Doomsday Grocery Store – CH41

Chapter 41- A Road Never Imagined Before Has Emerged

“Haha, really?” Tang Yu’an beamed as he leaned on Zhou Qi’s shoulder, his eyes sparkling with delight. “Then I’ll listen to you, Brother Qi, and stick to single pulls from now on.”

“Alright, let’s head over to Uncle Jin’s place.”

With Tang Yu’an on his back, Zhou Qi checked their direction before heading toward Tie Jin’s house. By now, he had memorized the route, so he didn’t need Tang Yu’an to guide him with the map.

“Brother Qi, what did you trade with Sister Lin for?” Tang Yu’an asked.

“You were listening outside, weren’t you?”

“I want to hear you tell it.”

Zhou Qi’s lips curved slightly as he explained the items he’d exchanged with Lin Zhen. Then he asked, “How much is a pouch of itching powder worth?”

“One pouch, five grams, is worth ten points.”

Tang Yu’an had just used the identification skill on both the itching powder and the insect repellent.

The same amount of insect repellent was worth fifty points, making it far more valuable. Perhaps it was due to Lin Zhen’s unique formula, as both types of powders were exclusive to this dimension.

Although the insect repellent had a higher value, the itching powder was effective against people and could prove unexpectedly useful in a fight. They figured it would come in handy.

In terms of practical value, it was quite a bargain.

Zhou Qi nodded.

As they chatted while walking, they soon saw Tie Jin’s place up ahead.

Seeing the perimeter lined with spiked metal mesh, Tang Yu’an went quiet, afraid of distracting Zhou Qi and causing him to get injured by one of the poison-coated spikes on the fence.

However, Zhou Qi didn’t approach Tie Jin’s gate in the usual way.

Instead, he asked Tang Yu’an to put away the shadow umbrella and, still carrying him on his back, took a few steps back to get a running start. With a burst of speed, he leapt forward.

The teenager’s silhouette traced a graceful arc in the air.

Landing softly on his toes, Zhou Qi brought Tang Yu’an with him, landing smoothly in the small, safe area right outside Tie Jin’s front door. It was all done effortlessly.

“That was so cool!”

Tang Yu’an, now back to his senses, couldn’t help but exclaim, “Brother Qi, you looked amazing! I want to learn that too!”

Zhou Qi leaned down to place him on the ground.

Likely due to the alterations from that parasite, in addition to accelerated healing, Zhou Qi’s strength and agility were growing by the day, allowing him to perform more advanced moves.

Whether this was a blessing or a curse, Zhou Qi couldn’t say.

Perhaps in these harsh times, having more strength was a net positive…

Just then, the shadow umbrella drifted back to hover over Tang Yu’an’s head, dutifully shading him from the intense sunlight.

Tang Yu’an finally released Zhou Qi and looked up at the umbrella. “Thank you, Umbrella!”

The shadow umbrella spun in place as if in response, leaving Zhou Qi a bit surprised.

When he’d first seen it float on its own, he thought it was just a built-in function, perhaps something An’an had unlocked.

But now, watching the umbrella interact with Tang Yu’an, he realized he might’ve been wrong.

The shadow umbrella was showing signs of initiative.

He knew it was a spiritual object.

So, had An’an already earned its approval, even though they hadn’t yet fulfilled its wish?

Seeing the boy smile and talk happily with the umbrella, Zhou Qi suddenly felt that maybe this was only natural.

After all, who could possibly dislike their An’an?

He smiled to himself, then turned his gaze toward Tie Jin’s front door. Picking up a stone, he asked Tang Yu’an, “Do you want to stay under the umbrella?”

Tang Yu’an hesitated, then looked at him pitifully.

“Can I come out?” he asked.

It was nice and cool under the umbrella, but standing alone outside waiting felt boring. More than the heat, he dreaded being bored.

Zhou Qi patted his head. “Alright, let’s go in together.”

“Yes!”

Tang Yu’an happily said goodbye to the shadow umbrella, storing it in his personal space. Once he was ready, Zhou Qi tapped the metal panel by Tie Jin’s door with the stone.

Clang, clang!

The metallic sound rang out, and soon after, the door opened to reveal Tie Jin.

He looked a bit more haggard than yesterday, with visible dark circles under his eyes, indicating he’d likely stayed up all night.

This only added to his intimidating, grim demeanor. He scrutinized Zhou Qi and Tang Yu’an with an intense gaze before finally—

“Oh, it’s you two youngsters!”

Tie Jin’s face broke into a wide grin, and Tang Yu’an was reminded of a certain character from a magical movie. With his thick beard covering his face, Tie Jin suddenly felt oddly familiar.

“Good morning, Uncle Jin.”

The two boys greeted him cheerfully. Their youthful energy took Tie Jin by surprise, and he couldn’t help but think, No wonder they’re from the fortress; they carry themselves differently.

“Come on in.” Tie Jin ushered them inside, taking a cautious look around before locking the door.

“Didn’t Lin come with you today?”

“No, she didn’t. But she did send these bird eggs.” Zhou Qi handed over the basket containing the eggs. “She said they were for you.”

“Oh, excellent!”

Tie Jin carefully accepted the basket, visibly thrilled. “Thank you both! We were almost out of bird eggs at home, so this is a lifesaver.”

Right now, eggs were one of the few things his daughter could stomach, so they were particularly precious to him.

“Weren’t there a lot left yesterday?” Tang Yu’an asked curiously.

He recalled seeing at least a dozen eggs in the basket. Tie Jin’s young daughter couldn’t have eaten all of them, could she?

Hearing this, Tie Jin looked a bit embarrassed.

“Well, it was my first time making steamed eggs… so I may have botched a few batches…” He hugged the basket tightly, his large frame curling in slightly, visibly sheepish.

“The last batch turned out okay, but it still wasn’t as smooth and tasty as yours…” Tie Jin looked at Zhou Qi hopefully. “Could you show me again? I’ll give you a piece of mutated metal the size of an arrowhead as a lesson fee—would that work?”

Hearing his explanation, Zhou Qi was surprised. How could anyone mess up something as simple as steamed eggs?

But since Tie Jin offered a trade, Zhou Qi wouldn’t refuse. He nodded. “Sure, should we head to the kitchen now?”

Excited by Zhou Qi’s agreement, Tie Jin hurriedly led them upstairs.

As soon as they reached the second floor, they noticed it had been cleared out, the clutter gone, leaving the space empty.

In the corner sat a square metal block covered with a woven grass mat, and perched on it was Tie Jin’s adopted daughter, the one-year-old girl, Jin Lili.

Hearing voices, she peered out, her curiosity tempered with caution. Seeing her father with two strangers, she hesitated and shrank back a little.

“You both mentioned tips for caring for kids, so I kept an eye out and realized the fourth floor was way too hot for her during the day.”

“So I cleared out the second floor yesterday, laid down a grass mat, and opened the windows for ventilation. At least now it’s not so stifling for her.”

“At night, of course, we’ll move back to the fourth floor when it gets cold.”

Tie Jin rambled on. With the drastic temperature differences on the wasteland—sweltering in the day and freezing at night—such fluctuations didn’t bother ability users much, but they were a real trial for ordinary people.

Seeing his daughter’s timidity, Tie Jin stopped in the corner and gently patted her head.

Jin Lili clambered down from the metal block and clung to his pant leg, peeking out cautiously with her wide, amber-brown eyes at Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi, her gaze filled with a mixture of curiosity and shyness.

“Don’t be scared. These two brothers are good people—they visited you yesterday.”

Tie Jin wasn’t sure if she could understand him, but he kept talking anyway. “Thanks to them, you didn’t get sick, and it was little Zhou here who made the steamed eggs you liked so much.”

It seemed Jin Lili understood; her expression relaxed considerably.

Tang Yu’an crouched down to her level and greeted her with a warm smile.

Meanwhile, Zhou Qi focused on the metal block Jin Lili had been sitting on. It was about a meter wide, reaching up to his calf, and gave off an unusual sensation.

Curious, he reached out and touched it.

It was cool to the touch, far cooler than metal usually would be.

Seeing him do this, Tang Yu’an also placed his hand on the block and marveled, “Wow, this is so cool!”

In such sweltering weather, lying on such a cool metal block would feel amazing.

Tie Jin saw their reactions and couldn’t help but laugh heartily.

“Feels nice and cool, doesn’t it?” he said proudly. “I put ice blocks inside.”

Ice?

Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi were genuinely astonished.

They had assumed the block was made of some special temperature-regulating metal, but to think there were actual ice blocks inside!

Zhou Qi rapped on the metal block with his knuckles and, sure enough, it was hollow. The block itself looked solid and heavy, giving no outward hint of it being a storage unit.

Noticing their curiosity, Tie Jin lifted the grass mat, revealing a small latch on top of the block.

The metal box was impressively crafted; the door and box were nearly seamless, with the latch being the only clue that it even had a door.

Tie Jin undid the latch, and with a slight pull, the metal door opened.

A rush of cool mist billowed out.

Jin Lili and Tang Yu’an both squinted, savoring the refreshing chill.

As the mist cleared, they could see a large ice block inside, partially melted, though the water looked a bit cloudy and had a slight odor.

After showing them, Tie Jin quickly closed the door to keep the ice from melting too fast.

“Uncle Tie, where did you get this ice block?” Tang Yu’an couldn’t contain his curiosity.

In a wasteland where resources were scarce, seeing such a large chunk of ice in the middle of a hot day was astonishing!

Even an electric freezer would struggle to produce such a large block of ice.

“Heh, didn’t expect that, did you?” Tie Jin chuckled proudly, securing the latch before explaining, “There’s someone in Wildfire City who can make ice. I got it from him.”

“With the heat starting up, his business is booming, but I have a good connection with him. That’s why I was able to get such a large piece.”

“And this box is made from mutated metal, which has excellent insulation. The ice inside should last for at least ten days, maybe even two weeks.”

“With this, I don’t have to worry about Lili getting too hot.” Tie Jin affectionately tousled his daughter’s hair.

Jin Lili gazed at him with wide, shining eyes.

For the first time in her young life, she was experiencing kindness and warmth. Meeting her father had been a true blessing.

Beside them, Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi exchanged glances.

Who would have thought there was an ice-producing ability user in Wildfire City? How remarkable!

Tang Yu’an quickly opened the map to check and saw that there were still only two green markers. So… besides Jin Lili, could the other green dot be the ice ability user?

“Did you go out to get the ice last night?” Tang Yu’an asked.

“Yep, it’s too hot during the day, and the ice would melt too fast.” Tie Jin confirmed.

Tang Yu’an nodded. It looked like that other green dot was indeed the ice ability user.

“Uncle Tie, did you fill the box with water and take it over for him to freeze?” Zhou Qi asked.

“Yes.” Tie Jin nodded. “He can directly create ice, but it consumes too much energy, so we bring our own water.”

No wonder the ice water has a strange odor.

“If you need ice, you can tell me; I’ll let you cut in line.” Tie Jin chuckled.

Once he became familiar with them, he turned from reserved and intimidating to cheerful and friendly. Even his beard no longer seemed frightening.

“He’s my good friend. If I ask him for help, he’ll definitely agree.”

“Alright, we’ll let you know if we need anything.” Zhou Qi thanked him.

For now, they didn’t plan to ask for anything.

On one hand, they were about to go to the town, so they didn’t have time; on the other hand, he was a new acquaintance, so it was better to wait for the right moment.

As for Jin Lili…

Looking at the little girl snuggled close to Tie Jin, still appearing a bit timid, they decided to hold off and try to build a better rapport first.

Just then, Tie Jin looked up at the empty second floor and asked the young man, “Do you think we need to set anything else up here? It feels a bit empty.”

What to set up…

Tang Yu’an took a look at the spacious, well-lit floor and instinctively said, “Maybe plant some vegetables?”

“Plant vegetables?”

“Yeah, you could grow some that Lili can eat, and plants would freshen up the air here, or…”

An idea sparked in Tang Yu’an’s mind, and he said, “Yes, mint!”

Mint not only releases a refreshing scent that cools the room but its leaves can also be used to make a cooling drink.

The drink is extra refreshing when chilled, and if you add some sugar, it tastes sweet, cold, and delicious!

Hearing that mint could cool the room and bring a refreshing scent, Tie Jin became interested.

He knew the weather would only get hotter, and with this cooling method, they wouldn’t have to rely solely on ice.

“That’s great! Do you know where to find this plant?” he asked eagerly. “I’ll dig some up right away!”

“Uncle Jin, don’t rush,” Zhou Qi reassured him.

Tang Yu’an then remembered that this wasn’t their original world, so he wasn’t sure if mint even existed here. Even if it did, it might be hard to find.

However, there was a pot in his mother’s small garden. It was growing well, so it wouldn’t be a problem to bring Tie Jin a small plant.

“We have some; we can bring one for you tomorrow,” Tang Yu’an said.

Tie Jin nodded. “Alright, I’ll trade something with you! What do you need?”

“Let’s see when we bring it over tomorrow.”

“Fair enough.” Tie Jin then looked at Zhou Qi. “Shall we go make the steamed egg now?”

When Zhou Qi nodded, Tie Jin turned to Tang Yu’an and said, “Yu’an, could you keep an eye on little Lili here? It’s cool up here, so you can rest a bit.”

“Sure, no problem.”

Tie Jin patted his daughter’s head, telling her to stay on the second floor, and then headed back to the kitchen with Zhou Qi.

As Zhou Qi and Tie Jin disappeared down the stairs, Jin Lili looked at Tang Yu’an, and when she noticed his gaze, she quickly scampered away, hiding behind a metal box.

Peeking her head out, her eyes stared intently at Tang Yu’an, filled with a mix of wariness and curiosity, like a small, cautious animal.

Tang Yu’an wasn’t in a hurry. He took a picnic blanket from his bag, laid it out on the floor, and then casually took out a box of milk.

Jin Lili’s curious eyes followed his every move. He poured hot water into a wide-mouthed cup and placed the milk carton in to warm it up.

Seeing his backpack, which seemed like a treasure chest with everything in it, Jin Lili’s eyes grew round with wonder.

After setting the kettle aside, Tang Yu’an checked the milk.

With the warm weather and hot water, it only took a moment for the milk to warm up.

His mother had always reminded him that kids’ stomachs were sensitive and shouldn’t drink cold beverages; even milk had to be warmed. He remembered this well.

When it felt ready, he poured the milky drink into a small cup, taking a tiny sip.

Warm and fragrant with milk, it tasted wonderful!

Tang Yu’an wore a satisfied expression. The little girl, who had been curiously watching his backpack, couldn’t take her eyes off the cup in his hand.

“Do you want some?” Tang Yu’an asked with a gentle smile.

The little girl swallowed hard.

“Don’t be scared; come over and drink.” Tang Yu’an beckoned her closer.

In the end, drawn by the lure of food, Jin Lili carefully emerged from behind the metal box and inched her way over.

Tang Yu’an patiently waited.

He watched as the skinny, little girl, lacking any hint of baby fat on her face, finally mustered the courage to come closer.

Her eyes stayed glued to the cup in his hand.

The milky fragrance of the drink was naturally appealing to a child.

“Here, drink this,” Tang Yu’an said, turning the straw in the milk box toward her. “Just put it in your mouth and suck.”

Jin Lili obediently followed his instructions.

Soon, the warm, fragrant milk flowed into her mouth.

Her eyes widened, and she instinctively took a big sip.

It was milk…

It was delicious milk…

It was her most familiar food, and after a few sips, she suddenly realized that the person in front of her wasn’t her mother. She looked up at Tang Yu’an, a bit alarmed.

But the young man sitting in front of her simply smiled softly and asked in a gentle voice, “Isn’t it tasty?”

Jin Lili nodded.

“Then have a bit more, but don’t drink too fast,” Tang Yu’an gently patted her head.

The once-panicked little girl gradually calmed down and took another sip. Realizing there was no scolding or punishment, she grew bolder and continued to drink.

Soon, the 200ml milk carton was empty.

Jin Lili burped with lingering satisfaction.

“Are you full?” Tang Yu’an patted her small belly, which was now round and full from the milk, standing out even more on her thin frame.

“Ah, better not drink any more, or you won’t have room for the steamed egg later.” Feeling a bit guilty, Tang Yu’an put the empty carton back in his backpack.

After drinking the milk, Jin Lili no longer seemed afraid of him.

She stood quietly in place, her wide, round eyes staring curiously, reminding Tang Yu’an of his younger sister.

Xin Xin wasn’t as well-behaved as Jin Lili when she was little, but she was just as cute…

Suppressing a pang of sadness, he took a handkerchief from his bag, dampened it with the warm milk water, and carefully wiped the little girl’s face and hands.

Tie Jin, being a rough man, barely took care of himself, let alone a child.

Though the little girl’s face was relatively clean, her hands were dirty, with dark grime under her fingernails.

Tang Yu’an took a nail clipper from his bag and carefully trimmed her long nails.

Jin Lili starred in a daze; it was her first time having her nails trimmed. She was a bit scared initially, but once she realized it didn’t hurt, she relaxed.

She looked at the delicate nail clipper in Tang Yu’an’s hand, then curiously at his backpack.

This little tool had come from that bag, too. She had already seen him pull out many things she’d never seen before.

Big and small, everything seemed to fit into that bag.

How amazing!

Soon her nails were trimmed and the grime under them cleaned. Tang Yu’an then looked at her messy curls and couldn’t resist saying, “Shall I brush your hair?”

In Jin Lili’s curious gaze, he took out a comb and began to gently brush her hair.

Her hair was tangled and knotted at the ends, making it hard to comb through, so Tang Yu’an used scissors to trim the ends slightly—shorter hair would be more comfortable in the hot weather.

Patiently, he untangled her curls and braided them into a neat braid.

When he used to live at home, Tang Yu’an often braided his sister’s hair, so he was quite skilled at it. Finally, he tied the braid with a small hair tie, and it was complete.

Jin Lili sat quietly, like a little doll, letting him dress her up. Her life experiences had made her less sensitive to her appearance.

She kept her head down, her eyes fixed on Tang Yu’an’s backpack.

When Tie Jin returned with the steamed egg and saw his daughter’s new look, he couldn’t resist picking her up and twirling her around, but she still stared at Tang Yu’an’s bag.

That bag really had everything!

Tie Jin loved his daughter’s new look.

In the wasteland, people were constantly struggling to survive, so few bothered about appearances.

Tie Jin’s own hair was a mess, so he hadn’t thought there was anything wrong with Jin Lili’s tangled curls before.

But seeing Tang Yu’an clean her face, comb her hair, and tie her beautiful red hair into a neat braid, he noticed a kind of beauty he had never seen before—a clean, orderly beauty.

It was a feeling utterly different from the wildness of the wasteland.

For Tie Jin, it was like catching a glimpse of the world old man Li had described to him—the world before the great disaster. A world he had longed for but could never see in his lifetime.

How could his heart not surge with emotion?

Tie Jin had the energy to pursue a better quality of life. Driven by this simple idea, he put his daughter down and looked at Tang Yu’an, humbly asking, “Yu’an, could you teach me how to do this?”

The affection and eagerness in Tie Jin’s eyes made it hard for Tang Yu’an to refuse. Besides, Tie Jin was a man who disliked owing others.

“I can pay in metal,” he added.

Tang Yu’an agreed gladly and began teaching him the basics of brushing long hair. “Start combing from the ends, little by little, so it doesn’t tangle. If you pull too hard, it can hurt.”

This was something he’d learned from years of combing his sister’s hair.

“Then, separate it like this and divide it into three sections…”

Tang Yu’an patiently taught Tie Jin, while Jin Lili sat obediently, not moving an inch. Even when Tie Jin’s rough handling tugged at her hair, she only flinched slightly.

She didn’t cry or make a fuss, behaving so well that it tugged at Tang Yu’an’s heart. Tie Jin, too, looked guilty and became even more careful.

In the end, Tang Yu’an successfully earned some metal in exchange for his braiding skills.

Tie Jin took a polished metal sheet and used it as a mirror for Jin Lili to admire herself. Watching them laugh together, Tang Yu’an felt genuinely happy.

Deals with Uncle Tie Jin always felt relaxed. Perhaps it was because Tie Jin would always express what he wanted openly, sparing them the effort of negotiating terms.

After all, he truly wanted to improve!

When Tang Yu’an undid Jin Lili’s braid to smooth her hair again, Tie Jin eyed the useful little comb.

But since it was his only comb and held special meaning, Tang Yu’an wasn’t inclined to trade it.

“You can make one yourself from metal or wood,” Zhou Qi suggested.

“Yes!” Tang Yu’an nodded. “A wooden comb feels more comfortable and won’t hurt the scalp as much.”

Tie Jin’s face, which had shown disappointment, brightened up, and he said happily, “Then I’ll ask Old Li to make one for me; he’s good with woodwork.”

He then borrowed Tang Yu’an’s comb to use as a model.

Tang Yu’an watched him curiously.

Tie Jin pulled a piece of metal from his pocket, about the size of his palm. As a faint golden glow appeared on his hand, the metal began to soften as if it were melting.

He stretched the metal like dough, forming it into a long strip. Then he placed the comb on it, gently pressed it down, and removed it, leaving an imprint of the comb’s shape on the metal.

Next, the softened metal block hardened again, and the shape of the comb remained imprinted.

Tang Yu’an watched in fascination. He put his comb back into his backpack and asked to examine the metal block with the imprint.

The metal felt cool in his hand, now completely solid, with no trace of its previous melted texture.

“Uncle Tie Jin, you’re amazing!” Tang Yu’an couldn’t help but exclaim.

“Haha, it’s nothing; it’s easy for a metal manipulator,” Tie Jin waved dismissively.

“But I think it’s incredible!”

Tang Yu’an’s eyes sparkled as he looked at him, and even Jin Lili, her braid freshly redone, gazed at Tie Jin with admiration.

With such bright, adoring eyes on him, Tie Jin found it hard not to feel a bit proud.

He laughed heartily, “If you like it, I’ll show you again next time!”

“No backing out!” Tang Yu’an grinned.

“Of course not.”

Under Tang Yu’an’s guidance, Tie Jin learned how to braid. Though clumsy, and the braid ended up loose and messy, Jin Lili didn’t mind at all.

As for the steamed egg Zhou Qi made, since Jin Lili was already full from milk, they placed it on the metal box to “keep it fresh” for later.

Then Tie Jin asked Zhou Qi about the details of making a frying pan, bringing out a half-finished piece he’d been working on for discussion.

Around 11 a.m., Zhou Qi took out 100 grams of glucose and exchanged it for a metal arrowhead from Tie Jin before bidding him goodbye.

Tie Jin hugged his daughter and warmly saw them off to the door.

“Remember my mint!” he reminded.

“Got it, we’ll bring it tomorrow for sure.”

As soon as they were out of Tie Jin’s sight, Tang Yu’an quickly pulled out a shade umbrella.

Any longer, and he felt his hair would start to burn!

“This heat is unbearable!”

He slumped onto Zhou Qi’s back, feeling as if he were hit by a wave of hot air the moment they left Tie Jin’s place. Within moments, his forehead was drenched with sweat.

“Drink some water, don’t get heatstroke.”

“Okay…”

Tang Yu’an took out his water bottle, sipping through the straw, and with the umbrella shielding him from the scorching heat, he slowly began to feel better.

Zhou Qi kept walking in silence, seeming somewhat preoccupied.

Since Tie Jin’s “performance,” he’d looked thoughtful.

“Brother Qi, what’s up?” Tang Yu’an asked with concern.

“I’ll tell you later.”

Zhou Qi didn’t explain right away but didn’t deny that something was on his mind, leaving Tang Yu’an a bit anxious.

Luckily, in less than twenty minutes, they arrived at the grocery store.

Seeing the door, Tang Yu’an jumped down from Zhou Qi’s back and ran to open it, thinking it would be cooler inside. But—

As soon as he opened the door, a blast of heat rushed out.

The protective barrier didn’t regulate temperature, and the thin roof of the store offered little insulation, making it stuffy inside.

Tang Yu’an could barely stand it, but with Chi Hao there, he couldn’t just retreat under the shade umbrella and disappear—after all, the umbrella was one of their most valuable assets, and they weren’t ready to reveal it to others.

Chi Hao, who had been resting with his eyes closed, opened them at the noise and looked over, seeing Tang Yu’an flushed and sweating profusely.

In contrast, Zhou Qi seemed unaffected—despite carrying Tang Yu’an all the way, he only had a light sheen of sweat and looked unfazed by the heat.

That was the difference in physique between ability users and regular people, something Chi Hao was accustomed to, as he greeted them with a smile.

“Brother Chi Hao…” Tang Yu’an greeted him weakly.

It was their first time arriving before noon, and he hadn’t expected it to be so hot inside.

Yu’an Bao hadn’t gone out today and was dutifully keeping an eye on Chi Hao. Even with Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi back, it stayed in place, only wagging its tail slightly.

The other fluffy creatures also wagged their tails but stayed slumped against the fridge door, tongues out, not moving.

Clearly, the heat had gotten to them, too.

Tang Yu’an reached out to pet their heads, coming back with a handful of fur.

“Where’s the air conditioner remote?” Zhou Qi asked, taking a bottle of mineral water from the fridge and handing it to Tang Yu’an.

In this kind of heat, they couldn’t go without AC, or they’d risk heatstroke.

“Maybe we shouldn’t… running the AC costs so many points…” Although they had more points now, Tang Yu’an still wanted to save whenever possible.

However, his thoughts went to Chi Hao as he considered the heat.

In just one morning, Chi Hao’s complexion had regained some color, and like Zhou Qi, he seemed unfazed by the heat in the room.

He even looked a bit more relaxed than Zhou Qi.

“Brother Chi Hao, aren’t you afraid of the heat?” Tang Yu’an asked.

Chi Hao smiled and shook his head. “I’m a fire ability user. High temperatures don’t harm me—they actually help me recover from injuries.”

Tang Yu’an’s eyes lit up immediately.

This was precisely why he’d asked!

Zhou Qi caught on to Tang Yu’an’s intention and followed up, “So, can you absorb heat?”

“Huh?” Chi Hao paused, then hesitantly nodded. “I think I can… Why?”

“Could you absorb all the heat in the room?” Tang Yu’an said excitedly. “If you absorb the heat, you could speed up your recovery and cool down the room at the same time!”

Chi Hao: ?!

A path he had never considered suddenly appeared before him!

As the captain of Qingmu Fort’s ability user squad, Chi Hao had been focused on combat training since he entered the base.

Of course, there were occasional requests for him to release flames to increase indoor temperature during extreme cold, but those instances were rare since the fortress’s basic facilities usually met their heating needs.

But to use a fire ability to cool things down?

Who would ever make that connection? Even if someone did, they would never think to ask a mid-level fire user like him to do it!

Yet, the scary thing was, as Chi Hao thought it over carefully, it seemed like he… might actually be able to do it?