Starting Off Survival With A Small Treehouse
Chapter 134: The Warmth and Coldness of Human Relationships

Chapter 134: Chapter 134: The Warmth and Coldness of Human Relationships

Xu Xin, while diving in the heart of the lake, had only seen this kind of fish in the cave, swimming around at a depth of about sixty meters in the lake’s pit.

The fish in front of him was already dead, and it seemed like it had been dead for a while, as there were no signs of it having struggled around.

Xu Xin climbed down from the Silver King and took out his boning knife.

During the disassembly process, he found that the fish’s internal organs were all in a rotted state, seemingly because something had exploded inside leading to its death.

"...Could it be that it surfaced too quickly, and the pressure inside caused its swim bladder to rupture and kill it?"

Xu Xin did not stop his actions, swiftly breaking down the entire fish.

[Obtained Rock-Eating Fish Skin (Green) *1, Rock-Eating Fish Bone (Green) *1, Rock-Eating Fish Meat (Green) *200kg, Ruptured Swim Bladder of Rock-Eating Fish (Blue) *1]

He got a blue-grade resource!

Xu Xin immediately picked up the ruptured swim bladder; at this point, the swim bladder was no longer a sac but a limp membrane.

[Ruptured Swim Bladder of Rock-Eating Fish (Blue): A regulator used by the rock-eating fish to adjust its depth in the water. After simple processing, it can be consumed, enhancing the ability to withstand pressure in the water.]

Xu Xin’s eyes widened.

Enhancing the ability to withstand pressure in the water was exactly the capability he needed now.

Last time he dove, he only reached a depth of about twenty-five meters, but deeper down, at around forty meters, he could see many blue-level resources and even some unknown mineral resources.

After consuming this swim bladder, if he could dive to a depth of forty meters, he could obtain those deep-water resources.

"Not bad at all." Xu Xin packed the item into his backpack. This was truly a pleasant surprise.

The name of this fish was quite interesting, called the rock-eating fish. Could it be that it feeds on rocks? If you don’t look closely, its appearance could indeed be mistaken for a large fish statue carved from stone.

But how did it surface? Since the swim bladder ruptured, it must have surfaced at extreme speed from deep water, causing pressure imbalance and rupture.

But the tornado is far from here and couldn’t affect the lake by the treehouse. It couldn’t be that the tornado swept it out.

There are only two possibilities then.

One is that something big emerged from the pit in the heart of the lake and accidentally brought this fish out; the other is that there is something terrifying in the heart of the lake, causing this fish to become so scared that it quickly swam upward, ultimately unable to withstand the pressure and burst.

Both possibilities point to one creature, the terrifying Lake Giant Python.

...It seems that even if the ability to resist water pressure is acquired, it’s better not to dive into the lake’s heart pit for now; there could be great danger there.

After exploring the surrounding resources, go find the giant crocodile and see if any information can be gathered about the Lake Giant Python.

Mimi seemed to be very interested in the large fish in front of him, constantly flipping the cut fish meat with his paw. Silver King was also staring at the meat.

These two have big appetites, and a hasty breakfast didn’t fill them up.

"Alright, it’s yours, eat up," Xu Xin said helplessly.

Now that there are no more beasts in the forest, they can’t hunt on their own either. I don’t know when the jungle beasts will return; free-roaming is much more worry-free than feeding them like this every meal.

Silver King and Kemimi pounced on the meat without hesitation.

"Ying!" Keke, seeing them eating heartily, got greedy too, shaking his clothes with her little paw.

Xu Xin embraced her, gave her a freshly picked green-grade apple along the way, and took one out for himself to munch on.

Just then, his watch vibrated.

It was Qi Xuefei, and she sent a single message: "In ten minutes, I will sell medicines under the name [Explorer]. If you want to stir things up, do it quickly; those people can’t hold out much longer."

Well done, Qi Zixuan!

Xu Xin immediately replied, "Alright, got it. How many do you have on hand right now?"

Qi Xuefei: "Enough, previously [Hanging the Pot to Save the World] used hemostatic herbs cultivated by me to exchange almost all the district’s medicinal materials. I have five hundred pills in hand, and if there are more materials, they can still be produced. This kind of medicine is low-level and can be made as long as the materials can be used medicinally."

Cultivating hemostatic herbs... were those hemostatic herbs really cultivated by her!

Xu Xin tried digging up green-grade hemostatic herbs with a shovel, but couldn’t get seeds. He also looked on the trade platform, but there were no seeds for sale, so the method of cultivating hemostatic herbs remained a mystery.

Is she revealing her abilities to me?

Although he didn’t know how Qi Xuefei had argued with her brother just now, it seemed she had genuinely considered integrating into [Explorer] now.

Xu Xin immediately contacted Ji Chaoyang and informed him about Qi Xuefei’s plan to sell pills.

Ji Chaoyang was visibly surprised and delighted, and the two discussed with Qi Xuefei briefly before announcing it on the regional channel.

Xu Xin: "Everyone, in order to help survivors who have fallen ill due to the heavy rain, the [Explorers] organization has urgently produced a batch of specific pills that can completely cure the illness. In five minutes, we will list them on the trading platform."

Ji Chaoyang: "The purpose this time is to save lives, so the price will be very low. Therefore, the pills will only be sold to survivors not on the dungeon list, and each person is limited to one. Quantity is limited, first come, first served."

Xu Xin: "Please note, after taking this pill, there will be a two-hour period of weakness during which even walking will be difficult. Make sure to ensure your own safety during this period."

The survivors on the dungeon list all have second-floor treehouses. By excluding them, the pills can only be purchased by those forced to endure the rain on the rooftops of the treehouses.

The regional channel exploded instantly; many who dared not sleep watched the regional channel intently, overwhelmed with joy, moved to tears.

"Oh my god! The big shots are stepping in!"

"Congrats, you b-group, you can survive now! Big shots are awesome!"

"Thank you to the big shots... Thank you so much, sob sob..."

"Can I really survive now? Can I really live on?"

"Although I also don’t have a second-floor treehouse, I’m strong and haven’t gotten sick, so I’ll pass on this opportunity!"

"Upstairs, you’re kidding, soaked for a day and night and didn’t get sick?"

Xu Xin noticed this person. He didn’t choose anonymity, and his name is Niu Fugui, which exudes a rustic feeling. If it were older generations, such names would be common, but these are all young adults aged eighteen to thirty, making the name a bit out of place.

It’s worth noting that now many rural areas are wealthier than cities, and cultural levels aren’t lacking, so names like these aren’t usually given. Just from the name, Xu Xin felt he might be from some remote mountainous area isolated from the world.

Xu Xin memorized this name. If he really stayed in the rain for a whole day and night without issue, then he certainly would be a unique talent.

Quickly, Qi Xuefei listed the medication, setting a very low price, only requiring three green-grade resources, preferably herbal resources, so more medicine could be made benefiting more people.

"Oh my, this price, it’s basically giving it away!"

"Three green-grade resources? Is this... a giveaway?! My god,[Explorers] are awesome! The big shots are awesome! And the lady providing the medicine, Qi Xuefei, awesome!"

"Do the big shots need medicinal materials? I have some here, no use keeping them, I’ll directly gift them to the big shots, just hoping they might help me when I’m in a crisis in the future!"

"I have some too, I killed a centipede in the dungeon, it’s said to be medicinal!"

"Count me in! I have lots of dried snake gall!"

"I killed a cow, has cow gallstone!"

The sick rushed to buy the pills. Now those speaking in the regional channel are mostly people with second-floor treehouses. Though they won’t benefit from this transaction, they still want to contribute.

Honestly, Xu Xin was a bit moved. He didn’t expect to see human warmth in this precarious world.

While the medicinal materials in their hands are indeed useless to them, they might also be thinking of investing early since it could be their turn next. But none made cynical remarks nor questioned why it wasn’t sold to them, everyone genuinely supported the approach.

This reminded Xu Xin of the old world, of that nation in peaceful prosperity, where during catastrophic events people would donate their savings or queue for hours at blood banks during their precious spare time just to donate blood.

In most cases where personal interests aren’t involved, even during disasters, people’s hearts still lean towards kindness.

Suddenly, Qi Xuefei sent a private message to Xu Xin: "They’re all offering to send me medicinal materials, I’m busy trading and counting the materials they’ve traded over, could you please collect the ones they’re giving?"

"Okay."

Xu Xin immediately sent out information in the regional channel, explaining the situation, and instantly, dozens of trading messages arrived, all gifting medicinal materials.

Some even remained anonymous, truly doing good deeds without leaving a name.

Just as Xu Xin was collecting materials, suddenly there were discordant voices in the regional channel.

"Those pills were painstakingly collected and made with medicinal materials by [Hanging Pot to Save the World]. [Explorers] are a bunch of thieves, stealing our labor outcomes!"

"Exactly, that’s [Hanging Pot to Save the World]’s developed outcome, you have no right to sell!"

"I’m a member of Hanging Pot to Save the World, [Explorers] are shameless, they poached our members, stole our medicine, leaving us with nothing to sell in times of crisis, yet they appear as saviors!"

"These medicines should’ve been sold by [Hanging Pot to Save the World], you’re thieves!"

Those posting these messages were all anonymous.

Xu Xin squinted his eyes. Qi Zixuan is quite clever, trying to play a public opinion game, letting people anonymously mix up black and white, claiming they intended to sell medicines to everyone but got intercepted by [Explorers].

But it’s merely clever.

If Qi Xuefei sold them at a high price, this might work somehow. But she’s only selling for three green-grade resources, no matter the truth, people will support it.

Honestly, even Xu Xin feels the price is a bit ridiculous; she’s truly trying to hang the pot to save the world.