While Everyone Panicked, I Upgraded My Raft

Chapter 96: Chapter 96: The 3rd Calamity

At this moment, Rowan Rhodes had no idea someone was using her name to further their own agenda.

After inputting the coordinates of the sunken ships one by one into the radio tower, the receiver marked them out, indicating a successful connection. As for the radar, it couldn’t scan them due to the extreme distance. However, with her raft’s current coordinates on the radar, a quick comparison was all it took to confirm the direction.

Through this method, Rowan pinpointed a suitable shipwreck. It wasn’t too far from Void Isle, aligning perfectly with her goals. She decided to head to Void Isle first to explore her fourth island. After unlocking the ”seal” of the Sea Survival Game, she would visit the shipwreck.

At least for now, she was the only person in District 122 who possessed this shipwreck locator map. No wonder information about shipwrecks had been so scarce in her past life. It turned out such intel was exclusively monopolized by one or a tiny fraction of players in each district. Why would any player be willing to share such a massive advantage with others? All the top players were hoarding these resources to strengthen themselves.

Through this, Rowan glimpsed an invisible rule of the Sea Survival Game. The game seemed designed to accelerate the development of a select few. By concentrating resources in their hands, it allowed them to grow powerful enough to dominate their entire district. Of course, these chosen players needed sufficient combat power to defend their gains. Otherwise, they would simply be replaced.

In other words, the Sea Survival Game was raising Gu—pitching venomous creatures against each other until only the strongest survived. Right now, this brutal selection was confined to districts. In the future, it would encompass the entire server.

And after the server merged?

Rowan’s heart skipped a beat as she pondered the distant future. She decided to drop it; that was far too far ahead. Worrying about it now was useless.

With her course set, Rowan’s raft headed straight for Void Isle.

As time ticked by, night fell. With the arrival of darkness, the frequency of Positioning Cards being used spiked. Global server announcements popped up sporadically on the control panel. Simultaneously, the player leaderboard constantly refreshed. The top few hundred ranks, in particular, fluctuated wildly.

Observant individuals noticed that the players experiencing the most intense fluctuations were generally those who had previously used Positioning Cards in the world channel. Moving up meant they had won and plundered another player’s resources. Moving down meant they had been defeated. Some even vanished from the leaderboard entirely.

Players who noticed this felt their heart rates unconsciously accelerate. Obviously, those players hadn’t just lost; they had died. This proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that raft warfare was a life-or-death struggle. No one could afford to let their guard down.

In an instant, the transaction volume for all sorts of weapons in the trading hall and the Sea Survival Shop skyrocketed. It was just as the saying went: ”If my neighbor hoards grain and I hoard a gun, my neighbor becomes my granary.” No one wanted their hard-earned supplies to become someone else’s ”granary.”

Due to her cautious Nature, Rowan also noticed this while trading resources. She intended to sell weapons too, but absolutely not right now when it would just add fuel to the fire.

However, it was time to sell the solar-powered electric drill and iron pickaxe. It was already night, with only a few hours left, and the first few batches of players had long since departed Glimmerstone Isle. Rowan knew very well that, generally speaking, many of the earliest arrivals were aggressive and ruthless. If she had sold to them, they would have likely hoarded the tools and monopolized the resources.

As for the later players, while bad apples existed, the overall situation would be much better. Furthermore, given the steep price, average solo players couldn’t afford it; they would most likely have to form co-ops. This not only aligned with her interests but would also help balance the resources within the district.

The next moment, Rowan directly listed the electric drill and iron pickaxe for sale. Indeed, she had always planned to sell them at night, which was why she had removed the solar panels during production. Not only did this save resources, but it also made the electric drill and iron pickaxe less conspicuous.

Alongside the electric drill and iron pickaxe, Rowan included a piece of tradeable information.

[Item: Precious Glimmerstone Isle Information]

[Price: 1 Trading Coin]

This was considered an information-type commodity. The Sea Survival Game protected information rights, prohibiting players from leaking purchased intel to non-buyers. Violators were forced to pay damages. She didn’t know about other districts, but in District 122’s trading hall, there hadn’t been a single commodity like this yet. Listing this intel in the Sea Survival Shop served as a reminder to others.

The moment Rowan put it up, numerous players took notice. Those with Trading Coins in hand scrambled to snatch it up immediately.

”It’s here! It’s here! There really is a god-tier mining tool.”

”Why is she only selling it now? I just left Glimmerstone Isle!”

”This Rowan Rhodes has sinister intentions! She just didn’t want to give those of us who pose a threat to her a cheap advantage.”

”If you think she’s sinister, go get a Positioning Card and find Boss Rowan yourself.”

”When she held onto it before, you called her selfish. Now that she’s selling it, you’re still complaining. Isn’t that a bit much?”

”I think you guys should be thanking Boss Rowan. Selling it now makes it less conspicuous. If she had sold it during the day, it would’ve likely been snatched up by bullies.”

”Exactly.”

”She’s showing consideration for average players.”

”Couldn’t it just be that she’s afraid the top-ranked players will acquire a massive amount of resources like her?”

”Even if that’s true, it’s normal! If I had good stuff, I wouldn’t sell it to others so easily either!”

”Anyway, just hurry up and grab one while you still have the chance!”

”There’s also an informational item. Are you guys buying it? It seems to be unlimited in quantity.”

”Not buying. I’ve already left Glimmerstone Isle.”

”I’m buying it! The amount of information is huge.”

”Can it be shared?”

”No, sharing it requires paying damages! You won’t be able to afford the penalty, and it’s only one Trading Coin, so just buy it! Those who haven’t left Glimmerstone Isle definitely won’t regret it.”

”...”

Similar discussions popped up across the world channels of various districts. Even as they complained, their Speed in snatching up the goods wasn’t slow in the slightest. Quite a few players actually managed to grab an electric drill and iron pickaxe. Many of those who succeeded pooled together with several other players to mine and split the profits, as that was the only way to safeguard their gains.

Countless players who had snatched the Equipment immediately started mining, producing a rhythmic CHINK CLINK CHINK. Their Speed was absolutely stellar. By the time they split the loot, they had already earned back double what they spent. Many players who benefited couldn’t help but feel grateful to Rowan in their hearts.

Of course, even more people bought the Glimmerstone Isle intel. After all, they were incredibly curious about what other secrets the island held.

As a result, many players instantly felt they had hit the jackpot upon purchasing it. There were actually ores on the seabed of Glimmerstone Isle!!! Not only that, but there were also various kinds of marine life within the island’s waters. In addition, many different species of marine life were documented in the Glimmerstone Isle marine chart!

Worth it! It was far too worth it! That one single Trading Coin!

Suddenly, the Glimmerstone Isle waters across countless districts bustled with activity. Compared to the ”slaughter” among the first few batches of players, these subsequent arrivals were completely immersed in the joy of their harvest.

Arriving late had indeed been the right choice! The latecomers were mostly the timid ones, and timid players were less likely to cause trouble.

Skye Schuyler from District 122 arrived at Glimmerstone Isle right at this moment. Watching the players bobbing up and down in the water to mine, her eyes shone with pure excitement. She had also bought the intel Rowan sold and understood the current situation. Compared to the ores, she was far more interested in the marine life in the surrounding waters. These sea creatures might allow her to cook dishes with a different Effect.

However, Skye first disembarked from her raft, took a stroll around Glimmerstone Isle, and tentatively dove underwater to mine a few ores. Only then did she shift her focus from the island itself to the surrounding waters.

Throughout the entire night, countless players reveled in the joy of their harvest. But as the time ticked closer and closer to midnight, the players began bracing for the arrival of the third natural disaster. No one knew what this disaster would entail. At this moment, countless players felt restless and uneasy.