Chapter 173
Grandpa Li hadn’t expected the two kids to come up with such an ambitious idea.
Haven Year One…
His breathing quickened, and his body trembled slightly.
He didn’t know why, but at that moment, a flood of emotions surged within him. It felt as though a ray of light had pierced through the endless fog, illuminating a path forward.
They were creating history.
A brand-new history, one they could write themselves.
For the past few decades, Grandpa Li had merely existed, living in a fog and surviving on instinct. But now, everything felt different.
When he first started building and managing Desolate City Haven, his goal was simply to recreate even a tiny fragment of the world as it had been before the catastrophe—just a small refuge within the ruins.
But now, he felt he had a much greater dream.
Looking at the two teenagers, the smile on Grandpa Li’s face erased years of wear and tear. His wrinkled, weathered features seemed to glow with new vitality, making him look a decade younger.
“This is a truly great idea,” he said.
Great? Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi exchanged glances, their eyes brimming with excitement.
It was indeed meaningful, though the two couldn’t yet grasp its full potential or the profound impact it might have.
“Should I go get a notebook to start recording things?” Grandpa Li asked.
“That could work, but to avoid confusion, let’s use this!” Tang Yu’an said, retrieving the AI Brain he’d set up for charging in the Peace Grocery Shop.
This was a device he had initially prepared for the communication room but hadn’t yet used due to their unexpected trip to another plane.
“Xiaoqiu, reset the time,” Tang Yu’an said to the AI Brain after booting it up. “Record the date as Haven Year One, January 18th.”
The AI Brain’s default settings allowed for custom time configurations, likely because different planets or nations had their own calendars.
“Date has been set. Please input the current time,” the mechanical voice replied.
Tang Yu’an glanced at Zhou Qi’s watch and continued, “Use a 24-hour format. The current time is 10:12:36 a.m.”
“Time recorded. Please define the length of a second.”
Tang Yu’an used Zhou Qi’s watch to calibrate the AI Brain’s time-keeping. Finally, the AI Brain began synchronized tracking.
After configuring the time, Tang Yu’an checked his balance: 417,413 points.
That’s right—his current balance was over 417,000 points! Feeling generous, Tang Yu’an spent another 15,000 points to purchase three more AI Brains.
He synchronized the new devices with the calibrated time and handed two of them to Grandpa Li.
“Grandpa, one is for you, and the other is for Sister Lin.”
The AI Brain could switch between a small sphere, wristwatch, or brooch. Tang Yu’an demonstrated its functions to Grandpa Li.
“This AI Brain is equipped with basic intelligence. You can give it voice commands, and it will usually execute them.”
“It also tracks time, and more importantly, it can transmit signals. Within a radius of 500 meters, other AI Brains can receive messages.”
“In other words… it’s essentially a phone?” Grandpa Li asked, his eyes lighting up as he caressed the AI Brain. “How much does this cost in points?”
“Grandpa, don’t worry about points,” Tang Yu’an said with a grin. “This is an employee benefit. Just take it.”
Tang Yu’an tested the signal function. The range was sufficient for internal communication within Desolate City Haven.
Since Lin Zhen rarely left Store No.1 and lacked access to the teleportation array, giving her a AI Brain made perfect sense.
Finally, Grandpa Li accepted the device. He especially appreciated its ability to display time, as well as the privacy of direct one-on-one messaging with Lin Zhen.
“Does this AI Brain need charging?” Grandpa Li asked after examining it.
“Yes, but don’t worry,” Tang Yu’an replied. “When the battery runs low, let me know, and I’ll handle it.”
“Good,” Grandpa Li said, nodding. “By the way, the communication room you mentioned has been up and running for a while now.”
Since they hadn’t specified how long they’d be away, Grandpa Li decided to open the room once the necessary supplies—glow strips, water, and heat stones—were in place.
Room 505, now called the Communication Room, had quickly become a favorite among residents in this entertainment-scarce era.
In the first two days, only a few initial residents visited: Tie Jin, Shu Gen and his son, Jin Guang, Tie Muhua, and Lang Ya, as well as Ba Shi.
By the third day, more people joined: A’Man, Lie Huo A’Xiang, and Ye Lan. Yesterday, the number grew to 23 residents—and tonight, there might be even more.
“As for private conversations in smaller rooms, not many have used them yet—just three planters and that boy Lan Lin.”
Currently, Desolate City Haven had five wood-type ability users, including Granny Guo, Tie Muhua, Ye Lan, and two newcomers: a planter named Qiangwei and, of course, young Kang Kang.
These planters had significantly boosted the shop’s profits, helping Grandpa Li achieve over 100,000 points in a week. Their success also granted them access to better supplies.
Clearly, life in the Desolate City Haven was deeply appealing to these women, making them more willing to engage in dialogue and strive for higher yields to exchange for resources.
These planters had become the grocery store’s most steadfast supporters.
After all, no other place offered them the life they enjoyed now. Except for Tie Mu Hua, who had some combat ability, Ye Lan and Qiangwei were more like Granny Guo in terms of physical capacity.
To prove their value, they enthusiastically supported all of the homestead’s new policies.
“Lan Lin still heats the building every night,” Grandpa Li said with a hint of amusement.
“For free?” Tang Yu’an asked curiously.
“Yes,” Grandpa Li nodded, though he added, “At first, yes. But…”
He hesitated before explaining, “Later, I started buying the ice from his room.”
Though they had cooling cloths for food preservation, the cloths only maintained temperatures around 10°C. For freezing certain meats, ice was still more effective.
Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi both nodded in agreement.
As temperatures in Desolate City gradually dropped, daytime highs hovered around 20-30°C. Without an electric power supply, the cooling effect of the Gray-Blue Freezer had significantly weakened.
“Lan Lin is very enthusiastic about exchanges. Although his ice element doesn’t directly align with wood elements, he often listens when the planters talk and occasionally contributes some interesting ideas.”
Grandpa Li continued, “For now, their exchanges seem quite friendly.”
He then turned to Zhou Qi and asked, “By the way, can non-ability users enter the smaller discussion rooms?”
“Someone wants to?” Zhou Qi asked.
“Yes, Lin Zhen. She’s very interested in the exchanges among ability users,” Grandpa Li explained.
“Then let her in as an employee,” Zhou Qi replied.
“Understood,” Grandpa Li nodded.
“We’ll visit the communication room tonight,” Zhou Qi added.
“Sounds good.” Grandpa Li glanced at the AI Brain in his hand and said, “With this, it’s even easier to keep track of time.”
Afterward, Grandpa Li went downstairs and returned with a small basket of eggs.
“These past few days, the mutated hen laid ten eggs. Here they are.”
Tang Yu’an stored all ten eggs in his inventory, then took out four unfertilized ones.
“You can use these for food.”
Grandpa Li accepted the eggs and returned to his tasks, still busy with the many projects underway.
“Let’s check in on Granny Guo and the others!” Tang Yu’an exclaimed, pulling Zhou Qi along as they headed downstairs.
To the residents of Desolate City Haven, the boys had only been gone for seven days. But to Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi, it felt like seven long months.
Tang Yu’an had deeply missed everything about the home. It felt like he had been away for ages.
“Big Brother!”
As soon as they stepped into the courtyard, a familiar voice called out. Tang Yu’an turned to see Kang Kang running toward him on his little legs.
Scooping him up, Tang Yu’an affectionately ruffled his hair.
Kang Kang wrapped his arms around Tang Yu’an’s neck, then looked at Zhou Qi with a cheerful smile. “Brother Qi!”
Zhou Qi smiled back and nodded.
As they walked through the courtyard, they noticed the surprised looks from other residents who hadn’t seen them in a while. Only Kang Kang seemed unfazed; to him, his two big brothers were exactly the same as always.
Granny Guo, busy working in the fields, paused when she saw them. Her face lit up with a kind smile.
“You’ve grown taller, stronger,” she said warmly, clearly pleased.
Zhou Qi’s gaze softened as he greeted her and asked about her health.
“I’m doing better and better,” Granny Guo said cheerfully, her face glowing with health. “I’ve even made some progress cultivating brown rice.”
It seemed Granny Guo was still committed to developing rice that could thrive in the wasteland’s conditions.
Zhou Qi struck up a conversation with her, sharing his knowledge. Having completed most of his high school courses and delved into supplemental materials, he was able to explain advanced agricultural theories in detail.
Granny Guo nodded repeatedly, jotting down notes as he spoke.
Meanwhile, Tang Yu’an was pulled aside by Kang Kang to check on the Star Chain Vine. Its star-shaped leaves were adorned with bright yellow blossoms, shining brilliantly in the sunlight.
“Big Brother, the soil turned black!” Kang Kang exclaimed, pointing to the vine’s roots. His round face was flushed with excitement.
“And October wants it!” he added.
October was the name they had given the young Lanhu tree, which had been planted in the courtyard due to its love of lively environments. Could it really sense the soil’s changes?
“Should we move it here?” Tang Yu’an asked.
But Kang Kang shook his head and said in his soft, babyish voice, “It’ll come by itself!”
“It’ll come by itself?”
“Mm-hmm!”
Kang Kang then pulled Tang Yu’an toward a sunnier spot past the trellis of Star Chain Vine. Carefully parting some vines, he revealed a small sapling with just two leaves.
The bluish leaves, with their jade-like glow, unmistakably belonged to the Lanhu Tree!
Tang Yu’an: 0.0
“Is this October?” he asked Kang Kang.
“Yep!” Kang Kang nodded enthusiastically.
Tang Yu’an then ran to the other courtyard and saw that the Lanhu Tree sapling in the fenced-off area was still growing well.
Compared to before, it had grown taller, now over 30 centimeters, with more than a dozen leaves.
“October doesn’t need to mature before sprouting clones?” Tang Yu’an asked in amazement.
And it even moved so far, straight into the Star Chain Vine’s territory!
“It can,” Kang Kang replied.
Tang Yu’an thought for a moment and said, “Could you talk to it? It shouldn’t grow wherever it wants, especially not near the reservoir or the building.”
“Okay.” Kang Kang nodded obediently.
Plant roots could damage foundations and walls, so this precaution was necessary.
Tang Yu’an added, “Next time October wants to sprout clones, let Grandpa Li know so he can plan a proper spot for it. Deal?”
“Got it!”
Kang Kang responded crisply and was immediately rewarded with a head pat, making his eyes squint happily like a content kitten.
Looking at the adorable and obedient child, Tang Yu’an reached into his backpack and pulled out a chestnut.
“Here, this is for you.”
“Wow! A new seed!”
Kang Kang held the large chestnut tightly in his small hands and looked up with a bright, joyful smile. He was clearly thrilled with the gift.
“Thank you, big brother!”
Tang Yu’an patted his head before taking him to play with Jin Lili.
Nearly two months had passed, and the little girl looked completely different from when they first met.
Her once-thin face now had a healthy plumpness, and she looked soft and rosy. Her baby teeth were also starting to grow in.
When she saw Tang Yu’an, she immediately grinned, showing a few tiny teeth. She wasn’t the least bit shy or distant, even though he had grown taller.
After playing with her for a while, Tang Yu’an left half a large roasted sweet potato for A’Lian.
“Cook it like a potato, but it’s sweeter. Lili will probably like it even more,” he explained.
A’Lian hesitated and asked, “Is this a new crop? Should we save some as seeds for Granny and the others?”
The residents were well aware of the two young bosses’ seven-day absence. While there had been plenty of speculation, no one found it surprising.
After all, these two had powers like protective barriers and life passageways. Ignoring floods and mutant creatures to venture outside wasn’t much of a stretch.
Tang Yu’an waved dismissively. “No need. We have plenty more.”
He suddenly remembered he hadn’t handed over the large sweet potatoes to Grandpa Li yet, so he quickly ran off to do so.
Sweet potatoes, with their high yield, could diversify the residents’ diets and help prevent nutrition-related illnesses.
Once livestock farming took off, there would also be more meat, eggs, and milk available.
Tang Yu’an then returned downstairs to check out the newly built reservoir and the water channels.
The water channels and the reservoir worked in harmony: whenever the water level dropped, the protective barrier would release just enough water to replenish it, ensuring a steady flow.
While inspecting these waterworks, he also heard the bleating of goats.
It turned out that a few goats had been relocated to the Desolate City Grocery Store and were now being carefully raised in a pen.
The pen was fenced off, with insulated cloth tied to the fencing to maintain a comfortable temperature inside.
Thanks to these goats, the children now had milk to drink. Only when goat milk wasn’t enough did Grandpa Li use points to exchange for cow’s milk.
This was one of the reasons why Jin Lili and Kang Kang looked so rosy and healthy.
Of course, Huoqiu had also earned his goat milk—Grandpa Li had given him the task of milking the goats, with a glass of milk as his daily reward.
Because of this, Huoqiu cherished the goats and took excellent care of them. His father, Shu Gen, even volunteered to clean the goat pen.
The goat manure was used as fertilizer, and inedible potato vines and leaves were fed to the goats, creating a beneficial cycle.
At noon, Grandpa Li gathered the residents for a communal meal and announced Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi’s return.
He also passed on Tang Yu’an’s message.
“Tonight at 7 PM, to celebrate the establishment of the communication room, Boss Tang has decided to hold a cleansing ceremony in Room 505. We hope everyone will actively participate.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the crowd erupted into cheers.
The residents were thrilled at the prospect of another cleansing ceremony and celebrated the return of their young bosses.
Upstairs, Tang Yu’an listened to the commotion, his face lit with a constant smile.
The other dimension might have been fascinating, but he still preferred the lively atmosphere of the Desolate City Haven.
This, he felt, was where people truly belonged.
After spending the morning wandering around and reconnecting, Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi finally made their way to the teleportation room.
They used the teleportation array to return to the Peace Grocery Store’s attic.
“Finally, home sweet home!”
To Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi, the Peace Grocery Store was their true home, holding a special place in their hearts.
As they stepped back inside, a deep sense of satisfaction and tranquility filled their souls.
Because of Round Head’s diligent cleaning and the fact they had only been away for seven days, the miscellaneous goods store was spotless, looking just as it had when they left.
Seeing the Dream Drifting Bottle window flashing, Tang Yu’an ran over, opened it, and pulled out a bottle.
“It’s from Cosorna!”
The water they had sent previously was now gone, leaving only one space capsule inside. Clearly, the short time was not enough for her team to produce more capsules.
“Mysterious Merchant, thank you for your generosity! I hope you’ll fulfill your promise and deliver the remaining water.”
Cosorna’s voice sounded more lively, indicating that the 10 cubic meters of water had saved her from being sent into the cryo-sleep chamber.
Tang Yu’an refilled the bottle with water, threw it back into the Dream Sea, and spent 10 points to designate it for Cosorna’s dimension.
Since it was still daytime, there were only a few drifting bottles in the Dream Sea. After glancing at them briefly, Tang Yu’an turned his attention elsewhere.
Having been away for seven or eight days, he wondered how Little Hai Lan and the others were doing. He decided to save the remaining opportunities to collect their bottles at night.
Meanwhile, Zhou Qi went to prepare lunch. Returning to the familiar kitchen with its well-used tools, he quickly fell back into his rhythm, a faint smile of contentment on his face.
Tang Yu’an, on the other hand, worked on calibrating Round Head’s time settings using the light brain.
Then, he turned one light brain into a wristwatch for himself and another into a brooch, which he pinned onto Zhou Qi’s chest.
“These two are now synced with your watch’s time.”
Since they would inevitably return to other dimensions with differing time flows, Tang Yu’an foresaw the potential confusion it could cause in the future.
Round Head would manage the timeline for the Desolate City Haven, while these two light brains would track their personal experiences across dimensions.
Zhou Qi nodded and asked, “What about the light brain for the communication room?”
“I’ll just buy another one.”
Tang Yu’an promptly spent 10,000 points to purchase two more light brains. “One will go in the communication room, and the other can be for Granny Guo.”
Considering her age and mobility issues, the light brain would allow her to contact Lin Zhen for assistance without leaving her home.
Hearing this, Zhou Qi smiled warmly. Tang Yu’an knew Zhou Qi treated Granny Guo like his own grandmother, and seeing him pleased with the arrangement made Tang Yu’an grin even wider.
“Should I buy out the rest of the items on the seven-day special sale?”
“Go ahead.”
The two types of medicine were practical, but the strong insect repellent and construction robot were game-changers.
During their time in the other dimension, dealing with those massive insects had been an endless struggle. If the repellent worked as advertised, future expeditions to that world would be much safer.
As for the construction robot…
[Description: Contains 1,000 building blueprints of various styles. Can construct according to the provided materials.]
“With this, can’t we build lots of outposts in the other dimension?” Tang Yu’an asked excitedly.
Setting up a protective barrier and teleportation array for each outpost only cost 11,000 points. With their current balance, they could build a network of bases throughout the giant forest, making exploration far more efficient.
“We could,” Zhou Qi agreed, “but we’d still need to gather the building materials ourselves.”
“That’s fine! The brickworks can keep running, and we can teach the residents how to make cement. Hmm… Cement needs iron ore. I’ll just buy a mining robot!”
Tang Yu’an opened the dimension store, but after seeing the price, he shut it in frustration.
“What’s wrong?” Zhou Qi asked.
“That mining robot costs 50,000 points! Do they think I’m made of money?” Tang Yu’an grumbled.
“Then don’t buy it?”
Zhou Qi recalled the iron mine they’d discovered. Mining there wouldn’t be too difficult, especially with their storage abilities and Remote Retrieval Skill. Breaking the ore and transferring it would be relatively quick.
“I’ll wait for tomorrow’s special sale refresh and see what comes up,” Tang Yu’an said.
“Right, we still need void stones and glow stones. We’re just one item short of unlocking the main store’s next upgrade—electricity for the shop!”
Zhou Qi’s lips twitched slightly.
He wanted to remind Tang Yu’an that the special sale was supposed to be random. Could he really expect it to cater to his exact needs? But past experiences kept him silent—he’d likely be proven wrong anyway.
He just sighed inwardly.
“I feel like spinning the prize wheel!” Tang Yu’an exclaimed, rubbing his hands eagerly. “We’ve accumulated so many chances from our daily and weekly tasks!”
