Chapter Twenty-Eight: Severing the Hair

"Eighteen, nineteen, twenty!"

After completing three sets of squats, Liang Yi stood up, feeling that her physical exhaustion had eased slightly compared to before. However, her legs were still trembling.

She stretched her limbs, and amidst the sounds of various animals calling in the distance, she set off on her journey with shaky legs. It was fortunate that the throttle for the tricycle was hand-operated; had it been a foot pedal, she surely would have driven the vehicle in a zig-zag.

As for the dog locked in the iron cage, Liang Yi had pulled out the steel bars just before leaving, ensuring it wouldn't starve to death. She had loaded her supplies into the back of the tricycle, and the solar panel socket was firmly secured to the roof with rope. By eight o'clock, the sun had risen, and enough light filtered through the thick canopy of trees that the socket soon lit up. Excited, Liang Yi positioned the tricycle’s original battery to begin a slow charge.

"Today is a good day, everything I wish for will come true..."

While humming the tune, she soon spotted a Level 2 treasure chest by the side of the road. Upon opening it, she found five packs of spicy fire noodles and a 300ml bottle of grape juice. Liang Yi’s eyes lit up; these noodles were her favorite food, and she decided she would have them for lunch!

After walking for over an hour, she spotted a Level 3 treasure chest. She opened it cautiously, but instead of supplies, a steel needle shot out violently. Fortunately, Liang Yi had been prepared and stood far enough away that she wasn't struck. Looking at the unremarkable needle on the ground, she asked, "Game Assistant, is this needle dangerous? Can I take it?"

【The steel needle poses no danger. Player, you may take it as you wish.】

Liang Yi immediately picked it up and tossed it into the cargo bed. The needle was sharp and thin, making it an excellent weapon for a surprise attack. Afterward, she pried the storage coins embedded in the Level 3 chest and tucked them away.

Riding the tricycle, Liang Yi continued forward. "Riding my beloved little scooter, I’ll never be stuck in traffic..."

Humming, she was in high spirits when she heard the sound of flowing water. Her eyes brightened—with water, couldn't she take a bath? Since she couldn't see very far ahead, she rode quickly. Soon, she saw a small creek not far away.

The water was crystal clear, winding endlessly, and both banks were lined with large rocks, unknown trees, and wildflowers.

Liang Yi parked the tricycle about a meter from the creek and stepped off. She dipped her hand into the water; it was cool and refreshing, perfect for a bath. Checking the water, she saw no strange insects. She sniffed herself and scanned the surroundings to ensure no other players were nearby. After only two seconds of hesitation, she decisively began to undress. She hadn't managed a proper wash yesterday, so she was determined to scrub herself clean today.

Before entering the water, she grabbed her fruit knife. After three days of trekking, her heels and toes were chafed red and even blistered. As she stepped into the water, the wounds stung, but the sensation faded once she grew accustomed to it. Sitting in the water, Liang Yi began to bathe thoroughly. She wet the soap and began to lather up.

As for her hair, she didn't hesitate for a second before wetting it; she picked up the fruit knife and decisively sawed off her waist-length hair. At this point, she no longer cared if her hairstyle looked good—as long as it was fresh and didn't hinder her movements, it was fine. Soon, the cumbersome hair fell into the stream and drifted away, disappearing from sight. Liang Yi watched it for a long moment, bidding farewell to the hair that had accompanied her for so many years. She let the remaining jagged ends hang behind her, the longest strands barely covering her shoulders.

She looked at her reflection in the water and nodded with satisfaction. She picked up the soap and carefully scrubbed her hair, ensuring all the grime was washed away. Once her hair was clean, she felt as though she had shed ten kilograms of mud; her entire body felt much lighter.

After drying her hair, she put on the new clothes she had been wearing for the past dozen hours. However, the moment she put them on, she felt itchy and uncomfortable. For the past few days, she had focused solely on filling her stomach, neglecting personal hygiene and grooming. Now that she had food and drink, wearing dirty clothes felt wrong. Moreover, she hadn't changed her undergarments in days. She silently resolved to obtain a few sets of clean clothes later to improve her mood.

Liang Yi checked the time and saw it was already twelve o'clock. She had no desire to leave. She took the solar panel off the roof of the tricycle and checked the battery level; it hadn't even reached ten percent.

Isn't this a bit too slow?

"Game Assistant, can this solar panel be upgraded?" While asking the assistant, she also opened the [Create] interface to study it.

【Yes.】

Liang Yi noticed that to continue upgrading, she would need raw materials for the solar panels and sockets, and the quantities required were higher than before. Thankfully, no blueprints were needed.

Finding a flat rock, she placed the solar panel on top of it. She washed her small cooking pot, poured in a bottle of mineral water, and began to slowly bring it to a boil. She prepared two packs of spicy noodles, an egg, an apple, and a handful of greens. While waiting for the water to boil, she opened the [Channel] again.

【Player 25968: Brothers, look at what I found—a forest cabin. [Photo.jpg]】
【Player 25968: Hehehe, there’s plenty of good food inside.】
【Player 666: Damn, you’re so lucky! Can you spare some supplies?】
【StrongestPlayer: Brothers, come look at what I killed. [Photo.jpg]】
【StraightAStudent: Wait, is this... is this a monkey?】
【Player 25968: It’s not that I’m being stingy, but I really can't send anything over.】
【Player 3782: That can't be a monkey, right? How could a monkey be that big?】
【GreenTeaBoy: Big brother, boohoo, you’re amazing! This monkey chased me before; I want to send you a kiss.】

...

Liang Yi had been jealous of Player 25968 for finding a cabin full of supplies, unlike her own experience of finding what felt like a trash heap. Upon seeing the image posted by "StrongestPlayer," she clicked on it.

She discovered that the creature he had killed was monkey-like but not quite a monkey. Its fur was much longer, it stood over two meters tall, and it had a black face and black hands—much like the giant apes that had long gone extinct in the real world. Looking at the ape's thick arms and long claws, Liang Yi gasped. If she had run into that thing, she likely wouldn't have had any way to survive.

Was this "StrongestPlayer" truly that strong?