It was maddening. A business opportunity had fallen right into her lap, only to be foiled by a perfect storm of bad timing and unfortunate circumstances.
Who knew when it would rain again? Even if it was just a few hours or a day later, she could lose this deal. Xia Qiu was determined to salvage the resources that were so close to being hers.
[Xia Qiu: Yes, I can craft raincoats for you. Just provide your own materials: 10 large leaves, 5 ropes, and 1 crushed flint block. The processing fee can be paid with any material you have.]
[Xia Qiu: The rain has stopped for now, but the first challenge is a long rainy season. You’ll definitely need a raincoat later on.]
[Xia Qiu: Crafting also consumes Hunger, and I can’t make many more today. You should decide quickly.]
Perhaps it was the last sentence that did the trick. Two or three minutes later, a reply came from Dao Dao.
[Dao Dao: Please craft one for me. For the fee... is raw fish meat okay? It’s already prepared. I can give you two portions.]
After a moment’s consideration, Xia Qiu replied.
[Xia Qiu: Raw fish meat is fine, but I’ll need four portions. Right now, I’m the only one in the world making these raincoats. There are other rain shelters, but as you might know from Song Ci’an, hers are heavier and essentially stationary.]
[Xia Qiu: And while raw fish is food, processing it into something edible also consumes other resources. Any material for making a fire is still a hot commodity, so I have to factor that cost in.]
The basic workbench was something everyone should have, and she had already posted the materials needed for the raincoat. Yet, no one else had managed to make one. This proved that having the same materials didn’t guarantee you could craft the same item. It was just like the campfire; while browsing the world channel out of boredom one night, Xia Qiu had seen players discussing campfire recipes that were completely different from hers.
Everyone had different opportunities and could create different things. For now, at least, she was the only one with a raincoat made from large leaves.
Dao Dao didn’t reply, likely still hesitating. Xia Qiu seized the moment to advertise her leaf raincoats on the world channel again. Her private messages were once more flooded with price inquiries.
Even though the rain had stopped, the lingering Dampness Value from the downpour was enough to make people miserable. Many realized that a raincoat was an absolute necessity for the rainy season. A rain shelter was also crucial, but a search of the world channel revealed that very few people were selling such items. Consequently, the handful of sellers were being bombarded with messages.
Dao Dao quickly came to the same conclusion and rushed to place an order with Xia Qiu, afraid she would stop taking commissions if they waited too long.
The processing fee Dao Dao paid was four portions of raw Ding Gui Fish meat, which Xia Qiu found a little strange. Were Ding Gui Fish the only type of fish on the Desolate Continent, and gray rabbits the only type of rabbit?
Before she could dwell on it, an argument erupted on the world channel.
[Day Day Up: Watch out for the scumbag with the ID "Mechanical Navigation"! He stole my materials!!]
[Cursing Every Boss With Early Shifts: What? What do you mean he stole your materials? Doesn’t the trade window require both parties to confirm?]
[Day Day Up: I asked him to help me make an umbrella. I gave him the materials and the processing fee, and then he just ghosted me and pretended it never happened!] Find the original chapter at NovelPing.
[Day Day Up: [Image][Image][Image]]
[One Strawberry: Wow... We’re all players here. Does he have to be so shameless?]
Day Day Up had posted his chat logs with Mechanical Navigation directly on the world channel. They showed that he had paid with two portions of a special stat-boosting food to commission a portable umbrella. But as soon as Mechanical Navigation accepted the materials and the fee, he had immediately blacklisted Day Day Up. It was a complete scam.
When you blacklisted someone, you stopped receiving all their messages, even those on the world channel. So, Mechanical Navigation could only see people discussing him but had no idea that Day Day Up had just put him on blast.
[Mechanical Navigation: Selling portable umbrellas! Also taking crafting commissions, price is negotiable!!!]
[One Strawberry: Oh? Just how negotiable is that price...?]
[Mechanical Navigation: Hey, Strawberry, want to buy one? Your big bro will sell it to you cheap.]
[One Strawberry: I’m just afraid I’ll not only end up with no umbrella but also lose my own resources in the process!]
Xia Qiu remembered the ID "Mechanical Navigation." He had even messaged her privately to ask how much her raincoats cost. Back then, the guy had tried to get her to craft a raincoat for a fee of five bundles of hay. She had refused because the payment was too low, but he had pestered her with over a dozen more messages.