Chapter 134: Leisurely

Su Rui's voice grew quieter, eventually almost a monologue, "No wonder you can pull out eight hundred Game Coins so easily..."

The vehicle finally steadied, but Su Rui's breathing remained ragged.

Cheng Shuili noticed her back was stiff, clearly still nervous.

What exactly is she nervous about?

"Relax," Cheng Shuili couldn't help laughing, "I won't eat you."

"I'll try…" Su Rui took a deep breath, only to choke on her own saliva and cough violently.

Cheng Shuili handed over a bottle of water.

Su Rui's fingers trembled as she took it, twisting the cap three times before it opened.

She gulped a big mouthful, but the water spilled from the corner of her mouth, dripping down her chin onto her clothes, looking a mess.

"So…" Su Rui brushed her face with her sleeve, her voice so soft it was barely audible, "Why did you buy me? I can't really help you at all…"

Cheng Shuili looked out at the rushing wasteland and said lightly, "I told you, it's just a favor."

The vehicle fell silent, only the engine's roar echoing.

After a while, Su Rui spoke again, her voice much firmer, "I'll prove I'm worth those eight hundred Game Coins."

Helping drive for a few days would be enough.

It'd be even better if I could help slay monsters.

If I could join the Instance too, that would be awesome!

She stood at the cockpit doorway with Su Rui for a while longer, then returned to the cabin to check the totem bought on the black market.

【Guardian Totem】

【Description: Generates a one‑time shield for your vehicle, lasting fifteen minutes! While the shield is active, no attack can damage your vehicle! This Totem disappears after one use.】

Generate a one‑time shield?

Cheng Shuili couldn't immediately think of its purpose, but she knew spending thirty Game Coins on a totem was a great deal.

Cheng Shuili glanced into the cockpit; Su Rui sat upright, staring ahead, the cart moving steadily.

She couldn't help but curl her mouth into a smile; now she truly had both hands free.

Their first night together was fairly pleasant.

Su Rui laid out a floor mat for herself.

Cheng Shuili, worried she might lie on something hard, piled several blankets for her, moving Su Rui to tears.

Cheng Shuili had grown accustomed to her this way.

That night, Xinxue suddenly messaged Cheng Shuili.

【Xin Xue Chuji】: Lao Da, this morning you and sister Ailin killed Skewer‑Guy Zhou, and his supplies were auto‑assigned to me. They only appeared in my supply box; when I tallied them just now, I got about 25%—these are his supplies.

"You received a gift from player Xin Xue Chuji…"

All materials and food, plus 724 Game Coins, and a heap of other junk.

If Xinxue hadn't clarified the source, Cheng Shuili would have thought she was just dumping trash.

Xinxue's intentions were good, but sometimes you really don't need to set out.

As for why the supplies went to Xinxue, Cheng Shuili guessed it was because Skewer‑Guy Zhou used a Designated Player Duel Card on Xinxue; after Zhou's death, Xinxue was deemed the victor, so the supplies naturally went to her.

Cheng Shuili kept the Game Coins and sent the rest back to Xinxue.

She often flips items, making it convenient to handle them, but left here they become trash.

After sorting it out, Cheng Shuili lay on the bed, sighing with relief; half‑asleep she felt she had forgotten something but couldn't recall, so she let herself drift off.

The night passed normally; having another person made no real difference from before.

The next morning, when Cheng Shuili opened her eyes, Su Rui had already freshened up, sitting quietly on the nearby sofa, waiting for Cheng Shuili to issue today's orders.

Cheng Shuili wasn't in a hurry to assign anything; it wasn't even eight o'clock yet, and the vehicle couldn't be driven right now.

She still remembered the guide's words: one bottle of mineral water a day sustains vital signs.

Cheng Shuili opened the fridge, her fingers hesitating briefly between functional drink and mineral water, finally picking a functional drink.

Su Rui understood her kindness but shook her head, refusing, because the drink was no different from ordinary mineral water, and drinking the premium stuff would be wasteful.

At eight sharp, Su Rui entered the cockpit on time, dutifully driving forward.

Cheng Shuili felt a bit unaccustomed.

After more than half a month of diligent driving, the sudden leisure felt odd; she idly flipped through regional channels—today was the third day of the Heatwave—and finally someone noticed something amiss.

"Have you gotten any water out these two days? Any water counts, drinks count, any?"

"Huh, you just mentioned it upstairs, and I realized we haven't seen water in the box for two days! What's up?"

"Waqi, now that you say it I realize, really none!"

"I don't either. Did anyone get any out?"

"None +1"

"None +2"

"Something's off, eight out of ten parts are off!"

"Eight out of ten are eggs? The situation's already clear, absolutely off!"

"Is now the time to fight over this? Shouldn't we be thinking why there's no water?"

"Makes sense. Isn't this disaster the Heatwave? If we treat water taken from the supply box as water sourced from the wild, it's logical, right? It's too hot! Water evaporates! And because it's too hot, clouds can't form! No rain, so where does water come from?"

"The upstairs analysis makes a lot of sense!"

"Stop the damn 'reasonable or not' talk, I need to know why there's no water! I need to know where to get water!"

"Why the rush? Who hasn't stocked a few bottles of water in their car? In a day or two it'll be fine, right?"

"You never consider anyone's guesses! Didn't that person say it clearly? I bet until this Heatwave ends, we won't get water from the supply box!"

"I can't open any water! I can't even open any liquid!"

"Ahem, um, is anyone selling water?"

Xin Xue Chuji: Bottled mineral water, a bit pricier than usual; come if you're prepared.

"????"

"Why is he everywhere?"

"Why is he hoarding again? Who gave him the information? Is this correct?"

"Tsk tsk, this person must be backed by some big boss, otherwise where would such accurate info come from?"

"Was he previously in the 1000-point zone, where the big bosses whose names are known are: Wu Ya, Qing Shan, Men Sheng Fa Da Cai, and Radiant big boss—just those few, right?"

"Radiant big boss can be ruled out outright; Radiant big boss would never do this kind of front-and-back double‑deal!"

"Hey, maybe? I think Radiant big boss is the biggest suspect. The more impossible it seems, the more likely it is!"