Chu Guang, a man of principle, would never exploit the players' labor without reward.
Although the shelter was currently impoverished, and contribution points couldn't buy anything other than a "revival coin," he still paid Fujii for her work.
Fifty contribution points per piece of clothing.
The requirements were simple—just functional and warm.
When the "shop system" launched, he planned to price these garments according to quality, ranging from 100 to 500 contribution points, selling them to other players.
Thinking of this, he realized he'd need an NPC to act as a merchant.
He'd heard that Brown's Farm next door sold some feeble slaves each winter to conserve food and fuel, then restocked from slave traders when spring returned.
Perhaps he should go and try his luck.
"Honorable Administrator, when are we setting off?"
Spotting Chu Guang emerge from the sanatorium, Junkie hurried forward, his lizard tail swaying eagerly as he pressed him for an answer.
"No rush. I need to find you a proper weapon… Come with me."
On the outer side of the sanatorium's walls was a small cabin, built by *wc Really Has Mosquitos,* currently used as a woodworking shed.
The outpost lacked tools, especially sturdy steel ones, so wood often had to be a substitute.
But where there's a will, there's a way.
With a mix of salvaged industrial scraps and timber from the wasteland, this woodworking enthusiast had crafted several tools with a post-apocalyptic flair.
Take, for instance, the crossbow leaning against the wall—one of his creations.
The wooden crossbow frame, patched together with stainless steel parts to form a basic mechanism and hinge, featured a bowstring made from mutant hyena sinews, processed for durability.
The arrowheads were simply sharpened metal shards.
He had around twenty rounds left for his iron pipe rifle, so they needed conserving. When possible, it was better to hunt with a crossbow.
Seeing Chu Guang pick up the crossbow, Junkie thought the treasure was for him and eagerly reached out, only to have his hand slapped away.
"Your weapon's over there."
Chu Guang pointed at a few spears in the corner, tipped with sharpened metal shards, complete with a convenient shoulder sling.
"With an initial strength stat of 8, mastering a throwing technique will let you take down prey within ten meters in one shot."
Junkie grimaced.
"But, Administrator, I still think… a ranged weapon would make me far more efficient at hunting."
Chu Guang glanced at his towering, two-meter frame.
A guy this big hiding in the back for sniping? Seriously?
"If you master the spear, you won't be caught off guard in close or medium-range encounters."
"Today, I'll teach you basic hunting skills. As for your choice of weapon in the future—that's up to you."
Oh, so it was part of the plot.
Junkie nodded, seemingly grasping, and stayed silent.
Just then, player *wc Really Has Mosquitos* opened the cabin door, holding two glass bottles as he walked out.
Spotting Chu Guang, his eyes lit up.
"Honorable Administrator! I was just looking for you. This is the acetone I mentioned! As a solvent, it can be used to make smokeless powder."
He shook the bottle in his right hand, mimicking an alchemist. The gesture startled Chu Guang and Junkie, who instinctively took a step back.
"No worries! As long as there's no open flame, it's safe… heh."
Mosquito's face lit up with excitement.
This was something he'd only dare to try in a game; he wouldn't dream of it in his home workshop.
Then he noticed the lizard man next to Chu Guang, his enthusiastic expression halting for a moment.
"And this is…?"
Chu Guang cleared his throat.
"A new resident. ID: Junk Collector, Level 99."
"Oh, a newcomer."
Mosquito looked at him enviously.
Starting with a hidden class? Now that's lucky!
"So, tell me about that bottle," Chu Guang gestured toward the glass container in Mosquito's hand. "How did you make it?"
"It's simple—dry distillation of wood. Place wood in a sealed metal container, heat it, and run a pipe into a cold water barrel for condensation. The resulting distillate easily separates into a watery solution and a thick, tarry residue… a basic distillation process will do."
"The watery part is wood vinegar, mainly acetic acid, acetone, and methanol. By further distilling it based on boiling points, you can isolate them. Acetic acid can react with alkali metals to form various useful salts, and acetone is… well, what I have here in my right hand. It's quite potent."
Mosquito sighed wistfully.
"Tch, if we had sulfuric acid, we could make hydrogen peroxide, and with that, we could mix it with acetone to produce triacetone triperoxide—TATP, or entropy explosive."
Junkie gaped beside him, swallowing hard.
What does this guy do in real life?
This is insane.
Chu Guang was equally astounded.
He cast a quick glance at the small cabin; he couldn't imagine it housing a chemistry lab.
Only players would be crazy enough to do such things.
Steadying himself, Chu Guang looked back at Mosquito.
"I'll keep an eye out for any chemical plants in the area. So… you're saying explosives are still out of reach?"
"High-grade explosives, yes, but black powder is manageable. Give me a bit more time; I'm exploring other methods. Though… sometimes, you don't necessarily need explosives for a devastating effect," Mosquito chuckled, shaking the bottle in his left hand. "This here is a mix of pine oil and acetone with a bit of plant fiber. Ignite the cloth wick, throw it, and it burns for a long time."
A Molotov?
This is valuable stuff!
Chu Guang's eyes lit up as he took the glass bottle, weighing it in his hand.
"Have you tested its potency?"
"Er… there are trees everywhere here, so I was afraid I couldn't put out the fire," Mosquito said sheepishly.
Not bad. At least he's somewhat cautious.
"I'll test it outside later."
Chu Guang pocketed the bottle nonchalantly and looked at Mosquito.
"Conducting chemical experiments here is risky, and the shelter currently lacks facilities to store such hazardous materials. I'll reward you accordingly, but I can't encourage large-scale production."
After a pause, he continued.
"However… I suggest you find ways for these chemicals to aid in the outpost's development, creating the value we need."
"Creating value we need…" Mosquito repeated, mulling over the phrase with a look of contemplation.
"Yes, think it over," Chu Guang nodded. "And of course, I'd encourage you to consult with the other residents in the shelter. Perhaps they might offer some valuable ideas."
"You may be pleasantly surprised."