Trading the module

The stone door was locked, and the thick stone surface blocked out all the sounds of wind and snow from outside.

Outside, the wind and snow had not yet stopped, with layers of snow piling up on tree trunks and slopes. The snow on the branches was blown down in fine flakes by the cold wind, and the entire mountain forest was immersed in a cold and desolate chill all day long. Only inside the Shelter, the fire burned quietly, the flames crackling softly, and the warmth steadily enveloped the small space, dry, safe, and isolated from the world.

Lu Heng stood still by the fire and let out a soft breath.

If he had just arrived in this world and been followed and chased all the way to the door of his Shelter by a Tusked Wild Boar, and had a standoff right next to his door, he would have been terribly anxious and restless for a long time.

But after enduring so many days, he had long since gotten used to it.

Every day, venturing out to explore, unexpected events, big and small, never cease. Attacks, ambushes, narrow escapes—each experience has worn away the timidity and fear that were ingrained in my bones. Now, experiencing something like this again, I can't say I'm afraid; at most, I'm a little surprised—surprised by the incredible tracking patience of this heavy beast. Aside from that, my mind remains perfectly calm, without the slightest ripple.

He looked down at the soup pot on the fire.

The water was boiling, and the cleaned, fresh meat floated in the pot, with a few pieces of wild vegetable leaves floating on the surface, gently agitated by the boiling water. He picked up a pinch of fine salt and sprinkled it in; the salt grains dissolved instantly in the boiling water, and a faint, cleansing steam rose with the rising white mist.

The taste was very ordinary, with absolutely no refinement whatsoever.

But in this post-apocalyptic environment where people struggle to survive every day and most of them can barely afford to eat, having meat, vegetables, and salt is already an extreme luxury.

Lu Heng casually broke off a few pieces of compressed bread, tore them into small pieces, and threw them into the soup. The dry, hard bread absorbed the hot soup, quickly softened and swelled, and the pot of soup instantly became a complete meal of staple food, meat, and vegetables.

He ladled out a bowl and sat by the fire to eat slowly.

The hot soup went down his throat, and the warmth sank down his esophagus into his stomach, then slowly spread to his limbs. The muscles that had been tense and strained all day climbing trees completely relaxed, and the lingering chill and the restlessness from dealing with the ferocious beast were gradually soothed by the scalding food.

After eating and drinking my fill, my mind and spirit were completely at peace.

Lu Heng reached out and opened the tattoo Storage Slot, took out the bag of Fast-Maturing Pumpkin Seeds, and moved the unused Planter Box from the corner of the wall and placed it on the dry and flat ground inside the room.

The seeds are round and plump, with an excellent appearance.

He looked down at the seeds, quietly making plans in his mind.

I'll go out tomorrow and just grab a patch of fertile, loose soil to bring back, then I can plant it directly. It'll mature in five days, and I can save the seeds myself, repeating the process. I won't have to rely on opening boxes or exploring to get vegetarian food anymore. In the future, I can cook Pumpkin, stew Pumpkin soup, and make Pumpkin porridge, finally completely improving my monotonous meat-based diet.

Thinking about a stable food source in the future, he felt more at ease. He also secretly resolved to pay more attention to various plant seeds when he went out to explore in the future, and to stock up on them as much as possible to completely secure his long-term food supply.

With nothing to do, Lu Heng raised his wrist and tapped the Regional Channel on his Wristband.

The channel is always filled with chaotic spam.

Snowstorms have blocked the mountains, and the weather is getting worse, making life increasingly difficult for the survivors at the bottom of society. Most of the posts circulating online are cries for help and wails of despair.

[We can't hold on any longer, our supplies are completely gone, can anyone trade us a bite to eat?]

[Frostbite and infection, no medicine, no food, is there any kind person who can help!]

The snowstorm was too severe to go out; if I stayed any longer, I would surely die.

Words of despair rose one after another.

Meanwhile, another group remained unusually calm, completely ignoring these cries for help and focusing solely on trading.

[A piece of dry rations in exchange for animal hides. DM me if interested.]

[Bulk of animal teeth and bones, changing medicine and ingredients, no chatting in the public chat.]

The contrast between warm and cool colors is particularly jarring.

Lu Heng was already used to this kind of scene, and he didn't feel any empathy. He simply swiped his finger lightly and silently browsed the updated messages.

Just then, an extremely rare transaction message made his fingertips suddenly pause.

[For Sale: Lighting Building Module, Price Negotiable via Private Message]

Lu Heng's gaze sharpened slightly.

Having spent so long lurking in the Regional Channel, all he's seen are transactions involving food, medicine, furs, and animal supplies. Construction modules, which are essential for infrastructure, are almost never listed for trading.

This item is neither a consumable nor a common monster drop; it is extremely rare and uncommon.

A sense of surprise instantly arose in his heart: someone actually managed to leak such a thing.

Without hesitation, he immediately clicked on the poster's profile.

ID: Lü Bufan.

I then opened the private chat window and sent a brief question:

"Dude, how do I change this Lighting Building Module?"

--

At the other end of the Shelter, Lü Bufan stared at the screen on his Wristband, his face pale, the laceration on his shoulder burning and stinging.

This Lighting Building Module was the loot he obtained yesterday after risking serious injury to pry open a Black Iron Chest in the wild.

But after he got his hands on it, he realized that it was completely useless to him at this stage.

As the name suggests, Lighting Fixture module is essentially a lighting infrastructure.

Nowadays, everyone relies on fires for warmth and light. As long as there is fire, there is light and warmth. Adding or removing one Lighting Fixture Lighting Fixture no difference; they are completely dispensable.

More importantly, after much trial and error, he confirmed that this module required a compatible Energy Device to activate and install. He didn't have the corresponding energy device at all, so even if he wanted to install it, he couldn't; it was just a piece of rare, idle material taking up space.

It's tasteless to eat, but a pity to throw it away.

He had originally planned to stockpile them, thinking he might need them later. But now the situation is completely different.

The serious injury I sustained yesterday has started to become inflamed. The wound is red, swollen, and hot, and I feel weak and powerless all over. Ordinary herbs are simply not enough to suppress the inflammation.

In the apocalypse, such a persistently inflamed wound is a sure way to kill.

He can't afford to waste time, and he can't afford to wait.

Even the best rare module is useless if it can't save your life. Rather than holding onto a piece of unusable infrastructure material and waiting to die, it's better to replace it with a life-saving medicine that can stabilize the damage.

He posted the transaction information for half a day, but very few people inquired. A few passersby asked, but upon hearing that it was Lighting Fixture module that required energy to activate, they all gave up immediately.

No one wants to trade essential supplies for lighting infrastructure that is currently useless.

When Lu Heng's message popped up, Lü Bufan's extremely tense heartstrings suddenly relaxed, and an urgent light instantly welled up in his eyes.

Finally, someone is willing to talk.

He replied almost without hesitation:

"I only need to change the anti-inflammatory and wound-healing medication. If you have it, please contact me privately."

--

Lu Heng frowned slightly upon seeing the reply.

His first thought was of the common herbs in his backpack.

But then I realized that the other party was trading rare infrastructure modules they had risked their lives to obtain for medicine; they wouldn't even consider ordinary herbs, so the trade was definitely unsuccessful.

He silently counted his supplies.

Two pills for Mud-Clearing Anti-Inflammatory Pill.

This is a rare and precious elixir found in Black Iron Chest. It is specifically designed to reduce inflammation and heal external injuries, making it a true life-saving item.

To be honest, I'd be very reluctant to trade one of them for another.

Elixirs are a necessity for saving lives; no one knows when the next serious injury will occur.

Conversely, building modules, being rare infrastructure materials, are things that are hard to come by. You might have a chance to obtain or exchange for them later with elixirs, but you might not have a second chance to encounter these exclusive infrastructure modules.

He paused for two seconds, then quickly weighed the pros and cons.

You can't get opportunities if you're unwilling to suffer losses.

Even if it's temporarily put aside, the fact that it's a "scarce resource exclusive to infrastructure construction" is worth a pill.

Without further hesitation, Lu Heng sent over a screenshot of the complete attribute interface of the Mud-Clearing Anti-Inflammatory Pill.

"I'll trade one of these for your Lighting Fixture module."

--

The moment Lü Bufan clicked on the picture, his pupils suddenly lit up.

Mud-Clearing Anti-Inflammatory Pill!

The ordinary herbs far exceeded his expectations; they were specially formulated to treat external injuries, bruises, and infections, making them rare and invaluable healing tools that perfectly countered his current injuries.

The anxiety that had been building up all day, and the panic about the wound becoming infected, vanished instantly.

Without the slightest hesitation, he replied instantly:

"Exchange! Direct trade!"

Seeing that the other party had made the decision, Lu Heng completely suppressed his reluctance and opened the transaction panel between the two parties.

On one side are scarce infrastructure modules that others see as useless but actually have huge potential; on the other side are high-level anti-inflammatory pills that can save lives instantly.

Both parties confirm the items and verify that everything is correct, then click "Confirm".

The Wristband flashed slightly, and the transaction was complete.

There was an extra card in Lu Heng's Storage Slot, exuding a unique texture.

Meanwhile, Lü Bufan, holding the precious pill he had just obtained, breathed a long sigh of relief.

The life-or-death crisis that had been hanging over their heads has finally been temporarily relieved.

The wind and snow continued to blanket the mountains and forests, howling incessantly.

Two tiny Shelter stood facing each other across the wind and snow, completing a safe exchange that perfectly suited each other's needs in this cruel and desolate apocalypse.