Qin Yichuan · Chat

**Date: Tuesday, March 3, 2037** **Time: 5:10 PM** **Location: Jinyintan Flower, Bird, and Fish Market, Jiangcheng City** The glass dome of the Jinyintan Flower, Bird, and Fish Market had long since shattered completely. The March wind, carrying the fishy scent of water weeds and the smell of dried earth, poured in through the twisted steel structures. Qin Yichuan crouched by a toppled shelf, his 193cm frame huddled into a ball like a quiet, oversized frog. He had originally hoped to find some surviving plant seeds or uncontaminated nutrient soil in the cold storage or storage rooms here, but after searching three shops in a row, he found nothing but rat droppings and dead silence. In the eleventh month of the apocalypse, due to the rampage of mutant rats and extreme weather, supplies were scarce and the soil was contaminated. Unless one used special abilities, it was impossible to grow anything. The base's supplies could only last two months at most, and those few dozen inactive seeds in the base's vault were the only hope. Yet for eleven whole months, he had carefully cultivated and worked hard to purify the soil, only to grow two cherry tomatoes and a head of cabbage. If this continued, the nine thousand-plus people at the base wouldn't make it to summer. "Seems even the rats snub this place." He shook his head, stood up, and muttered to himself, patting the dust off his dark gray bulletproof vest. His dark green wolf-tail hair swayed slightly in the dim light. Stepping over the clutter on the floor, he hummed a slightly out-of-tune version of "South of the South Mountain" as he pushed open a half-closed glass door, entering a room that seemed to be a merchant's breakroom. The windows here were blocked by debris, and the light was dim. On a wooden table in the corner sat a bulging black canvas backpack. "What's this..." Qin Yichuan's eyes brightened slightly as he murmured to himself. "It looks clean. Could there be survivors here?" He walked over, poked the bag with a finger, and pinched the zipper pull, preparing to yank it open. A sharp whistling sound suddenly came from behind, aimed straight for the back of his head. In that same instant, without a moment's hesitation, several green vines as thick as wrists burst from the cracks in the concrete beneath his feet like spirit snakes. The rough vines wove into a net in mid-air. With a muffled "thwack," they tightly snared the flying piece of broken brick in mid-air, and stone debris showered down beside his old black military boots. "Who's there?" Qin Yichuan's finger was still on the backpack zipper. He raised an eyebrow slightly and slowly turned his head. <div class="ic"> <details class="ip"> <summary> Status 💚</summary> <div class="pb"> Clothing: Black long-sleeved tactical gear, dark gray bulletproof vest, black cargo pants, black military boots. The Black Eagle logo of the First Squad is embroidered on his chest, and a small black cloth bag is tucked at his waist.<br> Action: Standing in front of the wooden table, one hand pinching the zipper of the dark green backpack, the other hand controlling the vines, turning his head to look behind him.<br> Physical State: His body carries a faint, fresh scent of grass.<br> Inner OS: I've been looking for so long and haven't even seen a weed seed, what bad luck... Who's so wicked they'd throw a brick at the back of my head? That's so rude... Good thing my reactions are fast... (｡•ˇ‸ˇ•｡) <br> Affection: 0 Throwing a brick at me... I'm definitely not adding points for that!<br> </div></details> <details class="ip"> <summary> To-do ⏱️</summary> <div class="pb tdl"> [ ] Check the items in the dark green backpack<br> [ ] Figure out who is throwing bricks<br> [ ] Find the next search point or return to base before dark<br> </div></details> <details class="ip"> <summary> Missions 💰</summary> <div class="pb"> <div><strong>Accepted Missions</strong></div> <div>- [First Squad Mission: Clear the area around Jinyintan and search for usable supplies]</div> <div><strong>Available Missions</strong></div> <div>- [Logistics Dept: Collect 30kg of scrap metal parts]</div> <div>- [Medical Dept: Urgent, find anti-inflammatories and antibiotics]</div> <div>- [Planting Zone: Urgent, find any usable plant seeds]</div> <div><strong>Points</strong> 931</div> <div><strong>Today's Limited Exchange Items</strong></div> <div>- Compressed Biscuits x1 pack (20 points)</div> <div>- Povidone-iodine disinfectant x1 (80 points)</div> <div>- Cherry Tomato x1 (10 points, limit 3)</div> <div>- Huanghelou Blue Cigarettes x10 (100 points, Sold Out)</div> </div></details> <details class="ip"> <summary> Phone 📱</summary> <div class="pb phone-content">  NetEase Music: [Local List] Now Playing "South of the South Mountain" (Paused)<br> Weather: [Jiangcheng] Overcast, 12°C, Radiation levels normal.<br> <div class="private-reply">↳ (Still no sign of it getting warmer... Dammit! Those two cherry tomatoes and that cabbage in the greenhouse better hold on!)</div> <hr>  Browser History: Floor plan of Jinyintan Flower, Bird, and Fish Market underground storage<br> <div class="private-reply">↳ (These old maps are so inaccurate. I've circled around three times and haven't seen the entrance. Could it be buried?)</div> Browser Search: Where else to find seeds besides flower markets and seed shops<br> <div class="private-reply">↳ (The base only has those few dozen seeds left, and the current soil can't grow anything... Sigh, I'll just have to purify it slowly and keep looking for seeds.)</div> <hr>  Blaze·Jin (Jin Yanchu): Hey farmer, have you cleared the living things on your end yet? I just hacked two mutant dogs, so damn annoying.<br> <div class="private-reply">↳ Verdant·Qin (Qin Yichuan): It's pretty quiet here, not even a live rat. Be careful.</div> Aqua·Xiao (Xiao Lin): Yichuan-ge, can you help me see if there are any plastic hoses when you come back? My water purifier hose cracked, and it's leaking really badly. ( ´•ᯅ•`)<br> <div class="private-reply">↳ Verdant·Qin (Qin Yichuan): Okay, I'll keep an eye out for you. There should be plenty of hoses near the old fish tank shops around here.</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ (Xiao Lin's water purifier is the base's lifeline, I'd better bring back a few extra hoses later.)</div> Gravity·Yue (Yue Lubai): Gather at the entrance of Jinyintan Aeon Mall before 6 PM. <div class="private-reply">↳ Verdant·Qin (Qin Yichuan): Roger, Captain. I'll search a bit more.</div> <hr>  <div style="text-align: center;"> ꧁༺ Pillars of Huazhong Base ༻꧂ </div><br> Gravity·Yue (Yue Lubai): Everyone must withdraw to the base before 6 PM.<br> Blaze·Jin (Jin Yanchu): So damn annoying, this crappy supermarket has nothing left. Captain, I'm heading to you now.<br> Hawkeye·Huo (Huo Chenyuan): Second Squad has cleared the perimeter of Sector B. Need help, Captain Yue?<br> Gravity·Yue (Yue Lubai): No need. Return immediately.<br> Gatekeeper·Liu (柳轻舟): Come back early if there's no harvest. It'll be dark soon, it's not safe outside.<br> Data·Lin (Lin Cheng): Yue Lubai, Jin Yanchu, Qin Yichuan—the three of you finish your search and get back here ASAP.<br> Thunder·Gu (Gu Zhilan): I've already fixed the relay. What's the matter, did some succubus outside drain you dry? Legs too weak to come back?<br> Blaze·Jin (Jin Yanchu): Gu Zhilan, shut the hell up!<br> Verdant·Qin (Qin Yichuan): Roger that. I'll finish my check here and meet up with the Captain and Yanchu immediately.<br> </div></details> <details class="ip"> <summary> Forum 🌐</summary> <div class="pb phone-content"> <div style="text-align: center;">━━━ Survivor Exchange Area ━━━</div><br> <b>Hot Post: [Has anyone been to Jinyintan? I heard there used to be an underground climate-controlled warehouse]</b> <br> Poster: Wasteland Gold Digger<br> Post: As titled, I heard from an old hunter yesterday that there's a hidden underground climate-controlled warehouse beneath the Jinyintan Flower, Bird, and Fish Market. There might still be fertilizer and equipment that hasn't spoiled. Anyone want to team up and explore?<br> <hr>  <div class="private-reply">↳ Lone Wolf Old Hei: Don't go there to die. The terrain is complex; if you get surrounded, there's nowhere to run.</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Licking the Blade: Underground warehouse? Even if it exists, after a year, everything would have rotted into sludge.</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Fainting from Hunger: If I could find food, I'd go. Can you eat fertilizer?</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Information Peddler: I heard someone from the First Squad went to that area today. You won't be able to outcompete the regulars.</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Iron Hammer Wang: Count me in for the team.</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Doomsday Slacker: Good luck to the guy above, remember to write your will.</div> <hr> <div style="text-align: center;">━━━ Huazhong Gossip Area ━━━</div><br> <b>New Post: [Complaining about today's porridge in the cafeteria, could it be any thinner?]</b> <br> Poster: Being Hungry Sucks<br> Post: At lunch today, I could see my own reflection in the bowl. They said it was 500 calories, but I seriously suspect it was only 50. If this keeps up, I'm going to waste away. I heard the management has a private kitchen, is that true?<br> <hr> <div class="private-reply">↳ Base Bricklayer: Be grateful. I heard the East China Base next door has started eating Guanyin clay.</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Truth Teller: If you're so capable, go out and hunt yourself. Can you fill your stomach with gossip?</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Logistics Nobody: Stop spreading rumors. Management eats the same as us. Boss Chen was eating rock-hard compressed biscuits yesterday.</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Master Contrarian: The OP is just bored. If you were starved for three days, you'd even gnaw on tree bark.</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Craving Meat: I really want hotpot... even if it's just the base broth boiled in water.</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Just Browsing: Go to sleep. You can have everything in your dreams.</div> </div></details> </div> <p> <details> <summary> Notepad 🐱</summary> 1. [2037/03/03 17:10 Jinyintan Flower, Bird, and Fish Market, Jiangcheng City] After failing to find plant seeds, Qin Yichuan entered an empty room and found a dark green backpack. As he was about to open it, he was attacked by a brick thrown from behind. He quickly used vines to intercept the attack and turned around to check. </details> </p>