Chapter 98: Transaction and High-Level Meeting
The terror brought by the extreme cold far exceeded people’s imagination! Su Ning had just returned from the mysterious space, and as soon as she stepped into her dormitory, she was immediately struck by a wave of icy chill.
She could even clearly see her breath instantly condense into a misty white fog.
Although the shelter had already activated the heating system, the faint warmth it provided was barely enough to offer a trace of comfort. It was utterly inadequate in the face of such brutal cold — like trying to extinguish a blazing fire with a cup of water.
Most people still had to rely on their own means to resist the onslaught of the cold.
Without hesitation, Su Ning quickly pulled out the Thermal Flower from her chest.
This magical flower emitted a soft and warm glow, like a tiny sun enveloping the entire dormitory. With the flower’s presence, the room’s temperature gradually returned to normal, finally allowing Su Ning to breathe a sigh of relief.
She couldn’t help but worry in her heart:
“I wonder how those out there, still suffering in this terrifying cold, are managing to survive…”
Due to the sudden onset of the extreme cold, the shelter had entered a full state of rest and emergency.
Most daily operations had been forced to a halt. People huddled together in rooms, seeking a moment of peace and warmth. Wrapped tightly in thick blankets, Su Ning leaned against her bed.
She opened the communication channel, hoping to learn more about the outside world.
The screen refreshed continuously with streams of information. A few messages caught her attention:
[This extreme cold is terrifying! In Zone 11, there’s a brutal ice storm outside! Can anyone kindly trade me some cold-resistant supplies? I can exchange food items I got from a dungeon!]
[Ahhh, I only focused on collecting food in the dungeon. I knew extreme cold was coming, but didn’t expect it to be this horrifying. The supplies I gathered can’t withstand this kind of chilling air at all—I’m almost frozen solid inside the shelter.]
[You guys at least are in a shelter. We who aren’t are facing true disaster!]
[Even the national stores in the system marketplace have pitifully few cold-resistant goods. Sigh, how are we supposed to survive in this weather?]
Reading these desperate messages, Su Ning’s brows furrowed deeply. Her heart grew heavy.
Faced with such a harsh environment, everyone was struggling to survive. Perhaps mutual aid had become the only way to endure the crisis together.
Understanding that other shelters were also suffering from the devastating effects of the extreme cold, Su Ning fell into deep thought.
If someone could view Earth from above, the scene unfolding would be utterly shocking.
The once-vibrant, colorful, and life-filled planet was now entirely blanketed in thick snow, as if it had instantly plunged into a distant and frozen Ice Age.
Yet, life must go on despite such brutal conditions.
Su Ning glanced at her scavenger’s backpack, which contained a considerable amount of Blue Stone Ore. She knew well that this cold-resistant mineral was an extremely rare and crucial resource for all shelters.
Su Ning had never entertained delusions of world conquest — she just wanted to live a good life using the resources in her hands. Without hesitation, she decided to enter the system marketplace under a new alias: Su Kexin.
She quickly located the official national store within the system, preparing to initiate a trade.
Meanwhile, Song Ping’an was also urgently dealing with the crisis brought on by the Extreme Cold.
His brow was tightly furrowed, anxiety heavy in his heart, “With temperatures continuing to drop like this, how are we supposed to survive? If the shelters can’t enhance their cold-resistance capacity, even worse temperatures will follow — how can anyone live through such horrific conditions?”
As one of the key leaders of the First Shelter, Song Ping’an had access to extremely accurate information. Not long ago, the mysterious player who had predicted the Extreme Cold had once again issued a warning: temperatures would continue to fall, and the disaster would become even more terrifying.
Faced with such a grave situation, the leadership racked their brains, trying every possible solution to ensure both shelter residents and those left outside could survive.
Song Ping’an was so stressed he was on the verge of losing all his hair.
Just then, a message came through from the Daxia Store he managed. Now, the system store had been carefully configured by him — no one could send him messages unless he had personally marked their store for monitoring.
Out of curiosity, Song Ping’an clicked open the message without hesitation, only to be shocked beyond belief.
The once wildly popular seller from “Survival General Store” had unexpectedly contacted him.
The reason Su Ning hadn’t interacted with anyone before was because any conversation would reveal her in-game username. But now, thanks to the Ghost Eye Pearl’s [Ghost Veil] ability, she could finally talk to others without exposure.
Song Ping’an thought back — countless people had tried to uncover how the mysterious seller behind Survival General Store obtained their rare goods.
Yet no matter how hard they tried, the player always kept their distance from the world, as if completely isolated from external affairs. Any messages sent to them vanished like stones into the sea.
Who could’ve imagined that today, this mysterious store would take the initiative to reach out?
And with that, he finally got a glimpse of the true identity behind the Department Store: Su Kexin.
Judging by the name, she appeared to be a woman. But even so, it was impossible to tell who she really was.
Still, to be able to operate such a powerful and magical store, she was clearly no ordinary person.
Song Ping’an was stunned. But when he read the message Su Kexin had sent, he stood frozen on the spot like he’d been struck by lightning.
It described a special resource:
“Blue Stone Ore — possesses incredibly powerful cold and heat resistance properties!”
Su Ning had solemnly submitted a trade offer, clearly detailing the properties and quantity of Blue Stone Ore in her possession, and expressing willingness to trade directly with the state.
Faced with such an extraordinary material, Song Ping’an dared not delay. He immediately reported the matter to higher authorities.
After all, a super-resource like this would dramatically affect all shelters — mishandling the trade could lead to unimaginable consequences.
A United Conference of the Daxia Shelters was promptly convened.
All the shelter leaders joined the meeting online.
News of the Blue Stone Ore excited everyone.
Just imagining applying it to shelter walls — the horrifying threat of the Extreme Cold could be greatly reduced.
The leader of the Ninth Shelter became agitated upon hearing the news and shouted:
“Such a precious resource should obviously be handed over to the state! What’s the meaning of this Su Kexin player? At a time like this — when the nation is in grave danger — shouldn’t she be contributing everything she has, without reservation? And she dares to suggest trading with the state? She has no sense of duty!”
Several other representatives echoed the sentiment.
One added:
“Exactly. In times of national crisis, everyone should step up. I can’t believe someone would try to profit through trade. Truly disappointing.”
However, not everyone agreed with the Ninth Shelter’s leader. Some were hesitant, others thought it was unrealistic to expect everyone to be selfless saints.
At this moment, the representative of the First Shelter, Qin Fan, spoke.
After everyone voiced their opinions, he didn’t chime in with the crowd. Instead, with a serious expression, he solemnly said:
“No one is born with the obligation to sacrifice everything for others. The fact that this person is offering up Blue Stone Ore during such a crisis already shows great willingness to help. We must not take the goodwill of capable individuals for granted — nor treat their contributions as something owed to us.”
“Moreover,” Qin Fan continued, “we must not make an enemy out of her. A person who possesses such a large quantity of rare and powerful resources must have extraordinary strength. She’s not someone we can afford to underestimate. We absolutely must not, for the sake of selfish interests, push away such a rare and talented individual.”
His words cast a heavy silence across the room.
The Ninth Shelter’s leader looked embarrassed.
Meanwhile, Liu Jianjun gave him a scornful look, mocking the man who just moments ago had tried to shame Su Kexin into giving everything away:
“Hmph, you’re the most cunning of all — preaching selflessness while hoarding your own shelter’s treasures. Why don’t you go donate those first?”
Then Liu Jianjun sighed with envy:
“Ah, if only this Su Kexin was part of my shelter. That would be perfect…”
(End of Chapter)
