Chapter 7: A Private Deal

"Qingqing Zijin accidentally injured Youyou Woxin with an S686 shotgun."
A system notification drifted across the lower left corner of the screen again, and the corners of Yang Hao’s mouth twitched.
Meanwhile, in another part of the map, Lu Ziqi and Ling Xue’er, who were busy looting, paused in surprise when they saw the message.
But it was the viewers in the livestream who wanted to laugh the most. They had thought the whole incident was over when Lin Zijin rescued Yang Hao—no one expected this twist, and it caught many off guard.

“Whoa, Bro Bluff, how did you get knocked down?”
“Bro Bluff, you’re getting cocky, trying to snatch the goddess’s exclusive 98K.”
“Savage, savage—the goddess has a violent side too.”
“Ahem, let me explain for the goddess. Her hand must have slipped. Definitely just a slip.”
“Yeah, exactly!”
“…”

Watching Yang Hao clutching his stomach and bleeding out on the ground, the onlookers burst out in laughter.

“98K.”
After knocking down Yang Hao, Lin Zijin uttered only these words.

“Hey, sis! Don’t get the wrong idea, I was just trying to pick up the gun for you, nothing else, I swear.” Seeing Lin Zijin approach, Yang Hao hurried to explain, tossing the still-warm 98K away as he spoke.

He was terrified that if she shot him again, it’d be game over for him.
He was certain that if he’d moved any slower, he’d be done for.
Didn’t he see the dark muzzle of the shotgun Lin Zijin was aiming straight at him?

Dignity?
What’s that?
Is it edible?

“Ammo.”
Lin Zijin slung the 98K over her shoulder, a slight smirk on her lips as she spoke again.

“Sis, I’ve got five bandages—want them? I’ll give them all to you,” Yang Hao offered, tossing her the five bandages he’d just looted, along with the 98K’s ammunition.

Lin Zijin didn’t stand on ceremony, accepting Yang Hao’s bribe, then switched her shotgun for an M416 and headed downstairs.

That’s right—downstairs!
Not only did she leave him bleeding, she didn’t even spare him a glance.

Yang Hao was on the verge of tears.
As for the livestream, plenty of viewers were left stunned.
She just… left?
They all felt the goddess must have forgotten something.
The next moment, the chat exploded.

“Don’t mess with the boss, just don’t.”
“How long do you think Bro Bluff can hold on?”
“This is the first time I’ve seen someone suffer retribution for trying to snatch a teammate’s 98K.”
“A bloodbath sparked by a 98K.”
“So melodramatic…”

After Lin Zijin left, Yang Hao already knew she wasn’t coming back. He switched over to the livestream page, and nearly spat out blood when he saw the barrage of comments from the audience.
Switching back to the game, Yang Hao glanced at the minimap and immediately called for help from Ling Xue’er and Lu Ziqi, who were nearby.

“There are two people near me, I can’t come over,” replied Lu Ziqi.
As for Ling Xue’er, she simply ignored him.

“Hey, Little Snow!”
Seeing that Ling Xue’er was the closest to him apart from Lin Zijin, Yang Hao called out to her.
“Come save me, please!” he begged.

“Huh? What happened to you, how did you get knocked down?” Ling Xue’er feigned surprise, pretending she’d just noticed his plight.

Who was she trying to fool?
Yang Hao didn’t believe for a second that she hadn’t noticed him getting knocked earlier.

“Yeah, yeah, I fell and hurt myself when we landed,” Yang Hao pouted, but with no other choice, he had to humble himself.

Ling Xue’er had just taken a sip of water, but when she heard Yang Hao’s excuse, she nearly spat it onto her screen, coughing as she choked a little.
Who was he kidding?
Falling from a great height?
She’d seen it all—he’d clearly brought this on himself…
Not just her, even Lu Ziqi was at a loss for words.
As for Lin Zijin, her face remained calm, but a glimmer of amusement sparked in her eyes again.

“Hey, Little Snow, what do you want to eat tomorrow? I’ll cook for you—how about Ants Climbing a Tree?” Yang Hao’s voice came through the team voice chat again.

“Not interested!”
Ling Xue’er snorted coldly.
Now he wanted her help?
Earlier, when she’d asked if he could make Ants Climbing a Tree, he’d brushed her off.
Ling Xue’er was not one to forget a slight.

“Come on, I can make Ants Climbing a Tree, and also steamed lamb, bear’s paw, deer tail, roast duck, roast chicken…”
Yang Hao rattled off a list of dishes, leaving Ling Xue’er momentarily stunned.
Although she knew he was bluffing, she couldn’t help but recall the delicious meals she’d eaten today; the thought tempted her.

“Just stay put and don’t move, I’ll be there soon.”
“Okay!”
Yang Hao was overjoyed—his efforts were finally paying off.

“Wait, you really know how to make Ants Climbing a Tree?”
“I do!”
Yang Hao felt a pang of frustration as Ling Xue’er finally asked the question she cared about most.
Could it be that he wasn’t even as good as a plate of Ants Climbing a Tree?
Actually, maybe he really wasn’t!

If Yang Hao hadn’t bribed Ling Xue’er with food, she might not have come at all.
In a foodie’s world, good food is everything.
Yang Hao clearly hadn’t fully grasped this truth yet.

Very soon, Ling Xue’er made her way upstairs and found Yang Hao, who was hanging on by a thread.

“Can you make sweet and sour spare ribs?”
As she helped him up, Ling Xue’er asked again, making Yang Hao’s face turn green.
Damn it!
Not even one dish was enough—now she wanted to raise the stakes?
“Of course I can!”
Naturally, Yang Hao kept his real thoughts to himself and nodded eagerly.
Given the circumstances, if he dared say no, Ling Xue’er might just let him drop back to the ground.
He hadn’t even been revived yet—he knew when to swallow his pride.
He didn’t want to go back to the lobby this soon.
It wasn’t easy getting on a team with Lin Zijin—if he couldn’t even enjoy the game, what was the point?
A person shouldn’t be a salted fish; even if you are, you should at least dream.

“So… do you have any extra bandages?”
After being revived, Yang Hao’s health was still critically low—all five bandages he’d picked up earlier had been used as a bribe for Lin Zijin. Although the bribe failed, the bandages were gone.
Now, his inventory was empty—not a thing left.
So,
He could only beg Ling Xue’er for help.
He made sure to ask politely and gently, careful not to give her the slightest reason to be displeased.
He didn’t even dare ask for a medkit, only for extra bandages.
When survival is at stake, a person will do what they must.

“I want braised beef with potatoes!”
“Sure!”
Five bandages appeared on the ground.

“Um, do you have any extra drinks or painkillers?”
After bandaging up, Yang Hao pressed his luck.
“I want crystal shrimp dumplings!”
“Sure!”
No sooner had he finished speaking than two bottles of energy drink appeared on the ground.

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PS: This guy is the definition of cowardly. If I weren’t still kneeling on the washboard, with my legs numb, I’d show him what a real man looks like~~ (Yes, the goofy author is back!)
Please add to your collection! Recommend!