Chapter 118
When Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi returned to Store #1, Old Li had already moved most of the items from the first floor to the third.
The third floor stood at least six or seven meters above the ground, theoretically safe from flooding.
Old Li stood on the third-floor balcony, with Wang Cai and Yin Bi sitting vigilantly on either side of him. Yuan Bao lay a little farther away, all of them gazing out at the water below.
Despite the overwhelming flood, the scene exuded a strange sense of calm.
Looking at this, Tang Yu’an felt his mood settle.
Take things as they come; just do your best with what you can.
“Grandpa, I’m back!” Tang Yu’an called as he approached Old Li. He greeted him cheerfully and gave the three dogs a quick pat on their heads.
Meanwhile, Zhou Qi was surveying the flood outside the walls.
Compared to the swimming center, where water had risen to chest level, the water outside Store #1 was only knee-high. So far, no mutated creatures had approached the area.
However, plenty of small insects, likely carried by the flood, had started to cling to the walls.
Zhou Qi frowned, pulling out a vial of dark green spider blood from his inventory. He’d originally planned to sell it in Jufeng Town, but salt sales had taken precedence.
“Put some on. Don’t get bitten,” Zhou Qi advised.
“Oh, okay,” Tang Yu’an replied. They had run out of the insect repellent powder traded with Lin Zhen, and there hadn’t been time to restock.
As Tang Yu’an smeared the spider blood on his hands, he remarked, “I wonder how Sister Lin is doing.”
“She said her chicks were about to hatch,” Old Li chimed in, applying the blood as well.
Looking at the rising water levels, Tang Yu’an couldn’t help but feel anxious.
“Grandpa, will the water really take a whole month to recede?”
“Just about,” Old Li said. That would already be considered quick.
“And when you’re stuck at home during floods, how do you find food?”
Old Li pointed at a snake crawling up the wall. “See? Food comes to you.”
“…”
Tang Yu’an’s expression froze as he looked at the growing number of creatures clinging to the walls. “Isn’t it a problem if we don’t deal with them?”
“There’s no dealing with this many,” Old Li said, shaking his head. “Unless we had a protective barrier like the one at night, they can’t be driven away.”
As the flood persisted, more and more creatures would seek refuge on higher ground and in buildings.
But as Old Li had said, these creatures were also food delivered to their door. As long as no one was unlucky enough to encounter mutated creatures, snakes, insects, and rodents could help the city’s residents survive the flood.
After all, who could stockpile enough food to last one to three months?
Tang Yu’an averted his gaze.
Though he wasn’t afraid of bugs, seeing them in such dense numbers made his skin crawl. The sight was enough to trigger a fear of clusters.
They needed to increase the store’s heat and points quickly; otherwise, enduring this disaster would be unbearable.
Just then…
“Help! Someone, please help!”
A faint cry for help reached them from outside the walls. Tang Yu’an immediately checked the map.
Two dots appeared outside Store #1—a golden one and a green one, moving in circles near the wall.
The golden dot had a label: Shu Gen.
Tang Yu’an remembered this customer from the store’s opening. If he wasn’t mistaken, Shu Gen who had been terrified of Yuan Bao and the others had mentioned having a seven- or eight-year-old son.
The map didn’t show any red danger markers nearby, so what were they running from?
Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi climbed onto the wall and quickly spotted the father and son.
The man was running through the water, holding a young boy in his arms. Behind him was a blue-green water snake, slithering rapidly in pursuit.
The man ran along the wall, seemingly searching for the store’s entrance, but Tang Yu’an had sealed it off. So, the man was forced to keep circling outside.
Perhaps out of sheer panic, he hadn’t noticed the sealed entrance.
“Where’s the door? Where’s the door?” Shu Gen shouted, splashing through the water. His cries for help were tinged with desperation.
Although his movements were frantic, his speed was impressive. He had managed to stay ahead of the snake so far.
The boy clinging to him wasn’t idle either. Every so often, he threw small bursts of fire at the snake, trying to drive it back.
Unfortunately, with the fire weakened by the water, the attacks only slowed the snake down slightly and did little else.
Seeing the man nearing exhaustion, Zhou Qi intervened.
He threw a mutated metal dagger, striking the snake squarely in the head. The snake’s body jerked to the side before floating belly-up in the water.
Whoosh.
Zhou Qi controlled the dagger, recalling it to his hand.
The man, unaware of what had happened, kept running along the wall, terrified of slowing down and being bitten.
It was only when his son patted his shoulder and said, “Dad, Dad, the snake’s dead!” that he stopped.
“What? Dead?”
Shu Gen turned to look and saw the snake no longer chasing them. He finally stopped, resting one hand against the wall and panting heavily. Running through waist-deep water while carrying a child was no small feat.
But his rest was short-lived. Insects from the wall began crawling onto his hand, making him yelp and pull away.
“Shu Gen?” Tang Yu’an called out.
A familiar voice came from atop the wall.
Shu Gen looked up and saw Old Li crouched on the edge of the wall, watching him. His face immediately lit up like he’d seen a long-lost family member.
“Uncle Li! Save me, Uncle Li!” he cried out desperately.
Although the snake was dead, Shu Gen was utterly exhausted. Staying in the water any longer felt like a death sentence.
Old Li frowned at him. “Didn’t you head back home earlier? Why are you back here?”
Shu Gen and his son had visited Store #1 earlier in the morning to trade for salt, and Old Li had personally attended to them.
“Don’t even ask!” Shu Gen lamented, his face a picture of misery. “We ran into wild dogs on the way home. They chased us all the way until we climbed a tree to escape. Then the flood came.”
The flood scared off the wild dogs, but then a snake showed up in the tree.
And unlike the dogs, the snake wasn’t afraid of water—it chased them all the way here. Shu Gen had nearly given up hope before unexpectedly being rescued.
It really was a string of unfortunate events.
Old Li didn’t make a decision immediately. Instead, he looked toward the two youths, his gaze settling on Zhou Qi.
After Zhou Qi gave a slight nod, Old Li turned back to the father and son.
“You can come in and rest for now.”
He tossed down a coiled rope hanging by his side. “Climb up.”
Shu Gen quickly thanked him profusely before lifting his son, helping him climb up first. Once his son was safely inside, Shu Gen grabbed the rope and scrambled up himself, looking thoroughly bedraggled.
“Uncle Li, your place here is amazing!” Tree Root exclaimed.
The water outside was knee-deep, but within the walls, the ground was completely dry—not a drop of water had seeped through.
At that moment, Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi also jumped into the courtyard.
“Hello, Boss Tang!” Shu Gen greeted him eagerly. Since he hadn’t met Zhou Qi before, he offered him a nervous, ingratiating smile.
“This is my son, Huo Qiu.”
“Are you Boss Tang? My dad told me about you. Thank you for saving both of us!”
Unlike his timid father, Huo Qiu was cheerful and energetic. He even gave Zhou Qi a sincere thank-you, having clearly seen it was Zhou Qi who had taken down the snake earlier.
Tang Yu’an nodded. Perhaps it was the high temperatures of the wasteland, but he couldn’t help noticing how many fire-elemental ability users there were.
“Uncle Shu Gen, you’re hurt.”
Compared to Huo Qiu, Shu Gen was in rough shape. His body was covered in scrapes, and his legs, submerged in water for so long, were riddled with insect bites. One wound was already beginning to fester.
If left untreated, he might lose his leg entirely.
Tang Yu’an took out a mutated blueberry from his pocket. “This fruit has detoxifying properties. Eat it, and then clean your wounds quickly.”
Shu Gen hesitated, shaking his head to decline, but Tang Yu’an insisted. “Just thank me, and that’s enough.”
“Thank you, Boss Tang!” Huo Qiu earnestly accepted the berry on behalf of his father.
[You’ve completed a loss-making trade with a new customer. Experience +3.]
After registering the boy as a customer, Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi headed inside, leaving Old Li to handle the father and son.
Old Li pointed to a pile of firewood in the courtyard. “Start a fire and dry yourselves off.”
Anticipating the flood, Old Li had traded with customers for vegetables, mushrooms, and a good amount of firewood. He had also collected all the nearby wood around Store #1 and stored it in the courtyard.
Earlier, as he stood on the third-floor balcony, he’d been contemplating how to transport the wood upstairs efficiently.
Firewood was going to be essential for boiling water and cooking. He couldn’t afford to let it get soaked.
Huo Qiu cheerfully thanked him and started moving the firewood. Shu Gen expressed his endless gratitude to Old Li, marveling at how lucky he was to encounter such kind people.
“You’ve definitely met good people, but that’s not me,” Old Li remarked.
“Yes, yes, it’s Boss Tang who’s kind-hearted!” Shu Gen agreed enthusiastically.
“Good that you know.” Old Li’s tone remained indifferent. “Stay here for now, but don’t enter the building.”
With that, he turned and went inside.
Shu Gen didn’t dare follow, not wanting to risk being turned away. He had another reason to stay put, though—
As soon as Old Li entered, a golden-furred dog stepped out, taking a sentinel position by the door.
It wasn’t particularly large, but Shu Gen didn’t underestimate it. He worried it might be one of the offspring of the three giant mutated dogs.
If he provoked the small one and the big ones showed up, he and his son might not live to see another day!
Shu Gen smiled awkwardly at Wang Cai, then sat down to treat his wounds, pulling off his pants to access the injuries. Meanwhile, Huo Qiu brought over some firewood and lit a fire.
As Shu Gen sprinkled medicinal powder on his leg, he thought to himself: The wall is covered with bugs, but the courtyard is surprisingly clean!
What he didn’t notice was Wang Cai’s eyes glowing faintly green as it watched him from the doorway.
*
Inside the building, Old Li found Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi.
“I want to hear your thoughts,” Old Li said without preamble. “If more cases like that father and son arise, how do you plan to handle them?”
With the traffic boost card still active, Old Li suspected it might have drawn Shu Gen and his son back to the store. Since no trade had been made with Huo Qiu earlier, he still counted as a new customer to the store.
Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi exchanged a glance before Tang Yu’an replied, “Grandpa, if we can save them, we’d like to.”
“After all, they’re potential customers. If the flood lasts for a month and we can’t leave, having customers stay at Store #1 means we can still earn points and heat without leaving the premises.”
“As for which customers we can take in, we’ll leave that decision to you.”
Tang Yu’an added, “You know most of the Desolate City’s residents. You understand their character better than we do.”
Old Li looked at Tang Yu’an and shook his head with a trace of helplessness.
He really didn’t want to take anyone in. Offering temporary assistance was fine, but letting people stay long-term would inevitably invite trouble.
His greatest concern was the potential danger these strangers might pose to Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi.
Though taking them in could generate points, he didn’t feel it was worth the risk, especially since they currently had enough resources.
At that moment, Zhou Qi spoke up.
“Grandpa Li, I understand your concerns,” he said. “That’s why, no matter who we take in, you must ensure one thing first…”
After Zhou Qi finished explaining, Old Li’s eyes widened in astonishment.
“Protective Savior Aura?” he muttered, disbelief evident in his tone. “Could that really work?”
Anyone rescued by Tang Yu’an would be incapable of harming him, and those who witnessed or heard of his deeds would feel genuine respect for him? It sounded far-fetched, almost like a myth.
“Just think of it as one of An’an’s abilities,” Zhou Qi said calmly.
Although skeptical, Old Li trusted Zhou Qi’s character. He knew Zhou Qi wouldn’t lie about something so serious. Reluctantly, he nodded.
“If we do take them in, where should they stay?” Old Li asked.
Zhou Qi thought for a moment. “Before the flood gets any worse, temporarily house them on the first or second floor.”
The rooms on those floors were sufficient. Besides, these new guests were strangers with no real connection to them—unlike Granny Guo and her grandson.
Old Li agreed with the arrangement.
“Alright, we’ll do that,” he said.
He then went out to find Shu Gen and his son, recounting the story of how Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi had rescued them.
Shu Gen and Huo Qiu nodded vigorously as they listened. But since Shu Gen had already shown respect toward Tang Yu’an, it was hard to tell if the Savior Aura was actually influencing him.
Suddenly, Wang Cai, who was guarding the door, barked sharply.
“Woof! Woof! Woof!”
Old Li instinctively grabbed his crossbow and, with swift precision, fired a warning shot at the top of the wall, forcing a shadowy figure to retreat.
Hearing the commotion, Tang Yu’an rushed out.
“Wait! Wait! It’s me!”
A familiar voice called out from outside. “Old Li, it’s me! I wasn’t trying to climb the wall on purpose—I just couldn’t find the door.”
Once Old Li was sure there was no further threat, Jin Guang peeked his head over the wall, offering an ingratiating smile.
Old Li scrutinized him for a moment before unexpectedly gesturing for him to come inside.
“Get in here,” he said.
Eyeing the reloaded arrow on Old Li’s crossbow, Jin Guang swallowed nervously and obediently climbed over the wall.
He had come to trade for salt but had the misfortune of encountering the flood.
Since the water level wasn’t yet unmanageable, he hadn’t left immediately. Instead, he decided to stock up on more salt while he could.
During floods, salt became even more valuable. Whether for trading or personal use, it was essential.
Old Li pointed to a spot nearby, signaling Jin Guang to sit down. Jin Guang, even more intimidated by Old Li than Shu Gen, perched nervously by the fire like a quail.
Then, to his surprise, Old Li cleared his throat and began… telling a story?
A story about how the shopkeeper of this general store had saved him? Jin Guang had zero interest in such tales! Couldn’t they just talk about trading salt?
But being at someone else’s mercy, he had no choice but to listen.
At first, Jin Guang only listened out of politeness. Yet, as the story went on, he couldn’t help but feel a growing sense of respect for Tang Yu’an.
By the time the story ended, he felt that failing to respect the shopkeeper would make him less than human.
Old Li noticed the subtle change in Jin Guang’s expression and, though surprised, grew even more animated as he continued his storytelling.
The three listeners in the courtyard hung on his every word with rapt attention. Even the newcomers drawn by the traffic boost card outside the wall seemed utterly captivated.
It was as if time itself had stopped, and they were all caught in an invisible hold.
*
Meanwhile, Zhou Qi, having eaten a quick meal, used the teleportation array to return to Jufeng Town.
For now, the top priority was increasing Store #1’s popularity. As long as they could maintain a barrier to keep mutated creatures out, the store’s safety would be assured.
Otherwise, with so many creatures spilling out of the Desolate City center, even a few strays could cause them plenty of trouble.
Tang Yu’an stayed behind at Store #1.
After all, going to Jufeng Town wouldn’t help much. As the head of the main store, the popularity generated from his trades was always allocated to the nearest store.
For example, trades conducted in Jufeng Town would boost Store #2’s heat, whereas Zhou Qi’s trades—no matter where they were made—always boosted Store #1.
Thinking he’d get some fresh air in the courtyard, Tang Yu’an walked to the door, only to hear Old Li recounting stories of their heroic deeds.
The memory of Mo Ke calling him “Mr. An” made Tang Yu’an’s toes curl in embarrassment.
He turned and headed back upstairs instead, deciding to check on Granny Guo and Kang Kang.
Granny Guo was visibly better. Though her leg was still bound with a splint and she couldn’t walk yet, her spirits had lifted.
“Big Brother!”
Kang Kang had already recovered from the earlier fright. When Tang Yu’an entered the room, he saw Kang Kang sitting by the balcony, tending to his plant friends.
Seeing Tang Yu’an, Kang Kang lit up with joy and greeted him cheerfully. Then, after a moment, he stared at Tang Yu’an’s hair with a puzzled expression.
“What’s wrong?” Tang Yu’an asked, ruffling Kang Kang’s hair.
Kang Kang extended a small hand and cautiously touched Tang Yu’an’s hair. Then, to Tang Yu’an’s surprise, the boy exclaimed a familiar name:
“Green Gem!” Kang Kang clapped his hands with delight. “So cute!”
He patted his own chest in a self-introduction. “Kang Kang! I’m Kang Kang!”
Tang Yu’an stared blankly at Kang Kang, momentarily confused, but realization dawned quickly. He opened the map to check.
Sure enough, the star-shaped icon representing himself now carried a small label: Green Gem.
But isn’t Green Gem supposed to be at the swimming center?
Tang Yu’an quickly navigated the map to the swimming center. As expected, the bright marker for Green Gem was still there, clearly labeled.
What’s going on?
Are there two Green Gems?
One of them seemed to be… with him?
Recalling Kang Kang’s earlier reaction, Tang Yu’an raised a hand to touch his hair.
Almost immediately, he felt a cool sensation, followed by a wave of joyful and affectionate emotion.
It’s Green Gem!
Then, the strand entwined in his hair uncoiled itself, sliding down to wrap gently around his finger.
Tang Yu’an brought his hand closer to inspect it. As he looked, tiny leaves sprouted from the vine, and the emotions transmitted by Green Gem grew even warmer.
“When did you follow me here?” Tang Yu’an asked in amazement, gazing at the delicate vine. Its form seemed quite different from its original state.
A thought struck him, and he quickly opened the pet interface.
Green Gem’s image had changed slightly. Alongside the giant vine tree, a small tendril was now displayed.
Is this Green Gem’s child?
No, that didn’t seem right. The map still identified both as Green Gem.
Clicking on the new tendril revealed its description: Plant Clone.
So, there’s one Green Gem, but it has both a main body and a clone?
Tang Yu’an was intrigued. Looking at the tiny vine wrapped around his finger, he asked, “Do you need to be planted in soil?”
The vine transmitted a wave of complex emotions.
Tang Yu’an struggled to interpret it but glanced at Kang Kang, now his reliable helper.
“Water!” Kang Kang said confidently. “The baby needs water!”
The vine radiated excitement, clearly delighted. Tang Yu’an couldn’t tell if it was because Kang Kang understood its needs or because Kang Kang had called it “baby.”
Tang Yu’an took out a cup and poured water from his self-filling insulated cup. He then gently placed the vine into the cup.
“Glug glug glug—”
Before his eyes, the water disappeared in an instant, completely absorbed by the vine. Its tiny leaves looked even greener and more vibrant.
After quenching its thirst, the vine emerged from the cup and wrapped itself back around Tang Yu’an’s finger.
“So, you don’t want to stay in the cup?” Tang Yu’an asked Green Gem, glancing again at Kang Kang.
“No! Boring!” Kang Kang translated with a grin. “Play! Stay with Big Brother and play!”
Tang Yu’an chuckled, finally understanding.
For an intelligent being, staying still in one place for a long time was undoubtedly torturous.
He patted Green Gem soothingly. “Alright, you can stay in my hair. If you’re on my finger, I might accidentally hurt you.”
Obediently, the vine coiled back into his hair, resembling a delicate green ribbon.
“Big Brother, let’s play a game!” Kang Kang said eagerly.
Tang Yu’an nodded with a smile.
Though the mutated lantern fruits had been listed for sale, he still had mutated blueberries and qingliang fruits on hand.
After finishing their game, he earned over 1,000 points. Unfortunately, Jin Lili hadn’t shown up, or the earnings could have doubled!
Tang Yu’an’s thoughts wandered.
How are Lili and her mom doing?
It would be great if Uncle Tie Jin’s family could come stay at Store #1… And what about Sister Lin and A’Mu? I wonder if the chicks have hatched yet.
After hesitating briefly, Tang Yu’an made up his mind.
Bidding farewell to Granny Guo and Kang Kang, he left a message for Zhou Qi on the board. Then, with his Shadow Umbrella in hand, he lightly stepped across the floodwaters, leaving Store #1 behind once more.
