a short time, her character Level reached 6, and Iron Head Technique was pushed up to Level 5.
She could now spin her head underwater to create a whirlpool and trap schools of fish.
It sounded ridiculous, but it actually worked.
Jiang Ye used this method to catch herring, anchovy, and sardine.
Facing her new ingredients, Jiang Ye had no desire to eat them. Herring could technically be eaten raw, but just seeing the name “herring” instantly made her think of herring canned food.
Now, her cravings were all thoroughly killed by the memory of that flavor.
As for anchovy and sardine, the most common economic fish on Blue Star, her Huaxia stomach made her only want to eat them cooked.
After all her struggles, not only did she reach Level 6, her Island Collector status rose to Level 5.
The Island had expanded from just 4 square meters to 59 square meters.
That was about as large as a spacious one-bedroom apartment.
Through these upgrades, Jiang Ye picked up on a pattern.
Each time Island Collector level advanced and the collection expanded, the Island grew by that level squared. Summing the squares of all current levels gave the total Island size.
It had become a simple math problem.
How to calculate the sum of squares?
The formula was n(n+1)(2n+1)/6.
By this calculation, supposing nothing went wrong along the way, if things went on like this, then when Island Collector reached (100/100), the island she was on would be 338,309 square meters—the extra 4 square meters being the island’s base size.
That would be about the same size as Yundian Province back on Blue Star Huaxia.
Just thinking that if she never escaped this bug, she might end up alone on such a huge island made Jiang Ye’s scalp tingle.
She didn’t want to be some online game version of Robinson Crusoe.
And besides, Robinson had Friday—she had only a coconut tree that couldn’t talk.
Jiang Ye sat at the center of the small island, taking in her surroundings.
As the island expanded, its ecosystem hadn’t changed at all.
There was still only one coconut tree.
When the wind blew, that lone tree would sway, dancing with the sea breeze.
It all seemed a little desolate and lonely.
Jiang Ye sighed lightly and decided to be honest with A-Xing.
[Private Chat·A Leaf Boat: Nothing much, really. For me, leveling up isn’t that hard under the current circumstances. I just level up like this.]
[Private Chat·Young Master With Money: Do you even hear yourself right now? Does that sound remotely human to you?]
[Private Chat·A Leaf Boat: The anonymous one at the Level Board is indeed me. I hid my name to avoid trouble.]
Yuchi Xi stood there holding his blade. Seeing that Young Master With Money and A Leaf Boat had been silent in the team voice for ages, he asked coolly, “Are you two Private Chatting?”
A-Xing, suddenly caught, hesitated for a moment. He coughed, glanced at Yuchi Xi, and shrank himself toward a corner.
Jiang Ye, on the other hand, answered thick-skinned, “We’re discussing something.”
“Yuchi, I have a business proposal. Interested?”
Yuchi Xi was intrigued. “Go on.”
Jiang Ye said, “I plan to have A-Xing set up a street stall selling seafood and coconut water and such. I hope you can help him if you have the time. The cut is negotiable, we can talk.”
A-Xing instantly understood her meaning.
If seafood could help Scar Tiger skip the rabbit-killing step and clear the quest, then it could help other players too.
That way, he and Jiang Ye could make their first pot of gold in the game.
Bringing Yuchi Xi in was to keep Scar Tiger from causing trouble.
A-Xing got excited. “That’s a great idea!”
Jiang Ye kept her cool. “Seafood is priced at 998 gold coin, coconut water isn’t for sale, just given as a bonus. Three portions given out per day, no more.”
Yuchi Xi got straight to the point: “That’s pretty expensive.”
A-Xing was worried too. “What if we can’t sell it?”
Jiang Ye didn’t care much. “Our target customers are only those players who’d rather spend money than do things themselves. 998 gold coin for time saved—those who want it will buy it.”
A-Xing felt this made sense, but asked curiously, “Why isn’t coconut water for sale?”
“Can’t I drink it myself?” Jiang Ye replied helplessly.
She was stuck on the Island, couldn’t log out, couldn’t leave. If she got too hungry or thirsty, Stamina would drop, affecting her state. And once in shared mode, her real body, operating at basic survival needs, would also be affected.
For now, only a handful of coconuts were produced per day.
If she sold them all, what would she drink?
Better to give a few as free samples, gain some reputation, and make the brand known. When she found a way to mass-produce coconuts, she could start selling them in bulk.
After explaining, Jiang Ye asked Yuchi Xi, “What cut do you want?”
After all, she and A-Xing were familiar with each other, so money matters were no problem to work out.
To her surprise, Yuchi Xi replied coolly, “I don’t want a cut. Just give me a portion of coconut water and a portion of tuna belly as daily pay.”
A-Xing hadn’t expected him to be so naive.
He didn't even want money!
Jiang Ye, however, had figured out Yuchi Xi’s foodie tendencies.
She agreed, then Private Chatted A-Xing about the cut. But A-Xing didn’t seem to care much either.
[Private Chat·Young Master With Money: Xiao Jiang, I’ll just transfer all sale money to you, okay? It’s safer with you. If I get killed, all the gold coin will drop.]
[Private Chat·Young Master With Money: Anyway, it’s your stuff—it’s just me helping you sell it. No need to be so clear about shares. Once we save up enough, we’ll run away together, so it’s whatever.]
Jiang Ye didn’t refuse when she saw this message.
She reminded A-Xing.
[Private Chat·A Leaf Boat: Just put up a stall sign at the rabbit-killing spot and leave it. First, use a seafood set to pass the quest and level up. Then don’t forget to come back and kill fifteen rabbits.]
A-Xing didn’t get it.
[Private Chat·Young Master With Money: Why? Why kill rabbits if there’s no quest?]
Jiang Ye believed all quests in the game were designed for a reason. If character growth and the player’s improvement in monster fights were related, then using seafood was just a shortcut. Killing rabbits was the real core of the quest.
It was equivalent to this action enhancing a player’s potential through grinding.
So, the rabbits had to die.
But Jiang Ye couldn’t explain this to A-Xing—this was only her theory.
As Jiang Ye pondered how to get A-Xing to follow her advice, A-Xing promptly agreed on his own.
[Private Chat·Young Master With Money: Alright, just fifteen rabbits, right? How could that stump your big bro? I’ll go kill them.]
[Private Chat·A Leaf Boat: Harsh advice is good for you. A boss who listens is a good boss. [Thumbs up]]
Jiang Ye’s words left A-Xing so pleased that his tail was practically wagging.
Yuchi Xi looked at the golden-haired youth smugly grinning and, his expression frosty, directly asked A-Xing, “You’re Private Chatting again?”
A-Xing immediately choked on his own saliva.
Yuchi Xi glanced at him coldly. “Where’s A Leaf Boat now?”
A-Xing was wary. “Why are you asking?”
Yuchi Xi answered crisply, “To find her for PK.”
A-Xing bluffed, “She’s off somewhere else doing a hidden quest.”
Yuchi Xi believed him and nodded thoughtfully. “No wonder. She must be a really skilled player.”
Otherwise, how else would she have things nobody else has seen, level up so fast, and always be on a hidden quest?
He commented with a touch of admiration, “A pro.”
A-Xing scratched the back of his head and laughed sheepishly, playing along with the claim. Only he knew that Jiang Ye wasn’t some pro—she was just stuck in a bug.
“How did you two become friends?” Yuchi Xi looked A-Xing over, as if casually, “Did you two meet on the Wasteland?”
A-Xing became vigilant, taking a step back, like a cat arching its back, watching Yuchi Xi through narrowed eyes.
Yuchi Xi shrugged. “No need to be so tense. I have nothing against wasteland dwellers. Actually, I’m from the Wasteland too.”
“I’ve heard of Scar Tiger,” Yuchi Xi’s voice deepened, “You and A Leaf Boat, be careful in real life.”
A-Xing caught on immediately. “So, is there another reason you’re helping us? You and Scar Tiger, are you—”
Yuchi Xi cut him off coldly, “Grown-ups’ business. Mind your own, kid.”
A-Xing bristled. “Who are you calling a kid? You’re the kid! Your whole family are kids!”
To this, Yuchi Xi actually didn’t argue.
Although not knowing Yuchi Xi’s background made A-Xing anxious, he found Yuchi Xi pretty reliable in their subsequent interactions.
At first, Yuchi Xi seemed to look down on him. But after seeing him kill fifteen rabbits in quick succession, his attitude improved a lot. He even praised him in a senior’s tone, “You’re pretty good.”
A-Xing laughed, realizing that, cold as Yuchi Xi was, he respected the strong.
A-Xing kept grinding levels while, following Jiang Ye’s advice, placing a wooden sign at the rabbit-killing spot that read: “Seafood for sale at a high price. Guaranteed to clear the First-level quest. DM if interested.”
By the time A-Xing had reached Level 3, he still hadn’t sold a single portion of seafood.
He was just about to log off and feed nutrient solution to himself and comatose Jiang Ye when he received a message.
[Private Chat·I Have a Lot of Hair: Bro, how do you sell your seafood?]
As soon as he saw this, A-Xing forwarded the message to Jiang Ye.
Jiang Ye laughed.
[Private Chat·A Leaf Boat: See? Our God of Wealth has arrived!]