Chapter 47: The Guild That "Exploited a Bug"

Chapter 47: Chapter 47: The Guild That "Exploited a Bug"

"Though a bit old, it still absorbs water quite well."

Shen Manyun froze completely.

She took the pair of underwear off her face, stared at the obvious traces of male characteristics on it, and her mind went blank instantly.

This... this is too shameful!

He actually wants me to use something like this to wipe my body?

"N-no need!"

Shen Manyun blushed crimson with embarrassment and was about to throw the underwear back.

"I... I’ll just put my clothes on while I’m still wet."

As she spoke, she reached for the tattered clothes.

"Suit yourself."

Lin Ji took a slow drag of his cigarette and said indifferently.

"But I should warn you, the sea breeze is so cold right now. If you catch a cold or fever from being soaked like this..."

"I don’t have any extra cold medicine for you."

"Out here at sea with no doctors, getting sick is basically a death sentence."

These words were like a bucket of cold water, instantly dousing Shen Manyun’s last shred of restraint.

She was a smart woman and knew Lin Ji was telling the truth.

If she really fell ill, she would become completely useless to the team.

And the only outcome waiting for her then would be abandonment.

Shen Manyun gritted her teeth, looked at the underwear in her hand, her eyes filled with struggle.

In the end, the instinct for survival overcame her shame.

She took a deep breath, trembling as she picked up the underwear again.

"Th-thank you, Captain."

She kept her head down, her voice as faint as a mosquito’s hum.

Then she turned her back, enduring the intense shame, and began using the fabric that carried a man’s scent to slowly wipe her delicate skin.

Watching Shen Manyun’s back as she endured the shame and used the fabric to wipe her delicate skin bit by bit.

Lin Ji leaned against the headboard, blew out a smoke ring, and felt an immense sense of satisfaction.

This feeling of being in complete control, of making the once lofty and intellectual teacher abandon her dignity just to survive, was truly intoxicating.

However, Lin Ji didn’t continue to indulge in this mischievous pleasure.

He withdrew his gaze and reopened the Trading House.

He scrolled through his contacts list for a while and found the woman who had sold him the toothbrush and toothpaste earlier—Wang Xinxin.

This woman probably still had quite a bit of stock left, perfect for replenishing his supplies now.

Lin Ji sent her a message directly:

"Still alive?"

Simple, direct, even somewhat cold.

But in this apocalyptic world where death could come at any moment, this could even be considered a kind of affectionate greeting.

Surprisingly, the other party replied very quickly.

[Wang Xinxin: Boss is here! Thanks to you, I’m still alive!]

[Wang Xinxin: Selling you those toiletries last time gave me enough Evolution Points to buy a bottle of water and survive. I’ve saved up a bit now and am trying to figure out how to keep going.]

Lin Ji raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised.

This woman was quite resilient.

"The Steam Power Core’s price has been driven up to ten thousand now. With the little savings you have, you probably can’t afford it, right?"

Lin Ji cut straight to the point, "Without a power core, you can’t upgrade to Level 3. When the Poisonous Mist arrives in a couple of days, you’ll die anyway."

There was silence on the other end for a few seconds, followed by a somewhat helpless reply.

[Wang Xinxin: You really have a sharp eye. I genuinely can’t afford it. The price is just outrageous—even selling myself wouldn’t cover it.]

The system has matched you with the urban fiction category. Click for details.

[Wang Xinxin: But I’ve already found a backup plan. I’ve joined a Guild in this sea area called the Sea God Alliance.]

Lin Ji was somewhat surprised.

"Joined a Guild? Even if you joined, they wouldn’t allocate a boarding spot on a Level 3 Vessel to a lone player like you, would they?"

From what he knew, competition within those large Guilds was extremely fierce. Strategic resources like Level 3 Vessels would undoubtedly be prioritized for core combat personnel.

[Wang Xinxin: You’re a smart person, boss. Indeed, they didn’t give me boarding privileges.]

[Wang Xinxin: But the talent I awakened is somewhat useful, so they agreed to take me in.]

[Wang Xinxin: My talent is [E-grade · Cleaning]. When I activate the skill, I can instantly clean all dust, stains, and grease within a 10-meter radius, and I can also help wash clothes and shoes.]

[Wang Xinxin: At sea now, washing clothes is a luxury. My skill happens to save them time and maintain hygiene to prevent illness. So, the Guild leader said they’ll tie my Level 2 Raft to the back of their Level 3 Large Ship with a cable and tow me along.]

Seeing this message, Lin Ji paused for a moment, then instantly visualized a scene in his mind.

A massive Level 3 Steam Ship cutting through the waves ahead, with several dilapidated small rafts strung together like candied haws on a thick cable trailing behind.

"These people... really know how to exploit loopholes."

Lin Ji couldn’t help but marvel.

Although this method seemed pitiful, it greatly preserved the population base.

For the Guild, it was an extremely clever expansion tactic.

As long as more auxiliary personnel with special talents survived, the Guild’s logistical support capabilities would grow stronger.

However, this method couldn’t be used indefinitely. If too many rafts were towed, it would likely affect sailing speed.

"Alright, enough small talk."

Lin Ji had managed to extract quite a bit of Intelligence about other sea area Guilds from this woman, which counted as some gain.

"Since you’re still alive, let’s do business."

"I want to buy towels, shampoo, body wash, bath scrubs, facial cleanser... ten sets of each."

[Wang Xinxin: Sure thing! Big boss, please wait a moment. I’ll pack them up for you!]

The two quickly settled on a price, totaling 50 Evolution Points.

This amount wasn’t much for Lin Ji now, but for Wang Xinxin, it was a fortune.

[Ding! Transaction completed.]

[Acquired: Soft Towels x10, Moisturizing Shampoo x10, Fragrant Body Wash x10, Amino Acid Facial Cleanser x10...]

After the transaction was completed, Wang Xinxin couldn’t resist sending a few more messages.

[Wang Xinxin: Boss, you’re way too generous! I bet you’re definitely a core member of some big Guild or a lone wolf expert, right?]

[Wang Xinxin: Are you really not considering taking me in? My Cleaning talent is really useful, and I can warm the bed too...]

Lin Ji looked at the screen and replied coldly:

"Too far away, not interested."

"But your talent is indeed a bit interesting, and the intelligence you provided today isn’t bad either."

"I hope you live a long life. Maybe we’ll really run into each other someday."

After saying that, Lin Ji directly ended the call.

He glanced at the large pile of supplies he had just bought in the package, and a mischievous smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

"Crash—"

With a sweep of his hand, Lin Ji dumped out dozens of toiletries from the package.

All sorts of colorful bottles and containers instantly covered the floor.

Shen Manyun, who was in the bathroom with her back to Lin Ji, struggling to wipe herself with that pair of underpants, heard the noise and instinctively turned to look.

At that sight, she was utterly stunned.

--Enjoying the story? Want more Chapters? Check out my Patreon and support me for 40+ advance Chapters.

Just search for "LegendaryTL" on Patreon!"

Thanks!