Chapter 25: The Frenzy Sparked by Refined Steel Weapons

The moment Lu Ming listed his items, the national channel went absolutely wild!

"Check the trading post! Someone listed ten steel-grade weapons! Looking at the types, it looks like a fellow countryman from China!"

"I saw it too! Steel-grade! 1,500 durability! Damn, the best gear our team has is only black-iron grade, and that was from a level-one supply crate. This big shot is heaven-defying; how could he get so many steel-grade weapons? Did he raid an armory?!"

"Impossible! I’ve been chatting in the world channel, and so far, no one in any region or country has discovered an armory. Some speculate that the area we were moved to is just the outskirts of Jialan 618, where we can't possibly reach something like an armory."

"I know, but these are cold weapons. One thing is for sure: even an armory of cold weapons is definitely not something people at our current stage can break into! Not even elite special forces soldiers!"

"What if it’s a whole group of elite soldiers?"

"A group might have a chance, but if they were all elite soldiers, they would be special forces. And if they were special forces, why would they need a Marksmanship Mastery skill? Isn't marksmanship the absolute basic of basics for them?"

"Now that you mention it, that’s a contradiction. Maybe they’re training a rookie?"

"Heh, this is the apocalypse, brother. Besides, would those powerhouses even bother with someone who hasn't mastered marksmanship?"

"Fair point. Ugh, I regret it so much. I used my Primary Drawing Mastery on myself. If I hadn't, I could have definitely traded for a steel straight sword and hacked those black-armored sowbugs to pieces."

"Who doesn't? I have Primary Cooking Mastery. What use is cooking in the apocalypse? I can't even get food to eat, and here I am researching recipes! But brother, your area sounds rough. Black-armored sowbugs are high-defense variants; even machetes can't penetrate them. The lethality is low, but the disability rate is high. If they run you over, you're crippled. Even hiding in a shop isn't safe; you have to go to the higher floors."

"Tell me about it. You need at least a black-iron weapon to break their defense. Now everyone follows the regional big shots, acting like walking supply bags. Why can't I be a chosen one? I was a corporate slave for my boss on Blue Star, and now I'm a shoe-shiner for a big shot in the apocalypse. Why is my life such a failure? I finally managed to find a skill book, and it had to be Drawing Mastery, and I even learned it! Talk about bad luck!"

"Sigh, I feel you. But having a big shot to lead us is better than nothing. I heard other regions aren't as harmonious; people are killing each other for resources. It’s total chaos."

"Most regions are like that, and abroad it's even worse. It’s a mess. Tell me, how did humans survive the law of the jungle before we had technology? It was through unity and numbers, wasn't it? If one couldn't win, ten would go; if ten couldn't win, a hundred would. We don't even know what's waiting for us ahead, and yet we're already thinning our own numbers. Isn't that just brain-dead?"

"Well said, but I suggest we take this conversation to private messages. Everything here is real-name verified; be careful not to get targeted."

"Right, right. Let's add each other."

Meanwhile, Lu Ming, waiting for the results of his listings, suddenly saw countless messages appearing under his items. The unread count hit 9999+ in an instant.

Lu Ming opened one at random, only to find black avatars and anonymous names.

(Anonymous: Hello, big shot. I don't have any mastery skill books, but I’m really looking to buy. Would you be willing to trade for three 500ml bottles of pure water?)

Lu Ming sneered. This person was treating others like fools. The key was that there were quite a few people like this, offering things they deemed precious for a steel weapon. Do you really think you're worth it?

Lu Ming ignored them entirely. Those who could afford it didn't need to leave messages, and those who couldn't, left no point in replying.

[Notification: Your "Steel Straight Sword" has been sold. You received "Primary Clothing Mastery." Buyer's message: Mastery skills are too rare. Could we trade in another way? If possible, add me as a friend. If you're worried, an anonymous friend request works too.]

Oh? So there’s an anonymous way to add friends? That’s quite a thoughtful detail. Fine, but not yet. I’ll reply once everything is sold so I can compare offers.

[Notification: Your "Steel Dadao" has been sold. You received "Primary Cooking Mastery." Buyer's message: Brother, add me as a friend. I have more abundant supplies. I really want to buy; give me a price. Anything I can get my hands on, I’ll trade.]

[Notification: Your "Steel Dadao" has been sold. You received "Primary Gardening Mastery."]

Pah, all life-skill masteries. Can’t I get something more practical?

[Notification: Your "Steel Dadao" has been sold. You received "Primary Driving Mastery." Buyer's message: Friend, I don't have the Marksmanship Mastery you're looking for, but are you interested in a compound bow? If so, add me as a friend to discuss details.]

Hm? A compound bow?!

Of course I'm interested! This isn't something a homemade bow can compare to. The base tiers are different, and the final weapon strength will be worlds apart.

He added him without hesitation!

[Notification: Please select a friend request method: Anonymous/Real-name?]

"Anonymous!"

A tall tree catches the wind. Without absolute certainty, it’s best not to be too flashy to avoid capsizing in the gutter.

[You have successfully added Chu Feng as a friend. You can now communicate in the private chat section.]

Hah, this guy is confident. I’m anonymous, but he chose real-name. Trying to goad me, are we?

[Friend Chat] Chu Feng: "I knew you'd be interested, though an anonymous friend request is a bit hurtful."

Lu Ming couldn't be bothered with small talk: "Tell me about the compound bows."

[Friend Chat] Chu Feng: "You're impatient, aren't you? Fine, I won't stall. We just raided a gymnasium and found a lot of sports equipment in the warehouse, including a batch of competition-grade compound bows. After removing the broken ones, there are 12 usable bows and 200 arrows in total. If you're interested, I can make the call: 2 compound bows and 25 arrows for one steel weapon."

Lu Ming: "4 compound bows and 50 arrows for one."

[Friend Chat] Chu Feng: "That’s not great, is it? These are ranged weapons. Even on the trading post, they would be hot commodities."

Lu Ming: "If a single arrow is missing, I won't trade. Also, how many of those broken bows and arrows do you have?"

[Friend Chat] Chu Feng: "The broken ones are unusable, and the arrows are all snapped."

Lu Ming: "How many?"

Chu Feng: "..."

Chu Feng: "18 broken compound bows. I haven't counted the arrows, but I estimate at least 2,000."

Lu Ming: "Good. One steel weapon, and you pack up all the broken ones for me. A total of 5 weapons. Deal?"

Chu Feng: "Deal!"