Settlement Time!
After midnight, Qin Yu eagerly watched the system's point display fluctuate wildly before settling on a four-digit number.
Result: 6,480 points.
"Yes!"
Now she had enough points for an upgrade. The previous two days' earnings had been pitifully low - only 368 points. That wasn't even enough to upgrade her attributes, let alone her weapons.
Next came the upgrade phase.
Qin Yu tapped her chin thoughtfully, considering her future path.
This skill tree couldn't be approached haphazardly. A scattergun approach would only make her mediocre at everything without excelling in anything.
Reasonable planning was essential.
Since she had initially chosen firearms as her weapon and invested in "Firearm Proficiency 1," a playstyle focused on ranged attacks would be ideal.
However, Qin Yu now believed what she needed wasn't damage output, but rather survivability.
She had once fought three bandits alone. Though somewhat battered, she had still emerged victorious.
Yet hidden attacks were difficult to guard against. If not for Shenhe's timely rescue, she feared she would have been ambushed and left utterly defenseless.
While deeply grateful, she also recognized she couldn't rely on chance encounters for help every time. She needed to solve her own survival problems.
Only by surviving could she deal damage.
Therefore, her focus should be on skills that guaranteed her safety.
There were many self-defense skills available - automatic healing, physical fortification, and more. Each one made Qin Yu's eyes gleam with envy, wishing she could acquire them all.
Alas, her skill points were limited. At most, she could only choose two skills.
"This is truly frustrating."
Qin Yu hugged her blanket, rolling around on the bed while pondering what she needed most in this moment.
Then she had an epiphany.
Detection and evasion! If she could detect enemies, know their numbers, positions, and even movements, she could always be on guard against ambushes and even turn the tide to defeat them.
Evasion would let her avoid damage and create distance.
While skills that improved her ability to withstand attacks were good, wasn't it better to not take any damage at all? Compared to traditional tank roles, she preferred being a dodging tank...
Of course, the best option was to not be a tank at all, just sniping from the back.
After determining her direction, Qin Yu immediately scanned the skill tree, searching for suitable skills.
There were several she thought were good, but she couldn't choose them all. After much agonizing comparison and internal conflict, she finally settled on two skills that seemed most appropriate.
[Wave Detection 1]
[Releases an invisible wave centered on the user, spreading outward to detect any living beings. However, this ability is limited by terrain and obstacles. If the user focuses on releasing this skill, they can continuously emit detection waves.]
[Danger Instinct 1]
[Enhances all physical abilities when facing danger. When facing lethal damage, this effect is further amplified, entering a slow-motion state.]
The moment the skill pattern lit up, Qin Yu felt momentarily disoriented. When she regained her composure, the usage method and precautions for "Wave Detection" had already materialized in her mind.
Active-type skills, though lacking cooldowns, required consuming one's own stamina as a cost.
Thus, they must be used with caution. Overzealously casting active skills during combat would only hasten one's demise.
After all, in true battles, those who collapse first are often those who run out of stamina.
Next, Qin Yu tested the Wave Detection skill.
She formed a fist with her left hand and placed it before her eyes, then closed her eyelids. With a shift in mental focus, invisible waves radiated outward, mapping all living creatures within the room in her mind's eye.
Hmm... two rats... After living here so long, this was the first time she'd realized rats existed. No wonder sometimes she felt like her food had mysteriously disappeared.
Qin Yu located their hiding spots and forced the rats out.
Before she could grab a broom, the two plump rats had already scurried out the window in a puff of smoke.
A cat's meow echoed from outside the next moment.
"Whew, that's settled for now."
Only God knew if future combat situations would arise, but the more skills she possessed, the greater her chances of victory.
But she still couldn't fully relax.
"After all, I'm still not strong enough..."
Yesterday's efforts had only allowed her to obtain two skills. The more advanced skills required exponentially more points, and that didn't even account for upgrading existing skills.
It felt like an endless pit.
To continue delving into this bottomless abyss, she'd have to keep... well, keep doing what she was doing. Qin Yu sighed.
Whatever. It's already late. I'll think about it tomorrow... no, wait, this morning. I'll figure it out after I wake up.
"Goodnight." Qin Yu pulled the blanket up to cover her belly.
-
Morning.
Qin Yu finally woke up when the sun hit her face.
She got out of bed, closed the curtains, and went back to sleep. Goodnight.
Noon.
Now fully awake, Qin Yu scratched her messy hair and thought sleepily about what to do today.
"Hmm... I should go find Shenhe."
Yesterday had been a good atmosphere. She'd taken the opportunity to earn some goodwill, and they'd become tentative friends. Now was the time to strike while the iron was hot.
To get closer to someone, goodwill was essential.
Would you rather watch two girls with little emotional foundation get close, or two girls who are already close?
This goes without saying; most people would naturally choose the latter.
Their mutual affection must also be a significant factor in the System's evaluation.
Having made up her mind, Qin Yu washed up and tidied her appearance.
Her vanity held few cosmetics. Preferring to spend time cooking rather than applying makeup, she found herself at a loss, wondering if she should purchase some products.
Her hair needed conditioning too. Without proper care, the dry weather would leave it as brittle as withered grass.
Clothes... Though Qin Yu found her current attire perfectly comfortable and affordable, considering future needs, buying new garments seemed prudent.
"Being a woman sure comes with endless complications."
Still, not over-dressing for Shenhe shouldn't matter. The woman didn't appear particularly concerned with such trivialities.
Setting down the comb, Qin Yu tilted her head to examine her reflection. She smoothed her hair, experimenting with various expressions.
Appearance: Check.
"Ah—ah↓ah→ah↑~"
Voice: Check.
"Ahem. Good morning, Shenhe! What's on the agenda today?"
The smile was perfect.
After confirming her impeccable performance, Qin Yu sighed. "I'll take tomorrow off."
Regardless of circumstances, maintaining this acting mode year-round was impossible. Having capitalized on today's momentum to handle matters with Shenhe, she decided to rest tomorrow.
Qin Yu chuckled bitterly. "Isn't this just like a regular job?"
Patting her cheeks, Qin Yu rose to the entryway and slipped on her cloth shoes.
Another day as a good friend, then.