This was good stuff. Without a water tank, water would spoil and rot very easily in excessive heat, but keeping the temperature at freezing point could also greatly reduce the time it spent spoiling.
Besides, if hot weather struck, this thing would be even more useful.
After all, nobody could turn down an ice-cold beer in the heat.
"I almost forgot about this."
Something occurred to Ye Qiyan. He returned to the carriage and found what he was looking for among the stored blueprints.
[Low-Level Water Reservoir Blueprint]
This was a blueprint he had obtained from the upgrade options after upgrading his train for the first time.
Although he had only built one, the water tank was undoubtedly very useful in this world.
And Shangguan Yingxue, this woman who inexplicably had such an affinity with water, would probably like it very much.
["Want to buy this?"]
He sent over a description of the Low-level Water Tank.
["How many Train Coins?"]
She was tempted.
["Two."]
["...I don't have that many. Can I buy it on credit? Besides, this is only a Low-level Water Tank. Why is it so expensive?"]
["You can trade other things for it. As for credit, what do you think?"]
Shangguan Yingxue also understood that this was impossible. After hesitating for a while, she made her decision.
["Would an Ice-Condensing Pearl do?"]
"She agreed that easily? She didn't even haggle."
Ye Qiyan patted the Low-level Water Tank.
Put plainly, this thing was just a lump of iron with special abilities. Its blueprint had only cost one Train Coin back then, yet he could actually sell it for three.
You really couldn't judge a thing by its appearance.
["Is that a no?"]
["We can trade. Give me a moment."]
Since she was willing, Ye Qiyan wasn't going to refuse.
Taking the blueprint, he brought out the materials and crafted it at the workbench.
A brand-new Low-level Water Tank appeared, while Shangguan Yingxue had already sent a trade request well in advance.
[Accept]
The trade went through.
Ye Qiyan picked up the Ice-Condensing Pearl.
"This is pretty good. I'll buy a few bottles of beer and some drinks from Zhao Lin later. If she dies at the next stop, I won't be able to buy any."
And there was Ascension, too.
[Spirit: 104 → 84] [Ice Vein Pearl] (Level 3) [Can freeze water into ice and manipulate its shape.]
"Oho, could this mean...? Ahem, ahem. Appear! Ice Vein Sword!"
Ye Qiyan cleared his throat, struck a pose he considered extremely cool, and aimed the Ice Vein Pearl at the water tank.
The fresh water in the tank slowly froze into a longsword made of ice.
He reached out to take it.
Then it shattered at a touch.
"This is such garbage. I thought it would be like casting magic."
He was disappointed, but it wasn't too bad.
After all, he had practically gotten it for free. He hadn't lost anything.
He glanced at the chat interface, then at the Flower Dawn Enchanting Wooden Bow beside him.
"Shangguan Yingxue probably doesn't have anything left to trade with me, but..."
After hesitating for a moment, he sent a screenshot over anyway, along with a message.
["Want this? I'll sell it to you for four Train Coins, or something else."]
Shangguan Yingxue, who had been about to take a bath, froze for a moment when she saw the message.
["...I'm out of money. Besides, it's too expensive."]
["It's not expensive at all, okay? This is a level 3 weapon. It can completely crush any monsters we can encounter right now. As for Train Coins, I told you, you can trade something of equal value."]
["Why didn't you mention it earlier..."]
There was a hint of resentment in Shangguan Yingxue's words.
If Ye Qiyan had brought out this bow at the start, why would she have bought bullets?
["I only just remembered. Besides, weren't you the one who said you wanted bullets?"]
Ye Qiyan kept stringing her along without blushing or missing a beat.
["If you can't trade, forget it. I'll just have to sell this bow to someone else."]
He was still probing. Compared with Zhao Lin, Shangguan Yingxue seemed luckier. After all, apart from himself, she had been the first of them all to upgrade her train. Perhaps she had something else on hand.
["Oh, right. Didn't you say earlier that you opened a treasure chest at the last stop? What did you get besides the Ice Vein Pearl? Don't worry, I'm not hinting that you should trade those things for it."]
["..."]
An inexplicable urge rose in Shangguan Yingxue's normally unruffled heart to close the chat interface and delete him from her friends list outright.
Not hinting? Then what was that supposed to be? Was he really so sure she wanted to buy it?
It was just a level 3 weapon. She, Shangguan Yingxue, wasn't...
A screenshot appeared in front of Ye Qiyan.
[Teru Teru Bozu] (Level 2) [Consumes two Spirit points to predict the following day's weather at noon each day.]
["This is all I have, plus 100 kilograms of fresh water and one Train Coin. If you don't want to sell, forget it."]
This time, she really had offered everything she could.
It wasn't that Shangguan Yingxue insisted on buying it, but that a level 3 weapon was far too tempting for someone whose train was only level 2.
If he doesn't agree this time, I absolutely won't raise my offer again.
As she silently thought this, Ye Qiyan had already replied.
["Hmm... All right. Since we've traded so many times, consider it a favor. Let's trade."]
Despite his words, his face was already wreathed in smiles.
What a haul.
A blueprint obtained for a mere thirty kilograms of supplies had ultimately sold for a full three Train Coins' worth. He really was a business genius.
The trade went through. All the fresh water went into the water tank, and a white Teru Teru Bozu appeared in his hand.
"Pretty cute."
"Ascension."
[Spirit: 84 → 69] [Relaxed Weather Doll] (Level 3) [Consumes one Spirit point to predict today's and tomorrow's weather at any time.]
Instead of only working at noon, it could now be used at any time, and its Spirit cost had dropped to one point. Not bad.
Its appearance hadn't changed much. Ye Qiyan hung it in the temperature-controlled carriage where he usually rested.
This round of trading had brought him many things, though not enough to amount to a qualitative change.
But he now had a full thirty Train Coins.
He could consider performing the train's next Ascension.
"I'd better wait until after leaving the station. This place isn't very safe, after all."
Having made up his mind, Ye Qiyan walked out of the carriage.
"Hm? What's that smell?"
He sniffed, and his expression abruptly changed.
"Oh no! My meat!"
The snake meat that had been roasting for so long was now completely charred black, clearly inedible.
"Sigh. I'll have to roast some more."
"Come to think of it, WALL-E still hasn't come back after all this time. He hasn't died out there, has he?"
Before you continue