Thanks to Green KiTea for the constant support! Enjoy the bonus chapters for this new story!

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Killing the brocade flame bird yielded 20 kg of toxic brocade flame bird meat, 30 brocade flame feathers, and 1 fire energy bead.

【Toxic Brocade Flame Bird Meat: Meat contaminated with the venom of the phantom color snake; highly toxic and not fit for consumption.】

His heart aches a little.

Qiyu looked at it with a touch of reluctance, then packed it away separately.

【Brocade Flame Feather: A special material that unlocks the Brocade Flame Feather Set. Go to the workbench to view set information.】

Qiyu, curious, picked up a shimmering feather and placed it on the workbench.

【Brocade Flame Quilt: Comfortable and warm bedding. Crafting materials: Brocade Flame Feathers x10, Cotton x20, Cashmere Flowers x10.】 

【Brocade Flame Pillow: Comfortable and warm bedding. Crafting materials: Brocade Flame Feathers x5, Cotton x10, Cashmere Flowers x5.】

【Brocade Flame Ornament: A decorative item that, when placed indoors, raises the room temperature by 5°C. Crafting materials: brocade flame feathers x10.】

Qiyu happened to be in need of bedding, but while he had some idea about cotton, he’d never even heard of cashmere flowers. He made a mental note to check the trading page later.

The brocade flame bird also drops a fire energy bead.

It was a smooth, round bead slightly larger than a thumb, fiery red in color, and felt slightly warm when held in the palm.

【Fire energy bead: A bead containing energy. Collect five fire energy beads to craft an Energy Crystal Card.】

Energy Crystal Card?

Qiyu recalled that the card slot in his bathroom seemed to mention that it could accept Energy Crystal Cards. To make sure he wasn’t mistaken, he went to check it out. It was indeed an Energy Crystal Card.

When he placed the energy orb on the workbench, the option to craft an Energy Crystal Card appeared, just as he expected.

【Energy Crystal Card: General Consumable. Crafting Material: 1/5 Energy Orb.】

Qiyu carefully put it away. He hoped that soon, he would be able to use hot water. Next up were the drops from the phantom color snake.

Level two phantom color snake venom 10ml, phantom color snake skin x10, phantom poison needle blueprint x1, phantom armor blueprint x1.

After reading the description, Qiyu couldn’t help but let out an emotional exclamation of praise: “Phantom Color Snake, you really are a great snake!” Not only did it die on its own, but it also dropped items, and those items could be directly consumed by him.

He learned both blueprints.

【Phantom Poison Needles: Unique Equipment.

Crafting Materials: 1ml of Phantom Color Snake Venom, 1x Refined Iron.】

【Phantom Armor: Unique Equipment, Equipment Effect: Changes color with the environment, Stealth +10. 

Crafting Materials: Phantom Color Snake Skin x10.】

Craft all of them.

The phantom poison needle is 10 centimeters long and as thin as a hair. Perhaps because it comes from the phantom color snake, it blends naturally into its surroundings. It is almost invisible in the firelight, only occasionally flashing a hint of silver.

The system rates it as highly toxic and thoughtfully includes a needle case for storage. 

Qiyu examined it. He realized that if used by surprise, this item could yield unexpected results. He used up all his remaining venom to craft a total of ten phantom poison needles. 

The appearance of the phantom armor somewhat surprised Qiyu; he had originally assumed that equipment bearing this title would resemble actual armor.

In fact, the finished item before Qiyu looked like nothing more than an ordinary white tank top—quite unremarkable.

Qiyu chose to equip it.

He sensed that his perception of his surroundings had become even sharper.

In addition to the loot, there was also a fine iron chest.

“Open.”

【Congratulations! You have obtained 1 fine iron long blade, 2 backpack expansion cards, 1 high-quality lumber axe, and 2 basic healing potions.】

Backpack Expansion Cards? Basic Healing Potions? Qiyu’s eyes lit up as he picked them up.

【Backpack expansion card: Expands your backpack by 1 slot.】

【Basic Healing Potion: Restores 10 HP upon consumption.】

Great stuff!

As supplies piled up and the bag’s capacity remained limited, ten inventory slots would only become increasingly insufficient. Qiyu used them immediately, expanding his inventory to twelve slots.

The basic healing potions were even more essential. With a starting HP of 100, two potions could restore 20 HP—a lifesaver in critical moments.

The fine iron long blade is a standard weapon with no additional stats.

【 High-quality lumber axe: Increases tree-chopping efficiency by 50%.】

After organizing everything, Qiyu opened his personal panel, ready to contact his only friend at the moment, 【Civil Engineering Brother】.

He glanced at the chat channel—it seems to be bustling with activity no matter what time it is.

【Peppermint Candy: Has everyone activated their personal panel yet? My Attack is 6 and Defense is 8—is that really low?】 

【Braised Pork Shank: Then what about my Attack 5 and Defense 5?】

【Fighting Monsters Every Day: Could the person above be the legendary “lousy fighter”?】

【I Choose Sweet Tofu Pudding: Check out the stats on my 【Cloud-Piercing Sword】!】

【Luren007: Wow, the guy above is a total pro!】 Followed by a string of replies praising the pro.

Qiyu opened Civil Engineering Brother’s chat window.

【I Love Survival Game has sent you a trade request.】

He sent over the refined iron longsword in exchange for a common dagger. 

【Civil Engineering Brother: Holy crap, big shot, am I seeing this right?】

【I Love Survival Game: I promised you earlier—I’ll trade it for a weapon once I get one.】

【Civil Engineering Brother】 I didn’t expect the big shot to be so honest.

Once the trade was complete, he held the fine iron long blade in his hands, unable to put it down. 

【Civil Engineering Brother: You’re so generous, boss! Is there anything you need from my selection? I’ll make it for you at cost—no processing fee!】

【I Love Survival Game: A Simple Stove and a Beanbag Sofa—Do I Need to Trade for Food?】

【Civil Engineering Brother: Hold on a sec. 】

A moment later, Civil Engineering Brother sent a message:

【Civil Engineering Brother: Hey, here’s the deal. I have a small group chat with two other people—both are people I’ve traded with recently and consider pretty reliable. Are you interested in joining?】

【I Love Survival Game: Are the blueprints theirs?】

Faced with the direct question, Civil Engineering Brother didn’t seem embarrassed.

He was a chatterbox and had met quite a few people in the chat channel over the past couple of days, plus he’d met even more through trading.

He’d always had good luck with judging people—or perhaps he just had a strong sixth sense. He’d never had a bad experience with friends before, and now that he was in Survival Game, that luck seemed to be getting even stronger.

He already has a very good impression of the 【I Love Survival Game】 he met today!

【Civil Engineering Brother: Right, actually, neither of these was mine. I just asked them, and they want to talk to you in person.】

【I Love Survival Game: Okay.】

【Civil Engineering Brother】 was overjoyed and quickly added Qiyu to a group chat. The group was named 【01 Survival Squad】.

【Tranquility Yields Transcendence: Welcome.】

【Dare Not Open My Eyes: Welcome, big shot!】

【I Love Survival Game: Hello, everyone.】

【I Love Survival Game: I want the 【beanbag sofa】 and the 【simple stove】. Who owns them?】

【Tranquility Yields Transcendence: I crafted both the beanbag sofa and the simple stove. I’m not short on food right now—do you have any furniture to trade?】

Qiyu sent over the details for the wooden bed and mattress. Tranquility Yields Transcendence sat up straight the moment he saw them.

The other two had similar reactions.

【Civil Engineering Brother: Boss, why didn’t you mention these goodies sooner? If I’d known, I would’ve begged you to trade with me.】

Who did not know the agony of sleeping on the floor all night?

【I Love Survival Game: @Tranquility Yields Transcendence, want to trade?】

【Tranquility Yields Transcendence: The materials used to make the beanbag sofa are worth about the same as the mattress, so we can just swap the finished products. I’ll take a small cut on the wooden bed—give me 10 units of refined iron, and in exchange for the stove, I’ll craft an iron pot, an iron spatula, and a set of cutlery for you.】

【I Love Survival Game: Deal.】

Qiyu currently has no refined iron in his backpack; he dismantled a fine iron chest. 

A wooden bed requires 50 units of wood; he still had 90 units in his inventory, so he crafted one directly at the workbench. The materials for the mattress are 20 units of hay and 20 units of cotton.

Hay is easy to come by.

As for cotton, he searched the trading page and traded the common dagger he’d just acquired for 40 units of cotton. The mattress was completed.

Qiyu initiated a trade.

Two minutes later, the two finished items were in Qiyu’s hands.

Qiyu chose to place them.

The stove came with a stone countertop over a meter long, which he placed against the wall. He then arranged the cooking utensils—including the spatula crafted by 【Tranquility Yields Transcendence】—on top, neatly.

A proper little kitchen came into being.

Qiyu placed the beanbag sofa next to the fire and sat down. The flames danced and sparkled in his bright eyes.

Look, he’s made a home for himself in this survival game.