Chapter 186
The Attic of Peace Grocery Store.
Tang Yu’an looked at the small map, curious about the “miracle” being displayed by Gan Lin, Old Mo, and the twenty or so people gathered around them.
“Should we go and see for ourselves in the future?” Zhou Qi suggested.
“Ha, sure!”
With the store’s new RV mode, once they learned to drive, they could take the Peace Grocery Store anywhere they wanted. Just imagining it was exciting!
Tang Yu’an marked the people surrounding Old Mo as the second batch of followers, assigning them numbers for identification. Although he didn’t know their names or appearances, this system would make it easier to track who Old Mo recruited later.
Afterward, they returned to the alternate dimension via the teleportation array.
After a good night’s rest, Tang Yu’an resumed his studies. Having fallen behind due to their recent travels, he was eager to catch up. Zhou Qi, meanwhile, ventured into the Giant Tree Forest to hone his skills by battling giant insects and small to medium-sized creatures.
For now, he avoided larger animals like tigers and lions. Against these massive creatures, even Yuan Bao and Black Pearl’s true forms seemed tiny. Zhou Qi had no choice but to flee when encountering them.
During Tang Yu’an’s study breaks, they often went to the river to catch giant crabs. The succulent, football-sized crab claws were a delight to eat.
After discovering that the crabs’ claws could regenerate, they decided to only harvest the claws and release the crabs back into the wild. Cooking an entire giant crab would have been too much trouble anyway.
Ten days passed in the alternate dimension. When they returned to their home dimension and saw Grandpa Li, he couldn’t help but marvel, “You two are changing so much every day…”
Tang Yu’an chuckled and went behind Grandpa Li to massage his shoulders, casually bringing up the topic of using cement and bricks.
“If you need them, just take them,” Grandpa Li said with a smile. “Thanks to Lin Zhen’s improvements, our factory’s efficiency has increased significantly.”
So it was all thanks to Sister Lin!
“Thank you so much for your hard work,” Tang Yu’an said gratefully.
Grandpa Li waved it off. Looking at the two boys, he said, “Thank you for recommending Mo Ke and trusting him so much. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure he’s well managed.”
To Grandpa Li, who had never married, Lin Zhen and Mo Ke were like family. Now, as he looked at Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi, there was an added warmth in his gaze. However, he quickly composed himself, waved his hand, and said, “You two go handle your work. I’ll get back to mine.”
After Grandpa Li left, Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi stayed behind.
[Do you want to spend 5,000 points and 500 store popularity to unlock the “Electricity Supply” feature for Peace Grocery Store Shop #1?]
Interestingly, the cost in popularity for Shop #1 was 100 points lower than the main store.
Tang Yu’an confirmed the purchase, unlocking electricity for Shop #1. He then installed wiring and outlets in Room 501, bought light fixtures from the furniture store, and installed them.
After purchasing 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity for Shop #1, he tested the lights to ensure they worked. Once satisfied, he messaged Grandpa Li about the updates and retrieved the green light strips and spirit-gathering grass.
He also installed wiring in the stairwell, adding light bulbs to prevent residents from tripping on their way home at night. Then he extended the electrical work to the hallway and Room 901 on the ninth floor.
Once everything was in order, they visited Room 801 to see Granny Guo. She was at home resting instead of working in the fields and was teaching Lin Lu how to identify plants.
When Lin Lu saw them, she quickly stood up, nervously greeting them. “Boss An… Manager Zhou…”
Tang Yu’an smiled and handed her a gift. “We’re here to speak with Granny.”
Understanding the cue, Lin Lu took the gift and excused herself to go for a walk, leaving the room.
“Granny, where’s Kang Kang?”
“A’Lian took him and Lili to play in the yard,” Granny replied.
Kangkang had become much livelier. Although he still preferred spending time with plants, he had made human friends and was willing to play with them.
Sometimes, however, he would refer to Lili as a “plant,” which worried Granny Guo. But as long as Desolate City Haven remained, Kang Kang’s personality didn’t seem like it would pose any issues. This brought her some peace of mind.
“Granny, we’d like to discuss something with you,” Tang Yu’an began.
He explained their plan to take Kangkang on a trip in a few days. Even with all their preparations, they needed Granny’s permission.
“Take Kang Kang out?” Granny Guo was surprised. “Where to?”
“We need his help with something,” Tang Yu’an said vaguely. “Don’t worry, we’ll ensure his safety. Regardless of the outcome, we’ll compensate him generously.”
Granny waved her hand dismissively. “No need to talk about compensation. Just tell me this—will what you’re asking him to do benefit our home?”
Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi were taken aback.
They hadn’t expected such a response. After a moment’s thought, they nodded.
If they could heal Lanhu Forest and establish friendship with Lanhu Town, it would undoubtedly benefit Desolate City Haven. The two places could support each other, fostering survival in the harsh wastelands.
Moreover, Granny’s phrasing struck a chord.
“Our home.“
Hearing those words, Tang Yu’an’s heart skipped a beat, a strange sense of pride and fulfillment welling up inside him.
“If you’re certain about this…”
Granny Guo hesitated for a moment. Despite the reluctance and worry evident on her face, she finally said, “Then take him. I trust you.”
Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi felt the weight of responsibility pressing on their shoulders. They couldn’t help but reevaluate their plan again.
The plan was straightforward: teleport Kang Kang to Lanhu Forest, use the Shadow Cloak to escort him to the hills outside the forest, and make it appear as though they had just returned.
Lanhu Forest itself didn’t seem particularly dangerous.
“We promise to take good care of him!” Tang Yu’an said earnestly, with Zhou Qi nodding firmly beside him.
Granny Guo gave them a kind smile. “Alright, I’ll leave it to you then.”
As she went inside to fetch some fruit for them, Tang Yu’an took the opportunity to install electrical wiring and light fixtures in Room 801.
When Granny Guo returned, she was surprised to see the changes.
“Granny, just flip this switch, and the room will light up,” Tang Yu’an explained, demonstrating by turning on the lights. The living room instantly brightened.
“This… is an electric light?”
“Yes, and it’s free for you. We’ve already informed Grandpa Li, so even if you try to give him something in return, he won’t accept it,” Tang Yu’an said with a chuckle.
He then took Granny Guo’s tablet and plugged it into the new outlet. “Now you’ll never have to worry about your tablet running out of power.”
Granny Guo, at a loss for words, handed them the fruit she’d brought and began playing with the light switch like an excited child.
“This is wonderful… really wonderful….”
After saying goodbye to Granny Guo, Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi headed to Lin Zhen’s room.
Lin Zhen greeted them looking disheveled and unkempt.
“Sister Lin, how many days has it been since you cleaned up?” Tang Yu’an couldn’t help but ask. “You’re a staff member of the home. You can’t set a bad example by ignoring hygiene rules!”
“I know, I know! It’s just been three days without a bath!” Lin Zhen retorted, brushing her messy hair aside. “I’ve been busy!”
Unable to bear it, Tang Yu’an cast a purification spell on her and the entire room.
“Ahh… this feels amazing,” Lin Zhen said, closing her eyes in contentment.
“What have you been so busy with?” Tang Yu’an asked, curious.
“I’ve been studying middle school chemistry and physics. It’s fascinating! I even applied it practically, improving the efficiency of the brick and cement factories!”
To his surprise, Lin Zhen had already passed her elementary courses and was diving into middle school studies. Tang Yu’an felt a sense of urgency.
“Sister Lin, have you already finished all the elementary courses?”
“I completed natural science and mathematics. After passing the exams, I unlocked middle school chemistry, physics, and mathematics,” she said, beaming. “By the way, the iron ore you found had magnetite. I’m researching how to generate electricity from magnets! Isn’t the power for our tablets connected to this?”
Tang Yu’an gave her a thumbs-up. “Amazing, Sister Lin! You’re researching how to generate electricity on your own!”
“Grandpa Li mentioned your contributions to the factories, so we’ve decided to reward you. Keep up the great work!” Tang Yu’an added.
“What’s the reward?” Lin Zhen asked eagerly.
“You’ll see. Step out of the room for a bit.”
“Alright!”
Lin Zhen watched curiously as Tang Yu’an closed the door behind her. She then turned to Zhou Qi to discuss some challenges she’d been facing.
When Tang Yu’an reopened the door, Lin Zhen reluctantly ended her discussion with Zhou Qi and entered.
“Sister Lin, take a look!”
“What is it—” Lin Zhen’s words caught in her throat as she noticed the newly installed outlets and lights in her room. “Wow! Are these electric lights?”
“Yes,” Zhou Qi confirmed, adding, “I’ve linked the circuit to your employee account. You’ll need to use points to purchase electricity.”
Lin Zhen opened the wholesale store interface and found that the “Grocery Store Electricity” option had been unlocked. She wasn’t surprised by Zhou Qi’s authority as the manager of Shop #1 but was thrilled nonetheless.
“So this is another ability of the Mysterious Merchant?” she asked.
“Exactly,” Tang Yu’an replied. “The Mysterious Merchant has rewarded us by unlocking this new feature.”
Lin Zhen exchanged 1 kilowatt-hour of electricity and turned on the light. Watching her room brighten up, she let out a cheer.
“This is fantastic! Now I can study at night without fumbling in the dark!”
Seeing her excitement, Tang Yu’an couldn’t help but advise, “But staying up late is bad for your health. Remember to sleep early, Sister Lin.”
Lin Zhen nodded, and the two left her room satisfied.
Back in Room 901, Tang Yu’an studied the construction panel and mused aloud, “Brother Qi, do you think we should expand the protective barrier?”
He was referring to the barrier’s upgrade option.
[Unlock outward expansion: Starting from the store building, deduct 1,000 points and 100 store popularity for each 1-meter extension.]
So far, they had been using walls to mark their territory, as walls were cheaper and more efficient.
However, walls were far less secure. If a section of the wall was damaged, the protective barrier would immediately shrink to its smallest, closed range, leaving the outside land unprotected.
Currently, they had plenty of points, and their store popularity had reached around 7,000 to 8,000.
Zhou Qi thought for a moment and asked, “Shouldn’t Shop #1 be ready for its next upgrade? What are the requirements?”
“Let me check.”
Tang Yu’an glanced at the requirements and read aloud: “Deduct 2,000 points, reach merchant level 15, achieve 2,000 store popularity, complete 10 hard-construction upgrades, and own five pieces of Level 1 magical furniture.”
Finally, he exclaimed with delight, “We’ve met all the requirements!”
He immediately upgraded the branch store to Level 3.
After the upgrade, the recruitment limit for employees increased to 7, more floor and wall materials were unlocked for hard-construction, and decorative options like wallpaper were added.
As for other features, they hadn’t explored them yet.
Zhou Qi nodded and said, “Then let’s expand the protective barrier. We have enough points, and the expansion isn’t too expensive.”
“Alright!”
Tang Yu’an spent 50,000 points and 5,000 store popularity to expand the protective barrier by a 50-meter radius.
However, due to Grandpa Li’s rapid development of Desolate City Haven, the “courtyard” now extended far beyond this range, so the effect wasn’t immediately noticeable.
Inspired by this, they returned to the Peace Grocery Store to test if the expansion feature worked in RV mode.
Tang Yu’an expanded the barrier by just 2 meters, and they watched as the water surrounding the RV was pushed back by a transparent barrier.
“It works!”
Exchanging an excited glance, Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi stepped out of the RV for the first time, carefully observing its exterior.
The RV was sleek and silver, with a sign reading “Peace Grocery Store” hanging above the left side. A window on the left could be opened, allowing them to sell goods like an ice cream truck.
The right side and rear had glass windows, showing the RV’s interior from outside.
They experimented with the space. Tang Yu’an entered the store’s interior while Zhou Qi stayed outside. From the rear window, Tang Yu’an could see Zhou Qi standing outside, but Zhou Qi only saw the RV interior.
“This RV is amazing!” Tang Yu’an said gleefully.
Noticing a large stone blocking the front of the RV, Tang Yu’an expanded the protective barrier by another meter and used the inventory function to remove the stone entirely.
With the obstruction cleared, Zhou Qi used his earth powers to create a ramp ahead of them.
They returned to the RV, fastened their seatbelts, and Zhou Qi started the vehicle. With a rumble, the silver RV broke through the water wall and charged out of the triangular area.
“We did it!” Tang Yu’an cheered, high-fiving Zhou Qi as he looked over with a smile.
Zhou Qi continued practicing driving, but the rough terrain soon caused the wheels to get stuck again.
“It seems like if we want to drive the RV everywhere, we’ll have to build proper roads first,” Tang Yu’an sighed.
Zhou Qi thought for a moment and asked, “Can we use the hard-construction feature to pave roads?”
“Huh?”
“You know, like with the cement floors. Can we pave them outside?”
Realizing the possibility, Tang Yu’an quickly opened the 3D map. To his surprise, land expanded using points and popularity could indeed be paved with cement!
“Money well spent!”
He tested it out by clearing debris from the ground using the inventory function and then selecting cement flooring.
“It worked!”
They stepped out of the RV to inspect. The 3×4-meter area in front of the RV, extending under the wheels, was now a smooth cement surface.
“Does this mean we can use this method to complete the road-building task?” Tang Yu’an asked.
Zhou Qi considered it and asked, “What’s the task requirement again?”
Tang Yu’an shared the task details:
[Side Quest: “To Prosper, Build Roads”]
Description: To increase the store’s traffic, road construction is urgent.
Task Requirements:
- Build an unobstructed road between Desolate City Home and Jufeng Town to facilitate travel. (0/1)
- The road must pass through Peace Grocery Store. (0/1)
Rewards:
- Random points (up to 5,000)
- Landmark structure (signpost flag) x1
- 48-hour traffic boost card x1
- 3 spins on the Lucky Wheel
The 48-hour traffic boost card and the Lucky Wheel spins seemed especially appealing.
“We can move the RV to the edge of Desolate City. That way, the required road length will be much shorter,” Zhou Qi suggested.
While one square meter of cement flooring cost just 1 point, saving points wherever possible was always wise.
“However,” Zhou Qi continued, “once the flood subsides, this road could attract more people from Jufeng Town to Desolate City. That might lead to Shop #1 being discovered sooner.”
Hearing this, Tang Yu’an’s excitement dampened as he considered the implications.
After a moment of thought, he said, “But Hong Li is already on his way back to Qing Mu Fortress. It’s only a matter of time before Qing Mu Fortress learns about Desolate City.”
Tang Yu’an looked at Zhou Qi and asked, “Is there a chance we can win over sister Hong Li before then?”
“Win her over?”
“Yes, just like with Lanhu Town.”
Tang Yu’an imagined Hong Li becoming the manager of Shop #2, developing and running the Jufeng Grocery Store. Once the Mysterious Merchant showcased its miraculous powers, wouldn’t she be tempted?
Zhou Qi thought about the possibility but shook his head. “Hong Li is different from the Lanhu Lord.”
Lan Yunqing was a native of Lanhu Town, whereas Hong Li had been trained and dispatched by Qing Mu Fortress to oversee Jufeng Town.
“We can’t underestimate her loyalty to Qing Mu Fortress,” Zhou Qi said, shaking his head. “I don’t think we can win her over, at least not for now.”
Even if they recruited her as an employee, it would merely prevent her from directly acting against Desolate City Haven. She could still send others in her place. If they made her the manager of the Jufeng Grocery Store and gave her access to the teleportation array, it would be akin to handing her a weapon.
“We can’t take that risk.”
Tang Yu’an opened his mouth to argue but closed it again with a sigh. “Alright, you’re right.”
Emotionally, Tang Yu’an liked Hong Li, but rationally, he knew they couldn’t trust her with such responsibilities—not yet.
“Let’s test the waters later,” Tang Yu’an said. “If there’s a chance, we should still try to win her over.”
Zhou Qi nodded. “For now, let’s put the road construction task on hold.”
Delaying Jufeng Town’s discovery of Desolate City Home would give them more time to prepare.
“Alright, should we leave the RV here for now?” Tang Yu’an asked.
It didn’t seem to matter. Peace Grocery Store was in a closed state, so no one could see the RV anyway. Moreover, they were still underwater, making it virtually impossible to be discovered.
“Yes. Next, let’s head to the grasslands to choose a spot for the new branch store,” Zhou Qi suggested.
“Sounds great!” Tang Yu’an said, excitement building. “Let’s go find Obsidian!”
They parked the RV where it was and used the teleportation array to travel to Lanhu Town. Tang Yu’an informed the guards that he was heading out and asked to be escorted to the outskirts of Lanhu Forest, avoiding any suspicion from his prolonged absence.
Once the guards disappeared from view, Zhou Qi brought Tang Yu’an under the Shadow Cloak, and the two quickly made their way toward the grasslands.
They started late, and by the time they exited the forest and entered the grasslands, night had fallen.
The grasslands at night were cold, reminiscent of Desolate City Haven before the flood. With strong winds making travel unpleasant, they decided to stop for the night.
Tang Yu’an set up a magic tent and released Yuan Bao and Black Pearl from his pet inventory.
He had made a point of bringing them this time. During the rushed trip from Jufeng Town to Lanhu Town, he hadn’t brought them along, which had left Black Pearl sulking and Yuan Bao unhappy. Now, both pets seemed delighted.
Without needing instructions, Yuan Bao returned to its true form and stood guard outside the tent, while Black Pearl darted inside—straight into the tent’s outer space.
The outer space was bare, with no bed or heat source. The kitten tilted its head, casting a reproachful, questioning look at Zhou Qi.
Zhou Qi noticed its accusing gaze and couldn’t help but laugh.
Tang Yu’an chuckled, picked up the kitten, and granted both Yuan Bao and Black Pearl access to the inner space. Carrying Black Pearl, he entered the cozy inner area.
Black Pearl was surprised to find the inside of the tent transformed into a small wooden cabin. It excitedly dashed out, then back in, curiously sniffing and inspecting everything.
Meanwhile, a small black orb floated out to greet Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi, only to be pounced on by Black Pearl.
The magic core quickly flashed out of the kitten’s grasp and resumed floating toward Tang Yu’an, dodging Black Pearl’s playful attacks with ease.
[Magic Core is greeting you: Master, long time no see! How can I assist you?]
Tang Yu’an stroked the orb’s smooth surface with a finger, then fed it a crystal the size of a soybean.
As the magic core absorbed the crystal with a satisfied hum, Tang Yu’an smiled. “Prepare some hot water for me. I’d like to take a bath.”
[Magic Core is responding: Understood, Master. The heating array is activated. Please turn on the faucet in the bathroom.]
“Thank you.”
Tang Yu’an gave the magic core another affectionate pat before heading into the bathroom.
While Tang Yu’an showered, Zhou Qi sat in the living room, intending to read. However, he couldn’t help but notice the magic core darting around, evading Black Pearl’s relentless pursuit.
It zipped and zagged through the air like an automated cat toy, never once succumbing to the kitten’s swipes, stoking Black Pearl’s competitive instincts to the max.
