"THUMP"—something sounded like it fell in the front room.
Min Suqian yawned, turning over and covering her head as she sank deeper into her blanket burrito, sleeping peacefully.
Another noise came from outside the room.
"BANG"—she rolled over to her other side, kicking a foot out of the cover to even herself out as she felt a bit warm. She dozed off again moments after.
"CRASH"—the chatter was too loud to ignore now, waking the sleeping barracuda from its needed slumber.
This was the way Min Suqian was greeted when she finally opened her red, saltwater-irritated eyes—and she was pissed, completely.
"Who has a death wish to be running around when I'm trying to sleep, dammit?! Yězhū, Xiao Mei, Chenchen—don't make me come spank your little asses." She went off half-awake as she pulled the cover from over her head and listened to the movement outside stop.
"That's what I thought!" She was about to lay her head down again before stopping and adding, "And I don't wanna hear anything until I wake up in two hours!"
She tried to go back to sleep, but for some reason, she felt like something was wrong. Like she'd forgotten something?
Who knows, who cares—I'll think about it when I wake up, she thought silently, flipping onto her side to find a comfortable position.
Feeling the silky-like texture of her sheets, she paused.
Wait—she didn't have silk sheets or covers.
Her hand patted the unfamiliar hammock fabric.
"Oh hell no." The room swam back into focus.
This wasn't her apartment. This was the damn game.
It was at that moment she fully opened her eyes, saw the fish-skin hammock she was in, and remembered she was now in a survival game and was a planet ruler—and it wasn't just some drunken dream.
Then she remembered.
She had forgotten the young merman child.
She jumped right out of her bed—but her foot got caught on the edge of the blanket and hammock, shaming her into a tumble onto the floor.
"Great. Just great," she muttered, picking herself up off the floor and unwrapping her foot from the fish-skin blanket. She tossed it back into the hammock and exited her room.
⸻
Heading into the bathroom connected to her room, she entered a tiny space with only the essentials: a small showerhead, sink, and toilet. She hated baths anyway—never liked the idea of soaking in her own filth—though a good hot tub or hot spring was her true calling.
Stripping down, she turned the shower on and stepped in. She stood under the warm water, washing away her sleepiness.
She opened her module and went straight to the player's thread to make a post:
Has anyone created soap yet or has any animal fat for trade or for silver or copper coins? Send private message.
She didn't have to wait long. She got 10 different account messages and 7 friend requests.
You received a private message from CallMeDaddyImFather
You received a private message from GoneRPGing
You received a private message from XiaoSuFeiFei
You received a private message from BigBrotherSlim
The list went on.
She instantly ignored the messages that had nothing to do with soap or animal fat. Since she was familiar with GoneRPGing, she opened his message first.
GoneRPGing: Hey big boss, I saw you were looking for soap or animal fat? How much do you need? I have a connect but they don't waste time on small orders.
Me: Hmm, maybe a few pounds or so.
GoneRPGing: Okay it's a bit small but let me see what they say. I can't guarantee anything.
Me: Alright, do what you can and get back to me.
GoneRPGing: Got it!
She closed out of the conversation and opened the next new set of messages from XiaoSuFeiFei.
XiaoSuFeiFei: I saw you were looking for soap or animal fat. I have flowers for trade or sell for 3 copper coin. Everyone wants to smell pleasant even in the survival game.
XiaoSuFeiFei: I also have peach blossoms—7 copper coins for every 3 blossoms.
"Haha."
Min Suqian chuckled, amused by the girl's sales pitch. But she wasn't wrong. Everyone likes to smell good and look good despite the circumstances of the survival game. Why live like a barbarian when you have the necessary tools to better your life?
She texted the girl back, deciding to purchase her whole stock.
Me: I'll take everything you have. Do you want trade or copper coin?
She closed out of their messages and picked out the one from BigBrotherSlim.
BigBrotherSlim: I got animal fat. How much do you need? And I also have created the soap blueprint. Are you interested in both?
Me: All of it would do. Yes. What's your price? Trade or money?
The reply came almost instantaneously.
BigBrotherSlim: A favor.
Ming Sulin paused reading this, she wasn't really one to be yanked around.
The hell? A favor? She didn't need soap that bad… but let's see what the matter is first.
Me: … what kind?
BigBrotherSlim: Do you know anything about the auction on the small water planet named Sanctuary Springs?
Ming Sūlín paused.
That's her planet!
There's an auction happening here?!
She remembered YouSeekWeFind saying her siblings were last seen taken to an auction on a small water planet.
"Hey! Hey, game system! How many small water worlds are in this universe?" Ming Sūlín asked out loud gathering her thoughts.
[There is only your planet currently, as it is still level zero, while other water planets have leveled up to 4 and above. Ruler should work hard to level up and upgrade territory to level 1! Good luck—your future citizens await their ruler and territory upgrade arrival.]
How wasn't she working hard? Forget it—she'll just have to work harder, it seems.
She received XiaoSuFeiFei's reply and another message from BigBrotherSlim.
Opening XiaoSuFeiFei's message:
XiaoSuFeiFei: Copper coin is fine. I have 128 flowers and 56 peach blossoms, totaling to 507 copper coins. I'm rounding down and giving you the rest of the blossoms for free since you were a big sale customer. Thank you for your purchase and please accept my friend request so we can stay connected.
[Are you sure you would like to make a purchase worth 507 copper coins with XiaoSuFeiFei?]
[Yes]
Me: Thanks. I'll be sure to contact you if I need more flowers.
She closed the chat and accepted XiaoSuFeiFei's and BigBrotherSlim's friend requests.
[You have accepted XiaoSuFeiFei's and BigBrotherSlim's friend requests.]
She went back to her messages with BigBrotherSlim.