Nan Liujing felt a weight by his leg. He looked down to see that the black cat had appeared at his feet at some point, pressing its fluffy body against his leg. It lifted its sweet little face and let out a soft, coquettish meow. 

“Meow~”

“Hey, what are you doing? It smells so good! Give me a bite!”

“You’re here,” Nan Liujing said, his eyes crinkling in a smile. Instantly, his innate human reaction to cats kicked in, and he found himself speaking in a soft, gentle voice, “Would you like some? It’ll be ready soon. Just wait a moment.”

“Meow~” The black cat’s meow sounded even cuter as its body flowed like water, circling around the leg it was pressed against. Its tail, held high, nonchalantly brushed against it once, then again, like a cloud that seemed to both resist and invite.

Lying nearby, Nian Gao looked at its owner, then at the black cat, then back at its owner, and its black nose wrinkled: “Eep.”

To think it could charm people so effortlessly—the black cat was truly terrifying. Its skill at being cute far surpassed mine! 

Refusing to admit defeat, it stood up and shook out its fur. Although it didn’t have the habit of grooming itself like a feline, the Moonchase Fox breed was naturally beautiful. Even though Nian Gao spent day after day rolling around outside and getting filthy, its fur remained as smooth and lustrous as silk, without a single knot.

Nian Gao held his head high, full of fighting spirit. With a little “meow,” he darted onto the battlefield and ran to Nan Liujing’s feet, rubbing against him.

The two of them—one circling to the left, the other to the right—kept spinning around the person in a figure-eight pattern, their “meow-meow” and “purr-purr” sounds, just like they were in a boxing match.

Nan Liujing soothed one, and the other started meowing, so he had no choice but to stop and turn the crab meat on the baking sheet with a sigh.

The crab meat he turned over had been pan-fried to a beautiful golden yellow with a hint of caramelized brown—this must be the legendary Maillard reaction. Nan Liujing still remembered the first half of the mnemonic: “Don’t wash the pan; next…”

What comes next? He couldn’t remember.

Nan Liujing scratched his cheek, flipped the crab meat, and pressed it down lightly with a silicone spatula. Sizzle.

The crab meat made an even louder sizzle on the baking sheet, and the strong aroma of caramelization joined in, making the scent in the air even more complex and enticing. The two crabs underneath immediately began to make even more plaintive cries.

The crab meat cooked quickly. Since it was meant for the animals, Nan Liujing decided not to add any seasoning at all.

He rummaged through his cupboards and found two palm-sized baking pots. These were part of a cast-iron enamel pot set, though they were actually made of stoneware, shaped like plump, flat pumpkins and coated with brightly colored glazes—one deep orange and the other pale yellow.

Nan Liujing decided to use these two baking pots as feeding bowls for the animals. He filled each one to the brim with a full bowl of food, let them cool, and then placed them on the ground.

The moment the two saw the food, they instantly forgot all about Nan Liujing. They pounced on it like tigers and began munching away, leaving Nan Liujing with nothing but a pair of pants covered in cat and fox fur.

“You two ungrateful creatures…” Nan Liujing was speechless for a moment, then shrugged and turned to season the remaining crab meat on the baking sheet with salt and black pepper. He divided the crab meat on the baking sheet, resulting in four portions of baked crab meat.

【Grilled Crab Meat☆】

【Category: Cooking】

【A dish made from crab meat lightly grilled to bring out the natural flavor of the ingredients. Eating it restores 20 Stamina and increases Strength by 1.】

【Suggested Price: 310 Sol.】

【Status: Fresh】

Nan Liujing didn’t mind that the recipe wasn’t unlocked; he took one out for lunch. Feeling that grilled crab meat alone was a bit dry, he cracked open a coconut.

While eating lunch, he went through the information from the trading district.

He sold all seven crab legs, trading them for 1 Giant Octopus Leg, 1 Cod, 1 Salmon, 2 Giant Dishes that boost Strength, 3 Giant Dishes that boost Agility, 30 Iron Nails, 44 Canvas Scraps, 25 Clay, 31 Palm Leaves, and 53 Wooden Planks.

Some people couldn’t come up with an equivalent amount of food resources and offered to make up the difference with basic materials; as long as the quantities were roughly equal, Nan Liujing was willing to trade.

The largest crab attracted a big shot, who, after confirming with Nan Liujing that the crab was still alive, quoted a price equivalent to half a giant mackerel.

“……” Nan Liujing thought for a moment. Fish meat was easier to handle than crab meat; at worst, he could cut it into fillets and send them all off to be smoked.

After dealing with all the giant crab’s remains, Nan Liujing took the opportunity to search for iron ore and found that very few people were selling it on the market. At the top of the list was a name that looked somewhat familiar.

【Island of the Sole Sovereign—Zhang Zihan: Iron Ore x20. Will only trade for potions, blueprints, or powerful weapons. Don’t even bother asking about wooden items. Message me privately for specific trade ratios.】 

“Powerful weapons…” Nan Liujing thought for a moment; his standard-issue knight’s sword should fit the bill, so perhaps he could negotiate with the seller.

Looking at the trade listings again, this was the only seller offering iron ore, and the others only had two or three scattered pieces each.

As it stood, the total amount of iron ore circulating in the market—including what was in his inventory—did not exceed 100. While this was partly due to the difficulty of locating ore veins, Nan Liujing suspected the primary reason lay with the mining process.

The stamina limit is set in, and exploring resource islands has a time limit; even if you find a vein, you’ll have to stop before you exhaust yourself.

After all, mining is physically demanding work, and it likely consumes even more stamina.

At this moment, Nan Liujing still didn’t know that the probability of mining iron ore was random; players often spent their stamina only to end up with a pile of rocks.

What Nan Liujing did know was that, under these circumstances, it was no longer possible to make a profit by crafting standard knight’s swords. 

Even if he spent every last penny to buy up all the iron ore, he’d only be able to craft twenty or thirty knights’ swords—how much could he possibly earn from that?

“I guess I’ll just make one for myself.” Although disappointed, Nan Liujing took it in stride; he shrugged it off and began contacting Zhang Zihan.

He was the person in the trading zone who could provide the most iron ore, but that wasn’t what Nan Liujing was after. Rather, it was because the other party’s needs happened to match something he could offer. If things went smoothly, he might even be able to get enough iron ore for free.

Unknown Island – Nan Liujing: Hi, I can craft a 【Standard Knight’s Sword】. Do you need one?

After two or three minutes, the other party replied.

Island of Supremacy—Zhang Zihan: Ironware? I need it! How much iron ore do you want in exchange? 

Unknown Island—Nan Liujing: 8 blocks, including the crafting fee for the Standard Knight’s Sword.

Island of Supremacy—Zhang Zihan: No problem. I’ll place a custom-manufacturing order.

Everything went incredibly smoothly. Zhang Zihan’s personality was very straightforward—no small talk, and certainly no haggling over prices—which made Nan Liujing feel very at ease.

After the transaction was complete, Zhang Zihan seemed to test the weapon right away. Ten minutes later, he sent Nan Liujing a friend request with the following message:

“The weapon’s great. I’ll come back to you if it breaks.”

“Just as I’d expect from a combat-oriented player—you’ve already factored in weapon damage.” With a shake of his head, Nan Liujing accepted the friend request and crafted a standard-issue knight’s sword for himself.

This sword had a blade over one meter long, equipped with a cross-guard and a scabbard, designed to be worn at the waist for quick draw. Nan Liujing cut a scrap of canvas, casually twisted it into a sword sheath, and secured it to his belt.

After taking just a few steps with the sword, the canvas came undone on its own, and the knight’s sword clattered to the floor.

 “…I’ll just put it in my backpack for now.” Nan Liujing picked up the sword, feeling a bit embarrassed.

After finally fulfilling three orders for makeshift water collectors, he glanced at his for-sale shelf.

The Demon God Pendant hung untouched in the first slot; Nan Liujing had almost forgotten it was there. Its negative effects were too severe, making it highly unlikely he’d find a buyer among the player community, though the suggested price was quite high—a full 1,000 Sol. Nan Liujing decided to wait until Victor came by next time and palm this dead weight off on him.

There was also a Kite Shield blueprint for sale. While quite a few people had sent private messages with offers, he hadn’t yet seen anything that really caught his eye. Since the blueprint wasn’t a giant crab—and thus wouldn’t rot if it didn’t sell—Nan Liujing was quite patient and decided to wait a little longer.

After finishing the grilled crab meat, Nan Liujing scooped out every last bit of coconut flesh, replenishing his stamina and filling his stomach.

By then, the two of them had finished eating.

The Black Cat had a small appetite; after eating more than half a bowl of crab meat, she was full. She went off to one side and leisurely washed her face. After washing, she licked her fur, making herself shiny and sleek—looking absolutely gorgeous.

Nian Gao quickly finished his portion, then licked his lips and prowled around furtively nearby. As soon as the Black Cat walked away, he rushed over and slurped up the leftovers.

While “snacking,” he kept glancing at the Black Cat’s expression, looking both greedy and timid.

In reality, the whole house could hear the noise of its sneaky eating, and the black cat wasn’t oblivious—it just chose to ignore it. Nian Gao, however, thought he’d been very discreet and wagged his big tail smugly.

By the time it stepped away from the food bowl, the two baking pans were as shiny as if they’d been washed with water. While Nan Liujing was washing the dishes, Nian Gao had already dashed out.

Lately, it had taken a liking to digging holes; the ground outside and the sandy beach were littered with holes it had dug. If it weren’t for Nan Liujing’s strict vigilance, two plots of poor-quality farmland would have fallen victim to its destructive ways.

As for the black cat, it hadn’t gone outside.

Nan Liujing’s new sofa seemed to please it very much. When Nan Liujing came out of the bathroom, shaking his hands, the black cat was already sprawled on the sofa with an air of entitlement, the tip of its tail swaying gently, its green eyes staring calmly, as if observing his reaction.

Nan Liujing glanced at it and nodded with a smile: “I’m heading out now. Thanks for watching the house.”

With that, he headed for the door.

The black cat watched him leave before slowly narrowing its eyes.

It stretched out its mangosteen-like paws, splaying its toes like blooming flowers, and pawed at the sofa cushion a few times. Apparently finding the texture very pleasant, the black cat began pawing at it with increasing enthusiasm.

She tensed up, and a low, gurgling sound involuntarily escaped her throat.

Outside the door, Nan Liujing retrieved the logs he had cut down earlier on Red Soil Island from the warehouse. His goal for this afternoon was to turn these logs into planks.

But before doing so, Nan Liujing took out the plant growth potion, pulled out the stopper, and poured the entire contents of the bottle onto the roots of the apple sapling.

This apple sapling, planted in front of the farmhouse, was still a short, slender sapling—one Nan Liujing had grown from an oak barrel on his very first day.

Its growth countdown was a full 100 years—that was simply outrageous. To be honest, Nan Liujing had already given up on the idea of harvesting resources from it, but who would have thought that a potion to accelerate plant growth existed in this world—and one with a whopping percentage-based acceleration at that? Didn’t that give him new hope?

Even if the acceleration rate is random, as long as he can find a way to get enough plant growth potion, nothing will be a problem. After pouring an entire bottle of the potion onto the sapling, Nan Liujing held his breath and watched the countdown above the apple sapling with anticipation.

The numbers flashed and changed to 【788,220 hours】. After doing a quick mental calculation, Nan Liujing’s lips curled into a smile: “A 10% boost—looks like I’m in luck.”

Even though it was only reduced from 100 years to about 90 years… that’s a full 10 years! Nan Liujing was very satisfied.

For the rest of the afternoon, Nan Liujing finished chopping the logs, stored a large pile of planks in the warehouse, and began processing the ingredients he’d exchanged for in the trading area.

Giant octopus tentacles were also ingredients that could boost attributes; this one boosted the Spirit attribute. As usual, Nan Liujing roasted it into dried octopus to add to his food reserves.

One cod and one salmon, courtesy of a seasoned angler who’s been wondering why he can’t catch any king crab. Nan Liujing filleted them right away, yielding two tails, two entrails, and 20 cod fillets and 20 salmon fillets each.

The innards were tossed into the compost bin, and the tails were set aside.

He’ll eat the fish himself. As for the tails, Nan Liujing isn’t in the mood for fish soup right now, so he decides to dry them out to use as snacks for the animals.

After all, these fish were traded for the giant crab legs Black Cat had chopped off, so it was only fair that Black Cat get a share. As for Nian Gao, well, it did help with the kill, after all.

“I wonder how long the cat will stay here.” The Black Cat was clearly one of those magical creatures that had run away from home, as mentioned in the news. Its low-key yet luxurious suitcase was still sitting on the coffee table; without the Black Cat’s permission, Nan Liujing wouldn’t open it, let alone put it away.

So, theoretically, the black cat could set sail in its suitcase at any moment and continue its journey.

And judging by the combat prowess it had displayed, even Nan Liujing and Nian Gao combined—tied together—wouldn’t be able to stop it. It didn’t seem like they had any right to stop it, did they?

Still, no matter what, the black cat was the MVP who helped them take down the giant crab. At least while it remained on this island, Nan Liujing felt it was his duty to treat it to the finest food and drink.

While mulling things over in his mind, Nan Liujing took the giant mackerel out of his backpack.

This half of the fish is the tail end, measuring about one and a half meters. Judging by this, the horse mackerel must have been at least three meters long when alive. To land such a huge fish, this player is truly a force to be reckoned with.

After butchering it, Nan Liujing obtained 60 pieces of mackerel meat, 1 mackerel tail, and a single spine.

The spine will be used for compost; the fish tail will be dried and used as a snack for the animals; and the fish meat, along with the fillets, will wait for an opening in the cold smoker’s schedule, at which point they’ll all be turned into smoked fish.

The whole day passed in a flurry of activity. That evening, after searching the sandy beach at low tide, Nan Liujing had gathered enough plastic parts to build his fifth makeshift water collector, which he assembled that very night.

When he woke up the next day, he’d be able to reliably collect 10 liters of fresh water, making daily life much more comfortable.

Before 10 o’clock, Nan Liujing crawled into bed early, the kerosene lamp on the bedside cabinet casting a steady glow.

Nian Gao clung to the edge of the bed with both front paws and began his nightly ritual—whining and whimpering to be let into bed. Nan Liujing’s response was the same as always: “No, you’re a grown fox now; you have your own bed.” he pointed to a pink cotton cushion.

Nian Gao hung his head pitifully and walked away dejectedly.

Meanwhile, the black cat had long since leaped to the highest point in the farmhouse—the top of the wardrobe—and settled down comfortably.

This vantage point allowed it to survey the entire area, enabling it to spot any movement within its territory the moment it happened.

Yes, it has claimed this place as its temporary territory. Although this territory is run-down and home to two useless creatures, it is a wise ruler who tolerates its subjects’ incompetence and even takes it upon itself to fulfill the duties of a protector.

After all, even though humans aren’t much use when it comes to protecting the territory, they do make delicious meals. It would be a bit of a shame if they died. As for the fox—since it’s just a cub—she’ll reluctantly give it a pass.

Completely oblivious to the fact that she was still just a half-grown cat, the black cat yawned widely and closed her emerald-green eyes in the darkness after the kerosene lamp went out.

Day 10 of Survival: A Peaceful Day.

Nan Liujing was first stepped on by Nian Gao, then had the black cat plop right down on his chest.

The cat sat upright, alternately tapping his chest with each front paw, his throat purring like a motorcycle engine. “Hey, it’s 5, you, get up. Mimi’s hungry.”

“…Alright, I’m up.” Nan Liujing crawled out of bed, still half-asleep, and drifted like a ghost toward the bathroom to wash up. The cat and the fox followed closely behind, letting out urgent meows and whimpers.

Nan Liujing spat out a mouthful of toothpaste foam and glanced down at the black cat rubbing its fur against his pants: “It seems like you only know how to meow when you want food.”

And with that sweet, high-pitched meow, it was just as much of a flirt as the others. The black cat looked up at him and slowly narrowed its eyes.

In cat language, that must mean “I like you,” right? Nan Liujing burst out laughing and said, feeling quite flattered, “Thank you. I like you, too.”

After washing up, Nan Liujing opened two packets of pet cookies and poured them into the two bowls. Nian Gao, as always, was eager to eat and immediately started munching away.

The black cat sniffed the scent and took a long time before tentatively taking its first bite. Crunchy.

“Meow~” It’s actually pretty good.

The black cat swished its tail and began to eat at a leisurely pace.

This morning, Nian Gao seemed to be in a hurry. He devoured his breakfast in a flash and, without even waiting for the black cat to finish so he could lick the bowl clean, darted right out the door.

Nan Liujing was grilling cod over charcoal; at first, all he could see was the tip of the fox cub’s tail.

“In such a hurry?” Is digging holes really that much fun? 

Nan Liujing didn’t understand, but he respected his partner’s interests. After all, he had to admit that there really weren’t any noteworthy forms of entertainment on this island; the fact that Nian Gao could keep himself entertained was good enough, and he was actually quite happy about it.

By this time, Nian Gao had already sprinted to the slime pasture.

The blue slime was starving and shriveled, slumped listlessly on the hay, wriggling slowly.

Nian Gao stood up on its hind legs, leaned against the gate, and nudged it a few times with its snout. It quickly managed to disengage the latch, pushed the gate open, and squeezed inside. It scampered over to the slime, gave it a swat with a paw to rouse it, and let out a commanding “Awoo!”

“Squeak…” The slime slowly propped itself up and followed Nian Gao out of the pasture.

“Would you like some grilled cod?” Nan Liujing looked down. A black cat was crouched at his feet; there was still half a bowl of biscuits left in its food bowl, yet it was staring longingly at his breakfast.

Nan Liujing’s breakfast consisted of grilled cod and a handful of raspberries.

Having eaten barbecue for several days in a row, Nan Liujing was sick of it and needed some fruit to change things up. The black cat stared at the cod, which gave off a toasty aroma, and let out a soft, sweet “meow.”

This was the most terrifying sonic weapon a cat could wield—more powerful even than its sharp claws. Any human who heard that purring would fulfill the cat’s every wish without a single complaint.

Now, Nan Liujing cut a piece of unseasoned flesh from the plumpest part of the fish’s chin, placed it in the palm of his hand, and bent down to offer it to the black cat.

The black cat immediately came over and licked Nan Liujing’s palm with its tongue.

A cat’s tongue is different from a fox’s; it has slightly rough, backward-facing barbs that made his palm tingle as it scraped against it. After finishing breakfast, Nan Liujing went out to get the newspaper.

The newspaper bird delivered today’s *Impermanent Sea Daily* along with the prize from yesterday’s postcard raffle. Sure enough, it was a participation prize: Nan Liujing received a can of green tea.

“Come to think of it, this prize isn’t half bad.”

Tea is a wonderful thing—it cuts through greasiness, helps digest fatty foods, and is rich in vitamins. Nan Liujing had really eaten too much grilled fish, so it was essential to have a cup of strong green tea every day.

Putting the newspaper away, Nan Liujing decided to wait until he’d finished his morning chores before going back to brew a cup of tea and read it at his leisure.

The first stop was, as always, the poor-quality farmland. Nothing had ripened today, but the sun grass seeds planted yesterday had sprouted tender green shoots.

These tender sprouts die as soon as they touch water, but if you don’t water them, the countdown at the top won’t stop.

Nan Liujing had no choice but to crouch down, avoiding the sprouts as he watered the roots, which took him longer than usual. He also planned to build a shelter over the fields today, so he wouldn’t be caught off guard if it rained later.

The compost bin produced 5 units of fertilizer—the giant mackerel’s spine really came in handy. Nan Liujing spread all five units of fertilizer over the watermelon patch.

After finishing his farm work, he ran to the smokehouse, where the venison and pork he’d put in yesterday had turned into smoked venison steaks and bacon.

【Smoked Venison Ribs☆】

【Category: Processed Food】

【A cold-smoked product with a firmer, chewier texture. Restores 25 Stamina upon consumption.】

【Suggested Price: 550 Sol.】

【Condition: Fresh】

【Smoked Venison Chop (Bone-in)☆】

【Category: Processed Food】

【This cold-smoked product features meat that’s most flavorful right around the bone! Restores 20 Stamina upon consumption.】

【Suggested Retail Price: 500 Sol.】1

【Status: Fresh】

【Smoked Bacon☆】

【Category: Processed Food】

【A smoked food product made using the cold-smoking method, this traditional delicacy is beloved by the residents of the Impermanent Sea and is a household staple. Eating it restores

25 Stamina points.】

【Suggested Retail Price: 720 Sol.】

【Condition: Fresh】

“Is bacon the most expensive because it tastes the best?” Unfortunately, Nan Liujing only had four strips of bacon, and rather than selling them, he preferred to keep them for himself.

After placing the prepared smoked foods in the storage cabinet, Nan Liujing took out the fish fillets he had cut up the day before and placed them in the cold-smoking cabinet in batches. 

These fish fillets couldn’t be hung; they had to be placed on trays. The smoking capacity was limited to 20 pieces per batch, so it would take five batches to complete the process. At least for the next couple of days, the smokehouse was fully booked.

As he stepped out of the smokehouse, Nan Liujing heard the howls of a fox: “Awoo! Awoo!”

“Nian Gao?” After looking around for a moment, Nan Liujing spotted the fox cub by the seashore.

Nian Gao stood with all four paws planted on the sand, bellowing at the slime in a voice that had absolutely nothing to do with being “half-a-point,” preventing it from straying too far from the shoreline.

Whenever the slime showed the slightest sign of wanting to drift away with the waves, Nian Gao would rush over howling, landing a fierce swipe with its paw or simply taking a bite.

Under Nian Gao’s iron-fisted rule, the slime cowered and trembled, treading as if on thin ice as it soaked up seawater until a top hat-shaped mound of sea salt jelly once again emerged from its head.

“……” Nan Liujing blinked.

What on earth is going on?