Survival Queen of the Frozen Wastes novel Chapter 34

Chapter 34 Stone Wall Upgrade

Chapter 34 Stone Wall Upgrade

The slap in the face came quickly.

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Riley didn’t rush to reply to any of those messages. She just stared at the chat window showing the username PineappleBeer, completely lost in thought.

From start to finish, that person had only said two things.

“Can you make these?” and “Good doing business“.

He hadn’t asked how she could craft them, showed no surprise about the rare affix, and didn’t bother with flattery. Even posting in the public channel seemed like a casual favor–like they genuinely didn’t care what anyone thought.

“A real hardcase,” Riley muttered to herself.

People like that, quiet types who only cared about skill and results, were usually the ones you had to watch out for.

“PineappleBeer…”

She repeated the oddly playful name, feeling a strong tug of curiosity.

What was this person really like?

“Hope they’re on my side when the event kicks off tomorrow.”

Riley closed her messages and turned back toward the workshop.

Either way, thanks to that top–tier player, her business was officially up and running.

For the next few hours, Riley turned into a nonstop crafting machine.

Sylvie sat nearby watching, her eyes growing wider by the minute.

Sorting blueprints, collecting materials, producing gear, delivering orders.

one after another, green–quality items left her hands. In return, she piled up a small fortune in rare

resources.

“Obtained: Steel ×10

“Obtained: Refined Steel ×2

“Obtained: Magnet x5

“Obtained: High–Tensile Beast Sinew ×2

“Obtained: Treated Leather Sheets <2

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Chapter 34 Stone Wall Upgrade

“Obtained: High–Grade Nutrient Solution *5”

The custom orders kept coming until evening.

+35 Free Coins

Looking at the heap of resources now stacked in her inventory, Riley felt like she’d hit the jackpot. Most players, on top of the crafting fee, tossed in some “leftover materials” as a thank–you, just to move their orders up the queue. Among those so–called scraps, stone was the most common.

For the average survivor, stone was heavy, took up precious inventory space, and wasn’t good for much besides a basic stone axe or spear–too useless to keep, but a waste to toss. For Riley, though, who was desperate to upgrade her walls, it was a gift straight from above.

She even traded some of the steel and other less–immediate materials on the exchange for more stones.

“Two hundred stones. Finally enough.”

Riley stood in the middle of her camp and pulled up the “Camp Management” screen.

The old wooden fence was still standing after all the wind, snow, and last night’s ghoul scratches, but it didn’t exactly inspire confidence.

“Upgrade defense facilities?

“Upgrade target: Stone Wall (Lv.1)

“Cost: Stone x200, Steel 10”

Riley’s finger hovered over the confirm button. She didn’t press it right away.

Once burned, twice shy–she hadn’t forgotten the hidden conditions from when she built the washroom.

She carefully read the fine print underneath, text so small it was almost hidden.

“Note: This upgrade will replace the current wooden fence. The wall perimeter will automatically expand to match the camp’s level at no additional material cost. Defense rating greatly increased. Adds basic fireproofing and impact resistance.”

Riley let out a slow breath.

Good. Even if the system was stingy, at least the building logic made sense.

“Upgrade.”

The moment she pressed the button, the stone in her inventory dissolved into streams of light and vanished.

Then, a low rumble came from the ground.

Sylvie watched, stunned, as the old battered wooden fence seemed to be swallowed by some invisible force. In its place, solid stone walls emerged from nowhere–interlocking, stacking, fitting together as

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Chapter 34 Stone Wall Upgrade

though they had a life of their own.

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In seconds, a thick stone wall over six feet high rose up and wrapped snugly around the entire camp.

The most noticeable change was the front gate.

The old wooden door that used to shudder if you pushed it too hard was gone, replaced by a heavy, reinforced stone door complete with a simple viewing slit and a solid latch. It looked secure. Really secure.

“Whoa…”

Sylvie, who’d been sticking close to Riley the whole time, was completely awestruck.

She hopped over to the brand–new wall, reached out a small hand, and gently touched the rough, cool surface of the stone.

Then she hurried back to Riley, circled her a couple of times, her tail wagging so fast it blurred.

“Ee–ya! Gula! Mmm!”

She looked up at Riley, used both hands to show how tall the wall was, then pointed right at her, letting out a stream of excited chatter. Her big green eyes were practically sparkling.

Incredible!

Riley watched her act all amazed, as if she’d never seen anything like it, and couldn’t help but smile.

Yeah, this felt pretty good.

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Chapter 35 A New Namie