Chapter 182
As night fell, the wolf pack quieted down. A few wolf pups playfully chased and teased the new puppy.
The little pup, once the deputy leader of the pack, displayed remarkable patience with the pups, tolerating their antics without complaint. Trusting its pack, it didn’t feel any life-threatening danger, so it hadn’t reverted to its original form.
Tang Yu’an couldn’t resist capturing the scene with his AI brain.
A little puppy mingling among the wolves—it was just too adorable!
After accepting the name “Obsidian,” the black wolf king went to stay by the injured silver wolf’s side, leaving Tang Yu’an and the others to move freely among the pack.
Before long, Tang Yu’an found himself surrounded by a group of enthusiastic wolves.
They wagged their tails and vied for his attention, nudging closer to be petted. Though Tang Yu’an adored the friendly wolves, they weren’t as clean as cats. Their fur was dusty, matted, and coarse.
Glancing at Mo Ke’s tent—where Mo Ke had retreated and refused to come out after they decided to stay with the pack—Tang Yu’an secretly cast a Purification Spell, giving the surrounding wolves a magical bath.
The black wolf king and the silver wolf, being nearby, were also enveloped in the spell’s warm, purifying light. The wolf king closed its eyes, feeling a comforting warmth spreading through its body, leaving it refreshed and relaxed.
It glanced at the silver wolf, now resting peacefully, and gently licked its face.
Meanwhile, Tang Yu’an sat beside Zhou Qi, helping him prepare dinner.
“Brother Qi, Obsidian and its companion seem so close, just like us!” Tang Yu’an said with a bright smile.
Zhou Qi paused for a moment. Noticing Mo Ke stepping out of his tent, drawn by the glow of the Purification Spell, he commented, “That silver wolf is probably the wolf king’s mate.”
“Oh, oh, oh,” Tang Yu’an nodded enthusiastically. “So it’s Obsidian’s wife, right?”
Mo Ke’s expression turned a bit odd, but he nodded. “Something like that.”
Zhou Qi glanced toward the wolves. If he wasn’t mistaken, the silver wolf appeared to be male as well…
He pressed his lips together and refocused on cooking.
Once he finished roasting the meat, Zhou Qi shared some with the black wolf king and a few wolf pups. The rest of the wolves looked on eagerly, licking their lips, but none dared to snatch the food.
Later that night, Mo Ke returned to his tent to sleep.
By the campfire, Tang Yu’an leaned against the black wolf king. Its fur, now fluffy and soft after the Purification Spell, made for a particularly comfortable resting spot.
Since Zhou Qi had helped save the silver wolf, the wolf king had a positive attitude toward him. When Tang Yu’an pulled Zhou Qi down to lie beside him against the wolf king, it didn’t object.
So, when Mo Ke crawled out of his tent in the middle of the night, intending to take the second watch, he was greeted by the sight of the two boys wrapped in blankets, sound asleep, using the black wolf king as a pillow.
Mo Ke: “…”
He blinked in disbelief. This had to be a dream—such an absurd, surreal scene couldn’t possibly be real!
But just then—
The black wolf king, which had appeared to be sleeping, opened its eyes and looked directly at him. Its glowing green gaze sent a chill down Mo Ke’s spine.
His legs trembled, and he barely stopped himself from launching a fireball at the wolf.
The wolf king glanced at Tang Yu’an, then closed its eyes and lay back down to sleep, as if nothing had happened.
Mo Ke exhaled shakily, feeling as though he had narrowly escaped death. Without another thought, he darted back into his tent, vowing never to come out again.
Unaware of this, Tang Yu’an shifted in his sleep, curling closer to Zhou Qi. Zhou Qi woke briefly, saw nothing amiss, and closed his eyes again.
By morning, Tang Yu’an woke to find the black wolf king shaking off its fur before trotting over to the silver wolf.
The silver wolf was also awake and rose to greet the wolf king. Though it still appeared a bit weak, it was clearly no longer in critical condition.
The silver wolf nuzzled the black wolf king, rubbing its cheek against it, then licked its face and fur affectionately.
“Howl—”
The black wolf king couldn’t contain its joy, letting out a jubilant howl while wagging its tail. It playfully tackled the silver wolf to the ground. Seeing no signs of pain, it gently bit the silver wolf’s neck before licking it affectionately.
The silver wolf wagged its tail, expressing its own happiness as it frolicked with the wolf king.
Watching this scene, Tang Yu’an couldn’t help but smile. However, when he turned to Zhou Qi, he noticed his expression was a bit peculiar.
“Brother Qi, what’s wrong?” Tang Yu’an asked.
“N-nothing…” Zhou Qi stammered, looking away awkwardly. Upon closer inspection, his ears were slightly red.
“I’ll go make breakfast,” he said hurriedly.
“Oh, I’ll help!” Tang Yu’an replied cheerfully.
After breakfast, they prepared to bid farewell to the wolf pack and continue their journey.
The black wolf king made no attempt to stop them but walked over to Tang Yu’an and crouched slightly, inviting him to climb onto its back.
“Obsidian, are you giving me a ride?” Tang Yu’an asked.
The wolf king nodded.
“Thank you!” Tang Yu’an beamed, climbing onto the wolf’s back.
Zhou Qi received a similar invitation.
Mo Ke, however, was not so fortunate. Another wolf was tasked with carrying him. Though he was filled with reluctance, he didn’t dare to resist.
The wolf king led the group onward, heading toward the horizon.
The silver wolf stayed behind at the den, watching as their figures grew smaller and eventually disappeared.
The little pup wanted to follow too—after all, as the wolf king’s most capable assistant, how could it not be part of this journey?
But it hadn’t gone far before a mother wolf grabbed it by the scruff and carried it back into the den.
The journey was peaceful, with no wild beasts daring to attack them.
When they reached the edge of the wolf pack’s territory, the black wolf king finally stopped, as did a few other wolves escorting them.
Tang Yu’an understood that this was where they would part ways.
He climbed down from the wolf king’s back, giving it a hug and rubbing his face against its fur before stepping back.
“Obsidian, we’re leaving now. I’ll come visit you again someday.”
Tang Yu’an waved goodbye to the wolf king, wishing it well and promising to return. Then he, Zhou Qi, and Mo Ke continued on their way.
After they had walked a considerable distance and could no longer see the wolves, Tang Yu’an took out the Shadow Umbrella again.
Mo Ke felt like he had narrowly escaped death several times during this journey. Only now did he finally feel like he was truly alive again.
“An An, do you have an animal-taming ability on top of your wind abilities?” he asked curiously.
Tang Yu’an thought for a moment and replied, “I have a few canine pets, but they’re back in the Desolate City.”
Mo Ke nodded, somewhat enviously. “That’s such a useful ability—especially out here. I feel like if you asked the wolf pack to escort us across the grasslands, they wouldn’t refuse.”
Tang Yu’an smiled but didn’t respond.
Thanks to his Dog Lover aura, the wolves had indeed been friendly toward him. However, life on the grasslands was already hard enough for them, and he didn’t want to burden them further.
It was a pity he hadn’t brought enough materials with him. Otherwise, he might have set up a branch shop here—it wasn’t just about business. The wind energy permeating the grasslands was perfect for his training.
Thanks to the black wolf king’s help, their journey had been significantly shortened. By the afternoon, after crossing the last hill, they saw a forest of blue trees.
The sapphire-like leaves shimmered under the sunlight, resembling the sparkling surface of the sea. It was breathtakingly beautiful.
Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi were captivated by the view. Despite the arduous journey, standing here and seeing this made it all worthwhile.
Mo Ke took a deep breath of fresh air.
The journey had gone unbelievably smoothly. What would normally take five or six days, fraught with danger, had been completed in less than three days.
Not only that, but they had arrived unscathed, well-fed, and well-rested. Mo Ke almost didn’t want the journey to end.
“Isn’t it beautiful?” he said, gazing at the Lanhu Forest. “The first time I came here, I was stunned by the scenery too.”
But…
Looking around, Mo Ke noticed something different. There were new fields near the forest, where blue-haired townsfolk were working the land.
Thanks to the forest’s temperature-regulating properties, the surrounding soil, though not as fertile as within the forest, stayed cooler during the day than other areas. Tiny patches of greenery were visible on the cultivated land.
“The Lanhu people are farming now?” Mo Ke murmured in surprise.
At that moment, the Lanhu guards below spotted them. Armed and stern, they rushed toward the group.
“The Lanhu people are very xenophobic. We need to appear as friendly as possible,” Mo Ke said, raising his hands in a gesture of peace. “I’ll give them the name of my friend and hope they’ll trust me enough to pass along the message.”
As he finished speaking, the guards arrived.
“This is Lanhu Town territory. Outsiders are not welcome. Leave immediately!” the leader said bluntly.
Mo Ke wasn’t surprised. Smiling, he gave them his friend’s name.
“Lan Yueliang?”
The guards exchanged glances before the leader turned to Mo Ke. “Wait here. I’ll send someone to find him. But even if you’re his friend, Lanhu Town will not allow you to enter.”
In other words, they could talk outside the town, but entering was out of the question.
Mo Ke knew this rule well. Even after saving Lan Yueliang, he hadn’t been allowed into Lanhu Town, only able to linger near the forest.
He nodded in understanding.
Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi, overhearing the conversation, couldn’t hide their amused expressions.
Mo Ke’s friend… has quite a unique name.
After nearly two hours, the guard who had gone to fetch Lan Yueliang returned, accompanied by a young man.
The newcomer had short blue hair, blue eyes, and a strikingly handsome appearance, like someone out of a fairy tale.
“Mo Ke! It really is you!” Lan Yueliang said excitedly. “It’s been so long!”
Mo Ke stepped forward and hugged him. “Yes, it’s really lucky to see you again!”
In the wastelands, separations often turned into permanent farewells. To meet again was a rare and precious thing.
Seeing that they were indeed acquaintances, the guards informed Lan Yueliang before turning back and leaving.
After exchanging pleasantries with Mo Ke, Lan Yueliang led him to meet Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi. The group introduced themselves, exchanging names.
“They want to do business in Lanhu Town,” Mo Ke said directly.
Lan Yueliang gave the two boys a once-over, his gaze lingering on their backpacks before a look of understanding crossed his face.
“What items have you brought to trade?” he asked, his tone friendly.
Although Lanhu Town was known for being insular, it didn’t prohibit its residents from interacting with outsiders. As long as the outsiders didn’t enter the Lanhu Forest, most things could be negotiated.
Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi exchanged a glance before pulling out the token that Chi Hao had provided from their inventory.
“Our friend purchased a house for us in Lanhu Forest. This is our proof of ownership,” Tang Yu’an explained. “Can you take us inside?”
They had waited until now to show the token, having observed Lan Yueliang’s friendly demeanor. Their time in the wastelands had taught the two boys to act cautiously.
Both Lan Yueliang and Mo Ke were momentarily stunned.
“A house?” Lan Yueliang examined the token carefully, then nodded. “You are indeed recognized as friends of Lanhu Town. I don’t know about the house specifically, but I’ll take you to meet Lord Mao Lin.”
Mo Ke couldn’t help but gasp.
As expected of people from the fortress—buying a house in a place like Lanhu Town!
His perception of the two boys shifted again.
“Mo Ke, let’s hurry. The sun’s about to set,” Tang Yu’an said, pulling the dazed Mo Ke along as they followed Lan Yueliang toward the Lanhu Forest.
The guards at the base of the mountain noticed their approach and rushed over again, looking hostile. However, after Lan Yueliang explained the situation and the token was inspected thoroughly, the guards finally let them pass.
Thus, Tang Yu’an, Zhou Qi, and Mo Ke successfully entered Lanhu Forest.
Lanhu Forest was vast, and the residential area in its center was still some distance away. The guard who had fetched Lan Yueliang earlier hadn’t taken two hours to return without reason.
Taking advantage of the moment, Tang Yu’an asked, “Brother Lan, don’t you have bicycles or similar transportation tools here?”
“Bicycles? What are those?” Lan Yueliang asked, puzzled.
“They’re tools you can ride, making travel faster than walking.”
Lan Yueliang thought for a moment and shook his head. “We only have handcarts and horse-drawn wagons.”
“Wow, do you raise horses in Lanhu Forest?” Tang Yu’an’s eyes lit up.
Lan Yueliang chuckled. “We used to, but they ate too much, so we released them back into the wild.”
The released horses hadn’t gone far and had formed herds on the nearby grasslands.
As for whether the lack of mobility would put Lanhu Town at a disadvantage during an attack, it wasn’t a concern. The town’s lord could control the entire forest and quickly deploy guards to any needed area. However, such abilities hadn’t been used in a long time due to the lack of external threats.
“You should definitely try bicycles—they’d make life much more convenient,” Tang Yu’an said enthusiastically, extolling the benefits of bicycles.
While Tang Yu’an promoted bicycles, Zhou Qi focused on the Lanhu trees they passed. From his conversations with Chi Hao, he already knew some details about the forest. Now, he was verifying them.
It was clear that something was wrong with the forest.
The life force of the Lanhu trees was depleting too quickly. Compared to the ancient Greatwood Forest, the disparity was stark, and it was no wonder Lan Yunqing was so anxious.
After walking for over an hour, with the sun already set, they finally reached the central residential area of Lanhu Town.
Their arrival drew the attention of the townsfolk, who gathered to watch from a distance. However, with Lan Yueliang leading the group, and as a well-known member of the community, most people simply observed curiously, discussing quietly among themselves.
Compared to the rugged demeanor of Jufeng Town’s residents, the people of Lanhu Town were much gentler. Even if they didn’t welcome outsiders, their coldness was the extent of their hostility—there was no sense of impending danger or robbery.
Tang Yu’an was pleased. This is the perfect place to do business!
Soon, Lan Yueliang brought them to Lord Mao Lin.
“Lord Mao Lin, these are my friends. They say…” Lan Yueliang carefully explained the situation to Mao Lin.
Lord Mao Lin was surprised. He took the token from Lan Yueliang and examined it closely, confirming it was indeed the one he had given to Chi Hao.
Chi Hao had left just over two weeks ago, and now his companions were here with the token?
He had mentioned returning to Qingmu Fortress. That journey would take at least a month and a half from here. Had they met him on the way?
Regardless, since they had the token, Lanhu Town would honor its promise, especially as the matter concerned the mother tree.
As the saviors of the Lanhu Mother Tree, these visitors would not be treated lightly.
Turning to Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi, Mao Lin said, “Welcome. I am Lord Mao Lin.”
“Hello,” Tang Yu’an replied, introducing himself before saying, “Brother Chi Hao sent us. He said he purchased a property for us in Lanhu Town and secured trading rights on our behalf.”
“That is correct,” Mao Lin confirmed.
Hearing the mention of Chi Hao, along with detailed recounts of the agreement, Mao Lin was convinced the two boys were legitimate.
He nodded and said, “Follow me.”
Blue Mao Lin led Tang Yu’an and the group to a lakeside cottage, stopping in front of it.
“This is it,” he said, handing the ownership certificate back to them. “Make sure to keep this certificate with you at all times. I’ll notify the guards about it.”
He then went over some important rules. “Please stay within this residential area. The Lanhu Forest remains off-limits to outsiders. Even the fallen leaves in the forest are considered Lanhu Town property, so do not take anything without permission.”
Aside from the central residential area, any trips to other parts of the forest must be accompanied by guards or townsfolk, including when they leave the town.
“Understood,” Tang Yu’an replied.
Every place has its own rules, and while Lanhu Town’s restrictions seemed strict, they had to follow them if they wanted to do business here.
After explaining the dos and don’ts, Blue Mao Lin departed.
As soon as he left, not only Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi but even Lan Yueliang let out a breath of relief.
“No need to be so tense,” Lan Yueliang reassured them. “This residential area is quite large. As long as you don’t go into the forest, you’re free to move around.”
With a population of over 10,000 people and 2,000-3,000 households spread across the plains, Lanhu Town’s central area was significantly larger than Great Peak Town.
“Come on, let me show you around!” Lan Yueliang offered.
Mo Ke, eager to explore, looked to the two boys for their decision, only to hear Tang Yu’an say, “Mo Ke, you go ahead. We want to check out the house first.”
“Alright, then.”
Since it was their house, Mo Ke wasn’t particularly interested. As long as they let him stay for the night, that was enough for him.
He followed Lan Yueliang to explore the town while Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi turned toward the house. The cottage had a traditional wooden door with a latch for securing it from the inside.
They examined the first floor, which was modest in size but cleaner than their place in Great Peak Town. The windows were sturdy, and, most importantly, once they closed the door, the onlookers dispersed. There were no troublemakers peeking in through windows or wall holes.
This reassured Tang Yu’an that not all places in the wasteland were as hopeless as Grandpa Li described.
They climbed to the second floor, then to the attic. Though the attic was small, its window offered a beautiful view of the moonlit lake, its surface shimmering like waves of light.
“Lanhu Town grows a lot of rice and wheat,” Tang Yu’an remarked.
“Yeah,” Zhou Qi nodded. “They probably won’t need to trade for seeds much longer.”
“That’s fine; we have plenty of other good things!” Tang Yu’an admired the view briefly before closing the window.
After ensuring no suspicious individuals were nearby, he opened the interface panel and began setting up the house as a new branch shop.
[You are establishing a branch shop.]
[Ownership of this building is confirmed. Requirements met.]
[Would you like to spend 2,000 points to designate this building as a branch shop?]
Tang Yu’an selected “Yes” and named the new branch “Store No. 5.” He then proceeded to activate a teleportation array.
[You currently own five branch shops. Activating a teleportation array now costs 5,000 points. Would you like to proceed?]
Tang Yu’an froze. What? The cost has increased by 2.5 times? It used to be only 2,000!
But there was no choice—activating the teleportation array was essential. He was eager to return to the Desolate City. With a balance of 560,000 points, this expense was manageable.
He spent another 15,000 points to link the teleportation array to the main shop and unlock permanent usage rights.
As for the protective barrier, since they hadn’t found a basement, he didn’t activate it for now. He noted that the barrier’s activation cost had also increased to 10,000 points. Once he owned more than ten branch shops, the cost would likely rise again. It seemed he would need to save up more points to expand further.
After confirming there were no other issues, the two boys stepped onto the teleportation array and returned to the attic of their main shop, Peace Grocery Store.
“Ah, finally back!” Tang Yu’an exclaimed, feeling a wave of comfort wash over him. Though they had only been gone for three or four days, he realized how much he had missed home.
A system notification popped up as soon as he returned.
[Super Storage Cabinet M upgrade complete. Please check your inventory.]
Tang Yu’an eagerly went to the warehouse to inspect the newly upgraded Super Storage Cabinet. He tested it with red bean soup, once again triggering the “Southern Red Beans” special effect.
“Doesn’t this mean the shop upgrade conditions are all met now?” Zhou Qi asked.
“Exactly!”
Tang Yu’an opened the shop upgrade panel and spent 3,000 points to complete the process.
[Congratulations! Main shop “Peace Grocery Store” has been upgraded to Level 3 (Small is Strength).]
[RV mode unlocked. Check the shop homepage for details.]
