Chapter 62: Snow Day Promise
The items sold at this small market were all carefully selected by Chu Jiu after discussing them with the villagers.
The most eye-catching “popcorn machine” was a recipe Chu Jiu came up with after much recollection, and then asked the little squirrels to make it out of sheet metal. The popcorn machine was easy to use. After Chu Jiu demonstrated it a few times, the villagers learned how to use it and could pop fragrant and crispy popcorn.
The grilled small fish on the charcoal stove were naturally Grandma Hao’s specialty—finger-length small fish, grilled until the skin was crispy and the inside juicy, just right for one bite, without even needing to spit out the bones.
The “golden-red cabbage leaves” in the pottery pots were kimchi that Grandma Zhu and the others had pickled in advance according to Chu Jiu’s instructions, sweet, spicy, and refreshing, especially appetizing.
The large pot was modeled after the “mala tang” sold on the streets of China. A fresh and sweet broth was made in advance with fish bones and corn, then fish, radishes, and other ingredients were sliced, and tofu and frozen tofu were cut into chunks. Customers chose what they wanted to eat, and it was blanched in the broth. When it was taken out of the pot, a little “soy sauce” was added for seasoning, making one feel warm all over and the mouth full of flavor.
The fish used for blanching were caught in the small river, the radishes were grown in the fields, the tofu was freshly made in the morning, and the frozen tofu was something Lin Wen and the others had figured out the recipe for themselves under Chu Jiu’s encouragement after the weather turned cold.
The soy sauce used for seasoning was made by Chu Jiu using his spiritual power, but in a few months, when Bean Village’s soy sauce could be brewed, the villagers would also have their own homemade soy sauce.
In short, the things in this market were either things the villagers already had or things the villagers could make, and each one was a genuine “Bean Village specialty.”
In fact, Chu Jiu knew clearly that if he put some of the delicacies from the wilderness on the market after a little processing, such as three-leaf fish, cotton sheep, and bamboo flower chicken… it might attract more diners to stop.
But except for Chu Jiu himself, no villager could easily walk into the forest and bring back a table full of dishes.
Chu Jiu didn’t want to turn the “Bean Village New Year Market” into “Chu Jiu’s Monster Food Exhibition.”
In his opinion, if Bean Village’s reputation completely depended on “what delicious things Chu Jiu brought back from the wilderness,” then what would happen to the villagers left here after he left? Would they fall back into the days of guarding the wasteland and suffering from hunger and cold?
So Chu Jiu would rather choose a slower route and accumulate popularity in other ways.
*
After the ten-day New Year holiday ended, Chu Jiu received a long list of reward notifications—
Total development points exceeded 20,000, development level increased to 18%…
Chu Jiu clicked through them one by one, his gaze landing on the [Level Up] notification.
[Congratulations, Host, your level has increased. You are now a Level 10 Pioneer.]
[The upper limit of usable land for the Host has increased!]
[The upper limit of arable land has increased from one plot each of farmland and woodland to three plots each.]
[The upper limit of land for raising livestock has increased from two initial ranches to four ranches.]
Wow, not bad, the land limit has finally been broken!
Before, only one plot of farmland could be opened. Although two crops could be planted simultaneously, if any new plants needed to be cultivated, it would disrupt the original planting plan.
The ranch was just barely enough. Two ranches could only raise four types of monsters. They had already raised [Bloodthirsty Bees], [Black and White Spotted Giant Aphids], and [Cockatrice Snakes], leaving only one “monster raising quota,” which Chu Jiu was reluctant to use hastily.
Now that the limit had been lifted, there was no need to be so meticulous.
Chu Jiu looked at the next notification with satisfaction:
[The Host has learned the active skill “Item Analysis.” Please use it reasonably.]
[Item Analysis: For items obtained by the Host in various ways and on any occasion, the Host can determine the raw materials used to make the item after using this skill.]
[The accuracy of the information obtained by the Host is affected by the item’s level, the Host’s own status, and the overall development level.]
Hmm?
This skill…
Chu Jiu thought for a moment, then exclaimed “Ah!” He put aside all the other notifications and directly took out the [Mysterious Black Box] from his backpack.
This box was the one Lu Qingyan had taken out from under the road sign, the box the association used to attract monsters.
The contents of the box had already been dealt with by Lu Qingyan. But according to Lu Qingyan, since this box could hold the strange object inside, the material of the box itself was also worth studying.
Chu Jiu thought so too.
He had tried many ways before, but couldn’t figure out what this box was made of.
Now that he had this skill, wouldn’t it be perfect to use it?
Chu Jiu directly activated the skill.
[Analyzing…]
[Analysis result: The main materials constituting this rectangular prism are “the sap of a certain tree,” “the mucus of a certain creature,” and “stone fragments unchanged by time.”]
[Limited by the materials the Host has currently encountered, a more specific analysis result cannot be provided.]
!
Although the first two things were equivalent to “unknown material,” at least he knew that one of the materials was the “stone fragment” he had picked up in the Earth’s Core world!
And from this prompt, if he encountered the corresponding materials in the future, wouldn’t he be able to know the exact analysis result?
Yay!
Chu Jiu clenched his fist confidently, not at all discouraged by “only figuring out one-third,” and sincerely felt that this skill was amazing.
He carefully put away the [Mysterious Black Box] again and turned to look at the remaining notifications.
The remaining notifications were all about Bean Village.
The overall state of Bean Village was very different from what it had been two months ago:
[Honorary Area: Bean Village]
[Village Evaluation: Possessing the unique “dwarf beastman blacksmith shop” in the human residential area has aroused people’s curiosity about this village. The unique and lively “New Year Market” has created goodwill towards this village.
During the entire New Year holiday, the “blacksmith shop” and the “New Year Market” together attracted nearly three digits of visitors.
In the eyes of visitors, this is a small village with a peaceful atmosphere and many novel delicacies. They will gradually promote this small village to the people around them.
However, measured by overall development, this is a remote small village that has just crossed the poverty line and may still face a situation of lacking food and clothing.]
[Village Specialties: Tofu, Frozen Tofu, Honey, Forged Products from the “Dwarf Beastman Blacksmith Shop”]
[Resident Status: The “New Year Market” greatly encouraged the villagers. Everyone is full of energy and looking forward to the spring plowing after the beginning of spring. The newly joined residents have been infected by the emotions of the local residents, and the overall mood is optimistic and positive.]
[Precautions: The village is in the early stages of development. A slight mistake may cause it to fall back below the poverty line. Please make plans as early as possible in your areas of expertise.]
It seems the “New Year Market” was really useful! Bean Village’s external reputation will get better and better, which will also make it easier for Douglas and the others to continue “recruiting people,” right?
Chu Jiu thought happily.
As for the last precaution…
Chu Jiu nodded in deep agreement.
Indeed. Everything had just begun. If there was a major mistake at this time, or if the development direction was chosen incorrectly, or if they encountered any natural or man-made disasters…
Then all the hard-earned motivation, momentum, and reputation would vanish.
I must work harder.
The old village chief and Douglas and the others were very diligent. They had already arranged what crops to plant next year, how to allocate the village’s fields, how to repair the water channels, and how to collect “public management fees”… They had considered everything, whether it was the unified management of money or the arrangement of manpower.
And I must also work hard to promote new facilities and build the sugarcane forest and sugar factory as soon as possible!
Chu Jiu said so in his heart.
*
On the second day after the holiday ended, Chu Jiu and the villagers removed all the stalls and cleaned up the small square together.
Just as he was chatting with Douglas, Irene, and Reg, Aman ran over in a hurry and said to Douglas:
“Report! A person from another village who came here a few days ago has come to the village again in a carriage!”
“I had my friends follow him, and I came over to report to you first!”
Since people sent by the association had infiltrated the village some time ago, the villagers’ vigilance towards “outsiders” had increased sharply.
But to attract people to Bean Village, it was absolutely impossible to close off the village entrance and refuse visitors, nor was it possible to set up checkpoints to inspect guests.
Therefore, Douglas had the former ability users form a security team to walk back and forth in the village, and Reg and other current ability users were on standby in the rear to prevent anyone with ulterior motives from taking advantage of the situation.
Seeing their uncles operate in this way, Aman led a group of children to imitate them, forming their own “Protect Bean Village Little Squad” to patrol the village daily.
In Aman’s opinion, the holiday was over today, and the market had closed. This person choosing to come at this time must have ulterior motives!
Just then, someone from the security team walked over, and Douglas asked if they had noticed the newcomer who had just entered the village.
A member of the security team replied, “Ah, we saw him, we saw him. Isn’t that Mika?”
“We even chatted for a bit. He said he had an appointment with someone in the village and that’s why he came all this way.”
Hearing that the newcomer was familiar to the patrol team and a young man with a good reputation and character, both Douglas and Reg were relieved.
However, everyone couldn’t help but be a little curious: Who did Mika have an appointment with?
Weren’t all his “acquaintances” among these ability users?
Just as they were wondering, the child Aman had sent to “keep an eye on him” rushed over like a gust of wind: “That outsider! That outsider!”
The child ran up to the group, bent over and gasped for breath, then continued:
“That outsider didn’t go to the road sign!”
“He went to Sister Cheng Yue!”
Went to Cheng Yue?
…Oh, then he probably wants Cheng Yue to help him weave cloth.
Chu Jiu thought to himself.
After all, his own quilted coat was made by Cheng Yue.
He had also heard Marco say before that Cheng Yue’s weaving skills were praised by many customers, and some even specifically told Marco, “This time’s wool must be woven by that girl named Cheng Yue.”
Therefore, Chu Jiu didn’t find anything strange or unacceptable about it.
However, Reg next to him had already taken a step forward, his voice even changing: “Huh? He went to Cheng Yue?”
The child, realizing that his words had received attention, immediately became even more energetic, describing in great detail what he had just seen.
For example, how this outsider politely knocked on the door.
For example, how this outsider handed a small package to Sister Cheng Yue, chatting and laughing with her, and how Sister Cheng Yue, after receiving the small package, kept looking at it with a smile, and how she handed a small cloth bag to this outsider and even bowed to him.
Hearing this, Chu Jiu still didn’t find anything strange.
On the contrary, Reg suddenly took a few steps forward, then walked back, supporting himself on a nearby mud wall, his face turning ashen.
Chu Jiu was startled and quickly asked Reg if he was sick and if he needed to drink some potion.
Irene over there exclaimed “Oh dear!” and motioned for Douglas to help his younger brother up, smiling helplessly: “He’s not sick. He’s just a little anxious.”
Chu Jiu: …Anxious?
Irene looked at Chu Jiu’s blank expression, gesturing for Douglas to take his brother for a walk to calm down before speaking to Chu Jiu: “Little Jiu, haven’t you noticed before that Reg is a little special towards Cheng Yue?”
Special?
Special in the way of “liking the other person”?
Chu Jiu recalled that it seemed at the very beginning, when that black-hearted merchant had spoken rudely to Cheng Yue and the others, it was Reg who had stopped him.
After that, he would occasionally run into Reg in the village. This big guy was always actively helping people chop firewood, carry water, and gather dry grass…
Among the people he helped… it seemed there was Grandpa Du, Grandma Zhu, Cheng Yue…
In short, quite a few people.
Was that considered special? He hadn’t heard Reg say “I think Cheng Yue is nice” or “Bro, help me out, how can I win Cheng Yue over?”
Chu Jiu, whose understanding of “liking someone” was limited to dormitory late-night talks, was even more confused at this moment.
Irene frowned slightly: “Little Jiu…”
Chu Jiu: “Hmm?”
Irene smiled faintly: “Oh, it’s nothing.”
“I was just thinking… Mr. Lu must still be quite busy.”
…Huh?
What did this have to do with Lu Qingyan?
*
Arsa Star.
Lu Qingyan sat at the table, gently turning his palm, watching the scene he had created with his mental power.
In his palm was a small black cat with ice-blue eyes and a serious face, gently stroking a dazed-looking golden hamster.
The little hamster held a round mushroom with its two small paws, nibbling at it with small bites, its cheeks puffed out.
Lu Qingyan looked at the little hamster, the corners of his eyes curving slightly downwards.
In that world… it would soon snow, too.
In Lu Qingyan’s mind, the image of the teenager’s eyes, curved like crescent moons, reappeared: “See you when it snows.”
Returning to that moment, the look in Lu Qingyan’s eyes was a tenderness no one had ever seen.
Until Lieutenant He Fang sent a notification through the light brain:
[Marshal, the engineer reports that the instant projection device and the matching induction valve you requested are ready for testing.]
Lu Qingyan: [Good.]
Lu Qingyan stood up, turned his palm over, and closed the virtual scene.
On the other side, He Fang turned off the light brain, sighing repeatedly to Major Chen Mo: “This instant projection device is too dangerous.”
“At least the previous transfer cabin could guarantee the Marshal’s physical safety.”
“Now with the instant projection device, the Marshal might initiate projection anywhere…” “His burden is really too heavy.”
Different from the transfer cabin, which required advance preparation, advance debugging, and was the size of a traditional hibernation pod, the “instant projection device” was surprisingly small—about the size of a pair of goggles.
These “goggles” allowed Lu Qingyan to project his mental power to WT0906 while his physical body remained conscious.
Compared to the transfer cabin, the convenience and speed of the new device were undeniable.
But correspondingly, due to the lack of the transfer cabin’s walls to protect the mental field, the mental power consumption caused by this projection method was also several times that of the transfer cabin.
Chen Mo shook his head: “There’s no way around it. We can’t monitor WTO906 in real time. If the Zerg take any action during this gap… the consequences would be unimaginable.”
Speaking of this, He Fang became even more resentful: “These Zerg! They actually set up such a monitoring field!”
According to the current analysis results, once the Zerg on WT0906 detected “matter” with a technological level far exceeding that of the local world, they would accelerate the initiation of their plan.
This was also why the first “observer” was destroyed by the teenager out of instinct. As Marshal Lu said, it was an “act of self-preservation.”
The second observer, because it was carried on Marshal Lu’s “mental power,” could instead deceive the Zerg’s monitoring field.
Among the existing high-level mental power users, only Marshal Lu’s mental power could resonate with, attract, and even merge into a single line with that teenager’s mental power to deceive the heavens and cross the sea.
Therefore, only Lu Qingyan could project his mental power along this line.
The others knew how dangerous this was, but were powerless to provide any alternative solutions.
He Fang was silent for a moment, then suddenly thought of something else: “By the way…”
“Regarding this kind of situation where mental powers can attract each other, I heard…”
He Fang didn’t dare to say the rest.
But Chen Mo already knew what he wanted to say.
“This…” Chen Mo shook his head, “You know, Marshal Lu has always scoffed at this kind of thing, not even interested in hearing a single word more.”
“Let’s just pretend we don’t know anything.”
He Fang nodded: “Yeah, we don’t know anything.”
*
Bean Village.
Chu Jiu cracked open a [Cockatrice Snake] egg and slowly fried it in a pan.
The aroma of the fried egg wafted upwards, filling the kitchen.
The weather outside was already very cold.
These past few days, most of the villagers in Bean Village hadn’t gone out much, but stayed at home “hibernating.”
According to the Chinese lunar calendar, it would soon be the coldest period of winter.
It’s so cold, why hasn’t it snowed yet…
Chu Jiu shook his head, thinking to himself that if it doesn’t snow, it doesn’t snow. What am I even thinking about?
He carried the breakfast for one human and four spirit beasts, as well as the [milk produced by black and white aphids] that the baby triceratops needed to drink, to the dining table.
After eating the last bite of fried egg, Chu Jiu had just wiped his mouth with a napkin when he saw Little Can’s eyes turn into half-circles, and it leaped to the window with a whoosh: “Monster!”
Chu Jiu’s backend also received a notification:
[Detected that a monster will enter the Pioneer Hut area. Please determine whether to allow it to enter.]
…?
Chu Jiu didn’t feel any fear, only a bit of curiosity.
In the middle of this cold winter, what kind of stupid nightmare creature wouldn’t properly forage for food in the ever-springing forest, but instead come to intrude on the Pioneer Hut?
Was it here to be scratched by Little Can in its Big Cat form?
He picked up Little Can, who had already entered “alert mode,” opened the door unhurriedly, and walked to the boundary of the Pioneer Hut at a leisurely pace… Eh?
This?
Chu Jiu blinked.
Even Little Can was stunned.
The pitiful “nightmare creature” in front of them, with its head drooping and only a few sparse feathers left on its body, wasn’t it the [Mountain Eagle]?
The one now renamed [Bald Mountain Eagle].
It had to be said that its feathers were really soft. The little quilts and mattresses made from them were very popular with the baby triceratops.
…If he could keep it and continuously pluck its feathers…
Chu Jiu looked at the mountain eagle’s eyes, a hint of evil light flashing in his own.
Even though Chu Jiu didn’t say anything, the mountain eagle was still frightened by Chu Jiu’s gaze, shaking its head desperately: No no no no, don’t pluck me anymore!
At this moment, Kakaba, who had finished feeding the baby triceratops milk and put them in the cradle to play by themselves, also ran out: “Dang dang dang! Why is there a very fierce mountain eagle here—oh no, it’s a mountain eagle that used to be very fierce and has now become a quail.”
“How strange, how did its feathers become like this?”
Mountain Eagle: …Wuwuwu, ask the devilish bipedal creature next to you, wuwuwu.
Kakaba gestured at the mountain eagle for a while, then said to Chu Jiu: “Dang dang dang! The mountain eagle says it’s responsible for leading the way, and it brought someone over.”
“This person… wants to duel the ‘fierce bipedal creature’!”
Chu Jiu: …?
Wait, who else is around here?
Just as he was wondering, a tiny, tiny voice came from the air: “Bipedal creature, I am ‘Swift Feather of the Galewind Rock’! I will defeat you to prove my strength!”
…?
Could someone really say such chuunibyou lines without changing their expression?!
Chu Jiu was still immersed in shock when Little Can leaped up, flapped in the air, pressed its paws on something small, and slammed it to the ground—
“Cheep cheep cheep cheep! There’s a cat, ahhh, help, ahhh ahhh!”
Chu Jiu rubbed his temples and gestured to Little Can: “It’s okay, let go first, let go and let us see.”
Little Can slowly lifted its cat paws, revealing the furry little thing that had been pressed on the grass.
It was a grayish… little bird?
No, no, this little bird was wearing small clothes, and the tips of its small wings were curled like human hands, tightly gripping a stone-sharpened trident.
Chu Jiu recognized it. This was another type of sprite mentioned in ?Folk Tales?, the “Feathered Folk” who lived in high mountains and cliffs.
Or… bird people… maybe…
Chu Jiu squatted down: “Hello, I am the ‘fierce bipedal creature,’ my name is Chu Jiu.”
“Why do you want to duel me?”
The little gray bird subconsciously took a few steps back, sniffled, and pointed at Little Can with its little wing: “What is that big black cat to you?”
Chu Jiu: “…It’s my partner.”
Little Gray Bird: “What is a partner? Is it the same as a knight?”
Chu Jiu rested his chin in his hand: “…More or less.”
Little Can suddenly became a bit more reserved, its tail standing up and drawing a beautiful arc in the air.
The little gray bird glanced at Little Can, looking puffed up and unwilling: “I haven’t even fought the bipedal creature yet, and I’ve already been defeated by his knight…”
“I… hmph…”
Chu Jiu: …?
The little gray bird took a deep breath, puffed out its little chest, and then—
Shouted out! Very loudly!
“Brave hairless bipedal creature!”
“You subdued the mountain eagle I had been chasing for a long time, and your powerful knight easily defeated me!”
“You are qualified to go to our tribe and receive our reward!”
Chu Jiu: ……
Putting aside your strange content for now, what’s with this address?!
How am I hairless? I have plenty of hair!
