Starting Off Survival With A Small Treehouse
Chapter 153 - 152: Deep Water Pearl

Chapter 153: Chapter 152: Deep Water Pearl

Xu Xin cleared a relatively safe area under the treehouse, intending for Silver King and Mimi to participate in the defense below. However, now, these two have fallen asleep.

It’s uncertain when they’ll wake up, so until they do, I can only rely on myself.

There’s a reply in the "Explorer" chat.

Zhao Xiaochuan: "It’s not working, the crossbow bolts can’t kill the vine roots!"

Qin Yunlong: "I had to shoot five arrows at a root before finally killing one vine..."

Wang Lei: "The heavy crossbow can only reach outside the treehouse, these vines are too close in... Boss Xu, can you sell me some incendiary arrows?"

Qi Xuefei: "You can’t use incendiary arrows, otherwise not only can’t you get the materials, but you might also cause a fire. You don’t want another fire, do you?"

Wang Lei: "Okay... alright."

Xu Xin was startled, suddenly realizing that while he was using regular bolts, his crossbows were made with special blue-level materials, just slightly inferior to purple-level. They currently have green-level crossbows, which are indeed much weaker.

At this moment, Li Wenxi sent him a video.

Xu Xin roughly guessed what Li Wenxi wanted to say; she likely saw that the organization members’ equipment was too poor and wanted to upgrade it.

Sure enough, Li Wenxi’s first words were about this.

"Xu Xin, why don’t I give you blue-level iron blocks, and you can make some blue-level crossbows for them? We’re all part of the same organization; we can help each other." Li Wenxi was still wearing her washed-out novice outfit and was nestled on the sofa, showing no intention of going out.

Qi Xuefei’s official joining seemed to ease the previously cautious and probing relationships inside the "Explorer," not just Li Wenxi; even Xu Xin recently began considering these people he’d never met as partners.

Providing equipment for partners seems reasonable.

Though he was still a bit surprised.

"Do you... have enough blue-level iron blocks? If you do, I have no objections." Previously, he had used up 12 blue-level iron blocks of hers to make the Purple-level Scale Armor set.

"Hehe, I gathered quite a bit. Supply outside the organization is definitely not enough, but internally it’s fine!" Seeing Xu Xin didn’t object, Li Wenxi initiated the transaction, giving Xu Xin six blue blocks and a pile of green-level iron blocks.

"You and I don’t need it; Ji Chaoyang definitely doesn’t need it either. The remaining six people, six blocks should be enough."

Wen Guixin might not need it; she had killed mid-level mutant creatures and most likely had Ji Chaoyang make advanced weapons for her, which might be why she could leap from the treehouse to fight directly.

"Are you leaving the whole thing to me?" Xu Xin clicked agree on the transaction.

"Yep, you’re in charge as the boss, and I’ll handle logistics and supplies. Isn’t that great? When trading, don’t say the iron blocks are from me. I just want to stay invisible. Otherwise, I’d be swarmed with people asking me for ores, which would be too troublesome. I sell anonymously on the trade platform."

Saying this, Li Wenxi lay back on the sofa, looking up at her watch to show Xu Xin she really didn’t want to move.

"Alright, leave it to me. I’ll give you a share of the resources traded."

"Okay, sure."

Xu Xin directly sent a message in the "Explorer" group: "Do you need blue-level crossbows? I have just enough blue-level iron blocks here, but you’ll have to provide the blue-level beast tendons and wood yourselves."

Zhao Xiaochuan: "Long live Boss! I want it! I want it! I’ll trade right now!"

Wang Lei: "Wow, finally, I don’t have to use the green-level crossbow to shoot those crazy vines below!"

Qin Yunlong sent Xu Xin a message directly: "I want two crossbows. Besides the blue-level iron blocks, I’ll supply the other materials. Also, check out this resource; where I am, it only adds decoration value. I’m not sure what the decoration value is for, but it’s a blue-level resource. I feel you might know its real use."

Qin Yunlong sent him a resource description.

[Deepwater Pearl (Blue): A pearl produced by clams growing a hundred meters deep, can increase decoration value when placed in a treehouse.]

A hundred meters deep?!

Xu Xin was astonished. This Qin Yunlong has already started collecting resources from a hundred meters underwater?

Even in Scale Armor, which enhances resistance to water pressure, he could only dive around twenty-five meters deep. This guy went a hundred meters deep and even further!

He remembered he had a blue-level fish bladder that could increase resistance to water pressure but doubted it would help much even if he consumed it.

"Resources at a hundred meters deep, you can dive that deep?" Xu Xin couldn’t help asking.

"Yes, I’m a professional diving instructor. A hundred meters isn’t much; my brother and I can both do it," replied Qin Yunlong.

Xu Xin’s lip twitched. I don’t believe you! He’s treating him like a diving novice.

Even with a full set of professional diving equipment, a hundred meters is a very deep dive.

This ragtag team sure is talented.

He’s talented himself, not to mention Ji Chaoyang; Li Wenxi likely has abilities related to mining; Qi Xuefei has pharmaceutical and herbal cultivation skills, Wen Guixin is mysteriously overpowered in combat, and Qin Yunlong and Qin Yunhu brothers can explore in such deep waters!

The only missing ones are Zhao Xiaochuan and Wang Lei, the two chatty brothers.

"Can you send it over for me to have a look?"

"Of course." Qin Yunlong wasn’t worried Xu Xin would keep it for himself, readily agreed, and initiated the trade.

When the trade completed, a notification sound rang out.

[Detected Deepwater Pearl (Blue) placed in the treehouse, decoration score +20, current treehouse decoration score: 136.4]

Wow, it actually added so much decoration score right away, while an unprocessed blue-grade crystal only added 3 points. Could this thing be a high-grade decoration item?

Holding the gleaming white pearl in his hand, Xu Xin’s identification ability was triggered, providing a more detailed description.

[Deepwater Pearl (Blue): A pearl produced by a shellfish that grows at a depth of a hundred meters, and can be placed in the treehouse to increase the decoration score. It affects the survivors in the treehouse, temporarily enhancing the level of skills related to decoration score, but becomes ineffective after leaving the treehouse.]

...Improve the level of skills related to the decoration score!

Isn’t this referring to his "Artist"?

Last time when he was carving the blue-grade statue, he couldn’t proceed no matter what. At that time, he thought it must be his artist level or proficiency that was insufficient. Unexpectedly, today he obtained a blue-grade resource that can enhance the level.

Xu Xin instantly felt like he hit the jackpot. For others, this might just be a 20-point decoration score, but for him, it is absolutely a treasure among treasures!

Wait, could it also enhance his "Random Amplification" level?

Xu Xin immediately checked the two sub-options in his "Decoration Score" interface, "Artist" and "Random Amplification."

Opening the Artist option, a line of text appeared above the production list in the interface.

[Artist Level: Beginner Artist]

When Xu Xin put the Deepwater Pearl back into his backpack, the line disappeared, and when he took it out again, it reappeared.

...So his current skills aren’t even at a beginner level! No wonder his carving and painting speed is so slow, and it consumes so much Spiritual Power!

Then he opened the "Random Amplification" option, but there was no change.

Xu Xin was slightly disappointed, but it didn’t matter. This was probably because the random amplification ability didn’t have a level hierarchy, and its effect was only related to the decoration score value.

He immediately messaged Qin Yunlong: "Do you have any more of these pearls?"

"I have two more, but taking more doesn’t help, only one can increase the decoration score."

It seems that these pearls, like crystals, can’t increase the decoration score with duplicates. But Xu Xin wasn’t thinking about that, he was thinking about skill levels; if they could repeatedly boost skills, then that would be fantastic!

"Hey, could you send me another one? I want to test something," Xu Xin asked a bit sheepishly.

"Why don’t you believe me, huh? Alright, I’ll send you another one," Qin Yunlong replied confidently, sending him another pearl. Xu Xin’s top rank gave him the impression that Xu Xin wouldn’t deceive him.

Unfortunately, the second Deepwater Pearl didn’t provide any decoration score boost or enhance his skills.

It seems trying to quickly boost his artist level with just this item was a bit fanciful.

He still has to rely on slowly honing his skills by himself.

Xu Xin directly crafted two blue-grade crossbows and traded them back along with the second Deepwater Pearl.

"What is this—"

"No need to give me raw materials, two blue-grade crossbows for one pearl. This pearl is very useful to me. As I said before, if you find resources in the deepwater area in the future, consider offering them to me first. I will give you a satisfactory price."

This kind of talent must be on good terms with, no need to haggle over these materials. He had plenty of blue-grade wood and blue-grade beast tendons.

"Ha, thanks a lot. By the way, I want to buy some of your incendiary arrows, if possible. I can exchange them with resources."

Xu Xin didn’t make him trade any resources since he wasn’t short on low-level resources himself, so he simply gifted him forty incendiary arrows and advised him not to use them in the jungle.

"Understood, thank you so much."

"Oh, by the way, you could also sell these Deepwater Pearls to Ji Chaoyang. He’ll surely offer a good price," Xu Xin suggested on Ji Chaoyang’s behalf.

"Of course, you must know something else about this crystal, right? Whatever, since you’re not saying, it must be useless to me. I’ll get in touch with Ji Chaoyang."

"It’s nothing secretive, it’s related to the new abilities we acquired in the tornado. By the way, did you also go into the tornado?"

"I went in after dark, but it didn’t have the small wooden box you mentioned, just some resources. I must’ve entered too late and didn’t acquire any new abilities."

"Mm, Ji Chaoyang and I are also researching this new ability. Once we’ve figured it out, we’ll share it with you all."

After ending the call, Xu Xin placed the Deepwater Pearl on the bookshelf in the study, nodding with satisfaction.

Meanwhile, the "Explorers" group was abuzz due to Xu Xin’s sudden disappearance.

Qi Xuefei: "Where did he go?"

Wang Lei: "Boss Xu! Boss Xu! Calling Boss Xu!"

Zhao Xiaochuan: "Boss Xu, I beg for a blue-grade crossbow, I’ve had enough of the vines!"

Wen Guixin: "Blue-grade crossbow? Hmm... I also want one, all my high-end weapons are for close combat."

Despite the noise in the group, Ji Chaoyang still hadn’t appeared. However, Xu Xin wasn’t worried about him encountering any trouble; he was probably busy outside and hadn’t noticed the group messages.

Xu Xin quickly made his presence known in the group: "I’m here, let’s trade directly. If you’ve got special resources, we can discuss trading them."