Zi Shu: "Oh no, I didn't bring food. I'm starting to feel dizzy."
Their condition held for a while, but a small problem soon arose.
78 pulled out a black bread. "You guys didn't bring food?"
Yu Yu frowned. "Why would we?"
She never ate in the game. Come to think of it, Yu Yu always found it odd why other players loved eating so much. It clearly wasn't tasty.
Zi Shu, grimacing, ate the bread. "Don't you ever get hungry?"
Yu Yu shook her head. "Nope."
Shu Tu: "A little."
78: "Huh? We've been out for hours, plus that battle earlier drained a ton of stamina. You should be hungry. I was starving right after the fight, so I ate bread. Otherwise, you'd get dizzy and kicked offline soon."
Zi Shu nodded in agreement. "Exactly."
Yu Yu: "…Maybe I don't burn stamina?"
She genuinely hadn't felt hungry since entering the game.
Zi Shu: "…That makes sense."
78 rolled her eyes. "How does that make sense? Even without burning stamina, you'd still get hungry. It just takes a few extra hours."
Yu Yu was puzzled. "I've never been hungry. Even if I feel a slight pang, I can easily suppress it. I haven't eaten anything in the game."
This time, even Shu Tu glanced over.
"You don't get hungry? Why?"
They quickly discussed possible reasons.
"Does high mental stats affect hunger?"
"Willpower too?"
"Shu Tu gets hungry slower than us, but why doesn't Yu Yu feel it at all?"
"But what's the connection between mental stats and hunger?"
78 offered a theory. "Maybe playing the game drains mental energy, and Yu Yu doesn't get hungry because her mental stats are high enough to last until logout?"
Yu Yu's eyes flickered. "Not impossible."
Why would playing a game drain mental energy?
"Then what about Shu Tu?" 78 rubbed her chin, deep in thought.
Shu Tu: "I get hungry, but I can endure it."
As an archer, her stamina consumption wasn't high either.
Yu Yu: "Then it's probably because of high willpower."
After some deliberation, they tentatively agreed on this explanation.
Yu Yu spotted an issue. "If that's the case, what do monsters eat?"
78: "Monsters need to eat?"
Zi Shu: "Maybe they do. They've clearly been camped here for a while."
"Let's look around. The food we brought is obviously not enough."
Even if only Zi Shu and 78 were hungry, it still wasn't enough. 78 said she only brought two breads and a bottle of water. The four, originally traveling, began a targeted search. Soon, behind a pile of rocks in the ravine, they found their target.
Wild boars?
Probably wild boars, at least they looked like it.
Shu Tu counted. "Eleven in total."
78's voice came from another direction. "I knew it! Look, bones, a fire pit, and a pile of pots and pans."
They quickly regrouped.
Yu Yu: "We found a bunch of wild boars."
78 returned, arms full of pots and pans, while Zi Shu, carrying a stool and table, looked equally thrilled. Where players tread, nothing was left behind.
Yu Yu paused for a second. "…Do any of you know how to slaughter a pig?"
The four exchanged looks, then turned to Zi Shu.
Zi Shu's face twitched. "…I don't know how."
"You're the strongest!"
The three wore innocent expressions. Zi Shu reluctantly agreed to slaughter the pigs but froze when she saw the herd snorting and rooting around. Glancing at her newly equipped sword, Zi Shu's face contorted in agony.
She suddenly perked up. "I remember wild boars are valuable. In town, people buy them. One boar's meat alone can fetch thirty or forty silver, not to mention the hide and bones…"
Ignoring Yu Yu, she tempted the other two. "We're still in debt, you know."
Yu Yu: "…"
Even Shu Tu was swayed. "We can't eat this many. How about…"
Yu Yu: "…Is there really a buyer?"
"There are lifestyle players who buy," Zi Shu said, energized. "Some players learning tailoring need beast sinew and hides, but there aren't many beasts near Moon Bay Town."
78: "And players who can't stand that awful bread!!!"
"We could sell boar soup! Fifty copper a bowl!"
Yu Yu rubbed her forehead. Their debt was clearly weighing heavily on them. They were beyond excited. Yu Yu glanced at the sky as fine raindrops began to fall.
"Then let's bring the boars back, restock on potions, and…"
"Sell the boars!"
"Sell the boars!"
"Sell the boars!" Shu Tu joined in, earning a sidelong glance from Yu Yu.
They soon started planning for the boars.
"Zi Shu, you go in and kill them?"
Zi Shu: "…I don't think I can."
Eleven of them—if they all charged her…
78 hesitated. "I'm worried I can't pierce their hide. I hear boar skin is thick."
Shu Tu looked at Zi Shu. "You could drag them out one by one, kill one, drag another."
Zi Shu's face stiffened. So she still had to kill them?
She really didn't know how to slaughter pigs!
Zi Shu turned to Yu Yu.
Yu Yu, arms crossed, caught her gaze and pondered. "I'll give it a try."
78: "You know how to slaughter pigs?"
Yu Yu: "No, but…"
[Wet Ground]
[Lightning Arrow]
Yu Yu mused, "Let's check online if electrocuted pork is edible."
Zi Shu, energized, went online. "It's edible. Let's do it."
The pigs ran about cheerfully until their hooves somehow got wet.
[Lightning Arrow]
In an instant, all the pigs collapsed.
Yu Yu pondered. "Boars don't seem to have much health?"
Zi Shu, now in leather boots, stepped in cautiously, then froze.
"This electricity… something's off."
Her boots shouldn't conduct!
Yu Yu let out an "oh." "Magic might not follow physics?"
[Frost Breath]
A stream of frost swept over, freezing the wet ground.
Zi Shu smoothed her hair. "I just read that you need to bleed pigs immediately, or the meat will spoil."
Soon, they watched Zi Shu enthusiastically bleed all eleven pigs, emerging covered in blood. This warrior was particularly valiant. Sadly, it was all pig blood. Moments later, in the drizzle, Yu Yu's group headed back.
Zi Shu, numb-faced: "Why is it always me?"
Shu Tu apologized. "You have the highest strength, so…"
Their carry weight was too low—none exceeded forty except Zi Shu. A boar was heavy. Yu Yu's movement speed would drop to zero if she carried one. Simply put, Yu Yu couldn't manage.
Shu Tu and 78 could each handle one boar, but any more, and their speed would also zero out. So, Zi Shu carried nine boars. They couldn't be stored in inventory, so she dragged them like a construction worker, huffing and puffing.
Yu Yu: "I'll cast a strength blessing on you, uninterrupted."
Zi Shu, still numb: "Fine…"
A living rope tied the nine boars together. Zi Shu half-carried, half-dragged, trudging unevenly. The two agility classes occasionally lent a hand. In tough spots, Yu Yu used Mage Hand to help Zi Shu.
Mage Hand had a strength of 10 but drained mental energy constantly. Even burning all her mental energy, it wouldn't last a few minutes, so it wasn't ideal.
78: "How's your carry weight so much higher than ours?"
"What's it at now?" Shu Tu asked curiously.
Zi Shu: "Was 160, now 180."
"So high!" Yu Yu, with only 20 carry weight, marveled.
"How's it that high?"
Zi Shu clammed up. No matter how they asked, Zi Shu wouldn't say, so they dropped it.
"Holy crap, so many pigs!!!"
"Come quick, look, tons of pigs!!!"
Players flocked to spectacles, and Yu Yu's group was instantly surrounded. They barely dragged the boars to the city gate, attracting the guards.
Guard: "Miss Yu?!"
His stern face broke into a smile. "You went hunting?"
Yu Yu wanted to say no, but…
"Yes," she said. "Know how to sell pigs?"
The guard's eyes lit up. "We can buy them. It's been ages since we had meat. Wait, I'll get the captain!"
Zi Shu, panting, said, "Give me water."
78 tried to help her drink, but Zi Shu waved her off, chugging it herself.
"We'll keep one," Yu Yu said. "Sell the rest?"
78 agreed instantly. "Keep one to make jerky for rations!"
"How do you make jerky?"
Yu Yu: "Hold on, I'll check offline."
A player rushed over. "You selling the hides? Sinew?"
"What about the meat?"
The four were overwhelmed with questions. Yu Yu stepped forward. "Try buying from the city guard camp. We sold them whole."
Feng Ran arrived. "Wow, how'd you find so many pigs? I thought the twenty-mile radius was cleared of beasts."
Yu Yu: "Long story."
She couldn't exactly say they killed enemies, looted their gear, and took their pots, pans, and pigpen, could she?
The stool and table were still in Zi Shu's inventory. Zi Shu, recovered, started selling her old gear. Yu Yu pulled out her spare gear, and Shu Tu and 78 followed suit.
With so many players around and their low prices, everything sold out instantly. Seeing their full gear sets, players were green with envy.
"Need another teammate?"
"I can tank and deal, no pay needed!"
"Boss, carry me!"
Zi Shu, hauling a boar, led the four as they vanished into the crowd. In the academy's back courtyard, by the small garden where they'd planted black-tailed redheart grass, they split the money.
The guard camp was generous, buying without haggling at 60 silver per boar. Ten boars made 600 silver, or 6 gold. Split four ways, each got 1.5 gold. Shu Tu paid off her debt immediately. 78 and Zi Shu each repaid 1 gold.
Yu 78 gasped. "I don't have 50 silver."
Zi Shu glanced at her. "I'll lend you."
78 clutched her chest. "Top student, you're the best!"
They pooled 2 gold. Yu Yu said, "78, buy 12 slow-healing potions and two bottles of water."
78: "Two bottles enough?"
Yu Yu, unfazed: "I have Water Sphere."
She could also light a fire to boil water, as long as they had a pot.
78, shocked, then grinned. "Spellcasters are awesome. I wanna be one."
Zi Shu: "Wake up, your aptitude's not enough."
78 huffed.
Yu Yu coughed. "Zi Shu, can you skin?"
Zi Shu: "?"
Moments later, Zi Shu stopped resisting. Yu Yu and Shu Tu held the pig while she sliced with her new longsword, the scene turning bloody.
78, singing as she returned, was roped in. "You hold the pig. I'll see if I can stuff anything in my inventory."
"Have you tried exploiting bugs?"
78: "Tons, but never worked. No idea why."
"Maybe it's tied to your mental stats. It's weird."
Soon, Yu Yu came back online. Her expression was odd.
"Guess what I brought?"
"What?" The three, covered in pig blood, looked unfit for broadcast.
Yu Yu dramatically revealed a bag of salt. "Jerky needs salt. The tavern's salt was bitter and off."
78, delighted: "Awesome!"
Zi Shu, thrilled: "Anything else?"
Yu Yu shrugged. "Nope, just luck, I guess."
"I tried stuffing a huge bag of salt, but only one bag made it through. Thought it failed."
"One's good. I'm sick of that awful bread," 78 said, gagging at the thought. "Hope this tastes better."
Yu Yu lit a fire in the courtyard, set up the looted pots and pans, boiled water, and washed the pig. This took so long they got kicked offline. Yu Yu was still unsatisfied. She'd never realized slaughtering pigs could be fun?
And… it might come in handy later. Thinking of her piglets, Yu Yu smirked mysteriously. She strolled downstairs, feeling great. Until she looked out the window.
Yu Yu: "?"
Yu Yu: "??"
Yu Yu: "???"
Outside on the asphalt, the big cat lazily licked its paw, tail swishing, as relaxed as could be.
Yu Yu: "?"
Fuck