Chapter 025: Cabin Upgrade Card
Yan Cang was thoroughly satisfied with this dinner, feeling that even the cool evening breeze carried a sense of comfort.
There was fish and meat, with noodles as the main course.
When the meat grew greasy, there were wild vegetables to cut through it, and when thirsty, there was soup and soda.
The grilled fish was especially well-done, with the bones crispy and delicious.
To be honest, even back on Earth, he rarely had meals better than this.
If he were to be strict about it, perhaps none of them could compare.
After all, just this tiger meat alone was enough to surpass all his past experiences.
Perhaps because he had only eaten instant noodles for lunch, Yan Cang now had a hearty appetite, finishing all the generous portions of food cleanly, even gnawing on the fish bones.
When he finished, only a faint red glow remained on the horizon.
Yan Cang took a tissue from his mental space to wipe his mouth, looking at the table where only the thicker fish bones and empty wooden bowls and plates remained.
Perhaps fullness had stirred a lazy streak in him, as he strongly resisted the thought of cleaning up the dishes.
A convenient excuse popped up: these crudely made wooden utensils were essentially disposable items anyway.
They had no real value, and even if listed on the Trading House, they wouldn't sell for many Fate Points.
Yan Cang quickly convinced himself.
After sitting still for a moment to rest, he recalled the characteristic of the mental space—"it collapses without mental power to sustain it"—and with a thought, he stored the utensils inside.
Then, in an instant, he "destroyed" them.
Given his level of control over the [Mental Space], this was not difficult.
The remaining table and chairs were left in place, which seemed fitting enough.
After all, the cabin's interior wasn't very spacious.
As the sky darkened and night fell, the cabin was now shrouded in gloom.
Seeing this, Yan Cang opened the Trading House and searched for lighting tools.
The list of items displayed various electric lamps, including exquisite chandeliers that would have been expensive on Earth.
Clearly, these were "treasures" from supply crates, but they were useless here since there was no electricity.
Even if someone wanted to buy them, it would likely only be for the materials.
Skipping past these, Yan Cang quickly locked onto a target:
[Multifunctional Everlasting Light (Mysterious Artifact)]
[Description: A Silver Chest item, no energy needed, soft and non-glaring light, built-in insect-repelling function, adjustable brightness. Even better: from the outside, the illuminated area remains pitch black, offering excellent concealment. Expensive, but with good reason!]
[Seller: Wang Dong]
[Price: 1200 Fate Points]
[Status: For Sale]
Good stuff!
Even though he had "Fate Protection" to rely on, Yan Cang didn't need to worry about safety.
But if the light attracted unnecessary trouble, avoiding it would require extra energy expenditure.
Moreover, this lamp served multiple purposes at once.
It provided light, repelled insects, and had such strong concealment.
The four-digit price seemed high at first glance, but on second thought, Fate Points were essentially energy.
If he bought other lighting tools, the "safety cost" he'd have to pay later would likely be higher.
With that calculation, he felt at ease.
Yan Cang decisively placed the order.
The transaction was completed. As the seller's Fate Net account was credited with over a thousand Fate Points, the lamp had already quietly appeared in Yan Cang's Mental Space.
He took out the lamp, and a gentle glow instantly spread in a circle around him.
Curiously, he brought the lamp into the cabin, then stepped back outside to look.
In his field of vision, the interior of the cabin was indeed still pitch black.
"Interesting..." he murmured.
At the same time, he felt delighted that genuinely good items were starting to appear in the Trading House.
After all, his Fate Points could practically be considered unlimited.
"Let's see what else is good."
With a surge of interest, Yan Cang continued browsing.
Soon, another item caught his eye even more:
【Cabin Upgrade Card (Item)】
【Description: As the name suggests, like a game item, it can upgrade your Initial Cabin. I haven't used it myself, so I'm not sure of the exact effect, but it came from a Silver Chest, so it can't be bad.】
【Seller: Li Fei】
【Price: 5888 Fate Points】
【Status: Sold】
The moment he saw the description and price, Yan Cang immediately snapped it up.
Afraid someone else might snatch it away.
Of course, at a price close to six thousand, no one else could be so extravagant right now.
Even though this item was indeed very useful, it still had one limitation: it could only upgrade the Initial Cabin in the Trial Ground.
If it could upgrade houses built by humans, or even entire camp structures, then the price could easily have been multiplied tenfold.
However, for Yan Cang, it was just right.
After all, the interior space of the cabin was too small.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have felt it was more suitable to place the table and chairs outside just now.
Moreover, the Initial Cabin's structure was crude, always making him worry it might collapse after a heavy storm.
Now, the "Upgrade Card" solved the problem directly.
Even if he paid a bit too much for such a rare item, it didn't matter.
Buy early, enjoy early!
As he took out the 【Cabin Upgrade Card】, he glanced at it and used it directly.
The moment the card touched the doorframe, it dissolved into countless firefly-like specks of light, gently enveloping the entire cabin.
Yan Cang instinctively stepped back, eyes wide open.
The specks of light flowed like liquid mercury, and wherever they passed, the rough, drafty wooden planks seemed to be reshaped by an invisible hand.
The texture of the wooden walls became dense and solid, the gaps quietly sealed, and the structure visibly reinforced and expanded.
The cabin seemed to "grow" as if alive, its area expanding two or three times outward, and the roof became taller and more orderly.
When the light finally faded, a brand-new cabin stood before him:
The roof was covered with neat wooden shingles, the walls were thick and seamless, and it now had an extra window and a tightly closed solid wood door.
"It really is a game-like upgrade..." Yan Cang muttered, then reached out and touched the wall.
The texture was solid and warm, a world apart from the fragile feeling that a single punch might break through.
He pushed the door open and found even greater changes inside.
The floor was paved with smooth wooden planks, the space was spacious, more than enough for a large bed and a table with chairs.
There was also a side room; stepping inside, he found simple drainage facilities, clearly a small bathroom.
"Worth it." Yan Cang nodded with satisfaction.
With that, he moved the table and chairs from outside into the cabin and casually placed the [Multifunctional Everlasting Light] on the table.
Soft light filled the room, yet from outside, it still appeared pitch black.
At that moment, Yan Cang couldn't help but look around.
He noticed that aside from the table and chairs, the entire room only had the supply crate and that straw bed, making it feel empty.
The thought of adding more furnishings immediately surged in his mind.
The first thing he recalled was the mattress he had his eye on in the afternoon but found too expensive.
It should be about right now, shouldn't it?
Checking the price, it had indeed dropped to near double digits.
Specifically, it was 108 Fate Points.
At this price, it offered fairly good value for money.
The reason no one had bought it yet was mainly because the mattress was too large, and the interior space of the Initial Cabin was limited.
So if he waited longer, the price might drop a bit more.
But since it happened to fit Yan Cang's newly upgraded cabin perfectly, he couldn't be bothered to haggle over a few dozen points.
After buying the mattress, he naturally needed to pair it with a suitable bed frame, along with pillows and sheets.
Since the partition was meant to be a bathroom, he also had to stock up on related supplies.
To take a shower, a change of clothes was essential.
The set he was wearing really did need replacing.
And with more clothes, a wardrobe became necessary.
For passing the time with games, a comfortable chair was also a must...
As his thoughts expanded, his shopping urge became unstoppable.
So, for the next hour or so, Yan Cang immersed himself in the joy of "buy, buy, buy."
The cabin gradually filled with various furniture and items, finally taking on the look of a "home."
The total expense wasn't too high, with most items being ordinary goods others had opened from Black Iron or Bronze Chests.
Only one item caught his eye and was the most expensive:
[Self-Cleaning Toilet (Mysterious Artifact)]
[Description: No water supply or drainage pipes needed. After closing the lid, deposited items are automatically decomposed and purified. The process takes about an hour, with no odor.]
[Seller: Anonymous]
[Price: 800 Fate Points]
[Status: Sold]
Everyone has urgent needs, and this Mysterious Artifact perfectly solved the current awkwardness.
But because the purification took time, it was somewhat impractical for larger teams.
And individual buyers mostly couldn't afford it, so it wasn't snatched up instantly.
The moment Yan Cang spotted it, he decisively made the purchase.
After this shopping spree, his quality of life in the Trial Ground had approached modern standards.
Once all the furniture was properly arranged, Yan Cang worked up a light sweat and decided to take a shower.
The weather in the Trial Ground had been pleasant these past two days, with daytime highs around 30°C and nighttime lows around 20°C.
Now that night had fallen, washing with cold water would be a bit chilly.
At least Yan Cang wasn't used to it.
Fortunately, because water resources were so cheap on the Trading House, someone had already started a "hot water business."
For just a few Fate Points, he could buy enough warm water for a shower.
This might be a luxury for others, but for him, it was nothing.
Before showering, he tossed his dirty clothes directly into the Mental Space.
Thinking that sooner or later, the Trading House would feature Mysterious Artifacts like "Washing Machines," there was no need to do it himself.
With that in mind,
He quickly rinsed off, changed into clean clothes,
and then sat down on his newly purchased Ergonomic Chair, leisurely pulling out his Game Console.
Within arm's reach were the unfinished Orange Soda and a freshly bought bottle of Mineral Water, ready to grab whenever he was thirsty.
As the game screen loaded, he focused his attention.
Black Myth, continuing onward.
He was immersed for two or three hours before finally shifting his gaze from the screen, glancing at the Leaderboard Refresh Countdown on his Status Panel:
Just over 14 hours remaining.
Converting that, it was now roughly 10 PM.
"Time to sleep."
He put away the Game Console, did a quick wash-up,
and adjusted the brightness of the [Multifunctional Everlasting Light] to its lowest setting, using it as a nightlight.
Then he lay down on the soft, comfortable new bed, pulled the sheet over his stomach, and closed his eyes.
...But then he tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.
In the darkness, he opened his eyes in confusion.
Strange, why was he so alert?
His body even felt a faint heat, his mind restless.
For some reason, Yu Jing's bright face popped into his head, and even Teacher Qiao Yue's figure appeared.
"How odd."
Suddenly, he remembered the tiger meat he had eaten for dinner.
"Maybe... it was too nourishing?"
Yan Cang felt a bit frustrated and started pondering how to fall asleep quickly.
Soon, he recalled a discussion he had seen that morning on the Fate Net Forum: many people mentioned that after topping up Fate Points, they slept especially soundly due to physical exhaustion.
Although for him, Fate Points were just backend numbers he could change at will, with no need to top up, the principle was still worth borrowing.
So Yan Cang made a slight mental move, directly drawing about half of his Physical Strength from his own body and channeling it into the Energy Pool.
A wave of intense fatigue instantly swept over his entire being.
He closed his eyes again, and within a few minutes, his breathing gradually became steady and deep.
He fell into a deep sleep.