Chapter 20: The Workbench

"Only children make choices; I want it all!"

Su Ya clenched her fist, speaking with absolute conviction. She wasn't joking—she genuinely wanted every single item.

Ten fragments are required to assemble a complete blueprint for the crafting table. She already had five, and she desperately needed the other five from the bearded merchant.

As for the magic book, though its purpose remained a mystery, it was priced at 20 Highway Coins even after a discount. Expensive things usually have their reasons, and Su Ya was determined to get to the bottom of it.

The infinite battery was a lifesaver. Electricity is the universal energy source in this survival game, and her vehicle alone consumed quite a bit every day. If she could possess an infinite battery, she would never have to worry about power again. Even if it were only a one-day trial, Su Ya needed it.

The mileage card? Its greatness goes without saying!

The personal inventory space card was an essential item for expanding her storage.

Hearing Su Ya’s declaration, a strange light flickered in the bearded merchant's eyes. The sycophantic expression shifted from Su Ya’s face to his own as he feigned surprise: "My dear customer, are you serious? You truly wish to purchase the entire stock?"

"Yes! I'll take them all!" Su Ya said firmly.

The bearded merchant replied, "Very well, that will be 60 Highway Coins in total. Please make your payment."

He hesitated slightly when stating the specific amount, his tone shifting subtly. This change did not escape Su Ya’s ears. She immediately realized that the price he quoted was likely the original price, while the amount she actually had to pay was the discounted one. As for the discrepancy, it was naturally due to the beginner protection period. She just wasn't sure what the discount rate was—ten percent off? Fifty percent? Ninety percent?

Regardless, it didn't stop Su Ya from promptly paying the 60 Highway Coins to secure the five items. The payment was successful, and the goods appeared in her hands instantly. Before she could even say thank you, the bearded merchant vanished without a trace.

Such occurrences were not uncommon in this highway survival game, so Su Ya didn't dwell on it. She hopped back onto her electric scooter and continued her journey.

...

Having finished today's 100 kilometers, Su Ya immediately pulled over, took out the 5-kilometer mileage card she had just received from the merchant, and clicked to use it.

[Today's total mileage: 150 kilometers (50 base mileage)]

Su Ya looked at the number with deep satisfaction.

There is no point in burning oneself out; completing the base daily mileage is enough. As for the rankings, she would leave that to fate.

*Gurgle, gurgle.*

Her stomach began to growl. Su Ya pulled out her game manual and navigated to the personal homepage of "Everyday Good Taste." She had browsed it yesterday out of boredom and noticed that "Everyday Good Taste" listed different meals for sale every day.

These weren't instant meals, but freshly cooked, piping hot dishes. Although the price wasn't cheap, after eating so much processed food in the survival game, many were willing to spend a little extra to reward themselves with a decent meal. Su Ya was one of those people.

["Crystal Vegetable Shrimp Dumplings (15 count) ×1" for "Any Basic Materials ×30"]
["Mapo Tofu ×1, Rice ×1" for "Any Basic Materials ×25"]
["Twice-Cooked Pork ×1, Rice ×1" for "Any Basic Materials ×25"]

"Everyday Good Taste" only had these three items listed today. Su Ya didn't hesitate to choose the Mapo Tofu set, scanned and uploaded 25 units of wood, and clicked "Confirm Payment."

[Everyday Good Taste: Just a moment, let me pack that up for you.]
[Everyday Good Taste: You're a regular, so I'll give you a discount—5 units of wood refunded.]
[Everyday Good Taste: Feel free to message me before ordering next time~]

Before long, five units of wood and a neatly packed Mapo Tofu set appeared before Su Ya.

Mapo Tofu is a representative dish of Sichuan cuisine, characterized by its numbing, spicy, hot, tender, savory, and aromatic qualities. The numbing sensation came from Hanyuan tribute peppercorns, while the heat was crafted from a blend of Pixian bean paste and "Erjintiao" chili peppers. The dish was coated in a layer of oil to retain heat; the tofu was silky smooth, the minced beef was crispy and flavorful, and the green garlic sprouts added a vibrant freshness.

Su Ya: "Delicious, love it, I'm devouring it!"

Lunch was finished quickly. After a short rest, Su Ya began dealing with the items she had bought from the merchant. She first used the 5㎡ personal space expansion card, and the data in her personal information panel changed instantly.

[Personal Inventory: 6㎡ (Click to enter)]

She didn't enter the space this time, but she had already begun to plan how to utilize it. She tucked the magic book into her backpack; she hadn't found a way to use it yet. As for the infinite battery trial card, since she had already completed her mileage for the day, she decided to save it for tomorrow to maximize its benefit.

That left the crafting table blueprint fragments.

Su Ya took her five fragments from her backpack and placed them alongside the five she had bought from the merchant. After a flash of white light, the fragments automatically synthesized into a complete crafting table blueprint.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Su Ya took out the dilapidated crafting table and placed the blueprint on top of it.

[Crafting table functionality unlocked]
[...]
[6. Crafting Table (Wood ×20, Gold ×5, Silver ×5, Copper Ingot ×5, Iron Ingot ×5)]

She had exactly the right materials on hand, so she didn't delay, placing the materials and clicking "Synthesize." Shortly after, a brand-new crafting table appeared before her. At that same moment, the original, battered crafting table, unable to bear the load, let out a "boom" and fell apart completely.

Su Ya wasn't sure if she should consider herself lucky or unlucky. If she were lucky, the table wouldn't have broken after only a few uses. Top-tier players could use a crafting table hundreds of times even at 1% durability—a "Schrödinger’s durability" of sorts. If she were unlucky, she wouldn't have managed to craft a new table just before the old one gave out.

Su Ya couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time.

However, now that she had a new table and the blueprint, she no longer needed to worry about the device breaking at any moment. To celebrate, Su Ya used 2 units of wood and 1 plastic to craft ten packs of tissues, immediately opening one to use.

Subsequently, she used 10 units of cloth and 10 units of cotton to craft a set of Level 1 armor. The moment she had obtained the blueprint, she had been curious about the difference between armor and regular clothing. Upon receiving the Level 1 armor, she understood.

[Level 1 Armor: HP +10, Damage Reduction 10%]

Given that this was a survival game, the logic of armor increasing health points was understandable. Furthermore, the gear could take on the appearance of the creator's choice. Su Ya had crafted a beige hoodie, fitting her style perfectly. She put it on immediately, a new plan already forming in her mind.