Chapter 224
Zhou Qi carefully revealed a small section of the spirit insect, allowing Tang Yu’an to use his appraisal skill on it.
[Would you like to deduct 10,000 points to use the “Intermediate Item Appraisal” skill on this object?]
Appraising living organisms always required a flat fee of 10,000 points.
Tang Yu’an was already prepared for this. Exploring the spirit insect was a necessity, so he chose “Yes” without hesitation.
[Points deducted successfully! Appraising item…]
[Appraisal failed!]
Tang Yu’an: “…”
He stared at the system prompt, nearly popping his eyes out in disbelief.
What the hell? It deducted 10,000 points, yet the appraisal failed? Shouldn’t it refund the points if the appraisal didn’t work?
Hearing his indignant complaint, Zhou Qi was speechless as well.
He pursed his lips and then heard the boy angrily declare, “Try again!”
Zhou Qi looked at him in surprise.
Tang Yu’an could guess what he was thinking and explained, “I’ve already spent 10,000 points. Of course, I need to keep trying!”
“Besides, failing the appraisal proves that this thing is extraordinary.”
The system had never failed an appraisal before. The fact that it failed now only confirmed how unusual this spirit insect was.
Zhou Qi thought for a moment and said, “But what if it never works? What if the system simply doesn’t have this recorded?”
Like the mysterious “horse egg” that Morsang had gifted them—the system couldn’t appraise that either.
Tang Yu’an shook his head. “No, the system definitely has it recorded.”
When Brother Qi was suffering from the spirit insect’s backlash, the system’s status bar clearly displayed “Spirit Insect Devours Host.” That meant the system knew exactly what it was.
Of course, Tang Yu’an admitted he was taking a bit of a gamble.
“We’ll try ten times,” he said. “If it fails all ten times, we’ll stop.”
Ten attempts meant 100,000 points…
Zhou Qi gazed at Tang Yu’an deeply before finally nodding. “Alright, I’ll trust you.”
[Appraisal failed!]
[Appraisal failed!]
[Appraisal failed!]
After three consecutive failures, Zhou Qi turned to Tang Yu’an again. “Still want to keep going?”
Tang Yu’an felt the sting of losing his points, but he gritted his teeth and said, “Keep going!”
[Points deducted successfully! Appraisal result as follows]
[Name: Spirit Insect]
[Value: ******]
[Origin: ******]
[Discovered by: *****]
[Description: A product of the fringes of the rules’ evolution &%&#???]
After spending 50,000 points, the appraisal finally succeeded!
But aside from the name and a single brief description, all other information was scrambled. Even the description itself was incomplete.
Still, that one sentence alone contained a lot of information.
“The fringes of the rules? What does that mean?” Tang Yu’an stared at the description, puzzled.
He had initially assumed that the spirit insect was just some kind of bug, maybe even artificially bred, like the gu parasites often described in novels.
But based on the appraisal, it seemed more like a naturally occurring phenomenon.
“It sounds… kind of powerful,” he couldn’t help but remark.
Zhou Qi held the struggling spirit insect in one hand while flipping through the appraisal records with the other. Hearing Tang Yu’an’s words, he nodded.
Not only did it sound powerful… it also felt oddly familiar?
He thought back carefully. Then, a sudden realization struck him. “An’an, do you remember the deity who taught us summoning?”
Tang Yu’an nodded. “Yeah, I remember.”
Zhou Qi continued, “Do you also remember something they said about… transactions…?”
“The power of rules?”
Tang Yu’an immediately filled in the blanks before Zhou Qi could finish.
“Yeah! They mentioned that, right?” Zhou Qi asked.
“Mm-hmm, I remember.” Tang Yu’an nodded. “That phrase left a strong impression on me.”
“So… could the ‘power of rules’ that the deity mentioned be the same thing as this ‘fringes of the rules’?” Zhou Qi wondered.
Tang Yu’an scratched his head as he watched the spirit insect struggle in Zhou Qi’s hand. “I have no idea… but—”
“But what?”
“I feel like this spirit insect might have come from the Giant Wood Forest plane.”
Tang Yu’an shared his theory. “When I was talking to Brother Xie about the secret at the center of Desolate City, he mentioned something about a spatial rift. That means…”
Zhou Qi looked at him and completed the thought. “That means this plane also has rifts, and the fortress people have already discovered them. They might have even sent people into the other plane?”
Tang Yu’an nodded. “Exactly. That’s why they knew what the rift was and named it ‘spatial rift’ in the first place!”
It was a fitting name—a crack between two planes, allowing passage from one to the other.
As for why he believed the spirit insect came from another plane?
Because the other plane had a much higher concentration of spiritual energy, with spirit stones scattered everywhere.
And based on what they learned from Grandpa Li and Granny Guo, before the Cataclysm, this plane had been purely technological. Supernatural powers only emerged after the disaster.
“So… could the appearance of spatial rifts have caused the Cataclysm?” Tang Yu’an speculated. “And the emergence of abilities—was it triggered by these spirit insects from another plane?”
Brother Qi had gained abilities after being parasitized by a spirit insect. And the way the insect devoured its host sounded a lot like how ability users experienced backlashes after awakening.
Zhou Qi fell into deep thought.
“‘Rules’… it sounds a lot like the fundamental laws governing a world,” he analyzed.
Elements like metal, wood, water, fire, earth, light, darkness, wind, thunder, and ice—these natural abilities could very well be the building blocks of the world itself.
“Assuming the spirit insects are derived from the remnants of another world’s rules,” Zhou Qi continued, “then…”
“The appearance of spatial rifts may just be the catalyst. What truly caused the Cataclysm and brought this world to ruin could be the invasion of another world’s rules!”
At this realization, both boys looked at each other, their eyes shining with excitement.
The feeling of uncovering the truth about the world filled them with exhilaration.
“If that’s the case, then wouldn’t the apocalypse end once the two worlds fully merge?” Tang Yu’an speculated.
After all, the apocalypse was triggered by the Cataclysm, and the invasion of foreign rules was its root cause.
Once those foreign rules completely transformed this world, the Cataclysm should cease or weaken to the point of insignificance, naturally bringing an end to the apocalypse.
However, Zhou Qi shook his head, not as optimistic.
“Natural disasters are a concept that only applies to weaker life forms. A light drizzle in the Giant Wood Forest may be a gentle rain for the world itself, but for us, it’s a torrential storm.”
He lowered his voice. “If life cannot adapt to the new world, then the disaster will never truly end.”
Tang Yu’an thought for a moment, then nodded. “You’re right.”
It was like a freshwater region suddenly being invaded by seawater—if the freshwater creatures couldn’t adapt to the salt, their only fate would be extinction.
Once such an invasion and fusion began, it could never be reversed. The world would never return to its previous state.
If humanity couldn’t adapt, they might go extinct long before the two worlds fully merged.
“At least we have the protective barrier!” Tang Yu’an said with relief. “Even if worse disasters occur in the future, we can still preserve ourselves and keep humanity’s fire burning!”
Zhou Qi nodded in agreement.
The possibility of more spatial rifts appearing, or the Cataclysm worsening, remained unknown.
There was already a spatial rift at the center of Desolate City, but whether it was stable or would expand in the future was uncertain…
Before that happened, they needed to fortify their home.
Even if they weren’t thinking about protecting their world’s people, from a purely self-interested standpoint, they needed to take in more residents and save as many lives as possible.
After all, when they first arrived in this world, the struggle of finding customers had been utterly despairing. They never wanted to experience that hardship again.
Despite gaining a sliver of insight into the truth behind the apocalypse, it didn’t change much about their immediate circumstances.
They were just ordinary people. They didn’t believe they had the ability to mend spatial rifts or stop the continued invasion of foreign rules.
Besides, there was no way to verify their theory right now.
Shifting his attention back to the spirit insect in Zhou Qi’s hand, Tang Yu’an asked, “Brother Qi, what do you plan to do next? Are you going to absorb it?”
“I’ll observe it a little longer,” Zhou Qi replied. “I want to study how it differs from the one Hong Li had.”
After all, Hong Li had transformed into a fire serpent when parasitized, while this one became a flaming giant lizard. There had to be some differences between the two.
If fire spirit insects were manifestations of some kind of rule-based power, then even among the same type, they might embody different aspects of those rules.
Tang Yu’an nodded. “Alright, take your time studying it.”
Then he brought up his conversation with Hong Li. “Sister Hong Li has agreed. What should we do next? Should I go work on the roads while you study the spirit insect?”
“I’ll go with you,” Zhou Qi decided.
“Okay.”
However, when they tried to use the teleportation array, Zhou Qi encountered a problem—he couldn’t bring the spirit insect through the teleportation.
Just like how Jin Lili had been unable to use the array without permission, the spirit insect didn’t have access.
Fortunately, Zhou Qi stopped the teleportation just in time. Otherwise, the spirit insect would have escaped.
“I’ll go alone, then,” Tang Yu’an said confidently, patting his chest. “I know how to drive!”
After watching for so long, he felt like he had it figured out.
But there was no way Zhou Qi would trust him with that. “Wait a moment, let me think of a solution.”
Zhou Qi held the fire spirit insect, pondering for a while. Then, suddenly, he focused on his palm. A moment later, when he opened his hand again, the insect was gone.
“Huh? Did it escape?” Tang Yu’an asked in surprise.
“No,” Zhou Qi replied. “I used the power of fire to trap it within my palm. This way, it can’t run away, and it’s also technically a part of me now.”
Tang Yu’an gave him a look of admiration, not entirely understanding but impressed nonetheless.
This time, when they used the teleportation array again, there were no further obstacles.
Soon, they were back inside their RV, then moved into the driver’s seat to continue their roadwork.
From the map, they could see that Li Feng and his group were still in Desolate City.
However, since they didn’t pose an immediate threat, Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi decided to ignore them for now. Their encampment was still a fair distance from their home base.
That night, Hong Li arrived with 60 soldiers to settle in at Desolate City Haven.
Building No. 1 had plenty of empty rooms, so they managed to squeeze in. It might not be as comfortable as a heated kang bed, but with two fire stones placed in an iron basin, the rooms were warm enough.
Not to mention, they also had temperature-regulating blankets.
Before moving in, all the soldiers were required to trim their nails and take a bath—since they’d already had their hair cut before, that part wasn’t an issue.
After their baths, Old Li even provided them with prepared lodging clothes.
These clothes had been made in advance, some by the residents, others by housekeeping robots. The soldiers were all thin and wiry, so while the clothes were a little loose, they were still wearable.
As the soldiers sat around the bonfire, eating dinner with the other residents, a collective thought ran through their minds:
So this is what it means to actually live…? I don’t want to leave. What do I do?
Hong Li silently observed their reactions, frowning slightly in deep thought.
She knew very well that the soldiers’ loyalty to her stemmed entirely from the fact that she had been the one providing them with food and a better life than others.
Now that they had experienced an even better way of living, would they start having second thoughts? That was a question that needed no answer.
“Take it easy.”
Xie Chaori scooped a bowl of meat soup and handed it to her. “We’re starting a new business, so of course, things will change.”
“Don’t worry, I wouldn’t scam you. Joining the Merchant God Cult is definitely the right choice.”
Since she hadn’t received any recruitment information yet, “Merchant God Cult” was still a mystery to Hong Li, so she remained skeptical of Xie Chaori’s words.
“What kind of organization is this, exactly?” Hong Li asked.
Xie Chaori sighed. “An organization with all sorts of miraculous abilities—enough to make people believe that gods truly exist.”
“Like what?”
Xie Chaori opened his mouth slightly but then shook his head. “I’ll guide you when you officially join. You wouldn’t believe me even if I told you now.”
Hong Li shrugged, took a sip of the hot soup, and continued, “Regardless of anything else, there are indeed a lot of good things in the Desolate City Haven.”
Fabric that maintains a constant temperature, optical brains for video communication, heat-emitting flame stones, and that electric tricycle…
And that was just what she had seen in a single afternoon. How many more things were there in the Desolate City Haven that she didn’t know about?
A flicker of anticipation sparked in Hong Li’s heart.
Perhaps, compared to struggling alone, joining the Desolate City Haven really wouldn’t be a bad choice.
But—
Having witnessed the internal conflicts of Qingmu Fortress, she had little faith in so-called organizations.
If the Merchant God Cult turned out to be just like Qingmu Fortress, she might eventually find herself unable to stay, whether by choice or by force…
Hong Li shook her head, suppressing these thoughts.
Later that night, under Xie Chaori’s guidance, she personally witnessed the concealment effect of the protective barrier.
An entire base vanished into thin air.
Seamlessly, without a single flaw.
Hong Li tested it several times. Combined with the previous information about the barrier’s ability to repel dangerous creatures, she became even more astonished.
“And that’s not all,” Xie Chaori added. “The Desolate City Haven has been standing in the floodwaters for at least two months.”
Hong Li froze.
That one sentence alone spoke volumes.
She also realized that everything she had seen today in the Desolate City Haven wasn’t built overnight.
Only those who had lived in a fortress could truly understand what a protective barrier like this meant.
Even the fortress lacked such defenses.
Even the fortress couldn’t fully withstand natural disasters and dangerous creatures.
With a barrier like this, as long as the Desolate City Haven had more time, it could absolutely grow into a new fortress!
A brand-new, impregnable fortress!
Hong Li’s expression turned dazed—she felt that such a day might not be far off…
“And there’s more…”
She heard Xie Chaori’s voice again and instinctively turned to look at him. Wasn’t all this already enough? What else was there?
Seeing her reaction, Xie Chaori recalled his own shock when he first discovered all this, and he couldn’t help but feel a little smug.
He continued, “Residents of the Desolate City Haven can’t rob, steal, or harm others.”
A hint of disappointment crossed Hong Li’s face. She didn’t take his words seriously.
She had imposed similar rules before and knew how hard they were to enforce. No matter how well the managers planned things, it was useless if the unruly people didn’t comply.
However, she then heard Xie Chaori say, “Not just as a rule—literally, they can’t.”
“What do you mean?” Hong Li frowned.
“You should try it yourself,” Xie Chaori said, leading her back to the haven and telling her to try stealing something from him.
Hong Li gave him a suspicious look before reaching for the dagger at his waist. But—
The next moment, she felt her entire body freeze in place. Then, the world spun around her, and when she regained her balance, she found herself standing ten meters outside the haven’s perimeter.
Hong Li blinked in confusion. Soon, she saw Xie Chaori rushing out in a hurry.
“Damn! Did the rules just upgrade?” Xie Chaori looked at her in surprise. “Before, you just couldn’t commit the act—now, trying to do it gets you thrown out?”
In reality, it wasn’t an upgrade.
Blatantly violating the overnight stay rule could also be interpreted as an act of hostility toward the Mysterious Merchant, which naturally led to being expelled.
At the moment, only Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi knew this.
“How is this even possible?” Hong Li was completely dumbfounded, struggling to maintain her previous composure.
“Try stepping back inside first?” Xie Chaori worried she might be permanently rejected by the barrier.
Fortunately, in the next moment, Hong Li stepped forward and re-entered the protective barrier without issue.
Xie Chaori finally breathed a sigh of relief, then grinned. “Now do you understand why the Desolate City Haven is so orderly—why it feels like a utopia?”
Hong Li nodded.
Honestly, after watching everything today, she had started doubting her own leadership skills.
Same unruly people—so why were they so well-behaved in the Desolate City Haven?
Could it be true, as the books said, that ‘when people have enough to eat and wear, they naturally become civilized’? But she felt that if she had implemented the same methods as the haven, she would have been devoured whole…
Now, she finally understood the reason!
With this kind of power, even the most vicious criminals would have to behave like obedient children!
Hong Li felt a mix of jealousy and admiration.
“This is what you meant by divine power?” she murmured in amazement. “Now I understand why you switched sides so fast.”
Xie Chaori couldn’t help but cough awkwardly.
Then, he patted Hong Li on the shoulder and said, “Once you officially become an employee, you’ll understand even more. For now, just get some rest.”
Hong Li nodded. After taking a few steps, she turned back and asked, “Chi Hao really joined the Merchant God Cult before you?”
“Yeah, I think Xiao An and the others saved him too?”
“So Chi Hao joined that early?”
Great, just great!
Gritting her teeth, Hong Li stormed into Building No. 1.
*
The Next Morning
Hong Li woke up early.
She still wasn’t used to sleeping in an unfamiliar place. But even though she was up early, the residents of Desolate City Haven were up even earlier.
Stepping onto the balcony and looking outside, she saw that the entire area around the building was already bustling with activity.
To her surprise, even her own guards had come to ask for permission to work in the haven’s factories.
What could she say? She simply waved them off and let them go.
With sixty new workers joining at once, things got a little chaotic at first, but order was quickly restored under the supervisors’ direction.
Yes, order.
A place where people couldn’t steal, rob, or fight—where all their energy had to be channeled into work—naturally resulted in a scene of harmony like this!
Hong Li stood on the balcony, watching everything unfold. She didn’t know why, but she was completely mesmerized.
She felt… good. Better than she ever had before.
As the sun rose higher, she could see even farther into the distance. Suddenly, something unusual caught her attention.
Frowning, Hong Li pulled out her binoculars and looked toward the disturbance.
Amidst the ruins, something—controlled by a mysterious force—was shifting debris every few moments. Roughly every ten meters, a pile of junk was swept aside, revealing underneath…
A freshly paved concrete road?
Hong Li froze.
Right before her eyes, a brand-new concrete road was rapidly taking shape, stretching from the distant horizon straight toward Desolate City Haven’s front gate.
Unable to contain herself, she put down her binoculars and ran off—straight to rob Xie Chaori.
The next moment, she found herself standing outside Desolate City Haven.
Still dazed, she made her way to the Desolate City grocery store. Standing at the start of the newly built road, which extended far beyond Desolate City Haven, she stepped onto it hesitantly.
It was solid. Perfectly smooth. A real concrete road. Not an illusion.
Yet, Hong Li still felt as if she were dreaming.
She suddenly recalled how Tang Yu’an had casually mentioned yesterday that Desolate City Haven would handle road construction.
But you never said you could build it this fast!
Could this also be the power of the Merchant God?
As Hong Li wrestled with her disbelief, Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi had already parked their RV on a nearby open lot.
The distance from the original grocery store site to Desolate City Haven was only two or three kilometers.
Thanks to their upgraded RV and their increased skill, they had managed to finish paving the road in just a day.
Next, they just had to continue laying the road toward Jufeng Town!
The night before, they had also traveled to the alternate dimension. After ten days of research there, Zhou Qi had finally mastered control over the Fire Spirit Worm.
He had absorbed nearly all of its fire-related energy, leaving only a tiny fraction to maintain its form.
Though he hadn’t completely assimilated its power yet, that was just a matter of time.
Now, the weakened Fire Spirit Worm rested obediently in Zhou Qi’s hand, no longer trying to escape—even when it left his body.
After parking the RV, Zhou Qi released the Fire Spirit Worm.
Tang Yu’an looked at it thoughtfully and asked, “Brother Qi, if we put this into a normal person’s body, could it awaken their abilities?”
