So, farming and breeding are inevitable processes. James believed many survivors, even without a garden plot, would still plant crops in their yards. Though it initially requires high investment for low returns, it's significant in the long run.
Unable to find a garden plot, James searched for other essential items. Searching for quilts, he found a few, but the prices were outrageously high, unaffordable for a lifetime of work. Searching for cotton clothing, the results were similar – incredibly expensive.
Frustrated, he listed some spring water for trade, still 10ml per portion, hoping to find something impressive. To his surprise, shortly after listing, his "Mist Survival Handbook" beeped with a new message. "Is someone waiting for my listing?" James wondered as he checked the message.
[Nancy: Are you James??]
Nancy?! James paused, momentarily disoriented, but then high school memories came flooding back. "I never expected to encounter someone I know here!" he murmured. Nancy was a cool and handsome girl from his high school, known for her high ponytail and jeans.
James: "Class 4?!"
Nancy: "Yes, I didn't expect it to be you."
James: "What a coincidence."
Their conversation was brief and emotionless, but inside, James was uncontrollably excited. To meet an old friend in such harsh conditions was invaluable.
Meanwhile, Nancy, about 20 years old with a pale complexion and her signature high ponytail, wrapped in a thin blanket, was also surprised and pleased to connect with an old classmate.
James: "Why do you want to buy spring water? Are you sick?"
After some small talk, they got to the matter at hand.
Nancy replied that she had a cold due to the severe weather and was looking to buy some medicine, which was prohibitively expensive. James understood the struggle, given the plummeting temperatures, making survival difficult for most people.
Nancy: "How much spring water do you have? I'll trade this for it." She sent an item description.
[Name: Insulation Cotton (Common)
Purpose: Provides decent insulation.
Description: Essential for outdoor survival!]
James was surprised by the insulation cotton's potential to significantly improve room temperature and prevent heat loss.
James: "Classmate, how much insulation cotton do you have?"
Nancy: "About 15 square meters left."
James frowned, considering the best effect would come from covering all six sides of a room. Yet, he decided to trade, recognizing its value.
[Trade Info: 50ml of spring water in exchange for insulation cotton.]
Nancy, who had been anxious knowing she had used up much of her insulation cotton and the remaining quantity wasn't of much value, was pleasantly surprised by the trade offer: her old classmate was quite generous.
Nancy: "Thank you. If I come across other resources in the future, I'll make it up to you."
James: "No problem, use it first. Falling ill here is much more serious than before."
The two continued chatting for a long time, until after 9 p.m., when they finally closed their private chat channels.
In James's memory, Nancy was a cold and reserved person in high school, and they had little interaction. But perhaps due to the unique circumstances of the Mist World, Nancy seemed much more talkative, clearly in a better mood upon meeting him.
From their conversation, it was evident that Nancy's living standard was far below James's. She had only managed to upgrade her shelter to level two the day before, a development level that was considered average among all humans.
As for food, her situation was even more dire, relying only on wild fruits near her shelter for sustenance – far worse than James's own circumstances.
After the chat, the 50ml of spring water James had listed on the market was sold. In exchange, he received [A Barrel Making Scroll] and [A Set of Wooden Utensils].
The Barrel Making Scroll cost 50ml of spring water, expensive but worth it. The wooden utensils, likely mass-produced by the seller who probably had the blueprints, were traded for a few basic materials.
With the proliferation of manufacturing scrolls, the trading market now offered a wide variety of wooden household items. As these are essential for daily life, the demand in the market was high, ensuring good sales prospects. It was clear that those trading these items were making substantial profits.
This made James consider whether to start selling charcoal and barrels himself. The market had many sellers of barrels, but charcoal was less available and priced higher. A piece of charcoal, requiring 5 units of wood, was selling at five times the price of wood, a clear indication of high profit margins.
However, the current demand for charcoal was low. Many preferred to use wood for heating, avoiding the expense of buying charcoal. What they didn't realize was that one unit of wood burned for less than an hour, whereas a unit of good-quality charcoal could burn for over three hours. In essence, as long as the price of charcoal was lower than three units of wood, it represented good value. But only those who had used charcoal knew this.
"I still have a world horn..." James thought. If he used the world horn to announce the longer burning time, better temperature, and less smoke of his charcoal, and then sold it at a price lower than the market rate, he could make a significant profit. So, he planned to stockpile some charcoal, which would be useful even if not all of it sold.
After these considerations, it was getting late. James added two pieces of charcoal to the fireplace and went to bed. The night passed, the cold creeping into every corner of the Mist World, taking countless lives.
The next morning at 7 a.m., James woke up to a still dark sky. Feeling the cold air, he wanted to sleep a bit more but, driven by strong will and resilience, he only snoozed for an extra half hour.
After getting up, he felt the weather had become even colder. The air seemed filled with icy particles, each breath stinging his respiratory tract. Braving the cold, he got up to make breakfast – a simple, good-quality piece of meat. James's appetite was satisfied with just over half of it. His body warmed up, energy spreading to every limb, and the cold sensation diminished significantly.
Next, James started an intense exercise routine. He had learned this method from Luke, which efficiently and professionally enhanced physical strength. It was a scientifically proven training method developed by the military.