[Cryogenic Ultra-Low Temperature Full-Body Suit]


    Type: Rare Item


    Material: Multi-layer composite Taslan, fine low-temperature cotton.


    Effect: Temperature resistance 0°C to -250°C. Provides protection against freezing, liquid nitrogen, cold, water, and offers thermal insulation.


    Movement Penalty: -5%


    Description: Specialized protective suit for extreme environments. Suitable for LNG stations, liquefied gas, natural gas, liquid nitrogen/oxygen, cold storage, laboratories, and ultra-low temperature settings.


    Note: Full protection requires the complete set: suit, hood, gloves, and boots.


    A grin stretched across Thomas’s face, unstoppable. Talk about a lucky find. A suit designed for -250°C. This was beyond his wildest hopes.


    He contacted the seller. Their request was simple. They’d found the suit in a cold storage facility yesterday, but were already suffering from [Wind Chill], out of heating supplies. Even the suit couldn’t halt the fever’s progress. They needed supplies to survive the blizzard.


    After some negotiation, Thomas traded three bowls of [Nourishing Mutton Stew], two [Anaprox Pain Relief Tablets], two [Amoxicillin Antibiotics], twenty units of wood, one unit of fuel, and a lighter for the suit.


    When he retrieved the item from his inbox, it was encased in a large carrying case. Inside, along with the suit, hood, gloves, and boots, was a fifty-centimeter air tank with a hose and breathing mask. The description explained: the sealed hood isolated the wearer from the outside environment, requiring a separate air supply.


    “Impressive,” Thomas murmured, carefully storing the suit.


    He returned to his messages. His offer to trade stew for low-tier medical supplies seemed to have broken down some barriers. Or perhaps they simply had items he needed.


    Minutes later, another hit.


    [Husky Brand Snow Electric Motorcycle]


    Type: Rare Item


    Effect: Fast snow travel. 50kg carrying capacity. Max speed 20 km/h. Quiet and durable.


    Battery Life: 6 hours at 0°C, 5 hours at -30°C, 4 hours at -70°C.


    Charge Time: 10 hours with Level 2 Generator.


    Description: Experience the joy of dog sledding, solo.


    Thomas laughed out loud. Unbelievable. He’d found both critical items with such ease.


    He contacted the seller, ready to haggle. But their demand was steep: fifteen bowls of stew. Even after some back-and-forth, they wouldn’t budge.


    Thomas frowned, unsure of their game. He decided to wait, feigning disinterest. He wanted to test their resolve and see if other offers appeared.


    As if on cue, a survivor from the West Coast region contacted him, offering something he’d been searching for: a pressure-resistant diving suit, crucial for the gene tonic.


    They wanted only three bowls of stew and a few fever pills and antibiotics. In this environment, the suit was practically worthless. But Thomas needed it. He agreed without hesitation.


    [Pressure-Resistant Diving Suit]


    Type: Rare Item


    Effect: Protects against water pressure up to 500 meters.


    Description: Bears the CBS logo. Seems to originate from a mysterious location.


    Note: Use with underwater oxygen tank.


    “CBS?” Thomas examined the logo on the back. His third encounter with these letters. The mark of CBS Laboratories. First on the [Laboratory Access Keycard], then on the case containing the gene tonic blueprint, and now this.


    His eyes narrowed. This laboratory intrigued him. And Sparrow City seemed inextricably linked to it. Every faction, every event, pointed back to this mysterious CBS. And now, an item washed up on the coast.


    He contacted the seller.


    “City - Thomas: Where did you find this? Can you tell me more?”


    The reply came quickly.


    “West Coast - Liu Cixin: You need more? Found it in a sanatorium storage room a couple of days ago.”


    “Sanatorium?” Thomas frowned, the word echoing in his mind.


    “City - Thomas: Thanks. If you find anything else with the CBS logo, contact me. I’ll pay well.”


    He sent them an extra bowl of stew.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    “City - Thomas: A little something for you. Stay safe.”


    The survivor, clearly surprised, replied immediately.


    “West Coast - Liu Cixin: Will do, Legend Smyth! I’ll contact you right away!”


    The trade complete, Liu Cixin, safe in his hideout, stared at the stew, a flicker of understanding in his eyes. He’d gained a valuable insight into Thomas’s character. Generosity with a purpose.


    “He’s definitely after those CBS things,” he mused. “I think I saw a few more items with that logo in the sanatorium’s office. I’ll check it out after the storm.”


    Thomas stored the diving suit, pleased. He was two steps closer to crafting the gene tonic: upgrading the [Intelligence Center] to Level 2 and acquiring a Calamity Wonder. The upgrade materials were being gathered; the Wonder would have to wait until tomorrow night.


    He opened his private messages. The snowmobile seller had cracked.


    “Mountains - Wu Jing: Legend Smyth, so sorry, typo earlier. Five bowls of stew is fine. Just throw in some fever pills and antibiotics, whatever you think is fair!”


    Thomas, sipping his tea by the fireplace, waited another ten minutes.


    “Mountains - Wu Jing: Legend Smyth, three bowls? Can’t go any lower. I broke my leg getting this thing!”


    Thomas smiled, setting down his tea.


    “City - Thomas: Deal.”


    Three bowls of stew, three pain pills, and three antibiotics later, the [Husky Brand Snow Electric Motorcycle] was his. Larger than a normal motorcycle, wider, with twin tracks replacing the rear wheel and small skis in front. Simple and efficient.


    He plugged the charger into his generator. The snowmobile’s indicator light glowed red. Charging. A wave of satisfaction washed over him. Transportation and cold-weather gear secured. Now, he just needed a plan to reach the Trading Center’s top floor.


    “Oh, right, the dice roll!” He was about to open the Super Monopoly panel when he remembered something. He scrolled back through his messages.


    “Found it!”


    “City - Thomas: You still there? You mentioned crafting wooden items in the world chat?”


    Seconds later:


    “Forest - Howie Wang: Legend Smyth! You’re back! Yes, I can make anything you need!”


    Thomas grinned.


    “City - Thomas: Can you carve a statue of Guan Yu?”


    Howie: ?????


    “Forest - Howie Wang: Wait, like, Lord Guan?”


    “City - Thomas: Exactly. Fifty centimeters tall. Eyes closed, stroking his beard, holding his mighty blade, guan dao. The whole nine yards. Coat it in tung oil. And make a pedestal for it. Three bowls of stew.”


    In a forest hideout, Howie, warming himself by a roaring fire, grinned. “My ship has finally come in!”


    He paused, a slyer smile spreading across his face.


    “Forest - Howie Wang: Legend Smyth, you’ll need an incense burner and incense, right?”


    “City - Thomas: You can make incense?” Genuine surprise this time.


    “Forest - Howie Wang: Not me, but I know a guy. He’s got a bunch ready to go.”


    “City - Thomas: Trade for it. I’ll cover the cost. Plus three extra pain pills and antibiotics for you. If you get it all to me within half an hour, I’ll add another bowl of stew.”


    “Forest - Howie Wang: Consider it done, Legend Smyth!”


    Thomas hadn’t expected to find incense so easily. Now, he had everything he needed for his shrine. Motivation, it seemed, could work wonders.


    Twenty-nine minutes later, a trade request from Howie. The statue, the pedestal, and a thousand sticks of incense.


    “Forest - Howie Wang: My friend said it’s for you, so just pay what you think is fair. He just makes them for fun.”


    Thomas didn’t believe that for a second. He added another bowl of stew to the trade.


    “City - Thomas: Give that to your friend. My thanks. I’ll be in touch.”


    The trade complete, Thomas placed the statue in a prominent spot in his living room, away from the kitchen and bathroom. He filled the incense burner with rolled oats, placed five cans of food as offerings, washed his hands, and lit three sticks of incense.


    His face solemn, he bowed before the statue.


    “Lord Guan, I, Thomas Smyth, humbly offer my respects. Grant me good fortune and prosperity.”


    He placed the incense in the burner, a smile playing on his lips. He opened the Super Monopoly panel and rolled the dice.


    A four.


    “The Shop?” He looked at the fourth square. A small room labeled “Shop.”


    As his miniature avatar landed on the square, the panel transformed, displaying shelves filled with items and their prices.


    [Remote Control Dice] x2 – 200 Wealth Points


    [Flight Card] x1 – 150 Wealth Points


    Trait [Interest Level 1] – 1500 Wealth Points


    Trait [Chosen One] – 2000 Wealth Points


    [Rare Pet] – 400 Wealth Points


    …


    The array of items dazzled him. But a five-minute timer ticked down in the corner, already at 4:13.


    He checked his balance: 1094 points. Another record high. But he had no time to celebrate. He scanned the items, searching for something to solve his immediate problem.


    [Stay Card], [Jail Card], [Shopping Card], Trait [Forced Sale], Trait [Master Thief], Trait [Build House], [Special Pass], [Blessing of the God of Fortune], [Curse of the God of Misfortune]…


    He wanted them all. But his limited points demanded careful consideration.


    With two minutes left, his eyes landed on a specific card.


    [One-Time Designated Purchase Card]


    Uses: 1/1


    Effect: Forcefully purchase a designated property. Requires an additional 15% fee as brokerage.


    Cost: 250 Wealth Points


    His mind raced. A solution.


    “This is it.”


    He bought the card. It appeared in his inventory. His balance dropped to 844. Enough.


    He scanned the Monopoly board.


    [4S Car Dealership], [Sparrow City Post Office], [Ginseng Black Pearl Restaurant], [Public Restroom]…


    His gaze settled on a skyscraper.


    [Sparrow City Trading Center]


    “Use [One-Time Designated Purchase Card] on [Sparrow City Trading Center].”


    The card vanished from his inventory, transforming into a stream of light that spiraled into the Trading Center square.


    A mechanical voice echoed in his mind.


    “Purchase Sparrow City Trading Center for 650 Wealth Points?”


    A triumphant grin spread across his face.


    “Yes.”


    His balance plummeted to 96 points. But it was worth it.


    A massive, detailed map of the Trading Center appeared in his mind. Twenty-three floors, a sprawling trading hall, hundreds of rooms. Red dots moved within, representing people.


    “Mad Dog’s lair.”


    He shifted perspectives, studying the layout. The red dots clustered in the trading hall and the lower ten floors. The living quarters. Above the tenth floor, only a handful of rooms were occupied. Mid-level thugs, he guessed, their status reflected in their location.


    On the twentieth floor, a single occupied room, the largest and most luxurious. Occasionally, others entered, but they always left quickly.


    “Mad Dog’s room.”


    He spent the rest of the day studying the map, searching for weaknesses, formulating a plan.


    Inside the Trading Center, Mad Dog paced, his face a mask of anxiety. He was in deep trouble. He’d just learned that his boss’s younger brother, and the thug assigned to protect him, had vanished.


    He shuddered, imagining his boss’s fury when he discovered his brother missing and his nephew dead.


    “Damn it!” he roared. “Get this room warmer! I’m freezing!”


    Outside, his thugs scrambled to obey, piling more wood into the stove, the generator straining to power the air conditioners. One, bundled in a sheepskin coat, spat towards Mad Dog’s door.


    “Damn him. So quick to order us around. So many of our brothers dead, and he doesn’t care.”


    “Shame about Black Dog. He promised to take me to the next sacrificial ritual. Could’ve become a follower of the gods. Struck it rich.”


    “Heard that mysterious guy from the seventh floor of the Pinewood Hotel disappeared. That’s probably why Mad Dog’s so pissed.”


    The other thug perked up, glancing nervously at Mad Dog’s door.


    “What happened? Tell me!”