Chapter 175
Tang Yu’an took the USB drive Xiao Cao handed him and examined it closely. It was indeed a USB drive.
The casing was made of metal, sturdy and of good quality. Although it had a few scratches, they didn’t seem to affect its functionality.
“Where did you get this?” he asked curiously.
“I traded it with a customer,” Xiao Cao explained. “He said he found it in some ruins and didn’t know what it was for, so he asked if I wanted it.
“I thought it looked like it was made of metal, so I took it. I traded three bowls of hot soup for it and still made a profit.”
Now that food was no longer a concern, Xiao Cao and Shi Tou occasionally accepted odd, unfamiliar items from customers, and this USB drive was one of those acquisitions.
“Little Miracle Doctor, do you know what this is?” Xiao Cao asked curiously.
Tang Yu’an nodded. “Let me have it.”
He handed her a handful of candies in return, then left with Zhou Qi.
As they walked along the mountain road, the Shadow Umbrella hovered above them, dutifully following.
“I wonder if this USB drive still works?” Tang Yu’an said. “We’ll try it on the computer at home.”
But the computer was from their original world, so it might not be compatible with this USB drive.
Zhou Qi thought for a moment and suggested, “Why not try the smart brain interface? It’s from a high-tech plane and might have a way to interface with devices from lower civilizations.”
“Good idea. Let’s test it when we get back!”
Tang Yu’an stored the USB drive in his personal warehouse and glanced back at the Jade Pavilion.
“Xiao Cao and Shi Tou’s business seems to be doing well. Should we still have them sell salt when the Jufeng General Store reopens?”
Tang Yu’an frowned. “It’d be a pity to give up their business here.”
So… maybe they should expand the workforce again?
“Zhou Qi, what do you think about hiring the shopkeeper as an employee?” Tang Yu’an mused.
Zhou Qi considered it and replied, “She probably wouldn’t be able to keep the secret.”
Given her close relationship with Wang Hu and their shared residence, it would be hard to keep anything hidden.
“Anyone we hire here would quickly connect the Jufeng General Store to the mysterious merchant,” Zhou Qi explained. “Even Xiao Cao figured out that you’re the mysterious merchant. How could others not?”
The situation in Jufeng Town was complicated. With the previous incident of the store being burned down, Zhou Qi thought it would be best to avoid expanding their workforce in this area for now.
Tang Yu’an nodded, accepting Zhou Qi’s reasoning, though he still felt a bit regretful.
Zhou Qi offered an alternative. “Then let’s sell pepper to Lin Meiyu instead. Wasn’t her hot soup business struggling because she lacked pepper? If we sell her some, she’ll be happy.”
Although they wouldn’t earn points directly from this arrangement, their growing pool of talented employees made that less of a concern.
Selling pepper to Lin Meiyu would also help the survival rate of Jufeng Town residents during the cold nights, indirectly preserving the Jufeng General Store’s customer base.
Besides, even if the points earned were small, every bit counts.
Tang Yu’an nodded enthusiastically. “Alright! Once the Jufeng General Store is rebuilt, we’ll talk to her about it.”
Then, a thought occurred to him. “I’ll also grant Grandpa Li access to Slot 2 of the personal warehouse. It’ll make it easier for him to trade with Xiao Cao and Shi Tou.”
Currently, Zhou Qi had access to three slots. Slot 1 was shared with Chi Hao, Slot 2 with Xiao Cao and Stone, and Slot 3 was for his personal use.
Zhou Qi had no objections.
Since Slot 2 was already shared with Xiao Cao and Shi Tou, granting Grandpa Li access wouldn’t make much difference. It would also allow them to monitor trade activity more effectively through storage records.
Tang Yu’an immediately authorized Grandpa Li to use Slot 2 of the warehouse.
Before they realized it, they had arrived near the guard post.
Looking at the marker for Hong Li on the map, Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi decided to stash the Shadow Umbrella and head straight to the post.
Judging by Hong Li’s attitude toward Xiao Cao and Shi Tou, she seemed friendly enough. After months of interdimensional training, they weren’t particularly worried about the guards, either.
Even if a fight broke out, they could always fly away.
The guards, however, turned them away at the door.
“The Mountain Lord is in closed-door cultivation and not seeing visitors,” the guard said.
Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi exchanged a glance. Could her fire spirit worm have been devoured, causing her body to suffer some sort of problem?
“We’d like to speak to Captain Hei Xiong,” they said, shifting their focus.
Hei Xiong was available, though he was swamped with work due to the Mountain Lord’s retreat. Upon hearing the guard’s report, he still made time to meet them.
“Why has Sister Hong Li suddenly gone into closed-door cultivation?” Tang Yu’an asked tentatively.
Hei Xiong sighed bitterly.
“Did something happen?” Zhou Qi pressed.
“I don’t know the full details, but the Mountain Lord is fine—she’s just injured,” Hei Xiong said in a low voice. “Please don’t let this information spread. It could cause unnecessary panic.”
“Understood,” they replied.
Tang Yu’an hesitated for a moment but eventually pulled out a bottle of mid-grade healing potion from his backpack.
“This contains a single drop of potion, which might help Hong Li’s injuries.”
One drop of the mid-grade healing potion could slowly restore 16% of health and even treat internal injuries. If Hong Li was indeed hurt, this drop should make a significant difference.
No matter what might happen in the future, Tang Yu’an still considered Hong Li a friend, and he was willing to offer this potion for her.
“This…” Hei Xiong was momentarily at a loss for words.
“If she doesn’t use it, you can return it to me later,” Tang Yu’an said, sparing him any awkwardness. “But let me warn you, this potion is very valuable. Once Hong Li sees it, she probably won’t want to return it.”
Hei Xiong chuckled and accepted the potion.
“We’ll come back in ten days to deliver the salt. Make sure you’ve prepared the soybeans by then,” Tang Yu’an added.
“Absolutely, I’ll take care of it!”
With that, the two boys bid their farewell and left.
Hei Xiong watched as their figures disappeared down the mountain path, a slight frown crossing his face. Just then, a soldier ran up to report.
It turned out that the Jufeng GroceryStore had been under surveillance the entire time, but none of the monitors had noticed these two kids making their way to the guard post.
Hei Xiong sighed and waved dismissively. “Forget it. There’s no point in keeping watch on them—you can’t keep up.”
He had noticed that the two boys had grown significantly stronger in the short time since he had last seen them. Zhou Qi, in particular, gave off an aura that, for a brief moment, reminded Hei Xiong of the Mountain Lord herself.
How could they have grown this much in such a short time? Were prodigies from the fortresses all like this?
Sighing again, Hei Xiong returned to the guard post and hurried to Hong Li’s secluded chamber with the potion.
Inside the chamber, Hong Li sat meditating. Her complexion was pale and frail, but when she opened her eyes, her sharp, clear gaze remained unchanged—perhaps even more intense than before.
“Didn’t I tell you not to disturb me unless it’s something important?” she asked coldly, fixing Hei Xiong with her gaze.
Hei Xiong quickly explained the situation and presented the potion bottle.
“This is from An An?” Hong Li murmured as she held the bottle, her expression momentarily dazed.
“Yes.”
“And where are they now?”
“They left after giving me the potion, saying they’ll return in ten days to deliver salt.”
Hong Li nodded and waved him off.
Once she was alone in the chamber, she opened the bottle. The moment the scent of the potion reached her nose, a sense of comfort washed over her.
So this is the potion they used to save Chi Hao’s life? Hong Li smiled wryly. The debt keeps piling up…
Without hesitation, she drank the potion. Then, closing her eyes once more, she resumed her meditation.
*
Desolate City Grocery Store, 9th Floor
Grandpa Li had just used the Remote Retrieval skill to transfer a pile of potatoes from the 5th floor to the 9th. The skill was incredibly convenient.
Looking around the long-unused warehouse on the 9th floor, he began thinking about how to optimize the space.
If I lay low-temperature fabric across the room, could it maintain a cold environment? If so, this would be perfect as a cold storage room.
As he pondered, a system notification suddenly popped up.
[Your outstanding performance has caught the attention of the Mysterious Merchant. You have been granted shared access to “Personal Warehouse Slot 2.” Check your personal panel for details.]
What? A personal warehouse?
Grandpa Li froze in surprise. So An An and the others really did have personal storage space—and it was granted by the Mysterious Merchant?
[Employee “Pu Wei” retrieved 500g of soybeans.]
Pu Wei? That’s Xiao Cao, isn’t it? So, she’s already been granted access to this warehouse?
Grandpa Li wasn’t too surprised. Xiao Cao was still the highest-ranking employee at Store No.1 aside from Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi.
The young girl and her brother were hardworking and capable. Grandpa Li couldn’t help but recall the time when Shi Tou had tried to pickpocket them in Jufeng Town’s streets. How far they’d come since then!
If they had grown up in a safe, stable, and prosperous environment, they wouldn’t have had to live that kind of life.
Now, everything was different.
Smiling to himself, Grandpa Li began exploring the potential uses of the personal warehouse.
At that moment, light flashed in the teleportation room next door. Moments later, Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi entered.
“Grandpa, we were just about to come find you,” Tang Yu’an said cheerfully.
Grandpa Li reached out and patted his head. This boy was growing too quickly—soon enough, he’d only be able to pat his shoulder.
“Is there something you need?” Grandpa Li asked.
“Yep, we’ve got something good for you,” Tang Yu’an said with a mysterious grin.
Grandpa Li smiled and said, “I was just about to tell you! The Mysterious Merchant has granted me a new skill and access to a personal warehouse.”
“Wow, really?” Tang Yu’an feigned surprise, then asked, “Is it Remote Retrieval?”
Grandpa Li gave him a meaningful smile before answering, “Yes, it allows me to retrieve or deposit items from the store within a 1-kilometer range. It’s incredibly practical and powerful.”
“Then you’ll have to keep working hard,” Tang Yu’an said with a grin. “This skill can be upgraded, you know. My level is higher than yours.”
Grandpa Li paused, recalling the “Lv1” marking on the skill’s description. Could it represent the skill level?
“I see,” he nodded thoughtfully. “And the personal warehouse… you have one too, don’t you?”
“Yes, I’m using Slot 3,” Tang Yu’an replied. “Which one did you get?”
“Slot 2,” Grandpa Li answered. “Can this warehouse be shared?”
“It can. Zhou Qi is also using Slot 2,” Tang Yu’an explained. “Anything you store there can be seen and taken by other employees.”
Grandpa Li raised an eyebrow. “Then it’s not suitable for storing valuable items.”
“Exactly,” Tang Yu’an agreed. “For now, it seems like only Brother Qi, Shi Tou, and Xiao Cao are using Slot 2.”
He glanced at Zhou Qi. “Right, Brother Qi?”
Zhou Qi nodded, playing along seamlessly.
“I see…” Grandpa Li mused. “I understand how to use it now.”
Tang Yu’an then pulled him toward Room 901. “Grandpa, come on, I’ve got something good to show you!”
“Slow down, slow down… What’s this good thing now?” Grandpa Li muttered, thinking he was beyond being surprised by anything. But when he entered the living room and saw three brand-new tricycles parked there, his eyes widened slightly.
“These two are pedal tricycles for the tenants!” Tang Yu’an said excitedly.
“And this one is an electric tricycle—for you!” he added. “With it, you won’t have to work so hard walking around the compound anymore.”
“Is this another reward from the Mysterious Merchant?” Grandpa Li asked, his fingers tracing the smooth frames of the tricycles, his eyes gleaming with nostalgia. It reminded him of simpler times.
“Well, something like that,” Tang Yu’an replied, avoiding too much explanation. Then, a bit worried, he asked, “It should be fine to use these in the settlement, right?”
“What’s the problem?” Grandpa Li waved dismissively. “The roads are flooded now—where could the tenants even go?”
Even after the floods receded, it would be difficult for anyone to leave the settlement. During this period, Grandpa Li planned to ensure everyone’s interests were tightly bound together, fostering mutual support for the settlement.
“In this world, only interests are eternal—there are no permanent enemies or friends,” Grandpa Li muttered to himself. “Of course, I’ll still keep an eye on that boy from the fortress, Wolf Fang. He’s been quiet lately, so I don’t think he’s foolish.”
Grandpa Li added, “Pedal tricycles exist in the fortresses—Wolf Fang has mentioned them. Electric ones are rarer, though; fuel-powered vehicles are more common.”
“So there’s no need to be overly cautious. It’s easy to explain,” he continued. “The tenants already assume you two have spatial abilities. When they see these tricycles, they’ll just fill in the gaps themselves.”
“We’ll need to open up more land for farming,” Grandpa Li said thoughtfully, planning to rent plots to ordinary tenants for planting, similar to the experimental fields managed in Jufeng Mountain.
But Zhou Qi interjected, “It’s better for the planting to be handled by the farmers. The other tenants should continue making bricks. We might need to build a cement factory soon.”
Grandpa Li looked at him in surprise, unsure of his reasoning.
“Grandpa, we’re not short on food, are we?” Zhou Qi began.
Even with just four dedicated farmers, their potato yield was more than enough to feed 40 tenants. They could also purchase food from the system’s marketplace if needed.
“Ordinary people planting crops have a risk-reward ratio that’s completely skewed,” Zhou Qi explained. “Without proper agricultural knowledge, there will be plenty of problems early on. And with long farming cycles, they’ll depend too much on the weather. If something goes wrong, they’ll lose everything.”
“We can’t bear the burden of too many people’s risks, but the tenants we have now? They’re manageable,” he continued.
“Let them step away from farming and instead produce goods we need. They can trade those for food with us.”
Grandpa Li mulled it over and eventually nodded. “I see your point. But… why do you need so many bricks? And cement? Do you even know how to use them?”
“We’ll use the bricks and cement to build houses!” Tang Yu’an exclaimed.
He planned to set up branches as teleportation points, which meant they would need plenty of construction materials.
Zhou Qi elaborated, “As we expand and claim more land, we can build houses and move everyone into single-story homes. With the protective barrier, we no longer need to live in elevated spaces. Grandma Guo, for example, climbs seven or eight floors every day—it’s not convenient.”
Grandpa Li nodded in agreement.
While the current tenants might not want to move immediately—after all, they had just finished building their platforms—future tenants would likely need housing.
It made sense to construct some low-rise buildings. After all, while the settlement lacked many resources, it had no shortage of open land.
“Alright, we’ll start by setting up a brick factory. We’ll need a place to store the bricks as they’re produced,” Grandpa Li said. “I’ll draw up some plans.”
“But keep in mind,” he added, “this model might not generate many points.”
The Mysterious Merchant’s rules were peculiar. Fresh produce and crops had high value, but the food consumed by workers might end up costing more points than the bricks they produced.
Tang Yu’an nodded. “Got it.”
After all, trading with the wood ability users already brought him close to 100,000 points per week. What more could he ask for?
“Still, we should open up more land for planting,” Grandpa Li insisted. “I plan to interplant Star-chain vines on the new plots.”
The planters’ abilities could promote the growth of Star-chain vines, which in turn would enrich the soil and increase the yield of other crops—a positive feedback loop.
Grandpa Li believed that having more food reserves was always a good idea.
“Sure, we’ll do as you suggest.”
Zhou Qi didn’t raise any objections, and Tang Yu’an suggested that the soybeans they had traded from Hong Li could be shared with the tenants.
“Eating only potatoes gets boring. It’s nice to mix things up now and then.”
Hearing this, Grandpa Li chuckled. “They’re already eating far better than before. In the past, they couldn’t even eat their fill every day.”
Still, he took Tang Yu’an’s advice to heart and planned to add more variety to the tenants’ communal meals.
Grandpa Li then headed downstairs, eager to try out the pedal tricycles and electric tricycle. Humming a cheerful tune, he seemed genuinely delighted.
Meanwhile, Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi visited Grandma Guo to deliver a smart device. She didn’t refuse but insisted on paying for it. Tang Yu’an told her to settle the payment with Grandpa Li.
Outside, Grandpa Li was pedaling the tricycle proudly around the courtyard. Wary of the electricity usage, he hadn’t yet dared to try the electric tricycle.
The tenants watching Grandpa Li were visibly impressed and envious. When he mentioned there was another tricycle they could use, they rushed toward it, nearly causing a commotion. Fortunately, the settlement’s rules prevented any real fights.
The tenants, startled by the rules’ enforcement and Grandpa Li’s stern gaze, quickly lined up obediently.
Seeing the lively scene, Tang Yu’an used some points to purchase two small bicycles. He and Zhou Qi joined in, pedaling the bikes around the courtyard.
Tang Yu’an, agile and confident on his bicycle, instantly became the most eye-catching figure in the settlement.
Those waiting for their turn on the tricycles squatted nearby, watching Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi with fascination and chatting about the strange new vehicles.
As evening approached, A’Xiang stepped out of the building. She gazed at the two boys cycling under the golden hues of the sunset and at the bustling, cheerful crowd. A faint sense of unreality washed over her.
She had never seen such carefree and joyful scenes before—not even in her dreams.
Lie Huo spotted her and quickly ran over, pulling her to a quiet corner. His face was lit with excitement. “A’Xiang, do you want to marry me?”
“What?” A’Xiang blinked in surprise.
“Grandpa Li said the settlement is going to start issuing marriage certificates for couples who want to get married!” Lie Huo explained eagerly.
“What’s the point of a marriage certificate? Does it come with any benefits?” A’Xiang asked.
“No, but once we have it, we’ll officially be husband and wife—a real family!” Lie Huo said, his voice filled with emotion. “Doesn’t that sound amazing?”
A real family… A’Xiang stared at Lie Huo, moved by his words even though she didn’t fully understand the purpose of the certificate.
Finally, she nodded. “Alright, let’s get a marriage certificate.”
Cheering loudly, Lie Huo led her back to the courtyard to continue watching the bicycles.
Feeling a bit overwhelmed by the attention, Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi soon let others take their bicycles for a turn. Predictably, everyone who tried fell off, unable to maintain balance. Most gave up and lined up for the tricycles instead.
This was perhaps the most laughter-filled day in the settlement’s history. Grandpa Li even used the smart device to document the moment.
He believed it was a scene worth recording in the settlement’s history.
By 7 PM, everyone gathered in the common room for the evening discussion. For about half of them, this was their first time attending such a large meeting, and they felt a bit shy at first.
However, the afternoon’s shared activities had created a sense of camaraderie. Once Tang Yu’an guided the conversation, the atmosphere became lively.
They enthusiastically debated the differences between the tricycles and bicycles, with some offering opinions, others joking, and even ordinary tenants joining in without the usual barriers between normal human and the ability users.
Under the soft green glow of the lights and the warmth from the heating stones and hot water, everyone felt an unprecedented sense of relaxation and happiness.
The bicycles and tricycles dominated the conversation, leaving little room for academic discussions that night. Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi didn’t mind and stayed to chat with everyone until it was time to leave.
Returning to the Peace grocery store, Tang Yu’an finally remembered the USB drive.
“Let me try it,” Zhou Qi offered, taking the USB drive. After some fiddling with the smart device, he found that it worked.
“The following data has been extracted from this storage device…”
Curious, Zhou Qi scanned the file list and found it contained several videos. Opening one folder, he glanced at a file’s description and immediately slammed the interface shut.
(//0////o//)
“Brother Qi, why’d you close it? I didn’t even see anything!” Tang Yu’an protested.
“N-no, you can’t look at this…” Zhou Qi stammered.
it’s prolly corn hahaha