Chapter 207
Peace Grocery Store, Attic.
Tang Yu’an pressed the accelerator on the Dream Drift Bottle, and as the pointer turned, twinkling lights quickly appeared across the Dream Sea.
Which bottles would return today…?
He and Zhou Qi both leaned toward the window to look outside. To their surprise, three bottles were shining brightly in the Dream Sea—one purple and two blue!
Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi exchanged a glance, their hearts pounding nervously. They opened the Dream Sea window and carefully retrieved the three returned bottles.
The purple one was from MR23582, the world of Turs.
The first blue one seemed to be from Cosona’s world. Tang Yu’an quickly skimmed it before moving his gaze, because the remaining blue bottle was…
*
MR168845.
When he saw this world number, Tang Yu’an’s hands began to tremble. He turned to Zhou Qi and said, “Brother Qi…”
“It’s our world,” Zhou Qi replied, unable to hide the emotion in his voice. He looked at Tang Yu’an and said gently, “Go ahead and open it.”
“Alright.” Although Tang Yu’an agreed, his hands were shaking uncontrollably.
After longing for this moment for so long, now that he was finally about to receive news from his family, he couldn’t help but feel nervous. He feared that what he would find might be bad news.
A large, steady hand suddenly covered his own.
Tang Yu’an looked up to see Zhou Qi’s calm and gentle eyes. “No matter what happens,” Zhou Qi said firmly, “I’ll be here with you. So don’t be afraid.”
Tang Yu’an gazed at Zhou Qi, and the chaotic, anxious feeling in his heart slowly settled.
“Okay!”
He took a deep breath and then forcefully removed the stopper from the bottle.
Silence. A long, suffocating silence…
No sound emerged from the bottle, and Tang Yu’an’s face instantly went pale. His eyes turned red as tears welled up uncontrollably.
“Don’t panic,” Zhou Qi’s steady voice came from beside him, like an anchor stabilizing him in a storm. “There’s something inside the bottle.”
Tang Yu’an’s attention snapped back, and he quickly noticed what Zhou Qi meant—a badge lay quietly at the bottom of the bottle. It was clearly a light brain, and the spatial pouch they had previously placed in the bottle was now gone.
Realizing what this might mean, Tang Yu’an quickly poured out the light brain and powered it on.
When he saw that there was a new recording inside, the color returned to his face, and his voice trembled as he instructed the intelligent system to play it.
The recording began, and the first image that appeared was Tang Xueyun, followed by Tang Sheng, and then their little sister, Tang Yuxin, sitting in the backseat of a car.
The moment Tang Yu’an saw them, tears streamed uncontrollably down his face.
They were just as he remembered them, but their condition was visibly worse. His mother, Tang Xueyun, especially, looked haggard and thin, completely unlike the radiant woman he had always known.
“Mom…” he choked out, his voice breaking.
“An’an,” Tang Xueyun’s gentle voice sounded, almost as if she were responding to him.
“Mom found the drift bottle you sent in her dream…”
So Mom was the one who found it?
Of course. In this world, who else could be more closely connected to him than his mother?
Tang Yu’an felt his vision blur from the tears filling his eyes. He quickly wiped them away, his gaze locked on the recording, greedily taking in every detail of his family.
“You must have suffered so much in that other world,” Tang Xueyun said softly. “You’re still so young, and suddenly being transported to a strange place… you must have been so scared.”
Hearing this, Tang Yu’an’s tears flowed freely again. No, Mom, you’re the one suffering more…
“You’ve grown so much, and I can see that Xiao Qi has taken good care of you,” Tang Xueyun continued. “Thank you, Xiao Qi. You’ve worked so hard. You’ve always been such a good child.”
Zhou Qi froze. He had been keeping his emotions in check, but her words broke through his defenses. He turned his head to the side, blinking rapidly to stop the tears from falling.
But soon, Tang Xueyun began to talk about what had happened in their world, drawing his attention back.
“I originally didn’t want to tell you about these things,” Tang Xueyun admitted, “but your dad said unless we only record audio, you’d know something was being hidden from you.”
“I know you’re desperate to see us, just as we miss you terribly. So in the end, I decided to record a video.”
She then began to explain everything that had happened in the three months since the apocalypse began.
Tang Yu’an listened intently, his heart clenching with every detail.
“So the system… actually saved our lives?” Zhou Qi murmured.
Tang Yu’an nodded. “I didn’t think the apocalypse in our world would be like this.”
“Mutant creatures… They sound terrifying.” Zhou Qi’s expression darkened.
Living in constant danger and needing to fight to survive—providing just daily supplies wouldn’t be enough.
“I’ll check if I can buy some weapons and armor to send back to them,” Tang Yu’an said, determination flashing in his teary eyes. “Thankfully, Dad convinced Mom not to hide this from us. These are things we needed to know.”
Although Tang Xueyun urged them at the end of the video to stay in their current world and not try to return, Tang Yu’an knew he couldn’t agree to that.
However, for now, they had no way of going back. The fact that they could use the dream drift bottle to stay in contact and send supplies was already a blessing.
After the recording ended, Tang Yu’an clicked replay.
He watched it over and over again until his emotions finally calmed. Only then did he stop.
“They all look malnourished. Things must have been incredibly hard for them recently. We need to send more food.”
Based on the time it took for the drift bottle to travel back and forth, it would be at least 18 days—a timeline that was already shortened thanks to the acceleration function.
Tang Yu’an wasn’t sure if the supplies they had sent earlier were enough to sustain his family for those 18 days. And if any accidents delayed communication further, the wait could be even longer. They needed to send as much food as possible to prepare for such uncertainties.
“Oh, right! Should we give Dad and Mom the automatic self-replenishing thermal water bottle?” Tang Yu’an suddenly suggested.
They had recently gathered enough materials to upgrade the water bottle. Its storage capacity had been increased to a massive 100 cubic meters, and it now had automatic heating functionality.
With this high-capacity thermal water bottle, his parents wouldn’t have to worry about finding water anymore!
Zhou Qi thought for a moment, then shook his head. “The automatic thermal water bottle is classified as a magic household item and has already reached Level 3. We only own two of them at the moment.”
High-level magical items were one of the prerequisites for upgrading the store. If they gave one away, it would delay their progress toward leveling up.
Tang Yu’an opened his mouth to argue, but Zhou Qi continued, “Instead of the thermal water bottle, I think the magic tent might be a better choice.”
“The magic tent?”
“Yes. Uncle Tang and the others probably haven’t had a good night’s sleep in a long time. Considering the tent’s concealment and comfort features, it’s clearly a more suitable option for them.”
The magic tent had both an outer space and an inner space. In their original world, where they needed to defend against mutated creatures, the outer space provided an excellent decoy.
Tang Yu’an’s eyes lit up. “You’re right! And as long as they have energy stones, the magic tent’s core can provide water and fire!”
It could even process waste—there was a dedicated magic array in the tent for that purpose. The processed waste could then be converted into fertilizer for growing plants. There was even a magical lamp inside the tent to provide light for potted plants.
Since Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi didn’t need these features, they had never used them. But for his parents, these functions could be life-changing!
His family could rest in the magic tent at night—eating, drinking, bathing, and sleeping in safety. They could even grow their own vegetables. Meat and staple foods could continue to be provided through the drift bottle.
It seemed entirely feasible to survive long-term inside the magic tent!
“Brother Qi, your suggestion is perfect! Let’s send the magic tent back to them!” Tang Yu’an said excitedly.
Zhou Qi, however, furrowed his brow. “But there’s one issue we need to solve.”
“What’s the issue?” Tang Yu’an asked, puzzled.
“The magic tent’s entry permissions.”
With Zhou Qi’s reminder, Tang Yu’an finally remembered—oh, right. To enter the inner space of the magic tent, people needed to be granted access by him.
But now that they were in different dimensions, how could he grant his parents and sister access?
He scratched his head and thought for a moment. “Let’s ask Black Orb!”
They brought out the magic tent and stepped inside. The small black orb greeted them immediately.
[The Magic Core welcomes you: Welcome back, Master!]
It had been a long time since Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi last visited, so the black orb was particularly enthusiastic. Perhaps being alone in the inner space for so long made it a bit lonely.
Tang Yu’an explained his plan to send the magic tent to his family in their original world and asked if there was a way to resolve the permissions issue.
[The Magic Core asks you: Would you like to create a new rule allowing people with blood ties to the Master to enter the inner space?]
There was actually such a smart option!
Tang Yu’an, of course, chose “Yes.” After the black orb confirmed that the rule had been established, he couldn’t help but hug it and feed it a crystal stone.
The black orb wrapped itself around the crystal stone, nibbling on it happily with a soft crunching sound.
As Tang Yu’an stroked the black orb, he could sense its joy radiating outward. Knowing that he might not see Black Orb for a long time after sending the tent to his family, he began to feel reluctant to part with it.
“Black Orb, I’m entrusting you with taking care of my parents and sister.”
[The Magic Core responds: Understood, Master. I will do my best to take care of them.]
Tang Yu’an hugged the black orb and rubbed his cheek against it. Then he took out a box and filled it with water, earth, and wood elemental crystal stones.
These crystal stones were ones he and Zhou Qi had collected from other dimensions. Their inventory had plenty to spare, and he filled the box until it took up most of the space in one storage slot.
“Black Orb, these crystal stones are for you. Use them when you run low on energy.”
[The Magic Core responds: Thank you for your generosity, Master!]
The black orb bounced a few times on top of the box, clearly delighted.
Tang Yu’an smiled. Resolving the permissions issue so smoothly was a relief. These crystal stones were a small token of appreciation for Black Orb, but they would also serve to help it fulfill its duty of caring for his family.
Suddenly, an idea struck him. He turned to Zhou Qi and asked, “Brother Qi, if we’re sending the magic tent back, can’t we pack more supplies inside it?”
The inner space of the magic tent wasn’t huge, but it could still hold far more than the 8 cubic meters of the spatial pouch.
“That’s true,” Zhou Qi agreed. “We can pack supplies into the inner space for them to take back.”
To be safe, Tang Yu’an asked Black Orb for confirmation. Once it gave the green light, Tang Yu’an cheered excitedly.
[The Magic Core responds: Master, I currently have sufficient energy reserves and can also provide a preservation function.]
“Wow! Black Orb, you’re amazing!” Tang Yu’an exclaimed in admiration.
[The Magic Core responds: Thank you for your praise, Master. I will continue to work hard.]
Tang Yu’an immediately started packing supplies into the magic tent. He loaded 50 kilos each of potatoes, soybeans, and sweet potatoes, along with a box of mutated Star-chain fruit and fresh green vegetables.
He stopped only when the tent’s preservation limit was reached, then switched to buying meat cans and jerky from the system store.
He also added flour, sweet potato starch, wheat flour, and grains like rice, millet, red beans, and lotus seeds, ensuring a variety of staples.
Next came daily necessities and consumables: clothes made of all-weather fabric, batteries, fuel, as well as shampoo, body wash, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and toilet paper.
Previously, due to limited space, they had prioritized food. But now, with the magic tent’s storage, they could finally include personal hygiene items as well.
And, of course, seasonings—how could they leave those out? With these new resources, his family wouldn’t have to suffer anymore.
Tang Yu’an packed as much as he could, wishing he could send everything he owned. But the magic tent’s space was ultimately limited. If he added more, it would leave no room for them to move around. Reluctantly, he stopped.
Even so, he had spent more than 50,000 points.
After exiting the magic tent, Tang Yu’an was about to purchase another spatial pouch when Zhou Qi interrupted him.
“Let’s check the other two bottles first,” Zhou Qi suggested, pointing at the purple one. “Let’s see if there’s good news from Tuls.”
“Alright, alright,” Tang Yu’an nodded. They had previously asked Tuls about creating spatial pouches and crafting weapons or armor.
However, given the short time frame, it seemed unlikely Tuls could have made much progress. The inscription on the stone cabinet already looked incredibly complex.
Tang Yu’an pulled the cork from the purple drift bottle, and the gentle, calm voice of Tuls filled the room.
“Tang Yu’an, my friend from the East, I want to thank you deeply for the supplies you sent us—you’ve saved all of us!”
Compared to his previous tone of despair and frenzy, Tuls now sounded remarkably different. His voice was no longer weak; instead, it was filled with energy and hope.
Tang Yu’an smiled and couldn’t help but wonder—a friend from the East? Did Tuls’ world also have a civilization similar to China?
“I’m sorry for the delayed response,” Tuls continued. “I was busy crafting inscribed armor and weapons, which took some time.”
“We’ve made a total of three sets of armor and five weapons, all of which are now stored in the stone cabinet.”
“As for the spatial equipment that doesn’t require magic to operate, I’ve made some progress. I’m currently working on it and may have good news to share in my next message.”
Tang Yu’an’s eyes lit up in excitement. He hadn’t expected Tuls to be so efficient. It had only been a week since Tuls received the bottle, yet he had already crafted eight pieces of gear. The speed far exceeded his expectations.
He soon understood why.
“If you need higher-quality equipment, you’ll need to prepare better materials,” Tuls explained. “The current materials can only handle basic inscriptions, so the gear’s effects are somewhat limited. I hope you can understand.”
Ah, so the material quality was the limiting factor!
“We hope to trade these inscribed weapons and armor for more food, water, and magic crystals. Could you send us a few more?”
“Of course, if it’s too difficult, we understand. Magic crystals must be incredibly valuable.”
“Thank you again for your help. I look forward to hearing from you soon!”
After listening to the message, Tang Yu’an tipped the stone cabinet out of the drift bottle. He and Zhou Qi then entered a different dimension to restore the cabinet to its original size.
Inside, the previous supplies had been replaced with three sets of armor and five weapons.
The armor appeared to be made from insect shells. Tang Yu’an noticed a paper note attached to one of the sets and pulled it off to read.
[Reinforced Armor: Defensive gear inscribed with a “Reinforcement Inscription,” doubling its original durability.]
The armor was flexible and adjustable, allowing it to fit snugly against the wearer’s body.
Zhou Qi pulled out a dagger made from mutated metal. He tested it by stabbing at the armor. Although the mutated metal blade could typically pierce insect shells, this time, it only left a faint scratch on the armor’s surface.
“This durability is impressive,” Zhou Qi remarked, pleasantly surprised.
Mutated metals were already far superior to regular metals. With this level of reinforcement, the armor’s durability was comparable to modern bulletproof vests.
Of course, the combat capabilities of mutated creatures in their original world were still an unknown factor…
“But it’s definitely better than having no protective gear at all,” Zhou Qi added.
Tang Yu’an nodded in agreement, his excitement evident. “I can’t believe just a basic inscription made it this strong. If we had more advanced inscriptions, imagine how powerful the gear would be!”
He began to fantasize about the possibilities. Unfortunately, they currently didn’t have access to high-quality mutated biological materials.
Most of their hunting in the Giant Wood Forest involved battling large insects. Whenever they encountered truly gigantic creatures, they had no choice but to flee.
“We’ll take it step by step,” Zhou Qi said. “We don’t even know what qualifies as high-grade material yet. We’ll need to ask Tuls for more information.”
He glanced at the armor again. “There are three sets here—just enough for Uncle Tang, Aunt Tang, and Yuxin to each have one.”
“Exactly!” Tang Yu’an agreed enthusiastically.
Since the armor could be adjusted to fit, even his little sister Tang Yuxin would be able to wear it.
Tang Yu’an nodded, then turned his gaze toward the weapons.
[Sharp Claw Gauntlets: Offensive equipment, inscribed with a “Sharpness Rune,” doubling the sharpness of the claw tips and providing a minor durability boost.]
The claw gauntlets appeared to be made from mutated rat claws. Despite having only one rune inscribed, they had both sharpness and durability enhancements!
Tang Yu’an put on a pair of claw gauntlets, then raked them across a nearby stone. Instantly, three deep claw marks were etched into the surface.
“The offensive power is great!” he said, smiling.
He then tested the claws on insect shells but found that the gauntlets could only leave white scratches on the surface, which were slightly deeper than those left by the mutated metal blade earlier. With more force, the claws might have been able to pierce through, but there was also a risk of breaking the tips. So, he stopped the test.
There were three pairs of sharp claw gauntlets, while the remaining two weapons were scythes made from the blades of mutated mantises.
[Dancing Scythe: Offensive weapon. Once thrown, the scythe can be controlled to fly through the air, following the user’s will.]
The mutated mantis blades were already known for their durability and sharpness, and with the added ability to control their movement in mid-air, the scythes became lethal tools for harvesting lives.
Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi each took a scythe and attempted to control them.
To their surprise, the scythes didn’t require spiritual energy or any additional input to control—they responded purely to their thoughts, flying and dancing through the air.
After working together to take down a giant insect, the two controlled the scythes to return to their hands.
“Not bad. We can keep one, and the other can be sent back to your family,” Zhou Qi suggested.
Tang Yu’an looked at the scythe’s one-meter-long blade and nodded. “It won’t fit in the spatial pouch, but we can put it in the magic tent instead.” He marveled once again at how versatile the magic tent was.
After testing all the weapons and armor, Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi went on another shopping spree to fill the stone cabinet with supplies.
Since the cabinet couldn’t store living things, they couldn’t include plants this time. Instead, they purchased a large batch of meat cans, which were easier to digest and tastier than jerky.
They also added a handful of spiritual energy stones (magic crystals), since Tuls had specifically mentioned wanting more. Although Tuls only asked for a few, these stones were abundant in the alternate dimension, so Tang Yu’an packed a whole box full of them.
Finally, they used low-grade materials to fill the remaining space in the cabinet. Although they wanted better materials, those weren’t readily available at the moment. For now, they would focus on making low-grade equipment and wait until they could acquire higher-tier materials.
“These low-grade weapons and armor should be enough to deal with the mutated creatures in this world,” Zhou Qi said. “We can give them to our employees for use.”
With the trading zone allowing anonymous sales, it would be easy to distribute the equipment to employees. Plus, it served as a way to recycle points back into the system.
Tang Yu’an nodded. After shrinking the stone cabinet again, he carefully placed it back into the drift bottle.
After some hesitation, he decided to buy another light brain (smart device) from the system store. He then recorded a message for Tuls.
The drift bottle only allowed a single audio playback, but the light brain would let Tuls replay the recording as many times as needed, making it more convenient.
“Tuls might not understand the recording,” Zhou Qi reminded him.
Tang Yu’an suddenly remembered the language barrier. They could communicate with Tuls seamlessly because they had purchased a translation package from the system, but the light brain wasn’t system-made.
After thinking for a moment, Tang Yu’an replied, “It’s okay. Let Tuls record messages for us on the light brain—we’ll still be able to understand him.”
As for Tang Yu’an’s messages to Tuls, they’d still need to be spoken directly into the drift bottle.
After explaining how to use the light brain, Tang Yu’an expressed his gratitude for the weapons and armor and hoped to commission more custom-made gear.
“We’re very interested in inscriptions. If possible, could you share more about their history or how they work?”
He added, “We’ve prepared some cookies and desserts. I hope the children will like them. Looking forward to your reply!”
After tossing the drift bottle back into the dream sea, Tang Yu’an turned his attention to the remaining blue drift bottle.
He had assumed it would be from Cosona, but when he opened it, an unfamiliar man’s voice echoed through the attic.
The fifth drift bottle had returned!
