Chapter 259
“That’s great! The petrified rabbit is still alive!”
Tang Yu’an held up the rabbit and carefully examined its condition. Its life force was strong, and there were no abnormalities in its body.
Meanwhile, Zhou Qi released the petrification on the other two animals.
“Let’s observe them for another day,” Zhou Qi suggested.
“Alright!”
Tang Yu’an placed the rabbit in a cage, while the fish and frog were kept in a water basin for monitoring.
After a full day had passed, the animals remained lively and energetic, showing no signs of health issues. Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi were finally certain—
The plan to use petrification as a method for sending objects back and forth between different planes via the drifting bottle was completely feasible!
“I’m going back tomorrow,” Zhou Qi said firmly.
Tang Yu’an, who had been thrilled by the success of their plan, suddenly froze.
That’s right, only Brother Qi could travel between planes using this method.
Which meant…
They would have to be apart for at least a month.
Even though his heart was filled with reluctance, Tang Yu’an quickly pulled himself together and said to Zhou Qi, “Dad, Mom, and Xinxin… I’ll leave them in your care.”
Zhou Qi gazed at the young boy for a moment before finally reaching out to ruffle his hair.
“I’ll be back before your birthday,” he promised. “I told you I’d take you home, and I won’t leave you behind.”
Tang Yu’an had managed to keep his emotions in check, but hearing this, his lips quivered.
A month in the apocalypse felt like an eternity.
But he said nothing.
If Brother Qi truly wanted to stay in their original world, he wouldn’t blame him. That had always been their wish. If one of them could return, it was better than both of them being trapped here…
Holding back his tears, they clung stubbornly to the corners of his eyes, making him look even more pitiful.
Zhou Qi felt a sharp pang in his heart. He couldn’t take it anymore—he opened his arms and pulled Tang Yu’an into an embrace.
“Don’t worry. I will come back,” he whispered. “Wherever you are, that’s where I belong. The old world holds nothing for me anymore.”
His and his grandmother’s home had been destroyed by the meteor strike.
The one place he cared about was gone. He was like a floating weed without roots—only Tang Yu’an gave him a reason to stay.
Tang Yu’an leaned into his embrace, listening to his words, and felt an overwhelming mix of emotions swelling in his chest.
He didn’t know how to put it into words.
“Until I return, you must keep yourself safe,” Zhou Qi reminded him. “Unless absolutely necessary, do not leave the protective barrier to go on any dangerous trips. Understood?”
This was his biggest concern. But during his coma, An An had already proven himself capable, so Zhou Qi knew he could trust him.
Still…
Lowering his head slightly, Zhou Qi took in Tang Yu’an’s scent, committing it to memory.
He cherished this warmth so deeply—he didn’t want to let go. But they each had their responsibilities.
Protecting Tang Yu’an and everything he cared about—that was Zhou Qi’s mission.
In the end, he released the boy.
With a gentle touch, he wiped away Tang Yu’an’s tears with his fingertips.
“I’ll prepare all your meals for the next month and store them in your inventory,” he said. “Eat on time, take care of yourself, and by the time you’ve finished them all, I’ll be back.”
Tang Yu’an blushed slightly. “You don’t have to go that far. Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of myself.”
“I won’t go on any reckless adventures. I’ll stay safe and wait for you.”
Zhou Qi ruffled his hair again but still gathered up the ingredients he had prepared over the past few days. He then entered the interdimensional house to start cooking a month’s worth of meals for Tang Yu’an.
Tang Yu’an had no choice but to assist him.
Even though he grumbled about knowing how to cook, watching Zhou Qi busily preparing food for him still brought a smile to his face and lifted his spirits.
Over the past four days, they had also dealt with the five spiritual worms.
The earth-type worm was given to Shi Tou, the water-type worm to Lin Zhen. As for the remaining three fire-type worms, one went to Shu Gen, while the last two had no suitable candidates and were temporarily absorbed by Zhou Qi.
The three of them, just like A Lian, now carried debts.
And under Old Li’s insistence, the original debt of 200,000 points was increased to 500,000.
Even though Lin Zhen was like a daughter to Old Li, he showed no mercy.
But for Lin Zhen, awakening an ability was something she had always dreamed of. She agreed without hesitation.
With her and Tie Jin’s research, the steel mill at Desolate City Haven was steadily increasing production. The projects she was overseeing also provided bonuses, so she wasn’t worried about repaying the debt, even if she didn’t have time to run a business.
Shi Tou, on the other hand, was terrified by the 500,000-point debt. He also wanted an ability, but that amount was too overwhelming for him.
However, Xiao Cao saw it differently. She immediately agreed on his behalf.
In the apocalypse, having an ability was the key to survival. Besides, they weren’t incapable of repaying the debt.
Now that Jufeng Mountain was fully under Hong Li’s control, security had improved significantly. And after dealing with hundreds of customers daily, Xiao Cao was finally feeling exhausted.
Hong Li had handed over the brick factory to Hei Xiong, which gave Xiao Cao an idea. She hired a few trustworthy assistants to trade salt for supplies on her behalf, then bring everything back to her.
Although she earned less experience this way, her points actually increased.
Since her assistants worked hard to earn extra Peace Coins, they actively advertised the salt. Their “door-to-door delivery” service allowed residents who couldn’t even line up to buy salt.
This meant Xiao Cao could take it easy while more people gained access to affordable salt. Her assistants also gained stable incomes.
But she wasn’t the type to sit idle. She was already brainstorming new business ventures.
In any case, she was confident that she and her brother would only grow wealthier. Even though 500,000 points was a huge sum, they could definitely pay it off if they worked hard.
If they let this opportunity slip, they’d regret it forever.
Eventually, Shi Tou was convinced.
As for Shu Gen, he had already passed the evaluation and was recommended by Old Li as a new employee.
Now, he was in charge of transportation between Desolate City Haven and Jufeng Mountain. He also took over catering for the road construction crew.
Roadwork required skilled labor, and construction teams had high wages.
People worked hard to earn money so they could spend it. Now that there was a stable and safe environment, people started seeking a better quality of life.
Shu Gen saw this opportunity and learned recipes from Granny Guo, eventually creating lunchboxes even better than those from the canteen.
His meals became a hit among the workers.
Roadwork was tough, and a good meal became a source of comfort for the crew.
The lunchboxes were affordable and fit within the workers’ wages.
Even those who originally planned to rely on the free canteen meals eventually joined in after seeing their coworkers enjoying the food.
Gradually, even the Jufeng Mountain guards began buying from him.
Because of this, Shu Gen completed his evaluation early and was officially recruited by Old Li as a core member of the Commerce God Sect.
And when faced with the chance to awaken an ability, he took a night to think it over. After discussing it with his son, he decided to take on the 500,000-point debt.
Honestly, he didn’t even see it as a debt.
Perhaps Old Li was using it as a way to bind employees to the organization. But for someone like Shu Gen, who had drifted through life for so long, having a place to belong was a blessing.
It meant he was needed.
It meant the organization wouldn’t abandon him anytime soon.
Because he was still valuable—he still had a 500,000-point debt to pay off.
Thinking this way, he completely lost any sense of pressure and instead felt full of energy.
Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi stayed in the other world for a week, until everything was arranged properly. Only then did they return to the attic of the Peace Grocery Store.
“I’m leaving now. Wait for me and take care of yourself.”
Zhou Qi gave Tang Yu’an one last hug before petrifying his body, closing all five senses, and leaving only the faintest trace of awareness.
He would remain in this state for twenty days, only waking up after confirming his safety, at which point he would break free from the petrification.
As Tang Yu’an watched Zhou Qi transform once again into a stone statue, he reached out to hug him, then stood on tiptoe and secretly…
Kissed him on the lips.
Cold and hard, it was like kissing a stone.
Tang Yu’an, who had been so nervous and expectant, couldn’t help but pout. What does a kiss feel like? He really wanted to know!
However…
Though he was terribly curious, he didn’t seem interested in kissing anyone else besides Brother Qi. The mere thought of kissing someone else made him feel uncomfortable, almost disgusted.
But whenever he faced Zhou Qi, he would become timid and couldn’t bring himself to ask for such a thing.
Tang Yu’an sighed and, reluctantly, rubbed his face against Zhou Qi’s hard chest before transferring him into the Spirit Storage Bag.
After confirming everything was fine, Tang Yu’an secured the bag, placed it in the drifting bottle, and carefully placed it into the Dream Sea.
He leaned against the window, staring at the drifting bottle that held Zhou Qi, watching it until it disappeared from sight. He couldn’t bring himself to look away.
Though he had thought he had already adjusted his emotions over the past week, it wasn’t until the moment of true separation, until he personally sent Zhou Qi into the Dream Sea, that he felt an uncontrollable sadness.
A part of his heart seemed to have a hole in it, empty and hollow, even making him want to grab that drifting bottle back.
Though his rational mind told him that he couldn’t, his emotions had already collapsed.
He was all alone in this world now.
Under this sky, the person he cared about most was no longer here.
Tang Yu’an suddenly understood Zhou Qi’s loneliness. He turned around and looked at the empty attic, unable to hold back his tears.
“Meow~”
Black Pearl jumped onto his shoulder, nuzzling his cheek with her fluffy head.
The little red bird anxiously flew around him, and Yuan Bao, Wang Cai, and Yin Bi surrounded him, wagging their tails to cheer him up.
Tang Yu’an hugged the nearest Yin Bi, burying his face in its soft, fluffy fur, crying quietly until he grew tired, and then slowly calmed down.
He sniffed, resting his chin on the dog’s head, and just stared into space.
At that moment, a light brain suddenly flew over.
Tang Yu’an blinked. It was expected that the pets would come to comfort him, but why was the light brain here too?
The light brain hovered in front of him and automatically projected a holographic image—it was Zhou Qi.
When had Brother Qi recorded this?
Tang Yu’an stared blankly at Zhou Qi’s holographic image, listening to his gentle but helpless voice saying, “Alright, wipe your tears and go find Grandpa Li.”
Did Brother Qi guess he would cry? Tang Yu’an’s face flushed, and he hurriedly wiped away his tears.
When the light brain stopped playing, he grabbed it and used the teleportation array to travel to the Desolate City Haven.
Outside the teleportation room, Old Li had already been waiting for him, though he didn’t know for how long.
Seeing the boy’s red eyes, the old man immediately knew he had been crying.
He reached out and patted Tang Yu’an’s head, kindly saying, “Are you hungry? How about you go have a meal with Grandpa?”
Tang Yu’an’s nose tingled again, but he nodded. “Mm!”
Old Li then put his arm around the boy’s shoulder and led him downstairs to Room 501, where Granny Guo and Kang Kang were waiting for them.
“You’re here! Just wait a little while, the food will be ready soon.”
Granny Guo smiled and went into the kitchen.
Compared to before, her body had grown much stronger—Zhou Qi had given her a body-strengthening pill and, with Tang Yu’an’s light healing magic, helped her successfully complete the process of cleansing and strengthening her body.
Although there were some dangers due to her age during the process, Granny Guo had made it through.
Now, she looked at least twenty years younger and appeared nothing like someone in their eighties.
After seeing Old Li and Granny Guo, Tang Yu’an finally felt his mood lighten. He held Kang Kang’s hand and went to the kitchen.
“Granny, we’re here to help!”
“Want to help? Then come help me wash the vegetables.”
“Okay!”
Tang Yu’an got busy too and suddenly realized that he was no longer completely empty in this world.
Though he still missed Zhou Qi and his family terribly, that hole in his heart wasn’t so empty anymore.
During Zhou Qi’s absence, Tang Yu’an stayed at Desolate City Haven.
Aside from occasionally solving roadblocks for the RV and directing it toward Flame Dragon Fortress, he didn’t do much else.
The days passed slowly.
In addition to leaving him food, Zhou Qi had also recorded videos for him. Every day, a new one would play at a set time.
But just a few words—how could that be enough?
Tang Yu’an redecorated Room 901 and truly started living in the sanctuary. He spent his days with the elders and friends, interacting with the residents.
Only by doing this could he ease the growing longing and anxiety in his heart.
As time passed, his fear became more intense. He feared something would happen to Zhou Qi, but whenever that fear appeared, he forced himself to think positively.
If his wishes could come true, he hoped Brother Qi would return safely to the original world…
Every day, he prayed like this, constantly trying to keep himself optimistic.
Finally, on the twentieth day after Zhou Qi left, a message reminder popped up—
[Friend Private Chat]
[Handsome Zhou]: “An An, I’m here.”
