Chapter 22: Trade

“What about these cutout clothes?” Vicky asked, her face still displaying confusion as she pointed at the pile of clothes. 𝗈𝒱𝑙xt.𝑐𝞸𝐌

Alan remained silent and instead checked on the dozens of washed-up clothes that were now starting to dry up due to the heat.

Moments later, he pulled out another unmarked item from his bag, bottles of antiseptic, and placed them on the table.

His two companions, Daniel and Milo, watched with curiosity, not understanding what Alan was trying to achieve. But when Vicky saw the antiseptic bottles, a realization dawned on her, and her eyes widened in surprise.

“No way!” she exclaimed, her voice filled with astonishment.

Alan continued to focus on his task, lightly pouring antiseptic on one of the cut-out clothes before rolling it into a tight bundle. The rest of the group watched in anticipation, eager to see what he was up to next.

Using the [Shirt] as a marked item, along with alcohol and antiseptics, Alan skillfully crafted another valuable item. This bandage was the main reason he had come to the hospital, not for canned food or other supplies.

Unlike the standard [Gauze Bandage], this particular one provided a significant 50% increase in HP recovery. Additionally, although it took 30 seconds longer to apply, it offered an overall 10% better recovery rate per second. Alan knew that in the heat of battle, every second counted, and having a bandage like this could make a crucial difference.

In just a few minutes, he had successfully created 40 of these medicated bandages from the 5 cut-out [Shirts]. With this newfound supply, Alan felt much more confident in his ability to face any dangerous situation that might arise.

He continued to craft more of these life-saving bandages, and his companions could only watch in awe, unable to find words to express their amazement. It was evident that such items were incredibly valuable and could be argued to be even more precious than weapons in a survival game like this.

The medicated bandages had stirred envy in Bill, and he shamelessly asked for his share. However, this time, Alan firmly refused.

Bill tried to argue, “No.. no… that’s not nice, isn’t it? I thought we are a team here.”

Alan remained composed and replied, “You are right,” indicating that he would share the bandages with his team members. Vicky, Daniel, Milo, and Luis each received one, something that could be of great use in emergencies.

However, Alan deliberately excluded the CEO, leaving Bill annoyed and ready to protest. Before he could say anything, Alan interjected, “You are a businessman, right? I’m sure you can come up with a good offer for these.”

Bill smiled and made an offer, “I will pay you $10,000 for each of those bandages, no, $100,000.”

Alan chuckled, appreciating the substantial sum but pointed out, “That’s a good price indeed. Unfortunately, money has no value if we die in this game,” accompanied by a smile.

The CEO was clever enough to grasp Alan’s intention and quickly countered, “I’ll give you my gun in exchange for half of the bandages.”

Alan declined the offer, shaking his head, and gave a counter offer “I’ll give you two bandages, Just for you to lend the gun to me until the end of this round.”

The proposition took Bill by surprise, and his business mind began evaluating the deal. With less than 4 hours left in the round, the bandages could secure his survival, not only for this round but also for the next.

On Alan’s part, he knew he could craft more bandages, and getting another gun before the next round wasn’t an issue.

Bill negotiated further, demanding, “I want 10 bandages.”

But Alan didn’t settle for the CEO’s demands and instead made a surprising counteroffer, “Three bandages and a million dollars.”

The CEO was taken aback, not expecting such a response. However, he recognized the value behind the offer and eventually agreed “You got yourself a deal.”

“Great!”

The one million dollars probably meant nothing to the CEO, but the offer was enough to make Bill think that Alan would keep him safe throughout the game in exchange for a chance to get his money. Unfortunately for Bill, Alan didn’t really care much about it. With a minimum number of bandages, Alan managed to get himself a gun and prevent the CEO from causing trouble with such dangerous items.

“You are a good negotiator, Alan,” said Bill as he handed over the gun.

[Name: Glock 17]

[Type: Weapon (small firearm)]

[Rarity: Common]

[Attributes: Firepower 34-45 (50 meters), 30-40 (50-100 meters)]

[Magazine: 9 rounds (9mm)]

[Fire Rate: up to 5 rounds/ second]

[Effects: None]

[Able to Bring Outside the Game: No]

[Remarks: Simply handy gun for beginners]

Firearms indeed provided one with much higher firepower, however, what Alan always hated about it was its severe dependence on bullets. This item came with only one extra magazine, giving him a total of 18 bullets.

“Please do not use them all” Bill said with a smile

With the trade completed, Alan felt more determined and prepared for the challenges ahead. He had secured a weapon and was ready to take on whatever the game threw at him.

Addressing the group, he said, “I believe things will only get more dangerous from here. All of you can stay holed up in this place and bar all the windows for added protection.”

Hearing this, Vicky quickly chimed in, “What about you, Alan?! What are you planning to do?”

Instead of answering Vicky’s question, Alan turned to Milo, the Italian guy, and asked, “Do you want to join me?”