Chapter 112
Tang Yu’an gazed at the small budding sprout in the flowerpot, noticing a faint hint of blue within the green shoot.
Could this actually be a Lan Hu seedling?
He quickly used a basic identification skill on the little sprout.
[Would you like to spend 200 points to use the basic identification skill on this item?]
Just the identification fee alone was 200 points, meaning the whole seedling was worth 2,000 points? That was twice the value of an early Qingliang Fruit seedling!
Tang Yu’an glanced at his points balance: 327. He quickly closed the identification screen.
He was nearly broke and couldn’t afford such a high identification cost.
Looking at Granny Guo, who was resting with her eyes closed on the woolen blanket, Tang Yu’an couldn’t help but feel a twinge of regret.
If only he hadn’t opened the protective barrier for Store No. 2…
Granny and Kang Kang would be staying at Store No. 1, but unlocking the feature to allow customers to stay overnight required 200 popularity points and 2,000 points.
Could he reach those conditions before nightfall?
Tang Yu’an glanced at Store No. 1’s popularity level: 141. He was 59 points away from 200—maybe with a bit of effort, he could just manage it today?
But points…
Points were just too hard to come by! It felt like they were always running out!
Keeping this in mind, Tang Yu’an quickly opened the 3D map of Store No. 1 and reduced the protective barrier’s coverage to only the ninth and tenth floors.
This way, when the non-operating hours started at six o’clock, Granny and Kang Kang wouldn’t be teleported out of Store No. 1.
Though it wouldn’t guarantee absolute security overnight, he would need Yuan Bao and the others to stand guard.
As for recruiting Granny Guo and Kang Kang…
That would likely have to wait until he had more employee slots available. Given Granny and Kang Kang’s personalities, asking them to conduct business would be asking far too much.
They were better suited to staying in a safe area, where they could cultivate and research the land.
“Kang Kang, is this a Lan Hu seedling?” Tang Yu’an placed the flowerpot by Kang Kang’s feet. Fearing that Kang Kang wouldn’t understand, he quickly took out his own Lan Hu leaf. “This seedling came from planting a leaf like this, right?”
Kang Kang nodded. “Greeny helped… made it grow!”
He pointed to the spirit-gathering herb and mimicked a sprouting motion.
Tang Yu’an quickly understood.
By “Greeny,” he must mean the spirit-gathering herb. Because it gathers wood-elemental energy, it probably looked especially green to Kang Kang, hence the name “Greeny.”
So with the help of the spirit-gathering herb, Kang Kang was able to make the Lan Hu seedling sprout?
In any case, this was incredible!
Old Li, listening in on their conversation, couldn’t help but stare in surprise. “A Lan Hu seedling? You mean the same Lan Hu as the trees from Lanhu Town?”
Though Tang Yu’an’s Lan Hu leaf from Mo Ke had already indicated this, Old Li couldn’t resist asking for confirmation.
“Yes, that’s right,” Tang Yu’an nodded. “By chance, I came across a second Lan Hu leaf and gave it to Kang Kang. Then…”
He looked at the mutated Lan Hu seedling in the flowerpot. Who would have thought that Kang Kang would actually be able to grow it?
Old Li glanced at the wide-eyed Kang Kang and couldn’t help but sigh. “Who would’ve thought that Granny Guo’s grandson would possess such a powerful plant-elemental ability!”
And he was so young—who could say what he’d be capable of in the future?
His gaze shifted to the Lan Hu seedling, and a thought suddenly occurred to him.
“Could it be…”
Murmuring to himself, Old Li turned to Zhou Qi and asked, “Zhou Qi, when you were fighting the mutant bear, did you notice anything unusual?”
Zhou Qi thought for a moment, then nodded.
“It seemed like something in Granny’s house was drawing it there.”
When he shook the cat teaser’s bell, the mutant bear hadn’t been immediately attracted to it, instead showing signs of hesitation and struggle.
That had never happened before, and for a moment, he’d thought the cat teaser didn’t work on mutant bears.
“Grandpa Li, do you think you know what caused that?” Zhou Qi looked at Old Li inquiringly.
Old Li nodded and pointed at the mutated Lan Hu seedling, his expression serious. “I’m afraid it was this seedling that attracted the mutant bear.”
“Certain mutated plants have a unique appeal to some mutated animals, and the higher the plant’s rank, the stronger the attraction,” Old Li explained. “And as far as I know, Lan Hu trees are anything but low-ranking.”
Once fully grown, Lan Hu trees could quickly propagate an entire forest. With their unique temperature-control abilities, they would ultimately create a whole new ecosystem.
Not only humans, but even regular animals would benefit from the improved habitat in a Lan Hu forest.
“If that’s the case…”
Zhou Qi’s expression turned somber. “Does that mean other mutant creatures might be drawn here in the future?”
“Quite likely,” Old Li replied. “And…”
He looked down at the other three flowerpots. It might not be just the Lan Hu seedling’s presence—it could very well have been the combination of so many mutated plants in one place that attracted the mutant bear.
Granny Guo, though a plant-ability user, had limited abilities and hadn’t cultivated many mutated plants.
Having been confined to one place for so long, she probably hadn’t realized the risks involved.
Old Li, on the other hand, had traveled extensively in his youth, and he understood the dangers this situation could pose.
“If we want to keep these mutated plants, we’ll need to strengthen our defenses. Luckily, it’s only during the daytime…”
At this, Tang Yu’an hesitated.
He pulled Old Li aside and explained the limitations of the protective barrier.
“So the eighth floor and below will be exposed tonight?” Old Li asked in surprise.
He nodded thoughtfully afterward, accepting that they would need to figure out a solution.
“All right, I’ll take on night watch duty tonight,” he reassured them. “This building’s defenses aren’t too bad, and we’ve got Yuan Bao and the others, so there’s no need to worry too much.”
“This is just our worst-case scenario. We’re aiming to earn enough points before nightfall,” Tang Yu’an replied optimistically.
After saying goodbye to Kang Kang, Tang Yu’an returned to the room, bid farewell to Old Li, and hurried up the stairs with Zhou Qi. Old Li watched them run upstairs, slightly puzzled. Hadn’t they just been in Jufeng Town? How were they still here in the Desolate City?
At this hour, could they be planning to go back to Jufeng Town again?
*
To earn points quickly, they would, indeed, need to head back to Jufeng Town. With unrestricted use of the teleportation array, travel time was no longer a concern.
Before long, Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi arrived once more in the second-floor room of Store No. 2 in Jufeng Town.
They didn’t have time to explore the dark path leading from the archway right now; their focus was on earning points and increasing the store’s popularity.
Just as they were about to leave, a system notification popped up.
[You have a new message in your Interdimensional Shop window. Please check it.]
A new message?
Tang Yu’an blinked, recalling that the Interdimensional Shop’s message function had been unlocked when he’d leveled up to Lv11.
He hadn’t looked into it yet because he’d been busy setting up the new branch.
He mentioned the message to Zhou Qi and then opened the Interdimensional Shop to check it.
While Tang Yu’an checked his notifications, Zhou Qi didn’t waste time either. Since Tang Yu’an was occupied, he started tidying up Store No. 2. Though it was temporarily closed, they still needed to use it, and the gaps and holes would need to be patched up; otherwise, everything they did inside would be visible from the outside.
Tang Yu’an opened the Dimensional Shop interface, ready to check the message, when his gaze accidentally fell on his balance—and he froze.
[Available Points: 500]
Huh?
Tang Yu’an blinked in surprise. Something had sold? He quickly checked the transaction history.
[16:23:10]
[Item Sold: “Qingliang Fruit” x1, Points Earned: +500]
Wow, it just sold?
He’d only posted it a little while ago!
Could the new message be from the Qingliang Fruit buyer?
Tang Yu’an quickly navigated to the store’s window interface and, sure enough, there was a “Message” button. He clicked on it.
[Finally able to leave a message—I need mutated Lantern Fruit, please!]
Tang Yu’an blinked. Why was there no punctuation? Could it be…there was a character limit on messages?
He scrolled through, but there wasn’t an option to reply.
The message had been left by DM334591, Joanna.
Could Joanna be the same customer who had previously bought the mutated Lantern Fruit? Has the fruit proven very useful in her world?
DM… what did the prefix mean? Dimensional Mage? Demon Mage?
Tang Yu’an shook his head.
He only had three mutated Lantern Fruits left. The Lantern Fruit tree had been damaged during their recent move, and he wasn’t sure how long it would take for it to recover.
In any case, he could sell these three first and figure things out later.
He removed the dark green spider leg from the store and put two mutated Lantern Fruits up for sale.
After withdrawing the 500 points from the Interdimensional Shop, his points balance climbed to 777—a big step closer to 2,000 points.
If these two mutated Lantern Fruits sold successfully, he’d gain another 900 points.
Instantly, Tang Yu’an felt a lot less pressure.
He quickly found Zhou Qi and shared the good news with him.
Zhou Qi raised his brows in surprise, then smiled and nodded. “Looks like we’ve got a reliable way to earn points now.”
“Yeah, but we’ll have to wait for the “Bright” (Mutated Lantern Tree) to recover.”
Bright was the name Kang Kang had given the Mutated Lantern Tree.
“Maybe later we can transplant it into the courtyard and cultivate more plants from it.”
“Good idea.”
Tang Yu’an opened the map, noticing that Sister Hong Li was currently in the Guard Post. “Let’s go find Sister Hong Li for a trade.”
“Alright,” Zhou Qi agreed.
They left Store No. 2 and made their way to the Guard Post.
Thanks to the Mountain Lord’s Token, the guards didn’t block them. After notifying Hong Li of their arrival, they were led inside.
It hadn’t been long since their last visit, but Hong Li’s appearance had noticeably changed.
She looked energetic and spirited, with a hint of cheerfulness at the corners of her eyes and mouth, a clear sign of recent good fortune.
Was this thanks to the soybean that Xiao Cao had given her? Zhou Qi wondered.
Hong Li must have other plant-ability users similar to Granny Guo, who could help accelerate the saplings’ growth. Harvest time would be much quicker with their abilities.
As they entered, they also noticed that the guards looked much healthier and more vigorous than before.
“Did Chi Hao come to find you before he left?” Hong Li asked.
It was clear she already knew Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi had arrived with a “contract.” Since Chi Hao hadn’t mentioned the portable storage space to her, she wanted to confirm if he’d spoken with them about it.
Tang Yu’an nodded.
“Yes, he left us the contract and then set off back to Qingmu Fortress.”
Hong Li scrutinized the two young men, her gaze suddenly focusing on Tang Yu’an. “Did you happen to meet Xie Chao Ri?”
Xie Chao Ri? Who was that?
Tang Yu’an blinked, confused, but then something clicked in his memory.
Could it be the person who went on a mission with Chi Hao? The one rumored to have died in the center of the Desolate City?
Hong Li took note of his reaction and narrowed her eyes slightly, though she simply said, “Chi Hao might have asked you, but I doubt he mentioned that man’s name as Xie Chao Ri.”
Tang Yu’an shook his head and replied, “We only saved Brother Chi Hao; we didn’t see anyone else.”
Hong Li observed him for a moment before averting her gaze, masking the disappointment in her eyes.
“Yes, that man was Xie Chao Ri,” she said. “I know you live in the Desolate City. If you come across any news of him, please let me know, and I’ll reward you.”
“Understood. We’ll keep an eye out,” Tang Yu’an replied.
They didn’t know exactly where “Old Xie” might be, but… it seemed they had a way to locate him, assuming he was still alive.
Back when Tang Yu’an first met him and Chi Hao, he’d marked Xie Chao Ri on his map. Though he hadn’t interacted with Old Xie or traded with him, he’d be able to track Old Xie’s location as soon as he entered the fog on the map.
However, Tang Yu’an wasn’t about to share this capability with Hong Li, especially given her watchful inspection. He didn’t dare check the map right now, fearing she might notice something suspicious.
After brief pleasantries, Hong Li asked, “So, what brings you here?”
Tang Yu’an looked to Zhou Qi, who, as the representative of Store No. 1’s branch, was responsible for handling negotiations with Hong Li to increase the store’s popularity.
Zhou Qi nodded, then asked her, “We came to ask if you need salt?”
Hong Li straightened slightly, her eyes brightening as she looked at Zhou Qi. “You have salt?”
Zhou Qi nodded.
Hong Li studied them both with a knowing smile. “The ones selling salt in my market last time—was that you?”
Zhou Qi paused. He hadn’t expected Hong Li to be so direct. They had sold the salt under the pseudonym “Mr. Tang”…
“Did that salt merchant come with you this time?”
Hearing this, Zhou Qi nodded. It seemed Hong Li had guessed they were connected but hadn’t realized that the merchant was, in fact, their alias.
“Yes,” Zhou Qi replied. “It seems there was a bit of a misunderstanding last time, so we decided to talk to you first this time.”
Hong Li nodded, maintaining a calm expression, though she felt relieved.
Luckily, she had taken the advice of Hei Xiong back then, and with the demands of soybean planting and storage, she hadn’t rushed to negotiate with Jin Fu. Jin Fu had only sent someone to inquire once and, without a reply, hadn’t pushed further. Perhaps he felt confident she’d come begging to him.
Thinking of this, Hong Li’s eyes flickered with cold determination.
If her cooperation with the new salt merchant went smoothly, she’d no longer be at the mercy of that schemer and his backer.
Hong Li gave them a warm, friendly smile. “The misunderstandings last time were Hei Xiong’s fault. If your friend still feels aggrieved, I’ll have Hei Xiong apologize to him personally.”
Hong Li took a humble approach. “Whatever it takes to calm him down. A scolding or a beating, as long as he’s not killed, is fine by me.”
Zhou Qi quickly waved off the suggestion.
“No need. He wasn’t angry—he just wants to continue doing business in Jufeng Town.”
“Oh? Then what does he have in mind for the business?” Hong Li poured them each a glass of water and suggested, “Perhaps you could invite him here to the Guard Post for a talk?”
“That might be difficult.” Zhou Qi hesitated and explained, “He appointed us as representatives to negotiate with you on his behalf.”
Hong Li raised an eyebrow. “Are you authorized to make decisions for him?”
Zhou Qi didn’t make any promises but replied, “Within certain limits, yes.”
Hong Li didn’t press further.
“Very well. So, how would you like to discuss this? How much salt did you bring this time?”
Zhou Qi answered, “That depends on how much Jufeng Town can consume.”
Hong Li chuckled lightly. “So young, yet you speak so boldly,” she remarked. “If I needed a hundred pounds, could you supply it?”
A hundred pounds would last the Guard Post roughly three months—a considerable quantity. Jin Fu usually only supplied forty to fifty pounds at a time, taking nearly two weeks to travel to and from the seaside town, not to mention the time he spent stopping and resting at two other market towns along the way. Each time, he cut it close, delivering salt to the barracks just before their supplies ran out.
Hong Li found this humiliating yet unavoidable. She couldn’t sever her partnership with Jin Fu, and worse, she even had to protect him to keep him alive.
Could there be anything more infuriating?
If this new salt supplier could reliably provide even forty or fifty pounds per trip—even just enough for a month—the leverage she’d gain would give her a stronger negotiating position with Jin Fu.
But to her surprise, without a moment’s hesitation, the young man replied, “Yes, we can do that.”
Hong Li blinked in surprise, then stared at Zhou Qi. “What did you just say?”
“I said we can do it,” Zhou Qi repeated. “If you need a hundred pounds of salt, we can supply it. The only question is—what kind of price can you offer?”
Hong Li gazed at him, her eyes lighting up with excitement.
“How many hundred-pound batches can you supply?” Hong Li asked, controlling her tone to stay calm. “Is this hundred pounds a one-time deal, or are we talking about a long-term arrangement?”
A hundred pounds was no small amount, but Hong Li wasn’t letting her excitement cloud her judgment. She looked beyond the immediate opportunity.
“A long-term arrangement,” Zhou Qi replied confidently.
“How often would you be able to supply it?” Hong Li pressed.
“That depends on your demand.” Zhou Qi’s ideal would be to trade every day, though he knew that was unrealistic.
Hong Li mulled over this. “If each batch is a hundred pounds, I’d like to set up a trade every two months.”
She carefully observed Zhou Qi and Tang Yu’an’s reactions, paying particular attention to Tang Yu’an. Despite his efforts to keep his expression neutral, his eyes gave away subtle hints of his emotions.
Hong Li noticed the slight furrow in Tang Yu’an’s brow at her suggestion.
Was a hundred pounds every two months too much?
As she was about to lower her requirements, Zhou Qi spoke up. “Perhaps we should start by discussing terms for this initial transaction?”
He was right—if they couldn’t agree on the first deal, there would be no point in discussing future trades.
Hong Li was set on securing this hundred-pound salt supply, so she asked directly, “What do you want?”
Zhou Qi didn’t beat around the bush. He had already thought through his terms. “Is it true that you recently acquired a new crop?”
New crops were Hong Li’s lifeline right now, and if anyone else had asked, she might have snapped at them. But in response to Zhou Qi’s question, she just chuckled. “So it was you who gave that girl the soybeans, wasn’t it?”
The soybeans’ yield and flavor made it clear they weren’t just wild varieties from the mountains. Added to Xiao Cao’s evasive answers about the plants and their recent interactions in Jufeng Town, it wasn’t hard for Hong Li to connect the dots.
Zhou Qi shook his head calmly. “It wasn’t us. Brother Chi Hao mentioned it.”
Tang Yu’an’s eyes widened slightly before he quickly lowered his head.
Hong Li gave them a sly smile, dropping the subject. “Yes, I recently came into possession of a crop called soybeans. Do you want to trade salt for soybeans?”
“Yes.” Zhou Qi didn’t hesitate to make a bold offer. “Ten pounds of soybeans for every pound of salt. What do you say?”
Hong Li blinked in surprise but quickly composed herself.
Though her expression barely flickered, Zhou Qi caught that brief hesitation, and he frowned slightly.
Did he… ask for too little?
Hong Li put on a troubled expression, though Zhou Qi could tell she was holding back a smile. Without bargaining, she nodded.
“Fine. I can just barely manage it,” she replied, feigning reluctance. “It may take a few days to gather it all.”
One hundred pounds of salt for a thousand pounds of soybeans? Currently, the Guard Post’s daily yield is around two hundred pounds. Trading five days’ worth of soybeans for a three-month salt supply was practically a windfall. Technically, she could pull together the one thousand pounds right now, but she would wait a few days for appearances’ sake.
Realizing he had undersold, Zhou Qi sighed, but he wasn’t about to go back on his word.
After all, one thousand pounds of soybeans, minus the cost of the salt, would net him and Tang Yu’an… 22,500 points!
With a firm gaze, Zhou Qi looked at Hong Li and said, “Could you deliver half today? If so, we have a deal.”
Hong Li looked him in the eye, and after a moment, gritted her teeth and nodded. “Fine, deal!”
