Nan Liujing scooped up Nian Gao and turned to run out the door.

Out at sea, the giant crab was lying on its side, its eight long legs—sharp as if hewn by an axe—planted firmly into the seabed. Raising its two massive claws, it moved slowly, step by step, toward the shore.

The suitcase behind it kept pace, gliding like a surfboard riding the ocean’s waves, defying the current as it drifted closer and closer, completely ignoring the direction of the tide. 

The black cat twitched its mangosteen-like paws, its emerald vertical pupils fixed on the giant crab ahead, and sat up a little straighter. 

It seemed as if only a breath or two had passed when the suitcase drew infinitely closer; the strange sound of it cutting through the waves finally caught the giant crab’s attention.

The giant crab shifted its body, turning to the side and slightly behind, its massive claws casting an oval shadow over the suitcase. The black cat lifted its head, its pupils glinting in the light.

It shrank down to a thin line. It wasn’t even as big as one of the big crab’s claws, and it looked as if it might meet its end at the crab’s claws.

The big crab turned its body completely around. Look what it found! A piece of hairy flesh with neither shell nor scales! The big crab raised its claw, clack, clack—and without hesitation, reached toward the suitcase. 

Just then, the sound of splashing water and Nan Liujing’s urgent voice rang out in quick succession: “Nian Gao, use Snowflake!” 

“Eeek—”

Nan Liujing stood in the seawater, which reached just above his calves. He threw the little white fox forward with all his might, and it flew out like a tiny cannonball.

The little fox leaped into the air on all four paws and sneezed forcefully at the giant crab’s raised claw, spraying a cluster of tiny snowflakes that froze the claw solid.

Using the force of the sneeze, Nian Gao somersaulted gracefully through the air and landed lightly on the crab’s broad back shell.

At the same time, Nan Liujing waded through the water, half-running, half-swimming toward them. He approached from behind the crab, pushed off the shell to leap onto its back, and with his other hand, drew a makeshift axe from behind his waist, delivering a powerful blow right at the joint where the claw met the crab’s body!

As the saying goes, no matter how tough a crab is, its joints are always its weakest points.

Nan Liujing severed one of the crab’s claws with two swings of his axe, but before he could strike the other, the carapace beneath him suddenly began to shake—the giant crab was struggling to throw him off.

“Nian Gao, come here!” Nan Liujing wasn’t one to linger in a fight; he scooped up Nian Gao and let it climb onto his shoulder, then leaned forward, stretched out his arm to lift the cat as well, and tucked it into his embrace.

The black cat’s paws reached out and clung to his clothes. It didn’t meow or make a fuss; it just lifted its head to glance at him, then silently climbed over to Nan Liujing’s other shoulder. Nan Liujing slipped his hand into his pocket and quickly tapped a few times on the tablet without looking; the makeshift axe in his inventory was replaced by a wooden spear. 

It plunged solidly into the seabed. The wooden spear, over 2 meters long, bent downward, and the recoil propelled Nan Liujing toward the island, where he crashed onto the sandy beach. This combo successfully drew its attention; the giant crab completely forgot about the suitcase, furiously flailing its eight legs as it charged toward him at full speed.

Nan Liujing scrambled to his feet and ran.

There were too many things on the shore, and he didn’t want the giant crab to charge in like the Hulk and wreak havoc, so he simply ran along the beach.

As he ran, he turned around, backed up, and beckoned the giant crab with a flick of his finger: “Come on, then!” 

He didn’t know if a crab this big had any intelligence or would fall for taunts, but in any case, Nan Liujing watched as it completely ignored everything else on land and came straight for him.

To be honest, the sight of a millstone-sized crab charging toward him, swinging its claws, was quite shocking; for a moment, Nan Liujing felt as if a miniature car were rolling right over him.

Nian Gao, perched on his shoulder, let out a loud yelp. Nan Liujing spun around and began sprinting across the sand, his footsteps alternating between deep and shallow.

His expectations weren’t high. The main rescue target had already made itself at home on his shoulder, its claws digging into his clothes, their sharp tips pricking his skin. What followed was nothing more than a game of tug-of-war, running in circles, and playing “fly the kite” with the giant crab. With an Agility score of 10, he wasn’t afraid to race it.

Once he found an opening, he’d have Nian Gao use Snowflake to freeze the other claw, and victory would be within reach. If things took an unexpected turn along the way, ducking into the farmhouse was also an option.

So even though the situation was tense, Nan Liujing remained relatively relaxed, even finding the time to glance out at the sea.

The tide had completely receded, leaving the suitcase stranded on the damp sandy beach. No other giant sea creatures had come ashore to join the fray, and Nan Liujing breathed a sigh of relief. 

He could handle one, but two would mean he’d have to step away from the keyboard. 

He sprinted to the edge of the beach in one go. Just a meter away lay a jagged field of black reefs. Without slowing his pace, Nan Liujing ran straight up to the rocks, suddenly spun around, pushed off the rock face, and leaped onto the wooden boardwalk beside him. 

Before he could turn around, there was a sudden thud behind him. He spun to look and saw that the giant crab, unable to dodge in time, had crashed headfirst into the reef.

This creature moves sideways, which is why it failed to spot the obstacle in time. 

Fortunately, its shell was very thick; even though the impact sent rock fragments flying, it suffered little injury itself—at most, it was momentarily stunned. A flash of inspiration struck Nan Liujing: “Is that even possible?”

Wasn’t that moment of daze the perfect opportunity for him to strike back?

Unfortunately, opportunities don’t wait for anyone; this time was a lost cause, but there would always be a next time.

Nan Liujing and Nian Gao exchanged a glance. Nian Gao let out a soft cry, clearly realizing they’d have to seize the opportunity next time.

Nan Liujing quickly ruffled his fur: “I’ll leave it to you!” Without pausing, he leaped off the wooden walkway, dodged the giant crab, and dashed off in the opposite direction. At the far end of that path lay more reefs and the wooden walkway of a makeshift dock—he dodged the crab once more!

Clack, clack, clack!

He hadn’t run more than a few steps when he heard the sound of the crab’s legs shuffling behind him. Nan Liujing silently picked up speed, pulling away once more.

He was sprinting at full speed here, but the two little animals perched on his shoulders—one on the left, one on the right—seemed to have nothing to do.

Nian Gao nudged Nan Liujing’s right shoulder, glanced back at the giant crab chasing them, then propped itself up to peer over the human’s head at the other shoulder.

The black cat sat upright on Nan Liujing’s left shoulder, leisurely swaying its tail. Although it also looked like a half-grown kitten, it was considerably larger than the little fox cub, which was no bigger than a pair of cotton slippers. 

Nian Gao gave the other a curious glance and let out a friendly little meow.

“Meow.” Don’t be afraid—I’m really good. I’ll be able to break this big shell in no time! 

The black cat glanced at it, then casually looked away. With a sweet yet serious little kitten face, it suddenly sharpened its claws, leaving four white marks on Nan Liujing’s shoulder through his clothes—the pain made him hiss. 

Both his shoulders felt heavy and furry. He didn’t dare set them down, afraid the chaos might cause him to step on someone, and also afraid these two little ones might panic and run straight into the sea, so he had no choice but to keep carrying them. 

Sigh, what a sweet burden.

In the blink of an eye, they reached the end of the beach. With the reefs right before their eyes, Nan Liujing skillfully made a sharp turn, leaped onto the wooden boardwalk, and barked, “Nian Gao, get ready!” 

“Woo!” Nian Gao suddenly ducked down, ready to leap out.

With a thunderous crash, the giant crab once again failed to brake in time and slammed headfirst into the reef.

Just then, a dark shadow leaped ahead, pushing off Nan Liujing’s shoulder with its hind legs and sending him stumbling. Nian Gao lost his balance as well, his claws slipping frantically off Nan Liujing’s body as he tumbled to the ground, rolling several times. 

Swish, swish!

The familiar yet unfamiliar sound of a scythe swinging returned. Nan Liujing shuddered in fright and spun around abruptly, only to see the giant crab lying dazed by the edge of the reef, its lone remaining claw having fallen off.

The little black cat landed lightly on the giant crab’s back, its tail held high, its pair of emerald-green eyes gazing quietly at him. Nan Liujing’s mouth dropped open: “You…”

The black cat proudly tilted its head back, waiting to be praised. 

“You’re so amazing!!”

Nan Liujing looked at its tail, saw right through its intentions, and played along wholeheartedly, lavishing it with praise on the spot to give it plenty of emotional validation: “How did you do that? Wow, that’s unbelievable! How can such tiny paws be so sharp and so strong? You took down that big crab in one go—you’re amazing!” 

“That’s nothing,” the black cat said, twitching its whiskers, the tufts of fur on the tips of its ears fluttering in the breeze. Humans really have no sense. 

Flattered and elated by the praise, it hopped back down to the ground and, with a few swift swipes of its claws, severed the giant crab’s eight legs as well. Nan Liujing clapped enthusiastically, and even Nian Gao scrambled to its feet, leaping up and down and yelping with excitement.

Only the poor big crab, having lost all its legs, lay on the ground blowing bubbles.

Once the crisis had passed, Nan Liujing belatedly realized he had a headache over what to do with the giant crab.

Crab meat spoils easily and is really hard to store. Last time, he turned a whole crab into canned crab meat—it took him half a day, and it was such a lot of work. Not only that, but he also had to spend resources to buy glass jars.

Glass jars are becoming increasingly scarce on the market, and the price has risen to 10 basic materials per jar. This may be due to the influence of Xu Jia’s post, combined with the fact that players have all stockpiled some food to varying degrees, leading them to simultaneously start worrying about expiration dates.

Some players have posted on the forum asking how to make pickles, canned goods, and the like, and glass jars with built-in seals are naturally the top choice for containers.

The thought of what to do next gave Nan Liujing a headache, but considering that the Black Cat had killed this giant crab, he figured he should at least ask the cat’s opinion first.

Nan Liujing crouched down and began to discuss the matter with the black cat in all seriousness: “Mimi, do you still want this big crab?” 

Mimi ignored him, continuing to groom itself. After licking up a mouthful of sand, she wrinkled her little face and walked away.

That big, hard shell is too prickly even for chewing on—Mimi wants nothing to do with it.

Watching the black cat’s aloof retreating figure, Nan Liujing called out, “Can I sell the crab to get other supplies?” The black cat held its tail high, revealing two little bells, and trotted off toward the shore.

“I guess that means she agrees…”

Nan Liujing rubbed his nose and headed back into the sea to retrieve his wooden spear. Luckily, he’d driven it deep enough that the seawater hadn’t washed it away—it was still right where he’d left it. Next, he quickly gathered the supplies scattered across the beach. He’d had good luck today, scoring two wooden crates and a few basic materials.

He spread the soaking-wet materials out in the sun to dry, then turned his attention to preparing the giant crab.

The crab was still alive, with eight legs and one claw lying beside it. Nan Liujing had chopped off the other claw in the sea; it had been washed away by the waves and could not be recovered. 

Nan Liujing picked up the crab claw, and an item description flashed before his eyes.

【Giant Crab Claw】

【Category: Food】

【A claw dropped by a giant crab. It has a sweet and savory flavor and is delicious whether eaten raw or cooked! Consuming it increases the Strength attribute by 1.】

【Suggested Price: 300 Sol.】

【Condition: Fresh】

“Oh wow, a good catch.” It had been so long since he’d come across an ingredient that boosted stats that Nan Liujing was actually a little moved.

Plus, thanks to the attribute-boosting benefit, he could sell this crab for a higher price.

He kept one claw for himself—that single claw was enough to feed him three meals in a row, along with two small animals. Then, holding his tablet, he listed the remaining parts one by one.

No set price; private messages only.

While waiting for potential buyers to reach out, Nan Liujing opened the two treasure chests first.

He obtained a desk calendar x1, an enamel teacup x1, iron nails x10, a kerosene lamp x1, a Western-style kitchen knife x1, and a blueprint x1.

Nan Liujing picked up the desk calendar and casually realized it was an Earth calendar—last year’s, at that—and had long since lost its value. To Nan Liujing, the only use was the blank space on the back of each page, which could serve as a notepad. 

He put the iron nails away in the warehouse and took the teacup back to the farmhouse; now he’d finally have a proper vessel for drinking water. 

The kerosene lamp was the biggest surprise for him, second only to a sharp, narrow kitchen knife. The kerosene lamp had a retro style; its black metal casing resembled a small, openwork streetlamp, with a clear glass shade in the center.

The base doubled as a kerosene can, still more than half full. Pressing the switch automatically lit the wick inside the shade, and it even came with a carrying handle.

It cast a wider beam than a flashlight, illuminating a circular area around it. You could carry it around or use it as a light source at home.

Finally, there were the blueprints. Nan Liujing picked them up, disassembled both wooden crates, and only then unfolded the blueprints.

【Kite Shield Construction Blueprint】

【A blueprint detailing how to craft the Kite Shield. Please tear it off to use.】

【Kite Shield】

【Category: Equipment】

【An inverted triangular shield that provides head-to-toe protection against enemies; a piece of equipment highly trusted by knights.】

【Crafting Materials: Wood x10, Iron Ore x10.】

“Kite Shield…” Nan Liujing studied the blueprint closely. Drawn with a quill pen, it depicted a massive, teardrop-shaped shield that looked incredibly heavy.

“It requires two types of high-grade materials, and quite a lot of them at that.” Shaking his head, Nan Liujing gave up on the idea of studying this blueprint.

Not only was gathering the materials a hassle, but more importantly, the shield didn’t fit his usual combat style. Although Nan Liujing was a casual player, he had been through a few battles since entering the game and felt he was suited to the assassin playstyle—diving quickly into the fray, delivering a single lethal blow, and if that failed, retreating swiftly. 

A heavy shield would significantly slow him down and reduce his mobility.

If he needed a blueprint that could make him rich, the standard-issue knight’s sword he’d obtained earlier would suffice. Not only did it require fewer materials, but there was also greater demand for swords than for shields.

It’s best to list this Kite Shield blueprint in the trading area; that way, he can also trade it for useful supplies. 

No sooner had Nan Liujing listed the blueprint than he received a private message from another player. However, the inquiry wasn’t about the blueprint—it was about the giant crab. 

Cat Island—Xu Ning: Hello, I’d like a crab leg. Do you think this item would be a suitable trade? 【Plant Growth Potion】 

【Plant Growth Potion】

【Category: Potion】

【A magical potion brewed by a witch to accelerate plant growth. Its effects are highly unstable, ranging from 1% to 10%. It’s time to test your luck!】

【Suggested Price: 1,000 Sol.】

Nan Liujing glanced at the item description, then looked again, and suddenly his eyes widened. Wait a minute—if that’s the case, maybe…?

Stay calm, don’t rush. If you reveal your interest too quickly, someone might use it against you to drive the price down. Nan Liujing took a deep breath and slowly typed.

Unknown Island – Nan Liujing: This is useless, right? Who has plants on their island these days?

The reply came quickly.

Cat Island – Xu Ning: Even so, the suggested retail price for this potion is really high…

Unknown Island – Nan Liujing: A price doesn’t mean anything. Would you trade sol with someone else? If you really want to trade, please show some sincerity. 

Cat Island – Xu Ning: …At most, I can offer one more 【Life Potion (Small)】, but that’s all I’ve got.

【Life Potion (Small)】

【Category: Potion】

【A substandard product made by a witch’s apprentice who secretly diluted the Life Potion brewed by their mentor and repackaged it for sale. With its potency diluted, it restores only 1 HP per second upon use, but allows injuries to heal more quickly.】

【Suggested Price: 500 Sol.】

“She actually managed to come up with two different potions—did she raid a witch’s lair?” Nan Liujing muttered to himself. After a moment’s thought, he typed out a reply.

Unknown Island – Nan Liujing: The Life Potion is worth more than crab legs. If you still want to trade, I can exchange these two bottles of elixir for 1 crab leg and 1 【Grilled Dried Octopus】. 

A single giant sea creature can provide a maximum of 3 attributes, and theoretically, the crab meat extracted from a single crab leg is definitely enough to make more than 3 portions of food. Therefore, Nan Liujing’s trade terms essentially amount to 4 attribute points.

In his view, this offer is fairly reasonable. Life Potions are practically a second life in certain situations, and Plant Growth Potions are also useful to him.

His trading principle is to avoid losing out, but he also doesn’t want to take advantage of others. 

If he acquired supplies from others through underhanded means, even his hoarding talent wouldn’t be pleased. It’s a mutual agreement.

The other party was silent for a moment, then quietly sent a message. 

Cat Cat Island—Xu Ning: Trade accepted, thank you. 

On Cat Island, a thin and pale young girl kept her head down as she operated her tablet. After sending two bottles of potion, a crab leg and a piece of grilled dried octopus immediately appeared in her inventory.

After double-checking that the item list was correct, Xu Ning let out a sigh of relief.

“That’s 4 attribute points right there… I really did run into a kind soul,” Xu Ning muttered to herself. She put away her tablet, braced herself with both arms against the ground, and slowly stood up from the ground.

The pitch-black robe slid down from her waist, covering the lower half of her left leg.

If Xu Ning had any complaints about her current life, it was surely that the system had chosen to pull players into the game early one morning. Six o’clock sharp—that was far too early. She was still lying in bed and hadn’t had time to put on her prosthetic leg.1

What was it like to survive on a deserted island with only one leg? Xu Ning had absolutely no desire to look back on it.

Fortunately, her all-out efforts paid off. By the fifth day, she had gathered the materials and built a makeshift shelter; the very next day, she joined the Island Management Committee.

After the makeshift dock was completed, she staked everything on a single attempt, boarding the small wooden boat and preparing to meet her end at sea. 

However, fate smiled upon her once again, just as it had on the snowy slope last time. That time, she had saved her life at the cost of a leg. This time, she successfully found the legacy of a Witch on Resource Island and received her class change quest.

However, to class-change into a Witch, she needed to meet certain attribute requirements, and Xu Ning’s attributes were so low…

Whether it was luck or misfortune, no giant sea creatures had ever visited her island. On one hand, Xu Ning was relieved that her safety was guaranteed—she couldn’t outrun those monsters—but on the other hand, she was worried about how to boost her stats. 

After all, the only known way to gain attributes at the moment was through giant marine creatures, so Xu Ning had no choice but to search the trading area. Unfortunately, the listings she found either required other giant marine creatures or items she simply couldn’t afford.

For several days, Xu Ning kept hitting a dead end. Even when she offered the potions she’d obtained from the Resource Island, the other party would often demand an exorbitant price—making the absurd request of exchanging one potion for just 1 attribute. 

Xu Ning may be physically disabled, but she’s not stupid—of course she wouldn’t agree to that.

The deal with Nan Liujing was the first one she’d closed in all these days. Everything’s hard at the beginning, but now that the hardest part is over, she hoped things would go smoothly from here on out. 

Nan Liujing found the black cat in front of the farmhouse; he was carrying her suitcase.

“Hi, Mimi. I brought your suitcase over.” Nan Liujing held up the suitcase and looked up at the farmhouse roof. 

A black cat was half-reclining on the eaves, meticulously licking the fur on the side of its body. Its fur was long; when fully grown, it would surely be a very beautiful long-haired cat. 

Thin, soft cat hairs floated in the air, glowing a pale gold in the sunlight.

The black cat twitched its ears, showing no intention of paying any attention to the person. After finishing licking the fur on its side, it raised its hind leg as if no one else were there, arched its back, and began licking its own rear end. 

Nan Liujing’s mouth twitched slightly as he slowly looked away: “Um… I saved a crab claw. Would you like to try one?” 

The black cat kept licking: “Stupid—don’t you know you can’t eat the hard shell? Meow wouldn’t eat that—it’s prickly in the mouth.”

Nan Liujing rubbed his nose. “I’ll take that as a yes… By the way, I’ll put my suitcase inside. You can come in once you’re done.”

He walked silently into the farmhouse, which had no door. Nian Gao followed him in affectionately, constantly rubbing his fluffy body against Nan Liujing’s ankles. Nan Liujing set the suitcase on the small coffee table and ruffled the fox’s head as he did so: “Go play on your own. I’m going to cook.”

Time really flew by. It felt like he’d just had breakfast, but it was already time to start preparing lunch. 

He’d spent quite a while gathering supplies in the fields earlier and had even gotten into a fight with a giant crab, so he was filthy from head to toe. Nan Liujing went to the bathroom, washed himself twice with soap, changed into a fresh set of clothes, and only then began preparing the ingredients.

Lunch was a giant crab claw.

He pulled out his newly acquired kitchen knife—its cold steel gleaming, sharp enough to slice a hair in two—truly a fine, brand-new blade. Nan Liujing was very pleased with it and couldn’t put it down, handling it several times before remembering to get down to business. 

But at that moment, he couldn’t bring himself to use the new knife right away. Instead, he first took out his makeshift axe, splitting the crab claws into three sections at the joints, and only then slid the kitchen knife inside, rotating it along the inner wall to scoop out the meat.

Two large rectangular pieces of crab meat, along with a generous amount of meat scooped from the claws, filled a large pot. For once, Nan Liujing decided against any fancy tricks; he simply sliced the meat thinly, drizzled it with olive oil, and arranged it on a baking sheet to roast over an open flame. 

He relit the hearth. Once the dry firewood had turned into jet-black charcoal, he used more dry wood to break it up, spread it evenly across the platform, and then placed the baking sheet on top. The heat from the coals conducted through the baking sheet; the crab meat sizzled in the hot oil, the pale pink raw flesh curling inward and releasing a savory, salty aroma. The aroma drifted toward the courtyard and up to the eaves; the black cat, licking its fur, paused, its pupils contracting into vertical slits. 

Its pink nose twitched. What was that smell?