Lin Qianyi took vegetables and meat out of the fridge, ready to start cooking.
He wasn't particularly hungry at the moment, but the memory of what he had eaten on the deserted island kept the craving for a good meal lingering in his mind.
While cooking, Lin Qianyi was also thinking.
The next trial was two months away.
He had to be well-prepared before then.
First, he could get a drone. A low-end, portable civilian model wouldn't cost much—it was basically toy-priced.
If he ended up in a trial map with poor visibility, the drone could help him expand his view.
As for weapons, maybe he should add some long-range options.
A bow?
No, too bulky—both the bow and arrows.
Maybe a slingshot would be better. He remembered seeing similar toy models before, and the range wasn't bad—some could shoot 100 to 200 meters. But buying high-damage projectiles would be a problem. Even if he could get them, it would likely lead to complications. The authorities strictly regulated that stuff. It could even impact his chances of getting into university.
Also, slingshots weren't mass-produced anymore. He'd have to get materials custom-made and assemble it himself. That would cost a bit more too.
As for food—he definitely needed to bring some seasonings.
Food itself wasn't a big issue; his farming space could grow things now. But eating without seasoning was just too miserable.
For gear, he could get himself a suit of armor.
Crafted full-body armor could be bought online, as long as it didn't involve regulated tech. Even lightweight bulletproof armor could be ordered directly online.
Thinking of this, Lin Qianyi sighed.
His identity was still a major limitation.
Being underage and just a regular civilian in a highly regulated area meant he didn't have access to many things.
Otherwise, with his savings, maybe he couldn't get nano-armor, but at least some basic exoskeleton gear would be within reach.
Once he got into university and officially became an Evolver, things would be different.
Soon, he finished cooking—three dishes and a soup. Before eating, he sent a photo to Wang Xiaoyi.
She replied with a drooling emoji, then showed him what she made and asked what he wanted to eat tomorrow—she'd cook it for him.
After a few exchanges, Lin Qianyi put down his phone and dug in.
When he was full, he lay on the sofa and turned on the TV to digest.
The TV was playing current news.
At his apparent age, not many would be interested in watching the news.
Most would be glued to livestreams of pretty girls, Evolver fighting tournaments, virtual games from the Illusory Realm, or related TV shows and anime.
While the news played in the background, part of Lin Qianyi's mind drifted into the farming space.
The points he earned in the trial space were also source energy—600 points in total from three missions.
He had already used 200 during the trials.
That left 400. Lin Qianyi hadn't exchanged them for supplies in the trial space.
He planned to reserve 100 points, and use the remaining 300 to buy two more plots of land and 1 cubic meter of warehouse space in his farming space.
Unlike land upgrades, purchasing new land cost the same: 100 source energy per plot, and likewise, expanding the warehouse by 1 cubic meter also cost 100.
Looking at the blank ground of his farming space, he moved his thoughts.
> [Prompt: Do you want to spend 100 source energy to purchase new land?]
"Yes!"
In the next moment, a second plot of land appeared next to the first.
Both were Level 1 fertile land, offering a +10% growth speed bonus.
Land upgrades applied to all plots, so newly purchased land didn't need separate upgrades.
This part pleased Lin Qianyi.
He quickly bought another plot. Now there were three plots running in parallel.
The center plot had Sea God Grass; the other two were empty.
Lin Qianyi took two root cuttings from storage and planted them, filling out the space.
Now he had 200 points left.
His attention turned to the warehouse.
> [Prompt: Do you want to spend 100 source energy to expand the warehouse by 1 cubic meter?]
"Yes."
With that thought, the once-cramped warehouse instantly doubled in size.
One cubic meter wasn't huge, but it wasn't small either.
Enough to store two suits of light bulletproof armor, some weapons, a drone, and seasonings.
The remaining 100 points had to be saved.
He figured he'd likely need them to buy seeds or extend time in the trial world.
But for now, no detailed plans—he needed rest and time to think.
That night, lying in his soft bed for once, Lin Qianyi thought he might have trouble sleeping.
But the moment his head hit the pillow, he was out cold.
---
The Next Day
Lin Qianyi only got up after receiving a call from Wang Xiaoyi. He got ready slowly and headed downstairs.
She had been waiting for a while.
"Good morning, senior!" Wang Xiaoyi greeted with a smile. "What took you so long today?"
"Was up late watching livestreams of pretty girls," Lin Qianyi said casually.
"I don't believe that," she shook her head.
While chatting, the two hopped onto their rides and slowly headed to school.
"Not like it matters whether you believe me. Teenage boys are like that," Lin Qianyi said.
"Were they pretty?" Wang Xiaoyi asked curiously.
"Prettier than you," he grinned.
"That trick doesn't work on me anymore," she said, turning her head. "I don't care at all."
Still, she pouted slightly after turning away.
She was normally quite mature and independent, but in front of someone she cared about, some childishness slipped through.
Unfortunately, Lin Qianyi didn't know how to comfort people.
Worse, he liked to tease.
To be blunt, he just found messing with her fun.
A little bit of wicked amusement.
"Oh right, senior, did you know? That girl transferred out…" Wang Xiaoyi suddenly said.
"Which one?" Lin Qianyi was still mentally stuck on the island. It took him a moment to realize she meant the girl who falsely accused her of stealing. "Her? Let her transfer then."
Maybe that girl had some family issues or something, which made her difficult to deal with.
But that wasn't Lin Qianyi's problem.
If her parents didn't raise her right, that was on them. Why should he be the one to understand her?
He just found people like that disgusting.
Wang Xiaoyi watched his indifferent expression and felt a strange admiration.
It was this very attitude of his that drew her in.
That unbothered, detached, "nothing can shake me" kind of air—as if nothing in the world was worth making a fuss over.
But she had also seen Lin Qianyi emotional before.
Her thoughts drifted back to the day he stood up for her.
---
Flashback: The Rooftop
Standing on the edge of the rooftop, Wang Xiaoyi felt hopeless.
She hadn't stolen the necklace, but everyone believed she had. Even the teachers didn't trust her.
She called her mother, who only said she'd pay for it.
Her father didn't even pick up.
She was exhausted… and ready to let go.
"I know who did it…"
Just as she was about to jump, a voice—panting slightly—spoke behind her.
It was a young man in a gray-black jacket with a cactus pendant around his neck.
Wang Xiaoyi recognized him. He was the orphan admitted through a special assistance program. He had given a speech before. People said he was a loner with no friends.
But unlike her, lots of girls liked him. He'd gotten love letters, and had just passed the entrance test to Tianyue University.
"I don't care anymore," Wang Xiaoyi said.
The truth didn't matter to her anymore.
"But I care. I ran across three dorm buildings for this crap, got mistaken for a pervert, the dorm lady beat me with a broom—my arm's all bruised. If you die, I'm going to piece you back together just to tell you the truth."
Lin Qianyi said, stepping closer.
His broken little cactus pendant radiated a strange pressure, and Wang Xiaoyi froze.
By the time she snapped out of it, her wrist had already been grabbed.
"Come with me. Right now. Let's go slap that idiot."
In a daze, she let him drag her to class—to face the so-called "queen bee."
The girl had a clear slap mark on her face. A necklace—the necklace—sat on the desk beside her. The expensive new model, worth tens of thousands.
Seeing them, the queen bee shrank back slightly.
"Speak," Lin Qianyi said sternly.
"Say what?" she stammered.
"Why did you do it?"
"Because… I thought she was fake. She never wanted to hang out with us, never smoked when we offered…"
"You framed her for stealing over that? Are you an idiot? I should slap you again just for that!"
"Please, don't hit me!" she shrieked, shielding her head.
Wang Xiaoyi wasn't sure how the arrogant girl had become like this—but it was oddly satisfying.
"Hands down!" Lin Qianyi barked.
The girl, terrified, dropped her hands and looked at them timidly.
Then Lin Qianyi turned to Wang Xiaoyi.
"Your turn. Hit her. Hard."
"I… I… forget it…" Wang Xiaoyi muttered, lowering her head.
"Coward Squad +1 point!" Lin Qianyi said, grabbing her wrist. "Open your hand!"
She did so instinctively.
Then Lin Qianyi used her hand to slap the queen bee.
Smack!
A crisp sound.
The girl's face turned red. So did Wang Xiaoyi's hand.
She hadn't expected it to hurt so much.
The queen bee was crying.
"That's it. We're done here. Oh, and this girl? She's under my protection now. Got it?"
"Got it! Got it!" the queen bee replied in panic.
Wang Xiaoyi looked at Lin Qianyi.
And suddenly realized—maybe someone in this world did care about her.