Chapter 132
In densely populated areas, hygiene is paramount.
This was especially true during a flood, when the risk of disease outbreaks skyrocketed. Mosquitoes, notorious for spreading viruses and bacteria, could make the situation even worse. Some infectious diseases were directly caused by insects, making pest control crucial during such times.
After teaching the residents how to use scissors properly, Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi went to borrow a water purifier from Lin Zhen.
The purifier had been made by Zhou Qi and brought along when they moved.
Hearing the commotion, Tie Jin and Lin Zhen curiously joined them.
Lin Zhen, having grown up under Old Li’s care, maintained relatively good hygiene.
Tie Jin, on the other hand, was as wild as the other residents—if not worse—before adopting Jin Lili. Now, he quickly joined the line for haircuts and nail trimming.
While residents waited for their turn with the scissors, Tang Yu’an organized them into teams to fetch water. Using plastic buckets, they hauled muddy flood water into the courtyard and poured it into the water purifier.
The muddy yellow water entered the purifier from the top. By the time it dripped out of the bottom spout, it had turned into a clear, sparkling stream.
The residents were stunned.
Everyone paused their tasks to stare.
Jin Guang, who had been getting his hair cut by Shu Gen, noticed the commotion. When he turned to see what was happening, he froze as well.
Tie Jin was the first to react. He rushed to the purifier, wide-eyed, and asked, “The water became clear? How does it work?”
Having missed the purifier’s earlier introduction while fetching A’Lian from Desolate City, Tie Jin had no idea such a device existed.
The others quickly surrounded the purifier, craning their necks to peer inside.
The inlet still held muddy water, proving that the transformation wasn’t some trick—it was happening as the water passed through the purifier.
“Is this a water-element ability?” Huo Qiu voiced what everyone was thinking.
Standing nearby, Lin Zhen shook her head smugly. “Nope! This is a device that filters muddy water. It doesn’t rely on any abilities.”
Tie Jin’s eyes lit up. “So, with this device, even ordinary people can have clean drinking water?”
“Exactly,” Lin Zhen confirmed with a nod.
The residents’ eyes gleamed with excitement as if they had discovered some kind of miracle.
Tang Yu’an paid particular attention to Lang Ya. While he seemed intrigued, his reaction was noticeably more subdued than the others—curiosity and analysis took precedence over excitement.
Tang Yu’an silently confirmed their earlier suspicions: Lang Ya was likely from Qingmu Fortress. He made a mental note to ask Chi Hao about him later.
Tang Yu’an gestured toward the purified water and addressed the group. “This water is for bathing. If you want to drink it, it must be boiled first.”
To drive the point home, he emphasized, “This is a store rule. Please follow it for your own health. Drinking unboiled water can cause diarrhea, intestinal parasites, and even colds or fevers!”
The mention of parasites made Huo Qiu’s face go pale. He quickly hid behind his father.
The others nodded fervently, acknowledging the warning.
Activity resumed shortly after. Residents took turns trimming their hair, fetching water, and washing themselves.
To ensure proper hygiene, Tang Yu’an also distributed sulfur soap. It could be used for both hair and body and had antibacterial properties.
Naturally, when the men started bathing, Tie Mu Hua and Lin Zhen excused themselves.
Tang Yu’an later prepared a separate set of toiletries for Tie Mu Hua—but not without laying out terms.
“You can use the communal set or buy your own.”
Apart from lodging clothes and insect repellent, items like plastic buckets, dippers, towels, and sulfur soap were communal.
As a woman, Tie Mu Hua naturally preferred not to share these items with the men.
“What’s the price?” she asked, eyeing the items hesitantly. “Is it expensive?”
“It’s not expensive at all,” Tang Yu’an said with a friendly smile. “Sister Hua, you’re a plant-based ability user, right? Can you cultivate wild vegetables?”
Tie Mu Hua nodded.
“Just 30 wild vegetables will get you all of this.”
Tie Mu Hua let out a small sigh of relief. That was indeed affordable, especially considering the bucket alone could last for years—not to mention the other items included.
“I’ll get them to you by tonight,” she said.
“Great! Just deliver them to Grandpa Li in Room 501,” Tang Yu’an replied.
“Got it.”
Tie Mu Hua collected her toiletries and lodging clothes. After delivering 30 wild vegetables later that evening, Tang Yu’an calculated his profit—over 200 points after deducting costs.
This is fantastic! he thought happily.
Keeping the residents in one place made doing business so much easier. Even when they had no immediate needs, he could create demand and get them to trade willingly.
Returning to the courtyard, Tang Yu’an saw several residents bathing stark naked.
Their bodies were so filthy that even the purified water wasn’t enough. They had resorted to using muddy flood water for the initial rinse.
The sight was almost unbearable.
Flood water, unlike normal river water, was far more contaminated. Who knew what kind of filth was in it?
Tang Yu’an’s smile faded. He exchanged a look with Zhou Qi and, after receiving his nod of approval, stepped onto the steps and clapped his hands.
When everyone turned to him, Tang Yu’an cleared his throat. “Bathing under these conditions is definitely a challenge,” he began.
The residents nodded in agreement.
Although the purifier helped, its capacity was too small to meet all their needs.
“We’ll work on building more purifiers with larger capacities,” Tang Yu’an continued. “But for now…”
He gestured for everyone to gather. Even Tie Mu Hua, Lin Zhen, and the children—Kang Kang, Jin Lili, and A’Lian—were called down from the building. The men had already changed back into their dirty clothes to avoid awkwardness.
Although they didn’t want to trouble Grandma Guo, her legs had healed significantly thanks to the Intermediate Healing Potion, so she insisted on joining.
Even Lan Lin, who had spent the day resting after absorbing ice-element energy all night, was called down by Lin Zhen.
Old Li also came at Tang Yu’an’s invitation, standing with the others in the courtyard.
As everyone’s attention focused on Tang Yu’an, they wondered what he was planning.
Many were surprised to realize how many people lived in the building.
“Starting today, we’ll be living together for at least a month,” Tang Yu’an announced, his gaze sweeping over the crowd.
“Let’s take this opportunity to get to know each other. There will be many times when we’ll need to work together and support one another.”
“Please strictly follow the store’s rules: no theft, no robbery, no harm to others. Also, maintain hygiene and only drink boiled water.”
The residents nodded, somewhat bewildered.
These rules had already been explained before they moved in—was it really necessary to repeat them now?
Several of them, dripping wet from using unfiltered muddy water to rinse themselves, emitted a strange smell. While the blazing sun kept them from feeling cold, they were undeniably uncomfortable.
At this moment, the boy’s voice rang out again.
“To give everyone a fresh start and welcome you properly, the store has decided to host a baptism ceremony for all!”
Baptism? What’s that?
Grandma Guo looked at Tang Yu’an with concern, then at Old Li.
What exactly was he planning? Would it be safe to gather so many people at once?
To be honest, even Old Li was puzzled. However, he didn’t show it and gave Grandma Guo a reassuring glance, signaling her to stay calm. He then turned back to Tang Yu’an, waiting to see what the boy had in mind.
Under the watchful gaze of the crowd, Tang Yu’an raised his hands.
A soft, radiant glow appeared in his palms, gradually growing brighter. When it reached its peak, he lightly flicked his hands upward, and the orb of light floated free from his grasp.
The crowd, stunned, watched as the gentle light descended upon them, enveloping everyone within its glow.
Except for a few children, most instinctively assumed defensive stances.
Yet, no attack came. Nor did any pain.
Instead, they were bathed in a tranquility they had never experienced before—a sense of harmony and peace that washed over both body and mind.
Though they couldn’t quite identify what this light was or its exact purpose, they felt certain of one thing: it was harmless.
More than that, it was comforting.
It felt as though the light reached into every dark, filthy corner of their being, purifying it entirely.
Through the misty radiance, they could see Tang Yu’an standing atop the steps of the store. Though he stood above them, there was no hint of arrogance—only a warm, welcoming smile.
Even the adults, who had endured the harshness and despair of the apocalypse, felt a deep emotional stir. As for the children, their awe was written all over their faces.
They gazed at the boy within the holy light, sensing that this moment would remain etched in their memories forever.
In less than a minute, the light began to fade, and the crowd quickly noticed its effects.
“Dad! You’re so different now!” Huo Qiu exclaimed.
The boy circled his father, examining him as though seeing him for the first time. From as far back as he could remember, his father had always been a dirty, mud-covered figure.
Now, not only were his hair, beard, and nails neatly trimmed, but his entire body was clean.
For the first time in his life, Huo Qiu could clearly see his father’s features.
Shu Gen patted his son’s round head, then touched the boy’s smooth, fair cheek. He, too, was filled with amazement and joy.
This level of cleanliness… even when the boy was a newborn, he hadn’t been this clean!
As the initial shock gave way to delight, the residents turned their gaze back to Tang Yu’an. Their eyes, previously filled with respect, now shone with fervent admiration.
So this is the “baptism” he mentioned?
It truly felt like a rebirth.
Even Old Li and Grandma Guo couldn’t hide their awe. Though they knew it was likely an ability at work, it still felt astonishingly like a miracle.
Could An’an really be the prophesied savior?
If their respect for the boy before had stemmed from his “divine protection” aura, it now came from the depths of their hearts.
This was no longer just about the “Holy Light Baptism.” It was about the protective barrier, the purifying light, and the heart of the boy who wielded such powers.
For these residents, Tang Yu’an was the “Light of Desolate City.” He was worth protecting at all costs.
Though unspoken, a shared understanding seemed to ripple through the crowd.
Unaware of their thoughts, Tang Yu’an surveyed the now-clean crowd with satisfaction.
This was so much more pleasant to look at!
“All right, everyone,” he said, “please collect your lodging clothes and get back to your tasks.”
He left the distribution to Old Li, turning to Zhou Qi as they returned inside. He also left the residents to mingle and get to know one another better.
Tang Yu’an’s “baptism” had been a spur-of-the-moment idea.
The purification skill could be used ten times a day, and it would’ve been wasted otherwise. Why not use it to bring everyone closer together?
“Fostering unity is hard to gauge,” Zhou Qi commented, “but the store’s influence over them has definitely grown.”
Naturally, the focal point of that influence was Tang Yu’an.
When it came to “winning hearts,” Tang Yu’an seemed to possess an innate talent.
Zhou Qi thought this was a good thing. After all, they were no longer as powerless as they had been at the start.
The protective barrier had already demonstrated its might. Adding a holy purification ability wouldn’t make much difference now.
“What’s next? Should we start making more purifiers?” Tang Yu’an asked.
Zhou Qi nodded.
Although upgrading the main store to Level 2 had unlocked a water system for the shop, installing it required 2,000 points. Furthermore, like other features, the water supply for branch stores would also require point-based activation.
They were still debating whether to make it available to residents and, if so, how to manage its usage without causing issues.
After all, water was the source of life. A system capable of producing endless clean water was far more valuable—and potentially dangerous—than any barrier or purification skill.
If word got out, the trouble it could bring was unimaginable.
Teaching residents how to build purifiers was a safer and more practical alternative.
Simple, replicable, and life-saving, it could benefit many people without attracting unwanted attention.
To build the purifiers, they needed clay for the containers. However, the flood made venturing out to collect clay difficult.
“Maybe we can check the Jufeng Mountains?” Zhou Qi suggested.
Tang Yu’an nodded. “Let’s head there after lunch.”
However, they didn’t need to.
Before they could leave, a new customer provided them with an even better solution.
It happened before 6 p.m., while the store was still open.
Along with the floodwaters, Ba Shi and his big black dog were swept into the store.
By now, the water level had risen to four meters, a meter higher than the courtyard walls. Without intervention, crashing through the water layer into the yard would’ve caused serious injuries.
Thankfully, Ba Shi acted quickly. Raising a mound of earth beneath them, he and the dog slid safely to the ground, narrowly avoiding disaster.
He collapsed to the ground, staring at the towering building in front of him with a bewildered and confused expression.
This was unmistakably the building he and his brother Ba Tu had reinforced, yet despite its familiarity, it now seemed almost unrecognizable to him.
Moreover…
He turned to look behind him.
What was that thing holding back the flood waters and mutated creatures? Why was the water level already higher than the wall, yet not a drop managed to seep through?
The mutated creatures that had been pursuing him and his big black dog were now outside, angrily lashing their tails, but no matter how they tried, they could not break through.
So, where had he ended up?
And who were these clean, uniformly gray-clad individuals surrounding him? What did they want from him?
After some questioning, Old Li roughly pieced together Ba Shi’s story.
After the flood arrived, he had hidden away with his dog. His brother Ba Tu had managed to avoid disaster by traveling to Jufeng Town to trade salt. Initially, Ba Shi could have survived by staying in his house, but the invasion of mutated creatures forced him to flee with his dog by jumping into the water.
They dodged attacks from aquatic creatures and drifted until they ended up here.
In fact, he had aimed for this particular ten-story building, believing it to be a good place to seek refuge. What he hadn’t anticipated was not only getting lucky but also experiencing such an encounter!
Old Li stared at him with a sinister expression, causing Ba Shi’s smile to freeze awkwardly.
Hurriedly, Ba Shi pleaded, “Old Li, please don’t hold a grudge. I’ll apologize for everything, let bygones be bygones, okay?”
Due to a prior dispute over hunting prey, Ba Shi and his brother had clashed with Old Li, leading to a less-than-friendly relationship.
Old Li continued to stare until Ba Shi was thoroughly unnerved before finally asking, “Do you know how to produce clay? We don’t shelter useless people in this store.”
“Clay? You mean the kind used for making pottery?”
“Yes.”
“I can! I can!” Ba Shi quickly nodded. While producing clay directly was a bit difficult, transforming existing soil into clay was something he could manage.
Satisfied, Old Li tossed him some hemostatic medicine and bandages so he could tend to the wounds left by the mutated creatures. Then, his gaze fell on the panting big black dog nearby.
The dog, having protected its master, was also severely injured.
Seeing Old Li staring at his dog, Ba Shi quickly moved to shield it. “My dog has to stay too! Whatever you need me to do, just tell me!”
Old Li gave him a surprised glance before setting down a bottle of purified water that he had condensed himself. “Clean your wounds properly; don’t let them get infected.”
He then left, leaving the other residents to welcome Ba Shi and his dog.
It might have been due to Tang Yu’an’s generosity—providing clothes and even performing “baptisms” for them—but the other residents now felt an unprecedented sense of belonging to the Desolate City Grocery Store.
As Ba Shi busied himself tending to his wounds, several of these residents began gathering around him, telling him stories.
And what stories did they choose to share? The tale of how the store’s owner saved Old Li, of course!
Wait, why were they telling him this kind of story right now?
Even stranger, after hearing it, Ba Shi found himself developing an inexplicable respect for this young store owner.
*
When Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi returned from their lunch break, Old Li brought them some good news.
It turned out that amidst all this chaos, they had a new tenant. While unexpected, the addition of an earth-attribute ability user to the community greatly enhanced its functionality.
“Looks like we’ll need to prepare more sets of lodging clothes,” Tang Yu’an said. He had a feeling that more cases like Ba Shi’s might arise in the future.
Zhou Qi nodded. While Ba Shi got busy producing clay, the two of them headed to Granny Guo and Kang Kang’s room to deliver the glowing green cabinet suitable for growing plants.
Time flew by, and before they knew it, it was evening.
*
In Lanhu Town, Chi Hao stretched lazily and sat down outside his small house.
He had spent the afternoon busily completing several deals. Although his employee rank remained at Level 1, his experience bar had made significant progress.
Satisfied with the results, Chi Hao reflected on the Basic Healing Potion he had traded to Lan Yunqing. It seemed to have worked wonders—within just half a day, the vitality of the forest had noticeably recovered.
Chi Hao stroked his chin thoughtfully.
If it’s called a Basic Healing Potion, doesn’t that imply there might be “intermediate” and “advanced” versions? If the basic potion already has such impressive effects, just how miraculous would the advanced ones be?
And who exactly was this mysterious merchant capable of producing such divine medicine? What was their true purpose in recruiting people like him to conduct business everywhere?
As Chi Hao mulled over these questions, a commotion arose from behind his house.
“This is the candy I traded with the mysterious merchant! Give it back! Waaaah…my candy! Give it back!”
Mysterious merchant?
Startled, Chi Hao stood up and walked to the back of the house, where he saw a small boy sitting on the ground, crying loudly. Not far away, a group of children who had taken his candy were running off triumphantly.
Noticing Chi Hao watching from the steps, the boy suddenly stopped crying, panic flashing across his face as he scrambled to get away.
“Hey, kid!” Chi Hao called, pulling a piece of chocolate from his pocket—a gift from Tang Yu’an before he left. “Want some candy?”
The boy froze mid-step, his eyes glued to the chocolate. His yearning was evident, but he remained cautious.
“What do you want?” he asked, wary despite his hunger.
Chi Hao smiled gently. “I just want to ask you a few questions.”
The boy hesitated. “If I answer, do I get the candy?”
“Of course.”
Chi Hao continued, “Don’t worry. I’m a guest of your lord. I won’t hurt you.”
The boy glanced at Chi Hao’s house, seemingly piecing things together, and finally nodded. “What do you want to know?”
“Tell me about your encounter with the mysterious merchant. Did you trade with them directly?” Chi Hao asked, his curiosity piqued.
