Chapter 7

As Sun Shijia stood in amazement, Su Peng, covered in chicken feathers, brought the wild chicken to Aunt Li's shop at the village.

Aunt Li was still sitting at the shop entrance, as if enjoying the cool air.

"Pretty quick, huh?" Aunt Li said when she saw Su Peng, smiling. "With your ingredients, I can make salt-baked wild chicken... Not bad, take the money and go."

Su Peng nodded and followed Aunt Li into the shop. Aunt Li took out a piece of silver and fifty copper coins and handed them to Su Peng.

In the currency system of the death loop, the lowest denomination is copper coins, followed by silver, and then gold. One hundred copper coins can be exchanged for one tael of silver, and one hundred taels of silver can be exchanged for one tael of gold.

After receiving the copper coins and silver, Su Peng typed a thank-you message to Aunt Li. Just as he was about to leave, Aunt Li suddenly typed, "Young man, you work hard. I can recommend you to the butcher, Mr. Zhang, for a job."

"Ha, thank you, Aunt Li," Su Peng replied. Aunt Li nodded and said, "Mr. Zhang needs an apprentice, someone reliable. I wouldn't recommend just anyone, but you seem steady... Go find Mr. Zhang. He's to the right of my shop, and tell him I sent you."

Su Peng understood that Mr. Zhang's place might have a job that could lead to a career change, but he might not be able to change careers successfully unless he had a friendly relationship with some people in the village.

"Maybe I can learn some knife skills if I change careers at the butcher's," Su Peng thought.

Su Peng thanked Aunt Li again and used ten copper coins to buy ten steamed buns from her shop before leaving.

By now, the game had been running for almost two hours. In the real world, it was around eleven o'clock, and the sun in the game was almost at its zenith. Su Peng felt that such a realistic game should have a food system. He checked and indeed, the game required maintaining hunger levels, and if not fed on time, his stamina and other attributes would decrease.

On the way to Mr. Zhang's shop, Su Peng grabbed a steamed bun and started eating. Whether it was due to the hypnotic effect, he could feel the texture in his mouth as his character walked and ate the bun.

Soon, he arrived at Mr. Zhang's shop.

It was a meat shop with an open front, hanging various meats. A muscular man with a bald chest and a greasy gray apron was holding a short knife, cutting meat.

"Hello, I'm here because Aunt Li recommended me. I heard you need an apprentice?" Su Peng greeted. The muscular NPC looked up at Su Peng and said, "You're the young man who just arrived in the village, right? You look solid and strong. Alright, come in."

Mr. Zhang put down the short knife and called Su Peng into the shop.

"First, practice your hands by helping me sell meat. The daily wage is twenty copper coins, and you need to work for at least three hours. Are you willing?" Mr. Zhang asked Su Peng.

Su Peng calculated in his mind. Twenty copper coins a day seemed a bit low, but if he could learn job skills later, it wouldn't be a bad deal.

Working at the meat shop wouldn't always be about selling meat; eventually, the butcher would teach him other skills.

"Sure," Su Peng replied.

Then, Mr. Zhang gave Su Peng a meat cleaver and taught him how to butcher.

After successfully butchering the pork, Su Peng changed his career to a butcher's apprentice and gained the skill "Basic Butchery" at level 0.

"Alright, just butcher all the meat. I'll tell you the prices, and don't short me a single copper coin," Mr. Zhang said, patting Su Peng on the shoulder. Then he went to the back to sleep.

"Hey? Su Peng? You're working at the meat shop?" Su Peng was organizing the meat when he suddenly heard someone shout. It was Fu Kang, who had a bit of a merchant's air about him.

"Yep, just changed careers," Su Peng replied. "What, you want to buy some meat?"

"Sure, my master asked me to buy some pork," Fu Kang said.

"Alright, pork is eight copper coins per pound. I'll weigh out two pounds for you," Su Peng said, taking two pieces of pork and using a tool to measure them, which came to exactly ten pounds.

"Su Peng, can you give me a discount? Or if my master asks, you can say it's ten copper coins per pound, but sell it to me for eight in private?" Fu Kang asked Su Peng.

"I'm afraid I can't do that. I don't have the authority to set prices, and if my master finds out, I won't be able to stay in the village," Su Peng replied, knowing that Fu Kang was trying to cheat his master, but he couldn't help him.

"Ah... never mind, give me the meat then," Fu Kang said, looking disappointed, and paid for the meat.

"By the way, Su Peng, it's noon. I'll deliver the meat and then we can log out and have lunch together?" Fu Kang said, his dejected look quickly disappearing.

"Sure."

"Alright, wait for me. I'll be back after delivering the meat," Fu Kang said and left.

Su Peng looked around, temporarily closed the meat shop, and logged out.

"Let's go have lunch!" Soon, in the real world, Fu Kang called out. Su Peng responded and stood up, walking out of the cubicle.

"You guys go ahead, I'll join you later," Sun Shijia was still lying in the game pod, focused on something. Fu Kang's lips curled, and he said to Su Peng, "Let's go!"

Su Peng nodded, glanced at Ji Ming's seat, and found that Ji Ming had already left.

"Such a lone wolf..." Su Peng thought and then went to the dining hall with Fu Kang...

Su Peng and Fu Kang arrived at the restaurant, looked at the menu, and chose a stone-grilled steak, a grilled knife fish, some squid rings, and a bowl of stone pot stew. They sat down and prepared to eat.

Fu Kang also chose a few dishes, which were much greasier. They sat together, and Fu Kang took out two cups of cola, handing one to Su Peng and said, "Here, no drinking on the job, so let's have cola instead."

Su Peng nodded, didn't refuse, and took a sip of cola with Fu Kang.

"Refreshing!" Fu Kang said, then leaned in and whispered, "So, what do you think of this game, Su Peng?"

"Great potential, very realistic, and highly playable," Su Peng thought for a moment and replied.

"Right... but it's also very challenging. Su Peng, we've been busy all morning, and it seems only you and I have changed careers in the game..." Fu Kang said, and Su Peng sensed he had more to say.

After taking a bite of the stone-grilled steak, Su Peng asked, "What's on your mind, Fu Kang?"

"I have an idea," Fu Kang also took a bite of the braised pork he had brought and whispered to Su Peng, "Today is the first day of the game, and we can already see some differences in strength. That Sun Shijia is all talk, not very strong, and hasn't changed careers yet. As for Ji Ming, he's clearly a lone wolf and doesn't want to work with us... This can't go on. The supervisor said the game gets harder later, and which group we join depends on our performance."

"Oh? What do you suggest?" Su Peng asked, looking at Fu Kang.

Fu Kang looked around, saw no one familiar, and leaned in to whisper, "How about this, Su Peng. Let's form a team? We can support each other, share information, and our leveling speed might be faster. If we surpass Sun Shijia and Ji Ming, we can at least secure a good position in the Tiger Group this time."

Su Peng thought for a moment, maintaining a neutral expression, and then looked up with an innocent smile, "That's a good idea..."

"Right!" Fu Kang said, then added, "Sun Shijia might be a liability, and Ji Ming clearly doesn't take us seriously. We need to stick together to better tackle this game."

"Alright, I'll think about it," Su Peng said. What he really wanted to know was whether this game was related to Xiao Lin's death, and he wasn't too interested in forming a team.

"Alright... think about it, and I'll talk to you later," Fu Kang said. Su Peng nodded, and they started eating. The food was delicious, and they finished quickly.

Since it was the first day of the game, they planned to use as much time as possible. After eating, they took a short break and then returned to the game.

On their way back, Su Peng saw Ji Ming sitting alone in the restaurant, eating. Su Peng nodded at him, and Ji Ming glanced at Su Peng, slightly acknowledging him, and then continued eating.

Su Peng and Fu Kang returned to the game room and found Sun Shijia still lying in the game pod!

"Yay! I finally learned an attack skill!"

As soon as they entered the room, Su Peng and Fu Kang heard Sun Shijia shout.

Fu Kang was taken aback and asked, "You changed careers?"

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