C2 Kindness Activates the Gift Bag
Lin Xiaoqiang felt as though fate itself was conspiring against him, yet the thought of stealing a child's meal was something he simply couldn't bring himself to do.
He wasn't exactly a saint; he'd even sneaked peeks at young women bathing before, but he did have his limits.
In his life's final moments, Lin Xiaoqiang handed the food over to the child.
Then, his vital signs flatlined.
His consciousness started to fade, his body going limp as he collapsed to the ground.
At that moment, something sweet entered his mouth, reminiscent of a dreamy kiss with a girl.
"Congratulations, you have found food. The beginner's gift pack is now unlocked."
"Navigation function available."
"Five-meter range search function available."
"Additional gift pack unlocked, including a combat analysis system."
"Body functions are beginning to recover. Status reports from all units."
Heart: 0.2% functionality remaining, sustainable for three minutes. Requires energy replenishment.
Liver: 0.2% functionality remaining, sustainable for three minutes. Requires energy replenishment.
Spleen: 0.2% functionality remaining, sustainable for three minutes. Requires energy replenishment.
Kidney: 0.2% functionality remaining, sustainable for three minutes. Requires energy replenishment..."
Lin Xiaoqiang's eyes snapped open to find half a roasted sweet potato stuffed in his mouth, which he swallowed without chewing.
"Big brother, let's share," Lin Xiaoqiang said, overwhelmed with gratitude.
He then remembered the child belonged to the local widow.
The kid's name was Tee, an endearing little thing.
Before he could say another word, the snow wall beside him shifted, and the widow, Zhang Lili, burst in wielding a kitchen knife. She cursed at Lin Xiaoqiang as she charged at him with the blade.
"You despicable scoundrel, deceiving my son like that! I couldn't even bring myself to eat, and here you are, a vile creature devoid of conscience..." Zhang Lili had a volatile temper, exacerbated by the loss of her husband in a coal mine accident and the failure to receive any compensation. She was quick to anger and violence.
Wracked with guilt, Lin Xiaoqiang didn't hesitate; he bolted straight into the snow wall, where the navigation system awaited activation.
"Please state your intended destination so that we can assist you," the navigation system prompted as soon as Lin Xiaoqiang entered the snow wall.
Glancing at the dwindling time he could endure, Lin Xiaoqiang made a determined beeline for home, craving the steamed bun that awaited him.
The navigation system directed him with precision, instructing a left turn in a hundred meters...
Lin Xiaoqiang made it back home in record time, and it was undeniable that the navigation system was like gaining a new set of eyes.
Upon pushing open the door, he was nearly spent, his body's functions at their limit.
He bolted to the kitchen and, spotting two dried-out steamed buns, felt a wave of relief wash over him. He devoured one eagerly. Though the bun was somewhat tough, his hunger made it a feast.
With one bun and a side of pickled vegetables, Lin Xiaoqiang's stomach finally felt some contentment, and his strength began to return.
Yet, he was far from satiated; satisfaction and fullness were still distant companions.
Eyeing the last remaining bun, he hesitated, reluctant to consume it.
Given the current circumstances, everyone was likely in need, lacking even basic clothing.
He should venture out to find more food. After all, he had eaten half of a child's sweet potato earlier and needed to find a way to make it right.
But with only one bun left, giving it to the child meant facing his own hunger...
Pacing the room, Lin Xiaoqiang pondered his next move.
Then it struck him—the navigation feature was active. Why not search for food?
He entered the search term, and the engine whirred to life.
Regrettably, the search radius was a mere five meters, not even extending beyond his room.
How to broaden the search area was a mystery he'd have to unravel later. This powerful tool warranted further exploration.
In the village, everyone knew each other; it wasn't easy to simply take food. Lee Laohu, however, was a different story.
That scoundrel had a rap sheet a mile long. It might be worth paying a visit to his place, both to scope out the situation and to give the rascal the comeuppance he deserved.
Now, as the Ice Lord, Lin Xiaoqiang no longer feared the likes of him.
Gripping the shovel, he took a couple of steps forward before realizing his legs were still shaky.
Gripping the shovel, he took a couple of steps forward before realizing his legs weren't cooperating. They trembled uncontrollably, and it was then that he truly understood the gravity of his situation. It made no difference if he was the Ice Lord or not; deep down, he was terrified of Lee Laohu.
Lee Laohu fought with a reckless abandon that Lin Xiaoqiang knew he couldn't match. But now, he was out of options. It was either starve or go out and fight for food.
"Choose to engage in battle and you'll be rewarded. Your combat experience and attack power will increase. Additionally, your Precognition skill indicates that Lee Laohu's house contains 150 catties of white flour and 200 catties of rice. His son is en route home, but without a navigation guide, he won't arrive for another hour and a half," the system notification chimed in.
The prospect of 150 catties of white flour and 200 catties of rice was an irresistible lure. Lin Xiaoqiang felt his mouth water at the thought.
Just then, several messages popped up in the public chat channel:
"For sale: young married woman, 10 catties of white flour..."
Lin Xiaoqiang's head spun with the realization that he could trade for 150 wives. With newfound resolve, he decided to take action.
There's a saying that those who fear death never become generals, and besides, he had an unclaimed gift bag waiting to be unlocked. With a focused thought, Lin Xiaoqiang began to unlock the Tactical Combat Analysis Gift Bag.
The Tactical Combat Analysis Gift Bag required a fee. "Please pay ten iron coins," the system requested.
Feeling somewhat duped but enticed by the thought of 150 catties of flour and the potential wives, Lin Xiaoqiang deemed it worthwhile. But what in the world were iron coins? He had none.
"Iron element detected. Exchange is possible," Lin Xiaoqiang noticed as he looked at the shovel.
To exchange or not to exchange?
The shovel vanished as soon as the thought crossed his mind, whisked away to the Recycling Base, where numerous houses stored various materials. The shovel transformed into a lump of iron, and the storage system indicated that this iron could be fashioned into weapons, armor, and even war chariots.
He clicked on the weapons tab and was greeted by an array of armaments.
Upon opening the weapons tab, he found an array of diverse and colorful arms.
A long saber demanded 30 iron elements, boasted an attack power of 100, and required 30 battle experience points.
Glancing at his iron element reserves, he saw they barely exceeded 10—not nearly enough. His attack power was woefully inadequate at a mere 20. Clearly, he had a long journey ahead.
He traded his shovel for 15 iron coins, spending 10 to unlock the Tactical Combat Analysis System.
Once operational, the system displayed a dialogue box with a comparative analysis of Lee Laohu's various stats.
Name: Lee Laohu
Combat Strength: 12 Dogs
Attack Power: 6
Technique: Twin Peaks Piercing the Ear
Weapon: 0
Hidden Weapon: 0
Firearm: 0
Extraterrestrial Energy: One Dog
Name: Lin Xiaoqiang
Combat Strength: 4 Dogs
Attack Power: 4
Technique: 0
Weapon: 0
Hidden Weapon: 0
Firearm: 0
With combat strength a mere quarter of his adversary's, it was clear that engaging in battle would be futile.
To confront him would be tantamount to suicide. What was the point in even attempting it?
"Defeat the first formidable foe and the rewards double: 100 for attack power, 30 for battle experience, and 12 for combat strength..."
Hmm, Lin Xiaoqiang sensed there might be some potential in this challenge after all.
