C11 I Am Only Good to You Because You Are Beautiful!

Siyao relayed Zhao Dong's words to her mother, Yang Juan, who mused, "For a second-generation rich kid, he sure knows a lot."

They both held the stereotype that the children of the wealthy were uneducated and useless, which explained their low opinion of him. As they spoke, a gust of wind swept across the beach.

"Could Zhao Dong actually be telling the truth?"

"Well, it's not like he gains anything by lying to us. Let's go find some hay, or we'll be in for a cold night," Yang Juan proposed.

"Okay, sounds good."

Standing up, Siyao messaged Zhao Dong: "I've spoken with Mom. We're going to look for some hay."

Soon after, Zhao Dong sent over several photos of clothing.

He had recently acquired these women's garments in a trade, thinking they might be useful later. Little did he know, they'd come in handy so quickly.

A photo has been sent. Accept?

Siyao was wary. Receiving a photo out of the blue made her suspect it might be something indecent, a common prank among hooligans.

"Just this once," she thought. "If it's anything inappropriate, I'll ignore him from now on."

Opening the photo, she was surprised to find several pieces of women's clothing—a sweater and two trench coats. Siyao's eyes brightened.

The cold snap had caught them off guard, dressed in their summer attire. Now, with the beach growing chillier, the offer of warm clothing was tempting.

"Why are you sending these?" Siyao inquired, her curiosity piqued.

Zhao Dong responded, "I got them in a trade. They're no use to me. If you want them, they're yours."

Siyao felt a wave of gratitude, yet she firmly replied, "I can't just accept your things without any reason."

Zhao Dong chuckled, knowing Siyao wouldn't easily take a gift. It fit her character, as portrayed in this novel—a woman both proud and kind-hearted, difficult to impress unless you were Zhou Fann, the protagonist.

Zhao Dong wasn't worried.

Siyao might refuse now, but as their situation grew tougher, she might change her mind.

"So, do you still think I'm as bad as before?" he asked.

"Not really. Let's leave the past in the past," Siyao responded.

"Do you know why I've been so nice to you?"

"I have no idea."

"To be honest, I first approached you because you're beautiful," Zhao Dong admitted, expecting Siyao to scoff at his candor.

And she did. The comment struck her as crass. Accustomed to flattery from a young age, she was immune to such remarks.

Zhao Dong continued, "That was then. But getting to know you, I've realized there are plenty of beautiful women out there. Yet, someone as kind-hearted and dutiful as you is truly rare."

"Now, it's your inner beauty that I admire most."

Even Zhao Dong cringed at his own words, but they seemed to have the desired effect. Siyao's lips curved into a slight smile, clearly pleased.

"Thanks for the compliment. How are you doing now?" she asked, showing concern—a positive sign.

Zhao Dong sent a picture of a small boat, its backdrop filled with an array of goods. Siyao's mouth formed an 'O' of surprise, followed by a surge of envy.

"You're well-stocked," she noted.

"It's decent. Let's chat tomorrow at the trading area. For now, go get that hay," Zhao Dong suggested, ending the conversation tactfully to keep her intrigued.

He didn't want to overstay his welcome and risk annoying her.

As night descended, Siyao and Yang Juan had gathered plenty of hay. They found a spot shielded from the wind by three large trees and made a comfortable bed with the hay.

"The night's gotten much colder," Yang Juan remarked with relief. "Good thing Zhao Dong warned us, or we'd be freezing right now."

"Yes," Siyao agreed, pondering, "Maybe this new world has changed him."

"Let's pick extra fruit tomorrow to thank him," Yang Juan suggested.

Siyao nodded, having already scoped out the area for safety and food sources during the day.

"Mom, you're not feeling well. Get some rest," she then urged.

"Alright."

Elsewhere, after his meal, Zhao Dong practiced his wood control ability by moving firewood to the rear of the boat. In no time, he had amassed a sizable pile.

He selected a handful of fairly intact sticks, around a dozen, and sharpened them to a point using the Hammer of Industry.

In no time, he had crafted over ten wooden spears.

He then activated his wood control ability, and these spears suddenly all levitated midair.

"Fire!"

With a thought from Zhao Dong, the spears targeted the ground nearby and thrust forward.

"Thud, thud, thud!"

The spears struck the earth, their impact remarkable.

"Now I've got a ranged attack. This will be an ace up my sleeve!"

"Once I craft one more item, I'll earn the Toolmaker profession."

Zhao Dong whispered to himself.

In the story, Zhou Fann, to make hunting easier, had traded for a thin steel rod.

He then sharpened the rod and affixed it to a stick, creating an iron spear.

And just like that, he earned the title of Toolmaker, along with numerous advantages.

Of course, Zhao Dong knew Zhou Fann wouldn't get the title for a few more days, so there was no rush.

He spent his time perfecting his use of the wooden spears.

Exhausted at last, he secured the chains to a large tree on the bank, letting the wooden boat drift in the river's center.

This way, he didn't have to fear shore-dwelling creatures approaching.

Lying atop a mound of clothes, Zhao Dong gazed at the moonlight.

Beastly roars echoed through the darkness intermittently.

"After tonight, I fear many will perish."

He sighed deeply and slowly drifted off to sleep.

Announcement: Beginner Village No.168 has reached 100 level-1 residents, activating the Leaderboard Channel.

Note: Currently, only the village's level rankings are open. Only the top 100 will be listed.

Early the next morning, Zhao Dong was startled awake by enormous birds soaring overhead.

Upon awakening, he immediately noticed the leaderboard before him.

He wasn't shocked; he had been ready for this.

But to his surprise, the regional chat was in an uproar.

It had blown up.

"The level rankings are live, holy smokes, what am I seeing? Almighty Zhao is actually in our Beginner Village No.168!"

"Seriously? Almighty Zhao is in our village?"

The Survivors in the area were abuzz.

Zhao Dong had racked up multiple first-time rewards the day before, and it was broadcast across the network.

No one knew his exact location.

But now, the secret was out to everyone in Beginner Village No.168.

"Almighty Zhao, where are you? Can I join your team?"