Damp, Damp, Damp!

As the major factions competed for this train captain capable of producing bullets, the chat channel instantly erupted in earth-shaking uproar.

"Twenty Train Coins, plus all expenses for upgrading to Level 3, and they'll even arrange a wife for you? What kind of divine treatment is this?!"

"My god, isn't that way too awesome?!"

"Fuck, I offered five Train Coins just to get the Crimson Legion to let me join their team, and they ruthlessly turned me down. But this guy? They're fighting to have him!"

"Can't be helped. He's a rare talent. If you could produce bullets too, you'd get the same treatment."

"Thinking about it carefully, it's normal. Bullets are scarce goods now. Having guns isn't enough—you need bullets before you truly have any say."

Lu Xingyuan watched the major factions fight over the man with great interest.

In the end, the Crimson Legion secured that train captain.

The train captain who could produce bullets was ultimately just a young man. How could he withstand the temptation of beauty? The moment he saw that roster, he completely lost himself. So many lovely women, all for him to choose from—how was that any different from being an emperor in ancient times?

"Lu Xingyuan, I know you're watching. Are you jealous?"

Gu Wanqing sent him a private message just then. Clearly, she had also been lurking in the chat channel and witnessed the entire affair.

"He can produce bullets. That should be an innate talent, right? Aren't you jealous that he has such an insanely powerful talent?"

Lu Xingyuan: "It's alright."

Was his talent really any worse than that man's?

Gu Wanqing: "Oho, so your talent must be amazing too? Tell Sister Qing. Your Sister Qing is famous for keeping secrets. I definitely won't tell anyone else."

Lu Xingyuan thought for a moment. "Tell me your talent first, to show your sincerity."

Gu Wanqing: "We agreed to become each other's most reliable partners, but you don't even have this much trust in me. You've really broken your sister's heart."

Lu Xingyuan: "Then... should I rub it for you?"

Gu Wanqing: "Get lost!"

It would have been impossible for everything happening in the chat channel not to stir his emotions.

Once again, he deeply realized just how precious bullets, this kind of consumable, were.

Luckily, his first Hextech had been Infinite Firepower.

Otherwise, he too would have been like the train captains in the chat channel, offering high prices for bullets and even having to put up with the sellers' attitudes.

Thinking of this, he could not help thinking of Gu Wanqing. Curious, he asked, "Sister Qing, doesn't your hand crossbow... need ammunition?"

Gu Wanqing: "How could it not? Even my hand crossbow needs crossbow bolts. Aren't I bargaining with someone selling bolts right now?"

However, compared to standard bullets, the market for consumables like crossbow bolts was relatively smaller. Their prices therefore were not outrageously high, and many people were willing to sell them.

Previously, Gu Wanqing had traded one Train Coin for thirty crossbow bolts. The price was a little higher now—one Train Coin could only buy twenty.

"If I'd known, I would've traded for more back then."

Listening to Gu Wanqing describe how carefully she had to budget every single crossbow bolt, Lu Xingyuan found it fascinating. After all, he had never gone through anything like that, so he simply did not understand what it meant to "use them sparingly" or "pull out crossbow bolts and reuse them." He only needed to aim at the enemy and pull the trigger, leaving everything else to Hextech.

Infinite Firepower was excellent and powerful. Even more importantly, the Transformation Reassembler had not erased its properties.

Otherwise, standard bullets would not have been compatible with the Explosive Flame Revolver in his hand. He would have needed even more expensive special ammunition!

When he turned his attention back to the chat channel, he found that everyone's topic had quickly shifted.

The train captains were all discussing the weather.

"The rain on my side hasn't stopped either. Fucking hell, just as I was getting ready to depart, a Level 2 zombie popped out of nowhere and bit a hole in my carriage. I still haven't patched it up. Rainwater keeps pouring into the carriage, and every so often I have to use a ladle to scoop the water out. It's exhausting me to death!"

"The left side of my carriage was attacked by a monster too. It cracked open, and rainwater is pouring in nonstop as well. The entire floor is soaked now. It feels awful."

"Aren't your carriages really damp? Mine hasn't been attacked at all, and its seal is perfect, but it still feels wet and sticky inside."

"As a man from the north, I really can't stand this kind of environment. I feel like mold is about to grow on me. I used to admire the atmosphere of the water towns south of the Yangtze, but now I don't admire it at all."

"Selling quicklime powder. Anyone who needs quicklime powder, message me privately. Quicklime powder can absorb moisture in the carriage and prevent it from becoming moldy and rotten."

Quicklime powder?

Lu Xingyuan's heart stirred. He quickly sent the train captain a private message, then traded his remaining rotten bananas for three jin of lime powder.

He had obtained those fruits during the first few stops. They had been sitting around for quite some time and were already showing signs of decay. Now that the rainy season had made everything so damp, if he did not eat them soon, they would truly end up in the trash.

"You can put this quicklime in cloth bags or wooden boxes, then place them in the corners of the carriage. Quicklime can efficiently absorb moisture from the air and inhibit mold growth. It's very cost-effective. At the price I sold it to you, you definitely got a bargain."

The other party was a responsible seller and even carefully told Lu Xingyuan how to use it properly.

Of course, it was also possible that the man knew Lu Xingyuan's reputation and wanted to leave a good impression on him, hoping to establish a long-term partnership with someone so formidable.

"Make sure to keep it in bags. Never touch it with your bare hands."

"After the lime absorbs moisture, it'll become loose and soft. Remember to replace it promptly."

Following the other man's instructions, Lu Xingyuan began placing lime throughout the first carriage.

For the second and third carriages, he had no way to deal with them for the time being.

"It seems to be working a little..."

Lu Xingyuan carefully felt around. The humidity did indeed seem less severe.

But very soon...

"Damn it, the lime clumped up so quickly."

The lime was useful, but the moisture in the carriage was simply terrifyingly heavy.

To completely restore the carriage to dryness, he would need at least dozens of jin of lime.

Gu Wanqing was also furiously complaining to Lu Xingyuan.

"This filthy dampness is making my face break out!"

"I have to hurry up and reach Level 3, then hope I can roll an air-conditioner modification. That way, I can dehumidify the air!"