Chapter 39 – Clues to Return Home
Tang Yu’an stared at the system prompt that appeared on his screen, wondering if he had read it wrong.
This tiny green seedling had a 100-point appraisal fee?
The appraisal fee is 10% of the item’s value, meaning… this little seedling is worth 1000 points?
Tang Yu’an: 0.0
Although he was shocked by the seedling’s value, he thought it made sense. After all, a mutated lantern fruit was worth 50 points, so its plant’s value being 20 times higher than the fruit wasn’t unreasonable.
At this point, he couldn’t help but glance at the fully grown mutated lantern plant.
If a seedling was worth so much, how much would the mature plant be worth?
However, when he threw his basic appraisal skill at it, the system prompt that popped up read:
[This item is a life form with primary intelligence. The appraisal skill level is insufficient; appraisal cannot be performed.]
Primary intelligence?
o.O
Tang Yu’an was once again astonished.
He stared at the mutated lantern plant, carefully observing it. As the system repeatedly indicated that the appraisal could not be performed, he finally confirmed that he hadn’t misunderstood.
This mutated lantern plant had self-awareness?
Like his umbrella?
Tang Yu’an curiously walked around the plant, measuring it. From the outside, apart from being taller than ordinary grass and looking more like a small tree, it didn’t seem to have any other distinguishing features.
So, did all mutated plants awaken self-awareness, or was this lantern plant particularly special?
Was it, as in the legends, starting to cultivate into a spirit?
If it kept cultivating, would it eventually be able to speak like the magical creatures in stories?
A flurry of questions raced through Tang Yu’an’s mind, but the only one around to communicate with was a three- or four-year-old child, who obviously couldn’t provide him with any answers.
Kangkang took small bites of his bun. When he heard Tang Yu’an’s musings, he said, “Grass, friend!”
Tang Yu’an remembered that Kangkang had mentioned before that the mutated lantern plant was his friend. Back then, he had assumed it was just because Kangkang was young and didn’t have any peers to play with, so he had anthropomorphized the plant.
But now… it really was a friend!
Since it was Kangkang’s friend, Tang Yu’an naturally couldn’t claim ownership of the mutated lantern plant, but…
His gaze shifted to the small green seedling on the ground.
If the mature plant was off-limits, then surely this seedling, which hadn’t yet developed self-awareness, was fair game? After all, Kangkang had said he would give it to him!
This little seedling was worth 1000 points—if he could somehow keep exploiting the bug to farm points every day…
Tang Yu’an couldn’t help but swallow, his eyes glued to the glowing little seedling.
“Kangkang, how about this: I’ll bring you a bun every day, or something else delicious. You can give me this little seedling, okay?” he asked.
Kangkang looked at him curiously.
“Wait until it grows, then give it to brother!” Kangkang repeated.
“Can’t I have it now?” Tang Yu’an asked. “Just like the game we play every day…”
He wasn’t actually planning on taking it back; just like the mutated lantern fruit, he intended to leave it here, visiting every day to farm points.
But Kangkang was unusually stubborn. “Seedling, grow.”
Tang Yu’an didn’t give up and asked again, “Do you want it to grow first?”
“Mm!” Kangkang nodded his head enthusiastically.
Seeing that Tang Yu’an was really serious about this “game,” Kangkang explained, “Seedling will… sad.”
Tang Yu’an paused, puzzled. Did Kangkang mean that if he played with the seedling, it would get sad?
He lowered his gaze to the little sprout barely poking through the soil and suddenly realized that to him, the seedling was just a plant with no thoughts. But to Kangkang, it was his friend.
Perhaps the way Kangkang saw the world was different from his own.
For a moment, Tang Yu’an felt a pang of envy. How cool would it be to have a plant as a friend?
“Alright then.”
Tang Yu’an didn’t press any further. He smiled and said, “When it’s grown, I’ll come back to get it.”
Although he was a bit disappointed, since Kangkang wasn’t willing to part with it, it was fine. Besides, there would surely be more mutated lantern fruits in the future, and he could still get more points that way.
Kangkang smiled back.
“Mm!”
Then he held the bun up to Tang Yu’an.
“I’m full, you eat,” Tang Yu’an said, worried that Kangkang might choke. He gave him a few sips of glucose water to wash it down.
As for the seedling’s appraisal…
Tang Yu’an glanced at the 100-point appraisal fee again. In the end, he decided to put it on hold for now. After all, 100 points could buy three cold medicine or a roll of basic healing bandages.
Even if he did appraise the seedling’s properties, it wouldn’t be of much use right now, and it was better to wait until it grew. By then, his accumulated points would be more plentiful.
Before they left, Kangkang had already finished his breakfast, so he didn’t finish half of his bun. His little belly was already swollen.
“Save the rest for later,” Tang Yu’an said.
He took out a transparent plastic bag, helped Kangkang pack up the leftover bun, and taught him how to tie the bag and open it again, before tucking it into his clothes.
“Thank you, Brother!” Kangkang smiled brightly, clearly in better spirits than before.
“You’re welcome. You deserve it.” Tang Yu’an patted his little head and, spotting some stones nearby, began teaching him a new game.
On the other side, Zhou Qi helped Grandma Guo move the plastic box to a sunny spot.
After placing the rice seedlings in the sunlight, Grandma Guo fetched a metal basin filled with moist soil, almost like mud dug up from a pond—probably soaked overnight.
Zhou Qi watched as she knelt beside the rice seedlings and carefully transplanted one into the metal basin.
“Is there something different about this particular seedling?” he asked.
“Mm-hmm,” Grandma Guo nodded, smiling as she looked at the transplanted seedling. “It doesn’t need as much water; too much isn’t good for it.”
Zhou Qi nodded, gaining a new understanding of Grandma Guo’s abilities.
To him, the seedling looked just as vibrant as the others and wasn’t noticeably different in size. There was no visible sign that it required less water.
If this was a feature of her plant-based abilities, then every plant-type ability user must be a natural-born plant expert.
As Grandma Guo transplanted two more seedlings, Zhou Qi ventured another question. “Are you cultivating drought-resistant rice?”
No sooner had he asked than he wondered if he’d misunderstood. Perhaps the plastic box was simply too crowded, and with careful spacing and individual management, the yield might be higher.
To his surprise, Grandma Guo nodded.
“Yes,” she replied. “The rice is good, but it needs too much water. On the wastelands, it’s hard to grow.”
As he watched her pour water into the metal basin—just a bit less than what she had used in the plastic container, barely noticeable—Zhou Qi recalled his biology lessons.
He pressed his lips together and remarked, “It’ll probably take a long time to cultivate, right?”
Grandma Guo nodded. “Yes, but it’s much faster for me to grow than it would be for an ordinary person. I don’t know exactly how long it will take, but as long as I keep planting, I’ll eventually succeed.”
Zhou Qi considered her words before asking, “And when you succeed, what then?”
Grandma Guo hesitated. “After…?”
Her main thought had always been to ensure Kangkang could eat his fill and have some security in the future. But with the young man’s question, she felt something warm well up inside her.
Was it enough to merely make sure Kangkang was fed and had a good life… was that enough to fulfill her life’s purpose?
In the end, Grandma Guo just smiled and said, “I’ll worry about that when the time comes. It’s too early to think about it now.”
Zhou Qi nodded and said earnestly, “Mm, I’m sure you’ll succeed.”
A kind smile spread across Grandma Guo’s face, and she thanked him sincerely.
Without these two young men, she wouldn’t even have this hope. Their presence had made it possible for her to envision a future for Kangkang.
She then took out a sweet fruit and handed it to Zhou Qi.
“Here, have this. It’ll quench your thirst.”
Zhou Qi accepted, and her gentle gesture reminded him of a figure from his past that he could no longer see.
He took a bite, the sweetness washing away some of the bitterness inside, and he stood up, saying, “I’ll go fetch you some water.”
Before she could refuse, he picked up a bucket and left as if he knew the routine.
*
Soon, Zhou Qi and Grandma Guo completed three profitable trades, with the final one being the most official: trading one and a half jin (0.75kg) of rice for thirty-five mushrooms.
Yesterday, they had exchanged a jin (0.5kg) of rice for forty mushrooms, but with today’s discount sale, they received slightly fewer mushrooms, meeting the daily task requirement for a promotion.
The total profit was 57 points, and they received thirty-five mushrooms and two sweet fruits, adding three experience points each for him and Tang Yu’an.
Grandma Guo was surprised that he had brought premium rice again, and though the mushrooms were a bit larger than yesterday’s, they were fewer in number, which made her feel slightly embarrassed.
“Do you still eat sweet fruits?” she asked. “I could grow a new batch tomorrow.”
“Aren’t you saving your abilities to grow the rice?” Tang Yu’an chimed in as he approached.
Grandma Guo hesitated, then, after some thought, said with a touch of resolve, “This batch needs time to grow naturally anyway. Delaying it by a few days won’t matter.”
Growing the fruit trees took a lot out of her, but now that she had rice porridge, she felt her recovery might be quicker, so it shouldn’t be a big issue.
Tang Yu’an glanced at Zhou Qi, who nodded back, and then he unzipped his bag, taking out a potato he had prepared in advance.
“Grandma, do you know what this is?” he asked.
Grandma Guo took the rectangular, yellow-brown tuber with small eye-like spots on its surface, her expression a bit puzzled.
“Is this the tuber of a plant?” she asked, studying it carefully.
Tang Yu’an paused, surprised that Grandma Guo didn’t recognize a potato. Could it be that this world didn’t have potatoes?
“Have you never eaten potatoes before?” he asked.
She shook her head in confusion and said, “Potato? Is it a bean that grows in the ground? Can you eat it?”
Suppressing his amazement, Tang Yu’an nodded. “Yes, you can eat it.”
“And it can be planted directly into the soil. When it’s ready, you just dig it up, and you’ll find these potatoes in the ground.”
Tang Yu’an pointed to the small dimples on the potato’s surface. “These are its buds. They can sprout. You can plant the whole thing or cut it into pieces and bury them in the soil, and it’ll grow into new potatoes.”
Grandma Guo examined the potato in her hand. It felt dense and substantial, and she could sense a strong vitality within it.
The buds seemed to shout, “Grow! I want to grow!”
As a plant-type ability user, Grandma Guo couldn’t help but develop a keen interest in this unfamiliar plant.
“What conditions does it need to grow?” she asked.
Her ability to cultivate plants didn’t create growth from thin air; it required the right growing conditions.
For instance, rice needed lots of water, and when she grew fruit trees, she sought fertile soil and bright sunlight.
Tang Yu’an had never planted potatoes, so he didn’t know all the specific details, but…
He recalled an idea that had just flashed through his mind. Staring at the potato, he mentally triggered appraisal.
[Spend 1 point to use the “Item Appraisal (Basic)” skill on this object?]
The appraisal cost was just 1 point, so the potato’s value was the same as a sweet fruit: 10 points.
Tang Yu’an selected “Yes.”
Once the point was deducted, the item information appeared on the screen.
[Name: Potato, also known as Solanum tuberosum]
[Value: 10 points each]
[Origin: Dimensions KJ2548, KJ56486, DM53944, GM68254, MR154631, MR168845]
[Description: A versatile food crop, classified as both a grain and a vegetable. Potatoes are high-yield, drought-tolerant, and can grow in poor soil conditions.
Reading this, Tang Yu’an was surprised to find that potatoes originated from only six dimensions. Did this mean… their world was among these six dimensions?
He took a deep breath to calm his excitement at this new clue about the world’s nature, then read the appraisal’s description more closely.
After finishing, Tang Yu’an fell silent.
According to the system’s appraisal, the potato was indeed an excellent crop—high yield, drought-resistant, and able to grow in poor soil. However…
Potatoes didn’t tolerate heat well!
This was just like rice not being drought-resistant; in the current environment, potatoes weren’t suitable for cultivation either.
Tang Yu’an felt a headache coming on. Was this what it was like in an apocalyptic environment? Finding a suitable high-yield food crop was incredibly difficult!
Grandma Guo was still waiting for his response, so Tang Yu’an suppressed his frustration and explained the potato’s growing requirements.
Though they preferred cooler conditions, he wasn’t exactly sure what “cool” meant in precise terms. In his world, anything above 28°C probably wouldn’t be considered cool.
“I see.” Grandma Guo nodded thoughtfully, then asked, “Are you giving me this potato hoping I’ll help you grow it?”
Tang Yu’an hesitated briefly before nodding.
Since he’d already taken it out, there was no reason to hold it back. Besides, Grandma Guo was the expert in cultivation; perhaps she’d find a way to make it work.
“Please give it a try,” he said. “Whatever you harvest, we’ll just split it among us.”
“Is it really delicious?” Grandma Guo asked, holding the potato and gently brushing its surface.
“It’s pretty good,” Tang Yu’an said. “Boiled, it’s tasty and filling. One potato can fill you up, and they’re said to have a decent yield.”
Hearing this, Grandma Guo’s eyes lit up.
She had no reason to doubt Tang Yu’an’s words since there was no reason for him to lie.
However…
“Since it’s the first time I’ll be planting it, I can’t guarantee a good yield,” she said, hesitating slightly.
Each type of crop had different growing conditions, and she’d need to experiment carefully to find the best way to ensure growth and maintain quality.
Noting her interest in cultivating the potato, Tang Yu’an waved his hand dismissively and said, “That’s alright; just grow it however you see fit. It’s fine if it doesn’t work out.”
Even if it didn’t work out, he still had four potatoes in his personal storage. Since they wouldn’t spoil in storage, he could always try planting them when the weather cooled.
“It’s unlikely I’ll fail.”
Grandma Guo chuckled. “Leave this potato with me, and I promise to return at least one to you in the future.”
“Deal!” Tang Yu’an nodded enthusiastically. “Let’s call it a deal.”
Having completed their trade with Grandma Guo and Kangkang, they were ready to head to their next stop. It was still just a little before nine.
Before they left, Tang Yu’an thought of something and casually asked, “Grandma, do you know where I might find any lantern grass?”
“Lantern grass?” Grandma Guo nodded. “Yes, I do. But if you’re looking for mutated lantern grass, I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed.”
She had only ever seen mutated lantern grass at home. All other lantern grass she’d encountered was short and sparse, and its fruit didn’t glow.
Tang Yu’an shook his head. “No, I just wanted to see ordinary lantern grass.”
“In that case, let me take you there.”
Grandma Guo left Kangkang at home, reminding him not to run around, then led Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi on their way.
After winding through a bit of rough terrain, they finally arrived at a small hill overgrown with wild grass.
Tang Yu’an looked down and immediately spotted a small patch of lantern grass by his feet.
As Grandma Guo had said, it was quite small, with equally tiny fruits. The largest one was barely the size of a fingertip, hidden among the weeds and easily overlooked.
“Here it is,” Grandma Guo said.
Since they were already there, she let the boys know and began foraging around the hillside, looking for wild vegetables to bring back for today’s meal.
She pointed to a waterhole at the bottom of the slope. “The water there was originally a meter deep, but it’s shallower now, so it’s less dangerous. Still, be careful.”
Grandma Guo reminded them to avoid water as much as possible in the wilderness.
“Alright, I should be going. Don’t stay out here too long, either.” She quickly tossed the wild vegetables into her basket, bade them farewell, and left with her sickle.
Zhou Qi watched her departing figure, lost in thought.
“Brother Qi?” Sensing something was off, Tang Yu’an looked at him with concern.
Zhou Qi paused, then shook his head and looked away. “It’s nothing.”
He crouched down and began gathering lantern grass from the ground.
Tang Yu’an had already used appraisal on the ordinary lantern grass, learning that each plant was worth 20 points. Taken internally, it could treat colds, fevers, mumps, sore throats, and coughs; externally, it could be used on poisonous sores.
This medicinal plant was certainly worth collecting.
After some discussion, they decided to transplant a few back to the small garden behind the general store, just in case they needed it in the future.
Tang Yu’an took out his shadow umbrella.
Out here in the wild, staying under the umbrella gave him a sense of security, especially after Grandma Guo’s reminder.
Watching Zhou Qi, who was focused on digging up the lantern grass, Tang Yu’an hesitated, then leaned closer and asked softly, “Brother Qi, are you thinking about your grandma?”
When Tang Yu’an was born, his own grandmother had already passed, so he had grown up calling Zhou Qi’s grandmother “Grandma” as well. When she had passed away, he had cried his heart out.
Zhou Qi’s hands halted.
He heard Tang Yu’an’s soft voice say, “I miss her too.”
Zhou Qi’s hands trembled slightly.
His eyes grew faintly red, and after taking a deep breath, he suddenly reached out, pulling Tang Yu’an into his arms, holding him tightly.
He closed his eyes, his voice turning hoarse.
“We’ll go back together,” he murmured.
Even though Grandma was no longer there, he still missed the world where he had once shared his life with her.
“Mm, we’ll go back together,” Tang Yu’an replied, hearing the faint tremor in Zhou Qi’s voice. His small hand reached behind him to give a gentle, comforting pat.
The shadow umbrella floated silently above their heads, creating a small zone of safety amid the treacherous wasteland around them.
“Brother Qi, I think I found out our world’s identification number!” Tang Yu’an suddenly remembered, realizing he hadn’t yet shared the good news.
Zhou Qi paused, loosening his hold. “How did you find that out?”
Brushing the dirt from his hands, Tang Yu’an pulled out the appraisal notebook and flipped to the page on the potato. Pointing to the six dimensions listed, he explained, “Only these worlds produce potatoes, so our world has to be one of them!”
Zhou Qi’s eyes brightened.
He reached out and gave Tang Yu’an’s head an enthusiastic rub, his face showing rare excitement. “You’re a genius, An’an! When we get back, let’s appraise everything in the shop!”
Zhou Qi continued, “If we can find items produced in the same dimensions, we should be able to pinpoint our world’s number.”
And if there were unique items like the mutated lantern fruit, they wouldn’t even have to narrow it down.
Tang Yu’an realized this was indeed a solid plan, and he grew excited. But soon, he frowned and muttered, “That’ll take a lot of points, though…”
“It’s alright, we’ll take it slow.”
Zhou Qi had completely regained his calm by now. Ruffling Tang Yu’an’s hair again, he smiled and said, “Let’s go find Grandpa Li.”
Seeing the sadness vanish from Zhou Qi’s face, Tang Yu’an smiled back, cheerfully replying, “Alright!”
The lantern grass they’d collected was carefully packed, soil and all, into a plastic bag and stashed in their portable space. Besides the lantern grass, they also gathered a large bundle of straw.
Grandpa Li’s place had plenty of straw. The egg basket he had made for Lin Zhen’s eggs was woven from dried straw, so he’d likely find it useful.
When they arrived at Grandpa Li’s home, he had already finished breakfast.
Today, he wasn’t whittling arrows; instead, he held a few oddly shaped wooden blocks and was assembling something.
Seeing Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi, he showed no surprise and simply said, “Get ready today. Tomorrow, I’ll take you both to the market.”
