Qiyu didn't refuse, nor did he try to conceal anything.
After all, he was planning to ask Civil Engineering Brother to help him sell some items later.
【I Love Survival Game: I can definitely use these.】
Seeing his reply, Civil Engineering Brother breathed a sigh of relief.
【Civil Engineering Brother: Besides its purification effect, this sunflower can also serve as an incredibly powerful light source. Lighting equipment isn't cheap on the trading market these days. I feel like I'm getting the better end of this deal.】
【Civil Engineering Brother: If I come across any suitable seeds in the future, I'll offer them to you first.】
【I Love Survival Game: Deal.】
【I Love Survival Game: I have some more bright sunflowers. Can you help me find buyers for them?】
His reasoning was simple. Civil Engineering Brother was better at business than he was, and his profession would benefit from the transactions as well.
Naturally, Civil Engineering Brother was more than happy to help.
【Civil Engineering Brother: The second round of the survival challenge is clearly centered around mental pollution. Boss, your sunflower is practically the perfect counter to it. These things will sell like hotcakes!】
【Civil Engineering Brother: Boss, could I ask you a favor? Can you reserve one bright sunflower each for "Tranquility Yields Transcendence" and "Dare Not Open My Eyes"? Don't worry, I'll make sure they pay the market price. I won't let you lose out.】
【I Love Survival Game: I'll leave it to you.】
As far as Qiyu was concerned, a sale was a sale, regardless of who bought the item.
From what he'd seen, the people in their group seemed decent enough. Doing them a small favor was no trouble.
Besides, such arrangements worked both ways. If he had something valuable, they would get the first chance to buy it. And if they obtained something good in the future, perhaps they would give him first dibs in return.
He sent the bright sunflowers to Civil Engineering Brother.
【Civil Engineering Brother: ???】
【Civil Engineering Brother: You're just sending them over like that? Without asking for any collateral? Aren't you afraid I'll take the goods and run?】
【I Love Survival Game: It wouldn't be worth it for you to run.】
With his farming skills, Qiyu wouldn't have to worry about running out of valuable items in the future.
Besides, if Civil Engineering Brother really did cheat him out of his goods and disappear…
Qiyu's thoughts turned cold.
Stealing someone's possessions was no different from taking their life. Unless the survival game could guarantee that players would never encounter one another again, he would kill him.
Civil Engineering Brother, of course, had no idea what was going through Qiyu's mind.
He stared at the 47 bright sunflowers he'd just received, speechless for several seconds.
Holy crap! When the boss said he had some more, I figured he meant a few. Who would've thought he had this many?!
Then another thought occurred to him.
Just how many valuable items could I get in exchange for all these?
For a moment, he felt as though he was about to strike it rich himself.
More than forty potential transactions!
He immediately got to work. First, he sent messages to "Dare Not Open My Eyes" and "Tranquility Yields Transcendence." Then he quickly posted an announcement in the regional chat.
【Civil Engineering Brother: Selling high-end magical plants—bright sunflowers! They can purify mental pollution and provide illumination equivalent to a 200W streetlight! Personally tested and confirmed effective! Limited quantities available. Interested buyers, please PM me. Attached: Survival Panel appraisal information.】
Civil Engineering Brother was a familiar presence in the chat. He was frequently active and had shared useful information on several occasions, so quite a few people recognized his username.
Some trusted him, while others remained skeptical.
【Will You Suddenly Appear and Say: "Here comes another scammer?"】
【It Is Potato Not Yam: I want one! These things are driving me insane!】
Civil Engineering Brother enabled notifications for his private messages, and they immediately began pouring in.
Having spent plenty of time doing business, he'd developed his own methods for judging potential customers.
Those merely fishing for information, freeloaders, cheapskates, and people deliberately playing the victim were all dismissed without a second thought.
Ding!
A somewhat familiar username caught his attention, and his expression turned serious.
【My Fate is Determined By Me, Not The Heavens】
Many players would recognize this ID. After all, its owner had been featured in a server-wide announcement shortly after entering the game.
Civil Engineering Brother knew him a little better than most, having traded with "My Fate is Determined By Me, Not The Heavens" several times before.
By all accounts, the man was cheerful and generous. Despite being one of the region's top players, there wasn't the slightest hint of arrogance in the way he spoke.
And yet, Civil Engineering Brother simply couldn't bring himself to like him.
Something about the man felt wrong.
His instincts kept warning him not to get too close.
Those same instincts had saved him from troublesome relationships countless times before, so naturally, he trusted them more than he trusted a stranger.
Thus, no matter how gentle, generous, or friendly "My Fate is Determined By Me, Not The Heavens" appeared, Civil Engineering Brother remained extremely cautious around him.
Unsurprisingly, the man had contacted him about the bright sunflowers.
【My Fate is Determined By Me, Not The Heavens: A magical plant? Did you grow it yourself?】
Civil Engineering Brother ignored the question.
【My Fate is Determined By Me, Not The Heavens: Don't misunderstand. I didn't mean anything by it. I was just curious.】
【My Fate is Determined By Me, Not The Heavens: How many sunflowers do you have left? I'll buy them all.】
After considering the offer, Civil Engineering Brother promptly sent Qiyu a private message.
He briefly explained what "My Fate is Determined By Me, Not The Heavens" had said and asked for the boss's opinion.
【Civil Engineering Brother: This guy must have some excellent items. The advantage of trading with him is that you could probably get something rare that nobody else has. On the other hand, selling to different people would help spread the word about your products, making future sales easier.】
There was one more thing he didn't mention.
Limiting the number of sunflowers each person could buy would allow more people to obtain one.
It might even save a few lives.
【I Love Survival Game: Sell them separately.】
Qiyu had considered that as well.
He didn't think of himself as an especially kind or virtuous person. But since he was going to exchange the items for supplies anyway, it wouldn't be a bad thing if a few more people managed to survive because of it.
Civil Engineering Brother quickly replied to "My Fate is Determined By Me, Not The Heavens."
The other party didn't argue. He simply exchanged a Fine-grade ring for a sunflower.
Civil Engineering Brother: …
No wonder the guy had managed to obtain two Silver Chests right at the start.
He really was generous!
Civil Engineering Brother himself only had one piece of Fine-grade equipment so far!
***
The golden plant lay on the table, bathing the entire wooden cabin in light as bright as day.
"My Fate is Determined By Me, Not The Heavens" stared fixedly at the sunflower before him.
His gaze was as sharp as a knife, as though he wanted to cut the plant open and discover exactly where it had come from.
He was certain that in his previous life, 【Civil Engineering Brother】 had never sold any magical plants.
He couldn't possibly have misremembered something from that difficult early period, when everyone had been struggling just to stay alive.
He lowered his gaze to the blue badge resting in his palm.
Having been granted a second chance at life, he was undoubtedly the Chosen One.
From the moment he entered the survival game, he'd used the knowledge and experience from his previous life to secure two server-wide announcements and two Silver Chests.
Everything had gone remarkably smoothly.
In his previous life, 【Civil Engineering Brother】 had been one of those "high-level players" he could never hope to associate with.
Rumor had it that these players maintained a small private group where they exchanged exclusive resources. Whenever the leaderboards were updated, they were practically guaranteed a place among the top ranks.
Over the past few days, "My Fate is Determined By Me, Not The Heavens" had been making an effort to befriend Civil Engineering Brother.
He intended to establish an alliance within the region once the newbie period ended.
As for why he was waiting until then?
There was no point wasting time cultivating relationships with people who couldn't even survive the newbie period.
Unfortunately, this fellow was rather difficult to deal with.
"My Fate is Determined By Me, Not The Heavens" had already taken the initiative to approach him several times, practically lowering himself to extend an olive branch.
Yet the other party remained neither servile nor arrogant, neither particularly warm nor openly cold.
That lukewarm attitude inevitably left him feeling frustrated and humiliated.
If the man didn't know what was good for him, then so be it.
Once the alliance was established, there would be plenty of opportunities for him to come begging for help.
But what exactly was this mysterious "magical plant"?
Could it be…
Was he not the only person who had been granted a second chance at life?