Chapter 131
Hearing Chi Hao’s words, Lan Yunqing was startled and then nervously glanced at the offshoot.
“Is there something wrong with the potion?”
Though he hadn’t noticed anything amiss, Chi Hao was both a powerful ability user and the potion’s provider, so he might have detected something beyond Lan Yunqing’s awareness.
Snapping out of his daze, Chi Hao quickly looked away and scratched his cheek awkwardly. “This tree doesn’t seem to be recovering well… but the potion works for four hours per dose. Let’s wait a bit longer and see.”
Lan Yunqing exhaled in relief.
The potion had already been absorbed by the mother tree, leaving no visible effect on the offshoot. It seemed Chi Hao hadn’t realized this.
“Yes, I’ve observed the potion’s effects,” Lan Yunqing said with a slight press of his lips. “While it can’t cure the disease, it does seem to extend the tree’s lifespan.”
The earlier tension between them made it difficult for him to immediately adopt a friendly demeanor. But when he thought of the endangered mother tree, Lan Yunqing softened his expression and said, “Thank you. This truly was a misunderstanding.”
Chi Hao grinned sheepishly, though he subconsciously took a step back.
Why did this guy’s tone suddenly get so gentle? It’s unsettling!
Lan Yunqing gazed at him, his bright eyes filled with hope. “Since this potion works, I’d like to purchase the remaining two drops as well.”
“Sure, no problem!”
Chi Hao accepted six more Lanhu leaves from Lan Yunqing and heard him add, “I’ll also make arrangements for the house you requested. As for the two drops…”
“Oh, should I use them on this offshoot too?” Chi Hao asked, gesturing toward the tree.
Seeing Chi Hao about to clumsily pour the remaining drops onto the offshoot, Lan Yunqing hurriedly stepped forward, clasping Chi Hao’s hand and the potion bottle to stop him.
“Wait!”
Although the mother tree could absorb the potion from the offshoot, there would still be some loss during the transfer. Naturally, Lan Yunqing preferred to apply the potion directly to the mother tree.
“May I take the two drops and use them myself?” Lan Yunqing asked, looking up at Chi Hao. “I’ll return the bottle once I’m done.”
Because of Lan Yunqing’s sudden movement, the two were now standing quite close.
Chi Hao caught a faint, unique herbal scent and glanced down, meeting Lan Yunqing’s beautiful eyes.
His gaze was like a shimmering blue lake, reflecting Chi Hao’s own image.
Lan Yunqing’s pleading look gradually turned into one of confusion.
“Your face is really red,” he remarked.
The comment snapped Chi Hao back to reality. He quickly stepped back and coughed to cover his embarrassment. “Is it? Must be the heat!”
“The heat?” Lan Yunqing blinked. “This is Lanhu Town.”
The Lanhu Forest’s climate was mild, even with the mother tree in poor condition. It was hardly hot enough to make anyone flush.
“Because I’m a fire-element user!” Chi Hao blurted out, clearly improvising. He lowered his voice awkwardly and added, “C-can you let go of my hand now?”
Lan Yunqing nodded but didn’t immediately release him. He carefully ensured the bottle was secure in Chi Hao’s grasp and wouldn’t spill before finally letting go.
His meticulous actions inadvertently drew Chi Hao’s attention to their hands. He found himself momentarily fixated on the contact before snapping out of it.
“All set.”
Lan Yunqing confirmed the potion’s safety, then stepped back and looked up at Chi Hao.
Chi Hao opened his mouth to say something but froze. Each time he locked eyes with Lan Yunqing’s striking blue gaze, his thoughts seemed to scatter.
“Here, take it. Just make sure to return the bottle,” Chi Hao finally said, thrusting the potion into Lan Yunqing’s hands.
It wasn’t that he was stingy, but the potion belonged to An’an and Zhou Qi, and he had to return the bottle to them.
“Understood. Thank you,” Lan Yunqing said, holding the bottle with great care.
[You completed a profitable transaction with a returning customer. Employee EXP +1.]
[You completed the long-term task “Profitable Transactions.” Points +1.]
After all that effort, only 2 points were earned. And the goods he’d traded weren’t even his—they’d been borrowed from An’an and Zhou Qi. The thought left Chi Hao feeling a bit bitter.
But when he glanced at Lan Yunqing, seeing the crease in his brow relax as he held the potion, Chi Hao inexplicably felt his mood improve.
This must be what they call the joy of helping others, he thought.
Lan Yunqing then led Chi Hao toward Lanhu Town’s residential area.
“By the way, your guards are pretty useless. It’s been ages, and they haven’t caught up to us,” Chi Hao muttered as they walked.
His blunt comment didn’t anger Lan Yunqing. He only ever showed strong emotions when it came to the Lanhu Forest.
“I told them not to pursue us,” Lan Yunqing explained. “But you’re not wrong.”
Lanhu Town’s guards couldn’t compare to someone like Chi Hao, a fortress-trained warrior. Still, they were sufficient for defending the town against ordinary threats and weaker mutated creatures.
Chi Hao quickly pieced together the truth. Raising an eyebrow, he said, “You used the Lanhu Trees to relay messages, didn’t you?”
Lan Yunqing smiled faintly.
He neither confirmed nor denied it, but Chi Hao was confident in his deduction. He made a mental note to inform Tang Yu’an of this ability. If they set up a store here, they’d need to be mindful of it.
If the lord can use the Lanhu Trees to send messages, could he also use them to monitor the entire forest?
Chi Hao pondered this, only to realize he was staring at Lan Yunqing again.
Lan Yunqing’s usual cold and fierce demeanor had softened considerably. With his natural beauty, adding a gentle smile was almost too much to handle.
Fortunately, they soon encountered the guards.
Lan Yunqing’s expression immediately turned serious, reverting to the cold, distant demeanor Chi Hao had seen at their first meeting. However, the melancholy in his features had significantly faded.
“My lord!”
The guards, seemingly aware of Lan Yunqing’s brief abduction, scrutinized Chi Hao, whose appearance fit the description of a perpetrator. Weapons were quickly drawn.
“It was all a misunderstanding,” Lan Yunqing said firmly, halting them. “This is an honored guest from Qingmu Fortress. You will not be disrespectful!”
The guards exchanged uncertain glances. While they sheathed their weapons, their gazes toward Chi Hao remained wary.
Lan Yunqing couldn’t explain the potion or the forest’s dire state to anyone but a few trusted confidants. So, he turned to Chi Hao with a faintly apologetic expression and said softly, “I’ll have them take you to Maolin. He’ll show you to the house. Is that alright?”
Chi Hao felt his ears itching again.
Nope, I can’t stay around this beautiful guy any longer, or my brain will stop functioning properly!
He nodded hastily. “Sure, sure.”
The guards then escorted Chi Hao to find Lan Maolin, while Lan Yunqing prepared to take the potion to the mother tree. However, he didn’t leave immediately. When Chi Hao glanced back, he saw Lan Yunqing still standing there, watching them leave.
For a fleeting moment, Chi Hao wondered if Lan Yunqing had some hidden agenda—maybe a plan to double-cross him and steal the potion. Living in the wasteland had conditioned him to expect the worst.
But he quickly dismissed the thought.
The Basic Healing Potion took 12 hours to fully take effect, and its effects were limited to preserving life rather than curing illness. Lan Yunqing still needed him.
Besides, with his strength, the cost of trying to keep him in Lanhu Town would be enormous.
Shaking off the suspicion, Chi Hao followed the guards down another path. When he glanced back a second time, Lan Yunqing was no longer in sight.
And yet, for some reason, Lan Yunqing’s image lingered in his mind.
Lost in thought, Chi Hao soon met Lan Maolin.
Whatever method Lan Yunqing had used to convey information, Lan Maolin was clearly well-informed. He greeted Chi Hao with a sincere apology.
“Haha, it’s all good,” Chi Hao said, waving it off generously.
“This way, Lord Chi Hao,” Lan Maolin said, gesturing respectfully.
Lan Maolin then guided Chi Hao to inspect the houses while subtly gathering information per Lan Yunqing’s instructions.
The Lanhu Forest spanned over ten thousand acres after decades of growth, though even the Lanhu people themselves weren’t entirely sure of its exact size.
While Lanhu Town was named after the forest, there was indeed a sizable lake nestled within it where most of the Lanhu people lived.
As they walked, Chi Hao noted how harmonious the atmosphere in Lanhu Town was compared to other parts of the wasteland. People chatted and laughed, and children ran about energetically.
Either the townspeople were extraordinarily carefree, or the crisis facing the Lanhu Forest had been kept under wraps.
Most of the residents had blue hair, though there were one or two outsiders with different hair colors. Yet wherever Chi Hao went, he was undeniably the center of attention.
His striking red hair and the powerful presence of a fifth-tier ability user made him impossible to ignore.
Chi Hao was used to such scrutiny.
While he wanted to engage the Lanhu people in conversation—perhaps make a trade or two—Lan Maolin and the guards surrounding him didn’t give him the chance.
Perhaps it was because of the overwhelming strength he had displayed earlier. The closer they got to populated areas, the more nervous Lan Maolin and the guards became.
To avoid further misunderstandings, Chi Hao obediently stayed close to Lan Maolin, refraining from any impulsive actions.
“Do you have any specific requirements for the house?” Lan Maolin asked.
“Somewhere busy would be best,” Chi Hao replied after some thought. “My companions are merchants. If they come here in the future, they’ll need a good location for business.”
Hearing this, Lan Maolin probed further. “What kind of goods do your companions trade?”
This was one of the things Lan Yunqing had asked him to find out.
“Whatever you need, really,” Chi Hao said, recalling the stock at Ping’an Grocery Store. “Salt, sugar, grains, stuff like that.”
“Grains?” Lan Maolin’s eyes lit up.
While Lanhu Town already had a regular salt supplier, sugar wasn’t a necessity. But grain was a different matter entirely.
Food shortages were a common problem across the wasteland, with most regions barely able to sustain themselves, let alone export surplus crops. The sweltering daytime temperatures made long-term food storage challenging.
Lanhu Town had fared relatively well until last year when the mother tree’s sudden illness drastically reduced the yield of Lanhu leaves and fruits. They had tried countless remedies to no avail, and now the town had to prepare for the potential food crisis.
If a food trader were to settle in Lanhu Town, it would be a godsend.
“By ‘grains,’ you mean edible plants, correct?” Lan Maolin asked cautiously.
“Exactly,” Chi Hao confirmed. “Grains are high-quality food derived from plants. I think you’d like them.”
The Lanhu people, accustomed to eating Lanhu leaves and fruits, generally preferred plant-based diets. Though they occasionally hunted for meat, it was rare.
“That would be wonderful!” Lan Maolin said, visibly delighted as he led Chi Hao to a suitable location.
Eventually, Chi Hao selected a modest two-story house.
Though smaller than the one in Jufeng Town, the livability of Lanhu Town made it far more valuable.
“Are you sure about this one?” Lan Maolin asked.
“Yes,” Chi Hao said. “I’ll need a certificate for it.”
“A certificate?”
“Yes. Something that grants my companions the right to receive hospitality and reside in this house when they arrive in Lanhu Town.”
[Employee “Chi Hao” completed a profitable transaction with a returning customer. Points +260, EXP +2.]
[Employee “Chi Hao” completed a profitable transaction with a new customer. Points +2000, EXP +3.]
Back at the Peace Grocery Store, Tang Yu’an stared at the system notification in surprise.
“What kind of deal did Brother Chi Hao strike to earn 2,000 points in one go?!”
Soon, they saw Chi Hao retrieve the notebook from his portable storage, add a response, and return it along with nine Lanhu leaves and a metal plaque.
Tang Yu’an quickly urged Zhou Qi to fetch the notebook, and the two of them eagerly read Chi Hao’s reply.
“This is great! The Basic Healing Potion actually works on plants!” Tang Yu’an said excitedly. “We need to record this discovery carefully.”
Although the potion didn’t remove the underlying disease and the Lanhu Trees would eventually wither, the treatment bought valuable time to find a cure.
When they read about the house Chi Hao had secured for them in Lanhu Town, even Zhou Qi was taken aback.
“Wow, Brother Chi Hao is amazing!”
Tang Yu’an beamed. “Now we won’t have to worry about a place to stay when we visit Lanhu Town.”
Chi Hao’s experiences in Lanhu Town confirmed what Mo Ke had said about the town’s xenophobia. But with the groundwork laid by Chi Hao, they could now enter the town smoothly. The certificate would grant them privileges, and the house would provide a base for business.
“And houses in Lanhu Town are worth even more,” Tang Yu’an noted.
The house in Jufeng Town had been valued at 1,000 points, but the one in Lanhu Town was twice as valuable.
“Brother Chi Hao really outdid himself this time. Let’s reward him!”
Tang Yu’an thought for a moment and decided not to reward Chi Hao with points. Instead, he unlocked “Alcohol” as a redeemable item for him. Alcohol could serve as a fire accelerant, potentially enhancing Chi Hao’s combat abilities.
“If only Brother Chi Hao could get us a house in every settlement he visits,” Tang Yu’an couldn’t help but sigh wistfully.
Zhou Qi chuckled. “That would be something.”
Of course, it wasn’t a realistic expectation. With the ongoing floods, even reaching Lanhu Town was a challenge, let alone venturing to farther places.
In the wasteland, transportation remained the biggest limitation.
*
When Old Li returned to Room 501 with the fish meat, Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi showed him the eight thick cotton quilts they had prepared.
The quilts, made of gray, brand-new pure cotton fabric, felt soft and fluffy to the touch. Though they contained only 2.5 kilos of cotton each, their compact size of 1.2 by 2 meters made them cozy and warm. They were certainly thicker and cleaner than any bedding the current residents were using.
“The cotton fabric and stuffing cost a total of 90 points,” Tang Yu’an explained. “So we need to trade for something of higher value to turn a profit.”
They had done their best to cut costs, but the materials still dictated the price.
Old Li ran his hand over the quilt lovingly, unable to put it down. “That’s just worth about ten wild vegetables—not hard to manage,” he said.
Even trading meat for it wouldn’t be too difficult. Regular meat was valued at 30 points per 500g, while mutated animal meat could fetch 50 points per 500g.
In normal times, acquiring such resources was tricky. But now, during the flood, things were different.
The mutated fish they had caught earlier weighed over 5 kilos, and after cleaning it for edible meat, it still yielded 3 or 4 kilos. That was the equivalent of one night’s rent for each 500g of meat.
In the past, this would have been an exorbitant price. But with the proven strength of the protective barrier, it now felt like a bargain—especially since hunting had become more convenient.
Old Li pointed to the fish meat from the earlier trade. “What should we do with this?”
3 or 4 kilos of meat were more than they could eat in a day. While daytime temperatures had dropped somewhat, fresh meat would still spoil by the next day.
This was indeed an issue. If meat-based transactions became the norm during the flood, they would need to address storage.
Zhou Qi inspected the fish meat and said, “In the afternoon, let’s come up with a reason for the residents to do some chores and then distribute the meat as a reward for their work.”
Old Li hesitated. Meat was a precious commodity—was it really okay to just hand it out to the residents?
Meanwhile, Tang Yu’an asked, “Brother Qi, can the fish meat be fed to Yuan Bao and the others?”
Zhou Qi shook his head. “Too many bones. I’m afraid it might choke them. We’ve still got plenty of mutated piranha meat in the storage; we can feed them that.”
Then, looking back at Old Li, he added, “The fish meat isn’t just bony—it’s also been cooked over the fire, which makes it hard to prepare properly. Don’t eat it either, Grandpa Li. I’ll make something better for you tonight.”
Old Li: “…Fine.”
Just as Old Li was about to say more, he saw Tang Yu’an walk to a corner of the room. With a simple wave of his hand, a gray-blue refrigeration unit appeared in the middle of the living room.
Old Li: OxO
Though he already knew Tang Yu’an seemed to have a portable storage ability, the sight of the refrigerator still left him stunned.
What surprised him most was…
The refrigerator worked without any visible power source!
“Grandpa, this fridge converts absorbed heat into electricity,” Tang Yu’an explained. “There are a few more like it on the 10th floor. That’s why it’s so cool inside the building.”
As their trust in Old Li deepened, Tang Yu’an didn’t mind sharing more of their secrets with him.
“You can use this to store any perishable meat you trade for in the future,” Tang Yu’an said as he loaded the 4 kilos of fish meat into the fridge. “Anything you don’t finish, you can freeze and distribute to the residents under some pretext. We’ll eat fresh—it’s healthier.”
Old Li nodded dumbly, still processing what had just happened. Only after Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi left did he snap out of his daze.
He ran his hand over the fridge’s slightly cool metal surface, then looked at the stack of thick quilts in the corner.
His expression remained dazed.
When did I get to live such a life of luxury? This feels like stepping back into the pre-apocalypse world.
Could a world like that… truly come back?
*
By the time Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi reached the courtyard, Jin Guang and the others had just caught a second fish and were preparing to cook it over a fire.
Even the aloof Lang Ya had joined in.
These individuals had all been caught in the flood while traveling and had sought refuge at the store. None of them had brought any cooking utensils.
Shu Gen was about to go ask Old Li to borrow a pot for boiling water when he saw the two youths emerge from the building. He quickly stopped in his tracks and, with a hint of reverence, greeted them.
The others also paused what they were doing.
Faced with their stares, Tang Yu’an remained calm and even smiled warmly. He set down a plastic bucket and some tools.
“Today is everyone’s first day here,” he said. “As Grandpa Li mentioned yesterday, anyone staying in our store must maintain cleanliness.”
Tang Yu’an gestured to the bucket. “This contains scissors and insect repellents. I ask that everyone trim their hair and nails, fetch some water for bathing, and apply the repellent afterward.”
His gaze swept over the group. Though his clear, innocent eyes carried no malice, they radiated an inexplicable authority.
“I don’t want to see a single flea in my store.”
When no one responded, Tang Yu’an repeated himself. “Did everyone hear me? If not, I can say it again.”
“Yes, we heard you!” Jin Guang quickly replied, nodding. The others followed suit, hastily agreeing.
Though some thought the request excessive, this was the store’s rule. And after witnessing the barrier’s power, who would willingly leave?
Especially since…
Three enormous mutated dogs had silently gathered behind the boy, their eyes glowing ominously as they stared at the group.
The residents felt grateful—and terrified.
To their surprise, after they agreed, Tang Yu’an pointed to another plastic bucket and said, “This one contains lodging clothes.”
“Lodging clothes?” someone asked, puzzled.
“Yes,” Tang Yu’an nodded. “Once you’ve cleaned yourselves up, you can each collect a set. These are exclusive to the Peace Grocery Store in Desolate City. When you leave, you’ll need to return them.”
“Take good care of them. If they’re damaged, you’ll have to pay for them.”
The residents stared at him blankly, as if the boy before them wasn’t a Grocery Store owner but a radiant little angel.
Not only did he provide insect repellent, but now they also had free new clothes?
Could something this wonderful really happen?
Chi Hao is the GOAT