Chapter 23: Honey-Glazed Chicken Leg

It was hard to tell if it was just bad luck or if this wretched game was specifically targeting her, but after driving for two hours, Liang Yi hadn't seen a single treasure chest.

By now, she was parched. Unfortunately, she had just traded away her water for a battery. The can of Red Bull she had was originally meant to be saved for when she felt fatigued behind the wheel, to keep her alert and prevent any accidents. Feeling famished, she decided to take it out. With a series of "glug-glug" sounds, Liang Yi tilted her head back and downed the drink.

After a few gulps, she felt a bit more energized and continued on her way. Perhaps the Red Bull really did help sharpen her senses, as her gaze became noticeably keener. Before long, she spotted a Level 3 treasure chest by the side of the road.

Liang Yi’s heart leaped. She quickly stopped the tricycle and hurried toward the chest, though she remained cautious—she had no idea if the chest contained something dangerous. To ensure her safety, she picked up a stick from the roadside and used it to nudge the lid open from a distance. As the chest creaked open, she felt a mix of anxiety and excitement.

Her luck was exceptional this time. Instead of the dangers she had feared, a tempting aroma wafted out. Taking a closer look, she was pleasantly surprised to find a large, honey-glazed chicken leg inside. It was coated in a rich sauce and sprinkled with sesame seeds, looking and smelling absolutely mouth-watering. Liang Yi reached in and pulled it out, surprised to find it was still steaming, as if it had just come out of the oven.

*Gulp.*

Liang Yi couldn't help but lick her lips and swallow hard. Her head leaned forward instinctively, but when her mouth was just ten centimeters away from the chicken leg, she forced herself to stop. While the chicken leg was fragrant, the only food she could currently afford to eat was bread or a block of chocolate—neither of which were very filling. Furthermore, she was still desperately thirsty. A single chicken leg wouldn't solve her hunger, nor would it quench her thirst. Therefore, the best option was to put it up on the trading board.

"Goodbye, my beloved chicken leg!" Liang Yi sat cross-legged on the ground, speaking with reluctance. She knew that if she didn't trade it away soon, she would end up eating it herself. Gritting her teeth, she initiated the trade.

[Player 2010 initiated a trade: Found a chicken leg in a Level 3 treasure chest, still steaming. If interested, send a private message.]

Liang Yi attached photos of both the chicken leg and the Level 3 treasure chest. As soon as the trade request went live, several players began commenting.

[Player 3254: What? What? A chicken leg! I want it, I want to eat it!]

[Rich Kid: I have a Patek Philippe watch worth two million; I'm willing to trade it for the chicken leg.]

[Open Sesame: Brother, if you have a chicken leg, why not eat it yourself? You’re doing a disservice to your own stomach!]

[Player 789: Brother, I’ll give you two bottles of water and two loaves of bread for it.]

Liang Yi scanned the comments, but none of the offers seemed sufficient. She checked her friend requests, where people were being much more generous.

[Player 16395: Brother, I’ll trade you five packs of instant noodles. How about it?]

[Just Want Meat: Brother, I have ten liters of gasoline. I’ll trade it all for that chicken leg. Deal?]

[Player 139: I found two apples and have two bottles of mineral water to trade for the leg. What do you think?]

Three days into the game, everyone was living on various instant foods. Seeing that Liang Yi’s chicken leg was still hot and looked delicious in the photos, those lucky enough to have stockpiled food were willing to part with their surplus. Liang Yi looked at their offers and began to wonder if she was the only poor one in the entire game. It had been three days, and she barely had any water left.

[Village Girl Xiaofang: Hello, I’m 170cm tall, curvy, and have a beautiful face. As long as you’re willing to give me half that chicken leg, I’ll do anything you want.]

Liang Yi fell silent after reading the latest message. Did this person think she was a man? Being a girl herself, she had absolutely no interest in such propositions. She swiped the message away without hesitation. Of course, this wasn't the only one. Even more absurdly, one guy sent her two messages in a short span. The first time, he clearly assumed she was a woman, using fawning language and claiming he would be at her beck and call for any game she wanted to play. Perhaps because she didn't reply, he began to suspect she was actually a man, and followed up with a suggestive message implying he was "versatile."

Liang Yi’s mouth twitched involuntarily upon reading that. She clicked on the profile of the player named "Little Star." She had no intention of adding him as a friend; she wanted to block him to get him out of her sight. However, she couldn't find a block function anywhere.

"Game Assistant, why is there no block feature here?"

[What is blocking? Why would you want to block someone?] the assistant asked, puzzled.

Liang Yi pointed at the offensive messages and said through gritted teeth, "Look at these messages yourself—don't you think I should be able to block them?"

The game assistant was programmed solely for game operations and didn't see the issue, but as it was tasked with collecting feedback, it responded politely.

[I apologize, but we do not currently have a block function. I will record your suggestion and report it to headquarters.]

Liang Yi was satisfied with that. She decided to hold off on checking the rest of the messages, thinking that anyone truly desperate for the chicken leg would be persistent. Ten minutes later, she checked again. This time, there were more useful offers.

[Player 26943: Brother, I have twenty liters of engine oil. Want to trade?]

[Pei Pei Pei Yan: I have a Level 1 Vehicle Repair Card, but I only have a bicycle. Interested in trading?]

A vehicle repair card—Liang Yi was slightly tempted. But her own vehicle was still in good condition, so she decided to keep looking. And sure enough, she found something useful.

[Player 013.: Brother, I saw your previous trade request. I’ve found the monocrystalline silicon and electrical wiring you need, though I don't have the blueprint for the solar panel.]

[Player 013.: Brother, if you need them, I’ll give you both.]