Chapter 196: The Art of Pretending the Mysterious

Yun's archrival poked at it with chopsticks a few times, then finally lifted a piece of meat and put it in their mouth.

She hadn't even started chewing, and the flavor of the seasoning was already enough to bring tears to her eyes.

Who the hell knows what she ends up eating after entering this world? Not to mention the moldy, expired stuff! Usually spending money to buy a bag of bread from Wu Ya counts as an improvement to her meals, and now she even has to race against time for that!

Suddenly tasting such fragrant rice, she actually burst into tears of emotion.

She didn't realize that her sharp‑tongued, aloof close friend was no different from her.

The two of them, in perfect sync, didn't send any messages.

After a while, just as Yun's archrival was about to finish the meal, a message from Mr. Dumpling finally arrived.

【Mr. Dumpling】: The remaining seedlings, still trade with him, okay?

Regarding this proposal, Yun's archrival naturally agreed.

Wuya Dalao's reputation is huge; even without using force, he's a very good trading partner.

Of course, the most important thing is that they only found this one trading partner.

There was no other choice.

【Yun's archrival】: I'll go negotiate with him!

【Mr. Dumpling】: Don't rush; let's discuss what to trade first.

Cheng Shuili still didn't realize that she was about to acquire a huge number of plant seedlings, and she was also having dinner.

Unlike Yun's courier and Mr. Dumpling's wolf‑like gulping, her manner of eating was extremely refined, truly a case of chewing slowly and savoring.

What Su Rui could least stand was this guy's breakfast demeanor, not because she lacked taste, but because Cheng Shuili was just too refined when eating.

She would hallucinate a person with a very good, very elegant personality.

It could be anyone, but it absolutely wasn't Cheng Shuili, and that was very bad.

Su Rui silently withdrew her gaze, and while it was still daylight, she seriously started the car.

Tonight, nothing happened.

The sixth day of famine finally arrived.

According to tradition, today is the day to run an Instance.

After freshening up, Cheng Shuili routinely checked the regional channel.

Unlike the previous days, this morning's regional channel was unusually lively.

"Sigh, both scared and relieved—humans are just too complicated."

"Totally get the upstairs comment. Not having to worry about beastmen robbing is a real relief, but then we have to join an Instance… with this death rate… haha, if you look at it optimistically, aren't we dead either way? Just a different way to die."

"Is that optimism? Is that even called optimism?"

"I don't know what Instance this is, any insider info?"

"Crazy, right? This is a weekly Instance. Except for Wuya Dalao, I don't believe anyone who claims to know what the Instance is!"

Wu Ya doesn't know either.

Cheng Shuili's lips formed a stiff straight line.

She had just received breakfast from Qi Wan Yi—a bowl of rice porridge and tea‑egg—but it was too hot to swallow.

"I have insider info."

"I know, I know~ Stop bragging, buddy; attracting attention isn't done that way."

"If you don't know and just blurt it out, that's spreading rumors—if you want attention, damn you. If you do know and claim you know, you're certain to die, got it? Some jokes aren't to be made lightly."

Cheng Shuili agreed with that person, but she agreed even more with the former: the chance of predicting this Instance in advance is really low.

But the possibility can't be completely ruled out.

She raised her hand to rub her eyes and suddenly felt much more awake.

The chat on the regional channel kept going.

"If I really knew, I'd first stack a shield. This information wasn't obtained through any item, nor predicted by any item; it was told to me by a merchant NPC I met at the Jia You Zhan. So if anything happens to me, you won't get to know the Instance details in advance. Moreover, the most important point: if we could know this Instance beforehand, we could survive 100%. Now, anyone still doubting me, attacking me, or even using a designated player single‑target card to kill me? I only have a lousy life, but speaking this could save countless lives—do you want to bet?"

Also the most important point: if we can know this Instance ahead of time, we can survive with certainty. Now, are there still people who question me, attack me, even use a designated player single‑card to kill me? I only have a rotten life, but by speaking it out I can save countless lives—do you want to bet?

Cheng Shuili raised an eyebrow; things suddenly became interesting.

Now she was a bit eager to see what this person would actually say.

Unfortunately, the regional channel is full of soft‑hearted folks who don't take hard lines, especially when faced with such a tough, even threatening tone.

"Sisters, you'd better really know, otherwise if you don't die today, it's going to end badly."

"Ugh, buddy, not to sound like I'm the one saying this, but if you're going to act, at least say something people don't already know, right? Who hasn't been to the Jia You Zhan? Who's met a monster merchant? No one on the regional channel mentioned this NPC before you! Even lies need a grain of truth, otherwise nobody believes you!"

Tch, buddy, I'm not saying you have to claim something nobody knows when you go out to act, right? Who hasn't been to Jia You Zhan? Who's met a monster merchant? No one mentioned this NPC on the regional channel before you! Even lies need to be half‑true, that way more people believe them!

"The merchant NPC at the Jia You Zhan? I've seen him too; he gave me a piece of info back then, said it was most useful to me, but I still haven't figured out what it's good for."

Cheng Shuili squinted; so many people had actually seen the Jia You Zhan merchant NPC.

With so many having seen him, this Number One hadn't… is that a bit…

So many people have seen it, yet she, this Number One, hasn't… is that a bit…

Cheng Shuili muttered under her breath.

Such a random setup is completely unreasonable!

What if some people never encounter it in their whole lives?

It's like blueprint refinement… Cheng Shuili frowned; if blueprint refinement had a fixed success rate, she could keep failing to improve a blueprint every single day!

Just like blueprint improvement… Cheng Shuili frowned; if blueprint improvement has a fixed success rate, then she could keep improving a blueprint and keep failing! Failing every day!

Thinking that, Cheng Shuili pulled out another energy stone and rose to the workbench.

She had sworn yesterday that Su Rui would confirm it today, so she handed the energy stone to Su Rui, carefully explained which blueprint to refine, and then silently closed her eyes.

She had sworn yesterday that Su Rui would confirm it today, so she handed the energy stone to Su Rui, carefully explained which blueprint to refine, and then silently closed her eyes.

Success!

We must succeed this time!

We've failed so many times! Failing again would be truly unreasonable!

Cheng Shuili is a bit reluctant to accept reality, so this time the period she kept her eyes closed was especially long.

Until Su Rui saw the diagram of successful improvement appear, she turned her head and only then realized Cheng Shuili was still keeping her eyes closed.

Su Rui was a bit surprised that this Lao Da had such a side, but this indeed made her seem more like a living person.

"Alright, Lao Da."

Cheng Shuili, still with her eyes closed, asked, "Did it succeed?"

"Success?" Su Rui was being deliberate, "It succeeded... maybe?"

When she heard the declarative "success" spoken, Cheng Shuili had already opened her eyes.

She looked at Su Rui in disbelief at that final "maybe"—this person was actually teasing her?

Fine, Su Rui really does seem human now.

Today, the two people in the vehicle both think the other looks human.

What a wonderful day!

Cheng Shuili's gaze swept over the panel before her; fortunately it succeeded—had it failed, she would truly have to cosplay as a slave master for a day.