Chapter 178
“You said you’re preaching? What exactly are you preaching?”
Tang Yu’an, puzzled by Gan Lin’s words, asked directly. This was clearly beyond his knowledge. Even Zhou Qi looked confused.
“Old Mo calls himself the Apostle of the Mysterious Merchant—that is, your apostle,” Gan Lin began explaining. “He says you aim to spread abundance across the world, ensuring all the poor and weak can have access to water and food.”
“He also claims I can communicate with you in dreams and wants to promote me as the Holy Child…”
Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi exchanged incredulous looks.
What kind of plot twist is this?!
They had never imagined that Old Mo, their quiet new employee, would do something so bold.
Worshipping the Mysterious Merchant as a deity?
That was insane!
Gan Lin continued, “We’ve dug another deep well, and Old Mo says that during the next water transaction, we can let more people witness your miracles!”
“We’ve already gathered a small group of believers—only about a dozen for now—but Old Mo says…”
“As long as you keep providing us with food and water, and occasionally perform miracles, we’ll surely attract more followers!”
“The more followers we have, the safer we’ll be. We might even be able to draw members from the gangs over to our side.”
Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi were stunned into silence.
They were clever and adept at exploiting rules, but influenced by modern education and societal norms, the idea of establishing a religion had never crossed their minds.
Tang Yu’an felt a bit at a loss, but Zhou Qi, after some thought, began to see the potential in this approach.
The more revered the Mysterious Merchant became, the safer their role as “employees” would be.
In this post-apocalyptic world filled with abilities and mysterious forces, it was clear that the rules of their original world no longer fully applied.
Creating a religion might be a viable strategy.
They could shape the Mysterious Merchant into a benevolent and uplifting deity, using the religion to correct the bad habits and distorted perspectives many had developed in the apocalypse.
This would be far more effective than simply showing them movies.
Moreover, turning followers into loyal customers would make transactions much smoother and more sustainable.
However, Zhou Qi also realized that openly preaching would likely put the apostles in considerable danger.
“You need to be careful,” Tang Yu’an said under Zhou Qi’s guidance.
Gan Lin’s expression lit up with joy.
The tone of the Mysterious Merchant was not one of anger, but of genuine concern for their safety!
“Don’t worry! Old Mo says the more believers we have, the safer we’ll be. They’ll depend on us for benefits and won’t want to see us harmed.”
Tang Yu’an nodded, seeing Zhou Qi’s ideas reflected in the feedback board.
Should we let Old Mo and the others continue this development?
Curious, Tang Yu’an asked, “By the way, what’s the name of your religion?”
“Commerce,” Gan Lin replied earnestly. “We worship the God of Commerce, a new deity who walks the earth under the guise of the Mysterious Merchant.”
“Commerce is our faith. Prosperity and growth are our mission. Providing food and water to the poor and weak is our goal. And transactions are our method!”
Gan Lin recited this as if he had practiced it many times.
Tang Yu’an: “…”
That actually sounds pretty legitimate!
Prosperity and growth… providing food and water to the needy… This resonated deeply with Tang Yu’an’s ideals, and he found himself somewhat drawn to this “Commerce” religion.
Zhou Qi, however, remained level-headed.
While the religion sounded noble and aligned with their values, Grandpa Li’s teachings had instilled in Zhou Qi a cautious perspective on human nature.
It all sounded good in theory, but would it be executed faithfully? Or was it just a convenient guise for ulterior motives?
Zhou Qi sent Tang Yu’an a few reminders through the feedback board, prompting him to take a more serious tone.
After gathering his thoughts, Tang Yu’an said, “You’ve done well. The mission and goals you’ve established align with my vision.”
Gan Lin’s face lit up with pride, but the next words of the Mysterious Merchant made him straighten up.
“In that case, I’ll establish a few commandments for your faith.”
Gan Lin immediately responded, “Please, tell me!”
Commerce Religion Commandments:
- Do not commit deceit or exploitation.
- Do not abandon or neglect children.
- Do not engage in robbery or theft.
- Do not consume human flesh.
- Do not participate in the trafficking of humans.
Tang Yu’an recited the commandments seriously and added, “These rules apply to all members of your faith—apostles, holy children, or anyone who benefits from my food and water. They must all adhere to these commandments.”
Gan Lin nodded quickly. “Understood! I’ll make sure of it.”
He then repeated the commandments back, albeit a bit hesitantly. Whether he’d remember them upon waking was uncertain, but Tang Yu’an wasn’t too worried.
He planned to add these commandments to the Employee Code of Conduct anyway.
When Gan Lin finished, Tang Yu’an asked, “You said you’ve dug a new well. Are you ready to trade now?”
“No, not yet…” Gan Lin said quickly. “The firestones haven’t been placed in the well yet, and Old Mo still needs to make some arrangements…”
In truth, the lack of responses from the Mysterious Merchant over the past week had left both Gan Lin and Old Mo on edge.
Old Mo wasn’t sure if his actions had angered the Mysterious Merchant, so he was proceeding cautiously.
While recruiting a dozen new people, he had focused on those he already knew well, and was still debating whether to expand further.
Ultimately, their survival hinged on the Mysterious Merchant’s support. Without it, they would have no choice but to flee with the water they had and find a safe hiding spot.
“All right, I’ll give you a few days to prepare,” Tang Yu’an said. “What do you want to trade today?”
“Do you still have those potatoes?” Gan Lin asked hesitantly.
Though they had been eating soybeans purchased with Old Mo’s points, he still missed the taste of roasted potatoes.
“I can give you ten,” Tang Yu’an replied.
“Thank you, thank you so much!”
Tang Yu’an thought for a moment and asked, “How many firestones have you collected?”
“About 300,” Gan Lin replied.
Hearing this, Tang Yu’an spent 1,000 points to buy a tricycle and lined its cargo bed with tin foil for safe transportation of the firestones, which were extremely hot.
After completing the trade, Tang Yu’an turned to Zhou Qi.
“Firestones are piling up, and we can’t use them all.”
“Let’s take them to Jufeng Town tomorrow,” Zhou Qi suggested.
“To sell to the residents?”
“No, let’s ask the Guard Post first,” Zhou Qi replied.
Since most residents lived in caves managed by the garrison, firewood distribution was already their responsibility. Selling firestones directly to individuals would be tricky.
“Let’s talk to Captain Hei Xiong tomorrow,” Tang Yu’an agreed.
After updating the Employee Code of Conduct with the commandments, Tang Yu’an returned to the drifting bottles and retrieved another one.
This time, it was Xiao Risheng’s voice that echoed in the attic.
“Mysterious Merchant! Mysterious Merchant! I want to trade for medicine!”
The urgency in the child’s voice startled Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi.
Did something happen to the Lanhu Mother Tree again?
“I’m here,” Tang Yu’an said calmly.
“Mysterious Merchant, I want to trade for medicine!” Xiao Risheng repeated anxiously. “The kind… the kind you gave last time!”
His vague description made Tang Yu’an frown, but from Rising Sun’s urgency, it was clear he meant the healing potion.
But wasn’t that already given to Lan Yunqing Qing as a reward?
No… wait… something’s off.
Tang Yu’an suddenly remembered that performance bonuses were distributed along with monthly wages, so the Lanhu Mother Tree having issues now meant it couldn’t even wait another 20 days?
“Calm down first,” Tang Yu’an said softly. “What happened?”
Xiao Risheng took a deep breath, gradually calming down, and the nearly collapsing light sphere of the dream steadied.
The boy then explained, “The lord said to trade leaves for medicine.”
“Did he say why?”
“No… he just said as long as you agree, he’ll do anything…”
It seemed that the illness of the Lanhu Mother Tree was known only to a few people, and since Xiao Risheng was young and prone to spilling secrets, Lan Yunqing hadn’t disclosed the real situation to him.
“Okay, I can trade with you,” Tang Yu’an said.
He didn’t ask for the specific terms. After all, a single bottle of intermediate healing potion only cost 400 points to produce.
And since Lanhu Town could generate 160,000 points for him every seven days, maintaining the stability of the Lanhu Mother Tree and the town’s market was absolutely worth it.
“Great! Thank you!” Xiao Risheng cheered. “The lord will be so happy!”
As Xiao Risheng’s light sphere shattered, a system notification popped up:
[You completed a profitable trade with a Dream Wisher: +119,600 points, +6 experience, +6 dream fragments.]
[You received 3,000 dried Lanhu leaves.]
Tang Yu’an: 0.0
A single bottle of intermediate healing potion brought in 119,600 points and 3,000 Lanhu leaves?! His points balance immediately shot back up to over 420,000!
“The lord really is generous!” Tang Yu’an exclaimed happily.
Zhou Qi smiled as well. “It’s likely out of desperation. After all, his only channel of communication with us is Xiao Risheng.”
“And Xiao Risheng is just a young child. It’s already impressive that he can remember trade details, let alone negotiate terms with the Mysterious Merchant. Lan Yunqing probably wouldn’t dare to try.”
Despite their happiness, Tang Yu’an couldn’t help but feel a twinge of worry.
“What’s wrong with the Lanhu Mother Tree now?” he wondered aloud. “It’s only been a little over a week since the last trade, and it’s already deteriorating?”
“The healing potion only restores vitality and repairs damaged tissues caused by the illness,” Zhou Qi analyzed. “But it doesn’t eliminate the root cause. At best, it’s delaying the tree’s decline, not curing it.”
Lan Yunqing was likely scrambling to address the issue, and this might even impact his daily trades with the townspeople.
Tang Yu’an mulled this over, then suddenly said, “Why don’t we go to Lanhu Town ourselves?”
Zhou Qi was caught off guard. “What?”
“We can fly now, and heading to Lanhu Town probably won’t be more dangerous than navigating the forest in the other dimension, right?”
The giant creatures in the dense woods of the other world were far more numerous and perilous, with virtually every inch of land posing a deadly threat.
After enduring countless trials there, they were no longer the weaklings they had been when they first arrived in this world.
“But the floodwaters have cut off the roads,” Zhou Qi said with a frown.
While they could fly, they could only sustain flight for about an hour before needing to rest. With the floodwaters turning the area between Desolate City and Lanhu Town into a vast ocean, they couldn’t reach the town within an hour of flying.
As for buying a boat…
They lacked experience navigating, and boats with autopilot systems were prohibitively expensive—well beyond their current budget.
So, reaching Lanhu Town seemed like a daunting challenge.
But Tang Yu’an had a different idea.
“We don’t need to follow Brother Chi Hao’s route. Let’s go straight over Jufeng Mountain!” he said excitedly.
Lanhu Town lay just north of the mountain, and Tang Yu’an had heard from Mo Ke that he reached the town by crossing the mountain range. That meant it wasn’t an impassable obstacle.
Zhou Qi also remembered Mo Ke—an experienced hunter who had learned from Grandpa Li and whom they had encountered on their first trip to Jufeng Town.
“I agree,” Zhou Qi said after some thought. “But do we have a map?”
Tang Yu’an shook his head.
No one had traversed Jufeng Mountain to Lanhu Town recently, so the path remained shrouded in fog on the map.
Just when Tang Yu’an thought Zhou Qi might abandon the idea, he heard him ask, “Is Mo Ke in Jufeng Town?”
Tang Yu’an quickly checked the map. “He’s at a base on Jufeng Mountain—not in the town.”
“Good. We’ll look for him tomorrow,” Zhou Qi said. “Having him guide us would be safer.”
“Great!”
Tang Yu’an cheered, thrilled about their upcoming trip to Lanhu Town.
He then went to retrieve another drifting bottle from the dream sea. This time, instead of choosing one glowing brightly, he reached for one farthest from the window.
Opening the cork, he watched as the light sphere floated to the attic ceiling, silently praying that the wisher this time would be strong enough not to shatter their dream immediately upon hearing his voice.
“Cold… so cold…”
A trembling female voice emerged. “I want to be warm… just a little warmer…”
Tang Yu’an’s eyes lit up in surprise as he turned to Zhou Qi.
It seems they’ve found a new market for their firestones!
Tang Yu’an looked at the light sphere and carefully spoke, “Hello.”
“Who… Who’s speaking?”
The woman’s voice turned panicked, but fortunately, the dream light sphere held steady, keeping the connection intact.
“You can call me the Mysterious Merchant,” Tang Yu’an said. “If you’re willing to offer something in exchange, I can grant your wish.”
“M-Mysterious Merchant?” the woman said in disbelief. “You can really grant my wish?”
“Yes,” Tang Yu’an replied. “I heard you say earlier that you want to feel warmer?”
“Yes, I want to be warm. I want to survive a few more days… at least long enough to see my daughter one last time…”
Hearing the woman’s bleak tone, Tang Yu’an was taken aback. Was she already on the verge of freezing to death?
“I can provide you with a stone called a ‘firestone.’ It emits constant heat and will make you feel warmer,” he said.
“Really?” The woman laughed softly, a hint of relief in her voice. “That’s wonderful!”
“Is there anything else you’d like?” Tang Yu’an asked. “For instance, food?”
The woman hesitated. “C-Can I?”
“Of course,” Tang Yu’an replied. “But what can you offer in return?”
“Offer… You can take anything in my house you want…”
Her tone was filled with uncertainty and hesitation.
“What do you have in your house?” Tang Yu’an asked patiently.
“Most of it is old stuff left by my parents, things that are decades old…” she said hesitantly, clearly doubting the value of such antiques in exchange for food or heat.
But her words immediately caught Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi’s attention.
Things passed down from parents… decades old… These clues together pointed to one possibility:
“Do you live in a fortress?” Tang Yu’an asked.
Based on their understanding of this world, fortresses were the only places that fit such descriptions. While there were exceptions like Lanhu Town, those were rare in the wasteland.
“Yes, I live in a fortress,” the woman confirmed.
Finally, they had made contact with someone inside a fortress!
“Which fortress are you in?” Tang Yu’an quickly asked.
“Ice Flame… I live in Ice Flame Fortress,” the woman replied.
Wow!
Tang Yu’an recalled Grandpa Li mentioning this place—Ice Flame Fortress, a name that sounded as cold as its description.
But even in a fortress, could people really lack food and warmth?
The woman’s situation sounded truly dire.
Thinking quickly, Tang Yu’an asked, “Do you have any ice at home?”
If it was Ice Flame Fortress, there must be plenty of ice. If they traded for ice, wouldn’t her house naturally become warmer?
“There isn’t much ice in the house, but there’s plenty of snow and ice on the roof and in the yard from yesterday’s snowfall,” the woman said hesitantly. “But… is that okay?”
“Yes, it’s fine,” Tang Yu’an said. “Let’s trade all the ice and snow in your yard for food and firestones.”
To avoid having the traded goods appear on her roof, Tang Yu’an specified the yard ice and snow.
“Alright, thank you!”
Tang Yu’an prepared two firestones, wrapped them in tin foil, and took 10 pounds of soybeans from the warehouse.
“By the way, what’s your name?”
“My name is Wen Qian.”
Tang Yu’an nodded. “Your food and firestones will appear in your yard. The food I’m providing this time is soybeans—you’ll need to add water and cook them before eating.”
“O-Okay…” Wen Qian replied nervously.
After completing the trade, her dream light sphere shattered.
Tang Yu’an had assumed this would be a loss-making deal, as his main goal was to unlock the location of Ice Flame Fortress on the map. But instead…
[You completed a profitable trade with a Dream Wisher: +7,180 points, +6 experience, +1 dream fragment.]
[You received 75 cubic meters of ice and snow. Please select a storage location…]
Since the portable storage couldn’t hold that much ice and snow, the system offered the option to store it in any of the warehouses across their shops in the primary dimension.
Tang Yu’an was surprised. “Ice and snow have value?”
“Of course,” Zhou Qi replied. “Once melted, it becomes water, which is incredibly valuable.”
At standard density, 75 cubic meters of ice and snow would yield about 7.5 cubic meters of water. With 1 cubic meter of water worth 1,000 points, that meant her yard’s snow had a value of roughly 7,500 points—just enough to match the profit after deducting costs.
“Wow! That’s amazing!” Tang Yu’an exclaimed.
Once the floods receded, they would have a new water source!
Tang Yu’an set the delivery address to the reservoir outside the swimming hall, perfectly filling the 10-cubic-meter water shortfall for Cosona.
*
Ice Flame Fortress.
This was a fortress dominated by cold tones. Across the icy plains outside the walls, patches of ice-blue flowers bloomed.
These flowers swayed gracefully in the frigid wind, their petals shimmering and ethereal, dancing like flames.
However, they brought no warmth to the land. Instead, as they swayed, they released ice-element energy into the wind, spreading it across the frozen plains.
The massive figure of an ice-beast trudged across the tundra, eventually arriving at the base of the fortress.
The fortress’s outer walls were scarred and battered, trembling under the beast’s blows. But in the end, the concentrated firepower of the fortress guards managed to drive the beast away.
“Damn weather. When will it ever warm up?”
A guard muttered through chattering teeth, standing on the wall and rubbing his hands for warmth. Below him, people shoveled snow, while further away, ability users worked tirelessly in greenhouses, fending off the encroaching ice-element energy.
In the residential district even farther off, every house was tightly shut, buried under layers of snow.
But if one were to walk closer, they’d notice that one house’s yard stood out—spotless, with not a single trace of snow.
Just then, the door to the small house creaked open.
